Unexpected partners, quiche and red chili oil

There was quite a bit of cooking on a grey cold Monday morning,  crust free spinach quiche and red chili oil. I've been thinking about both for a while, and thought well why not both? 

The red chili oil is from Yeung Man Cooking on YouTube and the  quiche from a long ago internet friend (Patti, if you're reading, it's Diane's recipe!)

So many spices in play for the oil. I subbed long red pepper for the Chinese red pepper he used, caraway seeds for tahini seeds, didn't have star anise, nor ghost peppers, but I used jalapenos, same idea.  I don't make as much as he does, because it lasts a while for me. 

I used the jar my berbere had been in, without wiping, since the remaining berbere would add heat, fine.

On the right you see spices and seeds toasting in a dry pan, other items waiting around. 

Meanwhile on the other counter

The doings for the quiche. I added in mashed firm tofu with the cheese, and beat the onions and torn up spinach into the egg mixture. Worked a treat.

Here's the chili oil, red because of the red pepper in it, and the quiche ready for the oven, 350°f  for twenty minutes.

Here it is, smelling great and ready to serve 

And here's lunch 

This really was excellent, even if I do say it myself. The spices were mellowed by toasting and sauteing, and the onions and garlic, too. 

The idea just occurred to me when I realized the onions were cooked in the oil for flavor then strained out, so there they were ready to use, no need to make another lot for the quiche. A rush of brains to the head.

I was thinking about old language after the first footing discussion, and the Viking influence on the region I'm from. 

You see it in place names

And Norse words were common in the language of my childhood, particularly in the country. 

If you were tugging in the thumb latch on the back door, you'd be told "Don't rive at that sneck!". And playing out: if you go up fell, don't fall in 't beck! Translation if you're playing near the hill don't fall in the stream.

When I went to the uni I had to drop a lot of terms that the other students didn't understand, being from non Norse regions. And some pronunciation, too. 

We lived in Gribdale, outside of Great Ayton, famous for Captain Cook. The next village was Little Ayton, known to us as Canny Atton

but when I asked a farmer about that a couple of years ago, he being a new resident from the south, he was baffled. And there's Chop Gate, said as Shop Yat, and I hear that pronunciation is gone too.  

Times change and we change with them. 

Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis. That's as accurate as I can get it without researching, but I don't remember who said it. 

Probably a Roman complaining the language had gone to hell since all the foreigners moved in.

Happy day everyone, you say you!

Memories of Marigold as long as we're reminiscing. This was her last night, age 16. 

Potatoes everywhere! And Valentine's Day

I made the planned potato and carrot soup, using a vegetable stock I made, using the stock bag in the freezer. The other liquid was the mapu tofu spicy liquid, which I saved. I'd made a bit too much, and it's a great soup addition. Dash of sea salt, lemon juice and it's done.

I blended it to a thick consistency, sprinkled on some dried dill, courtesy of the friend who grew it in her kitchen, and there was a good supper.

Five more meals from this batch.

I'm noticing a pattern -- leftovers from Yeung Man Cooking recipes, usually very spicy, make great soup starters. Because they already have plenty of flavor, onion, garlic, red chili oil, spices galore, no need to do much more.

 

This suits my inner lazy woman. I need to make more red chili oil though. And next week's Misfits will include firm tofu, to make marinated baked tofu sticks with a dipping sauce. Chili oil may be needed.

At some point I also need to open those cans of cannellini beans and see if they are what the label says. I'm thinking of opening them ahead of need,  and freezing the contents. I'll know what I'm getting then. Novelty is fine but not so much when I've got my mouth all set for one thing and another shows up. 

This seems to be a food centered post. Or maybe a comfort food post. 

Happy Valentine's Day, it's for all friends, not just romantic couples.

Happy day everyone, celebrate being a friend and having friends.

All the more needed, support for Ukraine.

And some useful information from good sources 

Red chili oil and apres storm

This was an interesting journey, making red chili oil from scratch. It's going to be an ingredient itself, but first, to make it.

One of the pleasures of working with spices is the wonderful series of smells you experience. This is one reason, a  chef told me, why she wears whites and hats. To avoid getting  hair and  skin permeated with the scents. My house was a different story.

Anyway here's the deal.

I didn't have the kind of pepper Will Yeung uses, so I subbed my red long pepper, which is hot and very fruity. I needed five tsps, so I used the grinder. 

And here's the cast of characters, scallions, garlic, red onions, hot peppers, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, long red pepper, salt, all smelling like a symphony 

Toasting the spices 

Cooking in avocado oil 

Adding in the spices 

Straining the solids, which are now frozen for future use, since they're far from exhausted. 

And here's the result, stick of cinnamon left in to continue flavoring the oil.

Yeung makes a much bigger recipe, but I cut it to one third, figuring this is enough for now.

This is an ingredient for several recipes, worth the advance prep when I was in a mood for it.

Today Debby has moved on, leaving evidence 

Puffballs 

A lot of downed foliage, trees bent down with the weight of water. The pond was very high, all the banks now submerged, so I couldn't see frogs, probably under water.

Twigs in camo

On the patio 

New friends appearing. I have a lot more foliage than flowers, but when they appear, they get a warm welcome and pictures 

The thyme is flowering.

This is such a good time, after a storm, the trees swept clear of dead branches, flowers continuing, unconcerned. 

Happy day, everyone.  Enjoy your plans for the day.

Here's a summery thing for Escher aficionadas