It has been wonderful to get back to the Vic Market this last month. There are many things to love about travelling, but it is difficult to find produce beyond the supermarkets. Then there is the issue of keeping it fresh. The fridge in the van works from three different energy sources — mains electricity, electricity from the battery and gas from the gas bottle. Each time we changed the setting we had to readjust the temperature control. Often things froze before we realised. Frozen strawberries are one thing, but frozen lettuce is not good, carrots went rather manky and cucumbers soggy.
Now the fresh produce from the Vic Market will stay in pretty good condition in the fridge. 🙂 As well I have been harvesting plump strawberries from the garden, often a decent handful at a time. That is if I can beat the snails and millipedes ~ and the little boy down the road who loves a strawberry snack!
The peas have been great too. I have been quickly boiling them with beans and asparagus, cooking them just enough to keep the crunch, then adding them to salad leaves, cucumbers and tiny tomatoes.
I have been trying to eat more fish too. I go through phases of not liking fish, but can usually always enjoy salmon. This recipe makes a tasty change from baking it.
Teriyaki salmon
Teriyaki sauce
1 cup of super dashi (I buy sachets of it and use one with a cup of boiling water)
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon of mirin
1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice, made by squeezing grated ginger
1 tablespoon sake
- To make the sauce, add all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring quickly to the boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes
- Place two salmon fillets into the saucepan and cook for about 10 minutes over a low heat. (The recipe actually says to fry the salmon in a frying pan for five minutes, before adding to the sauce. I prefer to put it straight into the the sauce and cook it a little longer.)
That’s it. So easy. The recipe came from Hideo Dekura’s Japanese cooking at home. It has good instructions for sushi rice too. No photos though, sorry.
In my kitchen I also have a yoghurt maker. We eat yoghurt every morning with fruit and muesli, and I had wondered about making my own. Then this one came my way. Thanks Denise!
The jars are so cute, and each one holds enough for the Fella and I to share in the morning. However, the batches so far have been quite runny. A Google search gave me some help, so I have been trying a few things. Apparently full cream milk makes a thicker consistency than skim milk, and I have added in three dessert spoons of powdered milk. So far the starter yoghurt has been shop bought, usually Greek and definitely unflavoured. I have done this because I am not confident that my yogurt would carry enough oomph to inoculate a new batch.
It’s quite edible as it is, but I would like it to be thicker. So, any thoughts would be most welcome.
What’s been happening in your kitchen lately?
The In my kitchen series is hosted by the wonderful Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial. This month she is baking salmon and brownies (not together!) and her bread is as mouth watering as usual. Do go and have a look.
Anne Lawson Art 
25 replies on “In my kitchen, November”
I make my own yoghurt too. I’ve found that if I want the sort of thickness you get with Greek yoghurt, you need to let it stand in the fridge for at least 24 hours after you take it out of the yoghurt maker. Mine’s just a super thermos type, not electric, and I leave the batch in it for 24 hours, then 24 hours in the fridge, and I get yoghurt so thick I can stand a spoon up in it and it holds its shape when you scoop it out. I also add 5 drops of lactase to the milk before I start the batch, and then it’s pretty low in lactose by the time I actually put it in my mouth.
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I know of other people who use the thermos, or like the clever Ms Snail, a jug in the airing cupboard! Yours sounds beautifully thick, and I love thick yoghurt. Still the runny stuff I am making goes well on our morning fruit. Thanks to everyone’s comments I have things to try. It will not beat me!
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I always make my yoghurt with full cream milk. I don’t have a special yoghurt-maker, I just mix warm milk with yoghurt in a jug and put it in the airing cupboard over night. A few tips – I use hotter milk than generally recommended because the cold yoghurt can bring the temperature down significantly. I never use Greek Yoghurt as a starter – I find that it’s too thick to mix in well, so I use an organic live plain yoghurt to provide the culture (it seems to be hit and miss if it’s not organic, at least here in the UK). If your yoghurt is too thin, just strain it through muslin and you’ll have thick Greek yoghurt; you can use the whey that’s left over to make delicious pancakes or Yorkshire pudding or (or we feed it to the chickens mixed with oats).
Hope this helps!
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I hadn’t thought of heating the milk, even though I had read that in my google search. Maybe that is the secret trick! The extra milk powder is helping. If the heating doesn’t help I will search for a different starter. Thanks so much Ms Snail 🙂
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Oh, one more thing I’ve thought of… I find that using two different brands of live yoghurt makes for a more robust starter – you get more microbial diversity!
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What a great acquisition. Homemade yoghurt is the best. I have a simple manual immerse in hot water type yoghurt maker, and I’m so pleased you asked the yoghurt question I’ve been meaning to. My first batch made in mid summer in my Taylors Arm kitchen was beautifully thick. Since my efforts have more resembled drinking yoghurt. I’ve put it aside, planning to take it up again after we resettle. Thanks to you I have some tips to be going on with.
For me one of the best things about being at home is veges, I always miss them when we travel. I love the Teriyaki salmon recipe, often I think it would be nice with a sauce. So I’ll add the makings to my pantry.
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Yep, drinking yoghurt is a good description. I think your story just proves that you are meant to be up at Taylor’s Arm, making thick yoghurt and growing your own veggies! The salmon was so easy and the makings, while a little unusual are useful in other recipes too.
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I refrigerate my yoghurt overnight to get it to set. It’s thicker that way.
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I do leave my little jars in the fridge. They fit very neatly into a cake tin! It doesn’t seem to thicken them up though. But maybe it would be even runnier if it wasn’t in the fridge, so thanks for the advice.
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I’ve eaten the most delicious homemade Greek yoghurt imaginable. It was made by a lovely old lady who didn’t speak much English but boy did she make amazing yoghurt. Sadly my own efforts have been very ho hum. Just out of interest, what is that neat looking yoghurt maker thingie? I might leave a few little hints lying around the kitchen. 🙂
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If only I had a lovely Greek lady sitting in my kitchen! I wonder is Mrs P. next door would make me yoghurt. Hmmmm….
As for that yoghurt maker thingie, you put the milk yoghurt mixture into the little jars and they sit on the heated pad for quite a few hours. If you like your yoghurt on the runny side, then definitely leave hints lying around. People have been telling me about using thermoses too, so you don’t need fancy [just the little Greek lady!]
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I bought one of those thermos thingies but the results weren’t wildly successful, but I guess your neat little gadget wasn’t either. I think making lovely yoghurt is an artform. 😦
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Oh Anne, here I am with a fire on and the rain drumming against the windows and I am salivating whilst starring at the photo of your strawberries and peas!
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I have just been to the nursery and bought some seeds and seedlings to go in. 🙂 Do you think you are in for a wet winter? It has been raining here too, but as a very hot summer is predicted, I have enjoyed the rain.
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Those are cute white jars. The leaves on the strawberries grew so large and wide. Great job! Mine are still young and I’m still awaiting them berries…
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The jars are very cute, and the perfect size for our morning breakfast. My secret for the strawberries is to water them daily and a fortnightly dose of the liquid from the worm farm. Good luck with yours.
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As the cooler weather settles in slowly here I am drooling over your strawberries! Making yoghurt is something I have thought about, just haven’t done it yet.
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The strawberries are the best I have ever had. I am having more success with the yoghurt, and would recommend you having a go. It’s always nice to know what goes into what you eat.
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ooh that salmon sounds good. i love making my own yoghurt. i always use some natural yoghurt as the starter which makes it really thick i have found. i use thick Greek yoghurt. it seems to work. love your home grown strawbs! (btw I still have the lovely garlic drawing i got from you on my kitchen wall- everybody comments on it).
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The salmon was good, and very easy. I am going to make it again tonight. Thanks for the tip about the Greek yoghurt. I am still on the quest for the perfect yoghurt. The kitchen wall would be the perfect place for my garlic drawing! I am so pleased that you are getting comments, and it is nice to know what happens to my work when it leaves me. 🙂
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Lots of lovely produce on the way then? Our garden is very neglected this year as it has become a staging area for the builders. By the time they are done it will be too hot so we will have to wait to autumn. Well done on the homemade yoghurt.
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At least you have a good reason for your veggie patch to be neglected. Mine is often overrun simply because I don’t get out there as frequently as it needs!The strawberries continue to do well and the peas are almost finished. Thanks for dropping by. (For some reason your comment went to the spam box, but I rescued it!)
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Anne, the image of that lil’ boy surreptitiously picking strawberries from your patch made me smile. So did your salmon recipe! I think simmering the fillets in the sauce would add more “depth” to both the sauce and the fish — no need to fry first. Paired with one of your garden fresh salads — oh my! Lovely post!
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The boy is such a sweet little thing. Unfortunately for us the family is moving away. Lucky them, though, they will have lots of space in the country to grow their own and keep the chooks they have always wanted.
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[…] my kitchen is a new packet of dashi powder. Dashi is a Japanese stock and I use it to make teriyaki salmon. I love boxes of things that I can’t read. My brother is teaching himself Japanese and he was […]
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