Day 3 of the Larder Challenge - Carrot and Potato Thai Green Soup

It seems ridiculous that I am considering making a hot soup to eat in June, but with the constant rainfall, a winter warmer soup is just what I need.

And with the Rayburn lit for the hot water as the solar panel is 'resting' (posh actor's euphemism for not working - due to lack of solar input), I thought a hot soup bubbling away on the hot plate would raise our morale from the sodden depths.

Raiding the depths of the veg basket - I should have considered stocking up on fresh veg before starting this challenge, oh well too late now, I found a handful of sorry looking carrots and a couple of spuds.

Carrot and Potato Green Thai Chili Soup


Peel and chop into smallish chunks a handful of decidedly limp carrots and a couple of spuds about to sprout (you could use fresh ones but this is what was left in my larder)
Boil in a litre of chicken stock until they begin to disintegrate, then either blitz with a stick blender or use a potato masher to achieve a puree
At this point you may need to add some water, taste to see if you need just water or seasonings as well, a strong stock would be fine but if you are using a cube you may need the additional seasonings.

Now stir in a heaped teaspoon of green Thai chili paste

Leave to simmer away gently for half an hour  until serving or cover and stick in the oven for later, then serve with some bread.



To make your own paste:  Green Thai Chili Paste

Blend all the ingredients together to make a small
jar's worth that will keep in the fridge for a couple 
of weeks, or can be frozen in teaspoon sized dollops
on a tray in the freezer to use another time.

• 1 small onion or a shallot
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece of ginger
• 1  cup chopped fresh coriander leaves & stems
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper 
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 3-4 Tbsp. coconut milk or double cream
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 1-3 green chilies depending on how hot you like your curry

The 10 Day Larder Challenge

With Bren away for a few days, I thought I would try the 10 day larder challenge.

This is where you challenge yourself to live solely from the current contents of your larder and fridge on a timescale to suit yourself.  Hence 10 days for me, or should I say us because of course Thea will be taking part too, whether she likes it or not.

With a confusing morning gone by, and a fraught afternoon chasing rabbits now coming to a halt, I have time to update my blog properly and add some photos.  (I am also still trying to learn the French keyboard lay out, but it is taking forever to remember the m and the w).

Chasing rabbits was my fault entirely, not shutting the hutch door to this morning I came home to find two in the garden and the rest gallivanting around with the chickens.  So far I have managed to get the four babies in and one of the adults, the other is hiding behind the other hutches and so I have to wait for Thea tonight so we can get her in a pincer movement. If I can't catch her I may have to shoot her otherwise she will eat the veg garden overnight.

OK - Day 1 of the larder challenge, on the menu today :  Sunflower seed bread

I set this off in the machine this morning when I left for work and it was delicious and hot at lunchtime ready and waiting for me when I got home.

350ml tepid water

500g white flour

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

4 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons dried milk powder

15g dried active yeast

1 generous handful of sunflower seeds

Combine the sugar with some of the tepid water, add the yeast and leave to activate for about 15 minutes

pour the water and the oil along with the yeast mix into the bread machine pan (always liquid ingredients first for best results)

add the milk powder and the flour

Normally if you have a machine that does it you would put the seeds into the 'add later' compartment or throw  them in at the last rise or at the last bake, but because I was leaving my machine to get on with it, I threw mine in at the start with all the other ingredients.

A bit comfort food-ish, served with hot melted butter and some homemade course pâté.

Now I am sat inside waiting for a phone call, so making the best of my time, finally processing and uploading some of my scrapyard treasures photos onto flickr.   

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theabsinthefairy/?saved=1