Tag Archives: lunch

Slow Cooked Lemon Garlic Pork

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So how’s the year going for everyone? Crazy you say? We all have years that we are glad to see the back of but this is a year, for the first time in a very long time, I think we’re all looking forward to see the back of. It’s been difficult to hold on to some normalcy, especially with our kids. Blogging took a back seat with sewing face masks and headbands, as well with just wanting to do cosy things and make sure the family was in a good and safe space. For a lot of us, the anxiety has been over the top. How there hasn’t been a wine shortage, I’ll never know. We still need to eat, of course! This Slow Cooked Lemon Garlic Pork is very easy to make and has a lovely fresh flavour, perfect for these hot days.

Technique for the Slow Cooked Lemon Garlic Pork

Preheat the oven to 300F/150C.

Prep the pork by removing any connective tissue and then pierce the pork in several spots. Everytime I think or say “pierce the”, I always think of the movie Birdcage and the “I pierced the toast!” line. Very funny movie. Place the pork in a deep baking dish. Season liberally with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the baking dish.

Cover and bake for about 6 hours. Low and slow is key here. You’ll end up with moist and falling apart pork.

Remove the big pieces of rosemary so you don’t have big twigs in the meal. Shred the pork and stir well so the onion, garlic and rosemary are evenly mixed in.

Serve on a bed of lettuce, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I absolutely love roasted potatoes so that was my chosen side with this light meal.

I hope you are all getting through this surreal year and are staying healthy, we will eventually get through this.

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Slow Cooked Lemon Garlic Pork

A lemony slow cooked pork served over lettuce

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Slow Cooked Lemon Garlic Pork
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Servings 4
Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs pork shoulder 900grams
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2-4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 2 boughs of rosemary
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice 4oz
  • 1 cup chicken stock 8oz
  • sea salt to taste
  • freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300F/150C

  2. Remove the connective tissue from the pork and pierce with a knife, several times. Place in a deep baking dish and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the remaining ingredients to the baking dish.

  3. Cover the baking dish and bake for 6 hours. After about 3 hours, baste the pork every 45- 60 minutes.

  4. Remove the big pieces of rosemary. Remove from the oven and shred the pork with two forks. Mix in the rosemary, onion and garlic evenly.

  5. Serve over a bed of lettuce and grate fresh parmesan over the pork.

Poached Eggs and Tofu

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I mentioned in my last post of my Tofu Burrito I was struggling with a dish so I had put it aside. It called for hot spring eggs, which are made by covering with boiling water. The recipe is from Harumi’s Japanese Cooking and said it’s very easy to make. Not so! I tried it different ways and all I ended up with was the yoke. I gave up as making poach eggs is faster and I knew what I was getting. So this is my Poached Eggs with Tofu, loosely based on the Hot Spring Eggs.

I love the subtle flavours of this dish and the ingredients are relatively easy to find. With a bit of prep you’ll have an easy lunch to enjoy.

Technique for Poached Eggs and Tofu

About an hour or so before the dish is made a stock has to be made and the tofu needs to be wrapped in paper towel/kitchen roll. Slice two rectangles of tofu per serving and wrap it. Set aside. This helps remove excess water for when you pan fry the tofu. In a cup add equal parts bonito flakes and kelp and cover with boiling water.

Set this aside and let steep for about an hour.

When it’s time to make the dish bring water and a 1/4 cup (2oz) of white vinegar to a boil. Poach the eggs for 3 minutes.

Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small serving bowl.

Meanwhile, heat up the sesame oil in a skillet. Fry the tofu until both sides are golden and crispy.

Drain the tofu of excess oil and place the eggs over the tofu. Drizzle some sauce over the eggs and top with fresh scallions/green onion.

I enjoyed this with smoked mackerel. I’m glad I switched to the poached eggs as I love the flavours of the dish so it was nice to finally get it together!

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Poached Eggs and Tofu

Asian flavours with pan fried tofu.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Poached Eggs and Tofu
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

  • 2 slices tofu (per serving)
  • 2 eggs (per serving)
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • equal parts bonito flakes and kelp
  • 2 tsp mirin
  • 1 tsp amino acids or soy sauce
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 2 tbsp stock made with bonito flakes and kelp
  • 1/4 cup sliced scallion/green onion

Instructions

  1. Boil water and cover the bonito flakes and kelp in a cup. Steep for at least an hour.

  2. Slice the tofu and wrap with paper towels/kitchen roll to remove excess water. Set aside.

  3. Boil water with 1/4 cup/2oz of white vinegar. Poach the eggs for 3 minutes.

  4. Mix the stock from steeping the bonito flakes and kelp with the aminio acid, mirin and minced ginger. Stir well.

  5. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet and pan fry the tofu until golden and crispy. Drain the excess oil from the tofu.

  6. Place the poached eggs over the tofu. Drizzle the sauce over the eggs and top with the scallion/green onions.

Tofu Burrito

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Before I decided to make this Tofu Burrito, I was trying to make a different dish with eggs. I tried over a few weeks to get it to work based on the directions. Easy it said. Not in the least. So I put that on the back burner to make a different dish so that I could at least get a post done this month. Have you ever run into the proverbial brick wall with a recipe?

Last weekend, my husband and I decided to play hooky from working on the house. It’s a Victorian Queen Anne and while we love old homes, it becomes a drag at times with the constant long list of to-dos. It was a gorgeous autumn day so we went hiking into the woods. Being out in nature does wonders for the mind and makes it easier to take deep breaths.

We found a fabulous cafe in our travels for lunch and my husband ordered their tofu burrito. The only complaint he had was they didn’t use cilantro (coriander leaf). Because our son also loves burritos I decided to recreate this dish for them. My son was shocked I have never eaten a burrito in my life. He looked at me like I had three heads! How have I survived? 😉

Technique for Tofu Burrito

This dish couldn’t be simpler to make. Make the rice while you prepare the filling. White rice or brown rice is fine. I went with white rice as it can cook in half the time and I wanted a quick dish for the week night.

Heat up the olive oil in a skillet. Cook the beans and corn until the corn thaws.

Add the hot pepper, for this dish I used a cayenne pepper from the garden. Also add the scallion (spring onion), garlic and tofu. Sauté until the onion begins to soften. Add the chili powder, cumin and lime juice. Don’t worry about the level of seasoning until after you add the rice.

Add the sweet pepper and cilantro (coriander leaf). I add the sweet pepper last so there is a bit of crunch.

Add the rice and mix well. Check the level of seasoning and adjust as needed. I added a bit more lime juice at this point. Then season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Lay out the burrito wrap. Add the shredded cheese and top with the burrito filling. Wrap tightly.

Serve with salsa and sour cream. My son said this was really good. High praise from a 15 year old and he went back for seconds.

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Tofu Burrito

A vegetarian dish with tofu and black beans

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Tofu Burrito
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

  • 6 burrito wraps
  • 1 cup dry white rice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup canned black beans
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 hot pepper of your choice, chopped
  • 2 scallions (spring onions), sliced
  • 1 cup cubed tofu
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (coriander leaf)
  • 1 small sweet pepper, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

  1. Cook the rice according to the package directions

  2. Blot the excess moisture from the tofu.

  3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Cook the black beans and corn until the corn has thawed.

  4. Add the scallions, hot pepper, garlic and tofu. Sauté for a few minutes. Add the chili pepper, cumin and lime juice. Mix well.

  5. Add the sweet pepper and cilantro. Sauté again for a few minutes. Then add the cooked rice. Check the level of seasoning and adjust as needed. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  6. Add cheese on top of a wrap and spoon the mixture over the cheese. Wrap tightly and serve.

Tabouli Salad and Resolutions

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We’ve forgotten what the sun looks like in our area. Mother Nature has taken the April Showers bit very seriously, enough to continue into May. Really hope there will be a plethora of flowers soon! Even though the weather calls for a lot of comfort food, sometimes bright light food lets me pretend it’s a lovely spring. Tabouli Salad fits the bill with the fresh ingredients and flavour.

I’m not one for resolutions. We all know how long they can last, we’re lucky if it’s the end of January. But after several years of working on my mental health, injuries, etc, it was time to work on the physical stuff and lose the weight I gained from meds I was on. A big key was doing food bowls with various healthy choices to mix and match so I wouldn’t get bored. Tabouli salad is a great addition to this.

For this version I went heavy on the bulger wheat as some of the ingredients are quite strong and if I was going to be in a small cubicle with clients I couldn’t have dragon breath. I mean, dragons are cool if you are in Games of Thrones but not when you want clients to come back. The recipe will reflect the usual balance rather than what is shown in the photos.

Technique for Tabouli Salad

The bulger wheat needs to be prepped first. You can either boil the wheat for 12-15 minutes or add boiling water to the wheat, cover and let steam for 45 minutes. I tried both ways and they work but the steaming gives it a better texture.

Add the wheat to a bowl and add boiling water until it’s about 1/2in/1.5cm above the wheat. Cover with a tea towel and let steam for about 45 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

While the wheat is steaming prep the fresh ingredients. I used parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, mint and scallions. You can add other ingredients such as celery or garlic. For the tomatoes discard the seed pulp. Chop all the ingredients into small bits. Mix the dressing and toss the ingredients and set aside until the wheat is ready.


Rinse the bulger wheat with cold water and drain. Toss with the other ingredients. It’s ready to serve but when not serving keep it covered and chilled in the fridge.

I enjoyed it with a soft boiled egg and smoked salad. Brain food!

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Tabouli Salad

A fresh flavourful salad is a great choice for dinner or food bowls.

Course Salad
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword Tabouli Salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8
Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

Bulger Wheat

  • 1 cup bulger wheat, coarse
  • Boiling water, enough to cover wheat

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 3 roma tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped cucumber
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • sea salt
  • fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Bulger Wheat

  1. Boil water.  Pour over the wheat until it’s covered by about 1/2in/1.5cm.  Cover with a tea towel and let stand for 45 minutes or until the water has been absorbed.  Rinse with cold water and drain.

Fresh Ingredients and Dressing

  1. Mix the fresh ingredients and dressing together.  Set aside until the wheat is cooked and drained.  Toss everything together.  It is ready to serve.  Store in the fridge covered.  

Oh go on Paris, influence me….

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Sometimes I think the main reason I love going to Europe is the food.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the history, the art, the beauty.  Oh and the wine.  Can’t forget the wine!  But I could just eat my way through Europe.  Good thing we walk everywhere.  🙂

A couple of years ago we took our kids to Paris for a couple of days.  It was such a joy as they really are open to new experiences.  They loved going to the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, walking in the parks, etc.  And nary a complaint traipsing everywhere in 98F/36C weather.  Thought I was going to melt!

We all had a blast with the food.  They discovered duck, I mean how many kids do you know at ages 7 and 10 request seared duck?  I love it.  One of the best dishes I had was a steamed artichoke topped with smoked salmon, poached egg, and a mustard sauce.  Let me tell you that smoked salmon was the best I’d ever had.  As you know from a previous post I decided to recreate it and it went very pear shaped.  It took weeks to reclaim that pot!  If you run out of water steaming an artichoke it is not pleasant.

Walking home from Pilates class today I was looking for inspiration as how I could make that wonderful dish mine.  There it was in my garden, lovely green tomatoes.  I thought perfect, I’ll do fried green tomatoes instead of the artichoke.  This is a very easy dish to put together.  It took me about 15 minutes or so.  And after working out it is a very light lunch.  And I behaved myself and didn’t pour myself a glass of white wine which would be perfect for this.  🙂

As this is a dish for one I sliced two small green tomatoes.

Poached egg and salmon 1 2013

Next I seasoned them with salt and pepper then coated them in egg and panko bread crumbs.  Normally I do a beer batter for these but this is just a quick lunch.

Poached egg and salmon 4 2013

For the mustard sauce I used a couple spoonfuls of stone mustard.  The latest one I’ve tried was a local one with garlic.  Very nice.  I mixed in a bit of olive oil and a few splashes of white balsamic vinegar.

Poached egg and salmon 2 2013

In a small frying pan I get the olive oil nice and hot and pan fry the tomatoes.  You want to soften them as raw green tomatoes will make you sick.  As the Unorthodox Epicure pointed out in one of his posts recently.  The things you learn!

Poached egg and salmon 5 2013

While these are cooking you want to prep the poached egg.  While it is poaching layer the tomatoes and smoked salmon and place the egg on top.  Drizzle with the mustard.

Poached egg and salmon 6 2013

The runny yolk really brings all the components together for a delicious lunch.

Poached egg and salmon 8 2013 Poached egg and salmon 9 2013

Paris has been good to me.  😉