If I had to pick a favorite soup, it would be tomato soup.  This homemade version is just as easy as opening a can and so much better!

A few weeks ago I was out of town and our wonderful neighbors invited Jim over for dinner and to watch a baseball game. (Way to go Cardinals!)   He was in heaven. Baseball and food, a perfect combo.   When I talked to Jim that night he couldn’t stop talking about the delicious soup Katie had served for dinner.  When I heard it was tomato soup, my favorite soup, I had to have the recipe and Katie graciously shared.

I have several tomato soup recipes here on the blog.  I have a delicious slow cooker tomato soup as well as Fresh Tomato Soup.  The Fresh Tomato Soup is a delicious recipe but it does use fresh, vine ripened tomatoes so I prefer to make it in the summer when I’ve got tomatoes in my garden or I can buy them at the farmers market.  I also have a Easy Tomato Soup that is made using canned tomato soup and you just doctor it up. It’s super easy and delicious!

Today I have another tomato soup alternative for you.  This recipe used canned tomatoes and it just as delicious as all the other recipes!

I tweeked the recipe just a bit and Jim gave it two thumbs up!  Tomato soup is the perfect comfort food.  Throw in a grilled sandwich and you’ve got heaven, especially on a cold winter’s day like we are having around here in Portland!  When I was a kid I came home for lunch every day and since I grew up in Wisconsin I often walked home in the snow for lunch.  My winter time lunch of choice was always a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.

Other soup recipes you may enjoy:

Steak Soup

Clam Chowder

Hamburger Soup

Need some help figuring out what’s for dinner tonight?

Come join our Facebook Group!  Join hundreds of others who love sharing dinner time ideas.  You don’t want to miss out on the fun!

You’ll find lots of ideas for dinner from all our awesome members and you can share your ideas too!  Join the Family Dinner Table today.

Sesame Chicken is delicious, quick and only requires a few ingredients.  You will have a delicious dinner on the table in no time.

I have been sharing recipes with you for over 10  years now, since the fall of 2007!  That is a lot of recipes. As a food blogger I am always trying new recipes and sometimes some of our family favorites get pushed aside in the name of recipe research.  Sesame Chicken is definitely on of those family favorites.  But it is too good to be forgotten any longer.

When my kids were home, Sesame Chicken would make the dinner rotation at least once or twice a month.  And that is a lot at our house since I am always trying new recipes. That is how you know this one is pretty darn good!

One of the reasons this recipe is so great is that it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients.  It is perfect for those nights when you haven’t planned ahead and you have no idea what is for dinner.  As long as you have some chicken on hand you probably have everything you need.  Fresh green onions are nice but not necessary.

How to make Sesame Chicken

The first step is to cut up your chicken and cook it in a little oil.

The secret to this chicken is in the sauce.  The sauce is a combination of sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, and sesame oil.

Continue to cook and stir the sauce until it thickens up.  Be sure and watch it though because it can go from thicken to burnt pretty fast.  You want it to be thick enough to coat a spoon.  It will seem like it is never going to thicken up and then all of a sudden it will!  Be ready for it.

After the sauce has thickened up you pour it over the chicken and stir to coat.

Serve it over rice with a sprinkling of green onion and sesame seeds and you’ve got dinner.

And better yet, you’ve got a quick, easy and delicious dinner!

More of my favorite 30 minute meals:

Some of my favorite kitchen tools I use to make Sesame Chicken:

5 QT. NON STICK FRYING PAN – this is my go to frying pan.  The one I use more than any other.  I love that it has a lid.

6 PIECE MEASURING CUP SET – Everyone needs at least one set of measuring cups, I have 4 sets!

MAGNETIC MEASURING SPOONS – I love these things.  They are magnetic so they stay together in the drawer!

Need some help figuring out what’s for dinner tonight?

Come join our Facebook Group!  Join hundreds of others who love sharing dinner time ideas.  You don’t want to miss out on the fun!

You’ll find lots of ideas for dinner from all our awesome members and you can share your ideas too!  Join the Family Dinner Table today.

Originally shared November 2007 and Sept. 2012

In Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons, potato chips are used as a metaphor for how a dish should taste — Joshua’s goal when creating dishes is to make them so tasty you can’t help but take one more bite. And then another.

This is how I feel about this dish, which is not a Joshua McFadden creation, but which very much reminds me of his bright, vegetable-centric style of cooking. This one comes from another whiz in that genre, Yotam Ottolenghi, and I find it irresistible: slabs of cauliflower sear stovetop before finishing in the oven while capers sizzle in a pan with olive oil, before mixing with walnuts, currants, and parsley to form a salsa. If you wish, you can stir together Greek yogurt with fresh lemon and any remaining parsley to form an herby schmear to spread across the serving dish, a bed for the burnished steaks to nestle into, a creamy base to balance the sharpness of the salsa.

I first made this recipe about this time last year, when I found myself really feeling the heaviness of winter, as the soup, stew, and braise fatigue neared its peak. It was such a welcomed change to the nightly sheet pan of roasted vegetables and whatever bubbled away in the crock stovetop. I’m finding it equally uplifting and tasty right now, as addictive as a tin of Pringles — once you pop, you can’t stop … or something like that?

PS: All the Cauliflower recipes right here: Cauliflower

PPS: One of you passed along a magic cleaning solution for Le Creuset pans: 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon bleach. Scale up as needed. Simmer. Scrub. Admire.

Here’s the play by play: Gather your ingredients.

Heat capers in olive oil till they begin to sizzle, about 5 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in crushed red pepper flakes, toasted walnuts, parsley, vinegar, currants, and lemon zest.

Caper-walnut salsa! This stuff is soooo good.

Cut cauliflower into steaks — you can get about threes slabs per head (depending on the size).

My cleaned Le Creuset braiser! One of you passed along the magic formula: 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon bleach. Scale up as needed. Simmer. Scrub. Admire. (Still working on the edges.)

Sear the cauliflower steaks in a little bit of oil — if the cauliflower isn’t laying flat, use two pans. (I normally do; I should have here.)

Flip the steaks.

Transfer pan to the oven — I add all the little bits of cauliflower and greens that fall off during the cutting.

Meanwhile, make a lemony-yogurt sauce.

If you don’t think you’ll use the rest of that bunch of parsley you bought for the salsa any time soon, you can chop it all up and stir it into the yogurt sauce.

Sauce, done.

Smear sauce across the plate.

Top with the seared cauliflower.

Spoon the caper-walnut salsa over top.

From last time… see how the steaks are more evenly brown? That’s thanks to using two pans.

Posted By: alexandra · In: cauliflower, CSA, Dinner, Entrees, Fall, Gluten-free, Parsley, Salsa, Vegetarian, winter

Parmesan Herb Party Pretzels are a super simple snack that tastes surprisingly like pizza! Once you taste them, you’ll want to have them all the time.

I created this recipe for my client, GO VEGGIE. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen. 

I’ve seen variations of party pretzels like these floating around for a while now, but I never got around to trying them out until now. You guys? Stop everything you’re doing and make these right now.

I’m not joking. They taste almost exactly like pizza combos, which are one of my favorite guilty-pleasure snacks, but they don’t have any of the questionable ingredients that you’re likely to find in food purchased at the gas station. Shawn says I should call them “Cowabunga pizza party pretzels” because they’re that good. Call them what you want, I can’t stop eating them – they’re definitely my new obsession.

I first made these parmesan-herb party pretzels thinking they’d be great for tailgating, but they’d work for pretty much all of your snacking needs. Sunday afternoon football? Check. Pre-dinner snack? Check. Holiday cookie exchange? Don’t tempt me.

To make these party pretzels, start with small pretzels like mini twists or window panes. You want something with lots of little nooks and crannies for the seasoning to get caught in – bigger twists or sticks will work in a pinch, but the flavor won’t stick as well.

Next, mix up a blend of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and lots of GO VEGGIE lactose-free or vegan parmesan and add some neutral oil to form a thick paste. The first time I made these party pretzels, I coated the pretzels with oil and then added the seasonings, but I’ve found doing it this way helps the seasonings stick better and lets you use less oil. Both varieties of GO VEGGIE parmesan are lactose-free, and they have less fat and more calcium than dairy cheese – win-win!

Finally, bake the pretzels at 200F for about 20 minutes. This will get the pretzels extra toasty as well as toast the spices and help them stick to the pretzels. Let the pretzels cool before serving – don’t worry, it only takes a few minutes.

Now forgive me, but I have some more snacking to do.

Yield: 10 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cool Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup GO VEGGIE lactose-free parmesan
• 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 16 ounces pretzel mini twists or windowpanes

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 200F. Line a baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the parmesan and seasonings. Slowly mix in the oil to form a paste. Add the pretzels and mix them well until they're coated them with the spice mixture. 
3. Spread the pretzels onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then let cool. 

Nutrition Information: Yield: 10
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249 Total Fat: 8g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 4mg Sodium: 641mg Carbohydrates: 38g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 1g Protein: 7g

Riso Gallo is one of the oldest rice-growing companies in Italy. They began in 1856 with a factory in Genoa which processed imported Paddy rice.At the same time, another factory was opened in Argentina to meet the requirements of the South American market. 

Its success and increasing experience in the field encouraged the company to concentrate on Italian crops, and so in 1926 the Genoa factory was transferred to Robbio Lomellina in the heart of the province of Pavia, one of the most well known rice-growing regions. 

Since illiteracy was still widespread in Argentina, the company decided to identify the different varieties of rice by using images of animals. A giraffe, a tiger, an eagle, an elephant and a cockerel appeared on all the sacks of rice. The cockerel, which identified the best variety, soon became the company symbol and synonymous with the high quality of its products. At the same time, the company began to sell rice in retail packets. 

Making Italians happy now for six generations, Riso Gallo’s mission is to spread the culture of rice and risotto throughout the world by using innovation that constantly adapts to the needs of the modern consumer. They strive to achieve total customer satisfaction, and  constantly analyse and identify their consumers’ needs in order to do this, relying on their experience.  They work with specialised research centres to develop the finest varieties of rice that satisfy the market demand for high-quality, genuine, tasty products that are quick and easy to prepare. In the 1940s, an intuitive hunch marked a new chapter in the history of the company and the cockerel symbol, which we see today,  was created. 

First I tried it in an oven baked risotto dish of Chicken and Broccoli.  I like oven baked risottos because they basically cook themselves. There is no standing over a hot stove, measuring in liquid, stirring, etc.  Yes, a bit of a cheat, but so delicious. 

This one is today is very colourful and very tasty. Creamy,rich and just stogged full of tasty bits of chicken and crunchy green bits of broccoli. Of course you don't have to use broccoli if you don't want to . You can choose to use another green vegetable such as asparagus, or green beans or even peas. All are equally as delicious! (Not to mention easy!)

This risotto is not overly sweet . . . the only sweetening being a bit of honey . . . it's nicely flavoured with vanilla . . . and just a hint of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom.  Warm sweet spices that go so well with both vanilla and pears . . .

  

Included was a delicious soup recipe from Chef Danillo Cortillini that you could use this particular pouch of rice in. I am a person who loves to take something like these rice pouches and make something new so this was right up my alley!  And of course with all the wind and rain we've been having soup was more than welcome on our menu!

Recipe by Danilo Cortellini

  

Again I was given a delicious recipe from Chef Danillo Cortellini to use it in.  A very tasty salad which is not only colourful but filled with texture and flavour.

Yield: 4Author: Marie RaynerPrint Recipe

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Red Wholegrain & Long-grain Rice Salad, with charred radicchio, red radish, walnuts & pea shoots

If you want to cook this recipe and can't find radicchio, just go for a red chicory, and if pea shoots are not in season, you can substitute basil leaves in their place.  Chef's tip: Keep this recipe vegan for a one-course meal full of benefits. Add nuts and toasted pumpkin seeds for added texture and flavour.

ingredients:

• 200g of Riso Gallo Red wholegrain and long grain rice, 1 pouch
• 2 long red radicchio
• 1 punnet of pea shoots to garnish
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 20g walnuts (scant 1/4 cup)
• 10g toasted pumpkin seeds (1 TBS)
• 16 small red radish
• salt and black pepper to taste

For the Radicchio's Marinade

• 100ml Balsamic vinegar (generous 1/3 cup)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• a few thyme leaves
• 1 tsp honey
• pinch salt and black pepper

instructions:

1. First, prepare the marinade for the radicchio. Crush the garlic clove and mix all the ingredients well in a mixing bowl. Do not blend.
2. Wash the radicchio and cut them in half lengthwise.  Brush well with the marinade on both sides and char them over a BBQ or a very hot non-stick pan.  Cook for 3 minutes per side until caramelised and remove from the heat.
3. Using the same pan, quickly stir-fry the radishes. If you wish, add a little drop of the marinade to season instead of salt.
4. Cook the rice by opening the pouch a little bit and placing in the microwave.  Cook on high for 90 seconds. Once ready put it in a mixing bowl and dress with a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, the walnuts, the radishes and the pumpkin seeds.
5. Plate the salad into pasta bowls and top it with the charred radicchio halves and the pea shoots.  Drizzle on some extra balsamic vinegar and enjoy.

NOTES:

Recipe by Danilo Cortellini

  

And another delicious recipe by Danilo Cortellini!  This one for tasty stuffed avocados!  Mmmm, I adore avocados!

Yield: 4Author: Marie RaynerPrint Recipe

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Venere Rice Stuffed Avocados

prep time: cook time: total time:

Asparagus tops can make this recipe even more interesting, just wash and cut them in half. If raw they bring an amazing crunchiness.  This dish can also be prepared in advance.  For vegan option avoid the cheese in the pesto.

ingredients:

• 200g Riso Gallo Venere rice, 1 pouch
• 4 ripe avocados
• fresh basil to garnish
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 20g almonds, skinned and chopped (1/4 cup)
• 5 g toasted sesame seeds (1 tsp)
• 1 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Pesto

• 25g Basil leaf, washed (couple handfuls)
• 20g grated Grana Padano Cheese (1/4 cup)
• 45ml extra virgin olive oil (3 TBS)
• 12g of pine nuts (1/2 ounce)

instructions:

1. First make the pesto.  This is easy. Just put all of the ingredients into a blender or a jug , if you want to use a hand blender.  Blitz them together until you have a grainy paste.  Keep aside in a jar.  You can store this in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
2. Cook the Venere rice by making a small opening in the pouch and placing it into the microwave.  Cook on high for 90 seconds.  When ready put it into a mixing bowl.
3. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pits.  With a small knife make a few incisions into the avocado pulp just to make it easier to eat them once stuffed.  If the cavities left by the pits are not wide enough for 2 spoons of rice, scoop out a bit with a spoon and put it into the bowl with the rice.  Dress the rice with a drop of lemon juice, a TBS of extra virgin olive oil and a spoonful of basil pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste along with some finely grated lemon zest.
4. Stuff the avocado halves with 2 spoons of rice and serve on a wooden board. Sprinkle over the chopped almonds and the sesame seeds and garnish with some fresh basil leaves.

NOTES:

Recipe by Danilo Cortellini

I was really happy to try out this risotto rice and these new micro pouches.  The risotto rice is exemplary and I loved the variety of tastes and textures in these the micro pouches, along with the convenience and versatility of them as well as their ability to be used to make and create new dishes.  Plus they are the perfect size just for two people all on their own, but when combined with other ingredients make tasty meals for four, and also make for a very quick and easy side dish.

If you would like to know more about Riso Gallo and their products, do check out their homepage.  There is a wealth of information there plus more recipes, etc.

Homepage 
Facebook Page 

Many thanks to Riso Gallo for affording me the opportunity to try their products.

Note - Although I was sent these products free of charge, I was not obligated to write a positive review in exchange.

Source: https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/2019/03/riso-gallo-risotto-rice-new-micro-rice.html

posted by Jaden

This review for the Wüsthof 2-Piece Mini Asian Knife Set includes both PROs and CONs of the product. We tested the knife set for 2 months prior to this review.

We’ve been using the Wüsthof 5″ Hollow Edge Santoku and the 3″ Flat Cut Paring Knife (both from the Wüsthof 2-Piece Mini Asian Knife Set), putting it through the rigors of prepping everyday family meals and constant recipe testing at Steamy Kitchen.

Two Versions of the Mini Asian Knife Set

There are 2 versions of this knife: Classic and Classic IKON.

Same blade, same durable, non-porous polyoxymethylene material handle. Here are the differences:

Classic

• Traditional, best-selling Wüsthof collection
• Square-ish finish on handle
• PRO: This set sells for around $99 at both Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table, about $40 cheaper than the Classic IKON

Classic IKON

*Note, the Classic IKON is different from the plain IKON, which is made from real African Blackwood.

• PRO: Ergonomic, curvy handle. Feels good in hand.
• CON: This set sells for around $139 at Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table. Is the handle design worth nearly half the price of the Classic? My answer is “no,” and I’ll tell you why in just a bit. First, let’s talk about the blade.

The Blade Specs

The Wüsthof 2-Piece Mini Asian Knife Set is made from with X50CrMoV15 stainless steel, with Precision Edge Technology. Yes, technology is the spot-on word to describe this German knife company that began in 1814.

Wüsthof’s computer-controlled robotic machines sharpens each knife for a smoother, sharper edge than any other method. The result is an edge that stays sharp, 2x longer, according to Wüsthof.

Rockwell Hardness of 58.

PRO: A finer, sharper edge angle, which is traditional of most Asian knives. The blade stays sharp, twice as long as their competitors.

Let’s go into each knife:

5″ Santoku Hollow Edge Knife

The scalloped or hollow edge is great for cutting thin slices of vegetables, to reduce friction and stick. Vegetables fall off the blade, and onto the cutting board for faster and more efficient cutting.

Much of Asian cooking, especially stir-fries require even, thin slices of ingredients, so that everything cooks evenly. That’s why Santoku knives are so designed with the hollow edge and flat blade (vs. curved blade made for “rocking” motion of mincing). The flat blade helps you slice in one even motion.

The angle of edge is 10º on each side.

PRO: Wüsthof’s Santoku is light. About 4 ounces, which is a great weight for cutting small vegetables and fruit. The lightness makes the knife makes you more nimble and your hands less tired when cutting for everyday cooking. In contrast, traditional European style knives have a thicker blade, and are heavier. Heavier knives are great for mincing using the rocking motion, and for cutting through thin, small bones.

The blade of this knife is 5″ long. It’s perfect for smaller vegetables and fruit: skinny carrots, apples, broccoli, garlic slices, shallot, green onion, Asian leafy greens etc. The knife is not made for cutting larger vegetables and fruit, like fat potatoes, daikon, melons, squash. Choose a longer, larger santoku knife for those ingredients.

PRO: The thin, super sharp blade at 10º on each side lets you cut paper-thin slices with amazing precision.

CON: All of Wüsthof’s Santoku knives’ hollow edge comes very close to the blade’s edge. In my opinion, too close. When you sharpen a blade, you are actually creating a new edge – which means removing steel. As you sharpen over time, the hollow indents will come even closer to the edge, and may even become the edge.

Wüsthof 3″ Asian Paring Knife

This paring knife has a flat edge that comes to a beak-like point. Actually, both the santoku and this paring knife have the “sheepsfoot” point. The blade is 3″ long.

This knife is sharpened to 14º on each side.

PRO: The shape of the blade is perfect for peeling in-hand. The blade’s edge cuts evenly and maximizes the amount of blade cutting your ingredient. In contrast, if you use a European style paring knife with a “belly” curve to peel an apple, your blade’s belly is the only part that’s cutting. Great for peeling garlic, shallots, onion skin. Perfect for slicing strawberries.

PRO: The handle is a generous 4″ long. Some paring knife handles are just too short and end up digging into my palm.

PRO: Light! The knife weighs 2.4 ounces. This makes it easier for hand-work and delicate cutting.

Why I recommend the Classic instead of Classic IKON

Wüsthof’s Classic line is aptly named, it’s a classic design that professional chefs and cooks worldwide have been enjoying since 1814.

The Classic IKON shape is just a little more comfortable, ergonomic. It fits my hand a little better. Both handles are made of same material. Is it worth an additional $40 for the handle shape?

In my opinion, no. Not for the 5″ santoku, which is meant for smaller vegetables and fruit, prepping for everyday meals.

The handle shape of the Classic is just fine for me. I am not slicing 10 pounds of carrots everyday, and I am not peeling a bushel of apples. Hey, if professional chefs have been using Wüsthof Classic for 200 years without complaint, so can I! �

If I happen to be tasked with 10 pounds of carrots to slice, I’d use a food processor or a mandolin (this one is my favorite). If I had to choose a knife to slice 10 pounds of carrots, I’d use a larger, longer santoku knife that weighs a bit more, maybe a 9″ knife and allow the weight of the knife to help me get through all the carrots.

Save your $40 and get a another knife! Here’s another great Wüsthof knife that we reviewed recently and that I also use everyday.

Wüsthof will send the winner 2-piece Mini Asian Classic Knife set.

To make the sandwich today, we cut off the crust. Maybe some of you are thinking, “Aeri, that is so wasteful!” I know, I know. So today, I will share a bonus recipe with you to use up that leftover crust. We call this “popcorn bread” in Korea. Btw, I love that name, do you love it too?

Yield: 2 Servings

Short Korean Lesson

• SiEoMeoNi (시어머니) = Mother-in-law
• SiABeoJi (시아버지) = Father-in-law

Video Instructions

The recipe starts at 5:30

Main Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Bread
• ¼ Cup Milk
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Water
• 1 Tbsp Salted Butter

Directions

We got about 2 cups of crust from today’s sandwich recipe.

I will cut the strips into ½-inch cubes.

In a clean pan, add the chopped bread and toast it for about 5 minutes on medium. Occasionally stir it so that the bread will be toasted evenly without burning it.

After 5 minutes, take the bread out and set it aside. If your bread is stale or hard, you can skip this process and just use up the old bread. You could also use a toaster oven to dry it out a little. lol

Next, we will make some sweet sauce. In a pan, add 3 Tbsp of sugar.

And then, add 3 Tbsp of water to the sugar. Don’t stir anything yet, just let it cook on medium-high for 2 minutes. The sugar will start to melt and the water will start bubbling as a syrup now.

Depending on your stove’s temperature, the time can be slightly different, but in about 2 minutes, you will see that the syrup starts to get little bits of brown color.

Then, add 1 Tbsp of salted butter into the syrup and let it melt. You shouldn’t mix or stir either at this time.

After the butter melts and it also starts to get little bits of brown color in 2 minutes, pour ¼ cup of milk on top. Now, you can stir to mix up everything.

Keep stirring it until the sauce caramelizes and becomes brown.

After 1 minutes, turn off the heat and add the bread into the sauce.

Coat the bread with the sauce by stirring them gently.

 

When the popcorn bread cools down a little bit, you can serve it. �

If you ask me which is the easiest kimchi you can try to make this summer, I’d say this cucumber kimchi (oi kimchi, 오이김치)! It’s summer, and we all should be eating more cucumbers. This recipe is super easy! Simply cut up the cucumbers, salt briefly, and then mix with the seasoning!

As such, it’s an excellent alternative to the stuffed cucumber kimchi, oi sobagi (오이 소박이), if you don’t want to bother stuffing the cucumbers.

Because the cucumbers are cut similar to cubes, this cucumber kimchi is also called oi kkakdugi (오이깍두기), named after cubed radish kimchi — kkakdugi.

I originally posted this recipe in August 2011. This post is a long overdue update with new photos, more information, and an improved recipe.

Cucumbers and other vegetables

As mentioned in the stuffed cucumber kimchi recipe, use Korean cucumbers if available. Otherwise, use a thin-skinned variety with crisp flesh and small seeds such as Kirby, Persian, Japanese, or English cucumbers. If you have a choice, select cucumbers that are firm and slender. Thicker cucumbers tend to have more seeds and softer flesh.

In this update, I also used Korean garlic chives (buchu, 부추), which is commonly added to oi kimchi in Korea. It’s easier now to find garlic chives around here, and summer garlic chives are tender and delicious. You can leave them out if you can’t find them. Simply use some scallions instead.

A little bit of julienned carrot or red pepper will give the kimchi a nice pop of color.

What about the seasoning?

Because this is kimchi, unlike oi muchim, I use salted shrimp (saeujeot/saewujeot, 새우젓) and fish sauce (myeolchiaekjeot, 멸치액젓). The ratio of these two ingredients is always a matter of preference among Korean cooks. In general, more salted shrimp is used than fish sauce in summer kimchi for a lighter taste, but it’s really up to you!

How to make cucumber kimchi vegan?

This is actually a question for all kimchi types. There are various ways to make vegan kimchi depending on kimchi types and personal preference. For this cucumber kimchi, use Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang, 국간장) as a substitute for salted shrimp and/or fish sauce. Use an equal amount and supplement with salt as necessary, or simply use salt to season the cucumbers.

How long will this kimchi stay good?

You can eat this kimchi on the same day you make it. However, it will get better over a few days. If you like it ripe, leave it out at room temperature overnight to expedite the fermentation process. Then, refrigerate. It will be good for a week or two, depending on the salt level.

More cucumber recipes 

Oi muchim (spicy cucumber salad)
Oi sobagi (stuffed cucumber kimchi)
Oiji (Korean pickled cucumbers)
Oi naengguk (chilled cucumber soup)
Oi bokkeum (stir-fried cucumbers)

It's a Autumnal weekend mushroom picking so come along as we taste all the mushroomy delights of the Oberon Blue Mountains area! We stay at a stunningly elegant homestead, lunch at a cafe where most of the produce comes from their farm, forage for slippery jacks and saffron milk cap mushrooms and taste truffles!

"I want you to develop "mushroom eyes" says Diego Bonetto. He is leading today's mushroom hunt and he explains that edible mushrooms like saffron pink milks and slippery jacks are everywhere in the right conditions but you may need some training to spot them. And that's where having mushroom eyes helps.

I watch one couple who had gathered an enormous basket full of saffron milk caps. Several people walk into the clearing before the woman in the couple stops and bends down in the path with a delighted murmur. Where others had passed she saw the familiar glimpse of the rust orange shade of the saffron milk cap mushroom. She cuts it off at the base of the stalk and pops it in her basket. She has mushroom eyes.

Edible saffron milk cap mushrooms

Diego explains that the best season for mushrooming in Australia is around the Easter weekend around March and April. The ideal temperature for mushrooms is above freezing but below double digits. Once there are two days of freezing weather the mushrooms disappear and they will not appear if the temperature is too warm.

Underside of a saffron milk cap

Mushrooms also need rain or wet conditions and if there isn't rain then they simply will not appear. Last year's crop was very poor because it was so dry. Diego says "The saying goes, 'The first rain is for the trees, the second for the mushrooms', but last year we had to wait for the third rain for the mushrooms."

Because we are dealing with a potentially toxic item, there are some golden rules to mushrooming. The first is to never go mushrooming for the first time unless an experienced guide takes you. He discourages people from researching through youtube as he feels that you need to see mushrooms and smell them in real life with a guide. There are only two varieties that we will pick in the pine forest on his tours that run throughout April and these are slippery jacks and saffron milk caps. And if in doubt, leave it. There have been several cases of deaths from eating poisonous mushrooms in the past few years. He says that only 5% of the 50,000 toadstool varieties found in Australia are actually named. Apart from Oberon, another good place for mushrooms is the Belanglo State Forest where he regularly goes mushrooming.

The ideal carrier to use when foraging mushrooms is a wicker basket and it's not just purely for aesthetics. You place the picked mushrooms gills down which helps distribute the spores throughout the forest while you forage so that the mushrooms can grow in a more widespread area. This also means that dirt does not get in the gills which can be difficult to clean. Treat them gently too-mushrooms bruise in the same way that bananas do and the bruise appears and a blue green mark in saffron pine caps.

Our tour with Diego goes from 10am-3pm and involves visiting a couple of different locations. The first is to get an idea of the types of mushrooms in the forest and to see how they compare. Everyone is instructed to pick anything that resembles a mushroom, poisonous or not, as he will explain the differences between them laying each variety out on a table.

Poisonous Amanita Muscari mushrooms

Saffron milk caps are easy to identify because of the telltale saffron or orange milk that comes out when you break it or cut the stalk. Generally the shape is of an overhanging cup and there may also be concentric circles on top. He then shows us the amanita mushrooms which are poisonous that can resemble saffron milk caps. The Amanita mushroom or the classic and very photogenic toadstool has dots that but these dots can be washed off or fade so they can resemble a saffron milk cap but these often have a different shape and they don't have saffron milk.

Edible slippery jacks have a brown grey cap and they grow up to 12cm in diameter at maturity. As the name suggests they are slimy to the touch and smooth and glossy even when dry. The underside has tiny, circular pores that are initially yellow when young and ideal to eat but turn olive to dark yellow.

We drive in convoy to the second stop Diego sets up a stove and here everyone has half an hour to go free range and wander into the pine forest to collect more mushrooms. He cautions everyone on how to make sure they don't get lost. Look at your shadow when you first set off and use that as a guide to get back. Also look up while you are mushrooming (the tendency is to look down and then get lost) and look for big trees, bushes or clusters of Amanitas. And yes be aware that leeches are present (my number 1 creature fear!) and some people got leeches on them.

When everyone returns Diego cooks some of the freshly picked saffron milk caps with garlic, olive oil, salt and parsley and we help ourselves to some sourdough and spoon some of the bright orange mushrooms onto the bread. He advises cleaning the saffron milk caps by dunking them in a vinegar solution with a bowl of water and 1/2 cup of vinegar. They're delicious so simply cooked.

Cooking slippery jack mushrooms

Then he explains how best to treat slippery jacks that are a completely different beast. You do not wash slippery jacks, instead you peel the top off them to reveal the spongy yellow flesh. He cooks these too with garlic, olive oil, salt and parsley and they have such a gorgeously unique texture like set custard. With our basket full we bid Diego farewell with our basket of mushrooms and ideas of how to cook them.

Lowes Mount Truffles

If you miss mushroom season and visit Oberon in the midst of Winter from June to August, you can head to Lowes Mount Truffles where Col and Sue Roberts hold truffle hunts and tastings of products using their truffles. You can even meet Floyd their enthusiastic 5 year old black Labrador.

"I will accept your pats hooman. Do you have a treat?"

Floyd sniffs out the truffles indicating when he smells their presence with a gentle scratching on the dirt. Floyd loves his food and has been known at times to falsely indicate truffles to get a treat. I get you Floyd, I understand you.

Truffle season is, "2 months of chaos" according to Sue and involves sticking your nose in muddy patches to find these elusive, precious beasts. "You’re not trying unless you get a bit of a mud on your nose," says Col.

At $2 a gram these are precious nuggets but bigger is not necessarily better in the truffle industry. The usual serving size of truffle is a mere 5grams per person per dish and with a 9-10 day shelf life the most desirable truffle is around 50 grams or 1.7ozs. in size.

Growing truffles is a long process and first they had to get the soil ready for their oak and hazelnut trees. The ideal soil for truffles is at a Ph of 8 and to get it to this they added a lot of lime. This also helps to discourage local funghi growth. After that it took them 6 years to become commercial.

To train Floyd they use a film canister with holes punched in it with a piece of truffle. Floyd is given this to sniff and then he is rewarded with a treat when he finds the truffle in the ground.

Truffles have a short life and should be used fresh, not cooked or frozen. There are some items are carry truffle well - butter is one, oil however turns it rancid (truffle oil is made using synthetic flavour compounds and doesn't really even touch actual truffle).

We adjourn inside for a tasting. Sue brings out a brie, feta and blue cheese with some of their truffle honey with real truffle shavings with some of their farm grown luscious figs. Make sure to try their truffle shortbread made with truffle butter and chocolate and a sprinkle of salt. It's absolutely delightful. And as we leave she offers us some incredibly delicious fresh figs and quince which we happily help ourselves to.

Long Arm Farm

If you're looking for somewhere to eat in Oberon, the most popular place is The Long Arm Farm Cafe located on the main street of Oberon.

The family run cafe uses produce from their own farm, mostly pork products and jams and chutneys. It's old fashioned, home style food that is well priced and in a down to earth setting.

Sweet chilli chicken and bacon wrap $12

The sweet chilli chicken wrap has sliced chicken breast, Long Arm Farm bacon with cheese and sweet chilli sauce and sour cream is a best seller and is warming and tasty.

Long Arm Farm bacon and free range poached eggs with buttered toast $16 plus haggis $4, bacon $5, pork sausages $4 and avocado $4.50

We also try as many of their pork products as possible with the big breakfast. We add some sides from haggis, avocado, pork sausages and a delicious beetroot relish. They've got plenty of pork products and jams and chutneys available for sale too.

Waldara Farm

Our accommodation for the weekend is at a splendid working farm called Waldara in Edith near Oberon. We are staying in the four bedroom homestead which is a gorgeous house smack bang in the middle of 800 acres of countryside.

The grounds are magnificent and there is also an adjacent barn accommodation. There are plenty of places to take photos including a red leaf covered tennis court and as Oberon is colder than the rest of the Blue Mountains the Autumn leaves are already out.

It is also a wedding venue and Autumn really brings out the colours of the trees so the space is especially photogenic. Both the homestead and the barn accommodate up to 20 people.

In the homestead there are five bedrooms and two bathrooms, one with a bath. Three of the bedrooms have single beds in them while the main bedroom is very spacious with a queen bed. There is fireplace heating as well as ducted heating that keeps us toasty warm. There is also an outdoor spa.

It's a gorgeous property with a full kitchen and we relish the stars at night and the quiet solitude. In fact I don't want to leave especially now that we have figs, mushrooms and the still silence of the country...

So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever been mushrooming? Do you have a favourite type of mushroom? What is your favourite season?

NQN and Mr NQN were guests of Central NSW Tourism and Oberon Council but all opinions remain her own.

Mushroom Foraging Tours

diegobonetto.com/foraging-tours

Lowes Mount Truffles

927 Lowes Mount Rd, Oberon NSW 2787
Phone: (02) 6336 3148
lowesmounttruffles.wordpress.com

Long Arm Farm Cafe

133 Oberon St, Oberon NSW 2787
Monday, Thursday-Saturday 8am–4pm
Tuesday & Wednesday Closed
Sunday 8am–3pm
Phone: (02) 6336 1661
longarmfarm.org/

Waldara

waldara.com.au/