A somewhat experimental day, and also an opportunity to reduce clutter in the fridge when I took almost all the vegetables I could find (cauliflower, string beans, broccoli, onion, jicama, celery, carrots) and made a vegetable soup out of them before they could all go bad.
The experimental part was taking care of the Thai chilis. I had bought a small pack about two or three weeks ago, for $ 2.40, and after having used six, I still had about 40 left. At this rate it was going to take me another three months to finish them.
These little guys are pretty hot, running around 50-100,000 units on the Scoville scale - Tabasco sauce being around 5,000 units.
I set about making my own chili paste. First, I popped them in the oven for a few minutes, the thinking being that if I roasted them they might take on a kind of smoky flavour and perhaps be less hot. What I should have done, of course, was seed all but five or six, but who has the patience for that?
The roasted chilis I then put in a pan with sugar, tomato paste, vinegar, garlic and oil and then heated through. Once the mixture cooled I ran it through the blender till it looked like this:
I was hoping that with the additional ingredients I'd end up with something that was hot, but tasty. I dabbed a tiny smear - about the size of a squashed ant - on to my little finger and tasted it. It is far and away the hottest thing I have ever had.
I am so bringing some to the Farmer's Market this Sunday! I even have a name for it: Oh My God Water Water!
Lunch for me was a bowl of noodles courtesy of Flora at Wonton Hut. Coffee on me at Second Cup.
The girls had their rice and mapo tofu for lunch, and the vegetable soup for dinner. I had an egg on toast.
Toast! That reminds me.
I walked round to the local deli and bakery today to get a loaf of bread. They have a home-made light rye which is very good, and it has the added benefit of being at a place within walking distance. But ... the loaf of bread is $ 6! Six bucks for a loaf of bread ... it better be an amazing loaf of bread for that much. To put it into perspective, about 5 minutes' drive, on the way back from the girls' summer school, is an Italian bakery where they sell fresh Italian bread for $ 2.25. I can go in there, pick up a loaf of bread, have an espresso, sit down and contemplate man's position in the universe, and still have $ 2 left in my pocket from what I would have paid at the local deli.
Six bucks for a loaf of bread!
FOOD COSTS:
Two coffees $ 5.25
WASTE:
1/4 of the lasagna
1/4 of the cauliflower and cheese
four egg whites
DELICIOUS MOMENT OF THE DAY:
Eating the first pear from the tree in the back garden. It was not quite ripe, and thus a little tart, but crisp and fresh and homegrown.
WASTE:
1/4 of the lasagna
1/4 of the cauliflower and cheese
four egg whites
DELICIOUS MOMENT OF THE DAY:
Eating the first pear from the tree in the back garden. It was not quite ripe, and thus a little tart, but crisp and fresh and homegrown.
It all looks so good! even the chili sauce. How much did you make? Photos please of sauce. Maybe you could supply the Farmers Market with your new recipe for chili sauce and call it: OMG Chilis! =) Bread photo please. Btw, you can let the girls use the egg whites to mix into their hair conditioner or use it as a facial mask or hand mask. It's great! =)
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