That Jess Ho

for the last three weeks of it, anyways.  Not only is this an example of my thrifty-penny stashing ways, but also that I cannot think for myself.  I’m too tired.  The last week has seen me either at uni or at work, and when I am at home, battling my inability to sleep by cursing the pigeons (or Pidguns as I now call the little shits).

Baby food.

I’m tired, severely underslept (more than usual) and in need of something that has spent its better parts of life photosynthesising.  The sad thing is that the broad beans I had bought were made into a pesto, the asparagus a little limp, saved by grilling and serving with a mustardy vinaigrette, and I cannot bring myself to braise the leeks and cook the life out of them when they’re at their peak.  Of course I could do some shopping, but I refuse to get my vegetables from the supermarket and my hours this week haven’t synched with the market.

Boo.

I was left with carrots.  And hell, we have a carrot soup on at the Lincoln at the moment and I am uninspired.

So, last week, I roasted this chicken stuffed with celery, carrots, thyme, garlic and onion (with thyme and butter rubbed between the skin and flesh).  Begrudgingly, I froze the carcass once I picked the meat, in case I wanted to make congee or stock.  Thankfully, last night when I managed to zombie-walk home, I stuffed the fucker in a pot with come onions, carrots and celery and let it simmer over night to actually make a stock.

Still unable to sleep, I took it off the heat when it was still dark and strained it, freezing it for later.

Later came in my rush between class and work.

Soup…

I diced:
-1 onion
-2 cloves of garlic
-4 carrots

and sauteed it for a few minutes, till it all became soft.  Then added the stock to it and simmered it for about 15 minutes (very small dice, didn’t need much cooking).  And because I discovered the awesome power of my housemate’s uber-blender, blended the fucker and seasoned it to taste.  I topped it with some pistachio dukkah (which I reserve for when I come home drunk and am ravenous, by rolling a boiled egg in it) and some oil I bought from the Slow Food Market.  The toast is actually from a new batch of mother (which we decided to name Mercedes) and is sourdough I made at home (click for “how to make”).  A combination of baker’s flour and rye.

So, so satisfying to finally eat something sitting down and vegetable based.  I’m weird, I know.  And obviously I only used the stock because I had it, but vegetable stock is fine as well.  Then, it’s vegetarian land…

Pistachio Dukkah

1 cup of shelled pistachios (unsalted)
A few tbs of sesame seeds
1-2 tbs coriander seeds and the same amount of cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Roast the pistachios in the oven for a few minutes, careful not to burn.  Toast the seeds in a hot pan for a few minutes, you’ll be able to smell it.  then, put it in a blender (I like to reserve some of the sesame seeds, to keep them whole) or a mortar and pestle with the pistachios and grind to a bread crumb-like texture.  Add salt to taste. Nom it.