Thanks To Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for setting this up as a great opportunity for the food blogging community to get together and share a bit of whats cooking in their kitchens.
This month In My Kitchen is a lot of PRODUCE!
In My Kitchen are Cumquats and cumquat marmalade.
It is fiddly but worth it!
The Cumquat Marmalade recipe is from “The Cooks Companion”, by Stephanie Alexander. This is a fantastic book that is alphabetised into ingredients. It is very handy to have when you have an over abundance of produce from your garden or particularly when something is in season and cheap. I use it all the time. Sometimes I’m at my local market and there is a box of some seasonal produce cheap and I buy it knowing that Stephanie will have a recipe that I can make that is always yummy.
In My Kitchen are Chilli’s and Chilli Jam
Chilli Jam is basically thicker Sweet Chilli Sauce.
I have so many Chillies!
Fresh, Dried, Frozen, Flakes and Powder!
I have dried them, made chilli oil, made them into flakes and powder, I have deseeded them and frozen them ready for making Thai pastes, and of course I use them fresh, but there is only so much you can put in a dish so Chilli Jam is a fantastic way to use up chillies. I use the Chilli Jam in stir fries, Thai dishes, with steak, chicken… anything really! If you have any other ways I could use up my chillies please comment and let me know.
At least the Chilli Jam lasts in the cupboard. If you would like the recipe (which is very easy) check out my CHILLI JAM BLOG.
In My Kitchen are Choko’s and Choko Tart
So many Chokos
I know that Choko’s are old-fashioned, but they are very easy to grow, versatile and I think they taste wonderful, steamed, roasted, and even cooked with a little sugar and cinnamon. This Choko Tart is another “The Cook’s Companion” by Stephanie Alexander inspired dish.
Choko Tart
Ingredients
8 Choko’s, peeled
2 Cloves
1 quantity of Short Crust Pastry (Recipe and YOU TUBE clip HERE!)
1 cup Icing Sugar
Lime Zest
Lime Juice
Topping
100g flaked almonds
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Method
1. Cover Choko’s in water in a large pot with clovers and cook until just tender, then drain and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
3. Roll out pastry and cover the bottom of a 24cm deep pie dish and trim edges (save for the top of the pie if you like)
Layer upon layer, sprinkling zest and icing sugar as you go.
4. Cut chokos into about 2 centimetre thick slices and place one layer on the bottom of the pastry, sprinkle over icing sugar and lime juice and repeat until all the chokos are gone or the pie dish is full.
Pretty!
5. Combine all topping mixture in a bowl and sprinkle over the top of the dressed chokos.
The almonds give it that little bit of extra crunch!
6. Roll out left over pastry to make some lattice patterns on the top of the tart if you like.
Just a bit of detail to make it look pretty.
7. Bake in the oven for 35-35 minutes until the tart is golden brown and serve warm with vanilla custard.
Surprisingly delicious and if you don’t tell people they will think it is apple!
In My Kitchen are Lemons, lemon butter and lemon meringue pie
Technically the lemons are still on the tree just outside my kitchen, but they keep longer if I just pick them fresh. This lemon tree is 10 years old and was planted by my nana when she moved into the house.
My Lemon Tree
My Lemon Meringue Pie recipe comes from the Woman’s Weekly Old Fashioned Favourites. I have tried others but this always turns out perfect and is the best I have found!
I just blow torch the top, so it makes it an easy dessert to prepare ahead of time.
Just as good without the meringue. The lemon curd is perfect every time with the Women’s Weekly recipe!
The lemon butter/curd below is from “The Everyday Cookbook” that accompanied my Thermomix. I usually use a recipe that my nana gave me, but this is so easy and tasty I think I will be swapping.
Delicious Lemon Butter only 5 minutes in the Thermomix.
In My Kitchen are more Pumpkins, so because it is winter, pumpkin and sweet potato soup.
Home grown from my Aunties farms.
If you would like the recipe for my Sweet potato and Pumpkin Soup CLICK HERE!
A little bit of cream 🙂
Last, but definitely not least is my brand new Thermomix! Even though it is not technically produce, it certainly has been producing a lot of food. I have been experimenting and converting all my wonderfully loved recipes for the Thermomix, so far I have had only one close disaster. I was making my white chocolate fudge and I didn’t cook it enough so it was kind of like a soft caramel instead of firm, so I just folded it through some home made ice-cream and disaster averted.
Isn’t it Pretty!
Thank you for reading. Tomorrow I will be posting the first blog about me and my food journey, so pop in and read about how I developed my passion for food.
Enjoy Irresponsibly!
Liz x
Liz xx
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Oh my goodness, I’ve never seen chokos used in a tart! So much lovely produce too – the lemon meringues look amazing. I am a little envious of your thermomix too 🙂
Thanks Tina…. Yes I have been envious of peoples Thermomix’s for a while… So I decide to become a consultant! So worth it! I wish I had done it 3 years ago when I first saw it! 🙂
The Choko Tart is delicious… I have made it three times now and just as delicious every time! Thanks for stopping by! Liz xx
So many wonderful goodies indeed Liz! I grew up eating chokoes, but only savoury- I’ll definitly have to give your recipe a try 🙂
Yes… do! I had only thought of choko’s as savoury until looking through Stephanie’s book, but it tastes wonderful! Liz x
I am so jealous of your home grown pumpkins. Those lemon meringue pies – wow! I am new to IMK so my post is a little late. It is up now if you would like to read it. Emma.
Great thanks Emma I will, Thanks for dropping by! Liz x
Lots of fun goodies this month, thanks for sharing 🙂 I’ve never had a choko but an ancient cookbook that belonged to my husband’s nan had all sorts of cut out recipes for them, love the sound of the pie!
Thanks JJ. The pie was delicious, so much so I made it again for friends, but I didn’t tell them what it was until after they had finished, They were very surprised! Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment! Liz x
All that bright colour. Everything looks fabulous but my absolute favourite are the lemon meringue pies. I’ve never heard of chockos so will have to google them.
Thanks Anne, Choko’s grow wild in many parts of Australia. They don’t have a lot of flavour so take on any flavour that you put with them. Thanks for stopping by! Liz x
Hi Liz! Wow I’m loving the produce! Chili jam, yum! I’ve eaten Chayote all my life and never thought to put it in a tart! I’ll have to give that a go. Thanks for the peek. 🙂
Thanks Emily, Yes it was a new one for me with the Choko (chayote)! Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! Liz x
The chilli jam looks amazing! I have a large collection of frozen chilli (I find it much friendlier to chop that way) but I think a batch of jam is called for from my next harvest. Thanks for the inspiration.
I’d forgotten how much I love choko until I saw your post. I think I may have to grow them now. I do love things that are easy to grow!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks Lisa! Yes I still have so many chillies and there is only so much Chilli Jam a girl can eat 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! Liz x
G’day! I am THE BIGGEST chilli fan and love your tart!
BIG, BIG Thermomix fan as the recipes to me are like the never ending journey!
Thanks for this month’s kitchen view too!
Cheers! Joanne
Thanks Joanne, Yes I am very new to the Thermomix world and I’m loving it! The Chilli Jam is a great recipe and really easy to make! Thanks for saying hello and leaving a comment! Liz x
Choko tart sounds amazing. Love it. My favourite marmalade is Cumquat Marmalade. (I think I need a Thermomix as well as a Nutri-Bullet now) 🙂
I think you may be right Jennifer 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and reading! Liz x
You certainly do have a lot of great fresh produce – we had a lovely tomato chilli relish recently that seemed a nice way to use chillis but it probably uses less than chilli jam – I’d love to have a go at chilli jam – for my partner rather than for me. And the thermomix sounds like lots of fun – gorgeous lemon curd
Thanks Johanna, I love my garden, almost as much as cooking 🙂 I have been enjoying getting to know the Thermomix and all its functions and benefits for me in the kitchen 🙂 The Chilli Jam can be made as hot or as mild as you like depending on what chillies you use and how many you put in! Maybe you could make a not so hot batch for you and a chilli hot batch for your partner? Thanks for stopping by and reading! Liz x
Love what’s happening in your kitchen. We love cumquat marmalade, I make a batch every year from my small potted tree. I’ve never made SA’s recipe, perhaps I should give it a try. Those lemon meringue pies look fabulous, i’m drooling!
Thanks Sandra… I’ve only ever made SA’s recipe so I don’t know any different 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed looking at the pies… I enjoyed eating a few 🙂 Thanks for dropping by! Liz x
wow that choko tart doesnt look too bad:) i have bad memories of chokoes from student days when they grew in every one’s back yard so we used to eat them often-not having much money on our student incomes. the thermomix sounds a bit intimidating but you seem to have conquered it very well. great post.
Thanks Sherry, I tart was delicious… I have those same feelings about two minute noodles, I still can’t eat them because of eating so many of them as a student! 🙂 The Thermomix is so easy to use not intimidating at all 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! Liz x
Liz, I remember you saying you only had a little kitchen, but you’d never know it with all the goodies that you produce in it! Your garden sounds super prductive! I’ve never been a huge fan of chokos, but LOVE the look of your lemon meringue pies! xx
Thanks Celia, yes it is small, but I do a lot of cooking especially because I don’t like to waste food 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! Liz x
Enjoy your thermomix and the abundance of produce from your garden. 🙂
Thanks Tandy 🙂 I am and thanks for stopping by! Liz x
Great recipe for the chokos, my mum has had some in her fruit bowl for a while now and she has no idea what to do with them!
I love Chokos especially roasted, but they are great sweet as well! I hope you enjoy! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and reading! Liz x
I love the Cook’s Companion! I was given a copy for my birthday this year and I don’t know how I got by without it!
The choko tart looks really interesting. I’ve been wanting to try them for a while and think this is the perfect recipe to start with. Thanks for sharing!
I have had it for years now and I can’t imagine my kitchen without The Cook’s Companion, make sure you try the cabbage soup this winter… its delicious and too easy! The Choko tart is so surprisingly delicious do try 🙂 In the Cooks Companion, it is a Pie, so the topping was a just a little something different by me 🙂 Thanks for reading! Liz x
Liz, what a fascinating peek into your kitchen! I’ve never heard of chockos, but your tart looks fantastic! (And if they pass for apple… yes, don’t tell ’em!) I also love your chilli stash… don’t have much for suggestions other than make salsa – or eggs for breakfast (or lunch or dinner.) Chillis on anything are just fine with me!
Thanks Kim… I will try Chilli’s for breakfast, I’m just in a bit of overload at the moment! Choko’s are a really old fashioned vegetable and they are easy to grow… if you have a garden, just pop one in! Thanks for reading! Liz x
Congrats on your Thermomix. I don’t have one but know many who do. It will make your jam and curd making a lot simpler I think. I love this post Liz as it is a reflection of the season and it’s bounty. Citrus, pumpkin, good old fasioned chokos and chilli. So many chillis… I know what you mean! Thanks for the tasty tour.
The Thermomix is a funny thing… I honestly though I didn’t need one, but now I have it I can’t imagine my kitchen without it! Yes I love my garden, I just wish I had more time to spend in it, but it still produces for me! I think I’m on a winner with the Choko Tart… I have made it twice trying to use up the chokos 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by! Liz x
Congrats on your new purchase- how exciting! I would love a thermomix. Its on my wish list! Your lemon meringues and curd look perfect! And soup very hearty and comforting! Looks like you are set for the winter and won’t have to venture out at all xxx
Thanks Kylie! Yes my Thermomix is fantastic! I loved it so much I became a consultant… So now I’m teaching people about food as well! I’m in heaven! Thanks for dropping by! Liz x
I love the photo of your cumquats. Lovely!!
Thanks 🙂
Lemon tarts and meringue pies to die for!!
I know… I don’t make them too often because I just eat them… I like them because they have a great balance of sweetness and tartness to them! Thanks for stopping by! Liz x
My friend has just bought a Thermomix and she raves on about it – so much so she’s now doing demos and cooking classes. Sounds like your Thermomix disaster turned out in the end 🙂
I’ve never heard of chokos before but I think I recognise them in my wet market which just sounds wrong to me. I’ll have to buy them and find out.
Yes do Nancy… they are a wonderful vegetable/fruit that have many functions! I too am demonstrating and will be holding cooking classes soon, its a bit like that with the Thermomix, they are wonderful! Thanks so much for reading! Liz x
You definitely have the tastiest IMK post this month Liz and I will have to investigate a Thermomix now. I haven’t made chilli sauce for the longest while and I have loads of peppadews taking up space in the freezer so thank you for the reminder.
Have a super day.
🙂 Mandy xo
Thanks Mandy 🙂 If you have a good hot chilli sauce recipe, I would love it! Oh and The Thermomix is amazing.. I am biased as I have become a consultant! But I’m a big foodie and it sold me! Thanks so much for reading! Liz x
Wonderful Liz. So much going on and I just love what you do with the cumquats and the chillies and the lemons. Your lemon meringue pies look so professional. I’ve not used a Thermomix but am thinking of going to a presentation when we return to Sydney xx
Thanks Charlie! Once you have seen the Thermomix in action, you will want one! You will go away thinking about all the things you will make! The gluten free bread is amazing and it mills everything from scratch in under 10 seconds! Make sure that before the demonstration you tell the consultant that a family member has issues with gluten and they will make the bread before the demo for you to try! Thanks for reading 🙂 Liz x