The Food Diaries

Blueberry buttermilk pancakes

In a bowl mix together 80g flour (3/4 cup), 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, a pinch of salt, and 1tbs sugar. Add 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk, 1 egg and 1 tbs melted butter and mix till just combined.

Heat a grill pan to medium and brush with a little rapeseed oil. Ladle in the batter, 3tbs at a time (if you like your pancakes smallish). Leave room between the pancakes to they don’t stick together. Drop a few blueberries into the pancake batter. 

Once the batter starts to bubble and dries slightly around the edges flip over. Cook for another minute, till golden.

Keep warm till ready to serve (with maple syrup). Extra batter can be stored in the refrigerator.

Serves 2.

Curried wild rice and chicken soup

This is a great recipe to use with bits of a leftover roast chicken.

Make a stock using the carcass of the roast chicken, whatever bits of meat are leftover (if not, substitute with a couple extra chicken thighs). 1 each of onion, carrot and celery (chopped), cover with water and simmer for about an hour. Meanwhile, simmer 1 cup of wild rice in 4 cups water till the wild rice pops (the white interior will emerge). This will take about 50 minutes.

Strain the stock and In a blender puree together the onion, carrot, celery and the chicken meat (moisten with a little stock). Return to the pot with the rest of the stock and heat through. Now add 1 tbs curry paste, 1 tbs mustard,  1tbs tomato paste, 200ml soy cream or light cream, and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. 

Serve in soup bowls with a large garnish of the wild rice and roasted flaked almonds.

Optional: For additional crunch and colour you can add a garnish of onion, carrot and celery, finely diced and softened in a little olive oil. You can also add a drizzle of walnut oil.