PEARS baked with maple syrup


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2017!Holy $#!t!

So,here we start another trip around the Sun!Crazzzzzzy.But you know what?It’s my 31st and I’m more excited than EVER.
Just think of all the food that can be tasted in the next 12 months!And how much can be learnt about photohraphy during the next 365(ok 361 now) days!And hey, challanges, life lessons, unexpected adventures, I am ready for you. I’m ready for the ride!

I really love how stepping into New Year always brings joy, optimism, hope, good vibes and exciting plans!Everybody seems so much happier.I’ve never seen so many happy faces around on a Monday morning!(ok, there were some hangovered faces too!lol!)That’s just how it shoud be. It’s exciting!It’s special! It’s a fresh start of a new journey with a countless oportunities to learn, to experience life, to become better.

Let’s just don’t be to harsh on ourselves, shall we?

Let’s not strive to be perfect. Let’s make misteakes, be silly, admit we don’t have to know everything.Because we don’t!Let’s cry when we need to. Let’s enjoy life with all it’s ups and downs.Even if it kicks your ass from time to time.

2016 kicked my ass for sure! It was challanging. Painful. Rough. And we all know how difficult it was globally too. But hey, I feel stronger than before and It made my notice everyday magic more and appreciate the little beautiful moments.

 


So let’s just focus on those happy moments for a bit.
Simple food is what makes me happy.And I’m sure this recipe will make you happy too.It not only takes 20 minutes and it tastes sooooo good you will want to screem with excitment. That’s what I did anyway!

Enjoy!

And If you have few spare moments I highly recommend reading this beautiful post about entering a New Year by Elizabeth Gilbert 🙂


RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

5 ripe pears(conference pears are great for this recipe)
vanilla pod
maple syrup(how much you prefer :))
handful of hazelnuts

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 190 C. Peel the pears,cut the fruit in half lengthwise and remove the cores with a teaspoon. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with a baking paper. Mix vanilla beans removed from the pod and mix with maple syrup.Pour over the pears. Chop the hazelnuts roughly and sprinkle over the pears. Bake for 15 minutes or until the fruit is soft.

Enjoy  with some cream or top up the porridge x


 

Merry MINCE PIES :)


Just in time for christmas celebration, between cooking a Polish festive Borscht and cooling the pastry for the cake,
I’m here to wish you a very Merry Christmas and to share some mince pies,because what is this beautiful time of the year about if not about sharing.

I want to wish you all a MAGICAL TIME, whatever magical means to you.I hope it’s filled with things that make your soul happy and that you can celebrate Christmas time with people you love the most. I also hope that the spirit of Christmas, the laughter, joy,kindness and peace are present not only now but all year round.

ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS lovely people, that’s what Christmas is all about! xxx

Ps.
And If you still have some time left on your hands, knead the pastry, fill it with fruity mincemeat,have fun making these mince pies and enjoy every single bite 🙂






 

 

 

Eva’s CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

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How exciting that my lovely friend Eva Kosmas Flores wrote her first absolutely gorgeous cookbook!I am so thrilled!It’s packed with lots of cosy recipes and stunning photography!You will want to lick the pages when flicking through!

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Eva has been inspiring me for years!Her unique approach to food, passion for photography, modesty and hard work is something I truly admire and when we finally met few years back on a cold autumn morning to explore one of the most delicious street food markets in London, she was just the same person I’ve known from reading her blog: funny, kind and incredibly warm. I felt that I’ve known her for years.

And today I’m cooking from her beautiful cookbook and I feel so honoured because I know she put all of herself into it!Every page feels special.
So as a little teaser for you lovely people, I’ve made Eva’s chowder. It’s bursting with all the amazing flavours!So cosy,hearty, warming, it just disappears too quickly 🙂 Enjoy! xxx

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CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups smoky chicken giblet stock
1 ¾ pounds large chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups fresh corn kernels
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes(I used other large potatoes as I couldn’t find them in the UK)
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
kosher salt to taste

PREPARATION:

Bring the stock to boil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until just cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken and set aside, on a separate plate to cool, then peel the skin off the chicken and remove the meat from the bone by gently easing your fingers underneath the breast meat to peel it off the bone in one large piece.  Cut the meat into 1 inch pieces.

Remove the stockpot from the heat and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, shallots, and garlic and bring the heat up to medium. Cook, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is golden brown and caramelized , 30 to 45 minutes depending on the heat of your stovetop.

Add the flour and stir until incorporated. Toast in the pan, stirring to keep it from burning, for 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of the stock until the flour mixture has integrated into the stock and a smooth, thick liquid forms. Add the remaining stock, the chicken breast meat, corn, potatoes, thyme, rosemary, soy sauce and pepper.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring every 10 minutes, until the chowder is thickened and the potatoes are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste and serve immediately.

SMOKY CHICKEN GIBLET STOCK

Ingredients:
3 quarters water
1 pound chicken giblets
1 smoked pork hock
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, washed well and sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 springs fresh thyme
1 spring fresh rosemary
8 black peppercorns
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed

Preparation:

Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and add remaining ingredients.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour 15 minutes, skimming the top to remove any foam that has collected every 15 minutes.

Strain the stock through colander or fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids. Discard the solids and reserve the stock. Taste and add salt if needed.

The stock can be used as a base for sauces and soups and will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.