I think I'm a little ahead of myself when it comes to the transition from cool summer food over to warmer and heartier autumn meals. We're in the last week of summer here and I'm longing for my favourite season to start with her cooler nights and warm days. I'm always conscious of the need to create nutritious food for my family and when Jamie is here on the weekends, I love serving him the same kind of food that his father grew up on. So maybe a little earlier than expected, I've been making lasagne, breads, soups, and today - corned beef, potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.
Kartoffel puffer (potato pancakes) also made the dinner table last week. They're one of Hanno's favourites and one of the meals his mother taught me when we lived in Germany in 1979-1980. It's such a simple dish and something you can put more than potatoes in if you want to disguise vegetables for children who don't like trying new food. I tend to stay with the traditional pairing of potatoes and onions but you could also add zucchini, cauliflower, sweet potato, carrot etc.
KARTOFFEL PUFFER
Serves 4
Kartoffel puffer (potato pancakes) also made the dinner table last week. They're one of Hanno's favourites and one of the meals his mother taught me when we lived in Germany in 1979-1980. It's such a simple dish and something you can put more than potatoes in if you want to disguise vegetables for children who don't like trying new food. I tend to stay with the traditional pairing of potatoes and onions but you could also add zucchini, cauliflower, sweet potato, carrot etc.
KARTOFFEL PUFFER
Serves 4
- 6 large potatoes
- 2 large onions
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup flour
- salt and pepper
- Grate the potatoes and finely dice the onions, add to a colander and allow to stand for 30 minutes while the juices drip. Add the potatoes and onions to a bowl, squeezing them to remove most of the juices.
- Add the eggs, flour, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Put about ½ cup of oil in a frying pan, heat up then add ¼ cup circles of the potato mix. When the first side is golden brown, turn it over and cook the other side. Each one takes about 5 or 6 minutes and you can usually fit 4 into the pan at one time. If you're making a large amount, use two pans.
- Drain on a clean tea towel or paper towel before serving.
Making two lasagnes here - one to send home with Kerry, one for our lunch with Jamie.
Sunny is still in Korea and at the end of very busy days looking after his sushi shop on the beach at Mooloolaba and Sunny's in Woolworths at Caloundra, Kerry goes home to cook for Jamie and the two Korean girls staying in their home for a couple of months while they learn English. On the weekends when he comes over after work to pick up Jamie, I like to send them home with a good meal for all of them and a homemade cake or biscuits for Jamie's school lunchbox. I didn't get around to the lunchbox this week because I was busy with the workshops I'm presenting, but I did manage to make a large lasagne. The good thing about a lasagne is that the leftovers are eagerly taken to school - for the three students - the following day.
What's in your menu plan this week? Have you moved from cool to warm food or warm to cool yet?
What's in your menu plan this week? Have you moved from cool to warm food or warm to cool yet?
