Lockdown, Recipe

Lockdown recipe: aubergine and artichoke ‘risotto’

Based on a BBC Good Food recipe
Serves 3
Takes about 45 mins

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Ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • 1 aubergine, cut into chunks
  • 150g mushrooms cut into large chunks (leave whole if small button)
  • 1 red pepper, cored and cut into large chunks
  • 1x 175g pack grilled artichoke hearts
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 200g arborio rice
  • 750ml veg stock
  • 1x 400g tin pulses of choice, drained (chickpeas and red kidney beans both work well)
  • Lemon juice (opt)

Method:
1. Place the aubergine, mushrooms and pepper on a baking tray, mist with oil and cook for 20 mins at about 180C.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic until softened, stir in the spices and rice, and cook for 2 mins.
3. Add half the stock; simmer, uncovered, for 20 mins (stir every so often).
4. Add the other half of the stock, the veg (including artichokes) and pulses, and simmer (uncovered) for another 20 mins – stir every so often and you might need to add a little water to stop it sticking.
5. Add a little lemon juice to taste, and serve.

(Is also v nice cold for lunch the next day!)

Archie and Dexter, Pipsqueak posts, Writing life

The Pipsqueak Posts, Episode 31: the one with the first visit to the park [video]

Archie: Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak, we’re off to the park!

Dexter: What’s the park?

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Archie: It’s a place of wonder. Lots and lots of grass to run around on and play ball, a river to paddle in, and there’s a cafe that does sausages for dogs. Mum or Dad will carry you when you get tired. They’ll put you on the extending lead so you don’t get scared or lost. Just follow me.

(a few minutes later)

Dexter: All the smells! I must sniff every blade of grass. I must run! Run!

(a few minutes later)

Archie: Time for a paddle in the river!

Dexter: This is even better than the paddling pool. 

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Archie: And now for ball!

Dexter: I’m tired, now. I want to sit down. But you’re right. The park is GREAT!

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The Pipsqueak Posts, Episode 30: the one with the Pi-raaaah-tes of Paw-zance

(With apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan) (and you can sing it if you want! – thank you to Liz Ringrose for the ‘matters doggymatical’ and Paw-zance)

On learning that they’d been hooligans while I went out to get a wiper-blade for the car (play-fighting, bouncing about and general chaos), I asked them what they’d done and they simply burst into song…

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We are the very model of a well-behavèd spaniel,
We’ve information biscuity and Bonios and vegetable,
We know the rules of dinner, and we quote the gastronomical
From roast chicken to barbecue, in order categorical;
We’re very well acquainted, too, with matters doggymatical,
We understand equations where the answer is bone-atical,
About the parks and beaches near we’re teeming with a lot o’ news,
With many cheerful facts about the bins for stinky doggy poos;
We’re very good at sitting and at waiting when we’re told to stop;
We know the scientific names of beings animalculous:
In short, in matters biscuity and Bonios and vegetable,
We are the very model of a well-behavèd spaniel!

Archie and Dexter, Pipsqueak posts, Writing life

The Pipsqueak Posts, Episode 29: the one with the toastie strategy

ep26-01 toastie

Dexter: Psst, Arch! I think Chris is making a toastie. Do we gang up now or later?

Archie: He’s making one for Dad as well. Dad is a pushover. We wait, Pipsqueak. We wait.

(five minutes later)

ep26-02 jumping

Archie: No, Pipsqueak, don’t jump up. That’ll make him ignore you because Mum told him to ignore bad behaviour. What you do is stick your head on his knee and dribble. Like this…

Archie and Dexter, Pipsqueak posts, Writing life

The Pipsqueak Posts, Episode 28: the one with the Really Busy Hour

Dexter, after a busy hour:

ep25-01 busyToday I have:

    • chased round the garden (a lot)
    • brought in a branch from the rose by the back door (aren’t you supposed to give your mum flowers?)
    • waited until my mum had finished clearing up poo in the garden and washed her hands, then did another one (so did Arch — it was his idea)
    • scoffed porridge
    • yapped a lot
    • wriggled through the TV cabinet and tried to chew wires
    • tested my teeth on EVERYTHING
    • been told NO a lot (apparently that’s connected with the two things above – especially when I waited until Mum had a mouthful of cold coffee before sinking my teeth into her ankle)
    • been in time-out four times (Arch is right — Mum is the strict parent)
    • decided that Archie’s right and the hoover is scary
    • cuddled up to Archie for two seconds before having the puppy crazies and running round again (he told me off this morning, too, and Mum said that’s why she tells me not to pull his tail and I need to be taken down a peg)
    • played with four different balls, my raggy, my bee and my new teething chew that Dad bought yesterday

 

Now I’m tired. Apparently, so is everyone else…