Welcome to series 3 of the Culinary Alphabet A-Z…Where the middle letter is L…

Nothing is as it seems here…this new series is the brainchild of Chel Owens who writes at A wife, My Verse, and Every Little Thing…my followers are so good to me they think up all sorts of permutations of the Alphabet for me to blog about…not sure if they want me to call it quits or what they will come up with next…Chel like Pete was, however, will be called on to make her contribution every two weeks…they don’t get off scot-free…so I hope you have started brainstorming Chel…haha x

So what’s in store? In this series the A, B, C, etc will be the middle letter, for example, Cajun, Cabbage, Ackee and Yucca… how easy that will be who knows I am sure some of the letters of the alphabet could cause the grey matter to rebel or implode…haha…I also don’t want to use plurals to form a word as I may need that word for another letter and it’s sort of cheating I think…unless of course I really get stuck…which I am sure will happen…

Today it is words where the middle letter is L...A little easier than J which was quite difficult… What kiddie big or little doesn’t love Jello or Jelly…yes I know before you tell me you call jelly… jam…Jelly to me (a Brit) is what you call Jello although I prefer Jelly as it is not so sweet and has more of a fruity taste than Jello plus for a treat my mum would give me a square of the jelly when she was making it…you can’t do that with Jello its a powder…or we could take Potluck and see what was cooking on the Skillet…to eat with our Salad.

Let’s go and see what I have found…

Abalone…

Marine snails…Abalone is a large species of snail found in temperate water environments in several areas around the world. They occur in Kelp forests and rocky reefs and play a very important role in the marine ecosystem helping stabilize these marine habitats in terms of community structure. Large declines in Abalone populations are altering the coastlines around the world.

Baklava…

One of my favourites..my first taste of Baklava was when my sister visited Iran and brought me back a box… I have since made my own and absolutely love it …It is crispy, syrupy has nuts and is just a delicious bite of heaven.

Bellini…

A Bellini is a cocktail made with Prosecco and peach purée or nectar. It originated in Venice, Italy.

Caldo Verde…

A simple soup that contains shredded kale, onions, potatoes, garlic, and chouriço. It originates from the North of Portugal, but it’s served all over the country. It’s also listed as one of the 7 wonders of Portuguese gastronomy.

Challah…

Challah is a Kosher loaf of braided bread. The simple dough is made with eggs, water, flour, yeast and salt. The bread is typically pale yellow in colour because so many eggs are used, and it has a rich flavour, too. Some challah recipes call for inclusions like raisins, honey or seeds.

Collard Greens…

Collard greens—or just “collards”—are a member of the cabbage (Brassica) family of vegetables, which means they are cruciferous vegetables. Their dark green pigment is a signal they contain nutritious antioxidants. Collards are also an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including calcium. You can use them as you would any dark leafy greens, like kale or spinach.

Dumplings…

Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources) wrapped around a filling, or of dough with no filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour or potatoes, and maybe filled with meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, fruits or sweets.

Goulash…

Goulash is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country.

Involtini…

Melon…

Melon, (Cucumis melo), a trailing vine in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), is grown for its often musky-scented edible fruit. The melon plant is native to central Asia, and its many cultivated varieties are widely grown in warm regions around the world. Most commercially important melons are sweet and eaten fresh, though some varieties can be made into preserves or pickled.

Mollusc…

The mollusc shell is typically a calcareous exoskeleton that encloses, supports and protects the soft parts of an animal in the phylum Mollusca, which includes snails, clams, tusk shells, and several other classes. Not all shelled molluscs live in the sea; many live on the land and in freshwater.

Pavlova…

Both meringue and pavlova are egg white desserts, and are made in a similar way. … However, meringue is crispy and dry throughout, while pavlova is crispy on the outside, but fluffy, soft and marshmallow-like on the inside. So a pavlova is a meringue-based dessert, but not a classic meringue..aptly .named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova.

Pilaf…

Pollack…

Or Pollock are found from Norway all the way down to Portugal and are abundant in British coastal waters. They live on or near the seabed and live a sedentary life, feeding on crustaceans and small fish.

Praline…

Confectionary made of nuts and sugar often almonds and hazelnuts …or pecans.

Ribollita.

This Tuscan stew was created when servants would clear the plates of their masters and cook the leftovers in boiling water. Ribollita, which means re-boiled, is made with cannellini beans and hearty vegetables and thickened with stale bread.

Salsa…

Who doesn’t love a nice fresh salsa…vibrant it can be as spicy as you like…it can be used as a topping or as a condiment …The origin of salsa made from chopped tomatoes goes back to a time when Central America was home to the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans. It was likely all these cultures ate salsa in some form, but the Aztec diet was documented in more detail, so they are often credited with inventing it.

My favourite is  Mango and avocado with red onion.

Ingredients:

• 1 mango, diced
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
• ½ bunch fresh coriander (about 1/2 cup chopped)
• Juice of 1 medium lime (about 2tbsp)
• 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper, to taste
• 1 red chilli finely sliced (optional)

Let’s Cook!

In a medium bowl, combine diced mango, avocado, finely chopped red onion, and chopped coriander. If you like a hint of spice like me then add chopped chilli.

Squeeze 2tbsp of fresh lime juice over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine and serve. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.

Scallop…

Scallops are a type of bivalve mollusc, meaning the interior muscle is surrounded by two shells similarly to oysters, mussels, and clams. Inside the shell, scallops have a white adductor muscle (the part we eat) that opens and closes the shell, as well as a bright orange section called the coral.

Stilton…

Stilton is a beautiful English cheese…streaked like marble with a beautiful almost soft crumbly texture. The art of making Stilton has remained very much the same as when it was first produced. Only made in certain parts of England, the production relies on careful selection and maturing.

A cheeseboard wouldn’t be the same without a lovely piece of Stilton paired with some honey, walnuts and sliced apple however it is equally at home with pasta and risotto or crumbled over a salad…one of my fathers favourite cheeses.

Sunflower Seeds…

Sunflowers aren’t just pretty to look at. They also provide a nutritious fruit known botanically as sunflower kernels. Most people call the kernels “seeds.”

Sunflower kernels are encased in edible, black and white, pin-striped hulls. They are a popular snack.

Thank you so much for joining me today…L wasn’t quite so hard once I got going… NEXT time it’s the letter M for Lemon, Limes or maybe a Formosa…x

See you tomorrow where I am in my kitchen  …..x