Feeding the Tax Fairy

Self Assessment time and the crucial hitting of the end of January deadline. Not being a natural form-filler I enlist help with this chore and the deal is that I get as far as I can and the Tax Fairy oversees this in exchange for as many meals as it takes evenings to complete the tax return.


The menu:


Spicy lentil soup

yellow split peas
onion
carrot
celery
stock
heaps of fresh rosemary
some fresh sage
one teaspoonful of fennel seeds, cummin seeds, coriander seeds


Served with garlic croutons


Tempeh* stuffed peppers

red peppers
Tempeh steamed then sauteed with some chopped fresh vine tomatoes, veg stock and seasonings
Stuff the softened red peppers with the Tempeh mixture and cook till done


This was served with:

Paprika Broccoli

Cooked broccoli covered with smoked paprika sauce and onion


Sultana pancakes with plum compote

Pancakes made with 50:50 flour and buckwheat flour
sultanas soaked for some hours in concentrated apple juice
a little castor sugar
teaspoon veg oil
egg
milk


Make as normal pancakes (Scotch Drop Scones type)


Plum compote
chopped fresh plums
castor sugar, quantity depending on how sweet or tart the plums are
generous slosh rose wine


Cook till the liquid begins to thicken and the plums are very soft

Serve the pancakes layered with compote and drench in cream


Serve all the above with a good French Rose.

*What is tempeh?
"Tempeh is a fermented food made by the controlled fermentation of cooked soybeans with a Rhizopus mold (tempeh starter). The tempeh fermentation by the Rhizopus mold binds the soybeans into a compact white cake. Tempeh is now rapidly becoming more popular all over the world as people look for ways to increase their intake of soybeans and isoflavones. Tempeh has a firm texture and a nutty mushroom flavour."
http://www.tempeh.info/