Recipe time and a miscellany

I was looking through one of my books in the quest for something different by way of soup the other day, and thought I'd give this a try. It was very nice indeed, and we'll definitely be having it again.

I think the quantities are a bit off - the description said  serves four, can be served as a hearty meal or an appetiser. Well, I halved it and then made a little bit more because two pak choi was more than half, and we both felt we would have eaten more if it had been there. I did make a vegetable stock to use, which I often don't in "busier" soups. What was in the fridge was celery and carrots, to which I added an onion and a few slices of ginger. It's really a thin broth with a sweet-sour taste and the pak choi cooked in it.

Chinese Cabbage Soup: 

450g/1lb pak choi
600 ml/1 pint vegetable stock
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp cold water

• Wash and dry the pak choi. Trim and chop the stems, shred the leaves.
• Heat the stock in a larg pan. Add the pak choi and cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
• Mix together the vinegar, sugar, sherry, and soy sauce, and add to the stock along with the sliced chilli.
• Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Blend the cornflour and water till smooth and add to the soup, stirring well till it thickens.
• Allow to cook for another five minutes and serve. 

Serves four (see comment above). We had a sourdough roll each with it, and some creme caramel for dessert and it was quite sufficient.
Taken from 1000 Vegetarian Recipes.

And a few miscellaneous photos. Some wildflowers sown under a tree alongside the road, the fountain in the English Market in Cork, and a beer drop.

April favourites

April was either not a productive month or else I don't have many cards that jump out as me as ones I really love...and I see that in fact one of them was created in March, working ahead of time for a challenge sample.  I stamped, cut and coloured all  ten of the butterflies in the Tim Holtz Flutter set, so they have been appearing on several cards including two here - and I still have four or five lurking on my desk waiting to find a suitable home for.