Recipe Time

I recently tried this recipe from Yottam Ottolenghi's The Cookbook. I had my eye on two sweet potato recipes in it, and this is the one that I went with. He attributes it to Epicurious originally, though I imagine he's added his own twist.

Dice about 2lb /850 g sweet potatoes UNPEELED into 3/4" cubes. Toss in 3 tblsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper and back at 190C for approx 30 minutes till just tender, turning over gently half way through.

When you first put them in, toast 35 g pecans for about 5 minutes, then chop coarsely.

Dressing: 

4 tblsp olive oil (I used half olive, half sunflower)

2 tblsp maple syrup

1 tblsp sherry vinegar

1 tblsp lemon juice

2 tblsp orange juice

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk together.

When the potatoes are ready, put in a large dish.

Add the nuts, along with 

35 g golden raisins

4 spring onions coarsely chopped

4 tblsp chopped parsley

2 tsblsp chopped coriander leaves

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

Add the dressing, toss and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve straight away or at room temperature.

I think it should be lovely at room temperature, but so far we've managed to eat the entire lot hot, so I haven't got to try it yet. The first time I had no cilantro (coriander) and used mint instead, which was very nice. 

Friday night was a warm, balmy evening. We went for a walk in the park. They'd been cutting the long grass now that the fawns are growing up - reminded me of the time I was lucky enough to go for a walk there a few years back when they were baling it. It's only the second time ever I've heard the deer making so much noise - the other time was when I had to walk home from work in the snow. They sound like a flock of birds mewling. The workmen must be getting the Papal Cross (from Pope John Paul's visit) ready for the upcoming papal visit.

A Cold and Frosty Morning...

Yesterday was a crisp, cold clear morning. I had a long list of things to do, but we took time out for a walk in the park and thoroughly enjoyed it.

A couple of things got pushed on to today, such as the pears with ginger which we were out of stock of, and starting work on a Christmas gift never got started at all - but it was still worth taking the time to enjoy the scenery.

Park History Part 2

I think the Mountjoy Cross sign is now quite out of date, since it's now a roundabout!

I have been thinking that some fine mornings I should get an early bus as far as the park gate and walk through the park to work - and Thursday's walk has given me an extra nudge in that direction.

Park History part 1

We are currently experiencing a partial bus-strike; no service last Thursday or Friday, most likely the same next week, and Friday and Saturday the following week. I use the bus to travel to work...the train runs behind our house, so on Thursday morning I took the train to work and walked out from the city centre.

The train service at commuting times is pretty OK - just crowded - but off peak it's not so good, and I knew that the earliest I could get home would be nearly 2.30. So, when we finished work a little early, and the day had improved from the morning drizzle into sunshine and a nice breeze, I decided to walk home. I know that I can get from work all the way through the park to the stop near Castleknock gate in less than an hour. And I normally walk home from the dentist in something like twenty minutes, so already the journey was broken down a bit in my mind, just leaving the bridge between the park gate and the dental surgery.

If Google Maps is to be believed it is a 9 km walk  - just over five miles, and they estimated 1 hour 53 minutes walking. I was aiming for one and a half hours, and in fact made the trip door to door in hour hour twenty-five - which is not bad considering that I took so many photos along the park section that I have to make this in two posts, and since I was only using my phone, I had to unlock the screen every time I stopped for a photo. And several information signs were missing - at least half a dozen.

Duck Fest

The mandarins and mallards, with the occasional coot, moorhen and tufted duck. I had to up the ISO almost as high as it would go, since by this time it had got a little overcast and I only had brought my Canon. So the photo quality isn't great...