ABUTILON

Edible Leaves and Edible Flowers

Abutilon.  There are more than sixty varieties of this plant scattered throughout the world.  An edible species known as Abutilon esculentum grows in Brazil.  The Brazilians call it benças de does and cook its flowers with meat.

 In Europe, abutilon is cultivated as a garden plant for the beauty of its flowers, but only rarely for use as food.  In some countries, particularly in Asia and in the West Indies, its leaves are cooked and eaten in the manner of sorrel or spinach.  In India, the natives are very fond of the species known as Abutilon Indicum. (New Larousse Gastronomique).

It is so new to me, I am curious and want to try to use the leaves for my cooking, and it is crispy deep-fried vegetables.

I looked closely at my potted Abutilon in my garden, the leaves remind me of a vine grape, but the leaf has smooth touch.  You can cook the leaves as you cook spinach as I learnt,  I suppose you need special dressing to serve, but I have an idea, I will boil the leaves, dip in batter and deep fry, it should be tasty with a crispy texture. I picked a few leaves, (poor little plant) I am sure I was forgiven, it will grow bushier and more leaves I am sure.

Crispy Abutilon Leaves. First I washed the leaves and cook in boiling water for 8 minutes (should be long enough).  Drain to dry, I made the batter by mixing these ingredients together; plain flour with a dash of cornflour, third teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and cold water, salt to taste.

Washed  Abutilon Leaves

Hot boiling water to boil the leaves

Boiling for under ten minutes

Cooked Leaves-Drained and Dry

Frying in hot deep oil

Freshly Fried
Crispy Abutilon Leaf in Batter

The fried leaves were very crispy, the batter was light.  The plant has no flower now, I have to wait to try cooking using the leaf.

Beautiful Edible Flowers and Herbs

I am pleased that my idea and experiment worked so well.  Do I cook the leaves in this manner again? Maybe. I must try using the leaf for a wrap next time.

Fresh Herbs To Garnish Cakes

Using edible leaves, herbs and flowers has been a part of my cooking, love the colour and the flavour.

These beauties make the dishes a life, very appetising and inviting.  Indeed it is my signature of cooking.

Fresh Herbs

Next time, I shall cook spicy meat and rice wrapped in Abutilon leaf, and I must try to prepare the flowers mixed with meat.  I have to wait when the plant grows bigger.


Until Next Post
Susy

FRUITS

Fun With Fresh Fruits.

APRICOTS

Preserving fresh apricots
Stone and halve the apricots, place in a pot, add sugar, a little water and lemon juice.  Cook to braise until soft.  Transfer to clean jar and label it!  Keep in the refrigerator when it is opened.

FRESH  FRUITS

Enjoy mixed fresh fruits for breakfast.
Fig, pear, grapes, kiwi, strawberries, watermelon, rockmelon and apple

Fresh fruits for meringue topping or for garnish cakes.
Mango, strawberry, raspberry, passionfruit and blueberry. 

Fresh fruits for topping Summer Sponge Cake

BERRIES

Fresh Berries to serve for Trifle

Fresh Berries for topping crisps layer water pastry

PINEAPPLE

Fresh pineapple is the crucial ingredient for Javanese fruit salad with hot dipping sauce(lotis).  It is excellent to be adding for cooking pork and very refreshing to add to a jug of water for a cold drink.

Chopped fresh pineapple, cucumber, pomelo,
strawberry and coconut sugar with chilli dipping sauce.

Fresh pineapple, to add to bake a cake and also excellent, for making glace pineapple to decorate cakes and Christmas cake.  A relish pineapple is one of the best relishes to serve with meat curry and rice.

NECTARINES

Harvesting Nectarines

Nectarine Muffins

Makes 24 small

Ingredients

3 cups self-raising – flour

¾ raw sugar

¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 cup milk

½ cup oil

2 eggs

a pinch of salt

Chopped almonds 

5 fresh nectarines, wash, seeded, cut and add in ¼ cup sugar and cook for a few minutes.  Let it cool (the fruit will be soft, and contain juice)

Method

Heat the oven up to 175 degrees C (a fan-forced)

Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add in the mixture of milk, oil and eggs, and also the nectarine + the juices

Mix gently but quickly, don’t over mix (about 18 folds and stir it two times)

Spoon onto well prepared lined, and buttered small muffin tins add chopped almonds on top

Bake in the prepared oven for 13 minutes

Take it out, and transfer to a cooling tray

ORANGES

 Orange for mini orange cake, and for shredded glace rinds.
Sliced brioche with the glace orange rind.
Slices of fresh oranges to add to a roasting leg of lamb.

PEARS

Poached Pear in Syrup

Serve the pear with freshly cracked black pepper.  Pear poached in red wine for a tart is very festive. Please look at the older post, type: poached pear in red wine to search.

Apples

Sliced granny smith apple to add for cooking a roast pork

Poached apples for topping cakes

PEAR, POMEGRANATE, POMELO

Salad with Fresh Fruits

Add fresh fruits to cook meat dishes, such as braised pork with apple or pineapple.  And other fresh fruits-grapes, orange and apple for the bed to roast Christmas Turkey that keep the meat moist and create a delicious fruity gravy. For the recipe, please look at the older post, and type: apple and turkey to search. 

Roasting Turkey on a Bed of Fresh Fruits-Grape, Orange and Apple.

The Roast Turkey Buffet garnished with fresh flower and herbs.

The dish with fresh fruits, apple, onion
to sit on the Turkey Buffet for roasting.

And of course, enjoy mixed fresh fruits for fruit salad and add them to leafy salad greens. Fresh berries are my favourites, they are excellent for topping cakes, meringues, add in the trifle and cook for compote to serve with ice cream.  Having fresh berries to eat as they are, is a treat.

I wish you all have fun with fresh fruit, and maybe you may like my ideas too.

For Easter, you could roast leg of lamb on the bed of fresh fruits (orange, and apricot), that makes excellent fruity sauce and gravy.

Pot roasting leg of lamb with fresh fruits

Get the whole leg of lamb instead of the half for the festivity.  It will look so grand on a large platter together with garnishes.

The previous post was all about cooking with vegetables, now it is about fresh fruits.

I like to work with both and have so much fun, I wish you do, and you are.

Until Next Post

Susy