For my inner carnivore and to shake the anger and frustration outlined under 24 June in My Corona Diary III below.

From the freezer, I took a piece of pulled pork delivered from Don Carne.

I boiled a bag of kidney beans which had already been soaking in lots of water since early this morning. I always have some kind of boiled “legume” available to throw into casseroles, curries and salads.

Needing to throw a lot of spices around, I roasted a heaped tblsp of cumin seeds and a heaped tblsp of coriander seeds and ground them together with a tblsp black pepper.

I sauteed four large red onions, coarsely chopped, and ten large cloves of garlic and a large know of ginger, finely chopped. When starting to brown, I added the ground spices, two sticks cinnamon, about ten cloves, two tblsp chili flakes and three star anise, and sauteed a bit more.

I added quite a bit of yoghurt (goat is what I always have available) and almost a whole tube of tomato paste (to make up for the second tin of tomato which I discovered I had forgotten to buy). Sauteed, added a heaped tsp turmeric and two tsp salt, stirred well and then added one tin of tomato and a tin of coconut milk.

When simmering properly, I added the meat and simmered for about half an hour, turning it a couple of times.

I then switched everything off and took Max for a walk to Landwehrkanal where we sat for a while to calm down, which today I probably needed as much as he did. He seems to like quietly observing the world go by, cheeks smooth, ears up and out the way we like them to be, and sniffing the air and not the ground.

Back home, I took the meat out of the pot, slowly reheated the sauce, now with the kidney beans added, while shredding the meat which I then put back in the pot to gently reheat it all.

I tweaked this recipe from Olive Magazine.

I used gram (chickpea) flour instead of wheat flour, oatmilk instead of whole milk, thyme instead of nutmeg, and chili instead of Dijon mustard (this last part more because I had some fresh chili that needed to be used than in order to make this recipe completely gluten free – that is just an added bonus for those who are severely gluten intolerant).

Different combinations of vegetables can of course be used, in which case you might want to use other herbs or spices instead of nutmeg or thyme.

• 300 g new potatoes
• 400 g (after trimming) green asparagus, trimmed and cut into approx 2 cm pieces (I removed the heads first and kept them separate)
• 1 tblsp ghee
• 50 ml olive oil, plus extra for the tin
• 100 g gram (chickpea) flour
• 800 ml whole milk (I used oatmilk)
• 75 g frozen spinach
• Four to five sprigs of thyme
• 1 heaped tsp dijon mustard or chili to taste
• 100 g parmesan, grated (I blitzed it in the mini processor together with the thyme so as not to have to separate the thyme leaves from the stems)
• 75 g frozen peas
• 1 heaped tsp turmeric
• 6 eggs

A 22 cm springform cake tin, bottom lined with baking paper and sides brushed with oil.

Boil the asparagus (without the heads) in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water for a couple of minutes, scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain, then add the potatoes and boil for eight to ten minutes till tender to the point of a knife. Cut into 1 cm slices.

Cook the flour in the oil and ghee, stirring, for two to three minutes until smelling toasty. Add the milk, a little at a time, while whisking, adding more once fully incorporated. Simmer for five minutes until thickened, then stir in all the other ingredients except the eggs, and combine well. Season with a little bit of salt (if needed: the parmesan is also salty), and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Let cool while you whisk the eggs together lightly.

Stir in the slightly cooled mixture, combining thoroughly.

Bake at 180 C fan for 45-50 minutes.

Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold as leftovers.

This is great on its own or with a salad, and is also a good accompaniment to fish, especially smoked or “gravad” and even to a roast leg of lamb.

I saw this : https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/02/cauliflower-cake-recipe-yotam-ottolenghi but I find cauliflower the most flavourless and textureless of all vegetables, and wheat flour, especially of the self-raising variety, is also not my thing, so I decided to experiment and make it a bit more flavourful and healthy.

Instead of wheat flour I used gram flour, and insted of cauliflower I used leeks. I added garlic and chili (of course) and used thyme instead of basil.

Glutenfree and vegetarian (but not vegan).

• 3 large leeks, 600 g after trimming, sliced
• Fresh garlic, to taste, chopped
• Chili flakes or finely chopped chili, to taste
• 1 large sprig rosemary, finely chopped
• 5 sprigs thyme
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 150 g parmesan, coarsely grated
• 130 g gram (chickpea) flour
• 1 tblsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 8 eggs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tblsp sesame seeds
• 3 tblsp nigella seeds

In a couple of tblsp olive oil, sauté the leeks with rosemary, thyme, chili and garlic till they start to collapse. Season with a little bit of salt and lots of black pepper.

Take off the heat, and while it cools off a bit, mix in the turmeric and the parmesan.

Whisk the eggs.

Mix flour and baking powder and baking soda well.

Add to the eggs and which to eliminate lumps. Season with a little bit of salt and lots of black pepper.

Line the bottom of a 22 cm round cake tin with a loose base with baking paper. Brush the sides of the tin with olive oil and coat with some of the sesame seed/nigella seed mix.

Pour in the leek mix, level, and sprinkle the rest of the seed mix on top.

Bake at 180 C until golden and set. Let cool a little before serving and eat the leftovers cold the next days (better the day after, actually).

Vegetarian – can probably be made vegan quite easily.

• 300 g barley flour
• Salt
• 130 g cold butter in pieces
• 125 ml ice-cold water
• 3 tblsp milk (I used oat milk but my guess is any milk will do)

• 200 g crème fraiche
• 1 leek – the white part, in slices
• Optional: Herbs of choice – I had two kinds of basil that needed to be used
• 1 clove garlic or to taste – I used four, and 1 knob fresh ginger, chopped and pushed through the garlic press
• Chili in some form or other, to taste, I used a dollop of my favourite chili paste
• Optional: If you don’t want to use garlic, ginger and chili, nutmeg would work

• 1 large potato and 1 large sweet potato, in slices

To garnish:

• Feta cheese, crumpled
• Hazelnuts, chopped and dry-roasted
• The green of the leek, thinly sliced and wilted in a bit of oil

Combine flour, butter and salt to a homogeneous mass and incorporate milk and water little by little.

Form a ball, wrap in clingfilm and let rest in refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight.

Mix crème fraiche, leek, herbs, garlic, ginger and chili (if using), salt and pepper.

Press the dough into a baking tin lined with baking paper.

Distribute the leek mixture on top and then place the potatoes evenly.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake at 180 C for 35 to 40 minutes.

Distribute the garnishing.

NOTE: The gnudi need to rest at least four hours, preferably longer, such as overnight or from morning till evening.

• 500 g chard
• 250 g ricotta
• 2 whole eggs
• 10 g parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to garnish
• 20 g pecorino, finely grated
• 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tblsp flour
• 200 g semolina
• 100 g girolles
• 1 tblsp of olive oil
• 100 g unsalted butter
• lemon juice to taste

OPTIONAL: It would not be among my favourites if I did not, instead of the nutmeg, add a tsp garam masala to the ricotta mixture. Also, by mistake I had only bought 200 g ricotta, so I make up for the volume with additional grated parmesan and pecorino. And finally, I added a bit of my favourite chili paste to the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

Strip the chard leaves from the stalks and wash thoroughly. Wilt the chard leaves in boiling water for 1-2 minutes then refresh in cold water. Trim the ends of the stalks and cook separately but in the same water for 2-3 minutes retaining a slight bite, then refresh in cold water.

Strain the leaves and give them a really good squeeze to remove all the water from them. Finely chop the leaves and cut the stalks into 5cm batons. Keep the stalks covered and refridgerated while the gnudi rest.

Beat the ricotta until smooth, coarsely chop the chard leaves and fold into the ricotta mixture. Add the beaten eggs, parmesan, pecorino, nutmeg, a pinch of salt and pepper then fold in the flour. Shape into 30g balls and place on a tray dusted with the semolina.

Roll the balls around in the semolina ensuring each ball is evenly coated. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least four hours, preferably overnight or from morning till evening, before cooking.

Clean the girolles thoroughly with a dry brush.

Bring another pan of salted water to the boil, drop in the gnudi and simmer gently until they float to the surface. This should take 3-4 minutes.

While the gnudi cook, heat up the olive oil in a wide pan. Fry the girolles and chard stalks for a few minutes over a high heat until nicely coloured. You want roughly an equal amount of girolles and stalks, so you may not need to use all the chard stalks

Turn down the heat, add the butter and a splash of the gnudi cooking water. Stir until the butter has emulsified and begins to thicken, then add a dash of lemon juice and a crack of black pepper.

Carefully remove the gnudi from the water using a slotted spoon, drain well and add to the sauce. Gently swirl the pan to combine everything and allow the sauce to thicken, coating the gnudi nicely. Add a splash more of the cooking water if it becomes too thick, or an extra knob of butter if a bit thin. Serve and finish with freshly grated Parmesan.

For two people, or for one, preserving half the portion for the next day, to reheat, perhaps panfried into a small, thick pancake, the day after, topped with the rest of the compote, cold or reheated.

For the porridge:

3 dl coconut drink (the kind that comes in 1 l cartons, which you would use instead of milk, for example in your coffee – not the thick stuff that comes in tins)

125 g millet (could also be oats, amaranth, or quinoa, or a mixture). Here I have used a mixture of amaranth, millet and oats

1 tsp vanilla paste

1 small tsp cinnamon powder

1 heaped tsp cocoa powder (optional)

A tiny pinch of salt

For the compote:

200 g fruit and/or berries, fresh or frozen, here a mixure of blueberries and blackberries

Sugar, e.g. coconut flower sugar, to taste

To be stirred into the porridge just before serving:

2 tblsp desiccated coconut or coconut flakes

Heat up coconut drink, millet/all grains, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt (and cocoa powder if using), and let simmer, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes.

Gently heat the fruit/berries and sugar to a compote.

Stir the desiccated or flaked coconut into the millet and serve topped by the compote.

I also like to top with a dollop of goat yoghurt, but that’s perhaps just me.