Heliotropic List #18
Zero Grace, Alekos Fassianos and Rainy-day Pud
Happy Sunday! This week is almost purely about food and art. I’ve been back on the research train for a couple of writing jobs and discovering so many inspiring artists in the process.
I’m not sure if it’s from doing the Artist’s Way, or just a standard wave of inspiration, but I’ve also been cooking a lot more the last couple weeks and trying out lots of new recipes. I’ve landed on a few winners, so I’ll share those with you below. I feel like this particular cooking-bent has been all about nostalgia and eating the things I loved as a child and it’s been really good for the soul. What are your most nostalgic recipes? Comment below, I’ve love to know.
Loving Liam Bailey’s latest album. Some of the songs remind me of William Onyearbor and 70’s Zamrock band Amanaz.
Discovered the work of Forest Bess while doing some research this week - he started painting in the 1930s and his story very surprising.
Love these sculptures by Maya Beverly
Also discovered and am obsessed with Greek artist Alekos Fassianos’ work
Leek, zucchini + onion fritters with lemony-garlicky greek yoghurt - It’s hard to trust an online recipe, but Bon Appetite is a very reliable source and have a very entertaining Youtube channel as well. I’d ordinarily be suss on raw onion in a fritter for fear of it not cooking properly, but it worked so well and gave so much flavour. I added flour and a second egg as a binder to avoid using so much oil and making it a bit healthier. I couldn’t find the recipe because it’s hiding between about 50 other fritter recipes, so I’ll write this one down below.
FRITTERS // 3 large zucchinis grated, half a brown onion - salt and leave to sit - then ring out with a kitchen towel or your hands. Then add 1/3 cup of panko crumb, 1 diced leek, 2 eggs, flour, then generously add tender herbs of choice (I had coriander and mint on hand, but dill would be so yummy too). FOR THE GARLIC YOGHURT SAUCE // Just a clove and a half of garlic to about 3-4 tbsp of yoghurt, some salt and lemon juice to taste.
Rainy-day sticky date pudding - After my surf yesterday, it rained for the rest of the day and I had this nostalgic urge to recreate the sticky date pudding my mum made when I was a child that I haven’t had ever since. I’m not really a baker, but this worked out so well on the first go. I chose this vegan recipe because I didn’t have egg. I used normal butter though and subbed the cashew cream for coconut cream in the toffee sauce and it worked really well. I recommend inviting friends over to share it with because having this staring at you all week in the fridge may unfurl all your health goals.
Corn ramen - I’ve been on a cooking rampage recently (as you can probably tell). Spotted this genius method of making ramen broth which only requires two corn cobs, half a brown onion, some soy or miso and butter. I love the authentic soy milk, dashi and kombu combination, but they’re not always on hand. Anyway, this corn broth worked out so well. I had it boiling for maybe 25 minutes while preparing everything else and topped it with Pak choy (which I fried in garlic/soy/lemon), shreds of dried seaweed that were really fun to chop with scissors etc. P.s. I actually regret putting chilli crisp on this because it overpowered a bit.
