A shopping spree of all the wrong things and a dinner of hasselback potatoes with chinese carrots and pork to compensate my own forgetfulness


The equinox came round but I don't think Spring got the message, really. This last weekend it rained heavily, here, and it was windy and bitterly cold outside. It sure did not feel like Spring at all, and the forecast tells me next weekend will be a repeat. Cannot say I am not tired of this sort of weather, cannot say I am not dreading spending the Easter Hols cooped up at home with a seven year old who seems to always be bored - unless I'm allowing him time on my laptop. I want to go out and enjoy walks on the parks or by the sea. I want to feel the sun and the warm heat of early morning. I want Spring time to be here.


I'm kind of nursing my second cold, or my second bout of the 'flu, still not sure which one. This was a tough one, a hard one. I was feeling so tired and achey, troubled breathing and in an overall bad mood, while I still had so much to do, last week, being the ed of the school term. I longed for the weekend so I could rest some, and yet I managed to get a lot done even with a feverish body and a longing for my couch, my throw and my Angel. *insert laughter here*. I did get my kid to school on time everyday, and I even managed to bake him some red berries cupcakes for the school party last Friday! I did not exercise, again, and lemme tell you, I missed it. I really did.


And then Saturday I was feeling better! Not completely alright, granted, but better. To the point I wanted to go out, I wanted to risk immersing myself inside a crowded shopping center in search of new underwear and new garments that fit my body. I had the budget to do it, I had the will to do it, so I did it. Amazing as it is, I managed to get myself a couple of new pieces - a handbag, did I really need a new handbag? - but no underwear. I honestly forgot all about my undies, as I tried on a midi pleated skirt - something a woman of my (lack of) height and (excess of) weight is told to steer clear of - and a cardi to match. When I got home, there were no undies, and so I will have to go off again, on this elusive search for something that does not keep falling off my ass!


Also, I will need to return a pair of pants I didn't try on at the store - the line was too big, so I grabbed the size I am now wearing, only to come home and be confronted with the fact that they are very low waiste. And if there's one thing I simply detest are very low waiste trousers. Also, they don't seem fit for this rain and wind and cold. And with the weather being what it is, I still crave for oven food, like this, to give me some sort of comfort. This was a spur of the moment recipe I made up, of hasselback potatoes, carrots in oyster sauce, and a sort of oriental pork that was to die for.


For the hasselback potatoes, I like to keep mine pretty simple. You'll need:
  • one large-ish potato per person
  • herbes de provence - a scatter
  • salt - a scatter
  • black pepper, freshly ground
  • a good glug of olive oil
Rinse those potatoes thouroughly - make sure you choose new potatoes, that have a thiner, tender skin. Cut three quarters into the potatoes, as if you're slicing them - do not go all the way! Rub in some salt and herbes de provence, gently, and sprinkle the black pepper. Place the potatoes on an oven dish that has been oiled with some olive oil, and drizzle a good glug of it over the potatoes. Bake in a previlously heated oven at 180º until they're golden and crisp.


As for the carrots, I had no idea this would work out so well, but because I was going for a bit of an oriental seasoning on my pork, I wanted the carrots to sort of round everything up. So, You'll need:
  • two medium sized carrots per person
  • one small onion or shallot per person
  • two cloves of garlic per person
  • chinese ten spice - or five spice, if you cannot get the other
  • oyster sauce
  • cumin seeds
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • olive oil
Peel the carrots and cut them longitudinally, to get some sort of carrot sticks. Peel the onions or shallots. Crush the garlic cloves one by one, using a blunt blow with the sides of a large knife, do not peel! Place all the vegetables on a baking dish and drizzle the olive oil over them. Add the oyster sauce, the spices, the cumin, salt, black pepper and mix together. Bake inside a pre heated oven at 180º until the carrots are tender.


And finally for the pork, you'll be needing:
  • 250 gr of cubed pork (this is what I used for the three of us, and there were leftovers)
  • two large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • chinese ten spice
  • white wine
  • soy sauce + oyster sauce
  • paprika
  • thyme
Start by seasoning the pork in advance, with the garlic, the thyme, the paprika, the soy sauce and the white wine. A couple of hours should be enough, I left it for six. On a pan heat up a glug o olive oil, and pour the meat into it. Sear it through and lower the heat. Add the chinese ten spice and the oyster sauce and allow to cook gently over a simmering heat. Check the seasoning and adjust. Serve with the hasselback potatoes and the glazed carrots.



Comments

  1. Até me babei a ler isto <3 Opá a receita parece fácil pra eu conseguir fazer mas super deliciosa, mesmo comidinha boa! E gostei muito de teres fotografado num prato azul, resultou mesmo bem :D
    ps: essas batatas <3<3

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    1. Oh mulher, o prato é cinza!!!! Por acaso um prato azul teria resultado melhor, a meu ver, mas foi o que se arranjou: era o almoço do meu filho no seu prato preferido ahahahaahh.

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    2. a minha mãe bem diz que eu vejo mal as cores xD Carago tem que ter um jeitinho de azul!

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  2. Que lindo prato! Só de olhar abre o apetite :) Adorei!
    Bjs

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  3. Olá querida :P
    Parecendo que não, também faço alergias a algumas marcas, nomeadamente de farmácia! Parece meio estranho. ando super ansioso por testar alguns cremes da Cien de rosto. Quero ver se no fim de semana os compro :P

    O prato tem um aspeto delicioso. As tuas fotos são tão, mas tão apelativas!!!

    NEW REVIEW POST | BQ Aquaris X5 White + Rose Gold
    InstagramFacebook Oficial PageMiguel Gouveia / Blog Pieces Of Me :D

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    1. Oh, muito obrigada, a minha meta é mesmo essa: fotos que sejam bem apelativas!!

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  4. Epaaa optimo aspecto.... :o
    querooooo experimentaaar!!

    Beijo,
    www.wordsofsophie.com

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  5. Aaaaai que isto parece DELICIOSO, eu aqui à espera do namorado para jantar a sopinha de peixe que andei a cozinhar na última hora, e tu a mostrares um prato de aspecto divinal e super bem fotografado...yummy!

    Quem disse o quê sobre as saias midi, hein? Eu imagino que te fique mesmo bem!

    beijinhos, Nádia
    My Fashion Insider

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    Replies
    1. não fica mal, a meu ver, mas o tamanho co que me fica é considerado um verdadeiro faux pas, porque fica abaixo da barriga da perna e acima do tornozelo, aquele comprimento que é considerado PROIBIDO por tudo o que é fashion expert no q toca a uma mulher de 157 cm...

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    2. Oh "screw that", havia tanta coisa que uso e que me proibiriam automaticamente...bah :p

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  6. Comecei esta Primavera mega constipada, ontem passei a tarde no hospital, how funnn! Mas nem senti este Inverno! Parece que não houve mm frio, frio. Tlv uns 3 dia mt frios, fora isso... passou a correr e mal senti o Inverno.
    Detesto calças de cintura mt baixa... P além de me lembrar 2002 lololol n favorecem NADA. Qt à comida, é o q mais gosto de fazer no forno, legumes assados c alho e tomilho e azeitinho tudo menos o porquinho

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    Replies
    1. foi precisamente isso: nem dei pelo Inverno, e desde que começou a Pirmavera já lá vão duas gripes e uma stomach flu que ainda por aqui está agora. Legumes assados são a minha perdição, e maçãs assadas temperadas com ervas de provence, sal, alho em pó e bom azeite? jazuz, é a perdiçãoooooooo!!

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  7. ficaram o máximo as tuas hasselback! que prato maravilhoso! pork and all! ;)

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    Replies
    1. já as tinha feito várias vezes, mas só punha o instagram, eheheheh

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  8. Olá minha linda,
    esta receita deixou-me claramente a salivar! tudo nesta receita me agrada. A carne está com um aspeto maravilhoso, essas batatas esbanjam bom aspeto, e as cenouras! ai as cinoiras! humm delicia de uma ponta à outra miúda!
    Beijocas grandes

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