Catherine's Kitchen

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Catherine's Kitchen

Catherine Manning

Another Sunday

ONE OF THE MILDER SUNDAY INCIDENTS caused by us children, slightly older, but same scenario, father fishing, nanny sleeping and overseer doing whatever he was doing that Sunday. This time my mother decided she would 'relax' at home as she had not long had number six and decided it was safer to be on the spot.

For some reason, my father did not use his normal fishing car, which was a little Standard 7, one which the front doors opened back from the front, rather than from the middle of the car and because this car stank from fish and the bait basket he developed from week to week, we shied away from it. That day he used our school car which was a Morris 1000 and since we couldn't use our mother's car, we were destined to use the Standard.

My elder brother took the Standard to the nearest tap in the bottom yard and washed and cleaned it from top to bottom, inside and out, to the last fish scale. After that we confirmed that my mother was sleeping and locked her in the bedroom. Both the younger babies were still sleeping in the cradles, but my three-year-old sister was not, so she joined the fray. Take into consideration that my parents' bedroom had five windows and two doors and a roof ran all the way round the house, so she could not be locked in officially. Nevertheless in our minds, she was locked in and we couldn't be caught!

This time it was decided that we would go driving. My eldest brother at that time was nine and since he was already a rally club driver, my father never objected. However, at seven, I had a conscience, so at the last minute I opted out and refused to be party to the expedition! So off went my two brothers and three- year-old sister. I waved them off and went back upstairs to bed and waited for my mother to wake up, which she did eventually. I never let her out of the bedroom as it would have been disloyal to the others, but after she ran over the roof and let herself in again and found only me, I told her the truth. My mother was thirty-two years old and had six children under the age of nine!

As usual the police and the neighbouring posse arrived and also the plantation workers, who always knew where we were and what we were up to, so everything was safe. Only the powers that be got over-excited. The expedition arrived back safely, having not been caught, as neither the posse or police knew the cart tracks like we did and they got lost. We could actually drive from one plantation to the other within a five mile radius on cart tracks, having only to cross over the main roads.

One of the posse 'Uncle' Ken, a big man with flaming red hair and a walrus moustache to match, looked down at my eldest brother and proceeded to tell him that if he was his son he would give him a good beating. My younger brother who was then five, looked up at him, hands on the hips and said "Well ya 'ent his father so ya can't." Needless to say when his nine-year-old son was caught by the police driving on the main road soon after, he thought that was very funny, and so did we!

After the usual Sunday afternoon entertainment was over, everyone left, this time BEFORE my father came home! I honestly think the police enjoyed these Sunday afternoon distractions, as at that time there was no drugs and little crime.

As usual my column is late, due this time to my elder brothers 60th birthday. So far he's had two parties and with the amount of food left on Sunday, he could have a third. The first was on the 13th May (his birthday was the 12th), for family and the second was on Sunday 27th for about 70 friends, and I catered for that one fully. This is frightening, we're getting old.

I made Buljol and Chicken Liver Pate with melba toast and a variety of crackers to start. Then we had Roast leg of Pork, Fried Fish (Mahi-Mahi), Roast Garlic Chicken, Pepperpot, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Vegetable Fried Rice, Macaroni and Cheese and Seven Layer Salad. Dessert was finger food: brownies, coconut tarts and guava tarts.

BULJOL

1lb. Salted Cod (boneless if possible)
2-3 large onions
2-3 cucumbers
2-3 large tomatoes
hot pepper to taste
lime juice
white vinegar
oil

Prepare salt fish. Either soak it for about 12 hours, changing the water occasionally to get out the excess salt or boil it. changing the water once, being careful not to get out too much salt, as you should not have to add salt. Remove any skin or stay bones and pull into little pieces.

Chop onions, tomatoes and de-seeded cucumbers and mix with salt fish. Quantity is up to you, I like a lot of each but not so they overpower the salt fish. Chop hot pepper into tiny pieces and add a little at a time till you reach limit. Add lime juice and vinegar to taste; I like it to taste more lime than vinegar but the two should blend and not overpower. Add a little oil as this stops it being dry. The end result should be juicy, not dry. It's difficult to give quantities, as I don't measure anything, so experiment.

CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

1lb. sweet potatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
pinch salt
2tbs. water
2tbs. margarine

Method 1:
Peel potato, cut into chunks and boil. Melt margarine, add salt, water and sugar and stir till sugar is melted and mixture is syrupy. Place potato in greased casserole, add syrup and bake in a moderate oven until lightly browned (about 45 minutes) basting occasionally.

Method 2:
Double up on the syrup. Peel potato and cut into chunks. Add potato to syrup in saucepan and cook over a low heat till cooked and brown. Syrup should cover potatoes. Stir gently to stop burning.

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

1 cup rice
2 cups water
salt
1 tbs. margarine
lemon pepper
1 large carrot, grated
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red, 1/2 yellow, 1/2 green sweet peppers chopped
soya sauce
sesame oil

Add salt to taste and margarine to two cups of water in saucepan. Bring to the boil, add rice, bring back to boil, stir, cover saucepan and lower heat to barely simmer. Cook 20 minutes, turn off heat and leave to cool. Rice should not be sticky, but if it is it may be washed rinsed in a colander under a tap.

In frying pan, heat sesame oil, just enough to coat bottom with no excess. Put rice in frying pan and toss, add vegetables and stir fry. Add enough soy sauce to coat the rice and flavour it well; it will turn the mixture light brown. Check seasoning for pepper; you don't usually have to add salt as the rice is already salted and the soy will do the rest, but that is optional as is your choice of other seasoning.

Bon Appetit
Cath