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I’ve never been much of a fan of fusion cuisine, but every once in a while I get the urge to use Asian ingredients in a Western-style preparation or vice-versa. The idea today was to make pasta with pork bellies, my current favorite part of the pig – basically a big hunk of bacon before being smoked and/or cured. All around Asia, pork bellies are usually braised in a flavorful broth for several hours until much of the fat is extracted and the meat is tender. I used a mixture of red wine and chicken stock, flavored with garam masala and orange marmalade, let it simmer for a couple of hours, then skimmed off the fat. Meanwhile, I caramelized a finely-diced onion with some of the drippings, then added a can of tomatoes along with the pork bellies and the braising liquid. This sauce went on top of the penne after simmering for another hour or two, then topped with a mixture of yogurt and Sriracha sauce. Success!

The third loaf of sourdough rye was very successful. I discovered the key is patience, allowing at least two hours for the dough to rise and over an hour to bake. I’ve been feeding Nüwa every day for nearly two weeks now, and she’s developed some interesting flavors and aromas.

I haven’t been food shopping for over a week, so I never know what I’ll eat until I have a look through the kitchen and garden. This time it’s a spinach and bacon quiche. I made the crust with a mixture of white and whole-grain flour, butter, a bit of salt and a splash of water. I couldn’t figure out how to roll it out successfully, so I just patted the crust into the pie tin. First a layer of spinach from the garden sautéed with half an onion and a couple cloves of garlic went in. Then a layer of crumbled applewood-smoked bacon. Finally a mixture of four eggs, a cup of milk, and a handful of grated Maasdam cheese, seasoned with a bit of mustard powder, cayenne and white pepper. I baked the quiche for about 40 minutes at around 400º F. Now the cupboards are nearly bare – I may have to venture into the village soon.