Catherine's Kitchen

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Catherine's Kitchen

Catherine Manning

Peanuts

LATE AS USUAL, though I am normally very punctual for everything except the column.

I went this morning to the vegetable market which has opened near here and for the first time ever, the cashier, a 'nice' young man, asked me if I had a B.A.R.P card (Barbados Assoc. for Retired Persons, we get it at 50). I was mortified and as I handed it to him, asking if I looked as if I should have one! He just smiled. It was nice to get my 10% off, but I came home and looked in the mirror! Oh well, and I'm not retired!

Nostalgia is setting in as the house where I was born is up for sale and I wish...

Lamberts is a small plantation in the north of the island which belonged to my great grandfather's company and when several companies merged, it became part of Barbados Shipping & Trading, so we now own shares.

However, when my father proved to be a square peg in a round hole in the merchant world and only wanted to be on the land, he was sent to manage Lamberts at the age of 19. I think my grandfather thought that as it was so far from town and any social life, he would be kept out of mischief. That must have been wishful thinking.

Lamberts was turned into very productive farm, but was only 400 acres, and Dad (in his infinite wisdom) decided that it was too small to support the massive old plantation house that existed at that time. No different than any other plantation house, but as far as he was concerned it was a drag to keep up. So he knocked it down, brick by brick and left it where it fell. He then built another house with less wood and solid as a rock, which is where the first three of us were born. I can only assume he had permission. My mother says she only went there once before she was married and it was a rambling old place full of wood, so he was probably right to knock it down. I never discovered this till after he'd died and even my eldest brother, who thinks he knows everything, didn't know about it! He still thinks he knows everything!

It was due to a tragic accident that we moved to Westmoreland. While cleaning a 200 foot well, one man was killed and my father barely made it to the top. It was not his fault but naturally he felt responsible and blamed himself. He was such a mess that my grandfather decided that we couldn't stay there any longer, so he bought Westmoreland and we moved there when I was three. I remember everything about the house and even remember where certain pieces of furniture were. I would love to live there again, but I guess that's wishful thinking!

It strange how in a small island like Barbados, not only the rainfall is different but so is the soil. What grows in the north won't grow in the south and vice versa. One of the crops that grow well in the north is peanuts. I love them freshly dug and not roasted, but naturally they are more versatile roasted and one of the most popular is peanut butter which can be used in so many ways, but also popular in some of the islands is:

Peanut Punch

1 tbs. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 tbs. peanut butter
1 cup milk
sugar to taste

Mix cornstarch in water, add peanut butter, milk and sugar. Heat until dissolved and well mixed. Cool, refrigerate and serve over crushed ice.

Peanut Soup

2 oz. butter
2 oz. flour
3 pints chicken stock (US 7 1/2 cups)
12 oz. peanut butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
4 tbs. finely chopped cooked chicken
1 tbs. chopped parsley

Melt butter, add flour and stir for 2 minutes. Reserve 2-1/2 cups of stock, add remainder slowly to flour mixture and bring to the boil. Blend remaining stock with peanut butter and when smooth add to soup. Season and simmer for 10 minute. Serve hot, topped with chopped chicken and parsley.

The following recipes are from the "old cousins" cookbook which I have not tried, but they look workable! I will try them though, when I have someone to eat them other then me! I'm still battling with my diet, so far 10 lbs. lost and now I'm stuck: my fault not the diet!

Peanut Cakes

1 lb. of peanuts shelled, roasted and ground before being weighed
1/4 lb. butter
1/4 lb. sugar
2 eggs
rose water
flour

Beat butter and sugar together, add eggs, rose water, nuts and enough flour to make stiff enough to drop on buttered and floured baking sheet. Bake in moderate oven till golden.

Peanut Cookies

2 tbs. butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbs. milk
1/2 cup roasted nuts chopped
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg well beaten

Cream butter and sugar and add beaten egg. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and mix well with the butter mixture and then add the milk, nuts and lemon juice. Drop in into patty pans and bake on a high heat for 12 to 15 minutes.

As I said, I haven't tried these yet, but since fresh peanuts are now on the market I should find the time. I hesitate because my sweet tooth has surfaced since I've been on this diet and it's fatal to make anything sweet.

Today I had some friends to lunch and even though lunch was quite simple, I couldn't make up my mind about dessert. I did Buljol to start and then flying fish with yam pie, a variety of vegetables and salad and then decided I would stick with ice cream and fresh cherries for dessert. Who reminded me I had profiteroles in the freezer, so I ended up making a coulis of ice cream and cherries, stuffing the puffs with ice cream and melting down strawberry jam to dribble over them with nuts sprinkled on top. A few were left over and I say no more! Tomorrow is another day.

Bon Appetit
Cath