693/1038 - Mustard sauce (and Schweinshaxe!)

My favourite pork producer has a community supported agriculture model which allows consumers to share in the costs, risks and rewards of their lovely little ethical farm. I have been a proud CSA subscriber of Bundarra Farm for some time now and absolutely love opening my box every month to see what goodies are inside. 

To ensure none of the pig is wasted, the cuts I receive are never the same. This month I was fortunate to receive two incredible looking pork hocks which were simply crying out to be turned into Schweinshaxe. Schweinshaxe is a German peasant dish that is so unbelievably tasty it might be the only thing I ever do with pork hocks. The well flavoured meat fell easily off the bone and the crackling was crunchy and fabulous. In my opinion, cheaper cuts of meat are wildly underrated and with enough care, can always be turned into a tasty meal. 

Elevating our porky dinner experience was Stephanie's dill and mustard sauce which was almost a complete disaster. Let's just say rushing an emulsion is never a good idea. Thankfully broken emulsions can be saved with a raw egg yolk and as an added bonus, the yolk added a silky richness to what would have already been a most fabulous sauce. 

692/1038 - Sweet yoghurt and saffron puddings

After a very long break, this recipe marks two milestones - two thirds of the challenge completed and thirty chapters completely cooked. The yoghurt chapter is not insignificant, with thirteen lovely recipes in all, and this one is an absolute cracker.

I adore saffron but the fact that it is more expensive than gold (by weight) means that I don't cook with it often. Saffron, the proper kind, is harvested by hand from the crocus flower which is what drives the cost beyond most people's comfort zone. To extract the wonderful flavour from the threads, they are first soaked in warm milk before being added to the pudding mix. Combined with cardamom and pistachios, the resulting flavour is simultaneously subtle and complex. The luxuriously smooth texture of the drained yoghurt was the final piece in this glorious dessert puzzle. 

I will definitely be making these lovely little puddings again, perhaps trying out different flavour combinations now that I am devoid of saffron threads. Draining the fluids (whey) from the yoghurt also provides me with the most fabulous base for my morning smoothie so it's almost as if I MUST make this on a regular basis!