We came across this awesome asparagus and since we have a contact to pick some – 75 pounds worth – and after some were canned, we made this awesome soup. Changed it slightly, I added some bacon for another layer of flavor and it was super. Not hard to do. Great with the fresh asparagus you are picking. Here is the recipe. Try it and see what you think, http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Asparagus-Soup.pdf

Then we tried this South African dish, Bobotie. We like it with lamb, even though the recipe calls for beef. And we change the chutney to apricot jam and julienned dried apricots. We also made our yellow rice with turmeric. The rice: For this Basmati rice, which we browned in butter before we added water, and then brought it to a boil, reduced the heat to a slow simmer and covered it. Took about 15 minutes to cook it. Here is the recipe. Enjoy! http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Bobotie.pdf

From Wikipedia, “Today, bobotie is much more likely to be made with beef of lamb, although pork can be used. Early recipes incorporated ginger, marjoram and lemon rind (zest); the introduction of curry powder has simplified the recipe but the basic concept remains the same. Some recipes also call for chopped onions and almonds to be added to the mixture. Traditionally, bobotie incorporates dried fruit like raisins or sultanas (yellow raisins). It is often garnished with bay leaves, walnuts, chutney and bananas. Although not particularly spicy, the dish incorporates a variety of flavours that can add complexity. For example, the dried fruit (usually apricots and raisins/sultanas) contrasts the curry flavouring. The texture of the dish is also complex, the baked egg mixture topping complementing the milk-soaked bread which adds moisture to the dish. Bobotie is usually served with “yellow rice”, which is rice cooked with turmeric.“