Squash this dish of colour and flavour into your day
A friend and mum of three younglings spoke to me last week of a thing she calls Motherexia.
Now I had read of this in the past in relation to the awful thing that is post-natal depression, something I went through myself without even knowing that I was in it, such are the joys of being a young mother in a foreign country with little support — you just believe you’re losing your mind.
I digress. Motherexia, as she describes it, is a thing that mothers do when they feed all the kids, look after the homework, the school issues, friendships and ferrying the kids from one after-school activity to another, and never think to look after themselves, especially from a food point of view.
We can probably all think of our own mothers, cooking up pots and roasting trays of delicious food to dish up to us starving young ’uns and husbands and then they would sit down to bird-like portions.
Many mothers say they just don’t feel hungry after cooking, peeling, and washing dishes. That’s understandable. But for others it’s the cooking of several different meals for picky eaters that has them worn out and disinterested in food.
I don’t think picky eaters were indulged in our day (there, I said it!), and there was a general belief that if you were hungry, you’d eat it. Logical really.
With the new pressures of being a gluten-free mother like Gwyneth, making dinners from pasta and a jar of sauce is now regarded as child abuse.
It must be organic, having fallen willingly from the tree of its own volition or — at the very least — a home-schooled, wild, hand-reared chicken from the hills of Sligo, or a radius of no more than ten miles from your house.
These days, each ingredient comes with its own CV and certificate of authenticity, and perhaps a degree in social sciences and the rights of minority groups. Seasonality, locality, affordability — and that’s just the ingredients.
If you want good, honest food you also have to go out of your way to get it, so a quick trip to the supermarket won’t cut the mustard. But let’s be honest, there is nothing pleasant about going to a supermarket anyway. So how do we get past this self-sacrifice?
I know that when I was a kid I helped in the kitchen with getting food ready and so did lots of people. I was often peeling and chopping and making cakes, if I hadn’t been asked to do these tasks, I would never have developed my obsessive love of food.
One day in the kitchen, many years ago, I had my own lightbulb moment while I was slaving away over a huge pot of bubbling Bolognese sauce, stirring it with one hand and trying to write a script with the other.
My two boys, then maybe aged ten and 12 were in the living room exercising their thumbs on computer games when I realised how foolish I was being, not only enslaving myself, but not teaching them life skills that they will need.
Boys are straightforward. Ask them to do a task in the immediate future and they will do it. So I did, and so this continues. My eldest, now 19, will even offer to help.
The younger fella, (also known as “in a minute”), needs more coaxing. But they go to the shops and to the butcher’s and take out the bins and do things that able-bodied humans should do.
How does all this lead to a recipe about pumpkins? Will this even make it past my editor?
I made this pumpkin recipe twice in my life recently, while sitting at the table as my younger son rambled on about his teenage life, school, and general friend stuff.
I asked him to chop some things while I layered the veggies in colourful, beautiful rows and the task was slow and nice to do.
We chatted a lot, and then the dish went in the oven. Do either of my lads eat this? The answer is no. But I think younger children would love its natural sweetness and vivid colours.
Mainly mums, this is for you, and dads too of course, who, I’ve heard, are partial to a bit of dinner as well.
This dish which I have called Awesome Pie, keeps in the fridge for at least two days after it’s cooked and you could assemble it early in the day before you put it in the oven.
Pumpkin and squash are big news now and they grow really well in Ireland — lots of growers are getting into growing this tasty, low-maintenance crop which is full of vitamins and fibre.
Awesome Pie
This is a dish for anyone who loves great colour and flavour. It works perfectly with roast duck and sauerkraut or with a salad and some crusty bread. Mainly I make it for myself.
One squash — ichi kuri or butternut — peeled and sliced about 1/2cm thick
4-5 beets, scraped of their skins, sliced thinner than the squash
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
A bunch of fresh sage
250ml carton of cream
Parmesan, or similar hard cheese to cover
The picture tells the story. In a shallow dish, layer slices of the veg in alternate colours.
Stuff slices of garlic and sage in between the veggies in random places, sprinkle some sea salt or seaweed flakes and black pepper over everything.
Pour the cream over the whole thing and then cover with freshly grated parmesan cheese Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes until everything is golden and bubbling.
Enjoy every awesome bite!
