Charred miso aubergine, Kvass...my sauna drink, Smoked fish paté, Sauerkraut, Salt cured pike preserved in oil, Date BBQ sauce, Miso butter root veg. (for cabbage tacos - see 30th June Web-page entry).

A quick and delicious snack vegan

Cut the washed aubergines in half lengthways. Score a 1cm criss cross, about ½cm deep, across the cut surfaces.

Heat the oil in a pan deep enough to hold the aubergines. Fry cut side down on a medium heat for 5 mins or until golden. Turn them over, put the lid on the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are cooked through.

Mix in a bowl the miso paste, mirin, sugar and liquid.

Line a baking tray with foil, place the aubergines cut side up and baste the cut surfaces well with the miso mixture. Place under the oven's grill 8-10 minutes until they are charred. Before serving, sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Wash and sterilize your 1,9 litre Mason/Kilner jar. 140° C for 30 mins.

Hands, knife, cutting board, bowl and grater should be impeccably clean.

Reserve 2 outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the remining cabbage into quarters and shred with a large knife - 3-4mm thick.

Place in a bowl. Add the grated carrots (and optional garlic cloves). Sprinkle with salt, stirring and sprinkling a little at a time. Mix thoroughly, squeezing the mixture as hard as you can between clenched fists. You should do this for five minutes, let it rest for ten minutes and then continue squeezing for a further five minutes. By this time, liquid should be forming at the bottom of the bowl.

Transfer to the jar, packing it as tightly as you possibly can. Fold up at least one, if not both outside leaves and pack them into the top of the jar to help keep the shredded cabbage submerged in the liquid. Close the lid without using the rubber seal and leave for 7 - 10 days at room temperature, standing on a plate (the longer you leave it, the more sour it will become).

If by the following morning the cabbage is not completely submerged in liquid, add a salt solution of 1 tsp (5 ml) of salt to 235 ml water.

After the allotted time, place the rubber seal on the jar's lid and store in the fridge. Before using the sauerkraut, dispense with the top cabbage leaves.

This will keep fine for months.

Fillet the sides of a 2-4 kg pike (Plenty of YouTube video instructions) Wash under the tap, pat dry with paper towels; wrap each in cling film and leave it in the fridge for one day.

Place the film wrapped fish in a plastic bag and freeze for 72 hrs. (This is important to ensure that no possible parasites survive).

Return to the fridge to slowly defrost (eg. overnight).

Once thawed, sprinkle 2 tbl of coarse sea salt over the flesh of each fillet and wrap (each) again in cling film. Place on a tray and return to the fridge. After 24 hrs, turn the fillet skin side up and leave in the fridge for a second 24 hrs.

Wash and sterilize enough jars to preserve the fish. (Oven 140° C 30 mins.). Scrape off any excess salt with the back of a knife and slice pieces about 8mm thick. Thinly slice the red onion, separating into individual rings. Begin layering the fish, one layer at a time, topped off with onion rings and a sprinkle of pepper corns. Pour in enough oil to just cover the layer and then repeat until the jar is full, finishing with a topping up of oil.

Seal the jars and store in the fridge for at least a fortnight. This will keep for 4 months.

Serve with ryebread and boiled potatoes.

For a soused twist... 6 hours before serving, 'fish out' the fish, onions and pepper corns and steep them in a solution of 2 dl water, 1 dl 10% pickling vinegar and 1 dl sugar. (If you can´t get 10% vinegar, use standard vinegar - 2 dl).