Struck me that with everyone eating in and with some challenges shopping we might get some interesting meals to share. Tonight it’s an old favourite which I haven’t cooked for years for some reason, toad in the hole. I suspect it was inspired by a viewing last night of the epic Ginger Baker drum solo, Toad. Sausages from the magnificent Rowleys Butchers of Leamington, formerly the Meatroom. Recipe available on request. Accompanied by red onion gravy and peas/broad beans/edamame beans (frozen). Paired with (randomly) Maree Fiano from Puglia, because that’s what we opened when returning from walking the dog. This served 3. I would seriously enjoy seeing what my fellow Rs fans are noshing at home in these weird times, even if it arrived via Deliveroo (designated key workers. Really).
Msde a Chicken Saag Bslti, from scratch. Good bit of chili to keep the bugs at bay. Washed down with Hobgoblin Ruby, a decent beer that was plentiful on the shelves today. God know's what tomorrow will bring, but we're going to use our NHS shopping hour wisely!
Sorry, no pictures A very nice Danish Cote du beouf An array of mushrooms slowly cooked in white wine, garlic, butter, olive oil and time Shallots, roasted with the beef Potato Dauphinois Sweet corn cooked in the drippings of the mushrooms and shallots Washed down with a decent Amarone - in support of Italy. Wife had the obligatory Torres Esmerlda (crap) 4 of us Took me just over an hour and a half all in to prepare and cook. Eaten in less than 10!!! Danish Phillistines My Spanish side would be eating still for the next 3 hours!!
Torres Esmeralda really is rather horrible. Vina Sol also gives me a headache. Rest of it sounds outstanding. I like long prep for food as long as I have complete control of the music and am drinking. Christmas morning is a dream.
It’s said I have no eye for detail or structure. Yet I can prep and cook for 10 hours when we have guests. My drink of choice while cooking is: Goblet filled with ice 4 measures Gin Mare Rind of lemon 1/2 strawberry Schweppes Hibiscus tonic 4 pink peepercorns one after the other Hnmmmm
We had meat balls but not just any old meat balls these were hand rolled by our local artisan butcher and topped with a spicy tomatoe based sauce lovingly poured from a 5 litre bottle..... Accompanied by Tesco finest dried spaghetti gently simmered for 10 minutes until Al dente..... No booze as been of it for last week.... Sorry no picture....
Couldn't believe what I saw there Stan, my daughter cooked us Toad-in-the-Hole tonight as an early Mother's Day dinner as our resturant booking was cancelled. We had a prior concert booking tomorrow which was cancelled hence the early celebration...
We were going to have an Indian takeaway but it was going to take one and a half hours. Sod that. So we had the homemade lasagne I made yesterday. I then had to pop to my mother's in Fulham to give her ( deliver ) Mother's Day card and she gave me my birthday card. It was a bit weird as we stood apart and I was only in her house for 30 secs. What's it all come to when you can't give your 81 year old mum a hug and a kiss?
Cheers Danish, It's on Tuesday, my wife had arranged a mystery trip for me on Monday which I now know to be Bletchley Park. Unfortunately, it isn't happening now for obvious reasons. She booked it on Monday instead of Tuesday because they only do cream teas then ... Good grief woman! We're not that old yet!
Happy Birthday on Tuesday nines Tonight we will be having wood roasted mixed pepper and spices Marlborough king salmon with Mediterranean vegetables Greek salad and fancy cheesy potatoes Washed down with barossa ink shiraz and a bottle or two of estrella
Noodles with minced chicken, mushrooms, chili, coriander, and spicy curry sauce, with papaya to follow. All with Outlaw IPA
Back to basics. I grew up with Pasulj, Like a Tuscan bean soup which is, I imagine, made all over Southern Europe. Ingredients are Cannelini beans, Paprika, a bit of flour, olive oil, onion, garlic and if you can get it, a small smoked bacon joint. You don't need much. A winter food from times gone by when families would make a pot and live off that for 3-4 days often because they were snowed in.. One of those foods.that gets better day after day. However you would struggle to get a GP to make a home visit after 24 hours as the air becomes noxious. My wife seized on the idea when I suggested it and asked me to get the recipe from my mother. There isn't one as it's a slow cooker. Pan, water, cooker low heat and eventually after the initial cooking frying the onion and garlic, in a frying pan in flour and olive oil stirring in the paprika. Add to the bean water et voila. What looks completely unappetising at first suddenly has a warm orange colour. Next weeks cooking instructions will be similar but the ingredients are even fewer. Pan, water, smoked bacon and cabbage .
Today I have thrown a casserole together into the slow cooker, comprising of vegan chicken pieces, finely chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, lentles, spinach, herbs and seasoning. This will be accompanied with my famous roast potatoes, which are just going on to par-boil now. A cheeky merlot will be partaken I'm sure.
Confit de Canard Green salad with a vinaigrette A deep deep sauce 2016 Le Cossez Vacquieres Lirav Wife highly embarrassed that I take the piss of her drinking habits on social media will have a coke. 10000 mtrs on my rowing machine in under 43 mins - I deserve it!! stay well and sane all