Roast chicken, carrot and swede mash, green beans and of course yorkies. Served with a nice home-made gravy, and washed down with good old tap water! Treat this week as we have a pud too - apple and blackberry crumble served with double cream - yummy!
Yesterday I made a creamy rice pudding, I must say it was fab-u-las (as Craig would say on Strictly). This was the first time I made this in about 20 years, why? I ask myself and it brought back so many childhood memories as it was my favourites growing up. By the way it was a smash hit with Mrs Flanman and my boys, yummy.
Mrs Stan was given The Roasting Tin - Around the World for her birthday. Looks really good, and as I do 79% of the cooking expect to see some of the dishes on here. Lots of spicy stuff.
Right, did the chicken and chorizo paella from the new Roasting Tin book this evening. Not a real traditional paella, more a stew with rice, but really, really tasty and very simple. First time I have used real saffron (£2.50 for a few strands) but man it’s worth it. Stuck to the book recipe except with 10 chicken thighs instead of six. Might put more chorizo in and a few prawns near the end next time, but doesn’t really need much fiddling.
Ah, the luxury of eating in a pub tonight! Yeah, it was all a bit rush, but damn good to get out - first time in a pub since January! Alcohol curfew was lifted at 18:00, and first pint was on the table by 18:01....with a starting platter of onion rings, chicken wings and chicken goujons....then standard pub grub fayre....three pints with my son which was what it was all about - home now as last orders at 19:30, and a very pleasant evening. **** knows when I'll next get out....
Roasting Tin Around The World #2 shrimps n cheesy grits (turns out grits are polenta), with leek, cherry tomatoes, parsley and a slug of chilli flakes, and a mountain of mature cheddar. Less than 30 minutes from start to table. Another very tasty meal. Think I’ll add a few bits of chorizo next time. Polenta is a proper winter evening scoff, the kind of stuff that takes on the flavour of whatever you cook it with, keeping north Italians feeling full for centuries. I used to have it in some very local restaurants in the Italian alps with ‘piccoli uccelli’ - literally small birds, probably sparrows and the ilk, which the Italians, like the French, like to ‘hunt’. One bite, bones and all, and they are gone. Yum.
Just had an important family meeting to plan out the feasting for the next 11 days. As I will do 100% of the shopping for it and 90% of the cooking it’s a good job I enjoy these tasks, especially the cooking. The other members of the family are more than capable of doing this, but I have seized control of the means of production, which includes domination of the music selection and a constant flow of beverages, and will only relinquish this under sustained and intense attack. Which won’t happen because the others are all lazy ****ers and are delighted to have the food and booze thrown at them with zero effort on their part. So everyone is happy.
I'm being a touch naughty tonight, down the local curry house for a takeaway ..... Mali chicken tikka (spicy starter) Prawn bhuna Chicken adhraki (ginger and coriander) Peshwari naan Garlic naan It's a great restaurant, and it's fairly busy normally - just popped in to pick up the food and pleased to say that the tables are well spaced but they have plenty of customers even this early in the evening. Smells amazing, can't wait to dig in, haven't had a takeaway curry for months!
All looking good in the oven, an hour to go. Time flying as I am quaffing (post champagne with the smoked salmon blinis) Brunello di Montalcino 2013 which is nectar. Santa bought me two more bottles (2015) and a bottle of Amarone which is verging on a port in strength. Merry Christmas
To celebrate our wonderful Brexit deal, I just opened a bottle of Simpson's Beora, an English sparkling wine. Very pleasant.
All relaxed in our house - junior off out to work, waitering at the restaurant til 6 then bringing home a three course meal for us with him! No cooking, no washing up, just drinking and food - fabulous. Ham hock croquettes with haggis bonbons, served with whiskey mayonaise and red onion marmalade. Breast of Scottish Turkey, bacon wrapped stuffing, roast chestnuts, goose fat potatoes and winter veg. Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. Don't ask about the wine, I've no idea past the fact it's red! I'm currently on BritHop IPA, very cool can... Have a great day all you foodies!
Just finished a very traditional Christmas dinner of turkey/mushroom and chestnut roast, roast potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips and chestnuts, stuffing, bread sauce and gravy. All prepared and cooked by yours truly. Just tucking into vegan Belgian dark chocolate panna cotta style desert with a caramel sauce poured over, washed down with Bailey's coffee. Makes me realise just how lucky we actually are!
Fantastic eggs benedict breakfast, fresh coffee and bucks fizz; mid-day walk on Sandbanks beach in the lovely sunshine then an old friends special cocktail to start Christmas (who passed away this year) and a traditional turkey dinner with plenty of red wine! Cheers all of you, and have a great day!