Beef Wellington

It was 31st December 1999 that I realised that I didn't much care for being in groups on New Year's Eve.  We had gone to a circus themed party at a friend of a friend's house.  It was fancy dress.

Those of you who know me will know that I love fancy dress.  This time however, I had different ideas.  This was the millennium, the dawning of tomorrow.  The future, including hover-cars and food in pill form, started at 00:00 hours.  I wasn't going to spend that night dressed as a clown.  Not when I had already found a pukka silver shirt and blue hair dye.

The party went as house parties do.  I was found mostly in the kitchen, chatting to those I knew (about 30%) about stuff*.  This was fine, until 9:30pm when the assembled guests were ushered into the living room, I had a bad feeling about this.  I asked my "friend" what was going on.

"We're going to do our acts now." he uttered matter of factly.  "What acts?"  "You know, we all have to do a circus act as part of the fun." My heart sank faster than the Belgrano.  I had no idea about this part of the party.  Z and I quickly cobbled together a shonky high-wire mime.  Fortunately we'd drunk enough to be truly wobbly on the wire and we didn't need the safety net.

To add insult to injury we then had to brave the elements to watch the fireworks.  This was so badly timed that we missed the big count down to the year 2000 and nothing happened.  Aeroplanes were meant to drop out of the sky, ATMs should have been chucking money onto the streets and Walt Disney was scheduled to raise from the grave.  The Millennium bug didn't strike, a bulb on the Christmas tree went out and that was it.

We have since had the majority of New Year's Eves at home, just Z and I with superb food, wine, company and Jools on the telly Hootannanying through the wee small hours.  This year we're going for beef wellington as the good food.

Not everybody likes their beef cooked the same way**, so individual wellies are the way forward.   Tis the season, and all that, so we are having sprouts.  It's the only time of the year that I get to eat them.  Served with boulangere potatoes, a grand way to see out 2011.

For the record I have enjoyed NYEs in the presence of others since 2000, mostly with my old school friends from Milton Keynes and Z's from Windsor. Whoever you are with, whatever you are doing, happy new year. 

*Stuff is great, I could waffle on about stuff for ages.
**I like mine to remember mooing and pastures green.

Friday Night Take-away Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Chinese has always been my family's go-to take-away.  Mainly because you couldn't drag my Dad into an Indian restaurant.  He didn't even like the smell of them never mind the flavours.  His dislike of curry was so great that when he had to visit India on a business trip he took packets of Hobnobs* so that he wouldn't starve.

Having returned from the trip Dad was a changed man and curry was on the menu, but we still had Chinese, why fix what isn't broken?

The family favourite was chicken with cashew nuts.  No matter what else was being ordered it would be included.  Mum is staying with us over New Year, so I decided to try and cook it for Tonight's Menu.  The feedback was that it tasted like it came out of a foil container, in a good way.

Stock is added to velveted chicken stir fried with onions, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and carrots.  Bean sprouts are then added along with soy sauce.  The dish is finished with spring onions and the all-important toasted cashews.  Serve with egg fried rice.

*other biscuits are available

Lasagne

What a fantastic day.  I can't think of a better way in Leeds, to tire out a toddler, than a trip to Tropical World.  Highlights were; the Meerkats (of course), the huge fish from the Amazon, and the Tree Shrews.

A sleeping toddler was the order of the afternoon, which left me plenty of time to crack on with making a bolognese sauce for tonight's lasagne.  Purists will tell you the exact sauce for lasagne and every house will have its own twist.  No matter what you add to your beef and tomato sauce the most important ingredient is time.  A slowly cooked sauce will have a more rounded flavour and better consistency.

The sauce is layered up with sheets of pasta and white sauce (thanks again to Z) and finished with grated cheese.  I prefer a strong cheddar, it melts better than parmesan and gives a nice topping.

Pork Chops with Cream and Mustard Sauce

Z came to the rescue for the second time in two days.  I was on an errand to Yeadon International Airport, picking up my Mum en-route from Southampton.  I'd been clever and checked in advance to make sure that the flight was on time, to my utter amazement it was scheduled to land 20 minutes early. 

I jumped in the car and sped across Leeds (sticking to the speed limits).  I arrived with moments to spare to see the arrivals board flash "Holding".  I know Leeds Bradford International Airport has a reputation for being windy and a bit dicey on landing but between Beeston and Rawdon the wind had picked up.  One flight had already been diverted to Manchester.  Three quarters of an hours later Mum's flight landed at its intended destination and we drove back to South Leeds.

Back at the ranch Z had cooked pork chops with a cream and mustard sauce, boiled potatoes and broccoli.  After a bumpy landing, its creamy comfort was just what the Doctor ordered for Mum, that and a large glass of Pinot Grigio.

Pasta with Tuna, Pesto and Green Beans

"Parting is such sweet sorrow".  Shakespeare tells us that Juliet utters these words to a departing Romeo after he has wooed her on the balcony.  I can only agree with her today.  It's wonderful to be back home, after a long weekend with the in-laws.  But it was great to see them and we always have a good time and eat like kings. However, there's no place like home.

The sorrow at parting was amplified by six hours at the wheel.  The trip should have taken three and a half hours, possibly four with a snack break, but every man and his dog was on their way home from visiting family for Christmas.  I like driving, even along the M1 (the most tedious road in England), but crawling along after four days of three course dinners tried my patience and belt buckle.

We had expected to be back in good time to do a spot of food shopping.  That didn't happen.  We needed a quick, light meal (I need to consider my figure).  Z managed to pull together a cracker, filling, healthy and without the richness of the festivities past.

Green beans cooked with some pasta and then tossed in pesto, tuna and cherry tomatoes, was just what we needed.  We now have a couple of days before the next big food event; the final one of the year, during which time I intend to eat a lot of veg and less meat.  Let's see what happens.

Swedish Spiced Roast Belly Pork

Boxing Day; a lie in, late breakfast, buffet lunch and a long walk.  Then back to the food.

As we had goose not turkey on Christmas Day there wasn't a scrap of bird left in the house.  Not for us the risotto, curry, sandwiches and pie, that a turkey forces on us all. Fortunately, tonight's menu is Roast Belly Pork.  I normally just season the pork and roast but P has found a Swedish spice rub that sounded so Christmasy it would have been rude not to use it.

Our leftovers from yesterday were all of the vegetable variety and I couldn't resist making some bubble and squeak using the roasties, parsnips and sprouts.

Christmas Dinner

Today, of all days, is one of eating, drinking and being merry.  We've decided to stretch the main meal over the course of the day.  A breakfast of croissants with bacon has kicked us off.  Lunch is our three course meal starter: Smoked salmon with home made blinis served with crème fraiche and dill.

The main course is served at tea time (4:30ish).   This year*, for a change, goose is on the menu.  Still having all the trimmings; parsnips, sprouts, roasties, pigs in blankets etc. But we're also having red cabbage as it goes so well with goose and three different stuffings.

The final meal of the day is dessert, and having had a good couple of hours away from the table, this year I can face some Christmas pudding.  I've made sure that there is plenty of room for cheese, after all, blessed are the cheese makers.  Merry Christmas to you all.

*to save us from tears (sorry).

Coulibiac

It's Christmas Eve and a chance for a sit down.  All of the presents have been loaded onto Santa's sleigh, the reindeer have been fed and watered and the big man is having a massive bowl of pasta (something has to soak up all that brandy).

Food prep has already started for tomorrow's cook-athon.  Two of the three stuffings have been made and the chipolatas have been wrapped in their bacony overcoats.  The veg will have to wait until the morning as will the bird as tonight, we are having coulibiac.

Coulibiac is a Russian pie stuffed to the gills with salmon, rice and mushrooms.  I first heard about coulibiac watching Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour.  He was visiting St. Petersburg and his researcher had lined up a cosy vignette of Anthony visiting an elderly Russian lady as she lovingly prepared this festive dish for him.  It took her roughly 4 hours and, by the time it was served, Bourdain was on his second bottle of vodka.

It's Christmas, so of course we have had the odd tipple or two but not to the extent of AB.  Fortunately our coulibiac was prepped yesterday and only the veg needed seeing to, so we were sober enough to enjoy it.

Venison Casserole

We're away from home for Christmas, visiting Z's family in Windsor.  Chris Rea sings about Driving Home for Christmas, but he also warns of the Road to Hell.  In an attempt to avoid motorway madness on Christmas Eve we made the journey down the M1 today.

As the season demands, the feasting starts today, just as soon as Grand-Phil gets home from work.  Although there will be a lot of food, I doubt I'll be doing much of the cooking.  I'll definitely be acting as sous chef, chopping, stirring, washing and generally doing what I'm told.  I'm fine with this, it will leave more time for drinking and less responsibility if things are late or a tad "caramelised".

To get the ball rolling  A&P have made a venison casserole. It was cooked yesterday to save time and then finished off today.  The cooking sauce was reduced and red current jelly and chocolate were added before serving.

Today's Lunch No.4 Chorizo and Scrambled Eggs

It's been a very busy morning.  One that did not go exactly to plan.  The plan was flawless and fool proof.  An early walk into Leeds to visit Millies to choose the last of the Christmas cheeses.  Then to the Blood Donor Centre on The Headrow, as their doors opened, to give them my festive pint of A-.  Finally to Cornucopia, an independent food fair in The Corn Exchange, to hand deliver a gift to the organisers.  This would see me back home by 10:30 and leave me with plenty of time to pack for the holidays and pop for petrol before having a nice lunch and going to work.

No plan is fool proof.  Millies was awash with cheese and it probably took me too long to decide what to buy.  By the time I had left it was already 9:30, Blood Bank opening time, and by the time I had got there the next available slot wasn't until 10:45.  Giving blood is important to me and today was my only chance to donate before the new year so I booked myself in and went for a coffee.

I needed to go to the Corn Exchange anyway so I headed to Primo's for an Americano, thinking I could spend the time typing this up.  Coffee ordered and table chosen, my phone died.  Losing the internet these days is like having your prise carrier pigeon "Speckled Jim" shot over Flanders Fields.  I was lost and so I resorted to a pen and paper to pass the time.

Back home, one pint of blood lighter, I had just enough time to cobble together lunch.  Scrambled eggs with chorizo served on a bed of rocket and tortillas.  Not the kind of lunch I could eat in the office but I would have liked more time to eat them.

Today's Lunch No.3 Cauliflower Soup

We're visiting Z's parents for Christmas and so the "What needs using in the fridge" game has started.  This would be simpler if I was at home in the evenings this week but alas, no.  Z is doing her best at using up leftovers, but she is only one person.  Half a cauliflower is a bit of a mountainous task for a single serving so soup it is.

We cook soups a lot, they are a good way of using up leftovers but, more importantly, they are also a good way of preparing and storing gluts of food.  We are often faced with more veg than we can eat in one go and soup is simple and versatile.

Our cauliflower is cooked in chicken stock until tender and then blended until smooth.  Stir in some cream to finish it off. If I were a TV chef I'd now be telling you to drizzle with truffle oil and a few shavings of white truffle.

Today's Lunch No.2 Pastrami on Toast

Our last holiday abroad was a long weekend in Amsterdam.  We had been before, as students, but had only visited the tacky side of this wonderful city.  What we wanted to do was to peel back some of the history and check out some of the art and architecture.

We based ourselves close to Rembrandtplein, so that we were close to the old and new parts of the city and then, we walked.  We walked along each of the semicircular canals taking in the wonky houses and stopping of for Poffertjes and the odd beer or two in some of the fine brown bars.

We had a guide book which, as well as pointing out good museums, had a really good restaurant guide.  Over the Holiday we ate in Tibetan, Thai, Argentinian, Vegetarian and Dutch restaurants.  We ate well, we always do.

The food memory that came away with was from none of these.  It was a pastrami sandwich that we had for lunch in the Jordaan district.  The cafe was called Daadler and it was heaving, partly due to the market that was on that day, but I also like to think that it was due to the quality of food and drink on offer.

Z had introduced me to the pleasures of the pastrami sandwich at Uni.  The traditional sub, piled high with meat and pickles, is still a favourite.  But the people at Daadler had their own interpretation.

A grilled open sandwich was served to me consisting of (from bottom to top); bread toasted on one side, wholegrain mustard, pastrami, sauerkraut and melted cheese.  We now had good reason to buy one of those massive jars of sauerkraut.

Today's Lunch No.1 Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Due to having to work late this week, Tonight's Menu is having four days off.  In it's place I'll be telling the stories behind Today's Lunch.  My standard weekday lunch consists of a filled roll and a couple of pieces of seasonal fruit.  Not very exciting but it means that I don't have to shell out on shop bought sarnis.

I like a good sandwich.  The rolls I take to work however, are constructed with eating Al'desco in mind.  Nothing that is likely to fall apart or leave my hands in a sticky mess.  There is nothing worse than answering the phone with pickle and mayo all over your mits.

But I'm at home for lunch all this week, so today I'm celebrating with a proper two-handed sandwich*.  I'm not going to go daft and try to recreate a towering Scooby snack, complete with an olive on a cocktail stick.  I have the morning off, not all day, and my jaw isn't fitted with a 180o hinge.

My sandwich is fully loaded though.  Dijon mustard, Wiltshire Ham, Strong Lincolnshire Cheese**, tomato, cucumber, rocket and mayo.  All between two slices of home made wholegrain bread.  This would be all over my keyboard in the office.  At home I can take my time.

*a sandwich so mighty you need to eat it with two hands or risk losing its contents over your lap.
**grated, it just tastes better.

Miso Soup

Schadenfreude \SHOD-n-froy-duh\ , noun: satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune.

 

I know that I have had the odd pop at supermarkets, that Z works for one is irrelevant.  I dislike a handful of companies having too much power and influence.  I long for small, independent, greengrocers, butchers and bakers in our streets.  I am also aware that the convenience of supermarkets, is super.  

 

There are reasons why I revel in supermarket shopping.  I get excited by the range of food and the possibilities of how I'll cook them.  Also, we live in an area that is not known for its affluence and people around here know what they like.  These two things combined mean that the local supermarket always has high-end and interesting ingredients in the "reduced to clear" section.  I'm talking about venison, duck, celeriac, chicory etc.  I'd think twice about paying full price for items like these but reduced?  I'm in!

 

A trip to the shops yesterday, lead to the discovery of some reduced Japanese White Beech Mushrooms.  There was, and is, nothing wrong with them.  Due to an obsession with use by / sell buy dates, good food is being chucked away.  The reduced section in shops is where I get most of my inspiration, such is my desire to not waste food.

 

I know that I said, just a couple of days ago, that soup wasn't an evening meal.  However, a Japanese Miso soup with fresh vegetables and udon noodles, served with Gyoza and Edamame (dumplings and soy beans) is a feast.

Butternut Squash Risotto

One of the great things about butternut squash is that a good sized one will do you for couple of meals.  Earlier this week I used half a squash in a middle-eastern casserole and tonight I'm cooking one of my favourite meals, butternut squash risotto.  I would cook this more often, but it takes some time to prepare, so it's currently off the midweek menu.

The reason for the long cooking time is you have to roast the squash before you can even think about cooking he risotto, doubling the cooking time.  I don't normally go into detail about recipes but I feel that I need to open my heart with this one.  The flavours aren't your standard risotto fare but you can do what you want with risotto, honest.

Start by rubbing wedges of squash with oil, garlic, oregano and chilli flakes and roast them for 45 minutes until they have charred at the edges.  Remove the skins and eat them whilst cooking, these are some of the best chefs treats going.

The chopped roast butternut squash gets added to the risotto after the first ladle of stock so that it can collapse into the finished dish.  To finish add feta and pumpkin seeds for freshness and texture.

Friday Night Take-away. Pizza.

It had been decided, well in advance, that tonight's adventure into the Take-away at home would be pizza.  Had it not been for Christmas Shopping, I would have considered making my own base from scratch.  Alas time is finite.

I am not adverse to frozen pizza, some of them are great.  A lot of them however, are a whole lot worse than the pizzas you can order from the take-away joint at the end of your road.  Making your own, even if only pimping a bought Margarita with the toppings of your choice, is so much more satisfying than dialling that number for delivery.

Fortunately, one of my chores for the day, was to visit Millies to pick up cheese for Christmas Day.  Whilst stood at the counter, ordering Port soaked Stilton, I noticed some glorious parma ham.  Then and there I knew what we were having.

Too often, pizzas struggle under the weight of too many ingredients.  Tonight the ham was the star.  A simple tomato sauce topped with mozzarella, parma ham and basil served with a rocket salad, was better than anything you could choose from a menu pushed through your letter box.

Gammon, Egg and Chips

Back in November, when I started this blog, I penned a post about Roast Pork Shoulder, in which I mentioned the tastiest gammon I have ever eaten.  The gammon came from Swillington Farm and it is the reason we have started buying their monthly meat boxes.

Unlike your average shop bought gammon, this was a substantial piece of cured pork that didn't shrivel to half the size during cooking, leaving behind a milky scum.  The rind crisped up like good crackling should and you could taste the pig, not just salt.  Gammon hasn't always been like this for me.

I remember family trips out for Sunday lunch to The Bowling Green Inn, Euxton, where I'd invariably choose gammon.  It's the first place where I remember getting to choose from the real menu, not the kids menu.  It was like a whole new world had been opened up to me.  To give you some idea of the era in which this epic, life changing event happened, the Bowling Green had a Pacman video game and Findus had launched the French Bread Pizza.

The most exciting topping of these superheated, jaw-breakingly crisp pizzas, was the ham and pineapple.  I know now that this is a combination that should be locked into Room 101, but back then the salty sweet combo was a winner. 

The gammon at the Bowling Green came with pineapple.  Tonight, the gammon came with a fried egg, chips and peas.  

Lemon Peppered Mackerel

Unlike the the screaming hoards that line up to grab their 15 minutes of fame, I don't actually want to be on TV.  The potential for disaster and embarrassment is far too great.  An old class mate of mine turned up on The Great British Bake Off and I had to watch.  It was great until the disaster. But you won't catch me in a "forgetting to put eggs in a soufflé" situation on the telly.  I can see it happening all too clearly.

There are elements of shows however, that I would like to try my hand at.  The name the ingredient challenge on Masterchef looks fun, as does getting drunk with James May and Oz Clarke.  The one that really gets me though, is Ready Steady Cook.  I'd rather be the cook than the contestant.  The challenge of coming up with a good meal without knowing what's in the shopping bag excites me.

One of these days I'm going to do it.  Invite some friends over and test my ccoking-chops to the full, without a TV crew in attendance.  Not today however.  Today Z has been fighting the Christmas shopping crowds in Leeds.  The world and his wife is going mad for tat, which the final recipient probably doesn't want.  Z had a torrid time but managed to pick up some Mackerel and a lemon along with some stocking fillers.

A black pepper and lemon, bread crumb crust was quickly knocked up for the fish and served with new potatoes and buttered white cabbage.  The whole meal took longer than the prescribed 20 minutes, but then I'm not a professional chef and I wasn't trying to ignore Ainsley Harriott.

Middle-Eastern Sausage and Butternut Squash Casserole

Since taking on the allotment we have tried, with limited success, to grow a few varieties of squash.  Courgettes are no problem at all, they are too generous at times, but this isn't courgette season.  No matter how the shelves grown under their weight, I won't be eating any until my first harvest next year.

The winter squashes are still abundant and in season.  Each variety has a different texture and flavour and my favourite, Crown Prince, is huge and keeps well.  A decent one will happily provide four meals for a small family.   Despite this variety, our choices at the tills are less bountiful.  At least butternut squash is the one that has taken hold.  It is very versatile and has great flavour and texture unlike the harlequin squash which is sweet but granular.

For some reason the traditional "What are we having for dinner?" question was met with blank expressions all round this morning.  I wont bore you with the full inventory of the kitchen shelves, suffice to say a butternut squash* was in attendance.  We still have a surfeit of meat in the freezer from our last meat box delivery from Swillington Farm.  So in some stolen idle moments at work I trawled the internet for inspiration.

What I found was a shed-load of curry and soup** recipes.  Soup doesn't stand high in my evening meal charts and we've had curries lately.  I kept clicking my mouse until I found a recipe that I'll be returning to next summer, Middle-Eastern Broad Bean Stew.  It included butternut squash in the ingredient list.  A few tweaks later and tonight's menu emerged.  The Sausages from Swillington are Pork, Sage and Apple.  A savoury and sweet sausage that works well with the squash.  Sweet heat from harissa acted as a great foil for the two.

*in this house, also known as a pumpy-squash-fruit. Don't ask.
**check back next week for Today's Lunch if you are interested in soup.

Chicken Chow Mein

The stir fry has been a kitchen standby for as long as I can remember.  As a student it was the easy way of using up the sad collection of vegetables in the bottom of the fridge.  It helped that a wok was on my going to Uni shopping list.  The early attempts were tasty, but about as authentic as a Lorex watch.  Worcester Sauce was often added to the pan along with with soy.  It was that bad.

Back then the shops didn't have the wide variety of oriental ingredients that we are spoilt with now.  A jar of Uncle Ben's sweet and sour was about as good as it got.  These days even the smallest supermarket has a Chinese section, with pre-packed noodles, rice wine vinegar and mountains of sauces.  None of them are that great, but its a step in the right direction.

In Leeds we have a good hand full of Oriental Supermarkets, all of them stocking good authentic ingredients.  One small store, on Leeds Market, stocks the best noodles I have ever cooked at home.  They retain their texture and bite without being slimy or breaking up as they are added to the wok.

Of course, one of the reasons that we keep coming back to the stir-fry is its speed.  As long as you have everything prepared before you start cooking nothing can go wrong*. 

For the Chow Mein, I marinade chicken strips in soy and chilli and dust with cornflower.  This is then fried for a couple of minutes before adding ginger, garlic, more chilli and a sweet pepper.  Once the veg are cooked but still crisp, stir in your precooked noodles that have been tossed in sesame oil to stop them from clumping.  Serve with raw spring onions.

*Famous last words.

Leek and Blue Cheese Cannelloni

Following Thursdays cheese tasting I find myself with a surfeit of blue cheese. 

Oh no, I hear you cry.  Well yes.  I am only human and I try (even in the season of over eating) to maintain a healthy food regime.  This means that my meals are one course, not two or three, unless it's a special occasion.  The cheese board will have to wait for an other day.  Unlike cheddars or more generic cheese that our beloved chain-stores like to peddle on us, blue cheese does not lend it's self to the sarni, so lunching my way out of this glut is out of the question.

Fortunately, this is the season of the leek.  It is also the season of the-mound-of-steaming-hot-food straight from the oven.  Leeks are on my to grow list, so for the time being I'll trust in green grocers.  The combination of leek and blue cheese is wonderful.  The addition of ricotta, garlic and thyme, creates a marriage made in oven.

The cheese was added to softened leeks and spooned into the cannelloni shells.  A layer of tomato sauce as the base and a bechamel top make for a glorious baked pasta dish.

Friday Night Takeaway - Fish and Chips

Fish and Chips. This, above all things*, is the most quintessential British meal.

I know there are arguments about where it started.  People will tell you that the Belgians made chips first and that Polish Jews were the first to batter fish.  But it was here, on these sceptred isles, that the wonderful British mind brought the two together, doused them in acid and wrapped them in yesterdays newspaper.

There is something about the ritual of Fish and Chips that I adore.  Peeling back the paper to let loose the steam and the intoxicating smell.  I'm always disappointed, and seldom go back to a chippy, if my takeaway is served in a polystyrene tray.  In an ideal world, every portion I eat would be by the seaside.  Particularly, on a harbour wall when the boats are in.  No cutlery, just ripping at the battered fish with my hands.

I'm not at the seaside, I'm in Leeds, about as far from the coast as you can get.  Neither am I opening a paper parcel.  It's Friday so I'm cooking the takeaway meal we would order at home.  I have tried to get a deep fat fryer for some time but all of my requests have been vetoed.  I can think of numerous things to do with the fryer of my dreams; samosas, wontons, Mars bars.  I would of course use it for fish and chips but alas, no.

Thanks to Joe and Jo, I can now make home made oven chips.  Shallow fried fish in breadcrumbs is lighter and just as crispy as batter.  The finale is mushy peas.  Z didn't understand / like mushy peas until we hit the North.  Now she's a convert.  I will take the dried pulse challenge one of these days but tins are so convenient and soaking veg over night just seams a bit odd.

*with the possible exception of Sunday Roasts and Chicken Tikka Massala.

Cheese and Biscuits

My family has had an odd relationship with cheese over the years.  Schisms existed that would have put the Catholic church to shame.  My Dad was all in favour of strong cheese; parmisian on his spag boll, and blue cheese; stilton with celery after Sunday lunch.  My Mum on the other hand was milder in her cheese appreciation.  Edam was her go-to cheese.  The stronger cheeses didn't get on with her and vice versa.  They all lived in solitary confinement in tightly sealed tupperware boxes in the fridge.  When they were released, they were placed at the far end of the dinner table so they didn't offend Mum's nose.

I took allegiance with Dad on the cheese front.  I love strong and blue cheese but not exclusively.  There is, like wine and beer, a cheese for every occasion.  Soft and mild, salty, runny, firm and of course the legendary two handed cheeses (so called because you need two hands to eat them, one to hold the cheese the other to hold your nose). 

Unlike most of my food discovery, I was well into cheese before going to Uni.  I thought I knew it all.  A good cheese board should be inclusive with cheese for everybody.  Some blue, a soft cheese like brie, a hard cheddar and something from left field.  I'm thinking about yarg, manchego, stinking bishop*, something a bit different that might just get people talking.  But I still had a lot to learn.  Mostly, I knew very little about the variety of cheeses on offer to me.

My cheese epiphany came about on the day HRH Diana Princess of Wales died.  I was in Windsor visiting Z's family and the Sunday lunch had been booked at Michel Roux's Waterside Inn.  I was a fresh-faced, ill-fitting-suit wearing, food novice, who had never eaten as much as a seared scallop. 

I was out of my depth in a restaurant with three Michelin Stars.  The number of courses, the number off glasses, the number of knives and the number of staff!  The whole experience was mind boggling.  Fortunately I was at a table of proper old-school gourmets.  They guided me through the correct way to eat a thimble of chilled asparagus soup without embarrassing Terry Wogan (sat at the next table).

I don't have a particularly sweet tooth, if there is a cheese option on a menu my mind is made up, even before I know what the main course will be. And I noticed, while the excited throng were procrastinating over their amuse bouche, tucked at the bottom of the menu, the cheese board.  The rest of the meal was a bit of a blur, but the cheese, the cheese.  I'll never forget.

My own waiter arrived (I was the only one having cheese) and stumped me with his opening gambit. "What kind of cheese would you like?" All of it, I thought, cheese boards in my experience came with three or four cheeses, don't they?  From behind my waiter appeared a three tear, wooden hostess trolley, groaning under the weight of dozens of cheeses.  He then regaled me with the list of cheese styles.  I was flumuxed but managed to get a selection that ran from mild to strong through creamy, the likes of which I'd never seen.  I even had a ewe's milk cheese on a stick!**

Tonight I should be at Homage 2 Fromage, a cheese club that has been set up in Leeds.  It's now three months old and so far cheddar and goat cheese have been the stars of the show.  Tonight is blue cheese and I'm not there.  It's Z's work's Christmas outing so I'm home holding the baby.  Luckily for me I have three blue cheeses to keep me company.  I picked them up from Mousetrap Cheese in Ludlow on my recent travels.

Blue Monk, is a mild, soft blue cheese made by the Monkland Dairy, the owners of the Mousetrap.  It's unpasteurised and therefore unsuitable for pregnant women, fine for me.

Perl Las is a blue Welsh Cheese.  The literal translation is Blue Pearl.  It is strong and delicate, not a full flavoured as a Stilton. 

Picos Blue is a Spanish Mountain Cheese, aged in caves and wrapped in maple leaves.  I tasted this one in the shop and fell in love.  It's sharp and powerful as a big blue should be.  Not crumbly like most standard blues you'd pick up in a supermarket.

Clockwise from the back; Blue Monk, Perl Las, Picos

I've been asked to pick the Cheese for the Family Christmas Meal this year.  I wonder if I'll be able to please everybody?  I know I'll be happy.

*Stinking Bishop gets its name from the variety of pear that is rubbed on the rind, it does not refer to a smelly clergyman.
**This is how it is produced, not some sort of Hestan Blumanthal cheese experiment.

Dining Al-desko

Due to circumstances beyond my control*, I find myself at work this evening. 

We all, including those who work out of office hours, need to take days off.  That is precisely what Mr L has done this evening and is why I'm still here.  Still, after taking two weeks of holiday myself I can hardly complain.

I didn't really think about what I was eating this evening when I got up this morning.  I busied myself with making my lunch and then realised the additional food requirement.  In the past I've gone for the nutritious "noodle in a pot" but I'd neglected to buy one.  I raided the fridge and fortunately found half of a spinach and goats cheese quiche wanting to be eaten and a bag of salad.  That was easy and should keep me going until I get home.

I'll be doing the late shift again in a few weeks time.  So from Monday 19th to Thursday 22nd December, "Tonight's Menu" will be "Today's Lunch".  Until tomorrow, I will share with you a view of my dining table ce soir.

Not Poodle

*This is not true, I approve all anual leave.  Tonight is totally my fault.

Penne with Kale

Long before Jamie Oliver took up growing his own vegetables (got a gardener) we took the plunge and signed up at our local allotment.  Clarksfield Allotments on Dewsbury Road, Beeston.  They have an annual show, where the good diggers go up against one an other in the usual categories. Onions, potatoes, cucumbers and radishes (one for the kids) have rullers passed over them to see who's is best.  The event is open to the public and one September Sunday, five years ago, we went along for a giggle.

We wandered through Cross Flatts Park hoping to find some of the spectacle that graces almost every episode of River Cottage.  What we found was a small Scout hut style classroom, in the middle of a veg patch.  Our first impression was not good.  The displays on offer wouldn't have troubled Hugh Fearnley Whittingtsall and his cronies.  The courgettes were in a category called "Exotic Vegetables" and no four onions bore the slightest resemblance to their counterparts.  Also, none of the exhibits made me want to eat them.

We left the shed and took a wander around the rest of the site.  It was a sunny day and the rows of veg shone.  This was more like it.  My appetite was growing, as was my appetite for having a go a growing my own.  The clincher was the fine array of jerry built sheds on display.  Pallets, doors, windows, road signs, you name it they were cobbled together, keeping tomatoes warm and watering cans safe from prying hands.

As we were ahead of the trend, there was no waiting list, unheard of today.  That day Z and I became the new gardener(s)-in-chief of plot 135 and started to get stuck in.

We almost lost the plot (literally) last year, when the arrival of our bundle of joy left us time limited.  We just couldn't get it together to spend time allotmenteering.  With full time jobs we had spent at least a day per weekend tending to our plot.  With childcare thrown into the mix the allotment went feral.  It was all we could do to pop down and mow the paths.  Fortunately our neighbours took petty on us (unlike the committee) and kept a watch on the worst of the unwanted weeds.

We were determined to keep growing some veggies, so the front garden bought the farm.  We'd never profess to having a well kept garden, the regimented blocks of salad leaves actually improved matters.  Sadly, all that is left in the ground now that December has set in properly, is red kale.  Fortunately, we have red kale growing in our front garden!

Roughly chop the kale and mix it through fried garlic and chilli until the leaves have wilted.  Stir in some cooked pasta and supper is served.  Add cheese is you like it.  I do.

Murgh Gobi - Chicken and Cauliflower Curry

I feel sorry for the cauliflower.  I've heard various reports recently that state that the cauli-market is in decline.  Fields of tight-white-headed brassicas are going to waste.  I have a funny feeling that the old adage "eat your greens" (and more recently "taste the rainbow") is partly to blame.  Cauliflower is no less good for you than broccoli but just doesn't get the press.

One bonus to all of this is that you can usually pick up a cauliflower the size of your head, for less than a bag of chips (I have literally no idea how much a bag of chips costs). 

Today was my first day back at work following a two week holiday.  I'm not going to make any apologies, food was far from my mind.  I needed to cook something that I knew I had the requisite ingredients for and there, sat in the fridge, was a cauliflower.  I knew we had chicken in the freezer and my spice rack is never empty.  Curry it is. 

There are, of course, secrets to a great curry and I am no expert.  If you seek guidance to authenticity then you're in the wrong place.  Having said that I do know what I like.  With a hearty, wintry, earthy curry I love mustard seeds fried in hot oil until they pop before any onion is added.  After that the world's your balti.

Pork Chops with Sage and Onion Crust

I love food, right. You get that.  Why else would I have started this blog?  I also like free.  Who doesn't?  So when I get the chance to combine the two, I do so with gusto.  We are often found nosing around the verges and woods of Leeds looking for seasonal edibles that we can share with the local wildlife.  Often the birds beat us to it.  We never take more than we need and we never strip an area bare, that's not the way it works.

The act of foraging is covered in law and it's a little complicated as it changes from country to country within the UK.  A good rule of thumb is don't take from private property and don't harvest to sell.  This includes making and selling jams etc. from your gathered goodies.  We enjoy sharing our finds with others in the area, so much so that Z started a facebook group where people can show off their latest finds.  There are now 65 members and we don't know half of them so we can't be the only ones enjoying the free harvest,

Yesterday, as it is that time of year, we went to three Christmas Markets.  One in Holbeck, one in Holbeck Urban Village and one in the city centre.  Leeds isn't that big, the weather was cold but in a good way and the parking in Leeds is legendarily bad, so we set out on foot.  Between the first two markets we stumbled on a road we hadn't previously walked down, in the heart of Holbeck's industrial past.  We were actually looking for interesting photo opportunities, not foraging, but we noticed a planter full of thyme.  We stopped to take a snap for the FB group and my eyes started to wander.  They fell on yet more thyme, the verge was full of it.  The only plants that weren't thyme were sage.  I couldn't believe our luck.

I did a quick check through the inventory in my mind and remembered that we still had some Swillington Farm Pork in the freezer.  Thyme stood still but the sage came with us.  A little down the road and the food Gods once again smiled on us.  There, growing in the lea of a derelict warehouse wall, stood an apple tree.  It was as if Holbeck had wanted me to eat the pork the whole time.

Back home I softened half an onion in butter, added the chopped sage and mixed in a couple of handfuls of bread crumbs.  Once the chops were fried on all sides I topped them with the crumb mix and put them in the oven until crispy and cooked through.   Served with boiled potatoes, peas (the best frozen veg) and the Holbeck apple sauce.  Delicious.

Fish Pie

Yesterdays journey to Leeds Kirkgate Market not only furnished me with the Sea Bass for the Thai Curry.  I also picked up the bits and pieces needed for Tonight's Menu: Fish Pie.

Fish Pie is an other one of those recipes that everybody will have an opinion on.  Do you add boiled egg?  Peas in the sauce?  Cheese in the mash?  The variants are almost as numerous as there are fish in the sea.   I once lived with somebody who insisted on putting crushed ready salted crisps on top of the mash before baking.  It worked, the added salty crunch was good, but I'm not going to suggest you do the same.

I only have one rule when it comes to Fish Pie and that is to have at least three types of fish.  One white; Coley, Cod, Haddock, Monkfish, etc.  One pink; Salmon, Sea Trout, Dog Fish, etc.  Shell fish also pop into this category so Prawns, Crab, Lobster and the like can be substituted here.  The third type of fish is probably the most important: smoked.  Not your florescent yellow nonsense, but naturally coloured lovingly smoked fish.  I'll let you work that one out yourself.  You don't need much but it does make a better sauce (in my opinion).

I have Dover Sole (left over from a previous meal), Salmon and Smoked Haddock.  For some reason I always get a bit excited when buying fish and get home with more than I bargained for.  for this reason I keep a Fish Pie bag on the go at all times.  The Sole was all that was in the freezer today.

Friday Night Take-away: Thai Red Curry

Today we had a trip into Leeds to nose around Kirkgate Market.  If you live in Leeds and don't use the market for at least some of your food shopping, you should.  If, for some reason, you think that markets are full of knocked off trainers and rotting fruit, you'll be in for a shock.  Kirkgate is a hive of quality butchers, green grocers, fishmongers and game sellers.  These stalls all nestle in with clothes, pets, toys, Polish and Chinese shops and fast food bars selling everything from sausage rolls to samosas.

I was, as always, looking for inspiration for what to cook.  For once however,  I had an additional source of inspiration.  I looked back over the past weeks posts on Tonight's Menu and noticed an omission.  You don't have to be Raymond Blanc to realise that I haven't eaten fish since I started the blog.  This is an unusual happen stance but I'll blame the holiday.

So with fish in mind I trotted off to Row 1, The Fish & Game Row, and wandered up and down, eyeing up the denizens of the deep.  I couldn't help myself.  I bought three different fishy treats for this weekend but more of that tomorrow.

I'd also realised that we had eaten a lot of comfort food recently.  What I was after was lighter, but still hot, and that was when Thai hit me.  We normally cook Green Curries at home.  Fresh and herby but most importantly hot.  Now that we're officially into winter I decided that red curry was the way forward.  There are more earthy spices in Red Curry so the heat goes further.

Once made, all it took was to steam the Sea Bass fillets in the sauce and serve with sticky Jasmine Rice.

Chilli con Carne revisited

We're finally home after our week long road trip.  Three destinations, two hotels, one spare bedroom and 600 miles.  Dorothy was right, there's no place like home.  The first thing to check on getting back was the fridge, what joy, the remains of last weeks chilli and some perfectly chilled beer.  It's not an exciting meal but chilli does get better with age and after struggling with the rush hour traffic around Manchester, I wasn't in the mood for a big cook-off (that can wait for tomorrow).

In the mean time I have a couple of evening meals to let you in on.  The last leg of our holiday took us to a Shropshire village on the Welsh border, to stay with the Father-in-law.  The trip was great.  Lots of country roads.  Motorway driving can be very dull, but winding country roads are just one wrong turn from disaster at any time.  Tight corners, oncoming tractors in the middle of the road, death-wish wild animals.  I love the lot.

The disaster came in the shape of my directions, who'd have thought that Kington and Knighton were different places?  A quick detour later and a roaring fire awaited our arrival, as did a mass of antipasti followed by Risotto.  I love risotto so all was good with the world.

The following day we took a trip to Ludlow, a foodie Mecca.  Wandering around staring into butchers, green grocers, purveyors of fine cheese and stores run buy local farmers, is my kind of day out.  But it was cold.  After a couple of hours we headed back to a Beef and Guinness stew that had been simmering in the slow cooker since the morning.  The evening was rounded off by a cheese board which included a local cheese coated in hops that was both bitter and creamy.

 

So now a night in my own bed and tomorrow, a trip to Leeds Kirkgate Market to look for inspiration for Tonight's Menu.