(Nigella Bites)
It was a meatball kind of day. Cold, wet and in need of comfort food. And with family to feed ranging from one to seventy plus it seemed like a winner for all concerned.
It may have been an error on my part to double the quantities. I had a kilo of meat in the fridge and it seemed silly not to use it all. On the plus side our freezer will be well-stocked which is always a bonus. On the minus...soooo many meatballs. I lost count at 97 when the phone rang but by then every point of my horizon was studded with herby, meaty little orbs.
If you're making in that quantity I would recommend you take everything out of the fridge a while before mixing - my hands were so submerged in frosty gloop that I lost the sensation in two of my fingers.
I used 100% beef rather than the 50/50 beef and pork mix. I can't imagine that's an issue. I also skipped the parmesan for a number of reasons, not least because I can't stand the stuff. And while we're in the confessional, I omitted the milk from the sauce on several of the same counts. I'm sure that does make a difference to the final dish - but what the heck - it tasted great in any case.
Admit to going for the easy option of packaged spaghetti on the grounds of less time, less mess. But all in all a great success
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Stay Strong...
No, noooooo. I must not be distracted by Jamie's tray bake salmon, even if I have made it so many times that I can do it with my eyes shut and my hands behind my back - which frankly would be useful right now.
I must refocus, remain loyal and brave the freezing rain for ingredients
I must refocus, remain loyal and brave the freezing rain for ingredients
Thursday, 26 November 2009
The Best Laid Plans...
I stand with my recipe books spread before me. The mind is willing - but the flesh is on the brink of collapse.
The words swim before my eyes and my best intentions disappear as I gaze at the sofa and imagine lying on it. NOW
Today the baby, the sunny-natured child who smiles and laughs all day long, screamed for five solid hours. Our long-planned shopping trip was abandoned midway through, with nothing achieved. I tried distraction, pointing out all the twinkly Christmas lights - but all that did was provoke requests to sing "Twinkle Twinkle" ("again again").
26 renditions later, without a break, she fell asleep in her buggy. Unable to extricate my thumb all I could do was sit there, at a slightly ungainly angle, in the middle of the heaving shopping centre, staring longingly at my only purchase (a large bottle of red) and wishing I didn't have to drive home.
More misery back at the ranch, me unable to fathom whether it was teeth or tummy behind the wails (the pleas to "rub it better/kiss it better" were somewhat non-directional. Though at 19 months I guess that's fair enough). A brief rally, clinking her water and milk bottles together and shouting "cheers" before asking to go to bed. And now asleep.
Realising a jacket potato is as good as it's going to get tonight I have returned my exotic ingredients to the fridge and put the books away. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully a happier and healthier one.
The words swim before my eyes and my best intentions disappear as I gaze at the sofa and imagine lying on it. NOW
Today the baby, the sunny-natured child who smiles and laughs all day long, screamed for five solid hours. Our long-planned shopping trip was abandoned midway through, with nothing achieved. I tried distraction, pointing out all the twinkly Christmas lights - but all that did was provoke requests to sing "Twinkle Twinkle" ("again again").
26 renditions later, without a break, she fell asleep in her buggy. Unable to extricate my thumb all I could do was sit there, at a slightly ungainly angle, in the middle of the heaving shopping centre, staring longingly at my only purchase (a large bottle of red) and wishing I didn't have to drive home.
More misery back at the ranch, me unable to fathom whether it was teeth or tummy behind the wails (the pleas to "rub it better/kiss it better" were somewhat non-directional. Though at 19 months I guess that's fair enough). A brief rally, clinking her water and milk bottles together and shouting "cheers" before asking to go to bed. And now asleep.
Realising a jacket potato is as good as it's going to get tonight I have returned my exotic ingredients to the fridge and put the books away. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully a happier and healthier one.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Cous Cous
(Nigella Bites)
Cous cous might sound overly simple, even if it is a Tuesday night. But given my day started at 4.30am (teeth - not mine) and involved flat out work and meetings before putting the baboushka to bed, frankly it's a miracle I didn't just dial the local takeaway instead.
And of course, it wasn't just cous cous. This is cous cous Nigella style, toasted almonds, pine nuts, bruised cardamom pods. It did occur to me, as I dutifuly crushed pistachios at 8.15pm , that I too may be nuts - but by then it was too late to turn back.
My accompaniment? Not the suggested lamb shanks (I am not big on lamb shanks) but Evelyn Rose's biblical chicken. A recipe chosen mainly because I had all the ingredients. And partly because it involved slaking cornflour and I thought slaking might be more fun than it actually was. Biblical chicken, therefore, though with boneless breast fillets because that's what I had. And no oranges thrown in at the end because I hadn't read that far in the recipe and had therefore forgotten to purchase.
Served with fine beans, and proving to be altogether a finer supper than a rainy Tuesday evening deserves
Note: Cous Cous - a post script
I should mention that for the non nut fan there is an alternative recipe in Feast. But it features ground cumin.
Loving Indian food, Moroccan food etc etc, I know I should like ground cumin. But i don't. So there you go
Cous cous might sound overly simple, even if it is a Tuesday night. But given my day started at 4.30am (teeth - not mine) and involved flat out work and meetings before putting the baboushka to bed, frankly it's a miracle I didn't just dial the local takeaway instead.
And of course, it wasn't just cous cous. This is cous cous Nigella style, toasted almonds, pine nuts, bruised cardamom pods. It did occur to me, as I dutifuly crushed pistachios at 8.15pm , that I too may be nuts - but by then it was too late to turn back.
My accompaniment? Not the suggested lamb shanks (I am not big on lamb shanks) but Evelyn Rose's biblical chicken. A recipe chosen mainly because I had all the ingredients. And partly because it involved slaking cornflour and I thought slaking might be more fun than it actually was. Biblical chicken, therefore, though with boneless breast fillets because that's what I had. And no oranges thrown in at the end because I hadn't read that far in the recipe and had therefore forgotten to purchase.
Served with fine beans, and proving to be altogether a finer supper than a rainy Tuesday evening deserves
Note: Cous Cous - a post script
I should mention that for the non nut fan there is an alternative recipe in Feast. But it features ground cumin.
Loving Indian food, Moroccan food etc etc, I know I should like ground cumin. But i don't. So there you go
Monday, 23 November 2009
Old Favourites (No 3) - Thai Yellow Pumpkin & Seafood* Curry
(Nigella Bites)
You can tell by the state of the pages that this is one I've made again and again. And again. Our dinner party staple (at least, it was in the pre baby days when entertaining was something that we managed more than once in a blue moon) and a hit every time.
I've lost count of the requests I've had for the recipe. And one of the best bits about it? No side dishes to prepare, no extras to rustle up. It's meat and two veg (ok, fish and...) all together in one colourful and steaming pot. Just add some steamed rice and your guests will love you forever.
Whilst I'm eulogising...worth adding that it's also super easy and you can prepare it all in advance, just chucking the fish and pak choi in at the last minute.
* We omit the prawns and double the salmon. And we go for the butternut squash, rather than the pumpkin option because it's so much more readily available. Only one other tweak: never remember to buy fish stock - and many are made from bits I don't eat in any case - but you can use veggie (eg: Marigold) without taking anything away from this king, queen and emperor of curries.
You can tell by the state of the pages that this is one I've made again and again. And again. Our dinner party staple (at least, it was in the pre baby days when entertaining was something that we managed more than once in a blue moon) and a hit every time.
I've lost count of the requests I've had for the recipe. And one of the best bits about it? No side dishes to prepare, no extras to rustle up. It's meat and two veg (ok, fish and...) all together in one colourful and steaming pot. Just add some steamed rice and your guests will love you forever.
Whilst I'm eulogising...worth adding that it's also super easy and you can prepare it all in advance, just chucking the fish and pak choi in at the last minute.
* We omit the prawns and double the salmon. And we go for the butternut squash, rather than the pumpkin option because it's so much more readily available. Only one other tweak: never remember to buy fish stock - and many are made from bits I don't eat in any case - but you can use veggie (eg: Marigold) without taking anything away from this king, queen and emperor of curries.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Cop Out...(again)
Long day. Nursery run, traffic madness, work, nursery run, play date, meals, nappies, washing, massive food shop. Way too tired to cook - so went for a pizza with the girls instead. Marvellous.
Monday, 16 November 2009
Old Favourites (No 2) - Chocolate Cheesecake
(How To Be A Domestic Goddess)
Face it - it's chocolate, it's cheesecake. How could it be anything other than utterly delicious?
Have only one complaint with this (and all the other cheesecakes for that matter...) in that they are so big and so rich you need loads of visitors to have a decent excuse to make one. (Either that or book into the obesity clinic in advance. Will-power is nothing in the face of such unctuous delights)
It's obviously simple enough to recalculate the ingredients to make smaller or individual ones...but then the cooking time would be trial and error plus there would be decisions to make about what to use instead of the cake tin... Oh well - anyone free for tea at the weekend? I feel a spot of baking coming on
Face it - it's chocolate, it's cheesecake. How could it be anything other than utterly delicious?
Have only one complaint with this (and all the other cheesecakes for that matter...) in that they are so big and so rich you need loads of visitors to have a decent excuse to make one. (Either that or book into the obesity clinic in advance. Will-power is nothing in the face of such unctuous delights)
It's obviously simple enough to recalculate the ingredients to make smaller or individual ones...but then the cooking time would be trial and error plus there would be decisions to make about what to use instead of the cake tin... Oh well - anyone free for tea at the weekend? I feel a spot of baking coming on
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