Jam sandwiches
“I wondered if you’d like a jam sandwich? Margaret pushed a tiny bag of dainty sandwiches along the worktop towards me. “They were rejected by a passing monk.” I was intrigued. “He took the paté and cucumber ones. It’s a long drive to Ambelforth so I’m surprised that he didn’t want the others.” She pushed the bag a little further toward me with an encouraging nod. I was vaguely peckish but . . jam sandwiches? To be polite I took a tiny sandwich and sampled it. Perhaps it was the jam...
read moreQuick and delicious lamb meatballs in a creamy tomato sauce
I’m quite particular about meatballs. They have to melt in the mouth. And they need a good, mellow sauce. I am not keen on fried meatballs, so often a chewy exterior extends to the interior. And I checked out other meat ball recipes on the internet this evening. What a palaver – make the meatballs, transfer to the fridge for 2 hours. If you are really gentle with your meatballs you can be snatching a pack of mince one moment and within half an hour, or so, serving this meal. Danny was back late from London this evening. I planned...
read moreComforting summer sausage casserole recipe
Sometimes it’s chilly on a summer’s evening and we want to eat something comforting. In the winter we eat a superb heart warming sausage casserole so I decided to make a summer version with loads of fresh tomatoes and long red peppers. We had some sweet and hot pickled peppers (American) in the larder so I chopped and deseeded them and popped them in too to give the dish a bit of a zing. As you can see from the photo, the overall colour scheme was red. I peered into the pot as it simmered away and considered a fresh coriander...
read moreBrie de Meaux and fresh ripe plums
Danny loves Brie de Meaux and, unfortunately for him, I am becoming addicted too. It’s available in the UK but there is nothing like a slab bought from a French cheese shop and delivered to your door the very next day. It tastes better, fresher and even looks more tempting dressed in the chunky fromagerie paper. Then wrapped in an outer layer of delicate brown paper that has the soft, gentle crackle of a special present, wrapped with care. Supermarkets have forced out most of the small specialist shops in the UK. It’s still OK if...
read moreBlackberry and plum sauce recipe
I decided to cook us a treat of pot roast pork. All was well when I checked the joint after an hour and a half. It was simmering gently. I secured the foil under the lid again and popped the pot into the oven for the final ninety minutes. When the timer pinged I was horrified to find that the gorgeous juices had reduced to nothing. “Never mind. I’ll make an apricot sauce,” I thought as I poked about in the larder for a tin. All I could find was a tin of pineapple chunks donated by a generous client who had got fed up with...
read moreDanny’s slow roast belly of pork to die for recipe
We have Sunday Lunch in the evening and Danny usually cooks it. If I have the day off, I can spend hours in the garden and totter in at dusk to a great meal. Perfect. Last week he cooked the best pork that I have ever tasted. I had bought belly of pork from Fred Fitzpatrick on a whim. Danny was polite and definitely suspicious when I showed him the thin joint. Belly of pork is a slim, boy racer sort of cut. A rib of small bones and meat that appears to be stingy. Wrong. BOP has loads of meat. I was working last weekend and arrived home to...
read moreChips
It’s strange but I always choose what we will eat in the evening. Even when Danny does the big shop. Even when he does the cooking. I wake up and the second thought after”I must have a large mug of tea. Now.” Is immediately, “What will we eat tonight? D is a carnivore with a capital K. If I am feeling tired and droopy, I want light meals with very little meat. He is understanding and agrees to the wildest whims as long as 1) I take his turn to cook and 2) He can have chips Chips would be an integral, pivotal element of...
read moreDonagh’s Gambas al pil pil recipe
Donagh (pronounced Dunna) is Danny’s youngest brother. He is a superb cook. When we meet the Dublin flight at Stansted he is Talking Food. The journey to the cottage is spiced with intriguing recipes and discoveries. Sitting in the back of the car, I begin to get nervous as I always seem to cook for Donagh’s first night. Generally, it’s a disaster. The next day we shop, he doesn’t buy the most expensive ingredients as we venture through the entire local tranche from Netto to Waitrose, with a dally at Tesco in between....
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