Lamb leg, rhubarb crumble, lamb stock

Had about a 3/4 leg lamb in freezer from SuperQuinn, her parents coming over for dinner, so did that - usual:

Marinaded lamb in ginger, garlic, rosemary, whole grain mustard and soy over night.  Took stewed rhubarb (my allotment grown) out of freezer.

Lamb on mirepoix trivet, gas 6 for about 2 hours, rest for 1/2 hour.  Roast potatoes, boiled carrots and broccoli, gravy - shallots, red wine, English mustard and corn flour paste to thicken, water from potatoes and then carrots, juices from roasting pan, crushed trivet and meat resting.

All-in-all lovely, meat was gorgeous.

Rhubarb crumble
Standard crumble, self raising, butter, brown sugar, added slice almonds and chopped walnuts and pecans.  Rest in fridge.  Made 2 small crumbles, they took the other one home.  Shop bought custard, did OK.

Stock.

New plan, after some discussions, watching telly and Google, found a new and way better way to clarify the stock.  Instead of whisking egg whites.

Cool stock overnight, skim fat, beat egg whites with hand whisk, add to pan, add 2 crushed egg shells, add cold stock, bring to boil gently, simmer for 20 minutes, strain thick out with strainer, pass through sifter double lined with clean jay cloth - came out crystal clear.

Leftover lamb, potato salad from allotment, tomato and cucumber salad - fine

Burger

Made a beef /chorizo burger again, spicy tomato jam, parmesan crisps, slice of beef tomato, lettuce on a toasted bun (bun not great, got to shops late, so bland brown rolls). Had potato wedges, done in garlic oil, saly and chilli flakes.

Spict tomato jam:

Cored and chopped tomatoes, juice of half a lemon, cumin, chilli, brown sugar, cooked low and slow then chilled.  Recipes I read also has cinnamon and fresh ginger, but I didn't this time.

Leg of lamb, roast, veg, gravy etc today, parents-in-law coming.

Weatherspoons and Cafe Debran

New Weathspoons in Swords, caled in for a swift pint, very busy only opened on Tuesday, decent IPA, San had a proseco.

Had a 50% off in a new Mediterranean place Cafe Debran, menu looked Greek / Turkish, maybe a bit further Eastern, considering out East Europeans in the village maybe Macedonia, but that's only a guess.

She had Chicken Borek (sort of spring roll), I had fallafel, both good, borek better, fallefel maybe a bit under-seasoned, decent and cheap bottle of Shiraz.
Mains chiili meshwe (lamb a bit tough in a great spicy, tomato, cream sauce) and Izgara lamb (meatballs, rice with lovely char-grilled veg, maybe a bit dry, but that's a tiny quibble, especially as I could dip into San's sauce.  Sides of rice and great spicy potatoes, sort of dry patatas bravos - yum.

Service was really excellent, really pleasant staff, will go back, think Jack and / or Aoife would like it

stuffed pepper

Boiled a gammon last night, made potato salad with spring onions and a green salad for 3, salty gammon went well with potato salad.

While I was making that, boiled basmalti in chicken stock, fried corgettes and red onions in garlic olive oil.  When cooked mixed together and left overnight.  Tonight, chopped fresh tomatoes mixed into rice and veg, cut tops off 2 peppers, cleaned out white membrane.  Stuffed with rice, veg mix, topped with Cheshire cheese, cover with foil, hot oven about 40 minutes, remove foil to brown cheese.

I though OK, San would have wanted peppers cut in half, rather then upright.  Like baked potatoes, will make again when on my own, but not for San or anyone else and may add a few more things.

Chicago pt 2

Thursday - Science museum, bit of lunch (more chicken wings) in Elephant & Castle, mezze back in apartment, finish shopping etc

Friday, long walks, then went Haymarket Pub and Brewery for lunch, a good few of their homemade beers, Jack had a couple of odd ciders, bit too odd.  Had a bowl of Smoked Ham Hock Poutine, basically chips and gravy, but great, would be fantastic at kebab O'clcok after a few sherbets.

Last meal in Quartino, was there a few years ago with San and love it.  Started with Truffle Salame and Artichokes Campobasso, then Jack had gnocchi and I had pizza blanco, we both though pizza was best of the four.  Had a lovely 1/2 litre of Sangiovese, Jack finished with Coppa al banana, don't know how he eat more.

Fly home Saturday, bit delayed with a bit of stormy weather on runway, food passable, beef stew, home Sunday morning, bit of a nap, standard roast chicken.

Monday made a stew chicken, carrots, potatoes, onions, chicken stock, not great and carrots undercooked, will do for a couple of lunches.  Salmon darnes out for tomorrow, meal out Friday at new place in Swords...

Chicago pt 1

Just blew in from the Windy city, the windy city is mighty pretty, but they ain't got we we got no siree

I was a scene shifter on "Annie get your gun" back in the day and sadly know most of the words.

So Boy's birthday, 5 ninghts in Chicago, top of the H (Hancock Tower) for lovely and brutally expenive (this is not a cheap week) wine and cocktail, then off to Rocky Bottom brewery for wings and fries, had endless  great IPAs. 

Breakfast in appartment hotel, stodge, but free, lunch in Tilted Kilt, not PC, but calamari and fries were great, Art Institute was, as always, stunning.  Evening meal in Girl and goat -have to say defo in my 5, obviously nothing compares to Tapeo de Cervantes and because of cost, Vintage Kitchen in Dublin is a must, but this was superb, service, food, drinks all great.  Jack has some Pimms cocktail and said best cocktail Evah, we had goat carpaccio, duck tongues, baby squid and wood oven fried pig's face - pics  just fantastic,though battered credit card.

Jack's bf Jack came up from Virginia, had a mezze  cheese, olives, meat, humus, veg etc lunch in appartment, bit of shopping etc, got a great tie myself.  Went to Saigon Sisters for dinner again great, bit pricey, but expect that, Sping rolls both cooked and not (pulled pork), beef Pho, special was a pork noodle salad absolutley top.

Proabably science museum today, San may pop over, if so civilised, if not beer and pizza, Jack want to try proper Chicago Deep, not keen, too stodgy, but when in blah, blah...

Stew

Lamb sausages, Ras el Hanout, peppers, onion, courgette, tinned tomato, chickpeas. Hot oven, sausages for 20 mins, added peppers and onions, then Ras el Hanout (North African Spice Mix), cooked for an hour, added tomatoes, chickpeas more spice, seasoned, another 40 minutes - lovely

Need a new pressure cooker!

Jack should be over Friday, go somewhere nice for dinner, somewhere in village probably Saturday

No churn ice-cream and tarts

Shop bought (frozen) shortcrust pastry, home made vanilla custard, sliced strawberries from allotment - made strawberry tarts - very yummy

Blended the rest of strawberries, made a simple, double cream, condensed milk (whisked together) and strawberry blend folded in, no-churn ice cream - will know tomorrow whether success.

Yesterday left over roast chicken and green salad, more salmon and cheese egg muffins for tea with green salad and home-made coleslaw today, lamb sausage kind of tagine malarky for tomorrow, not really sure...

Should be eating less to prep for Chicago on Monday!

Another quiet week - and not doing homework!

Salads, leftovers, chilli from freezer, nice evening in The Well for ribs, San had Piri-piri checken salad, lovely as always, went to The Harp for an engagement, finger food, so-so, but great people and good staff.

Standard roast chicken today, stock in pressure cooker at the moment, made a dahl for tomorrow, will do keema curry, mint / cucumber riata, red onion / chili salad etc.

Should be doing Spanish homework last 2 weeks, haven't, feel bad, need to get move on.

Chicago week Monday, starting to prep