Meeting in Heathrow yesterday, remarkably good office food, chicken on sticks, nice cheese and hams, good sandwiches, crackers, pop, olives - Think it is the Spanish influence in the group.
Out for a meal last night - Sagarmatha Kitchen for the second time.
Lovely food, Started with prawn fry for her an their take on a seek kebab for me, We both had lamb curries, San had Anapurna, I had Himalayan, my really hot, as I asked for, but not artificial or chemically, tasted long and slow. Service was great. I hope it survives, as there are now 4 (2 long standing) Indians in Swords now, so it will be tough.
Made a chorizo tortilla for breakfast, weather is grim and didn't fancy running over to JCs for sausages
Saturday, 28 November 2015
Sunday, 22 November 2015
scotch(ed) eggs, Dobbins and cooking
Chilli I made last week was very good, was listening to Radio 4's food program, all about scotch eggs, that I love and know the history, not Scottish, but scotched (i.e. changed) invented in the second poshest food shop in the world - Fortnum & Masons in London. So had a graw to make some.
I made 2 one day and 3 more today. Soft boiled egg, 6 minutes in boiling water, then straight into iced water, once cold, tapped the egg, the air gap is at the top, so tap there, use a teaspoon to ease shell off. Mixed pork mince, blitzed chorizo, fresh thyme (no seasoning, because of chorizo) moulded around egg, drenched in flour, beaten egg then breadcrumbs, twice. Rested in fridge, turned a couple of times to prevent flatspots. Deep fried in veg oil, very wasteful, as I don't have a deep fat fryer, but reusing any fat except lard is really bad, which is wacky, but true!!
Made a good roast dinner yesterday, unfortunately beef was tasty but horribly chewy...
Saw a recipe for mini quiches, using Serrano (I used jamon) instead of pastry, mine look messy, will taste them tomorrow, spinach, cherry tomato and cheddar filling. Cooked a few chicken thighs for lunches. Lamb stew, garlic potatoes for in-laws and found a no churn strawberry ice cream in the freezer, that I'd made when I picked them at the allotment early summer.
On Thursday went to Dobbins in Dublin, guests of Threatscape and TrapX couple of pints first in the School House on the cana with friendsl.
At Dobbins, great wine, I had ham hock terrine, brioche (preferred the bread from basket), fantastic pork belly, with sublime crackling, sticky toffee pudding and good espresso, great company and learned plenty of techie stuff
I made 2 one day and 3 more today. Soft boiled egg, 6 minutes in boiling water, then straight into iced water, once cold, tapped the egg, the air gap is at the top, so tap there, use a teaspoon to ease shell off. Mixed pork mince, blitzed chorizo, fresh thyme (no seasoning, because of chorizo) moulded around egg, drenched in flour, beaten egg then breadcrumbs, twice. Rested in fridge, turned a couple of times to prevent flatspots. Deep fried in veg oil, very wasteful, as I don't have a deep fat fryer, but reusing any fat except lard is really bad, which is wacky, but true!!
Made a good roast dinner yesterday, unfortunately beef was tasty but horribly chewy...
Saw a recipe for mini quiches, using Serrano (I used jamon) instead of pastry, mine look messy, will taste them tomorrow, spinach, cherry tomato and cheddar filling. Cooked a few chicken thighs for lunches. Lamb stew, garlic potatoes for in-laws and found a no churn strawberry ice cream in the freezer, that I'd made when I picked them at the allotment early summer.
On Thursday went to Dobbins in Dublin, guests of Threatscape and TrapX couple of pints first in the School House on the cana with friendsl.
At Dobbins, great wine, I had ham hock terrine, brioche (preferred the bread from basket), fantastic pork belly, with sublime crackling, sticky toffee pudding and good espresso, great company and learned plenty of techie stuff
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Good weekend
Last weekend, quite busy, leg of lamb, 2 chickens, kilo carrots, a cauliflower, a broccoli and a couple of kilos of potatoes. Roast meat, roast and mashed potatoes, broccoli and cauli in white sauce with cheese, lamb and chicken gravy - fed 13, only scraps of chicken left and made stock from both lots of bones.
This weekend, stayed at Royal Marine in Dun Laoghaire on Friday night, ate at Rasam in Glasthule , definately the best Indian in Ireland. Early bird, she had Aloo Tikka and Rustic Chicken I had calamari and mixed veg curry, as always came with rice, naan and spiced potatoes. She loves the padadoms and sauces, me less so, but I like lots of heat and these are much more crowd pleasers. House red (a Chilean Cab Sav) really lovely, food perfect quantity as well as quality.
Couple of glasses of wine in Forty Foot Wetherspoons on way back. Swim and lovely full Irish breakfast Saturday morning. Standard roast chicken Saturday night. Made stock Sunday morning.
Out Sunday morning to RDS for Charity Bazaar, go every year, had a Slovakian sausage with great horseradish and mustard with rye bread, almost chorizo-like. Won a bottle of very plain label German apple brandy, could be interesting.
Round to the main hall of RDS for Art Source, again, an annual event, bought another picture, our art walls are getting full!
Chilli tonight, just about to start, last one was crap and flavourless, need to concentrate more, left over chicken tomorrow and a meal out on Thursday
This weekend, stayed at Royal Marine in Dun Laoghaire on Friday night, ate at Rasam in Glasthule , definately the best Indian in Ireland. Early bird, she had Aloo Tikka and Rustic Chicken I had calamari and mixed veg curry, as always came with rice, naan and spiced potatoes. She loves the padadoms and sauces, me less so, but I like lots of heat and these are much more crowd pleasers. House red (a Chilean Cab Sav) really lovely, food perfect quantity as well as quality.
Couple of glasses of wine in Forty Foot Wetherspoons on way back. Swim and lovely full Irish breakfast Saturday morning. Standard roast chicken Saturday night. Made stock Sunday morning.
Out Sunday morning to RDS for Charity Bazaar, go every year, had a Slovakian sausage with great horseradish and mustard with rye bread, almost chorizo-like. Won a bottle of very plain label German apple brandy, could be interesting.
Round to the main hall of RDS for Art Source, again, an annual event, bought another picture, our art walls are getting full!
Chilli tonight, just about to start, last one was crap and flavourless, need to concentrate more, left over chicken tomorrow and a meal out on Thursday
Monday, 2 November 2015
Baba ganoush
Had the quiche I made on Saturday, with some baba ganoush - I had a couple of aubergines that were nearly gone, simple recipe, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, parsley and salt. Aubergines had been roasted on high for about 40 minutes, scooped out when cool and mashed in - probably next time would roast the garlic as it was a bit strong.
Made a side salad of wild rocket, feta, cherry tomatoes, dry roasted a handful of pine nuts, dressed with EV olive oil and lemon juice
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Weekend Cooking
Wanted pizza, so need to make tex-mex chilli topping, so bought plenty of mince, also had a bit of quiche at a lunch this week (and had some shortcrust in the freezer for ever)
Made standard tex-mex chilli for pizza, roasted a red pepper on the ring, peel off the blackened skin and sliced. Did tuna and roast red pepper on the second (mozzarella on both) and had some spicy chicken thighs I'd cooked in the week, so chopped that up, bit of jamon and feta with a bot of thyme on the third.
While I was cooking I used the rest of the beef to make a simple cottage pie - fried onion and celery, once sweated down added the mince then diced carrots, 3 bay leaves once all in, added beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, English mustard powder and then pressure cooked for 40 minutes, remember to remove bay leaves. Added frozen peas in once cooled, but into ovenproof dishes. Mashed potatoes then poncily piped it on top - made 2 for 2 people and one small one and froze all three.
Quiche tin - blind baked the pastry, baking paper, pastry, baking paper, baking beans (actually ancient chick peas I've had for a least a decade) gas 4 for about 45 minutes, with a couple of slices of bacon on the top shelf to roast. mixed 4 eggs, single cream, thyme, splash of milk, salt and white pepper. Chopped up bacon once cooked, a couple of spring onions and some Spanish queso.
Once the pastry was ready, take off beans and opt greaseproof, back in oven for 5 mins to dry it, put time on a flat tray pour in egg / cream mixture, drop in bacon, onions and cheese and bake until brown and solidified. Took about 1/2 hour. Had some for lunch with a homemade coleslaw
Made standard tex-mex chilli for pizza, roasted a red pepper on the ring, peel off the blackened skin and sliced. Did tuna and roast red pepper on the second (mozzarella on both) and had some spicy chicken thighs I'd cooked in the week, so chopped that up, bit of jamon and feta with a bot of thyme on the third.
While I was cooking I used the rest of the beef to make a simple cottage pie - fried onion and celery, once sweated down added the mince then diced carrots, 3 bay leaves once all in, added beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, English mustard powder and then pressure cooked for 40 minutes, remember to remove bay leaves. Added frozen peas in once cooled, but into ovenproof dishes. Mashed potatoes then poncily piped it on top - made 2 for 2 people and one small one and froze all three.
Quiche tin - blind baked the pastry, baking paper, pastry, baking paper, baking beans (actually ancient chick peas I've had for a least a decade) gas 4 for about 45 minutes, with a couple of slices of bacon on the top shelf to roast. mixed 4 eggs, single cream, thyme, splash of milk, salt and white pepper. Chopped up bacon once cooked, a couple of spring onions and some Spanish queso.
Once the pastry was ready, take off beans and opt greaseproof, back in oven for 5 mins to dry it, put time on a flat tray pour in egg / cream mixture, drop in bacon, onions and cheese and bake until brown and solidified. Took about 1/2 hour. Had some for lunch with a homemade coleslaw
Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Nerja and Malaga and a bit of a rant about self catering
From Seville train to Malaga and bus to Nerja just for the night, went to all our usual haunts, hit about 9 or 10 bars, Pepe Moles best food as always, great welcome in Rincon de Sabor and Los Barillas, like being at home, the three Spanish Troubadours played in Barillas along with the great cheese tapas made it a highpoint.
Back to Malaga the next morning, dropped bags off went for a stroll, bit of shopping and some great food. Had nothing bad but as always Cortido de Pepe was a highlight, surprisingly quiet and Tapas de Cervantes, possibly even better than it's usual "favourite tapas bar in the whole world" label - again a friendly welcome back from the owner and great recommendations. Had a glass in La Tranca to finish - absolutely rammed, great atmosphere.
<RANT>
Self Catering - do this a lot, especially, Oz, Spain and USA, I love cooking and am happy to do it on my hols - however there should be a minimum set of things, some which I didn't get in Seville:
Salt
Pepper or chilli
oil of some sort, preferably olive
vinegar - unless citrus fruits grow abundantly
frying pan
couple of pans with lids
wooden spoon
reasonable sharp knife
chopping board
A few staples wouldn't go amiss - pasta, rice, tea, coffee
Most places I go to have most of these, but I to buy salt, a knife and oil last week, not expensive (all told less than €3) and I left them all for next visitor, but I think there should be an acceptable minimum
</RANT>
Back to Malaga the next morning, dropped bags off went for a stroll, bit of shopping and some great food. Had nothing bad but as always Cortido de Pepe was a highlight, surprisingly quiet and Tapas de Cervantes, possibly even better than it's usual "favourite tapas bar in the whole world" label - again a friendly welcome back from the owner and great recommendations. Had a glass in La Tranca to finish - absolutely rammed, great atmosphere.
<RANT>
Self Catering - do this a lot, especially, Oz, Spain and USA, I love cooking and am happy to do it on my hols - however there should be a minimum set of things, some which I didn't get in Seville:
Salt
Pepper or chilli
oil of some sort, preferably olive
vinegar - unless citrus fruits grow abundantly
frying pan
couple of pans with lids
wooden spoon
reasonable sharp knife
chopping board
A few staples wouldn't go amiss - pasta, rice, tea, coffee
Most places I go to have most of these, but I to buy salt, a knife and oil last week, not expensive (all told less than €3) and I left them all for next visitor, but I think there should be an acceptable minimum
</RANT>
Tuesday, 20 October 2015
Seville 2
Went out with Mr and Mr K lat night to Bodega on Alfalfa square, had a couple of bottles of Ramon Bilbao, surito, barenjas, solomillo, salmonitas loved it all, lads had massive G&Ts to start, then a couple more drinks atLas Teresas with Jamon y queso.
Went for a good walk today into Triana, good market, lovely shops, quick beer in a place that gave free gambas - result! then had lunch in E Morales in city centre - espinaches y garbanzos, albondigas, ensalada russ and pimientos y atun with good beers and wines. Making chicken fajitas in flat tonight
Went for a good walk today into Triana, good market, lovely shops, quick beer in a place that gave free gambas - result! then had lunch in E Morales in city centre - espinaches y garbanzos, albondigas, ensalada russ and pimientos y atun with good beers and wines. Making chicken fajitas in flat tonight
intermission - Belfast
Mentioned going to Belfast last week, did so, good beers, ate in Mourne Seafood Bar, as we went in at 6 on a Saturday in October did not bother making a reservation, only got away with it, as there was a cancellation! Pints out were good, bit Belfast can be a bit messy, would not like to be pissed there as too many chances for trouble. MSB was excellent, had 4 or 5 starters, crab claws, stuffed peppers, chowder, mussels, chips all great loved it - now back to Seville
Monday, 19 October 2015
Seville
Back in Seville for the first time in a few years. Firstly I've never been here when it is anything but roasting and it has pissed down for the last 3 days and forcast is crap for tomorrow, but....
Really doesn't matter, although I would like to go to Italica (birthplace of Trajan and where Hadrian grew up), we are here for a rest and good cheap wine and tapas. Only one mediocre glass of wine, all other great, food brilliant.
Highlights up to now are Bar Las Terasas, been here a few times before, definitely the best Jamon and queso tapas we've ever had. Taberna Aguilas was great, loved the mini hamburger. Bar Alfalfa and Bodega also great in Plaza Alfalfa. Penacultural Betica Puerta de la Carne (Real Betis supporters club) was also good, pork cheeks my favourite. Went back to Casa Joaquin, a place we always went for a good glass of wine.
Couple of local bars, also good, only had a late tapa, so may review further. It is a pity about the weather, just come from 2 hours in the Arab Baths so feeling great now. will make tuna salad for lunch and then go for a walk in the rain ;)
Really doesn't matter, although I would like to go to Italica (birthplace of Trajan and where Hadrian grew up), we are here for a rest and good cheap wine and tapas. Only one mediocre glass of wine, all other great, food brilliant.
Highlights up to now are Bar Las Terasas, been here a few times before, definitely the best Jamon and queso tapas we've ever had. Taberna Aguilas was great, loved the mini hamburger. Bar Alfalfa and Bodega also great in Plaza Alfalfa. Penacultural Betica Puerta de la Carne (Real Betis supporters club) was also good, pork cheeks my favourite. Went back to Casa Joaquin, a place we always went for a good glass of wine.
Couple of local bars, also good, only had a late tapa, so may review further. It is a pity about the weather, just come from 2 hours in the Arab Baths so feeling great now. will make tuna salad for lunch and then go for a walk in the rain ;)
Friday, 9 October 2015
Vintage Kitchen
It's almost boring to say how good Vintage Kitchen is (again), booked early July for last night, took a lovely Ramon Bilbao 2012 Crianza. Quick pint in Mulligans next door then usual warm welcome.
Bread and butter perfect, she had chili prawn risotto, I had pork belly for starters, mains poussin for me, lamb shanks for her. Every element perfect, not as massive as previous visits, but still huge portions, steak looked excellent as well. Finished with an espresso, always too much lovely savory food to be able to manage dessert - sigh - maybe one day!
Making risotto tonight, up to Belfast tomorrow, not been up for a couple of years, probably Mourne Seafood Bar for dinner.
Bread and butter perfect, she had chili prawn risotto, I had pork belly for starters, mains poussin for me, lamb shanks for her. Every element perfect, not as massive as previous visits, but still huge portions, steak looked excellent as well. Finished with an espresso, always too much lovely savory food to be able to manage dessert - sigh - maybe one day!
Making risotto tonight, up to Belfast tomorrow, not been up for a couple of years, probably Mourne Seafood Bar for dinner.
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