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I have a slight case of convert’s zeal, but keeping it under wraps as much as I can !!
Hasn’t made me run faster though
One helpful(?) idea is that it's not about cutting out anything: it's about adding to. Without a proper cooker atm I'm really existing 90% on fresh fruit and veg, with (artisan) bread, brown rice and whole grains. So some sodium matched by some potassium is a 'balance', for instance. Zoe lives!
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
Well, that was non-classic even by my standards. I intended to cook two lots of gratin champenois, one for now, one for the freezer. Half way through cooking the onions/ham I realised I would be short of potatoes. Looking in the fridge I saw what my brother had alleged were two beetroot. In good faith and because they looked like beetroot I had roasted them. But the first one was white inside and I chucked it, chopped, into a stirfry. They told me, Heraclitus, they told me it might be something weird my nephew had grown on his allotment, and because it was a white root vegetable I thought I would slice it and make it the lower layer of the gratin. But when I sliced it, it was ... a beetroot. Undeterred, I made it, in all its beetroot redness, the bottom layer of the second gratin and I shall discover in the months to come what it was like.
Meanwhile, I served the slightly more classic version with a dressed salad of sliced pak choi, garlic and tomatoes. I mopped up the gratin juice with baguette and poured the residue into my empty wine glass - because you can do this when you dine alone . Kiwi fruit (no cheese because chaource on main dish), black coffee. Not bad, all told.
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie 2022 to cook onions and drink afterwards.
Weinberg, Violin concerto, Ilya Grubert, Russian Phil, Dmitry Yablonsky, on the gramophone.
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
Stuffing ... maybe that should be "filling" ... canelloni shells (not enough hours in the day to make them from scratch today) and then making a béchamel sauce. Ragù for a change as filling rather than the usual ricotta/spinach/lemon zest/pine nuts/nutmeg mixture. Perfect musical accompaniment - Bruckner 8 (Leipzig GO/Andris Nelsons). Cheap plonk go-with (Crémant de Bourgogne with a large slug of Crème de Fraise - a terrible habit, I know).
My experiment today was bamya - or okra stew. I bought a bag of okra from the Egyptian greengrocer round the corner and asked him how to cook it. Bamia: okra, garlic, onion, tomatoes - and meat. I skipped the meat and added cubed tofu. As I had a couple of pieces of sweet potato I added that too. I soaked the chopped okra in red wine vinegar for 30 mins to take out any sliminess (tip from internet), sauteed everything except the okra and tomatoes in olive oil for a bit (6 large cloves of garlic), then added the okra and vinegar, added some dried Mediterranean herbs and a tin of chopped tomatoes. No jalapenos (is that red chilli?), so I added a teaspoonful of Erős Pista, all simmered for about 30 minutes. Also cooked some brown rice.
When ready, add ground black pepper and I had a dollop of red pepper and garlic chutney which my brother gave me for Christmas last year and needed to be eaten. I'd eaten everything before I remembered I was going to put chopped basil on top. So I cut off a stalk and munched it afterwards. Malbec was the subject of recent posts on the wine thread. Coincidentally I had a glass of 2023 Pay d'Hérault Malbec with my bamya. I asked our local cave à manger for the cheapest French red and this was it: £11.60.
No cheese, as I had it for breakfast, just a banana before coffee. Bamya could become a regular recipe chez moi.
For those who follow Tim Spector’s 10-a-day régime, the bold ingredients (13) all count but some only count as a ¼ .
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
Not sure whether people have given up eating or whether they're just bored with my experiments. Tonight: seared fried salmon fillet with red cabbage steamed with apple, raisins and cloves. And I added some thinly sliced potato on top which doesn't take long to steam. Horseradish sauce on the side and finished up some crème fraîche which was exactly a week past its Use By date. Louis Jadot Macon-Villages 2023. No cheese after as I had cheese for breakfast.
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
Not sure whether people have given up eating or whether they're just bored with my experiments. Tonight: seared fried salmon fillet with red cabbage steamed with apple, raisins and cloves. And I added some thinly sliced potato on top which doesn't take long to steam. Horseradish sauce on the side and finished up some crème fraîche which was exactly a week past its Use By date. Louis Jadot Macon-Villages 2023. No cheese after as I had cheese for breakfast.
We had salmon fillets (the chunky transverse types, not the 'fish-shaped' longitudinal cuts!) Saturday night, and I did them my usual, delicious way. Firstly has to be skin-on (were yours?) into a hot pan, a little olive oil, seared and then under the salamander...two minutes max!
I serve on a bed of creamed leaks - little rounds of leak, about half inch thick, in a saucepan on olive oil, salt, gentle heat, take about twenty minutes, then a tablespoon of crème fraîche...sometimes a splash of water to 'loosen' it up, cracked black pepper, done.
Served with a few baby potatoes.......and a glass of Rosé (still have a few bottles of Miraval left).
Naxos 8.570444 on from the music room, but winter dining is on our little octagonal in front of the woodburner (tut tut!).
Our salmon on Friday (guest here), taken from a half side, was simply flaked (chunked?) and mixed into tagliatelle with peas and cream (with a dash of lemon juice/rind). We wanted a quick 'kitchen supper', not to take time out preparing/cooking, which would interrupt the conversation (which went on till after 1 in the morning: the longest we've stayed up for ages!).
Not sure what to do with the remaining piece tonight but these are a couple of good ideas.
PS: We were discussing music, not listening, apart from to Howells' King David, which our guest didn't know (but might be accompanying at an event we're planning: hence the meal).
... seared fried salmon fillet with red cabbage steamed with apple, raisins and cloves. And I added some thinly sliced potato on top which doesn't take long to steam. Horseradish sauce on the side and finished up some crème fraîche which was exactly a week past its Use By date. Louis Jadot Macon-Villages 2023..
... are you sure the raisins were a good idea? I have grave doubts about cloves at the best of the time - and I'm decidedly queasy at the marriage of cloves and salmon
into a hot pan, a little olive oil, seared and then under the salamander...two minutes max!
I have a special pan for sear frying which I just grease with rapeseed oil. Get the pan very hot and drop the salmon, skin side down, straight on to the pan and leave for 2 mins (no pushing it around). I was unfamiliar with a salamander (we live and learn) so I just pick the fish up with tongs and adroitly turn it over. Leave until the cooked bits are visibly (almost) meeting.
I serve on a bed of creamed leaks - little rounds of leak, about half inch thick, in a saucepan on olive oil, salt, gentle heat, take about twenty minutes, then a tablespoon of crème fraîche...sometimes a splash of water to 'loosen' it up, cracked black pepper, done.
I love creamed leeks (I cut the rounds even thinner, maybe two millimetres). I debated between red cabbage and leeks but my first thought had been the cabbage and I'd bought one specially.
Served with a few baby potatoes.......and a glass of Rosé (still have a few bottles of Miraval left).
I saved on a pan by steaming the potato slices on top of the cabbage.......I usually only have two bottles available - a red and a white, so it will be whichever I fancy. I did remember reading the name of Guigal here recently, so bought of bottle of the red version (£13, but £3 off with Tesco Clubcard) the other day. That said, I doubt I would be able to taste the difference between that and Coop's Cellier des Dauphins Côtes du Rhône (2022) at about £6. But it's psychologically pleasing, like a wine that reminds me of where I've travelled.
Naxos 8.570444 on from the music room, but winter dining is on our little octagonal in front of the woodburner (tut tut!).
Me again, I suppose . I find music distracting if I'm concentrating on something else. My naughty woodburner was replaced by an Everhot space heater/oven. I roasted some chestnuts in it, but in spite of piercing them carefully one exploded and messed up the inside. Haven't used it to cook since.
Too much information, ff
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
The salamander is just a chef's name for a grill....like Orwell I spent some time as a plongeur as a teenager.
Guigal is one of the top makers in Northern Rhône, I mentioned him in relation to Croche en Bouche in Malvern as Mr Jones winelist was probably the richest in the country for wines from there, and Guigal figured prominently in his list.
Love the dinky stove....what does it run on?
I can't stand 'music' in restaurants, but if I'm choosing....ok!
A prominent restaurateur once asked why I objected to music in his restaurant, I replied that when I go to a concert I'd rather someone didn't try to force food down my throat!
Guigal is one of the top makers in Northern Rhône, I mentioned him in relation to Croche en Bouche in Malvern as Mr Jones winelist was probably the richest in the country for wines from there, and Guigal figured prominently in his list.
And worthy of a stop if, as I did, motor down the Rhône last November (in a ferocious but southerly mistral). Nice gaff: https://www.guigal.com/fr/
It was also an opportunity to stop in Tain l'Hérmitage and stock up with wines from the M.Chapoutier global empire. They may have spread their wings widely but no loss of quality in their wines.
Conveniently buy, stream or download at Naxos anytime. Add 8.570444 from Naxos to your classical music collection today.
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This is a lovely CD, and perhaps my favourite with the Groupe Instrumental line-up of flute, harp and str trio. I mentioned elsewhere that I've been trying to listen to as many of the composers of this combo. as possible.....perhaps one that would appeal to you specifically is Suite Médéivale by Daniel-Lesur
I have my reservations about Guigal - lots of the wines are very good and his C de R is made in industrial quantities but remains of a high standard. The way he makes St Joseph from the old marvellous Grippat vineyards however is very much not to my taste - all the subtlety gone .
I have been making no knead foccaccia
Really easy and delicious
Place 500g of strong bread lour 1 pack of 7g dried yeast, 1 tbsp clear honey , 10 g sea salt in a bowl that looks far too big . Add 400mil of lukewarm water until you get a wt sticky dough - add up to 40ml more making a maximum of 440 ml if any bits are still sticking to the side
Cover at room temperature for between 4-8 hours . It will be very bubbly and have risen a lot .
Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a lined baking tray . Pour out the wet bubbly dough . Make holes in it with your forefinger but they will try and fill in so you add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it drip into some of the holes .
Leave another 2 hours and it wll spread to fill the baking tray . You can sprinkle with some flaky salt and rosemary at this point .
Heat the oven to 220 C fan and bake for 20-30 mins until the author Bee Wilson describes as to the colour of autumn leaves .
Cool on a wire rack .
I was amazed how well it turned out . Delicious in particular with some very good olives and roasted aubergines.
I have my reservations about Guigal - lots of the wines are very good and his C de R is made in industrial quantities but remains of a high standard. The way he makes St Joseph from the old marvellous Grippat vineyards however is very much not to my taste - all the subtlety gone .
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Actually Mr Jones' Croche en Bouche winelist, which I just found shows that he probably agrees with you à propos St Joseph as he doesn't list Guigal's, but eight others! Now, bearing in mind this is a restaurant winelist, he keeps fifty two Côte Rôtie! Including, seven Brune et Blonde, six each of top vineyards, La Landonne and La Mouline, all Guigal! On which other list in Britain would you see such a fine selection from Côte Rôtie?
It doesn't stop there, he is possibly a bigger fan of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where he lists fifty four and his main man (men) are the Perrin bros. Their Beaucastel accounts for nineteen of those!
Hermitage gets a good look-in at twenty one, incl. Chave of course. Cornas, four by Clape alone.........the list is almost endless!
I miss this fine restaurant not being there, and always look on our way into Malvern (just past the Elgar graves!)....just in case.....
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