I can only describe what happened in my kitchen this week-end as competitive cooking. Uncompelled to venture outside, I thought I'd brush up and practice on fresh pasta making in view of a course coming soon. As I was making ravioli, tortellini, lasagne sheets and cannelloni, I could see hubby Julian twitching and pretending he wasn't looking. But I know him too well; it was like a red rag to a bull. Every inch of the kitchen was either dusted with flour or occupied by resting pasta sheets, but he was not deterred; over two days he embarked in a cooking marathon resulting in an artichoke stew, a sausage and onion bake, pizza dough, a pot roasted veal (previously smuggled from Paris) with shallots, a chicken " á la crème" from burgundy, "vitello tonnato " (cold veal in a tuna and caper sauce) and a broad bean salad. Tempers were a bit frayed has we fought over every free inch of work surface, so the Marigolds came on and I did more washing up than I care to remember. I can't complain, there is enough food in the house for the next ten days, which is just as well, as I am planning to spend the rest of the week in a hotel with a very good room service. Any suggestions?
If any of the above dishes take your fancy, get in touch and we will happily email you the recipes.
To contact us, Read More The excitement last week was our Hazel going live on TV3 '
Ireland Am' on Tuesday where she did with Zen a quick salmon dish to launch the "
Beyond baked beans" 1 week long course. Starts Monday 24 August. Well done, and congratulations on those steady nerves.
Meanwhile our Edwina's toes are being caressed by the gentle lap of the turquoise Turkish Mediterranean sea for a well deserved holiday and I would not be surprised if some dishes of that delicious cuisine feature on to a class menu soon. No pressure Ed...
I had a holiday too in July, we took the old Mum (mine) with the family in the Loire Valley near where she was born. We were lucky to find a gîte -a simple accommodation- just by the river. Besides the grander chateaux like Chambord and Chenonceaux there is a myriad of smaller and enchanting ones that scream to be discovered. A very pleasant way to do this is on a bike, they are easy to rent, there are miles of dedicated lanes and circuits taking you through fields, forests, vineyards and sleepy villages. All very flat and most of the time not a car in sight .The beautiful scenery can also be enjoyed by gently paddling down the river in a canoe. There is so much to do and see that we are going back next year but I will take some padded knickers...
Needless to say this month recipe is from the Touraine, Anjou region where "charcuterie" a collective word for cured meats, pâtés, sausages, is a speciality. This dish "Rillettes de Porc" is to be enjoyed as a starter, or simply to accompany a glass of wine for ad hoc entertaining. You will probably have to order the back fat from your butcher and ask him to prepare the belly of pork. Although it takes a long time cooking, this recipe is straightforward and very tasty.
