Erm's Photo Diary

[evilpenguin]

HFW is the guy on river cottage yeah? His food never wins the challenge things. The real chef guy always gets more votes on the stuff he cooks. Like when he made ketchup, snails, the cheese sauce one, and there's probably loads more. Anyway - no wonder his cook book is pants !

 

[dirtydancing]

what is the name of the HFW book so that i can avoid it? is it the veg one?

 

[ermintrude]

Yeah, it's this one, River Cottage Veg Everyday:

 

[ermintrude]

Saturday 17th Mar Red

Breakfast: Coffee <1 HEXA
Lunch: None
Tea:
Starter: Brussels sprouts in blue cheese 1 HEXA
Main: Fillet steak with peppercorn sauce and celeriac fries 0.5 HEXB for olive oil, 1.5 syns red wine
Snacks: Snap peas, baby corn, carrots, wine about 50 syns?

Tbh this was all a bit of a randomness. I was doing steak in peppercorn sauce with fries & green beans so it was gonna be EE, but Tesco came and my fridge was bursting, these sprouts were going yellow and wouldn't fit in the bladdy fridge anyway :sigh: I wasn't sure about steak 'n' sprouts but then the OH suggested putting some cheese on them like at New Year (given that I have a fridgeFULLofthebladdystuff ) but I was already doing peppercorn sauce... Then I figured we could have them as a starter and just steak & chips for main. So I made it a Red day so I could HEX the cheese. So it turned into a bit of a dinner fest (Still abitofatweak goin' on with the blue cheese/HEXA wotsitry tho'... )

Im not even entirely sure what cheese this was, I think it was Picos blue but it mighta been gorgonzola

Then steak. Ommmmmmm... :drool:

 

[ermintrude]

Sunday 18th Mar Red

Breakfast: Coffee & toast 1 HEXA 1 HEXB
Lunch: Coffee and a piece of cake. Then half a Rum Baba I think about 25 syns for both?
Tea: Feta stuffed chicken in prosciutto with veggies 1 HEXA & 1.5 syns
Snacks: Muller light

 

[evilpenguin]

The steak looks divine! :drool:

 

[TtMummy]

Ha, I wish, getting PAID for eating?! :8855:

No, it was just a present so it would be rude not to try some of the recipes in it (a present from the b/f so he would very clearly KNOW if I WASNT trying them ) So Ive picked some of the ones that sound most interesting/doable and edited some of them a bit where they really sound too bland for words, (having experience of Whuppingasses concept of 'flavour' ).

Maybe next time he could give you an Ottolenghi. Much much nicer. X

 

[ermintrude]

Maybe next time he could give you an Ottolenghi. Much much nicer. X

Oooooh Ive heard about those! I cant remember the reason I didnt pick one now. Have you got one, are they as good as they say then? Which one would you choose if you had to pick one?

 

[charleybabes]

your celeriac fries look gorgeous.. ive never tried these before ..do they taste of celery!?
that steak looks amazing!!

 

[ermintrude]

your celeriac fries look gorgeous.. ive never tried these before ..do they taste of celery!?
that steak looks amazing!!

They dont taste of celery but they so *stink* of it while you're cutting them up :yuk: Once they're cooked they're great though, quite waxy and yum. I usually put some piri piri spice mix or something on them to liven them up but these ones I didnt as I had the peppercorn sauce Theyre not the same as potato chips, but theyre the closest Ive found and they are a great way of getting your superfree in

 

[ermintrude]

Monday 19th Mar Green

Breakfast: Coffee & fruit 1 HEXA
Lunch: Bit of bean soup leftovers, with stir fried mushrooms 0.5 syns for mustard
Tea: Pearl barley broth <1 HEXB for oil
Snacks: Snap peas, baby corn, tomatoes, Quorn slices, Muller with cherry underlay 1.5 syns

 

[imso]

Do you have to par boil the celeriac chips and how long did they need in the oven please?

Sent from my iPad using MiniMins

 

[dirtydancing]

do you have the recipe for the peppercorn sauce you put on your steak looks divine.

 

[ermintrude]

Do you have to par boil the celeriac chips and how long did they need in the oven please?

Sent from my iPad using MiniMins

I give them 4-5 min parboiling then stick them in the oven til they look 'done' About half an hour, forty minutes? Depends how thin you cut them. When they look 'done', theyre done

 

[ermintrude]

do you have the recipe for the peppercorn sauce you put on your steak looks divine.

Peppercorn sauce

Ingredients:
- 3 shallots , finely chopped
- 6 mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tsp green and pink peppercorns, crushed
- 100ml red wine
- 200ml good-quality beef stock
- 3 tbsp Total 2%

Method:
- Fry the shallots, mushrooms and peppercorns in fry Light for 5 min, until softening and browning
- Add the wine and boil rapidly until reduced by half (about 5 min)
- Add the stock and cook until reduced by two-thirds
- Leave to cool slightly and stir in the yoghurt
- Season to taste and serve

edited from here - it was supposed to have brandy in but I didn't have any and I also wanted to make the sauce in advance and heat it up, so I didnt cook the steak in the same juices like in the recipe.

 

[dirtydancing]

thanks v much. will deffo be making it.

 

[cnicolaf]

that look errrr-mazzzee-innnggg!!! x

 

[TtMummy]

Oooooh Ive heard about those! I cant remember the reason I didnt pick one now. Have you got one, are they as good as they say then? Which one would you choose if you had to pick one?

Ah now that's a question... I have the first book:

and have looked at the second one and given it to lots of people and will get it one day!!!

The first is great and you'll find alot of the stuff that they do in their Ottolenghi restaurants (he's opened another one now called something else) detailed in that first book. Flavour is not a problem.

Am I right in thinking you are in north London? Well, anyway there is the biggest (more seating) Ottolenghi on Islington High Street, prob about half way betweeen High St Islington tube and Angel...not sure which it's closer to. Anyway go and have a look and if you have some pennies spare sample a salad or two! I reckon it's right up your street - I love it. Obviously the recipes need tweaking to make them SW friendly but they are seriously tasty with lots of lovely fresh ingredients and spices so it isn't too difficult

My mouth is watering...
x

 

[TtMummy]

I must just add that some of the recipes are a bit faffy (depends on your time) and I have found it expensive to get the odd ingredient but I think it's 'cos there are no decent markets here selling 'ethnic/world' ingredients. But go look in the window in Is High St! Where's the *nose pressed against the window* emoticon?

 

[ermintrude]

I must just add that some of the recipes are a bit faffy (depends on your time) and I have found it expensive to get the odd ingredient but I think it's 'cos there are no decent markets here selling 'ethnic/world' ingredients. But go look in the window in Is High St! Where's the *nose pressed against the window* emoticon?

Ah yeah I read that a lot of the ingredients are pretty hard to find. I dont mind the time it takes though, I like to save this kind of recipe for a weekend, so Ill spend all Saturday afternoon cooking then take some piccies and have something scrumptious and/or unusual for dinner I like to have the whole day for the cooking, pictures, dinner and wine, its all part of the enjoyment for me

Ah maybe Ill get that first one then. Still got this Denis Cotter one to delve through a bit yet though, another Denis soup for tea!