WHAT DID WE HAVE FOR TEA?

[rossylass]

My left over lettuce had gone limp. Walked half way to Tesco & realised I didn't have my purse, so resorted to the storecupboard. Had quinoa with cherry tomatoes, parsley & chopped red onion with a drop of lemon juice & olive oil & some stewed plums which had been in the fridge for a week & had gone a bit hard on top, but were ok after being microwaved & stirred.

[Moh]

Plaice, new potatoes, small broccoli & parsley sauce tonight.

[PanBiker]

Sausage and Mash tonight, veggie for Sally and best pork from butcher Steve for me.

[hartley353]

Fish chips and mushy peas, staff in chippy appeared concerned about my health seems it had been two weeks since i came in.

[Stanley]

Maz, have a look at the recent article in Stanley's View, 'Winter Warmers'.



The sea pie after 6 hours slow cooking on the stove. It's a success, it has cooked differently than a normal stew with no loss of liquid under the suet pastry lid. I made the lid with proper suet and whilst it is good, it is far too rich and fatty for a bloke who is slimming so I've ditched it. Because it is under the lid it hasn't been stirred yet and I shall have my first proper taste today.

[Marilyn]

Can't honestly say it fills me with enthusiasm just yet, Stanley.
It wasn't what I had in my minds eye.

Does it smell good? That may sway it for me. ( good grub generally smells good)

[Stanley]

I've stirred it and it's absolutely splendid! Because it wasn't stirred it was still in its layers but now is a different beast altogether. Remarkably it was quite dry, I have had to add water. By the time it has been re-heated this morning it will be good stuff and somehow different than an ordinary stew. I think you could get the same effect if you put some sort of lid inside the pan like a plate or a layer of greaseproof paper. Or simply a flour and water stiff paste about 1/2" thick and regarded that as a throw away.(Birds, dogs?) I'll definitely be doing it again.
By the way, it is called 'Sea Pie' because it was a favourite on fishing trawlers because it could be put on the stove and left to itself while they were busy fishing.

[Marilyn]

Tip...try a thick layer of damp cabbage leaves on top. Will keep moisture in. ( and you can eat them afterward)
I used to make a hot pot with Lamb Chops etc that I layered with all sorts and topped with the cabbage layer ( not made for years since I all but gave up red meat). But it was really something special...cooked on a low heat for several hours.
Like you, I had a slow combustion stove and I used to put the big pot on there about lunchtime and it was amazing by dinner time.
Great memories. Fantastic smell.

[Stanley]

That would work Maz, I'll try it. You're right, it cooks differently and the smell is great! Froze five helpings last night and will be eating the rest from today on. Good grub!

[Moh]

Raided the bank and we are having roast lamb shoulder, roast & mash potatoes, creamed spinach & carrots for tea.

[Stanley]

Traditional cooking is alive and well in your house! Had Sea Pie for dinner and made some tomato relish for a cheese butty at teatime.

[Marilyn]

Last night was Salad with Crumbed Chicken Breast.
Tonight is ( wait for it) Salad...with Red Salmon flaked through.
39C here today after a very warm night ( the minimum did not drop below 30C all night).consequently feeling somewhat jaded and not in a mood to eat anything much at all.
The water coming out of the cold tap in the kitchen is so hot I had to take my hand away. Have consumed all of the cold water I had in the fridge and am now on Lemonade.
Come on Weather Gods...give us a break!

[Moh]

Cold lamb tonight with mash & mashed carrot & parsnip.

[Stanley]

Maz, you need to come over here for a few weeks! Moh, mashed carrots and Parsnips are much underrated! (Even better if they are roasted instead of boiled!)
Had two helpings of Sea Pie yesterday and on a whim I extended it with a bag of broth bits from Chowdrey's. Lovely stuff and the veg was al dente. One helping left and I'll take a view on what to have on a butty for tea.

[melteaser]

We bought veal escalopes yesterday as they were on offer down the butchers. Other than coating them in breadcrumbs, how would you cook them? Never bought or cooked veal before.

[hartley353]

We bought veal escalopes yesterday as they were on offer down the butchers. Other than coating them in breadcrumbs, how would you cook them? Never bought or cooked veal before.

Mrs beeton says this can be a dry meat,and recommends beating out flat with a rolling pin,then filling with a stuffing of your choice.the whole to be rolled up and tied,then fried in a stew pan full of dripping. when nicely browned, pour off the fat .then fill the pan with sliced vegetables,top up with water and stew for 1.5 hrs.
Yep Melteaser get them egged roll in breadcrumbs ,cook and enjoy

[Moh]

I would egg & breadcrumb them and then fry in oil, an alternative is to lightly fry to seal them then put in a creamy pasta sauce and cook in the oven.
I do roast them often Stanley but the mash was a change.
Gammon, egg & chips tonight (the other half of the gammon slice we got last week.)

[melteaser]

Thanks both. Pan full of dripping sounds awful, how our cooking methods have changed....thankfully!

I might go with the pasta sauce. I'll put it to our travel companions to decide.

[Stanley]

Mel, nowt wring with frying in dripping! I had one large helping of Sea Pie left but found some suet pastry in the fridge left over from when I made the pie so I rolled it into dumplings, cooked them in the laftt over pie for half an hour and had two helpings! One for dinner and one for tea. Economy is the household mint! Today will be butties.....

[Sue]

You are up early Stanley, I am in the kitchen drinking tea again. I have been awake since 3.00a.m, tried the audiobook and some music but think I am now awake for the day!

[Moh]

Strange how you get into the habit of waking early, I have been awake since 6am most mornings, but lie there until the heating kicks in.
Wild boar burgers from Roaming Roosters at Fence (they have lovely meat and are open 7 days a week now - nice bistro too) - guaranteed no horse meat!! The butchers are finding themselves busier since the horsemeat debarcle so that is a good thing, maybe people will realise they can eat good food cheaper.

[Stanley]

From your mouth to God's ear Moh.....
Decided on pork chop butty for dinner so I popped a chop in a pan on a bed opf onion fried in olive oil and added a bit of water. After I made dinner butty there was some gravy and onions left so I popped a frozen stew on it, added some peas and oatmeal and extended that into a two halping pan. One helping left for today and I have a loaf bakikng and a nice piece of brisket roasting slowly wrapped in foil. By teatime that will give me the filling for a nice butty and the rest can be cut cold.

[Bruff]

Have had mother staying this week, and she made us a fish pie last night. Haddock, smoked haddock, salmon and some prawns in a creamy sauce topped with mash. Delicious!

Richard Broughton

[Bruff]

Now. What to do with veal escalopes, mentioned above? Couple of suggestions.

First, stuff them with cheese or tiny cubed vegetables, sutanas and perhaps nuts and saute off and serve with a tomato sauce You now have involtini, and this is just as good with aubergine strips or a chicken/pork escalope.

Or make saltimbocca ('jumps in the mouth'). Pop a piece of salami on the escalope, a sage leaf and a slice of lemon and secure with a cocktail stick. Pan-fry in butter and a little oil. Add a drop of wine to make a sauce, or add more butter.

Richard Broughton

[Moh]

The wild boar burgers were lovely. Chicken breast wrapped in pancetta and roasted with small broccoli and roast potatoes tonight. Just had an egg & cress sandwich for lunch, it is ages since I had one of those - made a nice change.