What's everyone eating this week?

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I surprised myself.
I've been known to make toad in the hole pancakes

My rather glamorous aunt used to drink rum and black.
It seemed so sophisticated to me as a young pup. Plus it made her smell fruity.

[Renee Profile]

Made me laugh Gill!!! The "black" was blackcurrant I seem to remember, but I never tried it.

Pancake Toad in the Hole sounds interesting. I suppose you could wrap pancakes around cooked sausages and have an onion gravy dip! YUM!

[Alexandria Profile]

Off to the Madrid Capital for our national holidays 1st thing Thursday morning the 6th.

Christmas shopping at the Thyssen Museum of Art and Da Giuseppina Italian Restaurant & Gourmet Deli ..


Wednesday Lunch, we shared a wonderful array of classic tapas including Patatas Bravas, Grilled Sepia (squid) with ali oli and a few tiny treats, olives and prawns with dried red horn shaped chili peppers & garlic in Evoo sautéed in a cazuela, clay earthenware ( gambas al ajillo ) and some wonderful wine to accompany all ..


Have a lovely week and weekend ahead.

[Alexandria Profile]

Lunch: Thursday 6th December .. In The Madrid Capital ..

We shared a wonderful Antipasti and Focaccia ..

And then we had risotto di mare ( with shellfish ).

Espresso and a Grappa ..

Have a wonderful weekend ahead.

[Joanbunting Profile]

We had a cheese souffle with a big green salad last night and 2 rather naughty cakes M bought at the favourite patisserie.

Went up to Goult for lunch. They close for two months nexr weeek as usual.
We had a Brandade with crisp croutons and a salad
Local chicken supremes with a sesame and hazlenut coating in a truffle jus with a spiced pear and a parsnip puree.
For dessert we had a good old poires belle Helene but done in a very trendy way and presented beautifully. Coffee and sweeties afterwards and a box of goodies to take home.
We drank a fabulour white Vacqueras with it. Letitia the co-owner knows we appreciate wine and she really wanted us to try a new discovery. I got our

[Renee Profile]

What a delicious lunch Joan!

Nothing exciting here. I roasted a turkey leg and chicken wings, with sliced shallots, cut up celery and sprigs of thyme underneath and now the skin and bones are simmering away in the oven to make stock for the Christmas turkey, which I will freeze down and then take with me to Colin's. Now I will have to do something with the meat for tonight's meal.

[Alexandria Profile]

Joan,

Sounds irresistible Joan.

As always ..

Brandade !! A gem of a dish ..

Have a lovely holiday season.

[Alexandria Profile]

After a mini seasonal holiday in Madrid, we have once again been to Da Giuseppina ( a fave of our´s ) and finally finished with our Christmas Shopping, we arrived back home at 20.45 last night.

Today:

To be honest, light light ..

A " Caldo de Jerez " (which is a ham stock broth with Jerez de Frontera Sherry " is plan.)

Chilly chilly today !!

The main, uncertain at momento .. Shall know ..

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Yesterday was marmalade & chutney day. Jalapeños en Escabeche, Pineapple chutney, pineapple jam, and a sweet made from raw green papaya mixed with raw cane sugar, known as " Dulce de Lechosa".
So when my wife said" What´s for lunch?" I had to think fast - and made a pizza, with home-made tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella.
Makes a change from Domino´s, anyway!

[Joanbunting Profile]

I expect it was much nicer too. Incidentally Clive, that rum is gorgeousI had it with ice and a wedge of lime.

There is a pot-au-feu simmering, or as the French transaltion goes, shivering/trembling on the stove right now. Part one will be ready for supper with fresh vegetables and potatoes, part 2 the boullion wil be lunch tomorrow. Part 3 will be a parmentier using the rest of the bouillon as well as the beef shin and part 4 will be a salad parisienne using the cold flank , sliced cooked potatoes and a sauce gribiche on Wednesday. I'll pinch the marrow from the bone and have it on toasted baguette. For some reason M doesn't like that bit.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Glad you liked the rum, Joan!
Salud!

[Alexandria Profile]

Monday Lunch ..

Hay & Straw ( White and Green Tagliatelli ) with a home made Pesto Genovese and afterwards a simple Rocket & Radicchio Salad with Italian Evoo & Aged Modena Balsamic Vinegar.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I´d been in the garden all morning, digging up the ginger and turmeric, and planting tomatoes and tomatillos.
It was almost 2pm by the time I got into the kitchen; so it was carrots, yams, courgettes and Indian spices, for an instant "curry" , augmented with a portion of leftover lentil dal and white rice.
Hit the spot!

[Alexandria Profile]

Tuesday Staff Lunch.

Sashimi, Nigriri & Shellfish Tempura .. and the starter was a shellfish based broth with red prawns ..


Wednesday Lunch.

Since lunch is 14.30 and it is only 12.30pm, we are planning on going for Lebanese at the Diagonal Shopping Centre.

We always enjoy the "mezze" ( Baba ghanuj & Hummus ) ..

Have a nice day.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Today was " what´s that odd smell in the fridge?" day.
So I cleaned the fridge and, yes, there was a bag of severely "UN" fresh veg at the bottom.
But the fridge still smelled bad. Must be the Brie de Meaux
So whilst cleaning the fridge, I used up some lovely courgettes, and made a quiche:
Bacon and onions, cooked nice and slowly in butter.
A layer of thinly sliced courgettes.
Grated cheese.
Rough cut puff pastry.

Delicious, with some sautéed French beans and potatoes.

[Alexandria Profile]

With wintery temperatures ranging from 5 degrees Centig. to 13 degrees Centig. it is definitely going to be a hot pot for lunch.

Spanish regional Hot pots as they are called colloquially in English are bean dishes prepared with local vegetables & meat or chicken or shellfish & / or squid ..

Our staff and I shall go to our local corner traditional bar which I booked, with a few tables and have a traditional hot pot of the day with some wonderful rustic warm bread and a nice red wine to warm us all up.

It is wet and overcast so needless to say, unpleasant ..

[Joanbunting Profile]

I had a bit of a kitchen planning malfunction yesterday, I didn't pick up a couple of items I needed to make what I intended due to an unexpected encounter with a french friend who wanted to discuss Brexit!

Last night there fore was the moules, intended for tonight and I've poached some pears in sweet winefrites of course and we had a cheese platter with grapes afterwards.

We were meaning to go out for lunch today but both the restaurants we would have gone to are closed. Added to that the weather was utterly foul and we were expecting a parcel delivery so gave up and stayed in and I got a pack of British bacon out of the freezer and we had bacon and eggs with mushrooms for lunch.

The rest of the mussels will be made into a chowder for tonight and I've poached some pears in sweet wine for us to have afterwards.

[Alexandria Profile]

Saturday 12pm ..

Just preparing a quick Risotto with Red Prawns (risotto con gamberi ) for the two of us while we are wrapping the final stocking stuffers for our grandsons.

Then tonight we are going to see have dinner with Friends at Indo Chine, a Vietnamese Restaurant that we frequent ..

Bought a beautiful "capon" & wild mushrooms ( Boletus & Ceps ) from Le Mercat de La Boqueria for Sunday.

Have a lovely weekend.

[Alexandria Profile]

Wednesday.

A fave laboral week day lunch ..

Japanese with Staff .. Nigriri & Sashimi on the sea ..

Lovely day .. Chilly but sunny sunny ..

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I got a panic call from the restaurant ( where I give courses) yesterday. The chef walked out; the sous - chef had resigned a week ago; they´ve got a big lunch on Thursday. Could I help out?
Went there this morning and reviewed the menu and cut out all the stuff that was unavailable. Went through the walk-in and checked what veg/fruit/meat/fish was available. Modified some of the dishes so that 3 very new line cooks could manage the menú with a little help from your truly. Worked out who knew how to cook what, so I don´t get embarrassed in service tomorrow. Did a bit of good old basic motivation therapy, and felt like I was the coach of Maidstone Utd when they were drawn against Manchester City
I´m now sitting down to "lunch", which is pan de jamón ( Ham Bread) and a salad of shredded cabbage, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins and dried cherries, washed down with a cold beer.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow!