What's everyone cooking this week?

[OneMoreCheekyOne Profile]

That does sound like a feast KK!

Oooh, filled Yorkshire puds Jeral! I might have to do those for the girls one day this week.

We usually need a quick dinner on a Monday eve after swimming lessons (although not for the next month I suppose). Also the fridge was looking very bare before a click and collect tonight. So dinner was a special fried rice dish using up tender stem broccoli, red pepper, shiitake mushroom and bok choi. Plus a couple of chicken breasts. I’m sure you all know to do this but it’s something we’ve only started doing recently...and it’s velveting meat (especially if it’s lean) before a stir fry. It’s an absolute game changer. The meat is so lovely and soft. I marinaded the chicken for an hour in a heaped tea spoon of corn flour, an egg white, a pinch of bicarb and a tea spoon of Japanese rice wine. Then add straight to the pan to either stir fry or shallow fry.

[jeral Profile]

When I've bought bok choi it's been huge (and good value) so I followed a separate recipe for it, which semi-steams the tough part with the leaves added much later. For baby pak choi I just halve or separate and chuck in with a stir fry.

Velveting does make chicken super smooth and soft, though it seems slightly odd to me for meat to slide down rather than need chewing. It's donkey's years since I ate meat though.

[herbidacious Profile]

JO gets a lot of stick but I find his recipes always very good

I agree. I found him so annoying, when he was younger, at least, that I avoided all his books... then, having used a few online recipes, gradually tarted picking them up, mainly second hand. I still hate his writing style but I can see beyond that.

Still working on my Nigella issues though...

[karadekoolaid Profile]

karadekoolaid, a feast indeed. For the shami kababs, is this Rick Stein recipe anything like please:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sham ... babs_34462
Two things, if made as veggie, could mushrooms replace the lamb, or something else? and, Rick's diameter size is 4cm which would be unmanageably small. Any reason they can't be made wider?
Ta.

My recipe is different, Jeral, although the ingredients are more or less the same. I don´t use egg, either. The meat, onions, spices, ginger and dal are barely covered with water, brought to a boil and then simmered until all the water disappears. Once the mixture cools, I grind it in a processor until I´ve got a paste. Form little round kebabs and fry gently in a little ghee - they keep their shape, I imagine, because of the dal.
I´ve never made them with mushrooms, but I don´t see any problem, because I think the trick is to make sure ALL the water has evaporated. Give it a go!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I bought a small cauliflower. It looked lovely and was surprisingly heavy for its size

No wonder it was heavy - when I removed the leaves there was a thin disc of florets and a lot of very solid stem

So I’ve just had a soup made mainly of stem and leaves - delicious, tbh the stems possibly the best bit for soup. I added a large banana shallot, a stick of celery, and a clove of garlic soften in a little olive oil; a diced baking potato and finished with salt, pepper and nutmeg

[jeral Profile]

Stokey Sue, my mum convinced me years ago that much of the goodness must logically be in the stem of suchlike in order for it to go up to feed the florets (like a tree does its branches and leaves). The stems do become UFOs once frozen, though that in itself suggests it's soup fodder

karadekoolaid, many thanks for the shami kabab info. I will definitely have a go, particularly as I reckon they'd make excellent burgers in buns for moi with side of salsa.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

We love cauliflower stem, and leaves, and broccoli stem - I've never ever understood why people throw them away. With cauli leaves they can be a bit manky, in which case we don't use them, but there are always nice ones underneath.

[herbidacious Profile]

I have a ribolita bubbling away on the stove. It contains, amongst other things, home grown Chantenay carrots, home grown roast tomatoes and will contain home grown cavola nero and perpetual spinach. I was going to put homegrown borlotti beans in too but decided to save them. I don't have that many. I think I shall grow more borlotti beans and fewer runner beans next year.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I don’t usually contribute to this thread these days as OH’s appetite is both non existent and fussy but as we are in a new lockdown I am tackling the freezer. He can have toast if he doesn’t fancy slow cooked ox cheek casserole, suet dumplings, mash and sprouts. It smells sensational and I’m thrilled that I haven’t forgotten how to cook.

RTC Gu chocolate mousses for pud.

[herbidacious Profile]

Sounds amazing pp.

[jeral Profile]

It was -1.2C overnight and is cold today so that casserole sounds very welcome Maybe you could puree some as soup for OH?

I'm going to roast some butternut squash cubes, red onion, mushroom, herbs etc then into a spicy tom sauce (probably tinned tom & paste boost, mustard, cumin, balsamic, hint chilli, S&P, sugar if needed, reduced down). Plus baked spud(s).

Spuds are two huge Cyprus ones (my fave) and I fancy doing loaded skins with the other three halves. Loaded with what? Dunno, but lightbulb moment is imminent if I can get some lemongrass at the weekend.

[Suffs Profile]

We had butternut squash too Jeral ... roasted and added to a garlicky sagey risotto with a bit of warmth from a small homegrown Blue Christmas chili ... very yummy indeed. OH said “it’s nicer than cake”

Edited for typos

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I don’t usually contribute to this thread these days as OH’s appetite is both non existent and fussy but as we are in a new lockdown I am tackling the freezer. He can have toast if he doesn’t fancy slow cooked ox cheek casserole, suet dumplings, mash and sprouts. It smells sensational and I’m thrilled that I haven’t forgotten how to cook.

RTC Gu chocolate mousses for pud.

[jeral Profile]

...[clip]... OH said “it’s nicer than cake”

That's four words I would print out and frame - there can't be an accolade higher from someone who likes cake

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Sounds like everyone is getting into cold weather lockdown cooking

On Tuesday I made Fish Fragrant aubergines and a simple pork and peppers stirfry, and had some of each with rice

Yesterday I had rejigged leftovers - fried rice and the rest of the aubergine, which was even better on day 2

Tonight a burger in a bun with home made coleslaw

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I´ve been watching the Indian Premier League (T20 cricket) on my laptop for the past 6 weeks or so, and today was the first "semi" final. Since the games end around 1.30 - 2pm, it means I get to eat a late lunch, and today I also had a language class at 2pm.Blimey, what to make...
I had some frozen puff pastry in the freezer, and some smoky barbecued veg as well. Made a sort of strudel filled with grated cheese, the BBQ veg and a few sundried tomatoes, with mashed potato. Hit the spot!

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

We love cauliflower stem, and leaves, and broccoli stem - I've never ever understood why people throw them away. With cauli leaves they can be a bit manky, in which case we don't use them, but there are always nice ones underneath.

I have to hold my hand up to being one who normally throws away the cauliflower leaves. The Cauli I bought the other week was probably 50/50 leaves and curd I did think twice, but was concentrating on making a cauliflower cheese for Sunday lunch. For the same lunch though I did take off and slice up the big stem from a broccoli head .. the head was starting to go mouldy - it had been passed on to me. I thinly sliced the stem and that got cooked along with green beans

Note to self : Must try better

[Suffs Profile]

We always cook the smaller cauli leaves with the curd ... cutting out the thicker part of the midrib if it's too thick ... and then we both try to help ourselves to the lion's share of the leaves along with the curd and cheese or white sauce ... delicious

[WWordsworth Profile]

I'm going to try this tonight, due to RTC kipper fillets.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spi ... ached-eggs

[jeral Profile]

Re broccoli stems, could I mention for anyone who's yet to try them, I find it better to peel the tough outer skin before freezing. Not sure about cauli as I rarely buy it.