What are you eating today?

[PatsyMFagan]

A few days ago I took a UFO out of the freezer. I thought it was about time as I had forgotten what it was. I knew it would be a stew/casserole of some kind as that's usually what I cook most of and then need to freeze the spare.

When this defrosted, it looked like a pale chocolate mousse, but it was definitely wasn't, so it needed to be heated and tasted ... it was the most tender lumps of meat in a thick gravy. I then remembered it was a couple of ox cheeks I had bought several months ago from WRose at a 50% RTC price. As an experiment I added a good spoon of my recent purchase from ALDI of Black Garlic Ketchup and that made it even tastier.

I had in the fridge a bag of Cavolo Nero that also needed to be used up, as well as a small head of broccoli.

I needed inspiration with the Cavolo Nero, bought several times and then thrown away. So I did a search on here and the only name that cropped up was Suffs, who seems to eat this veg quite alot . A quick message gave me the inspiration I needed and the result was some delicious veg to go with the meat. Thanks Suffs

[herbidacious]

Dinner was leeks cooked in butter and olive oil then baked with posh Cheshire, creme fraiche, faux bacon (needed eating up. Actually a bit past it's date ) with a thyme and breadcrumb topping. Lots of black pepper.

[herbidacious]

My main use for cavolo nero is ribolitta.

[Stokey Sue]

Yes, I use cavolo nero in the River Café winter minestrone, which is a variant on ribollita really. As a side veg I just plunge into boiling salted water, cook briefly, drain well as the crinkles hold the water, then add pepper and butter or evoo if required like any other brassica.
Ed Smith (in his book On the Side) recommends blanching briefly, refreshing in cold water, then finishing by sautéing in evoo with flavourings such as garlic and chilli, but I can seldom be bothered with a two stage process just for me.

The ox cheek sounds good.

[WWordsworth]

Cottage pie for us tonight, with the last (hurrah) of the mushroom pate stirred through the base.

[herbidacious]

Inspired by yesterday's lunch out, a rather less sophisticated spaetzle with roasted onion and chestnut squash,caraway, chipotle, provolone, cheddar, sage, creme fraiche gratin.

[Suffs]

Supper this evening, at the birthday boy’s request, was
chicken korma, sag aloo gobi, tarka dal, basmati rice and red onion and mint salad … with poppadoms.

[Amber]

Just a starter of wild mushrooms on sourdough, with garlic and creme fraiche, here https://www.inncollectiongroup.com/wp-c ... 24-Web.pdf. Lighter than I expected (I’m not a big sourdough fan), but very tasty.

And earlier in the week, beef short ribs at Ask. Again, nicer than expected, and very very tender.

[Stokey Sue]

Curries sound good Suffs.

I got a pork tenderloin on offer from Morrisons so I did a little light butchery, cut some medallions for tomorrow, two neat one portion cylinders to freeze for future reference and the trimmings etc made into pork slivers for Chinese style pork with green peppers and black bean sauce, with a simple veg noodle thing on the side.

All went very well except that of course I decided to do the monthly knife sharpening ahead of the butchery. That went fine too, but I sharpened the old boning knife I use as a letter opener, and cut my thumb on it while trimming a piece of parchment paper. Nothing serious, just a small Elastoplast.

[Badger's Mate]

I managed to cut my thumb with a paring knife whilst examining leeks for lodgers, as part of a Garden Organic experiment. It was one of those superficial cuts, more or less parallel to the skin, that bleeds disproportionately to the apparent damage and leaves a flap of skin which opens up at the slightest provocation. Any plaster comes off in what seems like five minutes, unless swaddled in strapping tape.

I have been meaning to sharpen my knives for months…

ETA. To keep it on topic, we’ve got HM parsnip soup for lunch, and hopefully a pork chilli verde for tea, if I get my act together.

[WWordsworth]

The other half of the cottage pie, with broccoli and sauteed savoy cabbage.

And a few glasses of wine as it's Friday.
Not Saturday as I keep thinking.
Again.

[Suffs]

Tonight’s supper was panfried fillets of lemon sole with buttery champ and broccoli.

[herbidacious]

I treated myself to my favourite Itsu salad: beechwood smoked organic tofu with ssamjang chilli sauce, sushi rice, vitamin packed fresh greens & ginger, green beans, avocado, edamame, spinach, pickled carrots, seeds, sesame dressing.
And I had a white chocolate dream: white chocolate and salted caramel topped with milk chocolate shards

[Amber]

I’m sure there’s a better way of describing it, but to help keep a finger plaster on, cut into it from the short end to the lint, and then criss cross the two half strips to stick.

[Stokey Sue]

My thumbs are quite slender and a standard Elastoplast goes round as a single ring with a good overlap; also for some reason plaster sticks to my skin, I sometimes have to reassure nurses that they’ve done nothing wrong, and they need to be bold in removal.

Tonight’s pork medallions were cut a bit too thin but still good, sautéed in a tiny bit of garlic oil, removed to rest, then I added a scrap of butter and a chopped spring onion, then a slosh of cider, whole grain mustard, and a dash of cream, simmered the pork in the sauce for a minute, served with psb, carrot, and mash.

[Badger's Mate]

Most days I’m gardening and cooking, therefore repeatedly washing my hands. Plasters don’t stand a chance, to be fair. A loop of strapping gives them a fighting chance, and applies a bit of pressure to the wound.

The last of the aforementioned leeks will get used in a ham & leek bake tonight. They won’t need much prep, so hopefully I still have the full complement of digits by bedtime, but I will have to do a final check for lodgers.

[WWordsworth]

We both have colds so it's sausages, mash and sautéed cabbage tonight.
And bed at 10.

[Suffs]

Yesterday we both had Spag Bol.

Today OH had the third helping of Spag Bol and I had spaghetti puttanesca.

[herbidacious]

Lunch was a halloumi and fried egg bap - which was very messy to eat - and then vegan ginger cake in a park cafe. I am still stuffed, even though I had no dinner last night.

[Stokey Sue]

Saturday I was feeling a bit rough so just had a Crosta & Mollica pizzetta, with a few added bits.

Sunday lovely sausages and a potato and leek bake (the oven was on for bread so a baked supper seemed like a plan)

I have so many veg…

This evening I have sorted the veg out, so the main is a sort of shakshuka based on the excess tomato sauce from some stuffed peppers, recently frozen with added courgette and Turkish green pepper and some green chilli. Leftover potato thing with it.