What's for tea tonight? (pt3)

[aqua]

corrr I love hot n sour soup

but our local chinese has started to make a really crap version I feel cheated

 

[Detroit City]

corrr I love hot n sour soup

especially when its real hot and real sour....mmmm

 

[aqua]

how are you defining "real"

 

[Detroit City]

how are you defining "real"

as in your eyes water and your nose runs as you consume it

 

[Kidda]

corrr I love hot n sour soup

but our local chinese has started to make a really crap version I feel cheated

go complain, surely they know you well enough to change it

we had homemade chick pea curry with brown rice, pitta bread and yoghurt and mint sauce.

we tried to have ''tropical fruit cocktail'' for afters but it was rank, so weve settled on cherry brandy instead.

 

[aqua]

as in your eyes water and your nose runs as you consume it

yep with you there

it's strange how its addictive isn't it

 

[Detroit City]

it's strange how its addictive isn't it

yep

well i ended picking up mid-east. some rice with almonds, shish kebab, salad, chicken shawarma

and a tub of hummous (where is Firky? ).....

i had to get the hummous after all the talk about it lately

 

[Biddlybee]

I had left over curry from yesterday, but still made casserole which I'll have tomorrow now

 

[Ms T]

Tonight is going to be venison casserole. It's marinating in port in the fridge as I type. We're having swede mash and cavolo nero from the veg box with it.

 

[Zorra]

Roast lamb and all the trimmings

 

[aqua]

tonight is something with chicken - exactly what I haven't yet worked out it was going to be a curry but I don't think I fancy that

I might do a casserole or something, something filling and wintery

if anyone has any good ideas let me know

 

[Detroit City]

I might do a casserole or something, something filling and wintery

if anyone has any good ideas let me know

how about a chicken-cheese-broccoli casserole with rice or pasta?

 

[aqua]

blurgh I meant serious suggestions

 

[Detroit City]

blurgh I meant serious suggestions

Coq au vin?

10 slices bacon, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 chickens, about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, quartered, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
20 small pearl onions, peeled
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large shallots)
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean and halved or quartered if large (should match size of onions)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste
3 cups full-bodied dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Cotes-du-Rhone
1 1/2 cups rich chicken stock
6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Braised Leeks, recipe follows
Egg noodles, accompaniment
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, heavy Dutch oven over high heat fry the bacon until crisp and all of the fat is rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crisp bacon bits to paper towels to drain. Reserve.

Season the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper. Brown the chicken pieces in the hot bacon fat, working in batches, if necessary, and turning to ensure even cooking. Transfer the chicken pieces to a large plate or bowl and set aside. Remove some of the bacon fat, leaving about 4 tablespoons in the Dutch oven. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the chopped onion, pearl onions, shallots and garlic cloves to the Dutch oven and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer, or until they've released most of their liquid and have begun to brown. Add the flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly add the wine and stock, stirring constantly. Add the thyme, bay leaf, reserved bacon and chicken. Bring liquid to a boil. Cover the pot, place in the oven and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is very tender. Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving dish and cover loosely to keep warm. Return pot to medium-low heat. Skim any fat from the surface of the cooking liquid and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Return the chicken to the Dutch oven and cook for a few minutes to heat through, then serve.

Serve with egg noodles and braised leeks. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

*This dish may be prepared 1 or 2 days in advance and then reheated slowly just before serving.


Braised Leeks:
4 large leeks, tough outer leaves discarded and leeks trimmed to about 7-inches in length
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch pepper

Using a sharp knife, trim most of the roots off the end of the leek, leaving enough so that the leek remains attached at the bottom. Cut each leek lengthwise into halves or quarters, as desired. Run leeks under cold running water, using fingers to loosen and remove any dirt or sand from between the leaves.

In a heavy skillet or saute pan that has a tight fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks to the skillet with any water that is clinging to the leaves from washing them. Cook the leeks, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the stock and thyme and lower the heat to medium-low. Braise the leeks, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the leeks are very tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Yield: 4 servings as a side dish

 

[sojourner]

A dish I had in an Italian restaurant, from whence I stole the idea - it's this:

Fry finely chopped shallots, add chopped pancetta, one clove garlic, then borlotti beans.

Add fresh rosemary and quartered or cherry tomatoes.

Keep adding veg stock and reducing, add tomato puree to taste (has to colour, and flavour, but not dominate) - when you have a fairly thin but tasty sauce, mix penne in and serve

But I don't have any fucking borlotti beans cos couldn't find any, so am having adzuki beans instead, which will add another interesting flavour I think. I have penne rigate to put in. mmmmmm



I've also made what is probably the biggest veggie curry in the world ever this morning, ready for tomorrow, and freezing enough to keep me in food til 2010

 

[feyr]

chicken soup i think, but this may change

 

[story]

Don't know: we are going out for a posh sit up supper tonight. Our hosts keep a good board, I expect to be well fed

Blimey, that was good.

Champagne and Prosecco with olives and Tashkent pistachios.

Baba ganoush and avocado with sourdough toast (and Parma ham for the carnivores).

Goats cheese and mushroom tartlets with broccoli and wild mushroom risotto with Parmesan (and pheasant casserole for the carnivores).

Fabulous cheeses with biscuits and bread.

Almond and pear cake in a pastry shell, with cream and creme fraiche.

Roccocco chocolate ginger thins with coffee and tea.

Lashings of wine of various hues (with larger for the non-winos and Pellegrino for the non-bibbers).

The telling of tall tales from the Art world of the '50s, '60s and '70s.

The passing around of rare books.

Listening to The White Album and looking at the photos inside the original sleeve.

Delicious flirting between unlikely types.

A charming gun dog named Hieronymous Bosch who went on alert at the popping of each champagne cork.

A real fire in the grate.

Much laughter.

Really a terrific evening.

 

[moomoo]

That sounds fantastic Story! What a lovely evening!


We are having roast lamb tonight and all the trimmings.

 

[pootle]

A roast chicken from The Black Farmer range (he makes a cracking snorker so I'm hoping his chicken is going to be good)

Roast potatoes in goose fat, sausage in bacon. S'pose I should do some veg eh?

 

[sheothebudworths]

Chicken wings, marinated in soy/garlic/ginger/maple syrup/szechuan pepper/five spice, with roast veg (red onion/sweet potato and yellow peppers), broccolli, cabbage and gravy.

Bit of a mish mash!


And we've got scones and clotted cream left over from my mums visit yesterday, so that'll do for pud with some of her damson jam and a nice cup of tea.

 

[May Kasahara]

sheo, you're making me well jealous with all your talk of scones and clotted cream

Today I am making a big veggie roast: nut roast, roast potatoes and parsnips, lots of veg (broccoli, carrots, curly cabbage), onion gravy. And then some kind of lemon cake, for afters

 

[sojourner]

I've just put all the veggie curry into freezer tubs. There's 11 good-sized portions!

 

[sheothebudworths]

sheo, you're making me well jealous with all your talk of scones and clotted cream

In that case I shall eat one for you, too.


























To be fair, lemon cake is also pretty fucking fab with a nice cup of tea.

 

[May Kasahara]

Indeed it is. I'll eat yours as a gesture of solidarity, shall I?

Come to think of it, I'd better get cracking...

 

[High Voltage]

Trout filletts - bubble and squeak - few peas

Bottle of White - nothing too pretentious

maybe Icecream to follow

 

[sheothebudworths]

Indeed it is. I'll eat yours as a gesture of solidarity, shall I?

Yes, you must!

I'll have the big half, please!

 

[LDR]

I've heated some garlic, double cream, smoked cheese and mascarpone together in a pan to make an incredibly rich sauce.

I've just poured it all over the left over mash and peas from last night and it's lush.

 

[Primadonna]

Roast Chicken, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, mash potatoes, peas, carrots and roast parsnips, stuffing cranberry sauce.


Delish!

 

[feyr]

i am saving the soup for tmw lunch so tonight is pasta i think. although i really want a curry

 

[Detroit City]

Roast Chicken, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, mash potatoes, peas, carrots and roast parsnips, stuffing cranberry sauce.

i've died and gone to heaven