Lamb with beer and shallots

This is right up my strasse - and so easy to make! I started this off and then went to the pub to meet my friend, which in my book has got to be the best type of cooking. I'm not a beer drinker but when I cook with it I love the flavour.  The lamb was beautiful here and the parsnip mash was sublime.  A winner.  

Sunday breakfast toad in the hole

Fortunately I had a dim and distant memory that someone had moaned to Nigel on Twitter that the water had been missed in this recipe so went to his other toad in Real Food to check and sure enough 150ml of water to mix with the milk is missing.  I jumped up eagerly today knowing this was on the menu for me and hoping that my Valentine wasn't going to surprise me with cheese on toast in bed - he didn't.  The fussy daughter and I tucked into this with gusto - a perfect start to a Sunday.

Chicken wings with barley

 I'm hoping to complete February a week early so have jumped ahead, although I'm going to leave what should be today's recipe (chocolate peanut butter cheesecake) until Easter when I can share it with my wider family.  So I've taken the opportunity of the fussy daughter being out tonight to make this as it contains her most hated things - fiddly meat with bones in and a mushroom.  For me the mushroom was the highlight of this dish with the taste of the chicken a close second.  But what really let it down was the pearl barley.  Anyone who has read my blog previously will know my initial terror of pearl barley which I overcame in a slow cooked stew in the first kitchen diaries.  There's the problem for me - I now know that for me to like pearl barley in needs cooking for 3 hours so it's swollen and tender whereas this way just reminds me of meals that used to make me feel physically sick in the 1970s.  So, it's a no from me I'm afraid.

Mograbia with chorizo and tomato

This was a wonderful surprise, so fresh tasting and full of flavour.  Even the fussy daughter liked it saying 'mum, this is fit' - I really wasn't expecting that!  This is a really good after work dinner which takes minimal effort and delivers maximum flavour.  

Seriously lemon lemon sorbet

I didn't even bother looking for bergamot lemons as Nigel says, and I quote, 'the bergamot lemon is a difficult treasure to find' - well Nigel, if you find it difficult then God help the rest of us!  So, I have gone 'common or garden' lemon on this as is his other suggestion.  This is seriously lemony still though - sharp and strong and extremely refreshing.  It almost looks like snow.

Pasta with dill and bacon

The basis of this meal is something I make regularly (i.e Parmesan, cream and bacon) but I've never added dill to the mix before.  And what a revelation!  The dill elevates this dish to another level.  I really enjoyed this and will make it time and time again. 

Slow roast ribs with honey, anise and creamed cauliflower

The smell in the kitchen was amazing tonight.  I was really surprised in the butcher's yesterday to see how big and meaty these ribs were and 2 each was more than enough.  The cauliflower and chive purée was really comforting and went really well with the ribs.  Jack delivered his usual 'I like it' review and the fussy daughter said it was 'succulent and  tasty' but left loads of it for being 'too fatty'.  There's no such thing as fatty in my opinion so this was a triumph!

January is complete

I really feel like January in this book was the month that Nigel decided to test not just me but the food providers of Manchester (Reblochon anyone?) and, whilst it's been a struggle at times, we stood up and were counted. It's a straightforward fight for dish of the month between bacon granola and the madeleines with the granola edging it as it was so surprising.  

Salsify, toasted dill crumbs

I found it, I found it! Well, to be accurate, I was pointed in the right direction by an incredibly food savvy colleague and then found it.  These were interesting little bites - alone they were pretty bland, to the point of thinking why would anyone bother, but the fried crumb was really nice and made them into an interesting little side dish.  

Aubergine cassoulet

I have skipped merrily on into February, leaving one January recipe behind (salsify - impossible to find, thanks Nigel) and am pleased to be able to cater for the vegetarian in my life tonight, not having to make 2 meals or give him leftovers.  On the whole this was a very comforting, satisfying dish - our one reservation was that the herbs (thyme and rosemary), whilst providing the dish with an amazing flavour, fell apart in the dish leaving behind stringy herbness with nearly every mouthful.  I'd make again but would amend the herbs and chop up very small.

Smoked mackerel fishcakes

I really dislike the flavour of horseradish so decided to leave it out of these fishy cakes, but this could have been a mistake as flavour wise there wasn't a lot to these.  I love beetroot and smoked mackerel but think the potatoes subdued their individual flavours making it a comforting light meal, but no keeper!