September is finally complete

Finally, finally.  It was a straight fight this month between the coconut and coriander lamb and the langoustines with herb butter, the langoustines just edging it.

Orange and chocolate friands

The reason I'm so late making this is not simply due to my general uselessness but once more due to Nigel's misapprehension that those of us living outside of London are able to purchase niche ingredients such as in this recipe - crystallised orange peel.  Mixed peel is widely available in a very synthetic form but is definitely not what he's got in mind for these friands.  I therefore waited patiently for a planned trip to Sorrento and went on a hunt there.     I found a bag of peel in a beautiful little cake shop in the equally beautiful town of Amalfi.  These were very easy and quick to make and incredibly moreish.  My daughter felt they'd have been nicer using milk chocolate but having tasted the peel I felt that plain ofset the sweetness of it perfectly.

Langoustine with herb butter

I had reasonably low expectations of today's lunch - it's hardly even a recipe really.  Nigel said that simple things sometimes take him by surprise but I didn't really believe him.  At my local fishmonger I could only buy a frozen pack of langoustines - 24 in a box.  There was only me for lunch and I only really wanted 4 so the fishmonger suggested I use these giant Spanish prawns instead - I bought 6 and otherwise followed Nigel to the letter.  And wow is all I can say to today's lunch - it was amazing.  If this had been served to me at a restaurant I'd have been delighted with the beautiful flavours I tucked into today - it was sublime and Nigel is right, sometimes the simple things are all you need.

Skirt steak, herbal broth

Once again, skirt steak was not to be found, even in my good local butcher's, so I've used bavette on this occasion - and very nice it was too, this dish being a real showcase for that particular cut.  I was worried that there'd be too much of a herby taste, disguising the meat, and too much broth so kept my broth bubbling away to a beautiful herby gravy and I served this with mashed potatoes and rainbow chard.  When the fussy daughter goes back for more saying that it's really good, then it's really good!

Blackberry hazelnut shortbread

Oh, these were beauties - maybe not to look at, but it's all about the flavour.  I was expecting the blackberry to dominate or perhaps the hazelnuts but the taste that hit the palette first was the gorgeous lemony hit from the zest in there - lovely, and what an interesting way to use up blackberries.