Pork, potatoes & Prague
I was working in Prague last week and was reminded of my Belgrade days and how much the cuisine turned on pork & potatoes & cream! We were in old hunting lodge /chateau on the outskirts of Prague and although I can’t recommend it as a place to stay, I can recommend it as a place to work. We had a great room to work in with the group – light, spacious etc and the service was great. Coffee breaks, fresh cut fruit, cakes and of course pork – cured in sandwiches, laid on a platter as pork and/ or ham with lovely breads on the sides. Lunches were set for us as a group – creamy soups, creamy potatoes and creamy pork or chicken followed by creamy desserts. All delicious, but my oh my where are the greens?! Over dinner one night – a six courser sponsored by the divisional director – we talked about the national dishes round the table. We had Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, Czech Republic, etc represented and the basis was common – pork, potatoes, dumplings and cabbage! So I loved all this, but was also craving fish & veg when I got home.
Hubby as a darling. Met me at the airport and I came home to flowers, champagne & smoked salmon – it was my birthday! Then Friday was – please can we have some fish! So sea bream oven baked with fennel, chilli & ras al hanout, butternut squash & purple sprouting broccoli hit the spot!
Nachos, no, gnocchi
Been mithering over what’s for supper tonight. The base is going to be Friday’s nights left over chilli con carne. I was going to go down the nachos route – but was not really comfortable with that – doesn’t seem like supper. Clearing out the veg boxes in the garage this morning, realised we have loads of potatoes – some still in the box and others that hubby bought this week, not quite sure why. Anyway we have a bit of a glut. Can I do potatoes & chilli? I guess so but it feels a little uninspired. Then with the TV on in the background as I’m doing morning pottering the cookery slot is gnocchi! Brilliant. The chilli can become a ragu sauce with the addition of the slow roast tomatoes that are in the fridge and the potatoes can become gnocchi. I hope. I’ve never made gnocchi before – how hard can it be??? We’ll see. Now to work!
Smoked eel anyone?
‘It looks a picture!’ thank you hubby! I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but we had a delectable smoked fish supper tonight – smoked eel, watercress and dill flavoured potato salad. All ingredients from the farmers market on Sunday. Along with beetroot & cottage cheese salad, smoked trout and rye bread. Inspiration from both the ingredients and a twist on Jamie’s ideas for smoked salmon. A super light and fresh spring supper, with plenty left over for lunch boxes. Perfect!
A food filled weekend
Started with Friday night and the ‘what shall I cook?’ question. They are a bit challenging Friday nights. I want us to eat something nice to finish the week and start the weekend. But I also want something effortless after a long week. So I think I’m going to have to start a new category on this blog–Friday night suppers. In fact it was reading through the blog that gave me the idea for last Friday’s supper, Delia’s prawns, that I did for myself when Hubby was out a couple of Friday’s ago. Back I went to Cooking for One and there was Kashmir Spiced Prawns. Perfect – and doubly so because I had all the ingredients either in the fridge, freezer or cupboard – prawns, peppers, onions, cucumber, chopped tomatoes, mango chutney and spices, chilli powder etc. And I made it really easy on myself and used frozen chopped peppers and onion too. Thank you Delia for that great cheat idea! Hubby got a bit nervous as 7 o’clock approached and I was still sipping a Friday night G&T and not in the kitchen cooking, ‘what are we having for supper tonight’ he asked with a little tinge of ‘I’m hungry and don’t see any food for eating anytime soon!’. Not to worry ½ hour rustling in the kitchen and Kashmiri spicy prawn curry was served – with rice and naan to keep company. Delish.
The reward for all this cooking was a ‘nanobreak’ to the New Forest. Stopped at Winchester for look round and lunch – super pub with ham croquettes and potted cheese – ‘Can you do this?’ asked hubs – ‘think so’ I said, so need to try that out – cheese, beer, Worcester sauce and mustard. We stayed at the rather lovely, if slightly off centre, Hotel TerraVina http://www.hotelterravina.co.uk and as well as spacious room we had a lovely Saturday night dinner. Gin cocktails in the bar, quail, pigs trotters, rabbit and pork head rillettes to eat, with the most beautiful crème brulee to follow – really delicious food- and then night caps in bed.
Breakfast was a story of two halves – very disappointing Continental – where were all the lovely ingredients and care that we experienced last night on this rather sad and uninviting table of breakfast goods? They were missing from there, but were in plentiful supply in the cooked breakfast; great sausages, black pudding, mushroom etc. Definitely needed a walk in the forest after that lot. Even getting lost was good for us – we just had to walk some more to find our way out!
And then coming home, needing to get some spuds for lunch we happened across a farmers market in Romsey. Well that’s just bliss for me! So potatoes and kale, no problem. Got those to go with the ham I was cooking. Then also some local smoked eel & watercress for tonight – to balance out the amount of meat we have eaten in the last 48 hours. In fact, even though I bought some wild boar shoulder at the farmers market as well, I think pork is off the menu for a while!
Loving Lidl!
Is it right to be so excited by Lidl? I’m really not sure it is! We were away at the weekend – more on that later – so I’ve been out to do the weekly shop this morning. Quite frankly couldn’t face the boredom of the local supermarket. A Waitrose shop was needed, well not needed, just wanted. There was nothing particularly Waitrosey on the list. The order of shopping tends to be– the local Sainsbury is usually fine and then the Tesco, if it’s mostly non-fresh food and Waitrose when I want fish or meat or something particular or if like today I just want a bit of inspiration with my shopping.
So choosing Ealing over Harrow took me past the new Lidl, and thought I’d try a little experiment, go in and buy what I could from my list – remembering always the challenge of fresh, free range, local, seasonal, organic that goes on in my head when shopping for food. I thought I probably be able to pick up the kitchen roll, smoked fish and maybe the salad.
Well – what a lovely surprise, not only did I do most of the list – organic milk and eggs, pastrami for lunches, unwaxed lemons, garlic and wine, but some lovely seasonal surprises too – purple sprouting broccoli – English, beautiful globe artichokes and organic crème fraiche. Fabulous! So now after a shop at Lidl, my head is buzzing with ideas for a spring supper tomorrow night. I’m thinking purple sprouting broccoli & artichokes with hollandaise maybe, or dippy eggs and melted butter. Anyway what a surprise to be inspired by Lidl – and, having done the calculation on coming home – I’ve saved tenner into the bargain too!