Poor old Turkey Lurkey. Only eaten at Christmas and forgotten throughout the rest of the year.
But as a lean and economical meat I’m keen to get more of it into our eatings.
Serrano ham, gorgonzola and fig tart
A tasty little tart that’s as impressive as it is simple.
I’ve served this as a starter when friends are over for dinner, had it as a weekend lunch with a chilled glass of the pink stuff, and rustled it up after work for a mid week supper.
Moroccan chicken pastilla parcels with cinnamon sugar and harissa yogurt dip
Snack sized moorishness.
A little while ago I posted a recipe for a pigeon and chicken pastilla, made in the traditional way as a single large pastry creation where layers of filo or feuille de brick are interspersed with spiced meat, cinnamon sugar and almond slivers.
Read moreChicken, pecorino and sesame nuggets with Bloody Mary dip
Sexed-up chicken nuggets had been whirring around in my head for a while.
And on browsing Tastespotting I came across just the jolt of inspiration I needed, a cracking recipe and great photo from Sabrina at Inside The Bag.
Ham hock and minted broad bean crostini with wholegrain mustard dressing
If you follow me on Twitter you’ll probably know that I recently moved house.
I didn’t get very far (just five minutes down the road from the last place) but with this new location comes a totally new high street to explore, that of West Didsbury.
Cajun spiced rosé veal fajitas with salsa and avocado sauce
A break with tradition.
Veal fillets may spring to mind the Austrian classic, wiener schnitzel, but tonight they got the Cajun treatment. Not only does the meat lend itself perfectly to the crispy spiced panko breadcrumbs, the zingy salsa and the creamy avocado and coriander sauce, flattening out the plump little breasts with a rolling pin is a great way to relieve any frustrations you may have.
Read moreRosé veal osso buco with Milanese risotto and gremolata
A big dish for a big weekend.
Moving house is a royal ball ache, and to reward the scraped arms and legs, rough hands, fatigue, splinters (and to mark our arrival at our new abode) I wanted to cook something special. Well, that and we no longer have a freezer and I simply couldn’t let the cross cut veal shanks go to waste.
Ramen with oriental style seared pork fillet
Being a purist is a bit overrated. I really can’t help myself when it comes to mixing up Oriental flavours, they just go so darn well together.
In this brothy noodly concoction you’ll find ginger, sake, lemongrass, soy, miso and star anise, ingredients found in dishes all over the far east - they come together in this one aromatically and harmoniously, in fact, the flavours here are so delicious you’d think they were made for each other. Slurp.
Japanese buckwheat soba noodle salad with ginger miso poached chicken
I love noodles. And I need very little in the way of an excuse to whip up a dish using them.
So when the carrot of disco-by-post was dropped in front of me by Wrighty in exchange for a summery Japanese dish, I had no choice but to deliver.
Chorizo stuffed leg of venison with tomato, lemon and white bean stew
Right place, right time.
On Saturday following an excellent lunch at the Mark Addy, a riverside pub in Manchester that really is gastro, my friend Jon introduced me to the exec head chef Rob Brown. A lovely man who looks like he’d be entirely at home in a medieval banquet.
Steak, Guinness and black pudding pie
It’s the end of national pie week, and on account of that, Mathew’s love for all things pastry topped and next week being host to St. Patricks day, I decided to revisit and tweak a recipe I’d put on the blog a while ago.
Italian style roast chicken
Spring chicken.
A fitting dish for the first post of March, the month where I stop hiding under a blanket and eating hearty comfort food and get excited about the days drawing out, milder weather, blue skies and all the glorious seasonal vegetables that are just around the corner.
Dark ale cottage pie with vintage cheddar mash top
What makes a good pie?
In my world a good pie has few aires and graces. It should be robust, bold, bubbly - a bit overflowy in fact (is there anyone that doesn’t love the scorched, chewy filling from the edge of the dish? Surely not).
Smoky rosé veal goulash with caraway seeds and dill dumplings
If you want hairs on your chest, this is the dish for you.
Ideal for chilly weather and hungry guests. It may not have the finesse required for a dinner party, but for a boozy Sunday lunch with family and friends it’s perfect — providing just the right amount of comfort and being rather easy to pull off and impress with.
Read morePoulet Basque
I’m lucky to have spent a fair amount of time in San Sebastián, the fabulous Basque capital, but that’s not where I discovered this classic dish.
It was actually introduced to me by my dad, who is without doubt the reason I am as adoring of food and cooking as I am.
Toulouse sausages with roasted red onions, spinach and puy lentils
Can’t be arsed? Then this dish is for you.
Little time and effort and good quality ingredients make this a real winner. Make sure you use good quality stock and high meat content sausages – and if you don’t like Toulouse then swap them for a more simple herbed sausage.
Smoky Mexican meatball soup with Willies Cacao
Chilli con carne – one of my fave retro dishes.
It fits in that category because it makes me think of the 70’s (not that I was there) and growing up spending time at my grandma and grandpas, therefore giving it a firm place in my food history and heart.
Read moreRoasted pepper, tomato and red lentil soup with crisp chorizo and black garlic
It’s no secret I’ve been ill this week. I’ve tried to keep a lid on my moaning but let’s be honest, when you’re feeling rotten that can be a difficult task.
However, today I woke up feeling much better than I have been doing, and to celebrate this and my sore throat leaving me I decided to take a walk.
Italian wedding soup with mini lemon, basil and chicken meatballs
Happy new year dear blog reader… I hope your festivities were as food and drink filled (and fueled) as mine.
If like me, you’re one of the millions of people now feeling a little wobblier than usual and craving healthier nosh, you may be kicking off your new years eatings in the same way.
Read moreChinese chicken broth with five spice dumplings and rice noodles
Restorative and healthy food of the highest order.
When feeling a little run down (or in my case, like you’ve been overdoing things), chicken noodle soup really does hit the spot. But yeah, you might have guessed, in my world it’s got to be oriental.