Spring greens

As with all other foods, I find spring greens can be improved with the judicious application of sausages. In this case rigatoni with sausage meat, chilli flakes and the aforementioned greens.

The joy of leftovers

It's hardly an original observation, but there's a certain joy to be had from leftovers.

Although in this case it's not the thrifty reworking of leftover vegetables, but the last morsel of pate de foie gras. Served with fleur de sel de Guerande, unsalted president and toasted brioche. And the last glass of a particularly fine Wine Society Tasmanian chardonnay.

Chaource

Friends round for a fun dinner, finishing off with a tasty Chaource, probably my favourite cheese. When it's properly ripe you get a great combination - sharp creamy centre, rich buttery gloop, tangy chewy rind.

Home food

We have a sort of routine on returning home from holiday to an empty fridge. 

The challenge is always to cook something simple, from the storecupboard, and that provides a contrast to the food of the holiday. So on returning home from a fortnight's French food, for example, it's all about a plateful of pasta to cleanse the palate of goose fat, butter and steak-frites.

But after a week in Sicily, a plate of pasta might have triggered family revolt. So, a quick 'forage' around the village saw me return with sausages, eggs and purple sprouting broccoli for toad in the hole. Or mole in the hole, as some call it. Anyway, it was tasty, and a less Italian dish is hard to imagine.

Sicilian food

 

 Back from a week of Sicilian food.

Tastey and cheap, but all looked the same, so merely a selection of pics here, including a tempura of fresh vegetables with a caper and anchovy dressing, this simple spaghetti with chilli and anchovies, and an epic T-bone steak

 

Steak frites (of sorts)

A classic steak au poivre, with a green salad and some oven roasted potatoes

Unseasonal weather

 

 

 

Unseasonal weather for March, so a quick barbecue with some homemade flatbreads, lamb kebabs and a red onion and tomato salad

Pork Belly

Posh midweek supper - slow cooked prok belly with a celeriac puree, caramelised apples, green beans and a red wine and redcurrent sauce

Chicken noodle soup

One of the best bits of chicken eating - all the left overs

This was a chicken noodle soup made with fresh stock, served with plenty of chillies and spring onion

Back again . . .

So, Picasa seems to be making it increasingly tricky to both blog and upload photos, but I shall persevere.

This delightful salad is a Nigel Slater recipe - freshlysliced Milano salami topped with a warm crushed new potato and rocket salad