Couldn’t help but feel a little smug 🙂
Griddled lamb rump on minted peas and beans with feta
Prosciutto-wrapped scallops on minted pea puree, with garlic prawns
I love scallops, but I’m always scared of overcooking them as they’re so delicate (and not cheap). By wrapping them they have a protective layer in the pan, plus you get crispy smoky cured ham – what’s not to like?!
Seafood platter
Smoked salmon, prawns, rollmop herring and beetroot salad with apple and pea shoots
Grumpy Chicken dinner
Was in a foul mood last night, and really couldn’t be bothered to cook for anyone. You know, those nights when you think “Go on, I DARE you to ask me when dinner will be ready” !
I already had something planned, with all the components ready in the fridge, but still couldn’t be arsed. So I ate a whole packet of cold, ready cooked chicken wings. Oops.
Dinner was eventually made: Hawaiian Pork meatballs. Tasty. Involved having to blitz and squeeze a load of canned pineapple. Should have done that ahead – slap on the wrist for being disorganised. Did get to use my newest gadget; a mini icecream scoop. Did make me a little happier 🙂
An assembly job dinner
Home late after a client meeting (a.k.a. my big Sis). Tired and hungry.
Open fridge:
- Grilled chicken thighs
- Half a bag of sugar snap peas
- A carrot (which I julienned)
- A courgette (which I zoodled)
- A jar of home made, Paleo satay sauce
Job done – now time for bed 🙂
Lazy dinner
I do get some nights where I really can’t be bothered to cook much, and when I’m on my own I’m not that fussed about eating at all. This is why I do so much prep – if it’s mostly done I have zero excuse to go to Waitrose/ pop to the takeaway/ just eat cheese and biscuits.
Last night my planning paid off as I had a dinner ready in under half an hour with, more importantly, less than 5 minutes effort on my part.
2 halves of roasted aubergine, topped with a tub of beef ragu (last of a freezer batch from months ago) and a little grated cheddar, baked in the oven. Plus I put some left over par-cooked sweet potato cubes on the tray to roast at the same time. Bang in oven – ignore for 20 mins. Eat 🙂
Bresaola carpaccio with strawberry, goat’s cheese and rocket salad
What could be more romantic?
Happy Anniversary, Mum & Dad x
Shopping day lunch
ah, today is sunday. as yesterday i was mostly out shopping with my mum, dodging the puddles and walking oddly in flip flops and soaked jeans (it’s june damn it! i will believe it’s still summer) i was at the mercy of bought food.
this can be a bit of a pain as, having dropped the wheat and grains,  it becomes apparent just how much of the menus are bulked out with pasta and bread buns so i was pleasantly surprised to see on the specials menu at bill’s a salad of griddled asparagus, avocado, goat’s cheese and soft boiled eggs. it’s the second time i’ve been to the restaurant in reading, and the food really is exceptional (for the price – i’m not going to claim it rivals petrus!) so i’ll be making this a regular event. the breakfast is great – full english with decent bacon and sausages, and the bubble and squeak eggs benedict is gorgeous. unfortunately the service is terrible 🙂
i put a smiley there because, although the service is poor, the staff are actually very apologetic and friendly and seem to want to put things right. this might be due to their breakfast menu running until 1pm at the weekend, over-lapping with the lunch menu starting at midday – a bit chaotic for a kitchen preparing fresh food. or it could just be that the waiting staff don’t know what they’re doing – i had to wander off to find my table some cutlery and serviettes! but as i said, the food is good and the staff aren’t rude so it’s still an enjoyable experience.
as i had my mum staying over, i had someone else to cook for in the evening – yay! this is where my cook-it-until-it’s-done or you-eat-when-it’s-ready style of cooking is a little awkward. i didn’t realise quite how much i potter when i’m cooking, so dinner was actually served at about 9pm. oh well, we’re european not yanks 😉
dinner was pumpkin and beetroot, roasted with cumin and chilli and pomegranate molasses, and feta and a salmon ceviche with mango. oh, and a bottle of sauvignon blanc. and a yummy chocolate and passionfruit dessert from sainsburys 🙂
