Monday 30 November 2009

beef fillet with celeriac and yoghurt remoulade & rich beef ragu

Another night of healthy-style experimental eating in our pursuit of six packs via the power of loads of grub.

However before the health I've got some planning ahead to do as tomorrow night I'm out for part one of the two Christmas parties I've got this week. This means pre-cooking tomorrow night's dinner so I've got something to stuff into my drunken-maw when I stumble through the door (whilst not waking the anas up of course) - classic spag bol. Well, rich beef ragu anyway. Whilst it simmers away I can get on with this evening's fayre.

After last night's mini-triumph, tonight we only have a 50% success rate. The celeriac and yoghurt remoulade (made with creme fraiche rather than yoghurt), whilst messy to make is pretty darn good. A bit like a creamy, cross between coleslaw and horseradish. However, the steak is a disaster, the recipe called for the fillet to be seared for two minutes on either side and then 40 minutes in the oven. I gave it up at 30 minutes, and even then they were on the dry side of well done - cocks! Still there's almost twice the required amount of remoulade to make up for it.

Food of the Milos
It's a cold, wet, grizzly Monday and the milos have a full day of swimming and playing before Grandma and Grandad come up for an evening at the ballet. So we stock him up with crumpets and marmelade for breakfast, cheese on toast before AND after his snoopy snooze, risotto for dinner and a superfood double-whammy of blueberries and pomegranate for pudding.

sources
beef fillet with celeriac and yoghurt remoulade - Delicious, December 2009, p126
rich beef ragu - Delicious, March 2007, p51
no-stir tomato risotto - Simply Bill, Bill Granger

Sunday 29 November 2009

chicken, beetroot and orange salad

We're back, albeit without pictures until I manage to sort out a new version of potatoshop, and we've a lovely new computer to play with - yay for insurance!

It's almost December, it's spent two days chucking it down and it's freezing so naturally we've got salad tonight. This is partly a preventative measure against the weight of stodgy casseroles, stews and roasts I'm planning, and the looming Christmas blow-out, but mainly because ana louise is being ridiculous and has decided she's fat. She's ridiculous.

It's pretty good, and the toasted cumin dressing is interesting, particularly with the beetroot and orange, although I think I'm still looking for decent wintry salad to carry us through.

Food of the Milos
It's a busy day for the monkey; despite the rain we go to the Natural History Museum to see the Dinosaurs, and then shopping in the afternoon. He also eats loads - Shreddies and two apples for breakfast, puffs and raisins at the museum and cauliflower cheese for dinner, with pomegranate for dinner. Secretly, we also had a pre-dinner of cauliflower cheese with him.

sources
cauliflower cheese - Annabel Karmel, The Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner, p54
chicken, beetroot and orange salad - Delicious, December 2009, p122
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