the first bbq of the year!

And it's only cocking April! Anyway, after our last attempt which ended in a shambles of bitter recriminations and arguments about the length of time it takes to cook a sausage simply to satisfy a (then) two year-old, this year we're singing from the same hymn sheet.

Milo helps make some of la Boggiano's brillo burger mix, whilst the BBQ does it's turning charcoal into ash thing, we pre-cook the sausages and sweetcorn, and Ana deals with the chilling of booze (and juice). What is not to like?

sources
ultimate burger - angela boggiano, Delicious, June 2009, p46

bill granger's poached salmon and orzo salad

sources
poached salmon and orzo salad - Bill Granger, Holiday, p14

thai-style beef and spinach salad

sources
thai-style beef and spinach - Delicious, July 2007, p130

spicy beef and courgette cannelloni

Ooooh, another dish from the latest issue of Delicious which - if you're a regular Delicious reader - wasn't the yearly Italian Issue. Quelle horror! Maybe they've run out of Italian recipes?

We've planned this on the basis Kay & Mike are up, and of course the inevitable need to feed Milo the next day, but whilst it was tasty and both the tomato sauce and beefy filling were both fairly easy to make by crikey, stuffing the cannelloni was a right pain! Still, it was very tasty, and the combination of creme freche really tones the beef down to almost veal-y levels.

We had it was a lovely salad:

Actually, although it was easy (stuffing-small-tubes-of-pasta-which-don't-hold-their-shape-when-cooked aside), it did take forever to make just because of the various stages, so bear that in mind. I think it's a weekend dish tbh.

sources
spicy beef and courgette cannelloni - Delicious, May 2011, p24

feta and mint tabbouleh with crispy chorizo

Get us! Another day of glorious sunshine, and another refreshing-yet-filling salady dish to enjoy whilst watching grim Scandinavian crime drama! Tonight, it's an experimental tabbouleh which looks amazing:

It tastes pretty good as well but to be honest we've got previous with bulgar wheat which has prejudiced Ana against ever trying it again. However, given we need to get rid of the kilo in the cupboard, she'll have to put up with it one more time before we switch to cous cous.

sources
feta and mint tabbouleh with crispy chorizo - Delicious, May 2011, p23

ottolenghi's roast chicken and three-rice salad

It's funny the things you discover when you start SEO-ing everything. Who knew one of our favourite summery salads was a Yotam Ottolenghi creation? The girls at work were getting excited about his cookbook last year, but I've never been that impressed with the odd recipe which has turned up in Delicious over the years, but clearly I've been wrong because we love this one.

You notice by cooking it (and I added rocket because we had a huge bag left in the fridge), I'm implying it's summer *even though* it's still technically speaking spring. Suck it up kids, there's nothing like unseasonably sunny weather to bask in the park in!

Question though, what are all these people doing in my park, and where were they during the iron-cold winter? They shouldn't be allowed...

sources
yotam ottolenghi's roast chicken and three-rice salad - Delicious, July 2008, p64

happy mother's day!

After two days of boy-stuff (including indie-dancing with Lucyfer and Septimus Page, a hearty game of rugby, Finn's birthday and a farewell drinks for the lovely, fragrant and divine Jacqui and TVS Collins), today it's all about the Ana Louise. And quite rightly, too.

After a mini-lay-in (in as much as you can have a sleep when you've got a loony three-year-old running about next door), Ana gets the next part of her Mother's Day treats - smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast:

Following a mid-morning coffee and mini-macaroon from Orange Pekoe, we head out for a walk in the sunshine to the pond (via the flower shop), and a cheeky drink in The Sun Inn. Back home, we've just got time for a family roast, another couple of Killing's and then bed.

Food of the Milos
Breakfast: The usual nibbles, followed by toast;
Brunch: Smoked salmon and scrambled egg;
Dinner: Roast chicken, broccoli, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes