valli little's hearty vegetable pie

Pancakes for breakfast, and now only eight days in to the New Year, it's time to welcome the first pie of 2012, and not before time too if you ask me.

It's not that it's been cold enough recently for big old hearty pie (or stew for that matter), but given the age of austerity we're all enjoying, and the fact you need to use any veg bought from Sainsbury's tout suite before they become useless - what is it with their fresh stuff? Anyway, it seems the sensible option, and I get to use my new potato masher - which is BRILLIANT!

All this practicality doesn't take into account my divine family though, one of whom decides he doesn't like peas/potato/carrots/broccoli/kale (which left only the lentils), and the other only pretended to like it for previously-stated reasons. Apparently the home-made pesto makes it taste funny. Imagine living in SW14 and complaining about homemade pesto? Honestly!

sources
hearty vegetable pie - valli little, Delicious, January 2007, Parsley Book

bill granger's dhal with tamarind and lime

For one reason or another, tonight feels like the first normal Saturday for a long time, and it feels goooood!

With Kayosaurus and Mikelodocus staying over, we both get a much-needed lie-in, which is in itself aces. They then Milo-wrangle for the rest of the day while Ana gets to forensically clean the flat and I, whisper it, play rugby for the first time this season.

To be honest I was v nervous which I haven't been about playing since college; I haven't played for ages and I'm completely out of condition but it worked out okay. We stuck 45 points past Purley John Fisher 2s & 3s, I had several rampaging blasts and even came up with a try. Genius! I bet I ache in the morning mind.

To top it off we even managed to squeeze in a really tasty experimental curry whilst watching the last three episodes of The Killing II. Welcome back Saturday nights, it's good to have you back.

Now we've had several dhal recipes over the years, and this is the second Bill Granger recipe that's been kicking around, but despite having my eye on it for ages,  it's the first time we've tried it. I wish we'd given it a go earlier as it is really lovely.

The addition of a healthy dollop of tamarind and the lime juice, combined with the caramelised onions, lift it well above the realms of a mere side dish, and into a filling, earthy and tangy delight. We'll be seeing this one again, mark my words.

sources
dhal with tamarind and lime - Bill Granger, Delicious, February 2008, p67

simon hopkinson's tomato curry

With a New Year comes a new start and all that jazz, and we're no different at work, and our much-feared new regime began in earnest today. With a 20 wine taste challenge against one of our competitors wines*.

I know, I know, it's a tough job, but together we pulled through and at the end of our afternoon ordeal we were pretty blinking pleased. Okay, so they had a few wines which caught the eye, particularly a Claret, and a massively tropical Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, but pretty much across the board I think we the more interesting, full-flavoured wines.

With our brave work done, I manage to stumble home with a bag full of samples to entertain the in-laws, who are up for some Milo rustling. Handily the booze also takes their minds off the cack-handed, blundering knife-skills being exhibited in front of them.

Narrowly avoiding losing the odd limb, and not succumbing to a take away, I have just enough co-ordination and ingredients in the fridge to make us all a curry.

This time I avoid the usual balancing act of the need for heat versus Kayosaurus' need for no-heat by getting her to choose her own enemy. As it turns out she chooses the wrong chillies, and her dinner comes with a whacking great helping of yoghurt, as that's all we've got by-way-of creme fraiche alternatives. Still, it was very nice for the rest of us who prefer our curry with slightly less vanilla essence...

*Yes Greg, I'm talking about The Wine Society

sources
tomato curry - Simon Hopkinson, Delicious, November 2007, p86

hugh's mushroom risoniotto

This is fast becoming a regular in the Barnes household. It's quick, hale and hearty, packed with lots of warming, earthy flavours and, even more importantly, can be pretty much made entirely with cupboard staples. Which is handy if you've run out of nearly-all your fresh ingredients...

And to Kendra's recent point, I use Orzo which you can get in Waitrose - it's in a long, thin packet - and you can usually get it in most delis. Certainly Valentino's in Sheen sell it, so I presume you must be able to find it in glamorous K&C?

sources
mushroom risoniotto - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, River Cottage Veg Everyday!, HFW, p258

bill granger's chick pea and tomato soup with chorizo

Only four day's in and our New Year's pro activity went slightly awry this evening, when I fell asleep with Milo, and then we managed not to apply for his school place in September. Again. I'm fairly sure as I'm married to a teacher, and knowing so many other fine educators, we could just home school him? I did manage to sign-up to our Milkman's website ordering though, so that's one thing. Electronic milk - it's the future!

Whilst all this internet jiggery-pokery was going on, we had a sort-of experimental soup ticking away on the hob. Experimental in the sense I only had one can of chickpeas and had to make it up with the array of 2-for-1 cans of pulses I bought ages ago.

Behold, a strangely super-saturated photo of Bill Granger's chick pea and tomato soup with chorizo AND mystery ingredients.

To be fair you would never know there was flageolet and cannelini beans in there as the chick peas only really add bulk and some texture, but three sorts of pulses? We won't need the central heating tonight, and I apologise in advance to my co-colleagues tomorrow...

Finally, don't forget to ask for any specific recipes you want listed. I won't be cracked to write them up otherwise.

sources
chick pea and tomato soup with chorizo and green chilli - Bill Granger, Delicious, February 2008 p68

donna hay's garlic chickpeas and chorizo

Back to work - negative hurrah! Actually, work isn't too bad at all, it's just the getting up early I take issue with.

In fact, other than having to redo the office stocktake (the joy), it was a pretty positive start to the year; I cleared my desk almost completely, our pink fizz was featured in The Independent's Top 10 Sparkling Wines, and my fragrant legacy Glorious Leaderine JoMo managed to supply a medically sound reason NOT to give up drinking for January. So we haven't.

We have decided to be more proactive this year however, so hopefully this will be up-to-date more often, and to get some more exercise. Aren't resolutions just the fun-est things ever? They always make me feel a bit like Blackadder's Puritan cousins, the Whiteadders.

Anyhoo, the kicking off the usual New Year health regime (which is going to be the same as our default less-meat-and-take-aways-more-veg-and-fish, so much so I don't know why I've bother mentioning it), is Miss D Hay's garlic chickpeas and chorizo. This time with the addition of rocket and some crispy-ish new potatoes - both of which are required to remove the need of having to eat two or three side sandwiches to fill up during the admittedly quick cooking process.

The potatoes naturally don't preclude eating chocolate on the sofa whilst catching up on The Killing...

sources
garlic chickpeas and chorizo - Donna Hay, Fast, Fresh, Simple - p14

hugh's squash and fennel lasagne

Happy New Year! Please to help me with my rucksack, Beef Jerky! Etc

Having spent a v delightful and sort-of relaxing weekend in the Country for New Year, (if you discount the Dingbats farrago), the drive back this afternoon sapped every last ounce of joy with every passing mile back. Damn you London!

This ennui was compounded on arrival home when every fibre cries out for take away, but you know you can neither afford it financially or physically, and you know for a fact a tarka dhal and chicken chettinand just isn't going to cut the mustard with Milo.

It was at this point I was suddenly reminded of meeting a reader of this very blog on Christmas Eve; a time-short mum, (long-time reader first time caller), who wanted a quick meal she could knock together for her and the kids when they got back from school. Her tearful face as she clutched her bucket of Echo Falls and packet of pork scratchings inspired me to dig this experimental lasagne out of HFW's amazing Veg book and set to...

Yes Sam Anda MacTartlin (name changed to protect innocent - Legal Ed), in just two quick hours (and that's including an unscheduled ride to Sainsbury's to buy the missing fennel), you can create a beautifully earthy, wintry lasagne, with sweet caramelised fennel and creamy goats cheese, that your child will decide they don't like, and your life partner will only pretend to eat as a form of encouragement for the recalcitrant fruit of your loins. But she doesn't really like, not really, I can see it in her eyes.

No, don't thank me Sam Anda, it's what I do... ...Much to Ana's chagrin.

sources
squash and fennel lasagne - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, River Cottage Veg Everyday! p33