jill dupleix's lamb tagliata

I can't believe we haven't had Jilly D's magic lamb tagliata for over a year? Not that my updating/this blog is in anyway an accurate historical record of course...

Anyway, having made my debut at Twickenham Job Centre Plus this morning, this afternoon is spent in much more jolly circumstances - meeting up with fellow dole bludger and AOL refugee, Miss Jessica Lewis, for riverside job seekers coffees at Tide Tables. She trumps me however, having spent the last five months swanning around Key-nya. The coffee's not bad btw, the wraps look amazing, but the queue is dire.

Monkey is on good form when I pick him up so we have an extensive scamper in the park, and by the time we get back Ana is also home, so we decide to all eat together: Milo has a smorgasbord of nibbles and cheese sandwiches, and we get lamb:

It's quite a punchy recipe what with the rocket, rosemary salt and lamb, so we've never really tried giving it to Milo, but having filched forkfuls from both our plates, he's definitely having some next time.

He likes cherry tomatoes AND lamb (kebab, roast & minced) anyway, but what I think piques his interest is that he gets to help cook it; He harvested and helped chop the rosemary, and squished the tomatoes. I suppose like all of us, once he's invested effort in a thing he likes to enjoy some of the end product. Time will tell whether I believe him about liking rocket though.

Wine Time
This is a pungent and meaty salad, with a hit of acidity from the tomatoes, so you'll be looking for something that's got enough texture to stand up to the meat, but that's not so big as to overwhelm the herbs and peppery leaves. I'd be tempted to look at a Greek red, after all their whole cuisine seems to be rosemary and lamb-based, but if we're thinking availability a young, fresh Aussie Shiraz would be bang on.

You don't want a jammy number, but one full of fresh, dark fruit, and a lovely peppery finish that will complement both the salad and the rosemary. Try Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cab blend which is available in most supermarkets/offies.

sources
lamb tagliata - Jill Dupleix, Delicious, October 2007, p138

BBQ at Helen and Guys, followed by Jill Dupleix's broad bean crostini with parmesan

Now we're talking Bank Holiday scorchers - 23 degrees, bring it on!

Naturally we kick off the hottest day of the year with some extreme exercise: Ana runs over Chiswick Bridge and back at high speed with Tina for an hour, and I crank out a better-than-last-time sunny 18K around Richmond Park. In fact I'm going so well I slightly lose track of time, only to be jolted out of it by an irate call from Ana pointing out I'm currently 20 minutes late for the BBQ at Helen and Guy's.

Luckily they are super laid back people, and with the advance party holding the fort before my arrival, everybody's happy playing in the sunshine. Apart from Guy, who's busy cremating sausages that even Milo won't eat. He's pretty good at a veggie kebabs though, and does a mean marinated lamb pitta. I have three.

However the problem with great hosting - if it can be even thought of as a 'problem' - is the fact you end up getting back later than planned, slightly heat struck, tired and with limited desire to cook dinner. Or even eat anything. Well, maybe something small?

Obviously spending a zen-like 25 minutes podding broad beans slightly changes matters, and we settle for the lovely Jilly Dupleix's small-but-perfectly-formed broad bean crostini. It's the taste sensation that's sweeping South West London!

sources
broad bean crostini with parmesan - Jill Dupleix, Delicious, May 2008, p82

crumbed fish with thyme potatoes and salad

Whilst the expected Bank Holiday scorcher didn't quite manage to put in an appearance today, it's plenty warm enough to lounge around in the sun, before taking a leisurely wander around the Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park with Kendra, Brian, Finn and Rafe.

Little people get a packed lunch and ice cream, whilst adults make do with Pickle & Rye takeout: Torontos for all, except Ana who had a turkey club. With everything on the side.

I think it's a testament to how brilliant their food is that even Kendra, who is not one for convenience eating, is now thoroughly addicted and now visits her sister in Sheen more often than even before, purely as an excuse to pick up a sandwich and a flat white. If you live in SW London, you really should check them out...

Back at home everybody is a little jaded and tired, and a quick peruse down this week's menu reveals crispy fish as being the quickest/easiest thing to prepare, with the added bonus of the bin men coming in the next couple of days so we don't have to stink the house out with minky fish skin.

Due to availability issues on the fish counter in Richmond Waitrose, Milo has a cod loin and we get fillets, which should maximise the amount of good fishy oils in him. However, never underestimate the lure of crispy breadcrumbs and the consequent fish-to-crispy-bits ratio when dealing with small (ish) children. I think it'll be fillets all round next time.

This is becoming one of our go-to dishes, for all the reasons above, and also because it's unexpectedly filling. I don't think the thyme-crumbed potatoes work as well as Bill Granger's turmeric potatoes, and obviously you can do what you want with the salad, but it's a solidly satisfying dinner, with an added soupcon of healthiness.

sources
thyme-crumbed fish - Delicious, February 2010, p25

#GreatSummerOfBurgers Episode 2: turkey burgers

After last week's stunning debut (thanks Brenda!) we hit week two of the hep craze sweeping Mortlake at a smokey canter, with a BBQ-themed #GreatSummerOfBurger!

In attendance today at our smorgasbord of meat are: Green Do-Gooder Mrs Caroline Pitt and her evil husband JP, a man not only responsible for my recent 24 hangover after the Rosslyn Park Sevens, but also this. Also invited are Mr Milo Taliesin Barnes who is so desperate to light the coals he almost wets himself, and his mother Lady Barnes, who is glad he didn't.

On the menu today are two sorts of salad: A green salad, with avocado and cherry tomatoes and sprouts, and Ana's favourite Fino chorizo and tomato salad. We also have bratwursts with beery onions, which strangely enough, is my own recipe:

We all know why we're here though, BURGERS! I didn't mention it last time, but one of the 'rules' behind #GreatSummerOfBurger is it's an excuse to try as many different types of burger as possible.  Slightly controversially we're not having beef tonight, but turkey - oh yes!

They seem crazy, and within the context of this blog they are experimental, but these are old, pre-Milo friends for Ana and myself, and they're genius.

There are some strong flavours in the mix, including sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce, but what really rocks is the fact turkey makes such a moist burger. Word to the wise though, make 'em small otherwise they take ages to cook, and you run the risk of raw centres. I personally guarantee JP ate 15 of them, because he's an athlete.

Wine Time
Erm, lots of everything, plus beer. It worked for us.

sources
turkey burgers - Delicious, around 2006-ish? It also appears in the January 2007 One Month Healthy Eating Plan supplement

francesco mazzei's asparagus risotto

I'm a recent convert to risotto, and whilst I've not attempted anything too fancy, I've finally got my head around the basics, and I embrace the stirring process rather than hate it. Wine also helps of course, as does a large quantity of parmesan, because if it goes wrong you can always just nuke it with cheese.

This new-found geekiness gets an extra fillip this week with the arrival of the new edition of Delicious, and Francesco Mazzei's prosecco-infused asparagus risotto therein. Prosecco right? Oh, and seasonal asparagus, because my wee doesn't smell enough, but mainly fizzy booze.

It's got quite a delicate flavour despite the parmesan; The fizz imparts a lovely floral quality whilst the asparagus brings in its own pungency, and the nutmeg and butter-fried tips are delicious in their own right. Even Milo eats it, being up late and doing his butter-wouldn't-melt act, although he draws the line at the tips.

Still, total winner and with the added benefit of increasing my risotto geekiness as Mazzei warms his rice first, which is worth a try next time I'm knocking one up.

Wine Time
Generally Sauvignon Blanc is a nailed-on contender with asparagus, but this isn't a full-on flavour bomb, so it needs something subtler to pair with it. Seeing as you used it in the cooking, Prosecco is an obviously good choice here, as would a good Soave or Gavi, whose herbal qualities and mouthwatering citrus notes would cut through the rice, whilst highlighting the flavours in the dish.

sources
asparagus risotto - Francesco Mazzei, Delicious, May 2013, p76

peter gordon's fried halloumi, topped with chilli, hazelnuts, water chestnut, orange and sun-dried tomatoes

Times are a-changing chez Barnes this week as I now help the lovely Kendra Kats on a Thursday seeing how little Rafe (Raphe?) has appeared. Obviously I'm clearly top Manny material. Even better, if today is anything to go by we could have a swag-loads of new dishes surfacing here,  because once I returned from the nursery run, I pretty much spent the rest of the day emptying her fridge and filling her freezer. She is clearly the best employer I've ever had!

Back home however, I'm less-than-keen on cooking, and for some reason Ana thinks I owe her for last night's bulgar wheat stunt. I suspect as extra-punishment she's in the mood for her second dose of halloumi for the week. She'll start to squeak soon.

Sadly I was so incensed by her demands I forgot to take a picture. You know what it looks like by now though, surely? The spinachy one, with the cheese sticking out?

Those people out there interested in thrift/money saving tips/meekats might like to note that all the expensive ingredients will last two meals, worse luck. You need about half a jar of tomatoes, so that covers another meal, and I tend to marinate my chestnuts (matron!) in one go and then keep half in the fridge, ready for next time. I'm just saying.

sources
fried halloumi topped with chilli, spinach, water chestnut, hazelnut, orange and sun-blushed tomato salad - Peter Gordon, Salads - The New Main Course, p65

chorizo, pea and lemon cous cous

What's wrong with this picture?

Brilliantly Ana couldn't tell either, until I told her, which is why I love this recipe!

Naturally once I told her that I'd used up the last of the bulgar wheat rather than use cous cous, she claimed to have noticed something 'different' from the off, but I don't think you can really. The beauty of it is whatever you use, sucks up all the flavours of the stock, chorizo fat, lemon and tomatoes. In fact, I might go mental soon and try it with Quinoa next time. Or looking at the face pulled when I mentioned it, I might not.

Mrs White, how did it go for you?

Wine Time
Last time I suggested a Soave and/or Rose, but recently I tried a couple of bottles of what Victoria Moore brilliantly described as 'the thinking woman's Pinot Grigio' - a Fiano. It's got all the lemony loveliness you want, with a really lovely, delicate blossom nose. It could quite possibly be my new favourite wine. Waitrose has a Fiano mix called 'Traide' which is a good place to start.

sources
chorizo, pea and lemon cous cous - Delicious, October 2012, p28