Tuesday 31 December 2013

Ten pots of marmalade, and some parsnip, Parmesan and sage bread!

As well as preparing for the meal tonight. Will post pics later .
Menu, 
Homemade potted shrimps( get them from friends in Norfolk,and then crush mace, pepper corns, lemon zest and chilli Pepper, and then melt some unsalted butter,and mix the spices together,and when warm pour over the shrimps.
Pigeon breasts( shot by son in law) with celeriac and potato mash, routs with bacon and chestnuts
Prosecco jelly with pomegranate seeds and oranges in the jelly, not very easy to get into the fridge one handed!
Cheeses if we have say room. Plus walnuts and Majool dates.

The kitchen smells gorgeous, all citrusy ,and I haven't made too much of a mess for once!
Must go and sit down,as I ache all over.


Friday 27 December 2013

What did I do for Christmas?

I made the following, 
a dozen mince pies, home made pastry and mince meat naturally.plus the brandy butter sauce to go with them.
Spiced red cabbage ,and a carrot and parsnip pureé to go with the meat.
Bread sauce.  The vegetables and bread sauce went into the freezer a week before hand.
Then I did some mini crab cakes for eating with drinks before the meal, plus some very stiff pesto for spreading onto tiny pieces toasted bread, plus some tapenade .
A large terrine,pork and pancetta and chicken livers, with  sour cherries and pistachio  nuts in the mix. 
A pear cake, not unlike a Tarte Tatin, but with a cake mix poured on the caramelised pears,and then cooked in the oven in a frying pan, to be served with a home made chocolate ice cream
Finally ,chees biscuits I always make these when thre are odd bits of cheese hanging around, so they are always different! I roll them into a sausage,and thrn freeze the rolls, then there are always some in the freezer for emergencies.
Exhausted by the time that lot was done. 
Only 2 weeks  to go before the final chemotherapy! Then hopefully I will be finished with it.have had weird symptoms this time, , mouthulcers and unexplained bruising, never had THAT before.

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Cinnamon bun, made from a recipe from the Guardian Cook last week.we will have it for breakfast on Christmas Day

This is now the third time I have tried to add a comment to the cinnamon  bun. 
So here goes again! I wish that they wouldn't keep on  changing their configurations. I find it so tiresome.
The cinnamon bun was tried by all the family who were here over the holiday, and their reaction was overall positive. It lasted well, I didn't freeze it, but warmed  it in the oven.
I shall definitely make it again, but reverse the ratio of Wholemeal/plain flour,as I found it a bit " worthy" 
Such a.shame that much of the luscious filling of butter ,sugar and cinnamon ended up on the base of the oven, so that when I opened the door, the whole house was filled with blue aromatic smoke!