Food and drink thread

[Futtocks]

22 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

I've had my haggis. 

Futtocks mate, let me tell you, it has immediately become one of my favourite foods! Oh my God, it was magnificent! One of the tastiest things I have ever consumed and the rest of the family weren't that keen so I could finish theirs off as well!

It was so smooth, almost like a thick yoghurt slipping down my throat and so, so flavoursome! Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! I've already got in touch with a mate of mine who lives in Edinburgh and told him to bring me an authentic one from a Scottish butcher!

What a glorious food haggis is!

A good haggis is wonderful. To save washing-up and simplify serving, I tend to peel off the casing, chop the haggis into chunks and put it in a baking dish, topped with mashed potatoes like a shepherd's pie. It only needs heating up, as you buy haggis pre-cooked.

The third part of the Scottish trinity, the swede/neeps, are traditionally served as a fairly tasteless mash, which is a bit blah. If you chop it into approx. 1cm chunks and gently fry it 'til soft in a butter/oil mix with some sage leaves, you get a much better side dish. On other occasions, I have substituted the swede with roasted pumpkin wedges.

The whisky cream sauce that seems to have become standard at many restaurants in what our American cousins refer to as "Ed'n-boe-roe" - that I can do without. I don't think it helps the dish at all. If you really must have extra moisture, onion gravy's great.

[Futtocks]

More cross-cultural barbarism this evening. Boerewors sausage, skinned, chopped and cooked with smoked tomato paste, shallots and herbs. 

The result was stuffed into schiaffoni (aka pacchero) pasta* with the some of the sauce. Then that was topped with bechamel and sprinkled with parsley and chives before being baked.

*big short tubes, like someone cut cannelloni into thirds, so easier to stuff.

[Futtocks]

Just back from the market with, among other things, these beauties!

 

[hindle xiii]

I have a question about food festivals.

I'm watching The Hidden World of Hospitality with Tom Kerridge on BBC 2 and there is a feature about his Pub in the Park festival.

Each food stall holder each have a series of numbers under each item. All food items are £7, apparently. But does anyone @Futtocks know what the numbers mean, example (2, 4, 7) see link https://www.pubintheparkuk.com/chiswick/pubs/pub-detail/the-green-man is it to do with allergens?

[DI Keith Fowler]

Had a busy year so I've not done nearly enough barbecue over the summer. I'd planned to do brisket this weekend (point end only I don't need to feed an army and the flat is too hard to cook on it's own) but spent a little more time in the pub than planned with it being a bank holiday. Anyway opened the fridge last night and saw the piece I'd bought and realised I had to cook it. Put it in about 10pm last night using a charcoal basket (I've got an Onlyfire branded one which is virtually identical to the much more expensive Slow & Sear) and it's held a good temperature until about 9am this morning which I'm happy with.

Briskets not at temperature yet it was at the stall when I opened it, so I've wrapped it and added more charcoal. Will probably give it another 6 hours or so today I've no reason to rush it. 

[hindle xiii]

Mussels in cider with leek, garlic, bird's eye chilli and smoked bacon.

[hindle xiii]

My oven is full this afternoon.

Roasting a chicken.

Baking a whole salmon.

Cooking a rainbow trout in foil.

Roasting butternut squash for a soup.

There are lots of accompanying ingredients with all the above but they are the headlines.

[hindle xiii]

@Futtocksknows they all worked beautifully.

[Futtocks]

Ersatz kedgeree last night, aka a kipper with some egg fried rice.

[Futtocks]

delete - wrong thread

Edited September 15, 2023 by Futtocks

[Futtocks]

delete - wrong thread

Edited September 15, 2023 by Futtocks

[Futtocks]

delete - wrong thread

Edited September 15, 2023 by Futtocks

[DI Keith Fowler]

Was on holiday in Vietnam the past couple of weeks. Had a Banh Mi in Saigon/HCMC from a street seller that floored me for three days. I know its a delicious sandwich but the thought of ever having one again knocks me sick.

Pho on the other hand I will continue to enjoy.

Edited September 16, 2023 by DI Keith Fowler

[Futtocks]

I was in Chiswick this afternoon for other reasons, but couldn't walk past this place. Since you ask, I had a chocolate/nut-dipped cone with Amorino (chocolate) ice-cream on the outside layer and Amarena (cherries & cream) in the middle. Wonderful (of pricey) - brought back memories of Marine Ices near Camden Market.

https://www.amorino.com/en/category/flavours 

Edited September 22, 2023 by Futtocks

[Futtocks]

Snacks for the women's grand Final.

[Futtocks]

Space Karen's mid-life crisis bin fire (fka Twitter) still has its uses. This, for instance, looks interesting.

 

[Futtocks]

Just put in the slow cooker - pork shoulder with a Berber spice blend*, maple syrup, orange & mace vinegar and a little balsamic for richness. All inside a roasting bag, to concentrate the juices (and simplify the washing-up).
I haven’t tried this combination before, so here’s hoping!

*chilli, salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander seed, fenugreek, cloves, allspice, ajwan, ginerger, green cardamom and nutmeg

Edited October 22, 2023 by Futtocks

[MattSantos]

My advent calendar arrived today. 24 miniature bottles of port.

Lovely.

[hindle xiii]

40 minutes ago, MattSantos said:

My advent calendar arrived today. 24 miniature bottles of port.

Lovely.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

[Futtocks]

Partridge, stuffed with black pudding and (after searing in a frying pan) covered with Italian ham, before being roasted.
On the side, a couple of bubble & squeak cakes plus some asparagus and broccoli that had been blanched then fried over high heat to add a little charring. While the bubble & squeak was cooked through and tasty, it could have taken a little longer for colour and crispiness.
The gravy contains black garlic, red wine and mirepoix glace.

[Futtocks]

Riccioli red wine pasta, smoked mussels, dulse flakes, sour cream, a dash of pasta water to loosen the sauce, a pinch of powdered bottarga, timur berry pepper, black pepper and finished with microplaned lemon zest.
Turned out all right.

 

[Futtocks]

Spotted on the internet, Hellraiser-inspired party food.

[High Peak Rhino]

On 13/10/2023 at 15:15, Futtocks said:

Space Karen's mid-life crisis bin fire (fka Twitter) still has its uses. This, for instance, looks interesting.

 

Wasn't De Hems 60+ years ahead of the trend, though the beer range here looks more adventurous?

[DI Keith Fowler]

13 hours ago, High Peak Rhino said:

Wasn't De Hems 60+ years ahead of the trend, though the beer range here looks more adventurous?

Love De Hems, spent many an afternoon in the quieter upstairs bit watching Eredivisie 2 games getting slaughtered on Veddett*.

*Which I know is a Belgian beer, but whenever I've been to Holland Belgian beers seem wildly popular. 

[MattSantos]

Just joined the Sunday Times Wine Club and spent a fair bob.

Excited.