Food and drink thread

[Trojan]

Quail is farmed (more fat), and can be roasted pretty vigorously. I tend to just season them well with salt and pepper, stuff a couple of cherry peppers inside, then sear them in a pan before roasting.

I've had quail - off a van at a market in Italy - very tasty.

[Tiny Tim]

Pigeon can be had from some butchers, Waitrose, or (frozen) from oriental supermarkets. Again, it must be kept moist, but is a much more interesting flavour than pheasant or partridge.

We made pigeon and rabbit stew at one scout camp, it was pleasant enough. Pigeon and rabbit roasted over an open fire on the other hand was not particularly pleasant, far too dried out and chewy.

In Spain last year I tried sheep brain, which to be honest didn't taste of an awful lot and the texture wasn't very appealing, the rest of the tapas was superb.

[hindle xiii]

I've added swordfish and snails to my list of possibilities so far.

[hindle xiii]

This may go into next year already!

[hindle xiii]

Tripe tomorrow.

[Ullman]

I've had pheasant. It's a few years ago. I used to work with a guy who shot (and smoked) so I swapped him 200 Regal Kings bought in Spain for a brace of pheasant. Can't say I was impressed. It seemed dry and tasteless.

We had pheasant once when one collided with the goods train my dad was driving at the time.

[Mumby Magic]

Tripe tomorrow.

Good Luck!!

[timtum]

Dining in French restaurants, 8 out of 10 ten times I sit next to someone noshing away on andouillette (tripe sausage). They (the sausages that is, I think) smell of poo.

[MattSantos]

Last night i cooked a salad of toasted pine nuts, pack choi, broccolli and sprouts.

Served with griddled tuna steak.

Lovely.

Tonight i fancy cooking something closer to home; a roast.

[Futtocks]

Last night i cooked a salad of toasted pine nuts, pack choi, broccolli and sprouts.

Served with griddled tuna steak.

Lovely.

Tonight i fancy cooking something closer to home; a roast.

I like pak choi. Much easier to get these days, too. Stir fried with ginger, garlic and soy sauce, then finished with a touch of sesame oil is a nice way to have it.

[MattSantos]

I like pak choi. Much easier to get these days, too. Stir fried with ginger, garlic and soy sauce, then finished with a touch of sesame oil is a nice way to have it.

I was with you until sesame oil. I can't stand it. I love Asian food to be clean and fresh, sesame oil just ruins it.

Pak choi also stays fresh for a long time, too.

On a general food note, it amazes me how poorly people eat. The people around my desk have the most appaling eating habits and yet they're stick thin!

Damn my gluttonous ways.

[Futtocks]

I was with you until sesame oil. I can't stand it. I love Asian food to be clean and fresh, sesame oil just ruins it.

I find you have to use it with a very light touch, or it dominates everything.

[John Rhino]

check out how they make foie gras

You beat me to it. A lot of shops and resturants in this country have stopped selling it. It is produced by prolonged cruelty. Stick to liver pate.

[getdownmonkeyman]

I like pak choi. Much easier to get these days, too. Stir fried with ginger, garlic and soy sauce, then finished with a touch of sesame oil is a nice way to have it.

Sesame oil as a dressing or stir fry oil? If cooking, my preference is for grapeseed oil. Good resistance to burning and tastes of nothing.

Pak choi cookd in garlic, smothered in soy. Hmmmmmmmm.

[Futtocks]

You beat me to it. A lot of shops and restaurants in this country have stopped selling it. It is produced by prolonged cruelty. Stick to liver pate.

There's a lot of hysteria and hyperbole spouted about foie gras production. There have also been some shops/restaurants targeted by sickos who threaten the owners' children/family etc.

True, some producers do use methods that are cruel (if not as cruel as some campaigners claim), but you can buy the stuff from ethical/humane producers too. Just check before you buy.

[Futtocks]

Sesame oil as a dressing or stir fry oil?

You just use it to finish off a dish, same as truffle oil. Either as a dressing, or right at the end of cooking. It has a low smoke point, so you wouldn't want to use it as the main oil for cooking, regardless of the flavour.

[MattSantos]

You just use it to finish off a dish, same as truffle oil. Either as a dressing, or right at the end of cooking. It has a low smoke point, so you wouldn't want to use it as the main oil for cooking, regardless of the flavour.

MMM truffle oil.

No rissotto should go without it.

[hindle xiii]

Tripe was ok, much better hot and the rest is maranating (sp?) in anything I could lay my hands on to make it taste of something. Not much taste but the little it has is different. Consistency wise about the same as the fat on a pork chop, chewy.

[Mumby Magic]

Had owt else?

What about Greek, Morrocan or styles like that? There's a Greek restaurant in Halifax. Whereas most of the food is a style of standard meats like lamb or pork, or fish for that matter they have stuffed vine leaves (Dolmades) which you can also buy in the tin from large supermarkets or worldwide stores.

What about lesser used vegs? Marrow or Celeriac for example?

[hindle xiii]

Oysters today when I get home.

Trying one raw. Trying one cooked.

[Simon Hall]

Oysters today when I get home.

Trying one raw. Trying one cooked.

I've only ever had Oysters once, when I was working on the fish counter at Sainsbury's. They were very expensive so when it went quiet I sneaked in the the back room, cracked one open and slung it down my neck, like swallowing a greenie to be honest and not much nicer to taste. Best bit was, I didn't realise how sharp the shell was and I cut my lips quite badly, although I didn't realise until i was back on the counter serving some old dear a couple of pound of cod when she commented on all the blood coming from my mouth.

[hindle xiii]

I've only ever had Oysters once, when I was working on the fish counter at Sainsbury's. They were very expensive ...

These were 75p each from a fishmonger market stall in Bradford.

Highly uninspiring to be honest. A faff to open and they taste like mussels and sea water, chewy too.

[Futtocks]

These were 75p each from a fishmonger market stall in Bradford.

Highly uninspiring to be honest. A faff to open and they taste like mussels and sea water, chewy too.

Best to get 'em at a seaside town where they are caught - as fresh off the boat as humanly possible.

And get some other mug to open the damn things up.

[hindle xiii]

Best to get 'em at a seaside town where they are caught - as fresh off the boat as humanly possible.

And get some other mug to open the damn things up.

The second one wasn't anywhere near as faffy to open. And if I'm ever by the sea I will, this was just to try them.

[Simon Hall]

The second one wasn't anywhere near as faffy to open.

Really? If they open too easily it'll be a bad 'un. You didn't eat it did you? Please tell me you didn't.