OneGuyFromBarlick

This first part of MKR is about " Fine Dining". The words speak for themselves...has to be a cut above yummy comfort food/ week-night wonders/meals in a minute type fare. It has to be stuff you would expect at a fine restaurant and pay through the nose for...not that I truly appreciate that kind of grub...but we have all had to cook above our comfort zone at some point in our lives ( says she...remembering that every meal with former mother-in-law was "fine dining" and terribly uncomfortable for me!). Perhaps it is because I have had these experiences, hideous as they were, I can now cope and feel comfortable, though I do not seek these situations out. I hate pomp and ceremony.
And I am not sledging the Cookery Teacher. My former mother-in-law would have given her a right "see to" in no uncertain terms and have her polishing the silver until she had earned the right to stand at the kitchen bench! She certainly did with me!

Many years ago we entered a hotel in search of food, the receptionist enquired as to would we like bar food or fine dining. We opted for the fine dining, after choosing our meal, the waitress brought a taster, free offer from the chef who would like our feedback. As we were the only diners, the free tasters kept coming. when our meal was completed the chef entered with a bottle of cognac, he received our comments with appreciation, and they were all positive. Absolutely marvellous food and plenty of it quite an experience. Of course we returned twice more more that week, on both occasions the restaurant was busy, and no more freebies, but the food was still top notch.

Sliced cold beef done in gravy with onions & garlic, mashed potatoes and carrot & parsnip, (another good beef joint - 3 meals and enough for sandwiches).

Meat and onion with rice for dinner and in a butty for tea. Good stuff, fine dining or not!

Home made fish cakes, with a small salad, scrummy!

LizG wrote:Made the first batch of beetroot relish today as well as the start of bread and butter pickles. I will finish it tomorrow and then bottle both later in the day. Can any one tell me why they call a mixture of cucumber and onion pickles bread and butter pickles?

I've eaten plenty but never heard that description. Very good made with a balsamic vinegar, and a teaspoon of sugar.

Meat and onion with chips X 2. Only had a small bowl at teatime and topped up with cheese on toast because I fancied it! Must put a new loaf in......

Tripps wrote:

LizG wrote:Made the first batch of beetroot relish today as well as the start of bread and butter pickles. I will finish it tomorrow and then bottle both later in the day. Can any one tell me why they call a mixture of cucumber and onion pickles bread and butter pickles?

I've eaten plenty but never heard that description. Very good made with a balsamic vinegar, and a teaspoon of sugar.

I never thought of using balsamic vinegar, I'll do that next time. My recipe had a lot more sugar than that though. For 1kg of cucumbers and 4 onions I put 2 cups of sugar; the recipe said 4 cups. I could probably put even less. I can only think that "bread & butter pickles" is an Aussie expression.

To use up some roast lamb left over from sunday, I diced some potatoes, sliced up three sticks of celery, and chopped a mushroom. After placing in a pan with water I then added a vegetable stock cube the diced lamb, and half a cup of red lentils The pan was brought to the boil and simmered for 45 minutes. Total freestyle cooking and it tasted lovely.

Beef & veggie stew with dumplings, mashed potatoes & broccoli tonight.

Cheese and Vegemite Sandwich for lunch.
Spicy Chicken Noodles for evening meal.

Last of the meat and onion with chips for dinner and a mackerel and poached egg butty for tea. Butcher's day today so treats are in order!

Yorkshire prize winning pork pie with chips and beans.

Braised steak butty for dinner and a lump of two shear leg popped into the gravy and back on the stove. Pastrami butties for tea....

A Ham and Cheese Toastie.

A chicken dish but I have not decided what yet.

Pressed beef butty for breakfast and a meat pie followed by a marmalade butty for tea. (I fancied marmalade!) The meat stew argued with itself for much of the day after I had skimmed the fat off the gravy and added a packet of frozen peas. It's ready for use now.....

Poached Salmon, boiled spuds, baby peas, green beans, broccoli and my special herbed white sauce ( with dill, tarragon, parsley, chives and black pepper)
Yum!

I hope Himindoors notices and appreciates it!

He will probably say " the Chicken was very nice"

I cooked the chicken in a tray with shallots, garlic, new potatoes & tarragon - it was very tasty and simple to do. Tonight it is rast pork with crackling and all the trimmings.

Five bird roast with broccoli carrots, and roast spuds, home made trifle for afters.

Pray tell...what is a five bird roast?

Am making a rather diabolical Chiken Tikka Masarla at present, which is for dinner tomorrow night. By then the flavours would have developed beautifully, and it will be an easy meal after spending the day helping son move into his new home.

Always better the say after Maz! Had two shear stew with peas and boiled spuds for dinner. For tea a small haslett butty on thin bread and an apricot conserve butty for pudding!