Tuesday 26 December 2023

Christmas Diner 2023

  • 2.58kg (25g giblets so 2.25kg) duck from Alders, Cowley Road
  • Vegan Wellington by Ruth and Ellie
  • Maris piper potatoes
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Carrots
  • Red cabbage
  • 6 rashers smoked back bacon
  • Alders pigs in blankets

  • Sainsbury's Vegan Christmas pudding
  • Home made brandy butter
  • Double cream

Marinade

  • Flesh of two oranges
  • Pepper
  • Ginger
  • One piece of lemon grass
  • Thyme from garden
  • Sainsbury's thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Bay
  • Tarragon
  • Whole peppers
  • Ground black pepper
  • Corriander
  • Garlic powder

Night before

Stab duck all over.

Fill cavity with bay, rosemary, skin of two oranges, lemongrass, chopped ginger.

Strain marinade, put solids inside.

Use juice to moisten he whole bird.

Salt and pepper over all.

Leave in oven over night.

Vegan Wellington

Ruth and Ellie made this.

Smoked tofu and beetroot, topped with finely chopped mushrooms wrapped in puff pastry.

On the Day

Add giblets, cook for 30 minutes, 120 °, remove giblets and juice for gravy base. Cook for another two hours. Add bacon and pigs in blankets, cook for half an hour on high for half an hour.

Boil the gravy for a long time.

Peel potatoes and cover in cold water. Turn on as you start to prepare the pasnips. Add parsnips to boiling potatoes. We always overcook the potatoes, so maybe start poatoes and parsnips together next time.

Strain potatoes and parsnips and put into paking trays. I ended up separating later, so keep poatoes and parsnips separate throughout next time. Add potato water to gravy.

Bring carrots to boil.

Boil sprouts, longer next time.

Microwave red cabbage done earlier.

Ladle gravy from pan to jug, leaving gibblets for soup tomorrow.

Sunday 24 December 2023

Christmas Duck 2022

Published one year late.

  • 1.5kg duck from https://www.coombefarmorganic.co.uk/ (Small compared to last year, 2.8 KG)
  • 2 300g duck breasts
  • Nut Roast by Ruth
  • Maris piper potatoes
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Carrots
  • Red cabbage
  • 6 rashers smoked back bacon
  • Wenlock Edge pigs in blankets
  • Vegetarian pigs in blankets

  • Sainsbury's Christmas pudding
  • Philip's home made Christmas pudding
  • Home made brandy butter
  • Double cream

Day before - Nut Roast

Ruth made this, it turned out very well.

The night before

Stabbed duck all over. Filled with Sage, rosemary and bay. Squeezed an orange over the duck, rubbed salt in and peppered. Put orange peel inside duck. Also half a lemon Left over night in oven.

On the Day

Lost track of the blog and the photography.

Nice to get a photo of Christopher.

Sunday 3 December 2023

Cod and Noodles

Trying to follow this recipe.

I think it might work better with a large cube of cod, but two Sainsburies filets were all that was available. Given the strong flavours and the difficulty of stopping the cod flaking maybe try with cheaper white fish, and chili next time.

This would work well with tofu so will try that when we have vegetarians.

Ingredients

  1. Two cod fillets
  2. Green beans
  3. Two Sharwoods medium noodle portions
  4. Grated ginger
  5. Fresh chili
  6. Chives chopped fine
  7. Soy sauce
  8. Four teaspoons of honey
  9. One Finely chopped onion
  10. Finely chopped chives
  11. Dark Thai fish sauce
  12. Kikoman soy sauce
  13. Juice of half a lemon
  14. Splash of white wine
  15. Dripping or oil

Microwave beans for 2 minutes

Make sauce from onions, chives, lemon, soy, wine, honey, juices from cod. Dip cubed cod in sauce.

Bring dripping to a high heat, fry cod, turning carfully, achieving char in places.

Add onions, beans, chives, and marinade to wok and boil vigourously.

Boil noodles, drain and place in bowls, add fish and beans on top.

Serve with sweet chili sauce.