ENGLISH MUM

So I’m pretty sure I’ve made these before, but seeing as they’re made with leftovers and we’re such utter pigs that there’s rarely any leftovers in our house, it was always going to take a while.  Yesterday, though, I made a chicken, pea and spring onion risotto and made sure I made some extra so I could give this one a go. First thoughts: it’s damned messy.  I mean, I’m...

So one of my happier experiments in the garden were these little beauties.  They did have a name, but I’ve bloody forgotten now, although I’m sure Poppy’s Mum or GrowUp, my gardening gurus, will let me know in due course.  Yesterday, then, we decided to pick one and test it out.  ‘Ooh’, said #1, ‘cauliflower cheese!’.  ‘Yum’, said I.  ‘Bleurgh’,...

So the ongoing battle here at English Towers is between the chilli lovers and the not-so-chilli lovers.  Hubby and #1 would have us eating amounts of chilli that, frankly, would have normal people running madly around in circles, flapping their arms and making choo choo noises with steam coming out of their ears, whereas me and the small, accident-prone version can only handle a gentle amount of spice. ...

Righto, then, following swiftly on from the butternut squash risotto, here’s another curry that is used in so many different guises here at English Towers, I’m struggling to know which photos to use.  As you know, I’m a big fan of butternut squash, so here’s the basic recipe used with squash, but it’s equally good made with potatoes or cauliflower: 1 butternut squash, peeled...

I love butternut squash.  I love its sweetness, its softness, and its beautiful orangey colour.  I love risotto too, and the combination of both of them is one of my favourite meals.  I happened to mention to the lovely Matt, fellow blogger and ’Wine Evangelist’ (I love that title) at Curious Wines that I was going to knock up a butternut squash risotto and he very kindly offered to send me...

Ah, Mother’s Day.  A day for eating cremated bacon sandwiches whilst smiling broadly and going ‘mmm, delicious!’, drinking the half-cup of dodgy tea that was delivered to your bedside whilst secretly worrying how long it’s going to take you to remove the other half that’s been slopped up the stairs, and being the recipient of approximately fifteen hardly squeezes and twenty five...

Sunday lunch, then, and even though I say so myself, this one was rather a cracker.  Given a unanimous 10/10 (unheard of in our house) and with the added bonus of being one of the easiest too.  First up then is the main course: Roast lamb with creamy layered potatoes ½ leg lamb (about 1kg) 1 kg potatoes 50g butter 300ml milk or cream So for the lamb, just preheat the oven at about 180/gas 4, rub all over...

So I sometimes think my little carpet monsters don’t know when they’ve got it good.  Take last week: #2 went out shopping with D-next-door and seriously, dearest reader, you’d think he’d won the flipping lottery: ‘D gets curly fries!  And chicken nuggets!  And spicy wedges!  And we walked straight past the fruit and veg without buying anything!!  And we got chocolate fingers!’,...

All this talk of recession has done me no end of good, y’know.  For one thing, I’m trying to use up all the stuff we had left over in the freezer since Christmas (I’m down to two massive bags of frozen prawns and the kids are sick of them, but needs must, eh.  Green Thai prawn curry anyone?).  And I’ve hardly been out shopping at all, save for a couple of trips for school essentials...

Unlike in England, where you’re lucky to find an out-of-date Twix and maybe a curly-edged sandwich, the petrol stations in Ireland are a haven for the half starved motorist.  Practically every one will have a deli selling not only the ubiquitous ‘breakfast roll’, an artery-busting ensemble of sausage, bacon, fried egg and maybe even some black pudding, all levered into an enormous half of...

What is it about Heinz tinned soups?  They’re actually pretty disgusting – I mean, how do they get that gelatinous texture?  It doesn’t bear thinking about.  And the mushroom flavour, which is #1′s preferred choice, is frankly revolting.  Too creamy, oddly grey in colour and, well, mushrooms don’t really taste like that, do they.  And then there’s the tomato flavour. ...

  Little Italian interlude today then.  Hubby’s away so we’ve been stuffing ourselves with pasta (which he hates) and all thoughts of a Sunday roast were quickly discarded as we were all suddenly overtaken by an inexplicable need for lasagne.  This, by the way, contains #1′s tried, tested and patented recipe for tomato sauce, which is the only one that his brother will eat, considering...

So we were all in need of a bit of comfort food last night.  And this packet of bloody Carnaroli rice has been sitting in the cupboard glaring at me every time I go in there for a tin of beans.  Me and risotto have a chequered history.  It’s not that I don’t like it, oh no, it’s just that every time I make it, I get that kind of ‘hmmm’ response from my lot that means ‘yeah,...

 1 pack of new potatoes 1 white cabbage 1 good quality Irish black pudding Frozen peas Vegetable stock Okay so I know some people are repulsed by it, but here in Ireland they do the best black pudding ever.  If you hate the idea of the stuff, do me a favour and just try it before you totally write it off.  It’s lovely stuff.  Otherwise replace it in this recipe with some fat good quality herby sausages,...

So me Ma’s visit all passed in a happy blur. Oh, apart from the bit when Bertie disgraced himself by eating her knitting needles- sorry Ma. Oh, and that other bit where Bertie disgraced himself by hopping into her bed and frightening her silly when she returned from a nocturnal trip to the loo – sorry again Ma. And yesterday I found myself dropping her at the airport again. Still, no point dwelling...

Well after all that roasting, basting and stuffing, I chilled today and made a yummy toad in the hole with some nice fat herby sausages. I’m not sure if I’ve given you my tried and tested batter recipe, but here she blows: 4oz plain flour Pinch of salt 2 eggs 300ml (10 fl oz) Milk Fat slice (about half oz) of butter olive or sunflower oil Pack of sausages So – get a deep sided baking tin or...

I know, I know… but I’ve got half a bird clogging up my fridge and Hubby and #1 are mad for a curry. I got Anjum Anand’s wonderful ‘Indian Every Day’ for Christmas and she has this brilliant idea for a basic curry paste that, once you’ve knocked up a batch, you can keep in the fridge (or freeze in little portion sizes in an ice cube tray) so I’ve used this, but hey,...

Okay, here goes with the frittata recipe. I’m not even sure if frittata is the correct term. Maybe it should be Spanish omelette? Whatever, it’s just a big old mixture of eggs and stuff and tastes really nice. If you haven’t got any leftover potatoes, peel a large one before you start, slice it into 1cm slices and boil it in salted water. You can basically bung any old stuff into here. I’ve...

Seeing as, thanks to King Jamie of Oliver, I’m now a whiz with a bit of pastry, I decided to whip up dinner last night in the shape of a kind of sausage and egg pie/quiche effort. Poor B the greyhound was sent wild by the smell of sausages, her little nose twitching and wiggling as she sat in her usual ‘helping with the cooking’ spot, bang in front of the sink. No matter how many times she...