Tonight I cooked...

[briantrumpet]

Haven't made tartiflette in ages!

Tonight's effort was a thai-inspired pumpkin and red lentil soup, then a hot lamb sandwich done in the George Foreman grilly machine.

It's one of my winter go-to's in France, where I can get passable cheese and everything else at not-silly money. Mind you, the bottle rosé wine for from Lidl was a bit pricey at 2.50€, but wine is vital to the recipe. I compensated by getting a 3L box of vin de pays d'Oc cabernet sauvignon for 6€, as I'd probably not have finished the 5L box of AC Côtes du Rhône, even if it was only 12€.

 

[Reynard]

It's one of my winter go-to's in France, where I can get passable cheese and everything else at not-silly money. Mind you, the bottle rosé wine for from Lidl was a bit pricey at 2.50€, but wine is vital to the recipe. I compensated by getting a 3L box of vin de pays d'Oc cabernet sauvignon for 6€, as I'd probably not have finished the 5L box of AC Côtes du Rhône, even if it was only 12€.

Cheese, bacon, garlic, onions and cream, with good potatoes. What's not to like?

Good comforting stodge. Although being teetotal, I omit the wine.

 

[briantrumpet]

Cheese, bacon, garlic, onions and cream, with good potatoes. What's not to like?

Good comforting stodge. Although being teetotal, I omit the wine.

The alcohol boils off pretty rapidly - it's just for flavour... you reduce the onions, bacon & wine till it starts to get a bit 'sticky'. Yum!

 

[Reynard]

The alcohol boils off pretty rapidly - it's just for flavour... you reduce the onions, bacon & wine till it starts to get a bit 'sticky'. Yum!

I know it does / is. Trouble is, I'd have to go out and *buy* wine!

 

[figbat]

The alcohol boils off pretty rapidly - it's just for flavour... you reduce the onions, bacon & wine till it starts to get a bit 'sticky'. Yum!

Mostly, but not completely. It is actually quite difficult to completely separate ethanol from water by distillation.

 

[briantrumpet]

Cheese, bacon, garlic, onions and cream, with good potatoes. What's not to like?

Good comforting stodge. Although being teetotal, I omit the wine.

Turned out splendidly - as close to perfection as could be, I reckon!! My sneaky trick was to parboil the spuds the day before and stop them overcooking by refilling the pan with cold water as soon as they spuds weren't at all crunchy, but before they started falling apart. Then they were a doddle to slice the next day, without me burning my fingers.

Mostly, but not completely. It is actually quite difficult to completely separate ethanol from water by distillation.

Aha, OK, thanks. Noted.

 

[Reynard]

I always parboil my tatties when making tartiflette. Except if I'm using very floury (Maris Piper) potatoes, as those'll fall apart otherwise. Best to use a waxy potato variety if you can.

 

[briantrumpet]

I always parboil my tatties when making tartiflette. Except if I'm using very floury (Maris Piper) potatoes, as those'll fall apart otherwise. Best to use a waxy potato variety if you can.

Yep, waxy if at all possible. The worst spuds are the ones that are rock hard for ages, you watch them minute-by-minute, then the next thing they've exploded into a million floury pieces while your back was turned for 30 seconds.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Yep, waxy if at all possible. The worst spuds are the ones that are rock hard for ages, you watch them minute-by-minute, then the next thing they've exploded into a million floury pieces while your back was turned for 30 seconds.

That's pretty much every British supermarket spud! 😂

 

[briantrumpet]

That's pretty much every British supermarket spud! 😂

Apart for Desiree, if you can get them... they'd survive nuclear holocaust and still need another five minutes...

 

[newts]

That's pretty much every British supermarket spud! 😂

Maris Piper are good this year, best i've tasted in a long time.

 

[Reynard]

Maris Piper are good this year, best i've tasted in a long time.

Yup. Concur.

I'm currently working my way through the sackful (20kg) that I picked up by the side of the road mid-October time. Wonky fen roads combined with over-full agricultural trailers inevitably equals free spuds. (Last year it was free beetroot and free onions!)

Shoved them all in my panniers and wobbled home rather precariously. They've been fabulous, especially for chips and roasties.

When those are finished, I'll buy a sack or two off my neighbour.

 

[Dave7]

A madras curry sauce is...

Lots of sliced onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, ginger, black pepper and chilli.

A madras curry sauce is...

Lots of sliced onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, ginger, black pepper and chilli.

A Madras curry sauce is........
Too hot for me.

 

[Reynard]

A Madras curry sauce is........
Too hot for me.

Just how *much* seasoning did you put in?

The beauty of making your own curry pastes is that you can have them as hot or as mild as you wish. A Madras should be nicely warming, not "blow your head off". A good tip for heat level, is that you should be able to taste the food.

 

[Dave7]

Just how *much* seasoning did you put in?

The beauty of making your own curry pastes is that you can have them as hot or as mild as you wish. A Madras should be nicely warming, not "blow your head off". A good tip for heat level, is that you should be able to taste the food.

TBH i have only ever bought is as a ready meal or sauce.