What can I cook tonight ?

[Arch]

How sad not to be able to have pastry. I had it pretty rarely - not for diet reasons, but half decent pies aren't often within my budget, so it's lucky if I get one reduced. (Yeah, I could make my own, but can't be bothered...)

Have pastry, just have less of the other stuff with it.

 

[peanut]

Ah.. one of those pretend veggies then.

well you'd be a braver cycling person than me to suggest that to Mrs P 3rd deg black belt ..former judo instructor and thaiwandoo or whatever its called.
I'm a mere 17 stone 5'11" but not looking to get another bloody nose and thrown on my back thanks

 

[Fnaar]

Just decided on this evening's recipe... kedgeree for us tonight

 

[wafflycat]

I'm just going on what The Vegetarian Society say..

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/definitions.html

"A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products"

Perhaps she should practice her marshal arts on them!

Saying that, an acquaintance of mine some years ago made great public announcement about her turning vegetarian. Fair enough. Next time we ate together she ate fish. Cue me saying in all innocence, "When did you stop being a veggie then?" She got most miffed and insisted she still was as fish didn't count...

 

[Arch]

Just decided on this evening's recipe... kedgeree for us tonight

One of my favourites. If I can't find smoked cod or haddock reduced, I use tinned mackerel...

 

[Jane Smart]

I'm hungry now after reading this thread.

Takeaway here this evening

 

[theclaud]

One of my favourites. If I can't find smoked cod or haddock reduced, I use tinned mackerel...

What are your thoughts on the appropriate herbs and spices? My feeling is that a finely shredded bay leaf accounts for the difference between mediocre and exciting, and the other must-haves are turmeric, cardamom and a nonchalant stick of cinnamon. I think I owe the bay thing to Rick Stein...

 

[HelenD123]

I will readily admit to being a 'bad vegetarian' ie I used to be a textbook vegetarian as per the Vegetarian Society definition above but lapsed after quite a number of years and now eat fish as well. I blame the French. After several days of putting up with lousy vegetarian options I cracked when all I was offered in a posh restaurant in Nantes was a plate of tomatoes .

 

[Fnaar]

What are your thoughts on the appropriate herbs and spices? My feeling is that a finely shredded bay leaf accounts for the difference between mediocre and exciting, and the other must-haves are turmeric, cardamom and a nonchalant stick of cinnamon. I think I owe the bay thing to Rick Stein...

I have to make mine kid-friendly, so I just use a bit of curry powder and slip a few cardamoms in

 

[Arch]

What are your thoughts on the appropriate herbs and spices? My feeling is that a finely shredded bay leaf accounts for the difference between mediocre and exciting, and the other must-haves are turmeric, cardamom and a nonchalant stick of cinnamon. I think I owe the bay thing to Rick Stein...

I have to admit, I don't really tend to spice mine at all - it's how it was made for me when I was little, and it's how I like it.

The morning my sister was born, when I was 5, my Dad made kegeree for our lunch, before he took me into hospital to see Mum and sister. Forgetting that Mum wasn't there, he made the normal amount, but I still managed to eat my normal portion, plus half the extra adult portion. It's probably due o the surfeit of kegeree that I remember the day at all - I found my sister very unmemorable... (We get on fine now, but I couldn't understand when she was little, why she wouldn't just sit and read a book, like I did).

 

[Arch]

I will readily admit to being a 'bad vegetarian' ie I used to be a textbook vegetarian as per the Vegetarian Society definition above but lapsed after quite a number of years and now eat fish as well. I blame the French. After several days of putting up with lousy vegetarian options I cracked when all I was offered in a posh restaurant in Nantes was a plate of tomatoes .

Yeah, the French don't really do vegetarians, do they.... We had a couple with us on the last recumbent trip and they had a lot of ommlettes. Some places did well, I have to say, with some nice plates of veg (stuff au gratin and so on). But they got some funny, if indulgent, looks from waitresses.

 

[theclaud]

I have to admit, I don't really tend to spice mine at all - it's how it was made for me when I was little, and it's how I like it.

The morning my sister was born, when I was 5, my Dad made kegeree for our lunch, before he took me into hospital to see Mum and sister. Forgetting that Mum wasn't there, he made the normal amount, but I still managed to eat my normal portion, plus half the extra adult portion. It's probably due o the surfeit of kegeree that I remember the day at all - I found my sister very unmemorable... (We get on fine now, but I couldn't understand when she was little, why she wouldn't just sit and read a book, like I did).

Fairy nuff, but give the bay thing a go if there are any growing round your way - free food and all that. I'm impressed Fnaar manages to smuggle cardamom pods past the little 'uns though.

My brother apparently found me similarly disappointing as a newborn, and I'm afraid I kinda share the sentiment that unless they're your own they're a bit dull until the age of two or so. Or old enough to buy a bike for - I just noticed your new purchase .

 

[Arch]

Fairy nuff, but give the bay thing a go if there are any growing round your way - free food and all that. I'm impressed Fnaar manages to smuggle cardamom pods past the little 'uns though.

My brother apparently found me similarly disappointing as a newborn, and I'm afraid I kinda share the sentiment that unless they're your own they're a bit dull until the age of two or so. Or old enough to buy a bike for - I just noticed your new purchase .

I'll bear bay in mind.

I've been more captivated with Oli from the start - he's the first baby I've known well from birth since my sister, and I'm probably more intrigued by developmental stuff than I was at 5. It's been fascinating seeing him start to move about, work things out, talk... It helps that he's clearly a genius....

Part of the problem with my sister was that at 7-8 I was a dreadfully sensible child, so I spent most of her toddlerhood trying to stop her doing things I thought might be terribly dangerous, and often getting bitten for my pains. She was recently on the recieving end of Oli's incisors, and apologised, having realised just how sharp small teeth are...

 

[wafflycat]

Tonight it's omelette at Chez Wafflycat as Anode & Cathode have been producing at a rapid rate. What to put in it? I'll pick some herbs from the garden as there are plenty out there to choose from.

 

[661-Pete]

Strictly speaking, a vegetarian will not eat anything from the animal kingdom that's been killed: mammal, bird, fish, etc., but will eat eggs and dairy food that you get without killing the animal. A vegan won't eat eggs or dairy either (bear in mind that Quorn is not OK for a vegan: it contains eggs. Don't know about honey...)

A pescetarian (that's what I am! think I spelt the word right) will not eat mammal or bird meat, but will eat fish and other seafood.

Regarding veggie recipes: why not try a couscous? Too late for tonight of course, but a good substantial veggie dish and the ingredients are in season at the moment. This is our recipe:
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CHICK PEA COUSCOUS WITH A HOT HARISSA SAUCE

Serves 4

350g/ 12 oz couscous
175g/ 6 oz dried chick peas
4 small turnips/ swede
3 carrots
3 courgettes
1 clove garlic
1 large and 1 small onion
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons paprika
4 green chillis
4 tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato purée
700ml/24 fl oz stock
salt
pepper
fresh coriander
cooking oil

Soak chick peas overnight or for several hours. Drain, cover with water, bring to the boil and cook until tender. (Or use a tin!)

Chop vegetables and crush garlic in salt. Chop two of the chillies and coriander. Fry onions and garlic in a little cooking oil, keeping some back for sauce. Add turmeric, paprika, chillies and fry briefly.

Add vegetables and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, add cooked chick peas, pepper and chopped coriander. Simmer until vegetables are tender (about half an hour.)

Meanwhile, make up stock (by dissolving bouillon powder in water). Place couscous in a bowl, pour hot stock over and add a little salt. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, until couscous has swelled and absorbed all the water. Keep warm.

Fry remaining onion and remaining two chopped chillies in a small pan. Add tomato purée and liquid from the chickpea mixture and cook until taste is well blended.

(This is our basic recipe but it can be varied, and the sauce can be made as hot as you like!)
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There was a "recipes" thread on YACF forum last time I looked, probably worth looking at.