FAB Food

duck in a can....

I hold my hands up and admit I have always been a bit of a snob when it comes to meat in a can. I think of spam and corned beef and suddenly I'm not hungry any more.

Then I discovered confit de canard. 4 portions of duck legs in a big tin of duck fat. Costs between 6 and 8 euros. Sounds gross, but it's actually a scrummy double whammy. Not only do you get the duck which heats in the oven in no time, you also get a load of duck fat - perfect for roast potatoes. You probably won't believe this either but duck fat is better for you than olive oil. Honest, go on, google it!

French fast food:

open tin of duck, dig out duck portions (not a very nice job, something husbands should do), wipe excess fat off them, bung in hot oven or grill to warm up and crisp the skin

serve with chips (proper ones mind) and green beans. and a bottle of red, voila

the fat left in the tin can be kept in the fridge for ages, in the freezer for even longer. you know when you buy a set of tupperware and you get lots of those useless little bitty tiny ones? perfect for the job!

The Decanter, Bury St Edmunds

I have just spent a very enjoyable few days back in the UK with a good friend of mine Karen who owns a restaurant in Bury St Edmunds. 'The Decanter' is a gorgeous grade 2 listed building, full of character. The interior is both modern and homely, and the staff very welcoming. I spent some time in the kitchen, I was curious to see how a professional kitchen operated. You wouldn't belive it is run by just two very talented and I must say extremely organised young chefs. I enjoyed helping plate up the starters and desserts, no I didn't drop anything or pour gravy over the sticky toffee pudding!

I fell in love with Bury St Edmunds and intend to go back with other half soon. There are loads of shops, restaurants and bars (including I think Englands smallest bar). It's a shame that most of the eateries are chain restaurants, so next time you're in the area and want good fresh home cooked food call in the Decanter, tell Karen Adele sent you!

Decanter web site

passion fruit cupcakes

recipe taken from the Good Food mag 2012 calender!

how long until BBQ time???

no no this wasn't taken today. today the frost was thick on the ground, I think the coldest day of the winter. a 2 pairs of socks day. a see your breath in the kitchen day. a get dressed under the duvet day. where we are is in a valley, in the hills, and although just half an hour from Beziers a world away in terms of winter climate. in the summer it is lovely but right now I can see the blue skies and sun shining in the distance, it's just not reaching us here in Lamalou. Never mind we'll be moving soon. 

So this photo was taken in this very back garden, one stupidly hot day in May when the temperature was over 30 degrees and we hunted the shade, drank copious amounts of rose, and BBQ'd a shed load of food. We BBQ'd a whole chicken, racks of ribs, rosemary chicken skewers, giant prawns, veggies, and with appetizers and salad sides could have fed an army. We actually fed 4, us 2, and some good friends, Paul & Carol.

Oh bring on the next one....

Quickly!

beer can chicken

instructions

1. open tin of beer
2. drink half
3. shove remainder up a chickens ass, drape with bacon if any in fridge and roast for a really moist bird

man recipe courtesey of Iain.....

orange sea salt

yep, still playing with oranges. I was experimenting with peel and dried some in the oven. Then I forgot about it, and it became 'undried' so I did it again with some rosemary sprigs, put it in the pestle and mortar with sea salt and peppercorns and gave it a right good mullering!!! (I actually had a go with the cleaver and then the food processor first) It smells great, and should make a nice rub for meats. A good tip for this type of thing is to keep grinders, you know the ones you buy in the shops with salt or spices in them? Not all of the lids come off but some of them do and can be re-used. Another great use of dried orange peel is in a beef daube, just one strip as it's quite pungent, but daube just wouldn't be right without it

celery thief....

Merry Christmas

a glass of fizz with pomegranite, one of my 5 a day right?

husband makes nibbles

whilst the oven was on for my cinnamon rolls Iain rustled up some little sausage rolls and mini frittas. (see the glass of pastis?)

pecan & cranberry rolls

saw Lotte Duncan making these on telly, just had to have a go. Here's the link to the recipe

this is the dough rolled out and topped with the butter, sugar and cinnamon

 

 

 

rolled and cut, ready for the oven

 

 

 

ta-da!

I hope they freeze......