Banh Xeo Bar

Nigel Slater's Pot Roast Pork with Star Anise and Ginger

From his Grauniad winter warmers.

Roast Red Pepper Soup with Anchovy Salsa

Did this for Mothers Day treat from Tom Kerridge recipe, really good but using the amounts suggested you end up with a bucket load of salsa definitely one I'd do again.

Evie's Victoria Sandwich from Great British Bake Off 2014

Looks good!

Crispy Pig's Ears with Truffle Oil Mayo

There was something irresistible about having a crack at this recipe from Tom Kerridge, cannot say it met with universal approval. I'd do it again but an experiment by combining ground up pork scratchings with the breadcrumbs was not a success but not a disaster, best with just the breadcrumbs.

Eggs Benedict

Hollandaise, Poached Egg, Ham, Muffin and Evie.....delicious!

Treacle cured Roast Beef

Mainly followed recipe from Tom Kerridge's TV programme. I used Top Rump which was rescued from the bargain bin of Sainsbury's and I cured for nearer 48 hours, also had to reduce the curing liquid more than he says to get something sticky enough to coat the joint for cooking.
I cooked a little longer as it is a cheaper and bigger cut than he recommends, unless you have two ovens you need to cook and keep the meat warm whilst you do the roast potatoes and yorkshires, I used a pre-warmed cast iron casserole to do this. The low temperature roasting technique seems to work a treat.

Lamb's liver with red pepper chermoula

From Nigel Slater's best meat recipes, worth doing again. Nice one Véro!

Nibbles, Celeriac Soup, Chicken with Morel Sauce, Baked Apples with Rum and Raisins

Hummus using the the method recommended by Simon Hopkinson, and Baba Ganoush following Felicity Cloake.

Celeriac Soup with Scallops and I can't remember where the recipe came from.

Then Hairy Bikers Roast Chicken with Morel Sauce. 

And finally baked apples, just cored and popped in the oven stuffed with raisins, sugar, butter and dash of rum.

Bollywood Chicken Kebabs

Nice recipe from Stéphane Reynaud's Barbecue but I'd add chillies next time!

Roast Beef and other bits and pieces...

Had been planning a Roast Beef dinner with a difference and went to the the Ginger Pig in Borough Market anticipating buying a rib (or two). However then saw that they had Rump matured for 50 days, after establishing that none was available immediately, the chaps kindly decided to prepare a piece for me. It was ferried back to Paris.

Instead of normal yorkshire pudding etc I decided to use a recipe from the first Ottolenghi book that suggests three sauces to accompany beef fillet. However in the absence of watercress I used rocket in the "Watercress and Mustard" sauce.

To start the evening I made some hummus following Simon Hopkinson's method of pealing the chick peas however I think it maybe a little too salty so I think in future I'll be more careful and test the saltiness of the liquid I uses to loosen the mixture from the jar and perhaps crush garlic with out using salt.

We then went with Hopkinson again for a straightforward salad of haricots vert.

To follow a quick fish course using a recipe from Mark Hix's Best Ever Summer recipes

And then the the beef served with roast potatoes and carrots scented with star anise and St. Joseph!

Coarse Pork Terrine....done!

Here it is!

Asparagus and Chicken

Yet another Mark Hix, adapted slightly as I used a jointed chicken rather than Chicken breasts and I quickly browned the skin to make it look less anaemic.

Whiting with Orange and Dill

A Mark Hix recipe from the Independent I thought it was nice, but my darling wife would not care to repeat it.

Coarse Pork Terrine

A recipe from I don't know where but I added some brandy, hopefully it will mature nicely for next week.

Chocolate and Beetroot Cake

After the disappointment of last version found a Nigel Slater recipe, was generally much better but next time I will try with grated raw beetroot rather than cooked, I cooked for a further 20 minutes which I think was perhaps too long.. but will definitely revisit with raw beetroot.

Pork Tenderloin, Prunes and Spätzle

A pork recipe from the BBC website and at last I got around to making Spätzle the German pasta like dish to accompany, I used recipe in link and put the cooked Spätzle in iced water and then reheated in a little butter and added parsley.

Asparagus Soup and Truffled Eggs

Here's a recipe from behind the Time's firewall, I took a fairly bold approach and used all the asparagus even the woody bits, it was OK but next time I will trim and peel a little, also need a`little practice with the eggs.

Griddled Asparagus, Boiled Egg and Cheese

Asparagus on griddle for 3-4 minutes,some Yarg, egg boiled for 8ish minutes and vinaigrette..

 

Chocolate and Beetroot Cake

This looked interesting and was described as decadent but forgive my prejudice...it was from a "vegetarian" recipe..in truth not that great although I think with more chocolate this might work.