Here's What I Had For Dinner - Part III - Don't quote pics!

igCorcaigh

Thai yellow curry with chicken and potatoes. Can't claim that it's authentic!

the beer revolu

Chicken and potatoes are a great curry combination.

Someone gave us a fancy Singaporean curry kit. I decided to use it up while my wife was away, adding the suggested potatoes and chicken.

It was absolutely delicious!

the beer revolu

So, I made the chicken soup yesterday. Hearty and tasty, to say the least.

I pre soaked barley, green and red lentils and rice for an hour or two. Onions, celery and carrots, all cooked in a little butter for a while. Added a chopped potato, the soaked grains and pulses and a couple of chopped fresh tomatoes. Then over a litre of stock (I get tubs of really tasty chicken stock for €3 in The Chicken Inn in Cork). I also added a bit of cooked chicken. Cook until everything is soft. I add some frozen peas towards the end, season and garnish with chopped wild leeks, parsley or something else green.

Black Sheep

+1 on potatoes in curry... A great combination, not weird at all, for many recipes.

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394879#Comment_121394879

Chick pea and potatoes are a nice vegetarian combo as well. It's on our regular rotation.

https://www.delish.com/uk/cooking/recipes/a39569597/aloo-chana/

igCorcaigh

I like to do a Spanish version of chickpeas and potatoes, adding smoked paprika and olive oil.

Dave_The_Sheep

Mushroom and unforgotten broccoli noodles, some baby bok choi as well.

Black Sheep

Fried chicken with a red slaw, spicy mayo and some chips.

Smashed the chicken flat before doing the panko breadcrumb on them, that's why they're Frisbee sized. Helps with an even fry.

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121397607#Comment_121397607

What type of mushrooms are they Dave? I've been using canned shiitakes a lot recently, fresh king oysters are great too, if a bit pricey.

Dave_The_Sheep

Mix of fresh shiitake and shimenji. I did get some oyster but I'm probably going to use them tomorrow instead.

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121398101#Comment_121398101

I haven't tried shimenji yet. Are they the little ones with bubbly heads that all grow in a group? I've been meaning to try them, but they do look weird!

Dave_The_Sheep

That's the ones. I order them occasionally from Asia Market online.

igCorcaigh

A change... Needed something comforting.

Chicken and pancetta in a creamy sauce with spaghetti.

Dave_The_Sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121358328#Comment_121358328

I made the mistake today of telling an Italian friend of mine that I was doing porchetta for some friends on Saturday with pork belly in prep for Christmas. Practise almost.

As a conversation, it did not go well.

Anyway, today's dinner. Had some tomatoes that were going to go dodge, so used them to make a pasta sauce with some of the extant mushrooms.

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121409289#Comment_121409289

You have to expand a bit on that, did you get a lecture on "the correct" way to do it or something?

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121410928#Comment_121410928

My thoughts exactly. Please explain.

Dave_The_Sheep

Yeah, basically. I wasn't to call it porchetta unless it was the genuine way they do it with the flavour profile and choice of cut, etc. I noped out of there pretty quick.

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121412096#Comment_121412096

Whats the genuine way? Ive had loads of different types in Italy.

Mr.Wemmick

After a horrible week, treating myself to a beef & veg chilli with extra Kashmiri chilli with steamed basmati rice. I refilled my empty spice jar from the large refill packet over the pan and lots of chilli powder fell in. Oops! Very spicy.. good job the kids aren’t having any, it’s far too delicious and they wouldn’t like it, lol.

TheKBizzle

We had Butter chicken with naan bread, raita and Bombay potatoes.

PARlance

Pork tenderloin, potato and celeriac mash, mustard and tarragon sauce.

A bit lacking in colour but it didn't last long.

igCorcaigh

Looks fab @PARlance, no wonder it didn't last long!

That mustard and tarragon sauce though! I love both flavours...

Is it easy enough to make? Cream or roux based?

Should be a very versatile thing to have at hand, but a great match for pork alright.

igCorcaigh

It's a night of using up what I have, so...

The baby potatoes are microwaved/steamed.

A mix of cavolo nero, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, onions, black olives is about done, but it'll keep...

I don't have any fresh meat or fish, but I do have a can of smoked herring? Hmm. Should have planned better perhaps!

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121417967#Comment_121417967

Very easy @igCorcaigh, it's cream based.

Once the pork is done, take out of pan to rest. Put same pan on heat, add cream, a heaped tablespoon of dijon and another of wholegrain mustard. Bring up to temp and add chopped tarragon and parsley. I also add a squeeze of lemon juice to finish.

There's really no need for seasoning the sauce as there'll be plenty left over in the pan from the pork.

It's one of my favourite sauces, love both flavours as well.

igCorcaigh

Ah, the resting juices from the meat! Sounds perfect. Some people throw those juices away! 😖

(I love Dijon; Maille, or Lakeshore is also very good. Essential for gravy IMHO)

Dave_The_Sheep

Porchetta was a ... partial success. Pork itself was lovely and tender and was flavoured very nicely, though needed to be sliced thinner. The skin was nice and crispy in some parts, but it did need longer in the really hot oven to crisp up. Or it needed to be pricked a lot more / baking sodad beforehand. Might butterfly it as well next time. Lot of lessons learned for the Christmas day version this year.

the beer revolu

That looks really good!

It's always going to be hard to get a rolled piece with even crackling. I usually take the skin off and crisp it up flat but that's not really an option here.

It's bubbling really nicely in places, I think it just needed a bit longer to get more of it bubbled. Obviously, the bigger the piece, the easier it would be as you'd have less fear of it getting overcooked and dry.

I'd call that more than a partial success. But I'm my own harshest critic, too!

Dave_The_Sheep

Cheers, I was pretty happy overall with it but like you say - my own harshest critic as well! Next time will be better.

I still haven't tidied the kitchen, it's like a bomb hit it. Friends over, far too much wine was inbibed by everyone, I just can't face it today.

Though I am enjoying some nice leftover pork sandwiches with apple sauce.

Recliner

Slow cooked leg of lamb, roasties, carrots, sprouts, stuffing and a lamb gravy made with the juices.

I'm in an absolute stupor after it.

Recliner

Shepherds pie with the leftover roast lamb.

the beer revolu

Ah, a traditional, real shepherd's pie 😍

Recliner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121427408#Comment_121427408

I'm having it again this evening and there will be some for the freezer.

It's honestly the best shepherds pie I've ever made. I'm drooling thinking about it.

Black Sheep

Chicken meatballs with spinach and orzo.

This was a viral recipe the missus did. Very good.

PARlance

Roasted veg risotto, seconds were a fair bit dryer than firsts.

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429596#Comment_121429596

I love having leftover roast lamb and gravy!

igCorcaigh

I needed something fast, and not in the mood for cooking, so a quick vegetarian Indian dinner made with a store bought aloo methi with added peas, black rice, onion, chilli pickle and kimchi. I added some cashews after.

Ryath

Meant to make a chicken and leek pie this evening but forgot to buy the pastry! Was feeling lazy at that point when I realised and had to go with a quick option.

Morgerley Steak and Kidney Pie cooked in airfyer with a microwaved jacket potato and peas for me. And quesadillas with some chilli from the freezer for everyone else. They were more cheese than chilli to make sure the kids ate them!

Would love to make my own steak and kidney pie but nobody else in the house will eat it. Was one of my favourite dinners as a child and one of the first I cooked when I was around 12.

Black Sheep

This sounds weird, but looking at the potatoes above, I've just realised I don't think I've ever served my kids potatoes in their skins. Maybe a baked potato, but if so, it was a long time ago.

We just always seem to have done mash, roasties etc. Probably also just less potatoes than 20 years ago.

Maybe it comes from the fact that it felt like half of every childhood dinner was spent peeling potatoes from their skins...

Floury, buttered potatoes that are practically falling out of their skins can be delicious though, might have to revisit that.

the beer revolu

I hated potatoes boiled in their skins as a kid. All that peeling.

Now I love them and usually eat the skins! If having baked potatoes, I'd happily forego the potato and eat everyone's discarded skins! Often bake baby roosters for the higher skin to flesh ratio 😂

awec

Growing up we never, ever left the skin on potatoes. Even if just boiling or steaming to eat with butter we'd peel them. But my wife's family only peel if they're mashing them or making roasts.

Gotta be honest, I'm not a massive fan of the skins. I'd eat them but definitely prefer peeled. It's probably because usually we have roosters and the skin can be quite thick.

Then again, I hugely prefer soapy spuds to floury ones and my missus is convinced I'm a weirdo because of this.

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121431765#Comment_121431765

I wonder is it the potatoes that have changed, my memories are the same, half the dinner was spent opening them up/peeling... but I remember them having rather thick skins, much thicker than today's spuds.

A quick search says that the longer they are left, the thicker the skin gets. We're probably getting spuds with much less skin on them these days which are easier to peel.

I also remember getting tasked with scrubbing them as a kid, you could have half a field of muck on them. I guess cleaning meant that peeling was often left undone.

Also recall that the arrival of "new potatoes" was a thing each summer. Think they were coming in from Italy at the time.

Space Dog

I was told you're not really supposed to eat too much of the skin because it contains most of the toxins that occur in potatoes (glycoalkaloids). So unless we're having a few baby potatoes as a side (not a chance that I'm peeling those!) we always peel before or after cooking them.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121432816#Comment_121432816

Very little to worry about. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/6222

Recliner

Creamy korma style chicken curry. Served with rice and homemade flatbreads. Scattered a few flaked almonds over the top before serving as well.

ArtyC

Even as a kid I prefer the skins . Even the hard leathery ones 😂

TheKBizzle

Tonight we had Prawn bisque with sautéed leeks, toasted pine nuts and black garlic aioli to start, pork gyozas with garlic gochujang dipping sauce and then individual Baileys Tiramisu for dessert.

Recliner

Spag bol from the freezer as the hubby asked for the rest of the curry for his dinner.

Mine was grand, but for some reason I had beans in there. Not very traditional, but there you go..

Dave_The_Sheep

Boxty, fried eggs, rashers, hash browns on a roll. Yes, two potato products on a roll. I had stuff to use up and decided to give it a lash. Worked. No photo because I'm not sure my arteries could take looking at it as well as eating it.

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121439394#Comment_121439394

Understandable. We can all be a bit rushed on a weekday night. 😋

I used a frozen breaded chicken thing from the supermarket, it was actually ok.

Spinach with chilli pickle and mixed nuts. Rice and some leftover potato curry ready meal!

Tasty enough, tbh.

EDIT: That errant onion on the rice is annoying me! 😅

the beer revolu

I spatchcocked a small chicken, slashed it a bit and slathered it in my homemade fermented chilli and pineapple sauce and olive oil.

I cooked this in a very hot oven for about 35 minutes with some squashed baby roosters. The chicken came out great. Really moist and cooked through and a little charred in places. Kinda piri piri like.

Served this with a pretty hot dal that I cut with lots of spinach.

Slightly odd but delicious combo.