What's everyone eating this week?

[WhitefieldFoodie Profile]

Renee, that morrocan chicken looks too tasty and AmyW, that chicken dinner sounds delicious, also.

I am having a nice simple chicken breast cooked in white wine, cream and tarragon served with some jersey royals and runner beans, tonight.

This weekend I have a 60th party to cater for. A cold "buffet" for 60 people. Half Middle Eastern, half Italian. Canapes: Kibbeh, shawarma style chicken / asparagus and Gorgonzola bruschetta and goats cheese and red pepper crostini. Salads; Green veg salad with a herb/lemon/garlic dressing with fresh parmesan. Tomato, Mozzerella and Basil with a pesto dressing / Fattoush and Tabbouleh. Platters: Falafel, Pita, hummus 3 ways and halloumi fries / Antipasti; Parmesan crusted salami, Prosciutto, Bresaola, Grano Padona, Ricotta, Gorgonzola.

[Renée Profile]

Thanks, WF! I would love the meal that you're having tonight. Such a lovely combination. One of the best chicken recipes is Josceline Dimbleby's Chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and tarragon. The recipe is here, but her name isn't mentioned, sadly.

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/24707/ch ... atoes.aspx

What great food you're making for Saturday and what a challenge making it for 60 people! I look forward to hearing how it all went!

[jeral Profile]

Amyw: I quite agree about tasty sides, and yours do look tasty I tend to make ones that can either be reheated or eaten cold as my tummy runs out of space quickly.

Whitefieldfoodie: I'd be like a kid in a sweet shop at your 60th bash. Well wishes to the guest(s) of honour. If I were a kid, your halloumi fries wouldn't go far as kids like instant gratification things like those (or crisps or chips, lol). I do love your "something for everyone" approach.

I'm making some small veggie pasties for this evening in case I stupidly decide to stay up to hear how the election results are going and get hungry again in the early hours.

[Renée Profile]

I was wondering about the halloumi fries. Are they served warm?

Jeral, I picked up a Ginster cheese & onion pasty in Asda yesterday, for a midnight feast, but I wasn't hungry and went to bed when it got to midnight. I had it for lunch today with tomatoes.

I'm making Mexican pork for tonight.

[jeral Profile]

I don't know how WWF makes his, but I dry fry thin slices of halloumi which brown in the the whey (or whatever it is) that comes out and they automatically break into two. (Or grill it both sides.) I prefer them cold as I don't like the greasy fatty taste of hot cheese. Probably each to his own.

After staying up most of the night, eyelid matchsticks today. Carbs needed so patties: spud/tin tuna/spot of fresh green chilli, BE's petit pois. Summer berries & yoghurt. Kensington & Chelsea result still awaited (3rd recount), but a fair chance I'll run out of matchsticks soon

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Labor took Kensington by 20 votes

[jeral Profile]

Labor took Kensington by 20 votes

Well, who'da thunk it? I doubt anyone on earth predicted the result. Even less so the margin of 20 given almost 33,000 votes cast. Not only one for the history books, but also a huge wake up call to, er, somebody

To keep it foodie, I'm eating a Bloody Mary and will be out like a light soon. See what tomorrow brings.

[Renée Profile]

Thanks for the information about the halloumi, jeral. I suppose they could be egg and breadcrumbed, but that would make them highly calorific.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Going back to food, I took a portion of chilli out of the freezer
I made it a few weeks ago using turkey thigh mince, which I've done before and it has been good.
Thought the last portion was surprisingly uninspired, given I'd made it carefully and put plenty of flavours in it
So this time I gave it a cautious taste and no salt! Which is interesting as I tend to think I'm not bothered by lack of salt, but in this case I sorted it out with a pinch each of salt and sugar

[jeral Profile]

Renée, re halloumi, I think it might be a bit too dry to egg and crumb, despite I complained about hot cheese tasting greasy, but that's a me thing. Maybe wait to see how WWF says how he does his?

[jeral Profile]

Stokey Sue, sometimes I think the "needs something" missing ingredient might just be salt. On a TV challenge cooking show, all the ingredients were typically stupidly sweet (it was a dessert though). A contestant pulled up for that said, "Oh, yes, I should have added salt." I'd have reached for citrus. It's great when you can figure out what something does need though

[Joanbunting Profile]

We too were up most of Thursday night/Friday early morning.

Yesterday lunch time i made a goat's cheese and beetroot salad and Mr R said he needed further sistinence in the form of nougat icecream.

Last night I cooked some of our butcher's lovely meaty sausages in white wine - makes them wonderfully juicy. I served them with a creamy polenta and fresh spinach. Sort of summer comfort food really. I made some individual babas earlier in the week and froze most in preparation for the onslaught of guests come August so i soaked a couple in rum syrup and served them with Chantilly cream and fresh raspberries.

This morning I used the left over sausages to make a Dutch salad. Tonight will be an asparagus omelette with sauteed garden spuds. I've got a stack of apricots to use so I'll caramelise and add a bit of sweet wine I found in the fridge,

[Renée Profile]

Joan, I would never have thought of baking sausages in white wine. What a good idea! I'll make a note of that. Creamy polenta would go well with the sausages, also the spinach.

I made a baked custard with nutmeg on top today, which I will have with apple purée, just because I feel like it! I have an Italian tomato and pepper sauce to make too.

[Joanbunting Profile]

You don't exactly bake them. It is an idea from ED. You pop the sausages into some foaming butter in a frying pan until the stiffen (so to speak) then transfer them to a gratin dish, swirl the pan around with white wine, or cider pour it over the sausages and then cook them in a moderately hot oven.

If your sausages are good it is a lovely simple recipe.

[Renée Profile]

Thanks, I understand those instructions, Joan. I always buy the best sausages that I can find. There are two places near to Chorley market, where they only use shoulder pork. You can't be too careful! I used to make my own at one time when I had a sausage filler on my Kenwood, but when I moved to a much smaller kitchen, I had to get rid of a lot of equipment, which was quite old and well used.

[WhitefieldFoodie Profile]

IMG-20170611-WA0043~2 by James Crump

PicsArt_1497257345427 by James Crump

Food went down a storm.

Didn't end up doing the halloumi fries as when I tested them they did not taste great cold. SO I just fried it in stead and put it with the carrot and hummus

My method for the fries is: pat dry the halloumi, give is a good coating in seasoned flour, and deep fry at 180oC for 3 mins or until crisp and golden.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

That food looks great WFF!
I could eat that

I should get some halloumi when I go shopping, my newish non stick pan will make great halloumi burgers

[Petronius Profile]

Oh boy, I would simple love to taste any of that. I'm not surprised it went down well.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Great looking spread

What is the drizzle atop of some plates? It makes an impact presentation on the diagonal like that.

[WhitefieldFoodie Profile]

Thanks everyone

Lush, the drizzle is just a balsamic glaze.