The Gentlemen's Compendium -I have to cook dinner for someone tonight HELP!

Dr Galen

I have to cook dinner for a special someone tonight, recommend me something to cook!

Not me, as a truly modern gent, I'm actually a decent cook but lots of guys freak at the thought of having to do something more than beans on toast.

Any hints, tips or recipe suggestions people? Then gets to posting, and help your brothers out!

As before, I'll have a word with the Mods of the Food & Drink Forums, and maybe they can lend a hand

Cheers

DrG

theboss80

Chicken curry , easy to make

CDfm

Searches the CDfm recipe book

Lazy Shepherds Pie

1 lb of mince
1 medium onion
1 pack of frozen veggies
1 pack auntie bessies frozen mash
Optional -ballymaloe relish or brown sauce

Serves 4 - prep time 10 mins cook time 1 hour

Cook the mince with the onion. Nuke the frozen mash in the microwave. When the mince is browned add some frozen veg and the mix . That lot takes around 10 mins.

Warm oven to 180-200. Pop the meat into a casserole dish and add ballymaloe relish if you want to. Fluff the mash and sculpt it on top and pop it in the oven.Hide the frozen packets especially the frozen mash packet.

After around 40-45 mins pop the cheddar slices on top to give it a bit of pretend sophistication.

Auntie Bessies frozen mash -bless her.

Its environmentally friendly too with minimum peels and washing up. All the benefits of a frozen meal with none of the hassle.

You could probably substitute fresh good ingredients for the frozen ones for a special occasion.It seems sacriledge I know -but women can be fussy.

I would say go for very simple dishes that need the minimum of prepping cleaning up . Rustic is good as are very fresh & good ingredients !!! Oven to table. Casserole with crusty bread is also nice.

Chicken wings in Franks Red Hot Sauce with a small crisp side salad is always a great starter and difficult to mess up.

http://www.franksredhot.com/info/faq

A Shop Bought Chocolate cake to wrap it up :cool:

Coriolanus

Pork belly.
Impressive as !"£$ but actually really damn easy to make.


Jame Oliver recipe I used with a bit of changes a couple weeks ago. You'll think you've ruined after the first half hour on full, but you haven't, just leave it be and it'll turn out lovely.

Preheat your oven to full whack, it needs to be at least 220°C/425°F/gas 7.
Place your pork on a clean work surface, skin-side upwards. Get yourself a small sharp knife
and make scores about a centimetre apart through the skin into the fat, but not so deep that
you cut into the meat. Rub salt right into all the scores you’ve just made, pulling the skin apart a little if you have to. Brush any excess salt off the surface of the skin and turn it over. Season the underside of the meat with a little more salt and a little black pepper. Place your pork, skin side-up, in a roasting tray big enough to hold the pork and the vegetables, and place in the hot oven.

Roast for about half an hour until the skin of the pork has started to puff up and you can see
it turning into crackling. Turn the heat down to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and roast for another hour.
Take out of the oven and baste with the fat in the bottom of the tray. Carefully lift the pork up and transfer to a chopping board. Add all the veg, garlic and thyme to the tray and stir them into the fat. Place the pork on top of everything and pop the tray back in the oven. Roast for another hour. By this time the meat should be meltingly soft and tender. Carefully move the meat to a serving dish, cover with tin foil and leave to rest while
you make your gravy.

Spoon away any fat in the tray, then add the water or stock and place the tray on the hob.
Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to
scrape up all those lovely sticky tasty bits on the bottom of the tray. When you’ve got a nice, dark gravy, pour it through a sieve into a bowl or gravy boat, using your spoon to really push all the goodness of the veg through the sieve. Add a little more salt and pepper if it needs it. Serve the pork with the crackling, gravy, some creamy mashed potato, nice fresh greens and a dollop of English mustard.

mike65

How impressive does this meal need to be?

Bearing in mind its a lovely late spring day I'd go for something reasonably light (is red meat an issue?)

If so....

Chopped salmon steaks in cream with sauted onions, Taglitelli pasta and steamed broccolli (if you can find some) in creme fresh (the thick stuff!). Easy to do takes about 20 mins top to tail (heat the plates)

Steam veg for 5 mins, then add pasta to simmering water for 10 mins meanwhile chop up steaks and onion throw into frying pan on a low heat turning slices of salmon after 3/4 mins keep this on a low heat add half a tub of creme fresh and stir about. When pasta and brocolli are ready chop up the latter into small chunks and add the whole lot to the frying pan of steak/onion and creme fresh and stir (don't forget to warm the plates!) if it looks a bit too dry add more cream.

Or new potates part steamed then sauted with onion with chicken breasts wrapped in bacon and stuffed with butter/black pepper/mustard paste. Steam spuds before hand, and then fry the chicken/bacon first for a few mins then transfer in dish to hot top oven for 20 mins (the paste will melt and the chicken/bacon will sizzle in butter and mustard (mmm). Meanwhile chop steamed potatoes up, slice up half an large onion, heat up frying pan you used for chicken and saute away for 20 mins while chicken cooks.

Both of these won't load you up with too much washing up after and are light on the stomach.

Logical Fallacy

LF's Quick and Easy Carbonara.

You will need

1) Pasta
2) Parmesan Cheese (I find the flaked stuff is best )
3) Rashers (oh yeah!)
4) Mushrooms
5) One Egg
6) Cracked Black Pepper

1) Last the pasta in a pot and boil.
2) Cut up the rashers and proceed to fry, when done at mushrooms and fry until nicely soft/browned.
3) Take Pasta off boil and drain.
4) Seperate the egg white, add a small amount of pepper, lash into the past and mix through.
5) Add bacon/mushrooms and roughly half the cheese to the pasta/egg combo and mix through.
6) Put on plates, add more cheese to suit and proceed to put in mouth.

Tasty, quick and feeds as many as you need it to.

Dravokivich

takes no more then 20 mins, plenty of time to rustle it up while the lady tends to her hair! :pac:

What ya need:

2 Chicken Breasts
50 g Grated Cheese (up to your own taste which you want to use)
50 g Tomato Pesto
4 Cherry Tomatoes (from the vine if ya wanna be classy)

What to do with it all?

1) knock on a frying pan around the medium setting and leave it to heat up with a splash of Olive Oil.
2) heat the grill in your oven to the medium setting also.
3) when ready put in the breasts... fry until golden on both sides.
4) take the chicken out of the pan and wipe the pan down with some kitchen paper, to rub out the oil.
5) Quatar the Cherry Tomatoes
6) put the chicken back into the pan.
7) spread the Pesto over each breast
8) sprinkle the grated cheese over each breast.
9) Place the quatared chery tomatoes over the breasts
10) Put the frying pan into the oven for about 3 minutes (or until the cheese has melted)

Here's a pic I took the first time I did some...



Optional extras:
1) Sprinkle some paprika onto the chicken before you spread the pesto to spice it up a bit.
2) Sprinkle some parsley over the grated cheese.

Can easily be accompanied by a salad or boiled baby spuds.

Nice and tastey, not too filling either.

Sofiztikated

Sofiztikated Damn Quick and Tasty Mince & Shpuds!

I don't really do measurements.

For this you will need:

Mince. A fair bit. Tis nicer if you go to the butcher, but those boxes of mince from Tesco/Dunners/Supervalu are alright too.
Onion. Red/white/both.
Peppers. Red/Yellow/Green/All. I don't like green ones, but if you do, lash them in.
Tomato puree.
Salt.
Pepper.
Tobasco sauce. I like the extra hot one.
Shpuds. I like Roosters. Pick one you like.
Bit of oil. Olive oil will do. WD40, not recommended.
Wine. I like a nice Shiraz with this.

Tools:
Big pan. Or a wok. Something to fry with.
Spatula. Or a wooden spoon. Something for moving food about with. Like a stick. Only better.
Knifes. Multiple. Or one good sharp one.
Hob. It's the thingy that makes things hot.
Microwave. Another thingy that makes things hot.
Chopping boards. Because food poisoning is for pussies.


What to do:
1. Get all your stuff out of the fridge, press or cupboard. Lay out your chopping boards, and knife. Have your pan on the hob. Pour a glass of wine. We'll test this now. How was it? Nice? Have another sup. Now we're set.
2. Chop the peppers and onions. Use your chopping board for veg. Take your knife, and cut them into pieces. Onions have a nasty skin on them, don't let any of this get into it. Might make you cry though, but this is ok. Pretend you're thinking of your childhood dog. In fact, you can actually use this excuse to have a bit of a blubber. No snot though. The peppers you can cut into strips. I take the seeds out. Drink some wine.
3. Clean your spuds. Bit of a scrub. Jab it a couple of times with a fork. Drink some wine.
4. Pour a bit of oil into your pan, and heat. I mean a bit. A dribble. Not a heap. Wait until its hot. Dump in your mince. If you're using packet mince, there is a paper bottom in the tray, don't put this in. Now take your spatula or wooden spoon, and break up the mince, and move it about. Let it brown nicely all over. Bit of salt and pepper. Drink some wine. Top up wine.
5. Chuck you spuds in the microwave. 5 Minutes on full, then turn it over, 5 more minutes. Drink some wine.
6. Chuck in your onions and peppers. Let them cook. They go a little soft. Drink some wine.
7. You may need to drain off some water. If you need to do this, get a lid thats big enough to cover the food, and tip it down the sink. Drink wine. See if you need a top up.
8. Throw in your tomato puree. Stir it up. Throw in a couple of dashes of tobasco.
9. Cut your Shpud. Make an X on the top, and squeeze the sides. Should squish out. Might need a bit of butter and salt.
10. Throw a good dollop of mince on top of the shpud, and boom. Food and wine.

Butterfly7

Sorry but mince & spuds is gonna impress no one. Ur gambling with fish & chicken curry as some people may not like those foods. If u wanna b romantic, go italian: bruschetta for starter, spag bol for main & tiramisu for dessert. They're all yum & sooo easy to make, shud take about an hour but brushetta mix & tiramisu need few hours to sit so make that now! Good luck!

Poor Craythur

Butterfly7 wrote: »

Sorry but mince & spuds is gonna impress no one. Ur gambling with fish & chicken curry as some people may not like those foods. If u wanna b romantic, go italian: bruschetta for starter, spag bol for main & tiramisu for dessert. They're all yum & sooo easy to make, shud take about an hour but brushetta mix & tiramisu need few hours to sit so make that now! Good luck!

I think curry and fish are fine as suggestions. I'm female and hate pasta and am not keen on tomatoes, so you see, it's hard to please everyone.

Agree though, DON'T do mince and potatoes, that's just a midweek dinner type meal.

Gaz

Be it red, green, penang or masaman. They are all easy to make, taste fantastic and are impressive.

Head into one of the Asian markets and get some proper thai curry paste (not some knor rubbish) in the flavour you want and real coconut milk (should be thick).
Take a large pot or wok, add 1 large teaspoon of paste to a drop of olive oil , mix about in pan then add can of coconut milk.
Once mixed and simmering throw in your diced chicken. Leave to simmer.
In another pan fry up your veg, I usually go for peppers, onions, mushrooms, carrots etc, frying them seperately as I can drain off all the juice that sometimes thins the curry out too much.
Once chicken is cooked, throw in the veg, a spoonful of sugar (or splenda) and add some birdseye chillie for an extra kick.

Server with rice and a nice cold beer.

Oh and if making masaman add blanched peanuts and potatoes

Feeona

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Tasty, quick and feeds as many as you need it to.

+1, although maybe you've made the dinner already!

A nice side for this dish is to cut up some ciabatta bread, put some olive oil, sea salt, ground fennel and peppercorns on the pieces. Stick in oven for five minutes, doesn't take long. You can have it as is, or you can make a tomato salsa type thingy to go along with it (tomato, green onion, cucumber, chilli, white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, ground peppercorns).

I have this side dish for lunch sometimes, it's a great way to use up toms, cucumber, green onions etc.

Devil's in the detail : extra virgin olive oil tastes better than plain olive oil on food you're not cooking. Ground peppercorns (ie with a mortar and pestle) have a lovely fiery taste to them.

MagicMarker

Lasagne, very simple and very tasty.

mike65

Dr Galen was it beans on toast after all?

Earthhorse

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

4) Seperate the egg white, add a small amount of pepper, lash into the past and mix through.

Hmmm, I think these are meant to be easy recipes and we should really avoid anything that involves hurling ingredients into the space-time continuum.

Sofiztikated

Butterfly7 wrote: »

Sorry but mince & spuds is gonna impress no one. Ur gambling with fish & chicken curry as some people may not like those foods. If u wanna b romantic, go italian: bruschetta for starter, spag bol for main & tiramisu for dessert. They're all yum & sooo easy to make, shud take about an hour but brushetta mix & tiramisu need few hours to sit so make that now! Good luck!

Poor Craythur wrote: »

I think curry and fish are fine as suggestions. I'm female and hate pasta and am not keen on tomatoes, so you see, it's hard to please everyone.

Agree though, DON'T do mince and potatoes, that's just a midweek dinner type meal.

Ah, twas just a bit of fun, intended for those men that burn water.

Bigtoe107

Gaz wrote: »

Be it red, green, penang or masaman. They are all easy to make, taste fantastic and are impressive.....................
)

Secret ingredient to this is a few teaspoonfuls of Asian fish sauce smells mank but it really adds to the flavor.

Dr Galen

mike65 wrote: »

Dr Galen was it beans on toast after all?

I think you misunderstand young Michael. This thread is part of series of general Gentlemanly threads, hopefully leading to a load of hints, tips and directions for the modern Irish gent.

For reference, dinner tonight in the Galen household, cooked by moi will be roast saddle of lamb, roasties, carmelised carrots and homemade mint sauce.

The lamb bit is pretty easy in fairness. Get the butcher to trim it up for you, a bit of olive oil over the top and bung it in the oven, about 180 or so. Depending on the weight it'll take about an hour and half or so, so set the timer and towards the end keep an eye on it. Lamb should be a bit pinky.

For the roasties, peel your spuds and stick em in some salted water. Get them up to the boil and boil for about 5 mins. Drain and let dry. While waiting, get an oven tray and put some oil in it. Enough to cover the botton of the tray. Into the oven to heat up nice and hot. Grab your spuds, throw them back into the now empty pit you boiled them in and shake them up a bit. Gets the edges nice and fluffy. These will go nice in crispy in the oven. A little tip than I think adds to the crispiness is dust them with a bit of semolina before getting them into the tray of hot oil, mix them around a bit, and into the oven. If your cooking lamb and want to be proper fancy a few unpeeled cloves of garlic and a sprig of rosemary into the tray too can be nice.

The carrots are handy. Clean them up and slice into strips. Not too big or small. Personally I'll give them a quick boil if I'm behind time but not always needed. Drain them and let them dry a bit, then into another tray, pour over a decent bit of honey, and into the oven.

The mint sauce is a personal thing. For me, it no more than some cut up mint leaves, some cider vinegar and a little sugar, all smooshed up and yummy.

Always remember to let any joint of meat that you cook rest for a bit before carving. Wrap it up well in foil and let it sit. The meat can relax then, the juices can flow back into the centre and it makes it much easier to carve. It won;t go cold unless you leave it for ages and age or dont cover it up.

Serve and bask in the glory of cooking Sunday dinner

Poor Craythur

Isn't the resting thing to allow the interior to keep cooking for a while longer?

Also, cooking time for meat depends on the weight of the piece of the meat and usually requires a high temp for the first while before turning it down and working out the cooking time from then on based on the weight.

Dr Galen

Poor Craythur wrote: »

Isn't the resting thing to allow the interior to keep cooking for a while longer?

Also, cooking time for meat depends on the weight of the piece of the meat and usually requires a high temp for the first while before turning it down and working out the cooking time from then on based on the weight.

Its a bit of both really with the resting. You will get some cooking going on, but you will also get the fibres of the meat relaxing, chilling out and absorbing the juices the whole way through.

Should have pointed out actually that I'll try and seal the meat before putting in the oven. Usually just in a hot pan, Sealing and browning each exposed area. What you are suggesting does the same thing

Poor Craythur

Didn't mean to pick on your post, BTW. It's just roasting can be tricky and nice (and maybe expensive) lumps of meat can get ruined quite easily if cooked incorrectly (know this from experience ), so just wanted to point those things out for novices!

Dr Galen

Poor Craythur wrote: »

Didn't mean to pick on your post, BTW. It's just roasting can be tricky and nice (amd maybe expensive) lumps of meat can get ruined quite easily (know this from experience ), so just wanted to point those things out for novices!

Thats what the thread is all about PC

CDfm

Butterfly7 wrote: »

Sorry but mince & spuds is gonna impress no one. Ur gambling with fish & chicken curry as some people may not like those foods. !

a good shepherds pie is fantastic (as is a croque madame.)

defends schpuds & mince indignantly

mike65

Dr Galen wrote: »

I think you misunderstand young Michael.

Don't fcuking patronise me! I'm old and dodery not young and dodery. :pac:

Dr Galen wrote: »

This thread is part of series of general Gentlemanly threads, hopefully leading to a load of hints, tips and directions for the modern Irish gent.

Well you got my receipes above and I even gave consideration to the socialists who insist meat is murder

Dr Galen

mike65 wrote: »

Don't fcuking patronise me! I'm old and dodery not young and dodery. :pac:



Well you got my receipes above and I even gave consideration to the socialists nutcases who insist meat is murder

Old is a state of mind sir and also, I've fixed the above for ya :pac:

Otis Driftwood

Chicken Fajita's

Ingredients
3/4 fresh chicken breasts
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
2 medium sized onions
1 portion of baby sweet corn
1 punnet of fresh mushrooms
Old El Paso fajitas kit
1 block of cheese of your choice,Id recommend either red cheddar or mozzarella.

Cooking instructions
Chop up the chicken breasts and place them in a wok with a small amount of vegetable oil on medium heat.
Chop all the veg above and before the chicken has browned (if you brown it it can become tough) add all the veg to the wok and stir constantly.
While cooking the chicken will lose moisture so cook the chicken and veg until all the water has reduced from the ingredients.
When this happens add in your stir fry sauce.If you want it spicier add a couple of drops of tobasco sauce.
Leave to simmer for around 10 minutes.

Place your tortilla wraps on a plate,splash a little water on each one and microwave for 30 - 45 seconds and viola,you are good to go.

I recommend spreading some mayo on the wrap and sprinkling some grated cheese on the mixture before wrapping it.

Cooking time is around 25 to 30 minutes and it can serve as many as you want depending on the amount of ingredients you use.Cheap,tasty and easy.

sam34

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Chicken Fajita's

Ingredients
3/4 fresh chicken breasts
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
2 medium sized onions
1 portion of baby sweet corn
1 punnet of fresh mushrooms
Old El Paso fajitas kit
1 block of cheese of your choice,Id recommend either red cheddar or mozzarella.

Cooking instructions
Chop up the chicken breasts and place them in a wok with a small amount of vegetable oil on medium heat.
Chop all the veg above and before the chicken has browned (if you brown it it can become tough) add all the veg to the wok and stir constantly.
While cooking the chicken will lose moisture so cook the chicken and veg until all the water has reduced from the ingredients.
When this happens add in your stir fry sauce.If you want it spicier add a couple of drops of tobasco sauce.
Leave to simmer for around 10 minutes.

Place your tortilla wraps on a plate,splash a little water on each one and microwave for 30 - 45 seconds and viola,you are good to go.

I recommend spreading some mayo on the wrap and sprinkling some grated cheese on the mixture before wrapping it.

Cooking time is around 25 to 30 minutes and it can serve as many as you want depending on the amount of ingredients you use.Cheap,tasty and easy.

fcukin mayo, mayo, on a fajita???

it should be illegal to eat fajitas without sour cream and guacamole

Otis Driftwood

Im from Longford Sam.Tomato sauce and mayo are the only condiments we get here.

Pfffftttt,big shot with yer guacamole.

:mad:


























:pac:

Princess Peach

I've never had a man cook for me :eek: I'd melt!

Best tip is to find out if your partner doesnt eat something in particular first. No use surprising them with a lovely meal they won't touch!

I have made my special lasagna, and pasta sauce, and pizza, and chicken curry. and magic nachos, and tuna mushroom pasta bake with crisp crust for people before, all went down a treat!

If your not used to baking there are some very easy desserts you can whip up! My favourite is strawberries, strawberry puree cream and meringue nests all mixed together. Takes about 10 minutes, and not much skill needed :P

sam34

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Im from Longford Sam.Tomato sauce and mayo are the only condiments we get here.

Pfffftttt,big shot with yer guacamole.

Longford? ah, that explains a lot :pac:

nozzferrahhtoo

I am one of the worlds worst cooks, and I go into contortions of fretting when measurements are vague in recipes etc. "Enough X to taste" or "one medium sized X" all send me into a panic.

However I use one site more than any other, www.smittenkitchen.com

I have managed to put together some pretty impressive meals using that site. The recipes are simply but effective. Some of the more successful ones which I have made on more than one occasion are:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/10/cauliflower-and-parmesan-cake/
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/smashed-chickpea-salad/
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/05/asparagus-goat-cheese-and-lemon-pasta/
http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/shakshuka/

The last one there is great because any left over sauce is wonderful and spicy as a base for sauce on home made pizza... which that site also has a number of recipes for.

All in all I have not used another site in ages since finding that one. I sound like a walking advertisement for it, but it has been great. I believe the author has a book too, but I have not looked into it.

Slunk

Cous cous with roasted vegetables and chicken

Dice some potato, pumpkin and pepper. Put in a tray with olive oil and roast. Fry up some chicken while that's cooking.
Boil some water and throw it in a pot with what ever flavour cous cous you want. Will soak it up in about three minutes.
Combine all in a bowl and serve

Garnish with a sprig of herb to make it look fancy

stupidusername

hey don't dis the mayo :mad: mayo is the sauce of gods.

no wait.... it's just yum ok!?

PP has it right, all fine and well cooking something fabulous, but if the person you're cooking for doesn't like / eat something in it then there's no point. I would be impressed with something that I like cooked really well, doesn't have to be fancy. Like the idea of that carbonara (forget who added it) only thing is I dunno how to separate eggs

nozzferrahhtoo

sam34 wrote: »

fcukin mayo, mayo, on a fajita???

It is however worth noting the difference in quality between a jar of mayo... and getting eggs etc. and making it yourself. If the user was talking about the latter... it is somewhat more forgivable than the former...

Logical Fallacy

stupidusername wrote: »

only thing is I dunno how to separate eggs

You can do it when you break the shell, just let the egg white run out while keep the yolk in the egg, or an easier way is to just crack the egg into a bowl and lift the yolk out with you fingers. The yolk has a decent enough structural integrity so should break, but it will obviously feel all gooey.:)

The_Morrigan

stupidusername wrote: »

..... I dunno how to separate eggs

Crack the egg into your hand, let the white run through your fingers and the yolk stay on your hand.

Just make sure you've clean hands when you do that, if you've just handled raw meat then make sure you scrub the hands first or you'll give yourself food poisoning, also an idea to wash your hands if you've been chopping garlic/chili

Also Gents, the following site might be useful there are some cracking recipes on there.

http://www.tescorealfood.com/

sam34

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Chicken Fajita's....

just had some fajitas, with guacamole and sour cream... no mayo in sight!

and all washed down with some nice chilled beer

sam=happy

Otis Driftwood

Have you ever tried them with mayo Sam?

Dont knock it til ya do!

:P

Princess Peach

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Have you ever tried them with mayo Sam?

Dont knock it til ya do!

:P

Mayo is the poor man's sour cream.

stupidusername

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

It is however worth noting the difference in quality between a jar of mayo... and getting eggs etc. and making it yourself. If the user was talking about the latter... it is somewhat more forgivable than the former...

I am officially in awe.marry me? seriously how do you make your own? Oh and thanks for the egg directions all.must give carbonara a go

Otis Driftwood

Princess Peach wrote: »

Mayo is the poor man's sour cream.

There has always been something kinda off putting about it for me,I think its the name.

Ya,Im a total philistine,deal with it!

:pac:

Cicero

Lamb Chops with Tzatziki

1. Get lamb chops (centre loin cut)- put lashings of freshly ground black pepper on them- small bit of salt (bit of ground cumin wouldn't go amiss if you had some also)
2. Bung on hot BBQ till blackened both sides.
3. Get 1 tub of Greek Style yogurt - add, some pealed & chopped cucumber, 1/2 clove of garlic finely chopped and chopped fresh coriander
4. Serve in big bowl with tzatziki in the middle- dip, eat, then suck each other's fingers clean....

Lamb chops with tzatziki............Done!

Princess Peach

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

There has always been something kinda off putting about it for me,I think its the name.

Ya,Im a total philistine,deal with it!

:pac:

I was gonna use the word pleb :pac:

sam34

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Have you ever tried them with mayo Sam?

Dont knock it til ya do!

:P

no no no no no no no no.
just no.
no.

Princess Peach wrote: »

Mayo is the poor man's sour cream.

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

There has always been something kinda off putting about it for me,I think its the name.

try creme fraiche then, tastes pretty much the same as sour cream and is kinder to the waist and is way better than mayo.

fcuking mayo. on fajitas.

*shakes head in despair*

Otis Driftwood

Creme Fraiche?

Ive had it before (creme fraiche) on things like chicken wings.

I will try it or sour cream next time I have fajitas.

See Sam,I dont poo-poo ideas without trying them.

Contemporise!

sam34

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

Creme Fraiche?

Ive had it before (creme fraiche) on things like chicken wings.

I will try it or sour cream next time I have fajitas.

See Sam,I dont poo-poo ideas without trying them.

Contemporise!

there are some things i dont need to try out to know they're wrong :pac:

Otis Driftwood

You dont know what yer missing!

Princess Peach

Ye two should have a fajita-off!

I donate my belly as being the judge. I like it spicy :-D

Stheno

I remember the one and only time the bf cooked me dinner.

We'd been going out a few weeks and met up and I was knackered, he said "come on back to mine and I'll make up dinner"

Cue Uncle Bens Chicken Tikka OMG I hate Chicken Tikka, it was foul I struggled through it.

Twas the end of him cooking two and a half years later I still laugh about it, he was so earnest trying to do his best to have a nice night in

nozzferrahhtoo

stupidusername wrote: »

I am officially in awe.marry me? seriously how do you make your own? Oh and thanks for the egg directions all.must give carbonara a go

I quite like the homemade stuff actually, as it is not packed with all kinds of sweetners and that crap to make it taste "nice".

The basic way to make it is to whisk egg yolk viciously and constantly while very slowly adding olive oil. The better the oil the better the result of course, I always use the best oil I can find in the store.

The more yolks the better as the requirement for adding the oil slowly is reduced a little. If you use one yolk you have to be super slow. I have heard people recommend adding it one drop at a time with one yolk!

As for separating white and yolk... the user above method is good, but the way I do it is to crack the egg in half and separate it gently so that the yolk is in one half.... most of the white will fall away..... empty the other half too.... Getting rid of the rest of the white is then done by transferring the yolk back and forth from each egg shell half to the other and back again, over and over. The white falls away as you do this. I have seen videos on you tube demoing this too so you can always look there.

endabob1

Might I recommend

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooking-Blokes-Duncan-Anderson/dp/0751515639

Has served me very well over the last 10 years.

As spring has apparently sprung in Ireland, you should be getting the Barbie out of the shed and doing some stuff on that.
NB. Young men of Ireland, wait until the flames have gone out, place your hand 1 inch above the grill and count to 10, if you can't keep your hand there while counting to 10, it's too hot to cook on!