The General Chat Thread

Makood

iwantmydinner wrote: »

I have rashers, mushrooms, red onions, cherry tomatoes, milk, eggs and cheese that all need using up. I've never made one, but I think that list spells fritatta - any other suggestions?

Or maybe a form of a gratin-Whatever it is it's gonna be a lovely dinner!

Ann Landers

I've just discovered Maris Piper potatoes - how have they not been in my life before now?

Have made various things with them: chips, roasties, mash. All amazing.

But the real revelation was last night when I baked some. I've always been disappointed with baked potatoes. Very floury potatoes come out dry and grainy, waxy spuds aren't fluffy enough, but my god, Maris Pipers baked are manna from heaven. Slightly floury but with a lovely, fluffy creaminess. Amazing. :cool: Even better served with lemony mayo.

BaZmO*

Ann Landers wrote: »

I've just discovered Maris Piper potatoes - how have they not been in my life before now?

Have made various things with them: chips, roasties, mash. All amazing.

But the real revelation was last night when I baked some. I've always been disappointed with baked potatoes. Very floury potatoes come out dry and grainy, waxy spuds aren't fluffy enough, but my god, Maris Pipers baked are manna from heaven. Slightly floury but with a lovely, fluffy creaminess. Amazing. :cool: Even better served with lemony mayo.

Yeah, I always try to get them when I can. They're the perfect all rounder.

fiddlechic

Maris Piper are the business alright.

I've used this Delia recipe the last few times I've done baked potatoes - in her book it's normal potato; but online it;s small potatoes.
The sauce is really handy if serving with meat.
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/sauce/salt-crusted-mini-baked-potatoes-with-cold-chive-hollandaise.html

Markcheese

Potato fetish ...

B0jangles

It's a pity maris pipers are generally so hard to find - lidl had them for a little while a few years ago but I haven't seen them since. Roosters are grand for most things, but the maris piper really does make a very excellent chip.

Merkin

You can get Maris pipers in M & S

BaZmO*

Merkin wrote: »

You can get Maris pipers in M & S

At a premium!

Merkin

BaZmO* wrote: »

At a premium!

Not at all! Everyone seems to think M & S is a rip off and its not at all. Most potatoes are usually on offer there at either 2 for the price of 1 or some other good deal.

Ann Landers

BaZmO* wrote: »

At a premium!

And I got mine in Spar. Even more of a premium!

BaZmO*

Merkin wrote: »

Not at all! Everyone seems to think M & S is a rip off and its not at all. Most potatoes are usually on offer there at either 2 for the price of 1 or some other good deal.

Oh don't get me wrong, I buy a lot of stuff in Marks, but the fresh veg can be quite expensive.

lonestargirl

The Superquinn 'yellow pack' potatoes were often Maris Pipers. You just had to look at the small print on the label. Gone now though :-(

ChewChew

Does anyone have a good, tried and tested, ras el hanout spice recipe? There's loads online but they all seem to vary slightly.

the beer revolu

ChewChew wrote: »

Does anyone have a good, tried and tested, ras el hanout spice recipe? There's loads online but they all seem to vary slightly.

Far more important than any recipe is the freshness and quality of the spices you use. If you're gonna be using the likes of that 3 year old ground cumin lurking in the back of the spice cupboard, it just won't taste good.
Whole, fresh spices, freshly toasted and ground is the way to go - and don't make too much.

And to answer the actual question: Sorry, never made that particular spice mix.

ChewChew

No no I recently got fresh spices and seeds etc so I'm ready to go. I've had a dish recommended to me that calls for ras el hanout but my friend bought the mix in Morocco so I'd like to make my own, or close enough to it. I use so much spice as it is that it'd never last 3 months let alone 3 years

Telecaster58

I cannot get molasses anywhere. What would be a good substitute?

dee_mc

Telecaster58 wrote: »

I cannot get molasses anywhere. What would be a good substitute?

Black/Dark treacle would be a good substitute

iwantmydinner

I have leftover fritatta from last night. Not too appetised by the thought of simply reheating it... I though I'd slice it up thinly, and mix it up with some freshly-cooked soya-saucy basmati rice to make a sort of eggy rice. Any other ideas?

emaleth

iwantmydinner wrote: »

I have leftover fritatta from last night. Not too appetised by the thought of simply reheating it... I though I'd slice it up thinly, and mix it up with some freshly-cooked soya-saucy basmati rice to make a sort of eggy rice. Any other ideas?

You could make it into a sandwich filling with sausages or bacon and yet more cheese on top

The Black Oil

The price of broccoli by weight ain't pretty.

Animord

The Black Oil wrote: »

The price of broccoli by weight ain't pretty.

Wasn't there some kind of broccoli shortage last year due to crop failure or something? I know there was none in the supermarkets for a while. Perhaps it is an on going problem.

Gloomtastic!

The Black Oil wrote: »

The price of broccoli by weight ain't pretty.

I used to break the stalk off in the shop then weigh it. Half the price is the useless stalk!

dee_mc

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I used to break the stalk off in the shop then weigh it. Half the price is the useless stalk!

I remember a lady shopping in a Supervalu store openly doing this, weighing it, bagging it, then popping the stalk in the bag too! A store assistant stopped her and said she'd have to re-weigh as she was taking the stalk; she refused because 'it's only fit for making soup' and calmly walked away from him!

Ann Landers

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I used to break the stalk off in the shop then weigh it. Half the price is the useless stalk!

You can eat the stalk! You just need to cook it for longer.

dee_mc wrote: »

I remember a lady shopping in a Supervalu store openly doing this, weighing it, bagging it, then popping the stalk in the bag too! A store assistant stopped her and said she'd have to re-weigh as she was taking the stalk; she refused because 'it's only fit for making soup' and calmly walked away from him!

So, she was using the stalk but didn't want to pay for it! :eek:

dee_mc

Ann Landers wrote: »

You can eat the stalk! You just need to cook it for longer.



So, she was using the stalk but didn't want to pay for it! :eek:

Yep, pretty much! I have a feeling it made perfect sense in her head!

MissFlitworth

I'm not a big brocolli stalk fan, my local superquinn used to have a little hacksaw for you to take the stalk off and it then went into a little trough of free rabbit vegetables

foodaholic

Telecaster58 wrote: »

I cannot get molasses anywhere. What would be a good substitute?

Tescos do it

dee_mc

MissFlitworth wrote: »

I'm not a big brocolli stalk fan, my local superquinn used to have a little hacksaw for you to take the stalk off and it then went into a little trough of free rabbit vegetables

I must be tired, that just made me go 'aaaaaaaaw'

Ann Landers

MissFlitworth wrote: »

I'm not a big brocolli stalk fan, my local superquinn used to have a little hacksaw for you to take the stalk off and it then went into a little trough of free rabbit vegetables

Great stuff. But that woman was just being cheeky.

Merkin

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I used to break the stalk off in the shop then weigh it. Half the price is the useless stalk!

:eek: My favourite part of the vegetable, it is so sweet and crunchy! Tom Kerridge was on with Michel Roux recently and par boiled it then flash fried it in butter with some bacon lardons and served it up as a side dish.....nyum! Definitely worth trying!