The General Chat Thread

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 12-01-2014 12:00AM

Always enjoy reading you posts toast. Adopt me and cook for me and in return I will paint your nails as many times a day as you like!

Toast4532 · 12-01-2014 12:51AM

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Always enjoy reading you posts toast. Adopt me and cook for me and in return I will paint your nails as many times a day as you like!

Haha deal

Instead of making my lamb stew and cottage pie tomorrow, I have them on the hob now.

House smells delicious, even though I had my dinner already, I'd nearly eat a bowl of lamb stew when its cooked

Easy to tell its my fave stew

Didn't bother with lamb pie, can make that again anyway

Tomorrow I will make spinach and potato soup.

Trying to make as much as I can now so I have some variation in meals throughout the week

Toast4532 · 12-01-2014 12:56AM

Just realised I have made a balls of the cottage pie.

Instead of putting a tin of tomatoes in, I instead put in boiling water.

Any way I can save it? Boiled mince and veg doesn't seem too appealing

Feel like an eejit now! Raging after all the time, effort and money I put into it.

Lovely Bloke · 12-01-2014 01:06AM

stick in an oxo, reduce it down then add the tomatoes

Animord · 12-01-2014 12:46PM

Markcheese wrote: »

Has anyone tried the new taste of west cork stall in English market ?

I bought some mince pies there before Christmas, have you tried it?

Mrs Fox · 12-01-2014 01:32PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

When I make a rabbit stew, I joint the rabbit and remove the saddles (too tender for stewing IMO). I'm then left with 4 legs, two boneless saddle strips (which I lightly flour, pan fry medium and serve with the stew) and some bones.
These bones are the key to flavour.
Make a little pot of stock with them, reduce it and add to your stew. The flavour from rabbit bones is phenomenal! (at least from wild rabbit)

Other than that it's a pretty basic stew - shallots, carrots, celery, leek, bacon, mustard, beer, parsley stalks, thyme, bay leaf and flat parsley leaf to serve. I always use Dijon mustard.
I tend to use a brown beer with wild rabbit but maybe a blonde beer would be more suited to farmed rabbit.
It takes a long time for wild rabbit legs to become tender - up to 3 hours.
I love rabbit stew! I want rabbit stew!

Digging this post up again as Mr Fox came home this morning with a whole Bugs, 4 breasts of Donald and Elmer Fudd sausages from James Whelan Butchers.
With the rabbit, I'm not a huge fan of beer in stew. What can I sub it with? I'm thinking red wine would be too heavy on the rabbit? Will keep in mind to add in mustard and bacon.

The Hill Billy · 12-01-2014 01:37PM

Cider goes really well with bunny.

IvyTheTerrible · 12-01-2014 01:38PM

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Digging this post up again as Mr Fox came home this morning with a whole Bugs, 4 breasts of Donald and Elmer Fudd sausages from James Whelan Butchers.
With the rabbit, I'm not a huge fan of beer in stew. What can I sub it with? I'm thinking red wine would be too heavy on the rabbit? Will keep in mind to add in mustard and bacon.

I love rabbit coated in mustard and herbes de Provence, cooked in the oven. (just add a bit of water in the middle for a nice "jus")

Neyite · 12-01-2014 01:46PM

Loire wrote: »

Thanks for those two replies. Working this evening but looks like I could be home by 8....if so I'll do the steaks and wash down with a bottle of pinot noir I brought back from France in Sept! Will do the casserole then tomorrow.

We had venison steaks for Christmas dinner - salt and freshly ground pepper, then seared on a hot pan. We served it medium rare with a Darina Allen blackberry sauce and it was delicious.

Mrs Fox · 12-01-2014 01:55PM

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Cider goes really well with bunny.

Aaah excellent. Thanks.

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I love rabbit coated in mustard and herbes de Provence, cooked in the oven. (just add a bit of water in the middle for a nice "jus")

So do you dry roast it in the oven and add water half way through?

IvyTheTerrible · 12-01-2014 01:59PM

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Aaah excellent. Thanks.

So do you dry roast it in the oven and add water half way through?

Yep! Add a bit of oil at the start too.

KMFCross · 12-01-2014 02:06PM

Toast4532 wrote: »

Jesus I am absolutely exhausted.

Been in the kitchen since 6pm all evening cooking. Made two huge pots of soup for the next few weeks. Made a lovely chicken and veg soup, should get about 30-40 portions from it, made mushroom soup too, but half of it was devoured so I have four portions left.

Tomorrow I am making lamb stew, lamb pie and cottage pie and whatever else I can manage to make.

I swear I did more chopping and cleaning than I did cooking.

Will these last in the fridge for the week or do you need to freeze them. If freezing do you thaw them the night before you want them?

the beer revolu · 12-01-2014 02:15PM

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Digging this post up again as Mr Fox came home this morning with a whole Bugs, 4 breasts of Donald and Elmer Fudd sausages from James Whelan Butchers.
With the rabbit, I'm not a huge fan of beer in stew. What can I sub it with? I'm thinking red wine would be too heavy on the rabbit? Will keep in mind to add in mustard and bacon.

Cider, as said, white wine or just chicken stock.

But if you use a lightish beer, it really doesn't taste beery - it just gives a really solid flavour base. I use a light golden ale or lager in Irish stew in place of stock or water and I'd defy anyone to identify beer as an ingredient.

Mrs Fox · 12-01-2014 02:25PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

Cider, as said, white wine or just chicken stock.

But if you use a lightish beer, it really doesn't taste beery - it just gives a really solid flavour base. I use a light golden ale or lager in Irish stew in place of stock or water and I'd defy anyone to identify beer as an ingredient.

Sound.
I'm not a big beer drinker, the odd Tsing Tsao after a Chinese banquet or Corona with lime on a hot summer's day in the garden is as far as I'd go. I can even taste a tinge of beer used in fish batter, which I'm not sure if I'm suppose to. But I'll give it a go.
Looking forward to making this tomorrow.

Faith · 12-01-2014 02:40PM

I know this isn't the diet forum, but does anyone here have any experience with cutting out sugar? I'm thinking of doing it - not 100%, but reducing my consumption of sugar hugely by cutting out 'junk food' and unnecessary sugar like in my coffee. I've spent most of my life being moody and lethargic, and I'm going to see if cutting back on sugar helps.

I'm a total sugar addict though, so this is the equivalent of a heroin addict announcing they're thinking of quitting. Chance of failure is sky high

Mrs Fox · 12-01-2014 03:01PM

Faith wrote: »

I know this isn't the diet forum, but does anyone here have any experience with cutting out sugar? I'm thinking of doing it - not 100%, but reducing my consumption of sugar hugely by cutting out 'junk food' and unnecessary sugar like in my coffee. I've spent most of my life being moody and lethargic, and I'm going to see if cutting back on sugar helps.

I'm a total sugar addict though, so this is the equivalent of a heroin addict announcing they're thinking of quitting. Chance of failure is sky high

You'll be experiencing headaches and mood swings the first couple of weeks.
After that you'll find that there's increase in energy, so much so that you can't sit still and feel the need to be doing stuff.
But any further discussion is suitable for the nutrition forum, I think.

IvyTheTerrible · 12-01-2014 03:02PM

Faith wrote: »

I know this isn't the diet forum, but does anyone here have any experience with cutting out sugar? I'm thinking of doing it - not 100%, but reducing my consumption of sugar hugely by cutting out 'junk food' and unnecessary sugar like in my coffee. I've spent most of my life being moody and lethargic, and I'm going to see if cutting back on sugar helps.

I'm a total sugar addict though, so this is the equivalent of a heroin addict announcing they're thinking of quitting. Chance of failure is sky high

In my experience, cutting out sugar from tea/coffee is relatively easy. It's hard for the first week, but after that, you won't be able to stomach sugar in hot drinks!

Not sure about giving up other sugar because I don't have a sweet tooth.

Loire · 12-01-2014 03:10PM

Toast4532 wrote: »

Made a lovely chicken and veg soup, should get about 30-40 portions from it

"What's for dinner"
"Homemade chicken and vegetable soup"

"What's for dinner"
"Homemade chicken and vegetable soup"
:rolleyes:

"What's for dinner"
"Homemade chicken and vegetable soup"

"What's for dinner"
"Homemade chicken and vegetable soup"
:eek:

"What's for dinner"
"Homemade chicken and vegetable soup"

"What's for dinner"
"Homemade chicken and vegetable soup

"
:mad:

:pac:;):cool:

Animord · 12-01-2014 03:34PM

Faith wrote: »

I know this isn't the diet forum, but does anyone here have any experience with cutting out sugar? I'm thinking of doing it - not 100%, but reducing my consumption of sugar hugely by cutting out 'junk food' and unnecessary sugar like in my coffee. I've spent most of my life being moody and lethargic, and I'm going to see if cutting back on sugar helps.

I'm a total sugar addict though, so this is the equivalent of a heroin addict announcing they're thinking of quitting. Chance of failure is sky high

I cut out sugar and wheat from my diet a few years ago, I lasted about 6 months and then gradually started eating sugar a bit again. I rarely eat bread.

On the upside my burning acid indigestion which I thought was for life, went completely and despite eating those things again, I don't get it any more. The other thing though it that things that didn't seem particularly sweet before now do - I don't much like carrots these days and I never eat sweet potato. You realise how sweet lettuce is for instance.

The Black Oil · 12-01-2014 03:40PM

There was someone on my holiday recently who had cut sugar of his life save for coffee, I think. I'm not sure what he did, but he was big on health stuff and fresh ingredients. I'd like to cut it out, and tried to with chocolate for a few days, which was fun. :pac: I think I need to rewire my brain a little further and tell it not to buy sweets in the supermarket. I've improved my lunches and haven't used the vending machine in work in ages. Have been taking plenty of fruit for years.

Speaking of sugar, on the obesity angle...I find the sugar tax idea baffling. Get kids started early and get them cooking at a young age.

iwantmydinner · 12-01-2014 03:43PM

I cut sugar out last summer, lasted about two months and wanna do it again. Main thing for me was I seemed to lose a load of water weight and also my stomach was much happier! Go for it.

On that actually, I have recently begun to replace the usual sweet thing I crave after dinner with a couple of handfuls of mixed dried fruit and nuts. I know there's plenty of sugar in dried fruit but it's better than a bit of cheesecake.

Animord · 12-01-2014 03:46PM

It is shocking how much sugar is in everything when you start reading labels. It is everywhere. Read your labels just for a while - tinned fish, bacon, pretty much everything that you consider to be savoury has sugar in it.

Toast4532 · 12-01-2014 03:49PM

KMFCross wrote: »

Will these last in the fridge for the week or do you need to freeze them. If freezing do you thaw them the night before you want them?

They would last a couple of days in the fridge, the soups would last about 4-5 days, the stews/pies etc wouldn't last as long I don't think.

I froze all mine and when I want them I just take them out the night before or if you were having them in the evening time you could take them out early in the morning and leave them on the counter top to defrost, how long they take to defrost depends on portion sizes though.

I use containers like these to store my food (they're like the ones from takeaways, but they NEED to be freezer safe)

I got a pack of 8 or 10 in Dealz for €1.49, they aren't super-duper quality, but are fine for storing/freezing/microwaving food etc.

whiteandlight · 12-01-2014 03:49PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I'm not going to fall out with anyone over this but.......

I thought I did make a valid point when I mentioned starting a thread about being able use the special deals in supermarkets to our culinary advantage. For instance, last time Aldi had tomatoes on special, I bought a load and made a batch of spicy chutney for a fraction of the cost if I were to buy tomatoes at their normal price.

However, what I thought was a reasonable idea was sidelined into a 'we should all pay more for food because we think the farmers deserve it' discussion. I was responding to that discussion. Am I wrong?

And I too would love to be able to regularly shop in farmers markets but I can't afford it and I personally think they're just a rip-off.

This is my opinion too and I did start a thread briefly but to be honest there was a lot of negativity so I left it. I'll do/keep my research to myself in future and stick to reading in here

Animord · 12-01-2014 03:59PM

Musicmental85 wrote: »

This is my opinion too and I did start a thread briefly but to be honest there was a lot of negativity so I left it. I'll do/keep my research to myself in future and stick to reading in here

I was one of the 'negative' posters, and I am sorry if you felt that way. I was only trying to help you.

whiteandlight · 12-01-2014 04:01PM

Animord wrote: »

I was one of the 'negative' posters, and I am sorry if you felt that way. I was only trying to help you.

Oh I didn't mean to come across as p*ssed. Sometimes opinions differ, it happens. no worries.

Loire · 12-01-2014 06:02PM

Making a red wine jus (for the first time) at the moment....such a great excuse to open a bottle "Just opening it for the venison steaks, my dear"

:pac:

misslt · 12-01-2014 06:50PM

Loire wrote: »

Making a red wine jus (for the first time) at the moment....such a great excuse to open a bottle "Just opening it for the venison steaks, my dear" :pac:

Story of my life

I'm making stew, its waaaay to liquidy and its starting to stick at the bottom

I have the heat way down, any suggestions to salvage it?

IvyTheTerrible · 12-01-2014 06:56PM

misslt wrote: »

Story of my life

I'm making stew, its waaaay to liquidy and its starting to stick at the bottom I have the heat way down, any suggestions to salvage it?

To get it less liquidy, add a spoon of flour. That should thicken it up. Sticking to the bottom, I can't help.

misslt · 12-01-2014 07:06PM

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

To get it less liquidy, add a spoon of flour. That should thicken it up. Sticking to the bottom, I can't help.

Thank you

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