Stormy Weather

[Nick Armstrong]

I am cooking, thank you so much for reminding me of women's place in society.

You had told us you were going off to do so! Didn't want the lure of the Forum to cause anything to burn!

[amateur51]

You had told us you were going off to do so! Didn't want the lure of the Forum to cause anything to burn!

I think perhaps that Val's arrival had distracted Anna

[Anna]

I think perhaps that Val's arrival had distracted Anna

You know that feeling when you ask a question knowing that the answer will prove you to be a total numpty and be teased? Well, I have to ask - who is Val?
(I'm not cooking at the moment, merely contemplating my ingredients and wondering which path to go down)

[amateur51]

You know that feeling when you ask a question knowing that the answer will prove you to be a total numpty and be teased? Well, I have to ask - who is Val?
(I'm not cooking at the moment, merely contemplating my ingredients and wondering which path to go down)

Is this code for something?

I could have sworn that someone had told me that your Downton Abbey-watching chum who comes over for your candle-lit suppers was called Val, Anna. Was it you, or Caliban, maybe

[Anna]

Is this code for something?

No, it merely means I have my vegetables spread out on the worktop and am deciding what to do with them!

I could have sworn that someone had told me that your Downton Abbey-watching chum who comes over for your candle-lit suppers was called Val, Anna. Was it you, or Caliban, maybe

Oh, well as I know no-one called Val (either a Valerie or a Valentine) I think it's Cali letting his imagination run riot again! Plus, neither I, nor any of my friends, watch Downton .... But I had to ask!

[Nick Armstrong]

Is this code for something?

I could have sworn that someone had told me that your Downton Abbey-watching chum who comes over for your candle-lit suppers was called Val, Anna. Was it you, or Caliban, maybe

Nope, Anna has never spoken to me of a Val....

Keen to know what ingredients have been selected following contemplation.

It's going to be a delivery Chinese tonight at Caliban Towers (ducks behind sofa to avoid brickbats). Shall be doing something exciting with pasta tomorrow, though! (More code!! )

[amateur51]

No, it merely means I have my vegetables spread out on the worktop and am deciding what to do with them!
Oh, well as I know no-one called Val (either a Valerie or a Valentine) I think it's Cali letting his imagination run riot again! Plus, neither I, nor any of my friends, watch Downton .... But I had to ask!

Put it down to a senior moment on my part, Anna

[vinteuil]

It's going to be a delivery Chinese tonight at Caliban Towers (ducks behind sofa ... ). )

- ducks with plum sauce? yummacious!

- or is it the three plaster ducks on the wall behind the sofa, inherited from Stan and Hilda Ogden, to which our learnèd friend refers??

[Nick Armstrong]

- ducks with plum sauce? yummacious!

- or is it the three plaster ducks on the wall behind the sofa, inherited from Stan and Hilda Ogden, to which our learnèd friend refers??

You're quackers, vinderiz!

[Anna]

Nope, Anna has never spoken to me of a Val....
Keen to know what ingredients have been selected following contemplation.
It's going to be a delivery Chinese tonight at Caliban Towers (ducks behind sofa to avoid brickbats). Shall be doing something exciting with pasta tomorrow, though! (More code!! )

Well, wonders will never cease. Caliban is actually going to go into the kitchen tomorrow and cook something from scratch, using knives and cooking utensils, not merely take delivery of a takeaway or bung Tesco's Finest into the micro!!
I was going to do an open lasagne (some people call it an open ravioli, it depends on your sheets) and it was to be a Hunter's Autumnal supper (that's my name for it!) Involves leeks, pancetta, chestnuts, chestnut mushrooms, creme fraiche and topped with pangrattato and a poached egg. However, I forgot to buy chestnuts and anyway have the wrong type of bread (and it really needs Japanese style grated crumbs) so I thought maybe a layered lasagne (no tomatoes involved) but pancetta, leeks, courgettes, creme fraiche, ricotta and grana padano shavings. Now, as it's a bit of a chilly day I'm thinking of above ingredients but as a pasta bake. I have lumaconi (not the giant ones you stuff, one step down) which really hold the sauce well. So, as it's just me (Valentine sends his regrets) I think I'll do the latter and it will be cheesy, creamy, rich and flavoursome. Might chuck in some fennel.
So, what you cooking tomorrow Cali?

[amateur51]

- ducks with plum sauce? yummacious!

- or is it the three plaster ducks on the wall behind the sofa, inherited from Stan and Hilda Ogden, to which our learnèd friend refers??

Would those be the ones soaring over Hilda's Murial, vints?

[Serial_Apologist]

You're quackers, vinderiz!

Sofa so good!

[vinteuil]

Would those be the ones soaring over Hilda's Murial, vints?

... the very same! Caliban obtained them in some discreet settlement, so discreet it never even reached the pages of 'Private Eye' ...

[Nick Armstrong]

Well, wonders will never cease. Caliban is actually going to go into the kitchen tomorrow and cook something from scratch, using knives and cooking utensils, not merely take delivery of a takeaway or bung Tesco's Finest into the micro!!

Thank you so much for reducing me to a stereotype of male ineptitude

*going off in a huff emoticon*

So, what you cooking tomorrow Cali?

More pork-fennel action though somewhat submerged in other things

PRAWN AND CHORIZO LINGUINE

Oil - little
Fennel seeds - 2x teaspoons - crush and gently fry
Red chili x1 - slice
Rosemary x2 sprigs sliced finely
Garlic x 2 cloves finely chopped
Chorizo - 150g skinned and chopped to small cubes

- Throw in to lightly fried fennel/oil mix

Harissa - 2 tablespoons
Chopped toms - 2 tins
Oregano - 2 teaspoons

... add to the mix and continue to fry gently

Red wine - 150ml

Sugar - pinch

Then raise the heat and leave to bubble away for 10 minutes

Put linguine on.

Prawns - 225g peeled raw prawns: ADD FOR 3 - 4 MINUTES to chorizo mix

Then add cooked linguine to the pan.

Mix and serve with chopped flat leaf parsley

Ecco !

[amateur51]

Thank you so much for reducing me to a stereotype of male ineptitude

*going off in a huff emoticon*








More pork-fennel action though somewhat submerged in other things

PRAWN AND CHORIZO LINGUINE

Oil - little
Fennel seeds - 2x teaspoons - crush and gently fry
Red chili x1 - slice
Rosemary x2 sprigs sliced finely
Garlic x 2 cloves finely chopped
Chorizo - 150g skinned and chopped to small cubes

- Throw in to lightly fried fennel/oil mix

Harissa - 2 tablespoons
Chopped toms - 2 tins
Oregano - 2 teaspoons

... add to the mix and continue to fry gently

Red wine - 150ml

Sugar - pinch

Then raise the heat and leave to bubble away for 10 minutes

Put linguine on.

Prawns - 225g peeled raw prawns: ADD FOR 3 - 4 MINUTES to chorizo mix

Then add cooked linguine to the pan.

Mix and serve with chopped flat leaf parsley

Ecco !

Cor! You'll need a big bib when you're noshing that, Cali