I'm going to try something new every week

[taxman]

I found Hanger steak in Waitrose today, also known as onglet or butchers cut. I believe it's from the diaphragm. Seen it cooked on various cookery shows but have never seen it either in a butchers or supermarket.

 

Took a lot more cooking and resting than other steaks but would probably still put some people off due to it still being quite rare.

 

Not to be eaten as a steak, slice thinly across the grain and have on a barmcake.

[taxman]

It just goes to show how unadventurous I am nowadays that this is my first post on this thread since June.

 

Black Turtle Beans.....the only reason I tried them was because they were being given away at work due to being two years out of date (bbf). I googled them and basically dried beans last forever, they just need a bit more soaking.

 

So I soaked for 24 hours and simmered for 2 and they're great. Good texture that goes well with rice, casseroles etc and could also be mashed as a spread or re-fried bean alternative.

 

2 years out of date...meh

[FIRETHORN1]

Welcome back Taxman! I thought that (like me), you'd run out of new stuff to try! I've cooked a few "variations" lately, using different herbs/spices/seasonings etc -but nowt that I would actually call "new", as such.  I've met and worked with a few Middle Eastern and Moroccan colleagues lately. I've really enjoyed the food they've shared with me,   so I've been experimenting with different seasonings... like Raas-el-Hanout,  Baahar seasoning etc - all very delicious and tasty, but it's basically not really  all that different from cooking an Indian-style curry - just a different blend of herbs and spices to use when marinating your meat or chicken etc . It also involves using a lot more fruit - especially  dried fruits, like figs, prunes, raisins, apricots etc

[Longcol]

Coco haricot beans have been in season these last few weeks here in France. Simmered in chicken stock with onion, diced carrot and a boquet garni they've been a great side dish for a roast chicken - then adding the rest of the chicken and some greens, and sometimes a few slices of mild chorizo to the remaining beans and stock, a great stew for the next day - preferably served with walnut bread - a speciality round these parts.

 

 

[chinaski]

On ‎19‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 13:10, Longcol said:

Coco haricot beans have been in season these last few weeks here in France. Simmered in chicken stock with onion, diced carrot and a boquet garni they've been a great side dish for a roast chicken - then adding the rest of the chicken and some greens, and sometimes a few slices of mild chorizo to the remaining beans and stock, a great stew for the next day - preferably served with walnut bread - a speciality round these parts.

 

 

Crikey, that sounds delicious. I'm assuming the general quality of chicken in France is far superior than our over eaten battery reared specimens. You can get a medium chicken in supermarkets now for around £3!

 

I've been having a game feast currently. Head down to Sheffield Moor market and the first stall after the egg guy has all sorts of game birds I've never been able to get hold of. He has grouse which he sells for £2.50 (they were £12.50 at Chatsworth Farm shop) and pheasants, but he also has teal and all sorts of breeds of duck. The teal is absolutely delicious - I don't fart around with boning and taking the breasts off but simply season, roll around in butter and then transfer to the over for around 8 mins and eat like a King. My wife screamed last week as I came to bed after a teal supper and had forgotten to wipe the blood from my chops!

 

He doesn't have the birds on display you have to ask. I'm not sure if that's to do with it being illegal to sell some game!

[FIRETHORN1]

I made my own, home-made potted shrimps last night. Not exactly "new" to me, because I have had them before - usually bought from sea-front stalls when I've been on day trips to the seaside. I've always quite enjoyed them, but I must say that my home-made version was even nicer and tastier. It was a bit of a time-consuming faff peeling the small brown shrimps, but after I'd done that, the rest of the process of making them was really easy and quick. I ate them tonight on some thinly sliced, crisp sourdough toast and they were really delicious.

As an added bonus, I used the pile of left-over prawn shells to make some home-made fish stock, which I've strained and frozen for future use. I'm sure that this will come in handy for the next time I make a paella, or a luxury fish pie...or summat similar.