Cooking With Richard

Apparently this is what you do with leftover haggis in Scotland. Just roll into small balls, cover them in breadcrumbs, and deep fry them.

The result is pretty good in fact, rather like faggots.

Where are you? … Come on …

Got you. SLUGS!

It’s not really momiji.

We have an elder growing at the end of our garden. My plan for this year was to climb up to the top and get everything from it, but that didn’t really work out. We don’t have the sort of ladders to do that, and so I had to rely on my trusty stepladder. Unfortunately that meant not getting very much, just the bottom 10′ or so from the side over the garden. The photo above shows exactly what we ended up with.

Ask N-sama …

A medlar (similar to an apple or a quince) that I borrowed from Hatfield House today. These have to be rotted down slightly (a process called bletting) before we can eat them, and then they are supposed to taste of apple sauce and cinnamon.

Snails might have a homing instinct …

Better not “home” here, coz I’m going to eat you.

These ones are headed for the freezer …

We went to the Dacorum Steam Rally again on Sunday.

Previously …

Thanks Netherbury and P for all these lovely cherries.

We stoned the whole lot of them. It took 1 hour with both of us:

The gammon recipe was one by Nigella which was pretty tasty, particularly cold the next day:

Recipe for gammon, and for swede.

Some broad beans from the garden:

Nom nom …

Previously …

Previously and previously.

Potted shrimp and potted mackerel.

This was very simple to make:

1. Take a whole pack of butter [makes two ramekins as shown], and melt on a low heat. Add garlic.
2. Grill the fish, or use a pre-cooked or smoked fish.
3. Clarify the butter (filter out all the “bits” in it).
4. Then put the clarified butter back on the heat and add chilli / cayenne pepper / paprika / thyme / rosemary to taste.
5. Put the fish into the ramekins and cover with the hot butterfat.
6. Place in the fridge overnight.

You can “pot” just about any meat or fish.

It’s a baby blackbird, I think. He was a bit shaken up for a few minutes, but eventually flew away, so I think he’ll be OK.

The swedes in the garden have been a great success:

… but the potatoes, oh dear:

I’m wondering if they will eat the umeboshi in the middle …

Previously …

Me finishing off six kumamoto oysters from Neptune Oyster in Boston (recommended!)