Having made a batch of paella for the freezer, I'm now heating up a portion of venison stew, with a couple of small herby dumplings. I'll wash it down with a 1/4 bottle of Campo Viejo rioja.

 

I like herby dumplings. And venison, for that matter!

 

Not had dumplings for years. My mum always made the hard crusty ones when I was a kid but I'd much rather eat the soft ones.

 

I put the stew in a dish in the oven for 30mins at 180c. After 10mins, when it was simmering I dropped the dumplings in for the last 20mins so they get a light crust on the top while being soft underneath.

 

Saturday dinner at local pub.
Cullen Skink, Haggis with bashed neeps 'n' tatties, Cranachan.
All washed down with a couple of tots of whisky.
Today will be an omelette, fruit salad and red wine.
A very Yorkshire varied diet.

 

Off out to the pub now. It was part of a small chain but has now been taken over by a guy that runs a couple of pubs which do very good food, so off to try the new venture.

 

Thanks for the warning I have seen them around

But I find most vegan burgers etc are much the same I am always mystified by vegetarian/vegan meals that try to emulate meat veggie burgers, veggie mince etc because they never do and anyway what is wrong with veggies being well just veggies? I eat more veggies than meat and to me it tastes fine as it is why try and make it something it is not?!

Forgive the rant my youngest brother who was vegan for many years (he now occasionally eats meat as his doctor was worried about his anaemia and suggested he do so) once fed me a Linda McCartney vegetarian sausage and I have never quite gotten over the experience

 

I love Cullen Skink but haven't had it in ages!

 

2 slices of toast. Still inside... Progress!

 

My wife bought some Richmond meat free sausages. Admittedly, Richmond pork sauages aren't exactly gourmet but they taste nice.
I opened the packet of these meat free ones. It looked like pink gloop in a non animal casing. Looked similar to a pork one but felt very soft and squidgy. Wasn't looking good.

I have just eaten a sausage sandwhich for lunch and they are surprisingly good. I know it is down to flavours and pork Richmond is finely minced and mushed pork (very similar to the texture of these). I'm not sure if I was given these blind I'd have figured out it wasn't meat.

 

No accounting for taste and texture. I like 'em crisp an' crusty on the outside, and soft in the middle.

 

Nice but I would be tempted to turn 'em over and give the pale side a crusting.

 

Ramen.

 

Closing the thread? Or greeting a pastafarian brother?

 

Praise the holy trinity of shoyu, tonkotsu and goma.

 

I can't be arsed to google that trinity. Please what do you mean?

 

Raid on Co Op this afternoon had some sausages with caramelised red onion to use up, got new potatoes in a herb butter and what they call the "rainbow selection" namely peas, broccoli, carrots and sweetcorn in a herb butter both packs 45p in total so having them with the sausages rather tasty and the amount of veggies probably my 5-a-day on my plate so I guess quite healthy eating

Also doing a pack of sliced lamb shoulder in mint gravy not a big fan of the gravy but it was reduced to clear and once it is done I'll drain the gravy off and use the meat for sandwiches tomorrow and get a couple of rounds of really thick cold lamb sandwiches for work and that was a quid so I will have a massive lunch tomorrow and probably just a couple of cookies in the evening

 

I never have tried ramen although I have had other noodles- are they hard to cook?

 

I have no idea what a 'pack' of lamb shoulder might be, although I suspect preprocessed and over priced. It so happens that I cooked a knuckle end half shoulder this evening. I will get two further meals out of it. The gravy was superb. I made this from lamb stock which I already had in the freezer and juices from the meat.The bones from this evening's roast are already in the freezer and will eventually used to make stock when present supplies run out. I admit that I am retired and have time to cook, something I enjoy. I also have a small garden and greenhouse which provides a few extras which are stupidly expensive in shops but easy to grow in small quantities. As for herb butter I just slice a bit off a lump of Morrison's own cheap brand butter (the same as their best brand but in cheaper packaging), heat to a sizzle and add my own home grown herbs.

 

No. Very easy, dry ramen needs maybe just 3-5 minutes. The key to success is good stock and toppings, but I'm also a fan of just dressing up the instant ones in a pinch. Spring onions, sesame seeds, dash of chili oil, some spinach, chuck an egg or two in to poach, or top with thickly sliced roast pork...