ghoti_mhic_uait

I tried out one of those 'we send you the ingredients and recipes and you don't have to think about it' boxes, Hello Fresh recently, and I quite liked the food, and the less confident cooks in the family like that they don't feel they need my assistance as much to try new things. Now I've got four codes for free boxes for other people if you'd like a go? I have to give them your email address, and then you probably have ot sign up then cancel, that's how my introductory offer worked. Except we decided not to cancel, but rather to only have the deliveries we were interested in.

So, for example, I didn't bother the week that included pesto (which I normally make myself but no blender atm), stir fry and enchiladas, because it's too similar to what I normally cook; this week's is freekeh salad, paella, and aubergine and paneer curry, which I'm mostly getting because I've never had freekeh before (apparently it's a wheat or wheat relative?), and Colin was excited about the veggie paella. Aubergine and paneer curry is pretty similar to what I might cook except I actually haven't done a cheesy curry for ages.

Anyway, if you want one, lmk and I'll send you a voucher in your email.

So, on wednesday I resumed cook book project. I used Nicola Graimes' Vegan Cooking.

Here's what happened when Kake did this book.

I, however, made Pilaff of Saffron and Pickled Walnuts with Warm Vegetable Salad and Peanut Sauce, followed by Pears with Star Anise and Ginger.

The Pilaff was *wonderful* and I shall certainly be making it again. I think the saffron didn;t add that much, so I might leave it out (or use turmeric) in future. The salad was OK, but the peanut sauce was too hot, and if I make it again I'll leave out the chili. The pears were nice, but not particularly special. Maybe if I'd turned the poaching sauce into chocolate sauce it would have worked better.

I do like the book rather a lot, though.

Our veg box man brought me a bag of radishes. Don't get me wrong, I like radishes, but... what do I do with a whole bag of them?

Last night's dinner was fried chicken, mushrooms and bacon with leeks sauteed in butter and ( glazed root vegetables )

For pudding, we had peach croustade from the Godd Housekeeping Cookery Club Desserts book. A fairly simple pie - peaches cooked in brandy and sugar, and then baked in a filo crust. It was.. interesting. I'm not sure I'll make it again.