What's in the fridge?

Start at the beginning – check the contents of your fridge and also your pantry/food cupboards to see what's already there – you never know when inspiration might strike!

In my case 2 x buttermilk in the fridge – yippee – 2 x soda bread and into the freezer. I've already mentioned a possible paté from the smoked mackerel so a nice lunch combination with leftover honey roasted beetroot.

This is definitely taking shape.

Back to the list making, 3 stops along the way :

Butcher – bacon, sausages, fillet tail – breakfast or posher mixed grill

M&S for meal deal -

whole chickens are usually part of the deal so that

hopefully takes care of the Sunday roast

Supermarket – the remaining bits and

pieces – note to self, check mixers for drinks

and ice bags (they take up less space than trays)

Fresh eggs

Thinking ahead … any leftovers from Saturday night – Charlottes can be bagged and fridged. By the way I'm slow cooking two medium sized gammon joints. One to serve and the remaining one is for the freezer – no waste.

I've decided that for Sunday's supper the whole chicken will go in the slow cooker. It will be served with a sauce supreme, roast potatoes, carrots roasted in lemon and butter and cauliflower cheese. Easy prep, easy cook!

I've now filled every available food space in the house - fridged and frozen - packed to the rafters – in theory I shouldn't need to shop for another month!

That's all I can do for now - the rest is in the lap of the Gods – keep your fingers crossed!

I need to consider …

… how to go about this task and since I not sure what meals I'm going to be serving then the best thing I can do, as well as plan Saturday evening's meal, is to plan Sunday's too since even if I don't serve it on the day it will keep for the next – I think I am beginning to feel better.

The next job is to make a list of “can't fail staples” and from that the shopping list begins.

Can't fail staples

Whole chicken – for the slow cooker -

it can then be frozen if not

served

Vac pack beetroots – or fresh to roast if you've

time. The upside of the vac packs is that they have

a long life so will not be wasted

Puff pastry sheet – for savoury pastries as an

appetiser or a lid for a pie – make sure there's a

good date so you can keep in the fridge until required

or freeze it if not

Pizza base – to make a Stromboli – same applies

as with the puff pastry

Smoked Mackerel – turn into paté or

make a warm salad – freeze if not required

Here's what I served on Saturday night :

Slow cooked gammon joint

Roasted Charlotte potatoes in their skins

Honey roasted beetroot

Coleslaw

Pudding

Roasted rhubarb

Strawberries

Vanilla ice cream

The method in the madness is that the gammon takes care of itself. The Charlotte potatoes will roast, as will the beetroot, when my visitors arrive. The rhubarb can be roasted the day before and the strawberries hulled on the day.

I suppose it doesn't do any harm to be well and truly out of your comfort zone – be assured I am definitely out of mine!

Revolving doors!

August is known as the “silly season” and in this house it has not disappointed!

By “revolving doors” I mean a steady stream of visitors. Not that I'm complaining you understand – it's never a problem for me to feed people. It is definitely more challenging however when the details are, shall we say, a little sketchy i.e. will arrive on Saturday, probably teatime and we are leaving on Wednesday, probably lunchtime.

As for the grey areas in between, your guess is as good as mine and indeed for my visitors too since they are at the mercy of the family they intend to visit – you get the picture.

From a catering point of view it's not the easiest, especially when you're like me – only happy when you've a list and a meal plan! I like to cook ahead if I can, if only so that I can spend time with my guests and not resemble a wet lettuce/piece of chewed string/jibbering idiot – not necessarily in that order!

This is the sort of situation that stops me sleeping, I jest not.

The only meal I know for certain is Saturday evening so I suppose it's as good a place as any to begin.

I need to consider, my friends are coming from France and there are certain foods that they really miss from England and cannot get, except for a king's ransom.

I need to consider a meal that can be prepped ahead and will in effect cook itself since on arrival I know they'll be tired and want a well earned drink (or two).

I need to consider how to plan my shopping list for three full days (we're out for breakfast on day four – I think I'll be ready for it!).

I need to consider what to cook.

I can feel the need already for a libation of my choice, complete with straw and retreat to a darkened room!

I need to consider …

Bring on the brisket!

When anyone mentions brisket I can't help but think of it rolled and shoved unceremoniously in a pot roast – not my favourite.

So, I asked Mr. Potter (my friend and butcher) if I could have a piece of brisket before it was rolled – I sure can. I am now on a mission.

I have a cunning plan - I'll just cross everything and hope it works.

Slow cooked brisket

1 flat piece of brisket – size to suit your needs – cut it in half

if it's too large for the slow cooker

2 tbsp Worcester sauce

½ tsp chilli

pinch of cayenne

250ml tomato ketchup

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsps lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed or 1 tsp garlic paste

125ml maple syrup

Place the brisket in a slow cooker – low setting. Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix, by hand, until well blended.

Pour over the brisket and cook for 6 hours. Lift out the brisket and slice thinly, cover with the sauce. You can serve immediately. You can if you wish place the sliced brisket and sauce into a foil tray, cover and fridge. When you want to serve place it in a pre-heated oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6 for 15/20 minutes with the foil removed.

My designated tasters last week were Tim & Cheryl who came for a day out with Dad. I have to mention here that no matter whether it's -10 degrees or, in this case, the hottest day of the year, roast potatoes are compulsory.

Despite the warm weather the brisket et al was duly served … baited breath.

It went something like, ****** **** that's gorgeous – tastes like roast beef but with a kick ….”

All gone!

A note or three :

I can confirm that this brisket freezes very well as does the sauce so if you can afford a large piece of brisket it's worth it.

Freeze the brisket in a piece – it won't dry out.

You don't have to serve it with roast potatoes, whatever takes your fancy – rice – noodles – pasta like orzo - they'll all work.

If you're curious to see what it looks like :

Hooked on cooking – what the Cheflet said

It's my experience that children are brutally honest. So it was with some trepidation I asked Jess what she thought of her chicken nuggets.

I am proud to report, “Best nuggets ever! Brilliant indeed.”

I'll take that!

As for the Tower, the remains went home with Jess to share with the rest of the family.

Jess has already booked her place for next year so I think we can say that it was a successful visit. I certainly loved it and I hope Jess did too.

I appreciate that this cooking lark takes some organising but rocket science it ain't and the pleasure the cheflets get from a cooking session is so worth it – not to mention the great photographs – the camera never lies!

Don't forget there are deals to be had out there for all sorts of bits and pieces that will fit the bill for any future cheflet gatherings and it doesn't have to break the bank.

I hope this Hooked on cooking sequence has made you smile and that you may even have budding cheflets as a result!

Hooked on cooking – Jess makes a Tower

It would be rude not to offer Grandad a dessert so here's The Tiramisu Tower, based on the Orange Tiramisu mentioned previously. This time it's the lemon version using our now famous smoothie cups.

Lemon Tiramisu

Lemon syrup

(4 tbsp lemon juice, 100g icing sugar)

20 fl oz whipping cream

Madeira cake

4 tbsp caster sugar

8oz Mascarpone

Lemon curd to fold into Mascarpone mixture

To make the syrup put the lemon juice and the icing sugar into a small saucepan and heat gently so that the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. Decant the syrup into a squeezy bottle.

Mix the cream carefully with the caster sugar and mascarpone, gently fold lemon curd through the mixture.

Cheflet's privilege!

Slice the cake lengthways as thinly as possible and then using cutters, cut into shapes that fit the smoothie cups.

Layer the cake shapes in the cups and drizzle with syrup, then add a layer of the mascarpone mixture, repeat. Decorate the top of the tiramisu with a circle of Maltesers and place a wafer roll through the hole in the lid of the cup.

Here's the masterpiece :

Grandad's verdict – delicious!

Hooked on cooking – Supper for Jess and Grandad too!

When ready to serve you have two options.

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Heat a glug of rapeseed oil in a large frying pan on a moderate heat. If you wish to check whether the oil is ready to use drop a breadcrumb into the oil – if it sizzles and begins to colour you're ready to roll. Seal the nuggets on both sides and transfer them to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or you can continue on the hob – turn the heat down low and turn the nuggets frequently until cooked through and golden brown. This will not take more than 15 minutes since the chicken is bashed thinly. If you want to be certain take one and cut it in half, it should be thoroughly cooked before serving.

As a guide from the three chicken breasts Jess made 8 decent sized nuggets and 1 whole breast for Grandad, prepared in exactly the same way as the nuggets. Grandad's version is called an escalope and is traditionally veal.

Here's the breaded nuggets :

Here's the end product :

Jess learnt the French culinary technique pané – meaning coated with breadcrumbs.

Don't you love it when a plan comes together!