Post toast it's on to the roast

or rather my version of it. I said in What's in the fridge? the whole chicken was going in the slow cooker as part of a roast.

I also suggested, check what you've got in your fridge and freezer. This slow cooking/freezing malarkey really works. I had a container of sauce supreme in my freezer – aka posh gravy, which I placed in the fridge overnight to defrost. I made my normal roasties (á la Nigella – tossed in semolina) they never fail. Since the oven will be on for the roasties I will fill it so there will be carrots cut into similar sized batons, roasted in lemon, butter and black pepper.

So, for your roast, I meant what I said – easy prep, easy cook :

Serves 4

Chicken in slow cooker as per recipe on the blog -

it's going to take eight hours so time it so that you'll

be ready to serve it all at the same time

Pre-heat your oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6 when you

are ready to cook

Peel and parboil potatoes – as many as you want – in my

house a large tray full! Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of semolina and shake

to coat them – can be done ahead – place in hot rapeseed oil -

these will take one hour to roast, turn every 20 minutes

Peel 5/6 medium carrots and cut into batons

can be done ahead - place prepped carrots in a

food bag and fridge until you're ready.

Place the batons on foil on a baking sheet -

add 2 x 20g of unsalted butter, a couple of glugs of

lemon juice and black pepper – wrap tightly.

These will take 40 minutes – shake carefully after 20 minutes.

Grate parmesan for cauliflower cheese - **see below

A quick scan through the pantry also produced a box of sage and onion stuffing mix. Take a medium onion, finely chopped and softened in a large knob of unsalted butter then add to the stuffing mix with a glug or two of boiling water. Can I also point out that chestnuts are not just for Christmas. I always have vac packs in my pantry – add 150g, finely chopped to the stuffing mix.

I always cook my stuffing in a cake liner in a loaf tin.

**Cauliflower cheese. Since the object of this exercise is you haven't a clue what you or your guests are doing and when, there is nothing wrong with using a bag of frozen cauliflower cheese - tip into a foil tray and sprinkle with 75g of grated parmesan. It will take 40 minutes. You can make it from scratch if you wish but do so in the knowledge that you may finish up with a fresh cauliflower that you may not use. No waste at all if it's in the freezer.

The final flourish is the sauce supreme and is the only saucepan on your hob – note to self – do not be tempted to microwave the sauce – it will split. It may be a little too thick, if it is, whilst heating gently add either a drop of chicken stock or if feeling indulgent double cream.

To the roast purists a sauce supreme wouldn't cut it as gravy – my kitchen, my roast.

They loved all of it but the stand outs were the roasted carrots and the “gravy”. The chicken was moist and tender and the best bit is you get to save all that beautiful stock to freeze in readiness for your next sauce supreme.

Minimum fuss, maximum flavour.

A toast to toast!

Who doesn't love toast?

It would appear that toast is not just any old breakfast item.

Who'd have thought it evokes such a reaction! Twice in the last week toast has figured in completely different conversations.

Most of us would probably agree it's high up on the list of comfort food or midnight snack and probably the fastest too, whether it's with cheese on (toaster bags are a brilliant piece of kit for a lazy toasted cheese sandwich) or whether with a preserve of your choice. I have a Grandson who always has his with lemon curd.

Anyway, I would always have said toast is toast is toast – apparently not, as my Dil (Daughter in law for the uninitiated) pointed out to me recently. Cheryl overheard her daughter Alyce talking with friends saying, quite emphatically, “my Grandma makes the best toast”. “There has to be something you do differently” - not that I'm aware of …

Then as you know my friends arrived from France. The first morning it's “would anyone like toast?”. The best part of a whole loaf later, together with a certain famous Danish butter … perhaps there is something going on here …. it's simple enough - serve hot and a production line with enough butter on so that you have to lick your fingers, don't be shy about the amount of butter or guilty – this is a treat – not an every day occurrence.

That set me thinking – is there an art form – some don't like it hot, may be some like it toasted and then the butter on after it's left to cool – not my personal favourite I have to say.

I think I've done toast a dis-service – we take it for granted. I realised this when it was pointed out that whilst the French are fab at baguettes et al they are not so hot on sliced bread for toast – put good toasting bread together with a good quality butter and you've cracked it. Note to self – completely misjudged the bread order.

Post toast it's on to the roast!

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!