News and farewell...

This is going to be a hard post for me to write. But I have good news and bad news...

The good news is that we are expecting our first child in May. I had no idea until the middle of last month, when all the clues suddenly dropped into place. A couple of the clues are scattered throughout October, such as complaining that I was getting fat and craving food other than Nigella's. We shan't talk about all the food that I ate that is on the banned list of pregnancy foods.

The bad news is what it means for this blog. Once I found out, I've been trying to eat healthier with a greater variety - food that is generally healthier than Nigella's. I'm restricted in what I can make - mayonnaise, home-made ice cream, feta, rare meat and a long list of others are restricted. I'm just not sure that I can complete this blog with full commitment.

And I hate doing that. I don't like half-finished projects (or in this case, one-third). But I have a new project now. I want to do what's best for our baby.

I will still continue to cook Nigella's recipes in the background, just not at the cracking pace of months previous. There are some recipes that are too good not to repeat, such as the butternut pumpkin and pasta soup. I also want to write about that dense chocolate loaf cake, but sadly I've also cut down on my chocolate intake as it has caffeine so we won't even think about it.

So, what have I learnt by doing this blog?
1. I don't get intimidated at looking at a long or exotic list of ingredients anymore. The list of ingredients used to determine whether I would make the effort to cook something or not.
2. I can cook with wine now, and not grape juice substitute.
3. Micro-graters are a great tool.
4. I do enjoy cooking, but appreciate a good meal when someone else cooks too.

Well, it looks like the "Feeding Babies and Small Children" chapter in How to Eat should be read carefully after all. Thanks to all for reading and supporting my blog, and welcoming me into your online community; and enjoy your cooking of Nigella's recipes.

Lots of love to you all,
The ex-Next Nigella

October 2006 assessment

Number of recipes made this month: 16. I was away though...

Assessment by book:

• How to Eat - last month at 85, this month at 89 (4 recipes)
  
• Domestic Goddess - last month at 10, remaining at 10
  
• Forever Summer - last month at 4, remaining at 4
  
• Feast - last month at 41, this month at 51 (10 recipes)
  
• Nigella Bites - last month at 18, this month at 20 (2 recipes)

Size of repertoire: From 97 to 109 repeatable recipes.

Cost: $154.

New toys: I did get a new blender as part of my visa rewards programme.

Cooking skills/experiences: Involtini.

New ingredients: Lavender, kaffir lime leaves.

The best photo: Definitely not #162 - how blurry! Nothing stands out, but #164 only cos it's from a different angle.

Best savoury dish: The involtini.

Best sweet dish: French-Canadian toast.

Crunchy pork chops and an itty-bitty salad

Recipe:
174. Crunchy pork chops with garlicky spinach and tomato salad

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: I hope that by 'breadcrumbs', Nigella means breadcrumbs that came out of a packet and flavoured with italian spices, from memory. Because that's what I used. Unfortunately, I only had one tomato left in the fridge, so had to cut down on the salad quantity.

Preparation: Trim and beat pork chops. This was quite fun. Dip into egg mixture and then Parmesaned breadcrumbs.

Cooking process: Fry pork chops. In the meantime, deseed tomato and dice. Add garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and spinach.

End result: This was delicious. The pork chops were crunchy (a little oily though), and it would have been nice if there was more salad to counter-balance the slab of meat. Oh well, next time.


Repeatability: Yes.

Cost: $10 for both of us.

Mess: There was a bit of mess created when frying, a few oil splatters here and there.

Special utensils: A meat basher.

Caesar salad

Recipe:
173. Caesar salad

Source: How to Eat

Weird ingredients and substitutes: Nil.

Preparation and cooking process: There are 3 steps to this. Firstly, cube potatoes and roast with garlic and olive oil. Yummy. Secondly, boil the eggs (I hard-boiled mine). Thirdly, prepare the salad with dressing. I do admit that I was tasting the potato croutons when they came out of the oven, and had to stop myself, to ensure that there would be enough for the salad...

End result: Served with baked chicken. I did however, forget to add the parmesan cheese at the end. The potatoes were so nice though - we enjoyed this so much.


Repeatability: Yes.

Cost: $5 for both of us (not including the chicken).

Mess: Not really. I used a non-stick tray for the potato croutons which meant they came off easily.

Special utensils: A non-stick tray helps. A citrus zester.

Baby burgers

Also made a few weeks ago.

Recipe:
172. Baby burgers

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: I didn't have garlic oil.

Preparation: Add salt and sugar to the mince. It is supposed to be left in the fridge for a couple hours at this stage, but typically, I am making this 10 minutes before we are looking to eat dinner.

Cooking process: Nigella does say to fry the burgers, but given the lamb meatballs and how hard it was to ensure that they were cooked through, I just put the patties into the oven to bake.

End result: Oops. I did forget to take a photo until I was halfway through the burger. It was okay, not fantastic though.


Repeatability: Nah.

Cost: $12 when I doubled the recipe, but I should have kept it as specified, as we didn't finish the rest.

Mess: It's messy to form the patties.

Special utensils: Nil.

Aromatic lamb meatballs

I made this a few weeks ago.

Recipe:
171. Aromatic lamb meatballs

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: Nil.

Preparation: I couldn't find minced lamb at the supermarket, so bought the nicest lamb steaks I could find and minced my own. So, mince lamb, add spring onions and spices, semolina and egg. Mix together and put in fridge for half an hour. Then roll the mixture into balls.

Cooking process: In an oiled frypan, cook the meatballs, turning while cooking. I did find it difficult to ensure that they were cooked through.

End result: Served in a pita bread, with hummus, lettuce leaves, tomato, red onion and chilli sauce. Yum. We really enjoyed this.


Repeatability: Yes.

Cost: $12 for about 5 servings (including the pita and hummus).

Mess: It is messy making the balls themselves, and it is messy cooking them.

Special utensils: A food processor (if you can't find minced lamb).

On the road again...

The Next Nigella will be away on a work trip in the US, and will be unable to post until November. I did have a few more recipes to write up, but unfortunately, I still have a bag to pack, a husband to pay attention to, and a bed that looks very inviting...

Thanks for visiting!

Ye gads...where have you been?

The Next Nigella is aware that she appears to have gone awol...She has been cooking, but hasn't quite made it to blogging.

Recipe:
170. Banana buttermilk pancakes

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: Ever since the cyclone in Queensland earlier this year, bananas have gone up to $15 per kilo, and they have been sorely lacking in the Next Nigella's diet. As it so happened, the Next Nigella was able to source one very precious, valuable and lonely banana.

Preparation: Melt butter. All other ingredients go into the blender. Don't you love these type of easy-mix pancakes?

Cooking process: Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into the frying pan, which makes a whole bunch.

End result: Mine were served with mixed berry jam, Hubby had his plain. They are so light and fluffy! Absolutely delicious.

Repeatability: Yes, but only when bananas come back to a reasonable price.

Cost: Banana was free, rest of the ingredients were about $3 worth.

Mess: No, not really.

Special utensils: Blender

T-bone steak

Recipe:
169. T-bone steak (the actual name is t-bone steak with potato wedges and onion rings. As you will see, a couple of those were missing...)

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: Nil.

Preparation: I slightly-melted the butter in the microwave, and then mixed the Worcestershire sauce and chopped parsley with it. This mixture is then put back into the fridge.

Cooking process: Cook steaks both sides. I know Nigella talks about wrapping each one in foil and letting it rest, but really I was too impatient, and just cooked them until they were how I thought I wanted them.

End result: Served with leftover coleslaw and potato salad from the night before (non-Nigella meal). While impressive, the salads were bought from the supermarket.
The meal was okay. The steak was fine with the flavoured butter, it was just that the t-bone was a pain to cut around. I know that I've said that I've enjoyed some steak meals, now I'm thinking that it's steak meals where the steak has already been cut up, rather than a whole chunk of meat in front of me. I'd prefer a better but smaller cut to this.

Repeatability: No.

Cost: I think two t-bones cost me just over $12, parsley was from the garden, so $13.

Mess: A few oil splatters when frying the steak, but nothing too major.

Special utensils: I don't have a griddle. I just used my frypan.

Involtini

I've reduced the number of Nigella meals I've cooked this week. I've just felt like a change. Who ever chose 500 recipes in the beginning, anyway?

Recipe:
168. Involtini

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: I halved this recipe so that it would serve two of us. With the oil used in the previous rabbit salad, I had run out of olive oil, so had to use sunflower. I also substituted sultanas for raisins, only because I had sultanas in the cupboard. And I have afro parsley growing in the garden, not flat leaf. The mint was also fresh from the garden, and not dried.

Preparation: Soak sultanas in water. Cut up eggplant lengthways into thin slices.

Cooking process: Brown eggplant slices on both sides. While the eggplant is cooling, prepare the stuffing ingredients, which is basically lots of different cheeses, pinenuts, sultanas, breadcrumbs, garlic, lemon zest, parsley, mint, and an egg to bind it together. The filling is then carefully wodged into the eggplant, which is then rolled up. Cover with tomato passata and mozzarella, and put in the oven for about 25 minutes.

End result: Served with a delicious salad. The involtini was so yummy, which surprised me. I enjoyed this meal a lot more than I thought I would. In fact, I am now going to make all three recipes...

Repeatability: Yes

Cost: $11 for 3 servings.

Mess: If you ensure that the stuffing doesn't fall out of the ends of the rolled-up eggplant...

Special utensils: I don't have a griddle, I just used my frypan. My Micrograter.

Chicken in Mr McGregor's Salad

When I found out that the chicken was supposed to be marinaded, I made the steak (low-fat) instead that night, while I prepared the chicken.

Recipe:
167. Peter Rabbit in Mr McGregor's Salad

Source: How to Eat

Weird ingredients and substitutes: Substituted the rabbit with chicken instead. We don't like gamey food. I didn't have dry thyme but did have fresh in the garden.

Preparation: Marinade chicken, which I did while preparing dinner the night before.

Cooking process: Brown chicken pieces and put into oven for about 25 minutes. In the meantime, prepare salad and dressing.

End result: The chicken was so tender after being marinaded (so...marinading does work!) and I felt very healthy and virtuous eating the salad.


Repeatability: Yes

Cost: $15 for two servings.

Mess: A little when browning the chicken.

Special utensils: Nil.

"Oh, Next Nigella, are they love handles I'm seeing?"

I know, I know. The Next Nigella is not as svelte as she once was. I blame this blog entirely.

Recipe:
166. Steak - from the low-fat chapter

Source: How to Eat

Weird ingredients and substitutes: I wanted to buy my usual cut of steak which is the most expensive in the supermarket, but as Nigella specified rump, we bought rump to try.

Cooking process: Fry steak both sides, then sprinkle with salt and leave to rest. In the meantime, slice some tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and balsamic vinegar. I also washed some lettuce leaves. Slice steak, mix juices with soy sauce, then pour on top, sprinkle with coriander.

End result: So tasty, this was a light and pleasing meal. Oh - and Nigella's right - it does taste fantastic with mustard, although I only had Dijon mustard. Rump steak is okay, but I prefer the other cut, whatever it is.

I do admit that while I was preparing I was dubious that the amounts would feed both of us, so I put a chicken pie in the oven to warm up. I ate the pie myself afterwards. So much for the low-fat chapter.


Repeatability: Yes - but I do prefer the other cut of steak.

Cost: $9 for both of us. Coriander from the garden.

Mess: Not really, as I used all the juices in the meal.

Special utensils: Nil.

Fried rice

Now, I know that you know that I know how to make fried rice, but for the sake of another recipe I thought I would give Nigella's a go.

Recipe:
165. Stir-fried rice

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: I left out the prawns given Hubby's dislike of seafood. The chicken I scavenged from the St Tropez chicken (without the sauce, of course). I had no garlic oil, so just used olive oil.

Preparation: Well, first thing I had to do was put the rice into the rice cooker and start cooking. During this time I scavenged the chicken and chopped up the spring onion.

Cooking process: Cook spring onion then add beansprouts, add rice, chicken and corn. I tasted it at this stage and then added my own soy sauce and some stock powder. Then tip in the beaten egg and stir.

End result: Meh. It was edible.

I prefer my own version, which is to add more vegies such as capsicum, peas and mushrooms (whatever is in the fridge), and to cook the egg as a separate omelette which is then cut into pieces and added to the rice. I like to add soy sauce and stock powder. I like to serve with Japanese seven-spice pepper and a cut-up chilli.

Repeatability: Not Nigella's recipe

Cost: Not counting the chicken given that it was costed in #162, $4.

Mess: Depends whether your rice sticks to the wok or not.

Special utensils: Rice cooker and a wok.

Hot n sour soup

I made this on Monday night. Let's start with a confession, I should say that there is one more serving in my fridge still. Yes, I am well overdue for a clean-up of the fridge.

Recipe:
164. Hot and sour soup

Source: Nigella Bites

Weird ingredients and substitutes: Kaffir lime leaves were available from Safeway. I bought a stick of lemongrass, forgetting that I had a jar of ready-chopped lemongrass in the fridge. I substituted chicken thighs for the prawns, given Hubby's dislike of seafood.

Preparation: Chop up lime leaves, lemongrass, chillies, mushrooms, spring onion and squeeze lime. I wasn't sure whether to count a whole kaffir leaf as both double leaves or not.

Cooking process: Heat chicken stock and tom yam paste, add lime leaves, lemongrass, lime juice, fish sauce, chillies and sugar. I think I also added the chicken early to give it time to cook. Boil, add mushrooms, then spring onions.

End result: Sprinkle with coriander. This soup was so tasty, but it did make my nose run. Hubby really enjoyed it - I think he had two servings for dinner. And it was so quick to make too!


Repeatability: Yes.

Cost: $14 for about 5 servings. The coriander was picked from the garden.

Mess: Not for this dish.

Special utensils: Just a citrus reamer for the lime.

St Tropez chicken and potato gratin

This was Sunday night's dinner.

Recipe:
162. St Tropez chicken
163. Creamy potato gratin

Source: The former from Feast, the latter from Nigella Bites.

Weird ingredients and substitutes: After a big day in the garden, I felt very lazy. I had semi-defrosted a whole chicken which is supposed to be jointed into 10 pieces, but after not even being able to saw off the drumsticks (they were left half-hanging on), I decided that we would have St Tropez roast chicken instead. Substituted white wine for the rose, and I wasn't quite sure about the mixed herbs with lavender - I used pre-mixed herbs, and then went out into the garden to pick a lavender stem (which I carefully washed. I only added one stem's worth given that I was quite dubious about adding this ingredient).

Preparation: Didn't bother marinading, but just chucked the chicken into the oven along with its marinade. It cooks for two hours. During this time, make the potatoes. I was too lazy to peel the potatoes, so we had creamy potato gratin with skin.

Cooking process: The sliced potatoes are put into a saucepan with a milk-cream mixture, and cooked until tender. The whole mixture (except onion) is then put into the oven so it can crisp up on top. When the chicken is ready, make gravy from the remaining marinade in the roasting tin.

End result: Served with peas. The St Tropez gravy was so tasty - I was surprised. I loved drowning my chicken in the sauce - it is sweet and herby. The potatoes were fine too - probably better if I had peeled them, but still tasty.


Repeatability: Yes to both

Cost: Around $10 for the chicken meal (I used an organic chicken and cask wine), and $7 for the potatoes (half-quantity).

Mess: I don't think the chicken was too bad, but the potato pans required some scrubbing.

Special utensils: Citrus reamer for the lemon, roasting tin for the chicken, another roasting tin for the potatoes, and a big oven that will fit both.

Chocolate pudding

This was made one night when Hubby asked for dessert.

Recipe:
161. Sticky chocolate pudding

Source: How to Eat

Weird ingredients and substitutes: All ingredients were as specified.

Preparation: Chop chocolate roughly. Mix dry ingredients, and wet ones separately, then add together. Pour into bowl, sprinkle with cocoa and brown sugar.

Cooking process: Boil water, and pour over mixture. Put in oven for about 50 minutes.

End result: I found that unfortunately most of my sauce had disappeared leaving just sponge and the slightest sludge. We had a serving each and enjoyed it, but not sure how much we enjoyed it exactly given that the rest of the pudding was left untouched in the fridge for days (in fact, it's still in the fridge and is waiting to be chucked out). Also, we had run out of icecream which was a shame as it would have made a nice accompaniment.


Repeatability: Judging from the lack of further servings, I guess not.

Cost: $8.

Mess: Not really. Although I still have yet to clean the baking dish.

Special utensils: I used a shallow baking dish.

Rigatoni al forno

After our holiday, we were craving pasta.

Recipe:
160. Rigatoni al forno

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: If you look at this recipe in the book, it "serves 16". As you may realise, we are a two-person household. I divided all ingredients by a third. None of the ingredients on the list were scary to me, I even had the right type of pasta in the cupboard.

Preparation: Chop up vegies in the food processor. I never bother peeling the carrots.

Cooking process: Cook vegies for about 10 minutes, add mince, add tomatoes (I used the whole 400g can and skipped the puree, didn't know what else to do with the leftover tomatoes), wine, bay leaf and water. I also added some stock and chilli flakes, which are not specified, but just to add more flavour. At that time, I read that the thing is supposed to cook for 2 hours!

Now, I know one of the things you love about me is that it exerts me to make a shopping list, let alone read all of my recipes in advance and make preparations! Given that it was about 6 or 7pm at that time and we wanted to eat dinner sometime that night, I decided that the thing would only cook for as long as I let it cook for.

So, keep heat up to maximum while you make the bechamel sauce. I used 00 flour given that I had it in the cupboard from previously. Cook pasta, drain, and then add both the sauces. By this time, the meat sauce had cooked for about 30 minutes - that was enough.

Add cheese and place the mixture into the oven for about 30 minutes. I'm not sure how I would have coped with the full quantity - my dish held the one-third mixture comfortably.

End result: It was a delicious pasta, very comforting and homey.


However, we did get a bit tired of pasta after having it for the next day's lunch and the day after's lunch...the rest got thrown out. And that was after I had reduced the recipe by a third!!

I will say that I also kept the tabasco sauce bottle close to hand.

Repeatability: Yes.

Cost: $15 for what I'm guessing would be about 8 servings? Not entirely sure as I chucked out a generous amount.

Mess: It does use a few pots and pans - it does take effort.

Special utensils: Food processor, Micro-graters, and a huge roasting dish that will take it all (and still fit in your oven).

An ode to Helga's sunflower, oats and honey bread

...On second thoughts, I should be careful what I write, as if I wax too lyrically about it, I will go to the supermarket next time and find my favourite all sold out! (Never underestimate the power of your blog). So in the interests of ensuring my own provision, may I say that you should not buy it. Avoid it. And if decide not to listen to the Next Nigella and you do end up buying Helga's, please ensure that you leave one of the sunflower, honey and oats type for me...

Recipe:
159. French-canadian toast

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: I couldn't find challah or brioche in the supermarket, no matter how hard I looked. Turkish bread, yes. Plastic bread, yes. Rye bread, yes. Pumpernickel, darn it, yes. But no challah or brioche? My favourite would have to do.

Preparation: I know Nigella suggests this for supper, but I made it for breakfast. Soak bread in egg mixture for 5 minutes, then turn over. While the bread was soaking, I started a load of laundry. I point that out as an out-of-the-ordinary event, not as a regular occurrence.

Cooking process: Crisp bacon, and while you are blotting bacon with paper towels, cook egg bread both sides.

End result: Served with maple syrup. Absolutely delicious - what a filling and satisfying breakfast.


Repeatability: Yes

Cost: $6 for 2 servings.

Mess: The pan needed a bit of soaking afterwards, but it was fine to clean up.

Special utensils: Nil. Make sure you have paper towels so you can blot the bacon. I didn't bother wrapping in foil - just work fast.

September 2006 assessment

Darn it, didn't write up the rest of the September meals. Oh well, they get counted towards October.

Number of recipes made this month: 17

Assessment by book:

• How to Eat - last month at 80, this month at 85 (5 recipes)
  
• Domestic Goddess - last month at 9, this month at 10 (1 recipe)
  
• Forever Summer - last month at 4, remaining at 4. While I am tempted by the recent blue skies, I am still saving this book for another month or two.
  
• Feast - last month at 32, this month at 41 (9 recipes)
  
• Nigella Bites - last month at 16, this month at 18 (2 recipes)

Size of repertoire: From 88 to 97 repeatable recipes. In fact, #147 has already been repeated several times since.

Cost: $88. Not cooking helps save money!

New toys: Nil. Can you believe our hotel was close to some kitchenware shops in Hong Kong, yet I showed little interest in even browsing? I must have been really sick!

Cooking skills/experiences: Biscuit decorating. Can you tell?

New ingredients: Black sapote. Puy lentils

The best photo: I like the cookies picture. #142.

Best savoury dish: Vietnamese coleslaw.

Best sweet dish: Buttered apples.

Ha, now I can write-up a head start on October. Unfortunately this will be another month for slim pickings, given planned work travels at the end of month.

Tomato couscous

Recipe:
158. Tomato couscous

Source: Feast

Weird ingredients and substitutes: No garlic-infused oil, so just used regular extra-virgin olive oil.

Preparation: Halve tomatoes.

Cooking process: Cook tomatoes, add couscous and spices, boil water and leave for 5 minutes. That is too easy.

End result: I had made it for dinner to go with some leftover Thai chicken wraps (not regarded as Chinese food), but when we got to it, we found that the chicken wraps were sufficient, so all I managed to do was spoon out a bit for the photo display and then we had the couscous for lunch the next day.

I'm not sure if it was the sitting around, but when we ate it for lunch the next day, I found it to be quite bland, and added a lot of Tabasco sauce to mine.

Repeatability: No

Cost: I doubled the amounts to ensure that it would serve both of us. $4.

Mess: The saucepan just needed a soak to get all of the couscous off.

Special utensils: Nil.

Just call us chopstick masters

So, we went away to China for 12 days. We visited Beijing, Xi'an, Suzhou, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

In terms of meals, from Beijing to Shanghai we travelled with Intrepid which had a group of 12 plus the tour leader. So most nights were group banquets.

Food highlights included the Mongolian hotpot and Peking duck. To my knowledge, I didn't eat dog, unless our tour leader ordered it secretly (he has a wicked sense of humour).

We were sick by the time we reached Hong Kong, so all those plans of yum-chaing over town went out the window. Okay, okay, I'll admit that we had Macca's (hangs head in shame). But we only did it once.

One thing that struck us was how cheap the meals were when eating out. The most expensive meal that we had was the Mongolian hotpot, which set us back Y130, or AUD$22 for both of us, including drinks, and Hubby had beer. Cheapest was a dumpling dinner, where we ate until we were stuffed, and paid Y54 or AUD$9 for both of us, including drinks, including Hubby's beer. Oh, and we did have a traditional breakfast for Y8 one day (AUD$1.30), just across from the hotel. We did enjoy eating out, but when we came home, Hubby said "No Asian food for a week, okay?"

Lentil soup

The last of the pre-trip meals...

Recipe:
157. Lentil soup

Source: Feast. From the Funeral chapter. Not that we were having a funeral or anything, it's just that I had all of the ingredients on hand.

Weird ingredients and substitutes: This was made in half-quantities. Puy lentils were sourced from the Queen Vic market ($3 for 250g, if I remember rightly), substituted Dijon mustard for wholegrain mustard, and used up the last of the chopped tomatoes which were leftover from the pizza.

Preparation: All vegies are pleasingly chopped up with the food processor.

Cooking process: The vegies are then cooked until soft. Then add the lentils, mustard, tomatoes and water, and leave for an hour. From memory (and this is why you should not leave blogposts for when you come back from your holiday), I had to keep topping up with water, I also believe I added stock powder after tasting it.

End result: The soup was okay. Nothing exciting, and I would have preferred if the lentils had softened into the soup. I suppose the opposite reason is why Nigella specified Puy lentils, because they don't melt, but this was the first time I had tried them.


Repeatability: Nah...

Cost: $7 for a half-quantity. Not sure how many servings it had, as I believe I had to chuck the rest out, given that we were going on holidays.

Mess: Nothing too bad.

Special utensils: Food processor, I love it.