Tempest63

Yesterday was a good day on the shoot with a little under 100 birds in the bag. We brought home 6 brace, 12 birds, gave 3 brace away to neighbours and kept 3 for ourselves. Mrs T63 plucked the three hen birds, and I did the rest. Feet off, wings off, heads off and gutted. The cocks I just breasted, so we have three roasting hens and six cock breasts for future dinners. One of the birds had a bit of dog damage, i.e., a couple of teethe mark from a hard mouthed retrieve, and one of the hens had been taken too low so had more pellets in it than necessary, but all are still edible. Not shooting now for another two weeks so we will eat all these before then. I need to as we have a 60kg fallow deer coming mid week so I need the room in the freezer.

It is supposed to help break down all the cartilage in and between the bones and put it into suspension in the broth. I know our broth invariably turns into jelly once cooled which doesn’t always assist in portion control, and I assume the vinegar contributes to that process and the final result.

We took the eldest grandson on the shoot last Saturday. He did a bit of beating, bit of picking up and looked after one of the Springers when I was on the peg. Finally he helped distribute the 18 birds we brought home. We are shooting again tomorrow but unfortunately we won’t have his help as he is fishing.

Last night was a Barnsley chop, thrice cooked potatoe chips, left over cauliflower and black kale(Cavalo Nero) from the allotment.

I always feel a sense of satisfaction when you cobble together the odds and ends in the fridge into a very acceptable dinner and save them from the compost bin or wormey.

we store/freeze all our chicken, duck, pheasant etc bones in 1 large bag and all our meat bones in another. When I have sufficient bones to fill one bag I empty it into the slow cooker with 3 to 4 litres of water, a tablespoon of cider vinegar and simmer away for 48 hours. Carrot, celery, onion and maybe a few fresh herbs go in for the last 8 hours. Once cooled drain, leaving behind as much sediment as possible, put in the fridge and next day skim off the fat and split it amongst as many 500ml pots as necessary. Freeze and use as required, home made bone both for stews , curries and gravies.

Thank you very much for your advice and guidance. The deer is coming gutted and skinned and will have been hung for about 3 weeks in a fridge. I have been looking through YouTube to find as many videos of jointing the beast as I can to further guide me through the process. Our gamekeeper can provide a steady supply of venison throughout the year, Roe deer during the season and muntjac all year round and the cost is minor compared to buying meat from a butcher. I'm looking forward to the challenge of playing butcher, and then the subsequent cooking.

I enjoy cooking for others. I cooked up a selection of Indian dishes at the weekend for a Diwali dinner, but the Ayurvedic diet I am following meant I only sampled the dishes to see how they turned out. My real pleasure is seeing others enjoy what I cooked. My ex wife is friends with Mrs T63 and she always comes to dinner with the kids and grandkids, she always comments that she enjoyed the food when we were together and misses not having someone to cook such dishes for her since we separated. (Over 20 years ago)

Roasted rack of Venison Served pink with with new potatoes and a selection of veg. These were sold frozen by our local butcher, imported from New Zealand, and very good value. I bought in bulk and still have one or two left in the freezer. I have a whole deer coming in a week and half, shot locally by our gamekeeper. It is hanging in the cooler at 3C to age. Problem is I have never butchered a whole deer before. He tells me it is just like jointing a large rabbit; he was grinning when he said it.

We had our Diwali meal yesterday as the family descended from the Remembrance Sunday parade. After a selection of shop bought vegetarian starters, baji’s, pakoras and samosas we had Anjum Anands Black Pepper chicken and a dish she calls Edgy Peas which has a good amount of methi in it. Meera Sodah’s Pig Cheek Vindaloo, the Chicken Haleem was a bit of a cheat as the spice mix and the grains come pre packaged, just add meat and presto, a good tasting dish. I cooked up Madhur Jaffrey’s Rogan Josh, substituting ox cheek for the lamb, very rich after a 3 hour simmer and quick reduction. Roasted Aloo Gobi, a recipe from “Masala” by Mallika Basu and Basmati Rice from the Dishoom cookbook. Some shop bought roti and chapati. No dessert; nobody had any room left. A pleasant Sunday afternoon with family.

I have one of those for making a single cup of tea from loose leaf tea leaves.

Cardamom pods are used whole. Some people carefully ensure they are all found and removed prior to serving, and I have seen it suggested that whole spices can be tied up in a muslin bag before putting into the hot oil to make their removal easier. I’m not sure how this would impact the oils from the spices being drawn into the hot oil. Personally any I see floating on top are removed before serving, and any ending up on my plate are pushed to one side.

Cafe Spice Namaste Lamb Dhansak This is the traditional dhansak recipe you can find on the greedy gourmet website https://www.greedygourmet.com/recipes-for-diets/gluten-free/dhaan-saak/ I have compared it to that in Cyrus Todiwala’s Cafe Spice Namaste cookbook, first published in 1988 from where the online recipe originated, and I have corrected the text to rectify any errors and omissions on the website. There is a lot of work to this dish, maybe not for the faint hearted, but if you want to prepare something with the Wow factor for friends and family you could spread the preparation of the various components over several days or even weeks with the aid of a freezer. Ingredients Dhal 100g toor daal 50g channa daal 50g moong daal 100g masoor daal 1 small aubergine, diced 100g pumpkin (peeled weight), diced 2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh dill 1 colcasia leaf (arbi), if available 50g fresh fenugreek leaves, or 1 tbsp of dried leaves 6 tbsp prepared tamarind pulp or paste or 2 tbsp concentrate 100g jaggery 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander stalks 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint stalks Salt, to taste For the Wet Masala 5cm piece of cinnamon stick 6 cardamom 6-8 cloves 2 tsp cumin seeds 10 peppercorns 1 heaped tsp coriander seeds 8-10 large dried red chillies 3 x 2.0cm pieces fresh ginger, roughly chopped 10-12 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 30-50g fresh coriander, stalks and leaves Dry Masala 3-4 cardamom pods 3-4 cloves 2-3 star anise 1 heaped tsp cumin seeds 8-10 black peppercorns 2-3 dried red chillies 2 tsp dried fenugreek Lamb 2-3 tbsp oil 500g boned leg of lamb, in 2cm cubes, ask your butcher to saw up the bones and give them to you. 150ml water Chopped fresh coriander and mint to garnish Salt Pulao 5 tbsp vegetable oil 4 onions finely sliced 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 2.0cm piece of cinnamon stick 3-4 cardamom pods 3-4 cloves 4-5 star anise 500g basmati rice, washed and drained About 2 tsp salt to taste Kebab 1 onion, very finely chopped Oil for frying 500g fresh lean minced lamb 5cm piece fresh root ginger, very finely chopped 6-8 garlic cloves, very finely chopped 2 green chillies, very finely chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1.5 tsp ground coriander 0.25 tsp ground turmeric 0.5 tsp chilli powder 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint 1 tsp lemon juice 3 slices of brown or white bread, soaked in a little water, then squeezed out into a ball Salt to taste Kachumber 1 large onion, finely sliced 2 tsp chopped fresh coriander 10 fresh mint leaves, chopped 1 green chilli, finely chopped 1 small tomato, deseeded and finely chopped 1tsp white vinegar Salt, to taste Instructions Dhal Wash all the pulses and transfer to a large heavy-based saucepan. Add water to cover by 2.0cm, then add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan regularly with a wooden spatula. When the lentils are fully cooked, puree the entire contents of the pot until smooth, then cover and set aside. Lamb First prepare the masalas. Wet Masala Heat a large heavy based frying pan or wok, add all the ingredients except the fresh coriander and roast gently for about five minutes, stirring frequently. When the chilies and spices look roasted (i.e., they have changed colour slightly but are not actually discoloured) remove and grind to a smooth paste in a blender, adding the fresh coriander and just enough water to process the mixture. Dry Masala Roast all the ingredients gently in a wok or skillet, stirring regularly. When the spices have changed colour, smell gorgeous and look roasted, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a grinder and process into a fine powder. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan, add the lamb and the bones and sauté on a high heat until the meat is well coloured. Add the wet masala and cook until you see the oil separating along the sides of the pan. Add the 150ml of water, check salt, and cover tightly and cook on a medium heat for 40-45 minutes, stirring regularly and adding a little more water if it looks too dry. When the lamb is cooked and you have a nice thick, rich gravy, stir the mixture into the puréed dhal. Add half of the dry masala then taste. If it is to your liking, save the rest of the masala to serve with other lamb dishes. Or add the rest of the masala, a little at a time, tasting as you go. This is your Sak. Pulao Heat the oil in a large pan and add half the onions, fry until crisp and golden. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside with the mint and coriander, they will be used to garnish the rice just before serving. Add the spices to the casserole and cook over a fairly high heat for 2 minutes, stirring until dark and swollen. Add the remaining onions and cook gently, stirring frequently until they are a deep brown colour. Add the rice and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, turning the rice regularly so that all the grains are evenly heated. Add the salt, the pour in enough hot water to cover the rice by 2.0cm. Stir for a minute, cover tightly and cook over a very a low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Check on the rice every now and again, stirring from the bottom up with a flat wooden spatula. If you need more water add it a little at a time. The pulao should take approximately 15-20 minutes to cook. When the grains are cooked, set aside but do not uncover the pot. Sheek Kebabs Fry the onion in 1 tablespoon of oil until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Mix with all the other ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. Cover the mince mixture and chill in the refrigerator. Roll the lamb mixture into 2.5cm (1in) balls. Deep fry the kebabs or, if preferred, place them on a greased baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for about 20 minutes Kachumber Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Serving the Dhansak Reheat the rice, lamb and kebabs if necessary. Garnish the Pulao with the fried onions, mint and coriander, then dot with the kebabs over the top. Garnish the Sak (meat and lentils) with chopped fresh coriander and mint. Serve Kachumber on the side.

This is my take on a Lamb Bhuna, initially inspired by an Anjum Anand recipe, with some amendments to the ingredients and a couple more steps to the cooking process in line with other Bhuna recipes I have cooked over the years. If you prefer a milder curry remove or reduce the chillies from the initial paste. I tend to drastically reduce the sauce at the end until it is very thick, but if you prefer more sauce do not reduce as much. Lamb Bhuna by Tempest63 Ingredients 2 large tomatoes, quartered 30g ginger, peeled, roughly chopped 8 large garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped 2-4 green chillies 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 1kg diced boneless lamb shoulder 20 black peppercorns 2 Tej Patta (Indian bay leaves) 5 cloves 2” stick cinnamon 4 green cardamom pods 2 black cardamom pods 2 large onions, roughly chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tbs ground coriander 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 250 ml stock (lamb or beef) home made is best if available Juice of half a lemon 1 cup coriander leaves Method Put tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chillies in a blender with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and process to a smooth paste. In a non-stick pan heat half the oil over a high heat and brown the lamb, in batches, for 4-5 minutes, getting a good colour on all sides. Remove the lamb from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Heat the remaining oil over a medium heat add the whole spices and onions. Cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the onion is well browned. Return the lamb and any collected juices to the pan with the ground spices and stir until the spices lose their raw aroma, add the tomato/ginger/garlic/chilli paste, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer stirring regularly for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Increase heat to high and stir fry until all the excess moisture has evaporated. This really intensifies the flavours. Add the stock, bring to the boil and cover with a lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 20-30 minutes, or until the lamb is tender. Uncover and raise the heat until the sauce has thickened and coats the meat. Add the lemon juice and season to taste. Serve topped with the chopped coriander.

My late father, a good Irishman, advised that the only thing that went into a good spirit…was another one! I like a good neat Jameson, but will sometimes put one ice cube into a large/double measure.

I have come across a couple of new-to-me curries recently that I am researching, the first is a Banjara, supposedly a simple recipe with basic ingredients. There is no requirement to marinate and the cooking is not exceptionally long so it should be a winner for all us who want to complete their Indian meal in the shortest possible time. Banjara, I believe, refers to the itinerant community in the region, starting in Pakistan before travelling throughout India. Though I stand to be corrected. The other new dish is Rarar which is tikka’s of mutton or lamb cooked in a ground meat sauce. I do enjoy finding what, here in the U.K., are obscure dishes, researching them and trying them out. I like trying a number of recipes for a particular dish until I find one I particularly enjoy both cooking and eating which then goes into my records for posterity.

Word of caution on the chicken recipe. Be mindful that the sauce is greatly reduced so season just before serving as, dependant on the stock cube used in the marinade, the level of salt can be quite pronounced in the final dish. One thing I have learned over years of cooking Indian food, is that the amount of salt called for can be quite high and can adversely affect the taste of the final dish. T63

The 5 days of Diwali commences on Friday November 10th and provides a good reason to indulge in some Indian cuisine. The third day of Diwali is known as Dhanteras with the nickname "Festival of Lights” and here in the U.K. coincides with Remembrance Sunday, 12th November. My family will be attending the Remembrance Day parade in our town so I will combine both occasions with an Indian themed lunch. I am currently planning on Anjum Anand, Black pepper chicken https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/27/anjum-anand-last-meal-black-pepper-chicken-recipe Meera Sodah, pig cheek Vindaloo https://meerasodha.com/recipes/pig-cheek-vindaloo/ Will also knock up Vivek Singhs stir fried greens with garlic and cumin and Dishoom’s steamed basmati rice. I have a chicken Haleem cooked and in the freezer and a kilo of ox cheeks that may also come into the equation if time allows.

Does Turkish food fall under the Europe umbrella or do we slot it into the Middle East?

It comes off the birds for the last 15 minutes, goes on a plate at the bottom of the oven and is then served with the rest of the meal.

The older the birds, the tougher they get, the longer they need cooking. I have tried roasting older birds, I have spatchcocked them and cooked them on the stove, but they are better in a casserole when shot during the second half of the season. In the U.K. that is 1st October to 1st February.

I do find it really strange that people in the U.K. will comment on how dry their roasted pheasant is and you look at their post which is late season. The roasting window is quite short so towards the end of mid season, I.e., mid to late November, think casserole, curry and stew and forget roasting.

As they were just before going into the oven. Covered in bacon and butter.

I roughly followed this recipe https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/sunday-roast/roast-pheasant-with-chestnut-stuffing-and-port-and-chestnut-sauce and was really happen with the results. Birds were young season, good for roasting so still very moist. Will definitely do this again.

Thanks for that, I’ve had a few of their recipes in the past which have turned out well, this time I want to pot roast so I am going to cook them in a cast iron Dutch oven on top of a bed of veg. I’ve just finished prepping and stuffing them and once they are slathered in butter and have some bacon over the breasts are going in the oven. My daughter cropped some squashes from our allotment this morning so I think roast potatoes, roast squash, something green and a port sauce.