kutsu

So, I just tried monkfish for the first time. One thing to note is I dont really like fish. So, monkish with tagliateli and asparagus veloute. Yum? No. The piece of tail I had, had 2 bright red little worms in it. Needless to say, as an official "very rarely eat fish, let alone cook it person" it went straight in the bin. What the heck were the little worms? Are they dangerous to eat?

So, a confirmed case of bird flu in the UK has presented itself. oh goodies What impact do you think this is going to have on us, and other consumers of fine poultry? I enjoy chicken in all of its various forms, as well as duck and when I can get it, goose. However, I have this horrible feeling that She that will be obeyed wont let me eat any poultry after we use our stockpile. Will we see a reduction of chickens for sale in the supermarkets? Will they be dirt cheap to buy? Will people shun free range where they have exposure to actual, honest to goodness fresh air? Or will nothing happen, business as usual? I'm hoping the latter!

Hi folks Kind of inspired by a thread in the general cooking topics forum, I'm looking for recipies that I can throw into a lockbox and throw in the freezer for quick mid-week meals. At the moment, my partner and I both work 9-5 and then pick our child up, meaning that some times it can be a pain in the backside to cook, although I DO cook fresh every night (no bottled sauces past my lips in over 5 years!) I want the best for my child and ourselves, hence I will never buy a frozen ready meal - NEVER. But it does mean that freezing fresh food to reheat is something I consider quite handy. I normally make double batches of pizza dough (from American Pie cookbook), double batches of ragu or bolognese sauce. Other than these though, I'm at a loss as to WHAT I can actually freeze that wont turn to mush when I reheat. What are you favourite foods to freeze double batches of, and what if any special reheating conditions are needed? Cheers all John

A professional pizza peel, ideally wood but metal would be ok too, and a pizza stone, one piece ideally with decent thickness. Any help?!

Well, I’m off to sunny London in a few weeks to celebrate my birthday. We’ve booked into Locanda Locatelli’s for our Dinner at 8:30pm, and have Claridges booked for lunch at 1pm the day of arrival. We’re due to get into London around 11:30am, so after going to the restaurant, we’re pretty much straight off to lunch. Our hotel is on bond street, and both restaurant are well within walking distance. What else can we do in the area? It’s my first time eating in a Michelin starred place, first time at bond street, and I haven’t a clue what to do post lunch or the next day. I know of the standard window shopping, but are there any “foodie” type places I should check out in the area? No tube travel I’m afraid, girlfriend is claustrophobic ( ) Should I avoid either of the two restaurants? I’m a big Italian fan, but love fine dining in general (or, as fine-r dining as one can have in Stoke on Trent!!) Any advice Is much appreciated, I appreciate this post is probably a bit all over the place! K.

Should be in the UK forum to get any interesting I fear. But the show is fantastic, my favourite TV program. I love seeing the success and, sadly like the last episode, failures when he revists. I have the cookbook of the show and the food in it, whilst simple or certainly, a lot simpler than his other books, is fantastic. I made the minestrone last night in honour of the last program; it was sublime.

First ever Michellin starred place for myself, Locatelli. Wanted something to ease us into the idea of London eating (i'm from up norf in't sticks) and my missus wanted something italian.

I had the braised pig trotter - fantastically soft gelatinous trotter meat served in a rich sauce, and the sechuan smoked duck - nice if a little dry, but had to order it as the missus didn't fancy much pig. Oh and of course, the spring onion bread, for sopping up the juices.. fantastic. Can't wait to go back.

So beef bones and a pig trotter or something like that would work (beef for flavour, malliard reactions and the trotter for gelatin) and not be horrible tasting? excellent. I assume that unlike chicken, beef would need a longer time in the pot due to thicker bones etc?

I've made a decent "basic" chicken stock before using a Gordan Ramsay method (brown bones, tomato paste, simmier for 2-3 hours) however, I'd love to make a veal/beef stock. I have a problem, however. No butcher in a 20 mile radius actually sells veal, let alone sells the veal bones. The closest thing I can get is beef bones. Is it possible to make any form of usable stock from beef bones, or is veal the only way to go?

Guys, this sounds fantastic, I'm off to Manchester this saturday and wouldn't mind taking the missus for a spot of lunch. Do they do the full shebang at lunch as well as dinner? Mmm lung..

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly...1585306,00.html This looks to be comming out in good old England in a week or two and I'm very interested in grabbing a copy, but does anyone here already have it, and is it worth adding to the collection? It's pretty huge at over 1,200 pages. Read more at the above link.

Just busted out the Michelin Guide and: Juniper (1 *) 21 The Downs WA14 2QD (0161) 928 0761 Speciality: Timato jelly with caviar, feta cheese and horseradish. "Cough medicine" sorbet, fig roll soufle.

Inch thick, 21 day matured Aberdeen Angus steaks, drizzled with EVO and Maldon sea salt, pan fried and finished to rare in the oven for 2 minutes, with roast english asparagus and a wild mushroom and cheddar risotto. The asparagus had a balsamic vinagarette also. For afters, a baked appled stuffed with sultanas, butter and brown sugar, with lashings of creme anglais. HEAVENLY and possibly the best meal I've ever cooked, everything was absolutley spot on.

Gordon Ramsay's (UK michelin 3 star chef) recipe is pretty damn good from "Kitchen Heaven" - made with fresh brown chicken stock and a swirl of mustard just before serving. Highly recommended by me and the missus

Thanks for that Thom. Only travelled from Stafford, only about an hour or so away, but Manchester is pretty much the only city I ever get to travel to with any frequency and I normally get dragged to the local sandwich shop/subway by the missus Had a really good time, and will defo be using my newly laminated copy of the recommendations! (how said is that, but hey easy to carry!) Kutsu, Just a quick and belated note to say I'm glad you had a good time. Where abouts had your travelled from? Hopefully you'll be back in God's country soon enough. Cheers Thom ←

Last nights episode was a bit disapointing, a great episode from the past, but the "recap" was 50 minutes long! I wanted to see more of the revisited stuff, I can appreciate that the original episode was a while ago, but it didn't need to kind of in-depth recapping that it recieved. A great show the first time around, but I wanted new material!

Well, had a fantastic time, spent far too much money and had a pretty darn nice lunch at Resturant Bar and Grill. Will be using this guide every single time, if the quality of that was about the norm of what's been recommended, it was really pretty spot on.

Folks, out here in the wilds of England, I cannot for the life of me find a decent burger bun. Any tried and tested recipies for the bun it's self?

Soul Food was the first episode that I actually *wanted* them to succeed, simply because they came across as being friendly, genuine people. Buisness savvy? maybe, maybe not. But hard working certainly.

Thom, seriously, thank you so much. Just printed off a big ol' map of Manchester and highlihted every single place you've mentioned. You have literally just made my day, thanks!!!

Holy.. Wow thanks guys, some pretty insane amounts of suggestions going on here!! I can't thank you all enough, the level of information is awesome!! In terms of foodie-type shops, are there things like this in Manchester? I know obviously of Chinatown, but other than that, any decent shops that someone would be interested in? Thanks again folks, especialliy Thom!!

Hi folks, taking the missus out for a day of shopping up in manchester city center on the train, and just thinking about grabbing something to eat, over and above the standard Pret sarnies. I'm willing to spend up to 30squid a head or so for lunch with drinks. What I don't want to have to do, however, is realistically go outside of walking distance to eat. Is there anyway in Manchester (i've not really looked round too much) that's reasonable to eat in? Cheers eg! xx

Both myself and my partner cannot stand Hellmans or any other commerical mayo. When we make it ourselves, we cant stop eating it. Hellmans mayo for instance, tastes very vinigery almost and very fake. Aoili is also pretty fantastic.

Well as a certified Ramsayophile, I obviously enjoyed the show quite a bit, although I found Chef Blais to be one of the most annoying people to listen to. To say he lacked a passion for cooking was one thing, it sounded more like he had lost interest in everything.