thampik

After reading this damn thread, I have had my head turned completely! I am someone who has never ever cooked anything on a BBQ, in fact never owned any kind of a BBQ. But all this talk of butt got my curiosity going and rashly, I went and bought a Weber kettle and invited some friends over for a BBQ. I had anticipated going to my butchers yesterday to get a pork shoulder ("butt"?), but ended up going on a picnic instead. By the time I got back, butcher was closed. Cue panic today morning and a trip to the only supermarket open at 8.30 a.m. First problem: they did not have anything other than boneless pork shoulder - so I came home with a 2.5kg joint. Hmmm... not a lot on this thread about boneless joints.....guess I'll have to wing it. Second problem: My "premium" Weber briquette would not get going with just scrunched-up paper and firelighter. Panic. Urgent call to experienced bbq'er and some non-premium brquettes later, had a semblance of a fire going. Third problem: How to maintain temperature at 125-130C? No easy answers despite googling. Ah well, maybe this bbq lark is not as straightforward as my learned frends on this thread have been making out..... First solution : Plenty of beer. No longer so stressed out over lack of temperature control. Fluctuating between 120C and 180C. In the meantime made a start with =Marks BBQ sauce. Sceptical at the amount of prepared mustard in the recipe (used Dijon mustard). There was no cider vinegar in the pantry so used malt vinegar instead. Finished the simmering and added juice of one lime - hmmm..... After nearly 5 hours, got my butt out (internal temperature 190F), wrapped it in foil and let it rest. "Pulled" it onto a serving dish. Some had it with =Marks sauce, cruncy lettuce and others with creamy mayo. OMG. The combination of pork, crunchy lettuce and =Marks' sauce resulted in a group-wide epiphany. With a bone-in butt and a longer smoking time (if I can figure out how to keep the Weber at a constant temperature), I can only imagine it must be way more tender. Thanks to all on this thread who have provided the inspiration to start me down the BBQ path.... I'm a believer!

Well done to Clare Smyth for deciding to participate, don't you think? Massive pressure with her being the first 3* chef (I think that's right) on the show and going up against a guy who does not have any stars. And in this years' competition, the playing field is really levelled......

Could it actually have been "kerala porotta"? Usually when spelled "porotta", I tend to think of the layered, cruncy on the outside, soft on the inside variety much loved in Kerala. I have seen this available frozen as well - not a patch on a freshly made one. If you are interested, here's a link that shows you how to make this: http://spice-club.blogspot.com/2008/05/layered-parotta.html

As a departure from my trusty ragu recipe ( Marcella Hazan - cooking for 3.5 to 5 hours over a really low flame does make a big difference) I recently tried Giorgio Locatelli's Ragu recipe with pretty good results. Quite a different approach.... - carrots, celery, whole garlic cloves and onion finely chopped and sweated over high heat - minced beef (neck), preseasoned, added to pan. no stirring for 5-6 mins to allow it to sear. Stir for 10-12 mins until meat starts to stick to the bottom! - add red wine (a whole bottle! for 2kg beef) and let it reduce down to virtually nothing - add 1lt passata and 1 lt water - bring to boil, turn down to simmer for 1.5 hrs I sometimes use this recipe when I want a quick ragu

I have only used the following brands (some that Fuchsia Dunlop recommends in her two books), so I can't say I have anything to compare against Pearl River Bridge Superior Dark and Light soy sauces Gold Plum Chinkiang vinegar Gold Plum Yang Jiang Preserved beans with Ginger Gold Plum Rice Wine Vinegar Lee Kum Kee Chilli Bean Sauce I particularly love the preserved beans and chilli bean sauce. Have you tried any of these? I would be interested to know whether there are better options.

Daniel's starter looked fantastic and given a choice between it and Glynn's, I would definitely go for the Duck egg+asparagus (looked amazing, saltandwoodsmoke!). But I wonder if the dish really met the brief? I cannot see what nostalgia value it represents for a returning soldier......

Is it me or did I see Clare Smyth amongst the chefs who are taking part? Maybe Mark Sargeant is on as a previous winner (can't remember - was he?).

I ate at Mary Gaunt's Caragh Lodge near Killorgin a while ago. Beautiful setting on the shores of Lake Caragh. I can't seem to find a link as google keeps directing to Carrig House which is beside Caragh Lodge. Remember it being pretty good. ← Thanks, bakerestates. I had a bit of dig around and likewise can only find links to Carrig Country House. Kenmare seems to have a bit of a foodie reputation (maybe it is just Irish tourism promo?) and I am hoping to find some good seafood.

I am planning on spending a week near Kenmare at the back end of May and wondered if any forum members had recommendations regarding restaurants/pubs with good/great food in the area?

Try Peters Brauhaus (in the Altstadt) - which is a traditional "tavern". Good Kolsch and seemed to have all the staples of cuisine from this part of Germany on the menu. We enjoyed it.

I guess it would need to be a 3* to deserve that

Went last week to JSW (http://jswrestaurant.com/index.php) after the gap of a couple of years......Considering that the last time I was there, me & the wife ate a really good (and stonkingly good value) tasting menu, expectations were high. Firstly they have moved and the new premises (just around the corner from where they were) are very much to my taste. When I see simple but elegant and non-ostentatious decor (reminded me of the Fat Duck before they got their third star - not sure what it is like now), I am already thinking that most of my hard earned money is going towards the food! The tables are also spaced apart very generously so there is no temptation to lean over and try a bit of something from the adjoining table. Having read that JSW had a very good selection of wines from Alsace we were of a mind to try a Gewurztraminer - however the (very good) sommelier suggested a wine that we had never tried before - Auxerrois Moechreben Rolly-Gassmann - £38. Described to us as an interesting wine with a spicy edge, it certainly lived up to its billing. I heartily recommend trying it. As the monthly budget would not allow a reprise of the tasting menu, we (plus 12 year old daughter) settled for a set lunch at £19.50. I (and the daughter) went for a starter of Rabbit cooked three ways and a main of Shin of beef with truffled mash. The wife chose a starter of Turbot and a main of slow cooked lamb. As you would expect of a 1 Michelin star restaurant, everything was cooked beautifully. I was a teeny bit disappointed (maybe it is just high expectations) with the Shin of beef as it was all very rich and seemed to cry out for a contrasting taste. (As a complete aside, I tried out a recipe for braised blade of beef from David Everitt-Mathias' book Essence this weekend - served with blanched spring onions. A similarly rich dish as the Shin at JSW, but really transformed by the spring onion!). The wife had nothing but praise for her starter and main course. We emerged happy, well fed and content with life. I recommend you try JSW if you live at all nearby - the prices are very reasonable, the cooking is excellent and the new restaurant is a lovely and tranquil setting for a meal. When you think that it would cost nearly the same to eat two courses at the local (gastro?) pub, this is an absolute bargain...