Kerala

Chilli and garlic oil on the eggs.

One of the simpler and greater pleasures I've gained from being here on egullet.

Welcome, Anu!

It's like I said about ethnic restaurants. Sometimes you have to compromise to meet your audience.

Risotto update! This time, prawns and scallops. 40 minutes this time to make sure the rice was cooked to the family's satisfaction with the seafood added at the end. Almost like congee but everyone loved it, so it's a win. Actually tasted fine, no one complained about the lone finely chopped chilli, and it wasn't completely mushy. Nice glass of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi to accompany.

I turned 55, so I took the family out. I chose a reasonably upmarket Indian restaurant in Nottingham, The Maharaja's Retreat. I prefer dive ethnic places as they tend to be more to my taste, but this was for family. A mixed seafood platter and a mixed chicken platter. Prawn, cod and salmon, chicken with different sauces. All really good, cooked to just done. Peshwari naan, butter chicken, daal, Hyderabad dum chicken biriyani, ladies' fingers, parathas, ginger lamb. Very good. My only criticism is that it wasn't hot enough. Amazing that they managed to get so much flavour in without the heat. Suited my nuclear family who all like it mild. Would have been top tier for me if it had been generously spiced. I really liked the sea food which was cooked to just done rather than firm to hard as it would have been in Kerala. There's always a balance when you're running a restaurant in a foreign country, even a French or Italian restaurant in London, between what you know is right and what sells. This was fine, and I suspect the chef is excellent. I'll stick to the dives.

I haven't read through this thread yet, but I have just bought the book. I'm looking forward to reading the comments and cooking from the recipes!

I will try to cook at least 5 from this. I think the author used to be a regular here.

Maggi 2 minute noodles for lunch today,with dried anchovies, chilli oil with shrimp, and to maximise the fish content, the reddish brown dust is grated bottarga.

"So many gone" often comes to mind when I'm reading old threads. 2011's not really that long ago when you're not a young person anymore. You've given me plenty of ideas for weekend breaks, and made me think again about my disdain for triangle pack sandwiches, which can often be perfectly fine for the necessity. On the matter of pie lids, I think your report should just remind us that if it tastes good, it tastes good-sometimes we (I) can overthink things. I really need to eat out more!

I was just thinking that might be the case!

A man to befriend!

Host's note: this extended discussion began in the Dinner 2022 topic. Yes, it's on a barbecue. Do Americans call it that, or is it strictly a grill? In the UK, the grill is the hot element in the top oven- do Americans call that the broiler? I bought the fish at Morrison's, as usual lovely and fresh. The fish counter at Morrison's is fabulous in terms of freshness and variety.

Dinner at a friend's. Sea bass Strawberries dipped in chocolate.

Wow. I am so envious! My wife took me to Paris a few years ago. I was apprehensive as Marine La Pen had just done well at the elections, confirming my fears about French racism. I didn't need to spend a holiday experiencing racial snideness, because I have enough at home (any is too much.) Actually everyone in Paris was so lovely. So much more so than in London! I was also dubious about the food. Surely over-appreciated. To my amazement the food was, meal by meal, the best I've ever had! Two poor meals over a three day weekend. The service was amazing too! I'm so looking forward to going again. I can't say the current surge of Le Pen popularity doesn't worry me. But for the doubters, let me confirm the eating is fabulous in Paris!

Thanks for the link above, @Honkman especially as duck legs are often on discount here in the UK. Anchovies, always in the cupboard. I even have juniper berries in the drawer! I'm looking forward to this!

I just went nuts. Linguine with bacon, pancetta, parmigiano reggiano, pecorino romano, and too few eggs. Since I had too few eggs I added cream. Having gone so far I went full English and added peas. Madness. No idea what you'd call it apart from an abomination. Tasted damn good though! Oh, ground black pepper too, of course!

Looks great! Thanks for the recipe. What's the garnish, please?

Risotto with chicken, pancetta and parmesan once again. I added a dollop of white truffle infused olive oil at the end, which brought a nice subtle musky note to the dish. My eldest daughter was home from Uni this fortnight, and requested risotto, hence making this twice in two weeks. The truffle oil was a new addition for me. I cooked the rice for 40 minutes this evening, and it seemed cooked enough for the fam this time. In photos, on the plate, it could be more runny for sure.

Definitely trying that.

Lunch today, IKEA chicken balls again. Really... So good!

At my sister's for lunch on Sunday. Chicken, potatoes, whole bulbs of garlic Beans with guanciale

I thought it was about right, and so did my two young girls. It was unacceptably undercooked for the wife and MIL. "It screams for more liquid." I can accept what you are saying, and am happy to take that on board (you're right). However, that's an outcome of decisions made at the last addition of stock and time to serving. That wasn't the problem. It was a disagreement about how cooked the grain of rice should be. The missus referenced my younger sister's risotto, which is "done" to her taste. That is true, but my sister lets it cook without very much agitation, and although the rice is cooked through, the sauce is not as creamy. In terms of the flavour combination, I was merging Marcella Hazan's basic parmesan risotto with this from olive.

Chicken, pancetta and parmesan risotto. This wasn't entirely a happy outcome in feeding the family, as there were varying preferences for the bite on the rice.

Keeping it simple, and happy with the result. Maggi 2 minute chicken flavour noodles, IKEA chicken meatballs, a spring onion for the peeps here and around.