Plantes Vertes

Would some roasted rice powder work? It is flavoursome and acts as a binder/thickener.

You might at least have bought him a beer!

What did he win?

Oh and also good in there: Herb stalks Pea pods Citrus peel Celeriac/swede/turnip peelings Leek Fennel Peppercorns Also add the water from steaming or boiling vegetables.

Celery trimmings. (yes) Carrot tips YES and/or roots ?. Broccoli stems. YES Asparagus bottoms that get cut off when I bring them home and put them in water. YES Onion peelings. If you mean skins, then no, as they have no flavour but make everything yellow. Green bean tips. YES (very good) Left-over whole-kernel corn. YES but the flavour will be sweet - best kept for corn recipes. Zucchini trimmings. YES

You could bone, fillet and cure the trout in 3:4 salt:sugar and add one or more of these: Gin Vodka Horseradish Wasabi Juniper Bay Cedar tips Soft herbs Beetroot Lemon rind/juice Orange rind/juice Lime rind/juice Chopped garlic Ginger Pepper Tea Or make pate or potted trout, or bake with almonds.

I used to make this combination with the tomatoes cooked in butter and garlic, too, Anna. Lots of garlic. (I worked at home. No-one at risk from my garlic breath...)

I find dry vermouth a good friend to miso. I would reduce the vermouth by 1/2-3/4 before adding the miso.

Ditto what Shalmanese said. I don't want to be preached at by my food; I just object to being bossed around. It also annoys me that the author has made their recipe deliberately as exclusive as possible, as if if you can't afford or don't want or just can't access organics then the recipe is not for you.

you could stuff with garlic, rosemary, pancetta, braise with tomato and onion, shred and serve over pasta.

Bagna cauda is a huge yes, great idea!

How would you cook the ribs? I like the idea but feel a bit uncertain given kitchen constraints. The pancakes would be brilliant though, thanks!

My housemate made us his mother's Malaysian peanut curry. He cooked enough for 6; the three of us finished it all... Looked ugly, tasted beautiful.

Yes, water is also mine. I got some tips for that from another forum; maybe they'll help someone here: Drink herbal teas if you prefer hot drinks Get bigger glasses and mugs Always carry a bottle in your handbag Add lemon, lime, berries, mint, cucumber or cordial to improve the flavour Get a soda stream if you prefer fizzy water Create a schedule, eg 1 glass with breakfast, 1 at 10am, 1 with lunch etc Eat wet food like soup Pair every other beverage with a glass of plain water

Actually I have found that you can brown garlic and onions very quickly and effectively in the microwave. If you chop them up and cover them in oil microwaving will fry them, but faster.

One difference is that the microwave typically uses and wastes less energy than other means of cooking. It is also a good way of preserving the nutrients in vegetables, as those steamed in the microwave lose less vitamins than those boiled or conventionally steamed.

Michaela, do you think that your klatsch challenge will involve more planning? More cooking? More advance preparation? Different food groups/types? I am also inclined towards expensive food that is easy to prepare and instantly delicious. Not a lot of economical dried beans and slow cooking happening here... I will be interested to see how you go.

Vlcatko, yes, the soup is with fresh coriander.

I discovered this cocktail in the book Trolleyed Dollies: A Flight of Cocktails, Lushouse & Co., 1958. I think it could prove appropriate in your situation. It's created from equipment and ingredients readily available on your flight or from in your hand luggage. Just make sure to pack a manicure kit. Tennessee Mule in Flight 5cl Tennessee Whiskey (Jack Daniels) 15cl ginger ale 15-25 lemon slices (depending on thickness) 2mg Xanax 1 sugar sachet While still at home, take a few sprigs of mint from the garden or purchase from a suitable supermarket or greengrocers. Wrap the mint in clingfilm and swallow it (you don't want to be caught with anything green and planty-looking at the airport). The clingfilm will protect the mint from stomach acid. Before boarding, take a wooden cocktail stick from the airside bar and file it down using your emmery board (sharp points can cause injury while travelling). Secrete it about your person. Board the plane and take your seat as directed by the flight crew. Don't forget to fasten your seatbelt - the preflight demonstration will show you how. Once in the air, first obtain a sugar sachet. Your host/ess will gladly give you one during the hot drinks service. Muddle the contents in a pill crusher along with the Xanax. The sugar should help to disguise the flavour of the pills. Next, when cold drinks are offered, ask the host/ess for a bottle of water (still or sparkling), a miniature of Jack and a separate glass containing ice and lemon. Be sure to specify the requisite 20 slices of lemon; this large number is necessary because a lot of the juice will be lost during preparation. If s/he doesn't provide a napkin, ask for one of those too. Drink the water; this will prevent in-flight dehydration. Improvise a high-ball glass by cutting the top off your bottle using nail scissors (make certain that you have drunk all the water first or your seatmate could become your enemy). Add sugar and Xanax. Painstakingly squeeze the juice from all but one of your lemon slices into the 'glass'. Again, this operation will require care as flying drops of lemon juice could squirt into your neighbour's eye and cause temporary blindness, not to mention annoyance or even hate. Pour the Jack Daniels in with the sugar and pills, then add the ice. Cover the top of the 'glass' with your hand, and making sure not to let your drink go spraying out, shake vigorously for 20 seconds. (Keep your movements small - sudden jostling might be mistaken for a terrorist attack. You don't want to be shot before experiencing your beverage.) At this point you can ring for a hot towel to clean yourself with. Next, take a biro from your hand luggage and pull out the nib and ink stem. Wrap them in the napkin to prevent staining. Add the ginger ale and stir it briefly with the remaining 'pen-swizzle-stick'; this can also be used as a straw. Now take some Vaseline from your hand luggage and go to the bathroom to retrieve your mint and cocktail stick. Make sure there is no-one queuing behind you and dispose of the clingfilm discretely. Back in your seat, arrange the mint sprigs into an attractive garnish and insert it into the side of the glass. Secure the lemon slice with the cocktail stick and add that too. Voila! Your beverage is served. Toast your seatmate. The Tennessee Mule is best enjoyed in a single long sip, so apply your sleep mask, make sure your tray table is secured, lie back, and down it in one. Relaxing music on your in-flight headphones is a nice accompaniment to this drink. As a final precaution, wiggle your toes and rotate your ankles in both directions before drifting painlessly away on the wings of Morpheus. This measure can prevent deep vein thrombosis. Have a good flight!

I am also interested to follow your project, and thanks for reviving the thread; I hadn't seen it. I don't like cooked carrots much either, but I do like carrot and coriander soup. Perhaps you would as well? With raw carrots, you can make a salad with Puy lentils and toasted cumin seeds, olive oil and lemon juice that is very delicious. I also like them grated and dressed with mustard, toasted sesame/pumpkin/poppy seeds, herbs and oil and lemon juice. They are also good with tahini, if you have some lurking in your kitchen... you can dip them in tahini and yogurt mixed, or grate them and dress them in the tahini/yogurt. It's nice in pita. If you cut them into ribbons with a vegetable peeler you can have them in your sandwiches. They're good company for Wesleydale/Cheshire/Lancashire cheese, with lots of black pepper. I also like carrot juice with ginger, or mixed with other vegetable juices.

Adam George: best served chilled

Discard the lemon peel, I think...

A runny egg wins many a heart

Oldfield/Down and Brown? Are these stiff? Or good?

Perhaps it is worth dry shaking without the Cointreau, as sugar is supposed to inhibit the formation of the egg foam. But yes, fresh eggs are surely the key.