Friday, January 22, 2010

I wanted...I bought....I made



A fairly quiet week ahead so a slightly more elaborate plan for this week. I have found a recipe for a Spanish rice dish from José Pizarro, the chef at Brindisa, something he calls a caldoso which is different to a paella. Apparently. Sounds very good and it will make a fine Saturday supper with leftovers for lunches Monday. Sunday I think another of the single pork chop roast dinners is a proper Sunday roast that I have really enjoyed from our freezer stash of giant chops. Monday I want poached chicken with leeks and aioli, actually pasta with leeks and porcini as I was feeling ill with a bad cold that some would describe as man flu with leftovers for lunch Tuesday. Tuesday night I fancy tofu if I can get some a simple ma po with rice and greens, hoping mega chilli would cure me, Wednesday some pasta finally had the poached chicken and it was sublime, Thursday there is some soup in the freezer that will be good with crusty bread actually managed to make one really horrible thing reminiscent of the worst of hard core hair shirt vegetarianism, It started as veggie burgers but the mix was so gloopy I figured it would bake better in a tray, like a slice. Great theory but it was sooooooo dense and heavy it was better suited to construction. Ate enough to survive but as my mother always said Eat it while it's hot because when it's cold it's poison. Forget why I didn't just have the soup but my defence is I've not been well!. Friday I am out, so the man may choose his own delight. Actually home now so probably a can of french duck and lentils from the cupboard...
.
Though higgledy piggledy it was a good week for lunches - Monday was warmed through spanish rice with sausage and prawns leftover from Saturday and already boxed, Tuesday was leftover pasta from Monday night, already boxed, Wednesday was leftover tofu, greens and rice, already boxed - this is a theme! Thursday was the rest of the chicken from Wednesday night with a potato salad made with the extra potatoes I'd cooked mixed with the aioli with some sugarsnap peas added - yes, already boxed. Friday was meant to be leftover veggie burgers but instead it's time to head to the caff.

Borough Market was fairly quiet again this week. It's probably not great for the traders, this radical slowdown in January when most people seem to have decided that they have done with food after the excesses of the festive season but for the hardcore shopper it's wonderful. We can wander about unhurried by pressing crowds and gawping tourists, have an occasional conversation, even ask a question should the need arise. I like it.

At the Ginger Pig Nathan was convinced it was the least I'd ever spent when all I bought was Old Spot sausages for dinner Saturday night for £4.80. He may well be right.

At Brindisa I bought a dark chocolate almond bar a man snack and a block of cheese meant for a pasta sauce Monday night but plan changed so it's still in the fridge - for £5

From Booths I bought potatoes, carrots, garlic, celery and brussel sprouts as well as a bag of dried wild mushrooms which came to £13.80 The mushrooms went straight in to the freezer as the last pack I bought came with an infestation of pantry moth that then took ages to get rid of. Freezing them kills the spore apparently.

On the way to buy eggs from Wild Beef there was a new stall selling some fine looking veg so I bought a huge bundle of leeks for a couple of dishes, pasta Monday night, hot with poached chicken Wednesday night with the remnants mixed into potato salad for lunch Thursday £4.50

Then eggs - £1.50

A handful of prawns from Furness as part of Saturday supper cost £3.80

Teds Veg are back so, having already bought leeks I bought onions and parsley - £1.80

Coffee from Monmouth - £10.50

Apples from Chegworth - £1.20

Smoked salmon as an evening treat - £5

A chat with Ian at Mrs Elizabeth Kings, back for the first time this year as his son is often keen to run the stall and is gradually taking over

Pasta and milk from Neals Yard - £7.20

A bunch of thyme from Tony's - £1

Not one but two cottage tins from Flour Power - £2.20 - because I am most fond of crusts

Spent £62.30 but still needed tofu and chillies, ginger and greens

No comments: