2 July 2012

You may recall that on Friday evening I made a second batch of sourdough. Well, I am pleased to report it was a big improvement on the first batch - this one actually tasted of something! Hooray! The Editor and I performed the usual ritual* - cutting a still-hot slice and slathering it with butter. Yum. It also formed the perfect accompaniment to poached eggs on Saturday morning.  

*Note to self - I need to find some rituals that don't involve butter. 

Today I made rack of lamb, sauce soubise (onion and cream sauce) and started on creme brulee which will set in the fridge overnight and then be smothered in caramel tomorrow (I am counting down the minutes!). Meanwhile, here's my tip for preparing a rack of lamb:

1. Find a great organic butcher

2. Ask him/her to prepare your lamb for you

This is really the best way to do it, unless spending 20 minutes scraping bones with a tiny knife is your idea of fun (the scraping sound will haunt me for days). Once trimmed, the rack was rubbed with salt and pepper and cooked in the oven for 20 minutes. I served two pink chops with a little pot of onion sauce and some potato and mushroom gratin (I'll be honest, I 'borrowed' the gratin from another student for presentation purposes). 

It's pretty - but you would be too after half an hour of attention. 

I had some spare time whilst waiting for the lamb to cook so I also made a rye and caraway seed bread. It is quite simple to make and has a lovely texture. In fact, the Editor is eating a slice as I type. I cannot decide whether my new found love of bread-making is a good or bad thing (It's a fantastic thing, end of discussion - Ed) ... on the one hand I never have to buy bread again, on the other hand, my pants are getting tighter. Yikes. 

In today's demonstration we learned how to make various recipes you would find on a Sunday lunch buffet: Green pea soup with fresh mint cream, Pea and coriander soup, Glazed ham, Roast Kassler, Roast pork with crackling, Pickled Ox tongue, Tomato puree, cumberland sauce, Potato and spring onion salad, Egg mayonnaise, Oeufs mimosa (boiled eggs filled with shrimps and mayonnaise), Tomato and mint salad, Cucumber and fennel pickle, Cauliflower/Broccoli salad, French dressing, Onion Monegasque, Pickled carrots with coriander, Apple celery and walnut salad, Mushroom and caramelised onion salad, Wild mushroom salad, Courgette salad with olive oil and sea salt, Leek vinaigrette, Carrot and apple salad with honey vinegar dressing, Cabbage pineapple and onion salad, Vanilla ice-cream, Praline ice-cream, Ice-cream sundae, Peach Melba, Compote of poached pears with chocolate sauce, and Poires Belle Helene.