I Wanted ... I Bought ... I Made

Without doubt the achievement of the week - I actually cleaned out the whole freezer, discarded all those little unlabelled packages that seriously could be illegal body parts they were so random, chipped out the ice from the icetray water overspill and washed all drawers and shelves. My freezer is now a thing of beauty - to me at least - with a couple of  meals already to eat and a finite amount to use up before I revert to my old ways.

Next week may well be time to clear the pantry drawers. Or maybe not.

I have half a jar of piquillo peppers and they are the defining ingredient for Friday. I will get some chorizo from Brindisa and some rocket and ciabatta and we will have a home made version of the famed Brindisa chorizo roll for dinner. Yum.

We are away for the weekend, after hot porridge for breakfast! so I think a simple wild mushroom risotto - there is stock in the freezer and some shredded chicken will be a simple and welcome supper Sunday night. Weekend was lovely but couldn't be doing with the faff of cooking when we got back so a tin of French confit goose, sausage and beans was warmed in the oven with a sprinkle of panko crumbs for the full cassoulet experience. Most fine it was too!

Monday we are seeing Happy Days at the Young Vic.The man was under the weather so the tickets were returned and we attempted dinner at the Canton. Sadly the menu was a choice of chopped goat vindaloo or cauliflower cheese with cornichon. Disappointed we returned home for a quick pasta of rocket, chilli and pine nuts, not bad. 

Tuesday I think lamb curry with a tub of spiced stock from the freezer will be good with rice and ginger raita. I had made leek and potato soup from carcasses I made into stock which I then divvied up into tubs and stuck it in the freezer, thereby using more space than the original chicken bones.

But I think it is a sign of progress that I actually defrosted one and we had it Tuesday night, after salami and olives to start and cheese and crackers to round out the meal. Very fine.

 Wednesday oat 'risotto' with spinach and bacon - hock stock, bacon, freezer. Actually made a huge batch of lamb curry Tuesday and - again - put most of it into tubs for the freezer and cooked one lot with rice from the freezer alongside a cucumber raita and red onion sambal and it was divine.

Thursday cassoulet - from a tin in the cupboard we brought back from France last trip just to vary the freezer theme! This was Sunday's dinner so Thursday becomes not oat but pearled spelt *risotto* with spinach and bacon. and it was glorious

Shopping for the week started at Borough Friday with milk and yoghurt from Neals Yard was £3.95, chorizo from Brindisa at £11.90 is a lot but most of it is in - you guessed it the freezer!, Bought olives from Turkey - luscious kuru sele for £3 and chocolates and misshapes from Artisan a bargain at £5.50. £5 bought me a plain stick and a ciabatta from Bread Ahead - who are advertising for staff, not surprising really as the 2 guys they have currently seem to have a private competition going to see who can sell the least bread in a day. Two soft cheeses s gifts for the man's parents and some truffle mortadella with a spur of the moment purchase of a jar of basil also for the man's folks at Gastronomica was £13.50. Another cheese for us £5.50

Early in the new week a trip to Brixton Market got me diced lamb for curry - £16.90 but it will make 4 meals over the next month or two. Lots of fruit and veg for juicing, plus spinach for risotto, cucumber and onions for curry side dishes, rocket for pasta was another tenner. Not a bad week really but no eggs or coffee and not many lunches made either!