Yes Mort.  In my quest for the perfect meatball experience, I stumbled across this.



Prok meatball and cabbage soup. Full recipe here:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2012/2500671987_1ef9b29737.jpg&imgrefurl=http://doghillkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/05/pork-meatball-soup-with-mushrooms-and.html&h=300&w=300&sz=45&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=pdfYVkARadVVRM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpork%2Bcabbage%2Bpie%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff

Obviously I won't be mincing my own pork, cut off the bone and using the bones for stock, because that would be too much like hard work pretty unnecessary. But it looks like a bit of a winner. It's American, this recipe, so scallions=spring onions if you don't know. I reckon you could ladle this over noodles for extra Nominoscitudinousness. 

Just about to log out and log in to tortiglioni bolognese which has been bubbling for 4 hours and is so rich and dense it is unbelievable (or is that me I am describing?  )  Sorry, it's Friday, frivolity rules.

Also, this weekend, gammon cooked in the old fashioned way (celery, onion, etc. gently simmered until meltingly tender) served with organic spring greens, buttery mounds of mash and some leeks and purple sprouting if needs be.

To be followed the next day by cold gammon with home made potato and red onion salad and copious salad leaves and Monday a lunch at work of  sandwich of organic bread, gammon and English mustard then a Carbonara or Risotto Monday night.

Mind you, I looked at Celebrity Chef last night and have a longing for a duck.

Nothing definite - broad beans in the veg box again, so they will probably be gently steamed with a bit of grated parmesan thrown over them as an accompaniment to something, but what that something may be depends on a trip to the butcher in the morning.

I have beetroot that needs to be used, so a barsza is a distinct possibility.

No, haven't read that one MJ. I'll keep an eye out for it. I love Dahl. The books as well as the dish

He'll come back and haunt you for that, Martle! Or send some of his mates over ...

Ants, this is probably the one that I keep coming back too. It's very nommy.

Red split lentils with cumin seed

7 ozs  red split lentils
1 3/4  pints water
2  thin slices of unpeeled ginger
1/2  teaspn turmeric
1  teaspn salt (omit if you want)
3  tblspns vegetable oil
a pinch of asafoetida
1  teaspn whole cumin seeds
1  teaspn ground coriander
1/4  teaspn cayenne pepper
2  tblespns chopped coriander

Put the lentils and water into a largeish pot. Bring to a simmer and skim off any scum that collects on top. Add the ginger and turmeric (I usually add a little asafoetida as well). Stir, cover, leaving lid slightly ajar. Turn heat to low and simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours. Check during the last 1/2 hour to make sure it's not sticking, give it a few gentle stirs. then add the salt.

Heat the veg oil in a small pan. As soon as it's hot, add the asafoetida, give it a swirl then quickly add the cumin, coriander and cayenne. They should be sizzling by now. Stir once and then immediately pour the contents into the lentil pan and give a quick stir to mix. Slam the lid on top to prevent the aromas escaping. Before serving add the chopped coriander and mix.

Goes down a treat with some onion raita

I'm just about to rustle up a dish I'd completely forgotten about until I saw some meltingly fresh and gooey gorgonzola in Waitrose today. It comes from the, for me, queen of Italian cookery, Marcela Hazan.

Basically you throw a goodly chunk of gorgonzola into a saucepan with a goodly dollop of butter and a goodly splash of milk, gunge it all up over a gentle heat, put to one side. Cook the freshest gnocchi you can find. Reheat the sauce, add a goodly sploosh of double cream, tip in the gnocchi, stir, add a very goodly handful of grated parmesan, stir, then pour onto dish. Add more grated parmesan and chopped parsley. Eat. Call 999 when heart attack starts to kick in. Takes 15 mins, including prep.

It's a wonderful sauce and can of course be used with any pasta, but I love the mushiness of gnocchi with this. NOM factor = 12.

Martle,  Hang On, there is an ambulance on the way

OK, shocking 360 stand back!  Shocking again!!

Administer 24mgs of saline and 4 grms of morphine

Get some prempholine urgently

Only 15 mins you say, and he is not responding?

Get the anti-parmesan innoculation - whatever it costs - nip over to Waitrose

Can the NHS run to this?  Contact The Trust

He might in the future be a world-wide Composer, do we want gnocchi on our hands?

Hmm, tasty recipe, but I think the double cream is a little over the top

Shall we adjourn whilst we look the at queen of Italian cookery, Marcela Hazan?

Base to Ambulance "Is the patient still alive"