"Meals on Wheels" week 1 - menu planning for four!

My dear old Dad, who has just passed his 80th birthday, is due to go into hospital at the end of this month, for heart surgery.

Well, you can imagine how we all feel about that - but however we feel, it isn't half as bad as how my Mum feels about it all.  My brother has volunteered his car and his chauffeuring skills to take her to and from the hospital each day to visit, but I was wondering what we could do to ease the burden a little bit for her too - which in turn, will make it easier for my Dad to recuperate.  Oh, it's all wheels within wheels!

Now obviously, cooking comes to mind.  However, I didn't want to suggest that I cook some single-person meals for her and so remove a pleasant occupation that might keep her brain involved and slow down the worry a little.  But then, it occurred to me that there are bound to be days when either she will have had a stressful day, or alternatively she won't get back home until late - and she won't feel like breaking out the chopping board and getting on with some cooking.  So, I suggested it to her and she (amazingly - because my Mum is a great cook) accepted.

Which is why this menu plan blog post is entitled "Meals on Wheels" week 1 - as we're including several meals where we're cooking for one person extra and stashing that portion away in the freezer, for onward transmission to my Mum when we go to see them both on Sunday - Father's Day, don'tcha know!

Just in case you wonder whether I've forgotten my Dad in all this, far from it - I'm lending him my Kindle for his hospital stay and have loaded up the current tome on Arnhem that he's reading, plus several books that deal with his old Army regiment - the Royal Engineers - and their work in the Far East, plus some humour, some thrillers and a few books that I thought might be outside of his own choice but that might be interesting to read when you've got nothing else to do!  I've also dug out a couple of CD's that he might like to listen to on his Sony Walkman.

So, Operation Hospital has swung into action!

Here's how it's looking at the moment (although it could be subject to change!) :

Tues : Pepperoni & Mozzarella Millefeuille with salad

Weds : Sausage Casserole with mashed potatoes

Thurs : Spaghetti Bolognese

Fri : Tave Me Presh with mashed potato and peas

Sat : Rose Veal with mushrooms & cider, new potatoes, carrots & broccoli

Sun : anybody's guess!

Mon : Beef curry & mushroom rice.

It's not a dazzling array of meals, but looking at the weather, it's unlikely that we'll be breaking out the barbecue any time soon, or feeling much like salad!

As for the Meals on Wheels project, well I think the Sausage Casserole, Spaghetti Bolognese, Tave Me Presh and Rose Veal are all definites.

Pic c/o whatsgabycooking.com

Tonight's Pepperoni & Mozzarella Millefeuille is something that hubby has pulled together in his feverish imagination - but that sounds pretty darned promising.  It all started when we bought some extra pepperoni and mozzarella to go in last week's Stromboli (which didn't happen in the end).  He's built the recipe around those two ingredients, but without travelling too far in the pizza direction.  I can't say too much about it at the moment, as I really don't have much idea of where he's going with it - so you'll have to wait and see what happens!

A lentil version of a Sausage Casserole - but still yummy!

Now everyone loves a Sausage Casserole, don't they?  Yes, of course they do.  We haven't made one in ages and, because we're including my Mum in this one, are going to have to keep an eye on what we're using ingredients-wise.  She has a number of ingredients that she's sensitive to, such as peppers, sweetcorn and some spices.  However, I don't see that as a problem.  We've become quite good at thinking up alternatives and co-ordinating flavours, so I'm looking forward to this one.  It'll be lovely to have some yummy gravy, sopped up with mashed potato - a hark back to winter!  Yes, I know it's June, but you honestly wouldn't believe it, to look out the window.  Mum will have to either make some mashed potato to go with this one, or buy some already made from the supermarket - but it has to be easier than starting from scratch!

Spaghetti Bolognese was a shoe-in when we were considering what to make.  We'll box up some of the Bolognese sauce, so that all Mum has to do is cook some spaghetti - or any pasta, really - and heat up the sauce.  Easy peasy.

The Tave Me Presh (or baked mince with leeks) is one of my favourite comfort food dinners.  However, as Mum can't cope with red pepper, I'll use carrots and some asparagus instead - which will give just elevate the flavours a little.  This is another one that you can eat with mashed potato - or to ring the changes, with rice.  Again, Mum will have to make a little rice to go with it and can maybe throw in a handful of frozen peas in the last few minutes of cooking time.  Luscious!

As for the Rose Veal with mushrooms & cider, well this all depends on whether the box of rose veal arrives from the lovely people at Farmers Choice, who have offered to send me a gift box of veal with which to work.  This all originated with my blog post on Veal and I'm hugely appreciative of their kindness with regard to this offer.

I'm hoping that there will be something in the box that will be able to be made into the veal with mushrooms and cider - if not, I'll be thinking again!

Sunday, being Father's Day, is all a bit of a mystery right now.  Not because we've got any  mysterious ideas cooking in the background, but because Hubby can't think of anything in particular that he'd like to have to eat on that day - and is still thinking!

Monday brings the return of the poor old Beef Curry, which must be getting something of an inferiority complex as it's been bumped from two weeks' menus so far!  I will make it, I will!

As for extra makes or bakes, well, I don't really think we're going to have a lot of time for that this week.  Then again, I'm determined to make that Peach Cobbler some time this week as it was another victim of the alarming cuts that got made to the menu list last week!  But then, who knows what might turn up in the post that needs blogging about!

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Sunday roast? Naaaah - it's a beef curry for us!

Hubby suggested we have a "proper" beef curry - and I liked that idea.  I liked it a lot more when I saw that the only day I could commit that kind of time in the cooking, was Sunday.  I was looking for an excuse to not do a roast dinner for once!

Much as I love roast dinners, I was ready for a break - and making a curry was the perfect answer.

Having used Brisket of beef in two or three recipes just lately, I knew that Brisket would not only be the perfect cut of beef for the curry, but had the depth of flavour that would be required to stand up against the spice.  There then ensued a lengthy discussion about how much Brisket to buy, to make a princely curry with enough beef in large chunks.  We generally reckon that 400g of something is enough to make a dinner for three of us, however we were after a "princely" curry and 400g just didn't feel like enough.  I was swithering between 500g, 600g and 700g - but hubby beat that by suggesting 800g!  In the end, commonsense won and we opted for 650g - which turned out to be the perfect amount.

As usual, Brisket doesn't need a lot of trimming but I popped the trimmed bits of fat into a small roasting tray and cooked them alongside the curry, so that the fat would render down.  I'm collecting the liquid fat in a container which I keep in the fridge, so that the next time I'm cooking roast potatoes, I'll have some lovely dripping to use.  The dogs love the beefy crunchies that are left, too.

I cooked the Brisket for 2 hours in the oven - after flash frying to brown the meat - and then for another half an hour, once I'd added the baby corn.  The pieces were as tender as could be, without an ounce of fat in evidence.  The long slow cooking definitely agrees with the curry spices, too, allowing them time to amalgamate and the sauce time to thicken beautifully.

I ate the leftovers today, two days later - and I can confirm that the curry definitely improves over time.  So, if you've two days where it can sit in your fridge - it won't do it any harm!

BEEF & BABY CORN CURRY  (Serves 3-4)

Ingredients :

A knob of butter
a tablespoon of olive oil (or vegetable oil, if you prefer)
2 onions, sliced
650g beef Brisket, trimmed of all fat and cut into cubes
sea salt & black pepper
3 cloves garlic, grated
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
a red chilli, chopped fine
2 small potatoes, peeled and diced finely
1 tsp dried Sage
2 tsp Garam Masala
4 tsp Madras curry powder
1 tsp ground Cumin
half a tsp ground Coriander
half a tsp finely ground Black Pepper
2 tomatoes, diced finely
400g tin of cherry tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes, but cherries have a better flavour)
1 beef Oxo cube
water
1 tbsp tomato puree
8 baby sweet corn, broken into thirds
a large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped fine.


Method :


1.  Heat the butter and oil in a deep sided frying pan and cook the onion, on a medium heat, until it is turning golden brown.  It is good if some of the smaller pieces of onion are a darker brown, as this all adds to the flavour.  Remove from the pan and set aside to keep warm.


2.  Turn the heat up high and once the pan is hot, sizzle the meat in order to brown it.  It is good to obtain some caramelisation on some pieces - you definitely don't want it to braise, so brown in two batches rather than overfill the pan.  Season the meat just before it is finished.  Place the meat into the casserole dish and put to keep warm.


3.  Pre-heat your oven, to 160deg C.


4.  Reduce the heat to medium and replace the onions into the pan - it is worth doing it this way around, as the meat takes on some of the onion flavour and the meat juices are amalgamated into the onions - and add the garlic, ginger, chilli, potatoes and sage and allow to cook through.  It is important not to burn the garlic, but to have everything beginning to soften.


5.  Reducing the heat again, add the Garam Masala, curry powder, Cumin, Coriander and Black pepper.  Stir through and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.


6.  Add the chopped tomatoes, stir through and allow to cook for another 1-2 minutes.  They should be small enough that they are beginning to soften.


7.  Add the tinned tomatoes, crumble over the Oxo cube and add enough water (I used the tomato tin) to achieve a good wet saucy mixture.  Add the tomato puree and give everything a good stir.


8.  Decant the sauce into the casserole dish and stir so that the meat is well covered and everything is combined.


9.  Cover and place into the oven for 2 hours.


10.  When the 2 hours are up, remove from the oven and give a good stir.  Add the baby corn and make sure they are below the sauce level.  If the sauce is looking a little thin, put back into the oven uncovered.  Otherwise, cover and replace in the oven for another 30 minutes.


11.  Just before serving, stir through three quarters of the chopped coriander - and save a quarter for sprinkling over.


Serve with white rice and a good dollop of thick plain yoghurt.


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So come on, what's for dinner this week?

OMG Cat is surprised too!

Goodness, I can't quite believe it's Saturday and I'm only just getting around to telling you about what's on the menu for this week!

So, I'd better just get on with it quickly, hadn't I?

Stir fry chicken

Crunchy fish (in breadcrumbs) with vegetable rice

Fish & chips

Devilled sausages & Ottolenghi's Green Couscous

High Tea : tuna sandwiches, ham & peas pudding rolls, coleslaw,

scones & cream

Beef & baby corn curry with rice

Chicken Kiev, Jersey new potatoes, carrots & broccoli.

There now, that's a fairly eclectic mixture!  We were originally going to have Ottolenghi's Kosheri & spicy minced lamb on Thursday, but after a particularly harassing day at work I was bushed and couldn't lift a finger - so we got fish & chips.

After bamboozling our son into accepting a stir fry, I decided to just go for it and put a stir fry on the list.  This one wasn't just a stir fry (as in just veggies), it included noodles and the chicken was prepared separately to the stir fry mix, so as to make it easier to eat for the poor wee soul.

I suppose you could call it Garlic, Chilli & Honey Chicken with Oyster Sauce stir fry - which just about describes it!  Anyway, it was extremely more-ish (which was just as well, because son left quite a bit of his) and is definitely going to appear on the menu list again some day soon.  (Poor son & heir).  I'll be blogging the recipe soon, too - as it's definitely one I'd want to pass on.

Wednesday's dish was all about satisfying hubby's craving for "crunchy fish", which is the frozen fillet of fish that comes in either batter or breadcrumbs.  Every so often he gets a mad craving for it, but this time instead of with chips, he suggested a home-made savoury rice.  Now in the past, home-made savoury rice has been a licence to throw lots of veggies in the bin.  However, this time I made it a personal quest to "up my game" (as they say on Masterchef) and produce something that was as tasty as it was satisfying.

I began by cooking some quartered carrot slices in enough fish stock (from a cube - or two, in fact, as the quantity was well over the 400ml that one stock delivers) to cook the Basmati rice.  After 2-3 minutes, I added the rice.  While that was going on, I cooked a sliced onion in some olive oil until it was golden, then added a little coarse sea salt to it and left it to one side until the rice was done.  In the meantime, I'd added a handful of frozen sweetcorn to the rice pot, then a few minutes later, a handful of frozen peas (all these veggies had to cook within the 9 minutes as stated by the rice packet, so hence the staggered arrival times in the pot).  Next in was a tin of Borlotti beans (for additional protein and fibre) and some chopped celery.

Once the rice was cooked, I tipped three chopped spring onions into the bottom of the colander and drained the rice over the top of them, thus heating them up a little and semi-cooking them.  Then the whole lot went back into the pan, accompanied by a knob of butter and the cooked sliced onion.  I gave the whole lot a mix with a fork (for some reason, mixing with a spoon just turns the rice gloopy - but a fork doesn't.  ~shrug~) and served wit the crunchy fish.  The whole effect was really lovely - in fact, I could have carried on eating the rice and forgotten about the fish.  Regrettably, I didn't catch a photograph of the rice (such was my lack of confidence in it).  The true test of it's validity as a dish however, was that hubby nabbed the leftovers the next day and stir-fried them for his lunch.  Now THAT doesn't happen often!

Thursday was a bit of a washout, owing to the harassing day at work.  It wasn't that people were harassing me, it's just that I had a deadline to make, but other people's deadlines kept getting in the way!  Everybody seemed to need my input, that day.

Just HOW Ottolenghi does that look?

Still, as it turned out, I'm glad that I bumped the Devilled Sausages and Ottolenghi's Green Couscous along until Friday, as I am quite sure the couscous wouldn't have turned out as awesomely fabulous as it did, if I'd have been tired and not too bothered about what I was cooking.

As I've said already, I'll definitely blog the couscous recipe, as it was something of a revelation.

Make it ciabatta instead of a bap, and you've got it!

Tonight, Saturday, is a lovely meal in lots of ways.  We're having High Tea.  This is one of son & heir's favourite types of meals, in that it involves lots of carbohydrate and very little vegetable matter.  *chuckle*  It's fun to have, every so often.  So we'll be having Tuna & mayonnaise sandwiches (maybe with sweetcorn, if I can wangle it), plus Ciabatta Rolls containing ham & pease pudding (a hark back to Hubby's youth in Newcastle), plus coleslaw, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and pickles.  For dessert, we're having fruit scones with cherry compote and clotted cream.  ~sharp intake of breath~  I know!  I haven't even cooked so much as the scones or the compote.  ~hangs head in shame~  But it's a once-in-a-blue-moon occasion.  We'll be making up for it in the days to come.  Gruel for the next three days.  Maybe a lettuce leaf or two, if we're extra good.

Or, perhaps a tad more seriously, on Sunday we'll be having a lovingly-tended, slow cooked beef curry - using Brisket of beef.  In fact, it won't be all that bad for us, as I trim the beef to remove a lot of the fat before cooking and am not intending on including any cream, as I want the full flavour of the brisket to come through.  I'm hoping for a full-bodied beefy curry, only tempered slightly by the inclusion of some baby corn for texture and interest.

So that brings us to Monday, which as it's another working day, I've booked in something that won't cause any arguments over the preparation or eating - Chicken Kiev with new potatoes (Jerseys, in this instance) broccoli and carrots.  Yes, the Kievs have butter in them, but the butter can be trickled over the Jerseys - and the veggies are there to help with our five a day.

Son and heir has decreed that he'll be cooking his chicken dish (wrapped in bacon) for us next Sunday, so that's one day of next week's menus sorted out!  Now all I've got to do is to work out the remaining six dishes before tomorrow - and tell you all about them, before next week is up!

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