Another New Recipe

39 Replies

I have a number of subjects in mind for the post. As I sit here typing I have a sausage casserole on the go. I can hear it bubbling gently. It’s rich, smooth and looks delicious. If it was human, it would be me. That’s how good it is. Julia has just looked over my shoulder, muttered “Tell them it’s simple too.”  and gone off laughing at her own joke.

The original recipe is from the Hairy Bikers. Onions, garlic paste, beans, sausages (ready browned), tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, a stock cube, Worcester sauce, Cajun seasoning. The recipe called for chilli and herbs but I had Cajun seasoning. Can’t see that one small alteration will change the fine dining experience much. And yes, she’s right, it’s not complicated. This is particulalrly trie as I just prodded the stock cube into the mix, added a splash of water and simmered for about ten minutes in total – quicker than the original recipe. Actually, now that I look at the recipe, I see I may have left a few other bits out. It was still, very good, despite this.

I imagine it would be good without the sausages too, and as tins of chopped tomatoes and tins of beans are good store cupboard items this will make an excellent quick and easy meal for unexpected visitors. Or the times when you get the shopping list wrong, as I did this week. And  I thought I’d done so well…

We will be eating it with the last of the cheese and tomato bread Julia made during the week.

We toasted the cheese and tomato bread with the lunchtime avocado and poached eggs. I make it under protest because Julia likes it. And I refuse to have an egg with it – it’s neither use nor ornament. Avocado without prawns and Marie Rose sauce (aka mayonnaise and ketchup) is a complete waste of time. I also hate poaching eggs, there’s always some new disaster associated with them. This week they seem to have welded themselves to the pan and ladle. (I thought I’d try containing them in the ladle again as it nearly worked last time.) It seems like a good idea but it hasn’t worked out either time I’ve tried it. However, at least it wasn’t as bad as the time before when I swirled the water etc.. That ended up looking like an explosion in an ectoplasm factory.

No photos of the avocado as it’s too sad to record. Have I really become the sort of man who eats avocado on toast? The photo of the sausage casserole could do with more sausage showing, as it just looks like bread and beans. I thought there was plenty of sausage to see, but in the camera they seem to have merged with the beans.

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39 thoughts on “Another New Recipe”

  1. Jessica Urquhart

    I like your humour, and I needed a laugh! The casserole looks like baked beans. I was actually expecting some new secret to amazing baked beans… Although I doubt my Southern style baked beans can get much better, but a gal can dream! 😆
    Never tried avocado on toast. I may have had a burger or sandwich at some point that was garnished with avocado, but that wouldn’t have been intentional. Guacamole is my thing… But whenever I make it, I tend to eat half the avocadoes before they make it into the bowl. FYI, all you need for a good, authentic Mexican guacamole are ripe avocados, salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, a squeeze of fresh lime juice (lemon will work in an emergency) and your done. But I also mix it up. Sometimes a bit of chipotle powder, sometimes a tablespoon of homemade salsa or Pico de galo. I don’t even need anything to eat it with, but I never leave it out of any Mexican dish I make! 😋

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    1. quercuscommunity Post author

      Sorry to raise your expectations. I think baked beans are very different things in USA and UK. Yours are a cherished family tradition, ours are orange and come out of a can. 🙂

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      1. Jessica Urquhart

        Haha! Oh, the Americans mostly do it out of a can these days too and it tastes like crap. Even the way I learned uses canned beans that are just improved with some added ingredients. I taught myself to make them from scratch, but in a pinch I still use baked beans from a jar, add in caramelized onions, molasses, spices and fried, chopped bacon.

      3. Jessica Urquhart

        A bit of bacon, onions and molasses does wonders! Add a bit of cinnamon and chipotle powder and it’s even better! The quick version is all I have time for normally. But next time I make it totally homemade, I’ll post the recipe and pictures on my blog. Maybe I can figure out how to tag you so you don’t miss it. 🤔

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      4. quercuscommunity Post author

        I was amazed when Number One Son came home at Christmas and ordered groceries by Deliveroo. Delivered within the hour. I was amazed, but not converted. 🙂

      6. quercuscommunity Post author

        Well, Julia calls him David but I find numbers are simpler. He can cook but it’s usually something healthy and I’m too old to change to healthy living now. 🙂

      8. quercuscommunity Post author

        I have thought about changing Number Two Son to Number Four Son, just to confuse people. Yes, you are right, my diet is far healthier now than it was a few years ago. I must try harder and stop eating things I actually enjoy! 🙂

      9. Cindy Georgakas

        Why not,.,. we’re all confused anyway! 🤣
        Hey, that’s a start. But what’s life without pleasure! but then a few less trips to the doctor so there’s that. ❤️

    1. quercuscommunity Post author

      Stews are good, as are Moroccan spices – it sounds good. We are having tuna steak tonight – just deciding on the accompaniment. I think it may be roast veg, as it’s cold and snowing outside.

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