Smoked salmon on wilted spinach

Mmm, fleshy! I found this on my camera but I can't remember where I ate it. It must have been in a restaurant because Marion doesn't like smoked salmon. Jeez, it's like when you walk upstairs to get something only to forget what it was when you get there... except worse.

Onion surprise

Iwas feeling a bit retro after listening to the new Knife album so I made stuffed onions which I suspect was a staple of veggie cookbooks of the 1970s.

Onion (UK)
Potatoes (UK)
Beetroot (UK)
Cheese (Ireland)
Breadcrumbs (UK)

Stuffed mushrooms

Mushrooms (UK)
Potatoes (UK)
Breadcrumbs (UK)
Emmental
Parsnips (UK)
Swede (UK)

Broccoli pasta

Purple sprouting broccoli (UK)
Pasta (Italy)
Parmesan (Italy)
Parsley (UK)
Olive oil

Fish, Fish and Fish with a side order of fishy tales

Went for a nice walk in Burton Wood on the Wirral and ate lots of fish in the Horse and Hounds in Barnston. Didn't actually get a picture of the food itself (which was potted shrimps and bread and butter followed by fish pie made with coley, prawns, salmon, leeks and potato) but they did have a great looking Beromat one armed bandit from (I'm guessing) the 1950s. I've no idea as to the origins of the food but I know the rather splendid Rhode Island Red bitter hadn't travelled far as it was made in next village along, Brimstage. Two old blokes in the bar were banging on about how the brewery was really ancient and originally run by trappist monks but a quick web search reveals that Brimstage Brewery was established earlier this year by 'real ale enthusiast' Neil Young. Brilliant!

As we all know Morris Dancing was actually made up by Estelle Morris in 2004 during her tenure as the head of the Department of Media, Culture and Sport.

Thai curry

Pak Choi
Onion (UK)
Shallots (UK)
Mushrooms
Pepper
Basil (Thailand)
Coconut milk
Basmati rice (Unknown)

This was the first time I've cooked with Thai Basil and it's amazing- really distinct and anaseedy.

Sunday Roast

Cashew nut roast (UK)
Parsnips (UK)
Onion gravy (UK)
Peas (Unknown)
Mashed swede (Netherlands)
Roast carrots (UK)
Potatoes (UK)

Ravioli, Peperonata and Chocolate Risotto

Home-made ravioli (unfortunatley not illustrated)
Smoked Lanchasire cheese
Oyster mushrooms
Onion (UK)
Parsley
Pasta flour
Egg
Smoked paprika
Butter

Peperonata with olive-grilled ciabatta

This was slow cooked on a really low heat for about an hour and a half which meant that you could really taste the half pint of olive oil that it was cooked in. The peppers were also super-silky and sweet. From the Paradiso cookbook (which is a veggie restaurant in Cork that we're planning on taking a trip to sometime later in the year).

Onion (UK)
Garlic
Olive Oil
Peppers (Spain)
Olives
Tomatoes
Chilli
Smoked olive tapenade (unknown origin)
Ciabatta rolls
Fresh basil (Thailand)
Parmesan (Italy of course)

Melting Chocolate Risotto

The ultimate in comfort food- 'nuff said.
Green & Blacks dark chocolate
Whole milk (UK)
Arborio rice (Italy)
Golden caster sugar
Cream (UK)

Roasted vegetables

New potatoes (Israel)
Courgette (Spain)
Aubergine (Bought loose - not sure of origin)
Tomatoes (Italy but packed in Dublin by the looks of it)
Parsley (Spain)
Shallots (UK)