Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Soaking my thighs in red wine

Tonight, two lads from church are coming for dinner. On a previous occasion I invited a young lad to come for lunch as I knew he'd been feeling a bit down and thought he might like some looking after and a chat. When I invited him, he was most suspicious: I am convinced he thought I was going to seduce him, like some Mrs Robinson. Since then I've been careful not to invite single lads on their own! (Although Younger Son was also at home on that occasion - as I reassured my guest.)

Anyway I'm cooking coq au vin. It's the same magazine recipe I used for New Year's eve. I think prior to that I'd only made it once in my married life and that was in the early years. Coq au vin was probably trendy then but nowadays is regarded much like one of those prawn cocktail or gammon and pineapple dishes which were the height of sophistication in pre-Delia-et-al days. But now coq au vin's very retro qualities are making it popular again.


Of course, it's basically chicken casserole. But very tasty chicken casserole. My thighs are currently marinating in a robust Cabernet Sauvignon and herb marinade, and later, while the casserole is cooking, I'll put some vegetables on to slow roast (for slowly roasted vegetables sound far more tempting than just roast veg).


And we're having sticky toffee pudding for, well, pudding. The recipe I use for that was given to me by Jack in the Green, a country pub restaurant near Exeter in Devon. If you are ever in the area, go there! They have the best food, better than anywhere else I've been for many many years. We've been there a few times and, each time, every course has been just perfect.


When I say they gave me the recipe it sounds as if the chef wrote it out personally but it was pre-printed, by popular demand, on one of their recipe cards. They have other recipes on their website as well.


Talking about coq au vin reminds me that currently I'm reading Nigel Slater's new book called ... um... something about eating in England. (It's upstairs or I'd tell you the exact title.) I really enjoyed his autobiography, Toast, but this book is a little disappointing. He covers hundreds of topics such as Marmite, Penguin bars and school lunches, but there's only a paragraph or two about each so the book is a little disjointed and unsatisfying.


However, if you're not deterred here's the Amazon link.
xx

12 comments:

Furtheron said...

So on reading the title of this post I had completely the wrong image. Then when I started reading and the scenes from the Graduate started going off in my head I had totally the wrong picture...

sticky toffee pudding - be away with you woman it's January I can't be hearing about sticky toffee pudding until at least April

Leslie: said...

Gosh when I read your title, I thought you might have a new method of softening your skin! lol I'm just going for brekkie and you're getting dinner ready - I'm SO hungry...gotta go get my cereal while I dream of coq au vin and toffee pudding all day long...hlrvup

Anonymous said...

Away with my sexual fantasies!
But at least the title got me reading a cookery article, something I thought I'd never do.

Yes, Slater's 'Cooking for England' is diappointing, and so, since friday will be Burns Nicht, I'll do you (ooh missus!) a 'Cooking for Scotland' then, OK ;-)

Ellee Seymour said...

I think I will cook this when my in-laws come over for dinner next, it makes a nice change from a traditional roast.

jmb said...

Sticky toffee pudding. Isn't it amazing how these old family everyday standbys have turned into yuppie restaurant food at great expense?

Anonymous said...

I also loved reading Toast but I know now to steer clear of the latest book. Shame.

mrsnesbitt said...

I too read Toast, one of my finds in the local charity shop.
yes, seemed to see you popping up everywhere yesterday, on ABC Wednesday. You asked about Skywatch Friday...well tomorrow a group of us all post sky pictures. This is organised by Dot, over in Georgia. She is on my blogroll, so do check it out tomorrow. Dot uses the Mr Linky system as I do, so if you go to Dot's blog tomorrow there will be a list of all contributors. The idea of Mr Linky is each week if anybody new wants to join in they can, or if something pops along and somebody can't post a picture they do not feel under any obligation.

Nice to meet you, waving from the North York Moors.

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Hi Liz, yes I wondered what the post was about!!!!!!! Thank goodness your younger son was home. :-)

I have enjoyed Nigel Slaters cookery books, not read Toast yet, might do now that it has been recommended.

Thanks for visiting me again.

Anonymous said...

How does one get an invitation to dinner at your house? I've just suffered a Heinz soup. Talk about tastebud trauma - yeuch!

BTW, you're right - it was a lovely day today. But as usual, whenever the sun shines, I usually have too much to do, and can't get out to enjoy it. How I miss Rhossili!

P.S. Hope you manage to get your camera sorted.

MaryB said...

Thighs soaking in red wine. Yum. I do love reading about food. And Romans 8:1. (And thanks for the book tip Toast.)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Great post title! I think coq au vin is always wonderful. I didn't enjoy "Toast " very much but usually like Nigel's recipes.

James Higham said...

I drink my red wine, Liz and have one here right now. I'll toast to your thighs and then I'll toast to you. The third toast will be to George.