Plans for today

Today is a good day to buy and cook a chicken to the next book recipe (poulet poche). And to attempt an rotw (lemon meringue pie) at the same time. And maybe consider buying a straightjacket in advance.

I was so out-of-sorts that Hwsgo cooked the chicken instead and we missed the lemon meringue completely. He was ever so sweet, and re-did Simon's roast chicken recipe for us; we bought a big bird (2.4kg, the smallest they had) at Allen Martin Meats; it was a good bird, but I think a little too large for the recipe; we got good firm flesh, but not quite as infused with lemon and herbs as the earlier one had been. The really really good thing was the banana shallots that Hwsgo packed around the baking tray (with roast potatoes; also good, but not as spectacular); they picked up the butter sauce, and caramelised into melt-in-the-mouth sweetness. We also finally found a use for the comedy turkey baster that's been sat in my kitchen drawer for the past year: it really does work, and it saves an awful lot of fishing around in the baking tray with a spoon.

Old ROTW: Carrot Cake

ROTW from 5th November 2007

Beat 4 egg yolks, 200g brown sugar and the rind of an unwaxed lemon together. Mix in 250g finely chopped carrots, the juice of the lemon, 200g of coarsely chopped walnuts, and 2 tablespoons of self-raising flour. Beat 6 egg whites firmly until very stiff. Put the whites into your cake tin and fold in the mixture. Bake at 180 for 45 minutes in an 8 inch tin.

For the icing, beat 125g icing sugar into 250g young goat's cheese (philadelphia will do if you can't find a good young cheese), then add the juice and rind of another lemon.

We made this with Slipcote cheese, and it was absolutely delicious.

Old ROTW: Cheescake

ROTW from 18th September 2007

Base:
60g unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
125g digestive biscuits

Filling:
250g Ricotta cheese
250g Fresh young goat's cheese
250ml soured cream
100g caster sugar
2 large free range eggs
2 large or 3 medium unwaxed lemons

Fresh raspberries to decorate or on the side

Preheat the oven to 160C
Grease a 22cm rubber dish. Diameter is not crucial.
Melt the butter on a low heat or blat in the microwave.
Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin. Add the melted butter and mix well. Tip into your dish and push down flat. Put in the fridge to chill while you do the next pit.

Put the ricotta and cream in a large bowl. Cut the cheese into small cubes and add. Crack the egg yolks into the bowl and mix well then add the sugar and whisk together. Keep the whites separate.

Grate the lemons and add the zest to cheese/egg mixture. Squeeze the juice into the mixture and mix well.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the mixture and add the lot to the base.

Bake for an hour then turn off the oven without opening the door and leave to cool. After another hour you can remove it.

Serve with fresh berries.