Tuesday is a day with not much going on, although in fact I had to
go to the clinic for blood work for my diabetes. Other than that, nothing. So, in the afternoon I decided to make sauces. I ended up making Bolognese sauce, tomato sauce and cheese sauce. For supper we had tomato sauce over tagliatelle. Every time I make a white sauce (the basis of my cheese sauce) I think how glad I am my mother taught me (over the phone because I lived in London) how to make it. A lot of people make a white sauce with milk and corn starch, but it doesn't have that delicious flavour which a properly made white sauce has when you start with melted butter, and add flour heating it to a nutty roux so the flour is cooked. You then remove it from the heat and add milk in very small amounts mixing it into the roux carefully so it doesn't lump. Once you have added all the milk, you return it to the heat and heat it stirring until it is thick enough to coat the spoon. Then you can add cheese or whatever else you wish to use it for. Even use it on it's own. Of course you have to add seasoning as required too. I know it's a lot of work, but well worth the effort. It also freezes well so you can make it in advance as I did. A roux can be used as a basis for many sauces, in some cases you brown it in the pan until it is very dark, others pale yellow as above. Many cooks now do the mixing with a whisk, but I prefer the old fashioned method.
A while ago I ordered the Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which arrived on Tuesday. Wednesday night we played it. Matt didn't enjoy the first one but I did. A lot of people didn't enjoy it which surprises me but then it is very English even though it takes place in India. Judy Dench and Maggie Smith are two of my favourites and this time Richard Gere is in the movie. Considering it is all about retired English people, not sure what an American is doing in the movie, but as I am going to be watching it very shortly, I guess I will find out. Later: I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Lots of fun with a wedding going on too. Judi Dench and Maggie Smith were both brilliant. As were all the other characters. They did a good job in the first movie and continued to do so in the second. Much to my surprised Matt sat right through it, but because he didn't know the characters which we met in the first movie, he found it very confusing. Not really surprising. A friend in England told me they didn't think this was as good as the first one, I am not so sure I agree. Equally as good if not better.
A lot of people in North America apparently don't like lamb. We certainly do.and when I saw this recipe, I thought I would share it. It's certainly a very simple recipe and should taste delicious.
Chef April Bloomfield’s trick for juicy lamb chops is to pound them so thin they cook in a flash, which keeps them moist on the grill.
Have a great day
go to the clinic for blood work for my diabetes. Other than that, nothing. So, in the afternoon I decided to make sauces. I ended up making Bolognese sauce, tomato sauce and cheese sauce. For supper we had tomato sauce over tagliatelle. Every time I make a white sauce (the basis of my cheese sauce) I think how glad I am my mother taught me (over the phone because I lived in London) how to make it. A lot of people make a white sauce with milk and corn starch, but it doesn't have that delicious flavour which a properly made white sauce has when you start with melted butter, and add flour heating it to a nutty roux so the flour is cooked. You then remove it from the heat and add milk in very small amounts mixing it into the roux carefully so it doesn't lump. Once you have added all the milk, you return it to the heat and heat it stirring until it is thick enough to coat the spoon. Then you can add cheese or whatever else you wish to use it for. Even use it on it's own. Of course you have to add seasoning as required too. I know it's a lot of work, but well worth the effort. It also freezes well so you can make it in advance as I did. A roux can be used as a basis for many sauces, in some cases you brown it in the pan until it is very dark, others pale yellow as above. Many cooks now do the mixing with a whisk, but I prefer the old fashioned method.
A lot of people in North America apparently don't like lamb. We certainly do.and when I saw this recipe, I thought I would share it. It's certainly a very simple recipe and should taste delicious.
Thin Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon
- SERVINGS: 4 to 6
Chef April Bloomfield’s trick for juicy lamb chops is to pound them so thin they cook in a flash, which keeps them moist on the grill.Ingredients
- 12 lamb rib chops (2 1/4 pounds), frenched (have your butcher do this)
- Salt
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- On a work surface, wrap each lamb chop in 3 layers of plastic. Using a meat mallet or small saucepan, pound each chop to a 1/2-inch thickness.
- Light a grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat. Season the lamb chops all over with salt. Grill over high heat until nicely charred on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip the chops and cook until medium rare within, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and serve with lemon wedges.
Have a great day
Such a simple recipe. I shall be trying this for sure.
ReplyDeleteIt is simple isn't it Soumya?
DeleteYou're right Jo. You have to slightly cook that flour in the butter first. Just made it tonight for my cream cheese cauliflower. Yum. And I adore the Marigold Hotel films. Love the dancing in the second one. Lamb. Yum too. :-)
ReplyDeleteHow funny, that's what we had for supper too Denise. I loved the second movie and yes, the dancing was great. One heck of a wedding. We love lamb but so many people don't here.
DeleteMy Mamam taught me though we call it, round tosh. Similar idea though no butter, still, heavenly and easy to make.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you make Ivy if it doesn't have butter?
DeleteI use coconut oil. But I also use olive oil. And then at times, my own chicken lard that I ever so carefully render down. Butter, I have used, and it can be delish, but I don't bake ir cook with butter due to allergies.
DeleteMamam though, used oil or her own homemade lard.
Then what? I assume no milk so what do you use Ivy?
DeleteI learned from Mamam, she hated cow milk as much as I do. She used water or stock.
DeleteEven before the allergy issues, I never kept or drank cow milk.
I love cow milk Ivy. Luckily I have never had to do without it either.
DeleteA couple of my soup recipes call for the flour/butter thing. So does my mac & cheese recipe. I think it comes out better that way!
ReplyDeleteSo do I JoJo but people do take short cuts mixing cornstarch and milk. Spoils the taste of the final sauce.
DeleteI like lamb, I just haven't had good luck cooking it; might try this recipe though. I don't think I have ever ran across someone that made their own sauces :) We tend to be "lazy" and buy them at the store.
ReplyDeletebetty
Well it's easy enough to do that way Betty. Such pre-made sauce as I have tried, have been pretty good.
DeleteThe most interesting thing I've made lately is peanut butter fudge.
ReplyDeleteI assume you've sent me a care parcel Melissa.
DeleteOK I am salivating at that rich sauce on the right. My mom only showed me once how to make a nice sauce and she used butter flour and milk-no cornstarch. She is German but I think these are the great old recipes that move across borders. Soon after, her dementia kicked in and she could no longer remember. She made a great hollandaise sauce which I love! I almost rent the 2nd Marigold Hotel tonight but I didn't. We own the first one and my hubby and I both love it. I love Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. Do you ever watch "As Time Goes By" with Judi Dench? It is a British TV show and I love it!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Germans would also make a proper white sauce Birgit. Hollandaise is a wonderful sauce isn't it?
DeleteDo rent it, I enjoyed it. I think we have watched every episode of As Time Goes By several times. Used to watch it all the time when we lived in the States. I have some of the episodes on DVD including some on UK only DVDs which I could play on my PC but now thanks to updates, etc. etc. I can't any more. Grrr.
I saw the first Marigold movie and liked it. I cried at it so it must have been alright. I don't mind Mr Gere so I'll definitely watch the next one.
ReplyDeleteCried? When the judge died? I definitely enjoyed the second one. Gere of course, I should change that. He fitted in to the movie OK.
DeleteMy mother was hopeless at making white sauce - she always used cornflour and, you're right, it doesn't have the same favour - so I learned how to make it from books. I mostly do it in a similar way to you but my measurements are very much a bit of butter and a bit of flour and enough milk to make the right consistency so I often find myself adding more milk at the end. It still works. I didn't know you could freeze it though.
ReplyDeleteI don't measure at all Helen, not for a white sauce. I usually make enough cheese sauce for two meals and freeze part of it.
Delete