Poutine

Another one of those things I wanted to try but never would unless I made it!
It's really just putting things together, well it was in this house anyway.
Poutine is a Canadian dish
You can't buy the cheese curds here, so I tried three different types, drained cottage cheese, chopped, drained mozzerella and halloumi.  The halloumi is what I most imagine the real thing to be like, but of course I can't know that.
I used chips I bought from the takeaway round the corner, and bisto chicken gravy.
I liked it, it was different but good, Niamh was not convinced, so I ate hers too!

Chinese braised oxtail

I'd tried oxtail only once before, a few months ago and absolutely loved it, it's so rich and meltingly tender.
It really does need long slow cooking.
I googled for something different to try with it and came up with this chinese recipe.

Despite the name of the dish, I actually left out the star anise, as Niamh doesn't like the flavour, and I served it with steamed brocolli drizzled with chilli oil and some plain thin wheat noodles.

This is so highly flavoured, just wonderful.  I have frozen some for another time.

Tatsutage Fried Chicken

I've finally recovered from the horrific nightmare that was moving house on January 3rd.
My blog has been neglected, as was cooking for the first month as I had no cooker, lots of takeaways ensued, but now I have a shiny purple cooker, it's almost Easter and I'm feeling much better.

What better way to get back into blogging with our favourite fried chicken.
I bought the ingredients for this from The Japan Centre ages ago.

This has to marinate overnight, but is straightforward and the mayo is just mixing a couple of things togather.

I served this with a salad of cherry tomatoes, beansprouts and little gem lettuce, dressed with soy, lime juice and sweet chilli sauce.

I probably don't need to tell you that we loved, loved, loved it!
Fried Chicken

Okonomiyaki

I've just realised, this will two pancake posts in a row.
Not intentional, honest!
This is another one of those things I heard of, but never seen or tried and knew I never would whilst living here, so I had to make it.
I ordered the kit online, from  The Japan Centre.
These were actually really easy to make, different, but delicious.  I left out the bacon.  You really should try them.
Okonomiyaki

Spring onion pancakes

Someone gave me the link to these a few months ago, and I made them then and then forgot all about them.
I wanted something to serve along sweet and sour chicken and remembered these.
They are very easy to make, and delicious.
Apologies for the plastic Disney plate, no idea why I used that!
Recipe

French onion soup

I really wanted some le Creuset bean pots, to use for French onion soup, and luck would have it, Baz bought me some for my birthday, along with a salt pig.

Thank you Baz.  I'm sure he only buys me cookware so I'll feed him when he stays, but I'm not complaining!

This meant the soup was on the menu.
I used good old Queen Delia's recipe

OMG, this is utterly divine, why have I never made this before?

Leftover sandwiches

These are what we made with our Thanksgiving leftovers and I put a moistmaker in the middle! This is a slice of gravy soaked bread for anyone who doesn't watch friends.
Niamh and I then boomed out my sandwich, MY SANDWICH, and hooted with laughter.
Much fun.