What are you making for dinner?

Florenceem

Chicken dinner + blackberry crumble + cherry crumble - oven was full.

C_J

it's @C_J who has made me drool. That tray bake pavlova sounds absolutely delicious - any chance of a photo and/or a recipe please?

Hi goldfinches - thank you for the compliment! Unfortunately I didn’t take a photo before cutting into it, but the recipe was very straightforward (I didn’t actually follow a standard recipe, I just sort of winged it, as follows):

To make the meringue, I covered a Swiss roll tin with baking parchment and put the oven on to heat to 100 degrees. I then separated 8 eggs and whipped the whites in the mixer until they were starting to get firm, then gradually added 250g caster sugar beating well between each addition until the meringue was glossy and the consistency of thick cream. I then added a teaspoon of white wine vinegar and about a dessert spoon of cornflour. Gave it one final mix and spooned it out onto the baking parchment, giving it lots of swirls and peaks. Into the cool oven for two hours, until it was just starting to turn pale golden, and the top felt slightly crispy when touched. I then turned off the oven and left the pavlova base in there to cool down (about two more hours).

Whip up a pot of double cream until firm, and spread over the pavlova base.

Peel a few mandarins and slice the fruit into thin rounds. I poached these gently for about 15 mins in half a mug of sugar and a mug of water, then removed them with a slotted spoon and left them to cool. I boiled the sugared water until it reduced and started to turn lightly caramel coloured, then added a slug of dark rum (careful, it splutters a bit and you need to mix it well to stop it seizing up).

Put the poached mandarins on top of the cream, and when the caramel has cooled down (but before it solidifies), drizzle it over the fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Mister C J announced it was ‘outstanding’ so it’s definitely something I will make again. It sounds a bit of a faff, but it was really very easy!


ETA: You could probably make the topping more simply by using drained tinned mandarin segments, but the rum caramel drizzle is definitely worth doing.

happydenial

goldfinches - that gingerbread look amazing 😋 The pear cake has long since disappeared over here, I’m debating what to make next!

Tonight we’re having a use-it-all-up veggie curry (peppers, mushrooms, green beans, chickpeas and a few rogue baby potatoes) with rice and naan bread. I made it earlier as DH has a conference call 5-6:30pm and youngest has Cubs zoom from 6-7 so can be reheated as and when. 

JIL

Sausage  mash and onion gravy here. With cabbage and tinned marrow fat peas.

rachsecret

Oh my goodness! you guys have got my stomach rumbling away here with those lovely meals and photos!
@goldfinches love the look of that gingerbread. looks really sticky and gorgeous
@C_J pavlova sounds beautiful, especially the mandarins in caramel! 
@Florenceem crumble looks lovely-did you use canned or frozen cherries? looks lovely.
I'm having lasagne which in the oven now followed by one of the apple puddings I made yesterday. 

Florenceem

rachsecret - the cherries and blackberries had been lurking in the freezer for ages - always trying to make space in there.

arielgirl

Chilli and rice. I'm doing my chilli with no bull mince from Iceland. OH I've ''minced'' up a couple of cooked pork chops. (I didn't want to open a whole packet of mince for one person) for the meat in his chilli and added a little bit of no bull mince to see if he likes it. I'm not veggie, just thought it would be nice to try and see what it's like. 

kerri_gt

Well I had planned to have casserole with some LO veg from the roast yesterday....apparently it was chilli instead 🤦‍♀️ so hastily whipped up some mash with grated cheese over it. Guess it will be casserole tomorrow night then...or not judging by tonight's episode 

arielgirl

Trout from frozen, croquette potatoes and selection of veg.
 

rachsecret

Lamb, spiced red cabbage, celeriac puree, broccoli and french beans