Tag: Lamb


Nov
2023

The Moving Finger – Irish Stew

categories: Dining With The Dame, Lamb, Marple

Hello crime readers and food lovers!  This month our menu is a tribute to The Moving Finger, a 1942 novel by Agatha Christie featuring many people’s favourite amateur crime solver, Miss Jane Marple.  In contrast to the last few novels in which we have dined with the Dame, The Moving Finger is loaded with mentions of food including an Irish Stew.  My own opinions of stew match those of Megan Hunter (below) so when I made it, I thought that I would just have a taste and then the Fussiest Eater in the world could eat the rest.   This is exactly the type of food he loves.  My spoonful ended up being a whole bowl and  I would have had another for lunch the following day if the leftovers hadn’t been commandeered by someone else! So success all round.  I’ll definitely be making Irish Stew again.  

 

Irish Stew 1

The Moving Finger – The Plot

Jane Marple.  Look at her well.  I tell you, that woman knows more about the different kinds of human wickedness than anyone I’ve ever known.

Agatha Christie – The Moving Finger

Jerry Burton and his sister Joanna move to the “quiet” village of Lymstock so he can recover from injuries after a flying accident.  Shortly thereafter, they receive an anonymous letter accusing them of being lovers.  They burn the letter but soon learn that they are not the only people who are being targeted by the poison pen writer.  

Although offensive, the letters consist of wild speculation and don’t seem to target actual wrongdoing.  Then, one of the people from the village is found dead with a letter accusing her of adultery beside her.  

Irish Stew 2

We have:

  • The Police unable to solve the crimes
  • Another grisly murder where a housemaid is skewered to death.  Did she see something she shouldn’t have
  • A book found with pages ripped out – the source of the letters
  • Local citizens suspecting each other 

Good thing one of the villagers has the sense to call on her friend Jane Marple to set things right!

There are lots of things to love in The Moving Finger.  The details of village life and the characters who live in it are well-written.  My personal favourite is Mrs Dane Calthrop the Reverend’s wife.  She is an original thinker and the person to contact Miss Marple.  I love this response from her when asked if she has had a poison pen letter:

Oh yes, two, – no three.  I forget what they said.  Something very silly about Caleb and the schoolmistress, I think.  Quite absurd, because Caleb has absolutely no taste for fornication.  He never has had.  So lucky being a clergyman

What we might call today “too much information”.

I also very much liked Partridge, Jerry and Joanna’s cook who seems to be in a constant bad temper.  

There are also some things not to like.  There is a more than likely gay man in the village and a few homophobic comments made about him.  And there’s a weird romance going on between Jerry Burton and Megan Hunter.

Also, for a Marple novel, Miss Marple only enters on, in my edition, page 121 of a 160-page novel!  

Apart from these few niggles, I very much enjoyed this novel.  

The Moving Finger – The Covers

 

The Moving Finger Collage

I was delighted to find so many non-English covers for The Moving Finger – we have French, Spanish, German, Czech, Swedish and others I cannot identify.  My favourites are the German Die Scattenhand third row second left and the Swedish MordPer Korrespondens on the same row far right.  The English cover, bottom row, far left is terrifying!

The Recipe – Irish Stew

“Murder is a nasty business on an empty stomach.” 

Agatha Christie – The Moving Finger

For my Irish Stew I used the recipe on BBC Good Food by Bruno Desmazery. 

As mentioned, this was delicious and, despite my initial reluctance was something I would definitely make and eat again!  And, contrary to the quote from Megan Hunter below is not mostly potato and flavour.  Although, maybe in 1942 with wartime rationing it may well have been.  

I went round to apprise Partridge of the fact that there would be three to lunch.  I fancy that Partridge sniffed.  She certainly managed to convey without saying a word of any kind that she didn’t think much of that Miss Megan.  I went back to the verandah.  Ïs it quite alright?”asked Megan anxiously.  “Quite alright ” I said.” Ïrish Stew.”  “Oh well, that’s rather like dog’s dinner anyway isn’t it? I mean it’s mostly just potato and flavour””

Agatha Christie – The Moving Finger

Irish Stew 3

Links To The Christieverse

None that I could find

Other Food & Drinks Mentioned in The Moving Finger

December’s Read is Sparkling Cyanide. 

     

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May
2021

Lamb Rissoles with Mint Jelly

categories: Daily News, Lamb, Starters

Do you ever look at a recipe and think “That’s absolutely bonkers!  Why on earth would you do that?”  It happened to me with a recipe from the Daily News Cook Book for Jellied Lamb Rissoles.  The idea behind the original was to crumb and fry some spicy lamb meatballs, then dip said fried meatballs in mint jelly and allow the jelly to set around the meatball.  I think we can all agree that the recipe is very set in its time – ie when coating all sorts of things in aspic or jelly was the height of fashion.

Lamb Rissoles with Mint Jelly

HowEVER….the recipe asks you to go to the bother of crumbing and frying meatballs, which is one of my least favourite kitchen tasks. Admittedly,  it is worth all the pfaffing about if you get a lovely crispy crumb coating on your meatballs.  But then you have to dip that delightful crumb crust into a liquid jelly and let it sit in said liquid jelly until the jelly sets.  Now, I could be totally wrong but to my mind, that would make the crumb crust into a soggy mess.

No thank you Daily News.

Lamb Rissoles with Mint Jelly2

However once the idea of lamb rissoles with mint jelly takes hold, it is very hard to dislodge the idea.  Plus the idea of rissoles reminded me of one of my favourite scenes from The Castle:

If you have not seen this film, you really need to. It is such a delight.  Make these rissoles, grab a cold beer and watch The Castle immediately!

So, for anyone who wants to try out the original recipe here it is.  Please let me know how it does turn out.   I am very happy to be proved wrong if anyone is willing to take the risk of a soggy crust on my behalf!

Jellied Lamb Rissoles

 

The Revamped Lamb Rissole with Mint Jelly

A little note here. You can go a little wild with the chilli in these as the mint jelly will provide some cooling relief…see, I am willing to take a few risks after all!!  If you cannot get hold of lamb, beef or pork would work here although lamb and mint is a delightful classic combo!

Print

Lamb Rissoles with Mint Jelly

Lamb Rissoles with Mint Jelly2
Print Recipe

A SriLankan-inspired appetiser adapted from the classic “Daily News Cookery Book”.  The kick of heat in the rissoles will be offset by the calming cool of the mint jelly so feel free to increase the amount of chilli you would normally use.

  • Author: Taryn Nicole
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 25 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Rissoles:

500g minced lamb

I onion finely chopped

1–2  green chilli, finely chopped (depending on the heat of the chillies and your tolerance)

1 tsp mixed spice

2 slices white bread, crusts removed

1 beaten egg

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper

For the Crumb:

Breadcrumbs – around 1 cup

1 beaten egg

Oil for frying – traditionally this would have been fried in dripping but I prefer to use canola oil.

To Serve

Mint Jelly

Coriander leaves (optional)

Chilli slices (optional

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs together and shape into 25 meatballs.

Place the beaten egg into a bowl and the breadcrumbs on a plate.

Dip the meatballs in the egg then roll in the crumbs.

Place in the fridge to set for around 30 minutes.

Heat the oil.  I used a wok but any deep sided pan or a deep fryer would work.  Fry the meatballs in batches until golden brown (around 5-7 minutes).

Check a meatball to ensure it is cooked through.  If not, you can pop them into the oven for around 5-10 minutes at 180C until they are.

Serve while still hot with a scattering of coriander and chill if liked and some mint jelly as a colling dip on the side.

Enjoy!

 

 

On a personal note, I have not posted for a while – I went on a little holiday, then had a sick dog, then I got sick so it’s been a busy few weeks! Hopefully I am back on track now though and looking forward to getting back into the groove of blogging.
OH, and I just realised today this blog turns 8 years old!

Well, I am off to celebrate, have a wonderful week!Signature2


Nov
2020

Castilian Leg of Lamb- Dining with The Dame 7

categories: Dining With The Dame, Lamb, Poirot

Hello crime readers and food lovers!  Today we are dining on a Castilian leg of lamb as we uncover the evil machinations of a shady group of evildoers known as The Big Four.  This is certainly not my favourite of the books I have read so far as the plot seemed a little silly in parts.  However one of the early stories significantly involves a leg of lamb This  seemed like a great excuse for a roast dinner and the meal did not disappoint!

Castilian Leg of Lamb1

The Big Four- The Plot

This novel pits Hercule Poirot against four evil genius’ bent on world domination – they are an American – the richest man in the world, a female French scientist, the Chinese leader of the group – a criminal genius and “the Destroyer”  the group’s assassin who is also a master of disguise and (wait for it) a British actor.

We have:

  •  Sinister cabals
  • Poisoned curries
  • Poisoned grandmasters
  • Hijinks on trains
  • Stolen radium
  • Secret lairs under mountains
  • Twin brothers
  • Telltale tics
  • And, course Hercule Poirot (or is it twin brother Achilles?) using his little grey cells to thwart the villains and their evil plans.

 

Castilian Leg of Lamb2

The Covers

Given that we are talking about the Big Four – I’m showing four covers today.  The third from the left is the one I read but I am rather taken by all the others.

The Recipe – Castilian Leg of Lamb

The recipe comes from the wonderful Keith Floyd and his journey through Spain – not in the search of arch criminals but in search of some damn fine nosh!

You can find the recipe here.  You can also watch the entire series of Keith Floyd’s adventures in Spain on YouTube.  Floyd is so engaging it is well worth investing the time.

 

Castilian Lamb 4

In his hand he was brandishing a leg of mutton!  “My dear Poirot!” I cried “What is the matter?  Have you suddenly gone mad?”

“Regard, I pray you , this mutton.  But regard it closely!”

I regarded it as closely as I could but could see nothing unusual about it.  It seemed to me to be a very ordinary leg of mutton.”

Agatha Christie, The Big Four

Other Food Mentioned in The Big Four

Have a wonderful week! Next book in the list is The Mystery of the Blue Train from 1928.

 

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May
2020

Individual Shepherd’s Pie

categories: Comfort Food, England, Lamb, Pie

Maybe it is the whole Covid thing or maybe it is just because it is getting colder here but I have been craving comfort food like nobody’s business.  My particular drug of choice has been potatoes.  I love them at the best of times but nowadays?  I have eaten them pretty much every day since lockdown.  And one of the best comfort foods around that has been feeding my potato addiction is Shepherd’s Pie!

Shepherd's Pie2

Normally when we make Shepherd’s Pie, it is the job of the Fussiest Eater in the World. He can’t cook much all that well but he knows how to do good British stodge to perfection.  And his Shepherd’s Pie is great.

But wait…I am probably making some assumptions here.  So let’s start with…

WHAT ON EARTH IS SHEPHERD’S PIE?

Shepherd’s Pie is a dish made of cooked lamb topped with mashed potato.  The same dish made with beef is called Cottage Pie or Hachis Parmentier if you want to be French and fancy.  Which usually is my default mode (wound up to eleven)  but today I am using lamb so common or garden Shepherd’s Pie it is!

Traditionally, this was made with the leftover lamb from a Sunday roast.  We usually use bought minced lamb for our Shepherd’s Pie but this time round, I wanted to, what they would call on the cooking shows, ELEVATE the dish, so I used some diced lamb.

Shepherd's Pie3

 A DIGRESSION ON WORKING FROM HOME

I was very pleased to read Yinzerella’s post the other day on the pleasures of lockdown.  I too am enjoying many of the aspects of being at home 24/7.  For instance I have

  • More time to spend with Oscar and Holly.
  • More time to read, to craft, to study, to do yoga and to blog!
  • Started to declutter and organise my life
  • Massively reduced my carbon footprint  The last time I filled my car with petrol was in March!  We got solar earlier this year so even though I am using more electricity by being at home, it is being paid for by the power we are generating.
  • Invented a push-up challenge and am doing a Buzzfeed core challenge.
  • More time to cook. 4-hour slow-cooked lamb on a Tuesday night?  Not a problem. Grapefruit brulee for breakfast?  You betcha!
  • Totally embraced my basic B instincts!  These faux fir booties?  I know,  so chav,  but wearing them made my feet warn for the first time in DAYS!!!!  I may never take them off!

Shepherd's Pie6

Anyway, back to the Shepherd’s Pies.  I slow-cooked that lamb for four hours with red wine and herbs and garlic and tomatoes until it was melt in your mouth tender.

Then I made mashed potato with heaps of butter and milk to top it, and then topped that with a heap of grated cheese!

Shepherd's Pie4

This was so good.  Tender lamb, cheesy mashed potato…what else can I say except if you are craving a cuddle in the form of food, make this straight away!!!  Of course, you can use this mix to make one large pie but I love small food so individual serves it was – one for each of us and one for lunch the following day!  This reheats beautifully so you can make a few extra to warm up for additional meals.

I cut the recipe in half for these pies because I only had 500g of lamb but the full recipe will make one large or 6 small pies (depending of course on the size of your small pie dishes).

The Recipe

Print

Individual Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's Pie2
Print Recipe

This hearty British dish combines slow-cooked lamb and cheesy mashed potatoes to make the most comforting of comfort foods

Ingredients

  • 60ml olive oil
  • 1kg diced lamb
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 40g plain flour
  • 250ml  beef stock (more if cooking for a long period of time)
  • 200 ml red wine (I used a cabernet merlot)
  • 145g tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 kg potatoes peeled and halved
  • 50g butter
  • 175ml milk
  • 180g Cheddar cheese, grated
    Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add half the lamb and cook, turning as required until browned on all sides.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with another tbsp of oil and the remaining lamb.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring to ensure that the garlic does not burn.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook, stirring,  for 1 minute.

Gradually add the stock to the pan followed by the wine, stirring to remove any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add the lamb, tomato paste, Worchestershire sauce, rosemary and bay leaves.  Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for between one to four hours – you may need to add more stock or wine if you are cooking for longer than an hour.

While the lamb is cooking, boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes or until tender.  Then drain and return to the pan.  Add the butter and milk and mash until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the office to 200C.

Once the lamb is cooked, measure it out into 6 small (1 cup capacity) ovenproof dishes.  Top with the mashed potato and then with the grated cheese.

Cook in the pre-heated oven until the cheese is golden brown and melted – around 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Shepherd's Pie5

What is your go-to comfort food?  I hope you get to have some this week! My next post  will also be comfort food but of the cake variety,,,,

Have a good one and stay safe!

 


Mar
2019

Shish Kebabs

categories: 1970's recipes, Good Housekeeping World Cookery, Turkey, World Cooking

So as luck would have it, the week I wanted to write about the Turkish meal of Shish kebabs, there has been a diplomatic incident between Australia and Turkey.  But this blog is not afraid to tackle contentious issues.  Actually, no, scratch that, this blog doesn’t want to have anything to do with this debacle.  To be frank, both sides of this spat are terrifying and we here at RFFMT are cowards peace lovers who just want to eat some meat on a stick.  

Or, to be etymologically exact roasted meat (kebap) on a sword (sis). 

Or to be even more precise, delicious roasted meat on a sword.

The recipe for these Shish Kebabs came to you direct from 1972 via Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery.  As usual, the introduction to each chapter comes with a gorgeous drawing of representing the food of the region:

Turkey2

 

Each chapter also has an overview of the food of the region.  Some “facts” I learned about the food of Turkey:

  • The Turks have more than forty ways of cooking eggplant

  • People in Istanbul, choose their drinking water with as much care as people in France choose wine.

  • Peaches and apples are ordered by name for those from different areas have a different flavour and fragrance

  • A formal dinner can start with as many as thirty or forty appetisers


The shish kebabs are simple to make, look really pretty with all the colours of the vegetables and taste delicious!

A little drizzle of pomegranate molasses over the top sets these off to perfection.

These shish kebabs are also a tasty lunch treat!  

Shish Kebab3

Have a great week. And be kind to each other!