Why pay restaurant prices?
I had a conversation with some work colleagues recently about the seemingly exorbitant prices charged in local restaurants for perfectly ordinary dishes. Ordinary to those of us who cook, of course. We discovered, on asking around that there are those who are not interested in cooking, don't know their roux from their roulade, and are therefore prepared to shell out quantities of hard earned dosh rather than have a bash themselves.
I'm not knocking this philosophy. I will pay for a decently cooked Chinese meal because I cannot, and I've tried, believe me, reproduce the same excellent cuisine at home. I've been known to pay for a restaurant curry when I can't be bothered to take the trouble to muck about with spices and marinades. It's a matter of each to their own. However, I digress. At work we have formed a couple of cliques - cooks and non-cooks. Those of us who do, cook and invite. Those of us who don't, eat and bring wine, chocolate and compliments. It works very well.
A few weeks ago, we were invited to the home of Mike Sully, sales manager and cook of some repute. He had surpassed himself on this occasion for no special reason other than he was 'in the mood.' Do we all know what he means by that? It can't just be me - and a handful of friends - who, having cooked a preconceived dish look round store cupboards and raid the freezer for possible ingredients because we have become inspired to carry on cooking.
Mike's banquet, for such this magnificent repast turned out to be, took him all day to prepare, with the valued assistance of wife, Barbara, and daughter Michelle - who made the chocolate torte, but we - who ate it - have to tell him that his time was well spent. I asked Mike to write out the lamb recipe for me, which he obligingly did, and I've reproduced it for you below - after a couple of corrections; Mike can't spell but who needs him to when he can cook like an angel!
Firstly, you must have the starter recipes both of which were equally as stunning as the lamb. All these recipes fed eight people who hadn't allowed a morsel to pass their lips, for several days, in anticipation of Mike's generous portions.
I like Mike a lot. He gives recipes in avoirdupois instead of all that metric malarkey that I can't understand. (For those to whom avoirdupois is double dutch, see our Conversion Table.)
French Onion Soup
Sully Mussels
Morrocan Lamb with a Jardiniere of Roasted Vegetables
This melts in the mouth, trust me and try it!
(Ed: Also, there is our BBQ Morrocan Lamb recipe, for those trying this when the weather is half decent!)
If you've got any room left there's more!
Spiced Pears in Red Wine
(Ed: Again, we offer our alternative recipe, Spicy Poached Pears with Sorbet and Blackberries . Hope you don't mind, Rosie?)
Chocolate Torte
Force some of this down even if you're stuffed. It's amazing.
This little lot could have cost about £300 in a decent restaurant - for eight people, don't forget. Mike reckons he did it for fifty - not counting the wine which he already had.
Is it worth all the hassle. YES!
© 2002, Rosie Barham.