Tonight's Menu - Aloha from Hawaii

Starter

Smokey Hawaiian Ahi Salad

Main

Big Island Hawaiian Chicken with Halau Noodle

Dessert

Almond Float

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Started off the Hawaiian menu with Ahi salad. The ingredients included fish, raisins and pineapple on a lettuce leaf and two minature cheese crackers

The main course was the chicken breast with cajun seasoning accompanied with a thick horseradish and orange sauce. The flavours were very unusual, quite bitter but fruity

As well as the horseradish and orange sauce, there was also a shallot compote which was sweet compared to the bitterness of the other sauce

The Walau Noodle was made with Char Sui pork, beansprouts, celery, snow peas, green beans and mushrooms. It went really well with the Big Island Hawaiian Chicken

The main courses and sauces together

The dessert was light and and really tasty. The Almond Float itself was made with milk, almond oil and gelatine. This was served with cherries, papaya and lychees.

The verdict from around the table

A big Hawaiian seven thumbs up!

Tonight's Menu - Blueberry Burst Gateau

Starter

Seared Scallops with Leeks & Lemon Chilli Butter

Main

Spicy Creole Fish

Dessert

Blueberry Burst Gateau

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We started off with Seared Scallops, tagliatelle leek and home made lemon chilli butter

The main dish was Spicy Creole Fish made with Yellow Fin tuna. It was marinaded overnight cooked with green and red peppers

Spicy Creole Fish with the side dish which was rice

For dessert, I made individual Blueberry Burst Gateau (ingredients included lemon zest and toased almonds) served along side home made blueberry coulis and finished off with frosted blueberries

The verdict:

Seven happy full bellies. Success!

Tonight's Menu - Railway Man's Tucker

Starter

Stuffed Mushrooms with Herbs

Main

Railway Pork and Vegetables

Side Dishes

Garlic and Chilli Flavoured Potatoes with Cauliflower

Dessert

Flakey Pear Tartlet

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Damian made the dishes this evening. I had the day off!

The mushrooms were grilled and stuffed with more mushrooms, chopped walnuts and herbs, topped with Parmesan cheese

Railway Pork and Vegetables is a popular dish with travellers on many of India's vibrant railways. The dish provides the traveller with a hearty meal of both meat and vegetables. Ingredients include ginger, chilli and potatoes
Damian works on the railway so a natural main for him to cook!

  

The side dish of garlic and chilli flavoured potatoes with cauliflower is a dry curry and which complimented the Railway Pork and Vegetables dish nicely

Both main and side together with rice

To finish off the evening meal, we had Flaky Pear Tartlet made with double cream and drizzled with home made caramel sauce

The verdict for tonight's dishes:

Thumbs up all round. Well done Damian!









Tonight's Menu - Watercress Custard

Starter

Watercress Custard with Roast Red Pepper Sauce

Main

Lamb in Satay Sauce

Side Dishes

Stir Fried Tahu
 Dessert

Cassata Gelato

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It doesn't sound very appetizing but this is a lovely light starter. The Watercress Custard is served with sauce made from roasted red peppers

Main dish was Lamb in Satay Sauce. This was made with coconut milk, chillies, cumin, coriander and of course, peanuts

The side dish is made from tofu. The tofu was cooked with spring onion, red peppers, caramelised onions, garlic, ginger. soy sauce and orange zest

 

 

Lamb and Satay Sauce with Stir Fried Tahu and boiled rice together

 

The dessert was a Sicilian recipe. Cassata Gelato is an ice cream dessert made with homemade raspberry puree, egg yolk, double cream.

Cutting into the gelato reveals a creamy inside that has apricots, pineapple, cherries and pistachios

A slice of the gelato shows the fruits and pistachio

Tonight's verdict from the panel:

Seven thumbs up! I'll need a bigger bowl to make a big Cassata Gelato...



Tonight's Menu - Frolicking in the Fjords

Starter

Stjerneskud

Main

Kalakasvisvuoka

Side Dishes

Potatis Och Ansjovis Gryta

Dessert

Rompudding

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The Starter! This is a Danish open sandwich with fillet of plaice and homemade dressing, butter fried wholemeal bread, salad leaves, poached haddock in white wine with homemade Hollandaise sauce, asparagus, dill, cucumber, smoked salmon cones filled with caviar, prawns garnished with a fan tomato and a slice of lemon

Main dish from Finland. This is cod with vegetables (carrots, celery, onions), thyme, parsley, sage and paprika baked in the oven

Our side dish from Sweden is a potato and anchovy casserole with sliced baking potatoes, onions and anchovy layers covered in double cream and Jarlsburg cheese

Kalakasvisvuoka and Potatis Och Ansjovis Gryta together

A delicious Norwegian dessert. This is rum pudding with whipping cream, egg yolks, milk, sugar and rum. Served with home made raspberry couli

This weeks Scandinavian food adventure was fun to create. Did the family think it frolicked in the Fjords of failure?

Seven big thumbs up. Full house on the empty plates!

Tonight's Menu - Spanish Tapas

Starter

Leek Pancakes with Watercress and Anchovy Sauce

Main

Paella

Side Dishes

Tapas

Chorizo and Cheese Tortilla
Tiny Meatballs with Tomato Salsa
Traditional Catalan Salt Cod Salad
Tuna Rolls
Feisty Potatoes with Chilli Oil and Aioli

Dessert

Creamy Chocolate and Lemon Grass Mousse

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A low calorie dish topped with Edam cheese. The filling included leeks, mushrooms and chives and a scattering of sunflower seeds

       Classic Spanish Paella with juicy prawns and garlic chicken, always a firm favourite

                                          
              

Lamb meatballs with red onion, mint, cumin, lemon juice and cayenne pepper and a spicy tomato and pepper dip to finish them off

Great combination of Chorizo and cheese with tomatoes, red peppers and potatoes

This salt cod salad tasted amazing and was marinated with spring onions, olive oil, sherry vinegar and lemon juice. Served on a bed of tomatoes

The feisty potatoes are small chunks of fried potatoes with a generous helping of aioli (a garlicky homemade mayonnaise)  and a fiery kick of chilli oil

Flaked tuna and capers  rolled up in a grilled slice of red pepper which were soaked in olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, paprika, sugar and dried chilli flakes, yum yum yum yum

Milk infused with lemongrass makes this a creamy chocolate mousse with a very refreshing after taste

Lots of empty plates once again

Tonight's Menu - Old Persia, India & Carrot Cake

Starter

Persi Eggs

Main

Rasedaar Murghi Taangen

(Chicken curry in spicy onion sauce)

Side Dishes

Dum Aloo

(Bombay Potatoes)

Dessert

Carrot Cake

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Parsi Eggs is an ancient Persian recipe made with chilli and tomatoes. I've added little Chappati rolls to the dish

Damian made the main and side dishes this evening. The main dish, Rasedaar Murghi Taangen, is chicken curry from the north of India. The fried onion sauce was thickened slightly

Damian's Dum Aloo is Bombay potatoes, another dish from north Indian. The ingredients include onion, tomato, ginger, green peppers and chilli

Served with white rice and naan bread

The home made Carrot Cake was not heavy, quite light and tasted lovely. A rind of a whole orange, tablespoon of orange juice, walnuts as well as grated carrots were the main ingredients of the cake itself. The topping was made with cream cheese and icing sugar





A close up of the Carrot Cake

Everyone's thoughts on tonight's meal:

Seven clean plates out of seven!