I know this post is very late, but in my defence I did write it earlier this week and then “lost” it. The perils of technology.
October’s #onehshellfishamonth seems so long ago now and I’m very close to cooking November’s dish – scallops.
So, in my last update I left you at the point where I’d made the pork and veal meatballs and was heading out to pick up the cuttlefish and other bits and pieces.
Again, I was putting myself in the position of cooking and serving something I’d never eaten before. But it’s surprising how many willing guinea pigs there are out there. The cuttlefish was pretty similar in appearance to squid, and as the fish monger had cleaned it for me, I just had to remove the membrane and cut it into chunks ready for cooking.
The whole dish was actually pretty easy to prepare, but it’s time intensive: making the picada, the tomato sauce, the meatballs, cooking them all separately, as well as the prawns and cuttlefish – I’d say leave yourself a day so you can do it at a gentle pace and don’t feel rushed. I know a day seems a long time, but I did also need to pop out to do some shopping and also make the patatas bravas and cook the chorizo. Anyway, cooking’s the way I relax, so this was a pleasure for me, not a chore.
I used larger quantities of all the ingredients as this was a main course, rather than a starter, and used 16 prawns so we had plenty each. I have to praise Dagon’s again – 16 king prawns and 500g of cuttlefish came to about £10! I heart Dagon’s.
I have to spare a moment here to praise BBC Good Food for the brilliant patatas bravas recipe. Not only was it easy peasy, but it was really tasty. So many bravas sauces I’ve tasted are weak, thin and lacking a punch. This was tasty and spicy and went down a treat with the other dishes.
So to November’s shellfish: scallops. We’re already halfway through the month and I’m rapidly running out of cooking days. Work’s taken over my life for the last month or so, so I need to fix a date to make sure I stick to the plan.
This month I’m doing a romantic meal for my boyfriend:
Scallops in champagne custard (courtesy of Elizabeth Bard’s Lunch in Paris – I love her book and this recipe jumped out at me, so I have high hopes)
Steak and pommes dauphinoise
Chocolate mousse a la Rachel Khoo
If the scallop and chocolate mousse recipes work, they’re both going to feature on the Christmas Day menu I’m cooking for the family (along with Beef Wellington), so fingers crossed!
Next Sunday lunch will be November’s #oneshellfishamonth – only two left now!
UPDATE:
I’ve just noticed that wordpress didn’t save some of my pictures and text onto the blog! So here are the additional pics – the cuttlefish with the patatas bravas and manchego cheese I served on the side:
And here’s the amazing chocolate torte Kate brought for dessert; a real show-stopper that paused conversation. Kate, we love you!
oneshellfishamonth 
