Happy Weekend! I hope you have a smashing time whatever you may get up to. This time next week I'll be in London ... woohoo!! In case you are not feeling inspired for what to get up to, here are a few suggestions:
READ: The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood
What I'm working on at the moment (as well as 'His Dark Materials' ... again.)
WATCH: A Hijacking
This Danish film was on during JDIFF, and sounds amazing. And it's out now.
LISTEN: Slide - Goo Goo Dolls
This is the first track on our favourite driving tape (yes, tape) at home ... good times.
DO: Go on a Date
It doesn't necessarily have to be with someone you fancy, it could just be with a friend you want a proper catch up with ... but what I mean is make plans in advance, book tickets, get some food and go to the cinema/theatre, or meet someone for brunch and go for a walk. Hand holding is recommended, but not compulsory.
EAT: Maltesers
And see how long you can let them melt on your tongue before you bite into them.
MAKE: Fish Pie
I made this the other day for the first time, and it was surprisingly wonderful!
75g Butter (plus a knob extra for the potatoes)
1 large Onion
some whole Cloves
50g Plain Flour
1 pint Milk (plus a bit extra for the potatoes)
350g Fresh Salmon
350g Smocked Haddock
200g Prawns
Peas (I like quite a lot!)
Salt and Pepper
A pinch of Nutmeg
A squeeze of fresh Lemon Juice
A handful of Fresh Parsley (chopped)
900g Potatoes (peeled and cut into evenly sized pieces)
Cheddar Cheese (grated)
First, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Put the fish in a large saucepan, with the onion whole and covered with a few cloves stabbed into it (optional). Cover with Milk, then poach on a low heat for about 8-10 minutes.
Remove the fish with a slatted spoon, and put into a deep oven dish, then cut into bite-sized chunks and remove any skin. Remove the Cloves from the Onion, dice finely, and add to the fish. Add the Peas and chopped Parsley, squeeze the Lemon juice over it, and mix it around a bit.
Back to the Milk: stir in the Butter until dissolved, add Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg to taste, then gradually whisk in the Flour, adding a little at a time until you have the right consistency. Pour this sauce over the fish mix.
Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until soft, and drain. add a little butter and milk, and season; then mash to your preferred consistency (I like mine a bit chunky!) Spread evenly over the fish, and top with grated cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and crispy on top.
N.B Really you can use whatever fish/seafood you want. This combination was inspired partly by what they happened to have in Lidl, and it worked splendidly! To make the topping extra crispy, add an egg while you're mashing the potatoes.
The plus side of all the peculiar weather is some pretty darn fantastic Rainbows ... the best so far was as I was getting home the other day, with a double rainbow and dark purple clouds, but I didn't manage to get a photo ... this was pretty good too though - near Howth Summit.
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