PPH!!!! i'm going with the mezze....actually prufrock you tooo!

[Heathcliffscathy]

I"m going with the mezze spread for this sunday.

all i need a an absolutely foolproofly delicious taginey type thing to serve with cous cous and flat bread that I can do in advance...got a recipe that you've used?? either that or a greeky type stew that has potatoes in it????

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There's always Nigellas Greek Lamb Stew - the one with a bottle of white wine. You could either do it with less liquid, or do the same amount and cook halved charlotte (not v. greek but hold their shape well) potatoes in it.

Before we moved here and got the services of a good butcher I used to use a supermarket shoulder of lamb, hack all teh meat off mylsef and then chuck the bone in as well to give extra flavour. I'd then use passata rather than tomatoes and add a passata jar full of water, which gave enough liquid to totally cook the macaroni.

i want potatoes in it. waxy ones deffo (charlotte good idea).

is it tasty????

same amount liquid but potatoes????

really think that if has potatoes in it is an all in one thing that can be eaten off lap....if i do flatbread (nigella) and mezze that should be ok yes?

it's lamb shoulder.....even in v expensive but v good butcher up the road, lamb shoulder shouldn't be extortionate should it?

V.V tasty. One of my standard relaxed party meals. Shoulder not expensive no - but do ask the butcher if he can dice the meat for you but give you the bones as well - they do add to the taste.

Tbh I would probably cook teh potatoes and stew seperately in advance and then chuck then together to warm them up. There is nothing worse than too hard spuds in a stew, and they will still absorb plenty of juice. So stick to the liquid quantities she gives (though personally I would still go for passata rather than whole tomatoes)

I alos tend to stir it rather vigourously towards the end of the stew cooking time - just because the diced bits of meat will then break down into delicios strings which all kind of meld together. MMmmmmm - I wnat to cook it now.

BUtif you only want spuds because of teh all in one thing than go with the original pasta. But instead of macaroni getbthe stuff teh greeks call orzo - kind of like v. oversized rice grain shapes

no no, deffo spuds...but if i cook it for long enough the potatoes will be lovely no??? i guess doing the potatoes separately is failsafe....and passata in case the tomatoes don't break down enough???

incidently i NEVER use tinned chopped tomatoes for this very reason: they don't break down like whole peeled plum tomatoes do.

off to find recipe now....thanks lovely!

Yes spuds wil be lovely if coked for long enough - are you sure I can't persuade you on the orzo. oops-forgot I'm not actually eating thsi!

exactly that on passata - can't stand "bits"

have you done the recipe after? the chicken tagine?

i'm sorely tempted to do normal quantities of that lamb, chicken and then aubergine moussaka, then everyone can tuck into a little bit of all of them? too ambitious???

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yorkiegirl you'd be most welcome!

have horrible feeling all will be grey much and everyone will stick to shop bought stuffed vineleaves and tarama....

grey mush that should read

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Is it the one with chick peas and possibly chicken thighs (though that might be my cheapskate version) If so then yes I have and yes it was lovely - in fact I think there is still some in my freezer that the kids are having for tea tomorrow. It's got turmeric inso goes v. yellow IIRC (my copy of how to eat is at a friends)

that greek stew is delicious, haven't done it in years! It's the one where you remove the carrots before serving and eat them on your own in the kitchen drizzled with a bit of olive oil and it's yummy!!
sounds like a wonderful menu sophable
how about nigella's slow cooked shoulder of lamb eaten warm (not hot) with either fresh mint/lemon or pomegranate, with a side dish of roast peppers and taboule?

If you are going that route though I would probably skip the spuds - and just have a huge bowl of a basic cous-cous with just stock and toasted pine nuts, which can then go with all three mains.

Have you got a waitrose? because they stock these wonderful stuffed cabbage leaves which are similat=r to teh vine leaves byut will provode a contrast

yes yes that's the one.

hooray, i've solved my quantities problem...i'll just do normal quantities of loads of stuff....cause i'm a masochist!!!!

and i've even got pomegranate molasses for the aubergine dish!!!

huzzah

now have to do a shopping list...

flatbread....erm....humous....

and buy vineleaves and what? olives (where do i get GOOD olives...sainsburys olive bar is sh*te...

i don't want to be doing ANYTHING on the sunday....except putting things on to heat before church....so....does that rule homemade flatbread out? can i make the dough the night before....oh god what am i talking about...go and buy some pitta bread you banana!!!

can i make the cous cous a couple of hours in advance? won't it be all horrible when we get back???

Yes it will. But just mix Marigold in with the dry cous-cous, then shove the kettle on when you get back, cover it with water and 7 minutes and a judisious splash of olive oil later you have cous-cous. you can pre-toast teh pine nuts and mix them in when it's cooked.

I DID IT!!!

have made the chicken tagine and the lamb stew. the lamb stew became something else, i bastardised a dean and deluca recipe and it's now a lamb and chorizo in red wine stew with potatoes in it.

it is soooo tasty, but too thin....will it go thicker given that it will be in fridge until sunday???? or do i have to rescue it somehow....

will make aubergine moussaka tomrrow and puddings on saturday.

feel very much more in control...thanks pru

Well done.

Not sure if staying in teh frideg will thicken it. If you don't want to make it any stronger tasting by reducing you could just add some buerre manie (sp?)