Cookery Book Challenge :: Friday Catch Up

Hello there, I hope you are all well. The first Friday of the month means another Cookery Book Challenge. I'm challenging myself to 'use' my cookery books and not just leave them sitting on the bookshelf. Do join me if you want to. Just chose two recipes or maybe one meal and something sweet  to show on your blog 

Fisherman's Pie

First up is Fisherman's Pie. I've cooked several versions of fish pies over the years, using different recipes. I've used frozen fish, fish cheeks and cooked them with or without prawns. Many years ago, I purchased a cookery book from the Co-op. I remember it being on offer if you had a store loyalty card, I didn't, so a lady kindly lent me her card. Lovely lady. 

This recipe is a rich mix of white fish, smoked fish, salmon and prawns. I cook the fish for 15 minutes in wine with herbs, pepper and mushrooms. Meanwhile cook the potatoes, mash and set to one side. Drain the cooked fish, check for bones, make the sauce with butter, flour and add liquor. Assemble in buttered dish, arrange prawns (I use king prawns) over the top and top with creamy mashed potato. 

The recipe says to grill golden brown, I usually place it in the oven for around 30 minutes to brown. It's delicious with vegetables. If you eat peas, you could add them to the fish mix, before topping with the mashed potato. 
 

Pumpkin & Carrot Risotto

The second recipe here, is designed for the Low Fodmap Diet by Alana Scott - A Little Bit Yummy. Her website, Facebook and Instagram account are very helpful. Onions have been replaced with leek green tops only and mushrooms are replaced with carrot and butternut squash. The peas have been replaced with spinach. I served this for our dinner, everybody enjoyed it.
I decided to buy Alana's book as she has delicious recipes without lots of ingredients that I can't eat. If low fodmap cooking is a need for you, I'd recommend following A Little Bit Yummy and signing up for Alana's emails. She'll send you a small booklet on email with recipes, a few that aren't in the book. On her website, I found a Christmas booklet to download. Sadly for me, a lot of the recipes contain high fibre ingredients. Though, not a fodmap issue, they still cause issues for me.   

This recipe is in two parts - softening the carrot and squash in the oven with oil and seasoning, whilst frying the other ingredients in a large Sautee pan. When the stock is nearly absorbed, add the spinach, grated lemon rind, lemon juice and cheese.

The dish is colourful and full of flavour, we served ours with leftover gammon from the Sunday roast.   

Dinner tonight

Cheese and potato pie, though not from a cookbook. The butcher sells packs of bacon mishaps. I cooked the bacon, cut off the fat and placed them in a greased dish, topped with cheesy mashed potato and tops of spring onions. Then browned under the grill. 

A few gifts from the boys for Mother's Day.

The daffodils were from the Mother's Day service.

These chocolates were a gift from Morrison's supermarket. I took my son with me shopping after church. The checkout operator asked me, if he was my child. Thanks Nat, you helped me gain a box of chocolates. 

That's all for now, take care. Do add your link to join the Friday Catch Up and or Cookery Book Challenge.
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