Lockdown diary - part 1

I've been doing a bit more cooking than usual during lockdown, and have been keeping a photo log throughout. Here's some of what I've been up to.

2020-04-05 Chocolate Almond Cake

I've been meeting some of my London friends for a virtual afternoon tea on Sundays. We have to provide our own tea and cakes; this is the chocolate almond cake with chocolate fudge icing from "Leith's Baking Bible"

2020-04-05 Steak with spring greens, Parmesan-crusted parsnip chips, and wild garlic pesto.

2020-04-06 Leek risotto with wild garlic pesto and salmon fillet

2020-04-08 Salmon fillet with spring greens, sautéed potatoes, tartare sauce

2020-04-07 Rice pudding

Plain and simple: vanilla-infused rice pudding, recipe from Jane Grigson's "English Food".

2020-04-08 Granary rolls

Using the recipe for Scottish morning rolls from Andrew Whitley's "Bread Matters", but replacing the white and wholemeal flours for the main dough with granary. The granary flour seems to absorb less water, but reducing the quantity of water by 20ml gets the consistency of the dough about right.

2020-04-08 Sausage and mash with onion gravy

2020-04-09 Pizza with cauliflower, chorizo and caramelised onions

2020-04-10 Conchiglie with purple sprouting broccoli in tomato sauce

2020-04-10 Petit salé

This is the beginning of a dry-cured pork belly from Jane Grigson's "Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery". The cure is a mixture of salt, sugar, bay, thyme, peppercorns and juniper. The pork is cured for at least 5 days before cooking.

2020-04-11 Carrot bhajis

A great way to use up surplus carrots and most of the spices you can find in the cupboard.

2020-04-11 Twice-cooked pork belly

Served here on a bed of puy lentils and leeks with a mustard vinaigrette, and a side of spring greens.

2020-04-20 Smocked mackerel kedgeree with a hard-boiled egg

2020-04-20 Petit salé with boiled potatoes and spring greens

The petit salé was finally ready to cook, gently simmered in a large pan of water for about 45 minutes. This felt like a flash-back to the seventies, not unpleasant, but definitely a meal where you looked forward to dessert.