What's for Dinner Vol 1. Savoury Mince

Today I did my very irregularly spaced weekly shop (which can incidently be anywhere between every couple of days and month-to-month) at M&S. I think M&S have the best quality produce you can find in central Edinburgh (apart from the Farmer's Markets) and I really don't think their prices are too bad.

So loaded up with fresh fruit and veg and some reduced-to-clear mince, I headed home, had a glass of wine and started on Dinner. NB Jacobs Creek Sav Blanc is horrible- thus the reason I am typing this and not sloshed right now!

I thought a savoury mince would be good, so I cut up a bunch of spring onion, shallots and garlic, and sauteed with rapeseed oil. Once translucent, I added the mince and browned.

To flavour I added chili flakes, curry powder, a beef stock cube, dried mixed herbs, salt, pepper and tomato paste.

To this I added a truckload of diced veg- beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, cauliflower, and peas, and added a splash of wine and some water, and let simmer.

As it cooked I tasted and it needed something a bit bold in it so I added Vegemite. Don't be grossed out, it's a yeast extract, and commonly used in Oz to flavour casseroles et al. I also added a good spoonful of dijon mustard and pepper jelly.

Then a little more simmering and that was done.

I was going to serve it with rice, but I am really bad at cooking rice- like one of 2 things I have never mastered in the kitchen- perfect rice, and cracking eggs without getting shell in the pan/bowl.

So whilst still deciding, I decided to do a wee guacamole to go with it. Guacs are so easy... spring onions, tomatoes, mayo, salt, pepper, lemon and a touch of tobasco, moosh together- done.

Then I figured out what to have with the chili. Inspired by my old Aitkins' Diet days (completely carb free- don't do it, it'll turn you bonkers), I remembered omelette noodles, which is basically an omelette cut into fine, tortellini-esque noodle strips.

Gluten-free, tasty amazingness.

I do have to say, I love Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals, but this meal took me about 20 and that's a good 10 mins more than I usually ever spend on a meal. It was also tastier than many of the take-outs I have had recently, and healthier. Fast healthy meals are really doable, and not to mention cheap. The Farmfoods/Iceland shopping lifestyle over here is so very sad I think. I wish people could realise this, and stop living out of their freezers and get into fresh food.

Picnic and Mum's Potato Salad

Thursday afternoon Miss K, Sir S and I were making the most of the spectacular weather by having a picnic at Bruntsfield Links.

K and I were bringing most of the food, which was great for a big old fridge clean out.

I was thinking, cheeses, dips, cold meats, salads et al.

I had a big chuck of cave-aged Cheddar I picked up at Cheddar Gorge, and some Doddington Mature from a farm shop on the way back from road trip.

Some dips in the fridge: squash and chili and spinach and feta. Some crispbread.

I decided to whip up a batch of Mum's German potato salad, which is my favourite-bar-none, and so easy.


Mum's German Potato Salad

Cut new potatoes into about 2 cm squares and boil in salted water. And boil 2 eggs.

Fry bacon to crispy and cool on absorbent paper.

Cut 2 stalks of spring onions: white and green parts. Slice about 5 cloves of pickled garlic (it had a very subtle flavour)

Drain potatoes and allow to cool.

To potato pieces add 3 parts whole-egg mayo and 1 part double cream and mix, keep adding till quite saucy.

Mix through cut egg pieces.

Top with crispy bacon pieces, spring onion and sprinkle with paprika.

Our picnic:

 From top going clockwise:

Olive loaf, K's Tuna stir-fry salad, K's Italian tomato, basil, caper and anchovie salad, squash and chili dip, spinach dip, relish from Cheddar, delicious salami and panchetta from L'Marche Francais on West Maitland Street, duck pate, quince jelly, olive and sundried tomato crackers, Doddington Mature Cheese, Cheddar Gorge Cheese, tomato and basil Philly, raspberries, crispbread.

It was a fantastic 'help yourself' affair and we had enough for maybe another 3 people to join us, but we had a badmitton set to burn off some of those calories.

And some lovely Chai gelato to cool off.

One of my best days in Edinburgh ever!

Marks and Spencer Deli Butternut and Chilli Dip.

The Brits do so much food really well... not even kidding. The fruit and veg generally tastes better here, the meat is fantastic... though I have missed my dips. Chips (crisps) and dips. Have a wine: chips and dips, need a snack: chips and dips, just in from a night out: chips and dips.

I see so many varieties of hummus here, and a bit of tzatziki. But I just keep dreaming of the dips back home

Copperpot do wonderful dips, and this isn't even a quarter of their range.

On Coles' (Australian version of Sainsburys) website I was given a choice of 102 varieties of dip. This is one quarter of one of SIX pages!

So there was have it... I miss dip.

Have a bothered to make my own? No. Do I know how incredibly quick and easy is it to make dips? Yes. Do I have a blender? No.

I made either a foolish mistake, or a life changing choice the other day. I did my first grocery shop in M&S. For my Australian readers, I'm not sure if we have an M&S equivalent back home. It's like if David Jones had a very posh fresh food and deli attached. It's divine.

Low and behold, what did I find? Dips!

Certainly a few shy of 102. But proper dips. This one started me salivating as soon as I saw his name: Butternut and Chili.

This evening I grabbed myself some oatcakes (possibly the greatest dip/cheese accompaniment ever- thanks Scotland) and dived in.

Hello! Look at these colours. That orange, that's real butternut squash, spices and seasoned. That beautiful burnt red: chilli oil. Onions and peppers on top.

I am so happy to find this dip. I am surprised at how healthy it is. If I were to eat the hole pot (which may or may not have happened) it would still do less damage than the crisps that could have partnered it. (It's still a sometimes food.)

Cheese platters will come to life from here on out, I can feel it... and I do hope that M&S do more.

Oh Britain, you just make me feel more and more welcome everyday!