Hot in The Kiitchen

As mentioned on Friday I had a moment of madness and committed myself to creating a three course meal for friends on Saturday night - basically the first three course meal I have ever done . After looking through the fifteen or so 'celebrity' cookbooks my wife has I started preparing on the Friday night, whipping, mixing and chopping a variety of different ingredients. My menu was as follows;
STARTER
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup ( Delia )
- Frozen Grapes -( Jamie )

MAIN COURSE
Lamb Braised in Beaujolais - ( Delia )
Roasted Vegetables & Dauphinois Potatoes ( Gordon )
- Appeltiser Lollies- ( CH )

DESSERT
Banofee Pie ( Wife )

RED, WHITE AND CHAMPERS


So we got home on Saturday afternoon at about 2.30 and I basically stayed in the kitchen getting one heck of a 'Dab' on till about 8.p.m. The lamb needed five hours in the oven and it needed watching like a new born baby. I asked my wife about a thousand questions throughout the day, all relating to timings and flavourings, not forgetting " Do you know were the Ibuprofen are as my back is crumbling !".
To cut a long story short I managed to pull it off and produce the meal. My Wife and our friends Jason and Sarah gave it a big thumbs up but Jason was very suspicious as to whether I had cooked it, especially when tasting the Banofee pie which he loved. Well, yes I created it.
But I have to say that the preparation, the whisking, basting, roasting, boiling, freezing, simmering, reducing, grating, crumbling, and in fact anything ending in 'ing' was a big test for me.
I think I lost a few pounds in the kitchen yesterday ( monetary as well !) and by the end of the meal the kitchen resembled the garage, stuff everywhere !!! . Towards the end of the 'Cook-a-thon' I felt like I was in charge of fifty spinning plates, each one teetering on the edge before being rescued. All in all it was a pleasant surprise ( to me!). Good company...........and good food!.
Would I do it again ?. Not for at least six months!. Anyway I have done my bit, Jason it is over to you!.
By the way mate, I know that you have been up to something, preparing a ridiculous feast !. Are we going to be digging up some sort of bizarre meat from your garden that has been cooking underground for a week?. Are we going deep sea 'night' fishing, then eating the catch, or do we have to come to yours wearing Toga's and prepare ourselves to sacrifice a defenceless pig ?. Bell me if it's a bush tucker trial as I think I may be playing that night!.


CH