Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day, I don't know whether it's just because we are comfortable together or what the reason is but Glen and I are not making that much of a bigger deal out of it, I don't feel the need to go all mushy and lovey dovey anymore, I think it's a nice feeling, I'm certainly not saying that I wouldn't have liked flowers or a card, present of some description, after all who doesn't like 'stuff'? I am saying it's nice that for once, for the first time in my life I know that I am loved, Valentine's Day was previously a chance for my Ex to prove that he loved me, not that it really made that much difference I didn't feel loved, not that I really felt loved in the first place but it was a day you are supposed to feel loved! Now that I am genuinely loved and know it, I don't need a card and a bunch of flowers, I guess for me everyday is Valentine's Day, I have a man who no longer rolls his eyeballs at me when I get another harebrained idea, he doesn't stop me putting flour, food colouring, endless amounts of butter and sugar into the shopping cart, instead he patiently...... Well as patiently as a man can, follows me round the store while I fill the shopping cart with endless amounts of food and bits for more kitchen experiments, then he gets out his little piece of plastic and pays for it, he doesn't look at me with that look of disgust at the latest 150 plus pounds I've spent, he doesn't say a word, he just lets me get on with it. Just as he will hold out the shopping basket, or push the shopping cart closer as I am picking out yet another cookbook, or recipe cards (my latest addition to my collection) which has taken over another shelf on the bookshelf, I had to remove all of Glen's Golfing books and all the books we had on America, places to visit etc. to make room, 12 in total... two Mexican, Glen and I were in a Mexican restaurant the night he proposed, not that he asked me in there but we love Mexican food and I didn't have any Mexican recipe books, one Italian recipe book, two recipe books with 365 recipes, one for each day of the year, 1000 cupcake recipes, one baking book by the hairy bikers, one kitchen handbook, one which has only three or four ingredients, and a slow cooker recipe book. Quite a diverse selection, ooops I forgot the recipe cards, which are totally baking related, 80 recipes in total. I guess that is more than 12 since Christmas then. Tonight we are having the Lemon and Herb Lamb recipe, which we love so much, I have blogged about it before.

So now onto the next recipe in my collection of 'tried and true' AR readers will recognise the term. There are two stories from where this dish may have originated, I had to wikipedia this to find out the information. The first is that it was brought over from India by British colonials - they introduced it as a breakfast dish. The second is that it was of Scottish origin and that the Scottish troops took it to India where it was adapted, the theory is that it then travelled back to the United Kingdom.

Personally I am more inclined to serve it for dinner than breakfast, but as with most things it's about personal preference and mine is to serve it as dinner. I can't get my head round making fish and rice for breakfast - However despite my morning fish and rice hang ups, I do like this recipe.

Kedgeree 

175g long-grain rice
1/4 tsp turmeric
375g smoked haddock fillet

2 hard boiled eggs
4 tbsp butter plus extra for greasing
juice of half a lemon
150ml light cream
salt
cayenne pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1. In a medium sized saucepan with a lid simmer the rice and the turmeric, in salted water for about 15 minutes, until tender then rinse with boiling water, drain and keep it warm.

2. In the meantime, put the haddock skin down, in a skillet, cover with cold water and poach for about 10 minutes.

3. Cut one of the eggs lengthwise into quarters and reserve for garnish, coarsely chop the second egg.

4. Drain the haddock, remove the skin and any bones, and flake the fish. Put the fish, rice, egg (not the quarters) butter, lemon juice and cream add the seasoning and stir gently to mix.

5. Grease an oven proof dish and add the kedgeree and bake in an oven at 180/350 degrees, for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

6. Stir in the parsley, and garnish with the egg.