Christmas Dinner.

I found myself still in Dundee over Christmas. Since Louise went down to her parents, it was quiet up here, but Barry and myself managed a lovely meaty Christmas dinner. A colleague of Barry's gave him a pheasant (to be found everywhere around here, although often as roadkill!). So for starters, Barry slathered the pheasant in butter and smoked streaky bacon (apparently this game can be quite dry, so you add lots of fat!), seasoned, and roasted in the oven. With it we had wholegrain mustard mashed potatoes (gorgeously creamy), and made a red wine gravy with the lovely sticky bits in the roasting tin. Barry also cooked the obligatory brussell sprouts, although I must admit that I didn't partake. Not a traditional xmas veg for me I'm afraid!

While this was happening, I prepared a half leg of lamb for roasting, making holes in the flesh and poking in slices of garlic and sprigs of fresh rosemary. After roasting, we made another gravy with the lamb bits from the tray. I also made roast carrots and red onions (in with the lamb) and goose-fat roasted potatoes... heaven! We were kind of stuffed by then, but after watching the Dr. Who christmas special (Kylie Minogue guest starring), we were ready for pud. I'm afraid it wasn't homemade christmas pudding, but it was very nice all the same (Tesco's Finest) and fresh egg custard to go with. After that, well, we didn't move from the couch, except to get another glass of good Scottish whisky.

Mmmm pasta

Well, Louise and I are still having fun with her pasta machine. Prior to her birthday, we made filled pasta (ravioli and tortellini) by hand, which was fun, but messy and slow. That day we made three different shapes as Louise had made three different fillings (my favourite: the butternut squash one).

I got her a ravioli tray for her birthday, so yesterday we tried it out. Took us a couple of trays before we worked out the technique, but I was pretty darn impressed with the results. The filling was fantastic too, gorgonzola picante with walnuts with parsely, although the purist Italians might not be impressed!