Month: January 2017

Campervan Cuisine: Haggis and Neeps

I am a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to haggis and far prefer my pudding in a proper stomach casing. However, the smell coupled with the hours of steaming does not make for a good fit with motorhome living, does it.

Welcome then, the chubby-packed microwaveable haggis. Macsween make a fine one but today I am cooking a Simon Howie one as Tesco let me down on my order. It doesn’t look very nice, nor much like a haggis – it has more of a black pudding-ish appearance, being very dark and close textured, so I do hope it tastes better than it looks!

Mr Snail appreciates a whisky cream sauce with his haggis and this again I normally make from scratch at home but today we have a microwaveable pouch.

In another departure from tradition we are not having clapshot (mashed potato and swede (aka neep)) but roasties. We want to try the Remoska out and see what roasted potatoes come out like. I will mash the neep simply with butter and black pepper to serve on the side.

Some real haggis fans will look aghast when I admit that I shall be serving instant gravy with my haggis but (a) Mr Snail likes gravy on his haggis and (b) this is campervan life, OK? Besides, Bisto granules are actually rather good – even if it is beef gravy on a lamb dish.

At least it’s not chips.

Haggis microwaves well, released from its abominable plastic casing and heated for just a few minutes, covered, in an ovenproof dish,

For the potatoes I followed the advice (more or less) given on the Remoska website, with the alteration of steaming rather than boiling and the omission of the semolina because I had none to hand. I don’t know about you but I do not regard Semolina as a necessity for van dwelling.

So, this is how it shakes down:

  • One gas ring to parcook the spuds, I steam rather than boil
  • Same ring to cook the neep later, again, I steam – so, same pan
  • Same pan again to make the gravy with the vegetable water
  • Microwave, for the haggis and the sauce (and I heat my plates in there too)
  • Remoska for the roasties

About an hour, all told.

Will report back; perhaps not for a day or three as we are taking off into the forest tomorrow

 

Gousto: Chicken Teriyaki With Sugar Snap Peas

  • Date made: 28/01/2017
  • Used: induction hob
  • I added: a couple of extra spring onions as felt the single onion provided was way too parsimonious
  • He added: Soy Sauce at the table 
  • ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Sorry, no photographs – there simply was no room for manoeuvre.

By far the best meal in this week’s box. Quite delicious, with wonderfully zingy fresh flavours. If I had to quibble I would wish for more chilli and further vegetable content. Mr Snail really enjoyed the Sugar Snaps and has asked to have them cooked that way again – they were simply lightly steamed on top of the cooked rice.

A little fiddly on the prep side for my small van kitchen but worth the hassle, I’d say.

Would  definitely order this one again and am going to add Teriyaki to my standard repertoire,

Kudos to Gousto, by the way, for responding so quickly to my report of the ill-fated Mexican Pork Chilli and thanks for the generous credit applied to my account.

Gousto: Crunchy Asian Beef & Vermicelli Salad

  • Date made: 27/01/2017
  • Used: one gas ring and a kettle
  • I added: nothing 
  • He added: Soy Sauce at the table as he felt it lacked salt
  • I changed: Did not roast the (already roasted) peanuts nor did I bother to chop them
  • If I made it again: I would like more nuts in the dish. I would add them to the beef before completing with the finishing sauce.  More onions, more ginger, more chilli. I might also replace the lettuce with further crunchy veg such as radishes and white turnip, perhaps some courgette ribbons. Coriander leaf would finish t he dish off nicely.
  • ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Mixed  opinions  on this one; I enjoyed it but Mr Snail did not really appreciate, though he did eat his whole enormous portion. It was good to have plenty of veg stuff for a change.

Ready to cook

There  was much prep, not something that I would normally mind but in the campervan it was awkward to manage.

Prepared veg for the salad

Frying off the beef and ginger

My finishing sauce did not behave properly and I was left with a large pool of fat in the pan. 

Ready to eat

Verdict: It was okay but we both thought it lacked punch. More chilli heat would have been good. We also felt that the dish needed more than the miserly two spring onions provided,

I would probably not order this again but would happily use as inspiration for my own version, which would likely be pork mince or chicken thighs rather than beef.

Gousto: Easy Chicken Biriyani

  • Date made: 26/01/2017
  • Used: induction hob
  • I added: a handful of cashew nuts, then served with Geeta’s Mango Chutney and Chapatis on the side
  • ♥ ♥ 

Sorry, no photographs.

Kit delivered yesterday and this dish was marked  as use by 29th January but the beans were already beginning to rot and I threw several mushy and slimy ones out.

Not a good start

Not really a Biriyani as I know it, more of a curry-flavoured risotto –  but it was rated at 15 minutes cooking time so I expect it is aimed at people who don’t really want to cook rather than enthusiastic cooks who love to eat. No garlic or ginger involved, nor any esoteric spices – just onion and  a packet of curry powder.

There was plenty to eat and I struggled to finish even without eating much chapati, which the dog enjoyed on my behalf.

I liked: that the French beans remained al dente

I disliked: lack of chilli heat, unsubtle flavour, stickiness/stodgy rice

Verdict: quick and easy but dull and lacking in flavour. Would not buy this again.

Remoska News

The Remoska has arrived safely and has been used. I have decided to run a side blog expressly for Remoska activities. You can find the full news over at Rumbletums.

No time for that? well…

  • it arrived last night and we received it this morning
  • it appeared to be huge
  • I managed to find drawer space for most of it
  • it worked when plugged in
  • we had cheese and onion toasted sandwiches for lunch

Gousto: Mexican Pork Chilli with Apple Salsa

  • Date made: 25/01/2017
  • Used: both gas rings
  • I added: Corn tortillas
  • ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Reviewing the finished dish is difficult due to the main flavouring component having suffered an accident in transit – I had to make the dish without the Smoky Chipotle Paste.

A simple one-pan dish, easily and quickly made.

Frying off the meat and onions

Add flavourings and stock and simmer until thick (Bulgur Wheat cooking in the pan at rear)

Top with cheese and serve with the Bulgur and a salsa of apple, onion and celery

There was no need for the tortillas that I added, the dish was plentiful and satisfying.

Verdict: okay but not startling. Would try again in order to get the full flavour with the Chipotle paste included.