tekobo

I had beginner's luck with growing peppers on our allotment for the first time this year. We had an amazing summer and I harvested boxes and boxes of peppers and other good stuff from our new square foot gardening plot. This was last weekend's harvest, radiating happiness on a dismal, rainy day in October. I love peppers and have previously made up Thomas Keller's pepperonata recipe and froze batches for use through the winter. This year I decided to try this April Bloomfield recipe https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/apr/04/six-of-the-best-spring-side-dishes. I liked the results so much I have made the recipe three times so far this season. Here's the latest version. I never actually follow the recipe strictly but the concept is great and will sustain us through the winter. Peppers onto the lower grate of a hot KK. I think it was about 250C. First time I did this I kept the peppers in for about 35 -40 minutes, turning three times. Bad idea, the flesh got too dehydrated and I had a job to get the skin off. This time I left them in for just 25-35 minutes, taking the smaller ones off early. Part way through Into a bowl for about 10-15 minutes to make it easier to separate the skins. This time I also took out the seeds and stalks BEFORE grilling. Made them easier to peel and saved me the messy task of trying to get the seeds out cleanly from the hot soft mess that came out of the grill! Here are the tomatoes, roasted in the IDK oven because I didn't quite get the KK timing right. And best of all, bottled and sealed, ready to dispense summer's delights whenever I want. They are sealed but I also store them in the fridge to be extra sure they will last.

This is the only way I can use my current single Meater effectively given the limited range. It means leaving one phone outdoors with the KK I can then see details of the cook anywhere in the house on my other phone. Not ideal but it works. I am looking forward to the Block even though I don't think I will need four probes. Does anyone know if the Block will allow you to monitor your cook even when you are away from home? It is so long since I last read the blurb...

Great looking cook @tony b. My local Kurdish kebab place does individual lamb ribs, from the breast, marinated and then cooked relatively quickly on a skewer. Very tasty variation.

Tasty looking dinner @Steve M!

Errr..no?

Thanks Tony. I haven't ever done a fermented style sauce. Will give that a go. I think I will harvest over the next couple of weeks so would be grateful for more recipes if anyone else on the site makes hot sauces. One variation that has been good has been to slice and dehydrate some peppers. They come in handy for making a hot powder during the year and seem to keep their heat better for not having been ground straight away.

Really interesting @MacKenzie. Looks like an egg white pizza. I have never been a fan of "healthy" but I do have a load of egg whites left over from making pasta and your egg white base could be a good way to use them up.

I have a good crop of chillis this year. Not a huge number of chillis but given some of them are Carolina Reaper, Jamaican 7 Pot and Bhut Jolokia, I won't be needing very many to make a few blow your head off sauces. I have a number of go-to recipes but would like to try some new ones this year. Grateful for your favourite recipes so that I can try them out. Here is a mix of the ones I have used over the years: http://www.thegingercook.com/2010/09/homemade-sriracha-sauce.html - reliable and tasty sriracha sauce recipe http://www.firehousechilli.com/firehousechilliweb1_116.htm - I have only made this one once and cannot remember which I preferred, this one or the next. Guess I will just have to try again. http://jeanetteshealthyliving.com/homemade-ghost-chile-hot-sauce/ http://www.wanderingspice.com/2013/05/20/tomato-and-preserved-lemon-kasundi/ - awesome tomato and lemon preserve, goes with everything. The chilli is incidental but good. https://www.chilliworld.com/factfile/chilli-sauce-recipes/belizean-habanero-sauce - a nice gentle, go to chilli sauce. I seem to remember having to reduce the liquid with this recipe.

This weekend I reduced the stock that the lamb shanks were cooked in and added the shredded lamb shank meat That would have been tasty enough on its own but it came out great with giant couscous and pomegranate seeds. Best of all the pomegranate came from a friend's garden at her house in Greece. Happiness all round. The recipe is here: http://www.foodthinkers.com/slow-cooked-lamb-shank-and-giant-couscous-salad/ Heston got more height into his presentation. Hey, who cares? It tasted great.

Wow, they didn't leave with much to chew on there!

Looking good @MacKenzie. I have been meaning to post the recipe but am onto my third go at trying it out different variations. Just picked some peppers today and will see how this try goes before posting.

Tee hee. You'd better not have been holding your breath. You would have expired by now! It's been much more fun watching you let off steam every time the word b---k was mentioned. I do hope they work out for you. I have really enjoyed having single MEATER thermometer. My brother paid for a block for me last Christmas. Assuming I won't get it until sometime next year now, after the backers' orders have all been satisfied.

Very nice looking indeed. I wonder what the buns are made of?

It'll be fab. And worth the wait.

Woo hoo. Very interested in how this works out for you.

I'm greedy. I want the ribs, the drinks AND the pictures of the ODK. Really nice looking set up @Steve M!

HEATHEN

I had fun with my 21" today. Started with a brisket cook. Grass fed Dexter. When done, rested it in butcher's paper in a cooler. Prepped cauliflower steaks with a thick cheesy sauce and chopped bone marrow. While that was happening I browned off some sous vide chicken legs on the KK. Looking forward to my work lunches next week! On goes the cauliflower, topped with a mix of panko breadcrumbs, more bone marrow and cheese What shall we do with this celeriac and beetroot? I know, add lots of butter and wrap in foil! The cauliflower turned out nice As did the brisket Tasty dinner The KK is still going, cooking the celeriac, beetroot and a lamb shank casserole To be continued...

@tony b glad you had good experiences with Airbnb. I have pretty much stopped using hotels now. I am currently working away from home in Wales and am trying different places out. Small dilemma comes with reviewing places honestly. Last week I was staying in a v nicely appointed apartment but I didn't like the area at all. The host can't do anything about the area so it seemed a bit churlish to say that I didn't like the fact that there were no chi chi coffee shops and the eggs in the shops were from "caged hens". Felt too snobbish and middle class and so left that out. Must get on to some product reviews as I rely on them from others but generally don't get around to leaving my feedback. As to why I wrote my original and rather pompous treatise about how I use reviews? Well, it stopped me writing what I really wanted to write which was: " Hey you, why are you taking more notice of a random anonymous reviewer on amazon.co.uk than of me, your reliable KK friend?" There, I have said it.

I love reviews. I stay in Airbnb a lot and use tripadvisor for bars and restaurants so I rely a lot on other people being honest and clear about their experiences. The proviso is that we also have some tests. We try to figure out how much like us (or not) the reviewer is, what else they like (that we don't) and, after all that, we decide whether we are just going to be bloody minded and find out for ourselves. In this case I went for the last option and am pleased with the result. I promise to do my patriotic duty and do the review on amazon once I've cooked something. Chicken hearts anyone??

Yeah, I also have the Japanese Grill book and it is great. My mileage does vary though. I do very much like the Chicken and Charcoal book and may even get around to putting a review on Amazon once I get around to trying out a recipe or two.

This could get very pricey. I love the soft bread roll in your photo but wouldn't it be great if we could commission @Pequod to make sandwich bread, you to fill them and then ship them around the world? We might have to go for a regional variation with @Aussie Ora supplying beetroot for the Australians.

Really interesting cook @alimac23. I have cooked loads of lamb shoulders low and slow but never de-boned and never hot and fast. Hmmmm, looks tasty. As for that beef sandwich @Steve M. Can I contract you to make my work lunches? Every day until I get out of this working game???

I'm so jealous! I wonder if they are discriminating against us non-US customers? Harumph. That aside, I have bought what looks like a great book in readiness. See if you can resist buying this: http://amzn.eu/d/ep4mKfe

I love Einkorn too. Happily, the nice lady at our farmer's market appears with it once a month and I get to eat it without having to do any work, other than that required to get the money to pay her. Loving these posts even though I am a long way from finding the time to get into bread again.