A Lakeland Jaunt

I've been on a short jaunt to the Lake District, in a quiet little valley, with only deer and sheep for company. We took Mr. Smokerson and a stack of cooking books and enough food to feed a small army for a few weeks... I made some old tasty favourites and discovered some lush new things...

On the first evening by the fire the best new discovery, ham hock with parsley sauce, new potatoes and broad beans. Slowly simmered ham hock, with a delicious mustardy white sauce packed with parsley poured over the ham, fresh broad beans and new potatoes that have been browned in butter and ham stock... so good...

My next favourite was a St. John side dish that I made to go with some smoked duck; fresh green beans from the allotment, dressed in roasted garlic and shallots, capers, anchovies and parsley, pretty simple but totally tasty...

 

We had lush smoked ribs, even though I think Mr. Smokerson is having some issues with his thermometer, poor guy... a quick blast in the oven saw them right, delicious smoky and sticky in a paparika, garlic and mustard rub, lots of coleslaw and homemade white buns... they didn’t even need bbq sauce.

We had a bag full of beans, courgettes and beetroot from the allotment to get through so made lots of salads, pizzas and a delicious orzo pasta dish with beetroot, pinenuts and feta which I'll have to share too...

 

It sounds a bit like I didn't do anything but cook, but it was actually pretty relaxing and there was plenty of time hanging out by the stream... A few walks, actual swimming in an outdoor steam (my feet are just about back to life), fishing (we caught a baby brown trout, unfortunately far too small for supper) some driving round the countryside in circles lost and a general good time all round...