Wednesday 15th

Chicken lunch at the final curry café… the results are out soon…

I don’t know why, but I ended up buying a Red Mullet at the fishmongers today. I went in to buy a couple of kippers and it just looked good. Not cheap mind (unlike kippers).

I’ve only had Red Mullet a couple of times, and I’ve never cooked it before, so I have a look through various recipes, all of which require things I haven’t got in the cupboard or fridge. In the end I decide to get all fancy-pants and stuff it with a briefly fried mix of: shallots, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, pine nuts, and raisins…Yeah. Blimey.

I sing the Clash’s ‘Death or Glory’ as I stuff the fish, realising that there is a good chance that this lot will either be a taste sensation, or end up with the fish in the bin and beans for tea.

While its in the oven I distract myself sautéing a side dish of leeks, mushrooms and chilli. Anxiously I take the fish out of the oven… it looks OK, smells slightly of burnt Christmas cake, and tastes…

At least the fish is recoverable. Its not too badly cooked, and with the Christmas cake mix scraped out and a squeeze of lemon it makes a reasonable enough meal. No need to reach for the tin opener yet. Next time I think I’ll keep it simple and use some fragrant herbs, maybe basil, and some chilli at a push. Although I might not go for the Mullet for a while…

M&S ‘Organic Wild Blueberry Probiotic Yoghurt’ doesn’t taste of blueberries or yoghurt. Maybe it tastes of ‘probiotics’.

You spoke too soon Corduroy boy – sometimes it does go wrong!