Two quick fixes

Well, here we are (currently waiting for yet another press conference, though as I'm already as locked down as is possible, I am not expecting a difference. It's still not good). And whatever Christmas was going to be, it's probably not going to be quite that any more. 

I went to the supermarket today, to buy an infinite pile of watercress. Luckily, that isn't imported, but boy were there gaps on the veg shelves (and on the pasta shelves, which.... people, did we not buy all the pasta already once this year?). I am not stockpiling watercress, it's just a good winter soup, or will be.

But before then, I am mildly treating myself, in a post-working-year sort of way. I just don't want to faff. I'm going to all the evening events (so far this year: two Christmas Carols, one live improv musical, the Globe's funny little Christmas even, a solstice storytelling [friend of the Confined Kitchen, the brilliant Vanessa, all year round and not ever twee], my first festive yoga). I want nice things to eat while sitting by candles! I do not want to spend hours cooking them!

First up, is a twiddle on Nigel Slater's Lebkuchen pudding - I've been listening to the Christmas Chronicles a lot this month, and this one stuck. (So did a thing with cream and passionfruit curd which hasn't happened yet and should be a new year thing.) This is literally just crumbled lebkuchen mixed with what should be whipped double cream but I don't have any double cream and I don't much like it anyway. So it's with thick creme fraiche, which gives just a smidge of an edge amidst the indulgence. It's probably more stodgy than it should be, but it's good. 

 These are chocolate-covered lebkuchen, with rice paper bottoms, and they were ideal for the pudding - bits of crunch and bits that absorbed the cream. Sir Nigel pours chocolate over his pudding and lets it set, which would make it prettier, but for tasty home eating, eh. It tastes excellent.

Honestly, this is a much smaller bowl and a single serving.

And for lunch today? The magnificent Mumbai toastie, which I've mentioned before but not blogged. 

It should be on your quick meal list for all times, but for weeks when you may well have some cheese to hand and fancy a slightly zhuzhed up snack, it is perfect. 

The toastie comprises five elements (bear with it, they are easy): bread, cheese and veg plus a chutney and a spice mix.

The bread should be square and easy to toast. The cheese should probably be hard (suggested Cheddar or Lancashire, I had some fancy Cheshire which was cracking today; I feel like it's possible to do this to Brie if you want though), and grated or thin sliced. The veg is a sliced tomato, plus a sliced bit of onion per sandwich if you like. I do not. 

The chutney may get tricky with leaf shortages/full fridges, but I had part of a pack of coriander left so it was ideal. The recipe (Diana Henry btw) is for lots of coriander, a small amount of mint, a crushed garlic clove, a squeeze of lemon, some chilli and salt. I didn't have mint (though I put dried mint in), but it was totally fine, and I think I might play around with different soft herb leftovers this coming year. Parsley would be fine, in fact - just some green crunch with the garlic and lemon doing the work.

The spice mix is just a pinch each of the following ground spices - I chuck them onto the sandwich rather than mixing properly - cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon.

Layer it up with chutney and spices on the inside of both slices of bread, then the veg and cheese. Squish it down and toast it - ideally in a sandwich toaster with loads of butter on the outside, but I have to fry them. 

This is very tough

 

It's spicy, sharp, fruity and it's still a cheese sandwich that tastes great.

The press conference has not turned out to be good news. I hope those of you affected are okay and bearing up. I hope Herefordshire enjoyed its three days in Tier 1, or whatever you had. And wherever you are, I hope you make yourself something nice that isn't too much hassle. You've got through a lot this year already. We can make it through Christmas too.