Aligot with roast winter veg and chermoula

Ottolenghi strikes again! In more ways than one as I lost all the blip I’d written about this.

Today’s Guardian Feast supplement had a recipe I thought I’d try. Not only did I know what all the ingredients were, but also, I had most of them in the kitchen. I had no fresh coriander but did have some basil needing using up so that went into the chemoula instead. Some butternut squash was languishing in the bottom of the fridge so that was added to the root veg roast. The Aligot problem was solved by boiling the remaining redskins I had then at the last minute I added some leftover pre-cooked potatoes from the garden. I used a bit of milk instead of cream which worked fine, and the lack of comte was overcome by using Gruyère. It was all really tasty if filling and calorific.

Last night I put Agatha to bed at 11 and woke feeling quite refreshed, but this was at 12.45 not morning. I read again at 3 for a bit and was awake by 6 so the day started then.

No doubt that contributed to me feeling weary on our 6.3 mile walk via Tosson Mill, Thropton, Physic Lonnen and the upper carriage drive. Katy and Colin were out in the garden when we went by. They are having a Burns Supper again, albeit much reduced in numbers, to 6 of us. Something to look forward to at the end of the month.

After a hot bath on our return I booked Jenny and me tickets for Opera North’s Rigoletto in March. I’m hoping the current infestation of plague will have declined by then. It’s 2 years since I was in a theatre and I’m feeling hopeful it will be ok. Mr C has declined to spend £50 for the gods - he prefers ballet.