No Pressure

February 8th - Cooking is more than just that isn't it.  It depends on the mood of the day, how knackered you are after work, what needs using, what you just fancy eating at the time....and of course the context in which you are cooking. So when husband announces ' hope you don't mind but I've invited this chap round for a meal - you don't mind do you?' that's when the pressure starts.  I really don't mind cooking or having people round - even at the last minute - but there is a sliding scale of pressure depending on who you are cooking for. Cooking for people you don't know - or people who you know are really good cooks themselves does stress me out.  So there I was - end of the week - needing to try out a new recipe - and a vegetarian visitor coming to eat with us in the evening!  We eat quite a lot of vegetarian dishes (husband used to be macrobiotic and have 'hippy' tendencies) so that didn't phase me and River Cottage Veg Everyday offered North African squash and chickpea stew and red cabbage, parsnip, date and orange salad. I really like the combination of sweet and spicy tastes and love dates, apricots and other dried fruits. I adapted the recipe, omitting the orzo (serving couscous on the side instead) and adding roasted sweet potatoes and red onion for that smokey taste at the end.  The salad had finely shredded red cabbage (from the garden), raw parsnip, orange and luscious dates - a seriously good combo - thanks Hugh!

On the theme of being intimidated by really good cooks I should mention a work colleague who is a goddess when it comes to baking.  Every Monday we drool at the prospect of the cake tin she'll be arriving with and all thoughts of diets on Mondays go right out of the window.  Chocolate muffins, chocolate and marscapone brownies, coffee cake, almond and apple loaf...the list of goodies is endless...and never a digestive in sight.  My son, bless, loves my cooking and has always said 'why don't you take a cake into work on Monday?' - you must be joking! But, readers, I made a seriously good cake, under pressure for our vegetarian guest - lemon polenta cake. J might have been a wee bit impressed!