Roast Guinea Fowl

To be honest, there's not that much between a chicken and a guinea fowl in terms of flavour but there's enough to make them worth trying and they're definitely juicier on the breast though perhaps a bit drier on the legs. This is most likely because they're naturally leaner than chickens but because they're smaller and only cook for about an hour, the breast doesn't dry out. I wrapped mine in streaky bacon just to make sure and popped some some rosemary inside before roasting in the usual way and serving half a bird per person.
Sorry about the lone chipolata in the picture, it jumped out of the tray of potatoes that were roasting on the shelf above.

Warning: Advertising Message To Follow

I've taken over The Guardian's Readers Recommend column. The first one is asking for your songs about adventure. Do weigh in if you feel the urge...

This New Record Is Literally Quite Good

It Hugs Back: Now + Again (4AD, 2009)
You see, this is the sort of thing I just like as soon as I hear it. Whistleable Tune + Drone + Hair-Shakingly Wispy Vocal + Loony Bit In The Middle. Come on other, more rubbish bands! It's not that difficult, is it? People have been making records that sound a little like this for years, so it can't be that hard, can it? Anyway, the Back are from Kent and they are young pups keen to get on and make a racket. Their album isn't quite on the intersquizz yet - it's out in April - but this is a good place to start.

Where's The Bad Bit?

Eddie Bo: Hook And Sling (Scram, 1969)
It's still cold. Beautiful, but cold. So warming up is important. This might help. The pertinent thing about this record is, try as I might, I can't find any bad bits. It appears to only consist of good bits that get progressively better and better before having the good grace to knock it all on the head before you get cheesed off with it. Thank you Mr Bo, it's appreciated.

Morning!

Winter Collection: Chicken Pie

Scrap's pal came for tea yesterday and I made a nice pie. Sadly his little friend couldn't face it and then got violently sick at the table. Turns out she had the winter vomit bug and is feeling much better today, so don't let that put you off.
Serves 4
1 large onion, thinly sliced
400g baby carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
1 chicken
600ml hot chicken stock
200g frozen peas
100g crème fraiche
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp cornflour
500g pack puff pastry
milk, for brushing

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Arrange the onion slices and carrots in a large casserole dish or small roasting tin. Sit the chicken on top then pour over the hot stock.

2 Cover and roast for an hour then add the peas and cook for a further 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Lift the chicken out onto a board.

3 Sit the pan on the hob and stir in the crème fraiche and mustard. If you want to thicken the sauce, dissolve the cornflour in a little water and stir in.

4 Shred the meat off the chicken and stir back into the pan. Leave to cool.

5 Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas 6. Spoon the mixture into a pie dish, then roll out the pastry and use to cover the filling. Brush with milk, decorate with any pastry trimmings and make a couple of holes to let out any steam. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until piping hot and serve with mash.

John Martyn: RIP

Last year I was lucky enough to go to Ireland to interview John. What happened next can be read here...

Winter Collection: Cardamom Rice Pudding

We like rice pudding but not the wrinkly skin that settles on the top when you bake it, so I do ours on the stove top. Add a handful of sultanas half way through if you like them and serve hot or cold with a good a spoonful of honey (or jam).
Serves 4
Knob of butter
100g short grain rice
600 - 800ml milk
50g vanilla sugar
6 cardamom pods, cracked
2 – 4 tbsp honey

Heat the butter in a non-stick pan and cook the rice for a couple of minutes. Add the milk, sugar and cardamom then bring to the boil. Lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 40 minutes or so, stirring regularly so it doesn't scorch on the bottom, until the rice is creamy and tender. If you want to add more milk while it is cooking, warm it up a bit first.

Sound The Definitive-Reading Alarm

Keith Mansfield Orchestra: You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling (CBS, 1970)
We've dealt with Mansfield before, but this just cropped up on my iTunes and it, literally, made me laugh out loud. To myself. That trombone... Genius.

Basement Crates: Quickie Edition

Sanchez: Leave Out A Babylon (Digital B, 1994)
I was messing around with a pile of record sleeves - looking for some arresting ones for the wall - when I found an old Bobby Digital compilation - this one, in fact - poking out. So I had a squizz down it and remembered how much I liked this Sanchez track that's pitched sort of perfectly between dub and dancehall. He's not 100% complimentary about all the world's people, "Why would you want to be with the Babylonians?", he asks, quite understandably, but it certainly has a tune you can whistle...


Blur: Berserk (Parlophone, 1991)
... Which is more than you can say of Berserk. Track Four (of four) on their Bang single, this is the sort of extended-groove, 'Goodness me I'm woozy' psychedelia that young people all over the country thrilled to 18 years ago. They did, honestly. Maybe I'll start one of those hilarious on-line petitions to get them to play this during their shows in the summer! Hahaha! Then again, maybe I'll get the Hoover out instead.

This New Record Is Literally Quite Good

The Long Lost Colour (Ninja Tune, 2009)
Here's one to split the vote. The Long Lost are from California and appear to be living inside some sort of Victorian fantasy world where they get to dress up oddly and sing songs like Colour - note the English spelling, these things are important - in a manner that will either have you smashing your computer to pieces on contact or realising your life has been fairly pointless up until this moment ("What is 'yellow'? Pears are yellow, rich, ripe and mellow..." etcetc) Should you feel the latter, head here to buy their tremendous record. Amazing.

A Tune For Friday Afternoon

Groove Armada: Paris (feat. Candi Staton) (Columbia, 2007)
Despite what the file name might say, this is not called Come Back Home, it's actually called Paris, but, y'know, who cares, really? Point is, it's a chooon. Friday afternoon really is The King Of Afternoons, isn't it?

A Nice Record I Got In The Post Yesterday

Dan Arborise: Take Heart In Your Hope (Just Music, 2009)
I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I'll keep this short. I've been going through my post - most of it - and I'm not much taken with any of it. I have to be honest, I don't have any space in my heart left for "scratchy Josef K guitars" or "cinematic rock-scapes" or all that other nonsene. But I do have space - quite a lot of space, in fact - for someone who can write really, really good songs and sing them in a way that makes you want to listen to them Quite A Lot. Like Dan Arborise. I was listening to this (it's the "B-side" of his new "single") and thought, "He's like John Martyn playing the songs of Nick Drake." Then I went to his Myspace page and it said, "John Martyn sings the songs of Nick Drake" or something. So, amazing. Anyway. This is great. As is this, though it could do with a bit more Dan, tbh. (Let's not talk about the hair, OK?)

Basement Crates: 40 & 41

Michael Garrick: First Born (Argo, 1972)
I found this in a box under an unpleasant old suitcase. So I threw away the suitcase - I'm ruthless like that, and dug my way through the box. This is a proper beauty, the sort of thing you will waltz around the kitchen to - possibly on your own - when you're feeling like really getting into chopping those vegetables and searing that streak (or, y'know, wevz). Garrick is quite a fellow and should you be lucky to find any of his records, then snap them up. You could do a lot worse than start with this one my friend Jonny put out a year or so ago...


Kings Of Convenience: Leaning Against The Wall (Bamboo Soul remix) (Source, 2001)
One of my great, "Aren't I hilarious!" stories (there aren't many, tbh) concerns the time I went to Norway to interview the Kings Of Convenience for Sleaze Nation (RIP). S and I had only got back from (getting married in) Sri Lanka 48 hours earlier when I was suddenly in Bergen in January. The rain came down in waves and the only thing to do was drink and eat reindeer. One of the band - Erlend - and I got off to a bad start when I proposed the notion that their music was so spectacularly soppy because he'd never actually even kissed a real girl. He took this very badly and stormed off the play the piano (we were in a hotel bar, while he played his bandmate Eirik confirmed his pal had kissed more than one girl - on the lips and everything). They suggested dinner at Bergen's finest restaurant with lashings of wine and vodka. A lovely idea until the bill arrived and they mentioned they had no way of even helping me pay (the press officer's card "malfunctioned" too). Later, in another bar, Erlend amused himself by going outside and wandering across the pelican crossing again and again and again. Anyway, by the third day we sort of liked each other again and we went for a drive and listened to A-ha, something they clearly still like (Erlend's on the right, Eirik, on the left, was lovely. But then, he had a real girlfriend). You're right, that wan't very hilarious at all, was it?

New Music Friday: Double Edition

DM Stith: Morning Glory Cloud (Asthmatic Kitty, 2009)
DM is an interesting fellow for sure. His official record company biography notes that, "his father is a college wind ensemble director and former church choir director; his grandfather is professor emeritus in the music department at Cornell University; his mother is a pianist; his sisters sing opera, play piano, tap dance, play timpani and are excellent soft ball players." I hope that at least some of that is made up. Lies do decorate the truth so, don't they? Anyway, this is a fantastic track from his album (that doesn't exist on the for sale part of the internet yet, but this is good to be going on with). Try it, you'll like it (probably).

Chase & Status feat. Kano: Against All Odds (Ram Records, 2009)
I'd like to first say that I'm thrilled Drum and Bass artists still do photos like this. I'd assumed that era was over - but no! Also, when I first heard this I nearly fell over with both surprise and delight. Surprise because I didn't think people made records like this anymore, then delight because, oh yes, they do! I'm not entirely convinced about the amazingness of the four-to-the-floor middle-eight, but then, I'm not "off" my "chump' at some rave-o-drome, am I? So, literally, what do I know? Anyway, it goes back into the breakbeat after a while, so who's counting? More of this sort of thing here.

Make A Donation

I'm a regular blood donor. I'm not bothered by needles, I quite like lying down in the mobile unit in the Sainsbury's car park in Sydenham and getting 20 minutes or so of peace. I even quite like the tepid squash and digestive biscuit afterwards.
I do it because it's a good thing to do and blood stocks are always low. I don't do it because it takes 650 calories to replace that pint of blood. According to my Nike Plus that would take me about 12km to otherwise use up, that's about an hour and 15 minutes of running through the cold streets of Dulwich while the wind inflates my jacket. That's a Pizza Express Frutti Di Mare Pizza and a glass of wine, that's five large vodkas with tonic, that's four Mars Bar ice creams or a whole bottle of wine and a bag of Wotsits for free. Give Blood.

Home Made Pasta

Making pasta at home is probably more expensive than buying it from the supermarket and it certainly takes longer, it takes bloody ages in fact. But it tastes a billion times better than anything you could buy and is one of the most calming, hypnotic things you could ever make, quietly and alone in your own kitchen. I love it and it makes me a nicer person.
You can only ever eat pasta for lunch though as 8 stone Kerry Katona points out, carbs after 6pm are strictly banned.

Enough for 4
300g pasta flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling
pinch of table salt
3 large eggs

1 Place the flour and salt in a food processor and crack in the eggs. Pulse until the mixture forms sticky-looking crumbs. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together to form a firm dough.

2 Cut it into quarters then pass each piece through the widest setting of a pasta machine, folding it over and passing it again a few times until it feels smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

3 Working with a quarter at a time, pass the dough through the machine, moving down a notch each time and keeping it lightly dusted with flour if it starts to stick. If it gets too long, cut it in half to keep the lengths manageable.

4 If you are filling your pasta, use it right away. If you are using the pasta as a plain ribbon, leave the sheet of dough to dry on a clean tea towel for half an hour or so before cutting. Pasta will dry out completely within 24 hours if spread out loosely and can then be stored until ready to use.

5 To make ribons: roll out the dough into thin 25 – 30cm long sheets - any longer than this and the ribbons can get a bit difficult to handle. Leave the sheets to dry for about half an hour so they’re still pliable but no longer sticky. Loosely roll up the pasta then using a sharp knife, cut across the length of the roll. Start with 1cm wide strips for tagliatelle, cut a little thinner for fettucine and even thinner for linguine. Shake out each roll into a ribbon then pile loosely on a floured tea towel. Leave to dry for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

6 Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3 – 4 minutes until tender.

Winter Collection: Crock Pot!

I've had this Slow Cooker squashed up next to Rob's crates and crates and crates of vinyl in our dusty old basement since the Christmas before last and decided it was high time it saw some daylight. Anyway, as it turns out, I like it very much, it looks nice and it gives the kitchen a warm and cosy hum. Unfortunately, I'm not doing all that well with it. Mostly I'm using too much liquid and we have been eating 'chilli soup', 'lamb-shank dhansak soup' and 'smoked rib and yellow pea soup' this week. Also my attempts to make overnight yogurt have so far failed, first time it didn't set, the next time I scorched it and it set beautifully but tasted like burnt cheese.
By coincidence I have been asked this week to go on GMTV and talk to Lorraine Kelly about the benefits of Slow Cooking (this Thursday, if you're watching) so I am determined to become an expert asap. Any tips, post them here.
In the meantime, here's a recipe from my friend Katie B's lovely book Slow Cooking. Now she is an expert so I'd rather you spent your ingredients on one of her dishes than risk them on one of mine. And if you are thinking of buying a Slow Cooker may I recommend you invest in a Cuisinart - it's more expensive than my Crock Pot but that cook and hold is worth every penny.

Katie's Slow Cooker Chinese Red Braised Beef
Serves 4 - 6
1.5kg brisket joint
2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
150ml light soy sauce
100ml dry sherry
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp shredded fresh root ginger
1/2 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
pred rind of 1 orange
150ml cold water

Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker dish and mix well.

Cover with the lid and cook on low form 8 hours, or up to 12 hours, until the meat is meltingly tender.

Remove the meat from the slow cooker dish and carve into thick slices. Dizzle with the sauce and serve with noodles and steamed green vegetables.

Lily And Me: The Truth

I did an interview with the delightful Lily Allen just before Christmas. Apparently, some people have got a little upset by some if what she had to say, which seems silly to me, really. But as I write, there are 167 different news outlets that have picked up on it. My personal favourite is this one. I think they've got it about right.

Booze Ban: Reinstated

Pete Greenwood: Wine & Rye (Heavenly, 2008)
So, I'm doing it again for reasons I can't quite figure out (though we could start with a mixture of puritanical self-regard and ludicrously misguided catholic guilt). I'm a week in, but the euphoria of last year's ban hasn't materialised, I think, probably, because I came back from Thailand feeling so good already. However, my productivity is going through the roof. This morning I had got dressed (in a smart shirt), made breakfast for everyone, tidied away after everyone, sorted out the washing and the tumble-dryer, tidied the front room (while listening to The Prodigy's excellent new album at a very high volume - sorry neighbours!), packed S off to Borough Market and changed some lightbulbs that had been dead for about a year. What a life I lead! Then I looked at the clock and it was 8:12. So, clearly, not drinking has its upsides. But, as you can see, it has a tendency to make you spectacularly boring. Already, one good friend has initmated that, all things considered, he'd actually prefer to wait until February so we can "get really drunk together", rather than enjoy my sparkling conversation (if not my sparkling water) while he gets legless. More fool him, eh? Ha ha! Hahahahahaha!!
*Manically Hoovers curtains for tenth time in attempt to mask the yawning futility of life sans grape*