The cookery thread

[ReturnOfTheMack]

After what I considered a sauce win, my wife mentioned in passing that it would be a good base for hot sauce.

 

I used the above recipe, lessened the tomato and added 3 Carolina Reapers. 

Im told its good. I wouldn't know, I find basil quite hot...

[Chest Rockwell]

After some input for Christmas cooking! 

Decided I would make a big pie this year. Or rather, two. I think there will be 13 meat eaters in total. We'll have sides and stuff.. how much pie do you guys think I'll need? 

Also if anyone has any favourite recipes, please share. I won't follow any one recipe but I like to take inspiration from a few. It'll be puff pastry as I don't like shortcrust as much, and it'll have a base. Haven't settled on what meat I'll do yet... 

[Gus Mears]

This thing is going to be gargantuan. Chateau Rockwell on Boxing Day

Recipe wise, I do a turkey and ham pie after Christmas. Basic recipe is sweat out leeks in a pan, flower on them when softened and lost a fair bit of moisture, mix in, add the ham and turkey cut up, double cream, bit of butter, a fair lot of English mustard and some nutmeg. Cook it down a bit, put in pastry or lay pastry on the top if you're Bentosing it (much easier). Piece of piss and spectacularly tasty.

[SuperBacon]

Just wanted to highlight this lads videos I've been enjoying. He makes everything from scratch and seems like a real life hobbit in the best possible way.

 

[Gus Mears]

Had the Christmas Eve Phoebe Buffet a day early this year. 

[BigJag]

Looks amazing. Is that a fondue in the middle?

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

3 hours ago, BigJag said:

Looks amazing. Is that a fondue in the middle?

Looks like a camembert to me

[I Bent My Wookie]

Tomorrow's dinner is a 23 step plan based off BBC Good Food, YouTube specifically Fallow, my own tried and tested methods and just having fun. 

I'm cooking just for myself and hopefully (housemates will be at friends) be home alone all day. Leftovers from tomorrow till Sunday is the plan. 

I know in the past people have somewhat enjoyed my posting of my food and this is my favourite corner of the Internet so if anyone wants any photos so I can feel a bit of pride in what I've done just ask and hopefully you shall recieve. 

Edited December 24, 2025 by I Bent My Wookie

[SuperBacon]

Just now, I Bent My Wookie said:

YouTube specifically Fallow

I really enjoy their videos.

1 minute ago, I Bent My Wookie said:

23 step plan

This sounds mental. 23, Shy Dad? 23? That's insane.

[I Bent My Wookie]

4 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

I really enjoy their videos.

This sounds mental. 23, Shy Dad? 23? That's insane.

I'm starting at 10am to serve up for 3pmish. The autism has made it a 23 step but in reality its either a 40 step plan or a 10, but everything needs steaming or par boiling, different temps to achieve desired crispiness, smaller oven space than I want etc. 

Regret not getting any red cabbage as it would add to the wide range of colours going on and that it's double pork as I left the shopping till this morning and the beef selection was rubbish or overpriced. 

But this is kinda my audition tape. Recently finally got onto the council housing register so hoping this is the last year in shared housing and next year I can have my friends round Boxing Day or the 27th for an Xmas roast so trying to smash out recipes now to blow their minds next year. 

[Gus Mears]

18 hours ago, BigJag said:

Looks amazing. Is that a fondue in the middle?

Vacherin Mont d'Or. My girlfriend is French and cooked it the traditional way which basically involved pouring quite a lot of white wine on it prior to bunging it in the oven for 25 minutes. Delicious!

Pretty similar to fondue though. New potatoes were there for dipping.

Edited December 25, 2025 by Gus Mears

[mim731]

Got the liver, port and thyme patè made last night and the confit garlic, all ready for Christmas leftovers. 

Edited December 25, 2025 by mim731

[I Bent My Wookie]

Pork came out a treat. Decided to use a tip I found online for my bacon sprouts and the last 2 minutes of frying off dashed them in malt vinegar and it actually turned into the low key star of the show.

But the potatoes, forever my calling. Crunchy, flakes falling off on the outside, like a warm cloud on the inside. Kept boiling at a risk until they would've been soup if I'd roughed them up at all. Just let the natural part of them break down and the only movement they had was to a colander. But yeah bit of red wine vinegar, garlic, and surprisingly (and cheaply) cooking them in lard and just very glad I have a box of leftovers to get through. 

Yorkshires were shite though, didn't make enough mixture and they just didn't get to their usual boxing glove size. 

All in all for 5 hours work, kinda wish someone else was there to enjoy it but I've dinner for the next few days now. 

 

Excuse the picture quality, this phone is a potato. 

Edited December 25, 2025 by I Bent My Wookie

[BigJag]

Damn. If you're cooking to that standard. People should be queuing up.

[Gus Mears]

 

One of my better efforts this. Adding cardamom to the Red cabbage a game changer 

Edited December 25, 2025 by Gus Mears