Eddie

Speaking of recipes, I've just posted the following in the 'Random things that cheer me up' thread...
 
Discovering a new beer that I had in my possession all the time.
Take a bottle of Westmalle Dubbel and a bottle of Westmalle Tripel.
Remove the caps from both bottles.
Pour half of the contents of each bottle into the same glass.
Drink.
Repeat.
It's like the old days of going into a pub and ordering a 'pint of mixed' - but with Holy Water.

Great choices there.
My current order with BIAB (placed it a week ago) is as follows:
Gulden Draak Imperial Stout   1 x 75 cl Barista Chocolate Quad          2 x 33 cl Augustijn Grand Cru                1 x 75 cl Brigand                                     1 x 75 cl Chimay Grand Reserve            1 x 75 cl Chimay Cinq Cents                  1 x 75 cl Corsendonk Agnus                  1 x 75 cl Delirium Tremens                     1 x 75 cl Gouden Carolus Classic          1 x 75 cl Gouden Carolus Tripel             1 x 75 cl Kasteel Tripel                           1 x 75 cl La Trappe Quad                       1 x 75 cl La Trappe Tripel                      1 x 75 cl St Bernardus Abt 12                1 x 75 cl St Bernardus Tripel                 1 x 75 cl St Feuillien Grand Cru            1 x 75 cl Straffe Hendrik Quad             1 x 75 cl Straffe Hendrik Tripel             1 x 75 cl Westmalle Tripel                     1 x 75 cl Just gone for 'old favourites' this time.
I usually run my order up to maximum weight (31.5 kg) - the two Barista Chocolate Quads are cans as opposed to bottles because another 75 cl bottle would have tipped it over into the next delivery price band.

I recently left my Nottm teaching job after 13 years doing missionary work. I havent been in since March as they have low numbers.
The head asked my mate there what I like to drink. He told her Belgian beer. Last week I nipped round to his to pick up my leaving present.
8 bottles of Hoegaarden. Ffs.
 

Splendid choices Sir 

Rochefort 10. 
Amazing stuff. Allows anyone to travel in time

Just put in a big 'ol order at Belgiuminabox
2x 33cl - Adriaen Brouwer Oaked Strong Dark     
1x 33cl - Atrium ONYX Imperial Stout    
2x 33cl - Duvel Tripel Hop Cashmere
1x 33cl - Gouden Carolus Whisky Infused    
1x 33cl - Gulden Draak Brewmaster    
1x 75cl - Gulden Draak Brewmaster
1x 50cl - HopSaSam Nonniversaire (Calvados BA) 2017    
2x 33cl - Kasteel Barista Chocolate Quad    
1x 33cl - La Rulles La Grande 10    
2x 33cl - La Trappe Bockbier     
1x 33cl - Brouwerij Bosteels Monte Cristo Sherrywood Cuvée    
2x 33cl - Rochefort 10     
1x 33cl - Spencer Trappist Ale (the only USA trappist brewery)
1x 75cl - Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel 11%    
1x 75cl - Straffe Hendrik Triple 9%    
2x 33cl - Straffe Hendrik Wild    
1x 33cl - Tre Fontane Tripel (the only Italian trappist brewery)
1x 75cl - Triporteur Belgian Oak Vintage 2018     

Watched The Edge on BBC2 last night. 
Best sports documentary I've seen. 
Behind the scenes with the England cricket team under Flower. 
Real insight into what it takes to become a test cricketer and also the toll it takes. 
Several familiar faces in tears. 
Also background on the Pietersen row. 
Riveting. 

'Norsemen' on Netflix.
This Norwegian comedy TV series basically takes the piss out of the countless other series about Vikings ('The Last Kingdom', 'Vikings' etc).

Todays haul from morrisons for £12.

Very sweet! A little of the barrel aging comes through but not loads. Hides the alcohol well though. It's a solid 8/10 imperial stout but not utterly astonishing, but it's priced accordingly (£6 but for the best knots you're looking £9-12+*)
 
Currently drinking Eddie's favourite English beer (TM) Tynt Meadow at The Worm has Turned 

Thai green curry tonight.
It's 'resting' at the moment while the Memsahib and I work our way through Trappistes Rochefort 6, 8 and 10 and a bottle of Tynt Meadow. Once I get my liver back, I'll do some saffron rice.

Thai green curry tonight.
It's 'resting' at the moment while the Memsahib and I work our way through Trappistes Rochefort 6, 8 and 10 and a bottle of Tynt Meadow. Once I get my liver back, I'll do some saffron rice.

Roasted lamb meatballs in a puttanesca sauce, all washed down with a glass of IPA.

Just delivered
St Barnardus Abt
5 £23.95
Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel
5 £26.70
Tynt Meadow Trappist Ale
6 £16.50
Sorry, Chris who?

Surely there’s some Taskmaster fans here? Just won a BAFTA, probably the best programme for laughs on telly. Looking forward to the new series on channel 4

Ingredients for bitterballen
·        100 grams butter (75) (125) ·        150 grams flour (110) (190) ·        700 ml beef stock ·        30 grams chopped onion (half an onion?) ·        1 tablespoon chopped parsley ·        1 tablespoon chopped coriander ·        400 grams cooked mince (280) (500) ·        Salt to taste ·        Pepper to taste ·        Nutmeg to taste (good pinch) Breading
·        50 - 100 grams flour ·        2 eggs, beaten, or 1 egg and about 100 ml of milk (the bread and milk seems to produce an eggy wash that is much easier to use, but a little less sticky) ·        50 - 100 grams breadcrumbs Cooking/browning the meat and onion
Use frying pan/wok, wooden spoon/spatula
1.      Heat pan 2.      Add dash of oil to pan 3.      Fry chopped onion until brown 4.      Add mince 5.      Stir continuously until brown (around 5 minutes) 6.      Set aside Bitterballen mixture
Use big saucepan/wok, wooden spoon,/spatula
     Melt butter in pan       Add flour slowly, stirring continuously until a paste has formed (it will be solid really)      Slowly stir in the beef stock, stirring continuously      Simmer slowly     Add parsley, coriander, mince and onions, then nutmeg, salt and pepper, stirring continuously (could also add paprika, curry, other spices)   Simmer and reduce until a very heavy, thick sauce is formed (again, drive as much liquid off as you can – it wants to have the consistency of putty really)       Pour into tray      Refrigerate (a couple of hours in the fridge, or half an hour in the freezer) until solid. The dryer/more solid you can get it, the easier it will be to roll into balls Bitterballen breading
     Take tablespoon of mixture (for snack-size, about 20 grams for each bitterball is fine, but I tend to make them larger (35 – 40 grams) to go on salads)      Squeeze firmly so the gloop really holds together well, then roll into ball using your hands      Roll through flour until they are well covered.      Dip/roll in egg and milk mixture (Use a basin or a bowl)      Roll in breadcrumbs until they are well covered      Refrigerate as required (bitterballen tend to go soft with handling, so firm them up again in the fridge between each stage if you want)  
Bitterballen frying in an air fryer
Cooking temperature 190 degrees
     Put sufficient in to cover cooking tray/basket      Spray or paint bitterballen with coconut oil – this will help to brown the breadcrumbs and really crisp them up      Fry for 10 minutes      Freeze for another day, or eat immediately Note: may need to adjust temperature and time – different online sources suggest as low as 180 degrees or as high as 200, with cooking times between 8 minutes (for 200 degrees) and 12 minutes (for 180 degrees).
Additional – I now repeat the egg and breadcrumb treatment after frying and freezing, then fry them again. This makes the coating thicker, crunchier and allows me to cover up any errors/leaks.

Ingredients for bitterballen
·        100 grams butter (75) (125) ·        150 grams flour (110) (190) ·        700 ml beef stock ·        30 grams chopped onion (half an onion?) ·        1 tablespoon chopped parsley ·        1 tablespoon chopped coriander ·        400 grams cooked mince (280) (500) ·        Salt to taste ·        Pepper to taste ·        Nutmeg to taste (good pinch) Breading
·        50 - 100 grams flour ·        2 eggs, beaten, or 1 egg and about 100 ml of milk (the bread and milk seems to produce an eggy wash that is much easier to use, but a little less sticky) ·        50 - 100 grams breadcrumbs Cooking/browning the meat and onion
Use frying pan/wok, wooden spoon/spatula
1.      Heat pan 2.      Add dash of oil to pan 3.      Fry chopped onion until brown 4.      Add mince 5.      Stir continuously until brown (around 5 minutes) 6.      Set aside Bitterballen mixture
Use big saucepan/wok, wooden spoon,/spatula
     Melt butter in pan       Add flour slowly, stirring continuously until a paste has formed (it will be solid really)      Slowly stir in the beef stock, stirring continuously      Simmer slowly     Add parsley, coriander, mince and onions, then nutmeg, salt and pepper, stirring continuously (could also add paprika, curry, other spices)   Simmer and reduce until a very heavy, thick sauce is formed (again, drive as much liquid off as you can – it wants to have the consistency of putty really)       Pour into tray      Refrigerate (a couple of hours in the fridge, or half an hour in the freezer) until solid. The dryer/more solid you can get it, the easier it will be to roll into balls Bitterballen breading
     Take tablespoon of mixture (for snack-size, about 20 grams for each bitterball is fine, but I tend to make them larger (35 – 40 grams) to go on salads)      Squeeze firmly so the gloop really holds together well, then roll into ball using your hands      Roll through flour until they are well covered.      Dip/roll in egg and milk mixture (Use a basin or a bowl)      Roll in breadcrumbs until they are well covered      Refrigerate as required (bitterballen tend to go soft with handling, so firm them up again in the fridge between each stage if you want)  
Bitterballen frying in an air fryer
Cooking temperature 190 degrees
     Put sufficient in to cover cooking tray/basket      Spray or paint bitterballen with coconut oil – this will help to brown the breadcrumbs and really crisp them up      Fry for 10 minutes      Freeze for another day, or eat immediately Note: may need to adjust temperature and time – different online sources suggest as low as 180 degrees or as high as 200, with cooking times between 8 minutes (for 200 degrees) and 12 minutes (for 180 degrees).
Additional – I now repeat the egg and breadcrumb treatment after frying and freezing, then fry them again. This makes the coating thicker, crunchier and allows me to cover up any errors/leaks.

Mix too wet mate(steam)

After frying...

 
I still haven't worked out how to stop them cracking.

After moulding the meatballs...

 
Breaded...

 

Blending stock and herbs into the roux...

 
Adding some onion and dead cow...

After moulding the meatballs...

 
Breaded...

 

I didnt think orthopaedic shoes would help me, but I stand corrected.
 

No close ups?

Communal effort tonight.
Meatballs from Ikea, Sue heated the water for the pasta  and grated the Parmesan, and I made a beef chilli sauce to give the meatballs their finishing bake.
All washed down with a cup of milky Assam tea.