The Hackney Butchers Association

These are what salted peanuts want to be when they grow up. This is a classic Spanish tapas.  It's very simple and very rewarding.  Gotta love the Spanish! To read how to do it click below

This is the real McCoy and not pink like shop bought ones.   Don't be temped to use a good olive oil, it will all be way too strong.  If it still turns out too strong, keep adding bread to tame it. RECIPE BELOW:

A new Russian supermarket "Russkij Bazaar" has opened up on Cambridge Heath Road, East London  The array of sausages/salamis etc caught my eye, and a i had good look around last night.

Sweet, garlicky, herbalicious! , these are awesome. HERE'S HOW TO DO IT:

I pan-fried slices of the sausage & apples in some olive-oil, (it should have been butter!) The flavour was great.  The texture is unusual, but I could definitely get used to it. I've got another half a sausage to munch tomorrow.  I've got a couple of ideas brewing...  Broken up, it would add loads of flavour to a ragu.

More fun with sausages... I've just got my hands on this lovely looking Boudin Noir.  It's a French blood sausage.  I'm planning on having it for breakfast/brunch tomorrow to get over the hangover I'm working on tonight. Apparently the french eat 15000tons of it a year!  It's pre-par-boiled so can be eaten straight from the packet.  It's very similar to black pudding though often has breadcrumbs & brandy or calvados added. Traditionally it's eaten on a bed of onions & pork fat. I'm going to fry up slices of mine with apples & pears in a little butter and some toasted bread.  Bloomin' delicious!  I've not tried one like this before and will post the results... ...some time later... I never took photos of the sausage & fried fruit.  Doh. I did have a go at this though..  Leek Mash with Boudin Noir

1. Give them a good wash under the tap. 2. Cut a cross on one side of the chesnuts with a stanley knife. I do the round side but it really doesn't matter. You can use a sharp kitchen knife but you may blunt it. If you don't do this, they can explode. BANG! Like hardcore popcorn. 3. Roast in a single layer in a preheated 220°C oven for 15-25mins. Basically until they look done... 4. Scrunch them up in a clean tea towel & let them cool a bit. Then peel.  Throw away any really tough ones. 5. Eat.......   or use in a recipe such as   "Roasted Chestnut & Chorizo Soup".    Now we're talking.