10.12.08: Lamb tagine with carrot, avo and preserved lemon salad

He rolled up His sleeves and set to work creating this winter fave of lamb tagine served over couscous. A chopped half of a preserved lemon made a special appearance in the salad along with its friends the avo and friendly carrot.

SHE SAYS: What a huge treat to come home to on a Wed. nite. I sank into my bowl like a bath. The deep mingling of spice and tomato and honey on my tongue was somehow soothing and exciting at the same time, while the lamb fell apart the minute We looked at it, let alone approached with fork. Given all this savoury bliss, I was slightly wary about the added intensity of preserved lemon lurking among the leaves and shreds, but the appropriately small bits of translucent whole lemon resulted in tastebud intrigue, not overkill. Even so, I do think my near-year-old lemon that's left is approaching ammonia level...must find new applications for the remains and start another batch.

HE SAYS: I was very pleased with the outcome of this tonight. I went strictly by the recipe for the spice quantities and, gasp, it worked out well. The lamb was so very tender and butter-like in consistency and all the dried fruit, moist and flavoursome. It's a bit of a to-do getting this one to the table but definitely worth the prep. It tastes like you should feel guilty but fear not, this is a very healthy dish. Dried fruit, tomato juice, naked couscous, no butter, just olive oil and lean lamb chunks make for an indulgent tasting, satisfying bowl.

And wow, the preserved lemons were still okay after about 9 months or so (though slightly more grey then yellow), in fact more intense tasting and so extremely salty. They were like a vegetarian anchovy addition to the salad.

15.09.08: Baked sea bass, and fish taco

She recovered from Thai food poisoning just enough by Monday evening to heat up the sea bass she'd cooked the night before - sorta like an extra-fancy ready meal, just pop the foil packet in the oven! Stuffed with lemon thyme and rosemary, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepa, She had roasted it over a scattering of chopped preserved lemon in foil.

SHE SAYS: I hate to waste food, esp something as nice as a whole sea bass. I don't think I enjoyed this as much as I would have had I still not been feeling a bit iffy. The fish was very lemony, flaky, fresh and firm, all good - but I had to take it slow and didn't exactly finish. I do think this works better baked with fresh lemons than with preserved - they were perhaps too strong with all the lemony notes already supplied by lemon thyme and rosemary.

HE SAYS: For my last night in Austin I decided to retrace my steps and head back to Cafe Magnolia, a 24 hr hipster diner. I had been there for lunch but figured it was worth returning for a spot of dinner so I could have an excuse to blog about it. Seems like it is not just any diner; it's more of an Austin institution going by the lines out the door.

I ordered the fish taco, and with it came the side salad, including julienned carrots. The dressing I chose was Ranch as it does not exist in England as a flavour, concept or state of mind. Saltine crackers, another nice touch, also graced the plate.
This fish taco was not exactly what I expected; I was half expecting the fish to be more deep fried and breadcrumb coated. This version was more healthy in a way, grilled fish with no coating. It was still good, plenty of red cabbage, lime and tarter sauce pulling it all together. the serving was large and I felt pretty satisfied with my choice this time. To drink I had the obligatory iced tea, I asked for shweet tea and they gave me a look, like "you are not from here, are you". The atmosphere was buzzy and the wait staff are chatty and friendly but I wonder what it's like at 3 in the morning?

25.08.08: Grilled lambchops with roast aubergines and tahini sauce

She cannot resist saying, 'Hey! Check out the grill marks!' It seems after 3 or 4 goes, the spesh grill pan is finally, um, earning its stripes with these li'l lambchops marinated in rosemary, olive oil and a mysterious Mexican-y spice mix lounging on the kitchen shelf. Sides of couscous with ho-made preserved lemon bits and coriander, plus Nigel Slater's roast aubergines with tahini filled out the plate, while a simple green salad with raspberry infused beetroot stood by.

SHE SAYS: Enh. The chops were good, but an attempt at a red-wine reduction just, well, fizzled, apparently. Still, I managed not to overcook the chops, and they were tasty enough. The couscous was fluffly and intensely flavoured with the lemon - all good.

The aubergines, though, were not so yummy. The tahini we bought in a rush yesterday I suspect was made with roast sesame seeds, given its tan colour and heightened flavour - not a bad thing, except it made the sauce look like peanut butter. Also, though this intrigued me before I tried it, cardamom is a shockingly bad choice of spice for aubergine. Shame on you, Nigel! New beetroot was okay but not anything to sing and dance about. An odd dinner, all things considered.

HE SAYS: It's a good thing we had loads of chops because they didn't have much meat to them. But they were tasty, with the marinade offering a smoky, spicy kick. The aubergines were interesting but not that appetising, the tahini sauce seemed not to work with the roasted veg and it just seemed a little out of place on the plate. Agree with Her that the raspberry infused beetroot was nothing special and I detected an artificial aftertaste which was neither expected nor apprieciated from me, beetroot's biggest fan.

22.08.08: Out to Ottolenghi

On the way to a friend's gig, we stopped in at Ottolenghi, which We believe originated the practice of displaying heaps of impossibly gorgeous and varied veg salads next to stacks of impossibly gorgeous meringues, tarts and cakes to lure innocent passers-by. Their menu and window dressing have been imitated in lesser cafes all across London.

Fun fact: It was their broccoli salad that inspired Her to try stirfrying broccoli on high heat for that yumsome charred flavour, and for that We are forever grateful.

He had actually booked us a spot at the long communal table, where we ordered a series of small dishes to share - they don't really do main-sized plates, apparently.

Broad beans and peas with globe artichoke, parsley, thyme, pink peppercorns, and preserved lemon...Seared tuna with a pistachio crust served with wasabi sour cream...

Marinated roasted aubergine with chilli, coriander, oregano and green tahini...Grilled pears, red endive, rocket, fried manouri cheese and caramelised macadamias with an orange blossom and balsamic dressing...

...and, most unusually, dessert. Lime-infused cheesecake with roast strawberries, plus a white coffee for Her and a latte for him. (Can you tell We didn't manage to snag a dessert menu?)

HE SAYS: The atmosphere at Ottelenghi is informal yet slightly snobby, but the food is fantastic and where else can you order 4 cold salady starters and call it a meal? It's like posh salad tapas. Everything tastes very fresh and they have a knack of putting a new spin on your average tired vegetable selections.

Apart from the tuna which may have been out on display a little longer then perhaps it should, the quality was great. My fav dish being the aubergine with the ever-so-moreish tahini dressing. Unlike Her, I really enjoyed the broad bean plate; admittedly, broad beans can often taste like feet on a hot day but these had a springy texture and were slightly sweet.

I wasn't expecting any dessert and the cheesecake was not anything spectacular, tasty but not either inspired or different from what you'd get at any restaurant, which is a shame 'cause I love what they do with macaroons and meringues.

SHE SAYS: The first thing I ever had from Ottolenghi, some years ago, was their chilli cornbread. the sight of it stopped me cold: cornbread in London? Unheard of. And if it was a little dry, it had lots of cuminy, spicy goodness in its favour. The triple-salad takeaway boxes, if not exactly a deal, made for exceptionally gourmet grazing.

So - I heart Ottolenghi's food. But I don't like it for a sit-down meal. This was my second time, and again I found it an oddly sterile experience. Service was v. good, and the overall effect of the decor is a sort of candy-glazing, which is not unpleasant in my book. But the minute I sit down I want to leave. Shrug.

On to the food: Best by far was the grilled pear salad - that dressing was utterly amazing, I think I actually opened my eyes wider when I tasted it. (And I just realised we have orange blossom water hiding in the cupboard...oh yeh, baby.) The manouri cheese was like baked ricotta, quite nice for sauce-sopping.

I liked the tuna more than Him, though it was not special. The 'crust' was damp and bland, and the wasabi cream somewhat timid. Still it was nice to have a slice of properly dark, rich tuna.

Was not impressed by the broad bean salad, except for the happy inclusion of preserved lemon, but then broad beans are that rare legume I don't care for - they're like hard lima beans on steroids. The aubergine was tender but not mushy, and the sauce was a few notches above your average hummus, with a nice fresh note of herbiness.

Finally, I was feeling grumpy and ordered dessert at the last minute by way of mood elevation. It was a little chalky, but had good lime flavour.

12.03.08: Sherried pork chops and mushrooms

He prepared a somewhat decadent midweek feast of herby, sherried pork chops and mushrooms finished with single cream; potatoes roasted in duck fat; steamed sugarsnap peas; and simple cherry tomato and mixed-leaf salad.

SHE SAYS: The herby sherried mushrooms and onions gave a luscious dimension to the nicely browned chops. Crispy roast potatoes will never do me wrong, and the perfectly al dente snap peas balanced it all out with virtuous veggie goodness. Snips of Her ho-made preserved lemons raised the salad to yum level - an inspired touch.

HE SAYS: Once again deglazing the pan come up trumps. Have to thank Cooksister for her great recipe, will def. try again but perhaps with a little more single cream at the end. The slow roasted potatoes needed quite a bit of babysitting what with the consistent basting, but it was worth the effort: crunchy on the outside and fluffy in the centre. Loved the preserved lemons in the salad too, so salty, tangy and generally fab.

07.02.08: Lamb cutlets with kale and cauliflower

Nice veg: Cauliflower sauteed according to an Alice Waters recipe, with garlic, cumin, turmeric, and fresh coriander; kale boiled with onions and liquid smoke; no-fat lamb cutlets grilled with a spice rub; and a lively salad of radish, conference pear, mixed leaves, and finely chopped preserved lemon.

HE SAYS: Not too keen on the lamb cutlets, but thought the cauliflower was a hit, and I liked the greens with a little liquid smoke. Also enjoyed the salad with the nice 'n' salty preserved lemons. And with my favourite, radishes, what's not to like?

SHE SAYS: Agree the lamb was tough and tasteless, despite quick grilling - nonfat is not the way to go. Liked the cauliflower immensely, looking forward to exploring more of Alice's book, The Art of Simple Food. Greens were subtle but not boring, and the lemony salad combined sharp and sweet nicely.

03.02.08: Lamb tagine and Slatit fjill

An extremely comforting way to end the week: velvety lamb tagine over couscous. This comes from an Anthony Worrall Thompson recipe published in a BBC Good Food insert a couple of years ago, but this recipe of his is very similar.

And this is not the usual role for a radish: front and centre, in the crunchy-tangy slatit fjill, or radish and lemon salad with capers, for which She preserved the lemons. Another adventure from the much-loved Medina Kitchen.

HE SAYS: The photo may not do it justice but the tagine was very tasty, and it's looking like there's enough left for another meal. It was nice to have couscous again since we've been on a rice kick for some time now. Love the salad, which includes my number-one favourite vegetable, the radish. The preserved lemon was tangy, salty, and tasty to boot.

SHE SAYS: Really enjoyed the tagine, but the lamb could have been more tender. May try lower heat and longer cooking next time. So pleased with the preserved lemons - they were brining for a month and I wasn't sure if they were properly pickled. (Oh, but they are.) Radish salad was a crunchy, refreshing treat.