19.05.08: Lamb steaks with mash, peas, mangetout and shiitake gravy

Comfort food to kick off the week: lamb steaks marinated in a Mexi spice mix and topped with shiitakes cooked in the pan juices and finished with some white wine; Exquisa potatoes mashed up with marge and milk; plaincooked peas and mangetout; and a salad with the remaining halloumi cheese, new fresh bunched radishes, plum tomatoes and lotsa leaves.

SHE SAYS: It was a nice, hearty meal, but I agree with Him that the lamb was gristly and put me off a bit. What is it with lamb right now? Isn't it lamb season, shouldn't it be at its best? The potatoes lived up to the hint of luxury in their varietal name, and the double-pea dish made for a very pleasing, subtle-tasting green veg portion of the programme. The radishes were the real star, though: finally, a little heat to go with the earthy crunch!

HE SAYS: Apart from the lamb being a little too tender, after grilling for a few more minutes it turned out great, although lamb leg steaks are a little gristly, I find. Still, the meal was quintessential rustic French fare. The mash was yum and so were the peas, covered with a little white wine gravy, mmmm... gorgeous!

24.03.08: Lemon sole, Indian ratatouille, and chickpea rice

She topped pan-fried lemon sole with sauteed shiitakes; rustled up a stew of okra, aubergine and peppers in an improvised garam masala tomato sauce; heated up leftover chickpeas and rice; and refreshed last nite's salad with radishes and leftover sweet chili dressing.

SHE SAYS: A tad bit healthier than last nite. The sole was very fresh, but it was a pretty limp frying attempt, with any semblance of crust peeling off in the pan despite generous application of peanut oil. We think our big Tefal nonstick pan has had its day; everything is starting to stick in the centre of it. My Indian ratatouille, as He named it, was quite good - next time I'll remember to buy fresh ginger. It was esp nice to have some okra, and I would have used only okra for this dish if I could buy it in affordable quantity. Chickpeas from Wednesday were holding steady!

HE SAYS: Lemon sole had a very nice, delicate flavour, and was complemented by the rich ratatouille. It's been a long time since I had any okra, and I enjoyed not only the taste, but the unique gooey texture. Nice to have some radishes in the salad, and the chickpeas were great even after a few days in the fridge.