24.12.08: Black bnz and a pomeflowertini

He decided to make the Eve a little more festive with the purchase of some pomegranate-elderflower cordial for an after-dinner drinx mixer, resulting in the aforementioned pome-flower-tini (cordial, vodka, pom seeds). Purty, innit?

And She was more than happy to make black bnz for Christmas Eve complete with the usual polenta and avo accompaniment. Salad of pear, radish and soft leaves contributed to the celebratory atmosphere.

SHE SAYS: A good spicy batch of bnz, and this time the polenta came out thick and plain, just the way We like it. always good to have something easy and delicious in your pocket for the evening before a big holiday...though I daresay he had it less easy, bzzy as he was with a special b-day project for Moi in the kitchen...

HE SAYS: Nish batch o' bnz. They were very herby and aromatic yet again and the polenta demonstrated the best consistency we've had, not too solid and not too mushy. The pear added the shweet to the radishes' salt, and so all was well in the salad kingdom.

09.12.08: Blk bnz and carrot and beetroot salad

She conjured up another dose of blk bnz wonderment, serving it over polenta with added sweetcorn and a mound of avo. The mixed leaf salad kept things simple by offering julienned carrots and some mulled wine-spiced beetroot to the party.

HE SAYS: No complaints from Me about repetition. This batch was as herby and morish as the first time She made them. The sweetcorn helped out the polenta a bit on taste intensity and the avo contributed to the creamy texture factor. Oooh, I luv me some silky smooth, black-skinned legumes, I swear they get my pulses up! The slivers of carrot were so fine in the salad, the beetroot had to up its game to stay in the super salad bowl, that's fo' sure.

SHE SAYS: It's been long enough since I last made the bnz that I actually had to look up my own recipe, but I'm glad I did. Good balance of heat to herb, especially. Only 'enh' factor was the polenta, which could not be coaxed out of a somewhat watery state. Carrot and beetroot partnership was much more harmonious for me than last nite's salad pairing - sweet strips lashing across the allspice tartness, oh my...

30.09.08: Black bnz and polenta with avo

She ushered September out the door with the now-traditional black bnz ladled over slightly buttered polenta with corn kernels, all topped with generous slices of avo. A sald of figs, rocha pear, radishes and - you guessed it - mixed leaves edged into the frame all fruity and fragrant, awaiting a light drizzle of Nigella's wasabi-lime.

SHE SAYS: Despite having to reduce the cumin by half due to low supply, this batch came out might tasty. Possibly the tbsp of chili powder, added for its cumin content, gave it a spice boost. Silky polenta with crispy corn kernels still makes this a treat of a supper, as opposed to a merely good one. Salad played all its roles - sweet, piquant, salty, crunchy, seedy - with admirable versatility.

HE SAYS: I think this batch was above par in the taste dept., smoky and intensely savoury tasting.The chilli powder seemed to work a treat, adding more depth of flava, and I didn't miss the missing cumin at all. The sweetcorn is really a great touch in the polenta and I would be upset if we suddenly had a corn shortage. Salad was another fruity affair, a little of everything I'd want in a cold dish of various mixtures served with a dressing of my choosing.

14.09.08: Polenta, and pho

SHE SAYS: I prepared a gorgeous meal of baked fish with herbs, and roast beets with avo, plus the aformentioned polenta with corn kernels - BUT, halfway through the cooking came down with bad tummy cramps and, erm, lots of visits to the loo. Amidst all the turbulence, the polenta was the only thing that even remotely appealed. It did its job as sickie food, s'all I can say. Except: I'm fairy certain this is the result of last nite's Thai terror - apparently food poisoning can manifest in your gut up to 48 hours later in most cases.

HE SAYS: Having indulged in some heavy meals of late I was looking for something a little lighter and I found it at Kim Fung, a little out of the way Chinese place at the end of a dark strip mall and another recommendation (thanks Blair).

Unfortunately I got all flustered and ordered the wrong thing, I was there to sample this thang called PHO, so when asked what I wanted after having just sat down I requested the very first PHO item on the menu, consisting of rare pieces of steak, brisket, tendon and tripe??? I know, I know it sounds disgusting, and the tripe was a white chewy fatty substance and really gross, also the tendon tasted as nice as it sounds - not good. The broth was pretty tasty though and I did my best to navigate the bowl's murky waters, searching and eating everything but the aforementioned nasty bits. I emptied out the accompanying plate of mint, lime, bean sprouts and also green peppers which added a little bit of aromatic wonderfulness to the meal, except the green peppers were extremely hot and having bit into one I proceeded to guzzle down a whole glass of water before fishing out the remaining green devils and throwing them out the pool.

After such a to-do I ended up quite enjoying my first PHO. The meal came to less then the price of an M&S sandwich. So, while I cursed the choice I'd made I marvelled at the value, of the food and also my judgment.

19.08.08: Black bnz with grilled corn palenta and salad

She took the new fave of black bnz 'n' polenta one step further towards gourmet by grilling a few ears of corn and slicing the roasty kernels into the mix. The usual avo accompaniment was green with envy (heh, I say, heh). The remains of last nite's salad fluffed up with more leaves, the last few grilled asparagus, radishes and a couple of big o' strawberries had to wait their turn.

HE SAYS: She did a great job grilling the corn to add a new dimension to the polenta, nearly like corn grits which I luv. The bnz were also more then up to par: smokey and herbie, very nish yes. The salad's strawberries tasted great with the leftover grilled asparagus from last night.

SHE SAYS: The added steps - overseeing the roasting and stripping of the corn - tired me out a bit, but the result has almost convinced me it's worthwhile. I savoured the bits of crunch and added flavour along with the thick texture, hot spice and herby kick of the bnz, though the polenta still needed a dab of marge to come to life. The crispiness and variety of the salad helped my tummy turn away from thoughts of another main-plate helping - but only just.

29.07.08: Big Salad

Yep, it's the return of the Big Salad, in a more manageable format, with the bacon of cheese, boiled prawns, panfried leftover polenta, radishes, celery, avo, julienned carrot, chives, gem lettuce and an inspired last-minute add-on: capers. Nigella's nose-whooshing wasabi dressing finished the plate.

HE SAYS: The halloumi was the star of this salad, not to insinuate that the rest of the ingredients were below par, but come on, grilled haloumi is the supreme cheese. Second to the cheese was the shrimp which were boiled enough but not too much and the grilled polenta a close third, it was crunchy and light, whatz not to like? I really enjoyed this meal, will have to do again sooner rather then later. Mmm halloumi, damn you, I can't get you outta my mind.

SHE SAYS: Well, I still complicated things a bit more than I intended to by frying up the polenta, but I hated to see it go to waste - and it was worth it, turning the cold gel-like mush into hot, irregular corn fries to give us a tasty little starch filler. I savoured the salty, toasty halloumi slowly - honestly, I think halloumi would be on my death-row last meal menu (glad we sorted that out already). Plenty of crunch, with avo adding a touch of creaminess, plus the refined je ne sais quoi of the capers - this was a salad I would gladly have anytime, anywhere.

24.07.08: Black bnz with red salad

He oversaw the construction of the regular herby black bean staple and completed the strawberry, beetroot and tomato salad to spec, deadline and budget.

HE SAYS: The beans this time lacked a little chipotle kick but made up for it in the extra herbalicious category (using the big bag of coriander to full effect). I was concerned the combo of crimson vegetation would clash, badly, but the salad was a red sea of sweet deliciousness, I shall never doubt the power of team strawbeeto again, I swear.

SHE SAYS: I can only concur. Fully, madly, truly, deeply.

16.07.08: Black bnz and polenta

Got a sense of deja-vu? Yeh, you right. But this time He made the bnz, sliced the avo, and stirred up the polenta, then tossed together a salad starring Sweetfire beetroot and Jersey jewel tomatoes.

HE SAYS: Apart from stabbing myself in the hand as I tried to de-stone the avo, my first attempt at the new-wave bnz was a success. The herbs were herby and the spice was just right. The polenta could of been a little more porridge-like but I ain't complaining to the chef (I'm no masochist in the kitchen, however it seems). The salad was a double beetroot bill with thin raw slices and thick chunks of sweetfire pitting their wits against the stubbornly delish tomato bits.

SHE SAYS: His first batch of the herbalicious black bnz went down a treat - the thick consistency and coriander flavour were spot-on. Repeat performance by polenta drew more rave reviews - I think we can now say it's the standard starch for the dish. Salad was refreshing enough and decent filler.

10.07.08: Black bnz with polenta

She was out of rice, but She still made it nice...maybe even nicer. The now-classic black bnz stirred it up with the quickety polenta and some chunky avo. The now-familiar Jersey jewel tomatoes and even-more-familiar Sweetfire beetroot stepped up to the salad role.

HE SAYS: Loved the polenta substituting for rice big time. Made the dish creamier and less bulky. Rice is extremely expensive at the mo', so this is an all round fantastic accidental discovery. You can't beat the beet in the salad either, espesh' with a helping of those tomatoes thrown in.

SHE SAYS: I just couldn't face a last-minute run for rice, and anyway we've been pretty rice-heavy lately. How happy I am, tho', that the cupful of polenta in the cupboard called out my name and begged to be stirred up with some chicken broth and marge, toot-sweet. (Really.) It gave the bnz a creamy texture and a slightly grassy flavour - most pleasant. Salad was okay, did its job of filling in the corners.

29.06.08: Ready-roast chicken, spicy polenta, and snap peas

So Sunday didn't feel like Monday, He hunted and gathered the rotisserie half-chicken while She whisked up polenta with roasted corn kernels and chili flakes, then steamed some sugar snap peas. A supa-fresh salad with avo and Jersey Jewels looked on.

SHE SAYS: All good - didn't get chickened out by the well-seasoned bird; the snap peas had plenty of crunch, and the polenta was a star - roasting a couple of cobs with chili flakes and stirring in the kernels added excellent texture and perked up the flavour considerably. I am loving the Jersey toms and suspect they'll be regular guest as long as they're on the store shelves.

HE SAYS: The polenta was extra good tonite, especially enjoyed the grilled corn aspect but also the consistency was spot on, and far from the warm glue like gunk it so easily can turn into. The rotisserie chicken was the bbq variety and it didn't disappoint neither. The oriental leaf salad was still going strong from Friday and I'm still lovin' those tomatoes dearly.

05.04.08: Brunch for dinner

She rolled up her sleeves, tied on the pinny, and set to work assembling this cheerful plate o' brunchish vittles: new and improved black beans adorned with avo, pan-fried polenta, balsamic cherry tomatoes, fried eggs (sunny-side for him, over hard for her), and your basic pear-n-mixed-leaves salad.

SHE SAYS: The polenta took rather a long time to brown, but it was such a treat. When you put a bit of fried egg, a touch of tangy tomato, a scoop of herby beans and a nice chunk of polenta all on one fork, you are on the verge of tastebud heaven! (If I do say so myself.) The beans were a revelation: no tomatoes, no store-bought sauces, just lots of herbs and the ever-present primo chicken broth. I'm not sure what possessed me to rethink the whole thing, but I do I think I've finally arrived at the best-ever black bnz recipe, so it's worth sharing. See below, and if you like it, please click the little Bite This fork and vote for it!

HE SAYS: The new black bean variation was supremo, m-m-mmm, just like ya mamma's, could've-eaten-them-by-themselves good. Polenta was very nice with a little hint of parmesan cheese in the mix and grilled to a golden brown. Oh, and it also aided the mopping up duty for my eggs, which is always a plus. The tomatoes in balsamic were sweetly, tartly bliss and since the new beans forgo any hint of that veg, it delightfully offset the herby saltiness of the rest of the plate. Salad was raised to another level by probably the best pear I've EVER tasted EVER! Praise the Lord.

Herby Black Bnz
Ingredients

I bunch green onions
Tbl olive oil
2.5 Tbl cumin (yes, that much!)
1 Tbl chipotle paste (edit)

3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 pint (400 ml) chicken stock
1 heaped tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried oregano (edit)

1/2 tsp dried thyme (edit)

good handful fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped, stems incl
few pinches kosher salt
avocado

Directions

Chop the green onions, white and green bits.
Heat oil over med heat in a heavy-based saucepan or pot and saute the onions for a couple of minutes.
Add the cumin and stir in to toast the spice, then add the chipotle paste (edit).

Stir in the beans, then add the broth and all of the herbs.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer until most of the liquid is gone.
Add salt to taste, then puree about half of the beans with a hand blender (easiest!) or food processor. This is essential to release the flavours, so don't give in to the temptation to skip this step. ;o)
Serve with slice sof avocado on top.
I paired this with pan-fried polenta, fried eggs, and balsamic tomatoes, and it was positively dreamy. I've been tweaking my black bean recipe for at least four years and this is the best combination yet!

0.04.08: Quorn, polenta, and veggie tomato sauce

She's got lots of textures goin' on: crispy lemon-pepper quorn escalopes and creamy polenta with some parmesan stirred in, plus smooth basil-and-roasted-garlic tomato sauce (courtesy of Lloyd Grossman) thickened with onion, aubergine and peppers. Tonite's salad saw mixed leaves livened up with some leftover celery, the rest of the mozzarella pearls, and, of course, a conference pear.

SHE SAYS: Eminently satisfying. Quorn and L. Grossman never steer me wrong, and the new M&S polenta stirred up thick but not gluey, just like it should. The celery added hearty cunch and delicate anise flavour to the salad, and proved an excellent partner for pear - who knew?

HE SAYS: Enjoyed the polenta (or yellow cheese grits, take your pick). The quorn delivered its usual peppery crunch, and the salad was nice, too; with a hint of balsamic, it balanced the sweetness of the pear ever so well.

15.02.08: Pan-fried hake with tomato relish

Another one from Ramsay's Fast Food: He tried out the pan-fried hake with tomato relish, adding polenta and smoky kale on the side.

HE SAYS: Agree with Her. Next time I'll put less sugar in the tomatoes and cook the polenta minutes before serving. Otherwise, the hake was a good, cheaper cod-like alternative.

SHE SAYS: I really like the hake, but the sauce was a little sweet for me. Greens could have done with less liquid smoke. Polenta was a bit firm.

12.02.08: Baked pork chops and polenta

This was one of those dinners where all the different elements complemented each other really well: Baked pork chops with a piquant sauce from Ramsay's Fast Food, quick-cook polenta with parmesan stirred in, and a leafy salad with avo and cucumber.

HE SAYS: I thought the pork was tasty with the tomato-based sauce, but the polenta was the best thing on the plate. Haven't had it for a while, forgot how much I enjoyed it. Makes a nice alternative to rice. Think I'll choose thinner pork chops next time.

SHE SAYS: Would def. make this again - even though you have to bake, saute, and boil, there's very little prep, and it all goes pretty fast. The sauce was a perfect mixer for the polenta, and made for a fairly healthy way to enjoy pork chops. Really glad I thought of doing polenta last nite!