Fillet Steaks!

[Lucifer Box]

LB not sure there are many reputable butchers around

Sandy, it is sadly true that in some areas a decent butcher or, indeed, any butcher at all is as rare as rocking horse manure. Huge swathes of the country only know tasteless plastic meat shrinkwrapped in plastic trays from plastic supermarkets (of which the Competition Commission bizarrely says there aren't enough).

However, if you don't have a decent local butcher, you can deal with these people who will ship the best quality meat in cool boxes direct to your door. The whole lamb boxes are especially fine and good value for top quality Jurassic coast lamb.

[Lucifer Box]

Sadly LB, our neighbour's daughter has cut short our voyeuristic pleasures by booggering off to her London den of iniquity where she satisfies the sexual urges of elderly, portly judges and fair maidens clad in tight leather. I can but imagine...

Meat hung for 28 days is indeed the best way - it smells so refined with a bouquet as interesting as a great full bodied Chateauneuf.

Looking to find a new preserve to make - any suggestions?

Thanks for filling me in, hyperD, that will provide some vivid thinking for me in the occasional dull moment.

How about making some quince cheese? They are in season right now and it's not difficult. People will truly gasp in amazement when you whip that out to accompany the cheese board. Alternatively you can charge a small fortune for tiny slices of it from a stall at your local farmers' market.

[dude69]

I have had good meat from

www.caleyco.com (Scottish - the bacon, Ramsays of Carluke, is particularly excellent)
and
www.natoora.com (French)

I have not quite got around to ordering from

www.nifeislife.com (Italian)

but it looks nice, I quite fancy some whole Parma ham hanging in my larder.

I also get my meat (in person) from James Elliott in Islington: http://www.urbanpath.com/london/butc...es-elliott.htm

If anyone wants to know what to get me for Christmas, then this sounds good:

WELLRIGGS HAMPER
2.3Kg Joint of Smoked Ayrshire Gigot
4 x 200gm Smoked Ayrshire Middle
2 x 200gm Ayrshire Back
2 x 400gm Pork Links
2 x 280gm Black Pudding
1 x 280gm White Pudding
1 x 280gm Fruit Pudding
1 x 500gm Haggis Ball
4 x ll3gm Bacon Grills
2 x 200gm Smoked Streaky Bacon
4 x l70gm Smoked Gammon Steaks

[Lucifer Box]

Some good finds there, dude69 - thanks. I especially like the French and Italian sites. A whole parma ham for £120-odd is a bargain.

Obviously as a contractor my man will be getting in the Fortnum & Mason Imperial Hamper this Christmas.

[Money Money Money]

take them out the fridge so they're not too cold.

get the pan up to heat, add tbsp oil & large knob butter.

rub clove of garlic around pan

season steaks (maldon salt & cracked black pepper) just before adding to pan (or the salt draws the juices out)

cooking depend on thickness of steak but should be rare ( or "á point" if your Froggie!)

let pan cool

eat steak.

later on..

wipe pan with lumps of crusty bread and eat! yummy!

Robnjc,

Cooked this last night, Thanks for the tips it was absolutely beautiful!