Our researchers were thrown into disarray last night when an unexpected cooking disaster threw the Hutgirl into a flurry of activity!  Assuming it would be a standard Monday Night Supper Club (where the Hutgirl and friends take it in turns to cook mains and desserts, consume the meal and catch up, then watch the latest Game of Thrones episode), we’d left one research assistant observing the Hutgirl while the rest of us had nipped to the pub for a swift half. 

Imagine our dismay when the research assistant called to say the Hutgirls’ Sweet and Sour turkey was a disaster, and that the Hutgirl was engaging in rapid re-planning and backup plan assessments!  It is very rare that we get to see this behaviour, so naturally we all hustled back to the lair to see this phenomena up close and in person. 

We got back just as the Hutgirl was placing a phone-call to her dam, asking if she had any fresh meat, as the few fresh ingredients the Hutgirl had would now be useless without some sort of meat or protein addition… receiving a reply to the negative, the Hutgirl began rummaging through her freezer, coming up with half a dozen pork chops.  Starting these defrosting in the microwave, she then methodically went through the fridge, cupboards and shelves, laying things on the bench to create a backup meal.   We watched in astonishment as a few carrots, an onion, some mixed peppercorns, some leftover cream and a small bottle of white wine made a sauce to cook the pork chops in (casserole dish, oven, an hour).  Small tins of garden peas and sweetcorn were mixed and put in a small saucepan to provide some sort of vitamin-y goodness, and a few unloved potatoes were cut into wedges and dusted with salt, pepper, mixed herbs and a bit of paprika, before being shaken in a bag with some olive oil and turned onto a baking tray for 40 minutes.

Luckily, the other members of the Monday Night Supper Club were delayed, and the Hutgirl gained an extra vital few minutes to tidy the lair and lay the table.  Overall, the responses were tolerably positive- clearly not the Hutgirl’s best culinary work, but more than acceptable appeared to be the general verdict!

Now we just have to write it all up properly, and hope another disaster of moderate proportions occurs so we can observe the Hutgirl’s behaviour in this situation from the start.  Pub trips in shifts from now on…

Ok- trying to distract myself with what I’m doing for Monday Night Supper Club tonight.  I cut up some turkey breast yesterday and left it marinading in soy sauce and sesame oil, then threw it in the slow cooker this morning with sweet and sour sauce, so it should be nice and tender and cooked by the time I get in.

I also picked up a couple of packs of pre-shredded oriental vegetables (don’t judge me, time is very tight on a monday night!), so I think I’ll stir fry them and boil up some egg noodles to make chow mein, then cook some plain rice in the noodle water… and that’s where I’m drawing a blank.  There are only 3 of us eating this week, and I know Helen had sone a caramel chocolate torte for dessert, so I’m figuring that sweet and sour, chow mein and rice might be enough, but if anyone else has any ideas?