Hand, Pigeons and Recipes.

So I went to the doctor. She says I have some sort of inflammation of the muscle/joint, and gave me anti-inflammatory drugs to take. So whoop de doo. Oh, and I can't take my time-of-the-month-uber-painkillers at the same time, so I'm reeeeeally hoping I'm not going to have a period whilst I'm on them. But no wrist brace. So hurrah!

The Pigeons have some sort of big yellow (no, not taxi) generator down by the Bridge. I don't know what it does, but it's attached to a long fat orange tube, and it's bloody noisy.

Recipes, then.

Pesto Fish

Get two plaice fillets, and cut them down the centre (following the natural line) so that each of them forms two smaller fillets. Spread with pesto and fresh torn basil, and roll up. Wedge tightly into an oven proof dish with wedges of lemon packed in with them. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve with peppery mashed potato. *quick and simple*

Chipotle Pasta

Boil pasta until al dente. Stir in some chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and chipotles in adobo sauce* (plain chipotles would do). Add pepper and garlic. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then gradually stir in grated cheese, so that it melts. Serve with salad or crusty bread. Or both! *warning - very filling*

Stuffed Potatoes

Bake large potatoes until soft, then leave until cool enough to touch. Meanwhile, fry gently some finely chopped mushrooms, spring onions and fresh chillis (if using. I tend to prefer dried chillis) and grate some cheddar cheese (the more powerful the better, and the less you need to use of it). Slice a lid off the top of the potatoes and scoop out the potato insides into a mixing bowl (being careful not to break the skin too much). Mash with a little margerine until smooth. Then season to however you like it, and mix in the vegetables and grated cheese. We occasionally add sun-dried tomatoes or bacon to ours. Re-stuff the potatoes, then replace the 'lids' and sprinkle with a little grated cheese. Cook in the grill until golden. Serve with gammon or steak, as they're very robust.

*Note for those in the UK: You can buy this in Sainsbury's.