So this week I once more find myself with an abundance of carrots. I also had a bowl of chickpeas soaking in the fridge alongside some lamb steaks.

Chickpeas + Carrots + Google = this amazing salad, which is taste-tastic. http://www.rexroof.com/6/chickpea-carrot-olive-salad/
It combines olives, lemon juice and a ton of spices into a great dish.

The lamb marinade followed a similar vein as per: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1182863

Also served with a boiled spud, grilled haloumi and some fresh organic lettuce.

I will be making this combo again. Soon.

I love roast chicken, not least of all because you can make some lovely fresh stock with the carcass. Normally this would go into some soup or other but i decided to use the stock and the chicken in a dhal. Dhal is a curry made with lentils and i could eat it all day. Anyway I used a basic dhal recipe as the start point for this. I didn't use too many lentils as i didn't want the sauce getting too thick.

This assumes you've made some chicken stock, and have enough leftover chicken meat.

Chop a carrot into little cubes (little so they cook quickly).
Chop a big onion and soften in oil.
Meanwhile add a good handful of lentils to a pan containing at least a pint of warm stock and bring to the boil.
Simmer once the lentils are at the boil. Skim off any foam.
Thickly slice two cloves of garlic and add to the pan after the onions have started to soften.
Slice a courgette and add to the onion/garlic.
In a pestle and mortar, grind a teaspoon each of cumin, coriander and chili flakes, plus a pinch of salt.
When you're happy with the onions, clear a space and add the ground spices to the pan, allow them to warm through.
When they start to release their aroma, mix through the onions etc.
Back to the lentils... after about 10 mins, add a good teaspoon of garam masala and mix thru the lentils/carrots.
Slices a few tomatoes and add to the lentils.
Get your leftover chicken meat and add to the lentil pan to warm through.
Finally add the onion mixture to the lentil and mix through.
Check the seasoning.
If the sauce is too runny, simmer with the lid off till it reduces.

I served this with basmati rice.

I like to let my onions brown well, so they add a nice smokey flavour to the dish. You could also add a can of chickpeas to bulk it out.

This made a very rich and tasty curry. Not sure how faithful to the original, but hey.

ok, so this was so damn tasty that i munched my way thru it before taking a picture, honest!

every pancake Tuesday i ring my mum for a reminder of the recipe for batter, which i prepare, then promptly forget. so it here it for posterity...

- sift 8oz of plain flour into a large bowl, and add a pinch of salt
- make a dent in the middle of the flour mound
- add two eggs into your dent and start to fold into the flour
- measure out just over half a pint of milk
- add the milk gradually
- melt a large knob of butter and stir this into the milk
- leave the batter to rest for as long as possible

according to my mum, you don't want to stir/mix the batter too much or it'll get tough. rather you want to fold it so that you introduce air as you milk, and mix as little as possible. also its worth testing the batter to make sure it spreads thinly on the pan - if not, fold in some more milk...

so while i left the batter to rest i made the filling:

- heat a pan with some oil and butter
- slice an onion and leek and add to the pan
- add a sliced clove of garlic and soften the whole lot for about 10 mins
- wash two skinless salmon fillets, season and coat with oil
- once the veg are soft push them to the side of the pan
- add the two salmon fillets and cook, turning after 5 mins
- add two tablespoon of creme fraiche and mix thru the onion/leeks
- add salt and plenty of black pepper and grate some parmesan into the pan
- next add a few glugs of hot water
- gently stir, breaking up the salmon into large chunks, combining the sauce
- cover and take off the heat while you make your pancakes

pancakes - fairly simple
- heat the pan
- add some butter (not needed if you have a non-stick)
- add a good ladle of batter and spread evenly
- wait until you see bubbles appear
- turn and cook until done

serve the filling rolled in the pancake with some steamed veg.