COCKTAIL MONDAY. I am the one, Orgazmatron

Cocktail Monday

Hola mi amigos. It is I. Angela!
When I was about 14/15 years old me, my sister and my friend David and sometimes Bryan and Donna loved nothing more than to listen to really loud Metal videos and jump about in our living room headbanging till we were exhausted. Oh what fun we had. I think it's why I sometimes get migraines and this really loud ringing in my ears that has never gone away.
Anyhoos. One of our favourite songs to "Mosh" to was Sepultura's cover of Motorhead's "Orgazmatron"

Sepulturas add for Dogs Trust. Awwwwww!

God how we loved Sepultura. I had major hair envy of the guitarist Andreas Kisser.

Look! Look how lovely and well conditioned his hair is. He's the only man on earth who has given me hair envy. I want to touch it and feel its soft caress on my hand. Oh pray tell Andreas. What is your secret?

Here is another video for your viewing pleasure. It's one of my favourites. Look at his hair. Soft. So soft.

Me David and Stephen also used to try to create the drumming from the song Kaiowas on Stephens drum kit. This could go on for hours.

Well, Sepultura are from Brazil so here is a recipe for the famous Brazilian cocktail named a "Caipirinah"

It uses a Brazilian spirit called cachaca. You can get it from Lidel. Or specialist booze shops. If you can't find it then just use light rum.

Warning! The last time I drank these was a my friend Kath's house. I woke up the next morning in bed, fully clothed, boots, jacket and all. Covered in mud???

Here's the recipe

Caipirinha

60ml Cachaca or light rum

1 lime cut into 8 segments

2 teaspoons caster sugar

Loads of crushed ice

Put the lime wedges and sugar into a tall glass, squeesh and bash it together with a pestle, small rolling pin or a spoon. Add the Cachaca and fill up to the top of the glass with crushed ice. Stir, stick in a straw and serve.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Fresh.

Video extravaganza that has a vague connection to lentils

Well hello there.
Today's theme is Lentils. So our recipe is for Sweet potato, lentil and coconut soup.

I'll lay out the background story for you.
When I was younger I fell in love with a band called Earthtone9. They were amazing. So heavy but the singer had a great melodic singing voice that could put you into a trance, as well as screaming like a demon.

http://www.earthtone9.co.uk/




So, Earthtone9 split up. I wept uncontrollably for months. Then the singer started up a new band with guys from Pitchshifter, Consumed and Army of flying robots called The Blueprint.



The Blueprint were equally as awesome but never got the recognition that they deserved. So unfortunately they never made it up to Scotland to play.
Nay worries. I shall go to them!


So anyway, travelled down to London twice, Manchester and Liverpool to see them. That's dedication.
Got talking with the singer after one of the London gigs about trying to help them get up to Scotland to play.
Said the band could stay at me and my boyfriend at the times house and I would cook for them. "Big growing lads need proper food" I said.
The singer Karl said that would be cool but he was vegan. I choked on my vodka and said "That's OK. I'll make you something nice with lentils".

Well, it never happened and The Blueprint split up. I wept again uncontrollably for months.

So then the singer got involved in a new project called Twin Zero.



http://www.myspace.com/twinzero

I'm not too sure about about Twin Zero. It scares me. I imagine it's the kinda music that a serial killer would listen to. A little unsettling. Probably just me. .

As it happens, I'm listening to Nat King Cole as I write this. I love the Crooners.



Oh yeah, I forgot I'm supposed to be writing a recipe.

Sweet potato, Lentil and coconut soup

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

4 medium sized sweet potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks
1 large onion diced finely
Big knob ginger peeled and chopped finely
4 cloves garlic chopped finely
Half red chilli seeds removed and chopped finely or half teaspoon dried chilli flakes
200g red lentils
400g tin coconut milk
1 veggie stock cube
1 1/2  litres water
Pinch salt and pepper
Splash olive or sunflower oil

Place the oil in a large pot over a medium heat.
Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for about 5 minutes without browning. You just want to soften them and get out all the lovely smells.
Add the sweet potato and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the lentils and coconut milk and give it a good stir.
Add the water, stock cube, salt and pepper.
Give it another good stir, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. When soup starts to boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and leave to cook for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. The sweet potatoes and lentils don't take too long to cook so this is quite and quick recipe to make.
When sweet potato and lentils are tender take off the heat, check there is enough seasoning and then either blend with an electric stick blender or use a masher to squeesh up the veg and lentils. Serve with warm nan bread or leave to cool and put into Tupperware. The soup will keep in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

This is a BIG knob of ginger. Be advised. I have small hands.

This is the start of the soupy process

I have stuck the spuds in

Soup with coconut milk and and soup in a pot.

My sister modelling the soup. Iain Curtis is there to ward off burglars from my home.

The rice, the bitch and the cupboard

Hallooooooo.
I was having a ready steady cook moment the other night when I got home from work.
ie: I was pure skint and had no pennies for food so I had to delve into the deepest depths of my cupboard and pull out some stuff for tea. It's scary in there. I was in knee deep, riffling through random ingredients. I peered a little closer and I swear I could see a strange winter land out at the back of the cupboard. I squeezed through. Saw a giant lion and some annoying kids. My attempts to lasso the lion and steal him for tea were inhibited by some small girl trying to shoot me in the bum with a bow and arrow. Has she not heard of guns?
Well, I was cold, bloodied and still very hungry so I crawled back through my cupboard and had another look.
Hmmmmmmmmm. Sushi nori sheets stuffed with super noodles and tomato sauce? Kimchi dumplings with breadcrumbs and curry sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmm. No, I'm making myself feel sick just writing this.
Oh, look! I have some risotto rice. I think I have some peas and a bit of pancetta too. Hallelujah! I shall make a risotto. I like risotto.
If you want to make this vegetarian/vegan then just leave out the pancetta and use vegetable stock.
Now, I'm away to have another stab at that lion.

Risotto with peas and pancetta

serves 2

small onion diced fine
2 cloves garlic sliced fine
200g risotto rice
70g pancetta or bacon cubes
big hand full cherry tomatoes halved
800ml - 1litre hot chicken stock ( can be made with I stock or jelly cube mixed with boiling water from the kettle)
pinch salt and pepper
glug white wine (optional)
splash olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a pan on a medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes without colouring until softened.
Add the pancetta and cook till slightly browned.
Add the rice and cook for a few minutes until rice looks slightly opaque.
Add the white wine, stir and cook for a minute or two until wine has nearly evaporated.
Add  a ladle  full of the stock, stir, turn down to a simmer and leave to cook without stirring until stock is absorbed but make sure that the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Repeat with more ladle fulls of stock, tasting the rice between each addition to see if it's ready. It should take about 15 minutes and rice should be creamy but still with a bite. When you add your last ladle full of stock, stick in the peas, tomatoes, salt and pepper and heat through.
Done. Easy peasy.

You want the risotto to still be a wee bit runny.

My great presentation skills.

Heavy Metal Cooooooookieeeeeeees

Hallo there,
How are things with you guys?
I was selling some Jack n Coke cupcakes and Heavy Metal cookies yesterday at "Rumble in the Jumble" At 13th Note in Glasgow.
Went down pretty well I think. I was particularly fond of the Iron Maiden cookies. I made Pantera ones too but the picture was a wee bit too small. Boo. I still ate about 4 of them.
Thanks to everyone who came along and bought my stuff. And thanks for the people at my Mum's work for helping support cancer care.

There were also , clothes, crafts and nick knacks for sale and I bought myself a lovely scarf from my friend Pauline. She knitted it by hand. Well done Mrs. It shall see me through the cold Glasgow winter.

Here are some photos from the day.

Me modeling Pauline's lovely blue scarf.

                                        Jack n Coke cupcakes and Heavy Metal cookies.

                                             Iron Maiden cookie. You know you want one.

                                                        Lars and the Giant cookie.

                         Me and sis with her special cookie. It says "Arlene and me". Cos I rock.