And Rain Stopped Play

 well me playing in the garden that is.  We have had gentle rain for the best part of the day, not what I had anticipated at all.  I am therefore in the house again, trying to get to grips with some inhouse jobs again.  Just when I was in a groove with the garden as well.

The greenhouse has been checked this morning in any event.  I do this first thing and also last thing at night.  Yesterday I had the smallest of birds in my greenhouse as I had left the doors open as it was so warm.  G thinks it may have been a Wren. I am not so sure; it reminded me of a smaller version of a Sparrow and I mean a much smaller version.  I think it may have been a Bunting. It disappeared into the jungle in any event.  One of the things I am sad about as we reclaim the jungle is the wild habitat that is being removed where the birds have found safe haven.  A lot of it will come out eventually and the amount of empty old birds nests have found in the Ivy is up to four so far and we have not tackled the main part over the original greenhouse yet.  It always amazes me just how much of a construction job the birds managed with just bits and bobs.

Removing the habitat, this is the part that grieves me, but realistically the garden is long overdue an overhaul.  That old Cherry tree needs a haircut.  Ivy is a devil to get rid of and that is where the birds are nesting in the hidden bits.  You cannot blame them.  So will see if can leave a little that does not invade anywhere else and also leave a spot for them to reside in.

So housebound today but lots of things to do as usual.

Tea tonight was supposed to be Lamb chops with a bit of veg; very much what I normally do.  This has been deferred until tomorrow.  We have had a cheese baguette each instead. 

I might also make some onion soup tomorrow as well as I have a big pot of stock from cooking the Slipper Gammon the other evening. 

Cooking a Ham Hock or a bit of Gammon if could get it was one of the things my family always used to do on a weekly basis as it provided meat for having a quick meal with either a salad or chips and plenty of sarnies during the working week and the leftovers would be turned into a flan or indeed added to soups and also pasta.  G has never really been inspired by it although it is something that I have always done and he has always eaten.  However, he has been tucking into the Slipper Gammon quite a bit.  I think the difference is that this is proper Gammon that was picked up relatively cheaply.  One thing I always do with a Ham hock or indeed a piece of Gammon is give it a good soaking in at least two batches of cold water before cooking.  The modern way seems not to do this, however I have been caught out and not soaked and ended up not enjoying which is a complete waste of time and money.  I therefore nearly always soak - no matter how good the Butcher, there is always a piece that is saltier than the rest.  Soaking takes the salt out of the meat; otherwise your meat can be incredibly salty and verging on inedible if you skip this step. 

I then get a fairly large pan and fill at least a third full of water, add the Gammon or Hock making sure that the meat is well covered.  Add a good sprinkling of white pepper, four or five whole black peppers, some mixed herbs, a couple of Bay leaves, a whole onion chopped in half, and a carrot peeled and quartered. I then bring to the boil; sometimes you get a lot of foam after the first boil which can be skimmed off.  Take the weight of your Gammon and allow 20 minutes cooking time for every 450g plus an extra 25 to 30 minutes. So if your joint weighed 900g, this would calculate at 40 minutes plus the extra cooking time of say 30 minutes which works out at 1 hour 10 minutes or thereabouts. Leave to simmer for the appointed time after which I take out of the stock.  I take off any thick fat and discard.  I then let the meat cool if it is not going to be roasted/baked in the oven.  However, if I am going to glaze and roast afterwards take off the thick of the fat leaving a layer of fat on which is then scored into diamonds.  I add some marmalade or brown sugar with some powdered ginger and then roast in the oven until golden and sticky.  Then it is taken out and left too cool.  I usually cover with a clean tea towel and leave it on the side.  The stock I also leave to cool. 

Cooking a piece of Gammon or a Ham hock like this can offer a lot of options for relatively cheap eating during the week.  I was brought up on this kind of cooking which is good eating at the best of times.  It is very different to the "Ham" that you buy from the supermarkets but I think it has far more character and flavour; plus you get the stock for soup and stews etc.

Tomorrow though could be homemade Pizza using what I have to hand in the house, whether that be fresh, tinned or out of the fridge. I do have courgettes, carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, cheese soft and hard, sweetcorn, pineapple, peas etc. I quite fancy a goat cheese, courgette, garlic and onion pizza. Will make something of it.  I also have some Pears in the fridge so a pudding could be in the offing too.  I like raiding the fridge, Pantry and other stores to see what I can come up with.  Looks as if the Pizza is going to be Monday night now.

I have had a busy pottering day not really achieving much.  I have latterly been on the Internet doing some research which is for myself more than anything else understanding processes of different forms of preserving that I have not tried yet.

Have some photo work to do later on or a little of it in any event.  

Hope everyone has a lovely evening.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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