It rained for most of the weekend, so we couldn’t work outside, but Nick and Kieran did manage to do the wiring in the garage, which we can now use for storage, freeing up the space in our house-to-be area.

For me, it’s been quite a culinary sort of few days; I’ve collected about 3kg of chestnuts, which I’ve boiled and must now peel before I freeze them. I’ve got a lovely recipe for a chestnut and aubergine tagine, which I’ll put on the end of this post.

The members of the Nogaro walking club have really taken me under their collective wing, pointing out sights of interest when we’re out walking, showing me such things as which mushrooms are edible and which to avoid, and promising that I’ll be an expert on all the secrets of the Gers before long. On yesterday’s walk, we were discussing the pros and cons of various “alternative” forms of central heating. Nick and I haven’t quite decided which to choose, but went to look at a geothermic installation last week; it was impressive but the price was frightening. One of the walkers had an air/water pompe à chaleur fitted just before the cold snap last winter and is very happy with it, so Nick and I were invited round to his house this afternoon to inspect the system. He’s also lent us all the paperwork relating to it so that we can assess it for ourselves.

This morning, Marie-Louise came round to show me her recipe for foie gras, which her son promises me is the best I’ll ever taste. I bought the foie last week, so today we gently removed the outer membrane, pressed red peppercorns into the foie and then sprinkled it with salt, before wrapping it in baking parchment and putting it in the fridge, where it must stay for 3 or 4 days before we can eat it. I can’t wait!

Apparently the French didn’t invent foie gras; this was down to the ancient Egyptians, who noticed that geese gorged themselves on any food available before their long migratory flights. They originated the method of gavage, or so-called force feeding of the geese, feeding them figs. It is, in fact, a myth that geese and ducks are forced to eat huge quantities to fatten the liver; on most privately owned duck farms, the animals live free range for most of their lives, well looked after as any stress impacts on the quality of the liver. In the case of ducks, they are kept indoors for just the last 13 days of their lives and fed corn 3 times a day; the gavage is done by hand and the ducks are more than keen to eat what’s provided.

Our last culinary treat(?) came this evening, when Nick decided to add a tiny quantity of his home-grown Scotch bonnet chilli to the fish, tomato and pepper dish I was preparing; two mouthfuls into it and we were all very red in the face, with running noses and streaming eyes! The rest of the chilli is in the freezer; I think it will do us for the year!

Rather less hot; my recipe for aubergine and chestnut tagine.

• Aubergine and chestnut tagine with herb couscous recipe

  

   

  Serves 6

  Ready in 1 1/4 hours

  Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 50g dates, finely chopped
  • 2cm piece fresh ginger, grated
  • 500g (about 2 small) aubergines,
  • cut into 2cm cubes
  • 600g pumpkin or squash, deseeded and cut into 3cm cubes
  • 200g pack cooked, peeled chestnuts
  • 2 x 400g cans good plum tomatoes
  • Handful each chopped fresh mint and coriander, plus extra coriander to garnish
  • Juice of 2 lemons

  For the herb couscous

  • 450g couscous
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 shallots, sliced
  • Handful each finely chopped fresh coriander and parsley

  METHOD

  How to make aubergine and chestnut tagine

  1. Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add ground coriander, turmeric and cinnamon and dry-fry for 1 minute. Add the oil, onion, chilli, garlic, dates and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the onion is softened.

  2. Add the aubergines, cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the pumpkin and chestnuts to coat in the spices. Add 100ml water and the tomatoes, breaking them up into chunks, and simmer, stirring, for 25 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, put the couscous into a bowl and season. Pour over 450ml boiling water, add half the oil and stir once. Cover and set aside for 5-10 minutes, until the couscous is tender. Fluff up the couscous with a fork.

  4. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until soft and golden. Stir into the couscous with the fresh herbs. Season to taste.

  5. Stir the herbs and lemon juice into the tagine. Serve with the couscous.

• Bon apetit!

  

  

  

  
  

We haven’t been idle this last week; though the temperature has dropped and the nights have been cold, the days have mostly been lovely. So, apart from fitting the new woodburner, which seems to work really well, we’ve been getting on with the garage. The doors and fascia boards are all lasured and weather-proof, the guttering is up and runs into a water butt and, the big job this week, the new concrete floor is complete. There are even four rings cemented into the floor so that motorbikes can be parked securely, especially for you, Peter Short, if you’re reading this. 😉

Nick and Kieran have spent hours mixing and laying the new floor and had just finished the ramp outside the doors today, when the heavens opened . They collected up a heap of old doors, destined for a bonfire, to protect the wet concrete from the rain, so it should be OK. All that remains to be done now is to fill in the gap above the doors, probably with colombage, and to crepi the outsides.

The rest of the afternoon was spent indoors, digging the floor up in the grange and making a huge pile of mud. We had hoped there might be some decent soil there, but sadly, mud is a better description.

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