Mr Rathbone loves toad in the hole so for Valentine’s night I decided to do chicken in-a-toad-in-the-hole-style.  Hen in the hole if you will…

For me the chicken was not finger licking…  I was in one of those fearful cooking moods.  The chicken was top quality corn-fed chook and I was worried about how it smelled when I unwrapped it.  I was predicting food poisoning within 24 hours but Mr R said it was just because supermarket chicken is usually so bland that it smells of absolutely nothing.  This chicken probably smelt like a real chicken outta.  I am guessing now that he was right, we both survived.  The Sloman Gin Fizz may have helped…

My worrying continued later, thinking that I hadn’t fried it up enough before it went in the batter (see above) and then even later I was worried that the batter wasn’t cooked enough when it came out of the oven an hour later (see below)

For me, it was too doughy.  But whatever, as my lovely funny Valentine said, I rustled up a 3-course dinner after work on a Friday and it was lovely.  I wish I had gone for my original plan and made Elizabeth Taylor’s Chicken Steamed in Wine though…  I guess I just wanted it to be extra special as it is the first time for years I haven’t been Miss Dine Alone on Valentine’s night having a Vincent Price Chicken in Pineapple…

For a starter I made mackerel pate.  Here it is with my Valentine’s gift.  How absolutely lovely.  I have a big crush on Billy Fury.

I was rather pleased with my pate.  Chatting with Battenburg Belle about my proposed love-in menu she suggested this saying: “just mash up some mackerel, cream cheese and horseradish”.  I am a terrible stickler for following recipes and even though I have just read the whole of “Cooking Without Recipes” by Philip Dundas

this concept still gives me the heeby-jeebies.  So I printed out Valentine Warner’s recipe from the internet and more or less used his proportions but DIDN’T MEASURE ANYTHING.  Revolutionary for me.  It was absolutely delicious so I more or less feel like I have just won Masterchef.

Dessert was Vincent Price’s Pots au Chocolat – I will do another post about this because – unlike the chicken recipe – the chocolate mousse recipe is definitely worth sharing with y’all.  Coming soon…

 

 PS – I’ve had a request for the recipe via the Silver Screen Suppers Facebook page.  If you try it I’d love to hear how it turns out – may you have more success with it than I did!

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