FOOD Diary of a single male (madman)

Left home alone, Redmond Cabot takes a decidedly ad hoc approach to feeding himself – and enjoys every minute of it

Tasting

Red Cabot

What is it about males living alone? It can of course be very complicated … but culinary-wise, it can often be very, very simple. We eat what is around us, and don’t fuss too much.

And so it was when the Brunette and young Penny went away to relations for ten days. When this happens, as it does occasionally, I fall into a pattern: Cook a big pot of spuds, eat some for dinner with veg or meat, maybe fry them again for breakfast, and then re-heat what’s left of them for lunchtime with whatever’s in the fridge … or any time of day with fresh eggs when the fox is not bothering us. And then it’s time to cook another pot. Can you see the cycle here?

This time I even also ended up eating takeaway twice! Not because she does all the cooking, not because I fear cooking alone, but because, from a company point of view, it seemed the most logical! Another poignant reminder of the importance of sharing food and chats with people together in a group when you can.

How this man thing works

Rule 1

Never plan anything

Went to town for a job and thought I’d get some lazy pasta or even a takeaway. Found myself in a shop, thought ‘I’ll buy some spuds … another bag!’. Picked up some lovely fresh broccoli and thought ‘This’d be nice with some fried courgettes or something, with a bit of sauce’.

Rule 2

Make it up as you go along

Enter home and immediately forget everything you were meant to remember. Do some washing up. Find yourself standing in the kitchen suddenly thinking, ‘I’m hungry’. Look down at counter and find a butternut squash, remember you have some lovely frozen brill in the freezer, and think ‘I’d better use that up before the missus gets back, as she gets suspicious of anything frozen in white bags in fridge unless fish fingers’.

Rule 3

Adapt, always adapt

(Darwin promotes it, it cannot be that bad.)

Develop plan of action. ‘I’ll start by cubing the squash, then fry it first in a Wok to brown edges, and then throw in some veg stock to cook it out with a lid on. Then I’ll fry the Brill in a pan with butter and lemon to perfectly compliment it’.

Start frying in oil, adjusting temperature to get right, stirring, then suddenly think ‘It might be nice to cook it out with background sweetness and some herbs/spice’. Find some maple syrup in fridge. Use it. Find spices in cupboard. Throw them in. Stir. Think about coconut milk. Decide to go for it. Add stock. Decide against coconut milk. Remember frozen brill, which has been defrosting under very slow running water in a container under the tap. (This fish was bought two weeks ago, as a pair. Ate one that night, unbelievably impressed. Direct, fresh from Rossaveal, stunning meat and flesh. This other one was washed under tap, patted dry, wrapped carefully in a plastic bag and frozen. That’s the way to do it.)

Get ready to fry fish in butter and lemon. Look at stove with wok bubbling away and lovely sweet squash with background of chilli and ginger spice. Think ‘Feck it’, and just lay fish in on top of mixture, skin down. Cover with lid, and try to ignore pleading looks dog is giving me from basket in hallway. (Do I just get up and close door? Too mean surely.) I love this way of cooking fish by laying it on bubbling, wet goodies, with a lid on so it broils/steams.

Rule 4

Enjoy whatever you do

Into a rounded bowl plate lay a bed of squash cubes, then lay fish down, I don’t mind the skin on a fresh fish.

Have a fabulous meal. Think about a glass of wine, decide against it. Do some more tidying up and go to bed looking forward to seeing loved ones tomorrow. You don’t really mind all those things that used to annoy you any more … and maybe they’ll put up with you too.

It’s good to have them home.

What you need

• 1 medium-sized fresh plaice or brill
• 1 butternut squash
• 1/2 tsp each of ginger, turmeric, curry power, chilli flakes
• 400ml veg stock
• Good drizzle honey or maple syrup

What you do

Read above, but following in the spirit, see fit to add, subtract or edit as howsoever you may see fit!

Red Cabot is interested in food, nature and small things. He sells his food at Westport Country Markets in St Anne’s Boxing Club, James’s Street car park, Westport, every Thursday, from 8am to 1pm.