We went shopping yesterday, a new car for husband and soup bowls for me. Gary the car salesman found husband  a good car and after a couple of hot drinks from the showroom’s brand new coffee machine which Gary was very excited about and a lengthy negotiation in which we probably were thoroughly bamboozled we came to a deal. I promised to sort out Gary's snoring and potential sleep apnoea, which apparently is driving his wife crazy. It got us some goodwill and if he follows my advice might save his marriage and life, but may not have impacted the actual car sale financials much at all.  He did throw in a seat cleaning kit for free, maybe that was for his long-term marital, respiratory and cardiovascular health.  

Kit or not, I will make sure he gets diagnosed, he's a nice man (he called me a lovely young lady). He’s been marred to his wife for 25 years. He always thinks her birthday is 29^th Jan, but it’s actually 28^th, so he misses it every year, but the wife thinks it’s funny instead of getting annoyed which I think is sweet. They have two kids, a 24 year old daughter who did a master’s degree, I forget in what, and is now a journalist. Gary is very proud of her, the first of the family to go to Uni. And a boy who’s now 16 so we don’t know what’s going to come of him yet.

Gary told husband to take wife for a lovely meal to celebrate the new car, but I still had in the fridge the expensive steaks that I was originally planning for the previous night which travelled with me around the home counties and the side dishes that I had already prepped before husband texted to tell me he was going to meet me straight in the cocktail bar we sometimes go to on Fridays. He did get me champagne, which made up for the steak dinner fiasco and we had a fun night.

So asparagus and the goat cheese, thyme and mushroom bake went to the oven. I also roasted some sweet potato wedges and made a fresh avocado and mint salad.

And what about the steaks that normally always go wrong – they didn’t! I rubbed them with oil, salted and peppered conservatively,  not in a showy-offy, maniacal, klingon foreheaded TV-chef manner. I fried them a couple of minutes on both sides, stuck the pan in the oven for 5 minutes and rested in foil (shiny side in!) for about 10 minutes. And they were perfect. I can’t believe it!  I am still more of a lamb and venison girl because I think there is more natural taste, but at least now I know I can get a beef steak right if I absolutely have to. I am not sure under what circumstances the mandatory steak frying requirement might arise, but you never know so it’s good to be prepared. Like a girl scout.

Nigella has said her motto is  “never knowingly under-catered” which I think is genius. That is what I have learned from my mother also. After a lunch for 4 say, there can easily be 15 whole boiled potatoes left over and my dad as the more mathematically minded person wonders “How many did you think each of us would eat?" Fair question, but a better question than “Is that it?" which is what husband said when he saw his steak.

I am slighty less overcatered than mum. I haven't got 5 kids so my potato calculator is calibrated to our small household. I do still always aim to cook too much rather than too little, but this time husband was actually left a bit hungry even after I gave him half of my steak, so into the rescue came my parents village caterer’s epic moose samosas.

I am relieved to have finally climbed over this culinary stumbling block. Next time I'll just get bigger steaks.