What came first....the chicken or the egg?

 Let's just say 'murder suspect' may describe the day I had at work today (I can't even talk about it for safeguarding reasons - but trust me) Why on earth choose tonight to be another Mrs Beeton challenge? Perhaps it's time I saw a therapist. In the insane mean time, tonight's menu was Poulet a la Marengo followed by a sweet of Eufs a la Neige (Snow Eggs)! Chicken and eggs makes me remember my first two successes in the kitchen. Growing up, I had learnt how to make the odd meal or two from my parents - boil the mince - chuck in the tin tomatoes, add the 'Dolmio' sauce and voila - bolognaise. Poach an egg? - Put the eggs in the little plastic thing purchased from Grandma's  catalogue and put it in the microwave (seriously?!?) When it was time to fly the nest, I was determined that I would never own a microwave and that I would serve myself real poached eggs with my coffee for breakfast on Saturday mornings. Browsing the bookshelves at the local bookshop - hoping to find someone to help me, I was slightly overwhelmed by choice and so began to randomly pick books up and unashamedly started judging books by their cover.....  Jamie Oliver ..... too annoying! Delia Smith (hadn't I last seen her doing a tv show where she used tins? - That was mum's Xmas present sorted!) Nigella......porn for dad. Then I saw her - the Audrey Hepburn of chefs - Gizzi Erskine! To be honest I would have purchased the book even if she had dedicated it to microwave cooking - I was in love (dam being gay - a beehive and I am anyones!) Following her instructions the next morning I produced my first poached egg! The next day - I am making bouquet Garni's, throwing red wine into a casserole dish and making grown up adult dinner- Coq au Vin! Perhaps now that I am trying to learn a thing or two from Mrs B I anticipated that chicken and eggs would result in yet two more successes - Wrong.

Poulet a la Marengo

The chicken was just what I wanted - a nice warming casserole type dish on a winters night. Looking at the recipe I really did think it was going to be dull. The chicken is browned off in oil- flour is added, then in goes a pint of stock (home made might I add smugly) - a small amount of garlic, mushrooms and some sugar. However - the sauce does turn into something quite amazing.

The eggs on the other hand (egg  whites poached in milk - served on custard) - I am not sure if I made a mistake somewhere but the eggs were very soft and I won't be surprised if I get the belly ache from eating raw egg white - I will have to get it another go and let you know.) Mrs B sure does leave out a lot of detail though. Almost as if she were a university lecturer, 'Here, you can have a few lectures and a tutorial and that's ya lot!" - as a student of Beeton - you have to bounce back fast from disaster and not spend too long crying over the soggy egg whites (but take a leaf from my book and indulge your self in a little tantrum!) That said, it's true what they say - you never forget your first school teacher - God Bless you Gizzy!