The Willoughton Wanderer

"Eating my way through life one bite at a time!"

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Eating my way through life one bite at a time! My Willoughton Wanderer blog tells the story of my various visits to eateries, pubs and restaurants, both good and bad, on my travels together with the occasional recipe thrown in for good measure.

  • Lamb Leg Steaks and Aubergine Risotto: A Flavourful Guide

    Cooking time 45 minutes, Serves 2

    Aubergine is a versatile ingredient that adds rich flavour and texture to many dishes. In this post, I will share my favourite lamb and aubergine risotto recipe, combining tender lamb leg steaks with roasted aubergine, vibrant peppers, and a luscious tomato base. This dish not only offers a delightful combination of flavours but also elevates your home-cooking experience. By following my tips, you’ll create a risotto that perfectly balances the savoury notes of lamb with the sweetness of vegetables. Let’s look into this delicious recipe together!

    Ingredients Required

    To create this delicious lamb and aubergine risotto, you’ll need a few key ingredients. Start with lamb leg steaks for that rich, tender flavour. I recommend one medium-sized aubergine, which adds a nice creamy texture. You will also need a tin of tomatoes for depth, along with a mix of red and green peppers to introduce vibrant colour and sweetness. Finally, don’t forget about risotto rice; it’s necessary for achieving that perfect creamy consistency. With these ingredients in hand, you’re on your way to a fantastic meal!

    Preparing the Lamb

    While I start with the lamb leg steaks, I first trim off any excess fat for a cleaner flavour in the risotto. I cut the steaks into bite-sized pieces, ensuring uniformity for even cooking. Next, I marinate the lamb in a mix of olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs of my choice for about 30 minutes. This step enhances the meat’s natural flavours and tenderises it. Once marinated, I sear the lamb in a hot pan until browned, which adds depth to the dish, preparing it perfectly for the risotto.

    Cooking the Aubergine and Peppers

    Your choice of aubergine and peppers will bring vibrant flavours and textures to the risotto. I start by cutting the aubergine into bite-sized cubes and slicing the red and green peppers. I heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the aubergine first, letting it cook down until it’s golden and tender. Then, I toss in the peppers, stirring them in until they soften and their colours brighten. Finally, I add a pinch of salt and pepper to enhance the flavours, preparing this mix for the ultimate risotto experience.

    Preparing the Risotto Rice

    Some might think risotto is a daunting dish, but I assure you, it’s all about patience and the right technique. I start by toasting the risotto rice in a dry pan for a few minutes until it turns slightly translucent. This helps enhance its nutty flavour. Meanwhile, I prepare a vegetable broth using the tin of tomatoes, along with water and seasoning for added depth.

    Combining Ingredients

    Assuming you’ve prepared your lamb leg steaks by seasoning and searing them, it’s time to combine your ingredients. I like to chop the aubergine and peppers into bite-sized pieces while the lamb cooks. You can add them to a pan with olive oil, allowing them to soften and release their flavours. Next, stir in the risotto rice, toasting it briefly before adding in the tin of tomatoes. This will create a rich base for your risotto. This is an ‘alternative’ risotto….. instead of adding the stock slowly over time it all goes in and then I pop the whole pan in the oven for 45 minutes. Controversial I know!

    Serving Suggestions

    The perfect way to serve your lamb and aubergine risotto is to complement it with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, such as parsley or basil, for a burst of flavour. I often add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil just before serving to enhance the richness of the dish. Pair your risotto with a fresh green salad dressed lightly with lemon juice, to balance out the richness of the lamb and aubergine. For a heartier option, serve it with warm crusty bread to soak up any delicious juices and enjoy every morsel of your meal.

    Final Thoughts

    One of the joys of cooking is combining ingredients to create a delicious and satisfying dish, as I have done with this lamb and aubergine risotto. The rich flavours of the lamb leg steaks, paired with the smoky notes of aubergine and the acidity from the tomatoes, result in a beautifully balanced meal. Each spoonful offers a delightful mix of textures and tastes that will impress anyone at your table. I encourage you to give this recipe a try, as it’s not only simple but also a real treat for your taste buds.

  • Easy Tuna Steak Recipe with Lentil Tomato Salad

    This easy-to-make dish combines the rich, meaty flavour of seared tuna with the fresh, tangy taste of a lentil and tomato salad. Earthy lentils, sweet-tart tomatoes, warm garlic, and zesty lemon create a balanced, light, yet satisfying meal.

    If you prefer you can gently warm the salad through in a saucepan.

    Enjoy!

    Ingredients:

    • 2 thick tuna steaks
    • 1 tin of lentils (drained and rinsed)
    • Tomatoes (chopped)
    • Garlic puree (1 tsp)
    • Olive oil
    • Lemon juice (or vinegar for acidity)
    • Fresh herbs like dill or basil (optional)
    • Salt and pepper

    Steps:

    1. Prepare the salad:
      • In a bowl, mix lentils, chopped tomatoes, and chopped herbs.
      • Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
      • Season with salt and pepper.
    2. Cook the tuna steaks:
      • Rub the steaks with olive oil, salt, pepper and the garlic puree.
      • Heat a skillet or grill pan over high heat.
      • Sear the tuna for about 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on your preference for doneness).
    3. Serve:
      • Plate the lentil tomato salad and place the tuna steak on top.

    Prep time about 5 minutes, cook time 6 minutes.

    Serves 2

  • Pipe & Glass Restaurant Review: Mixed Bag Experience

    We often dine in the main restaurant of the Pipe & Glass and are always delighted with the experience.

    We visited Beverley the other Saturday and decided to drive on out to the P&G for an impromptu lunch in the bar restaurant which requires no reservation.

    Looking through the menu and the Specials Board I opted for the James White Sausages with Bubble and Squeak and Innspire Ale Gravy and Mrs Wanderer went for the Pipe & Glass Ploughman’s.

    The dishes arrived relatively quickly and I actually think we were served them by James Mackenzie, Chef Owner, himself. The disappointment then began. I’ve had the sausages before but this time around they were seemingly flaccid with very little browning. The skins were extremely chewy and difficult to cut and one skin came off the sausage in almost one piece which was very unappetising. Cutting the skins was made all the more difficult by the steep sided bowl/plate that the sausages were served up in and I can’t help thinking that a normal flat plate would make that task easier.

    I detest having to spoon food onto a fork when eating as it is so ungainly but the sausages were so crumbly that when I tried to prong them with the fork they broke up into small pieces. A very disappointing meal.

    Mrs W’s ploughman’s was a large platter of assorted cheeses, meats and chicken liver parfait. The plate shape and size made it a little difficult to constrain the offering and she was surprised to find a number of cornichons hiding under the prosciutto. There were a couple of chutneys on the platter but one she felt was a little too ‘Christmassy’ for her liking.

    Her main gripe though was that, given the amount of cheeses and meats, there was only one relatively small slice of sourdough to accompany even though there was enough butter for two. A diner on another table had ordered chicken liver parfait, as a starter or main I’m not sure, but they were served two slices. Whether the lack of bread was an oversight we don’t know but two slices would fit the meal better.

    Mrs W did say that the charcuterie platter that we’ve had in our room when staying at the P&G was far better and more enjoyable, and not much different in price either.

    All in all a mixed bag but it won’t stop us returning in the future.

    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g190813-d937802-r965483450-Pipe_and_Glass-Beverley_East_Riding_of_Yorkshire_England.html#

  • Alfredo Lounge Louth Review: Poor Service and Unclean Environment

    This is short and not so sweet…..

    We popped in to Alfredo Lounge in Louth for a spot of lunch, it being a relatively new offering in the town. There was a young couple already waiting to be seated as we fell in behind them. The young women who work the restaurant carried on with their chores behind the bar and ignored us. Another couple came in behind us with a pram. The waiting staff still ignored everyone despite looking over a number of times. A fourth couple came in and joined the queue. Finally a young woman came over to seat everyone. It was at this point that Mrs Wanderer pointed out the detritus of food scraps littering the floor at which point we left.

    If the staff can’t seat customers in a timely fashion, and at least keep some semblance of cleanliness going, then I don’t think they should be working in the service industry. I doubt we’ll even bother to try again another time. Nothing more to say really.

  • Mowgli Street Food, Beverley East Yorkshire

    The Beverley branch of Mowgli, the Indian street food restaurant chain owned and run by Nisha Katona, opened earlier this year and we had been keen to try it for some time. I went online and was surprised that there was availability on Saturday lunchtime at 1pm especially as that is market day and the town is bustling.

    We arrived about twenty minutes early and were told that wasn’t a problem and that our table was ready. The place was almost empty. Again, another surprise given I had previously overheard other people in the town say that there was a long waiting list for tables. Perhaps that’s the case for a Friday or Saturday evening.

    As we were new to the experience the server took some time to explain the format of the dishes and recommended that we have 2 or 3 dishes each. This felt like a lot, especially for lunchtime, and at £9 or £10 each seemed expensive. We realised quickly after the food arrived why that number is recommended. The menu itself is quite extensive and could easily keep you going for a number of visits, but it could quickly become quite samey after that as there is no Specials board to fall back on for extra choice.

    After perusing the menu for a few minutes, we opted for a Butter Chicken curry and a Goan fish curry, together with a portion of Chaat Bombs to start (uber tasty with a nice hit of heat). Two Roti naan breads accompanied. The food arrived quite quickly and was served up in small, 10cm diameter, round metal straight sided dishes of about 3 cm deep. Given the price the size of the portions is small but for the two of us as a light lunch it was more than adequate.

    The Butter Chicken was extremely tasty with a little sharpness of, I think, tamarind but it lacked heat. The Goan fish curry had a hint of sweet-and-sour about it and again had tamarind in it. Once again heat was missing, and I wonder if this is because they are catering for all tastes. Both dishes were extremely flavourful but the lack of heat, even with whole chilli’s present on top, was disappointing.

    This is clearly a successful chain of restaurants, but my only real gripe is that the portions are small and pricey. In all our meal totalled £43 for the two of us with a ginger ale each. When compared with other chain restaurants such as Wagamama where the meals are hearty and similarly priced this is an expensive experience. Even our local Indian restaurant only charged us £55 for larger meals (about four times the size) when four of us visited recently! So, Mowgli doesn’t tick the ‘value-for-money’ box unfortunately even though the food is tasty.

    As a concept the restaurant’s work but I think it will be some time before we return. Sorry.

    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g190813-d26454717-r946547076-Mowgli_Street_Food-Beverley_East_Riding_of_Yorkshire_England.html#

  • Stokes High Bridge Cafe, Lincoln

    We popped into Stokes High Bridge Cafe in Lincoln High Street for a quick coffee and tea late in the afternoon.

    Without doubt Mrs Wanderer’s pot of breakfast tea was exceptional. The cast iron teapots keep the brew nice and hot and the loose leaf tea made for a strong cuppa.

    My flat white, although small and therefore concentrated in strength, was full of flavour and a welcome break from the hubbub of the High Street.

    However, if you are going to offer customers menus, or have them lying on the tables, make sure you change them when they become dog-eared, tatty and marked. Perhaps investing in an A4 laminator would do the trick: at least customers wouldn’t be able to abuse them in such a way and they would be wipe-clean. Just a thought…..

    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186336-d2226730-r942922605-Stokes_High_Bridge_Cafe-Lincoln_Lincolnshire_England.html#

  • The Devonshire Arms at Pilsley, Derbyshire

    Pan-fried Partridge and Pearl Barley Risotto

    Having stayed at the Devonshire Arms in Pilsley on the Chatsworth Estate some 10 years’ previously we decided to have a night away to celebrate our birthdays. We were greeted with a friendly smile by Tracy and shown to our room upstairs in the Farmhouse wing earlier than the 4pm check-in time.

    The Bubnell room was warm on arrival, with a low victorian cast-iron radiator under the window, but during the course of the stay it became very hot and stuffy and we had to open all the windows at 8am the next morning to get some air.

    The memory foam topper on the bed made it very hot when sleeping with poor sleep quality as a result. The beds we knew already are some three feet or more in height from the floor to the top of the mattress but there was only one set of library steps for climbing into the bed. I had to use the foot-stool on my side which is difficult when partially disabled.

    The white flower light fitting in the area outside the bathroom was covered in dust and should be cleaned at least once a year!. At least show it a duster. The kettle is dangerous and refused to stop boiling once switched on so if left unattended could be a problem.

    Dinner in the evening was a mixed bag. The Partridge starter I chose was excellent but the beef brisket main was presented poorly with the diced vegetable sauce covering most of the plate in a sloppy fashion. There were too many miniature shallots, which looked like silverskin onions. Presumable the sauce had white wine vinegar in it which further reinforced the idea that the shallots/onions were pickled and from a jar. Having said that it was full of flavour and the bone marrow and horseradish mash was beautiful. It just didn’t look great.

    Braised Beef Brisket

    My wife’s starter consisted of just 3 pieces of calamari and 2 scallops – all for £12. Yet her main of duck was exceptional. Another mixed bag.

    The menu outside the pub doesn’t reflect the food on offer, showing predominantly roast dinners.

    Breakfast was not as I had expected after our previous visit. The bacon was no longer ‘Chatsworth Cure’ which they had made a big thing of before in the ‘Devonshire Breakfast’. It was simple smoked back bacon but presumably still from the estate. Nice enough.

    The hash brown looked like a standard bought-in offering when it could be so much better. There was half a round of black pudding, half a tomato, one sausage and a Portobello mushroom. Only one poached egg was delivered up despite the menu saying ‘Eggs cooked your way’ (or some-such wording). The clue is in the plural of eggs, not singular. I had to ask for a second egg with the commensurate wait that goes along with that. Nothing in the breakfast would suggest it was an exceptional artisanal offering.

    All-in-all it was a disappointing stay for what is supposedly a 4 star establishment and I drove home feeling somewhat deflated.

    However, this experience won’t prevent us from visiting again. We’ve stayed at the Cavendish Hotel in Baslow before, again part of the Chatsworth Estate, and that was beyond exceptional. The Devonshire Arms at Pilsley though needs to up its game but then again that’s just my opinion based on this visit.

  • The Sun Inn at Everton, Nottinghamshire

    We decided to pop over to the Sun Inn at Everton for a spot of lunch to celebrate a birthday. Usually we have a 5 star excellent experience there but were somewhat let down today. Normally I focus on my meal when writing a review but on this occasion it will be Mrs Wanderer’s offering that I will concentrate on.

    She decided to opt for a well tried, tested and trusted Caesar Salad with the £3 optional chicken. This is normally chargrilled and warm but this time around it was cold. However, it was not just cold but fridge cold. When asked how our meals were she said that she was surprised that the chicken was neither chargrilled nor warm. We were given the answer that too many people had complained about having warm chicken on a cold salad!

    As far as I’m concerned this was a wholly unsatisfactory answer. I would even go so far as to say it was a cop-out. There are three reasons for saying this:

    Firstly, a chicken Caesar Salad usually has warm, chargrilled chicken, never cold and certainly not just taken out of the fridge prior to service!

    Secondly, the chicken in this case is an optional extra at a £3 cost. If people don’t want warm chicken on their salad they can choose not to have it.

    Thirdly, it is not beyond the wit of the management to offer the choice of either cold or chargrilled chicken rather than giving no option at all.

    This experience has put Mrs W off having the Caesar Salad, at least for the foreseeable future, but she will no doubt return to it (although checking first about how the chicken is offered up).

    Finally, as far as my meal was concerned I went for the Camembert Burger with 4oz patty and a huge (and I mean huge) breadcrumbed camembert that was larger than the beef. This was fine if massively filling and cloying but the downside was that the chips were soggy. Given that, at the time of ordering, we were the only ones in the restaurant and the chips were presumably cooked to order there is no excuse for soggy chips!

    In conclusion an unsatisfactory experience that made me question whether Darren was still the manager as the food is normally superb under his custodianship.

  • The Red Lion Inn, Redbourne, Lincolnshire

    It was a cold Saturday in February and our day started with hanging some light pendants in the kitchen. This turned out to be a messy, dusty job with plaster dust falling over me from the drill right from the get-go. A few arguments ensued and at 12.15, once the job had successfully been finished, I suggested we go out for a break and a spot of lunch. Mrs Wanderer browsed her phone and after a few false starts came up with the Red Lion at Redbourne, a short ten minute drive from us. A quick call confirmed that there was space for lunch.

    Redbourne is a lovely Lincolnshire village and the pub stands proudly on the village green. It has its own ‘Fire Station’ museum attached to it. There is a large carpark opposite which had plenty of cars in it – a good sign for the food on offer.

    Previous visits have been spoiled by the loudspeakers playing music on the front of the pub which used to rattle the peace-and-quiet of the village. It became evident on entry that the pub is under ‘newer’ hands and the speakers have now gone.

    The pub is clean and modern inside and there are plenty of tables to choose from in the bar area as well as a restaurant towards the back. There are plenty of choices of ales and lagers as well as craft beer such as one of my favourites, ‘Neck Oil, a lovely citrusy summer-style beer. The waiting and serving staff are pleasant with a smile on their faces which makes for an enjoyable experience.

    We were shown to our table in the far corner underneath a large TV but thankfully the sound was off. The specials on the menu looked lovely, especially the risotto and, if I had the appetite, the ‘Little Baby Cheesus’ which comprised of a number of beef patties in a blue cheese sauce wrapped inside a brioche bun would have hit the spot. Anyhow, we went for the Lite Bites menu instead.

    Mrs Wanderer chose the fish goujons with chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce. A mini fish and chips by all accounts. I, in turn, opted for the Southern Fried chicken strips with chips, salad and coleslaw. A glass of Theakston’s Best and a large Shiraz also ordered (we felt we deserved it after the morning’s work).

    On arrival we both went “Wow!”. Lite Bites are one thing but this was a substantial meal in its own right. We tucked in. Mrs W said the batter on the fish was exceptionally crispy and not at all soggy as is often the case. My three large chicken strips had a lovely spicy coating and the chips were crispy with no trace of excess oil. The salad was nicely dressed with a French dressing.

    At the end we came away from the meal feeling pleasantly stuffed but not overly so.

    We have both said that the Red Lion is our ‘go to’ pub now when we need a quick hop out for lunch.

    Well worth a visit!

  • The King’s Head, Tealby, Lincolnshire

    The first time we encountered the King’s Head in Tealby, Lincolnshire was some 14 years’ ago on a holiday before we moved to the county. At the time it looked like a picture-postcard pub with a lovely blond thatched roof. It was a warm September’s day if I remember and the doors to the pub were wide open and inviting and, arriving unannounced, we turned right into the main restaurant area. Our meals were brought to us quickly and if I remember correctly I had a lovely fish finger sandwich with crisp chips served up on the side in a wire basket. Lovely.

    The experience this time was somewhat different. The blond thatch is now green and the doors were shut against the February rain. The online menu says that sandwiches (which were all we wanted) are served only in the bar area or outside as the restaurant is for main meals only. A4 laminated signs on the opposing doors make it clear that the restaurant is for booked tables only.

    Reservations are necessary, according to the website, but on arrival there was plenty of room available. We took up our table in the corner underneath a speaker from which music was playing (right above Mrs Wanderer’s head) and were brought two menus for the three of us. The bar area seems a little faded.

    I flip-flopped between the BLT (thinking in my mind that it was actually a club sandwich) and the smoked salmon and cucumber on white. Our friend went for the ham and mustard on brown, and Mrs W the prawns marie-rose again on white. All with chips. There was no fish finger sandwich option. Our orders were taken.

    A short time later the waitress returned to say that there was no cucumber and did I want spring onion and chives instead? I agreed but on arrival realised I had made a mistake as the spring onions were far too strong. Never mind as the sandwich was pleasant enough although I’m unsure even now if there was any butter on the bread as it generally felt dry. Mrs Wanderer said that her prawns could have done with some more of the marie-rose dressing. We left our crusts. The chips, although few, were nice and crisp with a good mouth-feel but were served on the side of the plate without the style of the basket.

    Our friend and I ordered a flat white each and Mrs W a large Shiraz. The coffee cooled quickly and I ended up leaving half a cup as it had gone cold. It was generally very milky.

    This was a slightly disappointing experience from when we had first encountered the pub and I can only hope that the restaurant side has a better ambience and food. Our friend said that he has brought friends to the restaurant side before and that it is better than the bar area.

    Not sure we would return but certainly give the restaurant a go if you’re in the area.