Buffet & Boys

If you saw my other blog this morning, then you know I went out for dinner last night. Dinner theatre, to be accurate, the best thing ever invented. It's a buffet, but it's not your boy scout potluck, oh no. This is a buffet of the standards found on a cruise liner. It's always good, but last night it was exceptional. There were even boats involved, but of a rather different type.

Quite frankly, it was as if a fishing boat had tipped its entire haul out there. It was a seafood lover's paradise. A great irony really, considering the nature of the show. Shrimp ain't Kosher.

Not my problem. I stuffed myself on lots of ex-swimmers, including calamari and catfish. The beauty of seafood is that it's not terribly filling, especially if you keep accompanying carbs to a minimum (I had one tiny serving of couscous and two dainty parisienne potatoes) so I managed to eat two platefuls, ha!

There was also a  fantastic stuffed chicken with asiago and spinach, that I absolutely have to re-create at home, and when I figure it out, I'll share it here.

I even ate dessert. Well, they had St Honoré, or a version of it anyway, rather more flan-like than I'm used to - more cream, less choux, and all the better for it. I have a very poor sweet tooth but I do love a bit of the French stuff.

And a grossly over-priced bottle of Wolfblass Yellow Label, which my husband was still complaining about on the drive home, and I doubt I've heard the end of it, but it's his own fault - "You choose the wine, I've forgotten my glasses". Anyway, I pointed out how rarely I go out and told him to be quiet.

The thing about buffets is that you should be able to put several items together, that work together, as if planned as a dish. That didn't happen last time we went, and I assume changes were made after people with influence said something. Never mind, they've certainly got it together now. For people used to high price restaurant bills, it's really not a bad deal, when you remember you get a top-quality show included.

We left the house just after 4pm, to get to the city in time for doors opening, and we left no instructions. It crossed my husband's mind about halfway there, that the boys would be fending for themselves for dinner. Not a problem. They're perfectly capable. It is a responsibility I take very carefully that they are able to cook for themselves, and cook well.

So it came as no surprise to discover that they'd cooked a sausage pasta dish, which I'll share with you now.

You'll need to slice up some Italian sausages (mild or hot, as you please) and cook them until the fat runs. Then, sauté into that diced onions, mushrooms, and lots of peppers (I would personally add zucchini too) and plenty of garlic. Add tomato sauce of your preference, and herbs and spices. Cook pasta, make a creamy cheesy sauce for it, and serve it separately or combined, as you prefer. Very quick, easy, and infinitely variable.