One that I’ve had on this site for a while to try out. It was from James Martin. I’ve finally tried it out and wanted to post it again with a public health warning, in the hope that, if anyone searches for such a recipe, they may stumble into my experience and think again.
OK, the biggest problem in my view with this recipe is that it just isn’t suitable for a domestic environment. I cooked this in a wok, with the lid on, following the instructions and, although my house did not appear to be filling up with smoke, the smoky aroma was intense. When I awoke the following morning and walked out of the bedroom, my hall, stairs and landing, as well as the more obvious kitchen, all reeked of smoke. I’d never smelt anything like it. I tried an old trick burning candles to get rid of the aroma – I had four candles burning all day – but the following morning I continued to smell nothing like it.
I was annoyed. I was annoyed largely with myself because, in hindsight, I probably should have realized I was heading for trouble. Admittedly, my cooker does not have an extractor hood but I seriously doubt that one would have made sufficient difference.
To add insult to injury, the second problem is that I didn’t even like the finished dish. I disliked it so much that I threw it away and this is despite my being a long time fan of smoked food. I frequently smoke food in my Weber kettle BBQ out in the garden which, I would venture to suggest, is where smoking really should be done.
I have just finished washing down the kitchen cupboard doors, walls and ceiling in an attempt to eradicate the unpleasant odour. I have also washed down the walls in the adjoining hall, stairs and landing. I hope the house will now return to its former, fresher scent.
Naturally, since this has now become a non-recipe in my book, I am deleting the details just for safety. It is, of course, possible that I screwed up (though I can’t think how) but I wouldn’t want anyone else to suffer a similar fate.
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