Arriving in Edinburgh

It was strange leaving home to drive up to Edinburgh this morning to start a new phase of my life. Nothing I could really prepare myself for. But it feels good, it really does. Odd to leave everything behind of course, and I wonder how it will feel after a few days.

I arrived to find my new housemate, Clarissa (know as Click) moving in, accompanied by her parents. Seems nice, if only slightly older than my daughter. Her mother (very posh, and clearly a little nervous about leaving her daughter in a strange city) immediately enquired whether I'd mind if Clarissa bunked up with me. A bit premature, I thought, I've only just met the girl. It turns out this is a posh way of asking if I could give her a lift to and from the cookery school.

I was given "the tour" by Neil, the house owner. He's a lovely guy, if slightly eccentrically OCD. Having filled in several spreadsheets of information, and been given very specific instructions on how to close the gates, Neil finally went up to print off several reams of information that "probably won't be very useful" and left me to unpack.

So, I'm sitting in the communal living room having had a horrible Tesco healthy ready meal (there won't be any more of those if I can help it), and waiting for it all to start tomorrow. Click tells me there are 12 on the course (a full house, apparently), including 3 Americans and someone from Taiwan. Bring it on.

ROAST CHICKEN AND FENNEL RISOTTO

Arborio rice, 2-3 oz per person
chicken stock
1 head fennel, thinly sliced
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
butter, turmeric, dried basil, chilli (marinade mix)
chicken fillets (1 per person)
frozen peas
olive oil
1 glass white wine
chicken stock, 1/2 pint per person

1. Cut each fillet into 4-6 pieces and marinate in mix for at least 30 minutes
2. Heat oven to gas 7.
3. Gently fry shallot, garlic, celery in oil
4. Add rice, stir for 30s, turn heat to minimum then add glass of wine, stirring, then start to add stock a little at a time
5. Meanwhile, arrange chicken in a roasting tin, top with sliced fennel coated in a little oil, and roast uncovered for 30 minutes
6. When all liquid absorbed into risotto (approx 30-40 minutes), remove from heat, stir in peas and a little of the roasting liquid. Stir then stand for 5 minutes to allow peas to cook.
7. Serve risotto into bowls, top with chicken and fennel.