3rd October 2020

Back a few months ago we were taking part in some cook alongs which the restaurant The Man Behind the Curtain were doing because one of my favourite chefs is the flamboyant Michael O'Hare. We visited his restaurant a few years ago and although it was in some ways challenging, it was fun and really interesting. We had a very fun night and ate some amazing dishes so when I saw that there was a TMBTC cook along I could not wait to order. We missed the first one because I was too slow (and it sold out really quickly) but I set up an Instagram alert and as soon as the next one was announced I ordered as quickly as possible. We ended up taking part in 7 of the cookalongs in the end and some of the dishes we made were the beef biscuits and gravy, jerk lobster, emancipation, halibut and mussel and a seafood extravaganza.

This literally became the highlight of my week and I would look forward to it the whole week. I learnt so much and at a time when all restaurants were shut, it felt in a funny way like we were dining at TMBTC. Michael would do a live event streamed via Instagram and you would cook along. Much fun was had and we learnt so many things. Of all of the at home boxes I would say that the beef biscuits and gravy and seafood special were our favourites. 

I have really missed restaurants and the first cookalong was the best night we had had in absolutely ages.

The dish of the whole experience for me was the crab lasagne, I LOVED it.  So afterwards this was the dish I wanted to replicate and, although it took a few iterations, I eventually got there. Although mine isn’t exactly the same, it is my interpretation and I am really, really happy with it.

We made it for some friends and it went down so well the dish was scraped clean.

Yesterday I did a cook along session making this and it went really well and feedback is it is a gorgeous dish and will be made again. The dish makes me happy and good feedback makes me even happier :-) Try it. Let me know what you think.