The past week has been one of our best yet for food at 3F2. T.B, having recently returned from the Central African Republic within days decided to replicate the eating experience he'd had there. So, off he went to find some manioc and a huge amount of peanuts. For so few ingredients, the meal turned out superbly and despite not eating on the floor with our hands as T had encouraged us to, it felt very authentic. Unfortunately none of the Edinburgh grocery shops stocked the 'bitter manioc' grown in the CAR, but given that it contains cyanide the process of cooking it might have taken more effort than we could muster on a Tuesday night.

C.A.R peanut stew

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (alternatively porcupine, or duyka, a small forest antelope if you can get your hands on it)

3 cloves garlic

4 onions

250g (?) peanuts

1.5l stock or water

a few plantains

a bunch of kale or spinach

Place the peanuts in a frying pan over a low heat to gently roast them. Take them out when the skins have coloured. Brown the chicken in some oil in a big heavy pan. Remove it, then cook the garlic and onions until soft. Meanwhile, in another pan or large pestle & mortar crush the peanuts and as the skins fall off, blow them out of the pan onto the floor. Continue to pulverise them until they form a pastey peanut butter. When this is ready, add to the pan along with the stock or water. Let it simmer for a while - it will be very beige and thick. Add the sliced plantains after about half an hour and when almost ready to eat, let the kale or spinach wilt in the pan for a few minutes.

Serve with rice and eat with your hands.

Into South-East Asia - J cooked up a classic 'nasi goreng' which she learned from her mum. I had seen it served at Stravaigin's in Glasgow as a breakfast dish with an egg on top, so we tried that. It worked really well with some crispy onions sprinkled over. Glad to be making use of the 'poach pods' my sister bought me for Christmas. They look a bit like something you'd pull out of a bra, but are really easy to use and clean.

The final highlight: taking advantage of J being away in France to cook some lamb (which she doesn't like - sorry J). C mentioned that she wanted to roast a leg and have it with some creamy flageolet beans and I remembered having read that Tamasin Day-Lewis had copied her idea in her Kitchen Bible. I don't need to say much because despite the weirdly unflattering picture it's obvious the lamb was perfectly pink (for me anyway).

Monday Alpine Macaroni Cheese

Tuesday CAR stew

Wednesday nasi goreng

Thursday Leg of lamb with flageolets and sweet potato

Friday Butternut squash soup

Saturday slow-roast pork and apple butter

Sunday a party table of leftovers and some fresh houmous