You’ll have to forgive me for my absence over the last few weeks and for the fact that, for the next few weeks I’ll either be writing about things I made a while ago or that someone else has made for me. Because I’ve got a bloody fractured wrist.

A bloody fractured right wrist, to be precise (yes, I’m right-handed) and I can’t cook a thing. Not only can I not cook, I can barely open the milk (try unscrewing the top off one of those plastic cartons, and removing the protective film one-handed), can’t spread butter on toast (the toast moves and my left wrist just can’t get the hang of a knife) and am reduced, when alone, to eating whatever I can tip out of a packet (washed salads are featuring highly). I have finally understood what, or who, ready meals are for.

And, for those of you who couldn’t care less about food and are wondering why I am making such a fuss (though, hang on, what are you doing HERE if so?), try getting shampoo out of a bottle with your ‘wrong’ hand, in the shower, whilst your ‘right’ hand is wrapped in plastic that is practically tourniqued [sic] to your arm. I’m finding ALL sorts of innovative ways to open things, none of which are suitable for public consumption.

So I am reduced to sharing what I would be cooking if I could. And, to be honest, this lemon posset is something I have been meaning to write about for ages. Posset, whether lemon, lime or, my newest discovery, blood orange is one of my favourite desserts: delicious, fast and easy. If you make it along with the Little Black Dress of chicken recipes and St John creamed spinach, you will have a perfect meal in about an hour. Get the chicken on first, make the posset whilst it’s cooking then chill (even half an hour is enough I find), then just before the chicken is ready make the spinach. Dead easy, for the likes of you; as attractive, and likely, as running a marathon to me. Oh well, only another two weeks to go…

Lemon posset (adapted from Nigel Slater’s Tender Volume II)

Makes enough for 2-3 depending on the size of your ramekins/cups

Cupboard (or things you may already have)
caster sugar, 75g (about 10p)

Shopping list
lemon, 1 (you need about 37ml of juice so 1 should be enough; I find I get about 25ml per half) (about 20-25p)
double cream, 250ml (about 60p, max)

How to
1. Zest the lemon so it’s not wasted (I use it for gremolata) then halve and juice it, removing any pips.
2. Put the sugar and cream in a saucepan, bring to the boil and stir every so often to help the sugar dissolve. Once it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer and leave it to bubble away for about three minutes, stirring often.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, pour in the lemon juice and leave for a minute or two to settle. Divide between 2 or 3 small ramekins or cups then allow to cool before putting in the fridge to cool for a few hours (as I say above, it often doesn’t get this long and it’s never seemed worse the wear for that; you want it cold though, not warm.).