How to | Sleep on a Sofa

Scene of sleepovers, telly fests and sloth – make sofa-sleeping more comfortable this
New Year’s Eve, whether you’re a guest or a host

At some point in all our lives, due to a unfortunate domestic squabble or the arrival of unexpected guests perhaps, we will find ourselves sleeping downstairs on the sofa*. This could mean a night of cramped discomfort and a face pressed against the button-back upholstery. 

Here are a few ways to help avoid potential insomnia:
1. Take as much bedding as possible – preferably a duvet, but a pillow at the very least. Scatter-cushions, a forearm or a bunched-up coat simply won’t do.
2. Remove the back cushions. This creates a surprising amount of room.
3. Lay a sheet on the sofa first, especially if you are on a leather or pleather sofa. Otherwise you will have to be unpeeled in the morning. 
4. Ensure any pets are in another room. There is no room on a sofa for unwanted marauders. 
5. If the TV is nearby, enjoy a spot of supine late-night viewing – one of the very few perks of sofa surfing.

* An average sofa will have been used as a bed for up to 489 visitors in its lifetime.

 This blog was originally published in December 2014.

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Recipe | kedgeree for a weekend at home

A lovely, lazy dish for brunch, lunch, or whenever you like…

We’ve all spent more time at home recently. While we’re all dreaming of a weekend away, why not have a ‘weekend away at home’, with fancy food, time to sit over the lunch table and chat and plenty of board games and books. This hot smoked salmon kedgeree is delicious served hot or cold. The brunch dish was first given the royal seal of approval by Queen Victoria, and if it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for us.

Serves 4

2 tbsp ghee
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 bay leaves
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 leek, chopped (white part only)
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
750g of cooked basmati rice
2 tbsp medium curry powder
Juice of 1 lemon
1½ tsp sea salt flakes (or to taste)
200g cooked hot smoked salmon fillets
2 boiled eggs, cut into quarters
Lemon wedges, fresh coriander and dill to serve

1 Heat the ghee in a large sauté pan or frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, bay leaves, cumin, fennel and mustard seeds and sauté for a few seconds until the seeds start to crackle and become fragrant.
2 Add the leek and sauté for a further 1-2 mins, or until it starts to soften and caramelise, then add the tomatoes and cook for another 1-2 mins, or until they’re glazed and softened.
3 Add the cooked basmati rice, curry powder, lemon juice and salt and mix well, ensuring that the rice breaks down and all the spices are evenly incorporated throughout.
4 Flake the cooked salmon fillets into the pan and mix thoroughly, taking care not to break up the salmon flakes too much. Reduce the heat, adding a couple of tablespoons of water if it looks a little dry. Cover and cook for a further 2-3 mins, or until the dish is completely warmed through.
5 Spoon onto a platter or serving dish and garnish with the boiled egg quarters, lemon wedges, fresh coriander and dill.

Cook’s note: Use ready-cooked basmati rice to make this recipe super-quick and easy to prepare.

This kedgeree recipe by Lousie Gorrod is part of our Weekend Away at Home feature from our March issue. You can find the rest of the menu, including a garlic dip, rosemary spiced nuts and a triple chocolate cake - as well as lots of ideas for making a weekend away out of a weekend at home - starting on page 48. Photography by Emma Croman.

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