Simple Suppers for Two

One of the best things about this time of year is the evenings getting incrementally longer until the Summer solstice. Somehow it's difficult to turn my attention to things like housework or even cooking, when I could be wandering around the garden with a cup of coffee, talking to veggie seedlings and trying to figure out what the heck is living in the compost bin. Over the past few weeks, since the clocks went forward I've realized that it's almost past dinner time and my tummy is grumbling. The best thing to do in those situations is a quick fridge and store cupboard inventory and throw together a meal I can get on the table with minimal fuss.
This dish only takes as long as it takes to boil a pan of salted water and cook the pasta and is made from a few simple bits, which could easily be substituted with whatever else you might have sitting in the fridge.
I've used unsmoked bacon here, and while you could use smoked, I think that it would rather overpower the rest of the flavours. If you can't get unsmoked bacon, blanch the smoked stuff in a pan of boiling water for five minutes to dampen the smoky flavour a little, then dry it and cook as below.

Linguine with Bacon, Taleggio Cheese and Green Leaves
Serves 2, Takes roughly 20 minutes.

200g dried linguine
3 slices, un-smoked, dry-cured back bacon (skin on if you can get it) cut into thin strips
2 large handfuls, spinach
1 large handful, rocket (arugula)
2 cloves, garlic, crushed
8 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly quartered
1 courgette (zucchini) quartered length-wise, core removed, sliced diagonally
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded (pulp and seeds reserved) and diced
50g (1.75 oz) taleggio cheese, diced about 1 cm (1/2)
2 tbsp nice E.V. olive oil

Pop a pan of salted water on to boil for your pasta and do your prep. Heat the olive over a moderate heat in a medium saute pan and add your bacon. Fry for a few minutes until it begins to colour, then stir in the garlic.
Put the pasta on to cook, testing for doneness by biting when close to the indicated cooking time on the package, then drain and set aside for a sec.
Cook the bacon for a further minute until the garlic begins to smell nutty and fragrant, but not brown, then stir in the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 4-5 minutes, adding a little of the pasta cooking water if it becomes too dry. Pass the pulp and seeds from the tomatoes through a sieve to get all the juices into the sauce, discard the seeds.
Stir in the courgette and cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the spinach and rocket. Cook for less than a minute and turn off the heat, then add the olives and taleggio. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss well enough to combine, but try not to mix so well that the cheese disperses too well into the sauce.

Serve with chilli flakes and a wedge of lemon.

Spring Linguine

Revenge On The Nettles

As a child, one of the things that was sure to spoil a day in the park was a leg covered in welts from having run into a patch of stinging nettles.
I know that nettle tea has been used for a long time to treat everything from arthritis and allergies to intestinal and urinary problems but it wasn't until a few years ago that I started seeing recipes for things like soups and gnocchi featuring what I always thought of as an evil weed.

Widely recognized as a superfood, nettles are incredibly high in vitamins A and C and rich in nutrients including calcium, choline, magnesium, boron, iron, iodine, silica, sulfur, potassium, chlorophyll, histamine, serotonin and amino acids.

I have made a few dishes with them over the past few springs and really enjoy their gorgeous colour, while their flavour is reminiscent of the smell of spring, almost straw-like. I used them to stuff these homemade ravioli, which were very simple and totally delicious. The stings disappear after just thirty seconds or so of blanching, so they become safe to handle and become so incredibly bright green.

I collected my nettles from the woods behind our house, taking care to wear boots, wear gloves and select just the new tops of the nettles farther from the path, which were unlikely to have been anointed with dog pee.


Nettle Ravioli with Sage and Pine Nut Butter
serves 2, takes 1 hour, 45 including dough chilling time

200g (7 oz) tipo 00 flour
2 eggs
1 tsp water (maybe)
pinch salt

150g fresh ball mozerella
1 clove garlic, crushed
about 30 young nettle tops
sea salt to taste
1 tbsp freshly grated parmesan

1oog (3.5 oz) good quality butter
small handful pine nuts
2 sprigs sage, leaves picked

Make the dough first by putting the flour and the eggs and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Pulse on high for a 30 seconds or so, until combined well into a smooth, pliable dough, adding a little water if the mixture is too dry.
Knead the dough together for a minute before wrapping in cling film and chilling for an hour.

Blanch the nettles for 30 seconds in boiling water, then drain and plunge into very cold tap water or ice water to stop the cooking, drain well.
Tear the mozzerella into chunks and put into the food processor with the nettles and garlic and pulse until fine but not paste-like, you want to keep a little texture in the nettles.
Stir the salt and parmesan into the mixture and set aside until you're ready to use it.


Cut the ball of dough into two and on a floured surface, roll each half into a long sheet thin enough to read the paper through. If you have a pasta maker, all the better. I, on the other hand am po', so I have yet to buy one.
Brush excess flour off each sheet using a pastry brush.

Use a teaspoon to put equal amounts of the filling along the sheet in two rows, keeping about 3cm (1 1/2") in between.

Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.

Use a pastry brush to wet the pasta a little all around the filling, then carefully lower the top sheet of pasta over the top.
Use your fingers to press down around the mounds of filling, taking care to push out any air and then use a pizza cutter to trim down all four sides of the dough and then to divide the individual ravioli.
Check again for air pockets and make sure all the edges are sealed, then drop them one at a time into the pot of boiling water. Boil for 10-12 minutes, until pale and tender but not soggy.

While the pasta is boiling, melt the butter in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat, then add the pine nuts and fry for a minute, until both the pine nuts and butter are starting to go golden, then turn off the heat and stir in the sage leaves.

Drain the ravioli and spoon into bowls. Drizzle with the butter and scatter the pine nuts all over the top. Grate a little more parmesan over the top and eat immediately with a big glass of champagne.
Nettles

I Say Pollo, You Say Poulet...

When I was a child, one of my absolute favourite chicken dishes in the world was chicken Kiev. I can't really remember if Mum made it from scratch but I think so, because she tended to shun prepared and processed foods, which is an attitude that definitely rubbed off on me. Nowadays, what can pass as chicken Kiev in the frozen food aisle is an insult to the original dish as well as the poor chickens that gave up their lives to supply it.

I was going to make chicken Kievs yesterday, as I haven't made them in quite a while but when it came to it, I realized that I'd run out of butter! I had a quick peek in the fridge for possible alternative stuffings and decided on a blend of herbs and Italian cheeses. I think if this dish had an accent, it would be an Italian one, but an Italian who summered in France.
I served the breasts with the tenderloins on a bed of sauteed spinach and new potatoes. The ingredients in the stuffing produce what is a soft, fragrant sauce which gently oozes out when you cut into it. I always use free-range chicken, but I think that for this dish it's essential for a proper chickeny flavour.

Chicken Stuffed With Italian Cheeses and French Herbs
Serves 2, takes 45 minutes

2 free-range chicken breasts, off the bone, skin removed.

For the stuffing:
100g fresh ball mozzerella, chopped finely
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
1 clove garlic, minced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp pin nuts
1/2 sprig rosemary, needles pulled and finely chopped
1 sprig tarragon, finely chopped

To coat:
2 cups panko or coarse breadcrumbs
2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp free-range mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
juice 1/2 lemon

4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp butter (will help the olive oil brown the chicken)

Turn the oven on to 180C (350F) and mix the stuffing ingredients together well in a bowl.

Create a pocket in the chicken breast using a medium-sized, sharp, unserrated knife:
Lay the chicken breast, wide end toward you, smooth side up. Insert the tip of your knife into the end of the breast, about 1 cm (1/2") from the top side of the breast. use your other hand to hold the breast steady while you use the knife to create a pocket as big as possible, without too much back and forth motion and without breaking through to the outside. Take care to keep the opening as small as possible so that the filling doesn't leak out more than it has to. It sounds more difficult than it is, I promise.

Hold the chicken breasts almost like an empty sock and use a teaspoon to put half of the filling in each breast. Use your fingers to smooth the filling into every nook and cranny of the inside of the chicken breast and push out any air. Try to keep the filling about 1cm (1/2") from the opening and push closed.

Mix together the mayo, mustard and lemon juice and coat the breasts evenly in this mixture before coating well in seasoned breadcrumbs.

Heat the olive oil and butter in an oven-proof non-stick pan and test the temperature by dropping a few breadcrumbs into the pan, looking for an immediate but gentle sizzle.

Carefully add the chicken to the pan, skin-side down and leave to brown for 3-4 minutes before turning them over and putting the whole pan into the hot oven for 25 minutes.

Remove the breasts from the oven when golden and crisp and move to a plate to allow them to rest for ten minutes before serving.

Stuffed Chicken Breast

The Art of Left Overs

One of the things I sometimes struggle with is finding a use for left over cooked meat without it tasting like left over cooked meat. It's not that I don't like stews, casseroles, curries and so on, but especially as we head into Spring I'm in a bit of a hurry to leave Winter warming dishes behind for a while.
I made roast beef on Sunday with a plan to do something with the left overs later in the week. Last week my friend lovely friend Sarah, who is also a foodie blogger posted her recipe for Philly cheese steak sandwiches, which gave me an "A-HA!" moment. Sarah's idea to use a cheese sauce, instead of just grated or sliced cheese was an inspired one, which I was quick to try.

I didn't take any pictures of our sandwiches, because I wasn't expecting them to be much to write home (or blog) about. As it turns out, this twenty minute supper was fantastic and required very little washing up afterward.

Philly- Style Roast Beef Sandwiches
Serves 4, takes 15-20 minutes

400g (8oz)left over pink roast beef
200g (4oz) mature cheddar (or other robust flavoured, semi-hard cheese) grated
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
1 onion
1 each red and green bell peppers
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch salt
300ml (6 floz) milk
chilli powder
paprika
4 crusty white French rolls or hoagie rolls

Slice the peppers and onions into thin strips and fry gently in a little oil and a pinch of salt for approx 10 minutes, until going brown and softening a little.

In a small saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat and stir in the flour. Coo this mixture together for a few minutes until it starts to smell nutty, then pour the milk in slowly, stirring well as you go. Stir in the grated cheese and the spices and stir well to melt the cheese and form a smooth, unctuous sauce.

Turn your grill on high and split the rolls almost all the way through, opening each one up like a book. Lay them on the grill pan, insides facing up and grill for a 30-60 seconds to lightly toast the bread. When lightly browned, turn the rolls over and repeat on the outsides.

Slice the roast beef, using a very sharp knife to get the slices waffer thin and lay them out equally between all of the rolls, covering as much of the cut side of the bread as possible.

Lay a generous amount of the peppers and onions over the roast beef and then spoon plenty of the gorgeous cheese sauce. Pop under the grill again for a minute, to make the cheese begin to bubble.

This whole process takes less than 20 minutes if you cook the sauce and peppers at the same time and really is one of the best sarnies I've had in yeeeaaars. A bit like having a takeaway without the price and with a much better control over the quality of ingredients.

Tomorrow I'm going to make a Thai curry with left over roast chicken. I'll let you know how that goes...

Philly Steak Sandwiches

Spiced Roast Parsnip Soup And Caramelized Red Onion And Goats' Cheese Pita Pockets

Last weekend was the first time since the snow began that we made it out into the garden for a poke around in the dirt to see what the winter had left us with.
We really should have already started our spring planting, so we pulled on our wellies, got out the shovels and rakes and had the first proper look at the greenhouse and raised beds in nearly five months!
The snow had come before we had finished pulling the root veg out of the ground and I really thought that whatever was left would be all soggy and ruined by the long cold winter. As it turned out, we have beetroot still growing happily, a few turnips ready to harvest and all THESE Parsnips! I think that there are few vegetables that roast more beautifully so I have kept some of the bigger ones back for next Sunday's dinner but the rest got turned into a huge pot of soup for dinner tonight. I made some little toasted pockets with caramelized red onions and goats cheese to go with it. I've used some North African spices here but you could absolutely do this recipe with curry spices or anything else you fancy.
I recommend listening to and Stanley Turrentine while making this recipe by the way.

Because I grew the parsnips myself and my Dad bought the goats cheese for me, I figured That this whole thing cost about £1 to make but even if you buy the ingredients you'd still be looking at less than £1 per serving.

Spiced, Roast Parsnip Soup with Caramelized Red Onion and Goats' Cheese Pockets
Serves 4, Takes 1 hour (unless you're peeling 40 tiny parsnips...)

500g (1 lb) parsnips, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
1 litre veg stock*
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 large, ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp thyme blossom honey (or other runny honey)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tsp caraway seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp crushed red chilli
4 wholewheat pitas, halved
150g goats cheese log, sliced
2 red onions, sliced thinly
Sea salt

Turn your oven on to 180C/ 350F and in a large roasting tin, toss the whole tomatoes, the parsnip chunks and garlic cloves in half of the olive oil, a couple tsp of sea salt, the caraway seeds, the fennel seeds and half of the cumin seeds. Roast in the oven for about half an hour, turning every so often to ensure even colour and tenderness throughout.
Meanwhile, warm a tbsp of olive oil over a low-medium heat and add the thinly sliced onions. Sprinkle the onions with the salt and stir frequently until the onions begin to soften but not brown. Turn the heat down to low and cover, allowing the onions to cook slowly until very soft and sweet. Check periodically to make sure they're not catching on the bottom.
Carefully, open up each half of the pita pockets and put a few thin slices of the goats cheese and a sprinkle of sea salt inside. Spoon a good amount of the caramelized onion into each pocket and lay them on a baking sheet.
When the parsnips are tender, put the pita pockets in the oven and bring the veggie stock almost to a boil and pour into a large bowl. Carefully add all the roasted veg and spices into the stock and use a stick blender to puree everything together until smooth. (You can also do this in batches in a blender.)
In the same frying pan that you cooked the onions in, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat and add the remaining cumin seeds, and the chilli and sesame seeds. Fry for 30-45 seconds until fragrant.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with the spices and oil and bring the pockets out of the oven when slightly brown.

*If you don't already have some, you can get the veggie stock started before you begin the rest of the meal. Here's how:
Quarter one large onion
slice one washed carrot
slice one washed stalk of celery
halve three cloves garlic
put into a large saucepan with:
2 tsp sea salt
2-3 dried slices porcini (cep) mushrooms
1 large piece kombu
6 black peppercorns
2 star anise
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 litres cold water

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for an hour. Voila! you have veggie stock.
You don't NEED to use porcini mushrooms or kombu, but both mushrooms and seaweed are brilliant sources of umami and give a well rounded savouriness to the stock the same as you would get from a chicken or meat stock.
You can use the stems from plain white mushrooms, shitake mushrooms and so on with similar results.
Parsnip Soup