Re-visiting recipes

The chaotic nature of my new working life means I have had little time to cook of late, something that has been causing me much sadness. That being said I have tried a couple of the dishes from the new Ottolenghi book (the Guardian recently gave out a free booklet with several of the recipes in) and they were both utterly divine. I made the stuffed onions for my friend Deb, on an evening which culminated in us drinking 4 bottles of wine and spending an embarassing amount of time on chat roulette. This weekend I made the ratatouille for another friend which we devoured in minutes, something I always find a little tragic when a meal has been fussed over for hours. If only there were a way to moderate our greediness, but alas this dish was too good not to wolf down.

I have a list of about 30 new dishes to try, and I am also going to revisit some old favourites...a selection of which I've linked to below in case you too are feeling the need for some kitchen love!


Fusili pasta with lemon, cream and rocket
Sausages with chorzo and lentils
Chicken, cream and tarragon pie
Spaghetti with sweet onion, tomato and pancetta

Leftovers for lunch

I am trying my best to be far more strict when it comes to using up the food in my fridge, rather than being lured into supermarkets to splash out on fresh goods.

Being a creature of habit, I always have the same sorry items left at the bottom of the fridge and hidden at the back of the cupboard so, on a rainy day last week, I found myself trying to do something imaginative with 5 tomatoes, an onion, 3 carrots and several tins of beans!

Unlikely as it sounds I did manage it, and knocked up what I am calling "3 bean stew" in just under an hour. This dish owes its success to good stock, lots of spices, red wine and some very fresh bay leaves. I froze the majority of it and it made a great accompaniment to meat and fish dishes on lazy days when I just wanted to heat something up rather than cook from scratch. This dish is also amazingly cheap, I imagine that if I had gone and bought the ingredients it would have cost under £4.

3 bean stew (to be eaten piping hot with lots of sour cream or to accompany a more substantial meal)

5 large tomatoes (although you could definitely use more, ideally 7)

1 onion

2 carrots

1 tin kidney beans

1 tin berlotti beans

1 tin white means

Vegetable stock (500 ml)

Garlic

Tomato puree (if desired)

Splash of red wine

2 bay leaves

Mild chilli powder

Mixed herbs

Thinly slice the onion and crush the garlic

Fry in plenty of olive oil until onion is soft

Add tomatoes, quartered and carrots, peeled and sliced

Continue to fry over gentle heat until the tomatoes are softening

Pour over stock

Add bay leaves, chilli powder (1 tsp) and herbs

Place on lid and leave until tomatoes are soft and stock is reducing, about 25 minutes

Add tomato puree if required and splash of red wine

Drain beans and add them, try not to stir often as it will break the beans

Return lid to pot and leave for further ten minutes

The stew should be thick and dense with the beans, season and devour.

Recipe: Fusili pasta with lemon, cream and rocket

I've had this recipe saved in one of my many folders for about a year and finally dug it out on Friday when I needed a quick go to recipe for a dinner with J. We were to be going on a date but in a bid to save money for our Christmas trips to France and Devon we decided to stay home. It also happened to be freezing cold and blustery outside, so staying in by the fire with a bottle of wine seemed like a pretty good option.

I had been concerned about cooking a dish without meat, something I find does not go down too well with the men in my life, but when my beloved declared it was the "dish of 2009" (he is a fan of the bold statement) my concerns were promptly dismissed.

This dish was an absolute delight; easy to make, cheap ingredients, very quick, had a fantastic flavour and most excitingly it felt like something you' be proud to put in front of a vegetarian friend. Good to add something to the repertoire other than oft repeated risottos, salads and veggie lasagna.

The only change I made to the recipe below was that I roasted the cherry tomatoes but I would say either cold or roasted would work, depending on your preference.

(Recipe from Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 lemons
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch broccoli
• 1 pound dried fusilli pasta
• 1/2 pound baby rocket (or 2 bunches of common rocket, leaves cut in thirds)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswise, and add it to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

Recipe: Sausages with Chorizo and Lentils

• I made this Nigel Slater recipe this weekend. It is taken from The Kitchen Diaries, one of my all time favourite recipe books. I substituted the salami that Nigel recommends for chorizo which I know is pretty naughty, but I just love chorizo and it added such a smoky punch that I forgave myself. I made steamed asparagus with melted butter and sea salt for starter, simply because the asparagus was on offer rather than due to any natural synergy between the light, summery starter and the warming, winter main. Still, the whole thing was pretty sublime. I do hope that Mr Slater won't mind my tinkering with his wonderful recipe.

  I served this with a small amount of rice, which wasn't actually needed, and buttered toast to scoop up the sauce.

  P.S It is my 100th blog post today, which I couldn't let pass without mention. I am greatly enjoying sharing this little journal with you. I hope you are too.

  
  

  Prep time:

  20 mins
  
  

  Cook time:

  45 mins

  
  
  
  
  
  
  2 onions
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 200g salami, in one piece (I USED CHORIZO)
• 350 g Sausages
• 500g crushed tomatoes, or tomato passata
• 150g green or brown lentils
• 3 bay leaves

Method

1. Peel the onions and cut each one in half from tip to root, then cut each half into four or five pieces. Warm the oil in a heavy-based casserole, add the onions and let them cook over a moderate heat until tender.

2. Meanwhile, peel the garlic, slice it thinly and add it to the onions. You'll need to stir them regularly.

3. Peel the thin skin from the salami and cut the inside into fat matchsticks. Add this to the softening onions and leave for a couple of minutes, during which time the salami will darken slightly.

4. Start cooking the sausages in a non-stick pan. You want them to colour on the outside; they will do most of their cooking once they are in the sauce.

5. Tip the crushed tomatoes into the onions, add the washed lentils and stir in 500ml water. Bring to the boil. Remove the sausages from their pan and tuck them into the casserole with the bay leaves.

6. Cover the pot with a lid and leave to simmer gently for about half an hour, until the lentils are tender. Stir the lentils and season with black pepper. You may find it needs little or no salt.

Recipe: Chicken surprise

T0 start, an admission.

There is no surprise in chicken surprise.

It is just an affectionate name that it has been given over the last 5 years in which it has become a staple meal. My boy, or friends, will say to me "Can we have chicken surprise", generally knowing I'd rather cook chicken than other meat and that I can throw something together with the contents of the fridge/cupboard for a last minute gathering. This dish is one which requires very few ingredients, and ones I normally have in the house or within 2 minutes of it (i.e.at the corner shop). Hence, when they request chicken surprise they now know this is what they will get. They ask for it a lot, so I can only assume it is good.

That is not to say you cannot include your own surprise, maybe a favourite spice or spirit to give it an extra kick...I'll just give you the basic recipe and you can add your own twist if desired!

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 chicken breasts

4 shallots

200 ml single cream

1 lemon

French mustard

Bunch of tarragon

White wine

Thinly dice shallots

Fry shallots in frying pan with layer of olive oil

Once shallots are browning add chicken, sliced into thick strips

Fry chicken until cooked through (about 20-25 minutes)

Add half the cream and chopped tarragon, to taste.

Add splash of white wine, squeeze of lemon and tsp of mustard.

Continue cooking and stirring and add cream as desired.

As a guide, there should be enough sauce for a couple of large serving spoons worth on top of each portion.

Serve, with roasted potatoes and butternut squash (well, that's what we do!)

Enjoy, with the remainder of the wine.

Recipe: Chicken, cream and tarragon pie

Chicken and Tarragon pie

Recipe by Joanna Weinberg in the Times

Pictures and comments by me

This was my first ever pie and I was really happy with it. I served it with roast potatoes and cavolo nero. I am aware there has been a lot of chicken recipes of late, I will get some slightly more adventurous recipes up soon.

This is a good one though, and making your own pastry is fun (although I did have a very large tantrum when I thought the pastry was too moist and wouldn't roll, my beloved had to take a lot of abuse for advising me against overflouring!)

Ingredients

Serves 4

For the filling:
6 mixed chicken portions or 1 chicken, jointed
2 bay leaves
1 onion, quartered
1 onion, finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh tarragon
4 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon
1 leek, sliced into fine discs, woody head reserved a few whole peppercorns
500ml fresh chicken stock
500ml milk
200ml double cream
2oz butter
2oz flour
a capful of dry Vermouth
sea salt and pepper For the crust:
240 g white flour, preferably Italian 00,
170g cold butter
pinch of salt
iced water with a squeeze of lemon
1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Method

Make the pastry by grating the cold butter into a bowl with the flour and salt. Rub through your fingers to combine. Add the iced water and lemon juice tablespoon by tablespoon until it comes together. Knead with floured hands and divide into two balls, one twice the size of the other. Wrap both in clingfilm and leave in fridge for half an hour.

Some people say there is no need to make your own pastry as shop bought stuff it so good now, and I did buy some ready made just in case. I wanted to try making my own though and it turned out great although I did have to use a LOT of flour to roll it and to stop it sticking to the surface as I rolled it.

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. In a large saucepan, simmer the milk with the bay leaves, sprigs of tarragon, quartered onion, leek top and peppercorns for 15 min, then add the chicken and poach gently for 20-25 min. Set the chicken aside to cool, reserve the liquid, and discard the rest of the solids.

Bring the chicken stock to the boil, add the chopped onion and leek discs for a minute and then remove to the pie dish with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid in the pan and boiling to reduce by half.

When the chicken is cool, remove skin and bones, and shred into bite-sized chunks with a fork, adding them to the pie dish. In a separate saucepan, make a roux with the butter and flour, using 100ml of the reduced stock and the poaching milk until it has the consistency of double cream. Combine in the dish with the chicken, onion, leeks and two thirds of the chopped tarragon, and season. Set aside to cool.

Roll out both pastry balls into discs 5mm thick. Line the pie dish with the large disc, brushing the edges with the beaten egg. Fill with the chicken mixture. Cover the pie with the remaining pastry, sealing the join with the tines of a fork dipped in cold water. Cut a cross in the centre to release steam, using a blackbird to hold up the pastry if the dish is deep. Glaze with the beaten egg and bake for 15 min before turning the oven down to 180C/Gas 4 and baking for another hour.

I also added a splash of white wine and some cream in the sauce here too. I think a bit of mustard would have been good also, and maybe some peas.

For extra gravy: Just before you eat, reheat the remaining reduced stock, adding the Vermouth, and boil off the alcohol. Reduce to a simmer, stirring in the cream and the rest of the chopped tarragon. Season well and decant to a jug.

I didn't use vermouth and added wine to the extra gravy instead.

Simple weeknight dinner: Bulgur, feta and chicken bake

Lately I have been fairly unimaginative when it comes to preparing my post work meal. On the nights that I am not out and about I like to use my evenings at home as a chance to recharge, get on top of cleaning chores and reading (woe is me!) and to have an early night and a very early meal.

I have always tried to avoid eating late so a meal that takes less than 45 minutes is always a winner. Living sans boyfriend means when I am eating alone I like something with minimal use of pots and pans to reduce cleaning times (I immensely dislike washing up, although Nigel Slater does a wonderful job of persuading me otherwise on the last page of Appetite).

This very simple dish has been my go to for the last month or so, being light enough that it doesn't feel too much on a rare sunny evening but still giving you the satisfaction of a proper evening meal.

Bulgur, feta and chicken bake

Serves 1

1 chicken breast

1 serving bulgur wheat (I use a 3/4 mug of dried bulgur)

Handful of feta (to taste)

Spring onion

2 lemons

Optional additions: grilled cherry tomatoes or roasted butternut squash.

Place chicken in dish and cover in 2 tsp of olive oil, juice of lemon and seasoning.

Cover dish with tin foil and place in oven at gas mark 7 for 45 minutes (turn over at 25 minutes).

While chicken is cooking cook bulgur wheat and then drain.

Put bulgur wheat in serving bowl and add olive oil, squeeze of lemon and chopped spring onions.

When chicken is cooked cut into medium slices and add to bulgur.

Add feta.

Serve with large glass of chilled white wine.

Recipe: Chicken, roast vegetable, yogurt and mint salad

This is a quick and very simple salad, not bad for the waist line and hugely filling. Feel free to play around with the vegetables you use - the yoghurt, mint and lemon give it a lovely fresh flavour. 

Chicken, roast vegetable, yoghurt and mint salad
Serves 2 

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

1 lettuce

1 bag of spinach

2 medium aubergines

2 red peppers

1 large pot greek yogurt (200 ml)

10 stems of mint

1 lemon

 

Slice aubergine in half lengthways, top with olive oil and place in very hot oven. 

After 15 minutes cut peppers into 1/4's and place on the tray with aubergines and return to oven. 

Cut chicken into medium sized chunks and fry in 1 tbsp olive oil. 

Wash the lettuce and spinach and throw in some chopped mint. Put in salad bowl ready to serve. 

Once peppers have been on tray for 15 minutes put both aubergines and peppers under grill for 10 minutes.

Remove peppers and aubergines from the grill.

Scoop out the inside flesh of the aubergines.Add aubergine flesh and peppers to salad.

Add chicken to salad.

Mix yogurt with 4 sprigs chopped mint and the juice of the lemon.

Add yogurt dressing to salad.