PUKKA TUCKER

 

It was  a vegetable garden on a plate!   So much goodness to wallow in!  Leeks, courgettes, chilli and thyme from the garden are put together with celery, jarred red peppers and a carton of passata  in this  Jamie Oliver recipe 'Chicken Pasta Herby 6-veg Ragu' from his book 'Meals in 15 Minutes'.

 

I won't deny it - it's a messy one to cook - three pans on the go.  One frying chicken, bacon, chilli, pine nuts and bay leaves (a dash of balsamic goes in at the end).

Another cooking some wholewheat fusilli (just how amazingly good for you is this dish?!)  and another with your luscious tomato sauce stacked full of vegetables.

Jamie says to blitz these in a processor but we prefer them chunkier although if you have little people I completely get that it would be worth disguising them!  

 

Boy was it worth the chaos.  Topped with parmesan cheese, epic bold flavours make this dish stand out from the crowd.

 

 

 

There are numerous versions of this recipe on the internet but I would get the book from your local library and experiment.  I added a whole chilli to give a little more fire, omitted the rosemary and used eight ounces of pasta.  Jamie's recipe says that it serves four - let's just say it made two ample portions but I am beginning to think we are just greedy!

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jamies-15-Minute-Meals-Jamie-Oliver/dp/071815780X

RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS...

Relentless rain interrupts my thoughts, the dark evening creeps in.  This is when I know that something comforting is going to be needed to feed the tortured soul.  Warming soup needs to be on the menu .  See previous blogs for some suggested recipes  ('for my souper friend' and 'feeling hot hot hot') -  so glad I squirrelled them away, but its accompaniment can still remind us of the last heady days of summer. 

 

 Moist muffins topped with grated cheddar are loaded with healthy veg.  Five ounces of grated courgette and three spring onions from the allotment are mixed with one medium egg, 1 tbsp of sunflower oil, 6tbsp of milk, a smidgen of French mustard, 8 ounces of plain flour  a pinch of salt and cayenne , 2tsp of baking powder and some chopped fresh basil. Once everything is beaten together they are cooked for 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees in a fan oven.

 

Easy to make and great to freeze in case a friend pops over unexpectedly for lunch - and then an afternoon full of chatter and gossip will provide sustenance and cheer too.

 

 

From Ann Nicol's Cupcakes and Muffins Book

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cupcakes-Muffins-Quick-Proven-Recipes/dp/1847869386

A TASTE OF ITALY

Lazy languid days of solitude in Italy  - a patchwork of unspoiled countryside  as far as the eye can see.   Picture postcard pastel villages crying out to be immortalised  by the painter's palette.   Food to send the senses reeling - how can anyone not come back invigorated with ideas for new innovations and just fuelled with a desire  to create, to cook and just to provide for those at home?



 Kindling that passion was an umbrian feast of innumerable culinary concoctions served up  in a traditional stone structure nestled amongst the olive groves near Trevi, where seasonality is key and where the cooking  style of days gone by remains unchanged.  Bruschetta saturated in olive oil adorned with salami, frittata, ricotta, olives, ham, ravioli, tagliatelli, mozzarella, smoked cheese with walnuts, lamb and beef dishes, salted jacketed potatoes cooked in the ashes, stuffed peppers and tomatoes, the indulgent richness of shaved truffle, pannacotta and cheesecake two of three desserts.  The sheer amount of food and the speed at which it came beat all of us into submission and the belly swelled with gratitude. 

 

 It was here that  a desire  to pickle more began to grow too.  I'm pretty partial to a gherkin or two, but I've never been that fussed by pickled onions, but a slice of mortadella accompanied by the most divine specimen I had ever tasted sent me down to the greengrocer by the shores of Lago Trasimeno in search of  miniature treasures to douse in balsamic or combine with fiery chillis. 

Although I soaked the onions in boiling water, peeling them was still a labour of love!  I can see why someone recommended putting on some music.    Jigging around the kitchen to a few disco tunes might make the process more fun although perhaps a gentle melody from Ludovico Einaudi might be a sight more relaxing!

For another twist try adding mustard seeds to courgettes to add a spike of flavour.  The good food guide also recommends trying radishes, cauliflower, and carrots.
 

 

Now where do I find a deli that sells mortadella?!

GOING SOLO

 

 

Fancying a roast dinner but can't be bothered because you are on your own?  This all in one dish from the BBC Good Food magazine could be the answer - and there is only one pan to wash up!

The recipe adds different ingredients at intervals whereas I tend to pop everything in together.

 A good way of to utilising the new potatoes, courgettes and thyme from the garden - and the leeks which we are eagerly  just starting to pull.  So much better than last year now we've learned to earth them up!  Who would ever have thought that something so simple would fill me with such pleasure?!

  

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/988637/allinone-roast-chicken-and-veg

FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT! (ANYONE FOR SQUASH?)!

On a day when it was going to hit 24 degrees it seemed crazy to be making soup, but inspired by my hero Nigel Slater - whose eloquent writing I would love to emulate - and Deliciously Ella, I decided to have a go at turning a glut of patty pan squash into something to put into the freezer to store for the months ahead.  Makes me sound like a squirrel!

Exuding warmth provided by a dose of smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin and coriander and incredibly vivacious in colour, even he who pronounces soup for old folk cannot fail to enjoy this one after a day's fishing out in the cold.

I didn't add the cayenne, the coconut milk or the wine like Ella just vegetable stock.  However I did make sure I caramelised all the vegs as Nigel suggested (makes them sound like friends!!)  Just mix and match the ingredients in both recipes and I assure you it will certainly warm the cockles!

 

As I post this it is now the hottest September day since 1911 and none of you will be able to face the thought of soup but come the weekend the weather will be back to normal again!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/butternut_squash_soup_90300

http://naturallyella.com/summer-squash-soup/

OUT OF THIS WORLD!

Every time I go to the garden and peek underneath the green canopy vibrant yellow other worldly flying saucers appear to have landed  time and time again.  This has been happening since July and we are now in early September and it never ceases to amaze me how just a handful of seeds has yielded so much wonderful produce!   It is like it will never stop!  They are increasing in size too and sadly I send pictures by email to show him the comparison against a teaspoon!!

 

 

 

 It is a constant challenge trying to find different ways of using them

Referring to several recipes on the internet I have taken to stuffing them to serve with a barbecue although they would happily accompany other meals too I'm sure.

Cut off the tops of the patty pans and scoop out the middle (save this for later).  While you have other vegetables steaming pop the squash on the top tier. 

 

If you are preparing a day ahead these can happily go into the fridge till the next day.  A little water will accumulate in the patty pans but just tip this out.

I fry off a little packet of pancetta with some onion and garlic until crisp - then crumble a crust from your wholemeal loaf into breadcrumbs and add a couple of handfuls of parmesan cheese.  Add the squash you had left over and then stuff  the patty pans and cook for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees in a fan oven. 

 

 

Perfect!

If any of my regular readers need some patty pans to try this one out just email me - I have plenty to give away!

FLIRTY GERTIE!

 

Our curly kale is so attractive - all frills and flounce but believe you me it can change character in an instant - it suddenly packs a punch, adding deep robust flavours  to dishes like BBC Good Food's kale and chorizo stew.  This flirtatious superfood  positively bursts with immune supporting ingredients benefitting the health of your skin and respiratory system and apparently lessening the duration of a cold but I have yet to prove that theory.

It is a little too early for broths  but needs must,  the goodness of the kale cannot be wasted. This is another recipe to be added to your repertoire that can be prepared with speed and ease after a long day at work.

 

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3438/kale-and-chorizo-broth

JUST DESSERTS

So back to the rosy pink sticks now filling the freezer.  Here's a quick and easy pud from the Waitrose magazine which will impress your guests.   Pronounced by my rhubarb connoisseur as the summer alternative to crumble!  Does that mean I can get out of making custard?!!

 

http://www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/m/maple-and-rhubarbcheesecakes.html