16/01/2010 by D.

6 rashers dry-cure streaky bacon
1 red pepper
6 eggs
500g spirali pasta
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp thick greek yoghurt
salt & pepper to taste

Boil eggs for 10 mins and put bacon on to grill until crispy.  Boil pasta until al dente.  Chop pepper into small cubes.

Cool eggs by running under cold water.  Peel and mash the eggs and mix in the mayonnaise and yoghurt.  Season to taste.  If it’s a little dry, add some more yoghurt and mayo in the same proportions… some eggs are bigger than others and you need it to make a creamy sauce for the pasta.

Crumble the bacon into the egg mixture, add the red pepper and drained pasta and serve while still warm.

I love this as a lazy hangover brunch, served with a tall glass of fresh blood orange juice, or just a plate of orange cut into segments with the rind still on.  If you have some left over, it is delicious as a cold salad for a working lunch.

Posted in Brunch, Yoghurt, Red Pepper, Mayonnaise, Eggs, Bacon, Toddler, Recipe, Pasta, Pepper, Weaning | Print | No Comments »

25/11/2009 by D.

fruit: bananas, gala apples, kiwis, oranges, tiny conference pears
veg: Nicola potatoes, butternut squash, spinach, broccoli, onions, carrots, parsnips, lettuce, garlic, lettuce, hackney salad

It was very cold out collecting the bags tonight, so its lovely to see all the bright colours coming out of them.  The bunched carrots look delicious, so I will definitely keep them to eat raw in a salad, maybe teamed with potato and garlic gratin.  The small lettuces will be perfect for a salad paysanne which in our household is basically crispy bacon, hard cheese, spring onions, lettuce, garlic croutons, vinaigrette and a poached egg perched on top.

I’m going to do a big stew with the squash, parsnips, onions, potatoes and some braising steak (a few cloves, juniper berries and a bayleaf, not forgetting the bottle of Guinness).  I may even add dumplings!  The spinach is destined for saag aloo this week, if the toddler doesn’t insist on spinach and ricotta pasta. 

Which just leaves me with one conundrum: what to do with those tiny pears?  If you have any ideas… do let me know!

Posted in Parsnip, Stew, Squash, Salad, Bacon, Eggs, Organic Box | Print | No Comments »

12/11/2009 by D.

Those of you who have tried making gnocchi before and have given up as it’s too much hassle and they don’t work… guess what?  It’s time to try again!  These are so delicious that the extra hassle of getting your hands sticky will become a badge of honour that you’ve finally cracked these pesky little numbers.  The full version of this recipe is in one of my favourite cookbooks: bowl food (by murdoch books).  It’s one of those small desert island cook books that covers loads of one pot meals very nicely and has each recipe on its own page with a picture to entice you!

for the gnocchi:
2 large potatoes
1 sweet potato
1 egg yolk
2 tblsp milk
pinch ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt

for the sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
4 rashers bacon or 100g lardons
1 small onion
large dash sherry, vermouth or sherry vinegar
500g spinach (or chard)
40g butter
toasted pinenuts to serve

Bake the potatoes on a tray in a hot oven (220c) for around an hour. 

While they are baking you can dry roast the pinenuts in a pan, shaking regularly and keep an eye, they have a tendancy to burn.  Also make the sauce.  Chop the onion, bacon and wash the spinach.  Fry the onion and bacon in the oil until golden, add the sherry and leave to reduce for a couple of minutes.  Add the spinach and butter, stir well then turn off the heat and put a lid on the pan.

When the potatoes are ready (the sweet potato may take a little less time that the others), cut them in half and leave to cool a little.  Scoop out the flesh and push through a sieve/use a ricer/mash thoroughly to make absolutely sure there are no lumps.  I have to be honest, pushing them through a sieve is a bit of a pain, and I actually bought a potato ricer specifically to make this dish as I love it so much.

In a large bowl, mix the potato, milk, nutmeg, salt and 1 cup of the flour and stir well.  Flour your hands, then take a small spoonful of the mixture out and briskly roll into a ball between your palms.  It should roll, but still be sticky.  If you just end up with potato smeared hands and not a little gnocchi, add some more flour.  It is important to get the balance right as too much flour will make the gnocchi too heavy and more like boiled bits of dough, too little and the next step will be almost impossible!

Put a big pan of salted water on to boil.  Lightly flour a baking tray, a chopping board and your hands.  Gently knead the mixture in the bowl and divide into two.  Take out half the mixture and roll into a long snake 2cm thick (this is the playdough bit!) on the chopping board.  Using a knife, cut off 2cm diagonal lengths and push them onto the baking tray with each cut.  Repeat with the second half of the mixture.  If you are feeling fancy (or have a bored child, friend or spouse handy), gently indent your gnocchi with a fork.

Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water (I flick them off the baking tray into the water, trying to avoid the flour) in batches for 2 or 3 mins each; don’t crowd them as all your hard work will go to waste.  Do about four batches, depending on the size of your pan.  Generally the rule is once they float, they are ready.  Try one if you are unsure.  They should be firm and not taste of raw flour.  Scoop out with a slotted spoon and then spread them out on a plate whilst the next lot are cooking.  When you are done, drain the excess water off the plates and add the gnocchi to the sauce.  Taste and season.  Give it all a couple of minutes to reheat, then serve immediately with pinenuts sprinkled on top.

If you are freezing the gnocchi, leave them on the plate to cool.  Freeze in a box and again, respect their space a little or you could end up with one large gnocch!

Posted in Spinach, Pinenuts, Gnocchi, Sweet potato, Bacon, Potato, Onion, Chard, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

09/11/2009 by D.

When is a soup not a soup?  This is a brilliant, filling winter warmer and uses lots of ingredients that tend to lurk.  Not only is it absolutely delicious, getting better each time you heat it, but its also packed with all the vitamins and minerals you need to combat those nasty lurgies.  It is also low in fat and cheap to make.

1 tbsp olive oil 
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup parsley (half a bunch; I just chop down from the top until I get to mainly stalks)
8 rashers smoked streaky bacon (or 200g pancetta)
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
___
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 litres stock (chicken or veg, from cube is fine)
___
1 cup small pasta (or spaghetti broken up)
1 cup frozen peas or beans
1/2 cabbage (or any greens, but remove tough stalks)
___
grated parmesan to serve

Chop onion, garlic, parsley, bacon, celery and carrots into similar size pieces and add to a large pan with the oil on a medium heat.  Stir occasionally for around 15 mins; if it starts to stick, turn down the heat or continue to the next step.

Add tomatoes, puree and stock.  Leave to simmer for an hour.  Shred and rinse the cabbage.

Add the pasta, peas and cabbage.  Stir and check the liquid levels, there should be enough to cover the cabbage when you press it down, if not, add more hot water.  Cover and leave to simmer again for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.  You can simmer this for longer if you like.  The more it cooks, the better it gets.  I just get terribly hungry by this point.

Serve in bowls with grated parmesan and black pepper on the side.  Be warned, this is truly addictive (and atomically hot when you first serve it).  And you won’t need bread on the side.  I promise!

Posted in Soup, Pancetta, Cavolo nero, Bacon, Celery, Pea, Parsley, Beans, Parmesan, Garlic, Carrot, Recipe, Toddler, Onion, Vegetarian, Tomato, Pasta, Weaning | Print | No Comments »