Creamy Parsnip and Squash Bake

The first instalment of summer squash got used to make this fantastic - and soon to be made again - creamy bake of a side dish.

It all came about because I was looking for a simple recipe that would enable me to tell how the squash tasted and how it behaved during cooking.  The recipe was perfect for that and I was able to glean that it held together very nicely, was sweet and didn't dissolve into water once cooked.

I had four lovely little parsnips from thevegibox.com that were waiting to be used in something and I started to think about what hubby particularly likes.  Now it goes without saying that he likes chilli, and Mexican flavours, Spanish flavours, Mediterranean flavours and a whole raft of Indian and Chinese flavours.  However, none of those really matched up with parsnip and squash.  However, creamy flavours did - and hubby loves creamy flavours.  So then a picture came into my mind of Dauphinoise potatoes - but made with parsnip and squash.  Except, the garlic didn't really go.  Aha!  But finely chopped shallot would - and so would thyme and parmesan.  Bingo.

So what meat would go nicely with this combination?  Well, chicken was an obvious choice and I'm always keen to have a roast chicken dinner.  Plus, Vegibox had delivered some more lovely rainbow chard and this would be a perfect opportunity to try some cooked quite plainly and as a side vegetable.

I contemplated what to do with the chicken next.  Yes, I could have just roasted it with a little oil and seasoning, but that was a bit dull and if the bake didn't come off it would be a very disappointing dinner.  Lemon was out because of the cheese and cream in the bake, but I was already using thyme so that was a possibility.  So what goes with cream?  Well, you have mustard cream sauces but I didn't want to use more cream.  What do you use with chicken that would go with mustard and with the cream in the bake?  Honey!  Aha!  Honey mustard chicken!  Perfect.

So there we were - the creamy parsnip & squash bake, with honey mustard chicken, rainbow chard and carrots.  Yum.

Now assuming you're rather better with a mandolin than I am, you'll be able to cut your parsnips and squash into evenly sized slices without losing any skin - which is the recommended method.  I lost the edge of my little finger - and this is the not-to-be-recommended method.  Alternatively, you could just use a knife, but be sure to get your slices even widths or they will all take different times to cook.

Owing to the relatively few ingredients required for the bake, it came together really quickly (even with a first aid break) and my Nanna's lovely brown heatproof glass casserole was perfect for it.  I was able to control the browning of the cheese on top by use of the casserole dish lid and it sat very politely waiting to be served when it was done some 10 minutes early.

All that contemplation as to what hubby liked paid off when, after his first few forkfuls, he declared "this parsnip & squash thing is fabulous!".  After my first taste, I had to agree - it was fabulous.  You could still taste the parsnip, but it didn't take priority over the other flavours (as parsnip is wont to do).  The squash was there, adding sweetness and that lovely gentle flavour that is uniquely squash.  The cream, onion and thyme bound the whole ensemble together and the cheese added that richness to the flavour that just finished it off perfectly.

Oh, and for those who are interested in such things - the rainbow chard was really very good indeed!  I used the cooking juices from the honey mustard chicken as a light gravy over the chard and carrots and they went together beautifully.  People who have seen the photographs on Rhubarb & Ginger's Facebook page, have asked me what the "rhubarb looking" thing is - and it is interesting that chard has the same effect on your teeth that rhubarb does!  Rather less than rhubarb in fact, but it is nonetheless still there - that furry, odd feeling.  Its flavour is almost tinny, but in a nice, juicy, veggie kind of way.  I was expecting it to be more cabbage-like in flavour, but in fact it turned out to be much more spinach-like.  Really very acceptable - and it makes rather more sense as to how it can be used in flans and quiches now!

Everyone, without exception, really liked everything on the plate but particularly the creamy parsnip and squash bake.  To the point that, at washing-up time when I discovered a spoonful of it left - cold - in the dish, son & heir and myself were to be seen sharing it.  Well, it was too small to keep!  I think that was testament to how good it truly was.

CREAMY PARSNIP & SQUASH BAKE  (serves 3)

Ingredients :

butter, for greasing & several small knobs for the surface
500g parsnip, peeled and finely sliced
500g butternut squash, peeled and finely sliced
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
300ml double cream
25g parmesan cheese
15g strong cheddar cheese
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method :

1.  Pre-heat your oven to 160degC/325degF/Gas4.

2.  Rub the bottom and sides of a gratin dish with butter.

3.  Place the parsnip and squash slices into the dish and toss together with the shallot, thyme and some salt and pepper.  Arrange the slices randomly but fairly evenly to give a fairly flat surface, in the dish.

4.  Pour over the cream and sprinkle on the cheeses.  Add a dot of butter here and there on top of everything else and give an additional sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

5.  Cover the dish and put into the oven to bake for 45 minutes.  Remove the lid and replace into the oven for the remaining 15 minutes, to brown the surface.  The bake is complete when a knife will insert easily into the vegetables.

Serve.

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Risotto Primavera with herby glazed chicken

The emphasis of this recipe is on the Risotto Primavera, as I will admit to having used a shop bought chicken glaze.  Now don't you go telling me that you never use such a thing, I refuse to believe it.

The glaze we used was one of the Maggi range of "So Juicy" cook-in-a-bag products.  In fact, it was really not bad at all.  We tried the mixed herbs one, which seemed to have a significant amount of tomato in its mixed herbs, but with no artificial colours, flavourings or Aspartame in its ingredients, we were prepared to give it a go.

Owing to the cooking method, which involves your cooking the chicken sealed into a cook-in bag, the chicken comes out the other end enticingly moist and tender.  I'd definitely give others of the same range a go.

As a fairly foolproof and easy way of obtaining a very acceptable chicken dish, I recommend it to you!

Now the big question was what to put with it.  I'm always on the lookout for interesting and easy vegetable dishes that can be use as a side to a meat dish, for just these moments.

We had a number of meals planned that included potatoes already - and owing to hubby's antipathy towards the 'umble spud, I needed to find something else to use as the carbohydrate in this dish.

Hubby suggested vegetable rice, but son & heir isn't always terribly keen on that.  As hubby was the one who was going to be cooking this meal, I suddenly hit on the idea of a risotto.  Well, he is the Risotto Cooking King!  I remembered that I had picked up a baked Risotto Primavera recipe from a magazine, but knew he wouldn't be struck on the idea of doing a baked risotto (being a newly crowned risotto purist, and all that).  So we just used the recipe as a guide for the amounts and types of vegetables to use - and he made a straight, cooker top, in a saucepan, ordinary risotto - but using frozen peas, asparagus, fine green beans, tenderstem broccoli, mint, chives and parsley instead.

The combination of the highly flavoursome chicken and the clean, fresh flavours of the risotto with its herbs, were just perfect together.

Hubby even reserved a few asparagus spears for decoration, which was good because although it is great in a risotto, I do love the flavour of asparagus and it was a treat to have some to enjoy on its own.

I'll have to remember to use vegetable risotto in this context again in future.  I have used Risotto Milanese (saffron risotto) in this way in the past and it worked exceptionally well there, too.  The light and springlike flavours were a lovely break from the somewhat heavier mid-winter flavours that we've been enjoying before and since, thanks to the awful weather.  Hopefully, we'll get a chance to put them to the test in another combination very soon!

RISOTTO PRIMAVERA  (Serves 3)

Ingredients :

150g asparagus spears

2 handfuls of frozen peas

150g tenderstem broccoli

50g fine green beans

3 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

2 banana shallots, very finely diced

25g butter

300g Arborio or Carnaroli rice

100ml of white wine

1.5 litres of vegetable stock (we used Essential cuisine vegetable stock powder)

10g fresh chopped parsley

10g fresh chopped chives

10g fresh chopped mint

50g grated parmesan

sea salt and finely ground black pepper.

Method :

1.  Bring a saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil and prepare the asparagus by snapping at the weak point (around one third of the way up the stem from the cut end).  Retain the woody ends for use in the stock and blanch the tipped ends for 60 seconds.  Drain (retaining the water) and then plunge into bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process.

2.  Repeat with the frozen peas, tenderstem broccoli and green beans - blanching for 3 minutes and adding them to the same iced water.

3.  Prepare the stock by adding the stock cube or powder to the cooking water and add the woody ends of the asparagus, cut lengthwise.  Bring up to a simmer and keep the stock over a very low heat until required, not allowing it to boil.  Remove the asparagus pieces just before use.

4.  Heat the olive oil and butter gently together in a large pan.  Add the shallots and cook until they are soft and transparent, not allowing them to brown.

5.  Add rice to the shallot mix and stir well to coat with the oils, then turn the heat up as hot as you dare - without burning - before quenching the pan with the white wine.

6.  Cook until the wine has reduced by two thirds and add a ladleful of the vegetable stock (minus the asparagus pieces).  Reduce heat to a simmer.

7.  Continue adding ladlefuls whenever the mixture runs dry, stirring well and keeping it moving to avoid catching on the bottom of the pan.

8.  Continue in this way until the rice is cooked al dente.  You may find you have stock left over, which is normal as different rices require different amounts of liquid.

9.  Drain the vegetables from the iced water and add them to the risotto to warm them through, stirring gently so as not to break them up.

10.  Add the parsley, chives, mint and grated parmesan, reserving a small amount of parsley for garnish.  Stir gently through and taste for seasoning.

11.  Serve and garnish with shaved parmesan and chopped parsley.

Printable version

We're sold on the Rootbeer Float, so now we try the Wedge Salad!

Wedge salad.  So what's that all about, then?

Well, you get an iceberg lettuce, cut a humungous wedge out of it - and dress it.  Done.

No, seriously - it's as easy as that.

I too, was a tad surprised when I learned that this "Wedge Salad" that I'd been hearing mentioned in various American blog posts was as simple as that.  After all, it was American!  Where was the dry soup base, or the American cheese, the sweetened condensed milk, or the pre-mixed seasoning?  But no - the classic American wedge salad contains none of these things.  Just lettuce, a creamy dressing of some sort and whatever extra bits you fancy.

So I included it on the menu list for that week.  After all, we were going to be pushed for time on a lot of those days and a simple salad was just the job.

Hubby had the great idea of pairing it up with some Scampi and his home made Crunchy Krauters (or crunchy croutons, as they are probably known everywhere else).  With the last minute addition of some cherry tomatoes, it made an absolutely lovely meal.

On our Wedge Salad, we went for a blue cheese dressing along with some grilled streaky bacon pieces, spring onion and sweetcorn.  Now you seriously wouldn't expect something that was just cut differently, to be quite so successful.  However, I think the thing with this salad is indeed the shape.  When the dressing is drizzled over, it seeps in through the cut sides of the wedge of lettuce and when you cut through, every leaf has had its own little bath in dressing.  Some rather more, some rather less.  Add together a few of the bits and pieces that are sprinkled over and adhering to the dressing - and you've got an amazingly satisfying salad forkful.

Hubby's crunchy krauters are simplicity itself to make.  You take a piece of two day old baguette and cut it into large cubes.  Pre-heat the oven to 180degC/350degF/Gas 4 and while it's warming up, place the cubes into a bowl and drizzle over some Rapeseed oil or extra virgin Olive oil.  Add some seasoning - this is definitely one for the sea salt flakes - and toss to coat each cube in seasoned oil.

Tip the cubes out onto a baking sheet and spread them out into one flat layer.  Bake for just 5 minutes, then check them to see how they're doing.  They should be golden and crunchy on the edges.  If not, leave them for - literally - just another minute or two.  Don't leave the kitchen or take your eyes off them, or they'll burn.

As soon as they're done, serve.  They make a delicous and crunchy change from potatoes or pasta!

Oh, and the rootbeer float?  Easy peasy.  Get yourself some root beer (most major supermarkets sell it now) and if you like the stuff (I think it's redolent of cough mixture and hate the stuff, but the chaps love it) pour into a glass.  Take vanilla icecream and scoop out a good sized ball and drop it (carefully) into the glass.  Add a straw, a deckchair and some sun.  Sorted.

WEDGE SALAD  (serves 3)

Ingredients :

A fresh, clean, whole Iceberg lettuce
3-4 rashers streaky bacon
Blue cheese dressing (feel free to make your own - I didn't have either time nor inclination)
2-3 spring onions, sliced finely
3 tbsp sweetcorn (from a can is easiest).

Method :

1.  Grill the bacon rashers until crispy, then cut into small pieces and set aside to cool.

2.  Take your Iceberg lettuce and trim off the brown stump end, to 2-3 leaves back.  Remove the outer leaves and discard (or give them to your rabbit/guinea pig/goat etc).

3.  Taking a sharp knife, make one cut from top to bottom through one side of the lettuce, then make another cut some 2-3 inches away - again from top to bottom, so removing a wedge of lettuce.

4.   Place the iceberg on its back on your serving plate and trickle the blue cheese (or dressing of your choice) over it.

5.  Sprinkle over the bacon pieces, spring onion and sweetcorn.

6.  Serve.

Printable Version
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Smoked mackerel & Mediterranean potato salad - Mediterranean week gets under way!

It seems as though we may very well have had our summer - but in the two days of sunshine that came our way just recently, it sparked off a desire for Mediterranean-style eating.

Ever hopeful that we might get a day or so of sun before winter is upon us again, I thought I'd share the best of the recipes.

Now you know how much hubby loves his smoked mackerel - and I do too, but to a slightly lesser degree.  Hubby will eat his smoked mackerel any way he can get it - hot or cold - but I find that a hot mackerel dish will repeat on me for a month of Sundays.  Now for all that repeated burping causes some hilarity amongst the family, it does get a bit much when it's followed by terminal heartburn - or is that too much information?

As a result, the first dish of our Mediterranean week is smoked mackerel, served cold, with an accompanying warm Mediterranean Potato Salad and a tomato & red onion salad.  If you prefer your mackerel hot, then by all means warm it up - it won't make a jot of difference to the dish.

I spotted the Mediterranean Potato Salad in the BBC Good Food Magazine and it ticked all the right boxes for both son & heir and myself.  I wasn't too sure about hubby, though, as we all know his relationship with potatoes isn't great.  Still, I crossed my fingers that the use of Jersey Royal new potatoes, together with the roasted red peppers and black olives in the dish (both of which are particular favourites), paired with mackerel might do the trick.

Well, it almost did.  It was the garlic that did for him - and oddly, it seemed to be the pairing of garlic and tomato.  Still, there's no accounting for taste - and it will be easy to leave the garlic out next time.

Both son & heir and I really liked the warm salad.  It was a lovely departure and a welcome change from using Jersey Royal New Potatoes in a traditional way (i.e. with butter and mint).  I have also taken to using English rapeseed oil instead of olive oil, now that we have found a couple of suppliers that provide affordable rapeseed oil.  This was, pretty much, my first voyage with using the oil in a salad sense - and we like it.  Rapeseed oil has a much nuttier flavour than olive (not surprisingly) and I've found that it blends very easily with Mediterranean style flavours.  Well worth doing, when you consider all the health benefits of rapeseed oil over olive oil.  If you thought olive oil was good for you, have a look at a comparison between the two.  With half the saturated fat of olive oil and a higher flashpoint which means it can be used in roasting and stir frying, it wins my vote!

It did occur to me, that the salad could be made even more Mediterranean style, by using sun dried tomatoes instead of the tin of tomatoes - but I have yet to try this theory out!

The Mediterranean Potato Salad as it stands, is simplicity itself to make and the sauce can be put together as the potatoes cook.  Paired with the simple tomato & red onion salad and an even simpler smoked mackerel, this really is a meal that takes minutes to prepare - and is good for you on all sorts of levels!

MEDITERRANEAN POTATO SALAD   (feeds 3)

Ingredients :

1 tbsp olive oil (I used Rapeseed Oil)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove (optional, leave it out of you're sensitive to garlic)
1-2 tsp oregano, either fresh or dried
200g tinned cherry tomatoes (I used the other half for breakfast the next day!)
100g roasted red peppers, sliced (I used them from a jar and rinsed off the vinegar)
300g new potatoes, halved if large
25g black olives, sliced
handful of basil leaves, torn.

Method :

1.  In a small saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion.  Cook on a gentle to medium heat for 5-10 minutes until soft.

2.  Add the oregano and continue to cook for another minute.

3.  Add the tomatoes and peppers, season well and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes or until tender.  Drain well, mix with the sauce and serve warm, sprinkled with olives and basil.

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Potato, cheese & leek "Pie"

Absolutely the first thing to be said about this dish, is that is quite categorically is NOT a "pie".  Not in the commonly understood definition of a pie, anyway.

I can quite understand the difficulty over what to call it, however.  It is, after all, just mashed potato, layered with buttered leek, covered with grated cheddar cheese and a decorative sliced tomato.  Everything that describes it better, sounds too "clunky".  Baked cheesy leek potato, sounds like a baked (or jacket) potato.  Baked mashed potato with cheese & leek doesn't sound appealing enough.  Cheese & leek baked mashed potato is the closest I could get - but it's still not great.

What we need, is a name all of its own.  Like "Cullen Skink", or "Kedgeree", or "Spotted Dick".  I know what hubby would want to call it, but we won't go there, okay?  Maybe Solanum Cheesyleeks?  (Solanum being part of Solanum Tuberosum - the species from which all cultivated potatoes originate).

Fresh from the oven and ready to serve

Oh well, whatever you decide to call it - so long as you really like mashed potatoes - it is indulgently delicious and reminiscent of the sort of thing your Mum would make for your evening meal when you were a child.  In fact, my Mum was always very aware of our waistlines and didn't cook anything like this dish - but my Aunty Renee would and it made visiting her house even more of a treat.

I will admit, in my own defence, that when I saw the picture of this dish my saliva glands went into overdrive but I didn't realise that it was simply mashed potato with extra goodies and baked.  I believed, erroneously as it turned out, that it was a mashed potato topped pie.  Even when I got my sweaty paws on the recipe, I still didn't twig.

However, when I sat and read the recipe just before I made the dish, I had a sinking feeling where hubby was concerned.  His dislike for all things potato is well known, but I hoped that the reputation of the Jelly potato would assist in making the whole thing more acceptable for him.  Well, it made it edible - but it didn't make it enjoyable for him.

Son and heir and myself, however, well we were in little mashed potato heaven.  If you add to that the feeling of intense satisfaction that copious quantities of Springfield (our local butcher) bacon brings about - and you've got a picture of what we felt about the entire meal.

That bacon is the very epitome of fab'lous, dahlink.  Yes, it does contain an element of water (although it didn't up until very recently), but the very size and thickness of each rasher is sufficient that it balances against the water content and, when grilled, the water evaporates very quickly.  It's the flavour that sets this bacon apart from all others.  Supermarket bacon just doesn't taste the way Springfield's bacon does.  Full flavoured, deliciously smokey and with just enough salt, it is the perfect bacon for a butty - or to serve with Potato, cheese & leek pie.

Where simplicity is concerned, this is about as simple as you could ask for.  You even get a chance to do the washing up that you've created, as the pie heats through in the oven.  However, it is strictly for mashed potato lovers.  I can verify that the leftovers, cold the next day with a couple of slices of ham, were almost better than the heated original.  That's how much I loved it.

POTATO, CHEESE & LEEK PIE    (Serves 4)

Ingredients :

4 medium to large mashing potatoes (Jelly is a great variety - available from Tesco), peeled and quartered
2 knobs of butter
2 tbsp milk
a medium sized leek, trimmed & washed, halved and sliced
a ridiculously enormous pile of grated mature cheddar cheese (approx 150-200g) divided into two thirds and a third
a vine ripened tomato, sliced
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper.

Method :

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 180degC/350degF/Gas4.

2.  Taking a large saucepan, half fill with water and bring to the boil.  Add some salt, then add the potatoes and cook until they drop easily from the point of a knife.  Drain well.

3.  Add one knob of butter and the milk, plus a little seasoning and mash well.

4.  While the potatoes are still hot, add two thirds of the cheese and fork through until it has melted.

5.  While the potatoes were cooking, melt the other knob of butter in a frying pan and gently cook the leek, without browning.  Once the leeks are soft, set aside.

6.  Take a standard 8" pie dish and pat one third of the potatoes into the bottom.  Spread with a half of the leek mixture, then pat a second third of the potatoes on top.

7.  Again, spread with the leek mixture and pat the remaining third of the potatoes over, this time fluffing up the surface so that it catches the melted cheese, to hold it and prevent it overflowing the edges.  Sprinkle the potato with the remainder of the cheese and arrange the tomato slices in a pretty pattern.

8.  Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the cheese has melted and browned slightly.

Serve with rashers of bacon and garden peas. 

Saag Aloo - perfect accompaniment to a curry.

So there I was, plucking up courage to cook the Beef Rendang.  However, I knew that the Rendang didn't contain anything in the way of vegetable matter (well, except for shallots and chillis).  You know how I'm always keen to get some vegetables into my chaps, so I set out to find a recipe for an accompaniment that would complement the Rendang, whilst ticking off some of the all-important vegetable matter.

I knew the Rendang was likely to be saucy (ooh, matron!), so didn't really want another saucy dish for fear of swamping out the plate.  What was required was something like a bhajee - a fairly dry vegetable recipe.

There, on the My Dish website, I found a recipe for Saag Aloo which was attributed to someone called Renu.  Thank you, Renu, for providing the perfect accompaniment!

Now you won't be surprised to hear that I deviated from the original recipe somewhat.  After all, it'd be unusual if I didn't, hey?

Firstly, I couldn't find any frozen spinach in our local supermarket so bought the biggest bag of fresh spinach it was possible to buy - and wilted it in a dry pan at the beginning of the recipe.  To be honest, I think this was probably an improvement on the requirement for frozen spinach, as it wasn't all munched up and indistinguishable.  Even after being squeezed out between two plates (my Nanna's preferred method for removing the water from spinach or cabbage) it was still distinguishable as spinach leaves.  Plus, it just feels worthier to be using fresh spinach, even if it isn't.

The second deviation from the original, was that I added a chopped onion to the mix.  Now I can recall seeing and tasting fried onion in Saag Aloo that I've had from the takeaway and it didn't seem right to not include some.  I do appreciate that it may not have been authentic to include the onion, but I was going for "what we like" rather than "authenticity", on this occasion.

I also didn't have any asafoetida or any jaggery, so left the former out and substituted soft brown sugar for the latter.  It may have made a huge difference, but we were certainly happy enough with the results, so I think it worked.

The recipe was very acceptably simple to produce and I was perfectly able to conduct the trio of pans (Rendang, Saag Aloo and Rice) without getting all stressed and in a flap.

It was lovely to use the whole spices (mustard seeds and cumin seeds) and toasting them in the pan beforehand almost had me feeling like a proper chef.


One point worth noting is that, regarding the potatoes and because of hubby's hatred of the poor old things, I gave them three minutes in the microwave (with a small amount of water) once I'd diced them.  This just softened them down enough that once they went into the pan, they didn't take so long to cook and were at the stage of just beginning to break up by the time they were served.  Hubby declared that he wouldn't have wanted the potatoes again, but the spinach was fine.  Both he and son & heir cleared their plates though, so not only was this a vote of confidence in the recipe, but I managed to get an unfeasibly huge amount of spinach into the pair of them!  Result!


SAAG ALOO (serves 3)


Ingredients :


350g bag of fresh spinach, washed
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 knob of butter
1 onion, chopped fine
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced finely
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp soft brown sugar or jaggery
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chopped red chilli
1 tsp ginger paste
a handful of chopped fresh coriander.


Method :


1.  Gently heat a large wok, then add the fresh spinach.  Allow to wilt without browning and drain the excess water from the pan.


2.  Once wilted, place the spinach onto a plate and place another identical plate on top of the spinach.  Squeeze the two plates together, effectively squashing all the water from the spinach.  Once water has stopped running, set aside.


3.  Dry the pan and replace onto a medium heat.  Add the mustard and cumin seeds and occasionally toss, to toast them evenly.  You'll know when they're done as the cumin will darken, the mustard seeds will pop and the aroma will be fabulous.


4.  Add the knob of butter and onions and stir to combine.  Cook the onions for 4-5 minutes or until they are softened and just beginning to brown.


5.  Add the potatoes and a splash of hot water and stir to combine.  Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, so that the potatoes begin to take on a little colour.


6.  Add the garlic, turmeric, salt, sugar, ground cumin, ground coriander, chillis and ginger and stir to combine.  Allow to cook until the potatoes are tender.  You may need to add a little more water to encourage the potatoes to cook, but take care to not swamp the mixture.


7.  When the potatoes are done (and not before), add the spinach and fresh coriander and give everything a good stir to ensure the vegetables all have a good coating of spices.  Place a lid on the pan to help the vegetables to heat through and serve.


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Nigella's Rapid Roastinis - what a great idea!

Well, owing to a bit of a memory lapse over getting the mince out of the freezer, this week's menu planning has gone to worms.

Meatballs and doughballs - we had them on Friday instead!

As such, after a quick emergency trip to Sainsbury's (being the Supermarket closest to home), we had some oven-bake fish in breadcrumbs for dinner on Thursday, instead of the meatballs and pasta originally scheduled.

Nearly always, we have salad with fish in breadcrumbs but it never seems to be as satisfying a meal as it should be.  I was pondering on the bread -v- chips -v- new potatoes conundrum when I suddenly remembered Nigella Lawson's Rapid Roastinis.

Hubby was cooking that night and was quite happy to investigate the concept.  So, we put a bag of gnocchi on the shopping list.

Well what a blinding bit of inspiration they happen to be!

Incredibly simple to do, you just heat up some olive oil in a frying pan, add a clove of garlic that's been halved and some thyme, then when the oil is hot enough, in go the gnocchi until they're golden.  Takes a matter of minutes!

Drain them on some kitchen paper for a minute or so, dredge with some sea salt then onto the plate in all their crunchy gorgeousness.  It really is that simple.

I can't say that they're "like" any other kind of potato product except maybe those hideous smiley face things - and then only by a factor of around 5%.  Yes, they've got a crunchy golden outside shell and yes, they've got a fluffy potato centre - but there the similarity ends.  Maybe it's the garlic and thyme, maybe it's because they aren't processed to within an inch of their lives.  Whatever the difference is, they're really lovely.

I'd be happy to serve them as a canape, if ever I had the need for same, they're so moreish!

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Creamed Courgettes & Mushrooms : by far and away the most delicious thing to do to a courgette

Sunday dawned and I had every intention of making the Ratatouille Pasta Bake to accompany the roast bacon that I had planned.

The trouble is, it didn't happen that way as around 3pm my "get up and go" just got up and went, without letting me know.

Which was all very inconsiderate, as it left me wondering what the heck I could come up with instead of the ratatouille pasta bake, using courgettes, mushrooms, tomatoes and broad beans.  So the thought process went like this :

"What have I got to use as carbs, if I don't use pasta?".
"Hmmn, I've got some muddy Jersey Royals in the cupboard, doing nothing ...".
"Okay, well, if I use those - maybe I could use them in the pasta bake, instead of the pasta!"  (Which goes to prove it was the pasta that I didn't want, rather than the vegetables!).
"No, that won't do.  It wouldn't be right, I'd better use them alone and not in with the veg".
"So - what veggies can I make?"
~ponder~
"Oh wow!  Courgettes ... and mushrooms .. and yes, I've got a bit of cream left in the fridge .. and some worcester sauce in the cupboard!".
"Oh thank you God, I can make Creamed Courgettes & Mushrooms!  Oh, and maybe add some peas and broad beans".  (As an afterthought).

Creamed Courgettes and Mushrooms is one of the most delicious and simple things you can do, to a courgette.  I first had this veggie side dish when my Mum cooked it to accompany (I forget exactly) either a chop or a piece of steak.  I fell in love with it then and repeatedly asked for it, only to have it rejected because "cream is too fattening" or "it's too expensive, with the cream involved" - which are all valid points, but not when you're 12 or 13 years old.

I have to admit that I appreciate both those arguments now and as such, it hasn't appeared on our menu list more than around 4 or 5 times in the last 14 years.  However, I am just so glad I remembered it in time to take advantage of the ingredients.

Showing promise!

The roast bacon that I served it with, was truly gorgeous.  I had boiled the bacon in a 50:50 apple juice/water mix, with an added cinnamon stick, pepper and an onion for around 30 minutes.  I then put the bacon into a medium oven (160 deg C) in a roasting dish that was sealed over with baking foil and with a little of the boiling broth inside.  I didn't look at it again for an hour and a half, whereupon it then sat in a warm place to rest for another 20 minutes before uncovering, cutting off the fat and attempting to carve it.  In truth, it just fell apart and turned into a "one lump or two?" carving method and you could have cut it with a spoon, it was so tender.  Amazing.

It went absolutely perfectly with the sweetness of the courgette pieces, the earthiness of the mushrooms and the creamy, savoury sauce.  Goodness, it's making my mouth water just thinking about it!

There'll be another day for the rejected Ratatouille Bake - but it wasn't to be on Sunday!


CREAMED COURGETTE & MUSHROOMS  (Serves 2-3)


Ingredients :


A large knob of salted butter
a splash of olive oil
3 small courgettes, sliced into 5mm rounds
6 or so, chestnut mushrooms, sliced
150ml double cream
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper.


Method :


1.  Take a non-stick frying pan and melt the butter and add the olive oil to heat through.


2.  When the butter is bubbling, add the courgette slices and fry, cut side down, until they have obtained a lovely golden colouring on the one side.


3.  Flip each one over to the other side and continue to fry, but add the mushroom slices to the pan.


4.  When you think the courgettes will have obtained a good colour, mix the mushrooms in so that they are all touching the bottom of the pan (as much as you can) and continue to fry, but reducing the heat a little.


5.  When the mushrooms have become opaque and wilted and the courgettes are softened all the way through, add the cream and the Worcestershire sauce and stir through.


6.  Add the freshly ground black pepper to taste and once everything is piping hot, serve.


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