Tuna with Lemon and Capers - Pasta (Eric Treuile and Anna Del Conte)

You were warned that I adore this book!

This recipe is a 'no cook' and chosen as something quick and easy to make after work.  Although I usually plan the "menu" for the week ahead, I do sometimes just say "pasta" and aim to make something with whatever I have in the house.  90% of the time this does tend to variations on a tin of tomatoes.  I have however used this blog as the motivation needed to try something different - to broaden my tastebuds as well as something tasty but easy to make.  I chose this recipe not because it evoked summer time in the Med, but but because I always have tuna in the cupboard (who doesn't?) lemon in the fridge (for a well earned G&T) and capers (again in the fridge -which I sometimes add to my "variations on a tomato pasta sauce" recipe)

Best to prepare all the ingredients while the water is heating up as you throw (or toss) all the ingredients into the pasta once it is cooked (though I did this in a large bowl rather than the pot as per the recipe - I am sure it doesn't affect the taste).  To be honest, I would add sauce to the individual plates of pasta to save on the washing up, but in the interests of keeping to the recipe... and sometimes for the photo... I added the sauce and pasta together before serving it in bowls.  Also it does give the appearance of cultured family meal-times together (when reality is daughter asking if "we can eat in front room as Hollyoaks is on")!

This recipe is for four so I halved it for two which was fine as 250g of pasta is enough for three of us (two adults and a child).  I reserved some pasta water (not in the recipe) but adding this would be down to personal taste as the tuna should be in oil (mine wasn't) and there is additional olive oil added with the ingredients.

This dish was great for after work and the lemon juice and zest made it light and refreshing - lovely on a sunny evening.  Also the basil was finally available for me to use and other ingredients usually in the cupboard.  All in all very quick and easy to make and enjoyed.  I suspect this will become an 'after work' regular.

Spicy Sausage Ragu - Pasta (Eric Treuile and Anna Del Conte - Again)!!!

Have I already said that I love this book???  And I love this recipe too.  I have made it twice before so I know strictly speaking I shouldn't blog about it but it is so, sooooo yummy!  In fact I get the spicy sausages as a birthday present as they are quite expensive from the Italian deli.  After all what do you get the woman who has everything? Spicy Italian sausages!!! Of course I don't have everything but when you get to be a "woman of a certain age", I already have all the perfume / undies / scented candles / bath foam that I need.  Of course a few more diamonds would be well received but in the absence of that, I am very content with Spicy Italian sausages.

I decided to make Spicy Sausage Ragu for a dinner party for two very special friends. I made food that could be prepared in advance and one course that didn't need cooking.  This means that I was relaxed when the guests arrive and reduced time in the kitchen (and also drink loads).  I know pasta is possibly a boring choice for a dinner party but it was made with my special sausages and good quality pasta.  Am I forgiven?

The menu was:
Appetizer - glasses of Prosecco (for the grown ups obviously) with olives and Spanish banderas(?)
Starter - Carpaccio of Beef 
Main course - Spicy Sausage Ragu
Desert: Italian Lemon Tart
Cheese - Taleggio, Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheeses with crackers

I made carpaccio of beef again (see blog from 5th April 2011).  This simple but tasty dish can be made in advance and left in the fridge (adding garnish of rocket and watercress, and the dressing when serving).  I made the ragu in advance and didn't add the cream until I re-heated it.  I also made an Italian Lemon Tart (well I made the filling as the pastry case was shop-bought... this isn't "Come Dine With Me - luckily)!!

Onto the main recipe.  This recipe calls for Italian sausages and add chili flakes.  As the sausages are already spicy, I didn't add chili flakes but left a shaker on the table if anyone wanted any.  Also I did add chili flakes once and it was too spicy for some as cooking with chili makes the dish so much hotter than sprinkling chili flakes on when the dish is served.

I am lucky as I have a stash of home grown fennel seeds so this recipe gives me an excuse to use them.  My other half is not keen on the aniseed taste so I stuck faithfully to the recipe and didn't add more than described.  Which is probably about right actually, even though I do love aniseed flavour.

The recipe states 150ml of double cream to be added.  It does need some cream and previously I have added less (as I thought it looked too much - I have always added a bit and tasted first).  This time I stuck to the recipe and thought it was too creamy (and I love creamy sauces).   So I would stick to my previous suggestion which is add a bit at a time until you have enough for your own taste.  I do not think this affects the overall result of the finished dish because it really is good.

As my daughter insisted on joining us, I also made an unspicy ragu (using sausage meat from the butchers) and served both ragus.  No disparaging remarks made about serving pasta at a dinner party.

Admittedly I overcooked the lemon tart which I made earlier (i.e. before I had a drink so no excuse).  But serving it with cream and with the wine flowing, I don't think anyone noticed (or were too polite to say ).  This time we actually managed to eat from the cheeseboard but I did forget to serve desert wine with the lemon tart!

The lack of photographs is because:
- wasn't sure if I should include the recipe in the blog
- I drank too much (I mean I got caught up in the moment)!!!

Next blog will be a simple evening meal.

Peas (or asparagus) Prosciutto and Fresh Herbs - Pasta (Eric Treuile and Anna Del Conte)

Just to warn you that I will probably be making many recipes from this book.  It is truly great,with a variety of recipes for pasta (I never tire of pasta) and the best thing is, pictures with every recipe!  Also it suggests variations of the recipes which is how I chose this recipe.

We always have peas (well petit pois to be precise) in the freezer but the recipe also suggested asparagus.  Being the height of the asparagus season we had some in the fridge, and also the herbs are starting to grow - so this recipe was a no-brainer.

Very simple to make and not much preparation needed.  Make sure you reserve some pasta water as suggested as it helps moisten the dish, otherwise it will be too dry and I suspect claggy (see my previous post of pasta with scallops - claggy pasta... not good).  I used flat leafed parsley but you can choose mint (I didn't think it would go with the asparagus but would probably go with the peas).  Also our basil was not fully established so I couldn't use it either.  Also I like parsley and find it goes well with everything.

I used fettuccine but again you can use any long pasta.  This book includes recommendations on which pasta to use which I always find useful - but you might be either more sophisticated than me and not need the advice, or you might be more independently thinking than me and might choose whatever you want!!!

My main comment about all the recipes in the book is that 500g seems a lot of pasta for four and I always have left-overs when I make that much.  I aim for 80-100g per person which always seems sufficient.  Also I am trying to stay faithful to the recipe but occasionally I use more or less of certain ingredient, especially if the item comes close to the weight required (or I am not paying attention).  Not sure how much it changes the outcome especially as I use less pasta than stated but follow the recipe for the rest of the ingredients.  So far the balance seems ok, i.e. not too much 'sauce' for the pasta. 

Also, and this might be stupid, but I "struggle" putting pasta in the pan with the sauce as per the recipe.  I did it this time but usually I chuck it in a big bowl with the sauce and mix it then.  Of course (and lets get real here) I also just put the pasta on plates and dollop the sauce on top! 

Final comment: good choice for evening meal especially if you already have most of the ingredients.

Another main course next (still put off from baking)!!

Victoria Sponge Cake for Royal Wedding! The River Cottage Family Cookbook

Buoyed on by my success at baking, I decided to make a Victoria Sponge to celebrate the Royal Wedding (do you need an excuse to bake cakes?).

I followed the recipe faithfully.  The only area I strayed from was instead of creaming the butter and sugar by hand with a wooden spoon (like I was taught in school) I (mistakenly)thought it would be easier to use the electric whisk.  BIG mistake! It all got clogged up in the metal whisks.  Won't be doing that again!

To keep this short - I still can't bake.  My sponges resembled thick biscuits and were not light and spongy.  I do not know what I did wrong.  Not sure if it is the recipe or that I just can't bake!

My daughter ate a slice out of charity.  Needless to say, with the fresh cream, I couldn't keep the cake long enough to eat all by myself - no-one else wanted any :-(

Oh well.  At least I tried. And the finished cake looks good in the photo :-)

No more baking for me for a while - back to main courses...

Rhubarb Cheesecake (Tesco's Booklet)

I really do not bake and I do not have many desserts in my repertoire.  But we had rhubarb given to us and tubs of cream cheese in the fridge (damn those 3 for 2 offers) and spookily the Tesco's booklet had a rhubarb recipe - so I took it as a sign.

Barbecue planned - so for first time ever at a bar-b-q, I decided to make a dessert!




The cheesecake is one of those baked New York types.  Everyone knows that the base is bashed up digestive biscuits and butter.  The cheesey bit I made with a mixture of reduced-fat and full-fat cream cheese, (although the recipe said to use full-fat) and I used ordinary rhubarb instead of "pink" rhubarb.

All I can say is - it was HUGE!

Main comments of the recipe - I don't think the biscuit base was deep enough for the size of the finished cake.  Also not enough gelatine to set the rhubarb, but obviously that didn't affect the taste.  Mixing the cream cheese did not cause any problems.

But I find rhubarb is a bit like marmite - you either love it or hate it.  I am not a big fan but have been swayed owing to eating a fabulous trio of rhubarb desserts made at my favourite restaurant (Incanto in Harrow).  And what do you know, everyone (except the kids) wanted a slice.  Some even had seconds!!!!!!

In fact my rhubarb cheesecake has become a legend!!!  Worth making again and if brave enough, vary the fruit topping.

And sorry, by the time I served it, I forgot to take photographs of the finished product (enjoying myself a bit too much methinks).

Scallops with Garlic and Crisp Crumbs - Anna Del Conte & Eric Treuille

Last night with A before our daughter returns home so another recipe close after the previous one.

Decided on pasta and looked through 'Pasta' by Anna Del Conte & Eric Treuille.  I love this book as it has so many photos, which I need when looking for recipes.

I looked through the book and excluded any tomato based sauces which I make a lot.  Also excluded meat sauces ('no meat mondays').  And no cheese sauces as still recovering from the phenomenally buttery bearnaise sauce!! Looked at the seafood section and didn't get any further.  I selected four recipes and I let A choose... Scallops with Garlic and Crisp Crumbs.

Not many ingredients and again, I made sure that I had all the ingredients ready.  I even made sure I measured out the olive oil, the parsley and the chili, when usually I throw in what I think looks like the rough measure.

This recipe does not take long to cook but next time (if there is a next time) I would suggest adding the garlic last when adding the parsley, chili and breadcrumbs to the pan.  As you cook on a high heat to get the breadcrumbs crispy, the garlic burns.  I did try to do it all quickly but the garlic still burned slightly as I added it to the pan first. 

Also I was worried about the lack of any sauce, not even enough to coat the pasta.  The breadcrumbs absorb all the olive oil.  I saved some pasta water but didn't use it as I followed the recipe.  it was tasty but too dry.  We drizzled olive oil on but the taste of the olive oil was slightly too strong.  We also squeezed a bit of lemon juice but again, it wasn't right.  I think a bit of water from cooking the pasta might have been the best thing as I re-heated some left overs and added some water, making it less claggy (but did make the breadcrumbs soggy - you can't win).

Not sure I would have this again, but I do like the idea of frying breadcrumbs, garlic, chili and parsley and sprinkling on something

Bearnaise Sauce - Nigel Slater

No visitors. No dinner parties. No daughter! Just me and A. I really didn't feel like doing much for dinner but I am on a mission after all.  I settled on steak (easy and tasty) and decided to make bearnaise sauce.

I love bearnaise sauce.  In fact I probably miss the taste of a good steak as I eat so much of the stuff.  I always stock up on jars of bearnaise from France.  I have tried budget brands and more expensive brands and I love 'em all!

I have always avoided making bearnaise sauce as it has such a potential to go wrong.

I picked the first recipe I found in my search - from Nigel Slater's 'Real Cooking'.  So much butter!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway one of the points of this blog is not just cooking from my endless recipe books, but also following the recipe properly in terms of ingredients and instructions - and this I definitely did for bearnaise sauce.

Did I say - so much butter?????!!!!!

I read, re-read and read again the instructions and pleased to say that the sauce did not curdle, did not cook and thickened nicely.  I used a very small whisk thinking that would be more effective for a shallow sauce but eventually swapped it for a normal size balloon whisk which did speed things up.

        

  

Comments:

- prepare all the ingredients and utensils

- read the instructions properly as you have to be careful

- the recipe was for two, but we had half left over - and I ate loads

- A loved it but I'm not sure.  I didn't think the tarragon flavour was strong enough.  It tasted stronger the next day when we had the rest on poached eggs.