Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

‘Street Walker’s’ sauce is great to throw together with ingredients you probably already have in the cupboard. It is a fast sauce to make, chunky and flavorful. By the time the pasta is cooked, the sauce will be done.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 fat cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 very large shallot (or 2 regular size) measuring about 1/3 cup, minced

4 anchovy fillets (rinsed if packed in salt), chopped

Pinch red pepper flakes

¼ cup white wine

½ cup olives, roughly chopped (use whichever olives you like to eat)

900 grams (about 4 cups) tinned chopped tomatoes or passata

1 teaspoon tomato puree (paste in the States)

1 cup freshly chopped flat leaf parsley (or ½ parsley half fresh basil)

Sea salt and cracked blacked pepper to taste

8-12 ounces spaghetti

Parmesan and/or homemade breadcrumbs

1) Put water on to boil for the pasta. Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot and add in the chopped garlic, then place over medium heat and allow to come up to temperature slowly. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant, then add in the shallot, anchovy and red pepper flakes and continue to sauté for a minute or two.

2) Pour in the white wine and olives and allow the whole mess to simmer and reduce for 2 minutes, then pour in the tomatoes, stir, bring just barely to a simmer and cook for 10-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and allow to simmer for just a minute or two more.

Drain  the pasta and toss with the sauce. Pass Parmesan and/or breadcrumbs. Serve 4-6

Amalfi Coast Pesto

This pesto started with a lemon... 

I know Spring is coming when I find unwaxed Amalfi lemons in the market. Sorrento, on the Amalfi coast of Italy, is supposed to produce some of the world’s best lemons, and it is a thrill (for a food geek like myself) to find them in my neighborhood grocery store. Nestled amongst the limes and blood oranges with their pretty green leaves still attached; they look entirely different to me, they look like art.
In addition to lemon zest what makes this recipe delicious is a large number of anchovy fillets. I happen to love anchovies, but do understand if they are not your thing—they can be omitted from this recipe (but they honestly do add so much to the dish).

I tossed the pesto with whole wheat spaghetti and served it with a garden salad.

6” baguette, ciabatta or good quality bread

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Zest of one large lemon

1 bunch parsley (2 fistfuls), washed—leave the stems on

1 fat clove garlic, peeled and quartered

6-12 anchovy fillets, rinsed (if packed in salt)—I use 12 anchovies

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1” square piece Parmesan, broken up

Extra virgin olive oil

 8 ounces whole wheat (or regular) spaghetti

1) Tear up the bread and whiz in a food processor until crumbs. Melt 1 tablespoon each, butter and olive oil in a sauté pan, add in the bread crumbs and sauté over medium to medium-low heat until just golden and crisp. Season with a bit of salt. Allow to cool completely before storing in a jar or resealable container. May be done a day ahead.

2) Put a pot of water (for the pasta) on to boil. Wipe out the food processor. Put the lemon, parsley, garlic, anchovies, red pepper flakes and Parmesan in the work bowl and process—drizzling in oil as you go to form a paste.

Drain the pasta and toss with the pesto. Dish up and sprinkle lavishly with the breadcrumbs. Serves 2-4

Hippy Stew (Azuki Beans with Caramelized Leeks and Quinoa)

Azuki beans are hugely popular legumes in Japan and other parts of Asia; second only to soybeans (edemame). Interestingly, they are use primarily in sweet dishes, like Youkan (a jellied candy made from azuki bean paste and sugar), but they don’t have a sweet flavour themselves—they taste very similar to other red beans. 

Quinoa, originally cultivated in South America, is sort of like a grain or cereal, but not quite. It is a great source of protein as well as packed with essential amino acids and fiber—this is an excellent food for vegans.

Combining these two lesser-known ingredients makes for a complete meal—super nutritious and even better, super tasty!

Of course, being the carnivore that I am I couldn’t serve just this stew—I griddled up some locally produced sausage and snuggled them down on top. If sausages are not your thing, Hippy Stew would be fabulous served along side grilled chicken.

1 cup dried azuki beans (soaked overnight) or 2 tins azuki beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks, trimmed of dark green part, washed and chopped

1 fat carrot, peeled and chopped

1 cup quinoa, washed

3 cups (24 oz) vegetable or beef stock (or water with bouillon cubes)

1 tablespoon tomato paste (puree in the UK)

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1 cup chopped parsley (yes, a whole cup)

1) If you are using dried beans, soak them overnight, drain and simmer for 30 minutes, drain and have on hand for the stew. If using tinned azukis, drain and have ready.

2) In a large soup pot or wok, heat the oil. Once it is hot and quivering, add in the chopped leeks and carrot, don’t move too much at first, you wan them to colour, turn golden and caramelize—just don’t allow them to burn. Saute for a few minutes. Now, add in the quinoa, stir and toast for just a moment in the caramelized veg. Pour in the stock and stir, cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then add in the beans, tomato paste and red pepper flakes (if using), continue to simmer until the water is pretty much absorbed and the quinoa is tender (10-20 minutes longer).

Remove from heat and toss in the parsley. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Serves 4-6

Grammy’s Chicken and Noodles

Is there any dish more universally comforting than a steaming bowl of chicken and noodles? Long ago (and still in some areas of the world) it was a celebratory dinner made when the tough, old hen stopped laying eggs (poor dear) and, after a long, gentle bath in aromatic water was transformed into the most beloved, savoury supper. In Asia, the addition of a knob of fresh ginger or a stalk of lemon grass may be added, and in Slavic countries it would be more likely served with dumplings rather than noodles. In any case, at it’s heart, a slowly simmered chicken strikes the same ring of nostalgia in our stomachs—Home.

I love my mom’s chicken and noodles. She uses the same simple recipe that her mother used (and her mother’s mother before her). Very few ingredients and several hours of hands-off cooking, yields the most sublime finished dish. It is a classic.

1 Chicken

Chicken stock or bouillon cubes and water

1 yellow onion, cut in half, skin left on

8 ounces (220 grams) fine egg noodles (or noodle of your choice)

1 tablespoon, freshly chopped tarragon

1) Place the chicken into a deep soup pot and cover with chicken stock or water with equivalent chicken bouillon cubes, and the halved onion (leaving the skin on the onion will produce a more golden stock). Cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook ever-so gently for about two hours—but cook longer if you like, topping up with more water or stock as needed. This can all be done in the crockpot, on high setting, starting with boiling stock, and cooking all day (your house will small divine!).

2) Carefully pull the chicken (which will probably have fallen apart by now) out of the soup pot. Make sure to get all the onion, bits and bones left behind. Allow the stock to cool, then skim off the fat from the top. Pull the meat from the bones, shredding by hand as you go—discard the skin, bones and onion.  This can all be done ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a day.

3) Bring the skimmed stock to the boil and add in noodles. Bring back just to a simmer and cook according to package directions until al dente. Add the chicken meat back in to the soup along with the tarragon and season with salt and lots of black pepper.

Serves 8

Green Chicken Enchiladas

Just back from a Tex Mex cooking class I taught. It seemed so right to make up some fiery, healthy chow awakening our dormant mid-winter taste buds.
I love my cooking class students. Half are Americans the other half Brits; we all help each other with cultural words that are at once, unknown and interchangeable. Today it was 'green onion' common to Americans, completely foreign to the English. I finally held one up and one of the British ladies shouted (at least as loudly as British people ever DO shout... more of a forceful clearing of the throat), anyway, Caroline, one of the most loyal of British attendees said, 'Oh! SPRING onion!'.
We also mused about 'toilets' versus 'bathrooms' ('Why would you call it a bah-throom? There is no bahth in it?' Point taken. But you kindly then explain, 'loo'?)
Below are the recipes I made and we all sat down together to enjoy; Brits and Americans, except for a few words, we're not that different, really. 

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce
6-8 Cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Jar jalapeños, drained and chopped

4 Green onions, trimmed and sliced

1 Small container (320 grams/10 oz) half fat crème fraiche or sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Shred the chicken and mix it with everything else. Set in the refrigerator until ready to roll the enchiladas.


Green Sauce

3 green bell peppers

10 small mild green chili peppers

1 red onion, peeled

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 bunch cilantro (coriander)

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup plain, natural yogurt

Salt and pepper to taste

1) Roast the bell pepper, chilies and onion in a 400F (200C) oven. Remove the small chilies first—as soon as they start to blister, as they will be done quicker than the bell peppers. Remove the bell peppers and red onion as they blister and go limp. Place in a Tupperware container, seal and allow the skins to steam lose. Remove the skins and seed the peppers.

2) Now dump everything into a food processor and whiz. Pour into a saucepan and bring just to a simmer—cook until it thickens slightly. Stash in the fridge until ready to pour over the enchiladas.

Assembly

8-10 Large soft, flour tortilla wrappers

Lite Philly Cream Cheese

Shredded cheddar cheese

Prepared chicken

Green sauce

Spread a bit of light Philly cream cheese on the flour tortilla, place some of the chicken over top and roll into a burrito shape. Lay into a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray and continue until everything is used up. Now, pour the green sauce over top and finish with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake, covered  at 375F (160C) until the cheese is melted, then remove the cover and bake until the cheese is goldenmmm.

The sauce can be made up ahead of time, frozen even, the enchiladas wrapped up-- just spreading the sauce over top minutes before placing in the oven to bake.

Serves 8

Avocado and Corn Salsa

1 small red onion, peeled and chopped

Lime juice to cover chopped onion

3 cups fresh, chopped tomatoes

2 cups frozen corn, thawed (or better yet, fresh corn quickly blanched)

2 cups chopped avocado

Sea salt

1 bunch cilantro (coriander), chopped

Jalapeño or Thai bird’s eye chili, if desired, for heat

Green Chicken Enchilada

British Mexican Rice

Baja Black Beans

Avocado and Corn Salsa

1) Cover the onion in lime juice 30 minutes before you will mix up the salsa. Good tip— A Mexican friend of mine taught me this, it takes the ‘bite’ out of the onion, but leaves the flavour. While the onion is ‘marinating’ chop up the avocado, sprinkling with a bit of lime juice as you go, to prevent browning. Another tip (more of a fact): Leaving the avocado pit in guacamole does not prevent it from browning, it's the lime juice that manages this.

2) Spoon the onion out of the lime juice and toss everything together. Season with more lime juice and plenty of salt. Serve at once or within a few hours—this is not a good salsa to make the night before as the avocados will begin the break down.   Makes about 6 cups. Recipe can be halved.

Healthy Fish Curry

I have developed a better appreciation for Indian food since moving to the UK. It is a fabulous cuisine! Often though, it is loaded with gee (clarified butter)-- yummy, just not too healthy. Here's one solution for a healthy curry; no gee, no coconut milk-- just bright, vibrant flavours and lovely, fresh fish.

Watch the video here

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 huge shallot, or 1 medium onion, chopped

2" piece fresh finger root, peeled and chopped

1 heaping tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tins chopped tomatoes with their juice

2 mild green chillies, seeded and diced

1 red bird's eye chilli (hot!), carefully seeded and diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup natural (plain) yogurt

1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped

1 and 1/2 pounds firm fish cut into large chunks (turbot, cod, haddock, salmon, even shrimp)

1) Have everything chopped and ready to go. Place a large wok or large soup pot over medium high heat and pour the oil into it. Heat the oil up then add in the shallot (onion), garlic and ginger. Stir fry for just a minute then add in all the spices, sitr fry to 'toast' everything, for 1-2 minutes. Now add in the tomatoes, both chillies and salt. Stir, bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 10 minutes.

2) After 10  minutes, add in the yogurt and coriander (cilantro), stir then chuck in the fish- submerge all of the pieces, cover and simmer gently until the fish is just cooked-- at least 10 minutes.

Serve with basmati rice and naan bread. Serves 6

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Hot and sour, healthy and nourishing—this is such a great soup to serve for dinner on the days that you're felling any of the following: Blue, bloated, healthy, skinny, apprehensive about bikini season, generally optimistic. It soothes and encourages all moods, and tastes like something you would pay top dollar for in a swanky restaurant.

*6 cups good quality chicken broth (homemade is best, but a good tinned type is okay, too)

1 stalk lemon grass, outer layer peeled off and discarded, the rest trimmed and sliced very thin

1 small red bird’s eye pepper (Thai pepper), sliced thin (keeping the seeds will add more heat, discarding them will give it less kick)

3 green onions (scallions, spring onions), trimmed then sliced thin

1 teaspoon salt (only if using no-sodium broth, if the broth already tastes salted, skip this)

2 teaspoons sugar

*¼ cup good quality soy sauce

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Juice of ½ lime

2 heads Bok Choi (Pak Choi), sliced into thin strips

Handful of frozen, shelled edemame

2 parcels Udon noodles (or Soba—could also use angel hair)

18 Thai Chicken Meatballs (raw) 

* This ingredient is critical to the dish— Use the best quality you can get your hands on

1) Make the soup by placing the first 9 ingredients into a large pan or wok. Bring to a simmer and allow to gently cook, uncovered for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. May be made up to this point and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then reheated.

2) Bring the soup to a strong simmer, add in the raw meatballs and the noodles, bring back to a simmer and cook for about 6 minutes, then add in the frozen edemame, bring back to a simmer and cook 2 minutes more, until the noodles are tender (the meatballs take only a few minutes to cook). Throw the bak choi (pak choi) into the soup, stir and cover with a lid. Turn off the heat and allow the greens to wilt in the soup for 5 minutes.

Ladle into large bowls, garnish with chopped mint or cilantro (coriander), if desired.  Serves 4-6

Thai Chicken Meatballs

OMG—LOVE these! There are some fairly freaky ingredients here, but you don’t taste any ONE of them—you don’t taste the fish sauce, or the mint, or the cilantro—they all meld together and you just taste GOODNESS. Seriously, serve these on a fancy skewer at your next posh cocktail party and you will be a rock star, or better yet, make them for your kids and they will thank God (and you) for being born with taste buds. These are the bomb in Thai Hot and Sour Chicken Noodle Soup, too.

6 green onion, trimmed, dark green tops discarded, the rest roughly chopped

2” piece fresh ginger root, peeled, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled, roughly chopped

12 whole water chestnuts

A small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

8 mint leaves, roughly chopped

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 1 pound each, chicken thighs and chicken breasts, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons Nam Pla—Thai Fish Sauce (yes, it stinks—just do it!)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon salt

1 and ½ tablespoons corn flour (corn starch)

1) Place the first 5 ingredients into a food processor and work until chopped. Remove to a large mixing bowl. Now add the roughly chopped chicken, working in batches, place the roughly chopped chicken into the food processor and process until well chopped. Place all the minced chicken into the same mixing bowl as the herbs.

2) Add in the Nam Pla, sugar, soy sauce, salt and corn flour and mix with your hands to combine well. When you are done, wash hands well in hot soapy water (derrrrr). Place a teaspoon size amount of the chicken mixture onto a microwave-safe plate and nuke for about 20-30 second, until cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. 

Lop the chicken mixture into a re-sealable tub and stash in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but up to one day, until ready to cook. Roll them with wet hands, to prevent sticking, then cook as you would any ‘ol meatball—bake, sauté, steam or simmer.

Beef Daube (French Beef Stew)

Called a Daube in reference to the pot this stew is traditionally made in, a daubiere, this is a lush, rich beef stew that is fabulous served with broad egg noodles, or crusty bread rolls. It is easy to make, just allow the time required to slowly simmer (3 hours) This is a great weekend dish (reheating the left-overs for lunch later in the week).

Click here to watch JennyB demonstrate how to make this recipe!

5 pounds (2 kg), lean stewing beef, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil, more if the pan gets dry
4 leeks, washed, trimmed and chopped
2 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 head garlic (about 10 cloves)
1 bottle dry white wine
2 cups beef stock (tinned, homemade or bouillon- if you must)
1 tin chopped tomatoes, juice and all
1 big squirt tomato paste (puree)
1 bouquet garni (bunch of fresh herbs- parsley, thyme, bay leaf- tied together in a bouquet)
One 12 to 18 inch long piece of orange zest, or 2 tablespoons chopped zest
Chopped olives of your choice to garnish

1) Brown the meat, in batches, in a big pan. Make sure the pan is hot, set over medium-high heat, before you begin to brown in the olive oil. Do NOT crowd the pan!!! Remove browned (not cooked) meat to a plate to collect the juices.

2) After you have browned all the meat, tip the chopped onion, celery and garlic into the pot and saute for a minute or two. Pour in the bottle of wine (glug-glug), the chopped tomatoes, and the beef stock. Bring just to a simmer, then add in the carrots.

3) Pre-heat the oven to 300F (150C) and assemble the stew: In a large oven-proof pot (with a lid--preferably a clay pot), place the browned beef chunks and all their juices. Pour in the wine/beef stock/vegetable mixture, squirt in the tomato paste (puree) and snuggle in the bouquet garni, then the zest. Stir, cover tightly, then place into the oven and braise slowly for 2 hours.

4) After 2 hours, ladle out 1 cup of stew stock, stick in the fridge to cool completely to room temp, then shake in a jar with 1/4 cup flour. Pour this back into the pot and continue to braise for 1 hour more.

Garnish with chopped olives, of your choice, fat egg noodles and crusty bread. Serves 8-10

Chicken Under a Brick II

Click here to see this recipe demonstrated!



This method of cooking chicken is classic French. Usually this recipe uses a whole chicken, literally compressed under the weight of a brick, but I wanted to make dinner for just my husband and I; a whole chicken would be too much. I used boneless, skin-ON breasts and it turned out beautiful. The entire dish, velvety smooth sauce included, took less than 15 minutes to make.

2 Boneless chicken breasts
Sea salt
Vegetable or olive oil
1 shallots, minced
1 plump clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup tomato concasse (chopped fresh tomato flesh- no seeds)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Handful of freshly chopped herbs (parsley, tarragon-- whatever you like)

Special equipment: Heavy saute pan (I use cast iron), a smaller saute pan, a brick or very heavy mortar and pestle, or the heaviest heat-proof thing you have handy.

1) Place the cast iron skillet over medium heat and allow to get hot. Sprinkle the chicken with sea salt. Pour enough oil into the skillet to liberally coat the bottom. Lay the chicken in, skin side down. Now, turn over the smaller saute pan and lay it on top of the chicken, balance the mortar and pestle, or heavy object on top of the saute pan and leave the chicken, undisturbed to cook for 3 and 1/2 minutes. After 3 and 1/2 minutes, take the weight and saute pan off the chicken, and carefully turn the chicken over. Put the pan and weight back on the chicken and cook the second side for an additional 3 and 1/2 minutes.

2) After 7 minutes (TOTAL cooking time), the chicken should be just cooked through, juicy and succulent. Remove your breasts from the pan (or course, not literally YOUR breasts... they should not be in the pan, that would hurt), and keep them warm on a plate.

3) Pour out the oil from the pan and crank the heat up to high. Add in the shallot and garlic to the pan and stir for just a few seconds. Add in the tomato concasse, stir and shake the pan, then add in the wine. Simmer, and reduce for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, or remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in 2 pats of butter, then stir in the fresh herbs. Place the chicken back in the pan to warm, then serve at once.

Serve with rice and a fresh, steamed green veg. Serve 2

Don’t Try This at Home

I started out with all the best intentions—to create a really tasty dish easy enough for dinner for the family on Tuesday night, but impressive enough for friends on Saturday. I researched, as I almost always do—I rarely simply throw ingredients together— I looked into which flavors paired best with which, the most efficient cooking methods, etc. I was close to obsessing about this recipe, because, rather than just one entry, I conjured up in my mind, the picture of a plate of food—three recipes culminating in the perfect mid-winter dinner.

The dinner would have read (on a fine restaurant menu) like this: Pyramids of Scottish Salmon in a Horseradish-Potato Crust with Roasted Baby Winter Beets Ensconced in Shropshire Blue Cheese with Balsamic Reduction Syrup and a Fondue of Garden Leeks.

What a freaking food snob.

Except I’m not.

And maybe that is why I failed so miserably.

I didn’t have the obsessive compulsion to work at these recipes until they were perfected.

The kids wanted dinner.

My husband wanted to talk.

The laundry needed to be folded.

I gave up.

I did try, but I won’t even go into the sorrowful details of it all. It just didn’t work.

None of it.

Except for the Balsamic Reduction Syrup that I bought at a gourmet food store… that was nice.

What I can salvage is this: The topping to the salmon, the horseradish-potato crust, tasted great.  It would have worked, had a done a few things differently in the second trial (my instructions below explain the right way to carry out this recipe).

So, I have no soft-focus pictures of the dinner-of-all-dinners to post here. You will have to use your imaginations.

But, do try this sort-of-recipe. If you are not completely pre-occupied (as I was), it should turn out.

And I promise it will be tasty.

Horseradish-Potato Crusted Salmon

1 and ½ large potatoes, peeled and shredded (yielding 2 cups)

1 medium shallot, minced, yielding 2 heaping tablespoons

2-3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (depending on the heat you like)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

½ teaspoon salt

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil

4 fillets salmon, skinless

1)   Mix everything but the oil and salmon together in a bowl. Do this just before you are ready to cook, or the potatoes will oxidize, brown too much and the salt will leech out the water from them. Yuck.

2)  

20 20 minutes before you are ready to eat: Place a large, heavy sauté pan (heavy is important, I use cast-iron) over medium heat. Pour in enough oil to liberally coat (and, yes— I would use that term, even if I were not a liberal) the bottom of the pan. Season the fillets with salt. Pat some of the potato mixture onto one side of each salmon fillet (remembering that you will be coating both sides of each fillet). But for now, spread the potato mixture on one side of each fillet only. Place the fillets into the hot pan, potato side down. Spread the other side with potato mixture. Press down on each fillet to adhere the potato to the fish. Cook, uncovered and undisturbed for about 8 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and crunchy, then carefully flip over and cook the other side for an additional 8 minutes. Serve at once.

Makes 4 servings. Good luck.

Healthiest, Kid-Friendliest Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce brings just a bit of sunny flavour into dark winter days. I find that I crave it more this time of year, which is odd because tomatoes are not in season for 8 more months here in England. But, tinned tomatoes are always available, and surprisingly, even healthier (yes, healthier) than fresh. 

For some reason, all the good, healthy stuff in tomatoes are more easily accessible to our bodies once they have been cooked or processed (as in tinned or canned tomatoes). They are rich in  Lycopene. Lycopene has been proven to reduce the chance of all sorts of cancers. Harvard researchers found that men who ate seven slices of pizza each week reduced their chances of getting prostate cancer by 45%! Lycopene has also been proven to reduce wrinkles. No wonder Italians are all so beautiful.

Tomato puree/paste is heaving with lycopene, plus it will add depth and richness to the sauce. The carrot boosts the beta carotene (also an antioxidant), but also lends a faint sweetness. Puree the sauce before serving and your kids will never know there is carrot in it. This is a very plain sauce, perfect for picky eaters, but with the addition of a few other ingredients (olive, capers, anchovy to make a Puttanesca, or cooked beef for a simple Bolognese, even cooked sausages) it can be interesting enough for company.

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 plump garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 small onion, diced

2 large carrot, peeled and shredded

3 (400 grams) tins tomatoes with their juice

2 tablespoons tomato puree (‘paste’ in the States)

1 to 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

dried oregano and/or fresh basil (optional)

Set a large pot over medium heat, pour in the oil and add in the chopped garlic and onion. Cook gently until the onion is soft and the garlic is just golden (not brown). Immediately add in the carrot and continue to sauté for a minute or two more. Now pour in the tomatoes and squirt in the tomato puree/paste. Simmer for 30 minutes. Taste, add in the salt, taste again then puree with an immersion blender or food processor. Serve as is, or add in dry and fresh herbs—depending on whether your children will accept green bits in their sauce.

Makes sauce for 1 pound (dry weight) of pasta. Will keep perfectly in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer for 3 months. 

Terrific, Quick Tuna Steak

If you like grilled tuna, you have GOT to try this!


Tuna steaks, 1 inch thick (one per person)
Soy sauce
A handful of the following fresh herbs: Thyme, rosemary, parsley (go heaviest on the parsley)
Half a lemon

1) Drizzle some soy sauce over the tuna steaks and allow them to sit at room temperature for five minutes, while you finely chop the herbs.

2) Place a non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat to get it hot. Pat the fresh, chopped herbs into both sides of the tuna steaks. Spray or drizzle the pan with olive oil. Cook steaks for about 2 minutes on each side (they should still be pink in the middle). Spritz lightly with lemon juice. That's it!

I served these steaks with pearl barley simmered in chicken stock, lentils drizzled with more olive oil and yummy steamed kale. It was Heaven and SUPER healthy!

New Years Eve Italian Roast Salmon

Inspired by Rick Stein...This is a delicious, showy dish. No one needs to know that it is also utterly easy...

1 large bunch flat leaf parsley, washed, leaves ripped from stems
1 medium bunch basil, same as above
4-6 anchovy fillets
¼ whole lemon (all of it—peel, pith, flesh and seeds—no worries)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium shallot, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
1 whole salmon, have the fish monger fillet it out (or buy two large, same size fillets), skin on
1 medium onion (any color), peeled and sliced into thin half moons
2/3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
1 tin diced plain tomatoes, drained
Sea salt and red pepper flakes

1) Place the first 6 ingredients into a food processor and work until roughly chopped. Drizzle in olive oil to create a pesto-like paste.

2) Spread the paste on the flesh side of one of the fillets, carefully place the other fillet, flesh side down on top of the pasted fillet, so that the skin of both fillets is facing outward-- sandwiched. Wrap securely twice in cling film and set into the refrigerator for 1-24 hours.

3) When ready to roast: Preheat the oven to about 200C (400F). Mix the sundried tomatoes, drained tinned tomatoes and sliced onions and season with plenty of salt; pour into an oiled, shallow casserole dish. Place the two fillets (still sandwiched together) on top of the tomatoes and season the top well with salt and red pepper flakes. Roast in a very hot oven for about 25 to 35 minutes.

Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven. Slice straight through both fillets. Serve each slice of double fillet with the tomatoes, onions and cooking juices.
Makes 8 nice servings.

Mighty Fine G&Ts

We took the elevator up to the 4th floor of Harvey Nichol's, for the view. A Scottish friend had told me that it was the place to get a drink and take in the sparkling city of Edinburgh at night. She was right-- it was glorious.

With such swanky environs, the Mister and I decided to act like movie stars and ordered a drink from the grown-up menu-- a mixed drink. I went old school with a twist; Gin and Tonic with Coriander (cilantro). Sounds odd, but I am not kidding my friend, it was the best gin and tonic, possibly the best drink I have ever tasted. It didn't taste of coriander, it didn't taste of gin, it just tasted super fresh with an almost cucumber flavor at the end. It would be the perfect cocktail to have before a Mexican meal.

Here's how you make a Coriander Gin and Tonic:

Pour desired amount of Martin Miller's Gin (of you can find it, otherwise use any other good quality gin) into a tumbler with ice and a small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves. Shake well, then strain into a tall glass filled with ice and top with tonic water. Squiggle a few coriander leaves in the drink for a pretty dash of color and enjoy.

Mmmmmmmmmmm

Easiest Garlic/Dill Pickles

I think I've said before that I love pickles, of any sort. As long they are crunchy and sour, count me in.

However, I am quite fearful of the canning process-- the precise nature of it all. So I don't pickle vegetables in the traditional manner. Instead, I make refrigerator pickles which are very forgiving and much more informal a process. They don't last for months, as properly canned pickles do, but, at least in my case, they're eaten within a week anyway...

This recipe is incredibly easy. If you can boil water, you can make these.

I found baby carrots on sale at the market, so that is what I pickled yesterday, but use whatever vegetable you like; cucumbers, asparagus, cauliflower, onions, bell peppers, cabbage... let your tastebuds guide you. Leave small vegetables (like baby carrots) whole and cut larger ones down to fit neatly into the jar. The smaller the vegetable is cut, the more brine it will absorb thus having a stronger flavor.


For a 1 litre jar you will need:

Vegetable of choice to fill the jar, peeled/cleaned, chopped or left whole
1 and 1/2 cups water
1 and 1/2 cups white vinegar
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dill seed

3 bushy sprigs fresh dill weed (rinsed)

3 cloves garlic, peeled, trimmed and halved
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (for heat-- optional)

1) Mix the water, vinegar and salt. Heat to a boil-- this can be done in the microwave or on top of the stove.

2) Fill a very clean 1 litre canning jar with your prepared, raw vegetables to come about 1 inch below the top. Slip the garlic, dill seed and dill weed, garlic and red pepper flakes in amongst the vegetables.

3) Pour the boiling brine over top of the vegetables, cover but make sure that there is still 1/2 inch of space from the top of the jar. Place lid tightly on and leave to cool at room temperature.


They will remain crunchy, garlicy, dilly and delicious for up to a few weeks kept in the refrigerator-- but they may not last that long.

Moroccan Chicken and Chickpea Stew

Called 'Harira' in Morocco, if you like the slightly tart flavor of Avgolemono soup (that delicious Greek lemon, rice and chicken soup) then you will probably like this one, too. Harira is traditionally made with lamb, but I liked the idea of lightening the recipe up with chicken. It is so different, like nothing I had tasted before, but so very tasty. And healthy, to boot!

This would make an equally delicious vegan stew, simply by negating the chicken and adding more chickpeas.

1 small onion, peeled and chopped small
1, 14 oz can chopped tomatoes (unseasoned), including juice
1, 14 oz can water (use the empty tomato can...)
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1, 2" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine
1 chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
2 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin removed)
A good pinch of saffron threads
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 can chickpeas, drained
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup cold water
2 oz, vermicelli, broken into pieces
Sea salt for seasoning

1) Dump the first 10 ingredients into a large pot, cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes.

2) After the soup has simmered for 45-60 minutes, remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Then add to the pot the parsley, cilantro, chickpeas and lemon juice. Simmer gently as you shred the chicken.

3) Stir the flour with 1/4 cup cold water until it is smooth without lumps. Pour that into the stew (this will thicken it) and add in the shredded chicken. Bring it back up to a simmer and add in the broken vermicelli. Simmer until the pasta is just cooked, then taste for seasoning, it will probably need salt-- do not be afraid of salt!

I pass Sambal Oelek with this when I serve it to spice up the stew, for those who want it (me, please!!). Serve with Pita bread.

Makes 4 main course servings.

Asparagus Guacamole

This is a delicious alternative to avocado guacamole, if you are watching the fat-- or if you are an asparagus fan. Very fresh, very healthy-- it makes a great spread for sandwiches, too.

1 bunch asparagus, bottom 1” cut off and discarded, the rest of it cut into 1” pieces.
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoons fresh, chopped chives or green onion
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons chopped, fresh jalepeno (no seeds)
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a strong simmer and carefully add in the asparagus pieces. Return to a simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water until the asparagus is no longer hot. Drain again well.

2) With a paper towel, blot the asparagus pieces until dry. Place the asparagus and all of the rest of the ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth.

Makes about 2 cups. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve with tortilla, bagel or pita chips. Keeps, refrigerated for up to three days.

Summer Sage and Pea Pasta

Really so yummy and simple. This one actually pleased all four of my children-- a feat rarely accomplished...
This can easily be a vegetarian dish-- just negate the proscuitto.

1 large shallot, minced
Zest of one large lemon, chopped fine
1 cup heavy cream
2 big glugs dry white wine (a scant ¼ cup)
3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
4 ounces thin proscuitto slices, chopped into 1 cm pieces
8 ounces frozen peas
12 ounces whole wheat (or regular) spaghetti
Parmesan cheese, for passing

1) Put a huge pot of salted, hot water on to boil for the pasta.

2) At the same time, put the minced shallot, lemon zest and cream into a small sauce pan and bring just to a simmer. Allow to very gently simmer for about 5 minutes. Add wine, sage and chopped proscuitto and allow to gently simmer for just a few minutes more. Taste and season with a bit of salt if necessary.

3) When the water is boiling put the pasta in and cook according to package directions. 2 minutes before done, pour in the frozen peas, bring back to a boil and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Take out one large ladle of cooking water then drain the pasta and peas in a collander.

4) Dump the pasta and peas back into the huge pot, pour in the ladle of cooking water and the sage sauce. Toss well, taste to see if it needs salt.

Pass the Parmesan. Serves 4 adults or 2 adults and 4 kids.