Pasta and Greens with Goat's Cheese

This was a yummy and very easy and pasta dish. 

Pasta and Greens with Goat's Cheese (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

300g pasta shapes, such as penne, fusilli or farfalle
salt and pepper
1 tbsp oil, or a knob of butter
2 shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, halved and finely sliced
100-200ml chicken or vegetable stock, or water
200-250g shredded cooked spring greens, savoy cabbage, kale or brussels sprouts, or a few handfuls of uncooked leaves, such as spinach or rocket, tough stems removed, trimmed and shredded
3 tbsp crème fraîche
100g soft goat’s cheese
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
small handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp roughly chopped walnuts or pine nuts, lightly toasted

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil or butter in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the shallots and sauté gently for a few mins until softened, then add the garlic and fry for 1 min. Pour in the stock or water: if the greens are already cooked, add 100ml liquid; if they’re not, add 200ml.

Toss in the shredded greens and stir. If using uncooked greens, cover with a lid and simmer for a few mins until just tender; for cooked greens, just heat through with the lid off.

Take the pan off the heat, stir in the crème fraîche and season well with salt and pepper.

When the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the creamy greens. Crumble in the goat’s cheese and add the chilli flakes, basil and/or toasted nuts. Toss to combine.

Divide between warmed bowls and serve.

Pork Fillet with Prunes, Mustard and Barley

I really enjoyed this dish but I wasn't that keen on the prunes. I think they either need chopping up a bit or removing from the dish. It would have worked well without them. I used cavolo nero for the greens which were delicious.

Pork Tenderloin with Prunes, Mustard and Barley (from Amazing Grains by Ghillie James)
(Serves 2-3)

1 tbsp oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
100g barley
650ml chicken or veg stock
15 pitted prunes
100ml white wine
400g pork tenderloin, cut into slices
200g kale or greens, thickly shredded
2 tsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp creme fraiche
salt and pepper

Bring the stock to the boil and cook the barley according to packet instructions.

Meanwhile, soak the prunes in the wine for 30 mins.

Season the pork slices with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat, brown the pork on both sides. Remove to a dish and add the onion and garlic, fry for a few mins until soft and translucent.

Add the kale or greens and fry adding a splash of water. After a couple of mins add the prunes and wine. Reduce for 30 secs and then stir in the mustard and creme fraiche and add the pork back to the pan. Taste for seasoning, then remove the pork from the pan.

Add the cooked barley to the sauce and stir together. Divide the barley mixture between 2 plates and then top with the pork.

Pumpkin Pasta Bake

I made this pasta bake with leftover pumpkin puree from the Snickerdoodles I made. I've only once had pumpkin pie at a restaurant, so my experiences of pumpkin are limited but this was really good, so much so that it prompted me to by a whole pumpkin and have a go! I added greens and left out the bacon to make it vegetarian, mostly because I forgot to take the bacon out the freezer!

Pumpkin Pasta Bake (adapted from Skinny Taste)

(Serves 4)

240g dried pasta shapes

1 onion, finely chopped

1 head greens, sliced

1 400g can pumpkin puree

250ml veg stock

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

handful grated mozzarella cheddar mix

Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a 23 x 23 cm oven-proof dish with cooking spray. 

Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and drain.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes, add the greens and cook for 3-4 mins. Add the pumpkin, veg stock, rosemary and 3 tbsp Parmesan, stir and season; simmer for about 5 mins.

When the pasta is cooked add it to the sauce pan and mix well to combine. Transfer to an oven-proof dish and sprinkle over the grated cheese.

Put into the oven and bake for 25-30 mins, cover with foil if it gets too dark. Serve with salad.

Bacon and Greens Sandwich

This is possibly one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. I cannot tell you how good it was. The saltiness of the bacon goes perfectly with the slight bitterness of the spring greens to make an amazing sandwich. I ate this after a particularly hard Zumba session because of the heat and it was much needed and much enjoyed.

Bacon and Greens Sandwich (adapted from Nigel Slater)
(Serves 1)

1 sub roll
2 slices smoked bacon
1 large leaf spring greens, sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced

Cut the roll in half.

Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon until lovely and crispy. Take out of the pan and set to one side. Toss the garlic into the pan and fry for 30 seconds. Add in the spring greens and fry until wilted.

Layer the bacon on half the roll, top with the garlic and greens and the top half of the roll. Eat!

Chorizo Hash

This is a very tasty but very different hash from the Salmon Hash I made before. It uses cubed sauteed potatoes instead of mash. I had seen this sort of hash before but kind of made up my own recipe as I went along, using an Olive Magazine clipping for inspiration. I loved the spiciness of the smoked paprika and the chorizo which really livened up the dish. I also added in the greens for extra veg and they added a nice contrast in texture to the potatoes.

Chorizo Hash
(Serves 2)

300g new potatoes, quartered

olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

40g chorizo, sliced

150g spring greens, sliced

½ a small bunch parsley, chopped

2 eggs, poached

 

Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and cool. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the potatoes and the smoked paprika, fry, turning over until golden and crisp.

 

Add the chorizo and fry for another 2-3 mins until chorizo is crisp.  Add in the spring greens and cook until they have just wilted. Season then stir through the parsley.

 

Serve the hash topped with poached eggs.

Chorizo and Greens Calzone

I love having pizza but ordering a take away is so expensive and as it comes from quite a long way from my house it tends to be a bit soggy when it arrives. So I tend to make my own. I use the pre-packeted pizza base mixes as I think they taste better and are quicker than anything I have made myself, which means that I can pretty much make pizza in half an hour. It's fantastic.

This calzone is delicious and lovely and filling with the addition of the tomato lentil sauce which isn't in the original recipe. The bread bit was really crunchy too, no soggy pizzas here!

Chorizo and Greens Calzone (adapted from Good Food Magazine February 2010)
(Serves 2)

1 packet of pizza base mix
1 portion tomato and lentil sauce

12 slices chorizo

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200g spring greens

1 ball low fat mozzarella, torn into pieces

grated Parmesan

 

Make the pizza base according to packet instructions.

 

Heat oven to 200C. Put a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven. Cut any central tough veins out of the greens, then finely shred the leaves.

 

Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll one piece out into the largest circle that you can, then spread half the tomato lentil sauce over half the pizza base leaving a border. Layer half the chorizo on top of the sauce.

 

Sizzle the garlic in a little oil in a pan, then add the greens and toss. Tip half onto the chorizo, then add half the mozzarella and grate over lots of Parmesan. Fold the dough over, fold in and pinch the sides together, and slide onto a baking sheet dusted with semolina.

 

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, then bake for 15-20 mins or until puffed up and browned.

Roasted Mushroom and Green Bean Bulgar Wheat Salad

This is a delicious salad that pretty much gets on with itself. there's very little active cooking time involved which made it perfect to make when I got back from WeightWatchers last week and was rushing around. I used goat's cheese and the flavour combination worked perfectly. The recipe, which I have adapted, used farro but as I can't find that anywhere, I used Bulgar wheat instead. It comes from Closet Cooking, a blog which I have been reading forever and absolutely love, Kevin tries out some really interesting combinations of food and celebrated his 6 year blog anniversary yesterday.

I would never have thought of roasting the mushrooms or the green beans but it was delicious and I have now found a new way to cook both! I ate this cold as a packed lunch but it would be just as delicious warm.

Roasted Mushroom and Green Bean Bulgar Wheat Salad (adapted from Closet Cooking)
(Serves 4)

300g bulgar wheat

225g mushrooms, quartered

450g green beans, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces

cooking spray

1/2 tsp thyme, chopped

salt and pepper

75g feta, goat or blue cheese, crumbled

30g walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

1/2 tsp thyme, chopped

for the balsamic vinaigrette

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 large clove garlic, grated
salt and pepper

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the bulgar wheat and cook according to packet instructions. Drain and run under cold water.

Spray the mushrooms and green beans with the cooking spray and then toss them with the thyme, salt and pepper and place them on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast the mushrooms and green beans in a preheated 200C oven until they start to caramelise, about 20 minutes, turning them over about half way through.

Mix everything together and pack into a lunch box. Mix the ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette together and pack separately, pour over when you come to eat it.

Wild Mushroom, Bacon and Barley Broth

This is such a fantastic, winter warmer dish. I've been making a lot of casseroley stew type dishes recently because of the freezing cold weather and the addition of barley to this was fantastic. The first half I ate with spring greens and the second with the end of a piece of white cabbage, both worked by the spring greens gave a better colour! It would be nice with kale as an alternative too.

Wild Mushroom, Bacon and Barley Broth
(from Good Food Magazine Janurary 2010)
(Serves 6)

200g bacon lardons
2 onions
4 medium carrots
3 celery sticks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 sprig rosemary and thyme
30g dried porcini or dried mixed wild mushrooms
1 glass white wine
1½l chicken stock
175g pearl barley, well rinsed
1 small head spring greens or chunk of Savoy cabbage
Parmesan or any strong hard cheese, grated, to serve

Put a large saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the lardons for 10 mins until golden, stirring now and then. While they cook, chop the onions, carrots and celery into smallish pieces. When the bacon is ready, stir in the veg, garlic and herbs, cover and gently cook for 10 mins.

Meanwhile, put the mushrooms into a jug, then fill up to the 600ml mark with boiling water. Leave to soak for 10 mins.

Lift the mushrooms out of their juice with a slotted spoon and roughly chop. Turn up the heat under the pan, add the mushrooms, fry for 1 min, then pour in the wine. Let it evaporate right down, then pour the liquid from the mushroom jug into the pan, avoiding the last drops, as they can be gritty.

Add the stock and barley. Simmer for 40 mins until the barley is tender. Lift out the thyme and rosemary stalks. This can be made up to 2 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month. If you make ahead, the soup will need loosening with a little more stock as the barley will thicken it over time.

When ready to serve, finely shred the greens and simmer in the soup for 5 mins until tender. Season to taste, then serve with cheese for sprinkling over the top and crusty bread.

Pasta with Creamy Greens and Lemon

This is a very simple pasta dish but wonderfully healthy with all the greens involved.

Pasta with Creamy Greens and Lemon
(adapted from Good Food Magazine February 2011)
(Serves 4)

300g pasta
140g broccoli florets
100g frozen soya beans
100g frozen peas
3-4 large leaves spring greens, sliced
150g light or extra light soft cheese
zest and juice 1 lemon
85g grated Parmesan
handful basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a very large pan following the pack instructions, adding broccoli florets, frozen soya beans, frozen peas and greens for the final 3 mins of cooking time.

Drain, saving a ladleful of the cooking water first, then tip everything back into the pan. Stir in the soft cheese, lemon zest and juice, grated Parmesan, a handful basil leaves, some seasoning and a splash of cooking water. Serve.

Braised Sausages with Puy Lentils

I used half a tin of puy lentils to make my Roasted Carrot Salad last week and I was scrabbling around for ideas of what to do with the other half of the tin. I had some Pork and Black Pudding Sausages hiding the freezer and I came up with a braised sausage and lentil dish, something comforting and warming for this time of year. It's really easy to make and definitely provided that warmth I was seeking.

On a slightly separate but still sausage related note, those Black Boar and Wild garlic Sausages I had last week were absolutely delicious! A different flavour from pork and the wild garlic really came through. They came from The Parsons Nose, who have a stall on Walthamstow Farmers Market.

Print Recipe
Braised Sausages with Puy Lentils
(Serves 1)

oil
2 pork sausages
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 small stick celery, chopped
1/2 400g can Puy lentils
splash white wine
300ml chicken stock
2 leaves spring greens, sliced

Heat a wide pan with a lid or a casserole dish and add a little oil. Brown the sausages all over. Remove, then add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until onions are softened. Add the lentils and stir. Add the wine and reduce a little, then add the stock, season and add back the sausages.

Put on a lid and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until lentils and sausages are cooked through, add the spring greens for the last 3-5 mins of cooking until they are wilted. Add a splash of water if needed or remove the lid for the last 5 minutes if there's too much liquid.

Broccoli, Asparagus and Greens Pasta Salad with Smoked Sausage

I make and eat a huge amount of pasta salad. I've tried lots of different combinations and I am really a fan of creamier sauces than just a simple dressing but this was actually quite refreshing and it definitely felt healthy with all the greens in it! I also used the last of my coloured pasta which made for a funky looking salad too!

Broccoli, Asparagus and Greens Pasta Salad with Smoked Sausage
(inspired by Good Food Channel)
(Serves 4)

300g penne pasta
150g broccoli florets
150g spears of asparagus, cut into 3cm pieces
150g spring greens sliced
100g smoked sausage, chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped

For the dressing
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes. Drain and leave to cool.

Steam the broccoli, asparagus and greens for 4-5 minutes until tender. Leave to cool. Mix all the vegetables with the pasta, sausage and herbs in a large salad bowl.

For the dressing: put all the ingredients in a jar and shake with the lid on. Stir through the salad then season.

Bubble and Squeak

I did come home with a small amount of leftover veg after our meal on Boxing Day, a few brussels and some courgettes, not really enough to do anything major with but I was sure I could find something. I added some carrots and spring greens and came up with a bubble and squeak cake, it is, after all, the traditional thing to eat after a roast meal. The first half of the cake I served with leftover cold roast pork and some pickle. The second half I had topped with a poached egg as an accompaniement to meatloaf. I can heartily recommend both!

Bubble and Squeak
(Serves 2)

1 tsp ducks fat, goose fat or butter
2 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped
leftover veg (Brussels sprouts (sliced), cabbage, carrots, courgettes, greens)
200g cold leftover mashed potatoes (I used leftover swede and potato mash)

Heat a small frying pan and melt the fat, allow it to get nice and hot, then add the bacon fry for a couple of minutes. Next, add leftover veg and let it colour slightly, another couple of minutes.

Next, add the potato. Work everything together in the pan and push it down so that the mixture covers the base of the pan - allow the mixture to catch slightly on the base of the pan before turning it over and doing the same again. Cut in half and serve.

Wonton Noodle Soup

I have been wanting to make wonton noodle soup for ages but the effort and time involved in making my own wontons really put me off. I was shopping in Chinatown over the weekend and came across frozen ready-made wontons. Hurrah thought I, I can have my fix! And what a delicious fix it was. I also bought some vegetable stock cubes with tamarind in them and I love the citrusy flavour it brings to the soup.



Wonton Noodle Soup
(Serves 1)

400ml veg stock (mine had tamarind in it)
1/2 tsp crushed ginger
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 frozen wontons
enough ramen noodles for one person
half a head of spring greens, sliced
handful sugar snap peas
half a bag of baby spinach
1 Japanese fishcake, sliced

Bring the stock to a boil in a sauce pan and add in the ginger and garlic.

Add in the frozen wontons and cook for 4 mins, add in the noodles and fishcake and cook for a couple of minutes, add in the sugar snaps, spinach and greens and cook for two more mins.

Add in the soy sauce and serve.


And just because it's actually starting to feel like spring, here is a picture of some beautiful narcissus in my garden.

Chinese Sausage with Barbecue Sauce, Noodles and Greens

Back in November I went on a tour of Chinatown with Divertimenti. After the tour we went back to the cookery school in Marylebone High Street and the chef who took us on the tour cooked us a range of dishes using the produce that she had picked up on our way round. This was one of the dishes that she cooked and it was delicious. I have tried Chinese sausage before and never really got on with it but the spiciness of the barbecue sauce seems to tone down the sweetness of the sausage. It is fantastic served with a side of kimchi.

I am going to enter this into Presto Pasta Nights this week hosted by Juli of Pictures Of All My Princesses. Check out her blog on Friday for the round up.



Chinese Sausage with Barbecue Sauce, Noodles and Greens
(Serves 1)

2 Chinese sausages, cut into inch long pieces
rice noodles for 1 person
1 tbsp Sa Cha Chinese barbecue sauce
greens or pak choi or kai lan or choi sum (something green and leafy)

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions (if you can read the packet), for these ones I boiled them for about 5 mins. Steam the greens in a steamer on top of the noodles for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile fry the sausages in a little oil in a frying pan for a couple of minutes. Add the cooked noodles to the pan and the barbecue sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes until combined.

Put the greens in your serving dish and then top with the noodles and sausages. Serve.

Thai Yellow Prawn Noodle Soup

I seem to be watching a lot of cookery programmes recently and I am particularly obsessed with Nigella Kitchen. She made a delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup and I thought I'll have a go at that, but I didn't have any leftover cooked chicken so I used prawns instead and they work just as well. This was a delicious warming soup, subtly spicy but not too spicy and I felt very healthy with all the green veg! I shall definitely be making this again.

You could pretty much use any green veg that you have knocking around and you could use pretty much any white meat, shellfish or fish, it's very versatile and easy to adapt to the ingredients you have on hand.



Thai Yellow Prawn Noodle Soup (inspired by Nigella Kitchen)
(Serves 1)

50ish g rice noodles
300ml veg or fish stock (I used veg stock with tamarind in it)
150ml coconut milk
1 tsp Thai yellow curry paste
8 raw prawns
2-3 mushrooms, sliced
2-3 kai lan
2-3 spring green leaves, sliced
handful sugar snap peas

Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 20 mins, when they are soft drain and cool under cold running water.

Heat the veg stock and coconut milk in a saucepan until fairly hot and then stir in the Thai curry paste.

Put the prawns into the stock and cook for about 2-3 mins. Add in the sugar snap peas, kai lan and mushrooms and cook for a minute. Add in the noodles and the greens and stir. When the greens have wilted you are ready to serve.

Smoky Butter Beans and Greens

I am still a huge fan of spring greens and have been using them a lot recently in my cooking. I have been wanting to make this recipe for ages and never seemed to get around to it but finally I did and I'm glad I did! It's a super healthy light lunch or dinner and can be eaten on its own or served over rice. Good Food Magazine recommend that it's served with a dollop of natural yoghurt and I would totally agree with this as it can taste a bit dry and claggy without it, but definitely a lovely and healthy light meal.



Smoky Butter Beans and Greens (from Good Food Magazine May 2010)
(Serves 4)

3 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil
200g spring greens or chard, washed and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
400g can butter beans, rinsed and drained
½ tsp cumin seed
1 tsp smoked paprika

Place a wide, lidded pan over a medium heat with 2 tbsp oil. Add the greens, salt and pepper and cook, with the lid on, stirring frequently, until the greens are lightly steamed and wilted, about 4-5 mins.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, then add the butter beans and cook, stirring, until heated through. Add the remaining oil, then the cumin seeds and smoked paprika. Stir until evenly combined and serve.