Blue Corn Tortillas

So these tortillas are blue mostly because when I went to the Cool Chile Company Stall, that was all they had left! I made them to use up some of the leftover lamb I had, making enchiladas stuffed with beans, sweetcorn, courgette and of course lamb. These are really easy to make.

Blue Corn Tortillas
(Makes 8-10)

150g masa harina
pinch salt
120ml cold water
1 tbsp olive oil

Mix the masa harina and salt in a bowl. Add the water a bit at a time and olive oil and mix until a smooth dough is formed. Set aside covered for 20 mins. Divide the dough into 8-10 balls.

Flatten the balls of dough with your hands or use a tortilla press or roll them between two layers of cling film/greaseproof paper. Flatten to approximately 3mm thick.

To cook the tortillas, lightly oil a flat griddle pan or frying pan and place over a hot heat. Cook the tortillas for approximately one minute on each side, or until lightly coloured.

White Bean and Spring Green Cakes

This recipe came with my veg bag a couple of weeks ago and they are delicious. I used red leicester for the cheese and that worked fantastically. I served them over salad with a tomato and aubergine salad over the top but they would be yummy with a poached egg or as a burger in a bun.

White Bean and Spring Green Cakes
(Makes 8)

350g spring greens, washed and trimmed
60g cheese (cheddar, Lancashire, Wensleydale etc), grated
1 bunch spring onions, sliced
20g butter
1 400g can cannellini beans
50g dried breadcrumbs
1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
1 medium egg, beaten

Blanch the greens in a pan of boiling water until tender, 2-3 mins. Drain and run under the cold tap. Leave to drip dry.

Mash the cannellini beans with a fork. Squeeze the greens to get rid of the excess moisture, then roughly chop and add to the beans along with the spring onions, cheese, breadcrumbs, mustard and egg. Taste and season. Shape the mixture into 8 evenly sized cakes and chill for 15 mins.

Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan and fry for 5-6 mins on each side until golden brown and heated through. Serve.

Pumpkin Korroke

These are one of my favourite Japanese things to eat out. We always have them when we go to Yo! Sushi. I didn't have any panko so I just used brown breadcrumbs. They were still really tasty served over salad.

Squash Korroke
(Serves 3-4)

500g squash/pumpkin
2 tbsp light soy sauce
salt and pepper
1 tbsp flour (if using normal pumpkin)
1 egg, beaten
70ml sake
70g flour
panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 200C.

De-seed and peel the pumpkin and cut into chunks. Roast in the oven for 30-40 mins until soft. Either puree of mash with the soy sauce and salt and pepper.

Make the pumpkin mixture into patties.

Whisk together the egg and sake. Add the flour and mix again.

Dip the croquettes into the batter, then cover in panko crumbs, making sure that they are evenly covered. Put onto a baking sheet and then into the fridge for 30 mins to chill slightly.

Heat the oven again to 200C. Bake the croquettes for 10-15 mins until golden and crunchy on the outside.

Leftover Turkey Green Enchiladas

I got to take some of the turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving home. The first thing I made were these enchiladas. I had tomatillos from the garden, so I used them to make a green enchilada sauce along with some poblanos from the garden too. Please adjust the chills to your liking. I also made my own tortillas using a Jamie Oliver taco recipe from Money Saving Meals. They were a lot of fun to make and definitely tasted better than shop bought ones.

Leftover Turkey Green Enchiladas
(Serves 4)

For the enchilada sauce

450g tomatillos
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapeno chillis, sliced
2 poblano peppers, sliced
2 serrano chillis, sliced
2 tbsp chopped coriander
½ tbsp cumin
1 tbsp spicy chili powder
salt and pepper
500ml chicken stock

1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
300g leftover turkey
200g green beans
100g sweetcorn
300g leftover turkey
1 tbsp chipotle paste
60g cream cheese
8 tortillas
100g cheddar, grated

First make the sauce. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Peel and rinse the tomatillos. Chop them in half and set them skin sides up onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Add the peppers and the garlic to baking sheet and bake for 20-30 mins, or until the pepper skins are nice and charred. Remove from heat and leave to cool a little.

Peel the skins from the peppers and add the peppers to a food processor with the tomatillos and garlic. Add the coriander, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper. Process to combine. Add the chicken stock and blend until smooth.

Heat a frying pan and add the oil. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 mins. Add the green beans and the sweetcorn and cook for 5 more mins. Add the leftover turkey and chipotle paste a cook stirring for a couple of mins. Add the cream cheese and stir to combine.

Put a little of the sauce in the bottom of an ovenproof dish.

Divide the filling between the tortillas, roll up and then place in the oven-proof dish. Cover with the rest of the sauce and top with the cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 mins until golden on top.

Chicken Salad with Raspberry Dressing

This was a yummy salad. It used up some of the loganberries that I picked from my garden in the summer. I added the veggies to the salad as I needed to eat them and I love to throw green veg in anywhere I can!

Chicken Salad with Raspberry Dressing (adapted from Waitrose Kitchen Magazine)
(Serves 4)

2 tbsp oil
150g bread, torn into chunks
6 chicken thigh fillets
salad leaves
veg (beans, broccoli, peas), cooked and cooled
1 shallot, sliced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
150g raspberries

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and add the bread, fry for 2-3 mins until golden.

Rub the chicken with 1/2 tbsp oil, season and fry for 4-6 mins on each side until cooked through. Cover with foil and set aside to rest.

Meanwhile, arrange the salad leaves and the veg on a platter, top with the croutons.

Add the last 1 tbs oil to the pan and fry the shallot for 2 mins, until softened. Add the vinegar and the raspberries, then warm over a low heat until the berries start to burst. Season, then slice the chicken and add it back in to the pan. Spoon over the salad and serve.

Broccoli and Smoked Mackerel Gratin

This was a delicious bake, use homemade or store bought bechamel sauce.

Broccoli and Smoked Mackerel Gratin (from The Guardian)
(Serves 4)

200g broccoli
375g smoked mackerel
2 large tomatoes, quartered
500ml bechamel sauce
4 handfuls fresh breadcrumbs
4 tbsp grated parmesan

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and leave to cook for 3-4 mins until bright and still a little crisp. Drain and cool under cold running water, then set aside. Set the oven at 180C.

Remove the skin from the smoked mackerel and break the flesh into large pieces, removing any bones as you go. Put the smoked mackerel, drained broccoli and tomatoes into a shallow ovenproof dish or baking tin.

Pour over the béchamel sauce, scatter with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 45 mins or so, until crisp and bubbling.

Fennel and Tomato Gnocchi Bake

This handily used up a leftover half bulb of fennel and some of the huge amount of tomatoes I have from my garden! The original recipe uses pasta but I swapped it for gnocchi and it was yum!

Fennel and Tomato Gnocchi Bake (adapted from The Guardian)

(Serves 4)

300g gnocchi
2 tbsp oil
1 fennel bulb, sliced
200g cheddar, grated
100ml half-fat creme fraiche
1 tbsp dijon mustard
335g cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper

For the breadcrumb topping
2 tbsp olive oil
100g white breadcrumbs
zest 1 lemon

First make the breadcrumbs. Put the oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Fry the breadcrumbs until golden. Add the lemon zest, some salt and fry for a min more. Remove from the heat.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the gnocchi and cook for 2 mins less than the time on the packet. Drain, reserving some cooking water.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put the oil in a saucepan large enough to hold the cooked pasta. Fry the fennel over a medium heat until soft and starting to brown. Add the creme fraiche and reduce the heat. When the creme fraiche is warm, add the grated cheese, leave to melt, and stir to combine. Add the mustard and the tomatoes and stir again. Add the cooked pasta along with a splash or two of its cooking water (you want it pretty saucy) and mix until combined. Season to taste.

Spoon into a roasting dish and top with the lemony breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins. Serve.

Sausage and Bean Pie with Ciabatta Crumbs

This is a delicious pie, lovely and filling and will be perfect for the coming winter months. The original recipe suggests Toulouse sausages but I used others and it was still delicious.

Sausage and Bean Pie with Ciabatta Crumbs (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

For the spiced tomato sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions
2 large garlic cloves
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar

For the pie:
4 tbsp olive oil
8 sausages
150g chorizo cooking sausage, sliced
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
140g ciabatta bread, torn into pieces
zest 1 lemon, grated
salt

Make the spiced tomato sauce: heat the olive oil over a gentle heat. Add the onions, and cook for 5 mins to soften. Add the garlic and spices, and cook, stirring, for a couple more mins. Pour in the tomatoes, add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir well then simmer gently, uncovered, for about 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in your casserole pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sausages and brown them all over, then add the chorizo and fry for a min or two, or until starting to crisp at the edges. At this stage your sausages won’t be fully cooked through, but that’s okay. Add the beans, half the parsley and the tomato sauce.

Pulse the torn ciabatta in a food processor for just a few seconds or until it forms rough breadcrumbs. Stir in the remaining oil, half the remaining parsley, half the lemon zest and a little salt.

Pile the crumb mixture on top of the sausage mixture, spread out evenly and bake in the oven for 35–40 mins or until the crust is golden and the sausages are cooked through. Cover with foil if it starts to brown too much. Once cooked, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and lemon zest and serve.

Courgette and Mozzarella Piadina

This was a delicious sandwich, with really easy flatbread made in minutes. It used courgette from my garden and gorgeous mozzarella. Really tasty.

Courgette and Mozzarella Piadina (from Waitrose Autumn)
(Serves 2)

2 courgettes, cut into thin slices
olive oil
1 tsp red wine
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1/2 chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
zest 1 lemon, grated
250g self-raising flour
125g buffalo mozzarella
handful basil leaves

Preheat the grill to high. Brush the courgette slices with oil and season. Spread out on the grill pan and grill for 4-5 mins per side until softened and golden. Mix together the vinegar, garlic, chilli and lemon zest. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and the courgette slices and mix well.

Meanwhile, place the flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt and 6-7 tbsp cold water. Mix well with a fork until it starts to come together as a soft dough. Divide into two pieces, place on a lightly floured surface and roll each one into a 18cm circle.

Warm a frying pan over a medium heat. Spray with oil, add one of the dough circles and spray the top with more oil. Cook for 2-3 mins on each side until just golden and slightly risen. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Lay the courgette slices and any juices onto half of each bread circle and sop with the mozzarella and basil. Fold over the other half of the bread to cover the filling and press down gently. Slide one piadina back into the pan, place a large heavy saucepan on top and press down gently.  Cook for 3-4 mins on each side until golden and the cheese has melted. Serve.

Duck Kebab

Something different to do with a duck leg! These were very tasty. The original recipe is for 1 but 2 duck legs was too much for me, so I think it serves 2 better. The coriander chutney is lovely too.

Duck Kebab (from The Times)

(Serves 2)

For the coriander chutney
200g fresh coriander leaves
1 green chilli
small garlic clove
100g fresh root ginger
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice

For the duck kebabs
2 duck legs
1 green chilli, finely chopped
10g shallots, diced
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
5g fresh root ginger, grated
5g garlic, finely diced
5g fresh coriander, chopped
½ tsp garam masala
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tomato, deseeded and sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
100g cucumber, julienned
juice 1/2 lemon
2 pitta breads

Put the coriander chutney ingredients in a food processor and blitz. Store the chutney in the fridge until ready to use.

Remove the meat from the duck legs and blitz it to a fine mince in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the chilli, shallots, breadcrumbs, root ginger, garlic, coriander and garam masala to the mince and mix well. Form four patties with the mince.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the patties for 4 mins on each side until golden.

Meanwhile, combine the tomato, red onion slices, cucumber and lemon juice to make a salad. Toast the pitta breads for 2 mins. Cut each one in half and spread some coriander chutney on the inside. Finally, add the salad and duck kebabs. Serve.

Bruschetta with Roasted Tomatoes, Poached Egg and Dukkah

This is probably one of the best breakfasts I have eaten. I love love love roasted tomatoes, especially when they come from my garden, and these are just so tasty. The addition of the egg is fantastic. You have to try this!

Bruschetta with Roasted Tomatoes, Poached Egg and Dukkah (from The Guardian)
(Serves 4)

900g mixed tomatoes (cherry, plum, round, yellow, orange, red, black), halved or quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled, 3 thinly sliced and 1 crushed
2 tbsp oregano leaves, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
100ml olive oil
10g parsley leaves, finely chopped
4 slices sourdough or ciabatta
4 eggs, poached just before serving
50g dukkah

Preheat the oven to 180C. 

Put all the tomatoes cut side up on a large, greaseproof lined baking tray. Sprinkle over the garlic slices, oregano, a pinch of salt, pepper and two tbsp of oil, and roast for 25030 mins. Remove and set aside. 

Change the oven to a grill setting. In a small bowl, mix the remaining oil with the crushed garlic and parsley. Brush this over both sides of the bread and lay them out on a large baking tray. Grill for 2-3 mins on each side, until golden-brown. Spoon the warm tomatoes on top, followed by a poached egg, sprinkle with dukkah and serve at once.

Tuna Meatballs

I made these meatballs a while ago and they are absolutely delicious, easy to make and make a change from beef or lamb meatballs. I served them with pasta and a tomato and aubergine sauce I found in the freezer.

Tuna Meatballs (from Anne's Kitchen)
(Serves 2)

1 tin tuna in spring water
1 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
1 medium egg
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
1 tbsp finely chopped basil leaves
1 tbsp oil

Put the tuna, parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs and basil into a bowl and mix together gently. Use your hands to form mini meatballs.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat and fry the meatballs for about 2 mins on each side until lightly crispy.

Sausage and Bean Pie with Ciabatta Crumbs

This is a delicious pie, lovely and filling and will be perfect for the coming winter months. The original recipe suggests Toulouse sausages but I used others and it was still delicious.

Sausage and Bean Pie with Ciabatta Crumbs (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

For the spiced tomato sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions
2 large garlic cloves
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp brown sugar

For the pie:
4 tbsp olive oil
8 sausages
150g chorizo cooking sausage, sliced
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
140g ciabatta bread, torn into pieces
zest 1 lemon, grated
salt

Make the spiced tomato sauce: heat the olive oil over a gentle heat. Add the onions, and cook for 5 mins to soften. Add the garlic and spices, and cook, stirring, for a couple more mins. Pour in the tomatoes, add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir well then simmer gently, uncovered, for about 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in your casserole pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sausages and brown them all over, then add the chorizo and fry for a min or two, or until starting to crisp at the edges. At this stage your sausages won’t be fully cooked through, but that’s okay. Add the beans, half the parsley and the tomato sauce.

Pulse the torn ciabatta in a food processor for just a few seconds or until it forms rough breadcrumbs. Stir in the remaining oil, half the remaining parsley, half the lemon zest and a little salt.

Pile the crumb mixture on top of the sausage mixture, spread out evenly and bake in the oven for 35–40 mins or until the crust is golden and the sausages are cooked through. Cover with foil if it starts to brown too much. Once cooked, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and lemon zest and serve.

Secret Recipe Club: Bruschetta

Time for another Secret Recipe Club post. This month I got Morsels of Life. She has a wonderful blog full of recipes and inspiration from around the blogosphere as well.

There were lots of recipes I could have chosen from this blog but I went for bruschetta. I love bruschetta, it's the started I always share with my father in restaurants but I have never made it myself. I also could get the main ingredients from my garden. There really is nothing better than home grown tomatoes picked and served within a matter of minutes.

Bruschetta (from Morsels of Life)
(Serves 4)

4-8 slices of Italian bread
4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
16 basil leaves, sliced
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
drizzle of olive oil

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the bread on both sides until golden.

Mix all the other ingredients together in a bowl and leave to sit for a few mins.

When the bread is done, transfer to serving plates and pile the tomato mixture on top, drizzle with olive oil and serve.

An InLinkz Link-up

Foodie Reads 2016: Afghan Nachos from Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez

I really enjoyed reading the  Little Coffee Shop of Kabul and thought I would give the second one a go. Whilst it is not as good as the first it is pretty decent.

This one sees the action split between Kabul and an Island off Seattle, but this doesn't detract from the story as there are lots of connections made between the two throughout the book. I really enjoyed this book and I now have The House of Carnival Street by the same author to read.

There are a few recipes at the end of the book and one in particular caught my eye - Afghan Nachos, not least because I had all the ingredients in the house already. I added cucumber in to the original recipe as I had some and I knew it would go well. This is a really delicious alternative to normal nachos.

Afghan Nachos
(from Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez)
(Serves 6)

2 tbsp oil
6 spring onions, chopped
1 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
170g Greek yoghurt
1 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, chopped
bunch mint, chopped
4 pitta bread

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the spring onions, fry for 2 mins. Add the chickpeas, cumin and paprika to the pan and cook for 5 mins stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, mix together the yoghurt, salt, garlic and mint.

Toast the pitta bread until crispy, then cut into large pieces.

Assemble but putting the pitta in a bowl, top with the chickpeas and then the yoghurt.

Crab Macaroni Cheese

I love Macaroni Cheese and making variations to the recipe. This one I added crab, fennel and herbs to the basic recipe and it was delicious. I also sliced a tomato and put that over the top before sticking it under the grill. Yum!

Crab Macaroni Cheese
(Serves 4)

250g macaroni
1 tbsp oil
4 tbsp butter
3 celery stalks with leafy tops, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
zest 1/2 lemon
pepper
2 tins white crab meat
1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml milk
grated nutmeg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
50g Cheddar cheese, grated
50g Gruyere cheese, grated
handful bread crumbs
handful parsley, finely chopped
50g parmesan grated

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 3 to 4 mins, drain well.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp of butter over a medium t heat. Add the celery, onion, fennel, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook for about 6 to 8 mins. Add the crabmeat to the vegetables and season liberally with Old Bay seasoning. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat.

In a saucepan, melt 3 tbsp butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 min, then whisk in the milk, a little at a time, and bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook for a few mins, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the mustard and the cheddar and gruyere cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Add the pasta, vegetables and crab to the sauce and transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish.

Preheat the grill. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, parsley and parmesan over the pasta mixture and pop under the grill for 5-10 mins until golden on top.

Daring Kitchen May 2016: Sun-dried Tomato and Rosemary Twist Bread

This month we were challenged to make twist bread by Tandy of Lavender and Lime. I love making bread, it's something that I do every couple of weeks anyway, but this was a special bread and definitely required more effort than my normal brown loaf!! It is yummy though stuffed with all those sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary.

Sun-dried Tomato and Rosemary Twist Bread
(adapted from Jamie Geller's Joy of Kosher)

Ingredients

680g / 5 1/2 cups (spooned & scraped) bread flour
15g / 4 3/4 tsp instant yeast OR 20g / 7 tsp active dry yeast
118g / 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
375ml / 1 1/2 cups water
1 large egg yolk
60ml / 1/4 cup canola oil (if your sun dried tomatoes are in oil, then use that oil), plus extra for the dough
22g / 3 1/2 tsp flaked salt
150g / 1 1/3 cups sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
5g / 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 large egg lightly beaten with 5ml / 1 tsp water, for egg wash
10g / 1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Place the flour, yeast, sugar, water, egg yolk and oil into a stand mixer bowl
NOTE: If using active dry yeast, activate it in the water for 5 minutes first
2. Use a dough hook and knead for 1 minute
3. Add the salt and knead for a further 5 minutes
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface
5. Knead gently and shape into a ball
6. Rub the bowl with a little bit of oil
7. Place the dough back into the bowl, seam side down
8. Cover and leave to prove until doubled in size
9. Lightly oil your hands and punch back the dough
10. Cover and prove for 1 hour
11. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface
12. Knock back and roll out into a rectangle
13. Spread on the tomatoes and rosemary
14. Roll up tightly, lengthwise
15. Trim off the edges
16. Cut in half, down the middle, but not going all the way to the bottom

17. Slightly open the two halves
18. Twist the dough to resemble a length of rope

19. Shape into a circle

20. Place onto a lined or sprayed baking tray
21. Cover dough with a damp cloth and leave to prove for 30 minutes
22. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 5
23. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle on the sesame seeds
24. Bake for 10 minutes
25. Reduce the temperature to 175°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4
26. Bake for a further 45 minutes
27. Remove from the oven and leave on the tray for 15 minutes
28. Place onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely before cutting

Secret Recipe Club: Prawn Mac and Cheese

This month for Secret Recipe Club I had Emily from Life On Food, there isn't a lot of information about her on her blog but I could guess she has a sweet tooth! I went for one of her savoury recipes though; Prawn Mac and Cheese. I love mac and cheese but had never though of adding prawns to the mix.

I changed the recipe a little, adding in kale as it needed using before I went on holiday. I also used up all the little bits of cheese in my fridge, but I have put the cheeses from the original recipe below. This was absolutely delicious and the prawns are a fantastic addition.

Prawn Mac and Cheese (from Life On Food)
(Serves 4)

250g dried pasta shapes
bunch kale, sliced
250ml milk
2 tbsp butter, divided
4 tbsp plain flour
170g Gruyere cheese, grated
110g cheddar, grated
salt and pepper
200g cooked prawns, halved
45g Italian breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Bring some water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions, adding the kale for the last 2-3 mins of cooking time. Drain well.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the flour. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 2 mins. Gradually add the milk a little at a time, stirring in between each addition until thickened and smooth.

Remove from heat and add the Gruyere, cheddar, salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta, and prawns and stir well to coat everything. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish.

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the top of the mac and cheese and bake for 30-35 mins until golden on top and the pasta is bubbling.

An InLinkz Link-up

Falafel Hash with Baba Ganoush

I made this delicious salad to take to lunch a couple of times this week. The baba ganoush was really good and I added in pickled cabbage to add a contrast in flavour.

Falafel Hash with Baba Ganoush
(Serves 6)

3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 aubergines
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1½ tbsp tahini
1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
2 x 400g cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
28g pack fresh coriander, leaves only, roughly chopped

To serve
6–12 pitta breads
olives
chilli sauce

Preheat the grill and line a baking tray with tin foil.

Slice 2 cloves garlic in half lengthways. Make a deep slit in the side of each aubergine and push two halves of garlic into each one. Place the stuffed aubergines on the baking tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp of the oil and place under the grill. Cook for 20 mins, turning over halfway through, until soft and lightly scorched on the outside.

Leave until cool enough to handle, then place on a chopping board, slice off the stalk and discard. Slice each aubergine open and scoop the soft flesh and garlic onto the board. Discard the skin. Top the aubergine with the tahini, juice from half the lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil and season. Chop all the ingredients together repeatedly to make a rough paste. Transfer to a dish and top with a drizzle of olive oil.

Place the chick peas in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Simmer for 5 mins then drain and leave to cool in the sieve.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the red onion and stir-fry for 2–3 mins until starting to soften. Chop the last clove of garlic and add to the pan. Fry, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 mins until the onions have softened. Add the chick peas and carrots, stir to combine, then fry for 1 min more. Using a potato masher, roughly mash the chick peas until about half are crushed. Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the juice from the remaining lemon and the chopped coriander. Season to taste. Serve the hash with the aubergine dip, warmed pittas, olives with feta, chilli sauce and lemon wedges.

Foodie Reads 2016: The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club by Marlena Di Blasi - Whole Roasted Cheese and Wild Mushroom-stuffed Pumpkin

Every week on a Thursday evening, a group of four Italian rural women gather in a derelict stone house in the hills above Italy’s Orvieto. There – along with their friend, Marlena – they cook together, sit down to a beautiful supper, drink their beloved local wines, and talk.

This is the second book about Italy that I have read so far this year. I found this one a bit rambling and confusing. It is apparently a memoir but it reads more like fiction, the characters don't feel quite convincing as real people. It's also not very fast paced so might be good to take on holiday.

There is a section of recipes in the back of the book and I went for the Whole Roasted Cheese and Wild Mushroom-stuffed Pumpkin. I made a mini version and stuffed a small squash. It was delicious and after taking a while to cut some of the flesh out of the squash actually really easy to make. I can see how it would make a good sharing dish if done in a whole pumpkin.

Whole Roasted Cheese and Wild Mushroom-stuffed Pumpkin
(from The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club)

1 large pumpkin
105g butter
2 large onions, finely chopped
300g mushrooms
salt and pepper
720g mascarpone
300g emmental cheese, grated
100g Parmesan, grated
3 eggs, beaten with 80ml cognac
2 tsp nutmeg, grated
8 slices day-old bread, cut into 2cm squares

Slice the top of the top of the pumpkin, remove the seeds and strings, then carve away a cm or so of its interior flesh with a thin, sharp knife. Cut the flesh into small chunks and set aside.

In a medium frying pan, melt 45g of butter and saute the onions, reserved pumpkin flesh and mushrooms until they are soft. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl combine the cheeses, eggs and cognac and nutmeg. Beat with a wooden spoon and then stir in the onions, pumpkin and mushroom mixture.

Melt 60g butter in a frying pan and brown the bread, tossing the pieces about until they are golden and crispy.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Place the pumpkin in a large heavy baking dish or baking tray. Spoon 1/3rd of the cheese mixture into the pumpkin, add half the bread, another third of the mushroom mixture, the remaining bread and then the last of the mushroom mixture. Put the top back on the pumpkin and roast for 1 1/2 hours until the pumpkin flesh is soft.

Serve cut into chunks.