Orzo and Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto Dressing

There really is something about roasted cherry tomatoes, they are just so sweet and delicious. This salad is fab and completely reminded me of those lovely summer days that now seem so long ago!

Orzo and Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto Dressing (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

400g vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
salt and pepper
250g dried orzo
100g rocket leaves
2 handfuls of basil leaves
6 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
50g parmesan shavings

For the pesto dressing
6 heaped tbsp basil pesto
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C. Put the tomatoes in a roasting pan and drizzle over a little olive oil. Turn to coat, then season and roast for 20 mins until softened and starting to colour.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the orzo according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water, and transfer to a serving bowl.

Mix together the ingredients for the pesto dressing, stir in the reserved cooking water and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the dressing over the orzo and stir until combined. Add the roasted tomatoes and rocket and toss again gently. Garnish with the basil, pine nuts and parmesan shavings before serving.

Meal Planning Monday

So last week was Half Term. I spent the first half going to exhibitions and doing householdy jobs. I also treated myself to some cake from Bea's of Bloomsbury. I went for a Jam Duffin and the German Chocolate Cake. I definitely preferred the duffin, which was delicious.

On Monday after pilates I went to Franca Manca for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised, the pizzas were not particularly expensive and they are absolutely delicious. The crust is sourdough and I went for Gloucester Old Spot, Mushroom and Ricotta. I can definitely recommend it.

Finally on Thursday I went to The Olive Grove, Oundle with my mum where we shared a mezze platter. There was plenty on this for two and I walked away feeling rather full! I wasn't all the impressed with the falafel but the pitta was nice, hot and crispy and the dips were yummy.

This week it's back to work and 7 weeks until the Christmas holidays!! I am out a couple of times, for an Indian on Monday I suspect and then to the Lyric Bar and Grill on Thursday. Next weekend I am going to meet some dinosaurs at London Zoo and possible play some board games in Draughts. I am still trying to get rid of some of those magazine and newspaper clippings, so that's where the majority of this weeks meals come from!


Monday
Cream of Asparagus End Soup with Bread
Out before the theatre

Tuesday
Hummus, Carrot and Beetroot Wrap with Crisps
Duck Breast With Blackberries, Potatoes and Veg

Wednesday
Smoked Salmon and Spelt Kedgeree (Waitrose)
Mixed Beans with Many Spices and Lovage (Plenty)

Thursday
Lettuce Soup
Out before the theatre

Friday
Mushroom Galette with Salad
Aubergine and Feta Burger

Saturday
Tomato, Garlic, Spinach Quinoa
Steamed Salmon and Lemongrass Pilaff (The Times)

Sunday
One Pot Leek Linguine (Tesco)
Chicken and Ham Hock Pretzel Pies with Veg (WeightWatchers)

Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot, Potato and Horseradish Bake

This was a very easy bake to make full of smoked fish and beetroot.

Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot, Potato and Horseradish Bake (from M&S)
(Serves 4)

500g Jersey Royal potatoes
100g cooked beetroot in natural juices
175g smoked mackerel
bunch dill
250ml double cream
150ml milk
1 tbsp horseradish sauce

Heat the oven to 190°C. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 15 mins, until just tender. Drain well.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish with the beetroot. Remove any skin and bones from the mackerel and break the flesh into chunky flakes. Add to the potatoes and beetroot and scatter over half the dill.

Mix together the cream, milk and horseradish and season. Pour over the potato mixture and bake for 25 mins, until bubbling.

Serve, scattered with the remaining dill.

Red Orzo Risotto with Goat's Cheese

This was absolutely delicious. Really simple to make and lovely and comforting.

Red Orzo Risotto with Goat's Cheese (from The Times)
(Serves 3-4)

250g orzo pasta
salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
150g roasted or chargrilled romano or piquillo peppers, chopped
pinch saffron
 4 vine tomatoes (200g)
70g pitted dry black olives, halved
10g flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
100g soft goat’s cheese

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the orzo and cook for about 10 mins until just tender. Drain, but reserve a mugful of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into a warmed bowl, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp cooking water, then cover with clingfilm.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in the pan and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, for 6-7 mins. Stir the garlic into the onion, add 2 tbsp of the orzo cooking water, cover, reduce the heat and cook for 10 mins. Stir in the saffron, and then the peppers.

Quarter the tomatoes and blitz them into passata. Pour this into the pan. Simmer for a few mins until juicy, but not too wet. Mix in the drained pasta and turn off the heat.  Stir the olives and parsley into the pasta. Serve topped with a few tsp of goat’s cheese.

Mexican Pig Cheeks

I love love love pig's cheeks, they are just so meltingly tender and they make wonderful nachos. I put a layer of fried sliced onion and pepper with fajita seasoning under the shredded pig's cheeks to add some veggies. If you have the time these are truly worth making. Yum!

Mexican Pig Cheek Nachos
(Serves 4)

1 tbsp oil
8 pigs cheeks
150g chorizo, chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
100ml apple juice
enough chicken stock to cover the pig cheeks
1 cinnamon stick
50g cheddar grated
sour ceam
guacamole

Heat the oil in a casserole dish. Fry the pig cheeks and chorizo until the pigs cheeks are browned all over. Add the paprika and cumin and cook for a min or two.

Add the apple juice and deglaze the pan. Add the stock until it just covers the pig cheeks and add the cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on a low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Turn up the heat the high and remove the lid, cook for another 20-30 mins until the sauce has reduced. Shred the meat in the sauce.

Preheat the grill.

Put the tortilla chips into an ovenproof dish, top with the shredded pigs cheeks. Sprinkle over the grated cheddar and put under the grill until the cheese has melted. Top with sour cream and guacamole and serve.

Meal Planning Monday

Here are a few things I have eaten this week:

I took a trip to Shake Shack in Westfield, Stratford and was sorely disappointed. I went for a Shackmeister, which was sadly rather salty and appeared to contain raw onion and the chips were only just lukewarm, I'm not sure this is much of a step up from McDonalds and I don't think I'll bother going back.

I did however, find solace at Maitre Choux. I went with a friend and we got a salted caramel eclair, a raspberry macaron eclair and 2 choquettes. I have to say that the eclairs were outstanding but for £7 they should have been! They don't take cards either, so make sure you have some cash handy. Delicious!

I got my veg bag this week containing onions, beetroot, broccoli, chard and a leek.

We also had lunch provided at school this week and this is what greeted me when I turned up in the staff room at lunchtime, it was a feast!

This week is a shorter meal plan as it's half term and I am off to my parents house for a few days towards the end of the week.

Monday
Bacon and Greens Pasta with a Poached Egg
Out with my sister

Tuesday
Turkish Baked Pancakes
Courgette Cheshire Cheese Bake

Wednesday
Spicy Salmon Naan Bread Pizza

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.

Kisir

With some of the last of the tomatoes from the garden, I made kisir, which is a lovely Turkish grain salad. Really easy to make. I served it topped with a poached egg.

Kisir (from Amazing Grains by Ghillie James)
(Serves 4)

1 1/2 tbsp oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp tomato puree
200g bulgar wheat, rinsed
250ml boiling hot veg stock
4 tomatoes, diced
handful mint, torn
small bunch parsley, chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
salt and pepper

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a medium pan and saute the onion, chilli and garlic for 3-4 mins. Stir in the cumin, then the tomato puree and cook for a min. Add the bulgar wheat and the boiling hot stock, then take the pan off the heat. Cover with a lid and leave it to sit until the bulgar has cooled, about 15 mins.

Fork the cooked grains to separate, then add the tomatoes, herbs and spring onions. Mix in the lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil and pomegranate molasses and season, stir to combine. Serve.

Salmon and Bulgar Pilaf Salad

I served this as a salad but I think the original recipe was meant to be eaten hot. Delicious!

Salmon and Bulgar Pilaf Salad (from BBC Food)
(Serves 4)

4 salmon fillets, boned and skinned
1 tbsp smoked paprika
250g bulgur wheat
85g frozen peas
200g runner beans, chopped
2 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper
juice 1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Sprinkle the smoked paprika over the salmon and cook in the oven for 12-15 mins, or until the salmon is cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the bulgar wheat according to packet instructions. Add the beans for the last 5 mins of cooking time and the peas for the last 3 mins.

Flake the salmon and mix it into the bulgur wheat with the peas and beans. Add in the chives and parsley and squeeze over the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Meal Planning Monday

I only went out for one meal last week, to Fez Mangal in Ladbroke Grove for dinner. It was really good Turkish food, and there is something about that rice. I don't know what they do to it but it is so tasty! I had Chicken Shish.

This week is the last one before half term and it's sneaked up on me! I am going out a few times, and I have book club on Tuesday. The weekend is hopefully quiet. I'm still trying to make recipes from my newspaper clipping and also use things up in the freezer.

Monday
Fish Pie Pancake Bake with Salad
Cheese and Pickle Sandwich with Crisps

Tuesday
Kisir (Amazing Grains)
Pasta with Tuna Meatballs and Tomato Aubergine Sauce

Wednesday
Orzo and Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto Dressing (The Times)
Broccoli and Smoked Mackerel Gratin

Thursday
Lunch Provided at Work
Artichoke, Goat's Cheese and Lentil Salad (Waitrose)

Friday
Carrot and Preserved Lemon Tart with Salad
Pea, Creme Fraiche and Mint Gnocchi (The Times)

Saturday
Duck and Spring Onion Burger
Sticky Lime and Chilli Chicken with Noodles

Sunday
Veggie Burger
Pigeon and Peach Sausages with Mash and Gravy