Dinner 27.06.11

.

Griddled Courgette and Aubergine
With butterbeans, red onion and tomato
.

Opening my fridge tonight, I was faced with a slightly sad looking aubergine, and, as usual, an abundance of tomatoes and courgette. Deciding they needed using, I spent a while flicking through the nearest cookbooks I had to hand before giving up and doing what I always do: winging it.

The result got the job done. A healthy pile of butter beans, tomato and griddled veg, the smoked paprika and garlic I through in gave it a smokey, rich flavour.
This took no time at all. Fry two small red onions with some crushed garlic and a little freshly chopped chilli. Once they are soft, tip in four or five chopped tomatoes and simmer, seasoning with salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Finally, tip a tin of butter beans into the pan and mix in.
Whilst this is reducing slightly, slice your aubergine and courgette and griddle till cooked through and nicely scored.
Spoon the tomato and bean base onto a plate and top with the grilled vegetables.

This is a nice summery recipe, not only rich in vitamins but won't leave you feeling heavy or sluggish. Perfect with a glass of white wine and a sun lounge!

xxx

Recipe: Baked Ricotta Cakes with Red Sauce

.

Rumour has it it's summer- although I wouldn't blame you if you weren't convinced! Looking outside at the heavy clouds and perpetual drizzle, I'm not either.
But if there's one thing we English do with the same skill as complain about the frequently erratic weather, it is maintain a stiff upper lip. So I recommend defying the climate with a summery dinner party, and while you're at it, make the most of summer's fresh produce.

I cooked this pudding for some dinner guests and managed to feel distinctly summer-y. It's a really quick, simple pudding which makes the most of the summer fruits. Best of all, it looks deceptively elegant and has minimal ingredients. I always find this to be benefitial when I'm totting up my dinner party shopping list! So here it is- Baked Ricotta Cakes with Red Sauce...

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place 250g ricotta cheese in a bowl and break it up. Add two beaten egg whites and 4tbsp honey, mixing thoroughly until completely combined.

Grease four ramekins. Spoon in the ricotta mix, making sure the tops are level. Bake for twenty minutes.

Whilst you are doing this, make the fruit sauce by placing 450g mixed fruit (You can either use fresh raspberries, blackberries strawberries, cherries etc or you can buy a bag of frozen. They're a lot cheaper and just as good for this purpose! Reserve a quarter or so to decorate, and heat the rest in a pan until soft. (Add a little water if the fruit is fresh).

Press the fruit through a sieve and sweeten with honey if it's a little too tart. When the cakes are baked, removed them from the oven and turn them onto plates. Gently tap the base of the ramekin to release it. It should drop out into a soft, beautiful dome. Drizzle over with the red sauce and top with the remaining fruit.

Ideally, serve on large, white simple plates, pooled in the fruit juices!

Happy "summer" !

xxx

Dinner: 09/05/2011

.

So tonight I was meant to be doing a chicken satay salad, but it wasn't til after the chicken was grilling away and the salad was prepared that we realised we not only didn't have lime, but we didn't have red Thai paste after.

We decided the only solution was to abandon ship and attempt to try and create a sauce ourselves. I based it on typical cold noodle salads, using Asian ingredients to complement the peanut. As it turns out, I'm glad we didn't have the paste- this dressing was lovely, and a really nice introduction to summer cooking!



In a bowl, toss bean sprouts, thinly sliced lengthways spring onion, red onion, thinly sliced, 1/2 cucumber sliced lengthways with two tablespoons of olive oil.
Grill some chicken breasts and slice diagonally.

Spoon 5 tablespoons of peanut butter (crunchy please, ladies and gentlemen!) into a jug and mix with the juice of a lime (If you actually have one...) then add a tablespoon of cider vinegar, a good shake of soy sauce and a tablespoon of honey with some garlic and chili. In a recipe like this, I use Very Lazy.
These quantities are just rough guides- I would recommend testing them, and adjusting accordingly. To get a more dressing like consistency, stir hot water into the mixture until it is like a lumpy, crunchy double cream.

Finally, top the salad with the chicken and drizzle over the sauce. Stir through. I saved a little aside so I could drizzle over if needed.

Strangely, the cider vinegar did a lot of leg work in this recipe and despite being a salad, it was substantial enough to keep the men folk satisfied. A very happy accident.

xxx