An allotment supper of creamy pea and bacon pasta

We had a lovely GU supper courtesy of our allotment in part; very simple and very tasty. I'm pleased to say that my efforts in weeding the strawberry patch have paid off too!

We started with a creamy bacon and pea pasta dish (serves 2)

Pasta - enough for 2
Bacon, 5 rashers, grilled
Peas - a decent handful
Olive oil
Lemon juice approx. dessert spoon
Black pepper
Chilli flakes 1/2-1 tsp and/or crushed clove of garlic (optional)
Cream 200ml
Grated parmesan

Boil the pasta. If you're using fresh peas, just pop them, but if they are frozen add to the pasta a couple of minutes before it has cooked through. Drain the pasta, add a good glug of olive oil, lemon juice & black pepper (and chilli flakes and/or garlic if you wish). Add chopped up crispy bacon, cream and the fresh peas and stir well to coat the pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmesan.

The fresh peas really lift this dish. Our only criticism was that we could have had more peas but as our 2 year old daughter got wind of them, stocks were fairly depleted... ah well!!

To follow, it had to be a big bowl of freshly picked strawberries and cream of course. Lovely!

Brisket curry

So tasty! This kept the kids very quiet until their plates were clean.
(Leftover) brisket
1 onion finely chopped and
2 garlic cloves
Root ginger - about 1" finely chopped / grated
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
1 tbsp tomato paste
500ml boiled water
half tin of tomatoes
Mushrooms
Handful of red lentils
1-2 tbsp of mango chutney
1/2 tsp salt
Fry onion slowly to golden brown. Add garlic, ginger and spices. Fry for a minute. Add tomato paste, liquid and tinned tomatoes. Shred brisket, add to mixture, coat and stir. Add mushrooms, lentils, chutney and salt. If this is with a fresh joint of brisket, leave in the slow cooker for 3-4 hours on medium to high. If this is with leftover brisket, cook through for 20-30 minutes. Top up with liquid if needed. Serve with basmati rice and warm chapatis.

Tasty tuna pasta bake

Lovely comfort food! Quick and easy to make and use whatever you have in your cupboards or fridge. 
Serves 3-4
Pasta
1 onion (finely chopped)
Red wine - approx 100ml
1 tbsp tomato paste
Chilli powder to taste
3-4 sundried tomatoes (finely chopped)
Handful of black olives and/or capers (optional)
Tin of tuna
Half a tin of sweetcorn
Grated cheese for topping

Pre-heat oven to gas mark 5.

Boil pasta. Whilst the pasta is boiling, fry the onion gently. When it turns golden brown, add wine and de-glaze. Keep frying until the onions are soft and sticky. Add the tomato paste, chilli powder, sundried tomatoes, olives and capers if using. Fry for one minute. Once pasta has boiled, drain, add sweetcorn, tuna and onion mixture. Combine in ovenproof dish, top with cheese and bake until golden brown (about 25 mins).

Chocolate Torte

This is very much like a torte but with the digestive biscuit base, it's very similar to a cheesecake. It sounds (and looks) pretty heavy and rich but is in fact... well, simply perfection. Not too chocolatey, not too creamy or sickly. This may be down to the type of chocolate used. It's an 81% dark chocolate from Lidl. Whilst holding onto the distinctly bitter note of a quality chocolate, it still manages to be smooth and very pleasant to eat. Serve with red berries and a dusting of icing sugar. Divine.

For the base
80g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
60g dark (70-85% cocoa solids) chocolate
225g digestive biscuits

For the filling
180g dark (70% cocoa solids) chocolate, broken into pieces
180g unsalted butter
4 medium eggs
180g dark muscavado sugar
180ml double cream
Creme fraiche to serve

Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4.

For the base melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until melted and combined. Add the crushed biscuits.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 23cm loose-based tin. Put the base in the tin, press it down and chill for half an hour.

Melt the butter and dark chocolate for the filling. Blend the eggs, sugar and cream. Allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool. Once cool (the cream will curdle otherwise) add the melted chocolate mixture and blend again, making sure that the sugar is mixed in.

Pour the filling over the chilled base. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes until firm. Allow to cool and then serve. Enjoy!

Courtesy of Millie Charters, Green and Blacks

Return to weedy mountain

I saw clear blue skies this morning. They filled me with hope and wonder...


 We went to the allotment yesterday for Father's Day. It's been a week or 2 since we were last there as we'd been working on our garden instead. Having spent several back-breaking hours weeding on our last visit, I was shocked and dismayed to see a sea of knee-high weeds covering the entire plot. And it's a large plot. Scattered amongst them were the begnnings of the new season's crops. Two hours later we had unearthed about half of the plot.

Oh dear...

And several hours hard graft later!

 The weather has been damp recently, to say the least. We are fast approaching mid summer and by this time last year, we had had a bumper crop of big, fat, sweet and oh-so-juicy strawberries. This year they are still green and some are already turning to mush. Today has been dry and hopefully the weeding has allowed the rays to penetrate and make those little emeralds turn into big fat rubies. I keep my fingers crossed.


 We have been successful with the onions (red and white) and garlic. There is a sweet, pungent all-pervading scent in the air which makes me feel content. The shallots are not looking so promising but never mind. You win some, you lose some.


 As it was Father's day and the weather was holding out, we put in as much time as we could at the allotment. The kids were happy, running amok, eating picnics, chatting to the neighbours. By the time we were ready to leave it was all I could do to put one leg in front of the other. Fortunately I had booked us a table at the local pub. We'd not been there before but their offer of a free steak for Dad was too tempting to ignore. We were all famished. The service was good, the steak was spot on and the rioja was excellent. The kid's were worn out and easily distracted and it made for a very pleasant evening all round. Couldn't fault it.

Sourdough

I really have to try this recipe out for sourdough. Never having tried it before, the idea never appealed. That, and the bizarre way of nurturing the 'mother'! Then I tried some that someone had made for  a party recently and I am hooked! It's not like any other bread that I've tasted and so more-ish! The fact that there is always some ready to start once you've established it means that you should never run out and, of course, you can never beat freshly baked bread.

My husband was given a bread maker as a birthday present from my parents a few years ago and once he got into the swing of it, we were having fresh bread every day. Unfortunately the habit was broken and we're back to buying bread. I hope that once we've begun the sourdough 'mother', that we'll be up and running again. I shall post the results!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/xanthe-clay/8360013/Laura-Harts-sourdough-bread-recipe.html