Hang on, a sausage roll that doesn’t have any sausage in it? Correct. I absolutely love a proper sausage roll; when the juices run out of it and caramelise under the flaky pastry. To pack a picnic with a couple of sausage rolls and a flask of tea is to pack a fine picnic as far as I’m concerned. So what’s with this vegetarian creation? My reasons are threefold: firstly, at this time of year I need pastry; secondly, I love spinach and particularly spanakopita and thirdly I wondered what a vegetable ‘sausage’ roll would be like.
Spaghetti with Balsamic Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Olives
Sometimes you end up with all sorts of bits and pieces in your fridge; half a bit of something there, a few nibbly bits leftover here and I find these little pieces a great source of inspiration. This recipe is a speedy one which makes use of a few ingredients I can find in my fridge more often than not. Lovingly referred to as ‘pasta with fridge bits’ this particular version was a delicious Spaghetti with Balsamic Tomatoes, Olives and Mozzarella.
Ingredients
You will need (for two):
- 10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 175g spaghetti
- 1 ball mozzarella, torn into smaller pieces
- Small handful olives, roughly chopped
- Small handful fresh basil, large stalks removed, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
Preheat an oven to 200C. Put the cherry tomatoes into an oven proof dish in a single layer. Drizzle over the vinegar, olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper. Put the tomatoes into the oven for 20 minutes.
Creamy Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pasta Bake
This is the first of a series of recipes aimed at giving you a few new ideas for the next time you’re after pasta for dinner. I’m sure I am in the majority of people who eat pasta at least once a week. And why not? It’s a carbohydrate that goes with everything and sometimes is at its best simply served with butter and cheese; because you chose to not because the fridge is empty. Of course. The first of these new pasta recipes is for Creamy Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pasta Bake.
You will need (for four):
Summer Green, Smoked Bacon and Potato Bake
Potatoes, sliced and baked with cream have to be one of the best things ever. At least in my opinion. Maybe a little bit of garlic, or some sliced onion, even some smoked bacon added for extra deliciousness. Although undeniably tasty they always feel more suited to the colder months than in the middle of summer. Don’t worry though, I’ve found a way round this; and I had a swanky new baking dish to try out. By adding some summer greens and using a lighter sauce my summer green, smoked bacon and potato bake fills that dauphinoise hole perfectly.
Review: The Cheese Market
Any excuse to eat cheese is fine by me. I love the variety of cheese that’s available in Britain (and from across the World) and some cheeses are more suited to certain applications than others. At least I think so. For example I prefer mozzarella when it’s been cooked and has those little brown spots on the top (but I absolutely love a caprese salad!) and I would rather have Camembert cooked than on a cheese board. The Cheese Market got in touch to see if I would like to try out one of their cheese boxes; like I said, any excuse.
Quick Vegetable Box Recipes
I regularly get a vegetable box delivered for a few reasons: I like that I have to use what I receive which means I get more variety than I probably would otherwise and there’s only so many times you can make mushroom risotto so I find myself trying out new recipes to use the vegetables. Grown With Love got in touch to see if I would like to try out some of their veg so I was looking forward to getting stuck in.
The vegetables that came from Grown With Love were very nice, they were all prepared which is something that I never buy normally. Considering they were prepared I was impressed with the shelf life of the veg and that the texture remained good. I received: butternut squash and sweet potato mix (chopped 50:50), butternut squash (peeled and deseeded), tenderstem broccoli (in bags and some that came with asparagus too), sweetcorn (some with garlic butter, some without) and sweet potato wedges.
Beetroot and Poppy Seed Cupcakes
I am a fan of beetroot; I’ve tried many different recipes with them in the past but sometimes when the vegetable box keeps bringing me beetroot I am stuck for what to do. I have made chocolate and beetroot cake in the past and I fancied trying something sweet with my latest accumulation, hence, Beetroot and Poppy Seed Cupcakes. Something a little different and somewhat stripy for the lunchbox.
You will need (for 12 cupcakes):
- 200g self raising flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 150g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 150ml sunflower oil
- 200g raw beetroot, peeled and grated
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 25g softened butter
- 200g full fat cream cheese
- 300g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Preheat the oven to 180C. Squeeze as much water out of the grated beetroot as you can (your hands will turn a fabulous pink colour).
Broad Bean and Feta Smash with Cucumber, Lettuce and Dill Salad
Ingredients
You will need (for two):
- Large handful broad beans, podded
- 100g feta, cubed
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- Salt and pepper
- Small handful mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 ciabatta
- 1 small cucumber, sliced
- 1 lettuce, shredded
- Small handful dill, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Salt and pepper
Method
Start by adding the broad beans to a pan of lightly salted boiling water and cooking them for 3-4 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cold water before peeling off the grey skins on the outside.
Put the broad beans into a bowl with the feta, a drizzle of olive oil, the garlic, salt, pepper and mint. Mash it all together so it is slightly combined but still chunky. Put to one side.
Bake the ciabatta according to packet instructions then cut into slices.
Put the cucumber and lettuce into a serving bowl.
Swedish Style Burgers
Recipe from Västerbottensost cheese as part of their ‘Swedish summer to remember’.
Ingredients
You will need (for two):
- 350g minced venison (or beef)
- 1 rasher fried bacon, chopped
- 1 tsp crushed juniper berries
- Salt and pepper
- Västerbottensost cheese, grated
- Buns of your choice and salad and condiments to serve
Method
Put the venison mince into a bowl and add the chopped bacon, juniper berries and salt and pepper.
Give everything a really good mix then form into four burger shapes (I made quite small ones).
Heat a pan to high and add a little oil to the pan. Fry the burgers until lovely and brown on the outside and cooked through. For the last few minutes of cooking add the grated Västerbottensost and allow to melt.
Caramelised Fennel and Salami Pizza
Ingredients
You will need:
For the dough (makes enough for four pizza bases):
- 400g strong white flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 sachet fast action yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 250ml warm water
For the tomato sauce (makes enough for one pizza):
- 4 large, very ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 small garlic cloves, crushed
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Toppings (per pizza):
- 1 ball mozzarella, sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- Salami
Method
Make the dough by mixing together the flour, salt, yeast and sugar. Pour in the olive oil then add the warm water.
Knead for 10 minutes then leave for an hour or so until doubled in size. Divide into four, you can freeze what you don’t use.
Next make the tomato sauce. Add the onion with a little olive oil to a frying pan over a low to medium heat and leave to soften for around 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more then stir in the diced tomatoes. Put a lid on the pan and leave to cook for about 10 minutes then remove the lid, turn the heat up and continue cooking until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste then blend the sauce.
Add the fennel with a good glug of olive oil to a small lidded pan and leave over a low heat for at least 30 minutes or until well softened. Stir occasionally. Remove the lid from the pan and stir in the sugar. Continue to stir until evenly coated and caramelised.
Preheat an oven to 240C. Roll the pizza dough out on a floured surface so that it fits a large baking tray. Lightly flour the baking tray and put the dough on top.
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