30-minute meals, Pasta and noodles, Seafood

Creamy Penne with Smoked Trout and Peas

When I attended the Bord Bia Irish food bloggers event last month, I first and foremost met loads of fantastic people, some of whom are bloggers I’ve been reading for awhile, and some who I happily discovered thanks to this event. I also saw a few cooking demos, including a don’t-try-this-at-home handsaw-wielding butcher; heard talks on raising your blog’s profile from Damien Mulley and how to land a book deal from Eoin Purcell; learned some tips on food styling from Erica Ryan and food photography from Jocasta Clarke; and ate pork belly and its fabled crackling for the first time.

And I got some free grub.

I left the Bord Bia offices laden down with potted thyme and sage plants from Living Flavour; a jar of chutney for cheese from Sheridans Cheesemongers; a box each of Pu-erh and South African Roobios tea from Barry’s Tea; a pack of Biltong Irish beef jerky; a pack of lentil, pea and bean shoots from Good4U; a homemade Macroom oatmeal ginger biscuit made by fellow blogger Lilly Higgins; and last but not least, two fillets of hot smoked Irish trout from Goatsbridge. (And not forgetting, of course, the 4 lb pork loin sent out by Bord Bia before the event that I brined and served with a rhubarb compote.)

We scoffed most of the lot fast enough, but I let the trout sit in the fridge for a week while I decided what to do with it. I can’t claim to be the first of the Irish bloggers to come up with the idea of pairing the trout with pasta and peas — Darren at Supper Satisfaction and Aoife at Babaduck Babbles have both posted similar versions already, and I was inspired by Gizzi Erskine’s recipe for spaghetti with smoked salmon and peas that Donal Skehan featured on his blog last month and which my kids loved when I made it. The top-quality trout did most of the work for me in this recipe, but some lemon, crème fraîche and white wine didn’t hurt either. If you can’t find smoked trout, this recipe would work just as well with smoked salmon.

But I left with more than just a bag full of free food. I came away from the event inspired to try some new recipes thanks to the producers’ generous donations, with new friends and with a sense that I’m part of a buzzing little Irish food blogging community. Now that’s what I call a good day out.

Creamy Penne with Smoked Trout and Peas

Serves 4 to 6

The folks at Goatsbridge suggested adding a pinch of dried chili flakes to this recipe for a little kick. If you can’t get crème fraîche, try taking a leaf out of Gizzi Erskine’s book and using 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream and 1/2 cup (120 ml) Greek yogurt instead, in which case you might not need to add the pasta cooking water at the end.

1 lb (450 g) penne
2 cups (200 g) frozen peas
1 tablespoon (15 g) butter
4 small shallots, finely chopped
juice of 1 large lemon
1 cup (240 ml) white wine
1 cup (240 ml) crème fraîche
salt and freshly ground black pepper
7 oz (200 g) smoked trout (or smoked salmon), roughly chopped
1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh dill
freshly grated Parmesan, to serve

Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Five minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the frozen peas in with the pasta.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over a medium-low heat in a large frying pan, one that’s big enough to eventually hold all the cooked pasta. Add the shallots and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add the lemon juice and wine and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the lemon and wine have reduced a little. Add in the crème fraîche and stir well, then season with salt and pepper. Add in the smoked trout and continue to simmer until the trout is heated through.

Drain the pasta and peas, reserving some of the cooking water. Add a ladleful of the pasta cooking water to the sauce to thin it a little. Add the pasta and peas directly to the sauce in the frying pan, stirring well to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce. Add more cooking water if needed. Sprinkle with fresh dill and toss to combine. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.

30-minute meals, Desserts, Fruit, Pasta and noodles, Seafood

Linguine with Chili, Crab and Watercress and Eton Mess

There are two events that mark the start of summer for me — the first day I see a van on the side of the road selling Wexford strawberries or when I cook something from Nigella Lawson’s Forever Summer cookbook.

Once I dust off that cookbook, this linguine is invariably the first thing I make from it, since I’ve made it so often that the book now falls open naturally to this well-thumbed, cooking-splattered page. As for Eton mess, it was invented at Eton College in England in the 1930s and is now traditionally served there today, on June 4th, but we don’t stand on such ceremony in my family — we eat this as soon as Irish strawberries hit the shops and roadside stands, then make it more often than I care to admit all through the summer (certainly more than can be good for us). I’m lucky in that you can buy meringues in practically any grocery store in Ireland, which is what makes it so easy to whip together, but if you want to try making meringues yourself, this is the perfect recipe to have as a back-up plan. Because you crush the meringues anyway, it doesn’t matter one bit if they look pretty beforehand. And I’m willing to bet that once you try this, you’ll be getting plenty of practice honing your meringue-making skills by making this irresistible summer dessert (far too) often.

Linguine with Chili, Crab and Watercress
adapted from Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson

Serves 4

By all means use fresh crab if you can, but canned works just fine. The original recipe calls for watercress, but arugula (rocket) or even spinach would work too.

1 lb 2 oz (500 g) linguine or spaghetti
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 scant tablespoon Maldon sea salt (or 1 teaspoon regular sea salt)
1 large red chili
about 11 oz (310 g) crab meat
1/2 cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
juice and zest of 1 lemon
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
a handful of watercress, leaves only, roughly torn

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile, in a pestle and mortar, mash the peeled garlic cloves with the salt, so that it makes a smooth paste. Add the chopped and seeded chili and crush again until you have a red-tinged mixture.

Put the crab meat in a large bowl, breaking it up gently with a fork. Pour the oil, lemon zest and juice into another bowl or measuring jug and whisk together. Scoop in the garlic and salt paste, then whisk everything together. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain, then add to the crab mixture and pour the dressing over, tossing well to combine. Add in the parsley and watercress, toss again and serve.

***

Eton Mess

Serves 4

For a grown-up boozy twist, marinate the strawberries in a generous splash of orange liqueur (like Cointreau or Grand Marnier) for 30 minutes before stirring them into the whipped cream (you could also try creme de cassis, Framboise, grappa, kirsch, or even a little orange juice and vodka). If you can’t find meringues in the store or you want to make your own, try Delia Smith’s recipe, who also has a great step-by-step tutorial on how to make them here.

You can make Eton mess with strawberries, bananas or any summer fruit, though strawberries are considered to be traditional.

Pureeing the strawberries makes this dessert more attractive and heightens the strawberry flavor, but you could be lazy and skip this step (I often do) — simply chop all the strawberries and fold them in with the cream and meringues and it will still be delicious.

1 lb (450 g) fresh strawberries, hulled
1 tablespoon confectioners’ (icing) sugar
1 tablespoon granulated or caster sugar (optional)
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cream
4 store-bought meringue nests

Cut the strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on their size (you want them to be bite sized). Place about one-third of the berries and the confectioners’ (icing) sugar in a food processor or blender and process until just pureed (or you can mash them with a potato masher or fork). Place the remaining strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with the granulated or caster sugar only if you think the berries need a little boost to bring out their natural sweetness (or add some liqueur instead; see above). Set aside to macerate while you whip the cream.

Whip the cream just until soft peaks form. Break up the meringues into bite-sized pieces and add them to the whipped cream, along with the chopped strawberries, reserving a few for decoration. Gently fold in all but a few tablespoons of the puree, marbling it throughout the cream mixture. Spoon into individual serving dishes and drizzle with the remaining puree and reserved strawberries. Serve immediately.

30-minute meals, Fruit, Grains and pulses, Pork

Pork Chops with Tomatillo and Green Apple Sauce and Couscous

With only a few weeks left until summer officially arrives in the US, I’ve thrown myself into spring cleaning. The kitchen is my most used, most tidied, but least organized part of my house. It’s hard to thoroughly clean out a room that always seems to have someone in it. In an attempt to use up my food odds and ends so I could wipe down shelves, I took a stab at this admittedly strange-sounding pork chop recipe. I’ll admit that I probably wouldn’t have tried the dish if I didn’t need to use up two aging green apples, a can of tomatillos bought on clearance, a frozen chipotle pepper and a package of pork chops. But necessity is the mother of invention, and in this case, genius. The sweetness of the green apple lends just the right amount of zing to the spice of the chipotle and sour of the tomatillos. It’s pretty enough to serve your mother and unique enough to make for your foodie friends.

To liven up the Israeli couscous, I cooked the couscous according to the package directions, making sure to toast it before adding the liquid. Once cooked, stir in a few tablespoons of minced fresh parsley, a generous drizzle of olive oil, and a handful of grated Parmesan cheese. Don’t forget to season to taste with salt and pepper. I used an Israeli couscous, lentil and quinoa blend, but plain Israeli couscous tastes just as good.

Pork Chops with Tomatillo and Green Apple Sauce
adapted from Gourmet, June 2004

Serves 4 to 6

for the pork chops:
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 x 1‑inch-thick loin pork chops

for the tomatillo and green apple sauce:
12 oz (340 g) canned, whole tomatillos (or 1/2 lb/225 g fresh tomatillos)
2 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup (10 g) loosely packed fresh cilantro sprigs
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) water or apple juice
1 tablespoon mild honey
1 minced canned chipotle chile in adobo

Stir together the coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then add the oil and stir until combined well. Rub the spice mixture all over the chops. Let the chops marinate while making the sauce.

If using fresh tomatillos, remove the husks and rinse the tomatillos. Boil the tomatillos in water, uncovered, until the tomatillos are just soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and cool for 15 minutes.

Peel and core the apples and cut into 1/4‑inch dice.

Purée the canned (or cooked) tomatillos with the remaining sauce ingredients except the apples in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the apples.

Heat a heavy cast iron skillet or ridged grill pan. Lightly oil the surface of the pan, then sear the pork chops over a moderately high heat, turning over once, until well browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Alternatively, you can grill the pork chops over medium heat until done, about 15 minutes total, depending on the thickness of the chop. Serve with the sauce spooned on top.

Italian food, Potatoes, Poultry

Chicken Piccata with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

It’s often said that there are six degrees of separation in the world, but I always say it’s much less than that in Ireland because it’s such a small country. Let me give you some examples of what I mean. I’m four degrees removed from Prince Charles (I’m friends with a woman who worked with Seamus Heaney’s wife, and Seamus Heaney once sat next to Prince Charles at a dinner — this also makes me three degrees removed from Seamus Heaney). I’m three degrees removed from Bono (I worked on a book written by Adi Roche, who founded the Chernobyl Children’s Project International charity, which has Ali Hewson as its patron, who is married to Bono). And after meeting the lovely Sharon Hearne-Smith at the Bord Bia Irish food bloggers event two weeks ago, I’m now only two degrees removed from the Barefoot Contessa herself, since Sharon is a food stylist who works on her TV show. Sure, Prince Charles, Seamus Heaney and Bono all make for a good story, but it was talking to someone who has actually worked with Ina Garten — who has been in her house and had the legend herself make her a whiskey sour! — that made me swoon in fawning admiration (and, truth be told, complete jealousy).

Which is all as good a way as any to segue into this chicken piccata recipe. You probably know by now how much I love Ina Garetn’s recipes and how many of them I cook, so it’s no small thing to say this one is one of my favorites (plus kids tend to love anything breaded). Another great thing about this recipe is that you can easily turn it into Parmesan chicken by adding 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan to the breadcrumbs and omitting the lemon sauce. I won’t kid you, the method is a little time consuming and messy, what with all the pounding and measuring and bowls to clean afterward, but the results are worth it.

You could serve just about any vegetable with this; I made these green beans dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt.

Chicken Piccata
adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

Serves 4

As an alternative to flattening the chicken with a meat tenderizer, simply butterfly each breast, cut it in half and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (50 g) all-purpose flour
1 or 2 large eggs
1/2 tablespoon water
1 cup (50 g) seasoned dry breadcrumbs (I used Paxo brand here in Ireland)
good-quality olive oil
3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
juice of 2 lemons (to yield 1/3 cup (80 ml) juice), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
sliced lemon, to garnish
chopped fresh parsley leaves, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until it’s 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon water together. Place the breadcrumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour and shake off the excess, then dip in the egg and lastly the breadcrumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium to medium-low heat. Add the breaded chicken breasts and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the lined baking tray and allow them to bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

To make the sauce once you’ve cooked all the chicken, wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel. Over a medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the butter, then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over a high heat for about 2 minutes, until reduced by half. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with slices of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley to garnish.

***

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes 
from A New Way to Cook by Sally Schneider

Serves 4

You can make the potatoes up to 3 hours ahead. About 20 minutes before serving, warm them in a double boiler, stirring frequently, until hot.

1 1/4 lb (570 g) floury potatoes, such as Kerr’s Pink, Maris Piper or Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into 2‑inch chunks if large
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk, warmed (not hot)
1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter
freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the cooking water.

Return the potatoes to the pan and set over a low heat, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the potatoes dry out a little (too much moisture will dilute their flavor). For the smoothest potatoes, pass them through a food mill or potato ricer. For a slightly coarser puree, mash them with a potato masher or fork or use a hand mixer. Beat the buttermilk into the potatoes with a wooden spoon until thoroughly incorporated. If you prefer even creamier potatoes, add a little of the reserved cooking liquid. Beat in the butter, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and plenty of pepper. Serve at once, or keep the potatoes warm, covered, in a double boiler over hot water for up to 1 hour.

Asian food, Poultry, Salads

Chicken Burgers with Lemongrass and Lime and Spicy Slaw

When I moved to Ireland 11 years ago, any ingredient that was the least bit exotic was almost impossible to find, or at least it was outside of upmarket Dublin delis or ethnic markets. I remember how excited I was after a couple of years here to find a local store that sold sweet potatoes and butternut squash, though an Irish friend asked me what the squash was after seeing it sitting on my kitchen counter. To this day, when I buy an eggplant (aubergine) or avocado, the checker will sometimes ask me what it is, leaving me to wonder if I’m really the only person who’s ever come through their line to buy these things. Just last week, when I saw that my store was stocking fresh lemongrass, I snatched up a bundle with this recipe in mind after recently watching Bill Granger make it on his Bill’s Holiday TV show, but laughed when I looked at the receipt and saw that the checker had charged them as scallions.

I’m just happy to have found it at all, since these burgers and this fresh, zingy slaw were the perfect dinner for the equally unexpected hot, sunny weather we had this past weekend. But if you can’t find lemongrass (I certainly didn’t expect to!), you could either substitute the zest of half a lemon or just leave it out altogether and the burgers will still have plenty of flavor. With or without the lemongrass — and with or without the accompanying summer weather, for that matter, seeing as how you can’t count on that either in Ireland anymore — I’ll definitely be making both of these dishes these again.

Chicken Burgers with Lemongrass and Lime
adapted from Holiday by Bill Granger

Serves 4 to 6

1 lb (450 g) minced chicken
1 small onion, grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only finely chopped (or the zest of 1/2 lemon or omit altogether)
3/4 cup (75 g) fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
vegetable oil, for brushing
soft rolls, to serve
lettuce, to serve
chili sauce, to serve
mayonnaise, to serve

Mix the chicken, onion, garlic, lemongrass, breadcrumbs, cilantro, lime zest, fish sauce and sugar in a large bowl and gently mix everything together well with your hands (try not to overwork the burgers). Shape into 6 patties, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow them to firm up a bit.

Heat a barbecue or grill pan and brush the burgers with a little oil. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Serve the burgers on soft rolls with lettuce, chili sauce and mayonnaise.

***

Spicy Slaw
adapted from Holiday by Bill Granger

Serves 8

I left out the thinly sliced red onion called for in the original because I don’t personally care for raw onion, but by all means add it back in if you want to. The original recipe doesn’t call for basil either, but I had half a bunch in my fridge and wanted to use it up. You could use any combination of these herbs that you like or have to hand.

for the salad:
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, grated
2 large handfuls grated white cabbage
2 large handfuls grated red cabbage
1 large handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 large handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 large handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped

for the sweet chili dressing:
1 or 2 red chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar

Toss all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients together, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the dressing to the salad and toss together. Serve immediately.

Entertaining, Fruit, Pork

Brined Pork Loin with Rhubarb Compote and Sauteed Fennel

The food blogging scene in Ireland has been buzzing this past week, ever since Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) sent out dozens of free pork packs last week ahead of its food blogging event tomorrow. I wanted to do something special with this unexpected gift and was inspired by fellow food blogger Clare Kleinedler’s idea to brine it. I also had some gorgeous organic rhubarb from Denis Healy’s stand at the Drogheda farmers’ market, so I decided to pair the pork with a rhubarb compote. You might think rhubarb and pork sounds like an odd combination, but it’s not all that different from the classic combination of pork with applesauce, plus The Flavor Bible vouches for it. The Flavor Bible also lists rhubarb and fennel and rhubarb and brown sugar as being good matches, so I played on that by serving sauteed fennel bulbs alongside the pork and using brown sugar and fennel seeds in the brine.

As so many of the other Irish food bloggers have already said, the meat was already outstanding to begin with, and brining it meant it was even more moist, tender and flavorful. (The same is true of Kelly’s cider-brined pork chops, which are the best pork chops I’ve ever had.) The herb crust and rhubarb keep the flavors bright and fresh, perfect for springtime. This recipe will make more compote than you’ll need for dinner, but we happily spooned the leftovers on top of yogurt and granola the next morning. A big thank you once again to Bord Bia!

Brined Pork Loin with Rhubarb Compote
pork loin adapted from Bon Appétit, March 2002 and compote from Bon Appétit, April 2005

Serves 8

Make the rhubarb compote while you’re making the brine, and all you’ll have to do the next day is pop the pork into the oven to roast.

for the brined pork loin:
8 cups (approx. 2 liters) water
1/2 cup coarse salt (I used 60 g Maldon sea salt)
1/2 cup (packed) (85 g) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 x 4 lb (1.8 kg) center-cut boneless pork loin roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

for the rhubarb compote:
2 lb (900 g) rhubarb, cut into 1‑inch pieces
1 1/4 cups (250 g) sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) water

To brine the pork, combine the water, salt, sugar, fennel seeds, peppercorns and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer the brine to very large bowl and add the pork, weighting the pork down with a plate to keep it submerged). Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain the pork and return it to the bowl. Cover with fresh water and weight it down again with a plate. Soak at room temperature 2 hours.

Meanwhile, to make the rhubarb compote, combine the rhubarb, sugar and water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the rhubarb is very soft and beginning to fall apart, stirring occasionally. Transfer compote to a bowl and refrigerate, uncovered, until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Drain the pork and pat it dry with paper towels. Transfer to a rack set in a large roasting pan. Rub the pork all over with olive oil, then sprinkle with the fresh herbs, pressing to adhere. Sprinkle generously with freshly ground black pepper. Roast for about 1 hour 40 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 150°F (65.5°C). Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Allow the pork to rest for at least 10 minutes, then cut into 1/4- to 1/2‑inch-thick slices. Serve with the compote.

***

Sauteed Fennel

Serves 4

2 fennel bulbs
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Halve the fennel bulbs lengthways, then slice thinly. Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the fennel and saute for about 10 minutes, until softened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

30-minute meals, Pasta and noodles

Pasta with Bacon, Peas and Cream

The trouble with being a two-year-old who still doesn’t talk much is that your older sister takes liberties when translating for you. When I asked my little boy what he wanted for dinner for his birthday last week, my daughter piped up and proclaimed that he wanted “that pasta with the peas and white sauce” — what is, in fact, one of her favorite dinners. But since I knew he loves it too, I went along with it. This comes from the “Kiddiefeast” chapter in Nigella Lawson’s Feast cookbook, and while it’s a winner with kids, grown-ups love it too (bacon and cream — what’s not to love?). It’s certainly not a dish for every day, what with all that cream, but it’s one of my favorite comfort food recipes.

Pasta with Bacon, Peas and Cream
adapted from Feast: Food to Celebrate Life by Nigella Lawson

Serves 4

In her book The Dinner Lady, Jeanette Orrey makes a version of this where instead of the cream and Parmesan, you could add 10 oz (280 g) grated cheddar cheese and 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk to the drained pasta at the end, stirring until the cheese has melted. If I have some leftover ham, I almost always wind up making this and using the ham instead of bacon.

14 oz (400 g) farfalle (bow ties) or other short pasta
1 1/2 cups (200 g) frozen peas
1/2 lb (225 g) bacon, diced (or use leftover diced ham)
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions in plenty of boiling salted water. After 5 minutes, add the peas to the pasta to cook them together in the one pot.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a separate pan until crispy. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

When the pasta is cooked, drain along with the peas. Put the pot back on the heat with the bacon, cream and Parmesan. Stir well and warm it through. Add the drained pasta and peas back to the pan and toss everything together. Season to taste and serve with extra Parmesan grated on top.

Beef, Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Soups and stews, Vegetarian main dishes

Italian Wedding Soup and Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese

Tonight I wanted to make something special for Sam after his fantastic first dance class. My four-year-old nephew and in-laws also joined us for dinner. Strangely, I’m more nervous cooking for kids than adults. Kids aren’t afraid to tell you they don’t like your food and are more than willing to go hungry if necessary to prove it. When I saw this recipe for tiny meatball-filled soup I figured the kids (even my chicken nuggets-loving nephew) would be amused enough to eat it, even if the adults weren’t as impressed. Luckily, both kids and adults enjoyed the soup. The whole wheat pasta with Swiss chard was also a hit. You can find these recipes and other kid-friendly fare at our new Family Favorites page at the top of the site.

Italian Wedding Soup
adapted from Giada’s Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 6 to 8

for the meatballs:
1 small onion, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (25 g) plain dry breadcrumbs
1 lb (450 g) ground beef

for the soup:
8 cups (2 liters) low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb (450 g) escarole, coarsely chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, stir together the onion, garlic, parsley, egg, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix in the the cheese, breadcrumbs, and beef. Shape the meat mixture into 1‑inch-diameter meatballs (about 75). Place on a baking sheet or large plate.

To make the soup, bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and escarole and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the escarole is tender, about 8 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and cheese. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth for about 1 minute, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

***

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese
adapted from Giada’s Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 6

3 tablespoons toasted walnuts or pine nuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 bunches Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 x 14 oz (400 g) can diced tomatoes with juices
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 oz (340 g) whole wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup (70 g) pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Preheat a small, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Place the nuts in the hot skillet and stir them until they become golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes, taking care not to scorch them. Immediately place the toasted nuts in a separate bowl to cool and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 8 minutes, until tender. Add the chard and saute for about 3 minutes, until it wilts. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, wine, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and the chard is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season the chard mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the spaghetti, add it to the chard mixture and toss to combine.

Transfer the pasta to a large bowl or platter. Sprinkle with the olives, cheese and nuts. Serve, passing extra cheese if desired.

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