For the love of lunch!

I get so bored of the standard lunch fare.  It’s so easy to end up eating the same old thing, day in, day out.  Cheese sandwich. Tuna sandwich. Ham sandwich. Alright you can mix it up with a nice bit of chutney or coleslaw or something like that…but it’s essentially a cheese sandwich. I need variety! Don’t get me wrong – sometimes a good sandwich is exactly what the doctor ordered. But sometimes I just need something different.

So I’ve been making a conscious effort to try and change this. Hunt out lunchtime options that don’t take long to make at home and don’t loads to make. So – here are three of my favourites…just for your tasting pleasure.

Cold sausage, potato and tomato box

This is something I found in the River Cottage ‘Everyday’ book. Really simple idea and I usually end up making it if I have sausages the night before. All you need to serve one person is; 3 good quality sausages; handful new potatoes; 5 cherry tomatoes; Mustard dressing (ready-made or make your own). To make, cook everything up, slice the sausages and potatoes into small chunks and slice the cherry tomatoes in in half. If you have some fresh basil in the garden or in the fridge – throw that in as well. With the dressing, you can either mix in with the rest of the ingredients, or take to work in a small pot and mix when you get there. My preference is the latter. You can also make a really nice version of this using a bit of smoked mackerel or haddock…this with this one you might not be too popular!

Crunchy/crispy noodle salad

Perfect summer lunch. Cook a nest of egg noodles per person according to the packet instructions. When just cooked, drain, place in a bowl and drizzle with an oil to stop the noodles from sticking. My favourite is sesame oil, or you could use garlic oil or chilli oil. Recently I made it with a good quality local rape seed oil and that was equally as good.

Add to this two or three of the following vegetables; beansprouts, mange tout, finely sliced green beans, finely sliced spring onion, finely sliced red onion, crispy lettuce, grated carrot, finely sliced green or red peppers, raw sliced mushrooms or baby sweetcorn. With the dressing below, this is really nice on its own. But you could also add some shredded cooked chicken, cooked prawns, smoked tofu or really anything else you fancy.  Even a tin of tuna works well with this! It’s important though that whatever you choose is quite finely sliced – that was it compliments all of the vegetables and noodles and gets a good costing with that lovely dressing.

And on to the dressing. There is nothing wrong with buying a good quality oriental style dressing and using that here. It works perfectly well – especially during the middle of the week when there are so many other things going on. To liven it up – add some fresh herbs – perhaps some chopped coriander, mint or chives – or a mixture of two or more.

If you fancy making your dressing – this is a really good one. Whisk the following ingredients together; 2 tbsp sesame oil; 4 tbsp mirin; 2 tbsp lemongrass; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 3cm piece ginger finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic finely chopped; 1 red onion finely sliced; 4 tbsp fresh lime juice; 2 small red chillis, seeds removed and finely chopped; and a handful of fresh mint leaves. It might sound like a lot of ingredients but the good news is that the oil and acids help preserve the dressing and it will last for a week or more in a sealed jar in the fridge. In fact – I’d suggest it gets better if left for a day or two to blend and get extra lovely.

As with the recipe above, I prefer taking the dressing in a separate jar and maxing together in the office.

Pasta, pesto, feta

So can anyone guess what this recipe involves? It’s REALLY simply but tastes great. You need two large handfuls of pasta per person. It doesn’t really matter what kind of pasta you use but I used penne. Cook according to the packet instructions. Drain the water and immediately add a heaped table spoon of red pesto per person. Then crumble in some feta cheese and mix – about a third of a standard bar per person should do it. When cool, stir in some shredded basil leaves.

As additional extras, I also like to add a good glug of chilli oil and/or a large handful of fresh spinach leaves stirred into the hot pasta until they wilt.

Another money saving tip!

I'm not a big drinker. But I like cooking with alcohol. I was watching Nigella Lawson earlier in the week and it appears she's not a big drinker either (?!).  Often I'll end up opening a bottle, use a glass or two for cooking and despite my best efforts to drink it...it almost always ends up getting thrown down the sink. So what she suggetsed was, when you find you have a third of a bottle of wine left, or cider, or whatever and you're thinking of chucking it out...don't! Pour in into a sandwich bag, or a plastic container, and wack it in the freezer. Next time you need a bit of wine for a stew...just take it out a defrost. You can even defrost it in the microwave! Nice one Nigella.

Money / hastle saving tip

I make quite a few things that require a few breadcrumbs - meatballs, burgers, cripsy toppings for cauliflower cheese - you know the sort.  For a while, I used to crush cream crackers, but then I had an even better idea.  When it came to the end of a loaf of bread, I blitzed it in the blender until fine, placed into a takeaway plastic container and popped into the freezer and hey presto - whenever I need a few, I have a ready supply! Simple and obvious. But I hadn't thought of it until recently so thought I would share...

Been to Italia!

There are times when you just need to get away from home. I had one of those moments recently and just decided to book an impromptu holiday to Rome.

I spent four days over there, taking in all of the normal sites and tourist spots. But of course one of the things that always interests me more than anything is the food. It drives my girlfriend mad - but I explain that it pays dividends for her in the end as she ends up getting really nice food at the end of it!

But, there was one thing that surprised me when I was over there - and you might think it's a bit of strange thing to say...but bear with me. I was amazed at how many Italian restaurants there were. Now, I know I was in Italy, but in every other major City I've been to, there has been a plethora of different cuisines, all available a very short distance away. It was incredibly difficult to find anything other than the standard Italian fair. Don't get me wrong - I really like Italian food - but there is only so much of it I can take until I fancy something a bit different.

I was having a drink in the hotel and explained this to the barman. As it happens he lived in the UK for a few years during the 70s and had the standard 'all British food is rubbish' attitude. He quite simply believed that the reason you can get so many cuisines in the UK is because...well, we need it.

This, of course, I do not agree with. British food has come a long way in the last twenty or so years and its about time everyone else realised that! I've promised to send the barman a couple of recipes designed to change his tune. But I think the fact he hasn't been back since the 70s says a lot. And hopefully his visit will change that attitude.

The one thing that did cheer me up was the lovely receptionist who overheard our conversation. As it turned out, she loves British good and in fact often cooks it for friends of hers. Now that's progress! She asked for a good recipe for a Shepherd’s pie. Boom!

Anyway...off to make a lasagne ;-)

Some things are sooooo difficult to get hold of!

If there’s one thing this years lent challenge has taught me it’s that some things are really difficult to buy when you can’t use supermarkets. Prime example? Teabags. There are a couple of local delicatessens that sell the nice teapigs teabags – but I would see them as being more of a treat than something that can be drunk on a regular basis (in case you were wondering, I drink a lot of tea).  I’ve resorted to buying a batch from the internet where there are a number of different websites selling Clipper tea and such.  You can even buy it on Amazon!

The other particularly tricky item is cooking oil. Again, there are numerous specialists around selling premium extra virgin olive oil, even extra virgin organic rapeseed oil (where did that come from?!), but if you’re looking for a good all round vegetable oil or olive oil, its really difficult to come by. I am though reliably informed there is a good shop in Cheltenham that can provide, but at this point in time I don’t drive and I’m not going to get the train over to Cheltenham for a bottle of oil!

Perhaps the most annoying is pasta. Unless you have a good Italian deli or similar neat by, reasonably priced, good quality dried pasta is really difficult to come by.  I recently went to Cornwall for the weekend and came across a Rick Stein deli.  Brilliant!...I thought. Rick will provide. But alas…he didn’t. Pasta was available…but at £5.20 for 500g…? No thanks.  I decided the best thing to do was to get hold of some ‘tipo’ 00 flour and make my own. And I must say…it’s really good. It takes more time to make, and it more effort – but the end product is kind of worth it. A pasta machine isn’t essential but makes things so much easier. In fact, it’s inspired me to make my own ravioli next week. But I would say it’s been really rather annoying as there are times, particularly at the end of a working day, when quick and easy is required…and when it comes to pasta…FAIL!

A vegetarian dish to convert the carnivore

I’m finding that having a vegetable box means I’m eating a lot for vegetarian meals.  This one came about from looking at what I had left and in the cupboard and I have to say it has a very good chance of becoming a regular on my dinner list! Crusty white bread to mop up the delicious sauce is obligatory.

Spicy Tomato and Vegetable Pasta

Serves 2

2 tbsp olive oil

6 x handfuls penne pasta

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 small courgette, cut in 4 lengthways and then cut into half cm pieces

2 handfuls purple sprouting broccoli

1 400g tin cherry tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes work almost as well)

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes

Large pinch of sugar

1 tbsp crème fraiche

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt

Grated parmesan cheese, to serve

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan to a medium/low heat, add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the courgette and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, oregano, chilli and sugar.  Season to taste. Stir to combine, bring to the boil, put the lid on and reduce the heat to low. Slowly simmer for half and hour (the intention being to create a jammy sumptuous sauce).

2. When the sauce has been cooking for half an hour, cook the penne according to packet instructions.

3. When the pasta has 5 minutes left to cook, add the purple sprouting broccoli to the sauce. Cover and continue cooking.

4. Just before serving, add the crème fraiche to the sauce and stir through. Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta.

5. Spoon on to hot plates and grate over the parmesan cheese.

The ultimate conundrum…

So, I’ve given up chain food stores for lent.  Two weeks in and I have to say it’s going rather well!  The first dilemma was where to buy beer?!  I hadn’t really factored this in when I cam e up with the idea.

Luckily for me, a new micro-brewery has recently opened in Gloucester. The Gloucester Brewery began brewing in the autumn of last year and so far has three rather nice beers to offer; Gloucester Gold, Mariner and Dockside Dark (are you getting the theme here?). And I have to say – very good job indeed.

The brewery is located in Gloucester Docks, next door to Coots café. At the moment you kind of had to hunt them out but I’m assured the planning application for signage has been submitted. At the moment they are only open at weekends but I have to say it is well worth a visit to pick up a few bottles of the special stuff.

Even more exciting, the brewery is in the process of creating a special summer beer. They’re asking for members of the public to think of a name…winner takes a firkin of ale! (just to confirm, that’s a whole 72 pints!). Any suggestions can be emailed via their website and must be submitted by 15^th March. Chin chin!