Monthly Archives: May 2009

pan-fried salmon with spring greens

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pan-fried salmon with spring greens and bacon

In a rare moment of dining alone, I took the opportunity to have some fish. Salmon leapt into my hands (not literally) and I tore home to prepare.

A sprinkle of salt, pepper, cumin and coriander both sides and then the fish goes into a hot pan skin-side down. Just as it starts to brown I flip the fish over and add bacon and greens to the pan. Once that pink colour has gone from the sides it’s off to the plate with a little olive oil. I love how the smoky crisp skin gives way to meaty, silky flesh. The contrast with salty bacon and mild greens. Lovely summer food.

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chicken primavera

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chicken primavera

I follow the ever-efficient @ShortOrderMom on Twitter, and her frugal yet interesting recipes always catch my eye. This one is the primavera style sauce, not really heard of in the UK. It’s something that caught on in the States in 70s, then became kitsch and fell away out of fashion. I’ve heard restaraunts updating the dish of late.

Here’s her penny-saving version: get pasta on the boil while you fry some chicken breast. When that’s browned add frozen mixed veg (not something I’ver ever used but it worked very well here) until defrosted.

While this is all going on I combine cream cheese with milk and Italian salad dressing and warm it through.

Combine in a bowl and you have a very cheap meal. It worked out very tasty, but if I’m honest I could cut this slightly cheaper by buying a cream cheese with garlic & herbs in for a very similar flavour. Still, nice and light yet still tasty. Thanks SOM!

asparagus with crispy capers

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asparagus with crispy capers, chicken and lemon

I took the rare opportunity to do an entire meal on the BBQ, thanks to a timely blast of good weather. Chicken breasts are pounded flat and seasoned, then put straight on to the hot grill. Oiled asparagus joins it on the bars. Meanwhile on the hotplate side some capers are pushed around until they develop a crust, then put to one side for garnish. For a neat twist, I also griddled some lemons to both encourage juice and to give it an interesting smoked flavour. Perfectly tasty, and ready in ten minutes.

pesto

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pesto in my beloved pestle and mortar

Pesto epitomises my favourite foods: it simultaneously celebrates the individual ingredients and yet comes together to create an exciting new taste. If that wasn’t good enough, the sauce is ready before the pasta’s boiled. I don’t know who first had the idea for this, but they are worth applauding.

It’s not much of a recipe, my son can rattle off the ingredients: garlic, basil, parmesan, pine nuts, all bashed up together and then your best olive oil is added to make a paste, finally seasoned. If I have one spare, some lemon juice makes all the difference.

It’s brilliantly summery, the flavours astonish everyone who have only ever eaten it out of a jar, and I always make sure I have the bits for it lurking round my kitchen.