Hot diggity, I love chorizo. So meaty, spicy and god-darned irresistible. I hate those pre-packed sweaty little plastic things, so I always buy mine from the deli counter. Except there I have to plead with the assistant not to slice it into bits, it’s always finger-thick slices or rough dice for me.
This wintry soup is a real cracker: fried leeks and chorizo, cooked until softened, joined by red lentils, paprika and stock, then allowed to simmer until everything’s tender. Followed by the obligatory blitz. Just to finish it off I seared some reserved chorizo slices until blackened, then rested on top to allow its savoury blood-red juices to drip into the chunky soup.
Some friends were coming over, and I wanted something a little elegant and classy as a starter. I was cooking for a vegetarian friend, so there are considerations there. This was a recipe from Jason Gillies, actually from a magazine she had bought me, so it had a serendipity to it.
It was a bloody long process – definitely worth it, but a long process. It started with fried leeks and peas simmered with cream until tender, egg yolks added for richness, then blitzed. This was then piled into a pastry case and topped with wilted asparagus, and a little parmesan. A short burst in the oven browns it off and just sets it. Creamy, rich, yet very elegant.
I don’t have a picture but I made Pizzoccheri for main, a thoroughly filling dish apparently for skiers. It’s named after the pasta that it’s supposed to be made with, but as it’s so impossible to find I used trimmed lasagne sheets instead. Made with fried onions, blanched cabbage, par-boiled potatoes, Emmental and a bechamel sauce, it’s then baked together in an enormous dish and fills you up like nobody’s business.
A homestyle “Pasta ‘n’ Sauce”: fry some leeks, gammon, add macaroni and then keep covering with chicken stock until tender. Simple and brill. Next time I’d add a slosh of white wine for a sweet kick, but this was great winter stuff.
Crappy name, sorry about that. But we’ve never settled on a better name for this heavenly and wholesome dish, that not only celebrates the ingredients in it, but is an absolute triumph of speed and economy. I found it via Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food: Recipes from The F Word, hence the name.
Five ingredients – that’s all you need – pancetta, leeks, chestnut mushrooms, creme fraiche, conchiglie or shell pasta (I’ve tried all shapes and shells are the best).
Get some pasta going in boiling water. Two tips here: make sure the water is at “the rolling boil” and going great guns. Secondly, always salt the water. How much? The best advice I heard was “twice as much as you think you need” which never fails me. The pancetta starts off in a medium-heat big saucepan, and once slightly crispy, leeks go in. When tender, mushrooms, then a couple of minutes later a small tub of creme fraiche is added while the heat goes down. Season up now and have a taste. As there’s not a lot of cooking going on it’s going to need good seasoning to bring the flavours out. By now the pasta should be done (al dente please) so drain that and add a splash of cooking water and the shells to the mix and toss together.
That’s it. Honestly. For perfection I add a dash of chopped parsley, but it’s such a celebration of each of its parts it’s really difficult to get wrong. Salty pancetta, tangy leeks, meaty mushrooms and a tart creamy finish, all cupped in a little pasta shell. Brilliant.
“Gordon’s pasta”:
200g conchiglie pasta
2 medium leeks, washed and sliced
75g diced pancetta
250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
300ml creme fraiche
Bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
Fry the pancetta in a hot pan with some oil until starting to crisp.
Add the leeks and fry until tender.
Add the mushrooms and fry until softened. Season.
Lower the heat, add the creme fraiche and stir through.
Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water, then add the shells. Stir thoroughly.
Check for seasoning, serve into bowls and top with parsley.
