melting mozzarella and greens

london has become quite chilly over the past few days and stodge with gentle flavours is what i have been craving. in fact, this dish started off as an idea about stuffing cabbage leaves with a creamy leek and mushroom mix, but soon shifted towards pasta when i realised my cabbage was past its best.

it was also a great way to use up a random mix of other green vegetables that needed a bit of tlc. leeks and fennel were softened in melted butter with lots of garlic. i then added some reconstituted wild mushrooms and shredded sundried tomatoes plus a handful of marinated roasted artichokes and some leftover wilted spinach. a spoonful of flour was added and cooked for a minute and then i poured in the water from the mushrooms plus a couple of spoons of double cream (the dregs of a pot from the previous week) and some crème fraiche to lighten it all up. this was mixed with almost cooked pasta, chunks of mozzarella and then topped with breadcrumbs and grated cheese (a lurid red leicester!) before being heated through in the oven.

the greens made everything taste healthy whereas the stringy pockets of melted mozzarella made it taste decadent. perfect for a chilly sunday evening.

summer leek and lemon pasta

 

i have a new favourite pasta dish. this lemon, leek and crème fraiche concoction, which is freshened up with herbs, contains peas and asparagus. or peas and broad beans. or something else entirely (i think courgette would also be good, in combination with any of the above) and seems to be very adaptable which is perfect for using up whatever happens to be in the fridge.

despite being creamy it’s wonderfully light (crème fraiche is a much lighter choice than cream) and perfect both for a warm day or if you need something a bit comforting to make up for the almost-daily, but thankfully intermittent, rain showers we’re getting at the moment.

give it a try and let me know what you think, especially if you use different vegetables. 

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creamy leek, courgette and olive pasta

this courgette and olive pasta was a quick and easy fridge-bottom meal. i was home alone, hungover and in need of a stodgy lunch to get me feeling normal again. going to the shops was not part of the plan.

the fridge was bare and amongst the few vegetables we had in were a leek and a courgette. these were slow-cooked with some smoked pancetta, garlic and chilli flakes. when they had softened (while the pasta was cooking) i mixed in some chopped olives and capers, a splash of cream, a handful of grated parmesan and seasoned with salt and pepper.

this is a much richer than the pasta dishes i usually make but it hit the spot and got me back on track.

creamy mushroom and leek lasagne

vegetarian lasagnes can be shameful affairs – a final resting home for non-descript vegetables, no clear flavours and the provoker of a slightly mournful sigh if ever they are the only vegetarian option on a menu.

having said that, they can also be fabulous and are well worth making yourself (see here and here for a couple more vegetarian lasagne options). one of the secrets, i think, is to think about the vegetables you want to use and how you are going to ensure that their individual flavours shine through. making sure that everything works together is also important.

this leek and mushroom lasagne was truly fabulous. it is based on nigel slater’s recipe for mushroom lasagne with pesto but with addition of a layer if slow-cooked creamy leeks in the middle. you do need to be a bit of a mushroom fan though as their flavour is at the fore.

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green tart

for many people weekends seem to be a time to think about what exciting, exotic and time-consuming dishes they can create in the extra hours that they have. i do this too, especially if we have friends coming over as i always see guests as an opportunity to try new things.

however, things have been a little different recently – my weekend cooking currently seems to focus around the various vegetables which i have sitting in my kitchen and which need to be used up before they are past their best and beyond redemption.

later in the week i’ll fill you in on how i managed to use up the final half of a savoy cabbage which was only a few days away from the bin (exciting stuff eh?), but first a green tart which created a magnificent home for wilting spinach, yellowing leeks and softening courgettes. sorry if that sounds horrid, my intention is to reassure you that this recipe is fine for vegetables which are a little past their best!

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