For the chowder, melt the butter in a large pot and stir in the leek, carrot, and a little salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften, 4–6 minutes. Add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes longer, stirring frequently. Pour in the crayfish stock and tip in the potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the corn and cook until tender, 2–3 minutes.
Adjust the seasoning, adding a little lemon juice to taste. Add the crayfish meat to the soup and heat for a few minutes to warm through. Ladle into warm bowls and serve immediately, garnished with a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
Baked potato soup with sour cream
This soup was inspired by one I had many years ago at the acclaimed El Bulli restaurant in Spain. The clear broth is infused with the flavor of baked potatoes and served with homemade potato gnocchi: a surprising and delightful mouthful of flavors and textures.
SERVES 4–6 AS A FIRST COURSE
4 large baking potatoes, about 1¾ pounds in total, scrubbed and dried
3 cups clear chicken or vegetable stock (see Chapter 9)
2/3 cup sour cream
handful of fresh chives, minced
Gnocchi:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2½ tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the potatoes in a large sheet of foil. Bake until tender when pierced with a skewer, about 1½ hours. Remove from the oven and turn down the heat to 300°F. Wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands, peel the skins off the potatoes while still hot. Spread the skins out on a baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, 15–20 minutes. Turn off the oven, but leave the skins inside to continue drying.
Meanwhile, make the gnocchi. Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer, then spread out on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and let cool completely. You need 14 ounces or about 2 heaped cups (save the rest for another dish). Mix in the flour, salt, Parmesan, and olive oil. Slowly incorporate the egg until the mixture comes together to form a dough; you may not need all the egg. Lightly knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Divide into four balls. Roll each ball into a long sausage about ½ inch thick. Cut into ½-inch pieces. Roll each piece lightly between your palms to neaten the shape (you don’t have to make perfect rounds).
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and have ready a bowl of ice water. Blanch the gnocchi in batches until they float to the surface, 2–3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into the ice water. Drain well, then toss in a bowl with a generous drizzle of olive oil and some seasoning.
For the soup, bring the stock to a boil in a pot with a little salt and pepper. Tip in the crisp potato skins. Cover the pot and gently simmer until the skins have imparted their color and flavor to the stock, 30–40 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pot. Discard the skins. When ready to serve, reheat the gnocchi in the potato-infused broth and simmer for a minute. Divide among warm bowls and garnish with spoonfuls of sour cream and minced chives.
Creamy sorrel soup
There is no match for the distinctive zesty and peppery flavor of sorrel. I cook with it as much as possible when it is in season. This soup is one of my favorites, and is equally delicious hot or cold. Make sure the stock is piping hot when you add the sorrel to the pan so that the leaves wilt quickly and you retain their vibrant green color.
SERVES 4
2 large bunches of sorrel, 5–6 ounces in total, washed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish or mild onion, chopped
2 cups peeled and finely diced potatoes
3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock (see Chapter 9)
2/3 cup sour cream
handful of red-vein sorrel leaves for garnish (optional)
Roughly chop the sorrel and set aside. Heat the oil in a pot and add the onion, potatoes, and some seasoning. Stir well and cover the pot with a lid. Cook over medium to low heat for 10 minutes, lifting the lid every once in a while to give the vegetables a stir.
When the potatoes are soft, pour in the hot stock and boil for a few minutes. Tip in the sorrel. As soon as the leaves begin to wilt, immediately remove the pot from the heat. In two batches, transfer the soup to a blender and blitz until very smooth. (Hold a dish towel over the lid of the blender to protect your hands from any hot soup that might splash out.)
Stir in half of the sour cream and reheat the soup, if necessary. Pour into warm bowls and garnish with the remaining sour cream and, if you wish, some red-vein sorrel.
pasta and grains
Tana has begun to feed the kids a vegetarian meal once a week, which means being creative in combining beans and other legumes, grains, and pasta with a variety of vegetables. The kids love it when she experiments. When the weather is cold we use a lot of pearl barley, adding it to soups, stews, and winter salads. Barley can even take the place of rice in a risotto. The excellent barley risotto here has featured many a time on our restaurant menus.
My love affair with pasta stems from the time I spent in Sicily and Sardinia as a young chef. When I finally returned to London and opened Aubergine back in October, 1993, I was determined to include handmade pasta on the menu. Fresh pasta can be mind-blowing, and any young chef joining our brigade had to master the art of making it. It is a fundamental skill in our kitchens.
Farfalle with bacon, peas, and sage
Fresh tagliatelle with Stilton and mushrooms
Grilled vegetable lasagne
Conchiglie with meaty tomato ragù
Penne with baked pumpkin and rosemary
Spaghetti with broccoli, garlic, and chili
Chorizo, fava bean, and mint couscous
Linguine with lemon, feta, and basil
Smoked haddock with white beans and parsley
Gordon’s posh kedgeree
Spinach, mushroom, and ricotta cannelloni
Goat cheese, beet, and lentil salad
Wild mushroom-barley risotto
Herby rice pilaf with pistachios and almonds
Farfalle with bacon, peas, and sage
This is an easy version of pasta carbonara, without any egg yolks, so there is no chance of the sauce splitting. My kids must have this for supper once a week—they love it!
SERVES 4
14 ounces dried farfalle
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 ounces thick-sliced lean bacon, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1¼ cups heavy cream
1 cup green peas, thawed if frozen
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
small handful each of fresh sage and flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Tip in the farfalle and cook according to the package directions until the pasta is al dente.
Heat the oil in large saucepan and add the bacon. Fry over high heat until the bacon is golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Pour in the cream and bring to a boil. Let simmer until reduced and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Tip in the peas, bring back to a simmer, and cook for 3–4 minutes longer. Stir the grated Parmesan into the sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
When the pasta is ready, drain it in a colander and immediately tip into the sauce. Add the herbs and toss the pasta until well coated with the creamy sauce. Divide among warm plates and sprinkle with a little more Parmesan before serving.
Fresh tagliatelle with Stilton and mushrooms
Tana likes to make this toward year end, using leftover Stilton from Christmas. Of course, you can use any blue cheese: Piquant Roquefort, savory Dolcelatte, or creamy Gorgonzola would all work well.
SERVES 6
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 3½ cups)
/> ½ cup heavy cream
1 pound fresh tagliatelle
4 ounces Stilton, chopped or crumbled
handful each of fresh oregano and flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, melt the butter in a wide sauté pan. When it begins to foam, add the mushrooms and some seasoning. Fry over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender. Add the cream and reduce the heat.
Cook the tagliatelle in the boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 4–5 tablespoons of the water in the pot. Return the tagliatelle to the pot and tip in the mushrooms and cream. Add three-quarters of the Stilton and half of the chopped herbs, then toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the melting cheese and mushroom sauce.
Divide among individual serving plates and scatter the remaining Stilton and herbs over the top. Serve at once.
Grilled vegetable lasagne
Food like this is far too good to reserve just for vegetarians. If you have time, make the tomato sauce the day before to let the flavors balance out.
SERVES 4–6
10 ounces fresh lasagne sheets (about 12)
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 buffalo mozzarella, 5 ounces each, thinly sliced
small handful of fresh basil, leaves only
Tomato and basil sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
small handful of fresh basil, leaves torn
Grilled vegetables:
1 small eggplant
1 large zucchini
1 yellow crookneck squash
olive oil for drizzling
leaves stripped from a few sprigs of fresh thyme
sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
First, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and thyme with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, 6–8 minutes. Tip in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 30 minutes. Taste and add sugar if the sauce seem acidic. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Trim the eggplant, zucchini, and squash, then slice into ½-inch rounds. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Toss with the herbs. Cook in batches on a hot grill pan until tender and lightly charred, 2–3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large bowl.
Preheat the broiler to hot. Cut the bell peppers in half and place them cut-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Broil until well charred, 10–15 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before peeling off the skins and discarding the seeds. Cut the flesh into wedges and add to the bowl of grilled vegetables.
When the tomato sauce is ready, add the basil. Transfer to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Tip into a bowl and let cool.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a deep baking dish. Put two sheets of lasagne on top, then sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Arrange a layer of grilled vegetables on the pasta, followed by a layer of mozzarella. Add another layer of tomato sauce. Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the dish. You want to finish with a layer of lasagne sheets spread generously with tomato sauce, topped with a final layer of mozzarella cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Bake until the cheese topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the sides, 30–40 minutes.
Conchiglie with meaty tomato ragù
This is my version of a pasta bolognese. I prefer to use conchiglie, because their shell shape holds more of the flavorful sauce than spaghetti does. Meat ragù freezes well and makes an ideal prepare-ahead supper.
SERVES 4
Ragù:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 celery rib, minced
1 carrot, minced
leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 pound lean ground beef
2/3 cup dry white wine
14-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice
1¼ cups chicken stock (see Chapter 9) or water
pinch of sugar (optional)
Pasta:
14 ounces dried conchiglie
large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley and oregano, chopped
freshly grated Parmesan for serving
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan until hot. Add the onion and some seasoning. Fry over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften, 6–8 minutes. Tip in the garlic, celery, carrot, and herbs. Sauté over high heat until the vegetables are lightly golden, 3–4 minutes.
Add the remaining oil and the beef. Stir well, pressing down on the beef to break it up. Season again and continue to stir over high heat until the beef is no longer red. Pour in the wine and let it boil vigorously until almost all evaporated and the pan is quite dry.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes and stock. Stir well to mix. When the liquid in the pan begins to boil, turn the heat to the lowest setting and partially cover the pan. Cook gently for 2½–3 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of sugar, if necessary, to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
About 15 minutes before you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. As soon as the pasta is ready, drain it and immediately add to the hot ragù, stirring in the chopped herbs as well. Divide among warm plates and serve with a generous grating of black pepper and Parmesan.
Penne with baked pumpkin and rosemary
There are two ways to serve this sauce: smooth or chunky. The texture depends both on your taste and on the firmness of the pumpkin flesh. Small pumpkins will have firmer flesh and a sweetness that will caramelize well on cooking.
SERVES 4–6 AS A FIRST COURSE OR LIGHT LUNCH
1-pound wedge of pumpkin, skin on, seeds and fibers removed
olive oil for drizzling
4 garlic cloves, skin on, halved
leaves from a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
few sprigs of fresh thyme
14 ounces dried penne
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus shavings for garnish
Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the pumpkin into thin wedges. Spread a little olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Arrange the pumpkin in a single layer in the pan and drizzle generously with more olive oil. Scatter the garlic, herbs, and a little more seasoning over the pumpkin. Bake until the pumpkin is soft, 20–25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Reserve the oil in the roasting pan (discard the herbs and garlic pulp). Remove the skin from the pumpkin and cut the flesh into small, bite-sized chunks. If making a smooth sauce, put the pumpkin and reserved oil into a food processor and blitz to a smooth purée. Transfer to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let bubble until reduced to a consistency that will coat the pasta well.
Cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and return to the hot pot.
Add the pumpkin purée and grated Parmesan and toss well. If you’ve decided to leave the pumpkins in chunks, simply toss them and the reserved oil with the pasta and Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide among individual plates and sprinkle each serving with a small handful of Parmesan shavings.
Spaghetti with broccoli, garlic, and chili
I fir
st tasted this pasta dish in Sicily, and it blew me away. Who would have thought a little garlic, chili pepper, and broccoli could make a delicious spaghetti sauce? The key is to flavor good-quality olive oil with the garlic and chili over lowish heat before you add the broccoli. You don’t want the garlic to color too much or it will overpower the dish.
SERVES 4
14 ounces dried spaghetti
¼ cup olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 fresh, hot, red chili pepper, deseeded and minced
1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets
splash of water or chicken stock (see Chapter 9)
squeeze of lemon juice, to taste
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.
A few minutes before the pasta is ready, heat a large sauté pan with the oil over low to medium heat. Add the garlic, chili pepper, and a pinch of salt and sauté for a minute. When the garlic becomes sticky and very lightly golden around the edges, add the broccoli and a splash of water. Cover the pan and let steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid, squeeze in the lemon juice, and toss the broccoli with a little more seasoning.
Drain the pasta and immediately tip into the sauté pan, adding a little of the salted water from the pasta pot to help create a sauce. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and check the seasoning. Divide among warm plates and serve at once.
Cooking for Friends Page 3
