Poutine for cheats

The Friday wearies have hit me hard. I had an intense meeting today that was supposed to end with no further work, but actually ended with considerable further work. I was too tired to go out, though I was supposed to, and left the office late again. Then I couldn't ride or walk home because of my suit and heels gettup.

I had grand plans on the tram of getting home and immediately going for a long run, returning the dvds that were due back on Wednesday, hire some more, and then doing something constructive. However on getting home I immediately thought: fukkit, I'll just open a bottle of wine, make poutine and watch Masterchef.

My poutine is not nutritionally sound, nor particularly authentic. It is basically poutine made with potato gems. If you know me, you will already know how much my emotional stability and my hips owe to potato gems. It is also made with instant gravy, because I thought I had an onion, but I do not, and I am not leaving the house again. Not with all this Winter going on.

So here it is:

Ingredients

• Potato gems
• Grated cheddar
• Instant gravy powder
• mustard
• onion if you have one

Put the potato gems in the oven just as the bag instructs. When they're crispy and golden brown scatter the cheddar over them and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

Make the gravy. If you have an onion, slice it thinly and sautee it in butter. Then add your instant gravy powder and hot water. If you don't have an onion, skip straight to the instant bizzo. (Obviously if you have a superior gravy method, go with that. I didn't have an onion or stock, and instant gravy seems utterly fitting for this Friday night). Bring to the boil and let it thicken, add a spoonful of mustard. I use French - after all, this is poutine. Add some black pepper if you fancy it.

Then pour your gravy into a bowl and scatter your cheesy gems on top. You could do it the other way round, but I am loathe to soggify the crispy gems by dousing them in the gravy. Instead I like them to rise above it. I feel the same way about ice-cream and waffles, but that is an anecdote for another time.

Consume with a Pinot Noir. After all people, it is Friday.

Beef ragu

This is another really simple recipe that doesn't take much effort but is best when left to cook for a long time, like four hours worth of time. It's so easy to throw together though, that I would recommend starting it the day before you want to eat it, as it can be put on after dinner, and left to cook until you go to bed. Then just re-heat it the next night.

Use a cheap cut of beef as the slow cooking process will turn just about anything to velvet. You can use any pre-made tomato napoletana sauce, but I was lucky enough this time to have an exquisite home-made version courtesy of my workmate, David, which turned this from mmm to wow.

Ingredients

1 kilo of diced beef chuck steak
1 big jar of napoletana sauce
1 brown onion
lotsa garlic
olive oil
0.5 litres of beef stock
splash of red wine
herbs of your choosing (basil, oregano, sage and rosemary all spring to mind)
penne, or your preferred pasta
parmasan, salt and pepper to taste

In an oven proof dish, brown the beef in a small amount of olive oil, then remove from the dish. Add some more oil to the dish, then throw in the finely chopped onion and garlic. Once the onion is softened, add the tomato sauce, stock, wine and herbs and bring to a boil. You could add a couple of chopped tomatoes too if you wanted. Then add the beef back in, put the lid on the dish and place in the oven at about 150 Celcius, or as low as you can manage with the sauce still sizzling and leave for at least two hours and preferably four. If you make it the night before it's even better.

When you're ready to eat, bring the sauce to the boil, cook the pasta and scoff it down with garlic bread, if you know what's good for you.

Pasta sauce with slow roasted mushrooms (and other yummy things)

This is a pasta sauce that I like to make from time to time. It's basic, rustic and good for you. The giant field mushrooms have a really meaty texture, and the mushroom flavour becomes potent through the roasting. It takes a little while, but is ridiculously simple, and can be varied according to your preference and whatever you have to hand. Sometimes I also slow roast some tomotoes brushed with balsamic, then add some pecorino or fetta, other times I've just sliced and tossed the mushrooms through some pesto.

It always goes well with a chunkier pasta, like parpadelle, farfalle, orichiette or similar.

This time I mixed the mushrooms through with some sauteed kale and toasted walnuts and had it on gnocchi. This was an excellent combo. In a perfect world I would have made the gnocchi from scratch with a mix of both standard and sweet potatoes, but this time I used fresh potato gnocchi. Here's the recipe:


Ingredients
3 large field mushrooms
1 bunch of kale or Tuscan cabbage
lotsa garlic
a big knob of butter
olive oil
gnocchi
salt and pepper and parmasan to taste

Brush the mushrooms lightly with olive oil on both sides. Place them on their caps and throw a shake of salt and ground pepper over them. Put them in a slow oven (about 140 Celcius).

After about 30 minutes, start the rest of the preparations. First chop the walnuts into big ol' chunks and scatter them around the mushrooms, then return to the oven. Boil some water for the gnocchi, then melt the large knob of butter in a deep, non-stick frying pan.  While this is melting add the gnocchi to the water. Throw the roughly chopped garlic into the buttery pan and after about half a minute, the equally roughly chopped kale and toss through the butter.   At about this time the gnocchi will be done. It takes about 2 minutes, but will float to the top of the water when it's done. Drain the gnocchi on a plate. You can add a splash of the pasta water to the kale to help it wilt, and if you have a bottle handy, add a splash of wine (white or red, either is good but I prefer red) to it as well.

Remove the kale from the pan and rest in a dish. Take the mushrooms from the oven and slice in half, then across in approximately 0.5 centimeter slices. Mix the mushrooms and garlic through the kale.

In the same frying pan you cooked the kale, add a generous splash of olive oil and then scatter the gnocchi into the pan. Toss at 1 minute intervals, until each gnoccho is golden brown on at least one side.  Throw the mushrooms and kale mix over the top, add a small amount of salt and plenty of cracked pepper and grate parmasan over the lot.

Potato and Leek Tart

Ingredients:

• potatoes - 5 small or 3 large
• 2 leeks
• mustard (your preference, I use French or Dijon)
• 1 egg
• 1 block of gruyere, grated
• a small amount of parmasen cheese, grated
• shortcrust pastry (make your own, or if in a hurry, use frozen sheets)

Boil the potatoes until just cooked and still firm (the same consistency you might use for a potato salad). Thaw the pastry sheets and line a greased, fluted pie or tart dish with the pastry, and trim the edges. Line with dry rice or beans and blind bake for 10 minutes or so, the packet will specify the time.  If I don't have beans I sometimes line with foil and blind bake at about 200 degrees - it's not perfect but it's pretty good. While the pastry is in the oven and the potatoes are boiling, thinly slice the leeks and and sautee in butter or olive oil until soft.


Once the potatoes are cooked, run under some cold water to cool them quickly, then slice in half longways, then in half centimeter slices (half moon shaped). 


Mix together the leeks, potatoes, raw egg and half the gruyere cheese with some salt and pepper. Be careful to mix carefully so the potatoes do not turn to mash. 


Spread a generous layer of mustard over the floor of the pastry, then spoon over the potato and leek mixture and spread it to the edges. Cover with the remaining gruyere and the parmasen and bake for a further 15 or 20 minutes, until the top is browning. 


Devour.

Scallop and prosciutto salad

Prosciutto, sliced into a dozen or so thin pieces
Scallops (about 8)

Peas

Cherry Tomatoes

Rocket

Fresh mint, finely chopped

Some unsalted butter for frying

Fry the scallops in the butter, remove and drain, then fry the prosciutto until crisp. Drain on paper towel.

Cook the peas, drain, and rinse in cold water to cool. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and toss through with rocket, peas and mint. Toss with a small dash of olive oil and cracked pepper. Add prosciutto and scallops, and scoff right down with some crisp white wine.

Buckwheat Soba Satay with Chilli Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

Ingredients:
Small head of broccoli
Small head of cauliflower
Chilli powder
Olive Oil
1 packet of buckwheat soba noodles
Satay sauce:
Crunchy peanut butter (half a cup to a cup worth)
2 small hot red chillies, finely chopped
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
Lots of garlic, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Generous pour of soy sauce
Several tablespoons of brown sugar
Spring onions

Method:
Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into small florets, and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle liberally with chilli powder and olive oil and toss until all florets are coated. Place in hot oven to roast until getting brown and cripsy (25-35 minutes).

Prepare the soba according the the instructions on the packet (ie boil in water, and drain).

To make satay, in a medium sized saucepan brown onions in olive oil, add chillies and garlic. Then add peanut butter and lower heat. Once peanut butter is runny, add soy and lemon juice and stir through. If getting too thick add some water. Add brown sugar. Taste (this is the best bit). Adjust to your liking by adding more sugar, lemon juice, soy, or peanut butter as required.

Place roasted vegies on noodles, and dole the satay over the lot, and stir through (gently so as not to break the noodles too much). Sprinkle with finely chopped spring onions.

NB This satay sauce is fantastically delicious, and can be used for many other purposes, including marinade for shish kebabs, and as a dipping sauce for rice paper rolls. Yum.

Pink and Green Salad

Ingredients:

Peas
Fresh Mint (lots)
Fetta
Beetroot

Cook the peas and allow to cool (soak them in iced water if you need to speed this process up). Roughly chop the mint and fetta, and peel and grate the raw beetroot. Throw all the ingredients in a large bowl, and toss. The beetroot will stain the fetta a hot pink colour almost immediately.

Dress with raspberry vinaigrette and olive oil.


NB Peas can be substituted for other lovely green vegies such as green beans, or broad beans. All other ingredients remain absolutely essential.