Open Table

Prawn and Asparagus Risotto

Last night I had some old friends over for dinner.  We all grew up popping in and out of each others houses and spending long summers on the beach and messing around on boats.

As so often happens with busy lives ... and the added constraint of a few continents separating us ... we don’t often find ourselves around the same table.

Last night, for the first time in a year, we did ... we needed simple food so we could have a good catch up.

After a few nibbles and a bottle of Prosecco, I made risotto.  

It is a great recipe for an evening around the kitchen table ... one pot, not much washing up and everyone can have a quick stir while you find some plates ... or in my case put the children to bed.

We finished with a meringue roulade, a little cake and a lot of chocolate ... it was great.

If you want a simple dinner with friends here is the recipe:

PRAWN AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Serves 4 as a main, 8 as a starter

Ingredients

400g Risotto rice, 200g Uncooked peeled king prawns, 20 Stalks of asparagus, 160mil large glass of white wine, 1.25ltr Stock, 50g Grated parmesan, 2 Cloves grated garlic, 1 Medium onion, 50g butter, salt and pepper

• Finely chop the onion and place in heavy bottomed pan, drizzle in some olive oil and place on a medium heat.  
• Once the onions start to soften and go a bit opaque grate in the garlic and stir, leave for a minutes and add in all the rice
• Stir the rice until it is all covered in oil and has gone slightly opaque.  This should take about a minute.
• The pan will be really hot, so will sizzle when you add the wine
• Pour in the wine, stirring while you pour.
• After a minute pour 250 mil of stock into the pan and stir, from this point it will take 18-20 minutes to cook the rice.
• After 3 minutes pour another 250 mil 
• You will need to keep stirring the risotto every couple of minutes adding in more stock when ever it starts to look dry.  I find that I normally use all of the 1.25 ltrs of stock
• After about 10 minutes when the rice is almost cooked add in the asparagus and allow to cook for 2 minutes.  After two minutes taste the rice, if it is cooked then move to the next step, if not keep adding water and stirring until cooked. 
• Once the rice is cooked add the prawns, parmesan, and butter to the pan.  Stir continuously for a minute and a half till the prawns and asparagus are cooked, season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and serve

Cooking notes

Risotto is much easier to cook than you think it will be.  I have said make up 1.25 liter of stock, however all rice is different and will need a different amount of water to cook.  If you don’t use it all don’t worry ... and if finish it all and the rice is not yet cooked make some more stock up and put it in.

For my stock, I use Vegetable Bouillon Powder but you can use any stock you like.

Adapting

If you don’t have many prawns or would like to add another flavour to this risotto you can add chorizo to it.  Dice 60g of chorizo and place in frying pan for a couple of minutes until crispy, the oil will leak out of the chorizo.  Just before you serve mix the chorizo and all the oil into the risotto.

 

Pomegranate, Mint & Pistachio Couscous

I have found myself making a lot of salads over the last couple of weeks.  I am trying to stay positive that the summer will return ...

We had friends for sunday lunch recently and I served this wonderfully quick salad with roast poussin.  It is such a great meal for sunday lunch.  It is quick, feeds large numbers with little mess and the children love it ...  

POMEGRANATE & MINT COUSCOUS SALAD - Serves 4 (as a side)

Ingredients

250g couscous, 300ml vegetable stock, 1 onion, 1 pomegranate, 15g mint, 10g flat leaf parsley, 1 Lemon, 25g shelled pistachios, extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper

• Place the Couscous in a heatproof bowl, make up the stock and pour the boiling water over the couscous.  Leave to stand for at least 15 minutes to allow the couscous to swell and cool down.
• Place the onion in a frying pan on a low heat and cook till soft and starting to colour, you will need to stir the onion fairly frequently.  Once cooked stir into the cooling couscous
• Place 10g of parsley and 10g of mint into a food processor with 40mil of oil and whizz into a paste. 
• Roughly chop 25g of shelled pistachios and add them and the herb paste to the couscous, mixing throughly
• Cut your Pomegranate in half and carefully remove the seeds and place them in a bowl so you collect all the juice.  Add the following to the pomegranate: 5g of roughly chopped mint, the rind of the lemon, a tablespoon of olive oil. 
• Add the pomegranate mixture to the couscous, mix well and serve 

Cooking notes

I have given measurements for my couscous.  If you don’t have scales or a measuring jug then just remember that you need the same volume of couscous to water.  I use a cup that holds 250g of couscous and then fill the cup with boiling water ... filled it holds 300ml of water.  You must use boiling water for the stock and pour it over the couscous just after it has boiled.

If you are not going to use the rest of the lemon in the next day or two then cut it into slices and place in the freezer to add to gin and tonics.

If your pomegranate is quite bitter add a teaspoon of honey to the pomegranate when you add the mint.

You want to pistachios to be very crunchy, if they are not toast them by placing them in a frying pan for a couple of minutes on a medium heat.  Keep them moving in the pan and watch them as they can suddenly burn.

Adapting

This salad is really adaptable.  Almonds or pine nuts are great instead of the pistachios.  If you don’t have any couscous this salad is also great with Bulgar Wheat.  

 

 

BASMATI RICE

This is the first time I have stopped today so we are having leftovers from last nights curry ... Todays recipe is not very exciting but it is a staple that I use it at least once a week (twice in this case) ... Basmati rice

It took me a while to get rice right, but I persevered and got there in the end ... there is no point cooking a wonderful curry if your rice is soggy, over cooked and mushy ... all of which have happened to me before this recipe ...

BASMATI RICE - Serves 2

Ingredients

200g Basmati rice, 425ml Boiling water

• Put the kettle on to boil
• Measure out 200g of rice (100g per person) and place in sieve.  Rinse the rice under cold water for a few minutes till the water runs clear.

 At this point you have a choice of cooking methods:

• Using a hob:
• Place the washed rice in to a saucepan and add the boiling water.  Place the saucepan on the hob and let it boil for 2 minutes, stir the rice. Place the lid on the saucepan and turn of the heat, leaving the saucepan on gas ring.  The rice will slowly steam for 15 minutes, run a fork through the rice and it is ready to serve. 
• Using a 4 door AGA:
• Place the washed rice in to a saucepan and add the boiling water.  Place the saucepan on the hot hob and let it boil for 2 minutes. Place the lid on the saucepan and put it in the warming oven for 15 minutes, run a fork through the rice, it is ready to serve.    
• Using a microwave:
• Place the washed rice in to a heatproof bowl and add the boiling water.  Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the microwave on high for 12 minutes.   Remove the Clingfilm (being careful of the steam) and run a fork through the rice, it is ready to serve.  

Cooking notes

I serve 100g of rice per person.  I found a small ceramic cup that holds exactly 100g of basmati rice.  I use this now rather than weighing and measuring out the rice and water.  I work on a ratio of 2:3.  Therefore, to make rice for two people I use the ceramic cup to measure 2 cups of rice (200g) and 3 cups of boiling water (425ml). 

Make sure you throughly wash the rice.  If you don't it can be very sticky when cooked.  If this happens, place the rice in a colander and run under warm water for a minute or so ... it should help.  To get rid of excess water in the rice place a side plate on top of the rice in the colander and press down.

Adapting

If you want to flavour the rice then you can using the hob method ... here are two of my favorite recipes for flavoured rice:

Garlic Rice

• Put the kettle on to boil
• Measure out 200g of rice (100g per person) and place in sieve.  Rinse the rice under cold water for a few minutes till the water runs clear.
• Add 15ml of olive oil and 1 large grated clove of garlic to the saucepan and allow to cook slowly for about a minute so that the garlic can infuse the oil
• Place the washed rice into the saucepan and and stir so all the rice is coated in the oil
• Add the boiling water, let the water boil for 2 minutes while you stir the rice. Place the lid on the saucepan and turn of the heat, leaving the saucepan on gas ring.  The rice will slowly steam for 15 minutes, run a fork through the rice and it is ready to serve. 

Rice with mustard seeds

• Put the kettle on to boil
• Measure out 200g of rice (100g per person) and place in sieve.  Rinse the rice under cold water for a few minutes till the water runs clear.
• Add a tablespoon of Gee.  Once melted add in a teaspoon of mustard seeds.  Toast for a minute till they are very hot and start to pop
• Place the washed rice into the saucepan and stir so all the rice is coated in the gee
• Add the boiling water, let the water boil for 2 minutes while you stir the rice. Place the lid on the saucepan and turn of the heat, leaving the saucepan on gas ring.  The rice will slowly steam for 15 minutes, run a fork through the rice and it is ready to serve. 

MUSHROOM RISOTTO

I landed in Toronto on Thursday evening and have been incredibly spoilt by my brother and sister –in-law.

My holiday started with cocktails on Thursday night, I felt very sex in the city with my lychee martini in an uber cool bar. 

Sushi for lunch on Friday with Anne, my wonderful friend who left London and moved home to Toronto six weeks ago.

Ice Hockey Game on Friday night with my bro… Lots of pizza, beer and shouting “Go leafs go!”

Spa yesterday with my sister in law, I have never had such an amazing facial ... a big Thank You Jess.  Followed by lunch out ….

We have not stopped.  We decided we needed to have a night in … I cooked and bored my brother about the importance of good ingredients.

While I cooked he was opening the beer and showed me where all the ingredients were kept.  We got to parmesan … I could not find it in the fridge … he went riffling through the back of his cupboard and pulled out a half tub of grated parmesan … his logic was it was so plastic it did not matter if it was not in the fridge.  My logic was if it was so plastic it should have been left at the shop.  

With the parmesan in the bin we found some other cheese in the fridge that worked as a substitute and bunged it in …

MUSHROOM RISOTTO - Serves 4 as a main, 8 as a starter

Ingredients

400g Risotto rice, 30g Dried porcini mushrooms,160mil large glass of white wine, 1.25ltr Stock, 50g Grated parmesan, 2 Cloves grated garlic, 1 Medium onion, 2 Tablespoons pesto, 50g butter, salt and pepper

• Place the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water to rehydrate them, this will take at least 20 minutes.  Once the mushrooms are rehydrated drain the water, keeping it to add to the risotto.  When adding liquid to the risotto use this liquid first and then the stock
• Finely chop the onion and place in heavy bottomed pan, drizzle in some olive oil and place on a medium heat.
• Once the onions start to soften and go a bit opaque grate in the garlic and stir, leave for a minutes and add in all the rice
• Stir the rice until it is all covered in oil and has gone slightly opaque.  This should take about a minute.
• The pan will be really hot, so will sizzle when you add the wine.  Pour in the wine, stirring while you pour.
• After a minute pour 250 mil of the water from the mushrooms (if you don’t have 250ml of mushroom water, top up with stock) into the pan and stir.  Turn the heat down slightly, from this point it will take 18-20 minutes to cook the rice.
• After 3 minutes pour another 250 mil of stock.  From this point you will need to keep stirring the risotto every couple of minutes adding in more stock when ever it starts to look dry.  I find that i use about 1.25 ltrs of liquid (a combination of the water from mushrooms and stock) when making this risotto. 
• After about 12 minutes taste the rice, if it is cooked then move to the next step, if not keep adding water and stirring until cooked. 
• Once the rice is cooked roughly chop the rehydrated mushrooms and add them to the risotto with the pesto, Parmesan, and butter.  Stir continuously for a minute and a half till the mushrooms are hot, season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and serve

Cooking notes

Risotto is much easier to cook than you think it will be. 

For this risotto you may not need of the stock because you are using the water from the mushrooms.  Use the mushroom water first as this has a great mushroom flavour, then as much of the 1.25 ltr of stock as you need.  As all rice is different and will need a different amount of water to cook each risotto.  If you don’t use it all don’t worry and if you finish it all and the rice is not yet cooked make some more stock up and put it in.

For my stock, I use Vegetable Bouillon Powder but you can use any stock you like.

Adapting

If you don’t have 30g of mushrooms then use what you have and add in some peas when you add the mushrooms

PESTO - 10 Servings

Ingredients 

80g Fresh basil, 60g Grated parmesan, 40g Pine nuts, 1 Grated clove of garlic, 125mil Extra virgin olive oil, Salt and pepper, 1/4 lemon

• Put the basil, parmesan, 30g of the pine nuts (hold back 10g for later) and garlic into the food processor
• Blend for 20 seconds and squeeze in the lemon juice
• Now you slowly add in the oil.  Turn the processor on again and slowly pour the oil into the spout of the food processor, once combined taste
• Add salt and pepper if required and the remaining pin nuts and blitz for 3 seconds (this will give a nutty texture to the pesto) and place in jar in fridge.  It may separate slightly while in fridge so stir before eating

Cooking notes: This recipie makes enough for ten serving spoons for pesto.  I tend to cook 100g of pasta per person and combine the 100g with 2 tablespoons of pesto (this amount will feed two children).  If you don’t use it all at once don’t worry, it tastes better on the second day and will last in the fridge for at least a week.  If you are not going to use it for a day or two add a thin layer of olive oil to the top of the pesto which will seal it.

Adapting: Add in some whole toasted pine nuts and halved cherry tomatoes for a bit of extra flavour and texture.

 

 

HUMMUS

We have a couple of friends popping over for a quick drink before we go out tonight.  I thought I would make some hummus to enjoy with our drink:

HUMMUS - Makes a large bowl

Ingredients 

400g Tin of chickpeas, 2 Tablespoons of tahini paste, 2 Cloves grated garlic, 10mil Extra virgin olive oil, Juice from quarter of a lemon, 1 Teaspoon of runny honey, Pinch of salt and pepper, Cumin seeds (optional)

• Drain the chick peas, saving the water
• Put the drained chickpeas and 100mil of the water from the can in to the food processor
• Add all the remaining ingredients to the food processor and blitz till smooth
• Taste and add extra salt and pepper if needed.  If it is quite dry or a bit thick add in some more olive oil
• When you are ready to serve the hummus, toast cumin seeds in a frying pan for a couple of minutes and sprinkle over the top of the hummus and drizzle with olive oil

Cooking notes

This will keep in the fridge for a few days.  I use Organic Tahini paste as it is not as thick.

I serve this with pitta bread.  Slice the pitta and place on a baking tray, drizzle over olive oil and sprinkle with cumin.  Bake in oven at 200 for 5-10 minutes till crisp. 

Adapting

If you don't like cumin, leave it off the top of the hummus and add chilli flakes to the pitta instead of cumin.

 

 

PRAWN AND PEA RISOTTO

After a little bit of a late night at my cousins birthday party combined with an early start ... 3am my sister decided to come and stay the night.  6am my children woke up.

I am a little tired and need comfort food.  We had an early lunch ...  

PRAWN AND PEA RISOTTO

Serves 4 as a main, 8 as a starter

Ingredients

400g Risotto rice, 200g Uncooked peeled king prawns, 100g of frozen petit pois, 160mil large glass of white wine, 1.25ltr Stock, 50g Grated parmesan, 2 Cloves grated garlic, 1 Medium onion, 50g butter, salt and pepper

• Finely chop the onion and place in heavy bottomed pan, drizzle in some olive oil and place on a medium heat.  
• Once the onions start to soften and go a bit opaque grate in the garlic and stir, leave for a minutes and add in all the rice
• Stir the rice until it is all covered in oil and has gone slightly opaque.  This should take about a minute.
• The pan will be really hot, so will sizzle when you add the wine
• Pour in the wine, stirring while you pour.
• After a minute pour 250 mil of stock into the pan and stir, from this point it will take 18-20 minutes to cook the rice.
• After 3 minutes pour another 250 mil 
• From this point you will need to keep stirring the risotto every couple of minutes adding in more stock when ever it starts to look dry.  I find that i use all of the 1.25 ltrs of stock
• After about 12 minutes taste the rice, if it is cooked then move to the next step, if not keep adding water and stirring until cooked. 
• Once the rice is cooked add the prawns, peas, parmesan, and butter to the pan.  Stir continuously for a minute and a half till the prawns and peas are cooked, season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and serve

Cooking notes

Risotto is much easier to cook than you think it will be.  I have said make up 1.25 liter of stock, however all rice is different and will need a different amount of water to cook.  If you don’t use it all don’t worry ... and if finish it all and the rice is not yet cooked make some more stock up and put it in.

For my stock, I use Vegetable Bouillon Powder but you can use any stock you like.

Adapting

If you don’t have many prawns or would like to add another flavour to this risotto you can add chorizo to it.  Dice 60g of chorizo and place in frying pan for a couple of minutes until crispy, the oil will leak out of the chorizo.  Just before you serve mix the chorizo and all the oil into the risotto.