Oh I do so love summer cooking.  We are so blessed to have beautiful fresh produce available to us in the summer months and this delicious pasta salad is designed to make the best use possible of some of it.   Ripe and juicy garden tomatoes, zippy & earthy basil, fresh sweet peppers . . .


 
Its quite different than the usual macaroni salad.  There is no mayonnaise, or creamy dressing . . .  there is simply a well flavoured and garlicky Balsamic vinaigrette.

 
  I love, LOVE Balsamic vinegar. I could eat it with a spoon.  Make sure you use a good quality one. It doesn't have to be the most expensive one, but don't ever be tempted to use the cheapest one either.  Find something good somewhere in the middle . . . . on the side of expensive if need be.

 
I love tubular macaroni without any curves for this salad. It holds the dressing very well . . .


The roasted peppers add another exciting texture and flavour.  Today I did not have a large red pepper, but I did have a small one and a small yellow one.  I roasted both and used them in the salad with spectacular results.


Fresh basil . . .  I love basil, especially when it is fresh from the garden. I could just bury my nose in it and inhale (and frequently do!).  I don't chop my basil with a knife, that only bruises it.  I roll it up into a cigar shape and then snip it with my kitchen scissors and then I tear the basil for on top.


If you have a few tiny leaf bunches, leave them intact for show.  So pretty.  I know that the Italians are fond of using toasted bread crumbs with their pasta dishes, sometimes instead of cheese.  This recipe does just that   . . .  and to good effect.  These garlic crumbs add a lovely touch, crunch and texture as well.



salt and black pepper to taste




Put all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette into a glass jar with a screw top.  Screw the top on and shake.  Set aside.


Cook the macaroni according to package directions in lightly salted water.  Drain well.  Rinse under cold water.  Drain again.  Tip into a bowl and toss with the olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Cut the tomatoes into quarters.  Remove and discard any seeds and watery flesh.  Cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss in with the macaroni. Remove the peppers from the foil. Slip off the blackened skin and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss in with the macaroni and tomatoes.


Heat the olive oil for the crumbs in a large skillet.  Add the crumbs and season with some salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, until they just begin to turn golden brown.  Toss in the garlic, and cook for a minute or so longer, until very fragrant.  Be careful not to leave them on the heat too long or they will burn.  As soon as they  really start to colour, you need to tip them out into a bowl.  If left in the pan they will continue to cook.  Allow to cool.


Shake the vinaigrette again and pour it over the macaroni mixture, tossing to coat.  Taste and adjust seasoning as required.  Pour into a serving bowl.  Sprinkle half of the bread crumbs over top and scatter with the basil.  Pass the remaining bread crumbs at the table.


Great with grilled meats, chicken and fish!  (Or dare I say it . . . on it's own!)



Altogether this is a truly beautiful salad that I know you are going to enjoy.  It screams summer, and summer at its very best!  It wouldn't be half as good any other time of the year.  Make it now while the warmth of the summer sunshine still gilds your tomatoes and peppers, and enjoy! Bon Appetit!

I think of all the fishes in the sea . . .  cod is my absolute favourite.  It has a lovely mild almost sweet flavour, not too strong . . .  and a delicate texture when cooked properly. It is a fish which lends itself to a wide variety of preparations.





Almost anything goed with it.  Today I created a simple sauce using some white wine, lemon juice . . . 

the juice and zest of a lemon, chili flakes with fresh cherry tomatoes and basil . . .


 The flavours are fresh and punchy and go so well with this fish.  It is also a sauce that cooks up very quickly and its also a great way to use up any lacklustre cherry tomatoes you might have in the larder  . . . it does wonders for them, but  . . .



Basil goes very well with both tomatoes and fish. In the winter months I rely on store bought fresh basil and I try to use it all up right way, because it is not a great keeer, but in the summer months . . . I grow my own basil in the garden and I just can't get enough of it.  I just love the stuff!!

For the fish, dust lightly with salt and pepper and black pepper.  Heat the oil in a clean skillet until hot.  Add the cod, presentation side down.  Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Flip over and continue to cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes until cooked through.  It should flake easily at the edges when prodded with the tines of a fork.  Place onto two heated dinner plates.  Spoon a portion of sauce over each, garnish with a bit of chopped basil and serve immediately.

 
 It uses mini chicken fillets (chicken tenders) which have been marinated in some harissa paste. Well, actually  . . .  the original recipe doesn't really marinate them, but I wanted the flavour to stick, so I let them stand for half an hour after I mixed them with the paste so that the flavours really got into the meat.


You could also use boneless chicken breast cut into strips . . .  or even boneless chicken thighs. Both would work very well.

 There is a tiny sinew that runs along the underside of mini chicken fillets that I like to remove with a sharp knife. It only takes a few minutes to get rid of it and it helps to keep them nice and tender.  Just sip the tip of a sharp knife under it and then work the knife down the length to loosen it and cut it out.  I use both of my hands for this.  I grab the tendon and hold it with some kitchen toweling so I can get a good grip and run the knife with the other hand.  Its quite simple really.



 You spread the hummus on the toasted bottom bun . . .  if you don't like beetroot, you can use pain hummus, or I am thinking the lemon/pepper or red pepper hummus would also be VERY tasty!

 
Toast the cut sides of the burger buns. Spread the bottoms with the hummous, top with a portion of the spinach and cucumber ribbons and a fourth of the chicken.  Top with the tops of the buns and serve immediately.


Now that's what I call one heck of a delicious burger!  Todd ate his with a knife and fork.  Me . . .  I'm common, I just piled on the top bun, picked it up and dug in.  Yum! YUM!  Bon Appetit!

Innocent (The smoothie people) have embarked on a two-week experimential campaign, touring England in a “Hungry Grassy Van” (HGV) to encourage people to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. The HGV ( a take on the traditional burger van) will be serving up alternatives to takeaway food, such as veggie burgers and salad, to help consumers swap fast food for healthier options. (Sounds quite a good idea to me!) Dishes will cost between £2 and £3 and will all count towards the five-a-day quota. A £5 meal deal will also be served each day to allow consumers to eat and drink all of their five-a-day in one go!



The recipes for each dish are based on Innocent’s “Hungry? The innocent recipe book for filling your family with good stuff,"cook book, which was released last May.



The HGV will visit London, Bristol, Manchester and Glasgow and will stop in each city for three days from 9 September on. I was recently contacted and asked would I like to visit the Van on it's Manchester stop, but alas, I will be away on Hols and so I had to decline. I was instead offered the chance to review the cookerybook, which I might add, was a chance I could not refuse!! (You know me and cookbooks.)



I've had a few days to peruse this lovely book and I have been happily flagging recipes to make from it. It's a lovely book and I can see where it would be great for anyone that was trying to encourage their family to eat more good stuff. It's filled with over 100 delicious, simply and healthy recipes, as well as many tips, distractions and ways of inspiring everyone in the family to get involved in the process of turning healthy ingredients into deliciously tasty meals for all. There are breakfast recipes, lunches, snacks, dinners, sides, puddings, bakes and of course drinks, as well as lots of tips and hints to make tasty food fun and even more tasty!



I decided to make the Sausage and Squash Mash for our dinner last night. I had all the ingredients in and of course my Todd is a sausage fanatic. Sausage and mash. Sausage and mash. He'd have that every night for supper if I'd cook it every night.



This is sausage and mash with a difference though . . . with just 2 apples, a couple of sweet potatoes, a small butternut squash, some sausages, honey, mustard and apple juice, I ended up with a deliciously tasty meal that was fit for a king!



Or the King of this castle at any rate! They went down a real treat! I think next up will be the slow cooked beef stew which will really please Todd, and there's an Apple Cake with Honey Icing that's been calling my name.

Hungry? The innocent recipe book for filling your family with good stuff. Published by 4th Estate and available at all good book shops and Amazon. I highly recommend. The English Kitchen gives it 10 out of 10!

Many thanks to the Innocent people and the people at StoryPR for affording me this opportunity!



*Sausage and Squash Mash*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Adapted from a recipe in the delightful Hungry cookery book, by Innocent.

8 good quality pork sausages
(I used a good Butchers Cumberland)
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
(I used Granny Smiths)
2 TBS whole grain mustard
(I used a Grainy Dijon)
2 TBS runny honey
a good spash of apple juice
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
extra virgin olive oil (I used a knob of butter coz I'm a glutton)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Put the sausages onto a baking tray along with the apple wedges.

Whisk together the mustard, honey and apple juice. Pour over the sausages and apples, tossing to coat all over.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking stirring now and then to prevent sticking.

While the sausages are baking place the squash and sweet potatoes into a lightly salted pan of boiling water to cover. Bring back to the boil, then cover and simmerto 15 minutes until tender. Drain well and return the vegetables to the hot pan. I then placed the pan back over low heat and mashed them until they dried out a bit. I stirred in a knob of butter and a good seasoning of salt and pepper.

Serve a generous scoop of mash piled with two sausages, some apples and some of the sticky pan juices to each lucky person.

If you'd like to keep up with the Hungry Van Tour and with the latest goings on of the innocent people be sure to like their Facebook page here!



There is a delicious Paprika, Honey and Lime Chicken recipe cooking over at the Cottage today.