Quadratto Pasta, Chilli, Garlic and Parsley

This vegetarian treat is based on the Italian classic (aglio e olio), dried pasta cooked with chilli, garlic and parsley.  Then, I heard of adding toasted crumbs (from a real Italian) and some tomato juice happened to be in the fridge.  The furtive culinary brain suddenly has a plan.

We have a chilli, garlic, tomato and parsley sauce (parmesan being optional and was most welcome).  The plated pasta was topped with toasted sundried tomato crumbs.

A meal fit for both a king and queen (and a classic with a few cheerful harmonious twists).  Furthermore, you can scratch cook it in 20 minutes.

Tip: good quality dried pasta is relatively inexpensive and holds up well when finished in the sauce.

Salmon fillet Bagel

I had a Eureka moment.  Why not a seared salmon fillet in my bagel rather than cold smoked slices ?

This was fast and tasty, a fillet wok seared and flaked in  large chunks.  Cream cheese, diced cucumber and a generous handful of peppery rocket.

Super fast for a special brunch or working from home lunch.  This will make your colleagues envious if you end up scoffing it in a teams meeting or impress your other half on a weekend.

I can wok sear a defrosted salmon fillet in around 4 minutes, ensure the wok is smoking, a drizzle of high temperature oil and drop in the salmon.  Flip once, after about 2.5 minutes and  cook for another 1.5 minutes (or until done to your liking- pink here).

Sesame seed Bagels please and as much cream cheese, cucumber and rocket as you feel you can contain between the bread.

Another Working from home lunch (sandwich) of sorts:

Quesadillas Re Imagined

Welsh Rarebit, Fancy Cheese on Toast

(We have the rarebit on potatoes here too, a last minute thought that didn't disappoint).

I grew up in Shropshire, a large English county that borders Wales.  This, I think, gives me some credibility for sharing Welsh Rarebit.  I mentioned it to Loïc, who surprised me by sharing the dish had made it's way over to Belgium so we 'plotted' and today, we're doing a joint Welsh Rarebit post.

Carrot and Peanut Salad (it works)

A super simple, vegan salad made with carrots cut into mini batons.  There are very few ingredients in the salad, add salted peanuts to the carrots, parsley (optional green chilli, if you have the urge) followed by a vinaigrette dressing that includes pure sesame oil (good twist).

Very finely chopped parsley really finishes the dish admirably.

This is both a simple and tasty salad, it's a favourite, which inevitably means there are a few swaps and suggestions.  Finally, the ingredients are readily available in many places.

How to serve?  

It's a great salad for a family gathering or offered with a Middle Eastern/North African selection of plates.  I enjoyed it with chorizo and manchego pizza today.

Loaded Potato Skins from the U.S.A

A great working from home lunch, we can shortcut the cooking time by microwaving the spuds (I like the word spud).

There's sweet potato and ordinary potato, pricked and microwaved (my microwave has a grill and 'wave' setting).

After removing the cooked potatoes from their skins, we have a pro tip to drizzle the skins with oil and oven crisp them for 10 minutes.  This creates a sturdy vessel, perfect for picking up the finished creations and conveying them to mouth.

Whilst the skins crisp in the oven, there's plenty of time to mash the filling with cheese, spring onion, black pepper and bacon.

Finally, return the filling to the crispy skins with a sprinkle of bacon, spring onion and cheese to garnish.  Finish under the gril.

Quesadillas Re-imagined

I love quesadillas, particularly for a working from home lunch.  They're so quick and tasty and (in my kitchen) pretty much any filling is fair game, as long as there's some cheese to 'glue' the tortilla together.  I'm not overly restricted by any quesadilla convention either.

Firstly let's talk cut:

Sometimes I make a pocket and finish it on a ridged pan or griddle.  This was particularly helpful when the filling was leftover chilli and shredded cheese.  Halve the quesadilla 'parcel' before eating and expect to get a bit messy.  You'll be happy though.

Egg Salad Bagel with Bacon and Kimchi

This popped into my head on Sunday night.

American egg salad meets Britland meets Korea.  Plus, I could get ahead making the egg salad.

Egg salad can be egg mayonnaise, made with finely grated or chopped hard boiled egg.  The US tend to add other ingredients and call it egg salad.  Today's creation contained cheddar cheese then I decided to add celery leaves and bind it with cream cheese instead of mayo.

Bacon, ok this could be a US inspired addition but as a Britlander it's always associated with this little isle just off the west side of Europe (the left on our map, where we are in the middle)..

Kimchi, ohh because it works wirh egg, cheese and bacon.

Used here like a relish.

Japanese cold noodle salad

Whilst it's chilly here in Britland, am conscious others around the globe may be feeling some warmth (lucky you).  This salad is clean, simple and delicious.

We have a pan cooked and marinated chicken thigh with cold dressed egg noodles. The dish is served with tomato, egg and cucumber.

The inspiration was cheerfully gifted from a Japanese friend and now it's a firm favourite.

Croque Monsieur with Parsley Sauce

I had this thought after yesterday's ham and parsley sauce.  It works!

Here's the finished article, on sourdough baguette (I know, it's a little bread twist on a classic sliced white bread croque monsieur - as is the parsley sauce).

Smug? Yes and desrvedly so.  Green beans added for vegetable goodness.

We start the croque monsieur here.. with glazed gammon, thinly sliced using my sharpest straight bladed knife.  There are green beans,  washed and half trimmed too.

Swedish Cold Smoked Gravadlax Pâté

A favourite during holidays and also whenever the need or want strikes (both seem interchangeable).

This is a tricky post, because I have two versions.

The original came from the Caledonide mountains in Sweden.  Small creamy balls of cold smoked salmon, rolled in dill and served with bread.  It's hard not to be inspired.

Inspired I was..er am.

My simple pâté (pictured) is more around interpreting the recipe with whatever happens to be both suitable and in the fridge.  It's flexible, I can vouch for that.

Insalata di Tonno con Carciofi (Creamy Italian Tuna & Artichoke Salad)

 A classic Italian tuna salad made rich and comforting with thick mayonnaise and tender artichokes — simple, homely, and delicious. Serve it with warm, creamy polenta for a beautiful contrast of temperatures and textures.

The Boxing Day Sandwich

Having invented the Sandwich, it's naturally close to any Brit heart.. on many occasions (most lunchtimes and particularly after cooking some form of roast).

After Christmas Day, my sandwich creation benefits from home made cranberry sauce.  It is a world apart from the jelly in a jar that's typically passed off as cranberry.  The kicker is finely sliced/shredded Brussel Sprouts with Cesar dressing.

Admittedly there was sandwich 'spillage' and my jaw ached..all good.

Toasted Brioche with Artisan Trout Roe Tarama, Trout Roe and Scallops in White Wine

 This is one of those plates that happen when good ingredients meet minimal intervention. A thick slice of brioche, lightly toasted until the edges crisp and the crumb warms through. On top: a generous spoonful of artisan trout-roe tarama — creamy, saline, subtly smoky — the kind of spread that’s already a complete pleasure on its own.

A French Dip, Nothing to do with France

We have a sandwich from yesterday's  leftover pot roast beef.  

I'm giving credit for both the sandwich and my love of pot roast to the U.S.A.   I know many countries have a pot roast beef but the U.S of A has really taken the dish to their culinary hearts.

We have a delightful 'leftover' sandwich with beef, Emmental cheese, mustard, horseradish and caramelised onions.  Umami me up again.  This really is a treat to have in the back pocket after a pot roast.  Why the pot roast?  An abundant gift of lovely free beef gravy.

The sandwich is toasted and gratuitously dipped in gravy as we scoff, of course for extra yum.

Toasting..

Hot and Sour Soup

This Vegan favourite is also great for cold and flu season. There's heat from lots of black pepper and sour from Black Rice Vinegar.

Pictured here with a drizzle of sesame oil.

It's quick too, easy for a working from home lunch.

Salad, with Potatoes and Meat

It started with 'good' salad intentions (don't they all?)

Meat and potatoes make a good salad over here.  We have baby potatoes (small waxy ones), jarred artichoke in oil, prosciutto and parsley.  Boiled egg would have worked too.

Carpaccio with stracciatela

 No-Cook Luxury Protein Lunch 🥩🌿

Sometimes the best meals require no heat — just impeccable ingredients.

Today’s lunch is a thick beef carpaccio draped with fresh stracciatella I made this morning, creamy avocado, razor-thin Thai chillies for fire, a scatter of chives, and a generous pour of ultra-fruity olive oil I brought back from Santorini. Finished simply with salt, black pepper and a sharp squeeze of lime.

Rainbow Chard Quadrato (Square Spaghetti)

This is what happens when my shopping list (on App) simply says Vege.

The list is often vague so I can choose whatever catches my eye in the supermarket then figure out what to do with it.

Here we have a sauce with bacon, egg, garlic and chard (stalks plus leaves).

Five minute miracle

 🍤 Shrimp & Garlic Butter Egg Noodles with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Basil 🌿

(The five-minute miracle that makes working from home bearable)

Fusili Enrigii and sage

 🍝 Fresh Fusili with Eringii & Sage

A comforting Italian-style dish with a hint of heat and smokiness — simple, elegant, and ready in minutes.