Dill, Feta and Cherry Tomato Pasta

Album 'Torches' Foster People 2011

A quick and comforting lunch. I did glance at the cous cous, then pretended it wasn't there and grabbed the pasta.

Pasta for me is warming and satisfying, just need to control how much I put on my plate!

Made with my dill pesto
Fried cherry tomatoes with one thickly sliced shallot in veg oil
Crumbed feta
Drizzle of chilli oil

This was made because I'm at home, but when working what do you grab for lunch?

With next week off I am going to dedicate a lot of time to all things food, especially this blog.

I've decided to go back to basics and cook my favourite dishes, also I will be visiting the fast foodies that I haven't mentioned on the blog yet.

Yes this includes kebabs, fish and chips, KFC, and many more that will make you either love or hate me.

Call me what you want, we all like them! But next week I will give these fast foodies a grilling.

xxx

Pizza 4

Album '4' Beyonce 2011

Chosen because it's growing on me, especially 'Start Over'.

Serves 2 hungry people passionate about cheese, or 4 not fussed and will have a slice because it's there.

Onion

Parmesan

Cheddar

Mozzarella

Make the pizza dough with 600g strong organic bread flour

packet of dried yeast

300ml warm water

Whisk the yeast in the water, and put to one side for 15 minutes.

Then add to the flour and knead for 5 minutes.

Cover with a damp towel in a warm dark place until it has doubled (30 minutes)

Oven on 190°c

Prepare the toppings....

chop half an onion

grate cheddar

slice mozzarella

chop some sundried tomatoes

find the chilli flakes and tomato puree

take the jar of red onion pickle out the fridge

Once bread has doubled, cut in two and roll one out.

Use the other for spare bread and pop in a loaf tin.

With the other roll out and spread out on a pizza tray or large flat baking tray.

1.Spread tomato puree

2.Sprinkle chilli flakes

3.Spread chopped onion

4.Parmesan on top on one side

5.Then Mozzarella in the middle

6.And Cheddar at the end

7.Sundried tomatoes

8.A few dollops of pickle

9.Bake for 30 minutes

10.Drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Bake the other loaf on the bottom shelf for 30minutes and use for your sandwiches or toast tomorrow.

The pickle with melted cheese combo was intense, a slice of this tasted like an indulgent cheese on toast.

I hope you enjoy it, the flavours go well together. The pickle in the photo might put you off but you can make it without.

xx

I Saw The Naked Chef at Feastival!

Album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' Arctic Monkeys 2006

Wake up to this album and I'm sure you will have a great morning or a sore head!
So the day after Wireless I went to Feastival at Clapham Common, and saw Jamie Oliver in action. Yes that is Johnny Vaughan looking slightly nervous about helping Jamie cook courgette flowers, also joined by greedy Italian Gennaro Contaldo. These guys were so much fun to watch, they were just having a laugh on stage, taking nothing too seriously.
Jamie talks to you like you are cooking with him and that's why he has so many followers, what you see is what you get.  A down to earth guy with easy and honest recipes you can cook.

The restaurant stalls that were there served amazing dishes and I had to walk around a few times before I made up my mind. Jamie supports all of them and the staff at behind every table were happy and passionate about what they were doing.

So all in all a great weekend...

Good food
Good music
Good friends

Oh this is what I had for lunch on Saturday, a chicken korma pie with berry compote.
By Benares Restaurant, chef Atul Kochhar was in the background and I got a smile from him :)

Have a great day

xx

Black Eyed Bean Curry

Album 'THE E.N.D. ( THE ENERGY NEVER DIES) Black Eyed Peas 2009

These guys were amazing, they are like a hit machine I felt like I was in one of their videos. But chances of that are pretty slim, my legs are still aching from the dancing! Imagine if that did happen...my cake eating days would be over.

I'll stick to cycling, running and yoga and see if that gets me in a video, you know I would be on 'Chicken Tonight' if it was still on TV.

They are incredibly cool and worth going to see.

Moving on to food....

I needed something spicy and sweet today, totally over did it on the festival food, so needed a taste of home cooking.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

Takes one hour, because the parsnips need to soften.

Chorizo sliced in chunks, however much you want

Sundried tomatoes in oil

Can of organic chopped tomatoes

Black eyed beans (either from a can or soaked overnight)

Half an onion

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

One garlic clove chopped

Half a green chilli deseeded

One parsnip peeled and diced.

Black pepper

Jasmine rice 120g (40g per person)

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala

Coriander (of course! I can't eat a curry without it)

First:

Add oil, fry onions, garlic, and chilli.

Then the parsnip

Beans

Keep on a really low heat all the time

Secondly:

Add the three powders...yellow, red and brown

When I used to watch my mum cook that's how I remembered it!

Can of tomatoes

Fill can with water and add to the pan

Lid on

Get the rice on, boil water first then add the rice. Keep on a low heat and test to see if done after 15 minutes. Drain and put back in the pan.

In the last 10 minutes add the chorizo and 4 chopped sundried tomatoes to the bean pot.

Serve with coriander and rice.

Add this and that, it's the most popular word on all my posts! I'm just not into 'trying' to use different words just for the sake of sounding professional. Using the thesaurus at school for an essay was very helpful but it took the essence of the writing away.

At least on my blog I can write however I want.

If I said ' incorporate, contribute, toss, beef up, include, hook on' my friends would crack up.

Anyway have a great breakfast tomorrow and let me know when you try the recipe whilst listening to the album above.

It will make cooking it a lot more enjoyable.

Discover Marmash

Album 'Disco-Overy' Tinie Tempah 2010

Yes Yes it's finally Friday and my obsession with food and music is in full swing starting from 5pm.
Wireless today then Feastival tomorrow, you know I will be blogging from my bed Sunday!

I made this mash last night for the kids with organic pork sausages and vegetables.

It contained a secret ingredient....MARMITE.

Hate it? Look at all my lovely photo's:

http://www.mitathefoodie.com/view/mosaic#!/  

Please don't judge me I've grown to love it lately!

Love it? Read on....

Maris Piper potatoes (I leave the skin on, but your choice)
50g soft butter
50ml full milk
A small drop of marmite

Start off with a small drop then mash, taste if you want to add some more. If you went a bit Marmite happy then save the mash with grated cheese, or serve it to someone who loves it.

Making good mash (also in March 2011 'Don't Staple Your Food pt2'

Boil potatoes until they are soft

Just keep on mashing, and always taste

Not too much liquid

Add salt and pepper

Mustard
Full cream

Pesto

Herbs

Pinch of turmeric

Lemongrass paste

Cheese

Mayonnaise

Have a great weekend and maybe see you at Wireless and Feastival?

Will post back Sunday.

xxx