Peapod orzo with pinto beans

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I saw peapods in the supermarket for the first time this summer today so I bought and cooked some with pinto beans and orzo (a pasta which looks like rice but I think tastier and easier to cook). Don't throw the peapod jackets out they are edible and as sweet and delicious as the peas inside.

To serve 1:
Rinse, top and tail 6 whole fresh peapods. Pop the peas out and cut the pods in half lengthways and finely chop.
Rinse, top and tail 1 small carrot and finely chop
Peel and dice half a white onion.
Peel and dice 1 large flat mushroom

Heat 2tbsp oil on high heat and fry the above veg for 5 minutes stirring around until softened.
Add 6 whole green beans which have been rinsed topped and tailed.
Add 4tbsp orzo, freshly ground mixed peppercorns and chilli flakes and just cover with vegetable stock.
Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes with a lid on.
Lower the heat to simmer lidded, for 15 minutes adding 1tsp butter, a handful of washed baby spinach and 120g drained, cooked pinto beans from a can for the last 5 minutes.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of ground linseed.
Good on it's own or with a simply fried steak of your choice. (pork / chicken breast / beef / lamb - 4 minutes on high heat each side).

Caramelised onion beefburgers

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Make the caramelised onion in advanced before making this meal. The onions will keep, covered, in the fridge for a week.


6 red onions


6 tbsp brown sugar


6 tbsp balsamic vinegar


2 tbsp oil


1. Peel the onions and cut them into thin wedges. Place them in a large pot with the sugar, vinegar, oil, 375ml of water, 1 teaspoon of salt and some ground black pepper.


2. Bring the onions to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 40-45 minutes or until the liquid has all but evaporated and the onions are very soft. During the final steps of cooking take care that the onions do not catch and burn - give them a stir now and then.


3. Remove the pot from the heat and cool before storing the onions in the fridge in a covered container. The onions will keep, covered, in the fridge for a week. Reheat portions in a small pan or use as a meal ingredient.


Make beefburgers:


Mix 300g lean ground beef and with 3tbsp caramelised onion and 1 tbsp chinese oyster sauce well in a bowl. Season with pepper. Form into four balls, flatten slightly and wrap in clingfilm. Chill for 15 minutes.


I served with the following veg:


Rinse, top and tail 6 green beans and 1 stringless green bean.


Thinly slice one quarter rinsed aubergine.


One half precooked rinsed, roasted and large cubed marrow, (sprinkled with 2 tsps dried sumac and 1 tbsp oil, 180fan for 15 minutes); or just use peeled small cubed marrow raw.


To cook the meal:


Unwrap the burgers and flatten into even rounds, place them in the centre of a frying pan over high hob heat with the green beans around the edges and fry 4 minutes lidded. I did not use oil to fry as the burgers leak sufficiently to cook but if you wish use 2 tbsp oil.


Turn the veg and burgers over after 4 minutes and top the greens with the marrow and cook a further 4 minutes on a med / high heat, adding 2 handfuls of washed and kitchen towel dried spinach for the final minute.


Serves 2.

Marrow and cauliflower cheese

Prepare:


One quarter of a fresh cauliflower broken into pieces.


Peel one quarter of a small marrow. Cut into half, remove the seeds and chop into cubes.
Rinse and remove the hard stalk from a cabbage leaf and slice into strips.


Measure out 2 tbsp rinsed fresh baby spinach.


Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil then add all of the veg except the spinach and cook for 5 minutes.


Drain and tip into an ovenproof dish. Top with the baby spinach.


Heat the oven to 200C/180fan/Gas 6.


Put the saucepan back onto the hob medium heat and add 250ml milk and 25g butter. Whisk briskly whilst slowly adding 2 tbsp plain flour until the butter melts and the mix comes to bubble with the sauce thickening and the flour disappeared (about 2 minutes). Turn off the heat and stir in 50g mature grated cheddar cheese.


Pour over the veg which is in the ovenproof dish. Scatter over 10g chopped walnuts, 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs and 25g mature grated cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until bubbling and golden.


Serves 2 as a snack or 1 as a main meal.

Smoked Gammon steak with fried marrow

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Courgette and marrow make a great combination and the salty smoky flavour of the gammon removes any need for spices or other condiment.

Prepare the veg:

Peel one quarter marrow (when buying choose a dark green one which is heavier compared to others. This will be the freshest more flavoursome). Remove and discard the seeds. Cut the marrow flesh into long strips then small cubes.

Rinse 2 runner beans. Top, tail and discard the stems. Cut the beans into 4 pieces each.

Rinse and remove the inner stem of one white cabbage leaf and roll up into a sausage shape.

Use one quarter courgette (choose a dark green, firm one when buying). Cut and discard the stem. Slice the courgette into long chunky slices.

Peel one large flat mushroom and leave whole.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan for 2 minutes on highest heat.

Place the veg along the outsides of the frying pan in one layer to allow for even cooking.

Add gammon steak/s to the centre of the pan and fry for 3 minutes with a lid on.

Evenly sprinkle 2 tbsp water over the top of the vegetables only, not the mushroom.

Turn everything over to the other side to cook for 3 minutes with the lid on.

Meantime rinse a handful of baby spinach, drain and plate up without cooking the spinach.

Transfer everything on to your serving plate.

Add 6 tbsp baked beans from a tin of baked beans in tomato sauce with the sauce discarded and reserved for another day's meal. Turn the heat off. Replace the lid and leave for 3 minutes before serving with the gammon.
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Cheesy courgette

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Good on its own or as a side dish.

Rinse one half of a dark green corgette and slice into half inch rounds

Dice 1 red onion

Thin Slice one large floret of broccoli

Peel and cube a 2” round of sweet potato

Put the above veg into a preheated frying pan on medium heat with 1 tbsp oil. Add a lid and leave for 10 minutes.

Add 6 topped and tailed green beans, 6 halved button mushrooms, 1 handful of rinsed spinach return the lid and leave for 5 minutes.

Put all of the above into a baking dish. Drizzle over olive oil. Slice 1 whole Italian mozzarella ball and arrange on top. Sprinkle with  freshly ground black pepper and 2tsp dried turmeric. Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 180fan 200C oven before serving with a simply fried steak or loin cut (4 minutes each side on high heat).

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