WE'RE all guilty of buying ingredients on a whim – say, when you read a particularly delicious-sounding recipe in a weekend newspaper, for example!
To help avoid the larder bursting at the seams, this week’s recipes offer ways to use ingredients that you can sometimes find lurking in the cupboard with little discernible purpose. I know that my cupboard at home has numerous bags of grains and rice that need used up, while the fridge always has random packs of tomatoes and herbs lurking from more adventurous cooking, especially over the summer and particularly as they are so delicious at this time of year.
But with a little imagination, you can cook delicious dishes which are great for simple suppers or yummy lunches. Risotto is a favourite of mine and this recipe is for a herb risotto. Of course, you can be a little more adventurous than me, but this uses herbs which we always have.
I love cooking a risotto as it can’t be rushed – you simply need time and patience (a trait I am not known for) to get it right, so it is a great calming recipe after a busy day in the office, so to speak.
Keep an eye out for another fantastic risotto recipe which uses a great local cheese and scallions which I will share with you later in the year. Similarly, the soup recipe is simple and, again, not very high maintenance. I have added in the extra delight of mussels, as they are in season and can perk up any dish.
ROAST TOMATO SOUP WITH MUSSELS AND CHICK PEAS
500g ripe plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato puree
6 cloves garlic, skinned
1 large onion, quartered
Salt & black pepper
Olive oil
Preheat an oven to 200C. Mix all the ingredients together and place in a roasting tray and cook for about 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and place in a food processor and blend until smooth.
500g mussels (cleaned)
1 glass chardonnay
1 tin of drained chick peas
Place a large pan on to a medium heat, add in the wine and add the mussels. Cover with a lid and allow the mussels to steam until opened. Discard any unopened mussels. Remove the mussels from their shells. Sieve the juice through a fine sieve and add to the soup.
Add the drained chick peas to the saucepan and coat with the tomato sauce. Heat through gently and add mussels. Adjust to desired consistency with tomato juice. Season to taste if required.
HERB RISOTTO
350g Arborio rice
6 shallots, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 sprig of thyme, leaves picked
25g flat leaf parsley, picked and chopped
15g tarragon, picked and chopped
15g chervil, picked and chopped
100ml dry white wine
75g butter
500ml warm vegetable stock
1 tblsp crème fraiche
1 tblsp grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for the table when serving)
salt/pepper
Start by cooking the shallot and garlic in the butter on a gentle heat. Add in the thyme, then add in the rice until all the butter has been soaked up. Add in the white wine and then the vegetable stock, one ladle at a time. When the liquid has been soaked in add another ladle.
Stir constantly until all liquid is absorbed and the rice tastes soft – if it doesn't, add some water and cook some more. Once soft, add a table spoon of crème fraiche and the remainder of the herbs with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with more Parmesan at the table.
