Asparagus and green beans with feta and walnut pesto

What a collision of events - summer has hit in Todmorden, so let's make the most of the weather with some delicious in season asparagus, it's also National Vegetarian Week and Love Your Local Market fortnight ... so I made this fabulous dinner with every single ingredient available from Todmorden Market.  Feta from The Crumbly Cheese, Olive oil, walnuts and garlic from me (The Mediterranean Pantry), and all the veg from Kevin on the outside market.




Baby new potatoes
Green beans
Asparagus
Feta

Baby spinach
Baby plum tomatoes
Spring onions
Radish

Walnuts
Extra virgin olive oil
Garlic
Lemon
Mint
Basil

1.  Boil the potatoes.
2.  Steam the asparagus and green beans over the potatoes.  To prep the asparagus simply bend it gently, it will naturally snap where the stem gets a bit woody.  Top and tail the beans, and but them in half.  I steam the veg over the potatoes - put them on 5 minutes after the potatoes have come to the boil.
3.  Meanwhile make the pesto.  Whizz together a small handful of walnuts, two big handfuls of basil and about 8 mint leaves with 2 big cloves of garlic (just peel and crush slightly with the back of a knife and add to the food processor), with a glug of olive oil, a spritz of lemon juice and grated lemon zest.
4.  Toss together baby spinach, tomatoes, spring onions and radish with a drizzle of olive oil.
5.  Chop feta into chunks.
6.  Gently toss together potatoes, beans and asparagus with the feta chunks, and drizzle with the pesto (you don't need that much, it packs a punch).
7.  Serve with the salad, scoff.

Hake and chorizo, with roast potatoes and asparagus

Todmorden market win again.  Paul had some lovely hake, Garry had some irresistable fat asparagus (from Peru, oops not good on the food miles, but just this once I succumbed) - some chorizo from me at The Mediterranean Pantry and yum!

Olive oil
Potatoes
Asparagus
Frozen peas
Chorizo
Hake

1.  Slice the potatoes and toss in olive oil and salt, roast for about 30 minutes.
2.  Steam the asparagus, put the peas in the pan underneath.
3.  Chop the chorizo and fry briefly, remove from the pan.
4.  Fry the hake in a hot pan for a couple of minutes on each side - skin side first.
5.  Chuck the chorizo back in the pan with the fish to warm back through.
6.  Serve, scoff ... the veg dodger doesn't like asparagus ... madness, but more for me.


The pescatarian had the fish without the chorizo.

Lentil stuffed mushrooms, mash and asparagus

Should I learn to be more poetic about my recipe titles?

This was very tasty - and the self declared lentil dodger had two helpings of the lentil mixture, so I take that as validation.

It takes about 40 minutes, start to finish.

Turn the oven on to medium high, about 180 - then start with the lentils and peeling the potatoes.

Lentils
Potatoes
Olive oil
Portobello mushrooms
Button mushrooms
Red pepper
Garlic
Mixed herbs
Vegetable stock
Chili flakes
Asparagus
Wholegrain mustard
Soya spread

1.  Put the lentils on to simmer.
2.  Peel the potatoes and boil - about 12-15 minutes.
3.  Slash the caps of the portobello mushrooms lightly, put them on a baking tray drizzled with olive oil, roast for about 15-20 minutes.
4.  Gently fry the red pepper, crushed garlic, chopped button mushrooms a pich of mixed herbs and a smallish pinch of chili flakes.
5.  When the veg are a bit soft add a little vegetable stock, and simmer.  When the lentils are done, stir them in with a teaspoon of good mustard.
6.  When the potatoes are done mash, adding soya spread to taste.  Put in an oven dish in the top of the oven to get a crispy top.
7.  Turn over the mushrooms, top with the lentil mix, return to the oven.
8.  Steam the asparagus.  10 minutes later - everything is done.
9.  Scoff, have seconds.

Courgette frittata with polenta chips, roast asparagus and a tomato and olive "sauce"

 Another mediterranean feast sourced from Todmorden market.  Absolutely delicious flavours of sun and holidays.

All ingredients can be found within feet of each other, from ....

The Mediterranean Pantry
The Crumbly Cheese
Garry outside, for the veg
Local eggs from various stalls (ours were from our own bantams)

Olive oil
Polenta
Parmesan
Fennel seeds
Chili flakes
Onions
Garlic
Courgette
Eggs
Asparagus
Mixed herbs
Cherry tomatoes
Olives
Oregano
Basil
Mixed salad leaves
Balsamic vinegar

1.  Cut the polenta into chip sizes.  Drizzle some olive oil in on a baking tray, and put it in a hot oven to heat up.
2.  Grate the parmesan and add fennel seeds and chili flakes, mix them together.
3.  Toss the polenta chips in the cheese mixture until every one is coated.
4.  Put the chips onto the hot tray, and drizzle with a little more olive oil.  Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden - turn once in the middle.
5.  While they are baking bung the asparagus in an ove dish, drizzle with oil, season and bung that on the bottom shelf of the oven.
6.  Start the frittata by sauteeing onion and garlic in olive oil.  Add sliced courgette and fry gently.
7.  Gently whisk eggs and add a pinch of mixed herbs.  Pour into the pan with the courgettes.  Transfer the pan to the oven and let bake while everything else finishes.
8.  Fry sliced onion and garlic in another pan, add halved cherry tomatoes, oregano and roughly chopped olives.  This will only take a few minutes.  When it's "done" you can turn off the heat - it's nice warm as well as hot.
9.  45(ish) minutes from starting you should be ready to pull everything out of the oven and serve with salad leaves, lightly dressed with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
10.  Receive rapturous applause.

Cajun butter bean pie with asparagus

This is Cajun because I used blackened cajun seasoning - I claim no other level of authenticity.  It was quite spicy, but tasty and good for you.

I used coconut oil for the first time, after hearing so much about the health benefits.  It works well, and does not impart any coconuttiness.  I did give in and drizzle olive oil over the potatoes to get them to crisp up a bit.



Potatoes, skin on, chopped into bite sized pieces

Coconut oil
Chopped onion
Crushed garlic
Chopped celery
Cajun seasonning
Peeled and chopped carrot
Chopped red pepper
Butter beans
Tin of chopped tomatoes
olive oil
Asparagus

1.  Put the potatoes in salted water to boil.
2.  Sautee onion in coconut oil.
3.  Add chopped carrot and celery, with the crushed garlic and the spice mix to the onion.  Let soften briefly, then add red pepper.
4.  After about 10 minutes add butter beans and tomatoes, with about half a tin of water.  Simmer briefly.
5.  The potatoes will now be par boiled, drain them.
6.  Tip the butter bean mixture into an oven dish.  Tumble on the potatoes - gently pushing them to cover the mix.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake, in a hottish oven, for about 30-40 minutes.
7.  15 minutes before you want to serve, take the woody ends off the asparagus, and steam it.

15 minutes later - it should all be done - serve and scoff.

Sea bass, braised celery and fennel and asparagus

Upmarket fish and chips for Good Friday - thank you Paul the fish from Todmorden market for excellent fish - as usual.

This takes about an hour and a half - start to finish.

Potatoes
Olive oil
Leeks
Fennel
Celery
Garlic
White wine
Sea bass
butter
Asparagus

1.  Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces, and put them on to boil.
2.  Chop leeks, fennel and celery, crush garlic - sautee in olive oil for a few minutes, splash in a glass of white wine and simmer briefly.
3.  Transfer veg to an oven proof dish, with a lid and put it in the bottom of a medium hot oven (180 C).  At the same time cover the bottom of quite a bit roasting dish with olive oil, and put it in the oven to heat up.
4.  Drain the potatoes, and add to the hot oil.
5.  Sit about chatting for about an hour, turn the potatoes over once in the middle.
6.  Heat olive oil and butter in a  frying pan, and put some water on to boil, to steam the asparagus.
7.  Prepare asparagus by removing the woody end.
8.  Season the fish and fry the fish fillets, skin down first in the hot oil - put the asparagus in the steamer.
9.  The asparagus should be ready when the fish is fried.  This should be about 5-6 minutes on the skin side - and a minute or two once turned over.
10.  Serve, scoff and receive fulsome praise.

Asparagus risotto with roast tomatoes

Very thrilled to get asparagus in the veg box.  But it's also a school night, so no real desire for multiple courses (ie. asparagus luxury as a starter) but wanting to use it at its best.  The other fresh organic veg also coming to the party - delicious but showcasing the asparagus.

olive oil
1 red onion finely chopped
crushed garlic
risotto rice - a big handful
Italian herbs
red pepper, diced
green beans, cut into in bite sized pieces
about 3/4 litre
bunch of asparagus - stem cut into 2ish cm pieces, spears left whole
80g parmesan, grated

Roast tomatoes

olive oil
tomatoes
sale

So, start with the tomatoes - roast in a little olive oil with salt in a medium oven.  For 40 minutes + ... just bring them out when the risotto is finished.

Risotto

1.  sautee onion in olive oil (and celery and/or carrots finely diced,  if you have them) gently for about 6 minutes
2.  Add rice, turn until every grain is coated.
3.  Add herbs, garlic and vegetables and some stock.
4.  Stir, simmer, add stock etc.  When nearly done add asparagus spears.
5.  After another couple of minutes, turn off heat, stir in parmesan, and leave to sit for a couple of minutes.

Serve, scoff.

veggie paella and salad

 The second asparagus of the season - the first was steamed and eaten with quails eggs.  Tonight we were after a bit of oomph, but also to appreciate the lovely flavour of asparagus, so I came up with this....

1 onion
Olive oil
Chopped celery
red pepper, chopped
Mushrooms

Risotto/Paella rice (arborio today)
White wine
Garlic
Mixed herbs
Tin of tomatoes
Stock
paprika
asparagus


1.  Soften chopped onion and celery in olive oil.
2.  Add chopped pepper and mushrooms, stir in and allow a minute for them to relax into the mixture.
3.  Add the rice and turn the mixture over so that every grain has a film of oil.
4.  Chuck in wine, crushed garlic, herbs, tinned tomatoes and a tin full of stock....
5.  Stir until mixed - then walk away, leave it to simmer over a low heat .. have a glass of wine and a chat..
6.  Check on it occasionally, you may need to add some more water/stock ... stir to stop it catching on the bottom.
7.  When rice is still al dente - but getting there - stir in chopped asparagus stems - NOT the tips.
8.  repeat stage 6... for about 5 minutes
9.  Add asparagus tips, and a pinch of paprika (taste and season too), check that it is not too dry (should still be gloopy sauce around) - simmer for a few minutes.
10.  turn off heat and leave to relax for at least 5 minutes ... if you can ... then

SCOFF

we had salad leaves and homemade mayonnaise.

Homemade mayonnaise

Egg
Oil (I used olive oil and almond oil)
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp grainy mustard
salt and pepper

Put all ingredients in a pot slightly wider than your stick blender blade.  Put blade in the bottom of the pot, before you turn it on - turn it on and lift slowly up the mixture and out of the container - it's magic, it works.

was delish

Asparagus and pea risotto

Not feeling too great at the moment, and craving a bit of comfort food... what better than risotto? - and asparagus in the bargain shelf (£2.55 - not so much of a bargain, but it is a treat).

I happened to have thai jasmine rice handy, and not risotto rice, so some authenticity lost, but still works.

I didn't sautee the celery quite long enough, so it kept a bit of crunch... I think it would be better all soft, but it was tasty.

Serves 4.  Takes about 30 minutes.  Approx calories:  365 per portion  Approx price:  £1.86.

Recipe

Tablespoon of olive oil
5 spring onions
1 clove crushed garlic
1 red pepper
Handful of chopped celery
White rice - about 200g
About 2 pints of stock
Bunch of asparagus
Handful of frozen peas
Half a tub of low fat cream cheese
Handful of grated parmesan

1.  Chop celery, red pepper and spring onion.   Sautee in olive oil for a few minutes.  Add crushed garlic and stir around.
2.  Add rice and stir to make sure that every grain has a film of oil on it.
3. Add stock, a ladle at a time, allowing it to cook into the rice... keep stirring and adding - it'll take about 15 minutes.
4.  Add chopped asparagus stems after about 5 minutes of adding stock.  After another 5ish minutes add frozen peas and asparagus tips.  Keep adding stock and stirring.
5.  When rice is soft, take it off the heat and allow to stand.
6.  Stir in cream cheese and parmesan, season and scoff.

Baked cod and asparagus

Layer asparagus, cod and lemon slices in bakling dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and grind on black pepper, cover with foil.  Bake for 20-25 mins.  Meanwhile steam edamame beans and little gem lettuce leaves in a little white wine and garlic, with a splash of olive oil.  Sauce/relish - mix tbsp tapenade, chopped capers, lemon juice and olive oil to taste. Simples..... Victim moaned, but will be getting used to this new healthier regime.

Scallop, asparagus and samphire salad

Victim, for some reason, demanded lobster scallops and samphire!  Well, no lobster - managed to find scallops and samphire and fashion this 'ere salad.  It was nice, and the asparagus, new potatoes and samphire went well together - with a bit of zingy garlic and lemon viniagrette - but if I do it again I would add crispy bacon bits instead of the red onion, and perhaps some crispy croutons - and maybe a sweeter dressing with balsamic instead of lemon.

Anyway - steam baby new potatoes for about 15 minutes, asparagus for about 8 and samphire for 3.  Sear scallops in butter.  Dressing lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper.  Salad leaves - rocket and lamb's lettuce. 

Fusilli with chicken, asparagus and brocolli

Another dead easy dinner - and stuffed full of vegetables.  As you can see the proportion of veg to pasta is quite high in our version - hence appearance of green mush!  Recipe - such as it is boil pasta (in chicken stock gives you a bit of extra flavour, but could be just water) after 6 minutes add brocolli and chopped asaparagus stem.  After 3 more mins add asparagus tips and fresh edame beans.  2 mins later add chopped sping onion.  Meanwhile brown chicken pieces.  Drain pasta and veg, keeping a little stock back, stir though greek yogurt and a handful of parmesan.  Top with a seriously good grinding of black pepper.  Victim ate a bowl full without complaining, result!  Do you like the new table cloth?  I think I'm having an attack of the twee.  No eggs at all today :(