Wimbledon final nectarines and cream cheese on toast

The best Wimbledon final in years, and a sunny day with Prosecco in hand ... me and my victim were getting a little peckish - well we had:-

Wholemeal toast
Spread with cream cheese
Top with sliced nectarine
Grind on black pepper
Pile on shredded lettuce

You can keep your strawberries and cream!  A successful, what have we got? invention.

British sausage week: Day 2: Hazelnut salami pasta salad

OK, day 2 of British sausage week and I am already facing resistance.  Which is odd, because victim is one of the sausage's greatest fans - admittedly normally for breakfast, and especially on a Sunday.  However, had some really nice salami (with hazelnuts, and sourced in the UK - but I have forgotten the compaby) in the fridge - so came up with this.  Gently sauteed chopped leek, fennel, courgette and mushrooms until just a little bie left - added chopped garlic, mixed herbs, and finely diced salami - then seasonned.  Put pasta (farfalle in this case) on... added about half a pint of chicken stock to vegetable and salami mix.  When pasta was nearly done added frozen peas to vegetable and salami mixture - stir through to heat.  Tipped sauce into big bowl, and stirred in spoonful of cream cheese.  Added drained pasta, and a big handful of rocket with a dollop of mayonnaise - stir gently until mixed and sprinkle with chopped parsley and grind of black pepper.  Thumbs up from victim, and I liked it too.  Bonus, though it won't freeze I have some left in a plastic pot for lunch tomorrow.

Macaroni and cauliflower cheese - with mushrooms and other veg

Tired and fridge nearly empty (actually not empty, but not full of stuff which goes together, bit of salami and a blueberry yogurt anyone?) - so russled together easy stuff which also fulfilled the need for comfort food (spinach was also available, but the swearing that suggestion initiated, from victim, will not be reproduced here).  So - 2 pans - one with salted water for pasta, one with olive oil for bacon/veggie mix.  Boil macaroni for just under packet instructions time - but add cauliflower florets after 2 mins or so - in the olive oil pan gently fried off chopped onion, red pepper, asparagus ends, choppped bacon, crushed garlic and handful of chopped mushrooms.  Seasonned well.  When pasta/cauli was just about ready tipped the whole lot (with the water, cos there wasn't a huge amount of excess, should be about 200mls or so) in with the veg and gave it a good stir.  Crumbled in chicken stock cube (not essential, but wanted a savoury undertone) - simmered a bit more.  Took off heat and added half a tub of left over cream cheese, and handful of frozen peas  - stirred - added some left over cream (small tub).  Good stir... it was then making that satisfying sschwaaapth when I pulled the spoon out (is there a proper word for that?).  Grated some chedder on the top - good grind of black pepper and put in hot oven for 20 mins (could be under hot grill - but we have to use the Aga, what!).   Serve in bowls, and watch gathered victims relax and smile... and scurry for seconds.


In other news, we have been avidly watching Great British Bake Off (go Mary-Ann) - and victim is making very unsubtle noises about setting baking related tasks... so there may be a bigger feature of baked goods in the near future - any suggestions?