Veg box pasta with feta and salami

Yesterday my veg box arrived.  Now, I don't mind a challenge, but this is probably the oddest veg box I have ever had delivered.  (orange peppers, portabello mushrooms, broccoli, courgette, kholrabi,  green cabbage, runner beans, baby spinach) all separately really nice - but an odd mixture I thought - no onions, no spuds!  Anyway, had a leek, cherry tomatoes some feta and some salami - so....


1 tbsp olive olive oil
1 leek, cleaned and sliced.
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 kholrabi, peeled and chopped
6 runner beans, bite sized pieces
1 courgette chopped
1 tsp mixed herbs
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp chili flakes
500ml (+) stock
handful cherry tomatoes
1/2 pack feta, and some left over lancashire
8 slices salami
big handful baby spinach
200g (ish) pasta spirals

1.  Soften veg (leek, carrots, kholrabi, beans, courgette) in olive oil for a couple of minutes.
2.  Put pasta on to boil - follow packet instructions - boil for 2 minutes less than it says.
3. Add garlic, herbs, stock, chili, cherry tomatoes and seasoning to veg, stir, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or so.  (I would have added a glass of white wine if there was any knocking about).
4.  When pasta is cooked (almost) drain and add to veg, squish tomatoes down a bit.
5.  Add in chopped cheese, stir, lid on for a couple of minutes.  Add salami, chopped into pieces.
6.  Put spinach on top, lid back on for a minute, lid off stir spinach in until it is wilted.
7. Lift into bowl, season with more black pepper.
8. Scoff.

Chicken, salami and fennel macaroni

It's been a bit of a week this week - no repeat February is on track, but only through victim making a roast lamb dinner (on a Tuesday!) and a VILE take away pizza on Wednesday.  Managed to throw some dinner together last night - easy and quick macaroni with stuff in it.  Chopped and softenned some veggies in olive oil with garlic (leeks, fennel, celery, mushrooms and red pepper) - chucked in diced chicken breast and some chopped up salami.  Boil macaroni.  Bung it all in together when macaroni is nearly cooked.  Add some of the macaroni water, so that the mixture doesn't dry up too much - chucked in jar of pesto and small tub of greek yogurt. Baked for 10 minutes or so.  Top with lots of black pepper.  Easy, tasty and filling.

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.

Mushroom and salami macaroni and cheese

Boil macaroni and steam brocolli.  Mix together cheese (grated cheddar, mozarella and pamesan) with natural yogurt and couple of spoons of sour cream - season and stir in mustard.  Stir cooked macaroni and quartered button mushrooms and salami pieces together with the cheese mixture.  Top with sliced tomatoes and bake for 20 mins or so.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy ... but hardly calorie free.