Notes from the Larder – Book Review

My cookbook collection continues to grow, with the latest addition being a wonderful offering from Nigel Slater, Notes from the Larder, a Kitchen Diary with Recipes.

nigel-slater-notes-from-the-larderThis is my favorite kind of cookbook, because it is formatted with stories about food, cooking and the seasons with recipes interspersed throughout. Presented as a chronology of sorts, it begins in January with the baking of bread and moves through the year with stories and anecdotes detailing the changing of the seasons.

Slater writes about his garden, the marketplaces he frequents, the produce and the fish with a friendly and easy-going style.

lamb-osso-buccoThe recipes, unlike those found in ‘chef-ier’ cookbooks, are definitely the kinds of things you can make at home. The photography is excellent as well, featuring mouth-watering displays of most of the dishes contained in the book. I mean, look at this one!

(You can actually download this recipe for Lamb “Osso Bucco” from Amazon for free.)

I am looking forward to cooking some of these recipes and sharing the results with you here. Things like Salmon Marinated with Beets, Dill and Orange, or the Salad of Crab, Avocado and Lime!

Here is a video of Slater making Pepper, Tomato and Basil Pasta, from his show Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking. I can almost smell the Basil right now…

I Feel Like an Omelette Today

On Saturday, wonder of wonders, I had the day off! So the Lovely Bride and I went to the movies (we don’t do that very often).

This movie was so wonderful, and not just the parts about the cooking!

We laughed, we got teary-eyed. Simply a beautiful story of hard work, of love, of family and determination.

I have been thinking about it for days now, and this morning it made me feel like making an Omelette. I had some stuff that I wanted to use and thought it would work nicely together:

  • Andouille Sausage – cooked whole, then chopped
  • Chopped Red Bell Pepper
  • Coarsely chopped fresh White Mushrooms
  • Grated Smoked Cheddar
  • 1 Garlic clove, minced
  • 1 slice of Onion, chopped
  • and a Green Onion for garnish

(this makes enough filling for two omelettes)

sausage onions peppers garlic cheddar

Melt some butter in a saute pan and cook the Onion and Pepper until they start to get tender. Add Mushrooms and Sausage, continue to cook for about two more minutes, then add the Garlic.

When the Garlic starts to caramelize remove the mixture from the heat and reserve in a bowl. Return the pan to the heat.

saute-veggies-and-sausage
Don’t burn the garlic!

For each omelette get a mixing bowl –  combine 3 eggs with a 1/4 cup of Milk, a dash of Salt & Pepper and a pinch of Paprika.  Whisk assertively for 30 seconds and pour into the pan.

Let the egg mixture on the edges of the pan set, then use a spatula to slide under the edge, allowing uncooked egg mixture to flow beneath and cook. Take your time and be gentle.

When most of the egg is cooked, add the cheese, scattering it all over the surface of the omelette. Next, add the filling mix to the pan, in a line across the omelette:

add-veggie-cheese-and-meat-filling

Voila!

omelette with cheese and sausage
Yum! You can garnish with Green Onion, Sour Cream, Salsa… you name it!

Playing with Pattypan Squash

I found some lovely Patty Pan Squash at the Farmer’s Market and have been using them as side dishes. Just a simple saute in butter and garlic, maybe with a little shaved Parmesan Cheese.

patty-pan-squashBut, last night I decided to play around with them some, add more ingredients and see how they play together. I shaved the kernels off of a fresh ear of corn and threw them in a saute pan with the halved Patty Pans and some butter, on medium heat.

While the squash and corn were cooking I minced some Garlic, Red Onion, Green Onion and Radicchio, threw them in the pan, and turned down the heat a bit.

patty-pan-saute with garlic, onionsThe aroma was heavenly, earthy and sweet at the same time. The taste, well, it needed something. So it got a pinch of Salt & Pepper, some dry Cilantro and a 1/4 cup of Heavy Cream.

Better, but it needed some punch. Hey, Texas Pete is right there…Boom! Toss in some Feta Cheese crumbles and top with a shake of Paprika and now you’ve really got something:

patty-pan-with-feta-and-cream

Delicious.

This might make a pretty good “cream of” soup, too. Or a sauce for a Chicken and Pasta dish…