Risotto

Ignore anything you’ve ever heard about risotto being difficult to make – it’s not, it’s dead easy. And it’s quite quick too, taking about 30 mins from start to finish; and you can put almost anything into it, so it’s handy for using up stuff, plus – most important – it tastes fabulous!

Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients (for 2 adults and 1 child)

• 250g risotto rice eg aborio
• 1/2 litre good quality vegetable stock
• 1/2 glass white wine (optional)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• large handful of mushrooms, chopped (you can use any mushrooms, or a mix of different kinds, or a combination of dried and fresh, but remember to soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for a bit beforehand)
• 1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs
• handful of grated cheese eg parmesan, pecorino, cheddar, bergkäse – anything that melts well will work
• butter

Method

1. Melt the butter in a casserole dish or similar, then fry the onions until starting to soften.
2. Add the mushrooms and herbs and fry for a few minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the mixture in the dish. You should be on a medium low heat.
4. Add the wine, stirring all the time.
5. When the wine has been absorbed, start adding the stock about a small cupful at a time, stirring gently (you don’t have to do it non-stop, but don’t go off and leave it either). Wait until the liquid has been more or less absorbed by the rice before adding more.
6. This whole process will take something like 20 mins. Once you’ve used up the liquid, taste the rice to see if it’s done. It needs to be soft and sticky, but not falling apart – it should still have a bit of a bite. If it’s not done yet, add some more liquid until it is.
7. Take the risotto off the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Taste to see if you need any salt or pepper, then serve.

 

Variations

• fresh pea and bacon risotto – fry the bacon, then add the rice and proceed as from #3 above. Add the peas about 5 mins before the end so they don’t overcook
• green bean and brocolli
• pumpkin or butternut – haven’t tried this yet, but as soon as they’re in season I will be!

 

Potato and Vegetable Frittata

I’ve been meaning to try something like this for ages, but somehow never got round to it, until tonight. I’ll definitely be doing it again, though, as it has a number of things going for it:
- it’s really tasty!
- I’ve pretty much always got the ingredients at home (you can vary any vegetables you like in it)
- I like to have at least one if not two vegetarian meals per week, and this fits the bill perfectly
- it was easy and relatively quick to do

Ingredients

• around 300 – 500g potatoes (the firm, waxy type, NOT the floury ones)
• about 6 eggs, beaten
• few spring onions or 1 small onion, sliced or diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 courgette, diced
• 1/2 tsp mixed herbs
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• a few tbsp milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• a bit of butter

Method

1. First prepare the potatoes by peeling and slicing them quite thinly (not paper-thin, but shouldn’t be chunky either)
2. Boil them until they are just on the verge of being done; they should have a bit of bite left to them (if you have one of those microwave steamer bags, just pop them in there, it’s much easier!)
3. While the potatoes are cooking, fry the onion, pepper and courgette (or whatever other veg you’re using) in a little oil (I use rapeseed) in a medium-sized non-stick frying pan which has a metal handle (you will need to put it under the grill, so you don’t want anything that will melt!)
4. Add the crushed garlic and herbs and keep frying until the onion is getting slightly brown and sticky (but not burning) and the pepper is completely soft. This takes quite a while, but the taste is fantastic and much more interesting than if you just quick-fry.
5. Heat the grill up to medium high.
6. Drain the potatoes and add them to the frying pan. Mix them all up together (the potato slices will break up), and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Mix in the milk with the beaten eggs and then pour that into the frying pan.
8. Give everything a good stir and make sure it’s all covered in the egg mixture. Then cook on a medium heat until the underside is getting light brown (the sides should be cooked enough by this point so you can peek underneath). The top will still be runny.
9. Pop the whole pan under the grill for 5 minutes or so until the top is golden brown and all the egg is cooked.
10. Allow to cool slighty before slicing and serving with a nice crisp green salad.

Variations

• any in season vegetables can be used with the basic potato, egg and onion mixture
• grated cheese in with the egg or on top
• apparantly, it’s also very nice cold, but we didn’t have any left over to try!

 

 

Pasta Salad

I’ve tried various versions of pasta salads over the years, but I don’t think any one has ever gone down as well as this. My ds had it for lunch two days in a row and ate more than I did!

Ingredients

• 500g dried pasta shapes (I used fusilli, the twisty one)
• about 1 large tbsp mayonnaise
• about 5 – 8 large tbsp natural jogurt (the creamier the better)
• about 1 tbsp apple balsamic vinegar (use whatever vinegar you like)
• about 2 tbsp rape seed oil (use any veg. oil except olive, which I think would give it a wierd flavour)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 small can sweetcorn, drained
• same amount ie small can of frozen peas, blanched
• some chopped cucumber

Method

1. Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the pack, then rinse in cold water and drain well.
2. In the mean time, mix up the dressing, adding a few tablespoons of cold water at the end. It should be fairly runny. Taste and add salt/pepper/vinegar etc as necessary
3. Mix into the pasta with the sweetcorn, peas and cucmber.
4. If you are making this a while before you need it, you may need to add a bit more jogurt and water before serving as the pasta tends to soak up the dressing and get a bit sticking.
5. Voila!

 

Really Fast Pasta or Gnocchi “Sauce”

This is for those nights when my son is so tired I know he isn’t going to make it until I’ve cooked dinner for all of us, so I have to give him something beforehand. It’s very, very quick, super easy and actually very tasty (I end up picking at it quite a bit!).

Ingredients

• any filled fresh pasta eg tortellini / or / fresh gnocchi
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp mixed herbs

Method

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions (I usually just boil the kettle and let the pasta sit in the hot water while I’m preparing the sauce). If using gnocchi, I would really recommend frying it rather than boiling it – it gets a nice crispy outside and doesn’t go so mushy (fry it in a little of the butter).
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the herbs.
3. Mix in the cream cheese.
4. Throw in the pasta / gnocchi and stir until they are well covered with the sauce.
5. That’s it!

Believe it or not, it’s very tasty (sort of reminiscent of that Italian classic of butter and sage). The sauce just covers the pasta, clinging it to it, so it’s actually good to eat even with fingers!

 

Tortilla Wraps

This turned out to be a huge hit, and as there are so many variations possible, I think we’ll be having it quite often.

Base Ingredients

6 soft tortillas / wraps
1 ball fresh mozarella, drained and sliced

Filling Ideas

• tuna (well drained) and sweetcorn
• mashed avocado and shredded cooked chicken
• mashed avocado and bacon bits
• tuna (well drained) and chopped, deseeded tomato
• crushed beans (eg kidney) and chopped, deseeded tomato
• equal amounts grated cheese and carrot (this was a HUGE hit!)

Method

1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan (no oil!)
2. Prepare your filling ingredients, making sure they aren’t wet ie drain stuff.
3. Warm a couple of tortillas slightly (I did it in the microwave for a nanosecond) to make them more pliable.
4. Put a large tbsp of filling in the middle.
5. Artfully drape some strips of mozarella over the filling.
6. Fold two sides of the tortilla over the filling, then the two open ends, to form a parcel.
7. Dry-fry it in the pan over a medium heat, seam-side down, for a couple of mins until light golden.
8. Turn and fry the other side. The filling should be warmed through and the cheese just melting.
9. Enjoy!

 

Pizza

I have been making my own pizza for a number of years now, and it’s now got to the stage where it’s actually an easy evening meal to for me to do! I would highly recommend buying a pizza stone to bake the pizza on – I’ve found it really does make a huge difference to the crust, and the stone just gets better and better the more you use it.
The fact that I make the pizza myself means I can completely control what goes in and on to it; my ds gets his own little pizza with all his favourite toppings. It’s actually not unhealthy when you think about it!

Ingredients

Base Dough

• 600g plain white flour
• 1 sachet dried yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
• approx. 300ml warm water

Tomato Sauce

• 1 carton passata (or finely chopped tomatoes)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely grated
• salt (optional – I leave this out for ds’s pizza)
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs

Method

Before starting, put the grid in the lowest position in the oven with the pizza stone on it. Turn the oven onto its highest setting.

Making the pizza base:

1. Put flour, salt, sugar and yeast in mixer and mix using dough hook.
2. While it is mixing, add the oil and slowly add the water until it forms a firm but soft dough. It should NOT be sticky. You might not need all the water.
3. When the dough comes away from the side of the bowl, take it out and knead it by hand until smooth and elastic.
4. Sprinkle a little bit of flour in a bowl, put in the dough and cover with clingfilm. Leave in a warm place until the oven and pizza stone are hot.

Making the tomato base:

1. Pour the passata into a bowl and mix well with all the other ingredients.
2. Leave for the flavours to blend for at least 20mins before tasting and adjusting seasoning if needed.

Prepare your pizza toppings, for example:

- thinly sliced red or green peppers
- thinly sliced mushrooms
- sliced onion rings
- salami, ham, etc
- olives
- tuna
- sweetcorn
- grated cheese and/or fresh mozzarella

1. When the oven is hot, divide the dough into 2 equal-sized pieces, and then take about a quarter off each one again (this will make 2 large pizzas and 2 small ones)
2. Roll one piece out so it is slightly larger than 1 paddle (this is if using a pizza stone – if not, just roll the dough out so that it fits onto an oiled baking tray). 
3. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the paddle, and on the pizza base. It should be quite floury and dry. Place the dough on the paddle with the flour side down.
4. Fold in about an inch of the edge of the pizza. I would HIGHLY recommend that you also put a little bit of cheese in here, this gives you the most heavenly stuffed crust and stops the topping from sliding off.
5. Spread the tomato sauce thinly over the base, add the toppings you want (remember, less is more) and sprinkle cheese on top.
6. Place onto the pizza stone very carefully!
7. While this pizza is baking, prepare the second one on a paddle.
8. After about 7 or 8 minutes, see if the pizza is ready (the edges should have risen and the cheese should be golden).
9. Carefully take it out with the empty paddle and place the prepared second pizza in to bake.
10. If you can, leave it stand for a couple of minutes before cutting into it.

 

I tend to make my ds’s pizzas first and let them cool while I’m doing the rest.

 

Mini Cornish Pasties

These were surprisingly easy to make, easier to eat than the regular-sized ones, and enjoyed by everyone!

Ingredients

Pastry

• 200g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 70g butter
• very cold water

Filling

• 200g minced beef
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 2 tbsp tomato puree mixed with 4 tbsp water
• 4 thin spring onions, chopped
• 2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 celeriac, peeled and cubed (OR 1 swede OR 1 turnip)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp worcester sauce
• rapeseed oil for frying
• a little milk

Method

1. Make the pastry first: put the flour and cubed butter into a food process and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add a little cold water at a time until it forms a dough.
3. Wrap in clinfilm and leave in the fridge for at least 30 mins.
4. In the mean time, make the filling: heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the mince until browned.
5. Lightly steam or boil the cubed potatoes, carrots and celeriac.
6. Add the onions to the mince and fry until beginning to soften.
7. Add the tomato puree, herbs, soy and worcester sauce.
8. Add the steamed veg and take off the heat. Allow to cool before continuing.
9. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
10. Roll out the pastry to 3-5mm thick on a well floured surface.
11. Cut out 8 – 10 circles approx. 8cm diameter (I used a large tin for this)
12. Put a large spoonful of the filling on each circle, dampen the edges with a little water or milk and fold together.
13. Crimp the edges with your fingers for form a frill.
14. Place on a lined baking tray and brush with a little milk.
15. Bake for 10 mins.
16. Reduce oven heat to 180°C and bake for a further 15mins or until very lightly golden.
17. Allow to cool a bit before eaten – they are VERY hot inside!!

 

Salmon Wellington

This is adapted from a recipe in the Sainsbury’s Magazine. It’s not at all difficult, tastes fab, and probably counts as one of my son’s favourite dinners!

Ingredients

• 1 pack soft cream cheese
• some fresh or dried dill
• large handful spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 5 or 6 skinless, boneless salmon fillets
• 2 packs of fresh puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Lightly cook the spinach (I usually do it in the microwave) and then squeeze excess water out with your hands
2. Mix the cream cheese with dill and add freshly ground pepper to taste.
3. Roll out the pasty, cut it into squares or rectangles each of which must be big enough for one salmon fillet NB I usually do 2 smaller ones for my ds with half a salmon fillet in each
4. Place a salmon fillet on each pastry square, top with spinach and then a good blob of the cream cheese mixture.
5. Fold the corners of the pastry together to make a parcel.
6. Brush with the beaten egg.
7. Chill in the refridgerator for 30 mins.
8. In the mean time, heat the oven to 220°C.
9. Poke a couple of steam holes in each parcel, then bake on a foil-lined tray on the top shelf of the oven for about 20 mins, until golden.

I usually cut the little parcel for ds up into 4 pieces, which makes it easier for him to eat (sometimes he uses his hands, sometimes he’ll eat off a pre-loaded fork) and cools it down quicker.

You can serve them with a vegetable on the side – both steamed green beans or broccoli go very well.

These are also excellent eaten cold the next day for lunch!

 

Tomato Sauce

This is my standard tomato sauce which goes perfectly with all types of pasta and gnocchi. You could make up a bit more of it and freeze it so it’s handy for a really quick and easy supper.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 tin or carton passata
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
• 1 tbsp paprika puree (or tomato puree)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tsp paprika (not spicy)
• 1 tsp dried vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp sugar or honey (optional)
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. In a saucepan, fry the onion in a little olive oil until soft.
2. Stir in the garlic and herbs and fry for another minute.
3. Add all the other ingredients (except sugar or honey), stir well and turn heat down to medium low.
4. Taste to see whether it need the sugar/honey, depending on whether the passata is a little bit acidic or not.
5. Cover and cook on a low heat for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
6. Taste again to check for seasoning.
7. Cook for a further 10 mins to allow to thicken slightly.

 

Pasta (a note on shapes)

Pasta is an ideal BLW food, but we had to experiment quite a bit before we found shapes which were easy to hold. Some babies will happily pick up anything, including things like spaghetti and noodles, but my son was a bit more particular and wanted things that he could hold “properly”.

So here, thanks to the benefit of our experience, are our top pasta shapes:

• 
  tortiglioni
• 
  tortellini
• 
  rigatoni
• 
  penne (specifically, penne rigate)
• 
  tortellni
• 
  fusilli
• 
  elbow macaroni
• 
  gnocchi
• 
  schupfnudeln

I know the last two aren’t really pasta, as they are made of a potato dough, but I tend to think of them as being in the pasta group of foods, so I’ve stuck them in here.