Heavenly Concoctions

[tod2]

Tonight I created one of the most heavenly dinners using only two cooking utensils. Not only was I skint on the pots,but cheated ingredients wherever I could. This is a working persons evening dinner or a super Sunday lunch with a difference.

Ingredients:
One large challot - as big as a normal onion
A large bunch of Italian parsley
450grams peeled and de-veined raw pink prawns
1 tub (nowhere did it give the grams) roasted red pepper pesto
(containing: roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and basil blended with a combination of olive & canola oil, cashew nuts and pecorino cheese.)
1 sachet -200grams, Napoletana sauce (slow cooked imported Italian tomatoes with fresh basil & garlic)
1 heaped tablespoon chopped garlic
2 heaped tablespoons butter
1 tsp Italian herbs dried
1/2 cup frozen peas (just because I had them left in freezer).
spaghetti for 4 servings

Method:
I sauteed the shallots and garlic in butter and a hint of olive oil,
Added the prawns, then when bubbling added the tub of pesto,
Italian herbs, some chopped fresh parsley, then Napoletana sauce.

Cooked the spaghetti and when al dente drained and added to prawn sauce. Here I added a little of the spaghetti liquid and peas, continued to slow cook for 30 minutes.
Add last of chopped fresh parsley, toss one more time and serve in bowls accompanied by a baguette to mop up sauces. I helped it all go down with a beautiful Shiraz.!!

[Don Cuevas]

Bacon. Good, streaky smoky bacon. It has the most perfect flavor groups: fat, smoke, salt and sugar. A friend mentioned bacon ice cream to us, but we haven't tried it. I'm willing to give it a go.

Just now, I'm preparing pizzas for a party*. One pizza will have chewy crisp bacon ends and pieces, plus peeled and seeded roasted chile poblano, nopalitos, sauce and cheese. Chopped cilantro as a finish after the bake.

* My birthday party. More on that, later, I should live so long.

[tod2]

Don, don't you mean it's your first anniversary of your 40th birthday ;D
I'm with you on the bacon - adds so much flavour to numerous dishes!

[bixaorellana]

Tod, that does sound divine ~~ and inspired!

Ditto on those pizzas, birthday boy!

[tod2]

[lagatta]

That looks lovely. I've never seen that sauce here, but I'm sure I could concoct something. I have some really nice winter squash, including a potimarron.

[lugg]

Thank you for posting the tangy butternut / onion recipe Tod. I made a version last night- yummy
I mixed up a mustard and honey dressing to replace the Colemans sauce. We had it with a salmon fillet but I think it would be fine as a stand alone veggie main.

[lagatta]

I have dry English mustard (which I add to homemade mayonnaise; gives a "thickness boost"), so I'd mix that with other elements as I haven't seen Colman's sauce here.

I wound up making a gratin from my potimarron.

Just the potatoes one sautés in olive oil to make a Spanish omelette ("tortilla", but not to be confused with the Meso-American variety) are a lovely concoction. I added some mild Spanish onion and leftover bits of ham last time.