Recipes for Cook

I knew this dish was going to be good but I didnt realize how good!  I made it in the beginning of September when I could still find heirloom tomatoes.  They are so sweet and full of flavor!  The recipe calls for cherry or grape tomatoes so this can be made any time of the year.  I bet it would be delicious with winter squash as well!

If you like veggies I would definitley double up on the zucchini and the yellow squash.  We definitely lost some pieces before they got tossed with the pasta.  That bowl of roasted veggies was hard to resist!

This is a great dish to make when you are having company.  The recipe can easily be doubled, the shrimp can be marinated ahead of time and the veggies can be cooked ahead of time.  They will heat up again when tossed with the hot pasta.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
1 cup arugula leaves
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano Cheese, plus more for serving
Grilled Shrimp, recipe follows

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the spaghetti.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the squashes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give it all a good toss. Dump that out onto a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until the squash is tender and caramelized. Scrape the vegetables into a large pasta bowl and cover with a plate to keep everything warm.

The pasta water should be boiling by now. Add the spaghetti and stir to separate the strands. Cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente.

To finish, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and toss gently with the roasted vegetables and Grilled Shrimp. Add the pasta water if needed.

Grilled Shrimp:

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
16 large head-on Jumbo shrimp in the shell, shells split down the back
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix garlic, lemon, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and add shrimp.  Marinate for 1 hour or more. Heat a large outdoor grill and wipe down with oiled paper towel to create a nonstick surface. Add shirmp and  grill for 3 minutes per side baste with marinade as you go.

Click here for a printable recipe.

The Best of British Challenge  has moved on, it started in Cornwall at the Chocolate Log Blog, then I took over here on Farmersgirl Kitchen with the Scottish challenge, last month Yorkshire was the county of choice over at Lavender and Lovage.  I didnt have any trouble thinking of recipes for the last three, but when Fiona at London Unattached announced that she was hosting for London I was really stumped as to what to make.

I toyed with London Particular a yellow split pea soup which is supposed to resemble the fog known as a London Pea Souper.  Then I thought I might make bagels after learning about the long tradition of bagel-making in the east end of London. In the end, I stumbled across a recipe for Omelette Arnold Bennet and I knew I had found my London entry to the Best of British Challenge.



The Omelette Arnold Bennet was created by the chefs at the Savoy Hotel in London for the writer Arnold Bennett, he loved it so much he insisted on it being made for him wherever he travelled. Its still on the menu  at the Savoy to this day.

Omelette Arnold Bennet (Serves 2)

This is a lower fat recipe using a cornflour based sauce rather than the traditional bechamel

Ingredients
200g smoked haddock (I could only get dyed smoked haddock but, for preference I would choose undyed)
200ml semi-skimmed milk
15g cornflour
25g parmesan cheese, grated
5 eggs (separate white and yolk from one egg)
10g butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the fish in the milk and cook gently for about 10-15 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Remove the fish to another dish.

2. Mix the cornflour with a little cold milk  and pour the warm milk from the pan into the bowl.  Mix well and return to the pan, cooking through until thickened, add half the grated parmesan, season and stir in the yolk from the separated egg. Leave to cool.

3. Beat the white from the separated egg in a large bowl until it forms stiff peaks and set aside.
4. In another bowl, beat the 4 whole eggs.
5. Break the haddock into large flakes.


Its not the most photogenic of dishes, but we enjoyed the different textures of the layers and the salty, tangy flavours of the smoked fish and parmesan cheese pefectly offset by the eggs.  We raised a glass to Arnold Bennet and the chefs of the Savoy Hotel, for introducing us to this exceptional omelette.

The challenge ends on 23rd September, so there is still time to enter, find out more about the challenge and the prizes visiting London Unattached - Best of British