Spinach Pesto

‘Why would I want to eat something like that?’ I was asked when I offered it to my long standing food Guinea Pig. Well, seeing there wasn’t much else available he tasted the offered sample and smiled. Phew.

This is just sooo simple and you just know that this vibrant green paste is doing you a little bit of good – although you may have to eat loads of it to make any considerable difference. Spinach full of Vitamin A, Folate and Iron (but not as much as the myth surrounding Popeye would suggest – or is that a myth around a myth?)

Not only can it be used as a sauce for pasta, try spreading some on some toast or bread as a nibble, or even a stuffing for ravioli. Marvelous!

1 bag of baby spinach (I think it was 100g)

1 100g bag of pine nuts

1 100g bag of Parmesan (although freshly grated would taste so much better)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

olive oil depending on consistency required

optional zest and juice of a lemon

Traditional Pesto recipes ask for garlic, which of course you can add to the food processor, but personally I sometimes find it a little harsh – but please add if you prefer.

Here’s how easy it is – toast the pine nuts. Put the spinach, Parmesan and toasted pine nuts into a food processor/blender and press the button. Add a  some olive oil and  a little water to loosen the mixture. Season, add the nutmeg and the lemon zest and juice if desired. Taste.

So depending on what consistency you created depends how you next treat it. I didn’t add much liquid – just enough to transform it into a paste – as I preferred the idea of loosening it further when I came to adding it to the pasta.

I served it with Chili flavored pasta (not an over powering taste of Chili, but just a hint). I cooked the pasta, drained it reserving some of the cooking liquid. Then in the pan I heated some olive oil, seasoned it, added some of the cooking liquid and added a tablespoon of pesto. I returned the pasta to the pan, added some more pesto and little more of the cooking liquid. I stirred it all about to make sure it is evenly covered and served it with some Parmesan shavings.

For the ravioli just pop the paste into the fridge for an hour and it becomes perfect consistency for the stuffing. I'll be doing that tomorrow.

Chicken curry meatballs

We had this for dinner last night and loved it, so I thought I'd share it with you. Unfortunately I forgot to take any pictures - but it did look pretty good too. The sauce soaked into the rice, so make sure it isn't too thick. Its has a mild curry taste, but you can add a chopped chilli or two for extra zing ..... and trust me the cheese is important!

Chicken Curry Meatballs (also works well with Turkey or Lamb)

500g Chicken mince

2.5cm piece of fresh Ginger, peeled and grated

2 cloves of Garlic, crushed

3 tbs of ground Almonds

2 tbs Olive oil

1 Cinnamon stick

6 Cardamon pods

4 Cloves

2 Bay leaves

I Onion, finely chopped

2.5 piece of fresh Ginger, peeled and grated

2 cloves of Garlic, crushed

1tsp ground Coriander

2 tsp ground Cumin

1 tsp ground Turmeric

1 tsp ground Cinnamom

½ tsp Cayenne pepper

3 tbs ground Almonds

1 tbs desiccated Coconut

200ml Coconut milk, light

200ml Chicken stock or water

pinch saffron threads

50g Cheddar cheese, grated

20 Cherry Tomatoes halved

Green Veg, like Mange Tout, Sugar Snaps or Sprouting Broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces (but not too small)

a handful of fresh Coriander chopped

1 tbs toasted flaked Almonds

1 Lemon

To make the meatballs put the Chicken, grated Ginger, crushed Garlic, Almonds and mix together in a bowl. If it isn’t binding add a little water. Shape into walnut size balls, put on a plate or chopping board, cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for approx 30 mins.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or a shallow saucepan, over a high heat. Add the Cinnamon stick, Cardamon, Cloves and Bay leaves and cook for 1 min. Remove the chicken balls from the fridge and brown on all sides, in the spiced oil, in batches.

Remove all the chicken balls from the pan and put to one side. With a slotted spoon remove the whole spices

To make the sauce, sauté the Onion, Ginger, Garlic with the ground Corriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Cayenne Pepper. Do not let it burn – if it is catching in the pan add a little water. Once the onion has soften(about 5 mins)  add the desiccated Coconut and the ground Almonds and stir. Now add the Coconut milk, the stock, and the Saffron threads and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins.

Return the meatballs to the pan and cook for 5 mins. Add the vegetables and cook for a further 5 mins. If the sauce looks to thick add a bit more stock/water.

Serve with rice and a scatter with the chopped Coriander and the flaked Almonds and a squeeze of lemon.

God is a DJ

It was a hot and steamy night in Singapore when we stood a top Fort Canning park to see Faithless and Friendly Fires .... or should that be the other way round as Friendly Fires was on first ...... but then Faithless was the razon detra of the evening. Any how ......

..... arriving one would never had guessed Singapore had been drenched in rain 3 hours before, it was hot up there and the air hadn't cleared. Mind you that might have had something to with the steep climb (Singapore doesn't have many hills but Fort Canning is one of them) to the venue and the burger and chips we had eaten at Brewerkz before hand (far from the best burger in town).

So we arrived to what felt like a field with a stage in it .... it felt like we had turned up at someones wedding or BBQ where a band was going to play and not many people where really interested - I know it sounds strange a field in Singapore .... in daylight it doesn't look like a field and more like a fort with an ancient stone archway with an adjacent resevoir ..... but in this case it did. We had a beer tent and giving that BBQ vibe maybe was the BBQ tent. A few people were milling about, some had put picnic mats on the floor and were sitting awaiting the action. We stood there not knowing what to do. We moved a little closer and then a little closer to the stage, then it was what the hell lets just go as close as we can - three rows (standing) from the front .....  I'm sure Maxi Jazz thought what we thought - what on earth are we doing here (Sister Bliss is a regualr on the DJ circuit out here) - but then just before Friendly Fires walked onto the stage we were surrounded and we had some of the best 'seats' in the house. So, the age group of the fans was probably standard - we weren't the oldest - far from it, but deffinately on the older end of groupees.

So Friendly Fires - nominated for the Mercury Prize 2009 amongst other things - were fab. I wanted to hear more and dance more (but 'no room lah'). Ed Macfarlane the lead singer, well, I'm sorry I loved his dancing despite having the overwhelming feeling he was dancing like someones Dad (sorry Ed). He wasn't but I couldn't help the feeling as he twisted and giratted over the stage and at one point with us in the crowd. Great Band.

We waited and watched the stage crew set up. I could feel rivilets of sweat running down my back (yuk), my trousers were sticking to me, all I wanted was some space, but as the time grew nearer more and more people wanted what we had - a great position in front of the stage - deffences went up with elbows out (afterall we were standing in a fort) and we would not give up our position.

FAITHLESS!!!!! Serene Sister Bliss stood amongst her keyboards in glittering silver and then Maxi Jazz opened his mouth, his South London brogue hitting me and something in my heart went BANG. The rest of the band were great too, with some fabulous male singers standing in for Dido and the like. The music was a mix of their Classic Anthems and new stuff off of last years album 'The Dance', keeping the old fans and the new ones entertained. And we danced and we sang and we got dazzeled by the lights and woooooooed and clapped and got carried away with ........ sheer joy ........

 ........ for tonight, God is a DJ.

And then tired and thirsty it was down the pub (local Irish) and home by Bus and all before midnight (an hour after the show finished), with no hassel of queueing or crowds. I mean there aren't many places but Singapore where you can do this ..... and now I'm home sick, so Maxi if you want to come round for abit of London banter and a cuppa and lots of food (you always look like you need feeding), call me .....