“Never let girl cook in ya kitchen” (Mary J. Blige 2009)

 

I guess artistic licence will permit the absence of a definite or an indefinite article!

 


I was tempted to balance out the last couple of positive posts, with some more miserable musings. That said, I’m feeling ok today, so that will have to wait until another time … 

 

As you will have gathered, a full and meaningful lifestyle seems to be an essential tool in the maintenance of my mental health. Though I say it myself (and with outside assistance), I think I’ve made a pretty good start on its creation.

 

I will therefore now give you an insight into another of its ingredients. If it isn’t obvious from the foregoing – read on and you will see why I used that word …

 

Last week I told you about culinary exploits, as part of my voluntary work. Well it doesn’t stop there – and many a contented hour is spent in my own kitchen.

 

As I just said - “many” hours are spent in my kitchen. This time could be reduced by the adoption of some shortcuts. I have though, got into the habit of trying so far as possible, to make things from scratch and avoid using pre-prepared stuff. I am tempted to say that a homemade version tastes better, but it probably doesn’t. Making it myself does however provide enjoyment and a degree of satisfaction – if nothing else because food poisoning seems to date, to have been avoided …

 

A good example of my homemade approach, is bread, and like little more than baking it myself. I don’t use a bread making machine and find kneading by hand to be quite a relaxing activity (never let it be said that I’m not strange!)

 

“And here’s one I made earlier” – taken out of the oven about 5 minutes ago!

 


Needless to say, I cook plenty of mundane stuff but do like to dabble in a few less mainstream meals.

 

Favourites here, include Moroccan lamb and Vietnamese fish dishes (not together, I must add!)

 

My current meal of choice is smoked haddock, served on a mildly spiced potato curry and topped with a poached egg.

 

On a whim I decided a little while ago to try my hand at cake decorating. I bought all the stuff and gave it pride of place in a kitchen equipment cupboard – where it has remained ever since! Note to self – JFDI!

 

We’ve had plenty of closing pictures and indeed last week, a video. By way of a further change, let’s finish this episode with something different, again. This time you can have a recipe!

 

As I said, I like to avoid the use of pre-prepared food and this is a good example. I know I could buy it in a jar, but that would be cheating (although a lot less time consuming!) 

 

Anyway, here’s a little something, for you to (maybe) make for yourself - a homemade pasta sauce. 

 

Given that I will often just make stuff up as I go along, I don’t plan to specify precise quantities of ingredients. I would suggest that you just, use what feels right and taste/adjust with some regularity, as you go along. What I would suggest though, is that if using fresh tomatoes, I would include 1 large one, per person.

 

Having just mentioned them, let’s start with tomatoes. Many folk use tinned ones, and that’s fine if it’s what you prefer. Alternatively, you can use fresh tomatoes and leave the skin on – again, fine if it suits. Given my penchant for making life as difficult as possible, I personally use skinned fresh tomatoes. In order to remove their skins, stab each one a few times, with a sharp knife and drop them into boiling water. After 3 or 4 minutes you should be able to see a marked loosening of the skin. At this point, take them out and drop into cold water.  Once they are cool enough to handle with comfort, you can remove the skin by hand.

 

However, you have got to this stage, your tomatoes when ready to go into the sauce mixture, should be roughly chopped.


Next take a pan and add a little extra virgin olive oil (I know what a virgin is, but an “extra virgin” is a puzzle!). Once the oil is heated, you should add chopped red onion, salt and pepper to taste, garlic, oregano and chopped basil leaves.

 

You can add optional extras at this stage, of your own choosing. I often add flaked almonds and chilli flakes. 

 

Once this has been done, it should all be fried until the onion is soft and starting to brown (5 minutes or a little more).

 

If you plan to include something like salami in the finished sauce, I would add it to the fried onions shortly before they are ready - doing so will release its oils and add flavour. 

 

The next thing to add, is a squeeze of tomato puree and let this fry for about 30 seconds.

 

It’s now time to add your chopped tomatoes. 

 

The sauce will work fine with nothing else added and any extra ingredients are entirely up to yourself. Additions that I will often chuck in now though, are chopped pointed red peppers, balsamic vinegar, runny honey and sweet chilli sauce.

 

Once everything is in the pan it is now time to let it cook on a fairly low heat, for at least 15 minutes.

 

After this time, it is ready to serve. Maybe it’s a matter of taste, but I think it works best if the pasta is coated by the sauce, rather than swimming in it.  You might want to finish it all off by garnishing with a few more chopped basil leaves and some freshly ground black peppercorns.

 

Bon appetit!  Or perhaps, I should say “Buon appetito”

 

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