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3 tbsp milk
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon 3 tbsp torn or sliced fresh basil Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Bring a large pot of water to the boil with a good pinch of salt, then cook the pasta according to the packet’s instructions.
2 While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over a high heat, then add the courgettes. Cook for 3–4 minutes until just softened and lightly golden. In a bowl, mix together the cheese, milk, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of the basil. Add to the courgettes in the pan and toss together on the heat for 1 minute, until the cheese has melted. Season to taste.
3 Drain the pasta and return to the large pot. Add the creamy courgettes and gently stir to mix. Then pour into a warm serving bowl and scatter with the remaining basil. Serve immediately.
Rachel’s handy tip
If the courgettes are 12cm (4½in) or smaller, there is no need to halve them lengthways or remove the seeds. Just remove the ends and slice thinly.
Creamy Coconut Prawns with Spiced Banana Raita (#ulink_9c684054-97e7-5ba2-9238-87af6df08a9f)
This is an absolutely divine Bengalese recipe, given to me by a friend, Arun Kapil, who imports spices from his family in India. Seafood is central to the region’s cuisine – every day the locals catch the freshest fish and the plumpest prawns in the Bay of Bengal and typically combine them with tamarind, mild spices and coconut, according to traditional family recipes. Here, Arun has devised this deliciously simple recipe combining prawns, creamy coconut milk, exotic tamarind and an Indian spice blend, panch puran.
SERVES 4
FOR THE PANCH PURAN
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp whole nigella seeds
1 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 level tsp salt
FOR SPICED BANANA RAITA
400ml (14fl oz) natural yoghurt
½–1 tbsp Garam Masala spice
2 good handfuls of raisins (optional), soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drained
2 tbsp freshly chopped mint
1 banana, very thinly sliced
Juice and zest of ½ lime
FOR THE COCONUT PRAWNS
4 tsp mustard oil (or sunflower or corn oil)
1kg (2lb 4oz) peeled tiger prawns
1 tbsp butter, clarified butter or vegetable oil
1 heaped tbsp gram flour (or 1 tbsp of plain flour)
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
1 generous tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 2 tbsp hot water till mushy, then pushed through a sieve to get rid of the stones
1 chilli, deseeded and diced
450ml (16fl oz) fish stock or water
Salt, to taste
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1 To make the panch puran spice blend, mix together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
2 Then, in a medium-sized bowl, mix the mustard oil and 1 teaspoon of the spice blend. Add the tiger prawns, mix well and set aside for 30 minutes.
3 Make the raita by mixing the ingredients in a medium bowl. Add seasoning to taste and keep to one side.
4 In a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or wok, heat the clarified butter or oil to smoking point and add the rest of the dry spice blend. Reduce the heat and toast for 10–15 seconds, constantly stirring. Add the flour and stir or whisk until smooth (this should only take about 2 minutes). Don’t worry how it looks at this stage – you’re making a kind of roux and it’s supposed to be a dry(ish) paste.
5 Add the coconut milk, tamarind paste, diced chilli and a good pinch of salt, and keep stirring or whisking until it’s smooth (another couple of minutes). Add the water or fish stock bit by bit until it’s the thickness of double cream.
6 Add the prawns, turn up the heat and bring rapidly to the boil. Turn the heat back down and simmer for only 1 minute until the prawns are just cooked; any longer and they become rubbery.
7 Turn off the heat, add the coriander and a squeeze of lime juice and season to taste. Serve immediately with plenty of basmati rice and the raita.
Rache’s handy tips
You can buy panch puran ready-made from many Asian shops or big supermarkets if you’re short on time. You can also serve this with the Yoghurt and Cucumber Raita on page 119; use half the quantity.
Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Mozzarella (#ulink_84127019-0834-56b6-b56d-36bbf96ad305)
Sometimes the simplest recipes make the best pick-me-ups. This is such a quick and easy meal, and you can just close your eyes and dream of the Tuscan hills. If you keep roasted peppers in the fridge, it’s all the faster to make!
SERVES 4–6
VEGETARIAN
FOR THE ROAST PEPPERS
Olive oil
2 peppers, choose from red, yellow or orange (green peppers can be bitter)
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes (or 450g/1lb tomatoes, peeled and chopped)
2 tbsp chopped herbs, such as basil, parsley, marjoram or tarragon
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar
TO SERVE
450g (1lb) dried pasta, such as penne, fusilli or farfalle
1 x 150g (5oz) ball of mozzarella, broken into little pieces of 1cm (½in)
1 Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F), Gas mark 8. Rub some olive oil over the peppers, then pop on a baking tray or glass plate and put into the hot oven. Cook for about 40 minutes or until very soft and a bit black. Take out of the oven, put into a bowl, cover with cling film and let cool. When cool, peel the skin off the peppers. Don’t rinse in water, or you’ll lose the flavour. I find it helps to have a bowl of water nearby in which to rinse my hands. Using a butter knife, scrape out the seeds. Tear or slice the peppers into strips.
2 To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, toss until coated, cover and sweat over a gentle heat until soft and a tiny bit golden. Add the tomatoes and half the chopped herbs, mix and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Gently simmer, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes or until softened. Add the remaining chopped herbs at the end.
3 Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just cooked, then drain and toss with the tomato sauce, add the roast peppers and mozzarella, season to taste and serve.
Slow-cooked Lamb Shanks with Piperonata (#ulink_ca8b7a9e-7a24-5b9d-a8f3-fa86530f878c)
There are times when perfectly cooked lamb seems the cure for just about anything. I love lamb shanks for their tender, succulent texture and sweet, delicious flavour. They’re best cooked at a low temperature for a long time, about 3–4 hours, by which time the meat will be falling off the bone. The piperonata is a wonderful pepper and tomato stew that is very versatile. Serve it as a vegetable accompaniment to a roast as here, or with egg dishes such as omelettes. It can be made in advance and frozen. I often serve this dish with mashed potato (see page 27).
SERVES 4
FOR THE LAMB SHANKS
125g (5oz) streaky bacon, chopped into 1cm (½in) pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
4 lamb shanks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or grated
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
225ml (8fl oz) red wine
225ml (8fl oz) lamb or chicken stock
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 strips of orange peel (removed with a peeler)
Caster sugar
FOR THE PIPERONATA
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 small red peppers
1 small yellow pepper
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes or 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1–2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp torn fresh basil or chopped fresh marjoram
1 First prepare the lamb shanks. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F), Gas mark 2.
2 Boil the bacon in boiling water in a small saucepan for 1 minute, then rinse in cold water.
3 Place an ovenproof medium–large casserole pot or heavy large saucepan on a medium heat, pour in the olive oil and put in the lamb shanks, season and allow to brown slightly on all sides. Add all the remaining ingredients, season with salt, pepper and a couple of good pinches of sugar.
4 Bring up to the boil, then place in the oven and cook for 3 hours or until very tender – the meat should be almost falling off the bone.
5 While the lamb is cooking, make the piperonata. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized casserole or saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cover (see the handy tip on page 15). Allow to cook gently on a low heat until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes.
6 Meanwhile, slice the peppers. Cut the peppers into quarters from top to bottom, remove the stalk and seeds, then cut into short slices crossways or cut into squares about 3cm (1¼in).
