Flammkuchen with Bacon and Mushroom

Flammkuchen is a kind of Northern European pizza - or perhaps pizza is an Italian Flammkuchen, who knows?  What makes it different is the absence of tomato and the use of dairy, and it appears to be popular in Alsace, parts of Western Germany and even in Austria.  As with pizza, the variations for the toppings are endless.  Thhe bread dough is simple and quick and doesn't need to prove for ages, so it is perfectly feasible for a weeknight supper.  We loved it.  For 2 people, make a bread dough out of 200g plain flour (ordinary plain flour is actually better here, as you get a softer finish), 5g of dried instant yeast, 1/4 teaspoon salt, glug of rapeseed or olive oil, about 100ml of cold water and a heaped teaspoon of creme fraiche.  I mixed it in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 6 or 7 minutes.  You want a wet dough, so add a little more water if needed.  Cover and leave to rise for an hour in a warm place.  Prep your chosen topping - not too much - in our case, another heaped teaspoon of creme fraiche, two rashers of chopped smoked bacon, a handful of sliced mushrooms and a couple of tablespoons of grated cheddar, Parmesan or other hard cheese.  Saute the bacon and mushroom for a few minutes first.  Heat the oven to 220C and put a heavy baking sheet in to warm.  Tip the risen dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and use your finger tips to flatten and shape it into a thin rectangle about 12" by 9" or thereabouts - try to build up a little rim round the edges.  Spread the surface thinly with the creme fraiche, add the toppings and transfer, on the paper, to the hot baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes until nicely browned and golden.  Slice and devour!

Cod and Spinach Bake

Do you remember those little frozen blocks of boil in the bag cod in parsley/butter/cheese sauce when you were growing up?  Do they still make them?  Is it alright to admit a certain fondness for them?  It was the memory of this childhood/childish treat that inspired me to make this bake this evening - dead simple really.  Pour a kettle of boiling water over a bag of baby spinach, tipped into a colander.  Squeeze as much liquid out as you can and chop roughly.  Saute a small onion in some olive oil, then add the spinach, season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg and set to one side.  Make a lightly cheesey bechamel sauce from half a pint of milk.  Now mix half the spinach mix into the sauce.  Put a couple of sliced tomatoes in the bottom of a baking dish along with the remaining spinach, top with two chunky pieces of sustainably-caught cod and pour the spinach/cheese sauce over and around.  Sprinkle with grated parmesan and bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes (around 180C fan), until the fish is just cooked and the sauce is brown and bubbly.  Serve with new potatoes or crusty bread, and a glass of chilled white wine.

Mushroom, Spinach and Leek Frittata

Definitely qualifies for an 'under a fiver' job this, especially if you have a handful of mushrooms, half a pillow-pack of spinach and a single leek staring at you in the salad drawer of the fridge, saying "Well?  What are you going to do with US little lot, then?" when you open the door. (I often hear veg talking to me). The answer was to chop them and saute them for a few minutes in a little butter with some fresh thyme leaves and seasoning, combine with 3 or 4 beaten eggs (depending on how hungry the two of you are - naturally, we went with 4), pour into a parchment-lined round or square cake tin (NOT one with a loose bottom!), top with a little cheese of your choice (we had some creamy Lancashire, also sulking in the depths of the fridge after Christmas), and bake at 170C for 20 minutes until set and probably a bit puffy.  Lovely, fresh and frugal, served with some crusty bread.

Parmesan Biscuits

Well, we've been off on our hols in sunny St Ive's, Cornwall, so apologies for the radio silence.  We ate well down there, in some wonderful restaurants, including the famous Porthminster Beach Cafe (who did a stunning Beetroot and Goat's Cheese puree) and Alba (wonderful Mussels with Curry, Cream and Tomato).  Back to my own kitchen, and to accompany our cocktails tonight, I have made Parmesan Biscuits.  Simply blend in a food processor:
120g each of plain flour, grated Parmesan cheese and cubed, ice-cold butter, along with a good dash of cayenne pepper and black pepper and a teaspoon of English mustard powder.  It should come together into a ball, but if it is dry or crumbly, carefully add a teaspoon of water at a time until it is the right texture.  Knead lighly on a sheet of clingfilm and then, using the flat palms of your hand, roll out to a sausage roll shape.  Wrap tightly in the clingfilm, and chill in the fridge.  Now, cut slices off the roll with a sharp knife, about half a centimetre thick, and place on a baking tray, preferably non stick.  Space them apart to allow for a little expansion.  Bake for 10 minutes at 200 degrees - keep an eye on them so they don't burn.  They should be an enticing pale golden colour.  Leave on the tray for a few minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Allegedly, these keep well in a tin but we always eat them in one sitting.  I know, I know...........

Carrot Fritters [#249]

These are a cross between a Nigel Slater and a Bill Granger recipe, so I suppose they count for the challenge? Essentially, grated carrot, grated onion (a good-sized one in each case) mixed with an egg, a heaped tablespoon of flour, and a little milk it it is all too stiff. You should have a mixture that coheres, yet plops gently off a spoon if tapped. You now have some seasoning options: I added a finely chopped green chilli, mainly as I had one in the house and wanted to add a bit of 'poke' to proceedings. I crumbled in a little feta too, which is the Bill way, but Nigel suggests grated cheddar. Not too much, an ounce or two. Season well with pepper and some salt if the cheese isn't included. A herb is needed - I used coriander, but parsley would be nice too, as would some mint.

Now, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan, spoon tablepoons of batter into the pan, and flatten a little. Cook for a couple of minutes each side, drain on kitchen paper and serve with Greek yoghurt into which you've stirred some sweet chilli sauce, more of your chosen herb, and perhaps some chopped or grated cucumber. Lovely with a green salad and some roast tomatoes for a hearty veggie supper and enough for 2.

Cooking note: these are quite fragile, so don't worry if they break up when you turn them over, just squidge them back together again. I placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet and finished cooking in a hot oven for 10 minutes - this helped them firm up and also allowed some of the oil they inevitably absorb to come out.

A Rich Dish of Brussels Sprouts and Cheese [#217]

This could only be Nigel Slater, with a title like that! This is, in essence, Brussels Sprouts in a cheesy, mustardy sauce, grilled until bubbling brown and piping hot, then served, as Nigel suggests, with pasta. Just the ticket for a cold February night, with the snow flurrying around the door. Cheap too! Nigel suggested Stichelton Blue cheese, but I'm not a fan of blue cheeses, so we went with a good-quality Cheddar and Parmesan - not too much, just enough to give a tang of cheesiness to proceedings, yet not enough to make your eyelids sweat - LOL! This is a moveable feast, so go with what you have - Gruyere would be good, I reckon, and even some Mozzarella. Basically, trim and halve some sprouts, boil for 3 minutes, until tender but still vigorous (a bit like how I like my men). Make up a good cheese sauce using about half a pint of milk for two people. Unite the two ingredients in a gratin dish, top with Parmesan and grill till brown and bubbling. Picture courtesy of www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk

Potato, Onion and Cheese Pie [#204]

Memories of school lunches from Jo Pratt. However, we drastically cut the quantities of butter and cheese - 10g and 110g respectively, compared to the original recipe's 40g and 200g - she is a young lass and thin as a whippet, so it is alright for her, but not for lardy-arsed old birds in their late 40s, thank you! What's not to like in this recipe? Fluffy mash mixed with gently-sweated onion and a little milk and mustard, with grated cheddar and Lincolnshire Poacher cheeses stirred through, then baked until really golden-brown and crusty. Cheap as chips....erm, except not chips, but you get the idea! We are full as can be and warm from head-to-toe. How people can possibly choose to diet whilst in the grip of the coldest weather for 30 years, I don't know! Lettuce leaf and cottage cheese, anyone?

Macaroni with Fontina and Mustard [#164]

Well, no Fontina sadly, so substituted it with Talleggio and grated Parmesan. The end result was a delicious, savoury macaroni cheese, just perfect for a 'dreich' night, as my old Mum and Dad would have said. Delicious contrast of the rich, bubbling sauce with the crisp freshness of the Pear, Fennel and Watercress Salad from the previous posting. Thanks for a great variation on Mac and Cheese, Nigel! Stop licking the screen.

Courgette and Lancashire Cheese Crumble [#131]

Well, well, what a surprise. This was totally delicious, and probably in my top 10 recipes from the book so far. As Nigel himself admits, this sounds like some worthy dish from a 1970s vegetarian restaurant. It is, in fact, savoury, herby and relatively light, the 'crumble' element being breadcrumbs, walnuts, a little Lancashire cheese and fresh rosemary. The base is onion and potato, with courgette, more crumbly lactic Lancashire and rosemary. It all bakes into a crisp yet moist dish that was just superb. For all you gardeners out there facing a glut of courgettes, do try this, you really won't regret it.

Orecchiette with Broad Beans, Ricotta and Mint [#106]

Delicious, creamy recipe, that showcased the tiny little broad beans picked at our local PYO farm in Binsey. However, I halved the quantity of ricotta - Nigel suggests 250g, or a whole tub, which was just way too much and way too rich for two and 200g of pasta. It was plenty creamy enough! I have half a tub left to make his Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes for an indulgent breakfast on Sunday as a result. The mint in this, by the way, is totally essential and elevates it into something unusual and delicious. We drank a lovely Friulli Grave Pinot Grigio by Arrigo Bidoli (M&S) with this, and could almost imagine ourselves in the Tuscan hills............

A Deli Sandwich [#101]

This is a moveable feast, rather than a recipe as such. Nigel's idea is to construct a sandwich out of Deli ingredients: crusty Italian bread, cured meats, antipasti vegetables and cheese. We follow this theme with a sandwich just made for our lunches at work tomorrow. Crusty Olive and Chilli Pave loaf from Marks and Sparks is the base, split and spread with a little home-made oily tapenade rather than anything dairy. Topped with thinly sliced Italian prosciutto cotto lovely and herbal with notes of bay and rosemary. Then, a layer of wood-roasted peppers in oil and rosemary, and finally, thin slices of mozzarella, marinated in pesto. Topped with the rest of the bread and cut into chunky squares, the flavoured oils should seep into the bread overnight. Can't wait for lunch tomorrow!

Zucchini Cakes with Dill and Feta [#97]

I love courgette cakes, and these were a yummy variation on the now classic recipe. I reduced the amount of grated courgette, and added a bit of chopped mint too. Served with a little salsa of chopped beetroot mixed with balsamic and olive oil. Eaten with the Baked Tomatoes with Saint Marcellin (see previous recipe) and some chargrilled local asparagus from the lovely Medley Manor Farm pick-your-own in Binsey, Oxford, this was a delicious, healthy veggie dinner. No online recipe sadly - go get the book!

Baked Tomatoes with Saint Marcellin [#96] - HALF WAY!

This recipe marks the half-way point in the challenge - yay! Nice simple recipe, served with several other dishes in a 'help-yourself-and-bung-it-all-on-the-plate' way. Served with toasted ciabatta. This was a new cheese to us, and came in a lovely little terracotta dish - like a cross between Brie and Camembert - very nice.

Goats' Cheese Puddings [#76]

Totally delicious little souffles, and so much easier to make than traditional ones, being flourless, so no fannying around with a panade. Of course, I reduced the amount of dairy - 100g of Pant-Ysgawn (great name!) goats' cheese for two, instead of the 200g recommended by Nigel, a blob of yoghurt instead of double cream, and about 3 tablespoons of parmesan, rather than the 100g or so that the original recipe stated. Using 3 eggs as the base, this was plenty for two of us. I also used fresh thyme, which the book calls for, though the online recipe states chives. Baked, as Nigel asks, in a shallow plate, which gives more delicious crust for your bucks. We served this with a salad of pea shoots and asparagus with a lemon, mustard and walnut dressing. Perfect for a warm spring night. By the way, this recipe has an immaculate pedigree, originating from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in California, via Sally Clarke's Clarke's restaurant in Notting Hill, London (where we are dining this weekend - hooray!).

Orange and Ricotta Pancakes [#71]

Lovely, light, fluffy pancakes, these, the orange flavour sang through from just the zest of an orange. We ate them for breakfast with a drizzle of maple syrup for the full-on Doris-Day-in-New-England experience....sadly, I look nothing like Doris Day, and my hubby isn't a bit like Rock Hudson - Que sera, sera

Orange and Lemon Cheesecake [#62]

This cheesecake has the smoothest texture, thanks to Nigel's technique of baking it in a bain-marie. It doesn't have a deeply citrus flavour, however, so I served it with slices of juicy navel orange. I also virtually halved the ingredients, and used reduced-fat versions of Mascarpone and Cream Cheese to try to keep us both out of the local cardio-thoracic ward. This is my fifth Nigel recipe from The Diaries this weekend - I need help!

An English Cheese Salad [#51]

Scarcely a recipe, this, and indeed I can't find a link on the web, so will sketch the picture for you. A warm Spring day, crisp green salad leaves, thin slivers of sharp Mrs Butler's Lancashire Cheese (the cheese was sharp, not Mrs Butler!), toasted walnuts, and a mild and mellow dressing made with lemon juice, walnut oil and seasoning. This made for a supper of pleasing textures, to follow a non-Nigel brothy soup of Chorizo and Butterbeans, with chunks of olive foccacia. Very nice indeed! We haven't had any of Nigel's salads this year, because the weather wasn't right, but today, it seemed very appropriate.

Roast Chicken with Cheese Mash and Garlic Gravy

I love roast chicken and often follow Nigel's advice to squich roast garlic cloves into the winey deglazed pan juices, so I knew we'd love this recipe. Served with Nigel's suggestion of cheese mash, it was the ultimate comfort food for a Saturday night, with maple syrup-roasted parsnips and shredded spring greens. A bottle of Cotes du Rhone topped it off nicely - all in all a brilliant accompaniment to Il Trovatore and sex-God Dmitri Hvorostovsky on Radio 3. Does life get any better?! I don't know which is more tasty, the chicken or Dmitri - well....... actually, I do...............

Smoked Mackerel on Toast

Phew! The cooking marathon over the weekend which saw me prepare no less than four Nigel recipes has ended with these rich little numbers. I splashed out on exemplary ingredients for this tasty little supper - Gail's rosemary and potato sourdough bread, toasted, (from Ocado) and smoked mackerel from the Port of Lancaster Smokehouse. The recipe called for about 200g of flaked, skinned smoked mackerel, mixed with three tablespoons each of cream and grated Parmesan. Stir through some chopped chives, and spread on the toast with a little more cheese on top. Grill till bubbling and golden. I told you it was rich! Stop licking the screen.

Stilton, Onion and Potato pie

OK, so if you have high cholesterol, I recommend you look away now, or eat a rice cake or a bowl of porridge or something. This was rich, AND we used way less cheese and butter than in the recipe. Good though! Nigel's recipe ,halved, used 112g of Stilton and 40g of butter. We used about 70g of Cheddar and about 20g of the remaining Stilton butter from the weekend. This was plenty of cheese! If you try it, do follow Nige's advice to slowly cook and caramelise the onion. You will be rewarded with an unctuous layer of sweet onion and cheese to contrast with the potato. Really good with sharp, minerally Savoy cabbage, au naturel apart from lots of black pepper, as a good foil for the rich cheesey oniony stodge. Perfect for a foggy, chilly night. Would do this again, deffo.