0 Back of the fridge frittata

This recipe came about by combination of wanting to use a few bits and bats that were hanging around in the fridge and the ongoing battle of egg mountain (i.e a recipe that uses plenty of eggs), so using a Spanish omelette as the basis the back of the fridge frittata was born.

Its a versatile forgiving recipe that can use a variety of ingredients and is frugal and filling, its also great to serve cold with salad in a lunchbox (As I have done on several occasions) or as tapas cut into bite size squares with olives with a glass of wine or beer.

What You need

• Onion - large finely chopped
• 1 tin of potatoes - drained (or quantity of cold leftover cooked potatoes) - sliced about the thickness of a £1 coin
• Salami or chorizo (if using)
• Red pepper / green peppers (could be out of a jar)
• Mushrooms (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• 6 eggs - whisked
• Olive oil

Large frying pan and pre heated grill (broiler for our US friends)

What you do

• Heat some olive oil in the frying pan over a medium heat
• Add the onions and cook gently until softened and add the chorizo
• Cook the peppers and mushrooms (if uncooked) in the same pan
• Now add the sliced potatoes, move around in the pan ensuring nothing is sticking
• Season with salt and pepper
• Pour over the eggs and cook until set around the sides
• Place under the pre heated grill until golden and bubbling
• Serve in generous wedges
• Or allow to cool and pack in the fridge for a quick snack or easy lunch dish.

Here it is served with a freshly picked salad from the garden, the salad contains rocket, spinach and mizuna. If you wanted to make this vegetarian just omit the chorizo and of course this is naturally gluten free. Courgette, aubergine or artichoke would also make tasty additions to the dish.

Detail: Back of the fridge frittata

0 Courgette and mushroom pasta

What to make with courgettes from the garden for this season ? something quick, light and easy. These small perfectly formed beauties are going to marry with some button mushrooms in a quick pasta sauce with some cream friache. I use creme fraiche a lot in my cooking as it lasts so well in the fridge and has a lovely sharp twang to it that cuts the richness beautifully in sauces.

The other great thing is it uses loads of courgettes too, so when you are fighting a losing battle against your glut its a great recipe to have in your arsenal.The addition of thyme to the recipe cuts the richness of the sauce and brings a lovely herby note to the dish.

What you need 

• Courgettes - thinly sliced
• Mushrooms - finely chopped
• Olive oil
• Creme fraiche
• Fresh thyme - chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
• Pasta - we used penne

What you do

• Put your pasta on to cook in boiling water
• Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the courgettes gently until softened and they are slightly golden
• Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook until the mushroom are tender
• Add creme fraiche to the pan and if you want a looser sauce a little of the pasta cooking water, add the fresh picked thyme 
• Season with pepper
• Remove from heat and toss in the drained pasta
• Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan and more freshly ground pepper.

I am also entering this post in Lavender and Lovage's Cooking with Herbs Challenge 

                                      

Detail: Courgette and mushroom pasta

0 Cream of mushroom, mustard and tarragon soup

                                        

Two of my fellow food bloggers, Sue over at Heaven on a Plate and Janice at Farmersgirl Kitchen have launched a monthly cook along for any Nigel Slater recipe, I have quite a few of his books in my extensive cookery book collection, Nigel Slater is my style of cook, cooking seasonally and using what he grows and purchases locally, he is the only TV cook my husband will watch, that says a lot.

When I saw this challenge I knew I had to take part, so a quick rummage in the bookshelves and I came up with this hybrid combination inspired by mushroom soup from Real Fast Food ( a very early Nigel) pg 164 and Roasted mushroom with mustard and tarragon in Kitchen Diaries 1 Pg 279.

A delicious easy creamy mushroom soup with the great inspired additions of a touch of dijon mustard and the herb tarragon,  I didn't have any fresh tarragon as perscribed so I used dried and it worked fine.Nigel's recipes are of simple but always inspired and the mustard and aniseed back note of the tarragon combined well with the earthy mushrooms.

Detail: Cream of mushroom, mustard and tarragon soup

0 Mushroom, onion and thyme focaccia

Another baking adventure from Mr Lancashire Food, this time a twist on the Italian delight - focaccia. We love mushrooms in our household and decided that we would experiment by adding cooked mushrooms and onions to a traditional focaccia mix.

The resultant focaccia was absolutely delicious, it was fortuitous that we made two slabs of this crusty delight, as the first one disappeared within minutes. We used large open capped mushrooms but you could use button or if feeling especially decadent wild mushrooms instead, if you are using dried mushrooms you will need to reconstitute them first before cooking.

As with all bread baking the secret is time, allowing your dough to rise fully and prove, this time creates the  flavour in the dough.

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 7g dried yeast
• 70ml olive oil
• Warm water to mix - hard to be precise as this all depends on your flour
• Roughly 100g of mushrooms ( whatever type) - chopped finely
• 1 large white onion - chopped into fine half rings
• Thyme ( fresh or dried)
• Salt and olive oil for sprinkling 
• Little oil or butter to cook your mushrooms and onions in

Baking tray or shallow baking pan 

Method

• Firstly cook the onions and mushrooms in a little oil or butter until softened but with hardly any colour, allow to cool, stir in your thyme.
• Now mix the flour, sea salt, yeast and liquids to a  make a soft sticky dough, add the water last and mix by hand so you can judge the consistency of the dough
• Once combined knead well on lightly floured surface, until the dough is pliable and stretchy
• Place in a bowl and allow to rest  in a warm place for at least an hour or so until your dough has doubled in size
• Add the Mushroom, onion and thyme mixture to the dough pressing in with your hands
• Now place your dough on your baking sheet / pan and shape by pressing out with your fingers to cover the tin to the edges, allow to prove for approx 30 minutes covered with a tea towel
• Now using your fingers prick all over the surface of your focaccia to make dimples, sprinkle with olive oil and sea salt crystals, leave to prove again for another hour or so
• Bake in a preheated oven at 200c for approximately 25 -35 minutes until golden brown

Delicious served with Italian salami, cold meats, olives or oil and vinegar.

I am entering this post in "Herbs on Saturday" blog  challenge for January 2013 challenge from Lavender and Lovage and this  month hosted by Bangers and Mash.

                                                           

Detail: Mushroom, onion and thyme focaccia

0 Prosciutto, rocket and chestnut mushroom salad

I love Italian food so here's a salad inspired by Italy, we make this mainly when the rocket from the garden is growing like mad, but it can be made anytime of year if you can get hold of some nice fresh peppery rocket.

Ingredients

• Fresh Rocket, a good handful per portion
• Chestnut mushrooms - finely sliced
• Parma Ham or air dried prosciutto
• Parmesan or Grando Padano - grated finely
• Good quality extra virgin olive oil
• Good quality matured balsamic vinegar

Method

• Serve on a plate with the rocket in the centre
• Parma ham around the plate, ripped in to large pieces
• Scatter the mushrooms randomly across the salad
• Grate the cheese across the whole dish
• Sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Delicious, served with goats cheese bruschetta or plain bruschetta, you'll have amazing depths of flavours.

Detail: Prosciutto, rocket and chestnut mushroom salad