Fettucine (plural) with artichoke & green olives

My Italian teacher laughed herself silly when she was explaining to us that words like fettucine and spaghetti are plurals. 'You wouldn't eat one spaghetto!' she explained. Of course. Then she gave another example: 'You know, like zucchini. You'd never buy one zucchino!' To which most of us mumbled, ' Um, actually, I would....' 

Anyway, this fabulous fettucine dish was made by Jonathan last week after a visit to the local deli near his work, where he bought some marinated artichokes and green olives.

I've mentioned before that he uses vege stock to add to his pasta, which gives it a delicious savoury flavour. To this he added his deli ingredients, dried porcini mushrooms & some brie. The brie melted into the pasta and gave the dish a really nice edge. The artichokes were delicious and not dry as some can be, which is why Jonathan visits that deli every week. 

We were walking towards the deli the other day and Jonathan egged me on to try to speak Italian to the owner. I was quickly trying to compose some sentences in my head but when we got there, there was a Chinese woman behind the counter. At least she won't laugh if I buy one zuchino! (I hope). 

Mel takes a turn

Just in case it seems I do no cooking & just lie around the lounge blogging, here is an offering I came up with last Friday. After a busy day and lots of eating out during the week it felt like time for a home cooked meal. Having been out a lot, there wasn't anything obvious in the fridge to make. Sometimes this is when I feel most inspired.

Roast field mushrooms are a bit of a staple in our house so this time I mashed some kumara and put it on top, with parmesan and rosemary. I also made a salsa out of cherry tomatoes, capsicum and olives. I finely chopped these, mixed them in a bowl and dressed with olive oil, black pepper & white balsamic.

For our protein I did haloumi in baking paper with picked garlic, thinly sliced lemon & rosemary. Yum! So you see, I do take a turn cooking. At least once a week. 

Voulez-vous manger du fromage avec moi ce soir? (Will you eat cheese with me tonight?)

I'm not really sure how to describe this meal without using superlatives. In short, it was amaaaaaazing. 

Jonathan bought a french camembert which had been aged in a thin wooden box. (If you can't find this kind of cheese you could put a camembert in a ramekin for baking). 
First he peeled three garlic cloves & dipped them in boiling water to take the acidity out of them. These were then cut in halves and pushed into the cheese. Next he covered it with sage & rosemary and poured over a generous serve of red wine so the cheese was well soaked. He then put it in the oven in a baking dish and baked it on a moderate heat until the top caramelised.

Jonathan then served the cheese as a fondue into which we dipped crumbed fried mushrooms, roasted brocolini, beetroot & radish. Lemone wedges squeezed over the mushrooms helped to cut through the richness of the cheese.
Out. Of. This. World.

Kill the fatted courgette - we're having a roast

I've mentioned before how my Mum laughs when I say we're having a roast (see Who Invited the Vegetarians to the BBQ?) as she can't imagine a roast with no meat! I've made a few 'roasts' this winter & love the winter veges available.

This night we had field mushrooms with cherry tomatoes and garlic on them; brocollini - also with some cherry tomatoes as it keeps it moist; eggplants; courgettes; onions & garlic.

Of course its not a real pretend roast without the golden potatoes, which we had with kumara & rosemary. And just so it wasn't all vegetables, we had golden pan fried haloumi too. 

This has been Sydney's coldest winter in 30 years apparently - having a roast is a good way to forget all about how cold it is outside. Unfortunately I wasn't quite as organised as my Mum who usually makes rhubarb crumble when she makes a roast. Something to aspire too, if not the meat.