Garlicky Rainbow Chard Pasta Salad

I made this Garlicky Rainbow Chard Pasta Salad last month with the last of the overwintered rainbow chard that was growing in the garden vegetable plot.

The rainbow chard would still be there, but it had begun to bolt, so it had to come out of the ground and make room for the new plants.  I made a number of dishes with it, including Rainbow Chard Pakoras aka Onion Bhaji's - that were delicious, but not as good as my mothers or sister-in-laws.

This pretty Rainbow Chard Pasta Salad was heavily flavoured and scented with garlic, but I don't mind having garlic breath.  It was splendid to tuck into during the busy working week. For those of you who may be interested in the recipe, there is not much to it really.  This is really a tarted up version of Aglio Olio.  

I am sharing this Garlicky Rainbow Chard Pasta Salad with Soup, Salad and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen. Garlicky Rainbow Chard Pasta Salad.

Garlic Portobello Mushrooms and Eggs

Another dish that I made this over the festive season - Baked Garlic Portobello Mushrooms with Eggs. 

A fancy brunch of sorts as we had more time to spend in the kitchen

This one is a sharing plate, a bit romantic don't you think ?!  

Of course you can make this in individual dishes.

It was inspired by a recipe for Wild Mushrooms such as chanterelles, and trompettes and Eggs that I saw in Kaukasis by Olio Hercules, I must admit I even mimicked the presentation which was also part of the appeal!

Its essentially garlic and mushrooms, in this case Portobello mushrooms roasted in the oven with olive oil and butter with some eggs baked in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes until set to our liking and finished off with red pepper flakes and parsley.  

Black Garlic Macaroni Cheese Bake

So apparently its World Pasta Day and it is truly by coincidence that today I blog this pasta dish. 

Black food or dark coloured food continues to dominate my blog in the run up to Halloween and today I have a whopper. I thought surely someone must have made a Black Garlic Macaroni Cheese recipe.  I googled and there was no recipe for black garlic pasta, yeah a little grated like parmesan - but not drowned in black garlic dyed cheese - no doubt, now there will be some more now. 

Here is my Black Garlic Pasta Macaroni Cheese before going into the oven for the final bake.  I promise you it gets much darker on baking; and you will have to take my work for it as I didn't take a picture of it, blame it on the dark evenings.

I adore my husband for allowing me to experiment in the kitchen and eating whatever I present to him.  We have rarely ever thrown a dish in the bin, not always delicious, but always edible.  This was a really rich and quite tasty actually.  The black garlic adds colour, but also balsamic zingy sweetness.  Please do serve it with some salad greens, but you'd do that right with a macaroni cheese to balance the cheese indulgence guilt, or it that just me?!

By the way, for those of you who follow me on twitter will have noticed that I have changed my photo avatar to keep it seasonal, right! But for those of you who do not follow me on twitter - here it is.  It was taken in the city of Cardiff last year, I had wondered whether I'd get to share it and I have.

I am sharing a Black Garlic Macaroni Cheese Bake #CookOnceEatTwice hosted by Searching For Spice.

Other  Black Garlic recipes
Wild Garlic, Black Garlic and White Garlic  Cake
Asparagus and Black Garlic Loaf

Wild Garlic, Black Garlic and White Garlic Cake

Before I  begin this blog post, I must make it clear that this is not sweet cake, it is a savoury one and one with lots of  oomf!

Some of you will remember that I had foraged for some wild garlic last week, well this is the seasonal recipe that I made, but I also decided to stir in some Black Garlic and fresh white garlic. This Three Garlic Savoury Cake is based on the Broccoli Cake that I made last month.

The wild garlic added herbiness and colour, the black garlic added an unexpected surprise sweetness and welcome balsamic zingness, as well as charcoal studded teardrops here and there. And finally, the white garlic, invisible to the eye but it was there in that warming flavour.  All three added fragrance that was undeniably garlic!

Wild Garlic, Mushroom and Brie Quesadillas

Some of you already know of my home-made Garlic Mushroom and Parsley Pies, but another dish that makes the most of garlic and mushrooms are these Garlic, Mushroom Quesadillas.  This is such an easy peasy recipe knock up when the hunger pangs rumble.

I've used Brie cheese here, like cheddar cheese it tends to be in my fridge, but feel free to use whatever you like - a strong blue cheese would work well, as would oozy mozzarella.

Well early in the week, there was not much in the house to eat in the way of fresh vegetables, except for some mushrooms starting to look a little tired and an open packet of tortilla wraps that were beginning to go hard as I had not wrapped the packet properly.  So this is what  I made to eat as a light snack.  Except it not a light snack when you eat a whole one!

If you don't have any wild garlic, that's okay as the crushed garlic cloves in it would give you enough garlic hit.   I've used wild garlic here for two reasons.  One, I had some in the fridge and secondly for the green colour.  You must admit the colour of sauteed 'sluggish' mushrooms is not always the most attractive to the eye.

Garlic Mushroom Parsley Pasta

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, will know that I am not a huge fan of mushrooms.  I've often found them tasteless.

Anyway, last week noting that there was very little in the way of fresh produce to cook with other than a tub of mushrooms in the fridge.   I decided to make a quick supper of Garlic Mushroom Parsley Pasta.  The other ingredients: garlic like onions I always seem to have.  The pasta was in the store-cupboard and finally, the parsley was actually from my garden. It was a nice change from the spicy Arrabiata spaghetti pasta I often make, when the kitchen is bare.

If you like the sound of this, then my vegan Garlic, Mushroom and Parsley Pies may also appeal to you.

Vegan Garlic Mushroom Parsley Pies

I've created lots of individual hand-made pies over the past year with unusual pie fillings such as these  Paprika Mushroom and Potato Pies , Soy Mince 'Keema' Pies,  so much so that some people jokingly call me 'Veggie Pie' or 'Vegan Pie Girl' in my little corner of Wales.   There are also a couple of vegetarian ones such as my Caerphilly Cheese, Leek and Potato Pies aka the Welsh Pie; and Butternut Squash, Chickpea and Feta Pie.

I've mentioned the Garlic and Mushroom Pies in a past blog post, but noted recently that I had not yet shared a recipe or blogged about it in much detail.  My Garlic Mushroom Pies were the first pies to sell out at the cafeteria.  It was also the first pies to sell out at the couple of food and crafts Fayre's I've attended.  I've learned recently because of my absence at a vegan food fayre this month, one of the other vegan stalls has decided to recreate a version of my vegan Garlic Mushroom Pies - I guess I should see it only as a compliment; not just that a fairly newish vegetarian cafe in South Wales has also started making tarts with garlic mushroom filling - I guess I'm a trend setter.

I think its quite funny how I came to create these Garlic Mushroom Pies and its something I'd like to share with those of you still reading my blog (Thank you). I would have people coming into the cafeteria, sitting down and without even looking at the daily chalked boards: ordering Jacket potato topped with buttery garlic mushrooms. My staff would look at them and think when was it the last time you were here?! Certainly not a loyal customer as the previous owners sold the cafeteria to my landlords three - four years ago. It hasn't been on the menu for yonkie years.

I don't mean to sound snobbish, but I am a serious vegetarian cook and jacket potato for me is homely food that anyone can make.  Its also a easy peasy back up for those mainstream eateries that don't have many suitable options for vegetarians and vegans.  Well you won't find jacket potatoes topped with salads on the menu here. I also don't understand some people, they don't come by an independent family run eatery for months, then come back a few years later expecting the same grub on the menu.  This is not a high street food chain.  

Anyway, enough of the rant.  It got me thinking, instead of turning away these potential customers (albiet they may not be back again in another three - four years) what could I do to encourage them to stay and try something new and different.  Well I thought I'd merge garlic mushroom and potatoes in a pastry casing.  The response from my regular loyal customers of all diets has been fantastic.  It also shows how much people have becomes adventurous, I remember a time when people used to turn their noses up at garlic, accuse people of having garlic breath and blurt out their stereotypes of the French. The opportunity to travel abroad has definitely opened up some peoples eyes and palettes to different worldwide cuisines and versatility of ingredients such as the garlic that is the star of this pie.

Whenever these pies are featured, they do really sell out and unlike the original Jacket Potato with garlic Mushroom which were drenched in butter, l these are suitable for vegans and those who avoid dairy. They are so popular and are on the menu every two weeks. Usually at the start of the week when I have loads of mushrooms left over from Saturday Vegetarian Breakfast.  

If too much garlic worries you. You can tame it a little by adding in a couple of cooked and diced potatoes to the mix, this would also sup up some of the juices and stop the pie from getting a soggy bottom. The trick really is to make the pastry bottom a little thicker than the lid.

For those of you interested, this week I also made Wild Garlic Mushroom Pies.  I will share that recipe later this month.  They were just as popular as these.   I am sharing these Garlic Mushroom pies with Javelin Warrior's for his Made with Love Mondays as they fit in nicely with this weeks optional theme of fresh mushrooms.
Garlic Mushroom Parsley Pies
Makes 6 - 8pies
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bulb of garlic, peeled and crushed
400g - 600g chestnut mushrooms, cleaned, halved or quartered if large
1 teaspoon dried parsley or I tablespoon freshly minced parsley
Optional: 200g peeled, cubed and cooked potatoes 
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a wide pan, heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the garlic and sauté for 1 minute before adding in the mushrooms. Keep the heat high and cook the mushrooms, stirring frequently until softened.
Stir in the parsley optional potatoes and seasoning to taste.  Stir to combine well, then remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Now make the pastryYou have three choices for the pastry.
For ease, you can use shop bought puff pastry or shortcrust pastry – in which case pour the filling into a casserole and top with the pastry and cook according to packet instructions.
Or you can make your own shortcrust pastry. For recipe follow here.
Or You can make you own hot water crust pastry. Follow here for the recipe. For individual pies, see here.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 5.
Fill the pastry and top with lid.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes depending on the size of your shortcrust or hot water crust pastry pie(s). Allow to cool, before serving.

Garlic Presser or is it a Garlic Crusher?

I've mentioned before that in my kitchen, you will always find three fresh ingredients: onions, ginger and garlic. 

And these days in the modern kitchen, where there is fresh garlic, there is often a garlic presser or is it a garlic crusher?!  Whichever it is, I know its not an essential gadget, but I assure you once you find a good one - there is no going back.  I've never been that apt at mincing or crushing garlic by hand, my efforts are limited to slicing it thin.  So when I acquired this garlic crusher, I was completely sold.  I use it almost on a daily basis.  I've had it for over 10 years now.     

I actually won this while I was still a student in Glasgow through a food magazine.  In fact it was the first thing I had ever won.  I now often wonder how I ever managed without it in the kitchen. Here are a couple of recipes that make the most of garlic -  Garlic and Shallot Risotto and Jalapeno, Garlic and Kale Stew. 


An Update:  I think you will seriously need to get your violins out.  For the past five days I have been stuck in bed with a chest and throat infection.  It was so severe that my mother made an emergency appointment to go and see her GP, who prescribed me with antibiotics.  Unfortunately, this illness coincided with my job interview and presentation to a panel of 6.  In short, I did not get the job I had applied for.  I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with this outcome and haven't stopped crying to myself for the last two days.  My parents keep telling me 'to take heart and be strong', but the thought of going back to the Unemployment centre for very little financial support and a lot of nonsense fills me with dread.  All I have encountered from the heartless workers there is total unhelpfulness.  They treat you like a number and try to assert their piddly authority over you, and make out that your not trying hard to find a job.  I've worked all my adult life, the last thing I want is to be unemployed. 

The best scenario for me now is to hurry and move to Wales.  Being physically on the ground here, I can then sign up with a few employment agencies and perhaps get some temporary clerical work, as the work I am qualified and experienced in is just not coming my way.  For now though, its back up to Scotland on Saturday to make proper plans for moving our stuff down. 

Cumin-Roasted Root Vegetables with Pearl Barley

We are due to be driving down South on New Years eve.  This wasn't planned, but welcomed by both our families.  Our first stop will be with my parents in Wales.  Whilst there we will be checking out our new rental accommodation and signing the lease to move in etc.  After that, it onwards to D's mothers, then back up to Scotland to make plans of our official home move.  

In an effort to use up fresh vegetables left over from Christmas (minus the sprouts) I decided to roast some root vegetables and garlic  in cumin seeds.  The combining of the root veg with the pearl barley was quite accidental, as my Basmati rice and Brown rice containers are bordering on empty.  So it was between couscous, to which D wrinkled his face or pearl barley. which also didn't get a good reaction - but that wasn't to last as his first mouthful saw him give the thumbs up. Although he did add it was a tad dry, to which I responded by placing a tub of soured cream on the side.  It was a good compliment to the roasted root veg.

I actually felt positively healthy eating this, a good sign for post Christmas. 

If you have any left, it will be absolutely fine to eat at room temperature too. Just think of it as a Winter Root Veg Barley Salad.

Cumin-Roasted Root Vegetable with Pearl Barley
Serve with soured cream..
Serves 4
200g pearl barley, cooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of salt
Method
Cook the pearl barley in water according to packet instructions, when cooked, drain.  Add salt and oil and combine.  Set aside until required.

For the Cumin-Roasted Root Vegetables

1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 medium swede,
3 – 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 – 3 parsnips, peeled and sliced
1 bulb garlic, halved
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, whole
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
200ml vegetable stock
Fresh coriander or parsley for garnishing.
Serve with optional : soured cream
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 6.
In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables and spices and then drizzle on the olive oil.  Mix well, then tip onto a large tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes for the vegetables to caramelise, stirring from time to time.  After 20 minutes, pour in the vegetable stock, stir and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the stock has reduced.  Remove from the oven and stir in the cooked pearl barley, return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.  Then serve with a garnishing of freshly minced coriander or parsley.

Jalapeño and Garlic Kale Stew

Every time D travels to England, I lose all inspiration to cook for myself. In fact I become rather lazy resorting to frozen chips, pizza or beans on toast. This time though, I thought I would try and motivate myself and make an effort to cook something good and healthy for myself. As well as show him that I do not survive solely on junk food when he is away.

Yesterday evening, I made this Jalapeño and Garlic Kale Stew.
Even though I halved the quantity of the Jalapeño and Garlic Kale Stew recipe, there was still enough for two, if not three people.

The gravy in this recipe is light and can be described more as a broth than a stew. I think it's crying out for dumplings to sup up the mildly spiced gravy. So if you want it your stew to have more substance, then please top with some dumplings. Either make a dumpling recipe that you are familiar with or try this one for suet dumplings. Add the dumplings to the pot about 10 minutes before you wish to serve.

Jalapeño and Garlic Kale Stew
Serves 2 - 3
Ingredients2 pints vegetable stock
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño pepper, sliced (from a jar)
1 large potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into ½ inch pieces or matchsticks
50g kale, large stems removed and cut into 1 inch strips
1 small tomato, chopped
optional: 1 tablespoons fresh coriander, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice or 1 tablespoon pickled juice from the Jalapeño jar
MethodIn a pot, combine the stock, garlic, bay leaf, coriander seeds and jalapeño . Bring ingredients to a simmer, and simmer them for 10 minutes uncovered. Add the potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and kale to the pot, and simmer the mixture for 10 - 15 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender.
Then add the coriander, salt and pepper and juice of either lime or pickled jalapeño. Serve the stew in large bowls, discarding the garlic cloves, if you like. Adapted from Vegetarian Planet Didi Eammons.

Garlic and shallot risotto

I got inspiration for this dish whilst flicking through Sarah Beatties book called Neither fish nor fowl. Sarah Beattie is a vegetarian cook and was a Masterchef of the North in 1991. Not many people who have appeared on Masterchef have been vegetarian. The only other person I am aware of was Rosa Baden-Powell who actually won Masterchef in 2001. It was around this time that I had started to discover the joys of cooking innovatively with vegetables.

Anyway, back to Sarahs recipe for Garlic risotto. Her recipe was a bit too time consuming for me especially after a full day at work. She simmers the garlic with spices for an hour and then she squeezes the pulp of the garlic. I just want some warm food on the table. As I am low on fresh produce, and a trip to the supermarket or the local farmers markets is beckoning, until then however, I have to make do with what I do have. I am always well stocked with various types of rice, lentils and pulses, but also with garlic, shallots and onions. So this evening I had decided to put the spotlight on the garlic and make it the key ingredient in my dish of Garlic and shallot risotto.
Please don’t frown at the thought of garlic. I know in the UK, many people have this poor attitude towards the garlic. The garlic conjures up that familiar stereotype of the French man with a pencil moustache, wearing a stripy top with garlic around his neck as he is peddling on his bicycle somewhere or other. Unfortunately this prejudice towards the garlic has developed into some peoples psyche, not just towards the food, but towards people who ate or smelled a little different. But I like the garlic. I always have, well before ‘garlic bread’ became popular in this country. I grew up eating it as it formed the base of many of my mothers dishes.

Please do try this recipe. On slowly cooking the slices of garlic in olive oil, the garlic takes on a completely different flavour from its raw form. It is meltingly soft and so sweet.

Garlic and shallot risotto

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 bulb of garlic, cloves peeled and sliced

1 ¼ pint of vegetable stock

250g risotto rice, I use Arborio

Chives or garlic chives, snipped for garnish

Optional: Good olive oil or vegetarian Parmesan for grating over

Method

In a wide pan, warm oil and add shallots till translucent, then add garlic and cook gently. Be careful not to brown the garlic, you just want it to be translucent and soft.

Then add rice and stir frequently over medium heat until it to becomes translucent. Then add ladle of stock and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until all the liquid is absorbed.

Then add more stock little by little, until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is creamy and the grains separate. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir again before serving.

Garnish with chives and optional grating of Parmesan cheese or drizzle of good olive oil.