Penne for your Thoughts
Earlier this week I commented on the difference in price of pasta penne and baked beans. After cooking some of the pasta (30 pieces of each), and then alternatively eating some of each, there was a noticeable difference. The cheaper pasta (8p a portion) was a bit limp, had no flavour at all but I feel would be accepted more by small children as it did not require much chewing. The more expensive pasta had more adult mouth appeal and, as this works out at only 20p a portion it can still be counted as an economical ingredient. I ended up mixing the two together in my storage jar to give me the best of both.
As to the baked beans, I prefer quality beans on my toast, yet find the cheapest beans work well in a dish such as this variation on a Cassoulet.
Not quite a Cassoulet
2 onions and one carrot, both thinly sliced,
8 oz minced beef and 4 chicken winglets
garlic flavoured or spiced sausage, sliced
1 can cheapest baked beans,
1 dessp each tomato puree and honey
fresh breadcrumbs
1 tsp dried mixed herbs or two dessp. fresh
Fry the chicken winglets in a little oil until browned. Drain, keeping the fat in the pan. To this add the onion and beef and fry until browned, then drain. Also drain the beans keeping the liquid. Place layers of vegetables, beef, chicken, sausage, beans in a casserole . Mix together the tomato puree, the honey and the bean liquid together, and make up to 3/4 pint with chicken or beef stock. pour this into the casserole . Cover and cook at 150C, 300F, Gas 2 for 30 minutes. Remove lid and top with breadcrumbs, herbs and a grind of black pepper. Continue baking for a further 3/4 hour, two or three times breaking up the crumb topping so that it absorbs some of the liquid. At the end of baking the cassoulet should have a wonderful crusty topping. Serve from the pot.
Note: leftover chunks of cooked ham can be also used in this dish and stuffing mix makes a good alternative to the breadcrumb topping. Remember, you may be able to get chicken winglets free with chicken carcases from your butcher if you ask nicely), alternatively use the (free) cooked chicken flesh from the bones.
Not quite a Cauliflower Cheese
12 oz quick cooking penne or similar,
1 onion, sliced
appr. 8 oz cauliflower florets
vegetable stock cube
1 tsp Dijon Mustard,
sour cream
4 - 6 oz grated cheddar cheese
1 slice of bread crumbed, melted butter
To a large pan of boiling water add a good pinch of rock salt. then stir in the stock cube. When dissolved, drop in the pasta, onion and cauliflower. Cook for 6 minutes. Drain but reserve 1/2 pint of cooking liquid. Return this liquid to the pan and re-heat, stirring in the mustard and enough sour cream to make a pouring sauce. When simmering point is reached, stir in the pre-cooked pasta and vegetables along with 2/3rds of the cheese.
Pour this into a shallow dish and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs which have been mixed with a little melted butter and the remaining cheese. Brown under a pre-heated grill. Leave to stand to cool slightly, meanwhile preparing a side dish of green salad.
Note: to sour cream, add a teaspoonful of lemon juice to a small carton of single cream. Alternatively use creme fraiche. OR just make a cheese sauce in the normal way.
To add more colour to the dish, use broccoli florets instead of cauliflower.
As to the baked beans, I prefer quality beans on my toast, yet find the cheapest beans work well in a dish such as this variation on a Cassoulet.
Not quite a Cassoulet
2 onions and one carrot, both thinly sliced,
8 oz minced beef and 4 chicken winglets
garlic flavoured or spiced sausage, sliced
1 can cheapest baked beans,
1 dessp each tomato puree and honey
fresh breadcrumbs
1 tsp dried mixed herbs or two dessp. fresh
Fry the chicken winglets in a little oil until browned. Drain, keeping the fat in the pan. To this add the onion and beef and fry until browned, then drain. Also drain the beans keeping the liquid. Place layers of vegetables, beef, chicken, sausage, beans in a casserole . Mix together the tomato puree, the honey and the bean liquid together, and make up to 3/4 pint with chicken or beef stock. pour this into the casserole . Cover and cook at 150C, 300F, Gas 2 for 30 minutes. Remove lid and top with breadcrumbs, herbs and a grind of black pepper. Continue baking for a further 3/4 hour, two or three times breaking up the crumb topping so that it absorbs some of the liquid. At the end of baking the cassoulet should have a wonderful crusty topping. Serve from the pot.
Note: leftover chunks of cooked ham can be also used in this dish and stuffing mix makes a good alternative to the breadcrumb topping. Remember, you may be able to get chicken winglets free with chicken carcases from your butcher if you ask nicely), alternatively use the (free) cooked chicken flesh from the bones.
Not quite a Cauliflower Cheese
12 oz quick cooking penne or similar,
1 onion, sliced
appr. 8 oz cauliflower florets
vegetable stock cube
1 tsp Dijon Mustard,
sour cream
4 - 6 oz grated cheddar cheese
1 slice of bread crumbed, melted butter
To a large pan of boiling water add a good pinch of rock salt. then stir in the stock cube. When dissolved, drop in the pasta, onion and cauliflower. Cook for 6 minutes. Drain but reserve 1/2 pint of cooking liquid. Return this liquid to the pan and re-heat, stirring in the mustard and enough sour cream to make a pouring sauce. When simmering point is reached, stir in the pre-cooked pasta and vegetables along with 2/3rds of the cheese.
Pour this into a shallow dish and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs which have been mixed with a little melted butter and the remaining cheese. Brown under a pre-heated grill. Leave to stand to cool slightly, meanwhile preparing a side dish of green salad.
Note: to sour cream, add a teaspoonful of lemon juice to a small carton of single cream. Alternatively use creme fraiche. OR just make a cheese sauce in the normal way.
To add more colour to the dish, use broccoli florets instead of cauliflower.
posted by Shirley at 7:19 am
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