Satisfying a Growing Carnivore

 Child #3, who has been stuck at home with his parents for much of the last year, must surely be looking forward to a visit his siblings for the holidays. Nevertheless, there are downsides (and not only the inevitable queue for the bathroom). You see, Children #1 and #2 are now both vegetarian, so upon their return, there will be even less meat consumed in this house (although I do note that, in preparation, their father has secretly stocked up on bacon). So in honor of the one remaining carnivorous offspring, we had a last hurrah of sorts: his choice of meaty deliciousness, before the plant-loving siblings return to the fold.  His request was for Sweet and Sour Chicken, so being a fabulously generous parent, that is what he got :-)

Sweet and Sour Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Serves 4 easily
Adapted from wellplated.com

1 1/2 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 onion, sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" thick rounds
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1" chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
6 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP honey
3 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 TBSP white vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP tomato paste
3 tsp sambal oelek (chile paste)
1 1/2 TBSP fresh grated ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBSP cornstarch
1/4 cup pineapple juice
sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds to serve

1. Add chicken and next four ingredients to the slow cooker.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, sambal oelek, ginger and garlic until combined, then pour over the chicken mixture and mix together until everything is coated.

3. Cook for 4 hours on low heat. Remove the chicken and pull apart into bite-size chunks, then set aside.

4. Mix together the cornstarch and the pineapple juice and stir into the vegetables in the crockpot. Cook for a further 30 minutes on high, or until the mixture thickens slightly.

5. Stir the chicken back in, and serve on a bed of rice, with green onions and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Who needs a warm hug?

That is an unfair question, because right now you can't have one. Unless it is from one of the people you are living with, and, since you've been stuck with only them for company for the last six months at home, maybe a warm hug from that particular section of the population isn't exactly what you need.... Ahhhhh... {insert wistful sigh}

Anyway, best not drop any further into that rabbit hole, lest we start discussing our housemates'/family members' more annoying habits, and how lengthy forced proximity to them makes us all have more aggressive thoughts than we are probably used to... 

In the absence of warm hugs from those whom we now only see on screens or hear on the phone, I offer you this plate of warm fuzziness, in the shape of a lemony, parmesany, comforting plate of risotto. For me, this was a particularly satisfying dish, not least because as well as being most comforting to the taste-buds and tum, it also contains zucchini, and let's just say that one of those family members with the annoying habits didn't even notice while he gobbled up a plateful. Gastronomical delight, when accompanied with successful subterfuge is a satisfying thing indeed! Now go forth, and don't tell them about the zucchini!

Lemon and Zucchini Risotto
Serves 4
Adapted from BBC Good Food

2 TBSP butter
1 large onion, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini, one coarsely shredded, one chopped
7 oz arborio rice
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
36 fl oz vegetable stock
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 TBSP mascarpone
olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the chopped onion. Saute until translucent and just starting to brown. Add the garlic and continue to saute for a further minute. Meanwhile, heat the stock in a separate saucepan until boiling, and then leave on a low heat with the lid on.
2. Add the shredded zucchini and the rice, and stir to coat with butter for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper and a couple of ladles of the hot stock.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to catch on the bottom of the pan, then add another two ladles of stock. Keep doing this until the rice is tender (should take 20-25 minutes).
5. Stir in the mascarpone and the parmesan. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
6. Place a lid on the pot and leave off the heat, while you prepare the last zucchini. Heat some olive oil in a small frying pan over medium high heat, and then add the zucchini. Saute until browned, and season with salt and black pepper.
7. Serve the risotto topped with pine nuts, a little more parmesan, plus the sauted zucchini (for those whom it won't disgust so much they run screaming from the table...)

Pastures new

In moments when I'm feeling blue, and just plain exhausted by everything 2020 is lobbing in our direction, something that always raises my mood is flicking through the pages of a cookbook. It might be one that I've owned for years, but forgotten about, or a new one to which I was skillfully lured by Amazon's targeted advertising prowess. Cookbooks are a bit of an addiction for me, and storage space is becoming an issue, but I refuse to cull from my collection. I never know when browsing through the pages of an old British cookbook will soothe my longing for 'home', or when I'll find a new type of cuisine to delve into. Marie Kondo: my apologies, but your book is one that will never appear on my shelves - my cookbooks are staying. After all, Amazon also sell new shelves.

Today's recipe of choice is one from a new addition to my collection. Having been a fan of Middle Eastern cookbooks like Ottolenghi's Plenty, and Plenty More, I couldn't resist the recent publication Falastin (and Amazon clearly knew that). It's written by two of Ottolenghi's good pals, Sami Tamimi (co-author of Jerusalem) and Tara Wigley (co-author of Simple). This book focuses specifically on Palestine and its cuisine, and within its pages are recipes with combinations of ingredients I have never seen before, and which make my mouth water in anticipation. This was one of my first forays into the pages of this beautiful book, which is full of interesting stories and facts about Palestine, as well as recipes, and peppered with gorgeous photographs.

Having long been a fan of risotto, this recipe immediately caught my eye, but this risotto is far from Italian in style, and made with yoghurt, something I had never tried. I tweaked it because... well because I had veggies that needed using up, and I wanted it to be a bit more colorful than the original... but I make no apologies, as the final result was delicious, and beautiful to look at. My eyes, my tastebuds, and my tum were all more than satisfied. And, as a firm believer in food for the mood, I can say that this is a bowl of the kind of comfort food that will soothe a troubled soul after a day of bad news and political shenanigans. Should it need any assistance to do so, I can say from experience that a glass of red wine is a great accompaniment! Here's to comfort, gastronomical as well as mental!

Rice with Yoghurt, Roasted Vegetables and Fried Garlic
Serves 4
Adapted from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley

1 large cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2" florets
2 red peppers, chopped
1 red onion, sliced
olive oil
salt
1 2/3 cups Greek yoghurt
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
3 cups whole milk
1 cup arborio rice
ground black pepper
5 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thinly
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220C).
2. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray. Spread the cauliflower, peppers and onion over the sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and toss until coated.
3. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring it all half way through, until vegetables are tinged with golden brown and tender.
4. Meanwhile, place the yoghurt, egg yolk and cornstarch in a blender, and blend until completely combined. It should be smooth and runny.
5. Use a pestle and mortar to lightly crush the coriander and cumin seeds. Put the 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic slices and crushed seeds into a small saucepan, and heat over medium low heat. Cook until the garlic is colored golden brown, and then set aside until ready to serve.
6. Put the milk and rice into a large saucepan with 1 tsp salt and some ground black pepper. Bring to a boil over a high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-low/low and put a lid on the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally to stop if from sticking. At this point, the rice should be almost cooked. Add the yoghurt mixture and cook for a further 7-10 minutes until the rice is tender, and the mixture thick and 'porridge-like'.
7. To serve, spoon the rice into bowls, top with the roasted vegetables, then spoon over some of the garlic and spiced oil.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Oh Nadiya!

This is a dish that we gobbled up so fast when I first made it, that I forgot to take a photo! So I had to make it again, in order to do so (hence the beautiful pic below). It is one of those recipes which pretty much involves shoving everything on a baking tray, and leaving it to make itself. The whole meal is on the tray, and you end up looking fabulously talented for having prepared it all.

The creator of this easy feast is Nadiya Hussain. Now let me, for at least a paragraph, wax lyrical about this culinary gem. If you have never come across Nadiya Hussain, then where have you been? It probably means you have never watched The Great British Bake-Off (or the Great British Baking Show, as it is called in the US, I am disappointed to say). In which case, what have you been doing? You're missing the best show on earth! And you don't need to be a baker to watch it - it is just the best flipping telly there is - the relationships, the humor, the humility (which let's face it, you NEVER see in a US competitive show). It's all fab. And the new season starts on Friday! Woo hoo!

Anyway, it was GBBO which gave us Nadiya Hussain, who started the show as a shy, quiet mum of three, and blossomed before our eyes into a funny, confident (but still humble and unassuming) STAR. Never was there a more appropriate use of all caps. She now has a few TV shows of her own under her belt, and she is wonderful to watch. It feels like you are having a chat with a good friend in the kitchen. 

This particular recipe comes from her latest show: Time To Eat (on Netflix), which focuses on really easy and quick recipes for people with busy lives. (Hmmmm, who can she be talking about?). The recipe below is no exception. It is so quick to prepare and then just cooks all together in the oven, while you do something way more interesting. It isn't vegetarian, but it would be easy to make it thus, subbing the chicken for another vegetable or two. Moreover, it is just delicious, and tastes rich and flavorful, without being too spicy hot. If you want it hotter, you could always add more curry paste, or some minced chiles. If your family are spice-averse, then bear in mind it does have a bit of a kick, so you could always sub one of the TBSP of curry paste with an extra TBSP of honey.

Peanut Chicken Tray Bake
Adapted from Nadiya Hussain's Time to Eat

Serves 4 (or 3, if you include one teenager who is growing like a weed)

2 lbs chicken thighs, fat trimmed and cut into 1/2" thick slices
3 medium heads broccoli, cut into small florets
2 red onions, halved and sliced 1/2" thick
1 16oz pack potato gnocchi
1/4 cup (4 TBSP) honey
1/4 cup (4 TBSP) canola oil
5 TBSP Thai green curry paste
5 TBSP smooth peanut butter
1 tsp salt
3 TBSP salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

2. Cook the gnocchi according to directions, then drain.

3. Put the cooked gnocchi, onions, broccoli and chicken in a large bowl together.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, oil, curry paste, peanut butter and salt.

5. Add this mixture to the gnocchi/chicken/veg and toss to coat everything in the sticky goodness.

6. Coat a large baking tray with canola oil spray and then spread the mixture out on to to the tray in more or less a single layer.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, briefly removing it to stir it around half way through the cooking time. 

8. Serve topped with peanuts and cilantro, and with lime juice squeezed over the top.

Confession time

 I never thought it would come to this, but I have apparently become a gardener. I know. Next, I will get into knitting or (heaven forfend) crochet. Gulp. If I start subscribing to Martha Stewart You Tube channels on decoupage or macrame, please call the authorities. This is what shelter in place has done to me. 

And that isn't even the confession - the real shame comes from admitting that I actually enjoy gardening. I get a kick out of going out there and watering my veggies each night. And at this point in the process, I'm getting a huge boost out of picking more and more tomatoes each day, as they redden so fast you can almost watch it happen. Don't even start me on the way my chocolate bell peppers are turning shiny brown; I'll bore you rigid in less than a minute. 

The wealth of tomatoes does however give me a dilemma. Child 3, the only one still in residence, finds tomatoes completely unpalatable, unless they are cooked into oblivion in a sauce (or unrecognizable in ketchup or pizza sauce), so he isn't keen to help with the bowls of fresh fragrant red orbs now gracing the shelves of our fridge. Or is he?.... I have discovered that there is yet another way of disguising tomato-ey goodness, even to those with the most suspicious of palates - namely blitzing them in the food processor to create a pesto-style pasta sauce, whose tomato origins are largely hidden. (And, for the record, same kid also thinks eggplant is the work of the devil, but unknowingly ate a whole bunch of the stuff in one of the dishes below - buahahaha!)

Below are two recipes which thrive from a good dose of tomato subterfuge. One doesn't even require you to cook the tomatoes in any way, before whizzing them into a chunky pulp. And there is something immensely satisfying in quenching one's Covid-related frustrations by pressing that button and watching destruction in progress in the food processor bowl. All the more so, if it creates a tasty dinner in the process. So wait til the point in the day when all those frustrations are building up to what seems like a crescendo, load up the machine, press the button with one hand (preferably holding a glass of wine in the other) and blitz away at least some of the Covid/smoke/homeschooling blues.

Sicilian Pasta with Tomatoes, Garlic and Almonds
adapted from Nigella.com

Serves 4

1 lb penne
salt

1/2 lb cherry/grape tomatoes

1 oz golden raisins/sultanas

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 TBSP capers, drained

2 oz unsalted almonds

1/4 cup olive oil

fresh parmesan to serve

1 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Cook the pasta in salted water until ready. 

2. While the pasta is cooking, put the remaining ingredients, except for the basil, in the bowl of a food processor, and blitz until it makes a nubbly-textured sauce.

3. Drain the cooked pasta (reserving a little of the cooking liquid) and return to the saucepan. Stir through the sauce from the food processor. If you want a runnier sauce, add a little of the cooking liquid to loosen it.

4. Serve topped with grated parmesan and fresh basil. 

Eggplant Puree Pasta

adapted from Smittenkitchen.com

Serves 4

1 medium-large eggplant, chopped into cubes

2 cups cherry/grape tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, peeled

olive oil

salt and ground black pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 lb penne

1/4 cup torn fresh mint and basil (or one or the other, if you prefer), plus extra to serve

3 TBSP olive oil

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C).

2. Put eggplant, tomatoes and garlic on a large rimmed roasting tray, and toss with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Put in preheated oven to roast for about 35 minutes, by which point the vegetables should be tender, and the eggplant tinged with brown on the edges.

3. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to instructions. Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid, and return to the saucepan.

4. Put the roasted vegetables in the bowl of a food processor. Add the torn mint/basil/both and 3 TBSP olive oil and then blitz until almost smooth.

5. Add this eggplant mixture to the saucepan with the pasta, adding a little of the cooking liquid to make a sauce that coats the pasta.

6. Serve with more herbs, parmesan and pine nuts sprinkled on top. 

Moorish AND Moreish

Apparently, according to the original recipe that I clipped out of a magazine, this recipe makes "distinct nods" to the Moorish culture in Spain. It also makes distinct nods, and emphatic nods, to the Farrar family answer to the stressful nature of the Age of Covid-19, which can best be expressed in the words CARB and LOADING, in whichever order you choose; the message I believe is clear.

Watching not only the number of positive cases in California continue to rise dramatically, but also the positivity rate (which has gone from 4.8% a couple of weeks ago, to 7.4% today), is pretty gut-wrenching. For those of you who don't know, I run a baking business delivering cupcakes and other sweet treats, and business has been very slow in recent weeks. The corporate orders that were probably 60% of my business prior to mid March, have dried up pretty much completely because there are no workers in the office to feed those cupcakes to, no conferences or meetings to cater and no bridal and baby showers to celebrate with a bunch of hungry co-workers. I am fortunate in many ways, as my husband's work is not affected by the current crisis, and the only change for him (and our resulting income) is that he is camped out in my daughter's bedroom as a makeshift office. I am truly grateful for the few orders I am filling for Covid birthdays at home, and still get a joy from delivering cupcakes to an unsuspecting birthday boy or girl, but it doesn't fill my time as much as I wish it would.

My savior has been cooking of a different kind - satisfying that stress-relieving need to carb load by cooking and baking for us as a family. It means a few pounds have been gained here and there around the spare tire region, but it has kept me sane, and I have to believe that mental health is as important as the physical. And as for the physical, our family remains Covid-free, even if we did have a scare and needed to get tested. Moreover, the friend we know who did test positive, has been mercifully symptom-free, and is now testing negative. We are indeed fortunate.

As for this recipe, it is a doozy. I find myself clipping recipes that are a little out of the ordinary, and this one caught my interest because of how it is thickened - with a paste made from sautéed bread, spices and nuts, which is then stirred into the stew. The original recipe called for grilling some manchego cheese on some thick slices of bread as a side, but, since I had WAY too much time on my hands, I opted to stuff some bread dough with a mixture of seeds and Manchego and that is what you see dipping its toes in the stew in the picture below (and yes, that slice of carby goodness is almost as big as my head - don't judge). Either way, you have bread, you have cheese, you have garbanzo beans/chick peas. This is stomach satisfaction and carb-loading stress-relief at its peak, my friends. So load up, stay safe and stay sane.

Moorish Spinach and Chickpea Stew
Serves 4
overzealous recipe clipping  - original source forgotten :-(

olive oil
4 oz stale bread, cut into cubes
2 1/2 oz raw unsalted almonds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
5 black peppercorns, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs roma tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 15oz cans chickpeas (not drained!)
5 oz bag of baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
Bread with Manchego cheese to serve

1. Heat a pan over medium heat with some olive oil. Add bread cubes and saute for about 3 minutes until lightly browned. Add the almonds and the spices and continue to saute for a further minute. Tip the contents of the pan into a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Add water until the mixture forms a thick paste. Set aside.
2. Wipe out the pan and then heat some more olive oil. Add the onion and saute until softened and starting to brown. Add the garlic and tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the chickpeas with their liquid, and the paste from the food processor, and stir together, making sure all of the paste is broken down and mixed in, and not clumped together. Bring to a bubble, by which time the mixture should be thickened by the paste. Add the spinach and bubble for just a few minutes until it is wilted.
4. Serve with some bread and Manchego cheese, or the carb of your choice :-)

"Does it have a 'y' in it?"

When asking oneself if today is a good day for pasta, there is really only one answer. Yes. Moreover, if you are asking yourself this question, it is quite possible that you need more help than merely a plate of pasta can provide, since it is always a good day for pasta. Period.

This one is a doozy for those like me, who love eating vegetarian, but could never go the whole way, because of sausage. I mean.... sausage. You can keep bacon - yes, it smells divine, but to be honest, the taste is usually a let-down after the gloriousness of that aroma. But sausage! Oh! Particularly Italian sausage with fennel seeds, browned in a pan so the edges are all crispy and caramelized..... Excuse me while I wipe away the dribble on my keyboard.

Whilst pasta might seem heavy for a summer's evening, I think this dish is lightened considerably by the addition of lemon zest. There is nothing more summery than the fragrance of lemon. Add that to the satisfaction of a bowl of carby goodness and the delicious aroma of the sausage and you've got a dish made for any time of year.

Pasta with Sausage and Chard
Serves 5
Adapted from Food Network Magazine

1lb pasta shapes of your choice
2 TBSP olive oil
1lb Italian sausages, casings removed
6 TBSP unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bunches Swiss chard, stems removed and chopped into ribbons (should give you about 5 cups chopped)
2 TBSP AP flour
2 3/4 cups milk (I used 2%/semi-skimmed)
3/4 cup grated parmesan
grated zest of 3 medium lemons, or 2 large (should yield about 2 TBSP)
fresh black pepper
extra grated parmesan to serve

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta as directed. When draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat and cook sausage, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. Let it start to brown before removing from the pan with a slotted spoon and setting aside.
3. Wipe out the pan with a piece of kitchen roll and then melt the butter in the same pan. Once it is melted saute the garlic for a minute until fragrant. Add the chard and stir until wilted (about 3 minutes).
4. Sprinkle in the flour and good stirring for an additional minute before adding the milk gradually, stirring all the time.
5. Bring the mixture to the boil and let it simmer for a minute before adding back in the sausage with the parmesan, lemon zest and some ground black pepper (don't add salt as it probably won't need it because of the saltiness of the sausage).
6. Simmer for 5 minutes by which time the mixture should have thickened slightly. Add back in the pasta and if the mixture needs loosening, add a little of the reserved pasta cooking water.
7. Serve topped with grated parmesan.

Oh pesto, how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways people, those many splendored ways! But lest you think this is yet another plate of green food, think again! For pesto is indeed many splendored and this one is a tad different - no basil, no pine nuts, no parmesan here. Instead, this one focuses on sun-dried tomatoes, and some delicious smoked mozzarella. Since the latter is not always easy to find, you could always sub another smoked cheese, but my advice is to stick with smoked something, as the combination of the sharpness of the tomatoes, and the smoky cheese was made in pesto heaven.

This is such a satisfyingly tasty recipe, and so simple to rustle up - I mean, I am one wordy writer and look, it only has 3 instructions!

And in case this recipe gets you excited for more non-traditional pesto shenanigans, then you should also check out these fabulous recipes: Rotini with Kale and Almond Pesto and Rotini with Zucchini and Mint Pesto

Penne with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and Smoked Mozzarella
adapted from Epicurious.com
Serves 4-5

1lb penne
1/2 cup unsalted raw almonds (don't need to be blanched)
28 sun-dried tomato halves (from a jar of oil-packed ones, drained, I used a whole 8.5oz jar)
1 large bunch of parsley (remove thicker stalks, and you should have about 2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil (approx. - see below)
1/2 lb smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2" cubes

1. Cook the penne according to directions, then drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Put the almonds, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley and garlic into a food processor, and whizz until finely chopped. Gradually add olive oil until you get a thick pesto - you don't want it too runny.
3. Stir pesto into hot cooked pesto, with enough of the pasta cooking water so that it clings nicely to the penne. Stir through the mozzarella.

Green as can be

I do love a plate of green food. It makes me feel healthier just looking at it (and yes, I do realize there is no medical evidence to support that claim). Sometimes though, a salad won't cut it. And there is at least one member of my family (you know who you are), who believes that with just a plate of salad to go on for dinner, starvation may beckon overnight (and for the record, there is no medical evidence for that either, sunshine!).

This plate of verdant goodness is a more carb-loaded treat though, which will satisfy the most reluctant of palates. For this one, I chose gnocchi as the base, but it could coat a plate full of pasta just as successfully. In conversation with a friend once, overlooking a bed of kale growing in the garden, he asked incredulously "So these...err..leaves, they're food for you?". Yup, and this is the kind of delicious plate of greenery you can use them to create!

Baked Gnocchi with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Kale Pesto
Serves 5

1.5 lbs gnocchi
7 cups baby kale (3 cups roughly chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus 3 TBSP for topping
salt and ground black pepper
1 cup cream
1/2 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes (the dry kind, not the ones packed in oil)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup panko (or other breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425F (220C).
2. Cook gnocchi according to directions in salted water. Drain, but reserve a little (1/2 cup?) of the cooking water and set aside. Keep the pot handy for later.
3. Meanwhile put 4 cups of the kale in a food processor with the garlic and olive oil. Whizz until smooth, then add the parmesan and a little salt and pepper and whizz to combine.
4. Mix together the pesto and the cream in the reserved cooking pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and then stir in the gnocchi, sun-dried tomatoes and 3 cups chopped kale. If the mixture is too dry, add some of the reserved cooking water from the gnocchi to loosen to desired consistency.
5. Transfer to a baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray (mine is 10" square). Sprinkle with mozzarella. Combine the pine nuts, panko and remaining 3 TBSP parmesan, then sprinkle this over the top of the mozzarella.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Still at home. Mood bad. Tummy good.

So Shelter-in-Place they say. Okey dokey. Shouldn't be too much of a problem. After all, I work in my home, obviously live in my home, one of my main hobbies is cooking, which I do in my home, my family is here with me... Should be a breeze then, right? Hmmm... I spend a lot of time on Facebook (more than anyone should, probably), and it is full of people who seem to be coping fabulously with this new (ab)normal. They are baking sourdough for the first time, enjoying the flowers in their gardens, bonding with their children over games of monopoly. I'd love to say it has been idyllic in this house, but I'd be lying.

The realization that nearly half of our family of five has an underlying condition making them high risk if they get Covid-19 meant that I had to close my business temporarily, so that was the first kicker. Then there's homeschooling. Let's just say we are all at home. Not so much of the school going on for my youngest, at least not without a fight. Some kids need more support, and they don't want it from their parents. It has indeed been fabulous having my older two kids at home again, and unexpected, since you kind of anticipate that once they leave for college, time spent at home with a full house will be much more limited. My daughter was a godsend, with pilates workouts and long walks with company, something I don't often get (no offense, the dogs are great company, but their conversation often lacks depth and breadth). My eldest son has willingly been his brother's go-to when he needs help with school work, and kept his cool when the latter was less than grateful for his input. And my dogs at least, seem to love having us at home more, and having those long walks. But then I managed to drop a Costco-sized jar of jam on my foot and broke my toe, so I have been unable to walk them or exercise for the last week.

The purpose of this long wordy litany of SIP-related mostly-woes is to say that I'm NOT OK with this. It isn't all tickety-boo. And there are days when it feels like it isn't worth getting out of bed, let alone making gourmet meals or playing monopoly (Truth be told, I would be happy to pay money never to have to play monopoly ever again). I have been cooking like a maniac, even if not for work, but not posting about it, because frankly, posting a picture of a delicious-looking meal has often seemed misleading for me - it implies in some way that "Everything is great over here! Look at this amazing polenta! It is proof that we are thriving in isolation!" Fortunately I have friends who remind me (even if they can only do so virtually) that it is OK NOT TO BE OK. And I am so thankful for that.

And yet here I am, posting a blog post about a meal that was, yes, delicious. Please take from this what you will - eating this made me happy in my tummy for a while. It didn't solve the world's problems, or any of mine, or indeed make me grateful for SIP-bonding-family-time-fabulousness. Nope. Not in the least. But it was tasty, I made it, and they all ate it. That made me OK for a bit, between the not OK bits. My hope is that it may do the same for you, and your tummy.

Green Risotto With Hazelnut Pesto and Creamy Feta
Serves 5

For the green puree:
3 oz Lacinato kale (stalks removed)
3 oz fresh parsley (one large bunch)
3 oz baby spinach
1/2 cup olive oil

For the hazelnut pesto:
6oz hazelnuts
6 TBSP grated parmesan
5 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar

For the risotto:
olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
12 oz risotto rice (I used Arborio)
2/3 cup dry white wine
900 ml vegetable stock
6 oz feta
6 TBSP heavy cream
3oz butter
juice of one lemon

lemon wedges and chopped parsley to serve

1. Heat the oven to 350F (180C), and place the hazelnuts in a single layer in a small baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes by which time they should be turning golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile bring a pan of water to the boil, then add the kale leaves and blanche for 3 minutes, before draining and rinsing with cold water to cool them enough to handle.
3. Place the kale leaves, spinach and parsley in a food processor with the olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper and whizz until smooth.
4. Rinse out the food processor and then put the hazelnuts, olive oil, sesame oil and red wine vinegar into the bowl and whizz them until finely chopped. Add the parmesan and continue to process until the pesto has the consistency you want.
Note that all the above steps can be done ahead of time, just store the two pestos in the fridge until you are ready to cook the final meal.
5. For the risotto, place the stock in a small saucepan with a lid on the stove, and heat until simmering, then leave on low heat to remain hot.
6. Heat the olive oil in a separate larger saucepan, then saute the onions over medium heat until soft, and just starting to brown. Add the garlic and saute for a further minute.
7. Stir in the rice until the grains are coated in oil, and then pour in the white wine. Let the mixture bubble until the wine is almost all evaporated, then add a couple of ladles of stock.
8. Keep the risotto bubbling away on a low heat, adding more stock whenever it dries out, until the rice is tender and slightly al dente.
9. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash the feta with the heavy cream.
10. As soon as the rice is cooked, season the risotto generously with salt and pepper, and stir in the green puree. Once it is combined, stir in the butter to give the risotto a shine. Taste and see if more seasoning is needed.
11. Serve in bowls with the hazelnut pesto dotted over the top, and a dollop of feta. Sprinkle with extra parsley.