The Word-July

THE SOLITARY
COOK
Unfortunately our Solitary Cook is away this month, so
here at The Word we have come up with a couple of our
favourites which we hope will be a modest substitute for
Maura’s excellent recipes
PASTITSIO
Although July is a time when we would rather be lighting the BBQ and preparing salads, l
have a slight suspicion it could cloud over and rain for the odd day or two. So, this Greek
staple, not dissimilar to the Italian Lasagne, is a great comfort supper whether it’s rain or shine
and as a bonus you get to use up a little of the salad normally in the fridge at this time of year
to accompany it.
Not the quickest to prepare but, if the rain brings you indoors early, you’ll have the spare time
to settle into getting this one ready.
250g penne pasta
1 egg, beaten
25g parmesan cheese
1 tbsp melted butter
10g fresh white breadcrumbs
WHITE SAUCE
60g butter
60g plain flour
600 ml milk
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
MEAT SAUCE
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
1 celery stick
500g beef mince
200g chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
small cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
Start by heating the oil for the meat
sauce, add the onion, celery and
garlic, let them just turn brown. Add
the meat and cook for five minutes
before adding the tomatoes, purée,
cinnamon, cloves, oregano and bay
leaves. Pour in 50ml of water and
season with salt and black pepper.
Leave to simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile boil the pasta and at
the same time pre heat the oven to
180˚/Gas Mk 4 while you prepare
the white sauce. Melt the butter in a
non-stick pan, add the flour and stir
in the milk, season with the nutmeg,
salt and pepper. Keep stirring well.
Grate the parmesan and
breadcrumbs (I normally
use a crust that no one
else wants). Drain the
pasta, return to the pan
and add the beaten
egg, half the parmesan
cheese, about a fifth of
the white sauce and stir
well.
Take an oven proof bowl
and start to layer the
meat and pasta three
times over, finish by
pouring the remaining
white sauce over the top.
Mix the rest of the parmesan
and breadcrumbs
together and cover the
sauce before placing
in the oven for appx 40
minutes.
Serve with green salad
and crusty bread, the
dish will be enough for
four servings.
CARROT &
CORIANDER SOUP
This is one of my favourites, especially good for
a lunch time. As a lot of us are at home, working
or otherwise, at the moment it’s simple and quick
and will keep for day or two if you don’t finish it too
quickly. Snatch some crusty bread to go with it and
you’re sorted until supper time.
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
450g carrots
1 potato
1 tsp ground coriander
1.2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
bunch of fresh coriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper
(splash of Lea & Perrins sauce)
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan and add the
chopped onion. Fry for 5 mins until softened. Stir in
the ground coriander and the chopped potato and
continue to fry for a couple more minutes.
Add the now peeled and chopped carrots along with
the vegetable or chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat, cover and continue to cook for a
further 20 minutes or until the carrot is soft.
Grab your handheld blender (transfer to food mixer if
you don’t have one) and blend until smooth. Add the
cropped fresh coriander and, if you’re partial to it, the
splash of Lea & Perrins, stir, reheat and serve.
Maura Dillon-Malone
is away