Random Eats

Pan seared Scallops with Dill Aioli and cold Rice Salad with Sweet Peas


Artichoke and Fava Bean Parpadelle with fresh basil


Summer herbs in full bloom

Promises, promises! But I do promise to be back with some recipes very soon. I am tending to a very wily set of herbs. Basil, oregano, dill and rosemary. So expect to see some recipes for pastas and sauces with those ingredients. Also, once the 90+ heat wave breaks, I will attempt some baking. Possibly fancy fruit tart!

Roasted Veggies in Balsamic Reduction

Fall is here and I get tired of eating cold salads for lunch, but I prefer lighter lunches so here is a creative way to eat a lot of vegetables in a delicious and not too heavy manner.

I made enough of this to eat lunch the rest of the week and feed my neighbor! Here is a paired down version that will serve four. Everything is estimated and feel free to elaborate on it.

Roasted Vegetables with Linguine in Balsamic Reduction

serves four
1 good sized eggplant, chopped
1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms
1/2 cup baby carrots or chopped carrots
5 shallots peeled and halved
1 cup green beans
1 cup grape tomatotoes
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and Pepper
4 servings of linguine

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for at least an hour.

Melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the vinegar and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Add in the honey, some salt and pepper to taste and reduce until the sauce just thickens. It will still be very loose. The starch from the pasta will help bind the sauce.

While you are making the sauce, bring pasta to a boil and cook to al dente.

Toss all together!

Dinner for One

Sometimes, I get to take a brief break from my busy life, relax and cook just for myself. Usually this involves, taking what ever is left in fridge and trying to cull some flavor magic from it. Thankfully, I had some goods ones left from the past dish last week. So a simple pasta with sun dried, tomatoes, feta, fresh basil, cured olives, and a little red pepper for bite. You really can't go wrong.

Impromptu Sunday Supper

Kelly came over for an impromptu dinner and I had left over ingredients that needed to be used up! So here are some excellent dishes that came from necessity.

Smoked Trout Toasts

4 slices Italian Bread, sliced and toasted
1 can smoked trout in oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
tomato slices for garnish

Combine the sour cream, garlic, dill and salt and pepper together. Spread over the toasts, top with plenty of trout and garnish with tomatoes.

Penne with Sundried Tomatoes, Feta and Artichoke Hearts

for two

1/2 package frozen artichoke hearts
2 cups penne pasta
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more if you prefer more spice
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup feta
salt and pepper

Take two tablespoons of the oil from the tomatoes and heat in a large sauce pan. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes, basil, red pepper and artichokes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute until the artichokes are soft. Add the stock and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta al dente.

Add the pasta to the bowl and let simmer for about 5-8 minutes until it has absorbed the sauce. Crumble the feta over and mix well. Serve and garnish with more fresh basil.

MCQ Practice Dinner

MCQ is getting back into the groove on a snowy night with some delicious but simple food. There's no real recipe for this but here's what went into it. These are all estimates, I didn't measure a thing making this, but it came out great!

Artichokes with White Beans and Spinach with White Wine Cream Sauce and Lemon Parrapedelle

Garlic maybe 3 cloves
Olive Oil
Tablespoon Butter
1/2 a bag of frozen artichoke hearts
1 can Cannellini Beans
1 Bunch Spinach
1 cup of white wine
1/2 cup cream
Juice of half a lemon
Plenty of Salt and Pepper
Plenty of Parmesan Cheese grated into the sauce and some reserved for serving
Fresh Basil - shredded over the top for serving
Parrapedelle Pasta