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Rocket and almond pesto pasta with courgettes and pan-fried salmon

July 2013

Healthy, hearty and a great idea when you need to use up some of the multitudinous courgettes we all accumulate in July. Serves 4. Preparation time 35 minutes

Ingredients

500g of courgette
1 pepper
1 onion
A small handful of fresh rocket plus extra leaves for garnish
30g almonds
50mls olive oil plus extra for vegetable roasting
50g grated parmesan cheese
1 clove of garlic
Juice of one lemon plus wedges to serve
350g penne pasta
4 skin on salmon fillets

Method

  1. Chop the vegetables into bite sized cubes , season with salt and pepper, place in a roasting tin and roast in a 180 degree oven for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
  2. Heat a large pan of water ready for your pasta later.
  3. While the veg is roasting make the pesto, add the rocket, almonds, olive oil, lemon juice, grated cheese and garlic to a food processor and blend to a smoothish paste.
  4. Fifteen minutes into the veg cooking time and it’s time for the salmon. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel and season with salt. Place in hot frying pan skin side down for 5 minutes until golden. Flip the salmon fillets and place the pan in the oven with the vegetables for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Finishing fish and meat off in the oven cooks it more evenly ensuring a succulent end product with the crispy skin you get from frying.
  5. Now it’s time to boil your pasta. When it is done to your liking, drain and return to the cooking pan. Mix through the pesto and tender roasted veg
  6. Serve in a bowl topped with your perfectly cooked salmon, extra rocket leaves and lemon wedges. Lovely.

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Lemony prawn risotto with spring vegetables and rocket

Lemony prawn risotto with spring vegetables and rocket

Serves 2

This is a beautifully summery dish perfect for alfresco dining with a nice cool glass of white wine.

Ingredients

Half an onion
3 cloves of garlic
Olive oil for frying
300g Arborio risotto rice
A bunch of spring onions (around 125g)
A generous glass of white wine (Sauvignon Blanc works wonderfully)
1 pint of vegetable stock
Half a teaspoon of chilli powder
1 lemon (zest and juice)
225g best quality raw tiger prawns
A small handful of peas, fresh if you can get them
A small handful of spinach
A generous handful of parmesan cheese (plus an extra sprinkling for serving)
A small knob of butter
A small handful of rocket

 

Method

  1. Finely chop your half onion and garlic and sweat it gently in a large heavy based pan with a little olive oil.
  2. When the onion is beginning to become soft and translucent add your rice and sliced spring onions and turns up the heat slightly.
  3. Now it’s time to add the wine, from this point onwards you will need to keep a sharp eye on your risotto and stir it often so it doesn’t stick.
  4. Gradually add your vegetable stock when your risotto threatens to stick. Continue with this process for ten minutes, then add your prawns, chilli powder, peas, spinach and the zest of your lemon reserving the juice for the end.
  5. When the rice is just soft and your prawns are pink and juicy (should be another 5-10 mins) remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, lemon juice and butter. Adjust your seasoning, add good grind of black pepper but taste carefully before adding too much salt (the prawns, cheese, butter and stock might make your risotto salty enough already).
  6. To serve, spoon the thick oozy risotto into shallow bowls and scatter over your rocket leaves. Sprinkle on the last of your parmesan and enjoy.