Pasta with Roasted Peppers - Inspired by Nigel Slater

Nigel Slater is one cool dude. He's my food hero!

While most famous chefs show signs of being a megalomaniac, Nigel comes across as a quiet, chilled out, low profile chef who is highly respected in the industry. There's no yelling in his kitchen, no puffed out chest or big noting himself. He's just a man in black working quietly and comfortably at his own pace.

Having watched a few of his DVD's, read his memoir "Toast"  and a number of other cook books he has published, I am a true Nigel Slater 'Groupie'. Somehow he seems to blend the right amount of herbs or spices in the simplest way and team ingredients to give un complicated and delicious dishes. If you are unfamiliar with Nigel's work, then just go to this link.

Inspired by one of his couplings - Pasta with Peppers, I have tried to recreate the dish without his actual recipe. I hope I have done it justice.

I served this to a group of friends for lunch, just before Christmas and it went down really well. I was feeling pretty rushed at the time and wasn't sure what to make as it was quite a warm day and we were eating outside.  I made up a big Mezze Plate for Entree, stuff I didn't have to cook; Dolmades, Greek Beans, olives, semi-dried tomatoes, dips, etc. Such an easy way to entertain a lot of people when you have little time.

PASTA WITH ROASTED PEPPERS 

I have worked on the ratio of 2 capsicums (peppers) per person, but only one if they are very big. Once cooked they do tend to shrink a little.

Serves 4

6 Capsicums (peppers) red, green or yellow 1. 5  - 2 per person

large bunch of basil

6 shallots finely sliced

6 - 8  cloves garlic peeled, finely chopped

250g ripe cherry tomatoes

olive oil
100g pine nuts, lightly toasted

250g pasta - I use penne or spirals
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper
Crème Fraîche -optional

In a dry pan, toast the pine nuts until golden and set aside.

Take each pepper and take a small slice out of it lengthways. The capsicums are going to act as little 'boats' to support the tomatoes and garlic. Place the capsicums into a lined baking dish. 

Put the garlic, shallots and tomatoes into a bowl.  Chop the slivers of capsicum that you sliced off and add this to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and using your hands, mix the whole lot together and divide the mixture between the capsicums, filling up the cavities.

Take a large bunch of basil and a very large slug of olive oil and blend the two together, until they resemble a thin sauce.  Add a pinch of salt. 

Tip the basil sauce over the capsicums, and bake in a preheated oven at 170º fan forced for around 40 - 50 minutes until the capsicums are nicely charred, soft and very very juicy.

While the capsicums are cooking, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the pasta following the recommended guidelines.

Remove the cooked capsicums from the oven, place them on a serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Retain all the lovely juices from the pan. 

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the juices in the pan, warming slightly on the cook top. Tip the pasta into a serving bowl and add chopped parsley. It is advisable to serve the pasta and capsicums separately.

I remember Nigel served his peppers with a dollop of Crème Fraîche and that is a option, if you don't mind the extra calories.

Capsicum Jam

Are you a chilli person or not? I like it hot and fiery but leaving enough to taste whatever it's in. Past life I made a lot of Chilli Jam but I was getting a little bored with it and as I had a delicious dollop of Capsicum Jam on a plate the other day, I thought it time to investigate making my own.

I've looked at a lot of ingredients and I've settled on making something that is fiery but not too sickly. I want a big chilli hit without the sweetness and a richness in colour, chunky and full of body; I've been experimenting to get the right taste for me. OK, so I did add a bit of sugar, but not too much.

Are you brave enough to try it? 

It only takes a few ingredients.

Don't think you would want to eat it straight from the jar.

But with this cheese and fruit platter - it made a great addition to lunch.

Here is the recipe - give it your best shot!

CAPSICUM JAM - WITH CHILLI

2 red onions diced
2 red capsicums diced
3 long red chillies sliced, leave seeds in
100g caster sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
200g cherry tomatoes

In a large heavy saucepan heat oil ver low heat. Gently sauté capsicum, onion and chilli until they begin to soften. 

Add tomatoes and cook until they are soft and mushy.

Add sugar and stir until dissolved, then simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until the mixture has thickened.

While this is cooking, wash and rinse jars and sterilise. 

When the jam is nice and thick, ladle into hot jars and seal.

Once opened, keep in the fridge, otherwise it should keep in your pantry for up to 12 months.

Food and Painting

My painting journey continues with the experimentation of 'Colour Field' type paintings. This style of painting typically describes often large-scale canvases dominated by flat expanses of colour and having a minimum of surface detail. I have started with three small canvases to try out a variety of techniques. These are painted with acrylics on canvas with oil glazes to bring out the colours.

I haven't yet committed to a large canvas but I'm working on some small drawings to see where they take me. If anything turns out OK I will post a photo. I am still very reticent about sharing these paintings, so I would really appreciate some feedback from you because that is the best way to learn.

The paintings are on good quality 25 x 25 cms canvas and they are all for sale. Send me an email or leave me a comment if you are interested.

I have some photographs of the plums I bought to make jam and on my next canvas I would like to try and capture the silver grey blooms on this beautiful fruit. 

My favourite things to paint recently have been flowers and fruit and I am trying to find enough free time to work on one of these large canvases every few months. I'm not very disciplined and many things distract me..........

Apart from the plums, I have been eyeing up some nice quinces with their knobbly shapes creating interesting contours and shadows. 

Speaking of colour, one of the most colourful dishes you can prepare comes from Israel. Shatshouka was introduced into Israel from Turkey via the Middle East. In many countries in the Middle East you will find variations of this dish; Turkey, Iran and parts of Africa but I believe that this is typically Israeli. 

This super recipe gets its colour and piquancy from ripe tomatoes and peppers and is an excellent dish to serve at any time of day. I must admit that I have doctored it a little. If I serve it for lunch or dinner I add eggplant because I like the flavours together, but if I want to serve it as part of a breakfast menu I leave them out. Believe me, the eggplant somehow enhances the flavours and if you leave them in, you will understand why!

Shakshouka

Ingredients

I tbsp olive oil
1 small brown onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 red or green capsicum (pepper) finely diced
4 cups of chopped ripe tomatoes or 2 tins of tomatoes
2 cups chopped eggplant (Aubergine) (Optional)
2 tbls tomato puree
1 tsp chilli powder or more to taste (depending on how hot your chilli powder is)
1 tsp sweet paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
pinch sugar
2 tbls chopped parsley
4 - 6 eggs

1. You will need a fairly big skillet or frypan for this recipe.
2. Heat olive oil in pan and add onion, cook for a few minutes until it becomes transparent and add garlic, eggplant and pepper and cook for 5 - 10 minutes until it begins to soften. 
3. Now is the time to add spices; chilli powder, paprika, and tomato paste, salt, pepper and the tomatoes. Cook this on your cooktop for about 20 minutes. Add a sprinkling of cayenne pepper - be careful it is very hot . Add a pinch of sugar and correct the seasoning at this stage.
4. Depending on the number of eggs you want to use, make depressions in the tomato mixture and carefully crack eggs one at a time into the depressions, making sure they are well spaced. The eggs will cook in the mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and allow 10 - 15 minutes for the eggs to cook. Keep checking that the sauce does not reduce too much as it will burn.
5. Once cooked garnish with parsley and enjoy. Serve with crusty bread for breakfast or a light salad for lunch or dinner.