Day 286 – cooking as therapy

Posted by Life with Lizzi on October 13, 2011 · 4 Comments 

I have always found my kitchen a relaxing place to be.  I can get so absorbed in things, chopping, mixing, creating and tasting that hours can fly by on a Sunday afternoon, particularly if the kids are involved.  By Sunday evening it often looks like a bomb has hit it, and I have a sneaking suspicion that this was the reason why my Mum banned me from the kitchen most of the time!!

When I am stressed however, I tend to focus on the smallness of it all.  How every work surface is packed (pretty much like the rest of my house but I MUST NOT dwell on this as I am supposed to be relaxing!!).  How every cupboard is dis-organised, and how I lack plug points and and a proper draining rack.  Pathetic eh!

This afternoon I ventured back, after a few days on the sofa and front room chair, to try and let the calmness flow over me again.  First I had to deal with the day to day mess.  (deep breath and focus).  And then I opened the fridge to start.

This is how I often start my cooking sessions.  With a ‘What’s in the fridge? and what can I do with it?’

This is followed by ‘What’s interesting on a google search on the iPad?’ which is usually BBCfoods, or one of my current fav’s, the Wholefood app, where you can key in your ingredients, and it suggests recipe for you….. FABidoo!

Hence today, while peace and quiet still descends on the house, and the kitchen is tidy, I have searched for Chicons/Chicory as last weeks vegetable delivery boasted 12 and I had no idea what to do with them.

Here goes……..

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Chicory, Bacon and Pear salad, with Honey dressing

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Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 2 heads chicory , leaves roughly torn
• 50g lamb’s lettuce  (I used normal lettuce, shredded)
• 2 pears , cored and cut into thin wedges
• 50g walnuts

DRESSING

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp runny honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

Grill the bacon until crisp and golden then drain on kitchen paper and cut into small pieces. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and season.

Mix the chicory, lamb’s lettuce and pears together in a bowl with the dressing. Scatter the walnuts and bacon over and serve.

via Chicory, bacon & pear salad with honey dressing recipe – Recipes – BBC Good Food.

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Golden Chicory in Proscuitto wraps

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Ingredients

• 2 heads of chicory , not too large
• 25g butter
• 4 slices prosciutto or Serrano ham (I used Pancetta, out of the fridge!)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 75ml vegetable stock , or white wine if you have some open (I did, and as I’m not drinking, it might as well go in the food!)
• 2 thyme sprigs (I used dried sage, also tasty)
• 4 slices, about 50g/2oz good melting cheese (cheddar or gruyère is great) -> fridge only had grated, easy peasy!
• 50ml whipping cream , optional -> no way, if I can’t drink, might as well diet too!
• sautéed potatoes and green salad, to serve -> we had it with the salad above!

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Cut a cross from the base halfway to the tip of each head of chicory. Stuff the butter into the slits, then lay the slices of prosciutto or ham in pairs on the work surface, overlapping them slightly. Paint the ham with the mustard and lay the chicory on top. Roll each chicory head away from you, wrapping it snugly in the ham.

Lay the wrapped chicory in a small ovenproof dish or pan, pour over the stock or wine and top with the thyme sprigs. Cover the dish with a loose tent of foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until the chicory is softened.

Uncover the dish, lay the cheese slices over the chicory and bake, still uncovered, for a further 6-8 minutes, until the cheese is melting and golden. The chicory is now ready to serve. For an extra touch, remove the chicory, place the pan on a medium heat and boil the juices with the cream for 4-5 minutes until rich and syrupy. Pour the sauce over the chicory. Serve with sautéed potatoes and salad.

via Golden chicory in prosciutto wraps recipe – Recipes – BBC Good Food.

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Related articles

• The new vegetarian: cherry, fennel, red chicory and gorgonzola salad with acacia-honey dressing recipe (telegraph.co.uk)
• A Visit to an Endive Farm (endiveblog.wordpress.com)
• Hot & Cold (portlandfarmersmarket.wordpress.com)
• Endive Salad with Bacon, Avocado and Gorgonzola Recipe (avocadocentral.com)

 

Filed under Family Life, Kitchen Life (my recipes) · Tagged with Bacon, chicon, chicory, Cooking, Kitchen, Pear, postaday2011, recipes, relax, Salad