gennaro contaldo's aubergine parmigiana

sources
aubergine parmigiana - Gennaro Contaldo, Delicious, March 2012, p53

gennaro and carluccio's borlotti bean soup

Soup is a funny thing. You naturally think of it as a winter staple, but I think we're slowly developing a fair clutch of summer versions that work just as well after a hot July day as a wet and woolly November one.

Gazpacho is an obvious choice, but I've noticed the summer versions tend to fall into two styles: Spicy Asian-influenced broths, like Vietnamese beef noodle soup and Tom Norrington-Davies' classic chicken noodle soup with mint and lemon, and those that can trace their lineage to minestrone. Bill Granger's puy lentil soup is a good example, as is tonight's fare - Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio's borlotti bean soup:

I think the latter versions work mainly because they're predominantly tomato-based, and they manage to retain their acidity which keeps the soup fresh and vibrant, and perfect for warmer weather.

sauces
fresh borlotti bean soup alla maruzzara - Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio, Two Greedy Italians, from Delicious, June 2011, p38

gennaro contaldo's aubergine parmigiana

You can look at redundancy in a couple of ways. Obviously it's a bit annoying and there is a constant underlying paranoia to finding a job. But there's positive angle as you get maximum family time, and you can have slightly more elaborate recipes for dinner. The silver linings outweigh the dark clouds.

After a day's displacement activity - although I at least got my CV sorted - tonight's dinner is a case in point: It's an experimental vegetarian dish from the great Gennaro Contaldo, with the added bonus of setting alarm bells ringing in Ana Louise's head as it's almost entirely made of aubergine, which is her kryptonite.

I've already let her down on the job front, it's been lashing down all day, and now I'm feeding her aubergine. However divorce is unexpectedly not on the cards as it's bloody delicious:

I have to say I'm mildly surprised, not simply because it was aubergine, but because before you bake it you fry the slices in egg, which looks bonkers. It tastes divine though; there's creamy cheese, a punchy tomato sauce and rather than soggy and sloppy, the egg plant is meaty and juicy. I hesitate to say this, but we'll definitely be having this again...

...because I over-shopped on aubergine at the weekend and there's another one in the fridge.

wine time
There's something interesting going on here as generally I'd look for a juicy Italian or Spanish red to match this hearty, bake. However the mozzarella and the aubergine really bring a creamy quality to it, so I think you're looking for something crisp and fruity, especially as we had it with salad. Delicious reckon a Riesling, but I wonder if that's too austere? I'd go with a New World Chenin, or a good Pinot Grigio. Boom.

sources
aubergine parmigiana - Gennaro Contaldo, Delicious, March 2012, p53

gennaro and carluccio's borlotti bean soup

Strangely there were no tears this morning. This was because Milo decided he needed to cycle to school on his first morning, which meant rather than a moment to be cherished, there was only shame for the Barnes family as he was the last child through the door, and we instantly became 'those parents' Ana hates. Still, I'm presuming we don't have to pick him up for another 11 years now?

Off to work with a left-over chicken leg and salad for me, and Ana's first day of peace for three months, we're heading into virgin territory for other reasons than new schools: Bikini Blitz is back tonight and rather than eating at midnight because I've barely started prepping until 21.30 military hours, Monday nights are now Ana Nights.

I thinks she's got a pretty good repertoire, she just doesn't enjoy cooking as much as me so I'm quite impressed she decided to kick off with an experimental-for-her Gennaro Contaldo/Carluccio borlotti bean soup.

I'm even more impressed when I return from giving my bikini a thorough going-over by the delicious smell wafting down the corridor, and the feast of warming, tomato-y, goodness waiting for me, finished off with some left-over fried chorizo:

I imagine this is exactly what it's like living with Nigella. Admittedly a slightly grumpier Nigella who doesn't like cooking when tragic TV shows are on, and doesn't really want to 'accidentally' spill cream from an eclair down her front, despite me begging, but a very nice version of Nigella nevertheless. Even better, there's clearly enough for two lunchtimes this week!

Wine Time
Hmmm, I'm not entirely sure what you should drink with soup, after all it's already quite liquid-y. When in doubt I tend to fall back to the rule of thumb of pairing with food and wine from the same country; so I'm going to go with a juicy, Italian red like a Montepulciano or a Sangiovese, both of which are acidic enough to match the tomato, but full-bodied enough to balance the creamy pulses. Plus they've got some spice as well, which helps here I think.

sauces
fresh borlotti bean soup alla maruzzara - Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio, Two Greedy Italians, from Delicious, June 2011, p38

fresh borlotti bean soup alla maruzzara

Having worn me down over the past month, today Ana Louise gets her heart's desire with another helping of Carluccio and Contaldo's borlotti bean soup.

Unlike last time, this time we're using canned borlotti beans, which I'm not sure are any better than the dried version. Despite spending a day cluttering up the work surface soaking, I think you get a nuttier, firmer pulse - and more of them - with dried pulses, which outweighs the convenience of a tin.

Despite the picture, we did *not* sit in the garden and eat, we sat in the lounge watching stupid, stupid telly.

sources
fresh borlotti bean soup alla maruzzara - Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio, Two Greedy Italians, from Delicious, June 2011, p38

fresh borlotti bean soup alla maruzzara

Friday the 13th - what could possibly go wrong? Nothing, *of course*! If anything it's a demi-great day: It's beautiful, I beat my PB running the 8 miles into the office, I get some amazing eggs from our Head of Marketing's East End chickens, and did I mention it was beautiful? It was beautiful. It's also the beginning of our Canada-countdown. Two weeks to go Harlocks - yay!

We've got more experimental stuff on the agenda tonight; a curious soup from Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio's new book, Two Greedy Italians. I'm all for soups generally, and I've been gasping to try something with borlotti beans as they are nothing short of the most beautiful pulses ever, but I was not prepared for the result:

Whilst it *was* tasty, very tasty in fact - like a more delicate version of minestrone, which makes it fairly good for the summer (sorry Sarah) - I was ever-so-slightly disappointed with the colour as the cooking process completely removes the purple whorls and swirls. I might just as well have used tinned cannellini beans...

Food of the Milos
More playdates today, this time with Finn and Kiki in Richmond Park, Nursery of course, and Pheeeeeeebs 1st birthday picnic!

Breakfast: toast and porridge before nursery
Lunch: Party food! Ham sandwiches, crisps, ice lollies and swanky cup cakes from Selfridges. I notice there's not party food for daddies when I get home from work;
Dinner: He had sausages, spaghetti and cherry tomatoes, whilst Finn had the same only with fish fingers rather than sausages.

sources
fresh borlotti bean soup alla maruzzara - Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio, Two Greedy Italians, from Delicious, June 2011, p38

chicken breast with sage and thyme & rhubarb fool part one

Although midsummer is still a week away, (sadly not Midsomer), tonight feels like the longest night. This is partly due to the 4am arrival this morning of ana's son demanding milk and cuddles, plus a "little play with his guitar" We get him back into bed but the die is cast.

This evening he heartily refuses to go to sleep, claiming he's got a present for mummy, there's a tortoise in his bed and, incredibly, requiring more milk. By the time we get him settled and the washing up done it's gone half eight. The minx!

We also have fridge dilemmas. I'd failed to take into account the fact we're off for the weekend and have over-ordered. Normally this would be fine because I can chuck whatever into the freezer, but it being summer it's nearly all salad and salad don't freeze.

Tonight we're *definitely* having a zesty chicken dish I'd cooked years ago and have since forgotten. It only turned up in the Great Delicious Cull, and I reckon it's from a May Italian edition, coming as it does from Gennaro Contaldo.

It's a bit fiddly, but the results are clearly well worth it given the fact ana steals a chunk of my chicken because it's better for her than potatoes. However I noticed she didn't take any extra french beans...



Remembering the slightly harsh, over lemony sauce from last time, and the fact I almost burned the onions and sage, this time I temper the juice down with some water, which has the added bonus of keeping it all fairly moist. Mmmmm, moist.

To follow I planned to make dessert using the left-over rhubarb. A cheeky fool care of La Ramsay. Again, it's slightly fiddly but the combination of orange juice, sugar and vanilla really complement the 'barb. However the lack of milk as I was about to make the custard puts the whole thing back a day. At least the rhubarb gets to chill adequately in the fridge.

Food of the Milos
It's a Julia day today so despite claiming he was hungry on the way, he doesn't have any breakfast apart from some toast and philli. Maybe I shouldn't have bribed him out of the house with raisins and a humzinger? For lunch he struggled through a cottage pie, had some grapes as a snack but refused the Feta. When he got home ana knocked together a sausage pasta dish, but he only ate the sausages before being force-fed the pasta. As ever carrot sticks and houmous come to the rescue, followed by some strawberries.

sources
chicken breast with sage and thyme - Gennaro Contaldo, Delicious, May 2006 (or 2005)