Cauliflower Cheese with a Stuffed Mushroom

So last weekend we were away in Nottingham visiting Nel and Duncan in their very fancy abode. We saw the sites of Nottingham: the Castle, Wollaton Hall, wore silly hats in the cold, and even got to sample some of Pete (Master Baker) Mitchell's lemon Drizzle cake. Very nice!!!  It did mean that we were so late home that a Roast was simply out of the question. So this week, even though I am running late again, I'm going for it. And, as I currently have a cauliflower cheese obsession, why not have it with the roast.

The mushrooms:
For the Mushroom filling, I covered some Bulgar wheat with boiling stock and let it rest for half an hour before adding a chopped tomato, some fresh garlic (only 1/4 of a clove for two people), parsley and herbs.

Then in a baking dish I drizzled olive oil over two flat mushrooms, which I then stuffed with the Bulgar mix and covered with a mix of breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese, crushed pistachios and seasoning.

The cauliflower cheese:

As I had baby cauliflower I left them whole. I put each one is a small dish to bake. Or if you're using normal cauliflower then cut into sections and place raw into a larger baking dish.

In a pan, make a roux with butter and flour. Use a good knob of butter and two tablespoons of flour. Then stir until the flour is mixed in with the butter. Add some salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add your milk and cheese and stir continually until you have a thick cheese sauce. This amount serves two.

Pour your cheese sauce over the cauliflower and top with a little more cheddar.

Roast everything for around 40 minutes. Meanwhile I conjured up a nice thick onion gravy. You definitely need some sort of gravy. Recipe to follow ...

Roasted Artichokes in Butter, Garlic and Mustard Vinigrette

We've just spent the afternoon in Highgate Cemetery looking around the old graves and had a really interesting guided tour before the sun set over the ivy ridden headstones. I've never been before to Highgate Cemetery, but I've always meant to after studying a little about it and knowing that Lizzie Siddal, the muse of the Pre-Raphaelites, is buried there. I didn't find her grave today though. The whole experience was strangely romantic and I felt I learnt a fair bit too. Beats Come Dine with Me on the Sofa for sure!

Anyway, back to our roast. It's been a busy week this week.  Finished on one job last night and start a new one tomorrow. And,  as I've been a bit under the weather I'm going to make something quick and easy tonight. I'll be making roasted artichokes which I'll serve with a napkin to clean our hands (as it will be messy), and a cheese board. Perfect Sunday comfort.

For two people:

3 medium/ small artichokes
1 clove of garlic
Several glugs of olive oil
mustard
Juice of 1 Lemon
Knob or two of butter
Salt and pepper to Season

First Cut the Artichokes in half and scoop out the hair if necessary. Use a spoon for this. My artichokes were small and so there was no hair in the middle. Bonus.

Then boil them for 6 minutes with one crushed garlic clove, drain and place in a baking dish faced down.

Meanwhile, make a simple vinaigrette from the mustard, olive oil and lemon ( see notes below) and pour over the artichokes, as well as putting on the butter. Save some vinaigrette for serving so you can dip the leaves into it. Yummy.

Bake for 30 minutes on 180 degrees

Serve with a nice cheese board and some slices of fresh lemon. Off now to gorge and watch a film :)

Notes for the vinaigrette:

Start with a tablespoon of Dijon Mustard and keep adding small glugs of olive oil until the mixture thickens. Then squeeze in the juice of your lemon until it's vinaigrette consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Stuffed Mini Squash with a Caramelised Onion and Tomato Stew

It's been freezing outside this week, and I've spent quite a lot of time outside in it. This meal is going to be a heart warmer and make us forget about this good typically British weather.

It has been brought to my attention that I have strayed rather (too?) far from the idea of a Sunday roast. And, as it's been a sufficient amount of time, I'm in the mood for a good roast! I really wanted to do something with butternut squash  but also something that works well as individual portions. Often when roasting and stuffing a butternut squash the portions can be massive, or look messy when served. I've found some lovely little squash and intend to fill them with garlic rice and peas and roast them whole. Each squash will be an individual portion.

I really want to keep this roast simple and so I'll serve the squash with roast potatoes and a caramelised onion and tomato stew, which will serve as a side dish as well as being the gravy.  It's also a chance to get out my little Le Creuzet casserole pots I got for my birthday last year.

Put the whole squash in the oven for about 10 minutes to slightly soften them. Then cut off the tops and scoop out the middles.

Drizzle on some Olive oil and season. Place on a baking tray and cook on 180 degrees for a further 10 minutes. Take them out of the oven ready to be filled.

Meanwhile prepare the filling: In a frying pan, lightly fry your garlic in olive oil. Before the garlic burns, add the rice and fry for about a minute before adding the stock. Let the rice bubble for 10 minutes.

Fill each squash with some frozen peas at the bottom and the rice mixture on top  until full. Pour in the excess liquid from the rice so that the rice can carry on cooking in the oven.

Put the filled squash in the oven (still on 180 degrees) with their lids on and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and a half. I put some foil over the top half way through.

For the gravy/stew I caramelised some onions in a frying pan by frying in olive oil, butter, a teaspoon of sugar and seasoning.  Then add the tomatoes and let them caramelise too. Pour on a good splash of white wine and a teaspoon of vegetable bouillon and let this bubble and thicken for 10 minutes or so.

In fact, what I did here was put all of the ingredients into my mini Le Creuzet pots which I baked at the same time as the squash.

Serve with roast potatoes and anything else you fancy. Will put on the recipe soon!

Amaretto Sour Cocktail

Recipe:

1. Amaretto
As much Amaretto as you fancy- I'd say 3 shots should be enough for two people which is how many we are this evening.
2,. Juice of 1 lemon
3. 1 Egg white
4. Sugar- only a teaspoon, that's if you have a sweet tooth.
5.Ice

Shake all of the above ingredients together with the ice. Pour into the glasses through a seive so as not to include the ice. Or, if you have a cocktail shaker that'd be better. I've not yet got one. If you wish serve it with the ice or on ice...whichever way you serve this it's lovely.

Drink!