2 days ago
7
In tune with the changeable weather, dinners this week have veered between substantial winter casseroles and lighter, more uplifting dishes. A typical dinner was one of a spicy noodle dish glowing red with chilli followed by a pale and gently flavoured panna cotta. A sort of whip-and-kiss effect that followed that of the week’s see-saw between icy mornings and blissful afternoons with the sun on our backs.
I used two hits of chilli for the noodles – a thick, brick-red Korean paste in which to toss the strings of noodles hot from their steaming water and then flakes of dried chilli added to the breadcrumbs I used to finish the dish. A double hit of chilli, but still producing an effect that was warm and aromatic, rather than blow-your-socks-off hot.
Noodle dishes in this house tend to be last-minute affairs, often prepared after a rummage in the cupboard. This one had more thought behind it, a need for something crisp with the soba noodles brought seasoned breadcrumbs to the recipe, the soft white crumbs toasted until crisp with chilli flakes and sesame seeds. An idea that also dealt with a slightly past-its-best loaf.
The panna cotta followed my favourite version, stirring in buttermilk after infusing the cream with cardamom pods, bashed with a heavy weight to release their fragrance, but served with a spoonful of passion fruit seeds on top.
You can use soba or matcha noodles here, whatever you have around. I would normally suggest you don’t use spaghetti for a recipe that clearly isn’t Italian – it just seems wrong – but, in this instance, it will work well enough if that is all you have to hand. Use whichever chilli paste you fancy. I like the thick Korean-style paste for this, but just use your favourite. Recipes such as this one are very much a suggestion, rather than a blueprint that must be stuck to word for word. Serves 2. Ready in 40 minutes
garlic 4 cloves
groundnut or vegetable oil 2 tbsp
noodles 150g
spring onions 100g
chopped tomatoes 1 x 400g tin
chilli paste or sauce 4-6 tbsp
coriander 10g
lime juice of 1
For the breadcrumbs:
vegetable or groundnut oil 3 tbsp
white breadcrumbs 75g
sesame seeds 2 tbsp
chilli flakes 2 tsp
Peel the garlic and slice it thinly. Warm the oil in a shallow pan and cook the garlic over a low heat until pale gold and fragrant. A matter of 3 or 4 minutes, stirring from time to time. Remove from the heat and scoop the garlic out on to kitchen paper with a draining spoon.
Bring a large, deep pan of water to the boil and salt it generously. Once it is boiling, lower in the noodles and cook at a rolling boil until they are tender, but toothsome (check the packet timing as it can vary). Drain the noodles in a colander and set aside.
Prepare the breadcrumbs: place the empty garlic pan (adding a few more tablespoons of oil if necessary) over a moderate heat and add the breadcrumbs, cooking them in the garlic-scented oil until they are crisp and golden brown. Move them around the pan regularly to ensure they colour evenly.
Stir in the sesame seeds and chilli flakes and continue cooking for a minute or two. Tip them out into a dish, then wipe the pan with kitchen paper.
Chop the spring onions, return the pan to the heat, adding a little more oil if necessary, then scatter in the spring onions. Let them cook for a couple of minutes until soft, then stir in the chopped tomatoes. Bring to a bubble, then stir in the chilli paste, chopped coriander and lime juice. Season generously with salt, then stir in the noodles. Toss with the toasted breadcrumbs and the reserved, crisped garlic, then transfer to a bowl or shallow dish to serve.
Panna cotta with passion fruit
It is crucial to pour the mixture through a sieve, which will achieve a much smoother result. Make sure that the buttermilk is never heated – it will curdle – and that it is only just warmed by the cardamom-scented cream. As the little desserts cool they will get firmer, so are best eaten the day they are made. Serves 4. Ready in 4 hours
green cardamom pods 12
double cream 350ml
caster sugar 100g
gelatine 2 sheets
buttermilk 150ml
passion fruit 4
You will need 4 small ramekins or small coffee cups. Crack open the cardamom pods and extract the seeds, then crush them to a coarse powder using a pestle and mortar. Put the cardamom in a small, nonstick saucepan with the double cream and sugar, and place over a moderate heat. Bring the cream almost to the boil, then remove from the heat, cover with a plate and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, or until it has become soft.
Warm the infused cream gently, stirring continuously, for 2–3 minutes, but on no account let it come to the boil. Lift the gelatine from the water and drop into the cream, stirring with a wooden spoon until it has dissolved, then remove from the heat.
Pour the cream through a sieve suspended over a jug. Stir the buttermilk into the cream, then pour into the ramekins or cups and refrigerate for 4 hours or until lightly set.
Halve and squeeze the passion fruit over the panna cotta. (If you don’t love the crunch of the seeds, then you can remove them by pouring through a sieve.)
