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I was in charge of making saffron rice to accompany the Indian fish curry we had for dinner the other night (if you look closely you’ll see it in the top right-hand corner of the photo). As it was cooking, the aroma of the saffron-infused basmati rice drifted through the kitchen and mingled with the fragrant cooking smells of the curry. What a harmony of smells that was!

We don’t always have saffron rice with our Indian curries; usually it’s just plain basmati rice — which is still beautiful. But occasionally it’s nice to jazz things up a bit, and also add a bit of color to the table.

Saffron is the pungent dried stigmas of the crocus sativus plant, and it’s the world’s most expensive spice by weight. Thankfully, you don’t need to use much to impart a wonderful flavor, vibrant color and delicate aroma to dishes such as paella, bouillabaisse, and of course saffron rice.

As usual we like to take the simple approach, and our version of saffron rice uses the bare minimum of ingredients but it still has maximum flavor and, thanks to the saffron, that perfect bright yellow color.

Simple Saffron Rice

Serves 2 as a side dish

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup basmati rice (rinsed in cold water, then drained)

BRING the water to a boil in a medium saucepan and stir in the saffron threads, butter and salt. ADD the rice and bring to the boil, cover, then reduce the heat to very low. SIMMER gently for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

Here are some dishes that are an ideal match with saffron rice:

Fish, Spinach & Tomato Curry
South Indian Shrimp Curry
Lentil, Pea & Potato Curry
Dhal with Carrot & Cauliflower

The other night, Trudy and I dropped into our local supermarket to pick up a few staples, and while I was in the refrigerated section something really caught my eye. It was a flashy looking new brand of pesto.

Now, I’m a pesto lover from way back, but I’m usually pretty wary of pre-packaged pesto — simply because I’ve had some rather dismal tasting pre-packaged stuff in the past. But the packaging was so slick, and the contents looked so remarkably good that I at least had to look at the ingredient list to see whether it was made to the classic Genoese recipe. (The Italian city of Genoa is where pesto originates, by the way.)

I scanned the ingredients list, and wasn’t disappointed.

Basil. Check.
Garlic. Check.
Extra virgin olive oil. Check.
Parmesan. Check.
Pine nuts. Check.

And there weren’t any bizarre sounding additives or preservatives either — a definite bonus.

At this stage I was getting seriously tempted to just throw the pesto in the cart, but I knew that Trudy would need some convincing first. Like me, she’s very aware that pre-packaged pesto can be very hit or miss. But after showing her the authentic list of ingredients, and pointing out how incredibly tasty it looked, she agreed that it was at least worth giving a try.

Well, the pesto might have contained all the right ingredients and looked glorious, but when we got it home and tossed it through some pasta with shrimp and green beans, it tasted far from glorious. It had a slight vinegary undertone, and the consistency was way too dry (I think this was because they’d skimped on the extra virgin olive oil, and probably the pine nuts as well — both relatively expensive ingredients).

Anyway, the upshot of the evening was that we vowed never to buy pre-packaged pesto again, no matter how flashy the packaging! And besides, we have our own pesto recipe that we both really adore. Yes, it takes a little more work than pulling the top off a package of store-bought pesto, but not that much more.

We don’t take the time-consuming route and use a mortar and pestle to pound the pesto into a paste by hand. We’ve found that the results in a food processor or blender can be excellent, and we actually prefer the slightly more textural consistency of pesto made this way.

And speaking of consistency, we’re definitely not fans of pesto that’s either too oily or too dry. So we’ve found a great trick is to add a little water along with the other ingredients before processing. This gives the pesto a perfect consistency — moist, but not too oily. It also helps the blades process the other ingredients more easily into a paste.

We’ve also found that it’s a good idea not to go overboard with the garlic. Raw garlic is very pungent, and it can easily overwhelm the flavor of the other ingredients in the pesto. Of course, if you’re a bit of a garlic fiend, feel free to add more!

Pesto

Makes roughly 1 cup

• 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor or blender, combine the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, water, salt, and pepper. While you process, slowly pour the olive oil into the mix until all the ingredients turn into a smooth paste (you may have to scrape the sides occasionally). Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Serving Ideas: Pesto has a myriad of uses, such as tossed with hot pasta, spread over bruschetta, used as a pizza sauce, stirred into soups just before serving, mixed with mayonnaise to dress salads and sandwiches, used as a filling for baked potatoes, or served as a dip with vegetable crudités.

Variations: Walnuts, pistachios, macadamias, almonds, or cashews can be substituted for the pine nuts.

When it comes to the classic Provençal vegetable dish ratatouille, I prefer it roasted not stirred. What I mean is I’d rather eat ratatouille that’s been cooked in the oven where the vegetables are left alone to slowly roast in their own juices, than ratatouille that’s been made on the stove-top where the vegetables are often overcooked and stirred to a mush.

Until quite recently I’d only ever made ratatouille on the stove-top. The results had always been very palatable, but not what I would describe as overwhelmingly good. I’d always put this down to the fact that I wasn’t cooking each vegetable separately, a method that some recipes recommend to preserve the integrity of each vegetable. But I’d never had the time or inclination to test that theory.

Being a big fan of oven-roasted dishes, and armed with a glut of eggplants, tomatoes, zucchinis, peppers and onions, I was inspired to create this roasted ratatouille. Unhampered by excessive stirring, the vegetables develop a deliciously sweet roasted flavor and wonderful texture that rise above any stove-top ratatouille I’ve ever tasted.

Since this roasted ratatouille revelation, it’s become one of my favorite ’set and forget’ oven-baked dishes and has revolutionized my culinary repertoire with its sheer versatility. Just as good hot, warm or cold, the ratatouille can be prepared ahead and kept covered in the fridge until you’re ready to roast. And once cooked, any leftovers (unlikely) taste even better over the next day or two.

To date I’ve served roasted ratatouille: tossed with pasta and white beans; nestled in a baguette with brie (heaven!); served on the side of grilled tuna; mixed with couscous and chickpeas; used as a pizza topping with anchovies and olives; and stirred through a shrimp risotto.

I’m sure there are dozens of other ways you could use this ratatouille, and if you can think of any I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

Bon appétit!

Roasted Ratatouille

Serves 4 as a side dish

• 14 oz (420g) canned tomatoes — chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
• 2 cloves garlic — minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion — thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 2 red peppers — cut into strips
• 1 green pepper — cut into strips
• 2 zucchini (courgette) — cut into half-inch rounds
• 1/2 eggplant (aubergine) — cut into 1-inch cubes

PREHEAT oven to 350F/180C. MIX together the canned tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, parsley and thyme until combined. OIL a baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. START by layering a quarter of the sliced onion in the bottom of the baking dish then top with a quarter each of red and green peppers, zucchini and eggplant. SPOON a quarter of the tomato mixture and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over each layer. REPEAT the process to make 4 layers. COVER and bake for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for a further 15 minutes.

There are certain foods that I detested eating as a child, but now thoroughly enjoy as an adult. Anchovies and olives are two foods that spring to mind — so do mushrooms. But although my appreciation for mushrooms might have been somewhat belated, I’ve been making up for my missed mushroom years and I’m now fascinated with fungi!

What enamors me most about mushrooms is their wonderful earthy flavor, delightful ‘meaty’ texture, and extraordinary versatility. I’m also enchanted by the culinary contradiction that mushrooms are such a prized food in so many cultures, yet they’re not plants (in the sense that they don’t need the sun to survive and grow), they’re actually organisms that live in or on other organisms — in other words, parasites.

Mushrooms have been revered by Mediterranean home cooks for centuries. Italians are well known for their fondness of fungi, and hunting for wild mushrooms is still a common practice in many parts of Italy. To bring out the best in fresh mushrooms, such as porcini or cremini, Italians often pair them with simple ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper — demonstrating, as with most things in life, that simple is best. Mushrooms are also used to enhance the flavor of many classic Italian dishes including pastas and risottos, and they make the perfect topping for pizza and bruschetta.

Spaniards too, have discovered the magic of mushrooms, and they’re enjoyed in dishes ranging from tapas (Champiñones al ajillo, or garlic mushrooms, is a popular tapas dish) to hearty stews and rice dishes.

The French make memorable meals from mushrooms teamed with eggs including mushroom-filled omelets, crepes and quiches, and eat them fresh in salads, cooked in soups and casseroles, or stuffed and baked.

Asian cooks have their own repertoire of mushroom specialties. Fresh and dried mushrooms such as shiitake, enoki and oyster are used whole or sliced in stir-fries, braises, curries and noodle dishes. They’re also enjoyed in soups such as Tom Yam Hed (Thai spicy sour Mushroom soup), and make a great addition to Laksa (Malaysian noodle soup). Sliced mushrooms are also a common addition to the delicate clear soups of Japan, and they’re often added to miso soup for flavor and texture.

Miso soup with mushrooms is a definite favorite in our household too. Sometimes we might just scatter some thinly sliced fresh mushrooms into a bowl of miso soup. Other times we might turn the miso soup into a full meal — such as in the recipe below — by adding soba noodles, grated fresh ginger, bite-size vegetable pieces, and mushrooms. We typically use dried mushrooms (reconstituted in hot water) for this noodle broth, because they have a firmer texture and more full-bodied flavor than fresh mushrooms. But thickly sliced fresh mushrooms (shiitake or button) still work really well.

Mushroom Miso Broth with Soba Noodles

Serves 2

• 7 dried shiitake mushrooms (available at Asian grocery stores)
• 5 1/2 cups dashi stock
• 1 carrot - peeled and sliced thinly on diagonal
• 1 scallion (spring onion) - sliced on diagonal
• 1/2 small eggplant (aubergine) - cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup roughly chopped bok choy
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 3 1/2 oz (100g) dried soba noodles
• 1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon miso

SOAK the mushrooms in boiling water while you prepare the ingredients. PLACE the stock in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. ADD the carrot, ginger and soy sauce, and simmer for 2 minutes. ADD the scallion, eggplant, bok choy and noodles and simmer for 3 minutes. DRAIN the reconstituted mushrooms, squeeze the excess moisture from them, slice, and add to the broth. ADD the miso and stir to dissolve without bringing to the boil. SERVE in bowls.

Variation: Silken tofu, cut into small cubes, makes a great addition to this soup.

If this post has put you in the mood for mushrooms, here are some more mushroom recipes (and recipes that include mushrooms as a prominent ingredient) from my website:

Miso Soup with Tofu and Mushroom
Beef and Mushroom Lasagna
Ham, Mushroom and Tomato Pizza
Mushroom, Bacon and Walnut risotto
Champiñones al ajillo
Mushroom Bruschetta
Singapore Noodles
Marinated Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry

I tend to get pretty lazy at the end of the day, so the last thing I can be bothered doing is cooking an elaborate meal. I think elaborate meals should be saved for elaborate occasions. Simple, but not simplistic, food is what I like the best.

One of the simplest dishes of all is pasta. And one of the simplest, yet most flavorsome ways to enjoy pasta is with fast-roasted vegetables. It’s as easy as tossing some roughly chopped vegetables with olive oil and seasonings and throwing them in the oven, while simultaneously boiling a pot of pasta. Then, when everything is cooked, simply toss the vegetables (which have sweetened and intensified in flavor during the roasting process) with the pasta, and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese. This is set and forget cooking at its best!

And if you want to boost the protein content, you can easily whip open some good quality canned tuna and toss it through the hot vegetables and pasta just before serving. Canned cannellini beans also work really well — just make sure you give them a quick rinse and drain first. And if you want to add some crunch, just sprinkle some lightly toasted pine nuts over the top.

Fast-roasted Vegetable Pasta

Serves 2 generously

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic — minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parlsey
• 1 bunch asparagus (or 15 green beans)
• 1/2 red pepper –cut into thick strips
• 1/2 green pepper — cut into thick strips
• 1/2 yellow pepper — cut into thick strips
• 12 button mushrooms-thickly sliced
• 8 oz (240g) dried fettuccine
• Parmesan cheese to serve

PREHEAT the oven to 450F/230C. MIX together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, chili and parsley. TOSS with the vegetables in a baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes. WHILE the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. DRAIN the pasta, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking water, and toss gently with the roasted vegetables until well combined. SERVE with a little grated Parmesan cheese.