15.12.08: Pollo alla Cacciatora and mixed leaf salad

Tonite's instalment of the Cacciatora adventures included the carrot from the last episode plus a new variety of spelt (this time from a can). A mixed leaf salad made its presence felt.

HE SAYS: Yummy as always, this dish has yet to jump the shark. I nearly forgot to add the capers but She reminded me at the last second. The canned variety of spelt was still a good, lighter alternative to the usual rice and quicker to cook to boot.

SHE SAYS: Much the same review here, though I don't necessarily think spelt is lighter. I think it's heavier in texture, much like barley, but lighter on the digestive plumbing somehow, and more modest in flavour. The canned variety appears to retain its hull, and is pleasingly al dente - almost bouncy! Overall, I look fwd to this meal in the same way I look fwd to lemon chicken: I just know it's going to be extremely tasty, soothing and hearty.

12.11.08: White bnz, chorizo and greens with carrot and pomegranite salad

She made the white bnz tonight with canellini bnz, chorizo, curly kale and onions, then got out the KTOTY, julienned a carrot and added it to the slightly familiar spinach and pomegranate salad.

SHE SAYS: Good but not as good as some previous incarnations; I think the kale blanded it out a bit, and possibly stole most of the brothy and chorizo flavours, b/c when tasted alone the kale was fab. We keep noticing how nice the onions are in beany dishes, they add a lot more texture than you'd think. Nope, not tired of pome-spinach salad yet, esp when guest star j. carrot is in the house - made it extra juicy and injected some sly sweetness.

HE SAYS: This was another big bowl of steaming goodness. The kale was a little heavy as greens go and added little flava to the broth but the onions and bnz more then made up for it. The carrot helped pep things up in the salad bowl and succeded in making the pomegranate (wow that exotic fruit does yield a lot, but then again it's a pain to harvest their seeds) seem less of a tired old rerun, like Bill Murray in Groundhog day.

13.10.08: Pollo alla cacciatora

Together again: We sat down to Her latest batch of what is quickly becoming the top Nigella fave rave, plus a flamboyant salad of avo, fig, spinach and watercress with a side of wasabi-lime.

SHE SAYS: I left out the sugar this time and didn't miss it a bit - I don't think I find tomatoes as sharp as most people do. But then We do have a preference for acidity, with our lemon- and lime-lovin' palates. This was as savoury and tender as ever, though I'd like to up the sauce quotient somehow. I was a little greedy with the wasabi-lime application on my salad serving and had to pinch my nose to avoid complete nasal scorch. But now We know, if we didn't before: fig and wasabi-lime love each other everso.

HE SAYS: It's less then a week since the last time we ate this meal and I don't mind a bit. This latest version stood up to past efforts with lots of rich tastes and textures. I'm still debating which I prefer between spelt pasta vs brown rice for this dish, but since the rest of the week will be heavy on the grain side I applaud Her executive decision to go the spelt penne route. Also, like Her, I didn't miss the sugar either. The ever present figs in the salad have yet to get boring and, coupled with some avo and covered in the wasabi dressing, continue to brighten up my bowl.

28.07.08: Smoked haddock and cannellini bnz

He got all adventurous, canoodling with Nigella on a new cannellini bean recipe - new to Us, anyway. Smoked haddock (in place of cod), the bnz, some celery, white wine, parsely and bay leaves combined with our usual wild, brown basmati, and red carmargue rice mix for an easy, unusual Monday nite meal. A vivid salad of vine tomatoes, radishes, mini-moz balls, and watercress-n-spinach leaves struck a fresh note for the nite.

SHE SAYS: Very pleased to discover another economical, not-so-fussy weekday filler. The smoke flavour was demure and filtered thru the creamy beans nicely. I'm glad he left the celery bits in - always good to have some veggie contrast, in flavour and texture. The rice was nutty and just what was needed. My only minor suggestion would be a touch of lemon - some zest or tiny bit of the preserved variety. Mini-moz was a treat, and the tomatoes were in tip-top condition, all green and viney-tasting.

HE SAYS: A quick, easy and a pretty tasty one for Monday. I went ahead and added a little more white wine then suggested, I think it needed it. The cannellini bnz were indeed as She says: creamy and a nice diversion from our regular legumes. The salad was thrown together quickly but it seemed to have landed in a rather an appetising fashion with the little balls of moz fighting most for my attention.

06.05.08: Tomatoey white bnz

A hearty veg improv: Canellini beans made creamy with sauteed onion and crushed garlic, veggie broth, rosemary, rocket and freshly whizzed sun-dried tomato paste, served over corn pasta. Avo, beetroot and mixed salad leaves do their bit in the background.

SHE SAYS: Easy, quick, hearty and tasty. What more do you want?

HE SAYS: Thought the rosemary made this dish distinctive, and set off the other flavours well. A+!