We all have our favourite flavours, right? The ones that keep tempting us, year after year, and become mainstays in our home cooking. Also the ones that as food bloggers we have to watch ourselves on, lest we become known as “the girl who writes that goat’s cheese blog“.

For me, those flavours include: goat’s cheese (clearly), caramelized onions, butternut squash, leeks, broccoli, sundried tomatoes, cumin, ginger, coriander, thyme and lemon. (And those are just the savoury ones; you’re lucky this isn’t a dessert blog!) Anything that combines two or more of these favourite flavours is bound to win my affection.

Come Autumn, when the squashes start appearing at the market, I go especially crazy for any combination of butternut squash with onions, nuts, sage, thyme and/or cheese. I’ve combined these ingredients, in various permutations, in countless pastas, risottos, tarts and salads. Yet still I go back for more.

With that in mind, today’s dish is a painfully obvious one. Yes, the onions here are roasted and so technically not caramelized, but the squash, goat’s cheese and thyme are all present and accounted for. Sigh, I’m a predictable little thing, aren’t I?

Heidi‘s recipe for Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash has been on my “to-make” list for some time, and a recent lunch at home with Andrew proved the perfect opportunity to add it to my roster of squash dishes. Since I’ve made rather a lot of farro-based salads lately, I was planning on replacing the farro here with brown rice or quinoa. Unfortunately, Andrew’s alarmed face stopped that idea in its tracks, and pasta it was.

To that pasta (whole wheat, so it’s not so bad) I added the roasted vegetables, some toasted nuts and some crumbled goat’s milk cheese. A simple balsamic vinaigrette brought it all together perfectly. And yes, it might have been obvious, boring and run-of-the-mill, but it was also very, very good.

Oh well- you can’t fight city hall, can you?

Note: This dish is meant to be warm and not hot, so don’t worry about finishing all the steps at the same time. It’s also good at room temperature, or even chilled.

• Roasted Squash with Whole Wheat Pasta
• adapted from 101 Cookbooks‘ Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash
• feeds 4
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
  1 small red onion, peeled and cut into 12 lengthwise wedges
  4 Tbs. olive oil
  1/2 tsp. dried thyme (use 1 tsp. fresh if you have it)
  pinch of sea salt
  150g whole wheat pasta (conchiglie and orecchiette work well)
  2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
  20g pinenuts
  30g walnuts, chopped roughly
  sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  30g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled
• 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Put the cubed butternut squash in a shallow baking dish and scatter the pieces of onion (break them up as best you can) over the top. Add 2 Tbs. of olive oil, the thyme and a pinch of sea salt and toss well. Roast, tossing every 7 minutes or so, for approximately 25 minutes, until the squash is tender and browned. When you remove it from the oven, stir in 1 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar and set the dish aside to cool.
  
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. When it’s done, drain and remove to a large bowl. Toss with 1 Tbs. of olive oil and 1 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar and set aside.
  
  3. Heat a small frying pan over high heat. When it’s hot, add the nuts and cook for 3-4 minutes until nicely toasted (toss frequently). Remove from heat to cool.
  
  4. When the squash and onions are cool enough to handle, remove roughly half the onions (I chose the burnt, ie less pretty, ones) and chop them finely. Dump them into the bowl containing the pasta, followed by the squash and rest of the onions, two thirds of the nuts and the remaining 1 Tbs. of olive oil. Mix everything together gently and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over the goat’s cheese and the rest of the nuts and serve.

“We got beets!”

Does anyone else remember that Simpsons line? Marge and Lisa are coming home from the grocery store, and an enthusiastic Lisa calls this out to Homer and Bart? If I’m honest I don’t, but my friend Maya does, and used to say this for a random laugh back in highschool. (Much of our humour was Simpsons-related at the time.) I’m not sure why, but this particular line has stuck with me, and I can’t buy or cook beets without hearing Lisa/Maya’s voice in my head.

Which I’ll admit, doesn’t happen that often. Beets are a rare occurrence in my home, so I don’t often get the chance to call this out to Andrew on returning from the farmer’s market. Not that he’d be so thrilled by that, anyway (he’s not a beet fan). I love their sweet, earthy flavour, but can never think of very many interesting ways to prepare them.

Last weekend though, I was done in by the lovely colour of this bunch. Convinced that I could overcome my beetblock, I bought them, with grand ideas of inventing inspiring recipes that would impress my readers and convert my boyfriend. Predictably, this never materialized, and the other day I settled on perhaps the most boring beet-related idea ever: a salad. With goat’s cheese. And walnuts. Are you asleep yet?

Despite its less-then-revolutionary roots, this salad is actually very good. I love the classic, if somewhat uncreative, pairing of beets and goat’s cheese; the flavours balance each other so well. Some chopped walnuts add necessary crunch, and the lemon juice keeps the whole thing bright and vibrant. Mark Bittman’s genius method of roasting individual beets means this is super-easy to put together, too.

So, while this recipe might not inspire Lisa’s level of enthusiasm, it’ll at least give you something to do with beets, should you fall prey to their spell and bring some home.

• Foil-roasted Beets
• from Mark Bittman
• beets
  aluminum foil
• 1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/425°F. 
  
  2. Trim beets and scrub them well, then wrap each one individually in the foil.  
  
  3. Place the foil-wrapped beets on a baking sheet, and bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on their size. Beets are done when you can piece them easily with a knife (they may finish cooking at different times). 
  
  4. Remove beets from the oven and let cool in the foil. At this point, you can either use them immediately, or keep them (still wrapped in the foil) in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Note: When you unwrap the cooled beets, the skin should easily peel away.  

• Roasted Beet, Goat’s Cheese and Walnut Salad
• These quantities are per person; multiply as needed
• 3-4 roasted beets (brought to room temperature if chilled)
  small handful walnuts, roughly chopped
  1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
  1 tsp. lemon juice
  2 tsp. olive oil
  sea salt and black pepper
  30g soft goat’s cheese  
• 1. Peel the beets, chop them into bite-sized chunks and place into a large bowl. Add the walnuts, lemon juice and olive oil and season to taste. 
  
  2. Transfer salad to a serving dish and scatter over the goat’s cheese. Serve.

The last time I made Baked Feta, my friend Larissa left a suggestion in my comments box: turn the entire ramekin of cheesy, tomato-y goodness out onto a bed of leaves. Not only did this idea sound like a fabulous way to spice up a salad, but it came from The Sainted Larissa, so I knew it had to be good.

You could probably use some background here, huh? In highschool, Larissa used to host elaborate dinner parties for all of our friends; addictive appetizers, salads, mains and a dessert spread to rival Martha Stewart were usually on the menu. (Our friend Margaux can vouch for this too.) Lest you think I’m exaggerating this girl’s talent, don’t: she was teaching cooking classes by the age of 16, I kid you not.

The Sainted Larissa wasn’t a name she used for herself, of course. As well as being culinarily gifted, Larissa is also unfailingly modest. No, this was my sister‘s title for my friend. A keen chef herself, Hilary was slightly jealous of Larissa, and would corner me the morning after one of these parties, demanding a run-down on the evening’s spoils. I usually brought her a goodie bag of dessert samples, which I wouldn’t be surprised to learn she examined and deconstructed in an elaborate attempt to decipher Larissa’s secrets. (Not that I have proof of that, of course.) So, “The Sainted” became Larissa’s title in my sister’s books, born out of one-sided competition and a touch of bitterness. 

I was planning to make this for lunch yesterday for another old friend. Fiona was staying with us for one night, on her way back to Canada from a ten day pilgrimage in Israel. She filled me in on all the delicious food she’d eaten while away, but confessed to be craving carbs. Uh oh- suddenly my Larissa-approved gourmet lunch didn’t look so promising. 

After mulling it over for a while, I decided to add some cooked farro (you’ll recall that I love farro), to the salad part of the dish. As well as the longed-for carbs, I changed up the recipe in a few other ways, too. I left out (um, forgot) the onion and oregano, though it didn’t matter too much. As per Larissa’s suggestion, I added some olives to the mix, along with a bit of leftover goat’s cheese that I had in the fridge, both of which upped the flavour here.

When I served this, a strange phenomenon occurred: Fiona and I sat in silence as we worked our way through our bowls. For two friends who live in separate countries, one of whom has just been on the adventure of a lifetime, you’ll agree that this is a little unusual. While I can’t be sure what Fiona was thinking, I, like my sister with her bag of desserts all those years ago, was quietly appreciating Larissa’s genius. Without the competitive undertone, of course- I really have no hope there. 

• Baked Feta over Spinach and Farro Salad
• serves 2
• Baked Feta
  1/3 cup crumbled feta
  1/4 cup crumbled soft goat’s cheese
  1 medium tomato, de-seeded and chopped roughly
  2 Tbs. chopped sundried or sunblush tomatoes
  2 Tbs. chopped black or green olives (pitted)
  1 small clove garlic, minced
  1 Tbs. tomato paste
  1 Tbs. olive oil
  2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  pinch of chili flakes
  pinch of sea salt     

  Spinach and Farro Salad
  1/2 cup uncooked farro, rinsed
  3 cups fresh spinach, washed
  1 Tbs. olive oil
  1 Tbs. lemon juice
  sea salt and black pepper

• 1. Start by putting a pot of water on to boil, and preheating your oven to 200°C/385°F. When the water boils, salt it lightly and add the farro. Boil for 25 minutes, until tender but still slightly chewy. 
  
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the Baked Feta. Gently mix together all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Lightly coat the insides of two ramekins with olive oil, and divide the mixture between them. Cover with tin foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbling. Let cool for 3 minutes.
  
  3. When the farro is done cooking, drain and rinse with cold water. Add to a bowl with the spinach, olive oil and lemon juice. Toss everything to coat and season to taste. 
  
  4. Distribute the salad mixture between two bowls or plates, and carefully invert the (now slightly cooled, though you will still need an oven mitt) over the top. Serve immediately.

I’ve got a question: is it possible for something to be your “favourite” if you’ve only had it once? I mean, the word favourite generally implies a lengthy relationship, doesn’t it? If it is possible, though, I’ll say this: this is my favourite lentil salad. Favourite despite the fact that I’ve only just made it for the first time, and probably don’t have that many other lentil salads to compare it to. What I mean is: this is really, really good.

It’s not that surprising; basically this salad is just a big bowl of my all-time favourite foodstuffs. Lentils? Check. Goat’s cheese? Check. Caramelized onions? Oh, check. With some walnuts, fresh parsley and balsamic vinaigrette thrown in, this probably should have come with a warning label. 

The idea for this salad has been brewing in my mind for a while now, and comes from a few other recipes. The gourmet food shop around the corner from me makes a similar one, minus the onions and plus some fresh pomegranate seeds. Also delicious, but pomegranates aren’t exactly local (or in season, for that matter). I think the caramelized onions are what makes this really delicious. Like I said on Sunday, I’ve recently become of fan on the Arab street food Mejadarah, a ridiculously addictive combination of caramelized onions, lentils and rice. Truthfully, I can leave or take rice, but onions and lentils? Wonderful together.

I use all types of lentils in my cooking, but here the French Puy kind really are best. They hold their shape and don’t become mushy, so work well in salads. Actually, I confess that I don’t buy the pricey Puy kind, but rather the ones labeled “Lentilles vertes” at Sainsbury’s. Essentially the exact same thing, except much cheaper and likely not grown in the Le Puy region. 

A quick note about the onions: I know folks can be quite divided on the whole adding sugar/not adding sugar thing. I never add sugar when caramelizing onions- they just don’t need it. To my mind, sugar is just a way of speeding up the process, a  way to cheat the sweet flavour that could be achieved through time alone. Cooked oh-so-slowly, in a pan that’s barely warm, onions will become astonishingly sweet anyway, so no sugar needed. Normally, I do like a bit of butter in my caramelized onions, though, and I’ll use a mixture of that and olive oil. For this recipe, using only olive oil seemed to make sense, but you do as you like!

• Lentil, Onion and Goat’s Cheese Salad
• serves 4
• 1 cup Puy lentils
  2 medium onions
  1/4 cup olive oil
  pinch sea salt
  2/3 cup chopped walnuts
  1/2 cup crumbled goat’s cheese
  1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
  2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
  2 Tbs. olive oil
  sea salt and black pepper 
• 1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Rinse and drain the lentils, and add to the water when it boils. Boil rapidly, uncovered, for 10 minutes before turning down the heat, covering, and cooking for another 30-35. 
  
  2. While the lentils are cooking, peel and thinly slice the onions. Put in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium low heat and cover. Leave for 4-5 minutes, until all the moisture has evaporated. At this point, add 1/4 cup olive oil and a good-sized pinch of salt. Cover, turn the heat down to low and leave for anywhere from 20-45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. (The time will depend on many factors, including your pan, stovetop and the amount of onions you’re cooking.) When they’re done to your liking, set aside to cool slightly. 
  
  3. When the lentils are done, drain and rinse with cool water. Add to the pan with the onions (if they’re done cooking), and add the walnuts, goat’s cheese, parsley, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Mix gently to combine, and salt and pepper to taste. This can be served warm or at room temperature, and will keep, tightly covered, in the fridge for several days.

What’s the worst possible thing you could find in your kitchen? If you’re like me, your answer will probably be “a mouse”. I have a dehabilitating fear of the disgusting little things, and would probably rather deal with any number of bug infestations than see one scurrying around in my favourite room. Two days ago, though, I found myself face-to-face with something far worse. 

Sitting at my computer in the living room, I was preparing for a solo night in when a flapping sound drew my attention to the kitchen. I stuck my head around the corner and saw a pigeon sitting on the ledge outside my kitchen window, peering in. This in itself isn’t an uncommon occurrence, but his intense gaze sort of unnerved me, so I walked into the room to shoo him away. It was then that I saw what was holding his attention so: his friend, perched just so on top of my stove. 

My first instinct was to shriek loudly, which had the unfortunate consequence of scaring the pigeon (we’ll call him Pete) into flapping around the kitchen and landing on top of a cupboard. At this point I shrieked some more and ran from the room, but quickly realized that I would have to deal with this. I was home alone, after all, and I didn’t want Pete finding his way into any other room of the flat.

So I returned to the kitchen, and we surveyed each other. I’m no expert in bird behavior, but Pete seemed to display more benign disinterest than outright panic, which calmed me slightly. I figured that if I could lower the top half of the window wide enough, I might be able to convince him to fly through. This required moving much closer to him, and for some reason I felt the need to explain my actions in a slow, calm voice as I performed them, as though speaking to a nervous child. It worked though, and Pete, with a final flap of his wings (illiciting a final shriek from me) flew through the window and out over the London rooftops. Honestly- what the English have against screens, I’ll never know.

Given that I didn’t have any bits of bread, leftover french fries or other pigeon fodder lying around, I can only assume that Pete was interested in my dinner: a spicy broccoli salad that I’d made earlier and was coming to room temperature on the counter. (For those of you disgusted that I would actually eat this after the fact, let me assure you that it was well-covered by plastic wrap and, to the best of my knowledge, Pete the pigeon didn’t go anywhere near it.)

The inspiration for this recipe came from a combination of sources: a comment that my friend Margaux left on last Sunday’s market post, and a recipe that I’d seen on the New York Times website more than a year ago. Margaux suggested pairing the broccoli with some sundried tomatoes and goat’s cheese, but I was intrigued by the Times’ recipe, which used a vinegar mixture to gently ”cook” the vegetable in the fridge (a bit like a ceviche) until it is tender but still crisp. 

Combining the two ideas was easy. I used a dressing of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, made slightly more exciting by the addition of garlic and chili flakes. Tossed with sunblush tomatoes (those packed in olive oil and sort of halfway to being sundried) and some crumbly cheese (I used feta but goat’s cheese would be lovely, too), it really is the most gorgeous dinner on a hot night. Clearly, I’m not the only one who thinks so. (Yes Pete, I’m talking about you. You’d better pray I don’t run into you on the street.)

• Spicy Broccoli Salad with Tomatoes and Cheese
• serves 2
• 1 head broccoli, washed and cut into bite-sized florets
  100g sunblush tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 1/3 cup)
  1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
  1 tsp. sea salt
  1/4 cup olive oil 
  1 garlic clove, minced
  1/4 tsp. chili flakes
  50g feta or goat’s cheese  
• 1. Put the broccoli florets and chopped tomatoes into a large bowl. Pour over the vinegar, sprinkle in the salt and toss well. Set aside.  
  
  2. In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 1-2 minutes.
  
  3. Pour the oil over the broccoli and stir to combine. Cover bowl and place in fridge for at least 2 hours, or as many as 24. Toss or stir contents every so often, to ensure the broccoli is evenly “cooked” by the oil/vinegar mixture. 
  
  4. About 45 minutes before you want to serve this, remove from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Just before serving, crumble in the cheese and toss well.