Molly gets dressed for the occasion and patty pan squashes

Yeserday Molly had her first taste of a working life and got all dressed up to help me alter the length of a friend's party frock.  Apart from posing for my own work in progress top this is the first work she has done in the studio and I have to say it went well, she seems a natural.

I know that I have posted this photo already but I don't have any additional ones, however I do now have 4 patty pan squashes so that's a 200 % inmprovement on last year.

Which of course begs the question of what to do with them, so here are a couple of recipe ideas that I am trying out today.

PATTY PAN AND CHICK PEA SALAD


I am putting my chickpeas in to soak overnight so I can make this tomorrow, but here goes the recipe anyway.

Cut the patty pan squash into its natural segments, drizzle with some olive oil and add a pinch of salt, roast for 30mins at 200°C.

Once the squash is cooked through, allow to cool and then add the soaked then boiled chickpeas, I use 2 heaped tablespoons per person as a portion guide.

For the vinigrette:

handful of fresh chopped chives
handful of fresh chopped coriander leaves
a couple of leaves of mint
4 anchovies
a pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
a touch of oilve oil

whizz everything up together then liberally coat the chickpeas, before adding to the cooked patty pan segments.  This can be eaten hot or cold, a starter or a side dish.


One Pan Patty Pan


(snappy title dontcha think?)

In a large suacepan with a lid, fry a large onion over a gentle heat in some olive oil with a couple of cloves of garlic until soft.

To the pan add some roughly chopped fresh ripe plum tomatoes, and your patty pan squashes, once again cut into their natural segments.

Then add about 10 cm of chorizo sausage, cut into large chunks, season and add a couple more tablespoons of olive oil.  Reduce the heat and leave to cook for one hour, I am using an enamelled pan, that once I have fried on the hob I can put into a preheated oven at 180°C for the 60 minutes required.

Stir in a couple of chopped leaves of coriander to finish.



As my family of meat eaters don't consider that to be enough meat, we are having our patty pans with a pork chop, grilled in garlic oil alongside.

Here are are the next lot of patty pans growing nicely.

Will have to start thinking of savoy cabbage recipes soon too....

....... as well as cauliflower...

 Luckily the grape vine has not managed to dislodge the solar panel for our night time hall and stairs lighting yet, but I will have to think about re-directing it soon.