Pasta with Broccoli Cream Pesto

from www.smittenkitchen.com

1/2 lb broccoli
1/2 lb pasta

1 T butter
1 T olive oil 

1/2 small onion
1-3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. salt or more...
Fresh ground pepper or red pepper flakes (or both) 
4 T heavy cream 

Heaping pile of grated parmesean 

Boil salted water for pasta. Cut broccoli florets from stems and chop into medium pieces. Slice the stems into 1/2 inch chunks. 

Use pot of pasta water to steam broccoli and stems (either by suspending a strainer over the pot or throwing them in for 5-6 mins. Set them aside. 

Add pasta and cook. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Set aside. Drain the pasta. 

In the bottom of your pasta post, melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Add garlic and cook for a minute more. Add steamed broccoli, salt and pepper. Pour cream over mixture and let cook for 30 seconds. 

Transfer broccoli mixture to a blender or food processor ( or leave it in the pot and use an immersion blender). Don’t worry if it looks dry— you can add some pasta water either to the mixture, or wait until you’ve combined the pesto with your pasta. Add broccoli pesto back in the pot with pasta- add cheese and enjoy! 

Carrot Fritters

From  Tender,  by Nigel Slater.

Makes 6-8 fritters.

3/4 lb. carrots
med. onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup cream
1 egg
grated cheese- whatever you like, 3 heaping tbsps.
Cilantro leaves- roughly chopped
1 tbsp. flour
olive oil for frying

Grate carrots so that they are long, thin shreds. Finely slice onion and stir into carrots along with the garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cream, beaten egg, grated cheese, cilantro and flour.

Warm olive oil in a pan. Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, a couple at a time and fry until lightly cooked on the underside. Flip over- they should take 3-4 mins. per side. Eat immediately! 

Leek Quiche

Crust: 2C flour, 2/3 cups butter, give or take 1/2 cup ice water
4T butter or oil
6 cups thinly sliced leeks
salt and pepper
1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs
6 eggs at room temp
2 cups cream, half-and-half, or milk, heated just until warm

steps
1. preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake the chilled crust for 10-12
minutes. Reduce the temp to 325 degrees.
2. Put the butter or oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
When hot, add the onion and some salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to
medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is very
soft and lightly browned (at least 20 minutes, probably longer). Cook
until practically melted. Add the herbs, stir, turn off the heat and
cool slightly. Combine the eggs and cream in a bowl, then add the
onion mixture.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the crust. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or
until almost firm. Cool on a wire rack.

Cream of Tomato Soup

2 T olive oil
2 T tomato paste
1 large onion
1 carrot
salt and pepper
4 cups tomato (use preserved tomatoes or canned)
1 t thyme leaves
1 cup cream

steps
1. Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and
let it cook for a minute, then add onion and carrot. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper and cook until onions soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomato and herb and cook until the tomato pieces break up
(10-15 minutes).
3. Add the cream and puree.