Thursday, November 11, 2010

In which we make a long overdue introduction and I hide the fairy trees...


Meet Lillian River, my teeny new baby niece. There is something so amazing about holding such a tiny little soul with all life's possibilities stretching out ahead. She is so cute, I just want to spread her on a piece of toast and eat her! Or kidnap her and do a photo series like this...




Speaking of eating… before I went awol I had quite a few requests for this broccoli pasta recipe.


Just a word of warning before we go any further… this is absolutely delicious so if you are trying to cut carbs or go low fat maybe just stop reading now because you may have difficultly eating this in moderation.


This is a good recipe for small (and big) people who think they don't like broccoli. Generally I try to be pretty honest about food with the kids. I let them help with the food prep (OK well Turi doesn't really help - he just stands at the door to the kitchen and nags for snacks of whatever veg I'm chopping), and we try to talk about what goes into things. But occasionally I have to flirt with my inner Jessica Seinfeld. There is something about broccoli that sends my kids into a state of sheer horror. No matter how many times I try to tell them that they are like cute little fairy trees the kids aren't buying. So this is a good compromise - it retains its delicious broccoli flavour (with some helpful additions - because seriously what veg doesn't taste amazing with the help of some butter and cream?) without the seemingly offensive broccoli shape.




Recipe from The Silver Spoon


500g broccoli (the recipe called for frozen but I used fresh)

3 tablespoons olive oil

25g butter

1 onion, chopped

4 tablespoons double cream

350g spaghetti

25g parmesan cheese freshly grated

salt and pepper


Parboil the broccoli in salted water for 10mins (I steamed mine). Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, add the onion and cook over a low heat stirring occasionally, for 5mins until softened. Drain the broccoli, add to the frying pan and mix well. Stir in the cream and simmer gently for 10mins. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process to a puree. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti, drain and toss with the broccoli and cream mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

4 comments:

  1. Beautiful little baby girl! :)
    The recipe looks delicious. I'm always on the hunt for something new to dish up to the family.

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  2. I'm going to be cheeky and suggest that baby mila must be comatose to have allowed that obscene photo shoot to have happened. A) what mother of a lively newborn has time to do that and B) what sensible baby would not have been screaming their lungs out through the whole charade!!

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  3. The idea of the pasta appeals but the butter and double cream are forbidden items for cholesterol counting people like me. I might substitute lite sour cream or ricotta????

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  4. Brocolli pasta has been a standard 'scratch' meal at home for years (though we never included the butter, onion or cream)... For variation it also works throwing in some cherry tomatoes or a tin of tuna....

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