Am I a bad blogger? I don’t always have my camera ready for meals, and when I’m hungry, it’s really hard to convince myself to stop, take photos, get the best lighting and take more photos.

Plus there’s the matter of forgetting until everything is finished cooking that I should probably have documented the process.

This meal came from what we had in the freezer and the gentleman’s request for pasta with courgettes. I don’t normally server pasta as a side for fish, usually the fish is mixed in or there’s no pasta at all. It worked pretty well, and I might have to start doing the fish/pasta combination more often.

Also, even though it’s technically 2 recipes in 1, it didn’t take long at all – 15 minutes of cooking time and about 15 minutes of preparation.

We just got back from a series of “aways” for the holidays, including an extended New Year’s at a friend’s house outside of London. This was the first real meal of the year at home, and the first attempt to get back to more sensible eating. (No more buttery garlic bread and cheese for lunch.)

This time of year it’s easy to fall into the trap of making really ambitious resolutions that are almost impossible to live up to, but in the midst of thinking about wanting to buy fewer things, eat healthier, exercise more and learn something new – I’ll stick with the goal of having my camera nearby whenever I cook.

What’s your new year’s resolution?

Serves: 2

Roasted Dover Sole

On the Counter: 
2 filets dover sole
1 large clove garlic, minced
3-4 sprigs dill, chopped
1 lemon wedge (for serving)
salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

What to do: 
Generously season filets with salt and pepper, let rest for 5-10 minutes on an oiled roasting tray.

Preheat oven to 355 F (180C). Brush some more olive oil on top of the filets. Top with garlic and dill.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and squeeze lemon juice on top. One 1/4 lemon wedge should be enough for 2 filets.

Zucchini and Tomato Pasta

On the counter:
1/2 cup (120 g) whole wheat pasta, Mafalda corta or penne
1  medium or 1/2 large zucchini, cut into chunks
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp (set aside)
1/2 tsp crushed chili flakes
1 tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill) chopped
1 lemon wedge
fresh parmesan, grated (optional)

What to do:
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan until shimmering.

In a salted, boiling pot of water, add pasta and cook for 7-9 minutes, until al dente.

Meanwhile, add onions to hot oil and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in zucchini and cook for 4-5 minutes, until zucchini softens slightly and changes color. Add tomato chunks, chili flakes and 1 tsp olive oil, stir to integrate. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, until pasta is done.

Drain pasta and add to sauté pan, add fresh herbs and the juice from 1 lemon wedge. Toss to combine.

Serve alongside sole and top the pasta with parmesan.

It has been hot, hot, hot here in London this weekend. Being from the northeast US, I’m thrilled with these hot, sunny days and hope we get a few months of it. It’s still less humid than back home, so I really can’t complain. Plus, there are loads of summer vegetables to eat, and finding ways to prepare them is a fun challenge.

Yesterday the gentleman and I spent the day in Whitstable, a really nice seaside town. One of my favorite things about it (besides the peaceful beaches and the delicious local oysters and lobster we had for dinner) was how focused the town seemed on “staying local”. The high street was full of locally owned shops and restaurants selling local products. Sometimes it can seem like a losing battle when most high streets are full of chain restaurants and Wetherspoon pubs. Whitstable was a very pleasant surprise.

One of our Whitstable oysters came with its own oyster-handle.

Speaking of local, pretty much all the vegetables from this recipe came from our Riverford box – the only thing that didn’t was the garlic and the canned tomatoes. I’ve gotten a bit more adventurous thanks to these boxes. You might not consider an eggplant (aubergine) particularly remarkable, but I’m not a big fan, so being forced to cook them sometimes has challenged my creativity and even changed my mind about a few vegetables.

Recipe note: Some people are vehemently against adding sugar to their tomato sauces. And while I fully admit it’s a short-cut, it’s one I’m happy to take – especially when I want tomato sauce NOW and not in 3 hours. Simplicity works well for the lasagne, as the veggies do a lot of heavy lifting and you don’t want the sauce to overpower all those fresh veg.

On the Counter

Sauce:
2 cans whole plum tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 cup red wine (chianti)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper (chili) flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp demerara sugar (1.5 tsp if using white granulated)
salt
1 tbsp olive oil

Lasagne:
6-8 no-boil lasagne sheets
1/2 cup mild white cheddar, shredded/grated
2 medium zucchinis (courgettes), sliced and quartered
1 eggplant (aubergine), sliced
10 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
salt to taste
fresh basil, shredded

What to Do

Sauce: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once shimmering, add chopped onions, cook until nearly translucent. (If your onions are browning too quickly, add just a tiny bit of water to regulate the temperature of the pan and stir with a wooden spoon.)

When the onions are just about there, add chopped garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes, until garlic is soft but not brown. Meanwhile, chop or squish the tomatoes in their cans. 

Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add tomatoes, breaking up any bigger pieces. 

Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Add in sugar, oregano, basil and chili flakes. Taste and add salt (or a bit more sugar) as needed. 

Simmer for an additional 10 minutes. 

The Rest: 

While the sauce is simmering, sprinkle salt on all sliced vegetables. If you’re using lasagne sheets that need to be pre-boiled, start them now. Cook them for about 2 minutes less than the package says, as they’ll soak up some liquid during baking. 

Lay down a single layer of 3-4 sheets at the bottom of a wide baking dish. Spoon on a thin coating of sauce.

Add a layer of vegetables, no more than 2 deep. Add another layer of lasagne sheets. Continue until the dish is full, ending with a layer of vegetables.

Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. 

Bake at 180C for 40-45 minutes until bubbly with golden cheese. 

I hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy the summer while it lasts!