The ultimate …

... “fly by the seat of your pants” test

I have two ideas for the last evening meal – do I make a “mixed grill” style meal including ingredients I know that my friends love and indeed miss, like English sausages and bacon with everything thrown in, or, do I really wing it and produce a meal including elements I know they love but definitely would not figure on the traditional “English” cooking scale at all.

I did what any host should do – I gave them the choice, here's the result :

Orzotto

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

260g orzo pasta (in your pantry)

500ml chicken stock (or vegetable) (pantry)

juice of 1 lemon

200g frozen petit pois (freezer)

2 tbsp fresh pesto (pantry or fridge)

bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

extra pesto and slices of lemon to serve

salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and fry the onion for 2/3 minutes. Stir in orzo and cook for 1-2 minutes and then add the stock all at once. Simmer and stir occasionally for 7/8 minutes until nearly cooked. Stir in the lemon juice and the frozen peas. Simmer for 2/3 minutes until the peas are cooked then add the pesto and the parsley. Season to taste and serve with extra pesto and a squeeze of lemon.

Do yourself a favour – do all the mise en place ahead, it doesn't take long and you won't regret it.

Made up main

to serve with the Orzotto

150g scallops (approximately 1 dozen)

if they are thick slice them in half

250g diced chorizo

350g cooked, peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen

and drained

100g fine asparagus tips, snapped so the wood is

removed, trim to ensure they are all the same size

Read on for the end result.