Tag: tarragon

Blue cheese and tarragon butter

I made this after seeing something similar in Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries. It is really difficult to get a good range of fresh herbs; my herb garden needs some time to get going, and the herbs in the shops are often past their best or out of stock. So, I was delighted to see some tarragon in good nick, and I mashed it up with a few ingredients to go with various dishes. I tried it first with a pork chop, and then spread on fresh bread. Last of all, I had some chicken joints with it. All great. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 50g soft blue cheese
  • 50g butter at room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp dijon mustard
  • a grate of salt and black pepper
  • a tablespoonful of cream
  • around 2g of tarragon leaves, shredded

METHOD:

  • Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mash together until well mixed. 
  • Transfer to a ramekin and put it in the fridge so that it can be sliced and spread onto your dish of choice

Tagliatelle with carrot and tarragon carbonara sauce

Trust me: this is good.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
  • 250g tagliatelle
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 50g grated parmesan
  • 1 tbsp tarragon
  • salt and pepper

METHOD:

  • Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, put in the tagliatelle, and cook for 8 minutes.
  • While the tagliatelle is cooking, fry the onion and carrot in the olive oil or butter until cooked, about 6 minutes.
  • Mix the eggs, tarragon, salt and pepper and parmesan in a bowl.
  • When the pasta is cooked, drain it, and stir in the carrots, onions and egg mixture, and stir until the sauce is hot but still creamy; do not try to get the egg set, that is not the point
  • Serve quickly, while still good and hot, with pepper and more parmesan, to taste.