Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Goats Cheese, Streaky Bacon, Cashews & Greens
The clocks have turned back, the temperature’s dropping lower and I’m discreetly reaching out for that next bar of chocolate. Kit Kat’s latest release - Kit Kat Senses is quite the treater. I say go try it if you haven’t. Huddled under the duvet in a giant fleece hoodie with a Kit Kat as I watch Hellboy then Hellboy II, my Sunday is going by quite well actually if you don’t consider the fact that I’m seeing my dissertation tutor tomorrow who is a practicing psychoanalyst — she’s terribly intimidating and I shit marbles from fear when I’m talking to her one on one!
Shitting marbles ain’t exactly the best expression for me to be putting onto the intensely parent-controlled world wide web, or a food blog that has no scatological relations whatsoever, but it’s the appropriate way to describe how freaked out I get when I’m around her. She’s amazingly intelligent and seems nice enough. There are people with big personalities; there are some with very dominating presences and some who just get forgotten by others even when standing right next to that ridiculously coloured punch bowl; some who light up the room; some who are really messed up or eccentric or hilarious. And there are just some who FREAK THE HELL OUTTA YOU - who seem to see right through you, through your eyes and into your brain then right out through the back of your head and then down your spine into your stomach and intestines. That’s right. I feel like she’s even in on what I ate for lunch. As I chatter on away nervously about Jeanette Winterson and Luce Irigaray and these big ideas on phallogocentrism, I gather she’s analyzing everything about me — my black patent Dr. Marten’s, my pseudo curly ‘bed’ hair, my shiny dark-coloured nails and the woolly tights I’m wearing that I saved from my laundry basket that very morning. Her gaze is so piercing and intense, being in the same room as her is near suffocating. Suffocating because the air that I breathe out she breathes in and holds it in and I’m like a skanky hungry rat being held from its tail by its captor, unable to run away or do anything except squeak in fear and twist its body into weird contortions in hopes of loosening its tail from those unforgiving fingers.
Yea. Yea, so…she’s not that scary, huh?
Think it’s definitely a glass of water, a couple of deep breaths before I knock on her door tomorrow. I don’t even know if I’ve got her office hours right, either. Seems I get it wrong every week. As I did last week, which resulted on me waiting patiently outside her office listening in on some sort of odd group seance.
That’s the story of my life this week. A build up of anticipation and nervousness which shall either combust into flames of stutterings or coat itself in a glossy exterior of placidity. Hence, the chocolate, cookies and Jelly Babies. I’m not stress eating! Absolutely not! Well…some might dispute that. But I don’t stress eat. It’s just about the time of the month and sugar makes me properly drugged. Sugar and chocolate get me giggly and funny in the mind. Which also seems to be telling me something - I’m addicted to the drug Sugar!
However, it’s bad that I’m consuming that much sweetie junk for lunch and so I decided to whip out the chopping board and cooking utensils to fix myself a proper lunch, which also decidedly chased away some of my stress devils. I’ve dreamed about the caramelized onions and goats cheese pizza from Pizza Express a couple of times now. Knowing I’m a little skint, I’ve recreated the flavours into a simple and rather cheap pasta dish. Honestly speaking - best bowl of pasta I’ve ever made! The caramelized onions were beautiful and a recipe I’ll definitely be coming back to for as a pizza topping, addition to burgers, etc. The choice of greens were very limited since I didn’t really do a proper shop for this and the addition of runner beans were quite random. Not complaining though since it all tasted great, made the stomach happy and filled up one of the slots for my 5 a day.
Wonder if my tutor will be clairvoyant enough to know what I ate for lunch today, tomorrow?
This recipe is just perfect for 1. Increase the amount for caramelized onions and store in fridge for later use if you like!
Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Goats Cheese, Streaky Bacon, Cashews & Greens
Ingredients
- 1 serving penne pasta
olive oil, for frying
1 tbs goats cheese, crumbled
2 strips smoked streaky bacon, cut into small strips
small handful of spinach leaves
4-5 runner beans, chopped
4-5 cashew nuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
- For the caramelized onions:
1/2 a medium-sized red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tbs salted butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs HP brown sauce, woodsmoked flavour
2-3 tbs water
a few drops of sesame oil
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
Prepare caramelized onions about 20 minutes before.
Melt some butter in a saucepan. Add olive oil. When butter is all melted, add onions and let it sauté and then, sweat. Once it starts getting softer and translucent, add spices and sesame oil. Once most of the fats has started to be absorbed into the onions, add water to saucepan to loosen up the sauce that’s starting to solidify at the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer, stirring now and again. This should sit on the hob for about 5-10minutes.
Most of the water should have reduced by then. Add HP brown sauce and season a little to taste. Set aside to top the pasta later.
Toast cashew nuts on an un-oiled frying pan or on a baking tray in a preheated oven.
Boil some water and cook the pasta. In a separate saucepan of boiling water, cook the runner beans.
On another frying pan, heat some oil and fry bacon strips. Once pasta is cooked, mix the bacon strips and some of its grease into the pasta, not forgetting the runner beans and spinach leaves. Mix well so all the pasta is covered with the lovely bacon juice.
Pour out into a bowl. Crumble goats cheese over the top, spoon the caramelized onions on the top and finally the toasted cashews. Serve.
October 26th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
This sounds really good - I might substitute streaky bacon for prosciutto.
Good luck with psychoanalyst tutor person tomorrow - you might want to read up on some Jungian philosophy just so you can counter-analyze her tomorrow.
October 26th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I’m so jealous…I’m a horrible stress eater. Lose weight when stressed? I wish!
Your pasta has absolutely gorgeous colors!
October 27th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Ah, at least you managed to make something much, much healthier! I wouldn’t mind stress-eating a bunch of veggies!
I’ve never heard of Kit Kat Senses before. Curious!
I have to say, *my* eyes did pop a little when I saw that you favored Dr. Martens. I thought those shoes were all gone!
October 27th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Amanda: yea i would’ve used prosciutto too but streaky bacon was all i had…bet it would taste amazing.
sharon: yea i wish that happened for everyone!! it would be such a plus
thanks sharon.
manggy: well it’s only been out less than a month…it’s really good. check it out. Dr. Marten’s are my love. anyway, if you flip through some fashion magazines, they’re back from the dead and absolutely adored this season. great new designs as well…someone’s put the cool back into Dr Martens.
xx
October 27th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Diva, I am back as I promised:) Haven’t forgotten about you:) I would have loved to have a psychoanalyst tutor. I wonder what she would have to say about my personality:)
Pasta looks great, love the addition of cashews to it.
October 28th, 2008 at 2:45 am
You always make me laugh.
I think you can win her over with your charm. If not, give her a bowl of this pasta and she’ll be eating out of your hands.
October 28th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
diva—This sounds totally delicious! And the funny thing is I’ve been thinking about doing something with onions as the star too, ever since last Friday when I was walking past a restaurant at lunch and the smell of frying onions filled the air outside. What an amazing fragrance!
October 28th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Hey, thanks for your comment on the apple sauce. This is a great blog! I’ve never tried a Kit Kat Senses, they must not have them here. I’m incredibly intrigued about them now, however!
I love onions {and bacon, extra streaky please}, so this dish is right up my alley! Looks delicious!
October 29th, 2008 at 1:06 am
As soon as the first photo loaded I was in love! This pasta dish looks great. Caramelized onions, bacon and cashews… whats better?
October 29th, 2008 at 8:17 am
The story of a week…no wonder you are addicted dear girl. Munch away at those divine sounding KitKat Senses…it’ll be a year before they show up here!!This bowl of pasta sounds very comforting & yum. The butter & onions makes it sounds like just the right beginning!
October 29th, 2008 at 9:16 am
farida: it’s been awhile! thanks for visiting
and the meeting went very well..had the same tutor for my other seminar yesterday morning and that was pretty good too. hopefully i’m in her good books now
dragon: awww you’re too sweet!! i’m glad i do. i try my best and hope not to be too boring LOL
thanks for your kind words.
Terry B: oh i do love the smell of frying onions and garlic..those 2 are such a pair. hope u find time to whip up a ridiculously onion-y dish
Hot Garlic: thanks for visiting, my friend. I’ll be sure to note down your blog for future visits!
Bobby: thank you bobby! it was a very tasty pasta dish i gotta say, maybe quite calorific too
Deeba: well when it does give it a try. it’s like kinder bueno but i reckon it’s way better.
xx
October 29th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
That was the most riveting post I’ve read in a long time! LOVED the description of the energy between you and TUTOR THE ALMIGHTY. Wow, you deserve a valium before meeting with her.
The pasta dish is stunning.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:20 am
That pasta sounds INCREDIBLE. Yum. Good luck with your tutor, reminds me of this terrifying english lecturer I had this year. She still makes me nervous just thinking about her…
October 30th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Ann: she is the almighty! well said
aww..ann, your comments always make me laugh. valium?? yea i know. some LIQUID COURAGE is always good. i like the way you think, love.
Laura@Hungry and Frozen: why do people in the English department always seem a little scary?? thanks laura! well, all’s cool now i think. i might be in her good books! And hope yours turns out to be a nice one really.
xx
October 31st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
What tutor is that? It sound so deep….
I just had pasta for dinner but I think I can have more after looking at yours.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
This is a beautiful lunch instead of junk. We have not turned back the clock yet in Canada. We do it this week-end.
November 1st, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Ooh~~~~~~looks so scrumptious! I will give this dish a try for tomorrow’s brunch!
November 2nd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
tigerfish: she’s my dissertation tutor and my tutor for Literature, Sexuality and the Body module
awww. sometimes i think there’ll always be space for a little pasta now and again for me, even if i’m all full up!
Hélène: ah! i never knew that. hope it isn’t getting too cold in Canada.
venus: thank you my friend, for stopping by as well. Let me know how it goes!
xx
November 4th, 2008 at 3:23 am
What a tasty sounding pasta! I would be nice if Kit Kat tried interesting new flavours here.
November 4th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Hope your meeting with HER went ok!! I know the feeling well. Your bowl of pasta sounds amazing.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
kevin: hey i hope they do! i get loads of japanese spins when i’m home and they’re amazing! over here in England, Kit Kat Senses is now like a proper product on the shelves and it’s really great.
Shari: it went very well thank you! i thought i was gonna break out into cold sweat but nope, that didn’t happen! and I don’t think i’ll be seeing her for another week now - because yikes, i’ve not done enough work to go confidently knocking on her door just yet.
xx
November 26th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Caramelized onions and goats cheese is a fine combination indeed. I would love to try this one. Good cheese here in Kyoto is so unbelievably overpriced that I don’t even buy it much anymore.
Keep on cookin!
By the way, if I may comment spam your yummy blog, we have a new project at KyotoFoodie called ‘Kyoto Support’, it is a forum for advice on ‘how to live it up in Kyoto’. We are happy to answer Japanese cooking related questions as well.
‘Kyoto Support’ forum