We bet you’re wondering what that strange coral like vegetable is in your box this week? Well that folks is our veggie of the month ... Romanesco! This fascinating veggie is a cross between broccoli and cauliflower and if you can bring yourself to chop it up (we found it hard to stop admiring it), it goes beautifully in André’s creamy bacon and chicken sauce, enjoy!
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
1
Romanesco
1
Courgette
(May contain Celery)
1
Echalion Shallot
1
Garlic Clove
400
Wheat Penne Pasta
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
4
British Chicken Breasts
1
Chicken Stock Pot
1
Double Cream
(Contains Milk)
3
Grated Hard Italian Style Cheese
(Contains Milk, Egg)
4
Streaky Bacon Rasher
200
Water
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees and pop two large pots of water on high heat (these will be for the penne and romanesco later). Prepare the romanesco by chopping it in half from the pointy end to the root and then chopping in half lengthways again. Separate the romanesco into little florets as you would with a broccolli or cauliflower (see picture) and keep to one side.
Remove the top and bottom of the courgette and then quarter the courgette lengthways. Chop each length into 1cm chunks. Cut the shallot in half through the root, peel and then slice into thin half moon shapes. Peel and grate the garlic. Cut the streaky bacon into 1cm wide pieces and then cut each chicken breast into 1cm thick slices.
When the pots of water are boiling, add a generous pinch of salt to each pot and cook the penne for 11 mins in one pot and the romanesco for 7 mins in the other. Tip:The romanesco is cooked when it is soft and tender. Drain in a colander when cooked and return to their pots off the heat.
As your pasta and romanesco cook, get on with your sauce. Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat and add a splash of oil. Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper and when the oil is hot, cook your chicken for 5 mins turning frequently until golden-brown all over and no longer pink in the middle.
Add your courgette, shallot and bacon to the pan. Cook for another 5 mins. Stir in your garlic and chicken stock pot and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the water(specified in the ingredient table above), stir well to dissolve your stock pot and bring to the boil. Pour in the double cream and mix well.
Mix your sauce into your cooked pasta and get ready to assemble your pasta bake. Spoon half of your pasta mix into an ovenproof dish, then spoon over your cooked romanesco. Top with the rest of your pasta and then sprinkle over some hard Italian cheese.
Pop your pasta bake in your oven for 5 mins until it is piping hot and then turn on your grill. Pop under your grill for 3 mins until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
Spoon a generous amount of your pasta bake into each bowl and enjoy!