N often comments that our Victorian (and earlier) ancestors, who were all ordinary working people like fishermen and labourers, would look at us and say we live like the gentry. This is probably true when you consider both their monetary means and the variety of foods available.

We’ve been married 45 years next month, and we have always made sure to eat well. Not so well in the early years when money was more of an issue – but never predicated on the supply of fast food and ready meals. Now when we have more means, let’s be honest and say that yes we do eat well, even when the food is utilitarian. When Covid hit 4½ years ago and we were all under house arrest, we agreed that we should continue to eat as well as we could. Not just because food is essential for life, but because, for us, it is one of life’s pleasures and can provide some relief from the mundane. [I wonder why they’re the size they are? – Ed] Eating interestingly is not so easy now due to N’s medical situation, but we continue to do our best with good and varied ingredients.

All this was brought home to me last evening, having created, eaten and thoroughly enjoyed our evening meal. What was so special? Well I did prawns in a cream & tomato sauce with lemon & chilli; followed by alcoholic summer fruit salad & cream. As N said, and I had to agree, it really was restaurant quality.

This is how it went …

Prawns in Cream & Tomato Sauce with Lemon & Chilli

Serves: 2 generously
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

You will want:

• 130g dried pasta (of your choice)
• 250g frozen prawns
• 4-5 soft tomatoes, chopped
• an onion, chopped (actually I used a couple of round salad onions & some spring onions)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped small or crushed
• Juice and zest of 2 lemons (1 will do if it is large & juicy)
• a small chilli, chopped fine, seeds removed (I used a freshly picked hot lemon yellow chilli)
• a big bunch of parsley, stems removed, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp thick double cream
• Black pepper
• Olive oil

And this is what you do:

1. Have everything prepared and ready, and get the pasta on to cook.
2. While the pasta cooks, sauté the onion, garlic & chilli in a some olive oil until translucent (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they’re beginning to break down.
4. Now add the prawns and once they’ve thawed and are cooking add the lemon and parsley, with a good grind of black pepper. Continue cooking until all is hot and the juice is beginning to reduce.
5. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
6. Drain the pasta and add it to the prawn mix, stirring to combine.
7. Finally remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.
8. Serve immediately in warmed pasta dishes, with some grated parmesan and a glass or several of good white wine.

We followed this with …

Alcoholic Summer Fruit Salad

I prepared this before starting on the prawns & pasta, so it had some time to chill.

Serves: 2 generously
Preparation: 10 minutes + chilling

You will want:
At least 3 different summer fruits. Choose from strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, blackcurrants, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, greengages, gooseberries – depending on your fancy and what’s available.

I used:

• 2 nectarines
• small punnet of raspberries
• 5 Victoria plums
• 1 tsp sugar
• 25-50ml peach schnapps (or other liqueur of your choice)
• thick double cream, to serve

And this is what I did:

1. Stone the nectarines and plums, cut into slices and place in a bowl.
2. Add the raspberries.
3. Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit, followed by the peach schnapps.
4. Mix, cover and place in the fridge until needed.
5. Serve with thick double cream.

Sorry, no photos as we enjoyed it too much!