Changing The Way We Eat (+ Spaghetti with Marmite recipe)
Aug 8th, 2009 by admin
I’ve been eating out rather too much lately and suffering the consequences. The waistline has expanded, while the wallet has contracted. On the other hand, the kitchen cupboards are so well stocked that the husband and I could survive a Siberian winter. So after recently booking a ‘traveleating‘ trip to Japan in November, I decided to cut down on the London restaurant outings and use what we already have at home, supplemented by herbs and vegetables from the garden. Hopefully I’ll eat more healthily and frugally over the next few months.
You may or may not know that until this year, the kitchen was a meat-free zone. The husband, who is in charge of the kitchen and prepares 95% of the meals, is mostly vegetarian, but eats a little fish now and again. I, on the other hand, am a keen carnivore and would happily eat meat every day of the week. In January, I was given special dispensation to prepare meat at home, provided that I used separate cooking utensils and equipment. So once in a while, I’ll make a dish that contains meat or seafood, but it’s still quite a rare occurrence and we currently have no meat, seafood or fish at home.
I like to conduct a mini stocktake every week, going through the cupboards, fridge and freezer. By doing this, hardly any food is wasted as I know exactly what perishables need to be eaten (older produce sit on the top shelf in the fridge, new things sit on the lower shelves), and the weekly shopping list is created at the same time. Over the last few months, I’ve built up a beautiful collection of Bodum glass jars in different sizes to store dried goods, but I noticed recently that I’ve been buying more and more jars, rather than using up the products we already have and re-using the jars.
There are half full jars of quinoa, barley, spelt, red lentils, green lentils, mountain lentils, borlotti beans, aduki beans, black Nanjing rice, white jasmine rice, brown basmati rice, vialone nano rice, sushi rice, couscous, panko and much more. That doesn’t include the many varieties of pasta and noodles, as well as different types of tinned beans which are useful when there’s no time to soak dried ones. And I won’t mention all the spices and herbs, bottles and jars of ingredients and condiments. Or the eight types of flour bought during our fresh pasta-making phase, while in the freezer are broad beans, soy beans (edamame), peas and spinach, perfect when we run out of the fresh variety or when they aren’t in season.
We also started growing produce in the garden again this year and now have many types of herbs (chocolate mint, standard mint, Giant Neapolitan parsley, sage, tangerine sage, lemon thyme, golden thyme, normal thyme, oregano, bergamot, marjoram, Provencal marjoram, Giant Neapolitan basil), three types of chicory (sword, romanesco, treviso), land cress, Swiss chard, wild fennel, wild rocket, garlic chives, Jalapeño and Scotch bonnet chillis, courgettes and runner beans. We also have blackcurrants, strawberries, loganberries, sweet cherries, figs and olives. And there are thick blackberry bushes just outside the house! Many of these will be frozen for use during the leaner winter months.
As you can see, we’re already extremely well stocked and really don’t need to buy that much more when we go food shopping. After the ‘experiment’ started, the weekly shopping list was immediately halved!
So what have we been eating recently? A recent dinner of mushroom risotto with an accompanying salad involved using the remainder of the dried porcini mushrooms and vialone nano rice in the cupboard, supplemented by some fresh chestnut mushrooms and Grana Padano. Another meal consisted of aduki bean salad with various leaves and herbs from the garden. Mountain lentils were eaten with couscous, while vegetable soups had tinned beans and pasta ends added. I prefer to follow recipes that don’t require the purchase of multiple obscure ingredients, as these only end up sitting on the shelf after one use. When I cooked patatas a lo pobre (literally ‘poor man’s potatoes’) for a book review recently, I was pleased that all the herbs could be picked fresh and the vegetables required were already in the fridge (on the top shelf!) waiting to be eaten.
Leafing through the 100th issue of Observer Food Monthly, I came across Anna del Conte’s recipe for spaghetti with Marmite and thought it was an unusual dish, to say the least. It is, however, Anna’s family recipe, as she made it for her children and grandchildren and it totally represents her as an Italian living in Britain. I thought I’d give it a try because I have both spaghetti and Marmite in the cupboard, both of which need using up.
How To Make Spaghetti with Marmite by Anna del Conte (p43 of OFM July 2009)
Ingredients: (serves 4 children)
- 350 – 380g dried spaghetti
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp Marmite
- freshly grated Parmesan, to serve (I used Grana Padano)
What to do next:
Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the Marmite and 1 tablespoon of the pasta water. Mix thoroughly to dissolve, then pour over the drained spaghetti. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.
It was surprisingly delicious and very umami-rich, despite just a tiny amount of Marmite being used. I thought some chopped fresh parsley or a few garden peas would have made it even more perfect. This will most certainly become a staple dish in our household!
Have a look at some of the other recipes on World Foodie Guide.
What products do you have in the kitchen that you’d like to use up and what dishes are you planning to create with them?
I love marmite, I eat it every day and never get bored of it. I trust I will certainly love this too.
That’s an impressive store cupboard list. I’m amazed you find the time (or the will) to go through everything every week!
Helen, I love marmite! I have never tried spaghetti with marmite before, but it does sound really delicious to me, and it seems not difficult to make.
I usually have marmite in sandwiches. Marmite + avocado + cream cheese + butter is my favourite, sometimes, Marmite + cloudberry jam or peanut butter. I also add a tsp of marmite into my oatmeal, haha.
WoW! Marmite! For some reason, that sounds like something from a long time ago. I grew up in Malaysia and we always had a jar in the larder, but since leaving home and living abroad, I have not seen a jar of Marmite for awhile. Mind you, I am living in the States and this can be hard to find in a not-so-big-city. But, your recipe is so interestingly strange that I may just order it from the internet.
I’d like to add though, that I have tasted crabs stir-fried with Marmite sauce and it is UNBELIEVABLY yummy!!
Marmite spaghetti sounds great, I could eat the stuff every day!
I think it’s about time I go through my kitchen cupboard too. I’ve been accumulating lots of random ingredients recently and tend to forget about them. The pasta recipe sounds really simple and packed full of flavours! Love marmite!
Glad you’ve tried this too, Helen – and love the account of your storecupboard . . .
Wow, that IS a well-stocked cupboard with a lot of variety!
I’m very impressed that you go through every week. We should do more of that too!
Am adding the marmite pasta to my “to make” list as it sounds so simple and satisfying.
I would love to have such a well stocked vegetable patch! I can possibly match you on the larder, but I am maybe the least green-fingered person ever… my plants all die!
Lizzie – if you’re a Marmite lover, you’ll love this! You need very little of it too. The stocktake takes minutes, as I’ve got it down to a fine art!
Kenny T – it was my first time and when I first discussed it with the husband, we had such a debate about whether it would taste nice or awful. Luckily it turned out to be amazing. Your ways of eating Marmite are quite creative. I like it on toast with plenty of butter. I can’t have it without the butter…
Chee Packer – crabs stir-fried in Marmite sauce?! Sounds quite weird and yet I think it would taste amazing, having tried the spaghetti…You’ll just have to order a jar and start experimenting.
anne – it was superb! Definitely a staple dish…
pigpigscorner – another Marmite lover! It’s fun going through the cupboards. You’ll find interesting ingredients you’ve forgotten about. We were eating the same dishes every week and now home meals have become much more varied.
Fiona – haha, I love going through the contents of my cupboards!
Kavey – thanks! I think it’s because I’m a little obsessed with organising things and it’s spread to the kitchen. If I know what I have in the cupboards and fridge etc, then nothing will go off. That’s my logic anyway!
Jenny – I leave the gardening to the green-fingered husband. I help with the weeding though! And we have a great neighbour who gives us his surplus from the allotment – we just got given onions, courgettes and a giant marrow…
Helen Yuet Ling
What a wonderfully creative recipe, its one of those that makes you want to say, “Why didn’t I think of that, when necessity meant creativity? I was just thinking the umami element must be off the charts with the marmite and cheese. I like your addition of throwing in a few veggies. Thanks as always for sharing!
Gerat way to season your pasta. I’m keeping this in mind for my next meal. My (vegetarian) hubby loves the veggie version of marmite, called Vegemite. I use it a lot in seasoning broth as well. It adds a nice caramel color. Check it out at http://www.phamfatale.com/id_162/title_Vegetarian-Pho-Pho-Chay/
Very impressive! Before we left for our 6 month world trip I had the same dilemma of using up everything in our enormous pantry. It was extremely difficult to visit local farmers markets during that time because I always buy too much stuff!
Have a great time in Japan. I’ve only been able to post about a quarter of the experiences I had there so far. It’s such an amazing place.
Interesting use of Marmite! I wonder what it would taste like with Vegemite or Promite (quite similar I would imagine). I always do regular stocktakes as I loathe having anything go to waste!
We use vegemite here in Australia instead of Marmite! Will try this with the new vegemite (cheese mix). I’m sure it will go really well!
Yes, I too have too much unused items in my pantry! Usually, flour, sugar, spices, dried mushrooms, sundried tomato, frozen bones of all sorts and frozen green peas.
OysterCulture – it’s delicious on its own, but I think perfect with a scattering of fresh parsley or a few peas! Anna del Conte made it regularly for her kids and grandchildren…
Jackie – I know of Vegemite but I’ve never tried it. We just used some Marmite as seasoning in some soup yesterday. It’s very handy!
Christie – I didn’t realise you’re on a six month trip! That would be my dream. You clearly had more reason to empty out your pantry….
Lorraine – never heard of Promite, is that another variation of Marmite/Vegemite? Stocktakes are great for waste avoidance (and fun too!)
penny – let me know what you think! Frozen bones? I’m assuming for making stock?!
Helen Yuet Ling
Of course, vegemite would be even better!! (Okay, I’m biased).
I can’t believe your partner had to give you special dispensation to cook meat at home and makes you use special equipment! That’s extreme. My partner is vegetarian as well but he would never dream of that.
PS Promite (as no one has answered) is also a yeast extract but it’s a bit sweeter and less salty than vegemite.
This is a great idea. I love marmite. On the subject of using separate utensils for meat and vegetables, one of my friends is a vegan and she strictly uses her own different equipment used for her cooking as she lives with carnivores. I think that’s fair enough.
Caitlin Reply:
August 10th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
@Mark, Yeah but vegans do tend to be more extreme about such things. I think some people equate super-obsessive control over their food with control over their life, but it doesn’t work that way. I respect vegetarianism and veganism, even though I’ve chosen a different path. There are many, many good reasons for cutting out meat – health, animal welfare, environmental concerns. Not one of those reasons is actually undone or counter-acted in any way if the saucepan you are using once had a piece of chicken in it but has been washed since. It’s almost like they’re treating it as a religious thing (and I guess for some vegans it actually is – but not most). But yeah each to their own – and fair enough, as you say. I’m glad I don’t share a kitchen with your friend though!
If you ever find yourself in Malaysia, you will have to find a restaurant that serves crabs cooked with Marmite. It is DeLish!!! Trust Me!
This sounds most interesting. My girlfriend would go crazy for this
Interesting- I could never stand marmite growing up but have recently had a tiny bit of vegemite on buttered toast and it was tolerable! Wonder if I am ready to make the next step with this pasta recipe…..
Am very impressed with the store cupboard audits too- something like that would have prevented me from accumulating far too many tins of tuna and chickpeas!
I love the description of your buying more jars rather than eating what you have. I can definitely relate. I’d also normally have been with on the Siberian winter comment until all those ridiculous photos of Putin on holiday started circulating last week. It seems Siberia is quite a holiday get-away (and *so* warm that one can’t keep one’s shirt on). ha.
Hi Helen,
I saw that recipe in OFM and wasnt too sure but i will definetly give it a shot….
Are all those photos yours?? they are amazing… what camera are you using if you dont mind me asking and do you employ some crafy lighting/retouching techniques?
Charlie.
Hi Helen, I like stock taking too. I will use the exisiting things I have at home to come up with something. I am going on by 2nd week of detox, not easy as we have visitors at home and I had to be anti-social to turn down dinner gatherings. For the 1st week, I have been able to stick to it 5 out of 7 days. I am hoping to save more quota for my short Paris trip and HK trip in Sept : )
I have marmite at home which I am the only one eating it. Gotta try your pasta, sounds weird but sure a nice surprise. As for Parmesan, I like Parmigiano-Reggiano more than Gran Pandano : ) I learnt from a wine and cheese fair that you can freeze this hard cheese and enjoy over time : )
Caitlin – thanks for explaining about Promite, now I know! I understand about the separate cooking equipment, he doesn’t want raw meat contaminating our pots and pans. It’s not hard, I have a separate knife, chopping board, spatula, frying pan and saucepan. Once it’s cooked, the meat’s allowed to touch plates!
Mark – you’d like this! And thanks for the comment about your vegan friend. I’m just so excited cooking meat is allowed!
Chee – I like the sound of crabs cooked in Marmite!
Alex – it really takes no effort at all and is so tasty in return. As I said, it needs a little fresh parsley or something.
The Fastest Indian – it only needs a very small amount, which goes a very long way because it’s so strong-tasting.
An American in London – brilliant! I’ll have to look those photos up of Putin in Siberia!
Charlie – hi there! I use the Leica D-LUX 4, but the photo of the borlotti beans was taken with my old camera (Sony Cybershot W300) which I was using at The Underground Restaurant. I take all my home photos in natural light, by a window. They usually need a little brightening up in Photoshop, which is the only thing I know how to do! My dream is to buy two Lowel Ego lights so that I can take photos of my dinners as well…
Gourmet Traveller 88 – hi Janet! If you like Marmite, then this won’t taste weird to you. I like Parmigiano-Reggiano too, but it’s pretty expensive and for the amounts of cheese we consume, Grana is cheaper. Having said that, we’ve just bought some Parmesan! I wish I lived closer to a cheaper source of it (Italy for example!)
Helen Yuet Ling
At least the cooked meat is allowed to touch a plate! But really, if the pot is washed in soap and hot water, it’s no longer contaminated. Heigh ho. Will he eat in restaurants? I don’t think they use an entire separate set of pots for the vegetarian customers!
admin Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Caitlin – well, it’s different in restaurants where he has no control over the cooking process. At home though, in his own kitchen, I think it’s OK to exercise some control!
Hello!
I just discovered your blog and I love it! I especially would loveee to see your pantry. Sounds like Heaven to me. All the different kinds of food in the kitchen and what you are growing in your garden.
admin Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Funkynomad Eats – oh, the cupboards are really nothing special! I probably made it sound a lot more impressive. I just like organising the ingredients and storing them in attractive jars. It is fun to grow produce in the garden though!