“Chick Food for Guys” Pasta Salad

Sometimes you just want to eat a great big salad. This is a no-nonsense dish I eat straight from the mixing bowl. 1. Using some metal tongs, hold your red pepper over your gas flame until the outer skin is completely blackened and blistered. Put the whole thing in a bowl and cover with clingfilm - the pepper will continue to steam itself to softness under the film. 2. Bash together the wholegrain mustard, honey, chillies, garlic, lemon juice to form a thick paste (might need to add a little olive oil). Spread over your meat and leave to marinate. 3. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and salt the insides (use a generous amount). Salt improves the flavour and draws out some of the moisture. After about 10 mins you'll notice that water has collected on the cut surface - soak it up gently with a piece of kitchen paper. 4. Start cooking your pasta in some salted boiling water. Heat a griddle pan and sear your meat. Bring the heat down, then 5 mins before the meat is done add your tomatoes to the pan. 5. Go back to your red pepper. Peel the black skin off (it should come away quite easily) and chop the flesh into rough chunks. 6. Turn the heat off on everything. Drain your pasta and return to the pan. Drizzle a little olive oil and add your tomatoes, red pepper chunks and some freshly torn basil. Season with freshly ground salt and black pepper. 7. Slice the meat into bite-size chunks. No more than 1 minute before serving, dress your salad leaves with your favourite dressing, throw the pasta on top, throw the meat on top of that. Stick a fork in the mixing bowl and sit down infront of a movie with a tall glass of iced tea.