We initially made this on the first day of Spring, just as the wild garlic arrived and we had a big dump of snow … Irish weather! The wild garlic has lasted quite a while this year which has meant this has been easily reprised, and enjoyed.
Wine Suggestion: we think that wines that work well with asparagus also do great with wild garlic, so opted for Höpler’s Grüner Veltliner from Burgenland, Austria. With a fresh, zippiness and citrus twist it was charming and helped us to imagine sunny weather just around the corner.
Wild garlic, broad bean & leek risotto – serves 4
300g frozen broad beans, defrosted
60g buter
1 leek, halved lengthways and finely sliced
300g Arborio rice
100ml white wine
1-1.2 litres hot vegetable stock
a handful of wild garlic, chopped
60g Parmesan, grated
Blanch the beans in boiling water for a minute, then drain and pop them out of their skins.
Melt half the butter in a large pan and sweat the leek for 3-4 minutes or until soft, then stir in the rice. When the rice is glistening, add the white wine and allow to boil and bubble up.
Gradually add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding the next. Continue until you have only a few ladlefuls left, then stir in the broad beans and the rest of the stock.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the wild garlic, three-quarters of the Parmesan and the rest of the butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the rest of the Parmesan.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Simple Suppers, BBC Books, 2023.)
This is not unlike our typical Irish mince and potatoes but it’s lightly spiced and has no carrots. Good with Indian chutney and pickles on the side.
Wine Suggestion: we thought this went delightfully with a find from a recent holiday in Spain, the Kimera Garnatxa from Navarra which was super balanced and minerally wrapped in gentle layers of warm spices.
Indian minced lamb with potatoes – serves4 to 6
3 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil
2 cinnamon sticks
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp finely grated ginger
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
900g lamb mince
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
3 tbsp tomato passata
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp salt
300g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
Put the oil into a large frying pan and put over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the cinnamon sticks and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
Add the onion, stir and fry until it starts to brown at the edges, then add the ginger and garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Add the lamb, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Keep going until the meat has no pink bits.
Add the yoghurt, tomato, passata, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Stir for 1 minute, then add the salt, potatoes and 475ml of water. Stir and bring to the boil, then cover and lower the heat. Cook gently for 30 minutes.
(Original recipe from Curry Easy by Madhur Jaffrey, Ebury Press, 2010.)
We were not disappointed with this on a Saturday night but it is so simple you could easily manage it on a weeknight. Serve with yoghurt, lime pickle and naan bread from the takeaway.
Wine Suggestion: Chenin Blanc for the depth of fruit and roundness on the palate, but a minerally backbone of acidity. It lifts this dish and adds and extra element. Tonight Domaine des Aubuisieres le Marigny; dry and expressive but with layers of yellow and red apples on top.
Paneer Jalfrezi – serves 3
200g block of paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
2 red peppers, cut into strips
1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
300g baby potatoes, halved or quartered
5cm piece of ginger
2 cloves of garlic, grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt
a handful of coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
yoghurt, lime pickle and naan bread, to serve
Heat the oven to 200C.
Put all of the ingredients into a large roasting tin, then put some disposable gloves on and gently toss everything together.
Put the tin into the hot oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the paneer is well browned.
Serve sprinkled with the coriander.
(Original reicpe from The Secret of Cooking by Bee Wilson, 4th Estate, 2023.)
This is almost like a biryani but with gentle Iranian spices and it makes a great centre piece. You can serve with yoghurt if you like and we missed a side of greens or salad.
Wine Suggestion: This suits a rich and broad white like Domaine Manciat-Poncet’s Pouilly-Vinzelles. With a lovely mix of stonefruit flavours and grapefruit this has a zip as well as the breadth that compliments the prawns as opposed to fighting or overwhelming them.
Spicy prawn rice – serves 6
500g basmati rice
6 fat cloves of garlic
7cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp ground fenugreek leaves
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
600g large peeled prawns
60g butter
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a big handful of crumbled sea salt. Boil the rice for 6-8 minutes or until the grains are bright white and slightly elongated. They should be just starting to soften.
Drain the rice and rinse under cold water for a couple of minutes, until cool.
Line the bottom of the rice pot with some nonstick baking paper and set aside.
Put a large frying pan over a medium heat. Drizzle in a generous amount of olive oil (or vegetable oil) and fry the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the grated ginger, ground ginger, cumin, fenugreek and chilli flakes, and stir. Add the prawns and cook for under a minute, or until just starting to turn pink, then remove the pan from the heat and season generously with salt and pepper.
Put the paper-lined pot back over the heat and pour in a generous drizzle of olive oil and the butter. Sprinkle in some sea salt, then scatter in enough rice to cover the base of the pan.
Layer the prawn mixture and rice into the pan, finishing with a thin layer of rice. Use the long handle of a wooden spoon to poke about 5 holes into the rice, right down to the base of the pan.
Wrap the lid of the pan in a tea towel, then cover the pan and cook over the lowest temperature for about 40 mintues.
Check the rice is cooked, then remove it from the pan. If you’re brave you can place a platter over the pan and flip the rice out onto it. Scrape out any crispy tahdig (the crispy rice on the base) from the bottom of the pan and serve on top of the rice.
(Original recipe from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchelle Beazley, 2014.)
We don’t subscribe to much on Substack but we make an exception for Debora Robertson. Debora writes about life in France and recommends a dinner party dish with an easy starter (usually shop-bought) every week. We’re always happy to see her next post and we highly recommend her recipe for pork estouffade – a French pork cassrole with honey and carrots. Minimal effort and great to share. Serve with mashed potatoes and cabbage.
Wine Suggestion: From Marjorie Gallet’s superlative Roc des Anges is her “Llum“, an insightful and crystalline Grenache Gris & Macabeu blend that sings with ripe stonefruit flavours and a minerally, salty backbone. Just perfect with a little richness and aromatic flavours from this dish.
Pork estouffade – serves 6
1.6-1.8kg boned and rolled joint of pork, with some fat on and skin/rind removed
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
6 cloves of garlic, halved, remove any green bits and thinly sliced
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp paprika
1 bottle white wine
a pinch of saffron strands, soaked in a splash of warm water
4 medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
80g pitted green olives
1 unwaxed orange – you will need to peel a strip of zest and then juice
about 10g of parsley leaves and fine stalks, roughly chopped
Pat the pork dry with kitchen paper and season all over with salt and pepper.
Warm the olive oil in a large heavy casserole ove a medium-high heat. Brown the pork all over – about 10 minutes, then remove to a plate and lower the heat.
Add the onions, bay leaves and thyme and sauté gently, stirring occasionally, until very soft and translucent but without browning, about 15 minutes.
Add the garlic to the pan and stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes, mustard, honey, and paprika and stir well. Pour in the wine, saffron and soaking water and simmer for 10 minutes.
Return the pork to the pan, along with any juices. Cover and simmer very gently for 2½ hours, turning the pork every 30 minutes. Add the carrot, olives, orange zest and juice. Taste and season if needed, then simmer very gently, uncovered, for another hour – check occasionally that the pork hasn’t stuck. The dish is ready when the pork is very tender and the sauce has thickened.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the parsley. Remove the string form the pork and carve it into thick slices. Serve with some sauce, the carrots, mashed potatoes and cabbage.
(Original recipe from Lickedspoon with Debora Robertson, Substack, 6 Jan 2024)
A recipe from Ixta Belfrage’s excellent book, Mezcla. Pinapple has developed a bad reputation in savoury dishes but we love it … including on pizzas sometimes. Serve some steamed white rice on the side.
Wine Suggestion: we’re having an Italian moment, so chose the La Pruina Salice Salentino to go with this dish. A blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Negra it had a suprising elegance and didn’t overwhelm the flavours despite an obvious juiciness to the fruit. Balanced and surprisingly medium bodied; we’ll be revisitng this wine again.
Chicken with pineapple and ‘nduja – serves 4
4 chicken thighs, at room temperature
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, halved and very thinly sliced, ideally with a mandoline if you have one
300g fresh pineapple, peeled, cut into rounds, then quartered and hard core removed
4 tangerines or 2 oranges, squeezed to give 100g of juice
100g chicken stock
2 tbsp double cream
5g coriander
1 lime, cut into wedges
FOR THE ‘NDUJA AND CHIPOTLE PASTE:
50g ‘nduja paste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp tomato purée
½ tsp chipotle flakes
½ tsp paprika
¾ tsp fine salt
20 twists of black pepper
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
Put the ingredients for the ‘nduja and chipotle paste into a large bowl and mix together. Add the chicken thighs, garlic, and about ¾ of the onion and mix together well. Tip everything into a large oven-proof cast-iron frying pan or a baking dish. Make sure the chicken is skin-side up on top of the onions and garlic.
Add the pineapple to the mixing bowl and toss in any leftover paste, then arrange around the chicken.
Pour the orange juice around the chicken but make sure you don’t pour it over the chicken skin, then bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour in the chicken stock – again avoiding the chicken skin. Put back into the oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is browned and crispy.
Rest the dish for 5-10 minutes, then drizzle over the cream. Toss the coriander with the rest of the sliced onion and a little oil and salt, then sprinkle over the top. Serve with lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Mezlca by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)
Salmon is very popular in our house and we particulary like this recipe with a delicious barbery butter.
Wine Suggestion: we like dry Rosé with barberry dishes and chose the Quinta de la Rosa Rosé this time as it has great depth and poise alongside the refreshing red berried flavours.
Salmon with barberry butter – serves 4
olive oil
4 salmon fillets, skinned
FOR THE BARBERRY BUTTER:
75g softened butter
2 tbsp dried barberries, finely chopped
1 tsp pul biber
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp clear honey
Put the ingredients for the barberry butter into a bowl with plenty of salt and black pepper and mix well.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a little olive oil. Season the salmon fillets on the skinned side, then put skinned-side down into the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes, then turn over and add the butter. When the butter has melted, start basting the salmon. You need to go quite quickly so the butter doesn’t burn. Keep basting for a couple of minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through.
Serve and spoon the butter over.
(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)
We often buy little jars of peas when we’re on holidays in France. This recipe requires peas from a jar which have a distinct and lovely flavour that compliments the other ingredients. Delicious!
Wine Suggestion: Umani Ronchi’s Pecorino Vellodoro is a taste of spring from the Abruzzo region of Italy; floral & fruity with a lovely dry, refreshing minerality.
Tagliatelle with peas & prosciutto – serves 2
3 sliced of prosciutto, torn into small pieces
75g butter
1 shallot, finely diced
1 x 400g tin or jar of petits pois
250g fresh tagliatelle
35g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
Heat a non-stick frying over a medium heat, then add the prosciutto and cook until crispy. Remove the prosciutto from the pan and set aside.
Add 50g of the butter to the pan and allow to melt, then add the shallot and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the peas, including their liquid, and cook for about 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the cooked prosciutto, then season, and remove from the heat and set aside.
Bring a large pan of salty water to the boil and cook the tagliatelle for 2-3 minutes. Put the frying pan back on the heat and transfer the taliatelle to the pan with tongs. Add an extra ladle of pasta cooking water and the rest of the butter. Add the Parmesan and toss everything together for a couple of minutes, until warmed through – you may need to add a little more of the pasta water.
Serve in warm bowls, sprinkled with more Parmesan and some black pepper.
(Original recipe from The Italian Deli Cookbook by Theo Randall, Quadrille, 2021.)
Big flavours in this pasta dish by Sabrina Ghayour – modelled on a samosa which is no bad thing.
Wine Suggestion: we are on a bit of a Grenache kick at the moment and really revelling on the subtleties and various expressions this grape can give … alongside it working with a variety of dishes, especially with warm spices at the core. Tonight we opened the Paradou Grenache from Chateau Pesquie, which comes from Provençal vineyards and is joyously youthful, fruit forward and balanced with a fresh acidity.
Samosa Pasta – serves 3 to 4
vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
250g beef mince
1 heaped tsp garlic granules
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp tomato purée
200ml warm water
3 handfuls of frozen peas
250g farfalle pasta
15g coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped
Warm some vegetable oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onions with a pinch of salt until soft and starting to colour. Add the beef mince and break it up with a wooden spoon, then add the garlic granules, all the spices, the tomato purée and plenty of black pepper. Stir-fry the mince for a few minutes, then pour in the warm water and stir-fry again until mostly evaporated. Stir in the peas, then turn off the heat.
Cook the pasta in lots of salty water. When it’s cooked scoop out the pasta with a slotted spoon and add to the beef mixture over a medium-high heat. You can add a little more pasta water if needed. Season to taste, then stir in the coriander and serve.
(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2023.)
We’ve cooked this easy Indian salmon a load of times now. The salmon is really soft and tender and the flavours are fab! Nice with potatoes and a green salad or with other Indian dishes.
Grilled masala salmon – serves 2
⅛ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp ground coriander
⅛ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
340g skinned salmon fillet
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
Mix the salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper together, then rub all over the salmon fillet. Cover and leave in the fridge for 1-4 hours.
Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4, and heat the grill to it’s highest setting.
Mix the mustard, oil and lemon juice together and add the chopped coriander. Rub this all over the fish and place under the grill until the top has slightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the fish to the oven and bake for about 10 minute or until cooked through.
(Original recipe from Curry Easy by Madhur Jaffrey, Ebury Press, 2010.)
Paneer is the typical cheese for curry but halloumi works as well if this is what’s to hand. Plus this is the perfect weeknight dish as it’s so easy; we made it between two after-school activities! Serve with rice or naan bread.
Wine Suggestion: This dish works well with white wines with a degree of plushness; dry but not too crisp. Unusually, as we find most of them a little boring, we went with a Pinot Grigio. Perusini’s version though is from Collio and not the characterless Veneto versions found most commonly. Peach and tangerine flavours with a pleasant herbal spice and medium-full body, combined with good freshness and a minerally saline undercurrent.
Creamy halloumi curry – serves 2 to 3
225g halloumi, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
400g tin chopped tomatoes
100ml double cream
80g fresh or frozen spinach
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp nigella seeds
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until softened.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook for a couple of minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until thickened.
Reduce the heat and add the cream, then simmer gently for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat another tbsp of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the halloumi for a few minutes or until browned on all sides.
Add the browned halloumi to the curry sauce along with the spinach, sugar and garam masala and stir to combine. Simmer gently for 5 minutes or until the spinach and wilted or defrosted. Add a splash of water or extra cream if the sauce seems a bit thick, then serve with the nigella seeds sprinkled over.
Our new year’s resolution is to make more tarts and conquer our pastry fear which is largely due to lack of practice. We’ve started with this tart filled with melting onions and cheese. Serve with a green salad.
Wine Suggestion: we paired this with a wine that opitimises a balance between freshness, richness, minerailty and fruit: Soalheiro’s Alvarinho. Fresh and elegant with tropical fruit flavours cut with a minerally saltiness balances the cheese. Plus the sweetness to the slowly cooked onions complements the richly layered fruits in the wine.
Cheese & Onion Tart – serves 6
a sheet of short-crust pastry (we were so enthusiastic that we made our own but really no need)
1 egg, beaten
FOR THE FILLING:
5 large brown onions
50g butter
a small glass of white wine
a few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
120g cheese, the original recipe suggests Comté (we used a mix of Comté, Cheddar & Gruyère), coarsely grated
150ml full-cream milk
3 eggs
Thinly slice the onions and add to a pan with the butter, seasoning well with salt. Cover with a lid and cook slowly for 30 minutes, stirring regularly, until sweet and very tender. It’s find to let them caramelise a little but don’t let them burn. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, remove the lid and allow this to bubble off. Add the wine, allow to cook off, then turn the heat off and allow to cool.
Lightly flour a cold surface and roll the pastry out to 3mm thick. Lift into a 25cm loose-bottom tart tin and use a little piece of dough to press the pastry into the tin and leave an overhang around the sides. Prick the base with a fork and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170C fan.
Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or rice. Put the tin onto a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is firm. Remove the beans and paper, brush with egg and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until golden. Trim off any excess pastry with a knife.
Put 100g of the cheese into a bowl with the milk, cream, eggs and thyme and mix together. Season well, then add the onions and mix again. Pour most of the mixture into the pastry case but dont fill all the way to the top. Make sure the onion is evenly spread, then place into the oven. Carefully pour in the remaining mixture, making sure it doesnt overflow. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is caramelised and the middle has set. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
(Original recipe from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts, Ebury Press, 2023.)
We have fallen in love with this buttery cabbage dish which we served tonight alongside some salmon with barberries. This is seriously pimped up cabbage and would be delicious with anything! Both recipes are from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour.
Wine suggestion: we thought the tamarind would be a hard match, so opened a wine we didn’t know, the Lyrarakis Liatiko from Crete, and were delighted when this obscure wine was a total gem. A light, juicy cherry flavoured wine with wild berry and gentle herbs and a cedary spice. We’ll be looking out for this again.
Cabbage with tamarind, maple & black pepper butter – serves 2 to 4
olive oil
1 large head of sweetheart cabbage, quartered
100ml cold water
50g butter
1 heaped tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp coarse freshly ground black pepper
Put a large frying pan over a medium heat and add some olive oil. Arrange the cabbage wedges in the pan, sitting on one cut side and the stalk ends in the centre of the pan, and fry for 5 minutes. Pour in the cold water, then increase the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
Take the lid off the pan and turn the cabbage wedges onto the other side for 3-4 minutes, uncovered. Add the butter, then mix the tamarind, maple syrup and pepper together and add to the pan with a good seasoning of salt. Stir to melt the butter – making sure it doesn’t burn. Baste the cabbage with the butter, then turnover onto the other side and continue basting for a few more minutes. Serve with any butter left in the pan drizzled over.
(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)
Fish in a bap with caper mayonnaise because most things taste good in a bap.
Wine Suggestion: We went Portuguese and chose an Arinto-Verdelho blend from near Lisbon: the Mar de Lisboa white, made by Quinta de Chocapalha. Lemon flavours with hints of passionfruit felt the perfect addition to this dish and the minerally, zip added a freshness that really matched the caper mayonnaise.
Fish in a bap – serves 1(easily multiplied)
2 skinless fillets of dab or other flat fish – we used plaice
butter
1 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
2 tbsp plain flour
a fresh white bap
a squeeze of lemon & a dash of tabasco, to serve
For the caper mayonnaise:
2 tbsp good mayo
2 tsp capers, drained and finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley
lemon juice
Make the mayonnaise first by combining the mayonnaise, capers, parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice (to taste). Set aside.
Heat the the oil and a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Spread the flour out on a plate and season it well. Dust the fish fillets with the flour, shaking off any excess, then fry for 2 minutes on each side.
Slice the bap in half and butter it generously. Add a few lettuce leaves and put the cooked fish on top, seasoning with lemon juice and tabasco. Add a good blob of the caper mayonnaise, the close the bap and eat it.
(Original recipe from River Cottage Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury, 2009.)
Mussels are our favourite Friday night treat and they taste amazing with this creamy leek and cider sauce. You will need a top quality baguette on the side.
Wine suggestion: we’re just loving Domaine de la Chauviniere’s Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie at the moment and think that Jeremie Huchet just has his vineyards in such balance that he delivers delicious wines year after year. Minerally, salty, fresh and with a rounded appley fruit that just works (or of course you could just buy some extra cider).
Mussels with leeks, bacon & cider – serves 2 to 3
200g smoked streaky bacon
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
400g leeks, finely chopped
1kg mussels, cleaned
a large glass of dry cider
150ml double cream
a handful of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
baguette, to serve
Warm a little olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon until the fat renders, then add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook gently for a few minutes. Add the leeks and season well with salt, then let the leeks cook until they are very soft and tender but not taking on any colour. Add a splash of water if they start to catch.
Turn the heat up and add the cider to the leeks to create plenty of steam. Add the mussels and cover with a lid. After two minutes, shake the pan well or give the mussels a toss with a spoon, then cook for another minute or two – they are ready as soon as all the shells are open (chuck any that don’t open).
Pour in the cream, add the parsley and season with lots of black pepper and a little more salt, though taste first. Give everything a final toss, then serve in big bowls with baguette and a glass of cold white wine or cider.
(Original recipe from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts, Ebury Press, 2023.)
Bags of flavour in this one and not the flavours you would usually associate with spaghetti and mince.
Wine Suggestion: we like a crisp, clean and dry lager with this, partly because it reminds of a warm summer evening, of which we’re craving at the moment.
Harissa, tahini and lamb spaghetti – serves 4
vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 fat garlic cloves, finely sliced
500g lamb mince
1 tbsp garlic granules
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp rose harissa
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp light soy sauce
300g spaghetti
4 scallions, finely sliced
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Put a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a splash of vegetable oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and transparent, then add the garlic and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Add the lamb mince to the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon. When it has broken up and lost it’s pinkness, add the garlic granules, curry powder and ground cumin. Stir to mix well through, then add the harissa, tahini and soy sauce. Season with salt and black pepper and mix together well. Continue cooking, stirring regularly, while you cook the spaghetti.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salty water, then drain and reserve a good mugful of the cooking water.
Add the spagehtti to the lamb mince and mix well, then pour in enough pasta cooking water to loosen it. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and mix together, then serve.
(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)
We can see why this is eaten in across the world in Swedish furniture stores: it’s light, homely, and a total child-pleaser (sans sprouts for some).
Wine Suggestion: we love a creamy white to go with this dish; that means a touch of oak and if possible a little battonage to bring structure and a toasty, creamy texture. A little left field, we chose the Dominio de Tares Godello from old vine Godello, wild fermented in oak. With a lemony core layered with pears and stonefruit this has hints of white flowers, brioche and a gentle toasty/nutty character.
Swedish Meatballs – serves 4
1 onion, peeled and grated (use a box grater)
2 slices soft white bread, crusts removed and cut into 1cm cubes
a splash of milk
300g beef mince
300g pork mince
1 egg
a little freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp cooking salt
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
CREAMY GRAVY:
50g unsalted butter
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml beef stock
125ml double cream
TO SERVE:
finely chopped chives (only if you have them)
lingonberry jam or cranberry sauce (also not essential)
Put the grated onion into a large mixing bowl. Add the bread and mix well – if the bread doesn’t turn soggy you can add a splash of milk. Set aside for a minute, then add the rest of the meatball ingredients, except the oil. Mix well with your hands to combine.
Roll the mixture into about 25-30 meatballs.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches – they should be nicely browned all over but not cooked through. Set aside.
Lower the heat to medium.
Melt the butter in the meatball pan and wait until it foams. Add the flour and stir for a minute, then gradually add the beef stock, stirring constantly until you have a smooth sauce.
Turn the heat up slightly and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the meatballs and any juices on the plate. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the liquid has thickened to a thin gravy. Stir in the cream and simmer for a couple of minutes, then remove from the heat.
Sprinkle the meatballs with chives if you like and serve with creamy mash and some greans. Ligonberry or cranberry optional.
(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)
A surf-n-turf compromise maybe for the meat-eaters and such a delicious sauce to go with the fish. Looks a bit messy in the picture but it tastes delicious! We served with baby roast potatoes and greens.
Wine Suggestion: This begs for a youthful, oaked white like the textural, fresh and balanced Neudorf Tiritiri Chardonnay from Nelson in NZ. There’s both a finesse and a complexity to this wine with fresh fruits, hints of spice and … it may be the food influencing it, but we get hints of bacon and a meatiness. All bound together tightly and opening up gently in the glass.
Monkfish with mushroom & bacon sauce – serves 6
6 x 150g monkfish fillets, ask the fishmonger to remove the skin and membrane
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp oil
a knob of butter
6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
200ml crème fraîche
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp chopped parsley
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6 and line a tray with baking paper.
Season the monkfish with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over a plate and dust the fish until coated, shaking off any excess.
Put a frying pan over a high heat and add the oil and butter. When the butter is foaming, add the fish fillets and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until sealed and lightly golden. Transfer to the paper-lined tray and pour over any buttery juice from the pan. Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper to remove any flour, then add the bacon and fry over a high heat until crispy, then remove to a plate. Tip the onion into the pan and fry for a few minutes, then cover and reduce the heat and leave to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the lid and turn the heat back up, add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes until golden.
Add the crème fraîche, lemon juice and mustard with half the cooked bacon and half the parsley. Bring to the boil and bubble for a few minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice each fish fillet into three and arrange on a platter. Spoon over the sauce and garnish with the rest of the bacon and parsley.
(Original recipe from Foolproof Cooking by Mary Berry, BBC Books, 2016.)
This is such a good side dish. We served it with roast lamb this time, but it would easily complement so many other dishes and can see us doing it alongside some grilled halloumi next time – highly recommended.
Sweet potatoes with tahini yoghurt & herb oil – serves 4 to 6
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm slices
4 tbsp olive oil
2 heaped tbsp ras el hanout
2 tbsp pine nuts
a good handful of pomegranate seeds
FOR THE HERB OIL:
15g flat leaf parsley
15g dill
15g coriander
juice of ½ lemon
3-4 tbsp olive oil
FOR THE TAHINI YOGHURT:
6 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt
4 tbsp tahini
Preheat the oven to 220C, Gas Mark 7 and line a large tray with baking paper.
Put the sweet potato slices onto the tray. Drizzzle over the olive oil, sprinkle with the ras el hanout and add plenty of salt, then use your hands to coat the sweet potatoes in the mixture. Spread out in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, make a herb oil by putting the herbs, lemon juice, olive oil (enough to allow the mixture to spin) and seasoning in a blender and whizz until smooth.
Mix the yoghurt with the tahini and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a platter and pour over the tahini yoghurt followed by the herb oil, then scatter over the pine nuts and pomegrante seeds.
(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)
Who doesnt love a chicken drumstick? These ones have a delicious Spanish inspired marinade. Serve with some alioli if you like.
Wine suggestion: when choosing wines to go with dishes we often start with the idea that the origin of the dish lends itself to similar wines, in this case Spain. So on this note we went for Edetària’s via Edetana Red which is a joyful and deep expression of Garnacha Fina and Garnatxa Peluda, two very closely related varieties of Grenache. It has both a purity and freshness alongside an earthiness and rounded, velvety spices; medium bodied so it didn’t overwhelm the chicken and worked alongside the marinade. An interesting aside, the very rare Garnatxa Peluda found only in Terra Alta is also called “Hairy Grenache” as the leaves are velvety.
BBQ Drumsticks – serves 4
8 chicken drumsticks
lemon wedges, to serve
For the marinade:
50ml olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
100ml fino sherry
salt
Mix all the marinade ingredients together and add plenty of salt.
Add the drumsticks and rub the marinade in with your hands. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight or for at least 3 hours.
Remove the chicken from the fridge an hour before you want to cook it. Brush the marinade off the chicken and reserve it for later.
Prep your barbecue to allow for indirect and direct cooking. Put the chicken pieces over the indirect heat to start and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for 30 minutes, turning regularly.
Move the chicken onto the direct heat and cook for another 15-20 minutes until cooked through and nicely charred. Baste often with the reserved marinade.
Serve with the lemon wedges and some alioli if you like.
(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2017.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 