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Archive for February, 2012

Parsley soup with caper and tomato salsa

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , on 29 February 2012| 2 Comments »

We often forget how delicious curly parsley is and tend to go for the trendier flat stuff. The curly version has a stronger flavour and is certainly the star of the show here. This makes a nice mid-week dinner and leftovers are good for lunch.

Parsley soup with caper and tomato salsa – to serve 4

First make some croutons by drizzling slices of French bread with olive oil and baking at 200°C, fan 180ºC, gas 6 for about 4 minutes, turning once, until golden.

  • a knob of butter
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 300g potato, peeled and chopped
  • 750ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 200ml milk
  • a grating of fresh nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 160g curly parsley, tough stalks removed, the rest chopped

To garnish

  • croutons (as above)
  • a few Sunblush tomatoes for each bowl, chopped
  • 1 tbsp small capers

Heat the butter in a large pan, add the potatoes and shallots and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potato is tender.

Add the milk, a generous grating of nutmeg, the mustard and parsley, and bring to a simmer. Immediately take the pan off the heat and leave to cool a bit. Blend until smooth.

Season and reheat when you are ready to serve. Pour into bowls and top with the croutons, Sunblush tomatoes and capers.

Wine Suggestion: This is not a fussy dish so enjoy a glass of whatever you have open.

(Original recipe from Sainsbury’s Magazine, March 2011.)

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Peposo and Parmesan Polenta

Posted in Beef, Food, Italian, tagged , , , , , , on 26 February 2012| 1 Comment »

We’ve made Jamie Oliver’s take on this classic but this version is much superior. Peposo is a Tuscan beef and peppercorn stew. We also cooked polenta to serve this time which is a superb accompaniment and takes about the same time to cook as the stew. Don’t be put off by the massive quantities of peppercorns, they soften and give a warming rather than fiery spice kick.

Peposo – to serve 4 

  • 80ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 kg braising beef, shin, flank or cheek, cut into 4 cm chunks
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 25g whole black peppercorns
  • 15g coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 250ml red wine
  • 1kg tinned tomatoes
Heat the oil in a heavy casserole. Season the beef well with salt, and brown well over a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Only turn it when the bits touching the pan have gone really brown.

Add the onion and garlic and garlic and cook for another 10 minutes or until they are well softened.

Add the whole and ground black pepper and the bay leaf and fry for another minute before adding the wine and tomatoes. Taste for seasoning and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 1½ hours or until the meat is really tender – check again for salt when it’s ready.

Serve right away with the polenta below or with some bread and cannellini beans or roast potatoes.  Or you can refrigerate and reheat when you need it. Leftovers make a good sauce for pasta.

Wet Polenta with Parmesan – to serve 4

This takes ages to make so if you get it on just after your Peposo it should be ready at about the same time. This recipe uses coarse yellow polenta, don’t be tempted by the easy-cook stuff as it is not the same.

  • 1 litre water
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 200g coarse yellow polenta
  • 100g Parmesan, freshly grated
  • 50g butter

Bring the water to the boil with the salt. Add the polenta in a steady stream, stirring like mad with a wooden spoon or whisk to avoid lumps. Simmer for 90 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until thick and luscious. You should almost be able to stand the spoon in it, but add water if you actually can at any stage during the cooking. When you like the texture, stir in the cheese and butter.

Leftovers can be reheated by stirring over a low heat with a little water.

Wine Suggestion: Regional foods are generally complemented by the wines of the same region so go for a really good Chianti that will be able to stand up to this rich stew. We had a Felsina Chianti Classico which was delicious.

(Both recipes came from the Bocca Cookbook by Jacob Kenedy, Bloomsbury, 2011.)

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Black bean chilli

Posted in Food, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 23 February 2012| 2 Comments »

Tasty veggie chilli which is also healthy and low-fat. Really nice flavours.

Black bean chilli – serves 4-6

  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 3 tbsp sweet pimenton (Spanish paprika) or mild chilli powder
  • 3 tbsp ground cumin
  • 3 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
  • 2 x 400g cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • serve with: crumbled feta, chopped scallions, avocado chunks or soured cream

Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes or until almost soft. Add the pimenton and cumin and continue cooking for another few minutes before adding the vinegar, sugar, tomatoes and some seasoning. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the beans and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve with rice and your choice of extras.

Wine Suggestion: As this is so healthy you might decide to have a glass of water. If you decide to treat yourself you could try a Zinfandel or a Grenache which which will complement the spicy flavours without being too tannic or heavy.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Lemon Sole Gratin

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , on 21 February 2012| 3 Comments »

The great debate continues whether it is acceptable to have fish with cheese – Italians seem particularly anti this combination. We wouldn’t sprinkle Parmesan over spaghetti with clams or prawns but have no qualms in recommending this cheesy fish bake. You can put this together in minutes and it will keep in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. We served it with some sprouting broccoli and steamed baby potatoes and none of our guests took offence at the fish and cheese combo.

Gratin of fish with cheese, tomatoes and herbs – to serve 6

  • 75g Guryère cheese, grated
  • 75g Emmental, grated (or you can use all Gruyère if you like)
  • 3 generous tsp Dijon mustard
  • 4-5 tbsp single cream
  • 18 cherry tomatoes
  • 1½ tbsp torn basil
  • 750g filleted and skinned flat-fish, like plaice or lemon sole
Preheat the oven to 180ºC, Gas mark 4. Mix the grated cheese with the mustard and cream and season with black pepper. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, season with salt and sprinkle with basil.

Spread half the cheese mixture in a gratin dish. Lay half the fish on top, then add all of the tomatoes and herbs. Add the second layer of fish, followed by the rest of the cheese. Keep in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.

Cook for 20-30 minutes until golden and bubbling (as below).

Wine suggestion: Matching a wine for cheese and fish together is a little difficult which may be a reason why Italian’s are generally not in favour of this combination; but we suggest looking for a wine that has no oak, and yet good fruit and minerality. We tried a Pouilly Fumé from fruitier, fuller-flavoured producer (Henri Beourgeois) which was a good match.

(Original recipe from Rachel’s Favourite Food at Home by Rachel Allen, Collins, 2006.)

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Linguine with Smoked Salmon & Tomato Sauce

Posted in Food, Italian, tagged , , , , on 19 February 2012| Leave a Comment »

We love it when you come across great recipes by pure chance. We only made this as we had some smoked salmon leftover in the fridge and weren’t able to find filo pastry for the recipe we had originally planned. It was also late and we were grumpy and hungry. This definitely is a mood enhancer!

Linguine al Salmone e Salsa di Pomodoro – to serve 4

  • 40g butter
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 120 ml brandy
  • 500g fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced, or tinned chopped tomatoes (if it’s February!)
  • 120g smoked salmon, cut into strips
  • 100ml double cream
  • 350g linguine

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes. Pour in the brandy and cook until the alcohol has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened. Add the salmon, season with pepper, stir in the cream and heat gently. Meanwhile, cook the linguine. Drain, tip into the pan with the sauce and toss.

Wine Suggestion: You don’t want to overwhelm the flavours and yet still need something to stand up to the cream and rich, smokey Salmon. We would choose a good Albariño from Rias Baixas in Spain, or a dry, Provençal Rosé.

(Original recipe from Silver Spoon, Phaidon, 2009.)

 

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Veggie heaven

Posted in Vegetarian, tagged , , , on 18 February 2012| Leave a Comment »

This Dennis Cotter mash is so delicious! It goes really well with the mushrooms and onions here and it was so good we made it two nights in a row, the second night with sausages (sorry Dennis).

Roast parsnip mash with sage-grilled portobello & caramelised red onion – to serve 4

  • 400g parsnip, peeled, cored and diced
  • vegetable oil, for tossing
  • 800g floury potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
  • 150ml milk
  • 100g butter
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
  • salt and pepper

FOR THE CARAMELISED RED ONION

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp soft brown sugar

FOR THE SAGE-GRILLED MUSHROOMS

  • 30g butter
  • 10 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
  • 4 large portobello mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400ºF/gas mark 6.

Toss the parsnips in a little olive oil in an oven dish, cover loosely with baking parchment and roast for 15 minutes, or until soft. Blend to a purée in a food processor.

Steam the potatoes until soft and drain them. Put the milk and butter in the pan, warm gently until the butter melts, then add the potatoes and mash them. Stir in the parsnips and chives and season with salt and pepper (we like white pepper for potatoes).

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil a small pan and fry the onions over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the vinegar and sugar, cover loosely with baking parchment and lower the heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until soft and caramelised.

Meanwhile, soften the butter for the mushrooms and stir in the sage. Spread the butter on the mushrooms, season and place them on an oven tray. Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Pour any mushroom juices into the onion pan.

Spoon some mash on each plate. Serve the mushrooms on the side and scatter the onions over the top. Pour on any pan juices.

Wine Suggestion: We tried a Portuguese red from the Douro which went really well but any earthy red would be nice.

(Original recipe from Denis Cotter: for the love of food, Collins, 2011.)

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An old one but a good one

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , on 16 February 2012| 1 Comment »

Remember chicken chasseur? It used to be very posh when I was a child (and Jono was a teenager – hehe!) Still tastes just as good if a bit retro at this stage. Serve this with some mash and greens.

Braised chicken chasseur – to serve 4

  • 4 chicken legs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, thickly sliced
  • 250g whole button or chestnut mushrooms
  • 1 rounded tbsp tomato purée
  • 300ml white wine
  • 400ml chicken or beef stock
  • 3-4 tomatoes, quartered and deseeded
  • sprinkling tarragon and chopped parsley

Season the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a lidded sauté pan or shallow casserole. Fry the chicken over a medium-high heat until golden all over. Remove from the pan. Drain off any excess fat, leaving about 2 tbsps for cooking the onions. Add the onions and mushrooms, stirring for 6-8 minutes or until starting to colour. Stir in the tomato purée and white wine, then pour in the stock.

Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a simmer. Put a lid on the pan and cook for about 1 hr, or until the meat is really tender.

Skim any excess fat from the surface and add the tomatoes. Simmer without the lid for another few minutes to soften them, scatter over the herbs.

Wine Suggestion: You will have the rest of the bottle of white you used in the sauce so we recommend you drink that with the dish. Use whatever you have in the fridge or if you’re buying one specially try a Côtes de Gascogne which should be good value and you won’t mind putting the half of it in your dinner!

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Maple-glazed tofu with rice noodles & kai-lan in a miso broth

Posted in Asian, Beer, Food, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 15 February 2012| 6 Comments »

Another fantastic recipe from the master of vegetarian cooking, Denis Cotter, of Café Paradiso in Cork. I (Jules) went there last week and got all inspired by tofu, having never been particular excited by it before. To avoid any confusion, tofu is bean curd and not “a meat substitute that tastes and looks just like meat” as the bewildered person at the table beside  me thought! There is quite a lot to do at the end of the recipe but it’s well worth the effort.

Maple-glazed tofu with rice noodles & kai-lan in a miso broth – to serve 4

  • 200g flat rice noodles
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 300g kai-lan (Chinese kale) or sprouting broccoli
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced at an angle
FOR THE BROTH
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, chopped
  • 60g fresh ginger, thinly sliced
  • 1 whole fresh red chilli
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 bunch of fresh coriander, including stalks
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp red miso
FOR THE MAPLE-GLAZED TOFU
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp chillis sauce
  • 250g firm tofu
  • vegetable oil, for brushing
First make the broth: in a large saucepan, bring 1 litre of water to the boil. Add the onion, carrot, celery, ginger, chilli, garlic and coriander. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Leave to stand for a further 30 minutes.

While the broth is standing, prepare the tofu; mix together the maple syrup, soy sauce, vinegar and chilli sauce.

Slice the tofu into 16 slices about 1cm thick. Place in the liquid and leave to marinade for 20 minutes.

Heat a heavy frying pan over medium heat brush the pan with vegetable oil. Add the tofu and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly coloured. Pour in most of the marinade and continue to fry, swirling to make sure the tofu is coated, the marinade will stick to the tofu as a glaze. Add more marinade if necessary.

At the same time, bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the pack. Drain in a colander.

Finish the broth: strain out the vegetables and return the broth to the pan. Add the soy sauce.

Put the miso in a bowl and stir in a few tablespoons of the broth to get a smooth pouring consistency. Bring the broth back to the boil, whisk in the miso and hold at a low simmer.

Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wide pan over high heat. Add the kai-lan and sauté for 4-5 minutes, adding an occasional splash of broth.

To serve, put some noodles in warm bowls. Place the kai-lan on top of the noodles. Ladle over some broth, top with slices of tofu and sprinkle with scallions.

Wine Suggestion: This is a dish which has a lot of competing flavours and components so a wine match isn’t easy. A yeasty beer or ale would work a treat like a Hobgoblin or a Leffe Brun to compliment the yeasty flavours provided by the miso.

(Original recipe from Denis Cotter for the love of food, Collins, 2011.)

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Easy Sushi Hand Rolls

Posted in Asian, Fish, Food, tagged , , , , on 13 February 2012| 1 Comment »

We have shied away from sushi recipes up until now as they tend to be a bit intimidating with all that delicate rolling and slicing. These hand rolls are really easy and by the time you’ve made 14 of them you will have perfected the skill!

Sushi hand rolls (temaki) – makes 14

  • 7 sheets nori

FILLINGS (your choice of …)

  • 150g salmon or tuna, cut into strips
  • ½ an avocado, peeled and cut into strips
  • ¼cucumber, seeds removed and cut into strips
  • 150g cooked, peeled prawns
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped

RICE

  • 250g sushi rice
  • 50ml Japanese rice vinegar
  • 40g golden caster sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

SPICY CHILLI MAYONNAISE

  • 6 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2-3 tbsp chilli garlic sauce
  • ½ lemon, juiced
TO SERVE
  • soy sauce
  • wasabi
  • pickled ginger

To make the rice, put it in a sieve and wash in cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain for about 30 minutes to rid of excess water.

Put the rice into a saucepan, add 250ml cold water and bring to the boil on a high heat. Cover tightly and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and leave covered to steam for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the rice vinegar, sugar and 1tsp salt in a saucepan. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves, then cool to room temperature.

Put the hot rice in a large bowl and add ¼of the sushi rice seasoning. Fold gently and repeat until all of the seasoning is mixed through. Cool the rice by fanning it for 5 minutes (this makes it shine).

To make the mayonnaise, mix all the ingredients together, taste and add extra salt and lemon if necessary.

Now you are ready to make your sushi hand rolls. Use the fillings in different combinations and serve with pickled ginger, soy sauce and wasabi.

  1. Lay a sheet of nori shiny side down and cut horizontally in half to make 2 strips. Cut a diagonal corner piece from the right hand side of each strip.
  2. Put one strip in your palm, keeping the shiny side down.
  3. With a damp hand, take a ping-pong sized ball of rice and spread it over half the nori on the side closest to your thumb.
  4. Make a diagonal trough in the middle of the rice with your finger to make a space for your filling.
  5. Add a little drizzle of spicy mayonnaise along the trough (a squeezy bottle makes this easier).
  6. Add your choice of filling – though not too much or you won’t be able to roll it.
  7. Start rolling the nori from the rice-covered part by creating a triangle. You can practice this with an empty sheet before beginning. Bring the bottom corner up to enclose the filling.
  8. Keep rolling until the nori forms a cone – make sure it is rolled tight.
  9. Use a tiny ball of wasabi as glue to seal the join of your cone at the top. Repeat 14 times!

Wine Suggestion: Go for something delicate and light with some floral and fruit aromas. A dry Riesling worked well for us.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Rigatoni with Meatballs

Posted in Food, Italian, tagged , , , , on 12 February 2012| 6 Comments »

A great weeknight supper that we cooked when Jules’ brother Peter came to stay during last week … only to discover that this is one of his reliable weeknight dinners too! Another Silver Spoon convert as we’d given him this book for Christmas.

Rigatoni con Polpettine – to serve 4

  • 300g minced meat (we used a mix of beef and pork)
  • 1 sprig flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • ½ garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • plain flour, for dusting
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 celery stick, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 small sprig rosemary, chopped
  • 400ml passata
  • 350g rigatoni
  • 25g Parmesan

Mix the meat, parsley and garlic together in a bowl, then stir in the egg and season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into small meatballs, dust with flour and set aside.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, celery, carrot and rosemary and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Add the meatballs and turn up the heat to medium. Cook until lightly browned all over, add the passata and season with salt. Lower the heat, cover and simmer, stirring now and then, for about 40 minutes.

Cook the rigatoni in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and tip into the meatballs. Mix well and heat through for a couple of minutes.

Sprinkle over some Parmesan to serve.

Wine Suggestion: Italian of course, but it doesn’t need to be anything fancy. We drank a delightful Chianti Rufina from Fattoria di Basciano which was perfect; full of lovely cherry fruit, fresh acidity to match the tomato and ripe, grippy tannins to work with the meatballs.

(Original recipe from Silver Spoon Pasta, Phaidon Press Ltd. 2009)

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Pork and Pears

Posted in Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , on 9 February 2012| 2 Comments »

We really only made this because there was leftover blue cheese in the fridge but it’s a perfect combination of complementary flavours. Good with some purple sprouting broccoli on the side.

Pork and pears – to feed 4

  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 red onions, cut into eighths
  • 2 large pears, quartered and cored – leave the skins on
  • few sprigs rosemary, leaves roughly chopped
  • 4 pork steaks, about 175g each, trimmed of excess fat
  • 50g blue cheese, cubed

Heat the oil in a roasting tin on the hob (use 2 rings), then add the onions, pears, most of the rosemary and seasoning. Fry for 5 minutes or until just starting to caramelise.

Heat the grill to high. Season the pork, then arrange among the veg and fry for 5-10 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Scatter with the leftover rosemary and the cheese, grill until the cheese melts.

Wine Suggestion: White wine works well with these flavours and ingredients; try a Pinot Gris, a slightly off-dry Chenin Blanc, or even a fruiter style of Roussanne

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food.)

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Sweetcorn & Chilli Soup

Posted in Food, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 8 February 2012| 5 Comments »

We’re not big fans of frozen vegetables (unless they are peas or broad beans) but we set our reservations aside to try this soup and we weren’t disappointed.

Sweetcorn & chilli soup – to serve 6

  • 25g butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • ½ red chilli, finely chopped
  • 800g frozen sweetcorn
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 5 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onions for about 10 minutes or until golden. Add the chilli and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the corn, stock and some salt, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the corn is tender but still crisp.

Transfer two-thirds of the soup to a food processor and whizz to a coarse purée. Add this back to the pan and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Season.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food magazine, February 2012.)

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Ferran Adrià’s Home Cooked Cheeseburgers

Posted in Barbecue, Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , on 7 February 2012| 1 Comment »

We recently got a present of Ferran Adrià’s The Family Meal and we highly recommend it. This is far from the style of food famously served at Ferran’s legendary Spanish restaurant, elBulli. Instead this is a collection of simple and tasty menus that were eaten by the staff at elBulli before service started. The cheeseburger recipe below is part of a menu of Caesar salad, Cheeseburger & potato crisps and Santiago cake. The recipes are all given in quantities for 2, 6, 20 and 75 people so start planning your next party!

Cheeseburgers – to serve 2, 6, 20 or 75 

  • white bread crusts removed (7g, 20g, 65g or 250g)
  • whole milk (1½ tsp, 20ml, 65ml or 250 ml)
  • minced beef (250g, 660g, 2.2kg, 8kg)
  • eggs (½, 1, 4 or 15)
  • salt (¼ tsp, 1 tsp, 22g or 80g)
  • freshly ground white pepper (1 pinch, ¼ tsp, 6g or 20g)
  • burger buns (2, 6, 20 or 75)
  • olive oil (2 tbsp, 6 tbsp, 400ml, 1.5 l)
  • Cheddar cheese slices 2, 6, 20, 75)

To make the burgers, tear the bread into pieces and soak in the milk for 5 minutes.

Combine the meat, eggs, soaked bread, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Stir together with your hands until the mixture is even.

Shape into burgers weighing about 135g each.

Cook the burgers with the oil in a frying pan, or under a hot grill, turning once during cooking (we used a barbecue).

Cook for 3 minutes for rare, 5 minutes for medium and 8 minutes for well done.

Cut the buns in half and toast them lightly in a dry pan or under the grill.

Top each burger with a slice of cheese and life onto a bun. Add ketchup, mayo, mustard, onions, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce or whatever else you like on your burger. Sandwich with the top half of the bun and serve.

Ferran suggests serving the cheeseburgers with potato crisps (50g, 150g, 500g or 2kg!). We had oven fries instead which we found a good alternative.

Wine Suggestion: A red with nice juicy fruit and a little spice; nothing too subtle or too full-bodied would work well. A medium-bodied Cotes du Rhone red or maybe a beer suits the barbecue theme.

(Original recipe from The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adrià, Phaidon 2011.)

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Caramelised endive with Serrano ham

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , on 2 February 2012| 3 Comments »

It’s endive season but what to do with it? This is another gem from Ottolenghi: the cookbook. You can prep it all in advance and finish it in the oven when your guests arrive. Our favourite starter for February!

Caramelised endive with Serrano ham – to serve 6 as a starter

  • 6 endives, cut in half lengthways
  • 40g unsalted butter
  • 4 tsp caster sugar
  • 50g sourdough breadcrumbs
  • 70g Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 120ml whipping cream
  • 12 thin slices of Serrano ham
  • olive oil
  • 2 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (only if you have some!)

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Get your largest frying pan to caramelise the endive in. You will need to do it in batches as they must be able to sit flat without touching. So put half the butter and sugar in the pan and put it over a high heat. Stir to mix. As soon as the butter starts to bubble, place 6 endive halves face down in the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden. You might need to press them down a bit. Don’t worry if your butter starts to brown. Repeat this with the rest of the endive halves, butter and sugar.

Line a baking tray with baking parchment and arrange the endives on top, caramelised side up and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme, cream, 1/4 tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper. Spoon this over the endives and top each one with a slice of the ham. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the endives feel soft. Serve hot or warm, drizzled with some olive oil and sprinkled with chopped parsley if you happen to have some.

Wine Suggestion: This is a hard one cause the dish is bitter, sweet, salty and savoury – in hindsight we thought a Grenache might work. Try and find a light, fruity and slightly spicy example from Spain to complement the Spanish ham.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi: the cookbook, Ebury Press, 2008.)

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