You can’t beat a steak sandwich and this one is super spicy and extra tasty! It certainly brightened up an otherwise uneventful Saturday for us.
Bulgogi cheese steak sandwich – serves 4
1 tsp grated ginger
1 clove of garlic, grated
1 tsp light brown soft sugar
2 tbsp gochujang paste
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
½ pear, peeled and cubed
2 sirloin steaks, trimmed of fat and very finely sliced (this is easier if you freeze for 20 minute before slicing)
1 baguette, cut into 4
mild cheddar cheese
2 scallions, finely chopped
sesame seeds
Mix the ginger, garlic, sugar, gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar together in a large bowl, then mash in the pear. Add the steak and leave to marinate for an hour.
Halve the pieces of baguettte and add a layer of cheese.
Heat a wok over a high heat. Add the beef and marinade, bring to a simmer and stir until the meat is cooked through.
Spoon the meat into the baguettes and sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds.
(Original recipe from Lulu Grimes and Anna Glover in Olive Magazine, January 2016.)
It’s about this time of year when we usually get a bit tired of root veg and starting craving food more associated with Spring. Not so this year and largely due to Gill Meller who can do wonders with winter veg. Baked potatoes stuffed with celeriac didn’t sound super appealing to us but we can assure you these are delicious!
Wine Suggestion: a winter white called tonight: Jean-Michel Gerin’s La Champine Viognier from a young vineyard near their Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu vineyards. Great value from this top maker and while not as rich as their Condrieu it has charming fruit and a fresh purity.
Celeriac baked potatoes – serves 4
4 large baking potatoes
50g unsalted butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 small celeriac, peeled and cut into 2cm dice
a handful of dried ceps (or any dried mushrooms)
100ml double cream
100ml full-cream milk
1 tsp dried seaweed flakes (these are optional but we used Dulse Flakes from Aran Islands Seaweed which you can buy online)
a handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
a handful of grated cheddar cheese
Start by baking the potatoes. We like to scrub them, then rub in a little olive oil and sprinkle over some salt. Bake at 220C for 20 minutes then turn the heat down to 200C and cook for 40-60 minutes, or until cooked through.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, taking care not to damage the skins. Return the empty shells to the oven for 10 minutes to crisp up.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy pan over a medium-low heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt and start to bubble, then add the onion, garlic, celeriac and dried mushrooms. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring often, until the celeriac is soft. If it starts to catch just add a splash of water and lower the heat. When the celeriac is nice and soft, add the cream, milk, scooped out potato flesh, seaweed flakes and parsley. Stir to combine and season again if needed.
Stuff the crispy potato skins with the celeriac mixture, then place on a baking tray and scatter over the grated cheese. Return to the oven for 12-15 minutes or until hot. Serve with a dressed green salad.
(Original recipe from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2020.)
Such a simple and foolproof way of cooking rice from Ottolgenghi Simple. This gives a lovely texture and the salsa is delicious. We served with pulled lamb shawarma but it would be great with all sorts of dishes.
Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa – serves 6
400g basmati rice
50g unsalted butter, melted
800ml boiling water
50g mint (leave 40g on the springs and shred the leaves of the remaining 10g for the salsa)
150g feta, crumbled into 1-2cm pieces
FOR THE SALSA:
40g pitted green olives, thinly sliced
seeds from a small pomegranate
50g walnut halves, lightly roasted and roughly broken
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 small clove of garlic, crushed
Preheat the oven to 230C fan or as high as your oven goes.
Put the rice into a high-sided roasting tin, about 20 x 30cm. Season with ¾ tsp of salt and plenty of pepper, then pour over the melted butter and boiling water. Top with the mint sprigs and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, until the rice is fluffy and the liquid absorbed.
Meanwhile, mix all of the salad ingredients, except the mint leaves, together in a bowl with ¼ tsp of salt. Mix well and set aside.
When the rice is ready, pull the leaves off the mint sprigs and scatter them over the rice, then sprinkle over the feta. Just before serving, stir the shredded mint into the salsa and spoon over the rice.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple, Ebury Press, 2018.)
It’s about this time of year when purple sprouting broccoli arrives and saves us from the monotony of root veg. We’ve yet to be rescued and therefore had to use some imported tenderstem instead, which was fine, but definitely inferior to the local purple variety.
Wine Suggestion: We think this goes really well with Viognier. A richer, more aromatic white with a bit of phenolic grip as opposed to acidity and compliments the richness and body of the food. This wouldn’t work if the acidity was too high. A good, well-priced suggestion is the Cline Cellars North Coast Viognier, from a selection of well sited organic vineyards on the Sonoma coast in California. Well judged and avoids some of the OTT characters other Californian wines can exhibit.
Peanut Butter and Broccoli Pad Thai – serves 4
FOR THE SAUCE:
6 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp tamarind paste
3 tbsp runny honey
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
FOR THE TOFU & BROCCOLI:
450g purple sprouting broccoli or other long-stemmed broccoli, put the florets to one side and cut the stalks into 1cm pieces
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1.5cm ginger, peeled and grated
2 bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
225g firm tofu, drained and cubed
250g flat folded rice noodles
rapeseed oil
6 scallions, finely chopped
a handful of sesame seeds
a handful of Thai basil leaves, shredded (use regular basil if you have to)
a handful of fresh mint leaves, shredded
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
Make the sauce by mixing the peanut butter, tamarind paste and honey in a bowl, then slowly mix in the soy sauce, lime juice and 4 tbsp of water.
Cook the noodles according the instructions on the pack, then rinse under cold water, drain, and drizzle with a tbsp of rapeseed oil. Toss gently with your hands.
Heat 2tbsp of rapeseed oil, over a medium-high heat, in a large non-stick pan or wok with a lid. Fry the tofu for 5 minutes, turning every minute, until pale golden. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 2 minutes, then add the broccoli stalks and 4 tbsp of water. Cover the pan and steam for 2 minutes or until the stalks are tender. Add the broccoli florets, the sauce and scallions (reserving a few to garnish), stir to combine, then cover again and leave for 2 minutes.
Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, then add the noodles a handful at a time, mixing them in gently to coat with the sauce, then turn off the heat.
Divide the noodles between 4 bowls, sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions, then drizzle over some sesame oil and scatter over the herbs. Add a generous squeeze of lime and serve.
(Original recipe from East by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree: Penguin Books, 2019.)
Thanks to a kind and generous birthday gift from friends we have been endowed with lovely smoked fish from the Connemara Smokehouse. The smoked mackerel made a lovely weekend brunch.
Smoked mackerel & leek hash with horseradish – serves 2
250g new or salad potatoes, halved
2 tbsp oil
2 large leeks, thinly sliced
2-4 eggs
100g peppered mackerel, skin removed (we used regular smoked mackerel and that was good too)
2 tbsp creamed horseradish
Steam the potatoes until tender.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until softened. You will need to stir now and then to stop them sticking.
Add the cooked potatoes, then turn up the heat and fry for a couple of minutes so they start to crisp and brown a bit, then flake through the mackerel.
Make some holes for the eggs in the mixture, then crack an egg into each, season, then cover the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes. You’re looking for set whites and runny yolks. Serve the horseradish sauce on the side.
Meera Sodha’s daily Dal that she inherited from her mother. Nothing complex but very satisfying and like so many dishes, tastes better the next day. We served with rice, naan bread from the takeaway, yoghurt and mango chutney.
Daily dal – serves 4
225g red lentils
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
12 peppercorns
4 cloves
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
6cm ginger, peeled and finely grated
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
400g tin plum tomatoes
Rinse the lentils in a sieve until the water runs clear then put into a deep saucepan with a lid. Add 600ml of cold water, then bring to the boil over a medium-high heat. Cover with the lid and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes without stirring, until tender.
Meanwhile, put the oil into another deep saucepan. When hot, add the peppercorns and cloves and stir-fry for a minute, or until fragrant, then add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another 4 minutes before adding the chilli powder, coriander, turmeric and salt. Stir well, then add the tinned tomatoes, crushing them with your hand, then cover and simmer gently for about 8 minutes.
The tomatoes should look paste-like now with only a little juice. Add the lentils using a draining spoon, then pour in any remaining water that they were boiling in, a little at a time, or until the consistency is good.
Cover the pan again and cook on a low heat for a final 10 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and more chilli if you like.
(Original recipe from Made in India by Meera Sodha, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2014.)
We often end up with all sorts of odds and ends after cooking at the weekend. So a regular Monday night dinner for us is lots of veggie side dishes, all served together. It’s a bit like a roast dinner but you really don’t need the meat and you get to try lots of new dishes too. We served these with Cooleeney & tarragon cauliflower cheese, roasted parsnips and steamed sprouts. Don’t worry to much about the herbs, just use what you have, parsley on it’s own would be fine.
Put the potatoes into a large saucepan, just cover with boiling water, then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry.
Mix all of the persillade ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat, add the bacon or pancetta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly caramelised. Add the potatoes, then the butter.
Season with salt and black pepper and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden brown all over. Stir in the persillade, then serve.
We made this a little while ago because we had some spare ricotta in the fridge. It was a really tasty mid-week meal with great flavours; lovely with some greens on the side.
Wine Suggestion: Keep it simple and go for a lightly oaked Chardonnay, Domaine Ventenac’s Cuvée Carole is a old favourite that has a lovely light touch.
Stuffed chicken with lemon, capers & chilli – serves 2
2 large chicken breasts, with skin on
4 tbsp ricotta
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tsp capers
1 tsp crushed chilli flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes
small handful of parsley
greens to serve or potatoes if you like
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Cut a slit in the side of each chicken breast, then use your fingers to make a pocket.
Mix the ricotta, half the lemon zest, Parmesan, capers, chilli flakes and seasoning in a bowl. Push this mixture into the chicken breasts, then secure with a cocktail stick.
Place the stuffed chicken into an ovenproof dish, drizzle over 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the other tbsp of oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, season well, then simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened.
Spoon the tomato sauce onto plates, top with the chicken and sprinkle over the parsley and the rest of the lemon zest.
(Original recipe by Jennifer Joyce in BBC Good Food Magazine, October 2012.)
This is a good family meal, with lots of veg and a rich creamy sauce – it’s really filling. Quick and easy too and you can double to serve many people or a crowd of kids, when crowds of kids exist again.
Wine Suggestion: This goes really well with a white that can cope with a rich, creamy dish.Keeping the Italian theme we’d suggest a good Verdicchio which tend to strike a nice balance between a fuller body, polyphenols (those white wine tannins that give texture and grip) and a nutty, saline freshness. The textures and the body make it work with the marscapone, ham and tomatoes especially well.
Farfalle with peas, mushrooms & ham – serves 4
3 tbsp olive oil
a small onion, finely sliced
125g diced cooked ham
50g frozen peas
100g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
75g mascarpone cheese
250g farfalle pasta
a small handful of chopped basil
grated Parmesan, to serve
Bring a very big pot of water to the boil and add lots of fine salt.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for a few minutes over a medium heat. Add the ham, peas and mushrooms and keep cooking for about 5 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, stir well and simmer gently for about 8 minutes, uncovered. Add the mascarpone, season well, then remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, then drain and tip back into the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta, then add the basil and stir together for about 30 seconds. Serve in warm bowls with Parmesan over the top.
(Original recipe from Pronto! by Gino D’Acampo, Kyle Books, 2014.)
Roasted red pepper and walnut dip – Muhammara – serves 4
A new favourite side-dish/dip, called Muhammara, from Falestin, one of our favourite books of 2020, the year we did nothing but cook! This is such a handy thing, good with pitta breads but also as a delicious side dish. We served it with lamb and rice.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Add the walnuts and roast for about 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside.
Increase the temperature to 220C fan. Put the peppers onto a parchment-lined baking tray and toss with 1 tsp of oil. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until completely soft and charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to cool for about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, stems and seeds.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a medium sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 7 minutes, until softened and browned. Add the garlic, tomato purée and spices and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Remove from the heat and tip into a food processor with the roasted peppers, panko breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp of salt and some black pepper. Blitz for about 30 seconds to get a coarse paste. Add 90g of the walnuts and pulse again briefly, just to break the walnuts down a bit. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Roughly crush the rest of the walnuts with your hands and sprinkle these over with the parsley.
(Original recipe from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2020.)
A truly delicious veggie main. Perhaps best made by someone else if you would prefer not to see the amount of cream and butter involved. It’s cold outside, and we really didn’t feel like a salad tonight.
Wine Suggestion: A homely, oaked chardonnay is our choice. In our rack both the Rustenberg from Stellenbosch and the Domaine Ventenac in Cabardes are vying for attention. The latter won out tonight, but it could have gone either way. Nice to have choice.
Potato, leek & blue cheese pie – serves 6
FOR THE POTATO TOP:
1kg large potatoes, peeled (use a variety good for mashing)
175ml full-cream milk
100g unsalted butter
FOR THE FILLING:
4 leeks, sliced into 3cm rounds
1 tbsp thyme leaves
100g unsalted butter
1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
50g plain flour
125ml whole milk
180ml double cream
150 frozen peas
100g blue cheese, crumbled into small chunks
a small handful of flat leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
Start with the topping. Cut the potatoes into even-sized pieces, not too small. Put into a large saucepan and just cover with cold water, season with salt. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, then return to the warm saucepan and leave to steam for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, gently heat the milk and butter together in a small pan until the butter has melted.
Start mashing the potatoes, then gradually add the hot milk and butter mixture. Keep mashing until well combined and smooth. It will seem like you have too much milk and butter but keep going. Season well with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Next make the filling. Put a large pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks, half the thyme leaves, 25g of the butter and the garlic. Add 100ml of water, season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and steam until just tender, about 8 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400 F/Gas 6.
Put a colander over a bowl, then drain the leeks in the colander and reserve the cooking liquid.
Rinse the pan and return it to a medium heat. Add the rest of the butter and when melted, stir in the flour and cook for a minute over a low heat. Add the leek and cooking liquid, plus the milk and double cream. Whisk the sauce well until it is thick and creamy, it’s ready when small bubbles are just starting to break on the surface.
Stir in the peas, leeks and half the blue cheese. Add the parsley and lots of salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into a dish and level it out. Heap the mash on top but don’t worry about being too neat. Dot the remaining cheese over the top, then sprinkle with the rest of the thyme leaves. Season the top with salt and pepper, then bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
(Original recipe from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller, Hardie Grant, Quadrille, 2020.)
We don’t think you can covert sprout haters, but if you do like sprouts, you will love this! Serve with steamed rice.
Wine Suggestion: Albariño is not just great for seafood, its has versatility stamped into its very core and can be used for a good deal of food matching, like this dish here. Tonight’s wine was made by Pazo de Señorans, a distinct favourite in our house. Bone dry but with a lovely creamy core from the 5-6 months on lees.
Brussels Sprouts with Thai Flavours – serves 2-3
400ml coconut milk
1 tbsp Thai green curry paste, we use the Thai Gold brand
1 green chilli, roughly chopped, then pounded in a pestle and mortar
175ml chicken stock
450g Brussels sprouts, cut in half, blanch in boiling salty water for 2 minutes, then drain in a colander and refresh under cold running water
2 kaffir lime leaves, if you use dried ones you need to soak them in some warm water before using
½ tbsp palm sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
20 Thai basil leaves, regular basil will do if you can’t get Thai
1 large red chilli, roughly chopped, then pounded in a pestle and mortar
Heat a wok over a gentle heat. Pour in 110ml of the coconut milk, then add the green curry paste and the green chilli and mix well.
Next, add the stock, the rest of the coconut milk, Brussels sprouts, kaffir lime leaves, palm sugar, fish sauce, half the basil leaves and the red chilli. Stir constantly over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the sauce boils and foams up. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring all the time to avoid splitting, for about 10 minutes. The sprouts should be tender and the sauce slightly thickened.
Add the rest of the basil, season to taste and serve with steamed rice.
(Original recipe from Cook, Grow, Nourish by Darina Allen, Kyle Books, 2017.)
There’s not many treats to be had at the moment, so we recommend treating yourself at breakfast with this delicious granola recipe by Yasmin Khan. We like it with yoghurt and roasted quinces.
Persian granola – makes a large jarful for a few breakfasts
3 tbsp sunflower oil
150ml date molasses or maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
¾ tsp vanilla extract
350g jumbo rolled oats
a large pinch of sea salt
25g sunflower seeds
25g pumpkin seeds
35g pistachios, roughly chopped
35g flaked almonds
50g dried fruit (optional), we used dried cranberries but you could use any dried fruit or a mixture
Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3½
Mix the oil, date molasses or maple syrup, honey and vanilla extract, together in a small bowl.
Mix the dried ingredients, except the flaked almonds and the dried fruit, together in a large bowl, then pour over the sticky mixture and stir well to coat.
Divide the mixture between two baking trays and pat down with a wooden spoon.
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, then remove and stir through the flaked almonds. Return to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Keep checking though as it can burn easily.
Leave to cool on the trays, then stir through the dried fruit if you’re using. It will keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight jar.
(Original recipe from The Saffron Tales by Yasmin Khan, Bloomsbury, 2016.)
This soup uses all store cupboard ingredients. You do need fresh coriander but we regularly have an almost full bag of this in the fridge and are happy to have this soup idea to use it up. We make soup almost every week in the winter months and this is definitely one of our favourites. The recipe is from Ottolenghi Simple where they suggest leaving it rough, which we did, but you can blend until smooth if you prefer.
Curried lentil, tomato & coconut soup – serves 4
2 tbsp coconut oil or sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp medium curry powder
¼ tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
150g red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
25g coriander stalks, roughly chopped, plus 5g picked leaves to garnish
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
Put the oil into a large saucepan and put over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and caramelised.
Add the curry powder, chilli flakes, garlic and ginger and keep frying for another 2 minutes, stirring all the time.
Add the lentils, stir through for a minute, then add the tomatoes, coriander stalks, 600ml of water, 1 tsp of salt and a lots of black pepper.
Pour the coconut milk into a large bowl and whisk gently until smooth. Set aside 4 tbsp to garnish the bowls, then add the coconut milk to the soup. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft abut still holding their shape. Add a bit more water – 100-150ml – if the soup is too thick.
Divide the soup between warm bowls and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk and some coriander leaves.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)
We have a 7 year old at home who is usually very good at eating pretty much anything we put in front of her. Recently though, she’s gone a bit fussy and very plain in her requests. We’re remaining calm and trying to cook some kid-friendly food to coax her back to her adventurous self. Served with salad and garlic bread, the dish was scraped clean.
Wine Suggestion: Youthful, Italian reds are the order of the day, be it a Sangiovese or Montepulciano, or tonight’s choice of Barbera from Pico Maccario in the Piedmont.
Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni – serves 6
butter for greasing the dish
18 cannelloni tubes (you can use a few more if you have extra filling and enough room in your dish)
30g Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to serve
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
300ml chicken stock or veg stock
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
60g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
FOR THE FILLING:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
500g spinach leaves, chopped
500g ricotta cheese
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
Make the tomato sauce first by heating the oil in a saucepan, then adding the celery, onion, carrot and garlic. Cook gently for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the stock, tomatoes and tomato purée, then season well with salt and pepper, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer, stirring now and then, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling by heating the oil in a large pan, then add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the spinach and cook over a high heat for a couple of minute until completely wilted. Cool slightly, then stir in the ricotta, nutmeg and plenty of seasoning.
Purée the tomato sauce in a food processor, then stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Grease a large ovenproof dish in which the cannelloni tubes can lie in a single layer.
Spoon the filling into the cannelloni tubes. Two teaspoons works best for this; 1 to spoon the filling into the tube, and use the opposite end of the other spoon to push the filling down into the tube.
Arrange the filled cannelloni in the dish, then cover with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, then serve with extra Parmesan on top.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry’s Complete Cookbook, DK, 1995.)
We’re not buying any meat or fish this January, it’s not veganuary, but just an effort to be a little frugal at the start of the year. We also want to make sure we use up all the odds and ends in the freezer. We’ve been making lots of Korean dishes but they tend to focus on meat or fish, so we decided to give some winter veg the Gochujang treatment. Serve with some sticky rice.
Wine Suggestion: The sommelier’s secret weapon: Quinta Soalheiro’s Allo. Light and fresh, but with fruit, texture and depth to stand up to any dish. The earthy, iodine kale and spicy flavours just work with this wine.
Korean Winter Veg Stir-fry – serves 2
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, halved and sliced
a small clove of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
a small bunch of long-stemmed broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, cut into batons
100g greens, we used purple kale but any kale or cabbage will be good, remove any thick stalks and shred
4 scallions, 2 chopped and 2 cut into 4 cm lengths
½ tbsp sesame seeds
FOR THE GOCHUJANG SAUCE:
1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin or rice wine
1 tbsp honey
To make the gochujang sauce, mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Heat a large wok over a high heat, then add 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until softened, a couple of minutes.
Add another tbsp of oil to the wok, then add the broccoli, carrot and longer pieces of scallion, continue to stir-fry until slightly softened.
Add the sauce and the kale and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. The sauce should be sticky on the vegetables and everything piping hot.
Serve the veg over sticky rice and sprinkled with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.
(Original recipe from My Asian Kitchen by Jennifer Joyce, Murdoch Books, 2018.)
This will clear the sinuses and it’s delicious too. Nice and easy, tasty, and very handy for midweek.
Beef Phở – serves 2
750ml strong beef stock
2 garlic cloves, peeled and bashed
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
2 red chillies, sliced
1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
a bunch of scallions, sliced
1 tsp fish sauce
100g flat rice noodles
200g fillet steak, thinly sliced
a handful of beansprouts
coriander leaves
lime wedges
hoisin sauce
sriracha sauce
Bring the stock, garlic, ginger, half the chilli, star anise, cinnamon and half the scallions to the boil for 15 minutes. Strain and discard the solids, then bring back to the boil. Season with the fish sauce.
Meanwhile, pour a kettle of boiling water over the noodles and leave to soak for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse.
Divide the noodles between warm bowls. Add the steak and beansprouts to the simmering stock and remove from the heat, they will cook in the residual heat. Spoon over the noodles and add the rest of the scallions, chilli, some coriander and lime wedges. Serve with hoisin and sriracha.
(Original recipe by Anna Glover in Olive Magazine, Christmas 2015.)
This was our last feast of 2020, the year that we cooked more than any other. It helped us to have a shared interest and something to entertain us in the evenings when we couldn’t do anything else. We miss sharing our food with friends and family but we’re hoping it will return before too long. We served this with Muhammara (a roasted red pepper and walnut dip), sumac yoghurt (see below) and a rice dish. You need to start a day ahead and in fact it works well if you cook the whole thing in advance and reheat to serve.
Wine Suggestion: A gem of a discovery in 2020 after reading an article by Jancis Robinson was the Thymiopoulos, Jeunes Vignes de Xinomavro. A vibrant and exciting red from Náoussa in Greece this grape we’ll be exploring more as we found it had elegance, hints of Mediterranean sunshine and gentle, middle eastern spices.
Pulled lamb shawarma – serves 8
3 onions, 1 roughly chopped and the other 2 cut into wedges
2 heads of garlic, 1 cut in half horizontally, and 8 cloves from the other roughly chopped
25g piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
20g parsley, roughly chopped
1½ tbsp ground cumin
1½ tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
3 tbsp cider vinegar
60ml olive oil
2-2.5kg lamb shoulder, on the bone
700ml chicken stock
½ a lemon
salt and black pepper
FOR THE SUMAC YOGHURT:
200g Greek-style yoghurt
60g tahini
1½ tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sumac
Make the spice paste by putting the chopped onion into a food processor with the chopped garlic and ginger. Pulse until finely minced, then add the parsley and spices. Pulse for another few seconds, until just combined. Scrape down the sides, then add the vinegar, oil, 2¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Pulse again to form a coarse paste, then transfer to a non-metallic container that can hold the lamb.
Pat the lamb dry and pierce all over with a small, sharp knife. Put the lamb into the dish with the spice paste and coat generously in the mixture, so that it is covered on all sides. Cover with foil and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.
Take the lamb out of the fridge an hour before you start cooking so it comes to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 140C fan.
Put the onion wedges and the halved garlic bulb into the centre of a large roasting tray and pour over the chicken stock. Sit the lamb on top of the veg, then cover tightly with foil and bake for 4 hours. Remove from the oven, discard the foil and continue to bake for another 90 minutes, increasing the temperature to 160C for the last 30 minutes. The lamb should be very soft and come away easily from the bone. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes, then shred the lamb directly into the pan juices. Transfer the lamb with the pan juices, onions and garlic cloves to a large serving bowl and squeeze over the lemon juice.
To make the sumac yoghurt, put the yoghurt, tahini, lemon juice, 2 tbsp water, the sumac and ¼ tsp of salt into a bowl and whisk well to combine.
Serve the lamb with the yoghurt alongside. We served with a rice dish and a dip but you can also serve with pitta breads, sliced tomatoes, red onions and herbs – a lamb shawarma sandwich.
(Original recipe from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2020.)
Leeks usually end up in a soup or supporting other ingredients in a pie or something, but they are the star of the show in this veggie main course dish by Gill Meller. Here they are cooked in olive oil with orzo pasta, lemon, rosemary, parsley and cheese and it is most certainly a “leek dish”. By all means serve as a side dish too if you like.
Wine Suggestion: We chose a wine to lift the winter mood; with friendly fruit, a nutty and stony twist and hints of sunshine – the La Sonrisa de Tares. A Godello from Bierzo which brought a smile to our faces.
Leeks with Orzo, Lemon & Herbs – serves 4
200ml extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 rosemary sprigs
3 leeks, sliced into 1cm rounds
250g orzo pasta
100g pecorino (we used Parmesan), finely grated, plus extra to serve
a handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
450ml vegetable stock
125g mozzarella cheese
Heat the oven to 190C/170 fan/375 F/Gas 5.
Put a large, wide, heavy-based casserole over a low heat. Add the olive oil and when it has warmed, add the garlic and rosemary. Allow the garlic to sizzle for a minute or so, then add the leeks, orzo, half of the grated pecorino, the chopped parsley and the lemon zest. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir gently but try not to break the leeks up too much.
Pour over the vegetable stock, then stir again and use a wooden spoon to push the leeks down into the stock. Tear over the mozzarella cheese and scatter over the remaining pecorino. Season the top with some flaky salt and extra black pepper, then bake for 35-45 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed and the top is golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving with a bit more pecorino if you like.
(Original recipe from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2020.)
We know it’s not broad bean season, but frozen broad beans are right up there with frozen peas as an excellent frozen veg and so we eat them all year round. This is a recipe from Summer Kitchens by Olia Hercules and the perfect side dish for fish (or indeed fishfingers if you’re avoiding the shops!). It’s different from our usual potatoes as we tend to add lots of Irish butter, we didn’t miss it here, though we did spread some on the potato skins – it would be a shame to waste them!
Crushed potatoes with broad beans – serves 4 as a side
350g baking potatoes, skins on
50g streaky bacon
4 scallions, thinly sliced
150g frozen broad beans
50g crème fraîche
1 tbsp chopped dill
Preheat the oven to 220C.
Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 200C and cook for 40 minutes to 1 an hour, until completely soft inside. You don’t need the skins but this method will give perfectly crispy skins that you can eat with a bit of butter and salt while you finish the dish.
Meanwhile, heat a splash of vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the bacon and fry until the fat starts to release. When it starts to crisp, add the scallions and cook for a few minutes to soften.
Cook the broad beans in a pan of salty boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain.
Scoop the warm potato out of the skins and put into a saucepan over a very low heat. Add the beans and crush until smoothish, but still with a bit of texture. Stir in the crème fraîche and dill, then season generously with salt and black pepper.
Spoon the bacon and its fat over the dish and serve.
(Original recipe from Summer Kitchens by Olia Hercules, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 