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Archive for December, 2023

Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Mascarpone

Posted in Fish, Food, Italian, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 20 December 2023| Leave a Comment »

We love this easy pasta dish. If you haven’t cooked smoked salmon before you should.

Wine Suggestion: this is a deceptively rich dish and we think needs something like a fuller Pinot Gris, like Au Bon Climat’s blend with Pinot Blanc which is treated very much like a Burgundian Chardonnay and is both textured and vibrantly fresh with flavours of fresh pears, toasty creaminess and gentle spices.

Pasta with smoked salmon & mascarpone – serves 4

  • 400g farfalle
  • 200g smoked salmon
  • 125g mascarpone
  • 20g butter, at room temperature
  • zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
  • dill, snipped

Cook the pasta in lots of salty water until al dente.

Meanwhile, cut the salmon into short pieces with scissors and put them into a large warm serving bowl along with the mascarpone, butter and lemon zest. Ladle some pasta cooking water into the bowl to loosen to a cream, then taste and add salt if needed.

Drain the pasta, reserving some more pasta water, then tip on to the sauce and gently mix together, adding more cooking water if needed. Serve, sprinkled with dill.

(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)

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Cabbage with Bacon & Chestnuts

Posted in Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 19 December 2023| Leave a Comment »

This would be nice on the big day or any other day.

Cabbage with bacon & chestnuts – serves 6

  • 700g winter cabbage
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g streaky bacon, finely chopped
  • 200g vacuum-packed chestnuts, roughly chopped
  • butter

Remove the stalks from the cabbage and roughly chop.

Bring a large pan of salty water to the boil and cook the cabbage for 3-4 minutes or until tender, then drain and leave to dry in the pan.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the bacon over a medium heat until starting to get crispy. Add the chestnuts to the bacon and stir so they absorb the bacon fat. Add the cooked cabbage, a knob of butter and seasoning. Toss together and serve.

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Lamb Pilaf with Orzo

Posted in Food, Lamb, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , on 13 December 2023| Leave a Comment »

This dish takes a while but it’s a waiting game for the most part and you will be richly rewarded. A good value dish for lamb lovers!

Wine Suggestion: a succulent red with gentle spices and if you can push the boat out something like Ridge’s superlative Lytton Springs. All blackberry, raspberry, coffee and warm spices, but with fine, layered tannins and a chalky undercurrent.

Lamb pilaf with orzo – serves 4

  • 800-900g lamb neck fillet
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • ½  tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½  tsp ground allspice
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 300ml dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 250g orzo

TO SERVE:

  • 85g feta
  • 1 tbsp chopped thyme
  • 1 tbsp chopped mint
  • finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Heat the oven to 160C/Fan 140C/Gas 3.

Cut the lamb neck fillets in half lengthways and don’t trim off any fat. Cut each half fillet crossways into bite-size pieces.

Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan until hot, then sear the lamb in batches over a medium-high heat until well browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large casserole.

Turn the heat down and add the chopped onion. Fry for a few minutes until golden brown, then add the garlic, cinnamon and allspice and fry for another minute or two. Scrape the onion mixture into the casserole with the meat.

Pour the tin of tomatoes over the meat, then fill the can twice with water and add this too. Give it all a stir, then add the tomato purée, wine, lemon juice, and sugar. Crumble in the stock cube and add the thyme, ½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, stirring, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours, stirring halfway through.

Stir in the orzo then cover and return to the oven for 20 minutes or until the orzo is cooked, stirring halfway through. Crumble the feta over and sprinkle with the herbs and lemon zest to serve.

A green salad is all you need on the side.

(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect, Penguin Random House Group, 2014.)

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Roast Potatoes with Mushrooms, Chestnuts & Sherry

Posted in Food, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 11 December 2023| Leave a Comment »

You can’t capture the autumn sliding into winter better than in this dish. It’s perfect for a weeknight main or a side dish at the weekend.

Wine Suggestion: We think Nebbiolo is such a natural pairing with mushrooms, but thought opening a Barolo or Barbaresco was a bit extravagant, so Luigi Pira’s Langhe Nebbiolo was chosen and the gentle leather, spice and tea leaf characters were a delight.

Roast potatoes with mushrooms, chestnuts & sherry – serves 4

  • 1kg waxy potatoes
  • 7 cloves of garlic, 4 unpeeled and smashed, 3 peeled and finely sliced
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
  • 500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 tbsp dry or medium sherry
  • 75g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
  • a small bunch of flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 100g manchego or Parmesan cheese

Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Spread the potatoes over the lined tray alongwith the smashed garlic, olive oil and thyme. Season and toss, then roast for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are softened but not cooked through.

Add the mushrooms, sliced garlic and sherry to the potatoes and toss again. Cook for another 20-25 minutes or until the mushrooms and potatoes are cooked. Remove from the oven and add the chestnuts and parsley. Mix well and check the seasoning.

Shave the cheese over the top to serve.

(Original recipe by Claire Thompson in Olive Magazine, October 2020.)

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Pork & Chorizo Burgers with Sherry Onions & Manchego

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 10 December 2023| 1 Comment »

It’s getting colder but we’re determined to keep barbecueing anyway. These burgers are worth making for the onions alone, and the burger is something else too!

Wine Suggestion: a lighter, fruit forward red with a bit of tannin structure. We love some of the still wines from the Douro in Portugal and Quinta de la Rosa’s DouRosa red is a gem. Just 12.5%abv but full of flavour and with lovely depth, length and fine tannins.

Pork & chorizo burgers with sherry onions & manchego – serves 4

  • 500g pork mince
  • 250g fresh chorizo, skinned and finely diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • a handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 25g butter
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • 75ml dry sherry e.g. Oloroso
  • 175g manchego cheese, sliced
  • 4 x burger buns
  • rocket, to serve

Put the pork, chorizo, garlic, parsley, and paprika into a large bowl. Season with a salt (not too much) and plenty of black pepper then pound with your hands until well combined. Shape into 4 balls, then press these down to make burgers about 1 cm thick. Put the burgers into the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.

Next, make the onions. Put a large deep saucepan over a low heat and add the oil and butter. When the butter has melted, tip in the onions and a little salt and pepper. Cook very gently for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the sherry and allow to reduce for another 15 minutes or so.

Light your barbecue and if you have one put a fireproof hot plate or frying pan on to warm up (if you cook the burgers on a hot plate you won’t lose any bits through the grill). When it is really hot, add the burgers and press down with a fish slice. Cook for a couple of minutes, then turn and grill the other side for a minute before turning again. Top with the manchego slices and a good spoon of onions, then shut the lid and cook for another couple of minutes.

Lightly toast the burger buns, and add a handful of rocket to each. Add a burger and serve.

(Original recipe from Seared by Genevieve Taylor, Quadrille, 2022.)

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Chicken Dippers!

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , on 3 December 2023| Leave a Comment »

All they want to eat is chicken nuggets – at least you know what’s in this version and they’re baked in the oven. Little wins!

Chicken dippers – serves 3 to 4

  • rapeseed oil spray
  • 90g panko breadcrumbs
  • 500g chicken breasts, cut into 1½ cm strips
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt

FOR THE BATTER:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Spread the panko breadcrumbs onto a baking tray, spray with oil and bake for 7 minutes or until golden, then transfer to a bowl.

Get a grill pan and spray the metal rack with oil.

Put the batter ingredients in a bowl and whisk with a fork to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat in the batter.

Pick the chicken pieces up with tongs and put into the breadcrumb bowl. Sprinkle the surface with the breadcrumbs and press with your fingers to make sure they stick. Transfer the breadcrumbed chicken to the metal rack and repeat until the chicken is all coated.

Spray the chicken pieces generously with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

Serve with ketchup or mayonnaise.

(Original recipe from Recipetineats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)

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Sticky Glazed Salmon

Posted in Asian, Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 2 December 2023| Leave a Comment »

You need to marinade the salmon for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours ahead. After that, it’s dinner in 15 minutes. We served with with some sticky rice and dressed Asian greens.

Wine Suggestion: This works with a good Pinot Gris, like Neudorf’s Tiritiri. An underestimated grape, given the oceans of bland Pinot Grigio sold, but in the right hands … the riper, richer and more textural French styled Pinot Gris is a joy. Neudorf’s version is all about mouth feel: depth, viscosity, and richness while staying deliciously clean and deceptively moreish. And the back-bone is a fresh, salty-stoney texture keeping it all clean and vibrant.

Sticky glazed salmon – serves 2-3

  • 2-3 salmon fillets
  • rapeseed oil spray

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 1 tsp finely grated ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

TO SERVE

  • sesame seeds
  • 1 scallion, finely sliced

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a shallow dish, then add the salmon and turn to coat.

When you are ready to cook, heat the grill to high. Line a grill tray with tin foil and place the salmon fillets on top, skin-side down. Brush with the marinade but don’t pour if over as any on the tin foil will burn, discard any extra.

Put the salmon under the grill, about 15-20 cm away from the heat. Cook for 7 minutes, then remove and spray with the rapeseed oil. Put back under the grill for another 1-3 minutes or until nicely caramelised.

Allow the salmon to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the scallions and sesame seeds scattered over.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan MacMillan, 2022.)

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