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Archive for the ‘Gluten-free’ Category

Cullen Skink

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 May 2024| Leave a Comment »

This must be the easiest and cheapest of fish soups but that does not make it any less delicious! Particularly good after a walk out in the cold. And no it’s not made from “skinks” for all the Aussies out there who may be confused … it’s a classic Scottish soup made from smoked fish!

Wine Suggestion: We would highly recommend pairing this with a peaty whisky like Lagavulin. If this doesn’t rock your boat, or you don’t have a bottle to hand then a dry, aromatic and elegant white, like the Sybille Kuntz Riesling Kabinett makes the whole meal feel refined and very sophisticated too.

Cullen skink – serves 4

  • 50g buttter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1.2 litres full fat milk
  • 750g floury potatoes
  • 450g smoked haddock fillet
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the onion and cook gently for 7-8 minutes.

Add the milk and bring to the boil, then add the potatoes and simmer for 20 minutes until very soft.

Add the smoked haddock and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until cooked and easy to flake. Gently remove the haddock with a slotted spoon onto a plate. Leave until cook enough to handle.

Meanwhile, use your wooden spoon to squash some of the potatoes against the side of the pan to thicken the soup slightly.

When the fish is cool enough to handle, break it into chunky flakes, discarding any skin and bones. Tip the fish into the soup, then add the parsley. Serve in warm soup bowls with a little more parsley.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Simple Supper, BBC Books, 2023.)

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Cauliflower Shawarma

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 28 April 2024| 1 Comment »

We can’t get enough of roasted cauliflower and it’s at it’s best in this recipe with caramelised onions and smothered in tahini dressing.

Wine Suggestion: We’re mad for Loire Cabernet Franc and found a new vigneron on our last trip to Saumur: Domaine Théo Blet. We picked up his Saumur Rouge “les Fabureaux” and were completely charmed. Plus it went delightfully with this dish, complementing the spices and earthy tahini.

Cauliflower ‘shawarma’ – serves 2 as a main or more as a side or starter

  • 1 medium cauliflower, leaves attached
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp baharat spice mix
  • 1 tsp sea salt

FOR THE CARAMELISED ONIONS:

  • 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar

FOR THE TAHINI DRESSING:

  • 1 lemon
  • 125g tahini paste
  • a pinch of salt
  • 100-130ml water

FOR THE GARNISH:

  • 2 tbsp roasted pine nuts
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • pittas or crispy pitta shards, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas mark 6.

Put the whole cauliflower, including the leaves, into an ovenproof saucepan that it fits in snugly. Fill the pan with enough water to just cover the stem and leaves. Drizzle the oil all over the florets and sprinkle with the baharat spice mix and sea salt – it will seem like a lot but go with it. Put the pan into the oven and roast for 1-1½ hours. It is ready when you can easily insert a small knife right down the stem.

Meanwhile, put the onions in a frying pan with the oil and salt and fry over a low heat until soft and golden. Add the sugar and cook until the onions are caramelised and brown, then remove from the heat.

Mix the tahini paste in a small bowl with the juice of half the lemon and the salt. Add 100ml water and mix well. Keep stirring and gradually adding water until the paste has a loose creamy texture.

Lift the cooked cauliflower out of the water and cut into thick slices, including the stems and leaves. Divide between plates, then squeeze over the other half of the lemon and top with the caramelised onions and tahini paste. Garnish with pine nuts and sumac and serve with warm pittas or crispy flatbread.

(Original recipe from Honey & Co. Food from the Middle East by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich, Saltyard Books, 2014.)

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Wild Garlic, Broad Bean & Leek Risotto

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 23 April 2024| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Indian Minced Lamb with Potatoes

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , on 21 April 2024| Leave a Comment »

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 – serves 4 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.)

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Paneer Jalfrezi

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 18 April 2024| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Spicy Prawn Rice

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 April 2024| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Chicken with Pineapple and ‘Nduja

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 16 March 2024| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Salmon with Barberry Butter

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 7 March 2024| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Grilled Masala Salmon

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Indian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 24 February 2024| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Creamy Halloumi Curry

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 23 February 2024| 1 Comment »

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.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Cabbage with Tamarind, Maple & Black Pepper Butter

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 21 February 2024| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Mussels with Leeks, Bacon & Cider

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on 11 February 2024| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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Sweet Potatoes with Tahini Yoghurt & Herb Oil

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 31 January 2024| 2 Comments »

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.)

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BBQ Drumsticks

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 29 January 2024| 3 Comments »

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.)

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Patatas a lo pobre

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 28 January 2024| Leave a Comment »

A tasty side dish to get us out our potato rut of baby roast or dauphinoise. These went spectacularly well with roast chicken.

Patatas a lo pobre – serves 4

  • 600g waxy potatoes e.g. Charlottes
  • 1 bulb of fennel, cut into quarters lengthways and shred into 5mm slices
  • 75ml olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • a few sprigs of fresh oregano

Slice the potatoes into 5mm rounds.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan and add the potatoes and fennel. Cook over a medium heat until the potatoes are tender and starting to brown about 10-15 minutes. Keep tossing gently so it all cooks evenly.

When the potatoes are almost ready, add the garlic and sherry vinegar. Keep cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the potatoes are completely soft. Stir in the capers and oregano leaves and season with salt and pepper.

(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikerrs Mediterranean Adventure, Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2017.)

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Marinated Halloumi Skewers

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 25 January 2024| Leave a Comment »

An excellent recipe for squeaky cheese aka halloumi. Great as a main course (we served with a bean dish and flatbreads) or as a side.

Marinated halloumi – serves 3

  • 250g block of halloumi, cut into 6 cubes
  • ½ red pepper, cut into 6 pieces
  • ½ yellow pepper, cut into 6 pieces
  • 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tsp dried mint
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 3 tbsp garlic oil

TO SERVE:

  • flatbreads
  • chilli sauce
  • lemon wedges
  • honey for drizzling

Heat your oven as high as it will go and line a tray with baking paper.

Put the halloumi, peppers and tomatoes into a mixing bowl, then add the herbs, spices, garlic oil and lots of black pepper and gently mix.

Divide the mixture between 3 skewers, then put the skewers onto the paper-lined tray and roast for about 15 minutes.

Serve with flatbreads, chilli sauce, lemon wedges and a drizzle of honey.

(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)

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Rajma … spiced kidney beans

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 10 January 2024| 4 Comments »

Rajma or spiced kidney beans from Dishoom. Delicious with rice and raita.

Wine Suggestion: We found the rich, mealy textured beans paired well with Luigi Pira’s Langhe Nebbiolo. The fruity, spice and lighter nature wasn’t too serious for this dish, and the oomph from the tannins was a good counterpoint to the richness and depth in the beans.

Rajma – serves 2 to 4

  • 35ml vegetable oil
  • 5g ginger paste (see recipe below)
  • 5g garlic paste (see recipe below)
  • 1 black cardamom pod
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
  • 15g tomato purée
  • 1g fine salt
  • 100g onion-tomato masala (see recipe below)
  • 400g tin kidney beans
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 50g tomatoes, chopped
  • a good handful of coriander leaves, chopped
  • 25g butter

TO SERVE:

  • red onion, finely sliced
  • ginger matchsticks
  • coriander leaves, roughly torn
  • lime wedges

Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until no longer raw.

Add the cardmamom pod, bay leaf and cinnamon stick and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground cumin, chilli powder, tomato purée and salt and cook for a few minutes, or until the oil starts to separate.

Add the onion-tomato masala and bring to a simmer, stirring, then add the kidney beans along with their liquid. Simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced and thickened.

Add the garam masala, tomatoes, chopped coriander and ginger and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the butter.

Serve garnished with the red onion, ginger and coriander and with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Onion-tomato masala – makes about 450g

  • 300ml vegetable oil
  • 1.2kg Spanish white onions, finely diced
  • 35g garlic paste (see recipe below)
  • 30g ginger paste (see recipe below)
  • 1¾ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
  • 30g tomato purée
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 600g good quality tinned tomatoes

Warm a deep, heaving frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and warm before adding the onions. Let the onions caramelise to a deep brown, stirring regularly. Add a splash of water if they are at risk of burning. This should take 25-30 minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger paste and sauté until light golden brown, stirring all the time.

Add the chilli powder, tomato purée and salt, then sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes, stir well and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often. The tomatoes should break down completely and caramelise a bit in the oil, you can add a splash of water if it starts to dry up.

Freeze any masala that you are not using.

Ginger and Garlic Pastes – makes about 170g (keep in the fridge covered with oil for 10 days)

  • 3 bulbs of garlic or 180g fresh root ginger
  • 25ml vegetable oil, plus extra to store

Peel the garlic or ginger and roughly chop.

Whizz the garlic or ginger with with the oil to make a smooth paste.

Store in a sterilized jar covered with oil in the fridge.

(Original recipes from Dishoom by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar & Naved Nasir, Bloomsbury, 2019.)

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Cheat’s Dhal

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 January 2024| Leave a Comment »

We love dhal and this cheat’s version is delicious! It’s similar to a dhal makhani but a fraction of the effort to make. We will never be without 2 tins of lentils again! Serve with rice or naan of course.

Wine Suggestion: a regular grenache, Domaine Ventenac’s “les Dissidents” Paria because it has an effortless freshness and gentle plummy, warm spices of a juicy core of red fruit.

Cheat’s Dhal – serves 4 to 6

  • 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 3 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 x 400g tins green lentils, drained
  • 50g butter
  • 150ml double cream
  • 300ml boiling water

Heat a large heavy saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and the onion and stir-fry until softened and starting to brown at the edges.

Stir in the spices until the onions are coated, then add the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the lentils, then the butter and stir until melted. Pour in the cream and season generously, then pour in the water and stir again.

Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy. Season to taste and serve.

(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)

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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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Roast Chicken with Preserved Lemon

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 18 October 2023| Leave a Comment »

It’s the classic roast chicken but this time with fresh and preserved lemon. Yummy!

Wine Suggestion: We have a bit of a thing for dry Loire Chenin Blanc and were fortunate to visit Jacky Blot from Domaine de la Taille aux Loups earlier this year. Although he passed away not long after our visit, being able to taste the results of his work in a glass really keeps his memory alive. We opened a bottle of his Vin de France “Clos de la Bretonniere” with this dinner and were transported back to the tasting room and the couple of hours we spent with Jacky. A vibrantly dry Vouvray with tension and tautness in abundance and layers of minerally fruit, it paired beautifully with the roast chicken. Salut Jacky!

Roast chicken with preserved lemon – serves 4

  • 70g butter, softened
  • 3 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 small preserved lemon, pips discarded and flesh and skin roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon, zest finely grated, plus 1½ tbsp of juice
  • 1 whole chicken

Heat the oven to 190C fan.

Put the butter, thyme, garlic, preserved lemon, lemon zest, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper in a food proessor and blitz to combine.

Loosen the chicken skin over the breasts (careful not to tear it) and spread most of the butter mixture underneath. Spread the rest over the legs.

Put the chicken into a roasting tin and drizzle with the lemon juice and sprinkle over ½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Roast the chicken for 20 minutes per 500g plus an extra 10 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the juices run clear. Baste every 20 minutes as it cooks.

Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)

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