Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Gluten-free’ Category

Za’atar Salmon & Tahini

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 January 2022| 2 Comments »

We’ve made plenty of fish and tahini dishes before but particularly liked this one with the additions of zingy za’atar and fresh spinch.

Wine suggestion: this works brilliantly with a juicy, crisp Verdejo, especially those that come from Rueda in Spain. Crunchy, juicy apples, lemons and grapefuit. In our glass was Dominio la Granadilla which demonstrates a passionate family all working together and speaking of the place they grew up.

Za’atar salmon and tahini – serves 4

  • 4 salmon fillets (about 600g in total), skin on
  • 2 tbsp za’atar
  • 2 tsp sumac, plus and extra ½ tsp for sprinkling at the end
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g baby spinach
  • 90g tahini
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 3½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 1½ tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves

Heat the oven to 220C Fan.

Pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper and season.

Mix the za’atar and sumac together in a small bowl, then sprinkle this over the top of the salmon to form a crust.

Put a large ovenproof sauté pan over a medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of the oil. When the pan is hot, add the spinach with a little seasoning and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just wilted.

Set the salmon fillets on top of the spinach, skin side down, then drizzle the top of the fish with 2 tbsp of oil. Bake in the hot oven for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whick the tahini, garlic, 2½ tbsp of lemon juice, a good pinch of salt and 100ml of water together until smooth. It will be quite runny.

Pour the tahini around the salmon (but not over the fish) and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through and the sauce is bubbling. Spoon over the rest of the lemon juice and oil and top with the coriander and extra sprinkle of sumac.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)

Read Full Post »

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Butter Beans & Figs

Posted in Beef, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 30 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

Your butcher should be able to get you beef short ribs if you ask, and the trick is slow-cooking. All that fat will ensure they become meltingly tender and the meat will literally fall off the bones. This dish takes a while to cook but there’s not much effort required and the result is worth it.

Wine Suggestion: This dish requires a serious, powerful red with a good structure. Tonight we had a youthful 3 year old Chateau Puygueraud from the Côtes de Francs, Bordeaux. A merlot, cabernet franc, malbec blend it was appropriate but all judged it too young and a little forceful. However a Domaine des Roches Neuves ‘Marginale’, Saumur-Champigny from 2015 brought by our friends proved to be the wine match we were looking for. Cabernet Franc from the Loire this cuvée showed the class of being the best selection of the best vineyards in a powerful, great vintage. All parts integrated but still in it’s infancy. A good match tonight, and we are all sad we don’t have any more in our cellars to see this in 10 years time too.

Braised beef short ribs with butter beans & figs – serves 4

  • 2 onions, roughy chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 4cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 green chillies, roughly chopped, no need to discard the seeds
  • 6 beef short ribs (about 1.5kg),trim off any big pieces of fat at the edges but don’t worry about being too particular with the rest, it all renders down into the rich sauce
  • 60ml olive oil
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 10 cardamom pods, roughly bashed open with a pestle and mortar
  • 1½ tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 5-6 large plum tomatoes, two-thirds roughly chopped and the rest roughly grated and skin discarded
  • 100g soft dried figs, roughly chopped into 1½ cm pieces
  • 700g jar butter beans, drained
  • 30g chives, very finely chopped
  • 1½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 300g regular spinach, discard the stems and roughly tear the leaves

Heat the oven to 165C fan.

Put the onions, garlic, ginger and chillies into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Dry the short ribs with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper. Put 2 tbsp of oil into a large ovenproof saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Fry the ribs in batches until well coloured on all sides, then remove and set aside.

Add the onion mixture to the pan along with the star anise and cardamom, and cook for 5 minutes to soften, stirring now and then. Add the tomato purée, ground spices, chopped tomatoes (don’t add the grated ones yet), 1½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper and cook for another 4 minutes or until the tomatoes start to soften.

Add the short ribs and 1.1 litres of water, bring to the boil, then cover and put into the oven for 3 hours, stirring a few times.

Add the figs and cook for another half hour, or until softened. The meat should now be very tender.

Meanwhile, put the butterbeans into a saucepan with a pinch of salt and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, then drain. Stir in the chives, 2 tbsp of oil, the lemon juice and plenty of pepper.

When the beef is ready, take the ribs from the pan and pull the meat off the bones. Discard the bones and set the beef aside.

Heat the sauce and stir in the spinach, it should wilt in a few minutes, then add the grated tomato and remove from the heat.

Spoon the sauce over a large platter and top with beans and beef.

(Original recipe from OTK Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)

Read Full Post »

A Béarnaise Sauce to go with a BBQ steak

Posted in Barbecue, Beef, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 23 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes we get a notion for steak and chips, so pull out the barbecue and crank up the oven. Béarnaise sauce is the perfect companion, not particularly hard, it just needs a little attention and you must never let it get too hot.

Wine suggestion: Another Greek classic, the Thymiopoulos Naoussa Xinomavro which plays a nice balance of being effortless and ethereal alongside a deep core of powerful, elegant tannins.

Béarnaise Sauce

  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp tarragon vinegar
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 3-4 bushy tarragon sprigs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 150g butter, cut into small dice

Heat the vinegar, tarragon, peppercorns and shallot in a small pan. Bring to the boil and reduce until there is about 1 tbsp left, then strain and set aside.

Put a bowl over a pan of just-simmering water and make sure it isn’t touching the water. Add the egg yolks and mustard, then whisk in the reduced vinegar. Slowly add the butter, a cube at a time, whisking each time until smooth. You can turn the heat off about half way through. We like to stir-through a little chopped tarragon at the end but it’s up to yourself. Keep warm over a pan of warm water while you cook your steak.

Read Full Post »

Grilled Trout with an Asian Dressing

Posted in Asian, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 22 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

A simple fish dish for weeknights, and something a bit lighter before the feasting starts.

Wine Suggestion: A delight with a light, playful Riesling like Korrell’s Slice of Paradise from the Nahe in Germany, or Pikes Traditionale from the Clare Valley.

Grilled trout with Asian dressing – serves 2

  • 300g Charlotte potatoes
  • 2 skinless trout fillets
  • Thai basil or regular basil, to serve

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, remove the woody outer leaves and finely chop
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped

Boil the potatoes in salty water until tender, then drain and slice thickly, lengthways.

Season the trout, then grill for 3-4 minutes.

Arrange the potatoes onto plates and top with the trout. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and spoon over the top, then garnish with basil leaves.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, November 2014.)

Read Full Post »

Coronation Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 19 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

A tasty Saturday lunch. The leftovers were also popular with a few men who had been to a rugby match on the Saturday night.

Coronation chicken – serves 4 for lunch or in sandwiches

  • 300g cold cooked chicken
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp medium curry powder
  • 60ml chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp tomato purée
  • 25g sultanas
  • 2 tbsp mango chutney
  • 125g mayonnaise
  • 50ml Greek yoghurt
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

Shred the chicken, discarding any skin and bones.

Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for about 3 minutes or until soft but not coloured. Add the curry powder and fry for a minute, then add the chicken stock, bay leaf, tomato purée and sultanas. Cook for 5 minutes until the stock is well redcued, then stir in the mango chutney. Stir well, remove the bay leaf and leave to cool.

When the onion mixture is completely cool, add the mayonnaise, yoghurt and lemon juice. Stir in the chicken and coriander.

Serve in sandwiches, on toast, or with salad leaves, and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein At Home, BBC Books, 2021.)

Read Full Post »

Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan Salad with Lemon Dressing

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 15 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

We loved this dish! Bursting with flavour and the perfect wintery side salad. The leftovers were also good the next day. You can use capers instead of anchovies if you prefer.

Wine suggestion: This dish works really well with a good, dry Chenin Blanc. Our current favourite is Bernard Fouquet’s Domaine Aubuissieres Vouvray Silex Sec. Dry and full of yellow apple fruits and layers of texture, while remaining discrete enough to allow the sprouts and parmesan to come through.

Brussels sprout and Parmesan salad with lemon dressing – serves 4

  • 700g small brussels sprouts, trimmed, leave 500g whole and thinly shave the rest
  • 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 60ml lemon juice
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 ½ tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 2 anchovies in oil, drained and roughly chopped
  • 60g Parmesan, 20g roughly grated and the rest cut into shards – a veg peeler will do this nicely
  • 120g kale leaves, discard the stems and thinly shred the leaves
  • 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 20g basil leaves
  • 70g blanched hazelnuts, well toasted and roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 220C fan.

Line a tray with baking paper and add the whole sprouts, 2 tbsp of oil, ½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper, toss to combine. Roast for 18 minutes, stirring halfway, until well browned and cooked through, then leave to cool.

Meanwhile, put the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, anchovies, grated Parmesan, 3 tbsp of oil, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper into the small bowl of a food processor and whizz until smooth.

Put the kale, the shaved sprouts, the dressing, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper into a large bowl and toss with your hands, massaging the leaves gently. Leave to soften and wilt for about 10 minutes.

Add the onion, basil, chopped hazelnuts, Parmesan shards and roasted sprouts to the bowl and mix to combine. Turn out onto a platter to serve.

(Original recipe from OTK Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)

Read Full Post »

Mung Dal

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 11 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

There has been a packet of mung dal in our cupboard for quite some time now which is really the only reason why we made this lovely dish from Meera Sodha’s East. We’re definitley tempted to buy another packet so we can make it again. Serve with steamed rice.

  • 300g mung dal
  • 250g vine tomatoes, chopped
  • 3 big garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2.5 cm piece of ginger, grated
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 10 fresh curry leaves
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1½ tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 long green chilli, very finely chopped
  • a handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Put the mung dal, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, tumeric, chilli flakes, 1 tbsp of oil, 4 curry leaves and 1.25 litres of water into a large saucepan. Put the pan over a medium heat, with the lid ajar, and bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Give it a stir now now and again. It’s ready when soft and quite thick, then stir in the salt.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat until smoking hot, then add the mustard and cumin seeds, the chilli and the rest of the curry leaves. The leaves should crisp and the seeds start to pop after about a minute, then remove from the heat and pour over the dal. Stir to mix, then sprinkle over the coriander and serve.

(Original recipe from East by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree, 2019.)

Read Full Post »

Cumin Roasted Carrots with Honey, Lemon & St Tola

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 8 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is a great side dish for often uninspiring carrots. We served with chicken wings.

Cumin-roasted Carrots with Honey Lemon Dressing & St Tola – serves 4 to 6

  • 750g carrots, cut diagonally into 2½ cm slices
  • olive oil
  • 1½ heaped tbsp cumin seeds
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 tbsp clear honey
  • 100g St Tola, or other soft goats’ cheese
  • a bunch of dill, leaves roughly chopped
  • a good sprinkle of nigella seeds

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C.

Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Spread the carrots over the baking tray and drizzle with plenty of olive oil. Sprinkle over cumin seeds and season well with salt and peper. Toss to coat, then roast for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Mix the lemon juice and honey together until the honey dissolves. Drizzle this over the carrots and toss to coat, then roast for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly sticky.

Transfer the carrots to a serving plate, crumble over the cheese, then sprinkle with dill and nigella seeds.

(Original recipe from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2014.)

Read Full Post »

Roast Chicken Wings with Lemon & Black Pepper

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 7 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is roast-chicken-wings-with-lemon-black-pepper.jpeg

Who doesn’t love a chicken wing? This Nigel Slater recipe is simple but delicious, and somehow makes the chicken taste more chicken-y.

Wine Suggestion: An old favourite that we’ve not had for a while, the Secateurs Chenin Blanc from Swartland came out for this. We love how this grape is so adaptable and works with roast birds so well. Adi Badenhorst, who makes this one, is larger than life and yet guides this wine in a subtle and nuanced way. As he says, it makes itself, which says so much for how well he grows the grapes …

Roast chicken wings with lemon and black pepper – serves 2

  • 12 large chicken wings
  • 1 large lemon
  • 1 heaped tbsp black peppercorns
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp sea salt flakes

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Put the chicken wings into a roasting dish. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice over, then cut up the shells and tuck them amongst the wings.

Bash the peppercorns in a mortar until cracked into small pieces, not finely ground. Mix the cracked peppercorns with the olive oil, then toss with the chicken and lemon. Scatter over the sea salt flakes without crushing them.

Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning once, until golden and sticky with blackened edges.

(Original recipe from A Cook’s Book by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2021.)

Read Full Post »

Grilled Trout with Asian dressing

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 1 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

A simple fish supper for two, but with plenty of flavour; both delicate, fresh and rich.

Wine Suggestion: The higher acidity, fuller body and citrus-minerality of a good Albariño make this a match worth trying. Tonight Quinta Soalheiro’s Primeiras Vinhas Alvarinho from their oldest vineyards and partially made in oak really makes a statement. A velvety texture, deep and soulful, long, serious and elegant in the same breath. This wine makes a case for this grape to be considered “noble” and makes a good partner to the fattier fish and vibrant asian acidity, umami flavours.

Grilled trout with Asian Dressing – serves 2

  • 300g Charlotte potatoes
  • 2 skinless fillets of trout
  • a few basil leaves, Thai would be nice but regular will do

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, remove the woody outer leaves and finely chop
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped

Boil the potatoes in salty water until tender, then drain and slice thickly, lengthways.

Season the trout, then grill for a few minutes.

Arrange the potatoes over two plates, then top each with a piece of fish.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and sppon over the fish, and finish with a few basil leaves.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe, Olive Magazine, November 2014.)

Read Full Post »

Puy Lentil and Pearl Barley Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 23 November 2021| Leave a Comment »

It’s definitely a bit more like soup weather in Dublin and this one’s good and hearty!

Puy lentil and pearl barley soup – serves 6

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 100g dried Puy lentils
  • 100g pearl barley
  • 680g jar passata
  • 1.5 litres vegetable stock
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the onion and carrots and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until softened and starting to colour.

Add the garlic, Puy lentils and pearl barley and stir for a minute, then add the passata and vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 40-45 minutes or until everything is tender.

Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar, season again if needed, and serve.

(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks up a Feast with Lucy Young, DK Penguin House, 2019.)

Read Full Post »

A Big Veggie Curry

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 16 November 2021| 1 Comment »

Some nights we just feel like loads of veg, and this was one of them! Serve with rice and naan. Keep the dice relatively small so they don’t take too long to cook. This is also gluten-free and vegan if that matters to you.

Wine Suggestion: Good with Cline’s Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi in California. The juicy bramble fruits and warm spices make this a gentle hug of a combination. We love how Cline Family Cellars manage to get such great balance and texture in what could easily be just a fruit bomb: bravo!

A big veggie curry – serves 8

  • 1 large potato, diced
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
  • 1 aubergine, diced
  • 6 tbsp curry paste, we used Patak’s Madras
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 700g jar tomato passata
  • 400g tin coconut milk
  • 2 red peppers, sliced
  • 2 courgettes, cut into small cubes
  • coriander, to serve

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Put the potato, squash and aubergine into a large roasting tin and toss with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and 2 tbsp of the curry paste. Season, toss it all together and roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil over a medium heat in a large casserole or saucepan. Add the onions and fry until golden, you can add a splash of water if they start to stick. Stir in the remaining 4 tbsp of curry paste and cook for a few minutes, then add the passata, coconut milk and 100ml water. Simmer for 5 minutes.

When the roasted vegetables are tender, tip them into the sauce. Add the courgettes and peppers and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Scatter with coriander and serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food.)

Read Full Post »

Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Potato, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 November 2021| Leave a Comment »

We’ve seen these many times on social media and yesterday someone else’s pic inspired us to make them. Likewise we hope we inspire a few others to try Nigella’s salt and vinegar potatoes, they’re as good as they sound!

Salt and vinegar potatoes – serves 2

  • 500g baby new potatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ½ tsp raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar, or to taste
  • sea salt flakes, to taste

Steam the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Then allow to dry in the steamer basket over the empty pan, uncovered.

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan.

Pour the oil into a small shallow roasting tin and heat for 5 minutes in the oven.

Tip the potatoes out onto a board and crush with a fork. They should be roughly broken in two but with plenty of crumbly bits.

Toss the potatoes gently in the hot oil, then cook for 20 minutes, give them a turn and return to the oven for 10 minutes more, or until browned and crunchy.

Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the salt and vinegar.

(Original recipe from At My Table by Nigella Lawson, Chatto & Windus, 2017.)

Read Full Post »

Haddock Bake

Posted in Fish, Gluten-free, Potato, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 1 November 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is like a fish pie … but is so much easier to make and perfect for a Friday night after a long week. It’s also usefully gluten-free, unlike many other fish pies. Serve with a big bowl of peas.

Wine Suggestion: A new find from Cabardes in France, Domaine Ventenac’s “les Dissidents” Cassandre. A joyfully fresh Vermentino, a grape we think is the next big thing from southern France.

Haddock Bake – serves 6

  • 350g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
  • 500g baby spinach
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
  • 3 eggs, hard-boiled and cut into quarters (put them into boiling water and time for 8 minutes)
  • 500g skinless smoked haddock, cut into large chunks
  • 300ml double cream
  • 2 tsp grainy mustard
  • 75g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.

Put the potatoes into cold salted water, cover and bring to the boil, then cook for about 10 minutes or until just cooked. Drain well and leave to steam dry in the pot

Heat a large fring pan, add the spinach, and cook until just wilted, then drain in a colander. You will need to do this in batches. Squeeze the spinach against the colander to get rid of as much water as possible. When cool enough to handle you can squeeze it again with your hands.

Heat the oil in the same frying pan, add the mushrooms, and fry for a few minutes until just cooked.

Grease a 2 litre shallow oven-proof dish with a little butter.

Scatter the potatoes, spinach and mushrooms over the base of the dish, then spread the haddock and eggs over the top and season.

Mix the cream and mustard together with some seasoning, then pour over the dish and sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until bubbling and browned on top.

Serve with lots of peas.

(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks up a Feast with Lucy Young, DK, 2019.)

Read Full Post »

Piperada Vasca – Peppers & Tomatoes with Eggs

Posted in Brunch, Food, Gluten-free, Spanish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 30 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

A Spanish-inspired breakfast or brunch dish. The serrano ham is good on the side but not essential.

Piperada vasca – serves 2

  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • a knob of butter
  • 3-4 large eggs, lightly beaten and seasoned
  • slices of serrano ham
  • toasted bread, to serve

Grill the peppers until blackened all over, then place in a bowl and cover with cling film. When the peppers have cooled, peel and deseed them, then cut into strips.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onion, until soft and golden. Add the garlic and chilli and stir, then add the tomatoes. Add the sugar and season, then cook for 10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes have collapsed. Add the roasted peppers.

When almost ready to serve, melt the butter in a small frying pan and gently scramble the eggs. You’re looking for a creamy texture.

Serve the piperada with the eggs, ham and some toast on the side.

(Original recipe from The Food of Spain by Claudia Roden, Michael Joseph, 2012.)

Read Full Post »

Roasted Butternut Squash

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 27 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

We’re often cooking for two which means we often halves of things to use up, like half a butternut squash. This is our favourite way to cook it.

Roasted butternut squash – serves 4 as a side (easily halved!)

  • 1 large butternut squash (about 1kg), peeled, deseeded and cut into rough 3cm chunks
  • 10 small sprigs of thyme
  • 50ml olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Spread the squash out on a large baking tray, then add the thyme, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Give it a toss with your hands.

Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until tender and starting to caramelise.

Read Full Post »

Alsatian Beef, Lamb and Pork Stew

Posted in Beef, Food, Gluten-free, Lamb, Pork, Potato, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 25 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

We were initially attracted to this as it is marinated in Riesling, a favoured grape in our house, plus the unusual combination of three meats plus bacon. Classically country French in style, this has no airs or graces in appearance, but is jam packed full of flavour and richness. It serves loads of people and we’d suggest having a side of greens. Also, like many other long cooked stews this tastes great the following day and freezes well.

Wine Suggestion: Courtesy of a very generous friend who came to dinner, we were treated to a delightful comparison of two old bottles of Rene Rostaing’s Côte Rôtie: the La Landonne and Côte Blonde. Both an excellent match to the dish and lovely wines. The Côte Blond was the favoured bottle, but both showed very well. We’d recommend searching for a good Syrah if something of this calibre doesn’t come to hand. Thanks David for these bottles!

Alsatian beef, lamb and pork stew – serves 8-10

  • 750g boneless pork belly, cut into 4cm cubes
  • 750g boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 4cm cubes
  • 750g chuck steak, cut into 4cm cubes
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 250g carrots, sliced
  • 2 leeks, cut in half lengthways, washed and sliced
  • 500ml Sylvaner or Riesling white wine
  • 2 kg potatoes, sliced into 5mm thick rounds
  • 100g unsmoked bacon, cut into 1cm pieces
  • 250ml beef stock
  • a handful of flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped, to garnish

Place all of the meat (but not the bacon), onions, carrots and leeks in a large non-metallic bowl and pour over the wine. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.

Heat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C.

Arrange a quarter of the sliced potatoes over the base of a very large casserole dish.

Drain the meat and veg in a colander over a bowl and reserve the liquid.

Scatter some veg over the potatoes, then add som bacon pieces and chunks of meat. Season with salt and black pepper, then add another layer of potato, more veg, bacon, meat and seasoning. Keep layering like this and finsih with a final layer of potatoes. Don’t be tempted to hold back on the salt as the dish needs liberal seasoning (about 2tsp in total).

Pour over the reserved marinade juices and beef stock, then cover the casserole with a tight lid and put in the oven.

Bake for about 3 hours or until the meat is tender. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Secret France, BBC Books, 2019.)

Read Full Post »

Fennel with Peas & Halloumi

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 20 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes the simplest of recipes turn out the best. This one is absolutely delicous and depends on the ingredients being good as there is nowhere to hide.

Wine Suggestion: Find an easy mediterrranean dry white with a touch of sappy, minerality and you’ll have a good match. We had no Greek white’s to hand but had the La Piuma Pecorino from the Abruzzo so we enjoyed the light melon, pear and citrus flavours and light herbal, camomile and green almond touch on the fiinish.

Fennel with Peas & Halloumi – serves 2

  • 300g fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g halloumi, sliced

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 250g frozen peas, defrosted in a colander under cold running water and drained
  • 30g basil leaves
  • 20g mint leaves
  • 150ml olive oil

Warm the 3 tbsp of oil in a very big frying pan. Place the fennel in the pan in a single layer and season lightly. Cook until the fennel is browned on one side, then turn and continue to cook until soft.

Place the halloumi in the pan, tucking it in wherever you can so it browns on the pan. Allow to turn golden on both sides.

To make the dressing tip the peas, basil, mint and olive oil into a food processor and whizz until almost smooth, the texture should be slightly smooth. Spoon over the fennel and cheese and serve.

(Original recipe from Greenfeast: autumn, winter by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2019.)

Read Full Post »

Mushrooms with Garlic & Sherry Vinegar

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Spanish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 17 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

Try these to wet your appetite with a glass of sherry and some crusty bread.

Wine Suggestion: It only makes sense to drink a sherry with this dish with our suggestion being for either a good Fino or Amontillado. Fortunately our friends brought over Tio Pepe’s Fino En Rama. A savoury, minerally wine with grilled almond and iodine characters alongside some delightful lemon and apple fruitiness plus a good dollop of yeasty flor overtones.

Mushrooms with garlic & sherry vinegar – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 500g mushrooms, halve or quarter big ones
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • a pinch of hot paprika
  • a small bunch of flatleaf parsley, chopped

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minutes, stirring, then add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat until just browned. If they give out liquid, keep cooking until it’s all gone.

Season well with salt and pepper, then add the sherry vinegar. Allow to sizzle until almost evaporated.

Serve the mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of hot paprika and the chopped parsley.

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

Read Full Post »

Coleslaw

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 12 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

Coleslaw is a bit divisive, people tend to love it or hate it, and not helped by that gloopy stuff you buy in plastic tubs. This version is much superior!

Coleslaw – serves 4 or more

  • 50g crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 50g mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ¼ small white cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1-2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
  • ½ white onion, very finely sliced
  • juice of ½ a lemon, or 1 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar

Mix the crème fraîche or sour cream with the mayonnaise and mustard, and season to taste.

Put everything else into a large bowl, then add the mayonnaise mixture and mix to combine. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

(Original recipe from Camper Van Cooking by Claire Thompson & Matt Williamson, Quadrille: Hardie Grant Publishing, 2021.)

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »