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Archive for the ‘Gluten-free’ Category

Korean Chicken with Sesame Sprinkle

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , on 29 October 2018| 1 Comment »

Korean chicken with sesame sprinkle

Heaps of flavour in this Korean-inspired dish by Melissa Hemsley. Great on a weeknight with a green salad.

Wine Suggestion: This, like a lot of Korean dishes, is assertive, and has layers of bold flavours which makes winematching tricky but there are a number of options. Firstly a dry Marsala or dry Oloroso sherry. If neither of these are to hand then a lush and fruit forward red from Portugal. Our choice tonight was the Quinta de la Rosa Tinto from the Douro. They make lovely Ports here too, but have also dedicated vineyards and care for their dry wines as well; well worth searching out.

Korean chicken with sesame sprinkle – serves 2

  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves finely chopped or grated
  • 3cm piece of ginger, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes or Korean chilli powder
  • 1½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 6 tbsp tamari
  • 2½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

FOR THE SESAME SPRINKLE

  • 4 tbsp black & white sesame seeds (we only had white)
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes or Korean chilli powder

Preheat the oven to fan 220C/Gas 9.

Mix everything together(except the ingredients for the sprinkle) in a large heavy baking dish. Spread the chicken pieces out in a single layer, skin side down, and bake for 12 minutes.

Stir everything in the dish and turn the chicken pieces skin side up. Roast for another 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare the sesame sprinkle by mixing the ingredients together. Sprinkle over the cooked chicken and serve.

(Original recipe from Eat Happy by Melissa Hemsley, Ebury Press, 2018.)

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Cheesy Broccoli Baked Potatoes

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Potato, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 22 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Cheesy broccoli baked potatoes

These are great for a mid-week dinner with a salad or you could serve alongside a meat dish. Absolute comfort food.

Cheesy Broccoli Baked Potatoes – serves 4

  • 4 baking potatoes
  • 300g broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 1 tbsp grain mustard
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 140g grated Cheddar
  • a generous lump of butter

Heat the oven to 220ºC.

Rub a little bit of oil over the potato skins and place in the oven on a baking tray for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 200ºC and continue to bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender.

Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for a few minutes and drain well.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthways and scoop the insides into a bowl or pot. Mash the cooked potatoes with a fork, then stir in a generous lump of butter, the mustard, egg, most of the cheese and broccoli. Season, then pile back into the shells. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are crisp and golden. Serve with salad.

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Spiced Paneer and Pea Rice

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 17 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Spiced Paneer and Pea rice

This is barely a recipe, more a quick assembly of things that happen to be lying around. Typical of the sort of meal we have near the end of the week, when ingredients are running low. The paneer cheese bulks out the rice and the cool yoghurt negates the need for a sauce.

Spiced paneer and pea rice – serves 2

  • 200g pack of paneer (Indian cheese), diced
  • 2 tbsp curry paste (we like Patak’s Madras)
  • a pouch of ready-to-eat brown basmati (or use can cook your own)
  • 100g frozen peas, defrosted
  • 4 tbsp natural yoghrut
  • a handful of mint, chopped
  • naan breads and lemon wedges to serve

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan, then fry the paneer until golden.

Add the curry paste and fry.

Heat the rice in a microwave according to the pack instructions, then tip into the pan with the peas and toss together.

Mix the yoghurt with the mint and season.

Serve the rice with the yoghurt, naan bread and lemon wedges.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, September 2017.)

 

 

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Smoked Ham Salad with Shaved Gruyère, Escarole & Walnuts

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 12 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Smoked ham salad, with shaved Gruyere, Escarole & Walnuts

You know those fab salads that they serve in French bistros? Well this is one of those and it’s from Rick Stein’s French Odyssey – a book we never travel to France without.

Wine Suggestion: this wine reminded us of holidays in the Dordogne in France so we chose a white Bergerac from Chateau le Tap, a nearly even blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon with a touch of Muscadelle thrown in.

Smoked ham salad with shaved Gruyère, escarole and walnuts – serves 4

  • 1 escarole lettuce or 2 English curly lettuces
  • 100g piece of Gruyère cheese
  • 400g of good quality smoked cooked ham – about 12 very thin slice
  • 10 walnuts in the shell
  • 1 small bunch of chives, chopped

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp walnut oil (or use more olive oil if you haven’t got this)

Remove the outer lettuce leaves and discard, then break the rest into leaves. Wash and dry well in a salad spinner.

Cut the cheese into very thin strips using a cheese slicer or mandolin.

For the dressing, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice and vinegar. Add the crème fraîche, whisk until emulsified then gradually whisk in the olive and walnut oils. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the sliced ham, lettuce leaves and shaved cheese onto 4 plates and scatter over the shelled walnuts. Drizzle over the dressing and sprinkle with the chives.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s French Odyssey, BBC Books, 2005.)

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Roast Pumpkin & Fennel with Mushrooms

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 8 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Roast pumpkin & fennel with mushrooms

Such a beautiful autumnal side dish. We served this with some grilled pork but it would be nice with roasts or with some potatoes and greens if meat’s not your thing.

Roast pumpkin and fennel with mushrooms – serves 6

  • 2 fennel bulbs, cut into thin slices
  • 1 small pumpkin/squash, peeled and diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 300g portobello or field mushrooms, diced into big chunks
  • butter
  • a few sprigs of tarragon
  • 100ml double cream
  • 1 tsp Dijon

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

Toss the fennel and pumpkin/squash with the garlic, bay leaf and some olive oil and plenty of seasoning. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until completely tender.

Meanwhile, fry the mushrooms in butter until any liquid they have released has evaporated.

To serve, heat the cream in a small pot, then stir in the mustard and tarragon. Spoon the squash and fennel mixture onto a platter, toss through the mushrooms, then drizzle with the creamy sauce.

(Original recipe by Matt Tebbutt in BBC Olive Magazine, December 2010.)

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Marinated Mushrooms with Lemon

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Spanish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Marinated mushrooms with lemon

These mushrooms, from Claudia Roden’s fantastic book The Food of Spain, are served cold and make a great nibble to serve with drinks. Some bread and olives would be good too.

Wine Suggestion: Jono purchased a bottle of the delicious Valdespino Inocente Fino Sherry from a friend and this was the perfect Tapas dish to go with it.

Champiñones marinados – serves 4

  • 500g button mushrooms
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • grated zest of ½ a lemon
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Wipe the mushrooms clean with some damp kitchen towel. Trim the stems and cut into halves or quarters.

Heat the mushrooms in a large, non-stick frying pan, over a medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring until they release their juices and the juices have evaporated.

Mix the lemon juice & zest with the oil and some salt and pepper in a wide, shallow bowl. Add the hot mushrooms to the bowl and mix well.

Cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (or you can make a day ahead). Serve at room temperature with the parsley sprinkled over.

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

 

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Chicken in Vermentino

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 2 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Chicken in Vermentino

A fresh, vibrant Vermentino brings the elements of this River Café one-pot dish together; juicy roast chicken, buttery waxy potatoes and earthy porcini mushrooms.

Wine Suggestion: there’s only one choice here, and we would recommend the Poggio ai Ginepri Bolgheri Vermentino from the Tuscan coast. This is from the superb Argentiera estate with a clever 80% Vermentino and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. We say clever as the vines are quite young and the Vermentino brings at this early stage very typical texture, salty-savouriness and appley lemon fruit with the Sauvignon giving fresh acidity and backbone. Argentiera say they expect the percentage of Vermentino to rise as the vines age, but at the moment it is deliciously light and vibrant.

Roast chicken with Vermentino – serves 4

  • 2kg organic chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
  • 1kg waxy potatoes
  • 75g dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped
  • 250ml Vermentino

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Wipe the chicken pieces clean with paper towels and trim off any excess fat.

Soak the porcini mushrooms in 400ml of hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and keep the soaking water. Rinse the mushrooms to remove any grit and chop.

Heat a medium frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil, then add the garlic and lightly brown. Add the porcini and cook for 2 minutes. Add a little of the mushroom soaking liquid and simmer gently, adding more liquid to keep the mushrooms quite wet. Season.

Peel the potatoes and quarter them lengthwise.

Put the chicken pieces into a roasting tin in a single layer. Add the potatoes, rosemary, wine, and 3 tbsp of olive oil. Stir in the porcini and season. Roast for 30 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook for another 30 minutes. The chicken and potatoes should be light brown. Serve with the pan juices.

(Original recipe from Italian Two Easy: Simple Recipes from the London River Cafe by Rose Gray & Ruth Rogers, Clarkson Potter, 2006.)

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Pick up all those fallen apples and make sauce

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , on 1 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Apple sauce

Apple sauce is so simple but we’re still surprised at how many people buy those expensive jars when even us city dwellers can find free cooking apples at this time of year. Make a batch and freeze until you’re serving some roast pork, pork chops, sausages – or when you have to feed a baby.

Bramley Apple Sauce – serves many

  • 450g cooking apples
  • 1-2 dessertspoons of water
  • 50g caster sugar

Peel and core the apples, then cut into chunks and put into a small saucepan with the sugar and water. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low-medium heat until soft and breaking down. A bit of encouragement with a wooden spoon does no harm. When the apples are soft beat the sauce until smooth and serve warm with pork dishes or freeze until needed.

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Grilled Fish Skewers with Hawayej & Parsley

Posted in Barbecue, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 26 September 2018| 4 Comments »

Monkfish kebabs

We love the vitality this Yemeni spice mix (hawayej) gives to these monkfish kebabs from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi. We cooked these on a barbecue but you could also use a ridged griddle pan. Delicious served with rice, salad and a cucumber & mint yoghurt.

Wine Suggestion: Umani Ronchi’s Ca’Sal di Serra Verdicchio was our choice tonight as it has a lovely lemony character combined with a nutty, herbal twist; a good match.

Grilled fish skewers with hawayej & parsley – serves 4 to 6

  • 1kg monkfish, cut into 2.5cm cubes
  • 50g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • lemon wedges, to serve

HAWAYEJ SPICE MIX:

  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 whole cloves
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • 1½ tsp ground turmeric

First make the spice mix by putting the peppercorns, coriander, cumin and cloves in a pestle and mortar (or spice grinder) and pound until finely ground. Stir in the ground cardamom and turmeric, then transfer to a large bowl.

Next add the fish, parsley, garlic, chilli flakes, lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt to the bowl and mix well with your hands, massaging the spices into the fish. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for 6-12 hours (or 1 hour at a minimum).

Thread the fish chunks onto skewers, leaving gaps between the pieces,  then heat a barbecue until hot. Gently brush the kebabs with a little olive oil and cook in batches for about 2 minutes each side, or until just cooked through.

Serve immediately with the lemon wedges.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Fennel Dauphinoise

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 24 September 2018| Leave a Comment »

Fennel & Potato Gratin

Fennel makes a great addition to a classic dauphinoise. We served with chargrilled steak and spinach but it would also be great with venison.

Fennel Dauphinoise – serves 2

  • 225g medium potatoes, very thinly sliced (a mandolin works best for this)
  • 1 small fennel bulb, sliced (reserve the fronds)
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 75ml whole milk
  • 100ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
  • butter

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

Put the potatoes, fennel and garlic in a medium non-stick pan. Pour in the milk and cream, season well and simmer gently, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the potatoes are just tender.

Divide the mixture between 2 small (about 150ml) buttered ramekins and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and tender when pierced with a knife. Snip the fennel fronds over before serving.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Crispy Chickpeas & Lamb with Greens and Garlic Yoghurt

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 16 September 2018| Leave a Comment »

Crispy Chickpeas & Lamb with greens and garlic yoghurt

We made this Alison Roman dish because we had Rainbow Chard kindly given to us and as often happens, we discovered a gem. Crispy lamb and chickpeas – a divine combination!

Wine Suggestion: we think this goes with more serious Gamay: one of the Beaujolais Cru’s, like Moulin au Vent, Brouilly or Morgon. It needs good fruit, depth to the tannins, earthiness and freshness, without crunchy acidity.

Crispy chickpeas and lamb with greens & garlicky yoghurt – serves 4

FOR THE GARLICKY YOGHURT:

  • 240ml full-fat or 2% Greek yoghurt
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

FOR THE CHICKPEAS & LAMB:

  • 1 large or 2 small bunches of Swiss chard or kale
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 350g lamb mince
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • Tomatoes, quartered – to serve

To make the garlic yoghurt combine the yoghurt, garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl and season with salt and black pepper.

Separate the leaves and stems from the greens, then slice the stems and roughly tear the leaves.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the lamb, garlic and cumin and season with salt and black pepper.

Break up the lamb as it cooks until brown and crispy – about 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the lamb to a bowl.

Add the rest of the oil, the chickpeas and red pepper flakes to the frying pan and season. Cook until the chickpeas are well browned and starting to crisp up – about 8-10 minutes. Return the lamb to the pan and toss together. Transfer to a large serving dish.

Add the chopped stems to the frying pan with some seasoning. Cook for a couple of minutes to soften slightly, then add the leaves and toss until wilted – about 30 seconds. Season again if needed.

Smear the yoghurt over the bottom of plates or bowls and top with the chickpeas and lamb, the sautéed greens and the tomatoes.

(Original recipe from Dining In by Alison Roman, Clarkson Potter, 2017.)

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Chopped Salad

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 14 September 2018| Leave a Comment »

Chopped Salad

Anna Jones refers to this as her all-time favourite chopped salad and we think it might be ours too!

Chopped salad with honey dressing – serves 4

  • 2 carrots, peeled
  • ½ cucumber
  • 6 radishes
  • 100g seeds toasted (we used a mix of sunflower & pumpkin seeds)
  • 4 scallions
  • 12 cherry tomatoes
  • 2 little gem lettuces
  • a few sprigs of mint, leaves picked
  • a few sprigs of basil, leaves picked

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • ½ tsp mustard
  • ½ tsp runny honey or maple syrup
  • a splash of red-wine vinegar
  • a big splash of extra-virgin olive oil

Use your biggest chopping board and start by roughly chopping the carrot, cucumber and radishes, then sprinkle over the seeds.

Next chop the scallions, tomatoes, little gem and mint together then mix everything on the board together.

Make the dressing in a bowl, then pour over the salad and mix again. Season and tip into a big bowl.

(Original recipe by Anna Jones in The Guardian)

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Marinated Turkey Breast with Coriander, Cumin & White Wine

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 14 September 2018| 1 Comment »

Marinated turkey breast with coriander, cumin & white wine

Not entirely the wrong season as turkey is available and cheap – we’re never sure why it isn’t more popular. If you’re not convinced try this tasty marinade from the original Ottolenghi Cookbook. This is very straightforward but you need to start a day ahead.

We used 1/2 turkey breast, but wrapped it in the whole skin and tied this to keep it together. If you find an amiable butcher we recommend getting them to do this too.

Wine Suggestion: We’d suggest opening a Chardonnay with texture and fresh acidity alongside ripe, deep fruit. We’ve recently tried some great Californian Chardonnays that reach this goal;  the Cline Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a good, value option, or a new discovery, and a treat, the range of wines made by Tyler in Santa Barbara. Quite a bit more expensive but a real thrill.

 Marinated turkey breast with cumin, coriander and white wine – serves 4 to 6

  • 4 tbsp mint leaves
  • 4 tbsp parsley leaves
  • 4 tbsp coriander leaves
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 60ml lemon juice
  • 60ml olive oil
  • 125ml white wine
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ small turkey breast, skin on (about 1kg)

Put everything (except the turkey) in a food processor and blend for a couple of minutes until smooth. Put the turkey in a non-metallic container and pour over the marinade. Massage the marinade into the meat, then cover and leave in the fridge for 24 hours. The turkey should be immersed in the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas mark 7.

Take the turkey out of the marinade (but don’t throw the marinade away) and put it on a roasting tray. Put into the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200C/Gas mark 6. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes then reduce the temperature again to 180C/Gas mark 4. Cook for another 30-45 minutes or until cooked through. If you stick a knife into the centre of the meat it should come out hot. Cover with foil near the end of the cooking time if it is browning too much.

To make the sauce, heat up the reserved marinade in a small saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced by about half. Taste and season.

Take the turkey out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, then slice thinly and serve with the warm sauce.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi: the Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2006.)

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Smokey Black Bean & Roast Tomato Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 10 September 2018| Leave a Comment »

Smokey black bean & roast tomato soup

This is a tasty soup, but the sweetcorn salsa makes it extra special and looks great. Hearty enough to serve as a main course.

Wine Suggestion: a juicy, fruity red was the match here with the Cline Lodi Zinfandel as our choice this evening to great effect.

Smoky Black Bean & Roast Tomato Soup – serves 4

FOR THE SALSA

  • 1 small red onion, very finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 100g sweetcorn kernels
  • 1 red chilli
  • squeeze of lime juice
  • small bunch of coriander, leaves picked

FOR THE SOUP

  • 6 tomatoes, halved across the middle
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 red onions, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp chipotle paste
  • 1 tsp fresh or dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 700g cooked black beans
  • 750ml veg stock
  • squeeze of lime juice
  • sour cream, to serve

First roast the tomatoes. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the tomatoes in a single layer, cut-side up, on a baking tray. Drizzle lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt, then roast for 30 minutes.

Next make the salsa. Cook the red onion in the sunflower oil for 5 minutes until soft and starting to colour. Turn up the heat, then add the sweetcorn and chilli, stirring until the corn is toasted at the edges. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and add a squeeze of lime juice.

To make the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently cook the onions until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic, chipotle paste, oregano & cumin seeds. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the cumin is fragrant.

Add the roasted tomatoes, the cooked beans and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice, then liquidise until smooth. Check again for seasoning. Stir the coriander leaves through the salsa.

Serve the soup in warm bowls and a spoon of sour cream and salsa on the top.

(Original recipe by Alice Hart in BBC Good Food Magazine, July 2011.)

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Olive-oil Braised Runner Beans with Tomatoes

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , on 9 September 2018| Leave a Comment »

Olive oil braised runner beans with tomatoesWe loved these slow-cooked runner beans by Anna Jones in the Guardian. A delicious late summer side or lunch dish. Anna serves with feta, crusty bread and salad. We served as a side with roast chicken which was also great.

Olive-oil Braised Runner Beans with Tomatoes – serves 4

  • 150ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 200g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 400g runner beans, destringed and sliced at an angle into 2 cm lengths
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • juice of 1 lemon

Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based pan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the tomatoes, green beans, oregano and a good pinch of salt. The beans must be covered so if they are not add a little water.

Turn the heat to low and cook the beans for 45-60 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure they’re not dry and add more water as needed.

The beans are ready when soft and with no squeak, but not falling apart. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and season with black pepper. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper and lemon to taste.

Serve at room temperature.

(Original recipe by Anna Jones in The Guardian, Friday 27th August 2018.)

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Crispy Parma Ham with Avocado and Hot Tomato Dressing

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , on 6 September 2018| 3 Comments »

Crispy Parma ham w avocado and hot tomato dressing

A really nice dish to serve as a starter in late summer when the tomatoes are at their best.

Wine Suggestion: We love serving slightly-chilled, young, light reds with salads like this. Given the Parma ham we chose the Colterenzio Pinot Nero from the Alto Adige, but it could have easily been a Joven Tempranillo, Beaujolais or Cheverny rouge. Young, lighter bodied, fruity and with a fresh acidity; perfect.

Crispy Parma Ham with Avocado & Hot Tomato Dressing – serves 4

  • 5 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra
  • 85g Parma ham, roughly torn
  • 2 large plum tomatoes, quartered, seeded and cut into thin slivers
  • 15g basil, roughly chopped
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 100-120g mixed salad leaves
  • 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add half the Parma ham pieces, add some freshly ground black pepper and fry for one minute per side until crisp. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you repeat with the rest of the ham.

Wipe any excess fat out of the pan and return to a low heat. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil, then add the tomatoes, basil and lemon juice. Season with freshly ground black pepper and gently heat through for about 30 seconds.

Arrange the salad leaves on 4 plates. Top with the avocado slices, then pile on the crispy ham and spoon over the hot dressing. Serve immediately with a little extra salt if needed and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

(Original recipe by Lesley Waters in BBC Good Food Magazine, September 2001)

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Thai Red Curry with Prawns

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 5 September 2018| 1 Comment »

Thai red curry with prawns

An easy prawn curry with lots of veg.

Wine Suggestion: we’d actually suggest a red wine to match this dish, despite it being seafood. Our choice is a young, fruity reds with lower tannin like the Paria Grenache made by Domaine Ventenac from the Languedoc, or a lightly chilled Paco Garcia Rioja Seis. A hint of tannin and joyful fruit and juiciness with a lighter body … not too much weight for this dish even if the wines have good length.

Easy Thai Red Curry with Prawns – serves 6

  • 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
  • 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
  • 250ml whole milk
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 300g butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 150g green beans
  • 12 button mushrooms, halved
  • 400g raw peeled prawns
  • fish sauce
  • coriander and steamed jasmine rice to serve

Heat a splash of oil in a large pan and fry the curry paste for a minute or until fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk and milk and bring to a simmer.

Add the potato and squash cubes and cook until almost tender, then add the green beans and mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the prawns, simmer until cooked through and season with the fish sauce.

Serve with steamed rice and some chopped coriander.

(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, November 2011.)

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Blistered Peppers, Pomodorini, Mozzarella & Pesto

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 September 2018| Leave a Comment »

Blistered peppers, pomodorini, mozzarella & pesto

Flavours of late summer and something different to use up fresh pesto. We loved this dish, so light but really tasty. Serve with salad and bread.

Wine Suggestion: We’d suggest a juicy Tempranillo with a touch of oak, like the Paco Garcia Rioja Seis; a modern style that doesn’t need food unlike some other Rioja wines. Very happily served alongside a dish like this.

Blistered peppers, pomodorini, torn mozzarella & pesto – serves 2

  • 2 large red peppers
  • 12 pomodorini or baby plum tomatoes
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1  ball of buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks
  • 4 tbsp fresh pesto

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

Cut the peppers in half lengthways, remove the seeds and rub all over with a little olive oil and seasoning.

Toss the tomatoes with some olive oil, seasoning and the garlic .

Heat a heavy oven-proof pan until hot. Put the peppers, cut-side down, into the pan and sear until blackened along the edges. Turn them over and add the tomatoes to the pan, then roast in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Put the tomatoes inside the peppers along with the chunks of mozzarella. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, then return to the oven until the mozzarella has started to melt. Put a tablespoon of pesto on each stuffed pepper before serving.

Serve with salad and bread.

(Original recipe by Alastair Hendy in Olive Magazine, August 2014.)

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Tomato & Olive Salad with za’atar & Buttermilk Dressing

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 31 August 2018| Leave a Comment »

Tomato & Olive Salad

Fabulous flavours in this easy summer salad by Sabrina Ghayour. Great with barbecues – there’s still time before the cold evenings arrive.

Tomato & Olive Salad with Za’atar &  Buttermilk Dressing – serves 6 to 8

  • 800g mixed tomatoes
  • 250g pitted mixed olives
  • 15g chives, snipped
  • 200ml buttermilk
  • olive oil (Sabrina suggests a flavoured one like garlic or lemon)
  • 2 tbsp za’atar

Slice the tomatoes horizontally into 1cm-thick slices and arrange on a large platter. Spread the olives around the plate and scatter over half of the chives. Season generously with good sea salt and black pepper.

Season the buttermilk well with salt and a good slug of olive oil, the drizzle this over the salad. Scatter over the remaining chives and sprinkle over the za’atar. Serve right away.

(Original recipe from ‘Feasts’ by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2017.)

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Badargani – Aubergine Rolls Filled with Pomegranate & Walnuts

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 30 August 2018| 1 Comment »

Badargani

Honey & co strikes again with a great veggie Sunday supper and fab left-overs for lunch-boxes on Monday. They suggest serving with yoghurt and green salad – we had some steamed rice too.

Wine Suggestion: a conundrum in matching this with the slight bitterness from the walnuts, the earthy, smoky, velvety aubergine and the sweet-sour-crunchy pomegranates. In the end we went with the Chapelle en Rosé from Chateau St. Jacques d’Albas in Minervois which was red-fruited, sappy and minerally dry. If you can’t find this then open a dry rosé made in the style of Provence.

Badargani – Aubergine rolls filled with walnuts & pomegranate – serves 4

  • 4 large aubergines, trimmed
  • olive oil

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 1 large red onion, diced finely
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 100g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped (keep 2 tbsp for garnish)
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled & grated
  • 15-20g parsley, chopped
  • 100g fresh pomegranate seeds (keep 2 tbsp for garnish)
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper

Heat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas Mark 7.

Slice each aubergine into 5 or 6 slices lengthways. Keep the outside slices for the filling and the long inner slices for the rolls. Brush a couple of baking trays with oil and lay the inside aubergines slices flat on them. Drizzle with more oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until golden and soft, turn the trays around mid-way to make sure they cook evenly. Set aside to cool.

Cut the aubergine trimmings into small dice (similar to the onion). Fry the onion in the olive oil over a medium heat until starting to soften, then add the diced aubergine and salt. Cook until the aubergine goes very soft. Take the pan off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and season again if needed.

Put a large spoon of filling at the end of each aubergine slice and roll into thick sausages. Put the filled rolls into an ovenproof serving dish. Spoon any leftover filling around the edges. Put into the oven for 5 minutes to warm through before serving.

Sprinkle the rolls with the reserved walnuts and pomegranate seeds. Serve about 3 rolls per person with a dressed green salad, some yoghurt and steamed rice.

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

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