We love this fresh salad, the perfect side dish for so many summer dishes. You can crumble some feta over the top before serving if you like.
Fattoush – serves 4
FOR THE SALAD:
2 flatbreads or pitta breads (about 120g in total)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 small Persian cucumbers or 1 small regular cucumber
4 tomatoes (about 450g in total)
75g Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
10g mint leaves, finely chopped
20g parsley leaves, finely chopped
75g feta cheese (optional)
FOR THE DRESSING:
1 tbsp sumac
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/Gas 6.
Toss the pitta breads in the olive oil, then bake in the hot oven for 10 minutes or until very crisp. Leave to cool then snap into chunky pieces.
Cut the cumcumbers in half and scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon. Chop into 1-2cm pieces and put into a salad bowl.
Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds, chop the flesh into pieces the same size as the cucumber and add the bowl with the crispy pieces of bread. Add the lettuce and herbs.
Mix the dressing ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad, then use your hands to toss everything together. Adjust the seasoning to taste, then crumble over some feta if you like.
(Original recipe from Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan, Bloomsbury, 2018.)
This simple pasta dish will be ready in 10 minutes, the kind of dish we like on a Friday night! The Italian sausages we used tonight were the spicier sort but this would be delicious with milder ones too, the key is the higher meat content. If the sausages have fennel in them halve the fennel seeds.
Wine Suggestion: An under-rated Tuscan coast gem, Morisfarm’s Mandriolo. A classic, youthful Sangiovese with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot this is juicy and vibrant, but also hiding a serious core that stands up to flavoursome food
Penne with Italian sausages & rocket – serves 4
200g Italian sausages
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ glass of white wine
500g penne rigate pasta
100g freshly grated pecorino
100g rocket
Remove the skins from the sausages and break them up into a bowl.
Warm the oil in a large frying pan over a low heat, add the sausages and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes. Add fennel seeds and some salt and continue to cook for another minute. Add the wine and cook for a minute more, then remove from the heat.
Meanwhile cook the pasta in lots of salty water.
When the pasta is cooked, return the sauce to a medium heat. Drain the pasta and tip into the sauce. Sprinkle over the pecorino and rocket and toss for about 30 seconds over a medium heat to allow them to come together.
(Original recipe from Gino’s Pasta by Gino D’Acampo, Kyle Books, 2010.)
Well this is just delicious; we love bean chillies anyhow but this is a particularly good one. We are not vegan and so served this with sour cream. We’ve included the instructions for a vegan crème fraîche below if you prefer.
Wine Suggestion: For some reason we gravitate to American (both North & South) reds when eating chillies, and with the Wines of Argentina tasting in Dublin yesterday it was natural we’d open a Malbec. A star of the show, and definitely by no means the most expensive, the Altosur Malbec by Finca Sophenia in Gualtallary, Mendoza was our choice. And it seems like Decanter agrees with our choice too – Best in Show and Best Value in their World Wine Awards just announced. Bravo Finca Sophenia and perfect for our chilli.
Vegan chilli – serves 4-6
4 sweet potatoes, skins scrubbed
2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus a bit extra to rub on the potatoes
100g broccoli florets
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 large clove of garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 red pepper, chopped
2 x tins chopped tomatoes
400g tin chickpeas, drianed and rinsed
100g fresh, frozen or tinned sweetcorn kernels
400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
sour cream or crème fraîche (or make the vegan crème fraîche below)
IF YOU WANT VEGAN CRÈME FRAÎCHE:
65g cashews soaked in 120ml water for 30 minutes, then drained
juice of ½ lemon
TO SERVE:
75g edamame beans
1 avocado, chopped
lime wedges
Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C.
Rub the sweet potatoes with a little bit of vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until tender.
Steam the broccoli until tender, then set aside.
If you want to make the vegan crème fraîche, put the soaked and drained cashews in a blender with the lemon juice. Season with salt and blitz to a cream.
Heat the oil in a large, deep pan, over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and spices and cook for a few minute or until softened. Add the red pepper and tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chickpeas, sweetcorn, black beans and kidney beans. Season with salt and simmer for 10-15 minutes. If it starts to look dry, you can add a splash of water.
Add the steamed broccoli and mix to warm through.
Trim the ends off the sweet potatoes and cut them in half but not the whole way through. Spoon the chilli into the potatoes and top with some edamame beans and sour cream or crème fraîche, then serve with the avocado and lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein at Home, BBC Books, 2021.)
This is just a simple green salad but the addition of chopped green olives and red onions takes it to the next level. It’s particularly good with tomato-based dishes, like lasagne or Parmigiana.
Green salad with olive dressing – serves 6
1 small red onion, finely chopped
50g green olives, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp golden caster sugar
6 big handfuls of mixed green salad leaves
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl, then add the olives and red onion and season.
Tip the salad leaves into a bowl and drizzle over the dressing, then toss gently to coat.
Today was a sunny Sunday so we grilled aubergine slices on the barbecue, made this delicious veggie bake, and ate it outside. Happy days! Serve with garlic or crusty bread and salad.
Wine Suggestion: We think youthful, fruity reds are a joy with this dish and can’t pass up a chance to open a good Beaujolais. For this dish Domaine Rochette’s Régnié, a cru that is often overlooked and unfairly so. Bright and almost crunchy fruit that shouts just as much of sunshine as the Parmigiana.
Melanzane Parmigiana – serves 4 to 6
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing over the aubergines
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 thyme sprigs
8 large sage leaves, finely chopped
4 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp golden caster sugar or granulated sugar
6 large aubergines, sliced very thinly, lengthways
100g Parmesan, finely grated
85g white breadcrumbs
50g pine nuts
2 x 125g mozzarella balls, torn into small pieces
a handful of basil leaves
Get the sauce on first. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or a wide saucepan, then add the garlic, thyme and sage and cook for a few minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, vinegar and sugar, and simmer gently for about 25 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Meanwhile, light your barbecue – a gas barbecue is particularly good for this as it’s easier to control the heat, you don’t want the aubergine to char before it’s softened. If you don’t have a barbecue (or if it’s not barbecuing weather) you can use a griddle pan instead.
Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil, then barbecue in batches until softened and lightly charred.
Mix 25g of the Parmesan with the breadcrumbs and pine nuts, and set aside.
Spread a little of the tomato sauce over the base of a large baking tray or lasagne dish. Top with a layer of aubergine slices, then season well. Spoon over some more sauce, then scatter over some mozzarella, Parmesan and bssil leaves.
Repeat the layers and finish with a layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle over the cheesey breadcrumbs. You can bake the dish now or stick it in the fridge for up to 24 hours and bake when you’re ready.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is crispy and golden and the tomato sauce bubbling. Rest for 10 minutes, then serve with salad and bread.
These have to be the easiest snack ever and they’re great to serve with drinks. The best thing is that you can have them made up in the fridge and just bake them when you need them.
Wine Suggestion: Find a bone-dry white that gets your digestive juices watering. For something really special look out for Quinta Soalheiro’s Granit which is an high altitude, single vineyard selection from, as you might have suspected Granitic soil. Piercingly dry and laser focused, and yet so beautiful and expressive it made us sit up and pay attention.
Za’atar & Goats’ Cheese Puffs – makes 20
1 x 320g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
olive oil
2 heaped tbsp za’atar
300g soft goats’ cheese
Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7.
Put the cheese into a bowl and break it up with a fork.
Unroll the pastry sheet but keep it on the greaseproof liner it’s wrapped in.
Place the pastry on the work surface with the long side facing you and brush lightly with olive oil.
Scatter over 1 tbsp of the za’atar, then distribute the cheese all over the sheet, leaving a 2.5cm border at the edge of the pastry furthest from you. Season generously with salt and pepper, then sprinkle over the other tbsp of za’atar.
Start to roll the pastry, starting with the long edge closest to you and rolling away from you. Roll it as tightly as possible without crushing it. Use a serrated knife to cut the roll in half then cut each half into 10 slices. Put the slices onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and pat them down flat with your fingers to hep them stay together.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and serve immediately.
(Original recipe from Sirocco by Sabrina Ghayour, Michell Beazley, 2016.)
This dish couldn’t be easier and is all cooked in the one tray; a great spring celebration. It helped that we were able to source all of the ingredients locally, always makes us feel good about what we’re eating.
Wine Suggestion: Simple, but fresh and asparagus friendly Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, in this case blended with a touch of Chardonnay from the Cheverny appelation. Pascal Bellier produces a charmer.
Sea trout, new potatoes and asparagus with a dill & mustard sauce – serves 4
1kg baby new potatoes, we used Jersey Royals
400g asparagus
2 tbsp olive oil
4 fillets of sea trout (or you could use salmon)
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp groundnut oil
2 tbsp chopped dill, plus a bit extra to serve
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
Cook the potatoes in salty water for about 3 minutes, then add the asparagus and cook for a further 2 minutes. Drain well and and run the asparagus under cold running water to stop it cooking any further.
Put the potatoes into a large non-stick baking tray, toss with the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Put into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until starting to brown.
Tuck the trout and asparagus in and around the potatoes and season these too. Roast again for 10-12 minutes or until the trout is just cooked.
Meanwhile, whisk the mustard, sugar, vinegar and oil together to make the dressing. Stir through the dill just before you’re ready to serve. Drizzle the sauce over the dish and scatter with some more dill if you like.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe and Adam Bush in Olive Magazine, May 2019.)
This is Meera Sodha’s fresh take on Matar Paneer, which is usually a richer dish. Delicious with warm naan breads and plain yoghurt, this version could easily become a regular favourite.
Fresh Matar Paneer – serves 4 as a mainor more as a side with other dishes
rapeseed oil
550g hard paneer, cut into 1.5cm cubes
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
200g green beans
200g mangetout
200g frozen peas (defrosted), or you can use fresh of course if you have them
1 red chilli, finely sliced to serve
Heat a couple of tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the panner over a medium heat until browned and crisp all over, then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Heat another tbsp of oil in the pan, then add the garlic and stir-fry for a couple of minutes (make sure the frying pan isn’t too hot when you add the garlic or it will burn). Add the tomatoes and cook for about 6 minutes or until just turning jammy. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, chilli powder and turmeric, then stir for another minute before taking off the heat.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add salt. Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes, then add the mangetout and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 1 more minute, then drain and leave to steam dry.
Heat the sauce, then stir in the paneer. When both are hot, stir in the veg. Sprinkle over the sliced red chilli and serve.
(Original recipe from Fresh India by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree, 2016.)
This soup recipe by Skye Gyngall is delicious. Make it while you can get local aspragus and serve with some crusty bread.
Asparagus, rice & pancetta soup – serves 4
50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
2 red onions, finely chopped
a small bunch of thymes, leaves stripped and stalks discarded
5 slices of pancetta, chopped into small pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
100g white rice
1 litre good chicken stock
500ml water
12 green asparagus spears, snap off the woody ends and cut into short lengths on the diagonal
100g Parmesan, freshly grated
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onions, thyme and a pinch of salt and cook gently for 10 minutes.
Add the pancetta and garlic and continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, then stir in the rice. Pour in the stock and water and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down low, then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Add the asparagus to the soup and cook for a few minutes until just tender, then stir in the Parmesan. Season to taste with lots of black pepper and salt to taste.
Ladle into warm bowls and top with the parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
(Original recipe from My Favourite Ingredients by Skye Gyngell, Quadrille Publishing Limited, 2008.)
This recipe comes from Chasing Smoke by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich of Honey & Co. in London. This is hands-down the best hummus we’ve ever made (and we’ve made lots) and the crispy lamb belly (poached then finished over charcoal) is fatty but fabulous. It’s good with a simple salad (we went for cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions & Baby gem dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and sumac) and lots of warm pittas. You need to soak the chickpeas the night before.
Wine Suggestion: Anything with a hint of middle-eastern spices or warm sunshine. A Garnacha, or maybe a Tempranillo. Tonight the classic Massaya le Colombier from the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. A lot has happened in this part of the world and we’re glad to support the friends we’ve met still trying to make great wine despite all the challenges. Well done Sami and Ramzi, bravo!
Crispy lamb on creamy hummus – serves 4 (generously)
FOR THE LAMB:
1 lamb breast on the bone, about 1.5kg
1 tbsp table salt
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 onions, quartered
1 litre of water
FOR THE HUMMUS:
200g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in lots of water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1 tsp table salt
250g tahini paste
½ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp lemon juice
TO SERVE:
a small handful of parsley, chopped
1 tsp biber chilli flakes (or Allepo)
pitta breads
salad (see suggestion above
Rub the lamb all over with the salt, cumin seeds and peppercorns, then leave in the fridge for a couple of hours. Put the lamb in a large pan with the onions and water. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly for about 1½ hours.
Make the hummus while the lamb is cooking. Drain the soaked chickpeas, then place in large saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil and skim off the foam. Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then skim again.
Add the bicarbonate of soda and mix well. Skim it really well this time then simmer for 30-40 minutes, skimming regularly, until the chickpeas are very soft – they should melt in your mouth.
Drain the chickpeas into a colander over a bowl so you can reserve the cooking liquid. You need to finish the hummus now while everything is still hot. Pour 250ml of the cooking liquid over the chickpeas and add the garlic. Now whizz using a stick blender or food processor until really smooth. It will be pretty thick at this stage but not to worry.
Add the salt, tahini, cumin and lemon juice and whizz again until well combined. Give it a taste and add more salt or lemon juice if you like. Cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming and set aside. It will be quite liquid but it will thicken as it cools.
Lift the lamb out of the cooking water, keep a few spoonfuls of liquid for serving. The meat should be completely soft and easy to pull from the bones. Carefully (so it doesn’t fall apart altogether) lift it onto a hot charcoal barbecue and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn it over and cook for 10 minutes on the other side. You need to do this over indirect heat or it will burn or catch fire as there is a lot of fat.
To cook over indirect heat pile the charcoal to one side and with the lid on cook the meat on the other side. Despite no direct flames underneath the meat cooks a treat – slower, but no less effectively.
Take the cooked meat off onto a chopping board and shred it with two forks – like crispy duck.
Spread the hummus on a serving platter and top with the lamb and a drizzle of the cooking liquid. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and chilli flakes and serve with lots of pitta and a salad if you like.
(Original recipe from Chasing Smoke: Cooking over fire around the Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, Pavilion, 2021.)
Bored with bolognese? Try this lamb and pea ragu for a change, it’s just as comforting but peas for a bit of Spring freshness.
Wine Suggestion: We had a glass of the Umani Ronchi Rosso Conero Serrano, which is an unoaked Montepulciano with a touch of Sangiovese. Springtime in a glass.
Lamb & pea ragu – serves 6
2tbsp olive oil
500g lamb mince
1 onion, finely diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 stick of celery, finely diced
1 leek, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
a pinch of dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 anchovy fillet, drained
a splash of white wine
200g tomato passata
250ml chicken stock
250ml full-fat milk
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
150g frozen peas
grated Parmesan
500g casarecce, fusilli or other pasta
Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over a high heat. Add the mince and fry until well browned. Season with salt and pepper and scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the carrot, celery and leek to the fat in the pan and cook gently for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli flakes, ground fennel seeds, and anchovy to the pan and cook for another minute.
Return the lamb to the pan and stir into the vegetables, then add the splash of wine and allow it to almost evaporate. Add the passata and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes more, until the sauce is quite thick.
Add the milk and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is thick and creamy, then stir in the balsamic vinegar and peas and cook for a final 3 minutes. Season again to taste.
Meanwhile, cook the past is lots of very salty water. Drain and reserve a mug of cooking water. Combine the sauce and pasta and add a bit of pasta cooking water to moisten if you need.
Tender chicken in tasty sauce, healthy stuff for mid-week. We served with brown rice.
Paprika chicken goulash – serves 4
500g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well
1 large onion, halved and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 green pepper, chopped into chunks
1½ tbsp paprika
1 tsp caraway seeds
400g tin cherry tomatoes
300ml chicken stock
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
sour cream, to serve
rice, to serve
Toss the chicken with the seasoned flour. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large deep frying pan and cook in batches until browned all over, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes or until soft and browned at the edges. Add the pepper and cook for another 8 minutes or so or until soft.
Put the chicken back into the pan and add the spices, tomatoes and stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the chicken tender. Stir in the parsley and serve with sour cream and rice.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, May 2018.)
This is absolutely lovely for lunch and you can make it up a few hours in advance and chill it in the fridge. It’s also easily doubled if your serving a crowd. Like everything it tastes better outside in the sun. Serve with some crusty bread and green salad leaves if you like.
Lemon & herb chicken salad – serves 6
750g cooked skinless chicken, cut into thin strips (we cook our chicken on a barbecue for extra flavour)
150g pitted green olives, halved
290g jar chargrilled red peppers, drained and thinly sliced
2 tbsp freshly chopped basil
2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
200g feta cheese, broken into small pieces
FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp pesto
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp caster sugar
Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl and seasoning with salt and black pepper.
Add the chicken to the dressing and toss well, then addd the olives, half the peppers, the basil, parsley, and two-thirds of the feta. Season again.
Arrange the chicken on a large platter and top with the rest of the peppers and feta. Chill in the fridge for a bit before serving.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks up a Feast with Lucy Young, Penguin Random House, 2019.)
We loved these little breakfast tacos so much we made them a few days in a row; and the mini yellow corn tortillas from Picado work perfectly. Jono bravely picked each taco up with a bit of spillage, Jules sensibly used a knife and fork.
Breakfast tacos with bacon, eggs & avocado – serves 2
4 rashers smoked back bacon
3 tsp butter
6 medium eggs
8 mini corn tortillas (use less if you’re using bigger ones)
1 avocado, sliced
a bunch of coriander, chopped
Sriracha sauce, to serve
Grill or barbeuce the bacon until cooked and crispy, then snip with scissors into small pieces.
Melt the butter in a saucepan then softly scramble the eggs, take them off the heat when still slightly liquid so they don’t overcook. Stir in the crispy bacon.
Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan and lay onto two warm plate.
Spoon the bacon and eggs over the tacos, then top with avocado, coriander and a drizzle of Sriracha sauce.
We’ve tried a few of these lately; a pasta dish where you literally chuck everything into the one pan, pasta and all, and cook. Perfect for weeknight/late night cooking.
Wine Suggestion: Well we wouldn’t go too fancy here as it would sort of defeat the purpose, something red, Italian, and not too expensive would be our choice.
One-pan pasta with sausage & fennel – serves 2-3
1 tbsp olive oil
4 pork sausages, skinned
1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp hot-smoked paprika
a pinch of chilli flakes
1 x 400g tin of chopped or plum tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
450ml chicken stock
175g penne pasta or similar
2 tbsp crème fraîche, soft cheese or double cream
2 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated, plus more to serve
a bunch of basil, roughly torn
Heat the oil in a a large deep frying pan. Pull off small pieces of sausage and add them to the pan. Fry until nicely browned all over. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, paprika and chilli flakes and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in the pasta, then cover with a lid and simmer gently for 12-15 minutes or until almost cooked, give it a stir now and then as it cooks. Stir in the crème fraîche, Parmesan and basil, then remove from the heat, cover with a lid and leave to sit for a couple of minutes. Serve with extra Parmesan.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, May 2020.)
In our house almost anything will be eaten if it’s mixed with noodles (though not mushrooms sadly … but we’re working on it). Any leftovers of this will make a popular lunchbox too.
Chicken & soba noodle stiry-fry – serves 4
800ml chicken stock
400g chicken breasts
200g dried soba noodles
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
half a red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
150g green beans, trimmed
150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1½ tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
a small handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a pot, then add the chicken breasts and cook for 20 minutes. Make sure they are completely submerged in the stock. Remove the chicken breasts, shred with two forks and set aside.
Add the noodles to the chicken stock and cook according to the pack instructions. Remove the noodles from the stock with tongs and set aside, reserve the stock.
Heat the oil in a wok, then stir-fry the ginger, chilli and garlic for 30 seconds. Add the onion, carrot, green beans and mushrooms and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.
Add the shredded chicken, the noodles, 50ml of the reserved stock, the soy sauce and the sesame oil. Toss to combine and heat through. You can add a little more stock for moisture if you need.
Divide between warm bowls and scatter the coriander over the top.
(Original recipe by Nadine Brown in Olive Magazine, May 2021.)
This roast is relatively simple because all the effort is at the start. Choose some handy sides, like some roasted carrots and potatoes which can cook while the meat rests.
Wine Suggestion: A classic match with Bordeaux, or similar from around the world. Tonight a very youthful Château Puygueraud, from the Côtes de Francs which we pulled from our cellar (under the bed) to check progress. Many years ahead of it, but tonight was a joy nonetheless.
Rolled leg of lamb with salsa verde stuffing – serves 4
1.5kg leg of lamb, bone removed and butterflied (ask your butcher to do this for you)
200ml white wine
3 sprigs of rosemary
3 cloves of garlic, bashed
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
50ml olive oil, plus 2 tbsp extra
200ml chicken stock
400g broad beans, double podded (blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water and they will easily pop out of their skins)
a handful of watercress, to serve
FOR THE STUFFING:
a large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, including stalks
a small bunch of mint, leaves picked
6 brown anchovies
4 tbsp capers, drained
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 long shallots, finely chopped
25g panko breadcrumbs
Put the lamb, skin-side down, on a chopping board. Make slashes all over the meat with a sharp knife but be careful not to cut the whole way through. Season all over.
Transfer the lamb to a large sealable food bag or container, scored-side down. Pour over the wine, then add the rosemary, garlic, onion, bay and 50ml of olive oil. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Chill for 24 hours but bring out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking.
Make the stuffing while the meat is coming up to room temperature.
Put the parsley, mint, anchovies and capers into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (you can also do this by hand), then tip into a bowl and stir in the lemon zest and juice, the vinegar and shallots. Season well. Spoon 3 tbsp of the salsa verde into a small bowl. Add the panko breadcrumbs to the larger bowl of salsa verde and stir 2 tbsp of olive oil into the smaller one – set the smaller one aside to serve later.
Take the lamb out of the marinade, then add about 50ml of the marinade to the large bowl of stuffing to soak into the breadcrumbs and bind the mixture (you might not need as much as 50ml). Keep any remaining marinade for later.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Pat the lamb dry with kitchen paper and lay on a chopping board, skin-side down. Spread the stuffing over the meat in an even layer. Start from one of the short sides and fold the meat over the stuffing, rolling and tucking it in to seal. Tie in about 6 places with kitchen string to hold it together. Transfer to a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 1 hour – 1 hour and 20 minutes or until 60-65C on a meat thermometer for medium or 70C for well done. If you don’t have a meat thermometer insert a metal skewer into the centre and if it comes out hot, the meat is ready. Cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Put the reserved marinade into a saucepan with the stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Discard any rosemary, garlic, onion and bay, then add the broad beans and simmer for 4-6 minutes or until the stock has reduced. Transfer the beans and juice to a warm serving platter and serve along with the lamb, the reserved salsa verde and some watercress.
(Original recipe by Anna Glover in Olive Magazine, April 2022.)
Wine Suggestion: A good, salty Pazo de Señoráns Albariño which plays a delightful dance of balancing a lightness and elegance with surprising depth, concentration and complexity.
Hot-smoked salmon salad with chive buttermilk dressing – serves 2
2 Little Gem lettuces, cut into chunky pieces
50g sugar snap peas, halved
1 small red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp capers
150g hot-smoked salmon
crusty bread, to serve
FOR THE DRESSING
100ml buttermilk
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
a pinch of caster sugar
a bunch of chives, finely chopped
Put the buttermilk, white wine vinegar and caster sugar into a small jug, season with salt and pepper and whisk together. Add the chives.
Put the lettuce, sugar snap peas, red onion and capers into a large bowl and toss together gently. Add half the dressing and toss again. Flake over the hot-smoked salmon and gently toss again, then drizzle over the remaining dressing and serve.
If you use a vegan curry paste you can easily make this a vegan dish. Lots of bright colours and great flavours in this one, and it’s quick to make.
Wine Suggestion: We think a minerally, just off-dry Riesling like Pikes Hills & Valleys from the Clare Valley is the ticket here with the limey fruit characters lifting the flavours of the dish and then the hint of residual sugar to balance the chillies.
Thai Green Veggie Curry – serves 4
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium butternut squash (800g), cut into small cubes
3 tbsp light soy sauce
a handful of sugar snap peas
a handful of asparagus, snap off the woody ends and discard
a handful of green beans
a handful of frozen edamame beans
1 lime, cut into wedge, to serve
a handful of coriander leaves, to serve
1 red chilli, finely sliced, to serve
1 scallion, finely sliced, to serve
jasmine rice, to serve
FOR THE CURRY BASE
1 lemongrass stalk, bash with a rolling pin to bruise it
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
2 x 400ml coconut milk
Toss the cubes of butternut squash with the light soy sauce in a bowl. Heat 1 tbsp of the sunflower oil in a wok, then add the squash and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until softened and browned, stirring often.
To make the curry base, heat 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a large frying pan, then add the lemongrass stalk and curry paste and cook over a high heat for a minute.
Stir in the coconut milk, then reduce the heat a bit and simmer for 8 minues.
Discard the lemongrass, then add the sugar snap peas, asparagus, green beans and edamame beans to the sauce and cook for 4-5 minutes or until just tender.
Ladle the curry sauce into bowls and top with the squash, a squeeze of lime, some coriander, red chilli and scallion. Serve with jasmine rice.
(Original recipe by Katy Beskow in Olive Magazine, April 2018.)
We recently bought Ammu by Asma Khan, a book full of Indian home-cooking recipes interlaced with lovely stories about Asma’s family life. Today was its first outing and we cooked these kebabs on the barbecue because the sun was shining, and our friend Michael keeps gifting us huge jars of pickled onions that he got for a bargain price in M&S (true). Asma recommends serving with a black-eyed bean salad called Lobia – and we agree.
Wine Suggestion: Find an easy, juicy barbecue red that isn’t too heavy and you’ll be happy here.
Murgh Seekh Kabab – serves 6
900g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
5cm piece of ginger, thinly sliced
300g well-drained pickled onions or shallots
6 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
FOR THE MARINADE:
juice of 2 lemons
¾ tsp sugar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3cm piece of ginger, grated
1 tsp chilli powder
Ideally you should marinade the chicken and leave in the fridge for about 4 hours. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together, then add the chicken and toss to coat, then cover and put into the fridge.
Get your barbecue going, we prefer charcoal but whatever you’ve got will do.
Thread the chicken pieces, thinly sliced ginger and pickled onions onto metal kebab sticks (you can use the wooden ones but you need to soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes first to stop them burning). Grill the kebabs for about 5 minutes on each side, basting with the ghee or vegetable oil.
(Original recipe from Ammu by Asma Khan, Ebury Press, 2022.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 