This is an Indian side dish and a great salad that we plan to serve with many Indian meals. This time we had it with Murgh Seekh Kababs cooked on the barbecue. Asma prefers dried beans (and we’re sure she is right) but we cheated this time and used a tin of black-eyed beans instead.
Lobia – serves 4
200g dried black-eyed beans (we used a 400g tin)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ a small red onion, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
1 red tomato, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp brown sugar
If using dried beans you need to soak them in cold water overnight.
The next day, drain the beans and put into a large pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about an hour, or until soft. Drain and leave to cool.
If you are using a tin of beans, you can skip all of the above and just drain and rinse them in cold water.
Put the beans into a bowl, add the garlic, onion, chilli and tomato and mix together gently. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper together, pour into the bowl with the beans and mix together.
(Original recipe from Ammu by Asma Khan, Ebury Press, 2022).
We’ve been meaning to try veggie burgers on the barbecue for a while now. These sweet potato and black bean ones have lots of spice and cooking the sweet potatoes in the coals gives them a great smoky flavour. These take a while to prepare and you do need a charcoal barbecue. And while they’re a lot softer than a traditional burger the flavours still make it a good choice if you feel like something different or if you don’t like meat.
Sweet potato and black bean burgers – serves 6
2 large sweet potatoes (600g in total)
2 x 400g tins black beans, drained and rinsed
75g panko breadcrumbs
80g roasted cashew nuts, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp vegetable oil
FOR THE CHIPOTLE LIME MAYO
140g mayonnaise
30g chipotle chillies in adobo sauce, finely chopped
juice of ½ a lime
TO SERVE
6 burger buns
6 slices of cheddar or Gruyère cheese
2 avocados
pickled jalapeno chillies
lettuce
You need a charcoal barbecue for this. Wait until the embers have turned white, then wrap the potatoes in tin foil and nestle them into the coals. Cook for about 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until soft.
Tip the black beans into a large bowl and roughly mash with a fork.
When the potatoes are cooked, unwrap them and leave them to cool slightly. Then scoop out the insides and add to the black beans. Add the breadcrumbs, cashew nuts, spices and some salt and pepper. Mix well, then divide into 6 burgers. Put onto a tray, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm them up.
Heat the barbecue up again and mix all of the mayo ingredients together and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large cast-iron frying pan on the barbecue. Add the burgers and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. When you turn them over, toast the burger buns and set aside. Lay the cheese slices on top of the burgers, add a little water to the pan and cover with a lid – the steam helps to melt the cheese.
Spread some mayo on the bottom half of the toasted buns. Add a burger, some avocado and a few jalapaenos. Serve with some lettuce or salad leaves on the side.
(Original recipe from Outdoor Cooking by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury Absolute, 2021.)
This is so simple but looks impressive and is perfect for a Friday night when you want a weekend dish but don’t have lots of time. You will need some crusty bread to mop up the delicious juices. Serve with buttered orzo or new potatoes.
Wine Suggestion: From the Burrier family of the superb Château de Beauregard in Pouilly-Fuissé is Domaine de la Rochette Mâcon-Bussières an excellent example of what this southern Burgundian region can do so well. Lovely ripe stonefruit and apple flavours under-pinned with a savoury minerality and fresh, layered mouthfeel which allows the cod to shine, counter-balances the Parma’s meaty saltiness and sings along with the olives and tomatoes.
Cod with cherry tomatoes and green olives – serves 6
1 red onion, cut into wedges
750g cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
6 even sized pieces of cod loin, about 125g each
6 slices of Parma ham
18 nocellara green olives
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped (to serve)
crusty bread
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
Put the onions and tomatoes into a shallow baking tray. Season with salt and pepper and add the olive oil, toss together and put into the oven for 15 minutes.
Season the cod then wrap each piece in a slice of Parma ham. Add the olives to the baking tray with the tomatoes, then gently set the cod pieces on top. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked and the ham is crispy. Scatter with the chopped parsley and serve.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, April 2016.)
This is a great dish for using up bits of leftover veg and antipasti things. Keep the base of onions, garlic, rice and veg stock but after that you can use up whatever you’ve got – we’ve given what we used below as an example.
Wine Suggestion: This Spanish inspired dish encouraged us to have a glass of a Spanish Garnacha Blanca, the Edetària via Terra Blanca which we find unprepossessing and charming, plus with the right textures and flavours to match this paella. We dare say their equivalent via Terra Tinto (Garnacha Negra) would also be a good match too if you fancied a glass of red instead.
Baked veggie paella – serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
half a red pepper, sliced
half a yellow pepper, sliced
half a green pepper, sliced
1 courgette, halved lengthways and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sundried tomato purée
300g bomba paella rice
850ml vegetable stock
100g chargrilled artichokes in olive oil, halved if big
75g mixed olives
75g Sunblush tomatoes
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
lemon wedges, to serve
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Heat the olive oil in a shallow casserole and cook the onions, peppers and courgettes with some salt for about 10 minutes or until softened and starting to caramelise.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the tomato purée and rice and stir until the grains are coated.
Add the stock, artichokes, olives and Sunblush tomatoes, then season and mix well. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Scatter over the parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Jules’ parents often give us yellow peppers as they prefer green ones, and for some reason they can only buy peppers locally (NI) in multi-coloured packs of three. Perhaps another Brexit effect. No matter as we’ve found the perfect use for them in this simple pasta sauce by Joe Trivelli. We didn’t have enough rigatoni so added some penne that got stuck in all the rigatoni tubes. We had good fun sucking them out.
Wine Suggestion: This is excellent with oaked Sauvignon Blanc, especially white Bordeaux, where the oak mellows out the grassy characteristics and adds a creamy, buttery layer with extra citrus fruits. We recognise these are harder to find and higher in price, so more affordably we successfully opened an Umani Ronchi Ca’Sal di Serra Verdicchio which carries over the cut grass and citrus characters and adds an almondy twist.
Rigatoni with yellow peppers – serves 4
1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
½ dried chilli or a pinch of chilli flakes
40ml double cream
400g rigatoni – Joe sugests whole-wheat but we had the regular stuff so just used that
a handful of basil leaves
salted ricotta if you have some – we used Parmesan which works too
Put a medium frying pan over a medium heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Fry the pepper for 3 minutes, then add the garlic with a pinch of salt. Crumble in the chilli, cover and cook over a low heat, stirring now and then. You want the pepper to soften completely which could take around 30 minutes so be patient.
Add the cream and bring to the boil, then simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning, then purée the sauce in a food processer and return to the pan.
Cook the pasta in lots of salty water until al dente. Scoop out a mugful of the pasta cooking water before draining, then add the pasta to the pepper mixture. Toss the pasta and sauce over a low heat, adding the basil leaves and some pasta water if needed to make the sauce creamy.
Serve on warm plates with some grated cheese.
(Original recipe from The Modern Italian Cook by Joe Trivelli, Seven Dials, 2018.)
This vegan dish is a must for mushroom lovers and the leftovers make great lunchboxes. Full of flavours that we wouldn’t usually put together, that’s the joy of recipes from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen.
Wine Suggestion: We’re suckers for matching mushrooms with either Pinot Noir, or, like here, with Nebbiolo. Luigi Pira’s Langhe Nebbiolo was our choice as it is so authentically nebbiolo without breaking the bank and opening a Barolo, or Barbaresco. Cherries, rose petals and rich iron with an earthy, mushroomy aroma carrying it through; elegance and power all at once.
Mushroom & rice pilaf – serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side
1-2 dried ancho chillies, stems removed – we used dried chipotle chillies as that’s what we had in the cupboard
30g dried porcini mushroom
500ml vegetable stock (or chicken stock if you prefer)
500g oyster mushrooms
500g large portobello mushrooms, stems discarded, and roughly broken by hand into 6 pieces
1 large onion, halved and cut into ½ cm thick slices
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 cinnamon sticks
4 whole star anise
150g soft dried apricots, quartered
150ml olive oil
350g basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear and drained well
3 scallions, thinly sliced at a angle
5g picked parsley leaves
Preheat the oven to 220C fan.
Put the dried chillies into a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 20 minutes, then drain and roughly chop the chillies, including the seeds.
Meanwhile, put the dried mushrooms, stock, 350ml of water, 1¼ tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper into a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then set aside.
Put the oyster mushrooms and portobello mushrooms, onion, garlic, chopped chillies, whole spices, apricots, 120ml of oil, 1 tsp of salt and a good grind of black pepper into a large roasting tin. Stir it all together, then bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Remove from the oven and transfer half the mixture to a medium bowl. Stir the rice into the remaining mixture in the tin.
Bring the porcini and stock mixture back to a simmer, then pour over the rice and without stirring, cover the tin tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then leave to sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and mix gently.
Add the scallions, parsley and final 2 tbsp of olive oil to the reserved mushroom mixture and stir together. Sppon over the rice and serve.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
This is good to serve with drinks for a crowd. You will need some flatbreads or pitta for dipping.
Wine Suggestion: An aperitivo type of drink; Negroni’s if you like, or for us Jérémie Huchet’s Muscadet Les Montys le Parc. A special “lieu-dit”, a vineyard recognised as something special and unique that allows a longer growing season than surrounding vineyards due to the aspect and soils. More depth and roundness than their classic Muscadet, but still with a lovely minerailty and mouthfeel and great length. Serious, and yet still with a sense of playful fun.
Spiced beetroot yoghurt – serves 6
500g cooked beetroot (not in vinegar)
3 tbsp ground coriander
20g mint, leaves finely chopped
500g Greek yoghurt
1 tsp nigella seeds
olive oil, for drizzling
Drain any juice off the beetroot, then whizz with a hand-blender to get a coarse-textured purée. Add the ground coriander, lots of salt and pepper and the mint (keep a little to garnish) and mix together well. Stir in the Greek yoghurt.
Season again to taste, then serve sprinkled with nigella seeds, the rest of the chopped mint and a drizzle of good olive oil. Serve with pitta, flatbreads or toast.
(Original recipe from Sirocco by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2016.)
We recently discovered the ‘Theo’s’ brand of filo pastry in one of our local shops; definitely better than most others we’ve used. It’s usefully a touch larger per sheet, and very easy to work with. Combined with a light, crispy finish we’ll definitely be putting some in our freezer for whenever the mood strikes.
This is a rich and substantial dish, but you can divide it all between two pie dishes and freeze one for later if you like. Serve with a green salad with bacon bits and lemony dressing.
Wine Suggestion: This is worth splashing out on a good Chardonnay that has both body and a nutty, mineral freshness. An old favourite of ours would be something from the Jura, but given their scarcity opened an Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc “les Sétilles”, a cuvée from Puligny and Meursault vineyards that while inexpensive has some serious chops behind it. All citrussy, deep and bubbling with energy.
Smoked haddock, cheese & leek pie – serves 6 to 8
600ml full fat milk
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp white peppercorns
650g smoked haddock fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
75g butter, plus extra for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, grated
2 large leeks, halved and finely sliced
75g plain flour
1 tbsp English mustard powder
juice of 1 lemon
175g strong cheddar, diced
FOR THE FILO CRUST:
140g butter
6 cloves of garlic, grated
400g filo pastry, preferably Theo’s brand
large bunch of chives, finely snipped
Bring the milk, bay and peppercorns to a simmer in a large shallow pan. Add the smoked haddock fillets, then remove from the heat and cover with a lid. Leave for 30 minutes. Remove the haddock from the liquid onto a plate, then strain the milk into a jug.
Remove any skin and bones from the haddock and break into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Heat the oil and a small knob of butter in a pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 15 minutes, or until softened. Add the leeks and cook for 2 minutes, then set aside to cool (drain in a colander if there is liquid).
In the same pan, melt the 75g butter, then stir in the flour to make a paste. Cook for a few minutes, then slowly add the warm milk, stirring constantly, until you have a smooth sauce. Stir in the mustard powder, lemon juice and some seasoning, then pass through a fine sieve.
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Put the leeks into the base of a 1.6 litre pie dish and top with a third of the sauce. Next add the smoked haddock and another third of the sauce. Finally, scatter over the cheese and top with the remaining sauce, making sure the filling is completely covered.
For the filo pastry, melt the butter in a small pan, then add the galric and heat gently for about 5 minutes. Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a wooden board and brush all over with the garlic butter, then sprinkle with chives and some black pepper. Put another sheet of pastry on top, at a slight angle and repeat. Continue until all of the pastry is used, you will end up with a sort of pastry circle. Lay this over the pie dish, trim the edges with scissors or a sharp knife, but still leave an overhang. Brush with a final layer of butter, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake for 40 minutes or until crisp.
(Original recipe by Tom Kerridge in BBC Good Food Magazine, March 2015.)
Tinned fish seems to be having a moment, which is fine with us because we love it. We especially like Shines of Killybegs who do great sardines in sunflower oil, amongst lots of other delicious fishy things.
Wine Suggestion: An Italian white with a nutty twist at the end like Sartarelli’s Tralivio, a verdicchio from low yielding old vines that epitomises the very best of this grape and a perfect match to the umami saltiness of this dish.
Spaghetti with chilli, sardines & oregano – serves 2
olive oil, for cooking
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
75g rough breadcrumbs, made from stale bread
200g dried spaghetti
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 x 120g tin good-quality sardines in oil, drained
½ tsp dried oregano
50g rocket
Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add a good glug of olive oil and when it’s hot add the breadcrumbs and half the garlic. Cook for a few minutes until golden and toasted, then season with salt and pepper and toss well. Drain on kitchen paper if needed.
Cook the pasta according the pack timings in lots of very salty water.
Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a little oil, then add the remaining garlic and the chilli for 1-2 minutes. Flake the sardines into small pieces, then toss in the pan with the garlic and chilli.
Lift the cooked pasta out of the cooking water with tongs and add straight to the frying pan with the sardines. Toss to mix well, then add the oregano and season to taste.
Stir in the rocket and divide between two plates. Garnish with the garlicky breadcrumbs.
(Original recipe from Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course,
A recipe by Rachel Roddy; simple and filling. Keep your Parmesan rinds in the freezer for adding to soups like this.
Pasta & Chickpea Soup – serves 4
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp tomato purée
a sprig of rosemary
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained
a Parmesan rind (optional)
225g short tubular pasta e.g. tubetti or ditalini or broken tagliatelle
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan, then add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery, then cook gently until soft and fragrant.
Add the tomato purée and sprig of rosemary, stir and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the chickpeas. Add 1 litre of hot water, a pinch of salt and the Parmesan rind, then stir again. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove half the soup and pass through a food mill or blend with a stick blender until smooth, then return to the pan. Season to taste with salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender, the pack timings should work but do check as you go and keep stirring. You add a bit more boiling water if needed. Season again to taste then serve garnished with your favourite olive oil.
(Original recipe from Five Quarters: Recipes and Notes from a Kitchen in Rome by Rachel Roddy, Salt Yard Book Co., 2015.)
This takes a long time so the trick is to poach the chicken the day beforehand and store the torn chicken and stock separately in the fridge. Everything else is fairly easy to put together on the day. A feast!
Celebration Rice – serves 8
1 small chicken, about 1.4kg
2 cinnamon sticks
1 onion, cut into 6 wedges
1 bulb of garlic, skin on and halved widthways
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
FOR THE RICE:
2 tbsp olive oil
40g unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
300g lamb mince
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
400g basmati rice, washed, soaked in cold water for at least 1 hour and then drained
FOR THE GARLIC YOGHURT:
500g Greek yoghurt
2 clove of garlic, crushed
FOR THE GARNISH:
50g unsalted butter
30g blanched almonds
30g pine nuts
¾ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes
4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
Put the chicken into a large saucepan with the cinnamon sticks, onion, garlic, 2 litres of water and 2 tsp of salt. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 70 minutes, or until cooked through. Lift the chicken out and tear into large bite-size chunks when cool enough to handle. Put the chicken into a bowl with the ground cumin and cinnamon and set aside. Strain the stock through a sieve and discard the solids. Measure out 850ml of the stock and keep warm (keep the rest for something else). If you are doing this part a day ahead you will need to reheat the stock and put the spices on the chicken when ready to cook.
For the rice, put the oil and half the butter into a large saucepan, and place on a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden. Add the lamb, garlic and spices and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until the lamb has lost its pinkness. Add the rice, 700ml of the warm stock, 1 ¾ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to sit, covered, for another 15 minutes. Add the remaining butter and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the yoghurt sauce by whisking the yoghurt, garlic, ¾ tsp of salt and the remaining 150ml of warm stock in a medium bowl.
Put 2 tbsp of oil in to a large sauté pan on a medim-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minute, to warm through. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley, then set aside.
Make the garnish by putting the butter into a small frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the almonds and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until lightly coloured. Add the pine nuts and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat and add the chilli flakes.
Spread the rice over a large serving platter. Top with the chicken, then pour over half the garlic yoghurt. Finish with the nuts and butter, followed by the parsley leaves and pomegranate seeds. Serve the rest of the yoghurt alongside.
(Original recipe by Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
These are delicious and perfect with some crusty bread or flatbreads for scooping. Do buy the fancy butter beans in a glass jar if you can. You can make this up to a day ahead and the flavours will improve.
Wine Suggestion: We really like this dish with a nice, chilled Vermentino. Tonight’s choice, the Poggio ai Ginepri Bianco from Tenuta Argentiera in Bolgheri. Long and vibrant with a rich citrus and pear flavour and layers of texture and wild sage to finish.
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 mild red chillies, finely chopped, including the seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds, finely crushed with a pestle and mortar
3 preserved lemons (80g), inner parts discarded and skin finely sliced
1 ½ tbsp roughly chopped thyme leaves
4 sprigs of rosemary
1 tbsp tomato purée
170ml olive oil
1 jar of butter beans (700g)
2 large vine tomatoes, roughly grated and skins discarded
Put the garlic, chillies, coriander, preserved lemon, thyme, rosemary, tomato purée, olive oil and 1¼ tsp of flaked salt into a medium sauté pan on a medium-low heat and stir together. Heat gently for 25 minutes, or until very fragrant but not browned at all. Turn the heat to low if the oil gets to hot.
Stir in the butter beans, then turn the heat up to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for at least an hour, or longer if you can.
Meanwhile, mix the grated tomato with ⅓ tsp of flaked sea salt and plenty of black pepper.
Spoon the butter beans into a shallow bowl and spoon over the grated tomato, mixing it in in places. Then serve with crusty bread or flatbreads.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
These are really good and the trick is to set them in the baking tray in rows with the skin-side down. You can use Cajun seasoning if you have it and if not make up the seasoning below – you’ll have more than you need for more wedges another time.
Crispy potato wedges – serves 4
FOR THE SEASONING:
1½ tbsp salt
½ tbsp dried oregano
½ tbsp paprika
½ tbsp cayenne pepper
½ tbsp freshly ground black pepper
675g large potatoes (buy a variety that makes good chips)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 heaped tsp of the seasoning above
Preheat the oven to 200C fan.
Scrub the potatoes and cut in half, then cut each half into 6 wedges. Put the wedges into a pan of boiling salty water and cook for 2-3 minutes, then drain.
Put the olive oil into a large roasting tin with the seasoning. Add the wedges and toss to coat, then arrange in rows sitting upright on their skins. Bake for 35-40 minute, until soft and golden.
Wine Suggestion: Something red from Italy’s Adriatic coast, but nothing too big or complex as this is a fun, casual dish! For us Umani Ronchi’s Rosso Conero Serrano, a Montepulciano – Sangiovese blend that has a medium body, fresh and bright cherry fruits and a gentle, earthy tannins was the ticket.
Prawn spaghetti with tomato, chilli & basil – serves 2
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, crushed
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
150g baby plum tomatoes
150ml white wine
200g spaghetti
a handful of basil leaves
225g raw peeled prawns
a generous knob of butter
Warm the oil in a large frying pan, then add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until starting to soften, then add the white wine and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions in lots of very salty water, then drain but reserve a cup of the cooking water.
Add the basil and prawns to the tomatoes, season well, and cook until the prawns turn pink. Stir in the butter and spaghetti and a splash of pasta cooking water if you need to loosen the sauce a bit. Toss it all together and serve.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, March 2020.)
This makes a delicious weeknight dinner. Serve with some greens on the side.
Wine Suggestion: really nice with a dry, artisan cider like the Cockagee keeved cider from Slane. This retains a natural sweetness when first brewed but when aged and because of the apples used it ends up being full bodied and dry with a great bittersweet twist. A cider for food like some of the Breton ciders we’ve tried in France in past years
Baked pork & parsnips – serves 4
4 large parsnips (about 500g), peeeled and cut lengthways into 6
2 red onions, each cut into 8 wedge through the root
2 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 ½ wholegrain mustard
4 pork chops
1 ½ clear honey
small handful of sage leaves
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
Put the veg into a large roasting tin, season and toss with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the mustard. Roast for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a high heat. Season the pork chops and rub with the last ½ tbsp of oil. Fry for 30 seconds on each side or until just browned – turn onto the sides too to brown any fat.
Stir the veg, then put the chops on top and rub with the rest of the mustard. Roast for another 15 minutes, then drizzle with the honey and scatter over the sage. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, then serve with the pan juices.
This will improve your veg intake for the day and puts frozen prawns to good use. A perfect curry for mid-week. Serve with naan breads or rice and lime wedges.
Prawn, spinach & coconut curry – serves 2-3
2 tbsp olive oil
200g raw prawns, defrosted if frozen
1 onion, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1-2 chillies, deseeded
1 red pepper, sliced
2 tbsp curry paste, we like Patak’s Madras
400ml tin of coconut milk
80g Tenderstem broccoli, cooked until tender
100g baby spinach
lime wedges, to serve
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chillies and fry for another 2 minutes, then addd the sliced pepper and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
Push the veg to one side and fry the curry paste for a couple of minutes to heat through, then add the coconut milk and mix well to combine. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened, then add the prawns, broccoli and spinach. Stir well and simmer until the prawns are just cooked and the spinach wilted.
Serve with rice or naan breads and lime wedges for squeezing over.
A truly delicious dip to serve as a starter with warm flatbreads or pitta. It was very difficult to stop ourselves eating the lot …and thereby spoiling our appetite for the main to follow.
Yellow split pea purée with buttered onions and caper salsa – serves 6
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, finely chopped
180g yellow split peas, rinsed well and drained
½ tsp ground turmeric
FOR THE SALSA:
2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
5g parsley, finely chopped
2 thin lemon slices, discard the pips and finely chop (including the rind)
2 tbsp oil
Put the butter, 2 tbsp of oil, the onions and ¾ tsp of salt into a large sauté pan over a medium heat for 15-18 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and golden. Transfer half the onions, along with most of the oil and melted butter to a small bowl, and set aside.
Add the split peas, turmeric and 1.2 litres of water and ¾ tsp of salt to the pan with the remaining onions and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, uncovered. Cover with the lid and cook for another 40-45 minutes, or until the split peas are very soft and most of the liquid is evaporated. If not, you can remove the lid again and cook a little longer.
Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the salsa in a small bowl.
Whizz the warm split peas with the remaining cooking water and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a food processor until completely smooth.
Spoon into a shallow dish, creating a dip in the middle. Mix the buttery onions with the caper salsa, then spoon on to the dip. Serve warm.
(Original recipe from OTK Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
Do buy good quality tuna for this, packed in olive oil. We like Ortiz which is widely available and excellent quality. We’d also highly recommend Shines’ Wild Irish Tuna, one of our local companies based in Donegal. We have tried loads of their tinned and jarred fish and they are all top quality.
Wine Suggestion: We chose a lighter red to match this dish from the Marches in central Italy. The Umani Ronchi San Lorenzo Rosso Conero has style and panache and the medium body, morello cherry flavours, soft spices and silky tannins are a charming match.
Baked orzo puttanesca – serves 4
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
½ tsp chilli flakes
3 anchovies in oil, drained and roughly chopped
2 tbsp capers
30g preserved lemon, discard the flesh and thinly slice the skin into strips
70g pitted Kalamata olives, roughly torn in half
2 tins of good tuna in olive oil, drained and roughly flaked
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
250g dried orzo
1-2 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into half ½ cm thick rounds
40g Parmesan, finely grated
5g basil leaves, roughly torn
Preheat the oven to 200C fan.
Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan that has a lid. Add the onion and cook gently for about 8 minutes or until softed and browned. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and anchovies and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the capers, half the preserved lemon strips, 45g of the olives, the tuna, tomato purée, tinned tomatoes, orzo, 450ml of water, 1 tsp of salt and lots of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked through.
Turn the oven up to 230C fan.
Remove the lid from the dish, top with the tomato slices and sprinkle over the cheese. Bake for a further 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned, then leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle over the remaining olives, preserved lemon, basil and 1 tbsp of oil before serving.
(Original recipe from OTK Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
Delicious Indian comfort food. Serve with warm naan bread for mopping up the sauce.
Wine Suggestion: an oaked white of your choice we think. For us it was the Les Dissidents Préjugés by Domaine Ventenac in Carbadès in Southern France, a delightfully off-beat and thoughtful wine with a style that reflects great vineyards and an inventive winemaker.
Mattar Paneer – serves 4
sunflower oil
400g paneer, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp finely grated ginger
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
½ – 1 tsp medium-hot chilli powder
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
300g tomatoes, finely chopped
200g frozen peas, defrosted
100ml double cream or natural yoghurt
a handful of coriander, finely chopped
lemon wedges
Coat the base of a large non-stick frying pan with the oil and place over a medium-high heat. Add the paneer and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until starting to turn golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Add a bit more oil to the pan and cook the cumin seeds until they start to pop, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Stir in the ground spices, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, or until thick. Add the paneer, peas and 200ml water. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the cream or yoghurt, then remove from the heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with the coriander and with a lemon wedge for squeezing over.
(Original recipe from New Kitchen Basics, by Claire Thompson, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2019.)
If you have some truffle oil in the cupboard by all means use it to garnish this soup, but it is not essential. The soup tastes strongly of celeriac in a most pleasing way.
Cream of celeriac soup with truffle oil – serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1.2kg celeriac, peeled and diced
1.2 litres water
2 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
4 tbsp lemon thyme leaves, chopped
100ml cream
TO GARNISH:
2 tsp truffle oil or good extra virgin olive oil
finely chopped chives
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook gently for 10 minutes or until softened but not coloured.
Add the celeriac, water, bouillon powder and lemon thyme. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 20 minutes or until very soft.
Whizz the soup until smooth, then return to a gentle heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cream. Garnish with oil and chives to serve.
(Original recipe from Lose Weight For Good by Tom Kerridge, ABSOLUTE PRESS, 2017.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 