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Archive for the ‘Side dish’ Category

Sweet Potatoes with Tahini Yoghurt & Herb Oil

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

This is such a good side dish. We served it with roast lamb this time, but it would easily complement so many other dishes and can see us doing it alongside some grilled halloumi next time – highly recommended.

Sweet potatoes with tahini yoghurt & herb oil – serves 4 to 6

  • 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm slices
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 heaped tbsp ras el hanout
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts
  • a good handful of pomegranate seeds

FOR THE HERB OIL:

  • 15g flat leaf parsley
  • 15g dill
  • 15g coriander
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE TAHINI YOGHURT:

  • 6 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt
  • 4 tbsp tahini

Preheat the oven to 220C, Gas Mark 7 and line a large tray with baking paper.

Put the sweet potato slices onto the tray. Drizzzle over the olive oil, sprinkle with the ras el hanout and add plenty of salt, then use your hands to coat the sweet potatoes in the mixture. Spread out in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, make a herb oil by putting the herbs, lemon juice, olive oil (enough to allow the mixture to spin) and seasoning in a blender and whizz until smooth.

Mix the yoghurt with the tahini and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a platter and pour over the tahini yoghurt followed by the herb oil, then scatter over the pine nuts and pomegrante seeds.

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

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Patatas a lo pobre

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

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

Patatas a lo pobre – serves 4

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

Slice the potatoes into 5mm rounds.

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

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

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

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Marinated Halloumi Skewers

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

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

Marinated halloumi – serves 3

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

TO SERVE:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Cabbage with Bacon & Chestnuts

Posted in Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 19 December 2023| Leave a Comment »

This would be nice on the big day or any other day.

Cabbage with bacon & chestnuts – serves 6

  • 700g winter cabbage
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g streaky bacon, finely chopped
  • 200g vacuum-packed chestnuts, roughly chopped
  • butter

Remove the stalks from the cabbage and roughly chop.

Bring a large pan of salty water to the boil and cook the cabbage for 3-4 minutes or until tender, then drain and leave to dry in the pan.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the bacon over a medium heat until starting to get crispy. Add the chestnuts to the bacon and stir so they absorb the bacon fat. Add the cooked cabbage, a knob of butter and seasoning. Toss together and serve.

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Barbecued Cabbage with Garlic, Chilli and Dill Butter

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 October 2023| Leave a Comment »

Typing this recipe to the sound of lashing rain and howling wind but better weather is coming and you might be inspired to barbecue a cabbage. You will be very glad you did.

Barbecued cabbage with chilli and garlic butter – serves 2 as a side

  • 1 pointed/hispi cabbage, cut into 4 wedges
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 1 long shallot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli, halved, desseded and finely sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 50g butter
  • ½ tsp flaky sea salt
  • a small bunch of dill, fronds roughly chopped

Brush the cut surfaces of the cabbage wedges with the olive oil, then set them cut-side down on a very hot barbecue to char for about 4 minutes. Turn to char the other cut surface for 4 minutes, then set the wedges on the rounded sides for a final 4 minutes. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Meanwhile, combine the shallots, chilli and garlic with the butter and put over a low heat to melt the butter and lightly cook the vegetables. Cook for about 12-14 minutes or until the shallots are soft and translucent. Remove from the heat and mix in the salt and chopped dill. Pour the butter dressing over the warm cabbage and serve.

(Original recipe from Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around the Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, Pavilion, 2021.)

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Roasted Pepper Salad with Cucumber and Herbs

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 21 September 2023| Leave a Comment »

You can prep this salad in advance and serve warm or at room temperature. Jam-packed with flavour and a great side dish for a barbecue or roast meat.

Roasted pepper salad with cucumber and herbs – serves 4 as a side dish

  • 4 green peppers (600g), cut into 4cm pieces
  • 2 red peppers (300g), cut into 4cm pieces
  • 4 vine tomatoes (400g), quartered
  • 2 small red onions (200g), roughly cut into 3cm pieces
  • 1 green chilli, stem removed and left whole
  • 6 large cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 10g parsley, roughly chopped
  • 10g coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes
  • ¾ tsp Urfa chilli flakes

Heat the oven to 230C fan.

Put the peppers, tomatoes, red onion, chilli and garlic into a large bowl. Add 4 tbsp olive oil, ¾ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Toss well to combine.

Line to large baking sheets with baking parchment. Spread the vegetables out over the trays and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until softened and charred.

When cool enough to handle, roughly chop the vegetables and transfer to a bowl with the lemon juice, herbs and ½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper.

In a separate bowl, toss the cucumber with 2 tbsp of oil, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Spread the roasted pepper mixture out over a platter. Spoon over the cucumber and sprinkle with the chilli.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love, Ebury Press, 2021.)

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Barbecued Little Gems with White Beans & Tahini

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 August 2023| Leave a Comment »

Gill Meller is a master of salads (among other things) and this one is no exception. We’ll also definitely be barbecuing more lettuce after trying this.

Barbecued little gems with cucumber, white beans and tahini – serves 8 as a side

  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
  • 1 x 400g tin of butter beans, drained
  • juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 4 little gem lettuces, halved, washed and patted dry
  • 1 medium or 2 small cucumbers, halved lengthways and cut into 1.5 cm slices
  • a small bunch of chives, finely chopped and a few left whole to garnish

Light your barbecue.

Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds, then add the white beans and lemon zest. Stir to combine and cook for another minute or two to warm through the beans. Stir in the tahini, yoghurt, lemon juice and parsley, and 2 tbsp of water. Cook for another minute or two, until a spoonable consistency. Add a bit more water if it’s too thick, then remove from the heat.

Season the little gems with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil. Place over the hot barbecue with the cut sides down and grill for 5-10 minutes on each side – they should be softened, and starting to caramelize and char. Place on a platter when done.

Warm the bean and tahini dressing through and stir well, then spoon it over the lettuce. Scatter over the cucumber, sprinkle with chives, then drizzle with the rest of the oil and season everything with salt and pepper. Serve.

(Original recipe from Gather by Gill Meller, Quadrille Publishing, 2017.)

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Barbecued Peaches & Runner Beans

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 August 2023| Leave a Comment »

Inspired by a gift of some runner beans from a friend’s allotment, plus we just had to buy the fresh peaches we stare at everytime we walk past the veg shop. Once cooked it looks less vibrant than the flavours suggest – an excellent way to cook both the beans and peaches and a great combo. Delicious with some barbecued pork chops.

Barbecued peaches and runner beans – serves 4

  • 400g runner beans, peel both sides with a vegetable peeler to remove the stringy bits, then trim both ends and halve widthways at an angle
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ripe but firm peaches, cut into ½ cm thick slices
  • 5g mint leaves, roughly torn
  • ¾ tbsp lemon juice
  • 80g creamy goat’s cheese, we used marinated St Tola, broken into 4cm pieces
  • 20g ready-roasted and salted almonds, roughly chopped
  • ¾ tbsp runny honey

Toss the beans with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and ½ tsp of flaky salt. Cook the beans on a hot barbecue (ideally on a griddle pan so you don’t lose any through the bars) for 3-4 minutes on each side or until you get good grill marks and they are almost cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a plate. You can leave them now for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how soft you like them, they will be more crunch at the shorter time but we like them soft.

Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil over the peach slices and toss to coat. Grill for 1-2 minutes on each side, until you get nice grill marks.

Toss the beans and peaches together in the bowl with the mint, then transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle over the lemon juice and some flaky salt and black pepper. Scatter over the the goat’s cheese and almonds and finish with a drizzle of honey.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2020.)

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Green Salad with Carrots and Pistachios

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 12 July 2023| Leave a Comment »

We spotted this salad idea in the Guardian so ate it outside with a barbecue … perfect!

Green salad with carrots and pistachios – serves 4

  • 4 carrots, grated
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 20g sultanas
  • 5 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 60ml olive oil
  • 1 small clove of garlic, crushed
  • 100g plain yoghurt
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • 10g mint leaves, finely chopped
  • 20g parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated and halved lengthways
  • 1 white chicory, leaves separated and halved lengthways
  • 1 butterhead lettuce, leaves separated and large ones halved lengthways
  • 30g pistachios, toasted and lightly crushed

Mix the grated carrots with the mustard, sultanas, 4 tsp of white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp of olive oil and ½ tsp of salt in a small bowl, then leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dressing in a large bowl by mixing 1 tsp white wine vinegar with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, the garlic, yoghurt, sugar, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Combine the chopped mint and parsley in a bowl.

Put the salad leaves and half the chopped herbs into the bowl with the dressing, then toss gently to coat.

Arrange the leaves on a shallot serving platter or bowl and scatter the marinated carrot on top. Serve with the rest of herbs and the pistachios sprinkled over.

(Original recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi in the Guardian.)

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Barbecue Halloumi, Potato and Jalapeños with Sour Cream

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 July 2023| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes it’s nice to cook the sides on the barbecue too. These skewers are tasty and could even be a main course with some salad.

Barbecue halloumi, potato and jalapeños with sour cream – serves 4

  • 1 x 225g packet of halloumi cheese, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 500g baby new potatoes, boiled until tender
  • 2 jalapeño chillies (or other green chillies), cut into pieces and seeds discarded
  • 1 large red onion, cut into pieces
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more to serve
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 150g sour cream
  • chilli flakes, to serve

Put the halloumi, cooked potatoes, jalapeños and onion into a large bowl. Add the olive oil, paprika and juice from 2 of the lemon quarters. Season with salt and member and toss gently with your hands.

Thread everything onto metal skewers and cook on the barbecue for 5-10 minute, turning, until golden and lightly charred.

Grill the extra lemon quarters on the barbecue while the skewers are cooking.

Season the sour cream with a good pinch of salt.

Transfer the skewers to a platter and drizzle with the sour cream. Trickle over some olive oil and the juice from the barbecued lemons, then sprinkle with a few chilli flakes.

(Original recipe from Camper Van Cooking by Claire Thompson, Quadrille, 2021.)

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Thai Carrot & Radish Salad

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 18 June 2023| Leave a Comment »

A tasty Thai-style salad that we served with barbecued chicken.

Thai carrot & radish salad – serves 4

  • 4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 lime, zested and 2 tbsp juice
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 Little Gem lettuce (we could only find Romaine the day we made this)
  • 2 carrots, cut into thin batons
  • 10 radishes, finely sliced
  • 4 scallions, sliced finely on the diagonal
  • a handful of coriander, roughly chopped

Mix the chilli sauce with the lime zest and juice, and fish sauce to make the dressing.

Arrange the lettuce leaves in a large bowl. Toss all the remaining ingredients with the dressing and add to the lettuce. Serve immediately.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Stewed Cabbage

Posted in Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 January 2023| Leave a Comment »

Don’t judge this just by the look as it just looks like well cooked cabbage … and it is … but we’re addicted. Lifted to another level by the vinegar, this is our new favourite side.

Stewed Cabbage – serves 4

  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 60g pancetta, chopped (optional)
  • 1 small Savoy cabbage or half of a large one (about 600g)
  • 2 heaped tbsp salted butter
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Put the oil, onion and pancetta (if using) into a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add some salt if you are not using pancetta. Cook gently, without browning, for about 15 minutes until soft.

Slice the cabbage into wedges and remove the tough core. Shred the leaves finely and rinse in a colander. Add the wet cabbage to the pan, then the butter, and stir for a few minutes until the butter melts. Stir through the vinegar and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for 60 to 80 minutes, stirring occasionlly, until completely soft and wilted. Add a splash of water if it looks dry at any point.

Season to taste with salt and serve.

(Original recipe from Stagioni by Olivia Cavalli, Pavillon, 2022.)

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Georgian Kidney Bean Salad

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 November 2022| 2 Comments »

We’ve made a salad like this before but this one is fresher and makes a great side dish for a crowd. We served it with some spicy baked salmon.

Georgian kidney bean salad – serves 6 to 8

  • 2 x 400g tins kidney beans (we used 300g dried kidney beans, rinse then soak in 3 times the volume of cold water for 5 hours. Drain and put into a saucepan covered by an inch with cold water, then boil hard for 30 minutes, stirring to prevent any sticking)
  • 50g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 heaped tsp dried mint
  • 2 banana shallots, very thinly sliced into rings
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp pul biber chilli flakes
  • Maldon salt & fresh ground black pepper

If you are using tinned beans, drain them rinse well under a cold tap to get rid of the briny liquid. Shake the beans dry, then tip into a large bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredints to the bowl and fold together gently, you don’t want to crush the beans. Season well with salt and pepper, stir again and leave at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

Stir well again before serving.

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

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Baked Halloumi with Lemon, Thyme & Honey

Posted in Cheese, Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 October 2022| Leave a Comment »

Who doesn’t love squeaky cheese? This baked halloumi is good as a side dish with some roasted chicken thighs, or you could serve as a starter with some flatbreads.

Baked halloumi with lemon, thyme & honey – serves 2-4

  • 250g block halloumi cheese
  • 2 tbsp garlic oil
  • 1 heaped tbsp clear honey
  • finely grated zest of 1 large lemon and juice of half
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp pul biber chilli flakes
  • flatbread, to serve

Heat your oven to 220C (200C fan), Gas 7.

Prepare a piece of tinfoil, large enough to completely encase the halloumi. Line the tinfoil with a square of baking paper and put the halloumi in the middle. Scrunch the paper tighly around the block, leaving only the top exposed.

Mix all of the other ingredients together in a small bowl, then pour over the halloumi.

Scrunch the foil around the halloumi to make a sealed parcel. Put the parcel into a small ovenproof dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove form the oven and serve with warm flatbread.

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

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BBQ Corn on the Cob with Chilli Butter

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 September 2022| 2 Comments »

Fresh corn is in the shops and it’s delicious cooked in the husks over a charcoal barbecue.

BBQ Corn on the Cob with Chilli Butter – serves 4 to 6

  • 2 corn cobs in the husks
  • 40g salted butter
  • ½ tbsp honey
  • ½ tbsp urfa chilli flakes (we didn’t have urfa so used Aleppo pepper but you could also use smoked or regular paprika)

Put the whole corn cobs in their husks over a medium hot barbecue. Rotate them every 3-4 minutes until really charred – about 15 minutes in total.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small frying pan until starts to foam. Remove from the heat, add the honey and urfa chilli and mix well.

Take the corn cobs off the heat and leave aside for 10 minutes, then pull back the burnt husk and return to a high heat for a minute or two the char some of the flesh.

Return the pan with the butter to the heat to foam the butter again, then serve the corn cobs with the butter drizzled over.

(Original recipe from Chasing Smoked: Cooking Over Fire Around the Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, Pavilion, 2021.)

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Green Salad with Maple, Lime & Sesame Dressing

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 7 August 2022| Leave a Comment »

We’re super excited by the dishes in Ixta Belfrage’s new book – Mezcla. We’ve done lots of drooling over the recipes but so far have only managed this green salad – it’s a good one!

Green salad with maple, lime & sesame dressing – serves 4

  • 2 baby gem lettuces, cut off the end and separate the leaves.
  • 10g mixed fresh herbs e.g. coriander, mint & basil
  • 2 green chillies, thinly sliced into rounds (optional)
  • 20g scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds (you can use black and white if you have them but white alone is fine), well toasted, then lightly crushed and mixed with flaked sea salt
  • lime wedges, to serve

FOR THE QUICK PICKLED ONIONS:

  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • ¼ tsp fine salt

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 60g olive oil
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 40g lime juice
  • 20g maple syrup
  • ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 5g chives, finely chopped

Put the ingredients for the pickled shallots into a small bowl and stir together. Leave to pickle for 15 minutes or up to an hour but no longer.

Make the dressing by gently mixing all the ingredients, except the chives, together. You don’t want the dressing to emulsify here so just stir to combine.

When ready to serve, stir the chives into the dressing. Put the lettuce and herbs into a large salad bowl and pour over the dressing. Add the pickled shallots, chillies and scallions and toss. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve with extra lime wedges.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Tomato, Burrata & Broad Bean Salad

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 August 2022| Leave a Comment »

This is our favourite salad at the moment – an excellent side dish for a barbecue or whatever else you might be cooking.

Tomato, burrata and broad bean salad – serves 4

  • 500g mixed tomatoes
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • 150g broad beans, frozen ones are perfect
  • a handful each of basil, chives and flat leaf parsley
  • 1 tbsp each of tarragon, lovage and mint (we never have lovage and it’s fine without it)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • a pinch of fennel seeds
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 balls of burrata
  • 50g hazlenuts, toasted and roughly chopped (toast them in the oven for 10 minutes at 180C – the skins will rub off easily with a tea towel)

Chop and slice the tomatoes and toss in a bowl with the caster sugar and ½ tsp of salt, then set aside for 30 minutes.

Put the broad beans into boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and run under cold water. Pop of the skins and set aside.

Finely chop the herbs and put into a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, mustard, fennel seeds, most of the lemon zest and the red wine vineager. Season, then stir in the broad beans.

Tip the tomatoes out onto a serving platter. Put the burrata balls on top and spoon over the beans and dressing. Garnish with toasted hazelnuts and the leftover lemon zest.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Barbecued Broccoli

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 25 July 2022| Leave a Comment »

Finally we have some nice weather and so we are barbecuing everything, including broccoli which is a new one for us. This is the chargrilled broccoli with chilli and garlic from the original Ottolenghi book and it works equally well on a barbecue. Cook the broccoli first and it will sit happily in the dressing until whatever else you are cooking is ready.

Chargrilled broccoli with chilli and garlic – serves 4

  • 2 heads of regular broccoli (about 500g)
  • 115ml olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 2 mild red chillies, finely sliced
  • thin slices of lemon, to garnish

Cut the broccoli into florets. Fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Blanch the florets in a large pan of boiling water for 2 minutes only, then scoop out and into the bowl of iced water.

Drain the broccoli and make sure it’s really well dried. Toss in a bowl with 45ml of the olive oil and some salt and pepper.

Barbecue the broccoli until charred on all sides. Meanwhile, put the rest of the olive oil into a small pan with the garlic and chillies. Cook over a medium heat until the garlic turns golden, take it off the heat at this point to prevent the garlic burning.

Put the barbecued broccoli into a large bowl and immediately pour over the garlic and chilli oil. Toss gently to coat then set aside until ready to serve. Garnish with the lemon slices.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi The Cookbook, Ebury Press, 2008.)

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Roast Potatoes with Aïoli and Pine Nut Butter

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Potato, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 15 July 2022| Leave a Comment »

We love this side dish from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen so much we’ve made it a few times over the past month and it’s been a hit every time. You can make the aïoli in advance and put it in the fridge which is useful.

Roast potatoes with aïoli and pine nut butter – serves 4

  • 750g baby new potatoes, halved lengthways
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 5g parsley, roughly chopped

FOR THE AÏOLI

  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 100ml sunflower oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 75g Greek-style yoghurt

FOR THE PINE NUT BUTTER

  • 30g unsalted butter
  • 20g pine nuts
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika

Our advice is to get the aïoli made first, it will keep fine in the fridge if you want to do it earlier in the day.

Put the garlic, Dijon, egg, egg yolk and a ¼ tsp of salt into the small bowl of a food processor. Whiss together for a few seconds, then gradually add both oils in a slow steady stream with the machine running the whole time. You should end up with a runny mayonnaise. Transfer this to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and yoghurt. Cover and out in the fridge until needed.

Preheat the oven to 220C fan.

Put the potatoes into a saucepan with 2 tsp of salt and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 6 minutes or until almost tender. Drain in a sieve and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Spread the potatoes over a parchment lined baking tray and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and some salt and black pepper. Roast these in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown, then toss with the parsley.

To make the pine nut the butter into a small frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the pine nuts and cook until golden, stir in the paprika and remove from the heat.

Spread the aïoli over a serving dish, top with the potatoes and drizzle over the butter.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Text Kitchen: Shelf Love, Penguin Random House, 2021.)

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Fattoush

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 11 June 2022| Leave a Comment »

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.)

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