Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Side dish’ Category

Buttered Sprouts with Chestnuts & Bacon

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 29 December 2018| Leave a Comment »

Buttered Sprouts with Chestnuts & Bacon

Sprouts are not just for Christmas and indeed should be eaten throughout the frosty months in our opinion. We particularly like this recipe with butter, bacon bits and chestnuts – a sprout-lovers dream!

Buttered sprouts with chestnuts & bacon – serves 8 (easily halved)

  • 1.25kg Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 6 rashers streaky smoked bacon cut into bit-sized pieces or cubes of pancetta
  • 200g vacuum-packed chestnuts
  • 50g butter

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and tip in the sprouts. Return to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, then drain and run under the cold tap until cold, then drain again.

Heat a large frying pan, add the bacon and gently fry for 10 minutes until crispy. Scoop the bacon out of the pan with a slotted spoon and leave the fat behind, then add the chestnuts and fry over a high heat for about 5 minutes until they have darkened in places, then tip out of the pan.

Put the sprouts into the frying pan with a splash of water, then cover the pan with a lid and finish cooking over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until just tender. Remove the cover, turn up the heat, then add most of the butter and sauté the sprouts for another 2 minutes. Tip in the bacon and chestnuts, season generously, then serve with the last bit of butter on top.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine, December 2009.)

Read Full Post »

Spiced Garlic Savoy Cabbage

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 18 December 2018| Leave a Comment »

Spiced Garlic Savoy Cabbage

It’s nice to do something different with greens now and then. This rich, garlicky and full of flavour cabbage dish goes really well with lamb. We also liked it served with a few other veggie dishes. You could of course use other varieties of green cabbage.

Spiced Garlic Savoy Cabbage – serves 4 to 6

  • 1 large head of Savoy cabbage, halved, core removed and leaves cut into ribbons
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp nigella seeds
  • 1-2 tsp nigella seeds
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 whole head of garlic, cloves bashed and thinly sliced
  • 50g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 6 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Wash and drain the cabbage but don’t bother to shake off the water as this will be used to steam it.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the spices and dry-roast for a minute, shaking, until they smell aromatic and are starting to brown.

Add enough olive oil to just coat the base of the pan. Add the garlic and fry for a minute, then put half the cabbage into the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper and stir well before adding the rest of the cabbage and seasoning lightly again. Drizzle over a little oil, then cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Stir the cabbage well to coat in the spices, then add the butter and stir. Check the seasoning, then take the pan off the heat and stir through the yoghurt.

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

Read Full Post »

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Burnt Chestnuts

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

 

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Burnt Chestnuts

We can’t help but associate chestnuts with December when everyone’s in holiday mood. This side dish would complement any banquet and would even work well on the big day as an alternative to carrots and sprouts (not that there’s anything wrong with them). Another great idea from Sabrina Ghayour.

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Burnt Chestnuts, Tahini Yoghurt & Herb Oil – serves 4

  • 1.5kg beetroot, roasted and peeled, quartered (roast beetroots wrapped in foil for between 45 to 90 minutes or until soft when pierced with a knife)
  • 200g vacuum packed cooked chestnuts

FOR THE YOGHURT SAUCE

  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 100g Greek-style yoghurt
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp warm water

FOR THE HERB OIL

  • 15g dill
  • 15g coriander
  • a good squeeze of lemon juice
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 5 tbsp olive oil

TO GARNISH

  • toasted sesame seeds
  • toasted nigella seeds

Arrange the beetroot quarters over a large platter.

Heat a large frying pan over a high heat, then dry fry the chestnuts for a couple of minutes on each side or until slightly blackened. Arrange the chestnuts on the platter with the beetroot.

Make the herb oil by pouring boiling water into a bowl and immersing the dill and coriander in it. Leave to blanch for 1 minutes before draining and then cool the herbs by running under cold water.

Blitz the herbs in a blender with the squeeze of lemon juice, the lemon zest, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Blend to a smooth mixture, adding more oil to loosen if needed. Adjust the seasoning and set aside.

Combine the ingredients for the yoghurt sauce together and add enough warm water to make a smooth sauce. Drizzle the yoghurt sauce over the beetroot. Spoon over the herb oil and sprinkle with the toasted seeds to garnish.

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

Read Full Post »

Patatas Bravas

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Spanish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 14 November 2018| 1 Comment »

Patatas Bravas

We love these crispy potato cubes with spicy sauce and this version roasts the potatoes in the oven rather than frying them in heaps of oil. Serve as a side dish or just on their own for a snack.

Wine Suggestion: We love a dry sherry with these, but can’t decide between whether we prefer Fino, Amontillado or Oloros – we recommend them all.

Patatas Bravas – serves 4

  • 800g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 3-4cm cubes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley, to serve

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • ½ tsp sugar or honey
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika, plus extra to serve
  • 1 tsp hot paprika, plus extra to serve

Put the potatoes into a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, add plenty of salt, and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until starting to soften. Drain gently so they don’t break up too much.

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

Put 2 tbsp of olive oil in a roasting tin and heat in the oven. Add the drained potatoes, toss in the oil, and roast for 40-45 minutes.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and add the garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic has started to soften but not coloured. Add the vinegar and sugar or honey and stir until dissolved. Stir in the sweet and hot paprikas.

Pour the sauce over the crispy potatoes and sprinkle with a little extra paprika and some finely chopped parsley.

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

Read Full Post »

Spicy Green Beans – Madaledar sem

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 November 2018| Leave a Comment »

Spicy Green Beans - Madaledar sem

These green beans are full of Indian flavour and make a great side for curries and other Indian dishes but they would also add interest to a roast chicken. Chopping them up small changes the texture in a nice way too.

Spicy Green Beans (Masaledar sem) – serves 6

  • 750g green beans, trimmed and cut into 5mm lengths
  • 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 350ml water
  • 5 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 dried hot red chilli, lightly crushed in a mortar
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped (to peel the tomatoes drop into boiling water for 15 seconds after which the skins should come off easily)
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
  • 1 tsp ground, roasted cumin seeds

Put the ginger and garlic into a blender or food processor with 120ml of the water and blend until fairly smooth.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium-high heat. When hot put in the cumin seeds, and 5 seconds later the crushed chilli. As soon as it darkens add the ginger-garlic paste, then stir and cook for a minute. Stir in the coriander, then add the chopped tomato. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, mashing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon.

Add the beans, about 1¼ tsp salt and the rest of the water, then bring to a simmer. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the beans are tender.

Remove the cover. Add the lemon juice, the ground roasted cumin seeds, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Increase the heat and boil away the liquid while gently stirring the beans.

(Original recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking, Barron’s Educational Series, 2002.)

Read Full Post »

Yoghurt with Walnuts and Coriander – Akhrote ka raita

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 November 2018| Leave a Comment »

Akhrote ka raita

We’re sad to say that we’ve finally used up the enormous stash of walnuts we couldn’t resist at a French market. When we got home we thought we’d never get through them. This dish was a fitting end for the last few handfuls and we need to plan another trip. Try this raita with Indian dishes as a refreshing change from the usual cucumber raita.

Yoghurt with walnuts & coriander (Akhrote ka raita) – serves 6

  • 600ml plain yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
  • ½ a fresh hot green chilli, very finely chopped
  • 1 scallion, very finely sliced
  • 65g shelled walnuts, roughly broken into small pieces

Put the yoghurt into a bowl and beat lightly with a fork or whisk until smooth and creamy.

Add the rest of the ingredients plus a good grinding of black pepper and about ½ tsp of salt. Stir to mix.

(Original recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking, Barron’s Educational Series, 2002.)

Read Full Post »

Cucumber & Lamb’s Lettuce Salad

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 30 October 2018| 4 Comments »

Cucumber & lamb's lettuce salad

We’ve been eyeing up lots of recipes in Ottolenghi Simple and so far have only made a green salad. As green salads go however it was  pretty good with a great fresh flavour from the herbs and cucumber and an unusual dressing. We served this with some spiced baked salmon but it would be great with loads of dishes.

Cucumber & lamb’s lettuce salad – serves 4

  • 5 baby cucumbers (or 1½ regular cucumbers with the seeds removed)
  • 30g lamb’s lettuce
  • 10g picked mint leaves
  • 10g picked coriander leaves
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds

FOR THE DRESSING

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 2cm piece of ginger, finely grated
  • 20g plain yoghurt
  • third tsp flaked sea salt

Make the salad dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Cut the cucumbers into quarters, lengthways. Cut each quarter diagonally into ½ cm slices and put into a large bowl with the lettuce, mint and coriander. Gently mix in the dressing and spread into over a large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with the nigella seeds and serve.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2018.)

Read Full Post »

Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za’atar

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 15 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za'atar

A divine vegetable dish from Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi’s book ‘Jerusalem’ – still one of our absolute favourites. We served this on a platter as a light starter but it would also work really well as a vegetarian/vegan main or as a side with other dishes. There were happy diners at our table!

Wine Suggestion: this worked excellently with Massaya’s le Colombier from the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon, a very Rhône blend with a touch of  Tempranillo which gives it hints of North African / Eastern spices.

Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za’atar – serves 4

  • 1 large butternut squash, cut into wedges (about 2cm x 6cm)
  • 2 red onions, cut into wedges
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 3½ tbsp light tahini paste
  • 1½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 30g pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp za’atar
  • 1 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat your oven to 240C/220C fan/Gas 9.

Put the squash and onion wedges into a large mixing bowl and toss with 3 tbsp of oil, 1 tsp of sea salt flakes and some black pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through and starting to crisp and brown at the edges, leave to cool.

Make the sauce by putting the tahini into a small bowl with the lemon juice, 2 tbsp of water, the garlic & ¼ tsp of sea salt. Whisk until the sauce is “the consistency of honey”. You may need to add more water or tahini.

Pour the rest of the oil into a small frying pan and warm over a low-medium heat. Add the pine nuts with ½ tsp of sea salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until golden brown. Remove from the heat and pour the nuts and oil into a bowl so that they stop cooking.

Spread the vegetables out on a serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and their oil, the za’atar and parsley.

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

Read Full Post »

Pomegranate, Cucumber and Pistachio Yoghurt

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 13 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Pomegranate, cucumber and pistachio yoghurt

We are always on the look out for cooling dips to serve with spicer dishes. This one would be good with any middle eastern-style meal that warrants something cool on the side. Or you could have it on its own with some toasted pittas. Another great recipe from Feasts by Sabrina Ghayour.

Pomegranate, cucumber & pistachio yoghurt – serves 6 to 8

  • 500ml thick Greek yoghurt
  • 1 large banana shallot or 2 small round shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 large cucumber, cut into 1cm dice
  • 150g pomegranate seeds, rinsed to remove the juice
  • 100g pistachio nuts
  • 30g of mint, leaves stripped and roughly chopped
  • toasted pitta bread to serve

Pour the yoghurt into a large bowl and mix in the shallot. Add the cucumber, pomegranate seeds and pistachios (keep some of each to sprinkle over before serving). Add the mint, then fold everything gently through the yoghurt. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

To serve drizzle with some good olive oil and scatter over the reserved cucumber, pomegranate seeds and pistachios.

Serve as a dip with toasted pittas or as a cooling side dish.

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

 

Read Full Post »

Green Couscous and Roasted Veg with Black Garlic and Preserved Lemons

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 9 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Green couscous and roasted veg with black garlic and preserved lemon

Black garlic is a revelation and we’ll definitely use it again after this dish – sweet and mellow with lots of flavour but none of the harshness associated with white garlic. This is a great crowd pleaser by Sabrina Ghayour with lots of fresh flavours and bright colours. We served with spicy roast salmon but it would be great with meat dishes too.

Green couscous & roasted veg with black garlic & preserved lemons – serves 6 to 8 as a side

  • 2 courgettes, halved lengthways and sliced into 1cm thick half moons
  • 1 red pepper, cut into 2.5cm squares
  • 1 yellow or green pepper, cut into 2.5cm squares
  • 2 red onions, halved and sliced into 1cm thick slices
  • 300g couscous
  • 6 to 8 preserved lemons, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1 head of black garlic, cloves thinly sliced

FOR THE HERB OIL:

  • 50g flat parsley, leaves and stems roughly chopped
  • 50g coriander, roughly chopped
  • olive oil

Preheat the oven to its highest setting and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Put the courgettes, peppers & onions into the baking tray. Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Use your hands to make sure the vegetables are all coated with the oil, then spread them out evenly on the tray. Roast for 15 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Prepare the couscous according to the instructions on the pack, then separate the grains with a fork.

To make the herb oil, use a mini food processor or stick blender to blitz the herbs with enough olive oil to make a smooth herb oil – a few tablespoons. Season generously with salt and then stir the herb oil through the couscous. Finally, stir in the roasted veg, preserved lemons and black garlic. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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

Read Full Post »

Roast Pumpkin & Fennel with Mushrooms

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

Roast pumpkin & fennel with mushrooms

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

Roast pumpkin and fennel with mushrooms – serves 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read Full Post »

Pick up all those fallen apples and make sauce

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

Apple sauce

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

Bramley Apple Sauce – serves many

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

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

Read Full Post »

Fennel Dauphinoise

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

Fennel & Potato Gratin

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

Fennel Dauphinoise – serves 2

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

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

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

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

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

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

Chopped Salad

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

Chopped Salad

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

Chopped salad with honey dressing – serves 4

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

FOR THE DRESSING:

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

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

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

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

(Original recipe by Anna Jones in The Guardian)

Read Full Post »

Olive-oil Braised Runner Beans with Tomatoes

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

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

Olive-oil Braised Runner Beans with Tomatoes – serves 4

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

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

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

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

Serve at room temperature.

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

Read Full Post »

Couscous and Mograbiah with Oven-dried Tomatoes

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 3 September 2018| Leave a Comment »

Couscous and mograbiah with oven-dried tomatoes

Mograbiah is a large variety of couscous that we were unable to find for this recipe but Italian fregola worked well. We also started this too late to make our own labneh but a soft goat’s cheese log rolled in dried mint and black pepper made a good substitute. We hope the guys at Ottolenghi wouldn’t be too horrified. Serve this for lunch or as a side dish for roast or barbecued meat.

Couscous and mograbiah with oven-dried tomatoes – serves 6 to 8

  • 16 large, ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthways
  • 2 tbsp muscovado sugar
  • 150ml olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 250g mograbiah (or fregola)
  • 400ml chicken stock/veg stock
  • a pinch of saffron strands
  • 250g couscous
  • 1 tbsp picked tarragon leaves
  • 1 tbsp nigella seeds
  • 100g labneh (we used a soft goat’s cheese log rolled in dried mint and freshly ground black pepper)

Preheat the oven to 150C/Gas 2.

Put the halved tomatoes on a baking tray, with skins down, and sprinkle with the sugar, 2 tbsp of the olive oil, plus the balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper. Bake for 2 hours or until the tomatoes have lost their moisture.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions in 4 tbsp of the olive oil over a high heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until dark golden.

Cook the mograbiah or fregola in a large pan of salted boiling water (follow the instructions on the pack but cook until soft but with a little bite). Drain well and rinse under cold water.

Bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan with the saffron threads and a pinch of salt. Put the couscous into a large bowl and add 3 tbsp  of the olive oil  and the boiling stock. Cover with cling film and leave for 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes, fork the couscous to get rid of any lumps. Add the cooked mograbiah, the tomatoes and any juice, the onions and their oil, plus the tarragon and nigella seeds. Taste and adjust the seasoning and oil if needed – it will likely require a good dose of salt.

Serve the dish at room temperature with the labneh (or goat’s cheese) on top, drizzle with the rest of the oil and finish with the remaining nigella seeds.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi: the cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamami, Ebury Press, 2008.)

Read Full Post »

Tomato & Olive Salad with za’atar & Buttermilk Dressing

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

Tomato & Olive Salad

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read Full Post »

Orzo & Tomato Salad with Capers & Kalamata Olives

Posted in Food, Party Food, Pasta, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 20 August 2018| Leave a Comment »

Orzo & tomato salad

A characterful and bright salad that tastes great with barbecued lamb. Easily halved.

Orzo & Tomato Salad with Capers & Kalamata Olives – serves 6 to 8

  • 350g orzo pasta
  • 2 x 290g deli packs of sunblush tomatoes, drained & cut into strips – reserve the oil
  • 400g green beans, trimmed & halved
  • 200g pitted Kalamata olives, roughly halved
  • 50g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stems finely chopped
  • 400g feta cheese, crumbled into small chunks
  • 100g pine nuts
  • 240g capers in brine, drained

Cook the orzo according to the pack. Rinse well in cold water and leave to drain in a sieve for 10 minutes.

Put the drained orzo into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tbsp of oil from the tomatoes and mix well.

Cook the green beans in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes or until tender, then drain and put into a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking. Drain well.

Add the green beans to the orzo along with the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Add some more of the tomato oil and season generously with salt and black pepper.

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

Read Full Post »

Crispy New Potatoes with Olives, Capers & Herbs

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Potato, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 26 July 2018| Leave a Comment »

Crispy new potato bake

This is a bit different and perfect when you’ve got over the initial excitement of new potatoes and feel like doing something other than steaming them and covering them with butter. Jersey Royals are nice if you can find them. We served these with some salmon and herby mayonnaise.

Crispy new potatoes with olives, capers & herbs – serves 4

  • 1kg Jersey Royal potatoes or other small new potatoes
  • handful small capers
  • 2 handfuls stoned black olives
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves
  • small bunch rosemary, broken into sprigs
  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Heat oven to 240C/Fan 220C/Gas 9.

Boil the potatoes until almost cooked – about 12 minutes. Drain, then slice and put into a large bowl. Tip in the capers, olives and herbs, then add most of the olive oil and season. Gently mix together, lightly crushing the potatoes as you go.

Line a medium Swiss roll tin with baking parchment, leaving some overhanging. Tip the potatoes into the tray and spread to flatten. Mix the vinegar with the rest of the oil and drizzle over. Bake for 40 minutes or until crisp and golden.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

Easy Pasta with Crab & Tomatoes

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 15 June 2018| 1 Comment »

Spaghetti with crab, cherry tomatoes & fresh chillies

This is really simple and fresh and we love it on a Friday night with a glass of chilled white wine. By all means cook a crab but our local fish shop sells cooked and picked crabmeat which makes this extra quick and easy.

Wine Suggestion: One of our stand-by wines for seafood is Muscadet and for this dish it was a good choice. A long standing favourite, the Domaine de la Chauviniere Muscadet sur lie always has good fruit, great texture and freshness and accentuated the flavours of the crab in a very nice way.

Spaghetti with Crab, Cherry Tomatoes and Chillies – serves 4

  • 500g spaghetti
  • 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 1 medium hot red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 100ml white wine
  • 200g white crabmeat
  • 3 tbsp freshly chopped chives

Cook the pasta in a very large pot of boiling salty water until al dente.

Meanwhile, gently heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the garlic and chilli for 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes before adding the wine and bringing to a simmer. Add the crab and cook for a minute to just warm through.

Drain the pasta well and tip into the pan with the crab sauce. Stir to combine, sprinkle over the chives, and serve.

(Original recipe from Pronto! by Gino D’Acampo, Kyle Books, 2014.)

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »