We were not disappointed with this on a Saturday night but it is so simple you could easily manage it on a weeknight. Serve with yoghurt, lime pickle and naan bread from the takeaway.
Wine Suggestion: Chenin Blanc for the depth of fruit and roundness on the palate, but a minerally backbone of acidity. It lifts this dish and adds and extra element. Tonight Domaine des Aubuisieres le Marigny; dry and expressive but with layers of yellow and red apples on top.
Paneer Jalfrezi – serves 3
200g block of paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
2 red peppers, cut into strips
1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
300g baby potatoes, halved or quartered
5cm piece of ginger
2 cloves of garlic, grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt
a handful of coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
yoghurt, lime pickle and naan bread, to serve
Heat the oven to 200C.
Put all of the ingredients into a large roasting tin, then put some disposable gloves on and gently toss everything together.
Put the tin into the hot oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the paneer is well browned.
Serve sprinkled with the coriander.
(Original reicpe from The Secret of Cooking by Bee Wilson, 4th Estate, 2023.)
Paneer is the typical cheese for curry but halloumi works as well if this is what’s to hand. Plus this is the perfect weeknight dish as it’s so easy; we made it between two after-school activities! Serve with rice or naan bread.
Wine Suggestion: This dish works well with white wines with a degree of plushness; dry but not too crisp. Unusually, as we find most of them a little boring, we went with a Pinot Grigio. Perusini’s version though is from Collio and not the characterless Veneto versions found most commonly. Peach and tangerine flavours with a pleasant herbal spice and medium-full body, combined with good freshness and a minerally saline undercurrent.
Creamy halloumi curry – serves 2 to 3
225g halloumi, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
400g tin chopped tomatoes
100ml double cream
80g fresh or frozen spinach
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp nigella seeds
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until softened.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook for a couple of minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until thickened.
Reduce the heat and add the cream, then simmer gently for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat another tbsp of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the halloumi for a few minutes or until browned on all sides.
Add the browned halloumi to the curry sauce along with the spinach, sugar and garam masala and stir to combine. Simmer gently for 5 minutes or until the spinach and wilted or defrosted. Add a splash of water or extra cream if the sauce seems a bit thick, then serve with the nigella seeds sprinkled over.
Our new year’s resolution is to make more tarts and conquer our pastry fear which is largely due to lack of practice. We’ve started with this tart filled with melting onions and cheese. Serve with a green salad.
Wine Suggestion: we paired this with a wine that opitimises a balance between freshness, richness, minerailty and fruit: Soalheiro’s Alvarinho. Fresh and elegant with tropical fruit flavours cut with a minerally saltiness balances the cheese. Plus the sweetness to the slowly cooked onions complements the richly layered fruits in the wine.
Cheese & Onion Tart – serves 6
a sheet of short-crust pastry (we were so enthusiastic that we made our own but really no need)
1 egg, beaten
FOR THE FILLING:
5 large brown onions
50g butter
a small glass of white wine
a few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
120g cheese, the original recipe suggests Comté (we used a mix of Comté, Cheddar & Gruyère), coarsely grated
150ml full-cream milk
3 eggs
Thinly slice the onions and add to a pan with the butter, seasoning well with salt. Cover with a lid and cook slowly for 30 minutes, stirring regularly, until sweet and very tender. It’s find to let them caramelise a little but don’t let them burn. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, remove the lid and allow this to bubble off. Add the wine, allow to cook off, then turn the heat off and allow to cool.
Lightly flour a cold surface and roll the pastry out to 3mm thick. Lift into a 25cm loose-bottom tart tin and use a little piece of dough to press the pastry into the tin and leave an overhang around the sides. Prick the base with a fork and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170C fan.
Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or rice. Put the tin onto a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is firm. Remove the beans and paper, brush with egg and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until golden. Trim off any excess pastry with a knife.
Put 100g of the cheese into a bowl with the milk, cream, eggs and thyme and mix together. Season well, then add the onions and mix again. Pour most of the mixture into the pastry case but dont fill all the way to the top. Make sure the onion is evenly spread, then place into the oven. Carefully pour in the remaining mixture, making sure it doesnt overflow. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is caramelised and the middle has set. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
(Original recipe from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts, Ebury Press, 2023.)
We have fallen in love with this buttery cabbage dish which we served tonight alongside some salmon with barberries. This is seriously pimped up cabbage and would be delicious with anything! Both recipes are from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour.
Wine suggestion: we thought the tamarind would be a hard match, so opened a wine we didn’t know, the Lyrarakis Liatiko from Crete, and were delighted when this obscure wine was a total gem. A light, juicy cherry flavoured wine with wild berry and gentle herbs and a cedary spice. We’ll be looking out for this again.
Cabbage with tamarind, maple & black pepper butter – serves 2 to 4
olive oil
1 large head of sweetheart cabbage, quartered
100ml cold water
50g butter
1 heaped tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp coarse freshly ground black pepper
Put a large frying pan over a medium heat and add some olive oil. Arrange the cabbage wedges in the pan, sitting on one cut side and the stalk ends in the centre of the pan, and fry for 5 minutes. Pour in the cold water, then increase the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
Take the lid off the pan and turn the cabbage wedges onto the other side for 3-4 minutes, uncovered. Add the butter, then mix the tamarind, maple syrup and pepper together and add to the pan with a good seasoning of salt. Stir to melt the butter – making sure it doesn’t burn. Baste the cabbage with the butter, then turnover onto the other side and continue basting for a few more minutes. Serve with any butter left in the pan drizzled over.
(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)
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.)
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.)
Wine Suggestion: Italian reds work with tomato pasta sauces as they tend to be a little bit more acidic which compliments the acidity of the tomatoes. Given how light the spinach and ricotta are a light chianti or a young nebbiolo will work well.
Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni – serves 5 to 6
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried oregano
6 tbsp tomato purée
170ml white wine
2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes
1 litre vegetable stock
1½ tsp caster sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
10g basil leaves, roughtly torn, plus extra to serve
250g cannelloni tubes
50g finely grated Parmesan
125g grated mozzarella
FOR THE FILLING:
250g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
500g ricotta
30g finely grated Parmesan
100g grated mozzarella
1 egg
1 large clove of garlic
a little grated nutmeg
¾ tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
First make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and oregano. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato purée and stir for a minute. Stir in the wine, then turn the heat up hight and simmer until almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes, stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 35 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and whizz the sauce until smoooth, then stir in the basil leaves.
Squeeze the defrosted spinach with your hands to get rid of as much water as possible. Put the spinach in a bowl with the rest of the filling ingredients and mix well with wooden spoon.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
Spread about 375ml of the sauce across the base of a large baking dish (about 23 x 32 cm).
Put the filling into a piping bag (or you can use a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe the filling into the tubes until full, then place them in the baking dish.
Pour over the rest of the tomato sauce, making sure to cover all the tubes. Cover with foil, then bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then sprinkle with the Parmesan, then the mozzarella. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Garnish with extra basil leaves and Parmesan and serve with a green salad.
(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmilan, 2022)
This has a surprising umaminess given the short cooking time. A dish for mushroom lovers.
Wine Suggestion: We enjoy pairing mushroom dishes with Nebbiolo and really enjoy stepping outside the box to find versions made outside it’s native Piedmont. Tonight a glass of Clendenen Family Vineyards (Au Bon Climat) “Pip” from the Santa Maria Valley in California, which despite it getting some of the famous sunshine, is also a very cool area with fog … just like Piedmont. We liked it a lot.
Porcini sauce for tagliatelle – serves 2
40g dried porcini
4 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
½ tsp chilli flakes
10g fresh parsley (stalks and leaves), finely chopped, plus extra to serve
a big pinch of fine sea salt
1½ tbsp tomato purée
about 50 twists of freshly ground black pepper
250g dried tagliatelle
40g Parmesan, very finely grated, plus extra to serve
3 tbsp double cream
Put the dried porcini into a bowl and cover with boiling water, then leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 75g of the soaking liquid. Very finely chop the porcini so it is like the consistency of mince, then set aside.
Put the oil, garlic, chilli flakes, parsley and fine salt into a large sauté pan, then place over a medium-low heat. Fry very gently for 5 minutes or until soft, taking care that the garlic doesn’t turn brown.
Increase the heat, then add the chopped porcini, tomato purée and the pepper. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then set the pan aside while you cook the tagliatelle.
Cook the pasta in boiling salty water until al dente, then drain and reserve 350g of the pasta water.
Return the sauté pan to a medium-high heat, then add the reserved porcini and pasta water. Bring to a simmer and leave to bubble for a few minutes. Add half the Parmesan, stir until melted before adding the rest. Lower the heat, then stir in the cream, followed by the cooked pasta. Toss over the heat for a minute or two until the sauce comes together.
Remove from the heat and serve with more Parmesan and olive oil.
(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)
Rajma or spiced kidney beans from Dishoom. Delicious with rice and raita.
Wine Suggestion: We found the rich, mealy textured beans paired well with Luigi Pira’s Langhe Nebbiolo. The fruity, spice and lighter nature wasn’t too serious for this dish, and the oomph from the tannins was a good counterpoint to the richness and depth in the beans.
Rajma – serves 2 to 4
35ml vegetable oil
5g ginger paste (see recipe below)
5g garlic paste (see recipe below)
1 black cardamom pod
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
15g tomato purée
1g fine salt
100g onion-tomato masala (see recipe below)
400g tin kidney beans
½ tsp garam masala
50g tomatoes, chopped
a good handful of coriander leaves, chopped
25g butter
TO SERVE:
red onion, finely sliced
ginger matchsticks
coriander leaves, roughly torn
lime wedges
Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until no longer raw.
Add the cardmamom pod, bay leaf and cinnamon stick and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground cumin, chilli powder, tomato purée and salt and cook for a few minutes, or until the oil starts to separate.
Add the onion-tomato masala and bring to a simmer, stirring, then add the kidney beans along with their liquid. Simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced and thickened.
Add the garam masala, tomatoes, chopped coriander and ginger and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the butter.
Serve garnished with the red onion, ginger and coriander and with lime wedges for squeezing over.
Onion-tomato masala – makes about 450g
300ml vegetable oil
1.2kg Spanish white onions, finely diced
35g garlic paste (see recipe below)
30g ginger paste (see recipe below)
1¾ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
30g tomato purée
2 tsp fine sea salt
600g good quality tinned tomatoes
Warm a deep, heaving frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and warm before adding the onions. Let the onions caramelise to a deep brown, stirring regularly. Add a splash of water if they are at risk of burning. This should take 25-30 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger paste and sauté until light golden brown, stirring all the time.
Add the chilli powder, tomato purée and salt, then sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, stir well and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often. The tomatoes should break down completely and caramelise a bit in the oil, you can add a splash of water if it starts to dry up.
Freeze any masala that you are not using.
Ginger and Garlic Pastes – makes about 170g (keep in the fridge covered with oil for 10 days)
3 bulbs of garlic or 180g fresh root ginger
25ml vegetable oil, plus extra to store
Peel the garlic or ginger and roughly chop.
Whizz the garlic or ginger with with the oil to make a smooth paste.
Store in a sterilized jar covered with oil in the fridge.
(Original recipes from Dishoom by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar & Naved Nasir, Bloomsbury, 2019.)
We love dhal and this cheat’s version is delicious! It’s similar to a dhal makhani but a fraction of the effort to make. We will never be without 2 tins of lentils again! Serve with rice or naan of course.
Wine Suggestion: a regular grenache, Domaine Ventenac’s “les Dissidents” Paria because it has an effortless freshness and gentle plummy, warm spices of a juicy core of red fruit.
Cheat’s Dhal – serves 4 to 6
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp tomato purée
2 x 400g tins green lentils, drained
50g butter
150ml double cream
300ml boiling water
Heat a large heavy saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and the onion and stir-fry until softened and starting to brown at the edges.
Stir in the spices until the onions are coated, then add the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the lentils, then the butter and stir until melted. Pour in the cream and season generously, then pour in the water and stir again.
Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy. Season to taste and serve.
(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)
You can’t capture the autumn sliding into winter better than in this dish. It’s perfect for a weeknight main or a side dish at the weekend.
Wine Suggestion: We think Nebbiolo is such a natural pairing with mushrooms, but thought opening a Barolo or Barbaresco was a bit extravagant, so Luigi Pira’s Langhe Nebbiolo was chosen and the gentle leather, spice and tea leaf characters were a delight.
Roast potatoes with mushrooms, chestnuts & sherry – serves 4
1kg waxy potatoes
7 cloves of garlic, 4 unpeeled and smashed, 3 peeled and finely sliced
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp dry or medium sherry
75g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
a small bunch of flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
100g manchego or Parmesan cheese
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Spread the potatoes over the lined tray alongwith the smashed garlic, olive oil and thyme. Season and toss, then roast for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are softened but not cooked through.
Add the mushrooms, sliced garlic and sherry to the potatoes and toss again. Cook for another 20-25 minutes or until the mushrooms and potatoes are cooked. Remove from the oven and add the chestnuts and parsley. Mix well and check the seasoning.
Shave the cheese over the top to serve.
(Original recipe by Claire Thompson in Olive Magazine, October 2020.)
An easy pasta dish from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour. Ready in 10 minutes and perfect for midweek.
Wine Suggestion: A crisp and fresh Sartarelli Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico which lifts the dish and adds an extra roundness and depth. Easy white peach flavours but with that classic green almond twist at the end that bring both wine and food together.
Penne with spicy tomato & mascarpone sauce – serves 2
200g penne pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
4 big garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp tomato purée
150g mascarpone cheese
1 tsp pul biber chilli flakes
2 handfuls of Greek basil – we used some regular basil
Cook the pasta in plenty of salty water according to the timings on the pack.
Meanwhile, warm a frying pan over a medium heat, and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook gently until soft and translucent.
Add the tomato purée, mascarpone and most of the chilli flakes, then stir until you have a smooth sauce.
When the pasta is cooked, scoop it out with a slotted spoon and straight into the frying pan with the sauce. Season well with plenty of salt and black pepper. You might need to add a bit more pasta water to loosen to a creamy sauce.
Serve in warm bowls with a sprinkle of pul biber and the basil leaves.
(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2022.)
Such a tasty side dish! We served with a roast chicken but it will go with pretty much anything.
Potatoes with chimichurri – serves 6 as a side dish
800g waxy potatoes
600g sweet potatoes
5g oregano leaves, roughly chopped
5g parsley, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
250ml chicken stock or vegetable stock
FOR THE CHIMICHURRI:
10g parsley, finely chopped
5g oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 mild red chilli, finely chopped (seeds in or out as you wish)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
Heat the oven to 180C fan.
Peel the potaotes, then slice the waxy sort using a mandolin. Use a sharp knife to slice the sweet potatoes finely – they should be slightly thicker than the regular potatoes.
Put both sorts of potatoes into a large bowl and add the garlic, herbs, 3 tbsp of the oil, 1½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Toss gently with your hands to combine but make sure you don’t break the potatoes.
Lightly grease a large ovenproof cast-iron frying pan or a round baking dish – about 23cm in diameter. Start at the edge and arrange the potatoes in overlapping circles until you reach the middle. Pour the stock over the top. Lightly grease a piece of foil and cover the dish tightly with it. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and turn the heat up to 220C. Remove the foil from the pan and drizzle over the last 2 tbsp of olive oil. Return to the oven for 20 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly, for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce. Put all of the ingredients into a bowl with ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Mix well to combine.
When you’re ready to serve, spoon the chimichurri over the top of the potatoes.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2022.)
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.)
We can’t get enough of St Tola, a delicious goats’ cheese from County Clare. Here it is with some courgettes and mint in a summery risotto.
Wine Suggestion: Something suitably summery and white, like Domaine Ventenac’s “Marie”. Made from Vermentino and Colombard this tastes of lemons with a hint of grapefruit plus white flowers, touches of green apples and an under-current of salty texture. Zippy and round with a fun and easy finish.
Courgette Risotto with St Tola & Mint, serves 4
1.5 litres vegetable stock
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a large bunch of scallions, very finely sliced
350g Carnaroli rice
a glass of dry white wine, Russel Norman suggests Sauvignon Blanc but we used a Vermentino-Colombard blend
2 medium courgettes, cut into quarters lengthways, then sliced into 3cm lengths
150g St Tola goats’ cheese
a large handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
a large knob of butter
the zest of ½ a lemon
Heat the stock and leave it simmering gently.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over a gentle heat. Gently sauté the scallions with a good pinch of salt for about 10 minutes, until they are soft and shiny but not browned. Mix in the rice and make sure all the grains are coated in the oil. Turn the heat up a bit a pour in the wine.
Start adding a ladeful of stock at a time and gently stirring until absorbed before adding the next one. Keep going like this for 8 minutes.
Add the courgettes and stir to combine, then keep adding the stock for another 6 minutes. Crumble half the goat’s cheese and mix it in along with the mint. Stir well and cook for another 4 minutes or until the rice is al dente. Season to taste.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and remaining crumbled goat’s cheese. Fold these gently into the risotto, then cover and rest for a minute. Serve in warm bowls with some black pepper and lemon zest.
(Original recipe from Venice by Russell Norman, Fig Tree, 2018.)
Our favourite vegetarian cookbook at the moment is East by Meera Sodha. This is an Indian main course dish but it’s like a soup and works well as both a mid-week dinner, and in a flask for lunch the next day. Also vegan and gluten-free if this is useful information for you. Serve with crusty bread.
Black-eyed bean and chickpea usal – serves 4
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 long green chillies, very finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 large vine tomatoes, chopped
1¾ tsp salt
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 x 400g tin of black-eyed beans, drained
250g frozen peas, defrosted
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
200g mangetout
1 tbsp lemon juice
a handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a high heat. Add the onion and chillies and cook for about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a minute more.
Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes or until they have broken down, then add the salt and spices and stiry-fry for another minute.
Stir in the black-eyed beans, peas, chickpeas and mangetout and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and coriander, then taste and season with more salt if needed.
(Original recipe from East by Meera Sodha, Penguin, 2019.)
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.)
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.)
Fresh and summery and an opportunity to eat more peaches. There was a burrata shortage the day we made this and so we had to substitute mozzarella.
Mozzarella, tomato & peach salad – serves 4
400g large ripe tomatoes, ideally heirloom and/or beefsteak
400g ripe peaches or nectarines
extra virgin olive oil
a splash of white wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano, plus extra to serve
1 large ball of burrata (or buffalo mozzarella)
a small handfull of pine nuts, toasted
Slice the tomatoes into rounds, removing the cores.
Stone and slice the peaches into wedges. Put the tomatoes and peaches into a mixing bowl with the some olive oil, white wine vinegar and the dried oregano and toss to coat. Season with salt to taste.
Arrange the tomatoes and peaches on a platter and put the burrata in the middle. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with a little dried oregano. Season with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Scatter over the toasted pine nuts and serve.
(Original recipe from Stagioni by Olivia Cavalli, Pavillon, 2022.)
