Jono & Jules do food & wine

We recommend a trip to your local Polski shop for some smoked sausages, plus you’ll be able to find lots of other goodies while you’re there. Our local one has some very friendly and helpful staff willing to help navigate the differences in sausages… of which they have many.

Wine Suggestion: This dish works well with Spanish reds, especially Tempranillo based ones and the one we enjoyed tonight was the Cantos de Valpiedra from Rioja which we find particlaurly refined and elegant with a gentle undercurrent of warm spices.

Sausages & lentils – serves 6

• 300g dried Puy lentils
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 600g cooked Polish smoked sausages e.g. Kielbasa
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into 1cm dice
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 400g Swiss chard, stalks cut into 1cm dice, leaves roughly shredded
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 20g parsley
• 50g shop-bought crispy onions, to serve (optional)

FOR THE MUSTARD CRÈME FRAÎCHE:

• 75g crème fraîche
• 1½  tsp Dijon mustard
• 1½  tsp wholegrain mustard

Rinse the lentils well, then cover with lots of cold water and set aside.

Mix all the ingredients together for the mustard crème fraîche and put it in the fridge until needed.

Heat ½ tbsp of olive oil in a large casserole, over a medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add another 2½ tbsp of oil to the pan and add the onion, celery and green pepper. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the vegetables are turning golden. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf and chard stalks and cook for another few minutes. Add the tomato purée and cumin and cook for a further minute.

Drain the lentils and add them to the pan, along with the stock, 1½ tsp of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, covered, until the lentils are cooked through. Use a stick blender to blitz one side of the pot for maximum 30 seconds, to break some of the lentils up. Add the chard leaves and stir them in.

Add the sausages to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted and the sausages are warmed through. Stir in the parsley and divide between warm bowls. Spoon the crème fraîche on top and the crispy onions if you have them.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller & Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2024.)

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A delicious pasta dish for when you’re short on time.

Wine Suggestion: Despite this being a very Italian inspired dish our match was the t’Air d’Oc Syrah made by Domaine Gayda in the Languedoc. Coming from the foothills of the Pyrenees this has a wonderful balance of black fruits and a fresh peppery twist which allowed the wine to hold its own with the richness of the dish and then cut through and balance the lemony creaminess.

Rigatoni with sausage, lemon & mustard – serves 4

• 300g rigatoni
• 450g herby pork sausages
• olive oil
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 200ml white wine
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• ½ lemon, zested
• 150g crème fraîche
• a small handful of parsley, chopped

Cook the pasta then drain but save a little pasta water.

Remove the skins from the sausages, break the meat into little pieces and cook in 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry until golden and crisp, then add the fennel seeds and cook for a minute.

Pour in the wine and let it bubble up, then stir in the mustard, lemon zest and crème fraîche. Simmer until the sauce is the consistency of single cream, then toss with the pasta, a tbsp or so of pasta cooking water and the parsley.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, July 2014.)

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Wine suggestion: Try this with a restrained, cooler climate white like Domaine Gayda’s Sphere Chardonnay which comes from the hills leading up to the Pyrenees so cooled both by altitude and cool breezes descending from the hills at night. A touch of oak brings it together and while not complex there is an effortless drinakability and character, perfect for this summery quiche.

Tomato and Red Onion Quiche – Serves 6

• 500g mixed tomatoes, halved
• 2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
• about 15 pitted black olives, roughly chopped
• a handful of oregano leaves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• a splash of red wine vinegar
• 2 whole eggs, plus 2 egg yolks (you can keep the whites to glaze the tart)
• 60g Parmesan, finely grated, plus 1 tbsp extra for the top
• 400ml double cream

FOR THE PASTRY:

• 110g wholemeal flour
• 220g plain white flour
• 220g chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing the tin
• 70g Parmesan, finely grated

Start by making the pastry. Tip both flours and the chilled butter into a food processor with half a tsp of fine sea salt and the Parmesan. Pulse a few times so the butter is in big flakes. Trickle in 5 tbsp of ice-cold water and pulse a few more times – you need to be able to form a rough lump with it (add an extra tbsp of water only if you need it). Transfer to a floured work surface and bring together into a ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap in paper and leave in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

Put the tomatoes, cut side up, on a lined baking tray, scatter over the onions, olives and oregano, season generously, then drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until starting to caramelise.

Turn the oven down to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Grease a 28-30cm tart tin. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface and lift using your rolling pin into the greased tin. Make sure it’s big enough to leave an overhang on the sides. Push the pastry into the corners, then lightly prick the base with a fork and put in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs and yolks in a bowl, then pour in the cheese and cream and season lightly.

Line the chilled tart case wth foil, pushing it well into the edges. Blind bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and brush the tart case with the reserved egg white loosened with a splash of milk. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until light brown.

Transfer the tomatoes, onions and olives to the tart case, then gently pour over the cream mixture and scatter with the last tbsp of Parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set and golden brown. Cool in the case until just warm, then trim the edges of the pastry and serve with a salad.

(Original recipe by Thomasina Miers in The Guardian, 22 July 2023.)

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My friend Antoinette made me this a few years ago after seeing the recipe in the Guardian. Nigel Slater has since published it in A Cook’s Book and it’s still good. Super simple but do go to town on good sausages.

Wine Suggestion: go for an easy, central Italian Red, like Umani Ronchi’s Serrano. From the Marches on the Adriatic coast this is a Rosso Conero DOC made from Montepulciano and a touch of Sangiovese. Smooth and medium bodied, but with character, refinement and substance.

Sausages with Chickpea Mash – serves 2 to 3

• 2 x 400g tins chickpeas
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, peeled and halved
• 6-8 top-quality sausages with fennel
• 60ml olive oil
• 6 sprigs rosemary
• 25g parsley, leaves picked
• 4-5 bushy sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
• 120ml cooking water from the chickpeas

Drain the chickpeas and put them into a large saucepen. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Add the baby leaves and onion, then partially cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Cook the sausages in a pan or under the grill with a little of the oil and the rosemary (we cooked ours on a barbecue).

Roughly chop the parsley and thyme.

Drain the chickpeas and discard the onion and bay leaves but keep 120ml of the cooking water.

Warm the rest of the olive oil in a small pan. Mash the chickpeas with a blender but careful not to over process. Pour in the warm oil and cooking water, then stir in the herbs and sesaon well with salt and pepper.

Thickly slice the cooked sausages and pile them onto the mash, drizzle with some more olive oil if you like.

(Original recipe from A Cook’s Book by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2021.)

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A dish we made on a Monday with all the after school activities. Easy but a rewarding treat after a long day.

Wine Suggestion: we’d suggest a good Portuguese Alvarinho for this as the extra sunshine (closer to the equator than Spain) helps with the cream and oily salmon. Our choice tonight, the Quinta Soalheiro Primeiras Vinhas, an old vine selection that is made partially in oak to give a deep base note alongside the minerally primary fruits.

Creamy salmon, leek & potato traybake – serves 2

• 250g baby potatoes, thickly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek, halved and sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 70ml double cream
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 tbsp chives, plus extra to serve
• 2 skinless salmon fillets

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Bring a pot of water to the boil, the add the potatoes and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and leave to steam-dry for a few minutes.

Toss the potatoes with 1 tbsp of olive oil and plenty of seasoning in a baking tray, then bake for 20 minutes, tossing halfway.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leek and fry for 5 minutes, or until starting to soften. Stir through the garlic for 1 minute then add the cream, capers and 75ml of hot water, then bring to the boil. Stir in the chives.

Heat the grill to high. Pour the creamy leek mixture over the potatoes, then sit the salmon fillets on top. Grill for 7-8 minutes or until just cooked through. Serve topped with extra chives.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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A very useful cake for entertaining Coeliac friends though you do need to check your ingredients state they are gluten-free. This is both richly chocolatey and light as air, plus really easy to make. Serve alongside a coffee, or with cream or vanilla ice-cream. It’s a good idea to boil the orange the day before.

Chocolate Orange Cake – serves 8

• 2 small or 1 large thin-skinned orange, about 375g total weight
• 6 eggs
• 1 heaped tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g ground almonds
• 250g caster sugar
• 50g cocoa

Put the oranges into a pan with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 2 hours until soft. Drain and leave to cool, then cut in half and remove the pips. Pulp the oranges in a food processor (with skin and all).

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Butter and line a 20cm springform tin.

Add the eggs, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, almonds, sugar and cocoa to the orange in the food processor. Whizz until the mixture comes together but still a bit rough with some flecks of puréed orange.

Scrape the mixture into the prepeared tin and bake for an hour, a skewer inserted into the middle should come out fairly clean. Check after 45 minutes and cover if needed, you can also check it for doneness at this point.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin, on a rack. When cold remove from the tin and serve with cream.

(Original recipe from Feast by Nigella Lawson, Chatto & Windus, 2004.)

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This is a great alternative chilli for those not so fussed on red meat. Serve with rice, feta, coriander, sour cream, steamed rice, tortilla chips and lime wedges. Add the chipotle with caution, the brand we used was very hot!

Wine Suggestion: Given the heat this needs a juicy wine to match. If you’d like a white some Pinot Gris would be great, however tonight we felt like a red and so opened an Altosur Malbec made by Finca Sophenia in the wonderful Gualtallary area of Mendoza. Stony and super-high altitude freshness and yet expressive, perfumed and juicy, brambly fruit.

Chicken & Black Bean Chilli – serves 4

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 4 chicken thigh fillets
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp chipotle in adobo or 1 tsp chipotle paste (if using chipotles in adobo check how hot they are)
• 350g passata
• ½ chicken stock pot
• 400g tin black beans, drained but don’t rinse!
• juice of ½ a lime
• rice, feta, coriander, sour cream, steamed rice, tortilla chips and lime wedges – to serve

Heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a shallow casserole dish with a lid. Add the onions and cook gently for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the chicken and turn the heat up to medium. Add the garlic, a small pinch of sugar, the oregano, cumin seeds and seasoning. Cook for a couple of minute, then add the chipotle and cook for another few minutes. Add the passata, 100ml water and the stock, then bring to a simmer.

Cover and cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken is tender. Shred the chicken with two forks and mix through the sauce, then stir through the beans. Simmer for 5 minutes, then take off the heat and squeeze in the lime juice.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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You can start cooking this the day before, the flavours will improve and your home will smell delicious. Serve with fresh tagliatelle and grated Parmesan.

Wine Suggestion: find a rich red with some stuffing to stand up to the richer flavours. A touch of acidity and a good grip of tannin will also help. Ideally you’ll finish the bottle used to cook with, as we did tonight; Cline’s Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi in California. Heady, brambly and with juicy tannins.

Italian slow-cooked lamb ragu – serves 8

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.2kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3.5cm cubes
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 celery sticks, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
• 400ml red wine
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 500ml lamb stock
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

Put on the oven to 170C/Fan 160C/Gas 3.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large casserole over a high heat. Season the lamb and brown in batches, then remove to a plate and set aside.

Add another tbsp of oil to the pan, then add the onions and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook for a further 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and anchovies.

Add the wine and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the base of the pan. Bring to the boil and reduce by half, then add the herbs, lamb stock, tomatoes and browned lamb. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours.

Transfer the casserole from the oven to the hob, remove the lid and stir, then simmer gently for 1 hour to reduce and thicken. Remove the large herb sprigs, then shred the lamb with two forks and season.

Serve with pasta and Parmesan.

(Original recipe from Tom Kerridge’s Fresh Start, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2018.)

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We can’t tell you how incredibly simple this is to make. If we’d known we would have made it many times before now. You can even make it earlier in the day, ready to bake when needed which is useful when having guests. The salsa verde in the middle is an excellent addition. Lovely served with roast baby potatoes and a green salad.

Wine Suggestion: With the pastry and salmon this needs a white with a good amount of body, but not necessarily heavily oaked given the salsa verde running through each bite. We’re fans of good Vermentino and for this we opened the Poggio ai Ginepri Bianco which from the Tuscan coast, made by Tenuta Argentiera. Vibrancy, depth and a juicy body wrapping a mineral core.

Salmon en croûte – serves 6

FOR THE SALSA VERDE:

• 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 tbsp basil leaves
• 2 tbsp mint leaves
• 1 clove of garlic, halved
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 egg yolk

• 2 x 350g salmon fillets, skinned and pin-boned
• 375g pack all-butter puff pastry
• plain flour, for dusting
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp mlk

FOR THE DRESSING:

• 2 large tomatoes
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Make the salsa verde first. Put the herbs into a small food processor and whizz to finely chop. Add the garlic, anchovies, mustard, egg yolk, and black pepper, then whizz until smooth.

Put a salmon fillet onto a board and spread with the salsa verde. Set the other fillet on top to make a rectangle.

Cut two-thirds of the pastry from the block and put the remaining piece in the freezer. Put the pastry onto a piece of lightly floured baking parchment, then roll out until large enough to completely enclose the salmon. Put the fillets in the centre and brush the pastry with the beaten egg (keeping some for later). Fold the pastry over the fish and pinch the edges together to seal. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours ahead.

Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/Gas 9.

Heat a baking tray in the oven until hot. Brush the salmon en croûte with the leftover beaten egg, then coarsely grate the frozen pastry and sprinkle over the top.

Transfer the salmon and baking parchment to the hot baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and the pastry is cooked. Rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Cover the tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute, then remove and put into cold water, then drain. Peel the skin off the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds, then dice and put into a bowl. Add the rest of the dressing ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Serve the salmon in thick slices with the dressing alongside.

(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks up a Feast with Lucy Young, DK: Penguin Random House, 2019.)

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A nice bright side dish from Ottolenghi Simple, though we swapped out the dolcelatte for gorgonzola.

Roasted squash with lentils and gorgonzola – serves 6 as a side

• 1 large butternut squash, cut in half lengthways, deseed and cut into 1cm thick wedges, no need to peel
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 10g sage leaves
• 100g Puy lentils
• 1 large lemon, zest grated to give 1½ tsp, then juiced to give 2 tbsp
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 5g mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
• 100g dolcelatte (we used gorgonzola), torn into small pieces

Heat the oven to 220C fan.

Put the squash and onions into a large bowl with 2 tbsp of the oil, the sage leaves, ¾ tsp of salt and lots of black pepper.

Toss well, then spread out on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove and rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, half fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the lentils and simmer for 20 minutes, until cooked. Drain, then set aside to cool slightly, then put into a large bowl. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and 1 tbsp of oil and ¼ tsp of salt.

Add the roasted squash and onion to the bowl of lentils and gently mix. Transfer to a serving dish, dot with the cheese, drizzle with oil and serve.

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

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