Mussels are our favourite Friday night treat and they taste amazing with this creamy leek and cider sauce. You will need a top quality baguette on the side.
Wine suggestion: we’re just loving Domaine de la Chauviniere’s Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie at the moment and think that Jeremie Huchet just has his vineyards in such balance that he delivers delicious wines year after year. Minerally, salty, fresh and with a rounded appley fruit that just works (or of course you could just buy some extra cider).
Mussels with leeks, bacon & cider – serves 2 to 3
200g smoked streaky bacon
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
400g leeks, finely chopped
1kg mussels, cleaned
a large glass of dry cider
150ml double cream
a handful of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
baguette, to serve
Warm a little olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon until the fat renders, then add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook gently for a few minutes. Add the leeks and season well with salt, then let the leeks cook until they are very soft and tender but not taking on any colour. Add a splash of water if they start to catch.
Turn the heat up and add the cider to the leeks to create plenty of steam. Add the mussels and cover with a lid. After two minutes, shake the pan well or give the mussels a toss with a spoon, then cook for another minute or two – they are ready as soon as all the shells are open (chuck any that don’t open).
Pour in the cream, add the parsley and season with lots of black pepper and a little more salt, though taste first. Give everything a final toss, then serve in big bowls with baguette and a glass of cold white wine or cider.
(Original recipe from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts, Ebury Press, 2023.)
Bags of flavour in this one and not the flavours you would usually associate with spaghetti and mince.
Wine Suggestion: we like a crisp, clean and dry lager with this, partly because it reminds of a warm summer evening, of which we’re craving at the moment.
Harissa, tahini and lamb spaghetti – serves 4
vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 fat garlic cloves, finely sliced
500g lamb mince
1 tbsp garlic granules
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp rose harissa
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp light soy sauce
300g spaghetti
4 scallions, finely sliced
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Put a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a splash of vegetable oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and transparent, then add the garlic and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Add the lamb mince to the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon. When it has broken up and lost it’s pinkness, add the garlic granules, curry powder and ground cumin. Stir to mix well through, then add the harissa, tahini and soy sauce. Season with salt and black pepper and mix together well. Continue cooking, stirring regularly, while you cook the spaghetti.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salty water, then drain and reserve a good mugful of the cooking water.
Add the spagehtti to the lamb mince and mix well, then pour in enough pasta cooking water to loosen it. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and mix together, then serve.
(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)
We can see why this is eaten in across the world in Swedish furniture stores: it’s light, homely, and a total child-pleaser (sans sprouts for some).
Wine Suggestion: we love a creamy white to go with this dish; that means a touch of oak and if possible a little battonage to bring structure and a toasty, creamy texture. A little left field, we chose the Dominio de Tares Godello from old vine Godello, wild fermented in oak. With a lemony core layered with pears and stonefruit this has hints of white flowers, brioche and a gentle toasty/nutty character.
Swedish Meatballs – serves 4
1 onion, peeled and grated (use a box grater)
2 slices soft white bread, crusts removed and cut into 1cm cubes
a splash of milk
300g beef mince
300g pork mince
1 egg
a little freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp cooking salt
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
CREAMY GRAVY:
50g unsalted butter
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml beef stock
125ml double cream
TO SERVE:
finely chopped chives (only if you have them)
lingonberry jam or cranberry sauce (also not essential)
Put the grated onion into a large mixing bowl. Add the bread and mix well – if the bread doesn’t turn soggy you can add a splash of milk. Set aside for a minute, then add the rest of the meatball ingredients, except the oil. Mix well with your hands to combine.
Roll the mixture into about 25-30 meatballs.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches – they should be nicely browned all over but not cooked through. Set aside.
Lower the heat to medium.
Melt the butter in the meatball pan and wait until it foams. Add the flour and stir for a minute, then gradually add the beef stock, stirring constantly until you have a smooth sauce.
Turn the heat up slightly and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the meatballs and any juices on the plate. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the liquid has thickened to a thin gravy. Stir in the cream and simmer for a couple of minutes, then remove from the heat.
Sprinkle the meatballs with chives if you like and serve with creamy mash and some greans. Ligonberry or cranberry optional.
(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)
A surf-n-turf compromise maybe for the meat-eaters and such a delicious sauce to go with the fish. Looks a bit messy in the picture but it tastes delicious! We served with baby roast potatoes and greens.
Wine Suggestion: This begs for a youthful, oaked white like the textural, fresh and balanced Neudorf Tiritiri Chardonnay from Nelson in NZ. There’s both a finesse and a complexity to this wine with fresh fruits, hints of spice and … it may be the food influencing it, but we get hints of bacon and a meatiness. All bound together tightly and opening up gently in the glass.
Monkfish with mushroom & bacon sauce – serves 6
6 x 150g monkfish fillets, ask the fishmonger to remove the skin and membrane
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp oil
a knob of butter
6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
200ml crème fraîche
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp chopped parsley
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6 and line a tray with baking paper.
Season the monkfish with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over a plate and dust the fish until coated, shaking off any excess.
Put a frying pan over a high heat and add the oil and butter. When the butter is foaming, add the fish fillets and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until sealed and lightly golden. Transfer to the paper-lined tray and pour over any buttery juice from the pan. Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper to remove any flour, then add the bacon and fry over a high heat until crispy, then remove to a plate. Tip the onion into the pan and fry for a few minutes, then cover and reduce the heat and leave to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the lid and turn the heat back up, add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes until golden.
Add the crème fraîche, lemon juice and mustard with half the cooked bacon and half the parsley. Bring to the boil and bubble for a few minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice each fish fillet into three and arrange on a platter. Spoon over the sauce and garnish with the rest of the bacon and parsley.
(Original recipe from Foolproof Cooking by Mary Berry, BBC Books, 2016.)
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.)
Who doesnt love a chicken drumstick? These ones have a delicious Spanish inspired marinade. Serve with some alioli if you like.
Wine suggestion: when choosing wines to go with dishes we often start with the idea that the origin of the dish lends itself to similar wines, in this case Spain. So on this note we went for Edetària’s via Edetana Red which is a joyful and deep expression of Garnacha Fina and Garnatxa Peluda, two very closely related varieties of Grenache. It has both a purity and freshness alongside an earthiness and rounded, velvety spices; medium bodied so it didn’t overwhelm the chicken and worked alongside the marinade. An interesting aside, the very rare Garnatxa Peluda found only in Terra Alta is also called “Hairy Grenache” as the leaves are velvety.
BBQ Drumsticks – serves 4
8 chicken drumsticks
lemon wedges, to serve
For the marinade:
50ml olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
100ml fino sherry
salt
Mix all the marinade ingredients together and add plenty of salt.
Add the drumsticks and rub the marinade in with your hands. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight or for at least 3 hours.
Remove the chicken from the fridge an hour before you want to cook it. Brush the marinade off the chicken and reserve it for later.
Prep your barbecue to allow for indirect and direct cooking. Put the chicken pieces over the indirect heat to start and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for 30 minutes, turning regularly.
Move the chicken onto the direct heat and cook for another 15-20 minutes until cooked through and nicely charred. Baste often with the reserved marinade.
Serve with the lemon wedges and some alioli if you like.
(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2017.)
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)
We made these noodles on the day we got our new puppy, Remy. We can barely remember what they tasted like as we were too busy congratulating ourselves on picking the best little dog ever. However we wrote, usefully, on the recipe that they tasted very good indeed … so we’ll go with that.
Wine Suggestion: The coconut and turmeric elements to this dish work really well with an off-dry Riesling, like those from the Mosel in Germany. The Dr Loosen “L” Riesling is an inexpensive, but very well made option with charming fruit and a very good balance, finishing clean and fresh.
Spicy Coconut and Chicken Noodles – serves 4
vegetable oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
600g boneless and skinless chicken thighs
4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp rose harissa
400ml tin coconut milk
300g medium egg noodles
TO SERVE:
a handful of bean sprouts
lime wedges
coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Put a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, drizzle in some vegetable oil and fry the onions until soft. Add the chicken and dry spices along with lots of salt and pepper and stir to coat the chicken in the mixture, then stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the harrisa and stir-fry for a few more minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium, then pour in the coconut milk and some water so that the chicken is just covered. Stir, then cover the pan with a lid and cook gently for an hour, stirring now and then to make sure it hasn’t stuck. You can top up the liquid a little if needed.
Cook the noodles according to the pack instructions, then drain and divide between 4 bowls.
Pour the chicken over the cooked noodles, then add the bean sprouts, lime wedges and coriander.
(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)
Jeez this sauce is good. A stunning recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage. There are a good few steps in the recipe, but prep everything first and you will be fine.
Wine Suggestion: Don’t push the boat out for a wine match as the gutsy flavours just need an easy, well made, rounded Chardonnay. Go anymore complex and the subtlety will be lost. For us tonight Domaine Gayda’s Sphere Chardonnay which see’s wonderful sunshine in the Languedoc, but maintains it’s freshness as the vineyards are on the foothills of the Pyrenees and juducious and light use of oak barrels to bring it together.
Duck with pepper sauce and green salsa – serves 2
2 skin-on duck breasts
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
FOR THE MARINADE:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1¼ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tbsp maple syrup
⅛ tsp fine salt
FOR THE SALSA:
2 scallions, very finely chopped
5g chives, very finely chopped
5g fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
½ jalapeño, very finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lime juice
⅛ tsp fine salt
FOR THE SAUCE:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 banana shallot, very finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, very finely chopped
⅛ tsp fine salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp green peppercorns, roughly crushed (the pickled green peppercorns are best for this)
½ tsp chipotle chilli flakes
1¼ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp water
130g cream
Get a dish that will fit both duck breasts in a single layer. Mix the marinade ingredients together, then arrange the duck in the marinade, skin side up – try your best not to get any marinade on the skin. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours at room temperature, or ideally, overnight in the fridge. Don’t cover the container either way, as you want the skin to dry out. Bring to room temperature for 2 hours before cooking.
Prep the salsa by mixing all the ingredients together, then set aside.
Take the duck out of the marinade and transfer to a tray lined with a clean cloth, flesh side down, so the flesh dries out. Blot the skin with kitchen paper to make sure it’s as dry as possible. Rub some salt and pepper into the skin. Reserve the marinade.
Put the duck breasts into a cold, non-stick frying pan, skin-side down and spaced apart. Put the pan over a low heat and gently fry, pressing down on the duck, for about 10 minutes or until the skin is crisp and deep brown (keep going longer to achieve this if you need). Spoon away the duck fat that renders in the pan (keep for roasties another day). Transfer the duck breasts to a plate, skin side up, then increase the pan heat to high.
When the pan is very hot, return the breasts to the pan, flesh side down. Move breasts around for about 3 minutes to get them coloured evenly. Transfer the duck to a plate and rest, uncovered, for a full 12 minutes.
Either wash out the pan and allow it to cool or start with another non-stick frying pan. Add the butter, oil, shallots, garlic and salt to the cold frying-pan. Put over a medium-low heat and fry gently for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and golden. Add the black pepper, pepercorns, chipotle chilli flakes, and cumin and cook for another minute.
Pour the reserved marinade and the 2 tbsp water into the pan, turn the heat to hight and allow to bubble for 1½ minutes. Turn the heat down low and stir in the cream and cook for 1 minute to warm through.
Pour the sauce onto a plattter, then slice the duck and arrange it on top. Finish with the green salsa and serve with the lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Mexcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 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.)
We love this easy pasta dish. If you haven’t cooked smoked salmon before you should.
Wine Suggestion: this is a deceptively rich dish and we think needs something like a fuller Pinot Gris, like Au Bon Climat’s blend with Pinot Blanc which is treated very much like a Burgundian Chardonnay and is both textured and vibrantly fresh with flavours of fresh pears, toasty creaminess and gentle spices.
Pasta with smoked salmon & mascarpone – serves 4
400g farfalle
200g smoked salmon
125g mascarpone
20g butter, at room temperature
zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
dill, snipped
Cook the pasta in lots of salty water until al dente.
Meanwhile, cut the salmon into short pieces with scissors and put them into a large warm serving bowl along with the mascarpone, butter and lemon zest. Ladle some pasta cooking water into the bowl to loosen to a cream, then taste and add salt if needed.
Drain the pasta, reserving some more pasta water, then tip on to the sauce and gently mix together, adding more cooking water if needed. Serve, sprinkled with dill.
(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)
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.
This dish takes a while but it’s a waiting game for the most part and you will be richly rewarded. A good value dish for lamb lovers!
Wine Suggestion: a succulent red with gentle spices and if you can push the boat out something like Ridge’s superlative Lytton Springs. All blackberry, raspberry, coffee and warm spices, but with fine, layered tannins and a chalky undercurrent.
Lamb pilaf with orzo – serves 4
800-900g lamb neck fillet
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
300ml dry white wine
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sugar
1 chicken stock cube
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
250g orzo
TO SERVE:
85g feta
1 tbsp chopped thyme
1 tbsp chopped mint
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
Heat the oven to 160C/Fan 140C/Gas 3.
Cut the lamb neck fillets in half lengthways and don’t trim off any fat. Cut each half fillet crossways into bite-size pieces.
Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan until hot, then sear the lamb in batches over a medium-high heat until well browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large casserole.
Turn the heat down and add the chopped onion. Fry for a few minutes until golden brown, then add the garlic, cinnamon and allspice and fry for another minute or two. Scrape the onion mixture into the casserole with the meat.
Pour the tin of tomatoes over the meat, then fill the can twice with water and add this too. Give it all a stir, then add the tomato purée, wine, lemon juice, and sugar. Crumble in the stock cube and add the thyme, ½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, stirring, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours, stirring halfway through.
Stir in the orzo then cover and return to the oven for 20 minutes or until the orzo is cooked, stirring halfway through. Crumble the feta over and sprinkle with the herbs and lemon zest to serve.
A green salad is all you need on the side.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect, Penguin Random House Group, 2014.)
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.)
It’s getting colder but we’re determined to keep barbecueing anyway. These burgers are worth making for the onions alone, and the burger is something else too!
Wine Suggestion: a lighter, fruit forward red with a bit of tannin structure. We love some of the still wines from the Douro in Portugal and Quinta de la Rosa’s DouRosa red is a gem. Just 12.5%abv but full of flavour and with lovely depth, length and fine tannins.
Put the pork, chorizo, garlic, parsley, and paprika into a large bowl. Season with a salt (not too much) and plenty of black pepper then pound with your hands until well combined. Shape into 4 balls, then press these down to make burgers about 1 cm thick. Put the burgers into the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.
Next, make the onions. Put a large deep saucepan over a low heat and add the oil and butter. When the butter has melted, tip in the onions and a little salt and pepper. Cook very gently for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the sherry and allow to reduce for another 15 minutes or so.
Light your barbecue and if you have one put a fireproof hot plate or frying pan on to warm up (if you cook the burgers on a hot plate you won’t lose any bits through the grill). When it is really hot, add the burgers and press down with a fish slice. Cook for a couple of minutes, then turn and grill the other side for a minute before turning again. Top with the manchego slices and a good spoon of onions, then shut the lid and cook for another couple of minutes.
Lightly toast the burger buns, and add a handful of rocket to each. Add a burger and serve.
(Original recipe from Seared by Genevieve Taylor, Quadrille, 2022.)
All they want to eat is chicken nuggets – at least you know what’s in this version and they’re baked in the oven. Little wins!
Chicken dippers – serves 3 to 4
rapeseed oil spray
90g panko breadcrumbs
500g chicken breasts, cut into 1½ cm strips
¼ tsp fine sea salt
FOR THE BATTER:
1 egg
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp plain flour
½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp pepper
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
Spread the panko breadcrumbs onto a baking tray, spray with oil and bake for 7 minutes or until golden, then transfer to a bowl.
Get a grill pan and spray the metal rack with oil.
Put the batter ingredients in a bowl and whisk with a fork to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat in the batter.
Pick the chicken pieces up with tongs and put into the breadcrumb bowl. Sprinkle the surface with the breadcrumbs and press with your fingers to make sure they stick. Transfer the breadcrumbed chicken to the metal rack and repeat until the chicken is all coated.
Spray the chicken pieces generously with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
Serve with ketchup or mayonnaise.
(Original recipe from Recipetineats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 