A vegetarian dish picked by Orlaith who wants to be a vegetarian for January – we’ll see how she goes! She wasn’t put off by this dish anyhow.
Wine Suggestion: A juicy, youthful Sangiovese or similar, like Umani Ronchi’s Serrano Rosso Conero which is a Montepulciano-Sangiovese blend. Bright, joyful red fruits with a smooth elegance and vivacity of youth.
Baked pasta shells – serves 4
250g conchiglioni (big pasta shells)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus a bit extra
400g baby spinach
250g ricotta cheese
200g Greek yoghurt
30g grated Parmesan cheese,
2 garlic cloves, crushed
zest of 2 lemons
10 fresh basil leaves, shredded
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 x 700g jar of tomato passata
FOR THE TOPPING:
70g fresh breadcrumbs
70g grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp butter, melted
Heat the oven to 170C.
Bring a large pan of very salty water to the boil. Add the pasta shells and cook for no more than 9 minutes – they need to be undercooked. Drain and cool under running cold water, then drain again and drizzle with a little oil to stop the shells sticking together, then set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, until just wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool, then squeeze out any moisture and roughly chop it.
Put the chopped spinach into a large bowl with the ricotta, yoghurt, Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, basil and nutmeg and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour half the passata over the bottom of a large baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the shells with the ricotta and spinach mixture, then add the shells to the dish on top of the sauce, stuffed side up. Pour over the rest of the passata and season with a little more salt and pepper.
Mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and thyme in a small bowl, then pour over the melted butter and toss to combine. Sprinkle this over the top of the pasta, then bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden and the pasta is bubbling.
(Original recipe from Avoca at Home, Penguin Random House, 2022.)
We’re still mildly terrified of pastry after all these years. This pastry behaved reasonably well for something so short (ie light and crumbly) and it helps that it’s not rolled out too thin.
Wine Suggestion: A good Côtes du Rhône blend if your feeling like a French style, though tonight we had a notion for Italian and ended up with La Pruina Salice Salentino, which is a Negroamaro-Black Malvasia blend. What we like about these wines is their ability, despite being closer to the equator and generally warmer vineyards is to have a great balance of fruit, velvety tannins and freshness. Fuller bodied but in good hands like this, not heavy or clumsy. Dark brambly fruits and generous tannins make it a match.
Mince pie – serves 6 to 8
For the pastry:
650g plain flour, plus extra to dust
1 tsp sea salt
125g lard, diced, plus extra to grease (this is surprisingly difficult to get in Ireland, we found some in a Polski shop)
100ml iced cold water
1 large egg, plus extra beaten egg to glaze
For the filling:
2 tbsp olive oil
30g lard, plus extra to grease the dish
2 large onions, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
800g beef mince
3 tbsp tomato purée
3 tbsp plain flour
200ml red wine
a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, tied together
500ml beef stock
2 tsp marmite
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
Start by making the pastry. Put the flour into a large bowl with the salt, lard and butter. Rub the the lard and butter into the flour using your fingertips, until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and cold water and mix to combine and form a soft dough (add a little bit more water if you need to bring it together). Shape into a ball, then flatten to a large disc and wrap in cling film. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Next make the filling. Heat half the olive oil and lard in a large casserole over a medium-high heat. When it starts to foam, add the onions and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the celery and garlic and cook for another 4 minutes or until the veg have softened. Scoop the vegetables out onto a plate and set aside.
Add the rest of the olive oil and lard to the same pan. When hot, add the mince and cook over a high heat until well browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the flour, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes. Return the vegetables to the pan and mix everything together.
Pour the wine into the meat mixture, bring to a simmer and bubble until reduced by half. Add the thyme and rosemary, then pour in the stock and return to a simmer. Lower the heat and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the marmite and worcestershire sauce, stir well and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Heat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C.
Grease the base of a 26cm round shallow sauté pan or casserole with a little lard.
Divide the chiled pastry into 2 pieces: one-third and two-thirds. Dust the work surface with flour and roll out the larger piece to a 32cm round. Lift into the greased pan and press into the corners of the pan, leaving any excess pastry hanging over the edge. Spoon the chilled filling into the case.
Now roll out the remaining pastry to a 28 cm circle. Brush the pastry case edges with beaten egg, then lift the circle of pastry over the filling and press the edges together to seal. Trim off any excess pastry at this point and crimp the edges.
Make a cross in the centre to allow the steam to escape. Brush the pie well with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little sea salt.
Bake in the oven for 45 mintues or until a deep golden brown and the filling is piping hot. Leave to stand for a few minutes before serving.
(Original recipe from Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain, Bloomsbury, 2024.)
Just chicken fillets with a nice tasty sauce and water chestnuts, which we love!
Ginger and Chilli Chicken – serves 6
6 small skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 level tbsp cornflour
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
250g chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered
300ml chicken stock
4 tbsp full-fat crème fraîche
1 x 275g tin water chestnuts, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh coriander
FOR THE MARINADE:
1 tbsp runny honey
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
1 tsp finely grated root ginger
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally, to make 12 thin fillets.
To make the marinade, measure the ingredients into a large bowl and mix together. Add the chicken breasts, toss to coat and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade (but don’t throw the marinade away) and place in a single layer in the pan (you will probably need to do this in batches). Brown for 3 minutes, turning halfway. Transfer to a plate and wipe the pan with damp kitchen paper to remove any marinade.
Mix the cornflour with 4 tbsp of water in a small bowl until smooth.
Heat the rest of the oil in the frying pan over a high heat. Add the shallot and mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Add the reserved marinade, the stock and the crème fraîche and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Add the cornflour mixture, season and bring to the boil to thicken.
Add the water chestnuts and return the chicken to the pan. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has a nice consistency.
Serve with rice and sprinkle with coriander to serve.
(Original recipe from Mary’s Foolproof Dinners, BBC Books, 2024.)
So simple and yet so lovely. The bit that takes time can be done earlier in the day and it’s fairly easy to finish off later. Serve with rice or whatever you fancy.
Wine Suggestion: We like how the stonefruit characters, mixed with slightly lower acidity from a southern Rhône white goes with the gentle and elegant nature of this dish. The Grapillon d’Or Vacqueyras white is a good example and it’s fleshy character and minerally/nutty textures are just perfect.
Chicken Fricassee – serves 6 to 8
2kg whole chicken
FOR THE POACHING LIQUID:
750ml chicken stock
2 banana shallots, sliced
2 celery sticks, sliced
8 tsp black peppercorns
½ lemon
a large bulb of garlic, cut in half horizontallly
FOR THE SAUCE:
a large knob of butter
500g banana shallots, thinly sliced
3 sticks celery, finely diced
200ml double cream
3 tbsp chopped chives
3 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
Put the whole chicken into a large, deep saucepan. Add all of the poaching liquid ingredients and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the liquid.
When the chicken is cold, take the chicken out and remove the meat from the carcass – discard the bones and skin. Tear the meat into large pieces and set aside. Strain the poaching liquid through a sieve into a large jug. Squeeze the garlic from the skin into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Discard the poaching veg, lemon and peppercorns.
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and celery and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add the mashed garlic and fry for 10 seconds, then pour in the vermouth and boil to reduce by half. Add 600ml of the poaching liquid, bring to the boil and boil hard for 3 minutes.
Add 2 tbsp of the remaining poaching liquid to the cornflour and stir until smooth. Add this to the pan and cook until the sauce has thickened. Add the cream and cooked chicken and gently reheat until hot. Add the fresh herbs and season well with salt and black pepper.
(Original recipe from Mary’s Foolproof Dinners, BBC Books, 2024.)
Wine suggestion: this almost demands an oaked white and given the time of year we thought Patrick Javillier’s Bourgogne Cuvée des Forgets, from the vineyards near Meursault would match with equal amounts of richness, buttery toastiness and a fresh, minerally core. Sometimes nothing can beat a good, deftly handled, oaked Chardonnay.
Meatball Stroganoff – serves 6
500g dried tagliatelle
50g unsalted butter
2 tsp poppy seeds
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
70g slightly stale bread, crusts removed and roughly torn
100ml milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
500g beef mince
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 egg
5g dill, chopped
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
60ml olive oil, for frying the meatballs
FOR THE SAUCE:
3 banana shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
50g unsalted butter
400g small chestnut mushrooms, quartered
3 tbsp cognac
1½ tsp hot smoked paprika
1½ tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
650ml beef stock
150g sour cream
TO SERVE:
dill pickles, roughly chopped
a handful of dill, roughly chopped
Put the bread in the milk in a large bowl and set aside to soak for about 5 minutes.
Put the oil in a frying pan and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then scrape into a bowl. Allow the onions to cool a little, then add them to the bowl with the soaked bread, along with the remaining meatball ingredients, apart from the oil for frying the meatballs. Season with 1 tsp of salt and some black pepper. Mix together well with your hands, then make 26 meatballs (they should be about 30g each). Cover and keep the mixture in the fridge until ready to cook.
Put 2 tbsp of the oil into a large sauté pan and place over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add half the meatballs and cook for 8 minutes, until nicely browned and just cooked, shake the pan gently to turn them. Transfer to a plate and cook the rest of the meatballs in another 2 tbsp of oil. Set aside.
In the same pan that you fried the meatballs, add the shallots and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to caramelise. Add the garlic, cook for a minute, then scrape into a bowl.
Add half the butter to the pan, then add half the mushrooms, ¼ tsp of salt and cook for 6 minutes, until well browned and there is no liquid. Tip into the bowl with the shallots and repeat with the remaining mushrooms and butter, adding another ¼ tsp of salt.
Tip the mushrooms and shallots back into the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the cognac and let it bubble for a few seconds, then add the paprika, tomato purée, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced by a third. Add the sour cream, meatballs, ½ tsp of salt and some pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in lots of salty water, then drain and return to the pot, then add the butter and poppy seeds. Toss gently to melt the butter, then divide between six bowl and spoon the meatballs sauce on top. Garnish with chopped pickles and dill.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller & Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2024. )
There truly is only one season for this dish. It takes forever, and is best made the day before, but the ultimate comfort food when it’s time to eat.
Wine Suggestion: A good southern Rhône blend will have the muscle and richness to match this without being to heavy or tannic. A firm favourite, though we’ve not opened one for a while (I blame an inquisitive palate) is Domaine du Grapillon d’Or’s Gigondas which is mostly Grenache with a touch of Syrah at it’s core. Brambly red fruits, with both a juiciness and powerful structure in abundance, while remaining elegant and poised.
Winter Lamb – serves 6
2 tbsp olive oil
6 lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
50g plain flour
600ml cold chicken stock
3 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
150ml red wine or Port
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
Ideally start the day before and heat the oven to 160C/140C fan.
Heat half the oil in a large, deep, ovenproof saucepan or casserole. Brown the shanks all over, you will probably need to do this in batches. Remove and set aside.
Add the rest of the oil to the pan, then add the onions and garlic, and cook over a high heat for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Put the flour into a jug and slowly whisk in the cold stock until smooth. Add to the onion pan with the tomato paste and red wine or Port and bring to the boil.
Return the lamb to the pan, add the soy sauce and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Stir well, then cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven for 3-4 hours or until the meat is tender and starting to fall off the bone. Stir in the vinegar.
Remove the shanks from the sauce, wrap in foil, and set aside to cool. Pour the sauce into a shallow ovenproof dish, cool, and cover with foil. When the sauce and shanks are completely cool, transfer to the fridge and leave overnight if you can.
To serve, heat the oven to 180C/160C fan. Remove any fat from the surface of the sauce with a spoon and discard. Remove the meat from the bone and leave in chunky pieces. Add the meat to the sauce and cover with foil.
Reheat in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until piping hot.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks Up a Feast with Lucy Young, DK: Penguin Random House, 2019.)
We usually have shakshuka at breakfast time but this shakshuka-style dish works well for dinner with some steamed basmati. We did crack an extra egg into the leftover sauce the following morning though.
Egg Sambal Shakshuka – serves 4
1½ tsp fennel seeds
2 cloves
seeds from 2 cardamom pods
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tbsp medium curry powder
60ml olive oil
½ tsp black mustard seeds
20 curry leaves
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
10g ginger, peeled and finely grated
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
10g coriander, stalks finely chopped and leave to serve
150g datterini or cherry tomatoes
2 tsp sambal oelek
1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
100ml tamarind concentrate
300ml water
15g palm sugar or light brown soft sugar
5 eggs
Put the fennel seeds, cloves and cardamom into a small dry frying pan and toast lightly for a couple of minutes or until fragrant, then grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar. Add the cinnamon and curry powder and set aside.
Put 3 tbsp of the oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and 10 curry leaves and cook for 1 minute, until the seeds start to pop. Add the onion and cook for about 7 minutes, until starting to colour. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander stalks and fresh tomatoes, cook for another 5 minutes, then add the fennel spice mix. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the sambal oelek, tinned tomatoes, tamarind, water, sugar and 1½ tsp of salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to meidum-low and cook for 20-25 mintues, until thickened.
Crack the eggs into the sambal and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked and the yolks just soft.
Meanwhile, put 3 tbsp of the oil into a small pan over a medium heat. Add the rest of the curry leaves, cook for about a minute or until very fragrant. Remove from the heat and drizzle the oil and curry leaves over the eggs and scatter over the coriander, leaves. Serve.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2024.)
So, here’s what you have to do. Speak to whoever is cooking the Christmas turkey and tell them to save you the carcass. Break it into pieces, stuff it into a bag and put it in the fridge, you can deal with it later. You will also need some turkey meat, about 400g, but any scraps will do, so you don’t have to take the prime cuts. Some day later in January you will be very pleased with yourself when you make this delicious ramen.
You can make the stock and freeze ahead, which is what we do. We also freeze the right quantity of meat in a freezer bag.
Wine Suggestion: This is lovely with a juicy, youthful Grenache, but avoid the big alcohol ones; look for warm spices but not a hot palate. There are some gems coming out of the Languedoc at the moment and Domaine Gayda’s Grenache had a real purity and lovely depth; the gentle tannins complimenting the turkey well.
Turkey ramen – serves 4
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, shredded
3 tbsp soy sauce
150g shiitake mushrooms, halved and quartered
250g long-stemmed broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 x 275g packs ready-cooked egg noodles (or cook your own and run under cold water to stop the cooking process)
1½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
400g cooked turkey meat, shredded
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp white miso
2 scallions, thinly sliced
a good pinch of dried chilli flakes
2 soft-boiled eggs, halved (to soft boil, add the eggs to boiling water, then boil for 6½ minutes and peel under a cold running tap)
sriracha sauce, to serve (optional)
FOR THE TURKEY STOCK:
1 turkey carcass, broken into pieces
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
woody herbs e.g. bay leaf, thyme or rosemary
To make the stock, put the carcass into a large pan with the onion, carrot, celery and herbs. Add 2 litres of cold water and gently bring to the boil. Skim any fat or scum from the surface, then simmer for 1 hour.
Strain the stock through a fine sieve. When cooled, remove as much meat as possible from the carcass and discard the bones and vegetables. You can do this and freeze the stock and reserved meat for later.
When ready to make the ramen, bring the stock to the boil and add the ginger, soy sauce and mushrooms, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just tender.
Meanwhile, put the egg noodles into a colander and pour over a kettle of just-boiled water. Divide the noodles between 4 bowls. Ladle over the broccoli, mushrooms and stock.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and add the sesame oil. Cook the turkey for 4-5 minutes or until starting to crisp, then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the miso and cook for a minute more. Divide the turkey between the 4 bowls, then finish with the scallions, chilli flakes and half a boiled egg. Drizzle over some sriracha sauce if you like.
(Original recipe by Adam Bush in Olive Magazine, Christmas, 2019)
3 scallions, cut into 5cm lengths, white and green parts separated
60ml water
120g bean sprouts
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 tsp cornflour
1½ tbsp light soy sauce
1½ tbsp oyster sauce
1½ tbsp Chinese cooking wine
2 tsp white sugar
½ tsp sesame oil
freshly ground white pepper
Put the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda. Toss to coat, then set aside for 20 minutes. Rinse in a colandar under tap water for 5 seconds, then shake off the excess water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
To make the sauce, mix the cornflour and soy sauce in a small bowl, then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Pour 1 tbsp of the sauce over the chicken, mix to coat, then set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a wok. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the chicken and stir-fry until tinged brown but not cooked through – about 1 minute.
Add the cabbage, carrot and the white part of the scallions and stir-fry for 1½ minutes or until the cabbage is wilted.
Add the noodles, sauce and water and stir-fry for 1 minute, tossing the whole time, until the sauce thickens and coats the noodles.
Add the bean sprouts and the green parts of the scallions, toss for 30 seconds or until the beansprouts start to wilt. Remove from the heat and serve.
(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2000.)
Two delicious sauces combine to really highlight the fish in this North African inspired dish. We used hake but you can of course use other white fish fillets. Serve with couscous and pitta breads.
Wine Suggestion: it is quite a complex challenge to balance the spices, tomatoes and creamy tahini, but we think this works great with Mediterranean inspired blends that include a bit of Tempranillo like Parker Estate Favourite Son Shiraz-Tempranillo. Despite this being a bigger red and this being a fish dish there’s a certain freshness from Coonawarra that comes through and very complimentary spices that make this work.
Fish cooked in tomato sauce with tahini – serves 4
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
a pinch of chilli flakes
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
1 preserved lemon
4 fillets of hake (or other white fish)
fresh coriander, to serve
FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE:
1 clove of garlic
half a lemon
80g tahini
5-6 tbsp ice-cold water
a pinch of ground cumin
Warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan, then cook the onion with a pinch of salt until soft. Add the garlic and spices and continue frying for another minute or two, then add the tomato purée and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the tinned tomatoes, then rinse the tins with a little water and add that too. Break the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon and simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Quarter and deseed the preserved lemon, then chop into small pieces and add to the sauce.
Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce. Grate the garlic into a bowl, then squeeze over the juice of the half lemon, mix together and set aside for 5 minutes. Add the tahini to the garlic and lemon and whisk together, then add 1 tbsp of the cold water at a time, whisking until you have a smooth, runny sauce. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of cumin.
Season the fish, then nestle it into the tomato sauce. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until just cooked (a thermometer will help if you have one). Serve with the tahini sauce and coriander over the top and with some couscous and pitta breads.
(Original recipe from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts, Ebury Press, 2023.)
Lovely autumn flavours in this simple wild rice recipe by José Pizarro.
Wine Suggestion: this works well with elegant, light to medium bodied reds with an earthy twist. Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo are classic choices, however we went with Frasca la Guaragna’s Barbera d’Asti with it’s lower tannins but fresh acidity, brambly flavours and earthy spices brought out the mushroom flavours delightfully.
Wild Mushroom Rice – serves 4 to 6
10g dried porcini
50ml olive oil
2 banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped
250g mixed wild mushrooms, roughly rip any large ones
300g bomba rice
100ml dry white wine
800ml good chicken stock
a squeeze of lemon juice, to serve
30g manchego cheese, shaved, to serve
best extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Put the dried porcini into a small bowl and cover with 100ml of just-boiled water. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Put the olive oil into a sauté pan and gently fry the shallots for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Increase the heat a bit, then add the fresh mushrooms and fry for 4-5 minutes or until nicely browned.
Add the rice and stir until it glistens with the oil, then add the wine and let it bubble for a minute. Add the stock, season generously, then simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the rice is tender but still soupy.
Drain the soaking porcini and reserve the liquid. Add the porcini and 50ml of the soaking liquid to the rice, then cook for 1 more minute before removing from the heat.
Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice, then divide between warm bowls and top with the manchego shavings and a good glug of your best olive oil.
Not sure why we didn’t think of this before. A boned, brined, stuffed, and rolled, turkey leg with delicious gravy that can be completely prepped in advance. Juicy, tasty and easy, even if it does take a bit of time in the prep. It’s a no-brainer!
Ask your butcher to bone the turkey legs for you and keep the bones to make the gravy.
Wine Suggestion: Classic Christmas dinner fare, an oaked white like Rustenberg’s Five Soldiers Chardonnay and a Rhône red like Les Pallières Racines Gigondas made by the Bruniers of Vieux Télégraphe Chateuneud-du-Papes. Pushing the boat out a bit with standard bearers but we thought it was worth it.
Stuffed turkey leg – serves 4 to 6 (generously and easily halved)
2 boned turkey legs
FOR THE BRINE:
140g table salt
½ tsp white peppercorns
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
6 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
FOR THE STUFFING:
50g butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, finely grated
200g sausage meat
a bunch of sage, half the leaves finely chopped (keep the rest for the gravy)
½ tsp dried oregano
FOR THE GRAVY:
turkey bones (or chicken bones)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 carrots, cut into chunks
½ bunch of thyme
2 bay leaves
150ml white wine
100ml dry sherry
1 litre good quality chicken stock
1 tsp Marmite
1 tbsp cornflour
To make the brine, put all of the ingredients into a medium-large saucepan, with 500ml water. Place over a hight heat and bring to the boil to dissolve the salt, then remove from the heat and add 1.5 litres of cold water. Leave to cool.
Put the cooked brine into a large bowl and add the turkey legs. Leave to brine for two hours but no more.
Meanwhile, make the gravy. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
Put the bones into a large rosting tray and place in the oven. Turn the oven down immediately to 200C/180C/gas 6 and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden.
While the bones are roasting, heat a large saucepan over a high heat. Add the vegetable oil, when it almost smokes, add the onions, garlic, carrots, thyme and bay leaves and brown well for 15 minutes, stirring often. Add the white wine and sherry and reduce to a syrup, then add the stock, roasted bones, and the unchopped sage. Add the Marmite and plenty of black pepper and simmer gently for 1 hour. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp of cold water and whisk it into the gravy. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need. It should be super tasty.
Meanwhile, make the stuffing. Melt the butter in a medium frying pan, add the onion, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and cook for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the sausage meat, finely chopped sage, oregano and some black pepper.
Put a large piece of foil on top of the the work surface and lay one of the boned legs on top, skin-side up. Rub the the skin with salt and pepper. Turn it over and place half the stuffing on the flesh side. Smooth it out with a spoon but leave a good 3cm gap at the end you are going to roll towards. Roll the leg tightly and secure it with kitchen string – don’t worry too much about what it looks like at this stage (ours had a hole and the stuffing was bursting out the side – no matter!). Repeat with the second leg. Put the leg into a roasting tray and roast in the hot oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for another 30-35 minutes, until the skin is golden and the juices run clear (a meat thermometer is very useful here). Remove from the oven and leave to rest, covered loosely with foil, for 10-15 minutes. Add the roasting juice to the gravy and then carve and serve.
(Original recipe from Marcus Everyday by Marcus Everyday, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2019.)
Wine Suggestion: we would keep this very easy and open an Asahi, a dry and savoury lager that quenches the thirst and makes a refreshing match for the curry.
Black pepper & bay leaf curry – serves 2
3 cloves of garlic, 2 peeled and grated
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
4 green cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp black peppercorns, finely ground
300g chicken breast, cut into 4cm pieces
5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
250g vine cherry tomatoes, halved
100ml single cream
juice of ½ lemon
Put the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and bay and stir for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile mix the turmeric, cumin, chilli, ground peppercorns and a tsp of salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
Add the grated garlic and ginger to the pan, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the spiced chicken, fry for 2 minutes on each side, then add the tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes or until they’ve broken down. Add the cream, simmer for a couple of minutes, then check the chicken is cooked through.
Remove from the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice, taste for salt and serve with rice.
Everyone loves trout in our house and especially with miso – a master combination.
Wine Suggestion: You need a white with a touch of acidity and umami-savouriness here to both balance and compliment the flavours. Something like the Höpler Grüner Veltliner from Burgenland in Austria would work a treat.
Sesame miso trout – serves 4
4 fresh trout fillets, skin on
4 tsp white miso paste
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra for the veg
a knob of butter
4 pak choi, sliced into big pieces
6 scallions, finely sliced
FOR THE GLAZE:
4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tsp white miso paste
2 tsp sesame oil
Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper.
Whisk the ingredients for the glaze together in a bowl alongwith 6 tbsp of water, then set aside.
Season the fish fillets and spread the miso paste on the flesh side. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top and press down so they stick to the paste.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the fish fillets, sesame seed side down, and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Carefully turn them over and fry for another 2 minutes on the skin side. Add the knob of butter and when it foams, use a small spoon to baste the trout with it.
Transfer the fish to the lined baking sheet, skin-side down, and cook in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until just cooked through.
Meanwhile, wipe the frying pan clean, add a little oil and put over a high heat. Add the pak choi, scallions and seasoning and stir until just wilted.
Spoon the veg onto a serving dish and put the fish on top. Add the glaze ingredients to the pan and gently warm until just bubbling, spoon over the trout and serve.
(Original recipe from Mary’s Foolproof Dinners, BBC Books, 2024.)
You can buy duck confit in tins locally but they tend to be much cheaper in France so if you’re lucky enough to go there (or know someone else who is going), stock up! You will have the prep done for many delicious dishes, like this one.
Wine Suggestion: A classic French dish needs a classic French wine. We suspect red Burgundy would be great, however we didn’t have any to hand so instead opened a bottle of Chateau Lascaux Pic St Loup “les Nobles Pierres”. A classic Syrah-Grenache blend but from prime vineyards in the Languedoc where Duck dishes reign supreme. Juicy, brambly and layered with velvety and characterful tannins.
Parmentier de Confit de Canard – serves 4 to 6
4 Confit duck legs (1 large tin – it says on the tin how many legs are inside)
4 shallots, chopped
a few fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
175ml red wine
200ml chicken stock
a handful of flatleaf parsley
800g potatoes, cut into 5cm chunks
100-125ml warm milk
150g-200g Comté cheese, grated
Warm the confit duck legs over a gentle heat to release the fat, then pour the fat into clean jam jars for future roast potatoes. You will need to keep 2 tbsp aside for this dish.
Remove the skin from the duck legs and discard. Remove the meat from the bones and shred it with two forks, discarding any bones and gristle.
Heat 2 tbsp of the duck fat in a pan, add the shallots, thyme and plenty of black pepper. Allow the shallots to brown gently, then add the wine and stock, then bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes, then add the duck meat and chopped parsley. Stir and set aside.
Heat the oven to 210C/Fan 190C.
Boil the potatoes in salty water until tender. Drain them well, then add the warm milk and mash until smooth. Season with salt and a big pinch of black pepper.
Grease a 18 x 28cm baking dish with a little duck fat, then pile in the meat and cover with the mashed potato. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and bake for about 25 minutes or until browned and bubbling.
Serve with carrots and greens.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Secret France, BBC Books, 2019.)
Delicious lamb meatballs with oloroso sherry and piquillo peppers – you need to buy the expensive ones by El Navarrico. Comforting, quick and easy to make. Serve as a sharing dish with crusty bread.
Wine Suggestion: “Kimera“, which we picked up in Pamplona earlier this year is a gem made by Luis Moya Tortosa. Old vine Garnatxa which has both depth, refinement and an effortless weight. We once thought Grenache tended to be heavy and alcoholic, but have been proved so wrong as we’ve explored more of this grape the past few years.
Lamb albondigas – serves 4
500g lamb mince
30g fresh white breadcrumbs
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp sweet smoked pimentón de la vera
3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 egg,
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
150ml oloroso sherry
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 tsp sherry vinegar
1 x 240g jar piquillo peppers, drained and sliced
crusty bread, to serve
Put the lamb mince, breadcrumbs, garlic, pimentón, a third of the parsley, the oregano, lemon zest and egg in a large bowl. Season well, mix with your hands to combine, then shape into 20 small meatballs.
Put the oil into a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then fry the meatballs, turning often, for about 5 mintues or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Add the onion to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, until softened, then add the sherry and bubble until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, season generously and leave to bubble for 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, then return the meatballs to the pan along with the peppers and leave to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
Scatter over the rest of the chopped parsley and serve with the crusty bread.
(Original recipe by José Pizzaro in The Guardian).
Prawns actually pair very well with feta, which is always a bit suprising to us. It’s nice to have a lighter dish amongst all the winter soups and stews.
Wine Suggestion: we think this suits a white grown somehwere around the Mediterranean, like tonight’s choice of the Hatzidakis Santorini Cuvée 15, a wonderfully fresh and complex Assyrtiko with honeysuckle and herbs on the nose followed by a textured, almost salty palate.
Prawn & feta pilaf – serves 4
225g basmati rice
15g unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra to
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
275g tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped
a big bunch of dill, chopped
a big bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped
a handful of mint leaves, chopped
400ml fish stock or light chicken stock
350g raw prawns, shelled and deveined
juice of ½ lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve
55g black kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
75g feta cheese, crumbled
Rince the rice in a sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear. Leave to soak for an hour if you have the time, then rinse again.
Heat the butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring now and then, until the onion is cooked and the tomatoes have softened. Stir in the rice and half the herbs, season well, then pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Boil hard until the rice starts to look pitted, with little holes in the service and it seems like the liquid has disapeared.
Wrap a clean tea towel around the lid of the pan and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for 20 minutes.
When the rice is almost ready, dry the prawns on kitchen paper and quickly sauté in a little olive oil over a high heat. Squeeze over the lemon juice and season with black pepper and salt.
When the rice is cooked, fork through the olives, remaining herbs and lemon juice with a good glug of your best extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to a serving platter, then scatter over the feta and mound the prawns on top. Drizzle again with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.
(Original recipe from Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons by Diana Henry, Aster*, 2024.)
There is a bit of effort in this, but you can prep the pork well in advance ready to bake when you need it. Lovely autumnal flavours.
Wine suggestion: Thanks to the generosity of our friend David we found that Chateauneuf du Pape is a great match for this dish, but we couldn’t agree whether we preferred Bosquet les Papes “Chante le Merle”, or the Vieux Télégraphe le Crau. A tough decision, poor us!
Pork & Cider Hotpot – serves 6
4 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra
1kg diced pork shoulder
20g butter, cubed, plus a bit extra
4 leeks, trimmed and thickly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml dry cider
400ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
small bunch of sage, leaves picked, 5 left whole and the rest chopped
200ml single cream
800g Maris Piper potatoes
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a deep casserole dish, then fry the pork pieces over a medium-high heat in batches until browned all over, then transfer to a plate.
Add another tbsp of oil to the pan with a little butter and fry half the leeks with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until tender. Add the garlic, fry for a minute, then stir in the flour.
Gradually add the cider, stirring to scrape any crusty bits off the bottom. Add the stock, bay leaves and pork, then simmer, partially covered with a lid for 1-1½ hours until the meat is just tender. You can make up to this point a day in advance.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Simmer the pork uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the sauce if you need, if there is too much liquid the potatoes will sink. Stir in the parsley, chopped sage, remaining leeks, and the cream, then season well. Transfer to a wide ovenproof frying pan or casserole if you have one.
Peel the potatoes and slice into 2mm thick slices – a mandoline is best for this. Arrange the potato slices in circles over the pie, then dot over the cubed butter. Bake for 1-1½ hours or until the potatoes are cooked. Brush the sage leaves with a little oil and tuck them in for the last 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
We always like a new chilli recipe and this one is particularly tasty. We made this on Halloween night … for some reason we always have chilli for Halloween.
Wine Suggestion: Whatever, big, juicy red you have to hand like the Achaval Ferrer Mendoza Malbec which was all brambly, velvety, rich and smooth.
Chilli – serves 4
2 tbsp sunflower oil
400g beef mince
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1-2 tsp chipotle paste
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
¼ tsp yeast extract, like Marmite or Vegemite
1 beef stock cube
400g tin black beans
cooked rice, sour cream, sliced jalapenos from a jar, avocado & coriander, to serve
Heat the oil in a shallow saucepan over a medium heat and fry the beef mince for about 10 minutes. Add the the onion and keep frying for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the onions have softened and started to brown a bit. Add the garlic and stir for a minute.
Stir in the cumin seeds, ground coriander, oregano and a plenty of black pepper, and continue to fry for a few minutes. Add the vinegar, then the chipotle and tomato purée and stir to combine. Tip in the tomatoes and a canful of water, then add the yeast extract and crumble in the stock cube. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring now and then.
When the chilli has thickened, tip in the beans with halve the liquid from the tin. Simmer for another 20 minutes, then taste and season to taste. Serve with all the acompaniments listed above.
(Original recipe by Barney Desmazery in BBC Good Food Magazine, October 2020.)
Quite old-fashioned but homely and tasty, perfect as the weather turns a bit colder.
Wine suggestion: the Quinta de Chocapalha Tinto, which is a blend of four classic Portuguese grapes: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Castelão hit a satisfying mark here. A wine of depth, body, roundness and judicious tannins this hit the mark for the same reasons the dish did.
Baked lamb chops with a creamy rosemary sauce – serves 4
8 lamb loin chops
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
For the sauce:
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 rounded tbsp rosemary leaves
25g butter
25g plain flour
175ml milk
175ml veg stock
2 tbsp double cream
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
Place the lamb chops in a shallow roasting tin and arrange the onion around them.
Season with salt and pepper and bake on the top shelf of the oven for about 45 minutes or until the fat is crisp.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and sweat the onions over a very gentle heat for 5 minutes. Bruise the rosemary leaves with a pestle and mortar, then chop them very finely and add them to the onion. Continue to cook gently for another 15 minutes, but don’t let the onions colour too much. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth, then gradually add the milk followed by the stock, stirring constantly. Season with salt and peper and allow to simmer very gently for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and liquidise half and combine with the rest along with the cream. Check the seasoning and pour into a warm serving jug – cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming.
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