Peanut butter makes the best sauces, and here it makes a very simple dish taste delicious.
Wine Suggestion: Think of peanuts as legumes (which they technically are) and matching with wine gets a bit easier. With the gentle heat of the curry a touch of fruitiness doesn’t go astray either. Something like the Pinot Gris from Forrest Estate in Marlborough which combines a wonderful array of citrus and apple freshness, textured minerality plus a rich and exotic peach, pear and honeysuckle roundness.
Thai Pork & Peanut Curry – serves 4
1 tbsp vegetable oil
a bunch of scallions, sliced
a small bunch of coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves picked
1 large pork fillet (tenderloin), sliced
4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
400ml tin coconut milk
200g pack of baby corn
juice of 1 lime
steamed jasmine rice, to serve
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan, then add the scallions and coriander stalks and cook for 1 minute. Add the pork slices and cook for 5 minutes until sealed and starting to brown.
Stir in the curry paste and peanut butter and mix well, then add the sugar, soy and coconut milk, plus ½ can of water. Mix well, then cover and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the lid, add the baby corn and increase the heat. Bubble for a few minutes or until the corn is cooked and the sauce has thickened slightlly. Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning. Serve with the coriander leaves and steamed jasmine rice.
This is a handy veggie recipe to have up your sleeve. It works perfectly with all the sides you would typically serve with a roast dinner and it would also be nice as a side dish. Even better you can have it all prepped in advance and you can freeze it.
Wine Suggestion: Perfect with an oaked white like Oliver Leflaive’s Bourgogne Blanc Les Setilles, which has real class despite it’s lowly level within the Burgundy classification system.
Stuffed cabbage – makes 2 and each serves 4 to 6
1 Savoy cabbage
160g butter
50ml extra virgin olive oil
3 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
200g Cheddar cheese, finely grated
200g Parmesan, finely grated
180g breadcrumbs
4 eggs, lightly beaten
nutmeg
vegetable stock
Remove 8 of the outer leaves from the cabbage and simmer for 5-10 minutes until softened, then drain and set aside.
Melt the butter and oil together in a large pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic with 1tsp salt and cook for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
Cut the cabbage into quarters and discard the tough core. Shred it very finely, then add to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until soft and wilted.
Turn the heat off, then mix both cheeses into the cabbage until melted. Add the breadcrumbs and eggs and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper and a little grated nutmeg.
Divide the filling in half. Take 4 of the cooked cabbage leaves and lie them down in a rough circle so they are slightly overlapping. Spoon half the filling on top in a rough rectangle shape, then wrap the leaves around to enclose. Tie it in multiple places along it’s length to hold it together, then tie it again along the length. Repeat with the rest of the cabbage leaves and stuffing. You can now store these in the fridge until your’re ready to cook them or freeze for another day.
To cook, bring a large pot of vegetable stock to the boil. Carefully lower one stuffed cabbage into the stock and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. Carefully lift out of the pan and leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving into slices.
(Original recipe from Stagioni by Olivia Cavalli, Pavilion, 2022.)
This makes a big batch and it freezes well. Serve with rice, tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado and lime wedges.
Wine Suggestion: We like the textures and juiciness of a good Côtes du Rhône, like Domaine Romain Roche’s Cairanne which is a blend of Grenache and Syrah plus a herbal, earthy touch of Carignan that works well with the earthy beans
Bean chilli – serves 6 to 8
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 yellow peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 roasted peppers from a jar, drained and roughly chopped
15g coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves kept to serve
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
1-2 tbsp chipotle paste
400g tin of black beans
400g tin of kidney beans
400g tin of cannellini beans
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml vegetable stock
Heat the oil in a large casserole or a deep pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Stir in the coriander stalks, spices, oregano, sugar and chipotle paste. Cook for 5 minutes more, then pour in the beans with their liquid, the tomatoes and the stock. Season well and bring to a simmer.
Leave the chilli on a gentle simmer for about an hour or until it has thickened and reduced. Taste for seasoning before serving with rice, tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, lime wedges, and the coriander leaves.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine, January 2024.)
These little savoury diamonds are perfect with aperitifs.
Cheese & tapenade puffs – makes 28-32
1 x 320g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
2 tbsp black olive tapenade
55g mature Cheddar, grated
1 egg, beaten
55g Parmesan, grated
Place the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface.
Spread the tapenade over one half of the pastry. Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese over the tapenade then fold the other side of the pastry over to encase the tapenade.
Dust the top of the pastry with a little flour then reroll to the oringal size and shape. Brush the surface with beaten egg and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Very gently roll the rolling pin over the top just to press the cheese into the pastry. Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C/Gas 6.
Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
Trim the edges of the rectangle to make it neat, if needed, then divide the pastry into 4 strips vertically. Remove a small triangle from each end, then slice each strip into 6-7 diamond shapes. Chill in the fridge again for just 10 minutes.
Put the diamonds the prepared baking sheets and bake in the hot oven vor about 15 minutes, or until golden brown . Leave to cool slightly on a wire rack and serve warm.
(Original recipe from Mary’s Foolproof Dinners by Mary Berry, Penguin: Random House UK, 2024.)
This is baked in the oven and couldn’t be easier to make. Serve with naan breads.
Butter Paneer – serves 4
FOR THE PANEER:
rapeseed oil
600g hard paneer, cut into large cubes
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
2cm x 2cm ginger, finely grated
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
½ tbsp lemon juice
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp ground turmeric
5 tbsp Greek yoghurt
FOR THE BUTTER SAUCE:
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cardamom
¾ tsp salt
2 tbsp runny honey
2 x 400g tins finely chopped tomatoes
150ml double cream
1½ tbsp kasoori methi
a slab of butter
Preheat the oven to 200C fan/ 220C/ gas 7.
Line a large, deep baking tray with non-stick baking paper and brush it lightly with oil.
Put the panneer cubes into a large bowl and add half the garlic, half the ginger, the chilli powder, lemon, salt, turmeric and yoghurt. Mix well to coat the paneer, then tip into the lined tray.
Bake the panner in the oven for 25 minutes or until it’s starting to blacken at the edges.
Take the tray out of the oven and stir in 3 tbsp of oil and the rest of the garlic and ginger, then add the spices for the sauce, the salt and the honey. Stir to mix well, then add the tomatoes, making sure the paneer is completely covered. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and stir through the cream, crumble over the kasoori methi, then stir again and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and stir in the butter. Serve with hot naan breads.
(Original recipe from Dinner by Meera Sodha, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2024.)
This is very rich and delicious so you can serve it in slightly smaller portions. The cooking time is a bit longer than our usual lemon spaghetti but it’s worth it for the flavour and silky texture. Perfect for an indulgent lunch at the weekend.
Wine Suggestion: An oaky white like the Dominio de Tares Old Vine Godello which is fermented with wild yeasts and aged in oak barrels. This makes it more complex, savoury and gtreat with rich, velvety foods like this.
Spaghetti al Limone – serves 6
225ml cream
2 unwaxed lemons (zest of 2 and juice of 1)
100g butter
500g spaghetti
150g grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
Put the cream and the lemon zest into a large heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
Now start adding the butter, about 1 tbsp at a time while stirring continuously. Wait for 30-45 seconds before adding the next tbsp of butter – it should be completely melted before you add any more. Keep going until you have used all the butter and you have a rich sauce. Set aside.
Cook the spaghetti in lots of salty water until al dente. Scoop out a mugful of the pasta water before draining.
Add half the pasta water to the cream sauce and bring to a simmer. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Turn the heat back down to low, then add the cooked spaghetti and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan, 1 tbsp at a time, as you did with the butter and waiting 30-45 seconds between each addition. Stir continuously and add another splash of pasta water if it starts to get stiff. Keep going until all the Parmesan has been added, then pour in the lemon juice and toss once more.
Serve in warm pasta bowls and top with a little extra Parmesan.
(Original recipe from Avoca at Home, Penguin Random House, 2022.)
This is a delicious and rich sauce but it requires duck marylands (the thigh and the leg together) which are not easy to find here. We asked our butcher to portion up some whole ducks for us. Duck breasts are not suitable so do try and get the marylands for this.
Wine Suggestion: A good Tuscan red is a good match to cut through the richness and proteins in this dish. A good dollop for acidity and freshness helps lighten plus tannins to balance. For us tonight a new find, Ridolfi Rosso di Montalcino. Elegant and vibrant with loads of energy, layered subtle fruit and energetic structure. Pure joy.
Duck ragu pappardelle – serves 4
20g dried porcini mushrooms
1.5 litres low-salt chicken stock (it needs to be low-salt as you will reduce it – we made a light stock with two regular chicken stockpots mixed with 1.5 litres of water and that worked fine).
1 tbsp olive oil
4 duck marylands (the thigh and leg together)
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely grated
1 small carrot, coarsely grated
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
375ml red wine
195g tomato passata
½ cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 bay leaves
½ tsp black pepper
1½ tbsp roughly chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp plain flour
15g unsalted butter, softened
400g pappardelle pasta
freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
Put the porcini mushrooms into a small bowl. Pour the stock into a large frying pan and place over a high heat. Bring to the boil, then scoop out 125ml and pour it over the porcini. Leave the porcini to soak for 30 minutes. Lower the heat under the stock to medium-high and reduce to 750ml – this should take about 8 minutes but wise to check now again how much you have with a measuring jug.
Squeeze the excess liquid out of the porcini with your hands and reserve all the liquid. Chop the porcini into tiny pieces, then set aside. Add the soaking liquid to the reduced chicken stock.
Heat the oil in a large casserole over a high heat. Place the duck, skin-side down and cook until golden brown. Turn and brown the flesh side and the sides as well, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Pour away all but 3 tbsp of the duck fat, then add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic and cook for 8 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce by half. Add the passata, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, pepper and stock. Stir everything together.
Submerge the duck in the liquid and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer very gently for 1½, uncovered, checking regularly to ensure the duck stays submerged or at least that the meaty part is in the liquid. After the first hour, add the rosemary and chopped porcini.
Transfer the cooked duck to a bowl and cover loosely with foil. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and shred the duck flesh with your hands. Discard the skin and bones.
Mix the flour and butter together in a small bowl to make a smooth paste. Stir the mixture into the pot, then simmer for 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Add the duck, then taste and season only if needed. Remove the bay leaf, cinnamon stick and star anise. Keep the ragu warm while you cook the pasta.
Cook the pasta in lots of salty boiling water according to the timings on the pack. Just before draining, scoop out a large mug of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the warm ragu with a splash of the pasta cooking water. Over a medium heat, toss the pasta with two spatulas unil the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. You can add a bit more water if it’s too thick.
Serve in warm bowls with lots of grated Parmesan.
(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Tonight by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2024.)
Just a reminder that a big lasagne is a very good thing to have. We sometimes divide it up into smaller dishes and freeze some to finish off cooking another day.
Wine Suggestion: Our personal prejudice here is for Sangiovese every time with Lasagne, though we know this is not the only grape that works. That said we couldn’t go past the Boscarelli “Prugnolo” Rosso di Montepulciano which comes from a lovely hilltop DO in Tuscany.
Lasagne – serves 8
350-400g fresh lasagne sheets
nutmeg
1 ball of mozzarella, torn
FOR THE RAGU:
2-3 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
500g beef mince
500g pork mince
175ml red wine
750ml beef stock/chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
a sprig of rosemary
FOR THE BECHAMEL:
70g butter
70g plain flour
1 litre whole milk
1 bay leaf
100g Parmesan, freshly grated
Start with the ragu. You need to heat the oil in a large wide pan, then add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and fry gently until softend but not coloured.
Add the bacon, beef and pork and continue frying until the meat has changed colour.
Pour in the red wine and increase the heat so that it comes to the boil. Reduce the heat again and add the stock, tomato purée and tinned tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add the bay and rosemary. Leave to cook now over a medium-low heat for about 1½ hours or until you have a rich sauce.
Meanwhile, make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, add the flour and stir to make a paste. Cook for a minute, then take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Add the bay leaf, then return the pan to the heat and bring the boil, stirring constantly. Keep cooking until you have a smooth and thick sauce. Remove the bay leaf and stir in two-thirds of the grated Parmesan and season to taste.
Heat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C.
You will need a deep lasagne dish – about 20 x 30 cm.
Put a large spoonful of the ragu in the bottom of the lasagne dish and add a layer of lasagne sheets. Top with a layer of ragu and a drizzle of bechamel (not a full layer or you will run out), then another layer of lasagne sheets. Keep going like this until you have used up all the ingredients, finishing with a good layer of bechamel. Grate over a little nutmeg, then add the torn mozzarella and the rest of the Parmesan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes when it comes out of the oven so it’s easier to cut. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread if you like.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Food Stories, BBC Books, Penguin: Random House, 2024.)
There is one person in our household of 3 who has decided to be a vegetarian for January. We’re not all joining in as there was far too much other stuff in the freezer but we’re trying to batch cook things like this to keep her going for the month and to avoid her living on koka noodles. This is a simple and lovely dahl. Serve with rice and naan or flatbreads. It is also suitable for those doing veganuary.
Wine Suggestion: We quite like an earthy dahl with a beer and chose a local brew, the Barrelhead Hopsburgh Helles, a creamy pale golden German style lager that’s lovely and smooth.
Cauliflower, lentil & coconut dahl – serves 4 to 6
4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp mustard seeds
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
½ to 1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
180g dried red lentils
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
400ml tomato passata
600ml water
75g baby spinach
2 tbsp chopped coriander
juice of 1 lemon
Melt the coconut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop.
Add the onion with a large pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then add the ground coriander, turmeric, cumin and chilli flakes and cook for another minute.
Add the cauliflower, lentils, coconut milk, tomato passata and water. Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils and cauliflower are cooked. Give it a stir occasionally to prevent it sticking.
Add the spinach, coriander and lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.
Serve with rice and daal or flatbreads.
(Original recipe from Avoca at Home, Penguin Random House, 2022.)
This is a quick curry but it still tastes delicious and simple enough to throw together after work.
Thai red salmon curry – serves 2
100g dried rice noodles
350g skinless salmon fillets, cut lengthways into 4 thin pieces
1½ tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1½ tsp finely grated garlic
1 tsp finely grated ginger
125ml chicken stock
400ml tin coconut milk
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp white sugar
4 baby bok choy, leaves separated
1-2 tbsp lime juice, plus wedges for serving
fresh coriander leaves, to serve
red bird’s eye chilli, finely sliced, to serve
Soak the noodles in boiling water according to the pack instructions, then drain and divide between two bowls.
Season the salmon, then heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Cook the salmon for a minute on each side, then transfer to a plate. It doesn’t need to be cooked through yet, just lightly golden on the surface.
Add the curry paste, garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook, stirring continuously, for a minute, then add the chicken stock and simmer rapidly for a minute, stirring to scrape any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar, then simmer rapidly for 2 minutes.
Return the salmon to the pan and push the bok choy in around it. Simmer for 2 minutes, pushing the bok choy into the liquid as it wilts. Once the salmon flakes easily, remove the pan from the heat.
Pour the lime juice over the fish and serve over the noodles. Sprinkle with the coriander and fresh chilli before serving with extra lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Tonight by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2024.)
A delicious fish risotto which also includes Parmesan cheese. We’re firm disbelievers of the “no cheese with fish” rule!
Wine Suggestion: we gravitated to something Spanish for this dish, the Bodegas Castro Martin Albariño, which has the body and texture required to stand up to the richness and intense flavours the dish presents with the the umami pepperiness complimenting the salty/savoury smoked fish.
Smoked haddock & leek risotto – serves 4
50g butter
4 medium leeks, finely sliced
1.25 litres light chicken stock
450g smoked haddock
300g risotto rice
75g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and and gently cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring the stock to a gentle simmer in a separate pan.
Put the fish in another pan and enough of the hot stock to cover. Poach for 5 minutes, then remove the skin and discard. Leave the cooked fish in the stock off the heat.
Add the rice to the leeks and stir until coated in the butter. Start adding the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Add another ladle when the previous one has been completely absorbed. Keep going for about 20 minutes, then start tasting the rice – you want it to be soft with just a slight bite in the middle. Use the stock in the fish for the last addition of liquid.
Gently break the fish into chunks and stir into the risotto at the last minute, along with 2 tbsp of the Parmesan.
Check the seasoning (you probably won’t need salt) and add plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Serve immediately with the rest of the Parmesan for sprinkling over.
(Original recipe from Rosast Figs, Sugar Snow by Diana Henry, Aster*, 2023.)
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.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 