19 March 2019 by jonoandjules
Quesadillas are a regular feature on our weekend breakfast/lunch table as we often have tortilla wraps leftover from pack lunches in the week. We loved these spicy, veggie ones for Saturday breakfast.
Breakfast Quesadillas – serves 2
- a knob of butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ an avocado, sliced
- 2 flour tortillas
- 4 cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 25g cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 pickled jalapeños, chopped
Heat the butter in a small pan, tip in the eggs and stir until scrambled.
Scatter the avocado over one of the tortillas. Top with the scrambled eggs, the cherry tomatoes, the cheddar and the jalapeños. Top with the other tortilla and slide into a hot non-stick frying pan (we brush the tortillas on the outside with a tiny bit of oil to help them brown). Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip over and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the insides are hot. Cut into wedges to serve.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in BBC Olive Magazine, March 2019.)
Posted in Brunch, Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Avocado, Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Easy, Eggs, Food, Quesadillas, Recipe, Vegetarian, Veggie | Leave a Comment »
18 March 2019 by jonoandjules
A vegan dish for mid-week that is not only super-healthy but very tasty too.
Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower with Dhal – serves 4
FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:
- 1 large cauliflower, sliced into 1cm steaks (or you can break into florets but don’t waste the stalk)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
FOR THE DHAL:
- ½ tbsp coconut oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp medium curry powder
- 250g red lentils
- 400ml tin light coconut milk
- 400ml vegetable stock
- generous handful of spinach leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- juice of ½ a lemon
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6.
Put the cauliflower into a large roasting tin and sprinkle with the olive oil.
Roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and scatter over the turmeric and garlic. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes or until browned and tender.
Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a lidded saucepan and gently fry the onion and chilli for about 4 minutes.
Add the cumin, garlic and curry powder and cook for another couple of minutes before stirring in the lentils, coconut milk and stock. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Stir in the coriander and season to taste.
Squeeze the lemon over the cauliflower and serve with the dhal and the toasted almonds.
(Original recipe from The Fast 800 by Michael Mosley, Short Books, 2019.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Cauliflower, Cooking, Dhal, Easy, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Lentils, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
15 March 2019 by jonoandjules
Mondays are all about leftovers in our house and we’re determined to use all bits and pieces hanging around after the weekend. This pasta dish helped us out with the remains of a jar of sundried tomatoes and some ricotta cheese. Also great to use the chives that have recently sprouted up in the garden – a positive sign of things to come.
Wine Suggestion: Look for a good Verdicchio with a fuller body, but still fresh and balanced. Tonight an old favourite, the Sartarelli Tralivio.
Spaghetti with Ricotta Cheese & Toasted Pine Nuts – serves 4 (easily halved)
- 6 tbsp pine nuts
- 250g ricotta cheese
- 100g sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced into thin strips
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 500g spaghetti
Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until golden brown, then set aside.
Put the ricotta cheese, sundried tomatoes, chives, nutmeg, pine nuts and basil into a large bowl. Pour over the oil and hot water, season with salt and pepper, and mix together. Leave to rest at room temperature while you cook the pasta.
Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling salty water until al dente. Drain and tip into the bowl with the ricotta mixture (don’t be too particular when draining as a little water will help to loosen the sauce). Gently fold everything together for 30 seconds to combine. Serve with the extra basil.
(Original recipe from Gino’s Pasta by Gino D’Acampo, Kyle Books, 2010.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tagged Basil, Chives, Cooking, Easy, Food, Gino d'Acampo, Italian, Pasta, Pine nuts, Recipe, Ricotta cheese, Spaghetti, Sundried tomatoes, Vegetarian | 3 Comments »
14 March 2019 by jonoandjules
Try these at the weekend, they’re a good accompaniment for drinks, something fizzy perhaps. They taste best hot but you can have them all prepped on trays in the fridge ready to slide into the oven as people arrive. A nice idea from two of our very favourite cooks – Sarit Packer & Itamer Srulovich of Honey & Co.
Wine suggestion: a good crémant. For fun we opened the Taille Princess Blanc de Gérard Depardieu by Bouvet-Ladubay, a Chenin Blanc-Chardonnay sparkling from Saumur. We chuckle every time with the liberal use of Gérard’s branding and his portrait on the label and on the capsule. That said it is an excellent crémant and a good match to savoury cheese bites like these.
Harissa & Goat’s Cheese Buns – makes about 20
- 175g self-raising flour
- 100g butter (at room temperature), diced
- 1 egg, lightly whisked and divided into 2 small bowls
- 60g grated pecorino or Parmesan
- 125g ricotta
- 125g soft, young, rindless goat’s cheese
- 30g rose harissa paste
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
Put the flour and butter in a mixer bowl with a paddle attachment and combine to a crumb-like consistency.
Add half the egg and half the grated pecorino or Parmesan, along with the ricotta, goat’s cheese, harissa paste and salt. Mix together to form a soft, pliable dough.
Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each one into a log about 20cm long. Brush each log all over with the other half of the egg.
Mix the rest of the cheese with the cumin seeds and sprinkle over the work surface. Roll the logs in the mixture until coated all over. Put the logs on a try in the fridge to rest for at least an hour or up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Cut each log into about 10 slices, about 2cm thick, and lay them on a lined baking tray. Bake for 13-15 minutes until teh cheese is golden but the buns are still soft. Serve hot.
(Original recipe from Honey & Co. At Home by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich, Pavilion, 2018.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Drinks, Food, Goat's cheese, Harissa, Nibbles, Party Food, Recipe, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
13 March 2019 by jonoandjules
This makes a nice change from the usual cucumber variety. Good with barbecued lamb or pork and dishes with Greek flavours. We liked it on the side of our giant beans and spinach rice.
Radish Tzatziki – serves 2
- 100g Greek yoghurt
- ½ tbsp chopped dill, plus extra to serve
- 8 small radishes, roughly chopped or sliced
- ½ clove of garlic, crushed
- juice of ½ lemon
Mix all the ingredients together and season. Garnish with some extra dill.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Easy, Food, Gluten-free, Greek, Radishes, Recipe, side dish, Tzatziki, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
12 March 2019 by jonoandjules
This pasta sauce is rich and full of flavour and works best without cheese, so don’t be tempted to add any. A new favourite for us and great for using up sun-dried tomatoes.
Wine Suggestion: Pico Maccario make some delicious Barbera and their entry “Lavignone” is a benchmark for the Asti region (Piedmont). Not only does it work with this dish, but we’d suggest versatile for many other dishes and occasions; a crowd pleaser and very food friendly.
Conchiglie Rigate Piccanti – serves 4
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 80g pitted Kalamata olives, halved
- 1 hot red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 80g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and finely chopped
- 300g pork mince
- 300g passata
- 400g conghiglie rigate (medium shell pasta)
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion and olives for a couple of minutes, stirring now and then.
Add the chilli, sun-dried tomatoes and the pork mince and continue frying for another 6 minutes.
Stir in the passata and gently simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Keep stirring every couple of minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salty water according the timings on the pack. Drain and tip back into the saucepan.
Pour the sauce into the pasta pan and stir over a low heat for 30 seconds to combine.
(Original recipe from Gino’s Pasta by Gino D’Acampo, Kyle Books, 2010.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Pork | Tagged Cooking, Easy, Food, Italian, Olives, Pasta, Pasta shells, Pork mince, Pork ragu, Recipe, Sun-dried tomatoes | 2 Comments »
11 March 2019 by jonoandjules
This Greek butter bean stew can be served on it’s own either as a starter or as a veggie main. The kitchen smells fab as it cooks and you can have it ready in advance and just reheat to serve. We like it served on the side of some barbecued lamb, spinach rice and radish tzatziki.
Wine Suggestion: This dish shines with light and fresh red wines with little or no oak. Good on it’s own with the Rocca delle Macie Chianti Vernaiolo, an unoaked and youthful wine. However, the other night we served it with lamb, as part of a larger meal so chose the vibrant Gulfi Cerasuolo, a Nero d’Avola and Frappato blend from Sicily. Bright red fruits, an earthy depth and fresh finish complimented the lamb to the dill and feta. I think we’ll be drinking more of this wine in future.
Giant Butter Bean Stew – serves 6 as a side
- 2 x 400g tins good quality butter beans
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large red onion, finely sliced
- 1 large carrot, finely sliced
- 1 celery stalk with leaves, finely chopped
- 2 sundried tomatoes, sliced
- 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- ½ tsp sugar
- small pack flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- small pack dill, finely chopped
- 100g feta, crumbled
Drain the butter beans and reserve 100ml of the liquid.
Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and cook the onions, carrots and celery until tender and the onions are soft and transparent, but not coloured. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reserving half of the chopped herbs and feta, and season. Squeeze the tinned tomatoes with your hands as you add them to the dish to break them up.
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Cook over a gentle heat for another 5 minutes, then add the reserved liquid. Cover the dish and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if the dish looks dry.
Remove the lid and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir through the reserved herbs, season to taste, then crumble over the remaining feta.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Butter bean stew, Butter beans, Cooking, Dill, Feta, Food, Recipe, side dish, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
10 March 2019 by jonoandjules
This rice is seriously delicious. The spinach is cooked with the rice from the start, rather than stirred through at the end, which makes it really flavoursome. We served with some barbecued lamb, Greek butter bean stew and radish tzatziki.
Spinach rice – serves 6
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 500g baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
- bunch of dill, finely chopped
- 300g basmati rice
- juice of a lemon
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook the onion gently until softened but not coloured. Add the spinach and half the dill. Cook over a high heat until the spinach has wilted and any liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the rice and add 600ml of water, then bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer, cover the pan with a tight lid (or some tinfoil and a lid) and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the water absorbed. Check and stir after the first 15 minutes and add some more water if needed.
When the rice is cooked, stir in the remaining dill, season well and add the lemon juice to taste.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Dill, Food, Gluten-free, Greek, Recipe, side dish, Spinach Rice, Vegan, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
3 March 2019 by jonoandjules
We recently picked up a copy of Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan – a truly stunning book filled with Palestinian recipes & stories. Our first dish from the book was this spicy prawn and tomato stew. We served it with rice but next time we’ll go for some flatbreads instead. Delicious nonetheless.
Wine Suggestion: We’d recommend a light red with elegant fruit like the Dezat Sancerre Rouge which was our choice. A perfumed and delicate Pinot Noir with a tension and thrill running through it; the earthy red cherry and currant flavours flavours went with the prawns, tomatoes and herbs in a delightful fashion.
Spicy Prawn & Tomato Stew – Zibdiyit Gambari (serves 4)
- 2 tbsp light olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 400g tin plum tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
- 1 – 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 400g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- chopped parsley
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for about 10 minutes or until softened. Add the tomatoes, sugar, spices & ½ tsp each of salt and pepper, with 200ml just-boiled water.
Use a pestle & mortar to smash the garlic, dill, chillies and ½ tsp of salt together for a few minutes. Add this to the tomato pan, cover and simmer for 20 minutes over a low heat.
Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden brown, then set aside.
Adjust the seasoning in the sauce, then add the prawns – make sure they are submerged and you may need to turn them. Cook in the sauce for a couple of minutes, or until they have just turned pink and are cooked through.
Drizzle with plenty of extra virgin olive oil and scatter with the sesame seeds and chopped parsley to serve.
(Original recipe form Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan, Bloomsbury, 2018.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish | Tagged Chillies, Cooking, Food, Palestinian, prawns, Recipe, Tomatoes, Yasmin Khan, Zaitoun | Leave a Comment »
1 March 2019 by jonoandjules
At last we’ve got our hands on The Modern Italian Cook by Joe Trivelli and what a treat it is! Our local fish shop often has baby octopus on the counter but you can also buy it frozen. This was Jono’s pick for his birthday dinner and he wasn’t disappointed.
Wine Suggestion: as befits a birthday dinner, it was Champagne to match and tonight we drank the Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV which plays a delightful balance of delicacy, elegance, depth and bags of character. Both the dish and Champagne a wonderful treat.
Baby Octopus & Peas (Polipetti e Piselli) – serves 4
- 1 kg frozen baby octopuses, defrosted (or fresh if you can find them)
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 dried chillies
- 50g small black olives, pitted
- 300g shelled peas (we used defrosted frozen peas)
- 600g new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
- 175ml dry wine – red or white
Rinse the octopuses under the tap then transfer to a heavy-based casserole dish or pan. Coat with a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves and chillies, cover with some baking paper and place over a high heat with the lid on.
When everything is hot and cooking, turn the heat down and continue to cook the octopuses for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and add the olives, peas, potatoes and wine. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook until the peas and octopuses are soft, about 20 minutes more.
(Original recipe from The Modern Italian Cook by Joe Trivelli, Seven Dials, 2018.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Italian | Tagged Baby octopus, Baby octopus & peas, Cooking, Food, Gluten-free, Italian, Joe Trivelli, peas, Polipetti e piselli, Recipe, Seafood, The Modern Italian Cook | 1 Comment »
27 February 2019 by jonoandjules
Panissa is a risotto with some extras added to make it more substantial. This one from Jamie Cooks Italy has red wine, tomatoes, salami and borlotti beans.
Wine Suggestion: The Barbera we used was a very good match, as was the Balto Mencia from Bierzo, Spain; both medium bodied and earthy in character. If neither of these are to hand look for something fresh and balanced … not too heavy or high in alcohol which would overwhelm the flavours.
Panissa Rice – serves 4
- 50g piece of smoked pancetta, cut into 1cm chunks
- 50g salami, cut into 1cm chunks
- 2 onions, chopped into 1cm chunks
- 2 celery sticks, chopped into 1cm chunks
- 1 litre quality meat stock
- 30g bunch of fresh rosemary
- 300g Arborio risotto rice
- 250ml Barbera d’Asti red wine
- 400g tin of plum tomatoes
- 400g tin of borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Put the pancetta and salami into a cold casserole and place over a medium-high heat until the fat renders. Add the onions and celery and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft.
In a separate pan simmer the stock and rosemary.
Stir the rice into the veg and toast for 2 minutes, then pour in the wine and cook until it has evaporated. Add the tomatoes scrunching with your hands to break them up. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, letting each one disappear before adding more. Stir constantly and keep adding stock for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked but still has a little bite. Stir the borlotti beans in with the last ladle of stock. The panissa is done when your spoon can stand up in the middle. Taste and season with salt and black pepper and stir in the parsley.
(Original recipe from Jamie Cooks Italy by Jamie Italy, Michael Joseph, 2018.)
Posted in Food, Italian | Tagged Borlotti beans, Cooking, Food, Italian, Jamie, Jamie Cooks Italy, Jamie Oliver, Panissa, Panissa Rice, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
24 February 2019 by jonoandjules
There is a batch of this made in our kitchen every year and this year there were two batches (we bought too many oranges). There are lots of fancy marmalade recipes but we find the classic version the best. This also requires a large preserving pan. If you think your pan may be too small then the recipe can easily be halved.
Jono’s Seville Orange Marmalade
- 1.3kg Seville orange marmalade
- 2 lemons, juice only
- 2.6kg preserving or granulated sugar
Put the whole oranges and lemon juice in a large preserving pan and cover with 2 litres of water (if the water doesn’t cover the fruit you need to try a smaller pan). Use a heat-proof plate to keep the oranges submerged as they tend to bob to the surface; we use a second, smaller pot lid. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently for about 2 hours or until the peel can be pierced easily with a fork.
We find we have to weight down the saucepan lid with heat-proof items to keep the lid pressed down and the oranges submerged; a small mortar and an iron teapot usually get drafted for this role.
Warm the sugar in a very low oven. Pour the cooking water from the oranges into a jug and tip the oranges into a bowl. Return the cooking liquid to the pan. When the oranges are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out all the pips and pith and add to the orange liquid in the pan. Bring this to the boil and continue to boil for 6 minutes, then strain the liquid through a sieve into a bowl and press the pulp through with a wooden spoon.
Pour this liquid into a large preserving pan. Cut the peel into fine shreds and add to the liquid in the preserving pan with the warmed sugar. Gently stir over a low heat for about 10 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved. This is very important as undissolved grains effects the outcome. Bring to the boil and bubble rapidly for 15-25 minutes or until setting point is reached. A jam thermometer is useful here, but you can also test the set by checking if the marmelade wrinkles when put onto a cold plate
Remove the pan from the heat and skim any scum from the surface. The remaining excess scum can be dissolved by dropping a small knob of butter on to the surface and stirring gently. Leave the marmalade to stand in the pan for 20 minutes, then pot into sterilised jars.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Marmalade, Oranges, Recipe, Seville oranges | Leave a Comment »
22 February 2019 by jonoandjules
This Syrian fish dish is bursting with delicious herbs and spices. We loved it! Really great with spinach & sumac and spicy potatoes. One of the best meals we’ve had in ages!
Wine Suggestion: Our choice tonight was the Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay which had power and complexity but also elegance and a beautiful, supple balance so it finished light and persistent. An excellent wine well worth seeking out and a great match for this dish.
Spiced Fish (Samaka Harra) – serves 2
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 red chillies, finely chopped
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 40g walnuts chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra
- 2 whole fish e.g. sea bream or snapper (we used bass)
- a bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped, including stems
- 1 lemon, plus ½ a lemon, sliced
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Mix the garlic, chillies, cumin, walnuts and 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Stuff the fish with the mixture, keeping 2 tbsp aside for later, then add a handful of coriander, saving some to garnish.
Squeeze the lemon over both fish, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Marinate in the fridge for a good half hour.
Put the fish into a large oven tray with the reserved stuffing sprinkled over the top and some lemon slices, then bake for 30 minutes.
(Original recipe from Syria: Recipes from Home by Itab Azzam and Dina Mousawi, Trapeze, 2017.)
Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free | Tagged Cooking, Coriander, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Recipe, Syrian, Walnuts | Leave a Comment »
21 February 2019 by jonoandjules
This simple Syrian side dish has fantastic flavour. We ate it with some spiced fish but it would complement many things. Also great on its own with some plain yoghurt and flatbreads.
Spinach with Sumac (Spanekh wa Sumac) – serves 4
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- oil, for frying
- 350g baby spinach
- 1 tbsp sumac
- a squeeze of lemon
Fry the onion over a very low heat for 20-30 minutes or until softened and almost caramelised. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the sumac, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
(Original recipe from Syria: Recipes from Home by Itab Azzam & Dina Mousawi, Trapeze 2017.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Gluten-free, Recipe, side dish, Spinach, Sumac, Syrian, Vegan, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
20 February 2019 by jonoandjules
These spicy Syrian potatoes are really delicious and we’re going to be cooking them with lots of dishes. A great alternative to roast potatoes.
Spicy Syrian Potatoes (Batata Harra) – serves 4
- 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2 cm cubes
- olive oil, for roasting
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- a bunch of coriander, chopped
- 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper
Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Roast the potatoes with olive oil and salt for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned.
Meanwhile, quickly fry the garlic, chillies and half the coriander. When the potatoes are ready, mix the fried ingredients with the potatoes, ground Aleppo pepper and the rest of the coriander.
(Original recipe from Syria: Recipes from Home by Itab Azzam and Dina Mousawi, Trapeze, 2017.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Aleppo pepper, Chillies, Cooking, Coriander, Food, Gluten-free, Potatoes, Recipe, side dish, Syrian, Vegan, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
19 February 2019 by jonoandjules
It’s not often you find a duck dish that is light and healthy. It pains us too to pull off and discard that duck skin but somedays it just has to be done. Can’t recommend this highly enough for a good food day. We served with some brown basmati.
Duck stir-fry with ginger and greens – serves 4
- groundnut oil
- 2 skinless duck breasts, cut into thin strips
- 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 1 red chilli, sliced
- 6 scallions, sliced
- 500g pak choi, sliced
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp cornflour
Heat a wok until smoking hot, then add 2 tsp of oil. Add the duck and stir-fry for 2 minutes before removing with a slotted spoon. Add another teaspoon of oil and tip in the ginger, chilli, almost all the scallions and the pak choi. Cook until the pak choi is just wilted.
Add the soy, honey and oyster sauce to the wok and put the duck back in – bubble for a minute. Mix the cornflour with 2 tsp cold water and stir until smooth, add to the wok and cook until the sauce thickens and looks glossy. Garnish with the leftover scallions to serve.
(Original recipe by Jemma Morphet in Olive Magazine, February 2011.)
Posted in Duck, Food, Healthy | Tagged Cooking, Duck, Easy, Food, Healthy, Low-calorie, Pak choi, Recipe, Stir-fry | Leave a Comment »
18 February 2019 by jonoandjules
This was our Valentine’s dinner and very special it was too!
Wine Suggestion: it’s any excuse for bubbly in our house and it makes a natural pair for this dish too. Our choice was the Domaine de la Paleine Cremant de Loire, a blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc that celebrated the saltiness of the caviar and went seamlessly with the creamy potatoes.
Baked potatoes with crème fraîche and trout caviar – serves 4
- 4 small baking potatoes
- 1 ½ tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
- sea salt flakes
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 200ml crème fraîche
- 40g trout caviar
Heat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6.
Drizzle the potatoes with ½ tbsp of the oil and a good pinch of salt and toss well. Put onto a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthways and scoop the flesh out into a bowl, careful not to damage the shells. Mash the potatoes, then stir in the parsley, 120ml of the crème fraîche and seasoning. Brush the potato skins with the remaining oil, then spoon the potato mixture back into them.
Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and crispy on the outside. Spoon the remaining crème fraîche on top, followed by a spoon of caviar and some black pepper.
(Original recipe by Clodagh McKenna in Olive Magazine, February 2019.)
Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free | Tagged Baked Potatoes, Caviar, Cooking, Easy, Food, Gluten-free, Jacket Potatoes, Recipe, Trout caviar | Leave a Comment »
16 February 2019 by jonoandjules
These Persian fishcakes are full of herbs and make a delicious starter or light lunch. They can be made up in advance and cooked when you need them.
Wine Suggestion: the only option here is a youthful, light, off-dry Riesling where the aromatics, herbs, date and tamarind all play with each other. Tonight we drank the Dr Loosen Estate Riesling, his entry level wine made with his own fruit in the Mosel and it was an excellent match. Along with the Mosel we’d recommend the fruity styles (Kabinett & Spätlese) from other German regions such as the Nahe and Rheingau. Further afield the Aussie Rieslings tend to be too dry for a dish like this but there are some excellent NZ examples, Forrest Estate and Felton Rd spring to mind.
Bandari fishcakes with a tamarind and date sauce (Kuku-ye mahi) – serves 4
- 300g potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
- 200g white fish fillets e.g. cod/haddock
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- 50g coriander, finely chopped
- 25g parsley, finely chopped – plus extra to garnish
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaf (menthi)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- a pinch of cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- zest of ½ lemon
- 1 medium egg
- plain flour, for dusting
- 3 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
FOR THE TAMARIND & DATE SAUCE:
- 50g tamarind pulp soaked in 100ml just boiled water for 10 minutes
- 75g Iranian or Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- a pinch of cayenne pepper
- a pinch of cinnamon
- 150ml hot water
Put the potatoes into a large pan and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil, then simmer until tender. Drain, mash the potatoes, and put into a large mixing bowl.
Add the fish to the potatoes. Dry fry the cumin seeds in a small frying pan for a minute or until fragrant. Grind the seeds with a pestle and mortar, then add to the bowl along with the fresh herbs, fenugreek leaf, garlic, cayenne, turmeric, lemon zest, egg, 1¼ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper.
Mix well with your hands, then shape into eight round patties. Dust with a little flour and place on a plate, cover with cling film and chill.
To make the sauce, put the tamarind and its soaking liquid, the dates, brown sugar, cayenne, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Add the hot water and cook for 10 minutes over a low heat until the dates are very soft.
Take the sauce off the heat and sieve into a bowl, use the back of a spoon to rub as much through as possible.
To finish the fishcakes, heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the cakes on a medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, turning every few minutes, until golden brown and crusted. Garnish with parsley and serve with the sauce.
(Original recipe from The Saffron Tales by Yasmin Khan, Bloomsbury, 2016.)
Posted in Fish, Food, Potato | Tagged Cooking, Fishcakes, Food, Kuku-ye mahi, Persian, Recipe, Starter, Tamarind, The Saffron Tales | Leave a Comment »
15 February 2019 by jonoandjules
This is just the dish for leftover roast pork. We freeze the right quantity and enjoy it a week or too later after a busy day – it’s really quick to throw together.
Wine Suggestion: there’s a vibrant immediacy to this dish and likewise we chose a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, in this case the Doctors’ SB from Forrest Estate; dry, full flavoured and ripe but only 9.5% abv.
John Forrest pioneered this technique and it’s a brilliant addition to the wine world so we can drink lower alcohol levels and yet keep the same ripeness and flavour profiles.
Nasi goreng – serves 4
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 onion, halved and sliced 1cm thick
- 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 2 red chillies, halved, deseeded and sliced
- 300g leftover cooked pork, chop into little chunks
- 400g cooked rice
- 4 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 100g cooked, shelled prawns
- 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
Heat 1½ tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat until soft, golden and starting to tinge. Add the garlic, chillies and pork and cook for a couple of minutes – let the pork colour a bit. Add the rice and spring onions – toss lightly and cook until heated through.
Meanwhile, quickly heat ½ tbsp of the oil in a nonstick frying pan and add the eggs. Cook as you would an omelette and when cooked cut into ribbons with a sharp knife.
Add the egg, prawns, soy sauce, salt and pepper to the rice and keep cooking for another 2 minutes to heat everything through, then serve.
(Original recipe from Food from Plenty by Diana Henry, Mitchelle Beazley, 2012.)
Posted in Asian, Food, Pork, Prawns | Tagged Cooked pork, Cooking, Easy, Food, Indonesian, Leftover roast pork, Leftovers, Nasi goreng, prawns, Recipe, rice | Leave a Comment »
13 February 2019 by jonoandjules
This lamb ragoût really reminds of holidays in Italy. Really simple but with a great concentrated flavour. No doubt it would be fab with some freshly made pappardelle, but dried was all we could muster on this occasion.
Wine Suggestion: While a red is often the first thought when matching a Ragoût, an oaked white would also work just as well with this dish. The Zuani Riserva from Collio in north eastern Italy would be a good choice. Delicately toasty with vanilla and touch of tropical fruit and some creamy, ripe stone-fruits. Broad and rich, creamy, thick fruit texture, peach and yellow plum with a long and gently spicy finish.
However if you feel like red, like Jules did tonight, then an elegant Sangiovese makes a good option and the Selvapiana Bucerchiale Chianti Rufina is a favourite of ours. Always superb.
Lamb Ragoût – serves 4 to 6
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1kg lamb shoulder, cut into small dice
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 125ml white wine
- 500ml lamb stock
- fresh or dried pappardelle pasta
- chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
- grated Parmesan, to serve
Heat the oil in a large casserole dish, add the onions, celery and carrot and sweat until translucent. Add the garlic, baby leaves and thyme. Add the lamb and season well with salt and pepper, sweat, then add the tomato purée.
Cook for a few minutes, then deglaze with the wine. Add the lamb stock and simmer for 3 hours, covered, until reduced – add more stock or water if it becomes too dry.
Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and stir into the ragoût with the parsley and Parmesan.
(Original recipe from The Skills by Monica Galetti, Quadrille, 2016.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Lamb, Pasta | Tagged Cooking, Easy, Food, Italian, Lamb, Pasta, Ragoût, Ragu, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
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Jono & Jules do food & wine 