11 August 2017 by jonoandjules
We’ve really embraced salads recently, especially as this Irish summer has been quite nice and sunny. This works as a main dish or as a side and will feed a large crowd. It’s nice to find a pasta salad that doesn’t rely on heaps of mayonnaise!
Tomato & Sugar Snap Pea Pasta Salad – serves 6
- 9 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 3 x 5 cm strips of orange zest
- a thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and cut into tiny matchsticks
- 600 g cherry tomatoes
- 6 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 60 ml olive oil plus 2 tbsp (and a bit extra for drizzling at the end)
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- ¼ tsp sea salt plus extra
- 200 g scallions
- 200 g sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
- 350 g pasta e.g. penne, casarecche or fusilli
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- a large bunch of basil, leaves picked and shredded
- a large bunch of mint, leaves picked and shredded
Preheat the oven to 160ºC.
Put the garlic, thyme, orange zest, ginger, tomatoes, orange juice, 60 ml olive oil, brown sugar, salt and a pinch of black pepper into baking dish and toss with your hands. Place in the oven to roast for 50-60 minutes, tossing every 20 minutes or so. Discard the thyme and orange zest when the cooking time is up.
Separate the green and white parts of the scallions. Cut the green parts in half lengthwise and then across into 5 cm lengths. Slice the white parts into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and add 1 tbsp of oil. Add the sugar snap peas and spread out into a single slayer. Cook, turning once, until charred on both sides, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.
Heat another 1 tbsp of oil in the same pan. Add the green and white parts of the scallions and spread out in a single layer. Cook these in the same way as the peas, until charred. Transfer to the bowl with the sugar snap peas and season with salt.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and transfer to a large bowl to cool. Toss it occasionally to prevent it sticking together.
Add the tomato mixture, the sugar snap peas and onion, the lemon juice, most of the basil and most of the mint, to the pasta. Toss gently with your hands to combine without breaking up the tomatoes too much. Season with salt and pepper and a bit more lemon juice if necessary.
Serve with the remaining herbs scattered over the top and drizzle with olive oil.
(Original recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi on bon appétit.)
Posted in Food, Party Food, Pasta, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Ottolenghi, Pasta Salad, Recipe, Salad, side dish, Sugar Snap Peas, Tomatoes | Leave a Comment »
8 August 2017 by jonoandjules
This one-pot dish is full of Mediterranean flavours and reminiscent of summer sun. A tasty treat for mid-week and freezes well too.
Wine suggestion: try a glass of a good, dry Provençal Rosé. We had one made by Chateau Vignelaure which matched the sunny nature of this dish perfectly.
Chicken, red pepper & olive cacciatore – serves 6
- 6 chicken thighs
- 6 drumsticks
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 x 400g tin tomatoes
- 2 red peppers, seeded and sliced
- 2 sprigs of rosemary, needles chopped
- 300ml red wine
- 120g pitted black olives, halved
- a large handful of basil leaves
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
Season the chicken pieces well with salt & pepper. Heat a splash of oil in a large shallow casserole and fry the chicken until the skin is golden brown. This should take about 10 minutes and is easier to do in a few batches. Remove the chicken onto a plate.
Pour most of the fat off the pan, then add the onions and garlic and fry for over a low heat for about 8 minutes or until very soft.
Add the tomatoes, peppers and rosemary and simmer for another 10 minutes, breaking the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon. Add the wine and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce is rich and thick.
Stir the olives into the sauce and nestle the chicken pieces back into the pan. If your pan is too small to take the chicken in a single layer you can transfer everything to a baking dish at this point. Cook in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and comes away easily from the bone.
(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, July 2016.)
Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy | Tagged Cacciatore, Chicken, Cooking, Easy, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
3 August 2017 by jonoandjules
A standby, reliable dish; something we make for weekend lunches that is simple, tasty and comforting. We’re always surprised at how good it is!
Wine Suggestion: a fresh, zesty white is our usual choice. Vermentino from Tuscany like the Poggio ai Ginepri IGP Bianco works a treat, or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a Chablis would be great too.
Pea & Parmesan risotto – serves 4
- 1.2 litres chicken stock/veg stock
- 100g unsalted butter
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 225g arborio rice
- 100g frozen peas
- 50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Put the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then keep over a low heat.
Melt the butter in a sauté pan, and the onion and garlic, then cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir over a low heat until translucent and starting to soften. Increase the heat to medium and begin adding the hot stock, a ladle at a time. Keep adding ladles of stock when the one before has been completely absorbed by the rice.
Continue like this for about 15-20 minutes or until the rice is al dente.
Tip the frozen peas into the risotto and stir. Keep stirring for about 3 minutes or until the peas have defrosted and the rice is bubbling. Finally, stir in the Parmesan and serve immediately with a few shards of Parmesan over the top.
(Original recipe by Tana Ramsey in BBC Good Food Magazine, July, 2007.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Italian, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Gluten-free, Italian, peas, Recipe, rice, Risotto, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
31 July 2017 by jonoandjules
This sour herb stew is unusual, and perhaps not to everybody’s taste, but we loved it! Served with some saffron rice it felt like a big dish of healthy goodness. It would also work as a side dish, or as they serve it in Iran with smoked fish.
Gilaki Herb Stew (Torsh-e tareh) – serves 4
- 300g spinach
- 65g fresh coriander
- 65g fresh parsley
- 40g fresh dill
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 400ml water
- 1½ tbsp cornflour mixed to a paste with 2 tbsp water
- juice of ½ a lemon (plus a bit extra)
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 medium eggs
- 10g butter
Finely chop the spinach and herbs (use a food processor if you’ve got one). Put the chopped greens into a saucepan and add the garlic, turmeric and water. Stir well, then cover and cook for 15 minutes over a low heat.
Add the cornflour paste, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Turn up the heat and cook for 5 minutes, without the lid, until the sauce thickens.
Crack the eggs into the greens and allow to cook for a minute before touching them. Run a wooden spoon through each of the egg yolks twice (horizontally then vertically) so they are just broken. Don’t be tempted to mix them around as you want the chunks of cooked egg, rather than scramble.
Cover with the lid again until the eggs are cooked. Remove from the heat and stir through the butter. Season to taste. Serve with some extra lemon if you like it sour.
(Original recipe from The Saffron Tales by Jasmine Khan, Bloomsbury, 2016.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Eggs, Food, Gilaki herb stew, Herb stew, Iranian, Persian, Recipe, Spinach, Torsh-e tareh, Vegetarian | 2 Comments »
24 July 2017 by jonoandjules
Really summery, colourful, and quick to throw together.
Wine Suggestion: the vibrancy of flavours demanded an equally vivacious wine; we chose the Kilikanoon Morts’ Block Riesling from the Clare Valley in Australia. It was dry and driven by a limey, textured presence that sang alongside this dish.
Warm Couscous Salad with Halloumi, Courgette, Chickpeas & Tomatoes – serves 4
- 250g couscous
- 250ml boiling vegetable stock
- 400g tin of chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 300g courgettes, sliced
- 300g cherry tomatoes on the vine, halved
- 250g pack of halloumi cheese, sliced thickly, then halved lengthways
- 125ml olive oil (nothing too big flavoured)
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- ½ tsp sugar
Tip the couscous into a bowl and pour over the vegetable stock. Cover with some cling film and leave for 5 minutes.
Mix the 125ml olive oil, the lime juice, garlic, mint & sugar together in a bowl to make a dressing.
Fluff the couscous with a fork, stir in the chickpeas, then pour over half of the dressing. Mix well together and pile onto a serving plate.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan and fry the courgette slices for 2-3 minutes or until well browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on some kitchen paper. Put the tomatoes into the pan, cut side down, for a couple of minutes until tinged brown on the cut side. Scatter the courgettes over the couscous, followed by the tomatoes.
Heat a little more oil, then add the halloumi strips and fry for a couple of minutes or until brown on all sides. Pile the halloumi on top of the salad and pour over the remaining dressing.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Chickpeas, Cooking, Courgettes, Couscous, Easy, Food, Halloumi cheese, Recipe, Salad, Tomatoes, Wine Match, Wine suggestion | 3 Comments »
19 July 2017 by jonoandjules
These lamb kebabs from The Saffron Tales by Yasmin Khan are fabulous cooked over hot coals. Ask your butcher for lamb neck, it’s cheap and really tasty. Good served with saffron rice, herby salad and yoghurt with cucumber and mint. They were also good stuffed into some warm flatbreads with a radish and broad bean salad (see pic below).
Wine Suggestion: We chose the Poggio ai Ginepri which is a Cabernet, Syrah & Merlot blend from Bolgheri in Tuscany. The classic Bordeaux blend with the infusion of Syrah creates a balance of power and juiciness that works with the BBQ smokiness and the moist lamb with a good earthy spice that compliments the herbs and spices in the marinade.
Dr Asaf’s Juicy Lamb Kebabs – serves 4
- 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
- 1 small onion, finely grated
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp sumac, plus extra to garnish
- a generous pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 800g lamb neck fillet, cut into 2.5 cubes
- 4 tomatoes, halved
Mix the yoghurt, onion, garlic, oregano, oil, sumac, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Stir in the lamb pieces until well coated then cover with cling film and leave to marinade in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Don’t skip this as it will make the meat nice and tender.
Preheat the barbecue. Thread the lamb onto metal or wooden skewers (wooden ones need to be soaked for about 20 minutes before using). Cook the lamb kebabs and the tomato halves on the barbecue for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through.
Rest the meat for a few minutes and sprinkle with some more sumac before serving.
(Original recipe from The Saffron Tales by Yasmin Khan, Bloomsbury, 2016.)
Posted in Barbecue, Food, Lamb | Tagged Barbecue, BBQ, Cooking, Food, Iranian, Kebabs, Lamb, Lamb kebabs, Persian, Recipe | 1 Comment »
19 July 2017 by jonoandjules
A perfect cooling accompaniment for barbecued lamb kebabs and Persian rice dishes. The fresh mint can be replaced with fresh dill.
Yoghurt with Cucumber & Mint – serves 4-6
- 200g cucumber
- 500g Greek yoghurt
- ½ garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp chopped fresh mint
- 1 tbsp sultanas
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Cut the cucumber in half and scoop out the watery middle and seeds with a teaspoon. Grate the cucumber and squeeze out the excess water over a bowl using your hands.
Mix the cucumber into the yoghurt, along with the garlic, dried mint, fresh mint, dill, sultanas, salt and pepper. Stir well before serving.
(Original recipe from The Saffron Tales by Yasmin Khan, Bloomsbury, 2016.)
Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Cucumber, Dill, Easy, Food, Iranian, Mint, Persian, Recipe, Side, The Saffron Tales, Yoghurt | 1 Comment »
12 July 2017 by jonoandjules
Not much to say about this. Easy, tasty, not too bad for you, cheap…
New Potato & Pecorino Frittata – serves 4
- 600g new potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 8 eggs
- 2 tbsp snipped chives
- 100g pecorino/Parmesan, finely grated
Cook the potatoes in boiling salty water for 15-20 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool a bit, then slice.
Heat the oil in a heavy non-stick frying pan. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, they should be soft and starting to brown.
Meanwhile whisk the eggs and chives together in a bowl. Season generously then add the grated cheese and whisk again.
Get the grill on and let it come up to a moderate heat. Add the potato slices to the onions and pour over the egg mixture. Cook over a low heat until the edges start to firm up and the eggs are set lightly. This could take up to 10 minutes.
Put under the grill (not too close to the heat) and cook for a couple of minutes or until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown.
Works for lunch or weeknight dinner with some salad on the side.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian | Tagged Chives, Cooking, Easy, Food, Frittata, Gluten-free, Lunch, Pecorino, Recipe | 2 Comments »
10 July 2017 by jonoandjules
A simple and delicious idea for trout fillets. Serve with steamed new potatoes and asparagus or other seasonal greens.
Trout with brown butter & almonds – serves 2
- 4 small trout fillets with skin on
- a handful of flaked almonds, lightly toasted
- 50g butter
- 3tbsp of chopped mixed herbs, we used parsley, thyme & chives
- juice of ½ a lemon
Heat the butter in a frying pan until it starts to turn a nutty brown colour. Add the trout fillets, skin-side down, and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Transfer the fish carefully onto warmed plates.
Add the almonds to the pan with a squeeze of lemon juice, some seasoning and the herbs. Toss the almonds gently in the buttery juices and pour over the fish.
Serve with steamed new potatoes and greens.
(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, June 2005.)
Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free | Tagged Almonds, Brown butter, Cooking, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Herbs, Recipe, Trout, Trout fillets | 2 Comments »
5 July 2017 by jonoandjules
This is an old favourite that we make every summer. The chopped up mushrooms give it a fantastic earthy flavour and it works really well with barbecues and on picnics.
Tasty Couscous Salad – serves 4
- 200g couscous
- 400ml boiling vegetable stock (we still use Swiss Marigold Bouillon Powder)
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 175g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- half a bunch of scallions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 tbsp pesto
- a handful of toasted pine nuts, almonds or rough chopped hazelnuts
- a generous handful of basil
Put the couscous into a bowl and pour over the hot stock. Cover with cling film and leave to soak for 5 minutes.
When the 5 minutes is up, fork the couscous through to break up any lumps, then stir in the oil and pesto, then tip in all the veg and nuts and tear in the basil. Taste and season.
Simple as that!
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine, August, 2002.)
Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Basil, Cooking, Couscous, Food, Pesto, Picnic, Recipe, side dish, Vegetarian | 2 Comments »
3 July 2017 by jonoandjules
We have used some fancy yellow courgettes for this dish but the usual green variety will be just as good. An excellent side dish for barbecues… of which we are having many at the moment. If you don’t want to light the barbecue you can also griddle the courgettes with good results.
Griddled courgettes with Parmesan & basil – serves 4 as a side dish
- 5 medium courgettes
- 2 tbsp salt flakes
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon
- 25g pine nuts
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 25g Parmesan, finely grated
- a handful of basil leaves, roughly torn
- a few mint leaves, roughly torn
Preheat the barbecue (or griddle pan). Cut the ends of the courgettes and cut a long thin slice off two opposite sides and discard. Cut each courgette into 4 long strips. Mix the courgettes with the salt and place in a colander to drain with some plates on top. Let them drip over the sink or a bowl or an hour or so.
Shake off any excess salt from the slices, then rub each side with a little olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Cook the courgettes on the barbecue/griddle for about 5 minutes per side or until softened and well charred. Transfer to a serving dish and squeeze over a little more lemon juice.
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for a couple of minutes or until golden.
Scatter the pine nuts, parmesan, basil & mint over the courgettes. Trickle over the rest of the olive oil and serve warm.
(Original recipe from by Valentine Warner in BBC Olive Magazine, July 2009.)
Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Barbecue, Basil, BBQ, Cooking, Courgettes, Food, Gluten-free, Mint, Recipe, side dish, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
1 July 2017 by jonoandjules
One of our least favourite kitchen jobs is scrubbing mussels but they’re always worth it in the end. This chorizo sauce and spicy fries make a great casual dinner.
Wine Suggestion: Chill a Spanish red for 30-40 minutes. A good choice could be the Jesus Romero Rubus, and unoaked blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha & Syrah which has a brilliant purity and drive. Alternately, and contradicting our initial thoughts, a big robust Ribera del Duero, the Condado de Haza also worked a treat chilled down with this dish.
- 250g skinny oven fries
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- olive oil
- 125g chorizo, diced
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 200ml white wine
- 125g tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- a pinch of sugar
- 1kg mussels, cleaned
Heat the oven to whatever heat suggested on the pack of fries. Toss the fries with 1 tsp of the paprika and some seasoning, spread out on an oven tray and cook until crispy.
Put 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan that you have tight-fitting lid for. Add the chorizo and fry until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, garlic, 1 tsp of paprika, chilli and thyme springs to the pan. Cook over a low heat until softened, then turn the heat up, return the chorizo to the pan and add the wine, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, lots of black pepper and a little salt. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Stir the mussels into the chorizo sauce, cover with a lid and steam for 3-4 minutes, shaking now and then, until the mussels have opened. Serve in bowls with the spicy fries on the side.
(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, July 2014.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, Spanish | Tagged Chorizo, Cooking, Easy, Food, Gluten-free, Mussels, Paprika, Recipe, Spanish, Spicy fries, Tomato | 3 Comments »
24 June 2017 by jonoandjules
We love this! No fear of either raw or dry barbecued chicken. The chicken is tender and moist and you get lots of delicious barbecue flavour. We’re going to be cooking this all summer!
Wine Suggestion: We started with a glass of Alsace: the Bott-Geyl Pinot d’Alsace “Points Cardinale” which highlighted the ginger and chilli in a very good way.
We then followed with a juicy, medium bodied red, the Ridge Geyserville, a Zinfandel blend. Don’t be afraid of having a red with either Chicken or spice, just make sure the wine isn’t too tannic or heavy, and that there is enough juiciness to provide a foil for any chilli or ginger. In this case the Geyserville added a layer of flavour that gave the chicken extra dimension and celebrated the barbecue char.
Poached and Barbecued Chicken – serves 6
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1-2 leeks, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 garlic bulb, halved
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 glass of red wine
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 2 red chillies, halved
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 large chicken
Heat a large saucepan (big enough to hold the chicken) over a moderate heat, add the oil and sauté the onion, celery, leeks, carrots and garlic together for a few minutes, then add the ginger, red wine, cinnamon, star anise, honey and soy sauce. Bring to the boil then simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Season the chicken and set it on top of the layer of vegetables in the pot, add about 1 litre of water, then cover the pan and simmer gently for an hour and a half.
Preheat the barbecue. Strain 200ml of the cooking liquid into a small pan and reduce over a high heat until it becomes thick & syrupy, remove the chicken from the pot and set onto a tray, brush the reduced liquid over the chicken. Cook the chicken on a moderate barbecue, turning, until charred all over.
If you like you can discard the vegetables boil up the remaining liquid to serve as a sauce.
Serve the chicken with barbecued veg or other nice summer salads.
(Original recipe from Cooking at the Ballymore Inn by Georgina O’Sullivan.)
Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, Gluten-free | Tagged Barbecue, BBQ, Chicken, Cooking, Food, Gluten-free, Recipe, Whole chicken | 1 Comment »
20 June 2017 by jonoandjules
Oh this is soooo easy and has become a regular feature in our house at lunchtime on Saturdays. Also adored by the resident 3 year old which is always a bonus. Maybe save the wine for after 7pm 😉
Cheesy Tuna Pesto Bake – serves 4 generously and the leftovers are good
- 400g penne pasta
- 200g tin or jar of good quality tuna in olive oil
- 190g jar of pesto (we find that off the shelf rather than out of the fridge works better here as the fresh-made pestos make the dish a bit oily)
- 100g cheddar, grated
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the pack.
Meanwhile empty the contents of the tin of tuna (including the oil) into a large bowl and add the pesto. Mash together with a wooden spoon. Stir in about a third of the cheese and all the tomatoes. Heat the grill to high.
Drain the pasta and stir into the bowl with the tuna and pesto mixture, then tip into a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Put the dish under the grill for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese has just melted.
Serve with salad and garlic bread if you like.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food.)
Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Pasta | Tagged Cooking, Easy, Food, Gluten-free, Pasta, Pesto, Recipe, Tuna, Tuna Pasta Bake | 3 Comments »
6 June 2017 by jonoandjules
We’ve been revisiting the original ‘Cookbook’ from Ottolenghi and found this delicious spring salad. Works well as a side for a barbecue or on its own with some warm pitta breads. The leftovers didn’t suffer too much packed into lunchboxes the next day.
Radish & broad bean salad with green tahini sauce – serves 4
- 500g broad beans, fresh or frozen
- 350g small radishes
- ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 30g preserved lemon, finely chopped
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
For the Green Tahini Sauce:
- 150ml tahini paste
- 150ml water
- 80ml lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ tsp salt
- 30g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped if making by hand
First make the tahini sauce by using a food processor or blender to whizz all the ingredients except the parsley together until smooth. Add more water if necessary until you have a honey-like consistency. Add the parsley and blitz for another few seconds, then adjust the seasoning to taste. (If you don’t have a processor you can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl and add the chopped parsley at the end.)
Chill the tahini sauce until needed. It will thicken the longer it is left in the fridge so add a bit more water if necessary before serving.
Simmer the broad beans in a pan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Remove the beans from their papery skins by squeezing them gently.
Cut the radishes into 6 wedges each and mix with the broad beans, onion, coriander, preserved lemon, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with warm pitta breads.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi: the cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2008.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Broad beans, Cooking, Food, Gluten-free, Green tahini sauce, Ottolenghi, Radishes, Recipe, Salad, side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian | 4 Comments »
29 May 2017 by jonoandjules
Not an authentic recipe by any means but really tasty and much healthier than anything available in the local take-away. We have also made this with leftover cooked chicken with good results.
Wine Suggestion: We want to like wine with curry but most times we prefer something cool and bubbly – like beer! With this we had a bottle of Cooper’s Original Pale Ale to remind us of recent travels in Australia.
Butter Chicken Curry – serves 4
- 500g skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- a thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- ½ a lemon, juiced
- 35g butter
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- curry paste (we used half a jar of Patak’s Madras which is quite spicy but use what you like)
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp ground almonds
- 175ml full-fat natural yoghurt
- 150ml chicken stock
- coriander leaves
- cooked basmati rice, to serve
Toss the chicken pieces with the turmeric, ginger, garlic, lemon juice and ½ tsp salt. Heat the butter in a large wide pan, then cook the onion for about 10 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the curry paste and tomato purée and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until opaque (if using cooked chicken just heat through).
Mix the almonds and yoghurt together in a bowl then stir into the curry and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the stock and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Scatter over the coriander and serve with the rice.
(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, April, 2017.)
Posted in Chicken, Food, Indian | Tagged Butter chicken, Chicken, Cooking, Curry, Easy, Food, Indian, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
22 May 2017 by jonoandjules
Spring is such a lovely time for fresh ingredients, encapsulated by greens like peas and broad beans. It’s broad beans with pretty much everything in our house at the minute. Serve with steamed new potatoes or mash.
Wine Suggestion: We went with a fresh Chablis that had a similar Spring vitality to the food; a Domaine Gueguen from 2015 which had hints of white flowers and smokiness with green apple skins. It was crisp with a wonderful chalky, flinty, limestone character – a good match.
Salmon with greens & crème fraîche – serves 4
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 250ml chicken stock or fish stock
- 100g crème fraîche
- 140g frozen peas
- 140g frozen broad beans
- 4 skinless salmon fillets
- small bunch of chives, snipped
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan with a lid. Cook the leek until soft but not coloured, about 5-10 minutes. Pour in the stock and simmer until reduced slightly, then add the crème fraîche and season. Cook for another minute.
Add the peas and beans, then gently add the salmon fillets, nestling them in amongst the veg. Turn down to a simmer, then cover and cook for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through. Sprinkle with chives and serve with mash or steamed new potatoes.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free | Tagged Broad beans, Chives, Cooking, Creme fraiche, Easy, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, peas, Recipe, Salmon, Wine Match, Wine suggestion | Leave a Comment »
18 May 2017 by jonoandjules
Another favourite from the River Café where the prosciutto gives a big addition to the flavour. Serve with a few asparagus tips and top quality olive oil on top. Delicious!
Wine suggestion: Sauvignon Blanc with bags of flavour. Something like the Dog Point from New Zealand or the Dezat Sancerre from the Loire will work great. Going slightly off-piste we love the Domaine Bellier Cheverny Blanc which combines 85% Sauvignon Blanc with Chardonnay in a un-sung appellation from the Loire, a really good food wine.
Asparagus & prosciutto soup – serves 4
- 500g asparagus
- 140g prosciutto slices, sliced into thin ribbons
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 140g spinach
- Marigold Swiss bouillon powder dissolved with 750ml of boiling water
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- extra virgin olive oil
Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and cut the remaining stalks into short lengths. Keep the tips to one side.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy-based pan, add the onion and soften for 5 minutes, then add the prosciutto, potatoes, parsley and asparagus stalks. Season with pepper (hold off on the salt until the end as the ham is salty) and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, then add the bouillon and simmer until the potatoes and asparagus are tender – about 15 minutes. Add the spinach and most of the asparagus tips and cook for a another few minutes. Remove from the heat and blend to a rough purée.
Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil and fry the reserved tips for a few seconds. Serve the soup with the asparagus and oil drizzled over each bowl.
(Original recipe from Italian Two Easy by Rose Gray & Ruth Rogers, Clarkson Potter, 2006.)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Italian, Soup | Tagged Asparagus, Cooking, Food, Italian, Proscioutto, Recipe, River Café, Soup | 2 Comments »
15 May 2017 by jonoandjules
Let’s eat more radishes. They’re delicous and in season right now. Try this easy spring salad that tastes good with almost anything.
Lemony Radish & Fennel Salad – serves 4
- 2 bunches leafy breakfast radishes
- 1 unwaxed lemon
- 2 shallots, finely sliced into rings
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 5 tbsp olive oil
Separate the leaves from the radishes, then wash & dry them.
Finely grate the zest of half the lemon, then juice all of it.
Put the lemon zest into a salad bowl and stir through the shallots. Leave to macerate.
Trim the fennel & slice it as finely as possible (a job for your mandolin if you have one). When you’re ready to serve, toss all the ingredients, including the radish leaves, with the lemon juice & olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Fennel, Food, Gluten-free, Radishes, Recipe, Salad, side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian | 2 Comments »
11 May 2017 by jonoandjules
In some ways this is an opportunistic dish because we don’t always see Radicchio in our grocer’s shop. We love the creamy, salty, bitter flavours which come together with the rich creamy sauce. We like serving it with a bit of Parmesan too, but it’s not necessary.
Wine suggestion: The Rocca delle Macie’s Vermentino from the Maremma was our choice and the crisp, almost sappiness, helped to cut through the richness and complement the bitterness of the radicchio. If we’d had one we would have loved to have tried a good, dry Lambrusco from near Bologna. We could be wrong but think this might work too.
Pasta with Radicchio & Gorgonzola – serves 4
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 radiccio, shredded
- 50ml white wine
- 4 tbsp cream
- 75g gorgonzola
- 300g pasta
Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the timings on the packet.
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and fry the onion until softened, then add the radicchio and continue to cook until wilted.
Add the white wine and season. Pour in the cream, melt in the gorgonzola and mix through the cooked pasta.
(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, April, 2014.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Easy, Food, Gorgonzola, Italian, Pasta, Radicchio, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
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Jono & Jules do food & wine 