29 February 2016 by jonoandjules
Lemon, Prawn & Parsley Spaghetti
We try to keep a bag of frozen raw prawns in the freezer as they always feel like a special treat. This is good if you fancy a special treat on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday…
Wine Suggestion: to match this dish you can’t go wrong with a good Albariño (Spain) / Alvarinho (Portugal). What you need to look for is a bit of body as some are just a bit thin; the best have a real depth of flavour along with vibrant freshness. Perfect for the prawns and lemon.
Lemon & Parsley Spaghetti with Prawns – serves 2
- 175g spaghetti
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 140g large raw peeled prawns, thawed if frozen
- zest & juice 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
- bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Cook the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the prawns and fry quickly until pink all over.
Add the lemon zest and juice, parsley, 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water and salt and pepper, then heat through.
Drain the spaghetti, add to the pan, then toss it all together.
Serve with lemon wedges.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish | Tagged Cooking, Food, lemon, prawns, Recipe, Shellfish, Spaghetti | 2 Comments »
27 February 2016 by jonoandjules
Mussels in a creamy sauce
We can’t get enough of mussels and love them in any kind of sauce. This is a nice easy one to serve 2 with some crusty bread (or hot chips!).
Wine Suggestion: try to find a good Alvarinho from Vinho Verde in Portugal. We’re big fans of Soalheiro whose wines have a delicious vibrancy and freshness that really work with mussels.
Mussels in a Creamy Sauce – serves 2
- 1kg mussels
- 250ml white wine
- 25g butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 parsley stalks
- few thyme sprigs
- 3 tbsp finely chopped shallot
- 100ml single cream
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
Scrub the mussels under cold water, scraping off any beards or barnacles. Discard any that are damaged or those that don’t close completely when tapped against the sink.
Put the mussels in a large pan with the wine, butter, bay leaf, parsley stalks, thyme and shallot. Cover, bring to the boil and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the mussels have opened. Drain, keeping the cooking liquor, and discard any mussels that have not opened. Discard the parsley stalks and bay leaf.
Put the cooked mussels into two serving bowls and keep warm. Return the cooking liquor to the pot and boil rapidly until slightly thickened. Now pour in the cream and add the chopped parsley and cook gently until thickened further. Season, then pour over the mussels and serve immediately.
(Original recipe by Greg Wallace for BBC Good Food Magazine, February 2008.)
Posted in Food, Shellfish | Tagged Cooking, Cream, Food, Mussels, Recipe, Shallots, Shellfish | Leave a Comment »
25 February 2016 by jonoandjules
Venison & Chorizo Cassoulet
Cassoulets are rich gamey stews with white beans and baked in the oven; they are perfect for cold winter days. We used a very lean cut of venison and were concerned about the long cooking time, but as the temperature is so low, the meat becomes meltingly tender. This couldn’t be easier to assemble and gives you plenty of time to relax and read a book by the fire.
Wine Suggestion: Ideally you would pair this with an equally rich & gamey wine – perhaps an old Northern Rhône Syrah, a red Burgundy or a good Oregon Pinot Noir.
Venison & Chorizo Cassoulet – serves 4
- 600g venison, diced
- 100g cooking chorizo, diced
- 20g butter
- 50g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled & chopped
- 150ml red wine
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 200g tinned haricot beans, rinsed and drained
- a pinch of dried tarragon
- 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
- 300ml chicken stock
Heat the oven to 150C/Fan 130C/gas 2.
Put all of the ingredients into a casserole with a lid. Stir, season well and cover with the lid.
Cook in the oven for 2½ – 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
If the sauce is a bit thin, transfer the dish to the hob and simmer gently with the lid off until you get a nice consistency.
That’s it!
Posted in Food, Game | Tagged Cassoulet, Chorizo, Cooking, Food, Haricot beans, Recipe, Stew, Venison | 5 Comments »
15 February 2016 by jonoandjules
Mushroom stroganoff
We like a good stroganoff, and this vegetarian version doesn’t lack anything that the classic beef one has in terms of flavour. We’ve served this to dedicated carnivores with no complaints.
Wine Suggestion: Jono recently tasted the Höpler Blaufrankisch from Burgenland, Austria and thought it would match the richness, was wonderfully fresh to cut through the cream, and was spicy and juicy in a very complimentary way. We think there’s a new generation of red wines from Austria that are definitely worth seeking out.
Mushroom Stroganoff – Serves 8
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 250g shiitake mushrooms
- 275g button mushrooms
- 250g chestnut mushrooms
- 250g Portobello mushrooms
- 100g butter
- 1 tbsp Maldon salt/1½ tsp table salt
- 4 tbsp Amontillado sherry (or white wine)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- ½ tbsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 x 142ml tubs sour cream
- 4-5 tbsp chopped parsley
Peel and quarter the onion and process with the garlic cloves until finely chopped.
Heat the oil in a large wide pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft but not coloured.
Remove the stalks from the shitake mushrooms and slice them; quarter the button mushrooms and slice. Slice the chestnut mushrooms, and peel and quarter the Portobello mushrooms, discarding the stalks first.
Melt the butter in the pan, then add the mushrooms. Turn the mushrooms to coat with the butter, then cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes. (You can cook up to this point earlier in the day)
Take the lid off the pan (reheat first if you’ve done to this point earlier) and add the salt, sherry, paprika, nutmeg and sour cream. Stir over the heat for about 5 minutes, then stir in most of the parsley. Put the stroganoff into a warmed serving dish and scatter the remaining parsley over the top.
Serve with steamed basmati rice.
(Original recipe from Feast by Nigella Lawson, Chatto & Windus, 2004.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Mushroom Stroganoff, Mushrooms, Nigella, Recipe, Vegetarian | 7 Comments »
8 February 2016 by jonoandjules
Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie
We love a chicken pie, particularly with sweet leeks and a rich creamy sauce.
Wine Suggestion: the classic suggestion, and our first thought, was to drink a lighter chardonnay with this, but we found a great alternative in the Salwey Weissburgunder “RS” which is a Pinot Blanc from Baden in Germany. An amazing wine with lovely fruit and a texture that holds it all together giving it a long finish and makes a good match with the creamy sauce and pastry. Every time we taste this wine we are impressed and think it is one to put Pinot Blanc back on the wine drinkers lists.
Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie – serves 4
For the filling:
- 450ml chicken stock
- 3 chicken breasts fillets
- 75g butter
- 2 leeks, cut into 1cm slices
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 50g plain flour
- 200ml milk
- 2-3 tbsp white wine
- 150ml double cream
- 150g piece thickly carved ham, cut into 2cm chunks
For the pastry:
- 350g plain flour
- 200g butter
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp cold water, plus an additional egg, beaten, to glaze
Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan. Add the chicken breasts and bring a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts and set aside, then pour the stock into a jug.
Melt 25g of the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the chopped leeks and fry gently for a couple of minutes, stirring now and then, until softened. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute, then set aside. Add the rest of the butter and stir in the flour as soon as it has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Slowly add the milk to the pan, stirring well between each addition. Then gradually add 250ml of the reserved stock and the wine until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
Season the sauce, remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour into a large bowl and cover with cling film to stop a skin forming on the top. Set aside until cool.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and put a baking tray into heat.
To make the pastry, put the flour and butter into a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Keep the motor running while you add the beaten egg with water and blend until the mixture comes together in a ball. Carefully remove from the processor and set aside about 250g of the pastry to make your lid.
Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning frequently until about 5mm thick and larger than your pie dish. Lift the pastry over your rolling pin and gently place into the pie dish. Press firmly up the sides of the dish and make sure no air bubbles remain. Leave the excess pastry hanging over the sides.
Cut the cooked chicken into 3cm pieces. Stir the chicken, ham & leeks into the cooled sauce, then pour into the pie dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg and roll out the reserved pastry to make a lid.
Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim off any excess pastry.
Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top with beaten egg. Bake on the hot baking tray in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and piping hot.
(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Best of British).
Posted in Cheese, Food | Tagged Chicken, Chicken & ham pie, Cooking, Food, Hairy Bikers, Ham, Leeks, Pastry, Pie, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
1 February 2016 by jonoandjules
Honey, orange blossom and pistachio ice-cream
This is hedonistically rich and full of flavour; Jono thought it was devine and Julie thought it was all a bit much. A conversation piece at least to end your next Middle Eastern feast.
Pistachio, Honey & Orange Blossom Ice Cream – 4-6
- 200g pistachios
- 150g caster sugar
- 600ml full-fat milk
- 600ml double cream
- 3 tbsp clear honey
- 200ml orange blossom water
- 400ml unsweetened evaporated milk
- finely grated rind of 2 oranges
Whizz 150g of the pistachios with the sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
Put the milk, cream, honey, orange blossom water and the pistachio mixture in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes or until reduced by a quarter. Keep stirring to prevent it boiling over. Set aside and leave to cool.
Chop the remaining pistachios. Add the evaporated milk to the cooled mixture and stir in the grated orange rind and chopped pistachios. Mix well, then chill in the fridge overnight (or for a minimum of 2 hours).
Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream machine and churn for 25-30 minutes. If you don’t have an ice cream machine, pour the mixture into a large shallow container and freeze for 2 hours. Remove the container from the freezer and fork through to break down the ice crystals, then freeze again until firm.
(Original recipe from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2014.)
Posted in Dessert, Food | Tagged Cooking, Dessert, Food, Ice cream, Orange Blossom Water, Persiana, Pistachio, Recipe | 1 Comment »
25 January 2016 by jonoandjules
A classic recipe that we always find full of flavour and very satisfying. A good veggie dish for a cold night.
Spinach & ricotta cannelloni – serves 4
- 60g butter, plus a bit extra
- 300g spinach
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 425g ricotta cheese, drained
- ½ tsp grated nutmeg
- 16 dried cannelloni tubes
- 45g plain flour
- 450ml whole milk
- 40g Grana Padano cheese (or use Parmesan)
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Grease a medium-sized, shallow, oven-proof dish with a little butter.
Bring a large pan, containing 1cm depth of water, to the boil, add the spinach, and stir until wilted. Drain and press out the excess water, then chop.
Melt 15g of the butter in a medium pan and sauté the garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the spinach and season well. Take off the heat and stir in the ricotta cheese and nutmeg. Fill the cannelloni with the spinach mixture and arrange the tubes in a single layer in your buttered dish (use both ends of a teaspoon to help fill the tubes).
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 45g of butter in a large pan. Whisk in the flour over a low heat and cook for a couple of minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened.
Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the sauce generously with salt and pepper and pour over the filled cannelloni tubed. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, place on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes.
(Original recipe from Family Kitchen Cookbook by Caroline Bretherton, DK, 2013.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Vegetarian | Tagged Cannelloni, Cooking, Food, Italian, Pasta, Recipe, Ricotta, Spinach, Spinach & Ricotta | 2 Comments »
18 January 2016 by jonoandjules
Thai-styled stir-fried minced beef
A tasty mid-week supper full of zip, flavour and freshness. This is low in calories and a very easy way to perk up minced beef.
Thai-style stir-fried minced beef – serves 4
- 100g broccoli florets, cut very small
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- bunch of scallions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3cm piece of fresh root ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander stalks, plus a handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 400g minced beef
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- steamed rice, to serve
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the broccoli florets for 1 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold water.
Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, coriander stalks, and chilli, and fry for a couple of minutes or until starting to colour.
Add the beef and continue to fry over a high heat until it is well browned.
Add the broccoli, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime and sugar. Mix well and continue to cook for another couple of minutes or until the broccoli is hot. Stir in the coriander leaves and serve immediately with some steamed rice.
(Original recipe from Family Kitchen Cookbook by Caroline Bretherton, DK, 2013.)
Posted in Beef, Food | Tagged Beef, Cooking, Food, Minced beef, Recipe, Thai-style | 2 Comments »
11 January 2016 by jonoandjules
Chilli with Chickpeas
We’ve tried loads of recipe for Chilli Con Carne. This is a good hearty version and we loved the addition of chickpeas and plenty of spice. Perfect for a cold night!
Wine Suggestion: Go juicy, red and with a bit of spice; youthful Cotes du Rhone would work, but so would other Grenache based wines such as a Spanish Garnacha. Alternately think Primitivo or Zinfandel but make sure the wine you choose isn’t too big as extra tannins might fight the spice in the Chilli; juicy is best here with depth and personality. Our choice was a Lirac from Domaine Joncier – their “le Gourmand”, which had juicy plum flavours, hints of mocha, a touch of rosemary and warm velvety spices.
Chilli Con Carne – serves 6
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
- 2 red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
- olive oil
- 1 heaped tsp of chilli powder
- 1 heaped tsp of ground cumin
- 1 heaped tsp of ground cinnamon
- 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
- 1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans, drained
- 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 500g minced beef
- small bunch of coriander, leaves picked and stalks chopped
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- rice or baked potatoes to serve
- natural yoghurt and/or guacamole to serve
- lime wedges to serve
Heat about 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large casserole and add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and red peppers.
Add the chilli powder, cumin and cinnamon and season well with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring regularly, for about 7 minute or until the vegetables are softened and lightly coloured.
Add the chickpeas, kidney beans and tinned tomatoes.
Next add the mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
Fill one of the empty tomato tins with water and add this to the pan too along with the chopped coriander stalks, the balsamic vinegar and some more salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, take the lid off and cook for a further 15 minutes. Add a splash of water at any stage if it starts to dry out.
Serve with rice or a baked potato and some yoghurt or guacamole and lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Jamie’s Ministry of Food by Jamie Oliver, Michael Joseph, 2008.)
Posted in Beef, Food | Tagged Chickpeas, Chilli con carne, Cooking, Easy, Food, Recipe, Wine suggestion | 2 Comments »
4 January 2016 by jonoandjules
Crab & Chilli Risotto
We’d been eyeing this recipe up for a while and when we stumbled across some really good crab meat we had our excuse to make it. It was luxurious and delicious as we expected.
Wine suggestion: Go for a rich white like an oaked Chardonnay, which will also have a good freshness and texture to balance the rich risotto. Our choice was the Rustenberg Chardonnay from Stellenbosch in South Africa which never lets us down.
Crab & chilli risotto – serves 2
- 1 litre light chicken stock
- ¼ tsp saffron threads
- 2 garlic cloves, bashed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 scallions, finely sliced
- 1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
- 200g risotto rice
- 75ml dry white wine or vermouth
- 100g brown crabmeat
- 100g white crabmeat
- zest and juice of ½ a lemon, plus wedges to serve
- 50g rocket
Heat up the stock, add the saffron threads and keep hot over a low heat.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan (which you have a lid for) and add the bashed garlic cloves. Leave to sizzle for a couple of minutes, then remove and discard the garlic. Add the scallions and most of the red chilli and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring, for about a minute.
Turn up the heat and stir in the rice so that the grains become coated in the oil.
Add the white wine/vermouth and let it bubble up until it has been absorbed. Add a ladleful of stock and cook, stirring, until it has been absorbed.
Turn the heat down and continue to stir and add ladlefuls of stock, allowing each one to be absorbed before adding another. After about 18 minutes the stock should have all been absorbed and the rice should be al dente.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the crab and the lemon zest and juice, then season. Add the rocket, cover with the lid, and let stand for a minute.
Serve the risotto with the remaining chilli over the top and a squeeze of lemon.
(Original recipe from Nigellissima by Nigella Lawson, Chatto & Windus, 2012.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Shellfish | Tagged Chilli, Cooking, Crab, Food, Nigella, Recipe, Risotto, Wine suggestion | 3 Comments »
2 January 2016 by jonoandjules
Chiang Mai Turkey Noodles
We really meant to post this recipe before now, but we’re sure some of you still have a bit of turkey lurking in the freezer. Such a revitalising boost to the tastebuds after all the Christmas feasts. If the turkey is all done then try this the next time you have leftover roast chicken. Tone down the curry paste if you’re not so mad on the heat. The recipe comes from our obligatory Christmas cookbook which this year was ‘Food from Plenty’, by Diana Henry, and we highly recommend it!
Chiang Mai turkey noodles – serves 4
- groundnut or other flavourless oil
- 1 onion or 6 shallots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp red Thai curry paste
- 400ml tin coconut milk
- 200ml chicken stock (from a cube or stock pot is fine)
- 350g leftover cooked turkey or chicken, in chunks
- ½ tsp soft light brown sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- juice of ½ lime
- 400g egg noodles
To Serve:
- 2 scallions, chopped fine on the diagonal
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and shredded
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- lime wedges
Put a tbsp of the oil into a saucepan and sauté the onions until golden. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, then add the turmeric and curry paste. Stir for about a minute or until the spices are fragrant. Add the coconut milk and stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
Add the turkey and heat thoroughly.
Season with the sugar and fish sauce to taste (you may need to adjust the amount of lime/sugar).
Cook the noodles according to the pack. Divide between 4 bowls and spoon over the turkey and garnish with scallions, chilli and coriander. Serve lime wedges on the side.
(Original recipe from Food from Plenty by Diana Henry, Mitchel Beazley, 2010.)
Posted in Chicken, Food | Tagged Chiang Mai, Chicken, Cooking, Food, Noodles, Recipe, Thai, Turkey | 2 Comments »
14 December 2015 by jonoandjules
Potato & Leek Gratin
Seasonal comfort food for dark nights and lashing rain. This gratin would work as a side for roast lamb or chicken, or like we did, add a little ham make it a weekday meal.
Potato & Leek Gratin – serves 4
- 125ml chicken or vegetable stock
- carton double cream
- 150ml milk
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- a knob of butter
- 800g potato, peeled and thinly sliced (use a mandolin if you have one)
- 2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced
- 175g good quality sliced ham, chopped (optional)
- 85g cheddar, grated
Pour the stock, cream and milk into a small saucepan with the garlic and bay leaf and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse.
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/. Butter a 2 litre gratin dish well. Mix the potatoes, leeks and ham together and put into the gratin dish in an even layer. Pour over the creamy stock and tuck in the bay leaf. Season and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Loosely cover with foil, set on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. Test the potatoes with a knife – they should be just beginning to soften. Remove the foil and bake for another 35-45 minutes, spooning some of the stock mixture over every now and again until the potatoes are tender. Cool for 15 minutes or so before serving.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Wine suggestion: We had a bottle of Reyneke Organic Syrah from South Africa opened to try as they’ve been getting great press lately, and we love how they integrate their workers into the whole process, genuinely giving back and involving the community. We thought it might have been too big and rich for the gratin but they complimented each other really well.
Posted in Food | Tagged Cooking, Food, Gratin, Leek, Potato, Recipe, side dish, Vegetables, Wine suggestion | Leave a Comment »
8 December 2015 by jonoandjules
Pot-roast Chicken with Chorizo, Leek and Cider
A great array of flavours and super-moist roast chicken. Chorizo cooked in cider is often served as a tapa in Spain and it’s delicious!
Wine Suggestion: A Spanish cider would be of course be great with this or failing that a good quality dry cider from somewhere else. If you feel like wine we’d recommend a really smooth Rioja.
Pot-roasted Chicken with Chorizo, Leeks & Cider – serves 4
- 1 x 1.75kg chicken
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cooking chorizo sausages, sliced
- 50g butter
- 700g leeks, washed and sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 300g baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
- Leaves from 2 large sprigs of thyme
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 200ml dry cider
Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3.
Season the cavity and outside of the chicken with salt and black pepper.
Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and brown the chicken on all sides until golden, then set aside.
Lower the heat and add the chorizo, butter, leeks, garlic, carrots, thyme and bay leaves. Cover and cook gently until the leeks have softened.
Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the casserole dish, pour over the cider, then cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the lid from the casserole dish and turn the oven up to 200C/Gas 6. Continue to cook for another 20 minutes or until the chicken skin is browned.
Remove the chicken from the casserole and onto a carving board, cover with foil. Skim the excess fat from the surface of the vegetable juices, then place over a medium heat and simmer vigorously for 5 minutes to reduce. Season to taste with more salt if needed.
To carve the chicken, remove the legs and cut each one in half at the joint. Carve the breast in slices. Use a slotted spoon to put the chorizo and vegetables onto the centre of the plates and place the chicken on top. Spoon the cooking juices over to serve.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Spain, BBC Books, 2011.)
Posted in Chicken, Food, Spanish | Tagged Chicken, Chorizo, Cider, Cooking, Food, Leeks, Pot-roast, Recipe, Rick Stein, Spanish, Wine suggestion | 5 Comments »
7 December 2015 by jonoandjules
Roasted broccoli is a bit different and retains a satisfying crunch. Careful not to over-roast the pine nuts!
Roasted broccoli – serves 4 as a side dish
- 200g broccoli, cut into florets including the stalk
- 50ml olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 25g pine nuts
Preheat the oven to 240C/Gas 9.
Put the broccoli in a bowl and toss with the garlic and olive oil, then season well with salt and black pepper.
Tip into a roasting tin and put into the oven. After 10 minutes sprinkle over the pine nuts and cook for another 5 minutes or until the broccoli is starting to soften and the pine nuts are golden.
(Original recipe from Rachel’s Everyday Kitchen by Rachel Allen, HarperCollins, 2013.)
Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Broccoli, Cooking, Easy, Food, Pine nuts, Recipe, Roasted, Side, side dish | 1 Comment »
4 December 2015 by jonoandjules
Spanakopita
The classic spinach & feta combination never gets tired. These savoury Greek pastries are delicious and very easy to make. We worked out a production line (thanks Tricia & Orla) and had them assembled in no time! Great as a starter or snack with drinks. Perfect entertaining food.
Wine Suggestion: If you can find an Assyrtiko, a crisp and delicious Greek white, then you’ve got a great match. Unfortunately it can be hard to find good Greek wines so stick to the Mediterranean and search for a Fiano or Greco di Tufo from Italy. Failing this we’ve had crisp Touraine Sauvignon Blancs with this as well to great effect.
Spanakopita (Spinch, mint & feta pastries) – makes 18-20
- 500g spinach
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 100g Greek feta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp finely grated Greek kefalotiri cheese or Parmesan
- a pinch of finely grated nutmeg
- 2 tbsp chopped mint
- 250-275g pack of filo pastry (about 6 sheets)
- 100g butter, melted
Wash and dry the spinach (remove the stalks if they look tough). Finely shred the leaves.
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook gently until soft but not browned. Gradually add the spinach, a handful at a time, until it has all wilted. Tip into a colander and drain, pressing out the liquid with a wooden spoon, then return to the pan with the scallions and cook for 1 minute. Leave to cool.
Crumble the feta into a large bowl and roughly mash with a fork – you can leave it a bit chunky. Mix in the eggs, Parmesan, the spinach mixture, nutmeg, mint and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.
Unroll the sheets of filo and cut the stack lengthways into strips about 7.5cm wide. Brush the top layer with melted butter. Put a heaped teaspoonful of the filling in the centre of one strip, at the end closest to you, and fold one bottom corner of the pastry diagonally over the filling, so that the corner touches the opposite side to make a triangle. Then fold over the filled triangular corner, and keep folding it along the whole strip in a triangular parcel. Repeat to make all the spanakopita.
Brush the undersides of each parcel with more butter and place on a lightly buttered baking tray. Brush the tops with butter and bake for 25 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.
These are best served straight from the oven while the pastry is still crispy but they are also good at room temperature.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes, BBC Books, 2007.)
Posted in Cheese, Food, Greek, Party Food | Tagged Cooking, Feta, Food, Greek, Party Food, Snack, Spanakopita, Spinach, Starter, Wine suggestion | Leave a Comment »
16 November 2015 by jonoandjules
Crispy potato skins
These super tasty bacon & blue cheese stuffed potato skins work well as a starter or a side dish. Probably best not to count the calories!
Cheesy Baked Potato Skins – serves 4
- 4 baking potatoes
- olive oil
- 8 rashers of thick-cut pancetta
- 2 cos lettuces, leaves separated and roughly chopped
- 4 celery sticks, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp chopped celery leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- smoked paprika for dusting (optional)
FOR THE CHEESY DRESSING:
- 250g crème fraîche
- 200g Roquefort cheese, crumbled
- 100g mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- few splashes of Tabasco sauce
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas Mark 4.
Put the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for around 1 hour 15 minutes or until soft in the middle and nice and crispy on the outside.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthways and scoop out the flesh but be careful not to break the skins. Keep the scooped out potato to make something else with.
Put the potato skins back onto the baking tray, drizzle with oil and put back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until really crisp and brown.
Meanwhile, gently fold the crème fraîche, Roquefort and mayonnaise together for the dressing. Stir in the mustard and Tabasco and season.
Cook the pancetta slices under a hot grill until crispy.
Mix the lettuce and celery together in a large bowl then add the cheesy dressing. Put the bacon rashers into the baked potato skins and spoon the cheesy stuffing over the top. Garnish each one with some of the chopped celery leaves and chives and dust with paprika.
(Original recipe from Tom Kerridge’s Best Ever Dishes, Absolute Press, 2014.)
Posted in Cheese, Food, Potato, Side dish | Tagged Baked Potatoes, Celery, Cooking, Food, Potato skins, Recipe, Roquefort, Side, Starter, Stuffed potato skins | 3 Comments »
2 November 2015 by jonoandjules
Courgette Carbonara
We are getting close to the last courgettes for the season and what a way to celebrate this humble vegetable … delicious!
Wine Suggestion: We drank an Aligote from Jean Fournier in Burgundy. Aligote is completely underrated and we don’t see it often, but this example shows why we should: fresh, rich and full of fruit but with a core of crisp acidity and earthiness that makes it sing alongside the eggy cream, add layers to the pancetta and parmesan and make the courgettes even more silky.
Courgette Carbonara – serves 6 generously
- 6 medium green & yellow courgettes
- 500g penne pasta
- 4 large egg yolks
- 100ml double cream
- 2 big handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- 12 thick slices of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, cut into chunky lardons
- small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped
Bring a large pan of water to the boil.
Halve and quarter the courgettes lengthways. Discard any fluffy bits from the middle and slice at an angle into similar sized shapes to the penne. If you have small courgettes you can just slice them finely.
Cook the penne according to the pack instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, put the egg yolks into a bowl and add the cream and half the Parmesan. Mix with a fork. Season lightly and set aside.
Heat a very large frying pan, add a splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta/bacon until dark brown & crispy. Add the courgette slices and a very generous grind of black pepper. Add the thyme leaves, and stir to make sure the courgettes are well coated with the bacony oil, then fry until turning lightly golden and starting to soften.
Drain the pasta and reserve the cooking water. Immediately toss the pasta into the courgette pan, then take off the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved pasta water and your creamy sauce. Stir together quickly but don’t put back on the heat.
Add the rest of the Parmesan, and a bit more cooking water if needed, to give you a silky sauce. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.
(Original recipe from Jamie at Home by Jamie Oliver, Penguin, 2007.)
Posted in Food, Pasta | Tagged Bacon, Beautiful Courgette Carbonara, Carbonara, Cooking, Courgettes, Food, Jamie Oliver, Pasta, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
19 October 2015 by jonoandjules
Courgette & Haloumi Kebabs
There’s still a few courgettes left in the shops and there is just enough warmth left in the air to brave one last barbecue. We had these as a main course with a couscous salad. If that’s a step too far you could treat this as a side and barbecue some bangers or burgers for Halloween.
Courgette & Halloumi Kebabs – serves 4
- ½tsp chilli powder
- small handful mint, chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 courgettes, cut into 1 cm rounds
- 225g pack halloumi cheese, cut into large cubes
Mix the chilli, half the mint, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, courgettes and halloumi together in a bowl. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
Thread the marinated courgettes and halloumi cubes onto skewers (soak them first if you’re using wooden ones). Cook on a preheated barbecue for 7-8 minutes, turning and basting with any leftover marinade.
Sprinkle the rest of the mint over before serving.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Courgette & Haloumi Kebabs with couscous
Posted in Barbecue, Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Barbecue, BBQ, Cooking, Courgettes, Food, Halloumi, Recipe, Vegetarian | 1 Comment »
12 October 2015 by jonoandjules
Beef shin braised in Chianti
Take a shin of beef and braise it for hours in a bottle of Chianti until it can be carved with a spoon … what’s not to like!
Wine Suggestion: the obvious choice is Chianti but given the richness and depth in the food make sure it is one with a bit of depth; younger, or more basic Chianti is just too light. We tried one by Tenuta Sant’Alfonso which comes from a specific vineyard with clay-rich soils which was opulent and fuller structured. It had licorice, dark cherry and mocha flavours which was a great match.
Tuscan slow-cooked shin of beef with Chianti – serves 6
- 1kg beef shin, off the bone
- olive oil
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 3 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely sliced
- 6 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 750ml Chianti or other robust red wine
- 4 tbsp tomato purée
- 4 bay leaves
- 150ml beef stock
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Season the meat, then brown in a large casserole with a little olive oil.
Remove the meat and cook the onions, celery, carrot and garlic until softened, adding a bit more oil if needed.
Pour in the wine and bring to the boil before adding the tomato purée, bay leaves & beef stock.
Return the beef to the pan and bring to a simmer.
Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 4 hours or until the meat falls apart.
When ready, pull the meat into chunks and stir through the sauces.
Serve with mash or fresh pappardelle pasta.
(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, September 2015.)
Posted in Beef, Food, Italian | Tagged Beef, Beef Shin, Chianti, Cooking, Easy, Food, Italian, Recipe, Stew, Tenuta Sant'Alfonso | Leave a Comment »
5 October 2015 by jonoandjules
Hot & Sour Aubergine
This photo is a bit dark in colour but the flavours are vibrant and delicious and we’re now converts to soaking aubergine in brine before stir-frying to give a soft, velvety texture.
Hot & Sour Aubergine – serves 2
- 1 large or 2 medium aubergines, cut into long batons
- 100g green beans, halved
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, thickly sliced
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 2 tbsp light soy sace
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp water
- cooked rice, to serve
Put the aubergine slices into a bowl of lightly salted water and leave to soak for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
Blanch the green beans in boiling water for a minute, then rinse in cold water and drain.
Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat, then cook the aubergine until well browned on all sides. When the aubergine is starting to take on a good colour, add the onion and chilli and continue to stir-fry for 4 minutes or until soft.
Add the sauce and green beans, cover with a lid, then turn down the heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until the aubergine is soft. Serve with rice.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Asian, Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Asian, Aubergine, Cooking, Food, Hot & sour, Recipe, Stir-fry, Vegetarian | 2 Comments »
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Jono & Jules do food & wine 