24 August 2015 by jonoandjules
Penne alla norma
We love Rick Stein’s recipes as everything seems to come from true inspiration and has been tested in a real world kitchen so it all works. This recipe is no exception and delivers in flavour and balance perfectly.
Pasta alla Norma is traditionally made with spaghetti but worked just as well penne pasta as a substitute.
Wine Suggestions: Aubergine tends to work with Southern Italian reds really well, but we had an unexpected burst of sunshine so opened a Provençal rosé, Chateau Vignelaure La Source, which is an old favourite. It worked a treat and will definitely try it again with other aubergine dishes.
Pasta alla Norma – Pasta with Aubergines, Tomatoes, Chilli & Cheese – serves 4
- 500g aubergines (2 large ones)
- 500g well-flavoured tomatoes or top quality tinned plum tomatoes, drained (Italian brands are best)
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 400g dried spaghetti
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- ¼ tsp crushed dried chillies
- A large handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- 100g finely grated ricotta salata or crumbled feta cheese
Trim the aubergines and cut into two across the middle, then cut each piece lengthways into chip-sized sticks. Toss with 1 tsp of salt and set in a colander over a bowl to drain for 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, if using fresh tomatoes, squeeze them over the sink to get rid of most of the juice and seeds. Roughly chop the tomatoes and set aside.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil (about 4.5 litres) and season generously with salt (about 8 teaspoons).
Pat the aubergines dry with kitchen paper to remove the salt and any liquid. Heat 4 tbsp of the frying pan, add half the aubergines and fry until lightly golden. Lift onto a plate lined with kitchen paper and leave to drain while you fry the next batch. After removing the second batch of aubergine, leave the oil in the frying pan to cool.
Put the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook according to the packet or until al dente.
Before the pasta is ready, add the remaining oil and the garlic to the cooled frying pan and return to the heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle gently, add the crushed chillies and the tomatoes and cook over a high heat for a few minutes or until they have broken down into a sauce. Season well and stir in the aubergines.
Drain the pasta and add to the sauce with the torn basil and half the cheese, then toss well. Divide between warm bowls and serve sprinkled with the remaining cheese.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes, BBC Books, 2007.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tagged alla Norma, Aubergine, Cooking, Feta, Food, Italian, Pasta, Pasta alla Norma, Recipe, Rick Stein, Vegetarian | 1 Comment »
17 August 2015 by jonoandjules
Aubergine & Lamb Stew
This is not the best looking dish but who cares when it tastes this good. To quote Itamar Srulovich (of Honey & Co. and the author of this recipe):
“Do not cook it to impress. Cook it for the ones you love the most, or just for you; it is that good.”
We concur Itamar!!
Wine Suggestion: Try a Mediterranean-style wine, a Primitivo or something similarly juicy from the south of Italy. We paired this with a lovely organic wine by Michele Biancardi, his Uno Piu Uno which is a cracking blend of Primitive and Nero di Troia. Only 12.5% abv but juicy and delicious so it didn’t overwhelm the lamb and aubergine and had enough depth to compliment it perfectly.
Patlican – Lamb & aubergine stew – serves 2
- 450g lamb neck, cut into large dice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 aubergine, cut into large cubes (about 350g)
- 1 large tomato, cut into large cubes
- 1 small red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 6 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
- ½ small red chilli, thinly sliced
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 150ml water
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Season the lamb cubes with the salt and pepper.
Heat a large pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and the diced lamb, and sear the meat all over. When the meat has browned (about 5-6 minutes), add the aubergine, tomato, onion & garlic. Cover and leave to steam for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and stir in the chilli and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly for about 15 minutes, then pour in the water and pomegranate molasses.
Keep cooking on a low heat for 50-60 minutes or until the veg have broken down and the meat is soft enough to tear with a fork.
Serve with bread so you waste no sauce!
(Original recipe from Honey & Co.: Food From the Middle East by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich, Saltyard Books, 2014.)
Posted in Lamb | Tagged Aubergine, Honey & Co., Israeli, Lamb, Patlican, Stew, Wine suggestion | Leave a Comment »
7 August 2015 by jonoandjules
This dish makes a really tasty lunch and is a great use for leftover chapatis. Kids will like them too!
Spinach Omelette Chapati Wraps – serves 4
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 50g mature cheddar, roughly grated
- 2 thin ham slices, cut into strips
- 100g baby spinach leaves
- 4 chapatis
Heat a little of the oil in a non-stick 20cm frying pan. Add a quarter of the scallions and cook gently for a few minutes. Add ¼ tsp of the garam masala and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add a quarter of the beaten egg and tip the pan to cover the base – cook for 1 minute until the base is golden. Sprinkle over a quarter of the cheese, ham and spinach, cover with a lid and cook for another minute or until the spinach is just wilted and the cheese melted.
Meanwhile, heat a chapati in the microwave for 30 seconds or in a dry frying pan. Tip the omelette out on top of the warm chapati and roll up. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients to make 3 more wraps.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food | Tagged Chapati, Cooking, Food, Lunch, Recipe, Snack, Wraps | 2 Comments »
27 July 2015 by jonoandjules
Haloumi & Aubergine Kebabs on a bulgur & pea salad
We’re much keener on nutty bulgur than quinoa that seems so popular at the moment. Bulgur makes for a much more interesting salad in our opinion and these aubergine and halloumi kebabs are a great veggie option for the barbecue. Leftovers taste nice for lunch the next day too.
Aubergine and Halloumi Kebabs with Garlic & Herb Bulgur Wheat
- 2 aubergines, sliced into strips
- 200g pack of halloumi cheese, cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus more for brushing
- 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp chopped mint
FOR THE GARLIC & HERB BULGUR WHEAT
- 200g bulgur wheat
- 175g frozen peas
- 6 tbsp garlic oil (to make garlic oil just gently simmer a couple of peeled and smashed garlic cloves in oil for about 10 minutes, then discard the garlic and let the oil cool before using)
- juice of 1 lemon
- handful of herbs (such as mint, parsley, chives or a mixture) roughly chopped
Brush the aubergine strips with olive oil and barbecue until softened. Thread onto skewers with the halloumi cubes.
Mix the remaining olive oil with the chopped capers and mint.
Barbecue the kebabs until the cheese is golden and drizzle over the dressing to serve.
Meanwhile, cook the bulgar wheat in boiling salted water for 15 minutes or until tender, adding the peas for the last few minutes.
Make the dressing with the oil, lemon juice and seasoning. Fold the herbs through the drained bulgur wheat and peas and gently stir in the dressing.
(Original recipe for kebabs from BBC Olive Magazine July 2014 and bulgur wheat from BBC Good Food.)
Posted in Barbecue, Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Aubergine, Barbecue, Bulgur wheat, Cooking, Easy, Food, Halloumi cheese, Halloumi Kebabs, Recipe, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
20 July 2015 by jonoandjules
Hake and scallion mash with a soy butter sauce
The soy butter sauce here is absolutely delicious and we were perhaps a bit over-generous with it when plating up. You can do some sort of drizzly thing if you want it look a bit fancier. Either way your guests will be impressed!
Wine Suggestion: We went off-piste and served a light bodied, Loire Valley red from Saumur-Champigny, the Chateau Hureau “Tuffe” 2010. As it was a warm evening we’d chilled the bottle for 30 minutes in the fridge and it was charming and a delightful match proving that red wine can go with fish. We think the depth of flavour in the soy butter sauce helped too.
Hake on Scallion Mash with a Soy Butter Sauce – serves 4
- 4 x 200g pieces of thick hake fillet, with skin on
- melted butter for brushing
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- sea salt flakes and coarsely crushed black pepper
FOR THE SCALLION MASH:
- 1.25kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 50g butter
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- a little milk
- salt and freshly ground white pepper
FOR THE SOY BUTTER SAUCE:
- 600ml chicken stock (preferably home-made)
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 75g unsalted butter
- 1 tomato, skinned, seeded and diced (plunge into hot water for 1 minute to make peeling easier)
- 1 heaped tsp chopped coriander
Lay the fish in a shallow dish with the skin-side down and sprinkle with the sea salt flakes, then set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse the salt off and dry the fish with kitchen paper. Brush the fish pieces with the melted butter and put skin-side up on a greased baking tray. Sprinkle the skin with a few sea salt flakes and some black pepper.
Cook the potatoes in boiling unsalted water for 20 minutes or until tender.
Start the sauce by putting the stock and soy sauce into another pan and boiling rapidly until reduced by half.
Preheat the grill to high and grill the hake for 8 minutes on one side only.
When the fish is almost done, add the butter to the sauce and whisk it in. Take off the heat and add the tomato and coriander.
Drain the potatoes and return to the pan, then mash until smooth. Heat the butter in another pan and toss the scallions in the hot butter briefly. Beat scallions and butter into the potato with a little bit of milk and some salt and white pepper. Spoon the scallions mash into the centre of warm plates. Rest the hake on top and spoon the sauce around the outside.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein Fish & Shellfish, Random House, 2014.)
Posted in Fish, Food | Tagged Cooking, Fish, Food, Hake, Recipe, Rick Stein, Scallion mash, Soy butter, Spring onion mash | 2 Comments »
13 July 2015 by jonoandjules
Rosemary & garlic spatchcock chicken with bulgur wheat salad
This tastes just as good as a cold chicken and bulgur salad the following day – great for lunchboxes!
Wine Suggestion: we drank a delicious Fiano made in Puglia by Michele Biancardi. It had delightful layers of fruit, texture from spice and minerality and a dancing freshness that worked well with the roasted chicken and still allowed the freshness of the salad to shine through. We suspect the depth and personality of this wine is helped by the biodynamic viticulture as it just had “something” extra without being weighty and forceful. If you can’t find this one do look out for Fiano, an interesting Italian white that you might not have tried.
Rosemary and Garlic Spatchcock Chicken with Bulgur Wheat Salad – serves 4
FOR THE MARINADE:
- 50ml olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced and zest finely grated
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
FOR THE SALAD:
- 200g bulgur wheat
- 1 lemon , juiced and zest finely grated
- seeds and juice of 1 pomegranate
- 1 tbsp chopped mint
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 50ml olive oil
To spatchcock the chicken you need to first remove the backbone by cutting through the chicken on both side of the bone (use poultry shears if you have them or really sharp scissors). Remove the backbone and open the chicken out, then put the chicken, breast side up, onto a worktop and use your palms to flatten it. Make a few slashes in the legs with a sharp knife.
Make the marinade by mixing all of the ingredients in a bowl and seasoning well with sea salt and black pepper.
Put the chicken into a wide, shallow dish, pour over the marinade and rub in well with your hands. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
Put the chicken into a roasting tin along with all the marinade and bake for about 1 hour or until cooked through (the juices need to be totally clear when pierced with a skewer and the legs should feel loose).
Meanwhile, cover the bulgur wheat with boiling water and leave to soak for 10-15 minutes or until just soft, then drain.
Mix the lemon juice and zest with the pomegranate seeds and juice, herbs and olive oil. Stir in the bulgur and season well with sea salt and black pepper.
When the chicken is cooked, cover with foil and leave to rest in the tin and leave in the switched off oven for a few minutes, then carve in to pieces and serve with the salad.
(Original recipe from Rachel Allen’s Rachel’s Everyday Kitchen, HarperCollins, 2013.)
Posted in Chicken, Food | Tagged Bulgur wheat, Chicken, Cooking, Food, Pomegranate, Recipe, Roast, Roast chicken, Spachcock, Wine suggestion | Leave a Comment »
6 July 2015 by jonoandjules
Pasta Primavera
This was tasty. We were a bit concerned about the boiled onion at first but it gives a nice onion flavour without any fried taste which isn’t required here with the light creamy sauce. Good for a weeknight or weekend lunch.
Pasta Primavera – serves 4-6
- 1 red pepper, halved and deseeded
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 225g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm lengths
- 100g sugarsnap peas, sliced in half lengthways
- 300g dried penne
- 100ml double cream
- 60g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
- juice of ½ lemon
- 25g toasted pine nuts
- 1 tbsp torn fresh basil leaves
Put the pepper halves under a hot grill, skin side up, for around 10 minutes or until the skin is completely charred. Seal in a plastic bag and leave to cool, then peel and discard the skin. Slice the flesh into large pieces.
Cook the chopped onion in a pan of salted boiling water for 9 minutes, then add the asparagus. Cook for another minute before adding the sugarsnaps and continue to boil for another 2 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Cook the penne in a large pan of salted boiling water for the recommended time on the pack, then return to the pan with the cooled vegetables. Add the roasted pepper, cream and cheese and stir over a gentle heat to warm through. Season well with sea salt and black pepper.
Squeeze over the lemon and scatter over the pine nuts and basil to serve.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry’s Cookery Course, DK, 2013.)
Posted in Food, Pasta | Tagged Asparagus, Cooking, Food, Pasta, Primavera, Recipe, Spring, Sugarsnap peas | Leave a Comment »
29 June 2015 by jonoandjules
Charentais Melon Salad
We’re just back from a camping trip to the Loire Valley and this is one of the many delicious things we prepared at our tent. We brought Rick Stein’s French Odyssey along for inspiration and have him to thank for this fabulous summer salad. Make it for a starter or light lunch with some French bread to mop the plate. A glass of white wine is also obligatory.
Wine Suggestion: We’d found a gem of a wine in the Chateau Moncontour Vouvray Sec which hit the spot with this dish. A lively and dry Chenin Blanc which had fresh appley fruit, and a crispness and minerality that worked with the Chèvre and sweetness of the melon. Summer in a glass as well as on the plate.
Charentais Melon Salad – serves 4
- 1/2 a ripe, orange-fleshed melon (Charentais or Cantaloup)
- 1/2 cucumber
- 225g vine ripened tomatoes (skinned if you like – we didn’t bother)
- 100g firm, crumbly goat’s cheese
- 1 tbsp finely shredded mint
For the dressing:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Pinch caster sugar
Whisk the oil, vinegar, sugar and some salt and pepper together to make the dressing (a fork in a mug will do the trick if you’re short on utensils).
Cut the melon into four wedges and scoop out the seeds. Remove the skin and slice each wedge into long thin slices.
Peel the cucumber and slice into 3mm thick wedges. Slice the tomatoes.
Arrange the sliced melon on a large serving platter and cover with the cucumber and tomatoes. Crumble the goat’s cheese over the top and scatter over the mint. Spoon over the dressing and serve.
(Original recipe from Rick Steins’s French Odyssey, BBC Books, 2005).
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Goat's cheese, Lunch, Melon, Recipe, Salad, Starter | 5 Comments »
19 May 2015 by jonoandjules
Kofte kebab
This Turkish kebab dish, from Claudia Roden’s wonderful book Arabesque, is very simple to make but you need to be organised and assemble the dish at the last minute so the layer of crunchy pitta bread at the bottom of the dish stays crisp. Claudia’s tips are to serve the tomato sauce and meat very hot but the yoghurt at room temperature.
Yogurtlu Köfte Kebabi or Turkish Kofte Kebab with Tomato Sauce & Yoghurt – serves 4
- 2 pitta breads
- 750g minced beef or lamb
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 50g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sumac plus an extra pinch
- 500g full-fat natural yogurt
- 2 tbsp butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp pine nuts
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 chilli pepper, seeded and chopped
- 750g tomatoes, peeled and chopped (if it’s not tomato season use the equivalent of good quality tinned tomatoes instead)
- 1-2 tsp sugar
Start with the tomato sauce. Fry the onion in the oil until soft. Add the garlic and chilli pepper, and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, season with salt, pepper and sugar, and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until they soften.
Open out the pitta breads, toast until crisp, then break into small pieces with your hands.
Next make the kofte kebabs. Season the mince with salt and pepper, and use your hands to work into a soft dough. Add the onion and parsley and work into the meat. Shape into sausages, about 2cm thick and 7cm long. Arrange on an oiled sheet of foil on a baking sheet and cook for about 8 minutes under a pre-heated grill, turning once, until well browned but still pink and moist on the inside. Or if you prefer (as we do) you can grill on a barbecue.
Spread the toasted pitta pieces over the bottom of your serving dish and sprinkle over a pinch of sumac. Pour the hot tomato sauce all over and top with a layer of yoghurt beaten with a fork.
Heat the butter or oil with the pine nuts and stir in the teaspoon of sumac. When the butter or oil sizzles, sprinkle all over the yoghurt, arrange the meat on top and serve immediately.
(Original recipe from Claudia Roden’s Arabesque, Michael Joseph, 2005.)
Posted in Food, Lamb | Tagged Arabesque, Claudia Roden, Cooking, Food, Kebab, Kofte, Kofte kebab, Pitta, Recipe, Tomato Sauce, Turkish | 1 Comment »
8 May 2015 by jonoandjules
River Café tomato sauce
We have two tomato sauces in our repertoire that we rely on; both are delicious but have a slightly different character. This is the one we have adopted from the River Café in London which is quicker (though we wouldn’t describe it as quick exactly) and incorporates a rich onion base. We keep a stack of takeaway tubs full of tomato sauce in the freezer for whenever pizza, pasta, or any other tomato-flavoured dish calls. Top quality tinned tomatoes are essential and we find the Italian brands are best.
Sugo di Pomodoro a Fuoco Lento or Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce
- 2 x 800g tins plum tomatoes, drained of their juices
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 medium red onions, peeled and sliced very thinly
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions. Reduce the heat and cook until very soft, at least 40 minutes. Add the garlic about 5 minutes before the end.
Add the tomatoes and stir to break up. Season with salt and pepper and cook slowly for at least 90 minutes, giving it a stir every now and again. The oil will eventually come to the surface and the sauce will be dark red and very thick with no remaining juice.
(Original recipe from The River Cafe Cookbook by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, Ebury Press, 1995.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Italian, pasta sauce, Recipe, River Café, River Café tomato sauce, Tomato Sauce | Leave a Comment »
5 May 2015 by jonoandjules
Jerk Pork with rice & peas
A great guy called Alistan is a regular in one of our favourite lunch spots, Ukiyo, and we were tipped off that he had his own Jerk marinade, Munroes. We put it on some pork chops and added a Jamaican classic, Rice & Peas (Rice and Beans), which worked brilliantly and we will be definitely giving this marinade a go again. We have subsequently tried it with a few other meats like chicken and lamb and it proved itself very versatile.
If you live in Dublin you can buy Munroes Jamaican Jerk Marinade in Fallon & Byrne. For a full list of stockists see munroes.net.
Jerk Pork with Rice & Peas – serves 6
- 6 pork chops
- Monroes Jamaican Jerk marinade
FOR THE RICE & PEAS:
- 200g basmati rice
- 400g can of coconut milk
- 1 bunch of scallions, sliced
- 2 large thyme sprigs
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 x 410g cans kidney beans, drained
Pour a generous amount of the Jamaican Jerk marinade over the pork chops and turn a few times to make sure they are well coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least a couple of hours.
Light your barbecue a good half hour before you’re ready to cook and cook the pork when the coals are white hot. Meanwhile, prepare the rice and peas.
Rinse the rice in plenty of cold water and tip into a saucepan with all the remaining ingredients, except the kidney beans. Season with salt, add 300ml cold water and set over a high heat. When the rice begins to boil, turn the heat down to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the beans to the rice, then cover with a lid and leave off the heat for 5 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Serve the rice with the Jerk pork off the barbecue.
(Recipe for Rice & Peas by John Torode for BBC Good Food)
Munroes jerk marinade
Posted in Barbecue, Food, Pork | Tagged Cooking, Food, Jamaican, Jerk, Recipe, Rice and peas | Leave a Comment »
27 April 2015 by jonoandjules
Piquillo pepper crostini
These are very simple to assemble and make delicious canapés. We highly recommend that you seek out Spanish canned piquillo peppers, they have much more flavour than regular jarred roasted peppers. They will cost you a bit more but we reckon it’s worth it in this instance.
Bayonne ham with pine nuts and piquillo peppers – makes 10
- 50g pine nuts
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 10 slices of baguette
- 1 bunch of fresh coriander
- 10 canned piquillo peppers
- 5 thin slices of Bayonne (or other dry-cured ham), halved
Dry fry the pine nuts in a small frying pan , stirring often, for about 2 minutes or until golden, then transfer to a plate.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the slices of baguette, in batches, and fry on both sides until golden. Sprinkle with half the coriander leaves.
Stuff the piquillo peppers with the pine nuts and the remaining coriander.
Put a piquillo pepper onto each slice of fried bread, cover with half a slice of ham and sprinkle with the remaining coriander.
(Original recipe from Pork & Sons by Stéphane Reynaud, Phaidon, 2007.)
Posted in Food | Tagged Appetiser, Bayonne ham, Canapés, Cooking, Food, Pine nuts, Piquillo peppers, Recipe, Starter | Leave a Comment »
13 April 2015 by jonoandjules
A delicious paella recipe by Tamazin Day-Lewis (inspired by Sam & Sam Clark of Moro). This is easy to cook and uses relatively cheap ingredients. It has already appeared on our table a few times since this picture was taken.
Wine Suggestion: This dish is full of flavour so you will need a similarly flavoursome wine. A Spanish red from Ribera del Duero would make a great match.
Paella with Pork, Chorizo and Spinach – serves 4
- 7 tbsp olive oil
- 340g pork fillet, halved lengthways and sliced into strips
- 110g mild chorizo, cut into small pieces
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 1 large green pepper, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 225g calasparra rice
- 1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
- 4 piquillo peppers (we like the tinned Spanish ones)
- 850ml hot chicken stock
- 500g spinach, washed and drained
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Heat the oil over a high heat in a paella or large frying pan, then stir-fry the pork strips for a few seconds so they are still undercooked. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon.
Lower the heat and fry the chorizo for a minute. Add the onion and green pepper and cook for 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir the rice into the pan and toss for about a minute until coated with oil. Season with salt and pepper, then add the paprika and peppers followed by the hot stock. Simmer for 15 minutes or until there is just a thin layer of liquid around the rice.
Meanwhile, wilt the spinach briefly in a pan, then drain and remove it. Scatter the pork over the rice followed by the spinach and gently push them partly into the oily liquid using the back of a spoon. Turn the heat off, then cover the pan tightly with foil and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with the lemon wedges.
(Original recipe from Tamasin’s Kitchen Bible by Tamasin Day-Lewis, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005.)
Posted in Food, Spanish | Tagged Chorizo, Cooking, Food, Paella, paella recipe, Pork, Recipe, Spinach, Tamazin Day-Lewis | 2 Comments »
6 April 2015 by jonoandjules
Moong dal
This is Madhur Jaffrey’s “everyday moong dal”, the one she serves regularly to her family and friends alike. It is quite a wet style which we really liked. Serve alongside your favourite curry; it was particularly good with the pea & cauliflower one below.
Moong dal – serves 4-6
- 200g moong dal (skinned and split mung beans), washed and drained
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil or ghee
- 1/8 tsp ground asafoetida
- ½ tsp whole cumin seeds
- 1-2 whole hot, dried red chillies (we used 1 tsp dried chilli flakes)
- 1 medium shallot, peeled and cut into fine slivers
Put the moong dal in a medium saucepan, add 800ml water and bring to the boil.
Skim off the white froth and stir in the turmeric.
Cover partially, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Stir in the salt, then turn off the heat.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium-high heat, then quickly add the asafoetida, cumin seeds and chillies in that order. As soon as the chillies start to darken (a few seconds), quickly pour the contents of the pan over the cooked dal. Stir to mix through.
(Original recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s Curry Easy, Ebury Press, 2010.)
Posted in Food, Indian, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Dahl, Dal, Food, Indian, Madhur Jaffrey, Moong dal, Recipe | 2 Comments »
6 April 2015 by jonoandjules
Potato cakes
We sorely miss potato farls which you can buy in every bakery in Belfast and are so delicious with bacon for breakfast or brunch. It was a delight to find such a good and easy recipe. You have to make these with hot potato so it’s fine to use leftover mash but make sure you re-heat it.
Potato cakes
- 450g potatoes, steamed and put through a mouli-légumes or potato ricer
- 110-140g flour sieved with a tsp of sea salt
- 45g unsalted butter
Work the ingredients together with your fingers, then roll out the dough lightly into thin circles with a very well floured rolling pin. Cut with a scone cutter into circles and fry in a little butter until browned.
Serve hot with more butter and some crispy bacon.
(Original recipe from Tamasin’s Kitchen Bible by Tamasin Day-Lewis, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Breakfast, Burnch, Cooking, Food, Irish, Potato, Potato farls, Potato cakes, Recipe | 2 Comments »
23 March 2015 by jonoandjules
We got the Indian vegetarian cookbook, Prashad, some time ago but haven’t used it much, something that needs to be remedied as the recipes are delicious. The balance of spices has a real depth but be careful with the asafetida as it can easily overwhelm the dish. We served this with a home-made dhal and naan breads from the Indian takeaway.
Pea & Cauliflower Curry – serves 4
- 100ml sunflower oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
- ½ tsp asafetida
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 400g frozen petits pois
- 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
- 1 large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 3-6 fresh green chillies, seeds in
- 5cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
Crush the chillies and ginger together with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar (or a blender) to make a fine masala paste.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat, then add the cumin and mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop, turn the heat to low and stir in the asafetida.
Add the cauliflower, then turn the heat back to medium and stir in the masala paste, turmeric, ground coriander, salt and sugar. Cover and leave to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Stir in the peas and tomato, cover the pan again and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the chopped coriander, then leave to rest, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
(Original recipe from Prashad: Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Kaushy Patel, Saltyard Books, 2012.)
Posted in Food, Indian, Vegetarian | Tagged Cauliflower, Cooking, Curry, Food, Indian, Prashad, Recipe, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
16 March 2015 by jonoandjules
Chicken & Mushroom Pie
This is a lovely pie for a frosty day. Serve with lots of mashed potato and peas.
Wine Suggestion: this dish needs a white wine with a medium body as there is some subtlety at play with the flavours and weight. Classically we’d pair a sensitively oaked chardonnay with an earthiness and minerality so a better Maçon or Côte Chalonnais would be great. To step outside the box though look to a Vin Jaune from the Jura which adds a layer of nutty, yeasty characters, a lovely freshness of acidity and a rustic earthiness. Don’t go too sophisticated as this is a wholesome, honest pie.
Chicken & Mushroom Pie – serves 4-6
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 8 rashers streaky bacon, cut into large pieces
- 1 onion, sliced
- 250g baby button mushrooms
- handful thyme sprigs
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 400ml chicken stock
- 200ml milk
- 500g pack puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan.
Season the chicken and fry in batches until golden brown.
Remove the chicken from the pan and add the bacon. Fry for about 5 minutes or until crisp.
Add the onions, mushrooms and thyme, then fry on a high heat for about 3 minutes or until the onions start to colour.
Add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the stock, followed by the milk, then return the chicken to the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
Spoon the filling into a large pie or baking dish (approx. 20 x 30 cm) with a lip and leave to cool.
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
Roll the pastry out onto a floured surface. Cut a long strip as wide as the rim of the dish and, using a little of the egg, fix to the edge of the pie dish. Brush with egg, then lift the rest of the pastry onto the pie. Press the edges together with your fingers and trim with a sharp knife. Brush lightly with egg to glaze and bake for 30 minutes or until risen and golden brown.
Serve with mashed potatoes and peas.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Chicken, Food | Tagged Chardonnay, Chicken pie, Cooking, Food, Jura, Mushrooms, Pie, Recipe, Vin Jaune, Wine suggestion | 1 Comment »
9 March 2015 by jonoandjules
Hot & sour fish soup
This is a quick and very low-calorie but very tasty soup. Buy some really fresh fish – we used hake. Hot & Sour Fish Soup – Serves 2
- 2tbsp grated ginger
- 1 dried red chilli (or use a small tsp of chilli flakes)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 stem lemongrass, lightly bashed
- 700ml chicken or fish stock
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 400g skinless white fish fillets, cut into big chunks
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- cooked noodles
Put the ginger, chilli, scallions, lemongrass and stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the soy sauce, vinegar and fish, and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the spinach and season with the fish sauce. Adjust the vinegar and soy sauce to your own taste. Put the cooked noodles into soup bowls, discard the lemongrass and dried chilli from the soup, then pour over the noodles and serve. (Original recipe by Lulu Grimes and Janine Ratcliffe in BBC Olive February 2015.)
Posted in Asian, Fish, Food | Tagged 5:2, Asian, Cooking, Easy, fast diet, Fish, fish soup, Food, Hot, Recipe, Soup, Sour | 3 Comments »
2 March 2015 by jonoandjules
Prawn & clam linguine
We recently got a new cookbook by Lorraine Pascale and have been impressed by the recipes so far. This one we made for Valentines Day, just the two of us with a bottle of vintage Champagne from the cellar. A very nice evening.
Linguine with prawns, clams, garlic & chilli – serves 4
- 350g dried linguine
- 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large banana shallots, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 2 red chillies, finely chopped
- 400g raw peeled tiger prawns, de-veined
- 400g clams, washed (soak in cold water for an hour to get rid of any sand then discard any that stay open when sharply tapped)
- 150-200ml white wine
- 3 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
- 70g rocket
- 1 small lemon, cut into wedges
Cook the pasta according to the packet until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan, with a tight-fitting lid, over a medium heat. Add the shallots and sweat for about 10 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the prawns and cook for 1 minutes, stirring. Then add the clams and white wine, bring to the boil and cover with the lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until all the clam shells have opened (discard any that don’t) and the prawns have turned pink.
Drain the pasta well and tip onto the cooked shellfish and toss together. Add the chopped parsley and season.
Pile into bowls, drizzle with your best extra-virgin olive oil, scatter with rocket and serve with a lemon wedge.
(Original recipe from How to be a Better Cook by Lorraine Pascale, HarperCollins, 2014.)
Posted in Food, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish | Tagged Clams, Cooking, Food, Linguine, Lorraine Pascale, Pasta, prawns, Recipe, Shellfish | 5 Comments »
23 February 2015 by jonoandjules
Bœuf à la Gardiane
Another classic from Elizabeth David, this stew originates in the Gard region of France and is very simple but full of flavour. Elizabeth suggests serving it with rice (a la Camargue) but it also worked well with roast potatoes and rosemary. There won’t be a lot of sauce as it is almost all absorbed by the meat as it cooks but this part of the charm; intensely flavoured, tender beef.
Wine suggestion: This dish would go well with any of the local red wines of the Gard and surrounding southern-French regions (Rhone, Languedoc, etc). Any combination of Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Syrah will work, particularly if they come from older, lower yielding vines and a sensitive hand in the winery. We drank a VdP La Clape from Domaine de Boède, Le Pavillon which is a great value combination of Cinsault and Syrah and which stood up to the flavours and adding it’s own character.
Bœuf à la gardiane – serves 4-5
- 1kg top rump of beef, cut into small neat cubes approximately 2.5cm square
- butter and olive oil
- 4 tbsp brandy
- 1 large glass of full-bodied red wine
- bouquet garni of thyme, parsley, a little strip of orange peel and a whole garlic clove crushed with the back of a knife but left whole (tie together with thread)
- 175g stoned black olives
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy based casserole dish and brown the beef in batches.
Warm the brandy in a soup ladle, pour over the meat, then carefully set alight. Shake the pan carefully until the flames go out.
Add the red wine and bubble for 30 seconds before seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Add the bouquet garni, turn the heat down as low as possible and cover the pan with at least two layers of greaseproof paper or foil and the lid.
Cook as gently as possible for about 3½ hours. Ten minutes before the end, remove the bouquet garni and add the olives.
Season to taste and serve.
(Original recipe from At Elizabeth David’s Table: Her very best everyday recipes, compiled by Jill Norman, Penguin, 2010.)
Posted in Beef, Food | Tagged Beef, Black Olives, Boeuf a la gardiane, Cooking, Easy, Elizabeth David, Food, French, Recipe, red wine, Stew | Leave a Comment »
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