22 September 2014 by jonoandjules
Burnt Aubergine salad
Not quite a Baba Ghanoush, but you can drizzle on some tahini paste to make it one. This was really delicious and we loved the freshness from the lemons and the burst of fruity pomegranate. You need to start this many hours in advance but the process is very straightforward and the result is worth it.
Burnt aubergine with garlic, lemon & pomegranate seeds – serves 4 as a meze plate
- 4 large aubergines (about 1.5kg before cooking)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped mint
- 80g of pomegranate seeds (about ½ a large pomegranate)
If using a gas hob, line the base with foil and keep only the burners exposed. Put the aubergines on 4 separate moderate flames and roast for about 15-18 minutes or until the skin is burnt and flaky and the flesh is soft. Use metal tongs to turn them now and then.
Alternatively, score the aubergines with a knife in a few places, a couple of centimetres deep, and place on a baking tray under a hot grill for about an hour (we do ours on a gas barbecue). Turn them every 20 minutes or so and continue to cook even if they burst.
Allow the aubergines to cool slightly, then cut along each one and scoop out the flesh and divide it into long strips with your hands. Throw away the skin. Drain the flesh in a colander for at least an hour or longer if possible to get rid of as much water as possible.
Put the aubergine in a medium bowl and add the garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, ½ a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Stir and allow the aubergine to marinate at room temperature for at least an hour.
When ready to serve, mix in most of the herbs and adjust the seasoning. Pile onto a serving plate, scatter on the pomegranate seeds and garnish with the rest of the herbs.
We served ours with some barbecued flatbreads.
(Original recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s Jerusalem, Ebury Press, 2012.)
Posted in Food, Party Food, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Aubergine, Aubergines, Burnt Aubergine salad, Cooking, Dip, Food, Israeli, Jerusalem, Pomegranate, pomegranate seeds, Recipe, side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian | 1 Comment »
15 September 2014 by jonoandjules
Marinated Tuna with Cherry tomato salsa
Tuna steaks are definitely at their best when seared on a hot barbecue. The marinade would also work well with other firm fish fillets such as swordfish or kingfish.
Wine suggestion: we think a light bodied red would be a treat here which goes against traditional pairings. The trick is to get a lighter body and lower tannins. We drank a Beaujolais-Villages from Domaine Rochette, a delightful wine which balances it’s lightness with an obvious care from the winemaker and good fruit from the vineyards; polished and elegant as well as joyfully youthful.
Paprika- and Oregano-Marinated Tuna with Cherry Tomato Salsa – serves 4
- 4 x 150g fillets of fresh tuna
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp smoked spanish paprika
- lemon wedges, to serve
For the Cherry Tomato Salsa:
- 250g cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1 long red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar
- sea salt and black pepper
Put the fish in a shallow non-metallic dish. Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano and paprika. Pour this over the fish, cover with cling-film and refrigerate for half an hour.
Preheat the barbecue to high and brush lightly with olive oil. Barbecue the fish for a couple of minutes on each side (longer if you prefer the fish well done).
Toss all of the ingredients for the cherry tomato salsa together and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve the fish with some salsa over the top and a lemon wedge.
Posted in Indian, Uncategorized | Tagged Cherry tomato salsa, Cooking, Fish, Food, Fresh tuna, Recipe, Tomato Salsa, Tuna | 1 Comment »
6 September 2014 by jonoandjules
One of those easy dishes that just bursts with fresh flavours and vitality. It really sings at the end of summer with fully ripe and juicy tomatoes just picked and wonderful. Delicious served warm or at room temperature.
Wine Suggestion: We’d serve a classic chianti where the acidity of the Sangiovese grape works really well with the tomatoes but isn’t too heavy a red for the dish (don’t bother with the Riserva).
Cheese, Tomato & Basil Tart – serves 4-6
- 1 shortcrust pastry case, cooked ‘blind’
FOR THE FILLING:
- 10 ripe tomatoes, halved widthways
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp sugar
- 25g butter
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 200ml double or regular cream
- 2 tbsp torn or sliced basil
- 150g Cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4.
Put the tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sugar and ½ tsp salt. Bake for about 45 minutes or until completely soft and browning at the edges. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the butter. When the butter is foaming, add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes or until golden. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
Whisk the eggs and cream together in a bowl, stir in the basil, and season with salt and pepper.
Spread out the fried onion in a layer in the tart case. Top with two-thirds of the cheese, then arrange the cooked tomatoes on top. Pour in the egg mixture and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown on top and just set in the centre.
(Original recipe from Rachel’s Everyday Kitchen by Rachel Allen, Harper Collins, 2013.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Basil, cheese, Cooking, Food, Recipe, ripe tomatoes, Tomato & Cheese tart, Vegetarian | 3 Comments »
26 August 2014 by jonoandjules
Such an impressive and versatile rice dish. Great with Middle Eastern-style food or indeed anything you deem rice an appropriate side for. We served with these delicious meatballs.
Basmati rice & orzo – serves 6
- 250g basmati rice
- 1 tbsp melted ghee or unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 85g orzo
- 600ml chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt
Wash the rice well, then put in a large bowl and cover with lots of cold water. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain.
Heat the ghee or butter and oil on a medium-high heat in a medium heavy-based saucepan. Add the orzo and sauté for a few minutes, or until the grains turn dark golden. Add the stock, bring to the boil and cook for 3 minutes. Add the drained rice and salt, bring to a gentle boil, stir gently, then cover the pan and simmer on a very low heat for 15 minutes. Don’t lift the lid during this time!
Take the rice off the heat, remove the lid and quickly cover with a clean tea towel. Put the lid back on over the towel and leave for 10 minutes. Fluff up with a fork before serving.
(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Basmati rice, Cooking, Egyptian, Food, Jerusalem, Orzo, Recipe, rice, side dish | 2 Comments »
22 August 2014 by jonoandjules
We love the combination of anchovies and almonds in this pasta sauce – a Sicilian-style pesto. It also reinforces our desire to go to Sicily.
Wine Suggestion: A fresh and dry Italian white is a must for this dish with numerous choices working well. If you can find one match it with a white from the slopes of Mt Etna which will be minerally and savoury, or if not a dry Vermentino from the Tuscan coast. We drink a glass of the Morisfarms Vermentino which was both minerally and nutty with fresh citrus flavours. Morisfarms add 10% Viognier to this wine which gives it an added exotic lift and roundness to the wine. With the complex savoury notes of the dish the savoury and nutty wine worked a treat.
Sicilian pasta with tomatoes, garlic & almonds – serves 6
- 500g fusilli lunghi (long spiral pasta) or other pasta – we used regular fusilli
- 250g cherry tomatoes
- 6 anchovy fillets
- 25g golden sultanas
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 x 15ml tbsp capers, drained
- 50g blanched almonds
- 60ml extra-virgin olive oil
- leaves from a small bunch of basil (about 20g) to serve
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the pack instructions.
Make the sauce as the pasta cooks by putting all the ingredients, except the basil, into a processor and blitzing until you have a textured sauce.
Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of the cooking water and add 2 tbsp of the water to the processor as you pulse the sauce.
Tip the drained pasta into a warmed serving bowl. Pour over the sauce and toss to coat – add a bit more pasta cooking water if needed and scatter with basil leaves.
(Original recipe from Nigellissima by Nigella Lawson, Chattos & Windus, 2012.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta | Tagged Almonds, Anchovies, Cooking, Food, Italian, Morisfarms, Morisfarms Vermentino, Pasta, pasta sauce, Recipe, Sicilian, Sicilian pasta, spiral pasta, Vermentino | 4 Comments »
14 August 2014 by jonoandjules
Still an Eton Mess really but the rosewater, pistachio, raspberry and basil combination is delicious!
Eastern Mess – serves 6
- 600ml double cream
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
- the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod
- 2 tbsp rosewater
- 6 ready-made meringue nests, broken into large pieces
- 450g raspberries
- handful of basil leaves, torn
- 75g pistachio nuts, chopped
For the raspberry sauce:
- 225g raspberries
- 1 tbsp icing sugar (or more if your raspberries are very tart)
- 1 tbsp rosewater
- squeeze of lemon juice
Whip the double cream, icing sugar, vanilla seeds and rosewater together in a mixing bowl until you have soft peaks (about 3 minutes but watch it carefully).
To make the sauce, mash the raspberries to a purée with the icing sugar, rose water and lemon juice in a bowl until the mixture is totally smooth. Pass through a sieve to remove the seeds.
Layer the cream, meringues and raspberries on a large serving plate, drizzling the sauce and scattering over the basil and pistachios as you go. Decorate the top with a drizzle of sauce, and a final scatter of basil and pistachios. Serve immediately.
(Original recipe from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2014.)
Posted in Dessert, Food | Tagged Cooking, Dessert, Food, Meringue, Mess, Pistachios, Pudding, Raspberries, Recipe, Rose Water | 2 Comments »
7 August 2014 by jonoandjules
This dish is so simple, and yet completely satisfying and delicious. It features regularly on our table during the summer months and has also become our daughter, Orlaith’s, favourite dish alongside Moussaka.
Wine Suggestion: A lovely and fresh wine but with depth and reasonable body works well with tis; something like a very good Verdicchio – try Sartarelli’s Talivio or Umani Ronchi’s Casal di Sera. If you feel like a red try a Cabernet Franc from the Loire, like the thoughtful and expressive Chinon’s by Charles Joguet.
Courgette Sauce for Pasta – serves 4
- 1kg courgettes, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp of cream
- 50g freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
- pasta of your choice (long or short works), 75-100g per person
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the garlic and courgettes, and a pinch of salt.Cook gently to soften without browning. Continue to cook until the courgettes are completely soft and almost all of their water has evaporated (20-30 minutes). Then bash the courgette mixture to a rough purée with a wooden spoon or masher.
Stir in the cream and Parmesan and allow to bubble for a minute or so until the cream has reduced a bit.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.
Serve with extra Parmesan.
(Original recipe from The River Cottage Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Collins, 2001.)
Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Courgettes, Cream, Food, Parmesan, Pasta, Recipe, Vegetarian | 3 Comments »
4 August 2014 by jonoandjules
We made this back in June when local asparagus was available, but have been very lax getting posts up on the blog (must do better!). We really enjoyed the combination here and the addition of our own, home-grown mint, dill and chives really made the dish sing.
Warm Asparagus & New Potato Salad – serves 4
- 350g small Jersey potatoes, scrubbed or peeled if you prefer
- salt
- 2 large mint sprigs
- 25g unsalted butter
- 250g asparagus tips
- hearts of 2 round lettuces, leaves separated, washed and dried
- Maldon salt
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled
- handful of chervil sprigs – we used dill
FOR THE BUTTER SAUCE:
- juice of 1 lemon
- pinch of caster sugar
- 75g cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- freshly ground white pepper
- 1 tbsp snipped chives
Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water, with the mint, until tender. Drain over a bowl and reserve the cooking water. Return the potatoes to the pan with the butter, stir together and keep warm.
For the sauce, use a large shallow stainless steel or enamel saucepan and squeeze in the lemon juice. Add 6 tbsp of the potato cooking water and the sugar, then simmer until reduced by half. Slowly incorporate the butter, a chunk at a time, whisking over a very low heat until homogenous (you’re aiming for a light butter sauce). Season with white pepper and keep warm.
Peel the asparagus tips from just below the bud and slice in half lengthways. Add to a pan of boiling well-salted water and boil for about 1-2 minutes – you want them just tender but not raw, then drain.
Slice the warm potatoes and add them, along with the asparagus, to the butter sauce. Turn gently with the chives, until everything is nicely coated.
Arrange the lettuce on 4 plates and divide the asparagus and potatoes between them. Sprinkle with Maldon salt and grate over the egg. Generously scatter with the chervil or dill.
(Original recipe from The Vegetarian Option by Simon Hopkinson, Quadrille, 2009.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Asparagus, Cooking, Eggs, Food, Lunch, New potatoes, Recipe, Salad, Vegetarian | 1 Comment »
3 August 2014 by jonoandjules
Chipotle roast pork with black bean salsa
We often pick up a pork fillet at the butcher’s as they are cheap and versatile. Make the salsa before you start cooking the pork so the flavours have time to develop.
Chipotle Roasted Pork with Avocado & Black Bean Salsa – serves 4
- 2 pork tenderloins/fillets, about 250-350g each
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp chipotle paste
- ½ tsp olive oil
FOR THE SALSA:
- ½ small red onion
- 2 limes
- 1 red chilli
- few coriander sprigs
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ripe but firm avocado
- ½ x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 spring onion
Prepare the pork by removing the sinew from the surface. Cut each fillet in half.
Mix the salt, chipotle paste, olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the marinade all over the pork pieces. Leave in the fridge to marinate for at least half an hour, or up to a few hours.
Heat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3.
Put a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, brown the pork evenly all over. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked but still juicy. Test by inserting a skewer into the thickest part for 10 seconds, then rest it on your inner wrist; it should feel hot.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before carving on the diagonal into 7-8mm thick slices. Spoon the salsa onto a platter and top with the pork.
TO MAKE THE SALSA:
Peel and finely dice the red onion and put into a bowl. Finely grate the zest from one of the limes and squeeze the juice from both. Add the lime zest and half the juice to the onion, saving the rest for seasoning at the end.
Cut the avocado into even dice and thinly slice the spring onion. Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.
Stir the avocado, black beans, spring onion, and coriander into the onion and lime mixture. Stir in the olive oil and season well with salt and more lime juice if needed. Leave to stand for 30 minute for the flavours to develop.
(Original recipe from Leith’s How to Cook, Quadrille Publishing, 2013.)
Posted in Food, Pork | Tagged Avocado, Avocado & Black Bean Salsa, black bean salsa, Black Beans, Chipotle, Cooking, Easy, Food, Pork, Recipe, Salsa, spring onion | 3 Comments »
28 July 2014 by jonoandjules
Saffron & cardamom poached pears
This is a touch of luxury, truly delicious, impressive, and yet very simple to do. Eat with a spoon of crème fraîche. The perfect ending to a Middle Eastern inspired meal.
Poached pears in white wine & cardamom – serves 4
- 500ml dry white wine
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- 150g caster sugar
- 15 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- ½ tsp saffron threads
- pinch of salt
- 4 firm pears, peeled
- crème fraîche or thick double cream to serve
Pour the wine and lemon juice into a medium saucepan and add the sugar, cardamom, saffron and salt. Bring to a light simmer and place the pears in the liquid. Make sure the pears are immersed by adding a bit of water if necessary. Cover the surface with a disc of greaseproof paper and simmer until the pears are cooked through but not mushy, about 15-25 minutes. Turn the pears around every now and again as they cook. When a knife goes into the flesh smoothly, the pears are done.
Remove from the liquid and transfer into four dishes. Increase the heat and reduce the liquid by about two-thirds, or until thick and syrupy. Pour over the pears and leave to cool. Serve cold or at room temperature with the crème fraîche.
(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottololenghi and Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)
Posted in Dessert, Food | Tagged Cardamom, Cooking, Dessert, Food, Pears, Poached pears, Recipe, Saffron | Leave a Comment »
19 July 2014 by jonoandjules
Meatballs with Broad Beans & Lemon
Delicious meatballs with a real summery feel. Use fresh broad beans if you can get them but frozen will work just as well. You can prepare this dish in advance and just reheat before serving.
Wine Suggestion: The trick with this dish is to make sure the wine is medium bodied so a lighter red with ripe (not dry) tannins would work a treat. An easy and uncomplicated shiraz cabernet blend from Australia or a nice Pinot Noir would work a treat. Alternately a medium bodied white like a good Verdicchio is a great option too. We drank the Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio which matched the dish perfectly with good depth of fruit and a great minerality which allowed the food and wine to shine equally.
Beef Meatballs with Broad Beans & Lemon – serves 4
- 4½ tbsp olive oil
- 350g broad beans, fresh or frozen
- 4 whole thyme sprigs
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 8 spring onions, cut at an angle into 2cm lengths
- 2½ tbsp lemon juice
- 500ml chicken stock
- salt and black pepper
MEATBALLS:
- 300g minced beef
- 150g minced lamb
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 120g breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp each chopped flat-leaf parsley, mint, dill and coriander; plus ½ tbsp extra of each to finish
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp baharat spice mix (apparently you can buy this or you can use the recipe below*)
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp capers, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
Put all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl. Add ¾ tsp of salt and lots of black pepper and mix well with your hands. Form into ping-pong sized balls (you should get about 20).
Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a very large frying pan with a lid. Sear half the meatballs over a medium heat, turning until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Remove, add another ½ tbsp olive oil to the pan and cook the other batch of meatballs. Remove from the pan and wipe clean.
While the meatballs are cooking, put the broad beans into a pot of salted boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Remove the skins from half the broad beans.
Heat the rest of the olive oil in the pan you seared the meatballs in. Add the thyme, garlic and spring onion and sauté over a medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the unshelled broad beans, 1½ tbsp of the lemon juice, 80ml of the stock, ¼ tsp of salt and lots of black pepper. The beans should be almost covered with liquid. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.
Return the meatballs to the pan. Add the rest of the stock, cover the pan and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the sauce is very runny you can remove the lid and reduce a bit. The meatballs will soak up a lot of the juice so make sure you have plenty of sauce left. You can leave the meatballs off the heat now until ready to serve.
Just before serving, reheat the meatballs and add a little water, if needed, to get enough sauce. Add the rest of the herbs and tablespoon of lemon juice, the shelled broad beans and stir very gently.
Serve with basmati rice.
*Baharat Spice Mix – 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 small cinnamon stick – roughly chopped, ½ tsp whole cloves, ½ tsp ground allspice, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 1tsp cardamom pods, ½ a whole nutmeg grated. Blend all the spices in a grinder or pestle and mortar until you have a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar.
(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)
Posted in Beef, Food, Lamb | Tagged Beef, Broad beans, Jeruslaem, lemon, Meatballs, Ottolenghi | 4 Comments »
15 July 2014 by jonoandjules
Pistachio & Feta Dip
We have made this dip many times as we, and our friends, keep on devouring the lot before a photo can be taken. Not really problematic as we love it so much. We finally got a photo 🙂 but will keep on making the dip, which has become a firm favourite and works great as a starter to share with some barbecued flat breads.
Pistachio & Feta Dip – serves 8
- 100g shelled pistachios
- 75ml olive oil
- 300g feta cheese
- handful of dill, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 2 handfuls of coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 long red chilli, seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 3 large tbsp Greek yogurt
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½ lemon
- sea salt if needed
Blitz the pistachio nuts and oil in a food processor for 30 seconds.
Add the feta, herbs, crushed garlic, chilli, yogurt and lemon zest and juice and blitz for about 1 minute, or until the mixture has a rustic texture.
Taste and add salt if needed but bare in mind that feta is already quite salty.
Serve with barbecued flatbreads.
(Original recipe from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2014.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Dip, Feta, Food, lemon zest, Persian, pistachio nuts, Pistachios, Recipe | 3 Comments »
7 July 2014 by jonoandjules
Spinach & ricotta gnocchi
We’re not even sure if these can officially be called gnocchi but they’re easy and very tasty. They look pretty awful before they’re cooked and we were a bit worried that they would disintegrate altogether when they hit the water. All was well.
Wine Suggestion: These were a superb match with the Sartarelli “Tralivio” Verdicchio we had open which was great. Sartarelli specialise solely in Verdicchio and it shows with a wine of great depth, personality and balance. There is a nuttiness to the aroma and taste which works with the earthy spinach and the balance of fruit complements the ricotta.
Spinach & Ricotta Gnocchi – serves 4
- 200g young spinach
- small handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 140g ricotta
- 85g plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 100g freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
- freshly grated nutmeg
- olive oil and rocket to serve
Put the spinach into a large bowl and pour boiling water over it. Leave for a couple of minutes until wilted, then drain. Leave to cool, then wrap in a clean tea towel. Squeeze out as much water as possible, then finely chop.
Put the spinach, parsley, garlic, ricotta, flour, eggs, cheese and a generous grating of nutmeg into a large bowl and season. Stir with a fork until completely mixed. Use wet hands to make walnut-size balls. Put the gnocchi on a large plate and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to cook, heat the oven to warm and bring a large pot of water to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and drop in batches of gnocchi, about 8-10 at a time. They will sink to the bottom at first and when they rise to the top you should cook for another minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm while you cook the rest.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of Parmesan and some rocket.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Gnocchi, Recipe, Ricotta, Spinach, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
2 July 2014 by jonoandjules
Baby spinach salad with dates & almonds
A truly delicious salad from Yotam and Sami’s Jerusalem. The perfect start to any middle eastern inspired meal.
Baby spinach salad with dates & almonds – to serve 4
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 100g pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthways
- 30g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small pitas, about 100g, roughly torn in 4cm pieces
- 75g whole unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp sumac
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 150g baby spinach leaves, washed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt
Put the vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.
Meanwhile, heat the butter and half the oil in a frying pan. Add the pita and almonds and cook on a medium heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring continually, until the pita is crunchy and golden brown. Remove from the heat and mix in the sumac, chilli and ¼ tsp of salt. Set aside to cool.
When ready to serve, toss the spinach with the pita and mix in a large bowl. Add the dates and onion, remaining oil, lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve.
(Original recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi’s Jerusalem, Ebury Press, 2012.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Jerusalem, Medjool dates, Recipe, Salad, Starter, Sumac | 1 Comment »
1 July 2014 by jonoandjules
Mushroom risotto
A classic recipe from one of our reliable sources of inspiration; Leith’s.
Not terribly seasonal so you might like to keep this for the Autumn when the mushroom selection is better.
Mushroom Risotto – serves 4
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 150g unsalted butter
- 100g Parmesan cheese, grated (plus more to serve)
- 300g risotto rice (Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 15-20g dried wild mushrooms
- 400g mixed wild mushrooms
- 150ml dry white wine
- 1.5-2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
Add the dried wild mushrooms to the stock, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. Strain the stock and return to the pan. Bring back to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to as low as possible.
Meanwhile, sauté the soaked mushrooms with the mixed wild mushrooms in 50g of the butter over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes or until browned and any excess water has gone. Set aside and keep warm.
Melt another 50g of the butter in a large, shallow saucepan, add the onion and sweat over a low heat until completely soft but not coloured (about 10 minutes).
Add the rice to the pan and fry gently, stirring until coated in the butter. Add the wine and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until the wine has been absorbed.
Start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring all the time, and making sure each ladleful is absorbed before adding the next. Keep going until the rice is just cooked, about 25 minutes. If you run out of stock use a little boiling water. Make sure the risotto is quite fluid at this stage as it will thicken on standing and you are aiming for a loose, almost sloppy texture.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the last 50g of butter, the grated Parmesan and the sautéed mushrooms. Season to taste and allow to stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving with extra Parmesan.
(Original recipe from Leith’s How to Cook, Quadrille, 2013.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Italian, Mushroom, Mushroom risotto, Recipe, Risotto, risotto rice, Vegetarian, Wild mushrooms | 3 Comments »
25 June 2014 by jonoandjules
Roast Sweet Potatoes with lemon & paprika
This is a great accompaniment for roast chicken and we love the lemon wedges which add a wonderful freshness and impart a hint of caramelisation to the flavour mix.
Roast sweet potato with lemon, red onion & paprika – serves 6
- 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges and seeds removed
- 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
- 12 garlic cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
- 1 tsp Spanish sweet paprika
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
Add the sweet potatoes to a saucepan of boiling water and parboil for a couple of minutes. Drain and transfer to a large roasting tin with the lemons, onions, unpeeled garlic cloves and bay leaves.
Mix the paprika, chilli powder, thyme, mustard and oil in a small bowl. Pour over the veg, season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat.
Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the sweet potato is tender and golden brown.
(Original recipe from Leiths How to Cook, Quadrille, 2013.)
Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, lemon, Recipe, Roast vegetables, Sweet potatoes | 2 Comments »
24 June 2014 by jonoandjules
Haloumi & Lentil salad
This is a super simple dish that has a great balance and play between textures and flavours – salty halloumi, earthy lentils and sweet, juicy tomatoes.
Warm Puy lentil, cherry tomato and halloumi salad – serves 4
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- ½ garlic clove, crushed
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150g Puy lentils
- 250g halloumi, cut into big chunks
- small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
Toss the tomatoes, red onions, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl.
Cook the Puy lentils until just tender, then drain and add to the bowl. Season well and toss.
Grill or barbecue the halloumi until golden.
Stir the coriander through the lentils and serve with the grilled halloumi.
(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, May 2008.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Halloumi, juicy tomatoes, Lentil salad, Puy Lentils, Recipe, Salad, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
16 June 2014 by jonoandjules
Gnocchi with peas
Gnocchi – where have you been all our lives? So much easier than we anticipated!
Wine suggestion: We tried a delicious Langhe Nebbiolo by Luigi Pira from Piedmont in Italy which had a great balance between light weight, depth of flavour, dancing acidity and a characterful earthiness. Gnocchi is refined and elegant but also earthy and rustic and the food-wine combo matched really well.
Gnocchi – serves 4
- 2 large floury potatoes
- 50g ricotta cheese
- 90g plain flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 thyme sprig, leaves only
- sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Grated Parmesan – to serve
For the Sauce:
- olive oil
- black pepper
- 150g frozen peas, defrosted
- butter
- 1 thyme sprig, leaves only
- zest of 1 lemon
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
Bake the potatoes for 1-1¼ hours until tender. While the potatoes are still warm, remove the flesh from the skin and mash until smooth (use a potato ricer if you have one).
Mix in the ricotta, a pinch of salt and white pepper and the flour. Make a well in the middle, add the beaten egg and start to combine the mixture with floured hands. Work in the thyme leaves and continue until you have a smooth dough but don’t overwork or it will become too dense .
Cut the dough in half and shape each piece into a long cigar shape about 1.5 cm thick. Use the back of a floured table knife to cut each length into 2cm pieces to make ‘pillows’ of gnocchi.
Gently press each gnocchi in the middle with a floured finger.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the gnocchi, tilting the pan from side to side briefly to stop them sticking together, them simmer for just 1½-2 minutes or until they start to float.
Drain the gnocchi and leave to steam dry for a couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add a bit of olive oil. Add the gnocchi to the hot pan with a pinch of salt and black pepper and sauté for a minute or two on each side until coloured.
Add the peas to the pan with a knob of butter and the thyme leaves. Toss to heat through, then add the lemon zest. Serve with the grated Parmesan.
(Original recipe from Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course, Hodder & Stoughton, 2012.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Potato | Tagged Cooking, Easy, Food, Gnocchi, Italian, peas, Potato gnocchi, Recipe | 2 Comments »
10 June 2014 by jonoandjules
Stir-fried Beef with black bean and chilli
This comes from a new discovery: Every Grain of Rice by Fuschia Dunlop. We’ve been looking for a Chinese cookbook for some time and this comes up trumps. This beef dish tasted authentic and delicious.
Don’t be tempted to substitute the Laoganma black bean sauce with the more common black bean sauce, widely available in supermarkets, which is something completely different. Laoganma black bean sauce is a relish made from fermented black beans and dried chillies in oil. You can find it in any good Asian supermarket (where you will also find the Shaoxing wine and potato flour).
Stir-fried beef with black bean and chilli – serves 2
- 300g lean beef steak, cut into 1cm thick strips
- ¼ red pepper
- ¼ green pepper
- about 40g coriander
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 2½ tbsp Laoganma black bean sauce
- salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
For the marinade:
- ½ tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
- 1½ tsp potato flour
Stir the marinade ingredients with 2 tsp water, add to the meat and set aside.
Cut the peppers into strips similar in size to the beef and coarsely chop the coriander.
Heat the oil in a seasoned wok over a high heat. When the pan is smoking hot, add the beef and stir-fry until the strips begin to separate out. Tip in the peppers and keep stir-frying until the beef is almost cooked.
Add the black bean sauce and stir, then add some salt to taste. When everything is hot and fragrant, stir in the coriander.
Take off the heat and add the sesame oil before serving with some plain white rice.
(Original recipe from Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop, Bloomsbury, 2012.)
Posted in Beef, Food | Tagged Asian, Beef, black bean, Chinese, Cooking, Food, Fuschia Dunlop, Laoganma black bean sauce, Recipe, Sichuan, Stir-fried Beef, Stir-fry | 1 Comment »
9 June 2014 by jonoandjules
Mushroom Arancini
These little arancini or risotto balls are the perfect solution for leftover risotto which tends to turn a bit claggy. We made ours from leftover mushroom risotto but you can use any flavour. The joy of arancini is the crisp exterior and melting centre; easy and moreish.
Easy Arancini – serves 3-4
- 350g leftover risotto
- 25g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 50g breadcrumbs
- 4-6 tbsp olive oil
Put the risotto into a bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Spread the breadcrumbs out on a flat plate.
Use your hands to roll the risotto into ping-pong-sized balls, then roll in the breadcrumbs to coat, and put on a baking tray.Chill the risotto balls in the fridge for at least half an hour.
Put a large frying pan on a high heat and add 2 tbsp of the oil. Wait for the oil to get hot before adding a few arancini. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning now and then, until golden brown all over.
Drain the cooked arancini on a serving plate lined with kitchen paper, then repeat to cook the rest, adding more oil as needed.
(Original recipe from Rachel Allen’s Everyday Kitchen, HarperCollins, 2013.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Arancini, Cooking, Food, Italian, Leftovers, Recipe, Risotto | Leave a Comment »
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