28 December 2012 by jonoandjules
We love Anna Del Conte’s Gastronomy of Italy which is where we found this excellent Bolognese sauce.
Ragù alla Bolognese – to serve 4
- 50g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100g unsmoked pancetta, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, very finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, very finely chopped
- 1 small celery stalk, very finely chopped
- 350g lean braising steak, minced
- 5 tbsp red wine
- 1½ tbsp tomato purée
- 100ml hot meat stock
- 5 tbsp milk
Heat the butter and olive oil with the pancetta in a deep, heavy-based saucepan. Fry gently for a few minutes and then add the chopped vegetables. Keep frying over a medium heat until the vegetables are soft.
Add the mince and cook until it is sealed, breaking any lumps up with a spoon. Pour over the red wine and boil briskly for a few minutes until the liquid has almost evaporated.
Dilute the tomato paste with the stock and add to the pan. Season well and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, bring the milk to simmering point in a small pan.
Pour the milk over the meat and stir well. Cook, uncovered, over the lowest heat for at least 2 hours. You don’t want the ragù to boil, but just break a few bubbles on the surface. Stir now and then as it cooks and adjust the seasoning at the end. Serve with tagliatelle.
Wine Suggestion: You need something red with high acidity. Try something Sangiovese-based from Italy and you won’t go far wrong.
(Original recipe from Anna Del Conté’s Gastronomy of Italy, Pavillon, 2001.)
Posted in Beef, Food, Italian | Tagged Bolognese, Cooking, Food, Italian, Pasta, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
27 December 2012 by jonoandjules
This pasta dish has really strong and delicious flavours. We don’t recommend trying it on your non-anchovy loving friends.
Ditaline rigati con acciughe e pomodori secchi – to serve 4
- 6 anchovies in oil
- 120g dried breadcrumbs*
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic oil**
- 12 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- 120 ml white wine
- a pinch of dried chilli flakes
- 400g ditalini rigate
- 1 tbsp parsley and garlic ***
- 60g pecorino cheese, grated
Drain the anchovies, and cut 3 of the fillets into long strips.
Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry pan over a medium heat, until they are a good dark golden brown but be careful that they don’t burn.
Heat the olive oil and garlic oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the 3 whole anchovy fillets and cook very gently, stirring, for a minute, to break them up and melt them a bit. Stir in the tomatoes, then add the wine and bubble up so it evaporates. Add the chilli flakes.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add plenty of salt, and put in the pasta. Cook for about a minute less than the advice on the pack, so that it is al dente. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water, add to the anchovy and tomato sauce and toss together, adding a spoon of the cooking water if needed to loosen. Add the parsley and garlic and toss again. Serve sprinkled with the toasted breadcrumbs, the cheese, and the strips of anchovy.
* You need to use good quality bread to make good breadcrumbs (so stay clear of the sliced white stuff). Cut the crusts off your stale bread, cut it into slices, put it on a baking tray and bake at 80ºC for an hour. When the bread has dried out, grate it (or use a food processor if you prefer) to make breadcrumbs. Keep in a sealed jar until you need them.
** To make garlic oil: mix 2 finely chopped garlic cloves with 50ml olive oil and leave for a day in the fridge before using. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
*** Use 1 garlic clove and about 4 handfuls of flat-leaf parsley. Crush the garlic with the flat of a kitchen knife to make a paste. Put the parsley on top and chop it finely.
Wine Suggestion: Try a textural southern white like Greco di Tufo or a Grillo from Sicily.
(Original recipe from Georgio Locatelli’s Made in Sicily, Fourth Estate, 2011.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta | Tagged Anchovies, Cooking, Food, Italian, Pasta, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
24 December 2012 by jonoandjules
A side dish from Lazio that celebrates the unique and delicious Romanesco Cauliflower. We never cease to be amazed at the shape of these and the flavour is delicious and enhanced by the simple additions.
Romanesco and Parmesan – to serve 4
- large head of Romanesco broccoli
- 6-8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- a few shavings of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
You should cook the Romanesco in really salty water which will season it as it cooks and preserve the delicate flavour.
Snap off any large or bruised leaves from the outside of the broccoli, but leave any small ones attached. Trim off the end of the stem, to where the leaves start. Cut a cross in the base of the stem.
Boil the whole broccoli head until completely tender, about 12 minutes. Lift it out of the water and let it steam dry for a few minutes, then put it in a large dish, break into florets, and douse with olive oil.
Season with pepper (you shouldn’t need salt if you’ve used enough salt in the cooking water), scatter with parsley and cheese, and serve.
(Original recipe from Jacob Kenedy’s Bocca Cookbook, Bloomsbury, 2011.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Italian, Recipe, Romanesco, side dish, Vegetarian | 3 Comments »
22 December 2012 by jonoandjules
Happy Christmas! We’ve been asked to re-blog this post which was previously known as Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce but it works just as well a month later. This will keep in the fridge for up to a week to have with the leftovers.
Chilli Cranberry Sauce
Gently heat 100g golden caster sugar and 175ml white wine in a saucepan. Wait until the sugar has dissolved and then bring to the boil.
Add 1/2 a mild red chilli (chopped and with seeds left in) and 300g of fresh or frozen cranberries, bring back to the boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes. You want the berries to burst but not collapse completely. Take the sauce off the heat. As it cools it will continue to cook and thicken.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Party Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, cranberries, Food, Recipe, side dish, Thanksgiving | 1 Comment »
17 December 2012 by jonoandjules
This is a Jamie Oliver recipe but we’ve reduced the amount of stock in our adaptation below as we thought the filling was too liquid. Easy and tasty for mid-week. We always have peas with pies.
Classic mince and onion pie – to serve 4
- 3 medium onions
- 2 carrots
- 2 sticks of celery
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked
- olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 500g minced beef
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 1 tsp Marmite
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp flour, plus a bit extra
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 large egg or some milk
Peel and roughly chop the onions, carrots and celery. Finely chop the rosemary leaves.
Heat a large casserole pan over a high heat. Add a couple of tbsp of olive oil , the vegetables, rosemary and bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and have started to colour.
Stir in the minced beef and break up the chunks with a wooden spoon.Add the mustard, Marmite, Worcestershire sauce and 2 tsp of flour.
Dissolve the stock cube in 500ml of boiling water and add to the pan. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer with the lid askew for an hour, stirring occasionally.
Fill a large baking dish with the mince filling and allow it to cool. Take the pastry out of the fridge about 10 minutes before you want to use it.
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
Dust the work surface and your rolling pin with some flour, then roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin and big enough to cover your dish easily. Cover the dish with the pastry and run a knife around the edge of the dish to trim off any excess. Use a fork to crimp the edges and make a hole in the middle with a knife. Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg or a little bit of milk. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
Wine Suggestion: an easy red wine, like a Cotes du Rhone or a Shiraz blend from Australia would work well; something juicy and with a moderate body but not too heavy at the same time. Easy drinking to match the easy eating!
(Original recipe from Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Ministry of Food, Penguin, 2008).
Posted in Beef, Food | Tagged Cooking, Food, Mince, Pie, Recipe | 2 Comments »
15 December 2012 by jonoandjules
A Nigel Slater inspired dish that has a heady aroma and flavour. The star anise really pair quince well. Some quince varieties will bake to an exotic golden reddish colour and others to this more golden yellow – both are delicious. Serve with a big dollop of cream if you like.
Roast quinces – to serve 4
- 4 heaped tbsp sugar
- 500ml water
- 4 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 4 small quinces
- half a lemon
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
Bring the sugar and water to the boil in a saucepan. Add the cloves and star anise. Peel and halve the quinces, scoop out the cores and rub them with the lemon to stop them turning brown. Add the quinces to the sugar syrup and simmer for about 25 minutes or until tender (they may take longer).
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas 4. Lift the quinces out of the syrup and put them in a shallow baking dish. Take 150ml of the cooking liquid, add the maple syrup and pour them over the quinces, along with the cloves and star anise. Bake for about 30 minute or until really soft. Serve with the cooking juices and some whipped cream.
(Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s Tender Volume II, Fourth Estate, 2010.)
Posted in Dessert, Food | Tagged Cooking, Dessert, Food, Fruit, Quince, Recipe | 1 Comment »
14 December 2012 by jonoandjules
The Christmas parties have well and truly started at this stage and we already feel like we’ve eaten enough food to do us until the middle of January! Here’s a healthy pasta dish if you manage to get a night off and you only have to pick up a few ingredients on your way home.
Hot smoked salmon & dill spaghetti – to serve 4
- 150g pack hot smoked salmon
- 400g good quality spaghetti
- 100g frozen petits pois
- small bunch of dill
- 3 rounded tbsp crème fraîche
Flake the salmon into bite-size chunks. Bring a large pan of generously salted water to the boil.
Cook the pasta according to the pack and throw the peas in for the last couple of minutes.
Throw away the dill stalks and roughly chop the fronds. Keep about 4 tbsp of the pasta water, then drain and return to the pan with the reserved water. Put the pan over a really low heat, then add the salmon, dill, crème fraîche, salt and loads of black pepper. Toss together and heat briefly, then serve.
Wine Suggestion: A richer Chardonnay from a cool climate (think Burgundy or the Macedon Ranges in Australia rather than the Barossa Valley) should go well with the hot smoked salmon.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Fish, Food, Healthy | Tagged Cooking, Food, Healthy, hot smoked salmon, Low fat, macedon ranges, Pasta, Recipe, Salmon | 1 Comment »
12 December 2012 by jonoandjules
A cracking stir-fry from one of Nigel Slater’s older books. The key to stir-frying is to crank up the heat and keep it there for the entire cooking time. It seems a bit scary at first but it’s the only way to guarantee everything is cooked through and the whole thing doesn’t end up soggy.
Pork with cashews, lime and mint – to serve 2
- 400g pork fillet/steak, sliced into short bite-size strips
- 6 tbsp groundnut or other flavourless oil
- 90g unsalted cashew nuts, chopped fairly fine
- 4 scallions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- a 4cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely shredded
- 4 small, hot red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
- zest and juice of 3 big, fat limes
- 2 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
- a handful of mint leaves, chopped
- a handful of basil leaves, torn
Get your wok really hot over the highest heat, then add 3 tbsp of the oil. When the oil crackles add the pork and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until sealed and golden in parts. Stir not and then as is cooks. If you end up with a load of juice your pan is not hot enough but you can just pour it off and carry on cooking. Don’t be tempted to turn the heat down.
When the meat is browned and sizzling, tip it on to a warm plate along with any juices. Get the wok really hot again before adding the rest of the oil, then add the scallions, garlic, ginger and chillies and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the nuts, fry for another couple of minutes, then return the meat and its juices to the pan. Stir in the lime zest and juice and the nam pla and fry for two more minutes, then stir in the mint and basil. Serve right away with some fried rice.
Wine Suggestion: The trickiest flavour to match here is the lime so it’s probably best to work with it rather than against it. Perhaps an Australian Riesling such as Petaluma or a Pewsey Vale.
(Original recipe from Nigel Slater Real Food, Fourth Estate, 1998.)
Posted in Asian, Pork | Tagged Asian, Cashew nuts, Cooking, Food, Lime, Pork, Recipe, Sitr-fry | 1 Comment »
10 December 2012 by jonoandjules
A very Irish side dish but good enough to eat a big bowlful on its own. If you want to restrain yourselves a bit you could balance this with a nicely barbecued sausage. The diet starts after Christmas!
When seasoning make sure you use white pepper as it makes all the difference. The pink pepper mill in the photo is our “white pepper mill”.
Colcannon – to serve 6 as a side
- 1kg potatoes, scrubbed (cut the bigger ones in half)
- 100g butter
- ½ a small Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
- 150ml double cream
Put the potatoes into a large pan of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer goes through without resistance.
Heat about 25g of the butter in another saucepan and fry half the cabbage for about 5 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and peel while they are hot, then mash until smooth.
Heat the cream with the rest of the butter and, when almost boiling, beat into the potato. Add the cabbage to the potato, mix well and season (with salt and white pepper).
Heaven!
Posted in Food, Potato, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged cabbage, Colcannon, Cooking, Food, Irish, Potato, Recipe, side dish, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
8 December 2012 by jonoandjules
This soup is absolutely delicious and super simple to throw together. We made a main meal out of it by serving it with some shop-bought spring rolls. Try and use freshly ground white peppercorns if you can as they give a subtle spiciness that works really well with the aromatic ginger.
Crab & Sweetcorn soup – to serve 4
- 125g white crabmeat
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tbsp cornflour, mixed with 2 tbsp water
- 1.2 litres chicken stock
- 2.5cm knob of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- 225g tinned sweetcorn, pulsed to a rough purée in a food processor
- sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 2 scallions, finely sliced
Lightly beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the egg whites to the crabmeat along with the blended cornflour and stir well.
Put the stock and ginger into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the sweetcorn and bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for a few minutes. Add the crabmeat mixture and some seasoning. Let it simmer gently and keep stirring for a few minutes until the soup has thickened. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Serve in warm bowls with the scallions scattered over the top.
Wine Suggestion: We didn’t actually try this but, having discussed it at length, we reckon an Austrian Grüner Veltliner might work here. Grüner has a savoury peppery character which should complement the peppery flavour of the soup. You don’t want it to be too heavy though so go for one that is no higher than 12.5% alcohol.
(Original recipe from Gordon Ramsay’s World Kitchen: Recipes From the F Word, Quadrille.)
Posted in Asian, Food, Gruner Veltliner, Shellfish, Soup | Tagged Chinese, Cooking, Crab, Food, Recipe, Soup, Sweetcorn | Leave a Comment »
3 December 2012 by jonoandjules
We can’t encourage you enough to try this salad. The list of ingredients is not instantly inspiring but the result is fabulous!
You will have far too much dressing left over but it will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months and can be used on any salad (it will separate but just give it a good shake each time before serving).
Crushed olive salad – Insalata di olive verdi schiacciate – to serve 4-6
- 450g good quality green olives in brine
- 6 celery stalks, with leaves, all finely chopped
- the leaves from 10-12 stalks of mint, finely chopped
- 40ml dressing (see below)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE DRESSING (makes approx. 375ml):
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 300ml extra virgin olive oil
First make the dressing:
Put the salt into a bowl, then add the vinegars and leave aside for a minute or two to allow the salt to dissolve. Whisk in the olive oil and 2 tbsp of water until it emulsifies. Pour into a clean bottle and keep in the fridge (it should last for about 6 months); it will separate but just give the bottle a good shake before serving.
Drain the olives and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut the flesh away from the stone (try slicing 3-4 times from end to end then carefully cutting away each segment). Put the olive pieces into a bowl and add the celery, celery leaves, and mint. Toss with 40ml of the dressing, season and serve.
(Original recipe from Georgio Locatelli’s Made In Sicily, Fourth Estate, 2011.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Italian, Olives, Recipe, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian | 2 Comments »
27 November 2012 by jonoandjules
This is a quick and easy week-night chicken dish; French inspired and uncomplicated but good flavours.
Chicken with mushrooms – to serve 4
- tbsp olive oil
- 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- flour
- 50g cubetti di pancetta
- 300g small button mushrooms
- 2 large shallots, chopped
- 250ml chicken stock
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 50g frozen peas
- small bunch parsley, finely chopped
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Season and dust the chicken with flour, then brown on all sides. Take the chicken out of the pan and fry the mushrooms and pancetta until softened, then remove.
Add the other tbsp of olive oil and cook the shallot for about 5 minutes. Add the stock and vinegar and bubble for a couple of minutes. Put the chicken, mushrooms and pancetta back into the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Add the peas and parsley and cook for another couple of minutes, then serve with potatoes if you like.
Wine Suggestion: This is an uncomplicated and tasty dish and therefore we suggest a glass of something equally tasty and uncomplicated to go with it. Try an easy French white, like an unoaked Chardonnay from the Mâcon, or an easy French red, like a Cabernet Franc from Chinon.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Chicken, Food, Healthy | Tagged Chicken, Cooking, Easy, Food, Healthy, Recipe | 2 Comments »
24 November 2012 by jonoandjules
This is a really good veggie lasagne filled with curly kale and garlicky mushrooms – delicious! It is also much easier to put together than the usual meaty version and tastes much more luxurious.
Kale and mushroom lasagne – to serve 6
- 300g curly kale, stalks removed
- 30g butter
- 500g mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- a few sprigs of thyme, leaves only, chopped
- 175g lasagne sheets (fresh if possible)
- 20g Parmesan, grated
- olive oil
For the béchamel sauce
- 750ml full-fat milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- a few black peppercorns
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g plain flour
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Heat the milk with the bay leaf, onion, celery and peppercorns until almost simmering. Take off the heat and leave aside to infuse.
Roughly shred the kale. Put into a large saucepan and just cover with cold water. Add salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
Heat half the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add half the mushrooms and season. Increase the heat and fry, stirring, until the liquid released has evaporated and the mushrooms are starting to brown and caramelise. Stir in half the garlic and half the thyme, cook for another minute, then remove to a bowl. Repeat with the rest of the mushrooms, garlic and thyme and set aside.
Gently reheat the milk, then strain. Heat the butter for the béchamel in a large saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat. Add about a quarter of the hot milk and beat vigorously until smooth. Add the rest of the milk in about 3 batches, until you have a smooth sauce. Put the pan back on the heat and cook for a few minutes, stirring and allowing the sauce to bubble gently, until thickened. Stir in the mustard, then season well.
Stir roughly half of the béchamel sauce into the kale.
Spread half the remaining sauce over the bottom of an ovenproof dish (approx. 28 x 22cm). Layer a third of the lasagne sheets in the dish, then spoon the kale over the top. Add another layer of lasagne, then add the mushrooms,. Finish with a final layer of pasta and the rest of the sauce.
Scatter the cheese over the top and add a trickle of oil. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden. Serve right away.
Wine Suggestion: We went for a red Burgundy from a lesser appellation (Santenay) in Burgundy with five years of age. It had a delightful earthiness and red forest fruit character which really complemented the flavours of the mushroom and kale.
(Original recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Veg Everyday!, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011.)
Posted in Food, Pasta, Pinot Noir, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Kale, Lasagne. Vegetarian, Mushrooms, Pasta, Recipe | 2 Comments »
15 November 2012 by jonoandjules
Not a million miles from a Coq au Vin but with a much more delicate and slightly sweet sauce. The Muscat Beaumes-de-Venise is a vin doux naturel from the southern Rhône and is a sweet wine with a characteristic grapey flavour.
Chicken sauté with Muscat de Minervois and crème fraîche – to serve 4
- 1.5kg chicken – jointed into 8 pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g butter
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Armagnac
- ½ bottle Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise (or any sweet Muscat)
- 300ml chicken stock
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 150g small button mushrooms
- 100ml crème fraîche
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Beurre manié (blend equal quantities of butter and flour together into a smooth paste. Keep any extra covered in the fridge)
- Steamed rice and green salad to serve
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat half the oil and butter in a large deep frying pan and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Lower the heat, add the chopped shallots and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the Armagnac to the pan, light with a match and shake the pan until the flames go out. Add the Muscat, stock, thyme and bay leaves, bring to a simmer, cover and leave to cook for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry the mushrooms in a little butter and oil and season. Lift the chicken pieces onto a warmed serving dish and scatter over the mushrooms.
Mix the crème fraîche and egg yolks in a small bowl. Take the pan off the heat and skim any excess fat from the surface of the juices. Add the lemon juice. Add the cream and egg mixture along with the beurre manié, put the pan back onto a low heat and stir over a very gentle heat until the sauce has thickened slightly – do not let it boil! Check the seasoning, then strain the sauce over the chicken and serve with steamed rice and green salad.
Wine Suggestion: A light and southern Rhône red from the Cotes du Ventoux should complement the rich, creamy flavours of this dish and add a pleasant savoury contrast to the sweet sauce. Or, if you’d prefer a white see if you can find a very good Roussillon, like Domaine Gauby or Domaine Madeloc which would make the whole dinner a real treat!
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s French Odyssey, BBC Books, 2005.)
Posted in Chicken, Food | Tagged Chicken, Cooking, Food, French, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
12 November 2012 by jonoandjules
Try and find a tasty pumpkin (i.e. not one of the huge varieties grown to make lanterns) or failing that a butternut squash will do. This makes an absolutely delicious starter or lunch served with some crusty bread.
Roasted pumpkin and thyme soup – to serve 4
- 1.5kg unpeeled pumpkin, or butternut squash
- sunflower oil
- 40g butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- leaves from 4 small sprigs of thyme, plus a few extra to garnish
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock
- 150ml single cream
- 75g Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas Mark 6.
Cut the pumpkin into chunky wedges and scoop out the fibres and seeds. Rub with oil, season well with salt and pepper and put into a small roasting tin, skin-side down. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.
When the pumpkin has cooled down a bit, slice away and discard the skin and cut the flesh into small chunks.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and half the thyme leaves and cook gently for about 10 minutes or until very soft but not browned. Add the roasted pumpkin, any pumpkin juice from the plate, the stock and ½tsp of salt. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Leave the soup to cool slightly, then blend with the rest of the thyme leaves until smooth. Return to a clean pan and bring back to a gentle simmer. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve in warm bowls with a pile of grated cheese and a few thyme leaves in the centre.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s French Odyssey, BBC Books, 2005.)
Posted in Food, Soup, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Pumpkin, Recipe, Soup, Vegetarian | 3 Comments »
11 November 2012 by jonoandjules
Delicious served with a drizzle of cold cream.
Roast figs with marsala and muscovado – to serve 4
- 8 figs
- sweet marsala (or you can use dry marsala but add an extra tbsp of sugar)
- light muscovado sugar
- cream, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6.
Cut the stalks off the figs, then slice a deep cross into the top, going about half way down. Push the fruit around the middle so it opens up like a flower.
Place the figs in a baking dish (or individual pots) and sprinkle over the wine and a couple of tablespoons of sugar.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until very tender and the edges have started to caramelise. You can finish browning them under the grill if necessary.
Serve with the sticky pan juices and a drizzle of cream.
(Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s Tender: Volume II, Fourth Estate, 2010.)
Posted in Dessert, Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Dessert, Figs, Food, Marsala, Recipe, Vegetarian | 3 Comments »
31 October 2012 by jonoandjules
This is a good soup for the dark nights. The parsley pesto will keep in the fridge for up to a month (put in a sterilised jar and cover with some olive oil) and makes a great pasta sauce.
Potato Soup with Parsley Pesto – to serve 6
- 50g butter
- 900g potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 850ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 225ml milk (or half milk and half cream if you have it)
For the parsley pesto:
- small bunch of parsley, leaves chopped
- 25g freshly grated Parmesan
- 25g pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the potatoes and onion, toss until well coated and season. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Pour in the stock and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 15-20 minutes.
Put all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and whizz until evenly chopped and smooth. Add the oil and a pinch of salt.
Liquidise the soup until smooth, then add the milk. Adjust the seasoning and serve with some parsley pesto drizzled over the top.
(Original recipe by Rachel Allen in BBC Good Food Magazine, October, 2006.)
Posted in Food, Soup, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Parsley, Pesto, Potato, Recipe, Soup, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
29 October 2012 by jonoandjules
This is a fabulous recipe for left-over roast chicken and it’s even worth roasting a bird especially (though we cheated with a shop-bought rotisserie one). You can make a decent chicken stock by pouring water over the carcass and simmering it with a carrot, bay leaf and onion for half an hour.
Creamy Roast Chicken Risotto – to serve 2
- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 50g butter
- small bunch of thyme leaves
- 250g arborio rice
- 1 litre hot chicken stock
- 350g leftover roast chicken, torn into bite-size chunks
- 100g crème fraîche
- a handful of chopped parsley
- Parmesan, grated
Melt the butter in a heavy, shallow pan and cook the onion gently until soft but not coloured. Stir in the thyme leaves and the rice and stir until the rice is glistening. Add a little of the hot stock and bring slowly to the boil. Turn the heat down and gradually add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring. Stir in the roast chicken as you add the last ladleful of stock.
After about 20 minutes the rice should be tender but with a little bite to it. Stir in the crème fraîche and parsley, then some seasoning. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving with a little Parmesan grated over.
Wine Suggestion: A glass of Vintage Champagne if you’re feeling extravagant or a good Maconnais white, like Pouilly-Fuisse or possibly even something from Roussillon like a Limoux… the choices are endless but don’t go too dry you need a bit of fruitiness here to help with the richness of the dish and a bit of body too otherwise the wine will be overwhelmed.
(Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s Real Food, Fourth Estate, 1998.)
Posted in Chicken, Food | Tagged Chicken, Cooking, dinner, Food, pouilly fuisse, Recipe, Risotto, Wine suggestion | 2 Comments »
27 October 2012 by jonoandjules
Our first recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi and also the very first recipe in this fabulous new book. We have a short window of opportunity at the moment when fresh figs are going cheap so we’re eating them with almost everything. This makes a great sharing plate.
Roasted sweet potatoes & fresh figs – to serve 4
- 4 small sweet potatoes
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 40ml balsamic vinegar (it doesn’t have to be top quality)
- 20g caster sugar
- 12 scallions, halved lengthways and cut into 4cm lengths
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
- 6 ripe fresh figs, quartered
- 150g soft goat’s cheese
Preheat the oven to 240ºC/220ºC Fan/Gas Mark 9.
Wash the sweet potatoes, halve them lengthways and cut each half into 3 long wedges. Mix with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, 2 tsp of sea salt and some black pepper. Place the wedges on a baking sheet, skin-side down, and bake for about 25 minutes, until soft but not mushy. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Make a balsamic reduction by putting the balsamic vinegar and sugar into a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2-4 minutes or until it thickens. Take the pan off the heat when the vinegar is still “runnier than honey” as it will continue to thicken as it cools. Stir in a drop of water before serving if it becomes too thick to drizzle.
Arrange the sweet potatoes on a large plate. Heat the rest of the oil in a medium saucepan and add the scallions and chilli. Fry on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring, and then spoon the oil, onions and chilli over the sweet potatoes. Dot the figs among the wedges and then drizzle over the balsamic reduction. Serve at room temperature with the goat’s cheese crumbled over.
(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Publishing, 2012.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Figs, Food, fresh figs, Jerusalem, Recipe, Sweet potato, Vegetarian | 3 Comments »
24 October 2012 by jonoandjules
We highly recommended this hot, sour and fragrant soup for head colds and other ailments. It probably won’t cure you but it will make you feel better for a short while.
Tom yam gai – to serve 2
- 1 skinless chicken breast
- 1 litre fresh chicken stock
- 4 scallions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped into short lengths and slightly crushed
- 3 small red chillies, seeded and thinly sliced
- 4 lime leaves
- 1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Bring the chicken breast to the boil in the stock, then turn the heat down to simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked, then remove, shred and set aside.
Add the scallions, garlic, lemongrass, chillies and lime leaves to the broth and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar and shredded chicken and keep cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and adjust the seasoning. Make sure the soup is piping hot and stir in the coriander just before serving.
(Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s Real Food, Fourth Estate, 1998.)
Posted in Asian, Chicken, Food, Soup | Tagged Cooking, Food, Recipe, Soup, Thai | 1 Comment »
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Jono & Jules do food & wine 