15 December 2011 by jonoandjules
Yes … Jono and jules do make desserts … but just not very often. So in a weak moment last weekend we succumbed to whipping up, literally, some syllabub as we had some Gewürztraminer, an off-dry, aromatic, lychee and rose smelling spicy wine lying around. The good think about syllabubs are their lightness and ability to be made a little beforehand so they’re easy to pull out at the end of a meal with very little effort apart from dressing the top with some marinated lemon peel to garnish. Serve with some crunchy biscuits.
White Wine Syllabub – to serve 6
- finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 50g caster or icing sugar
- 150ml medium-dry, spicy white wine – Gewurtz works well
- 300ml double cream
Mix the zest and lemon juice, brandy, sugar and white wine together. Cover and chill overnight – or at least for 1 hour.
Strain the wine mixture and throw away the lemon zest. Put the cream in a bowl and whisk, slowly adding the wine mixture, until it loosely holds its shape and leaves a ribbon on the surface when you trail the whisk along it. Don’t whisk too long or it will curdle!
Spoon into tall glasses and leave somewhere cool until ready to serve. Decorate with a twist of lemon peel.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Spanish Christmas, BBC2, 2011.)
Posted in Dessert, Food | Tagged Cooking, Dessert, Food, Gewurtztraminer, lemon, Recipe, Syllabub | Leave a Comment »
13 December 2011 by jonoandjules
These looked so pretty! The flavours really compliment each other and the ones to the right of the picture have no chorizo and still tasted fab!
Prawn, chorizo & tomato kebabs – makes 12
- 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- a couple of sprigs of thyme broken into small pieces
- 12 raw, peeled tiger prawns
- 12 slices from a whole chorizo sausage
- 12 basil leaves, cut in half
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the tomatoes cut-side up on a baking tray, top with a thin lice of garlic, a piece of thyme, a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt on each. Cook for 30 minutes.
Fry the chorizo and prawns in a little oil in two separate pans, keeping everything warm. Push a prawn, a piece of basil, a piece of chorizo, some more basil and a tomato half on to cocktail sticks or little skewers.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Wine Suggestion: We like to serve sparkling wine with canapés – especially at this time of year. Try a dry sparkling rosé for an occasion or a still rosé from Bordeaux or Provence which will give a bit of texture from the tannins as well as a savoury dryness.
Posted in Food, Party Food | Tagged Canapés, Chorizo, Cooking, Food, Party Food, prawns, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
12 December 2011 by jonoandjules
Fear not, for this is not a complicated pastry recipe. In fact it is an absolute doddle as it uses two ready-made puff pastry sheets which are exactly the right size. No rolling required!
No-fuss puff-pastry mushroom pie – to feed 4
- 5 medium onions
- butter or oil
- 350g firm mushrooms
- a small handful of chopped thyme or oregano
- 200g crème fraîche
- 425g puff pastry
- a little beaten egg or milk to glaze
Roughly chop the onions and cook slowly with butter or oil over a low heat for about 20 minutes, until golden and soft. Slice the mushrooms and add to the onions, adding more butter or oil if needed. Leave them to turn golden and tender but stir now and then so they don’t stick. Season with the chopped herbs and stir in the crème fraîche with some salt and pepper. Make sure it is creamy rather than runny by bubbling it for a couple of minutes to thicken.
Heat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Lay one puff-pastry rectangle on a lightly floured baking sheet and spread the mushrooms and onions over, leaving a rim around the edge. Brush a little egg or milk around the rim, lay the second sheet on top and squeeze the edges together well to seal. Brush with some more of the egg or milk, then cut a couple of small holes in the top.
Bake until puffed up like a cushion and nicely browned – about 25 minutes. Check the bottom to make sure it’s crispy underneath.
Serve with a green salad.
(Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s Appetite, Fourth Estate, 2000.)
Wine Suggestion: We would suggest a medium bodied but well structured white wine with minerality such as a good Chardonnay. We had the benefit of trying a 2004 Cullen Margaret River Chardonnay which was youthful, fresh and superb; full of personality and minerality while still being effortless and elegant.
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Mushrooms, Pastry, Recipe, Vegetarian | 3 Comments »
10 December 2011 by jonoandjules
We have loved every recipe we have tried from Rick Stein’s Spain. This is a really nice rice dish from Valencia which we’ll definitely be doing again. It tastes similar to paella but requires fewer ingredients. Delicious and easy!
Arroz de rape, azafrán y pimientos – to serve 6
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 75g finely chopped shallot
- 1 small head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp pimentón dulce (smoked sweet Spanish paprika), plus a bit extra for seasoning the fish
- a pinch of crushed dried chillies
- 200g vine ripened beef tomatoes, halved
- 1 litre Fish stock
- 1/2 tsp loosely packed saffron strands
- 400g short-grained paella rice such as Calasperra
- 1 large roasted red pepper or 3 jarred pimientos
- 500g monkfish fillet, trimmed of membrane then cut across into 1 cm thick slices
- Aioli to serve
Grate the tomatoes using a coarse grater. You will be left with the skin which you can discard. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a 28-30cm cazuela or shallow flameproof casserole, add the shallot and fry gently for 10 minutes or until soft but not browned. Add the garlic, pimentón and chillies and fry for another 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and cook until they have broken down into a sauce.
Stir in the fish stock, saffron and 1 1/2 tsp of salt and bring to the boil, stirring. Sprinkle in the rice, stir once, then leave to simmer vigorously over a medium-high heat for 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the roasted red pepper or jarred pimientos into 1cm-wide strips, removing any skin and seeds. Sprinkle over the top of the rice and shake briefly so they sink in a bit. Lower the heat and leave to simmer gently for another 12 minutes. At the end the liquid should all have absorbed and the rice should have small holes on the surface.
Before the rice is ready, pat the monkfish pieces dry and season well with salt and a little pimentón. Heat 2tbsp olil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the monkfish slices in batches and fry over a high heat for 1 minute on each side until very lightly coloured and almost cooked.
Lay the fish on top of the rice, turn off the heat and cover with a lid or clean cloth. Leave to rest for 5 minutes to allow the monkfish to finish cooking through.
Serve with alioli.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Spain, BBC Books, 2011)
Wine Suggestion: The best match would be something with a the joy of youth and fruitiness like a joven (young) Tempranillo or a light Garnacha.
Posted in Fish, Food, Spanish | Tagged Cooking, Food, Monkfish, Recipe, rice, Rick Stein, Spanish | 2 Comments »
8 December 2011 by jonoandjules
Here’s a couple of easy side dishes that will feed loads of people! For the salad you can roast the squash and tomatoes and make the dressing ahead.
Cannellini Bean and Roast Squash Salad with Basil Dressing – to feed 12
- 1kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
- olive oil
- 500g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 shallots, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- basil
- 4 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained (we didn’t have cannellini so used a mix of flageolet and haricot beans)
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the squash on a baking tray with 2 tbsp oil and season. Roast for 20 minutes then add the tomatoes, turn up the heat to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and roast for 15 minutes. Then cool.
Put the shallots, mustard, vinegar and basil in a processor and blend. Add 4 tbsp olive oil and 3tbsp of water and blend to make a dressing.
Put the beans on a platter. Top with the squash and tomatoes then drizzle over the dressing. Toss gently and serve.
Diced olive oil roasties with rosemary – to serve 12
- 2.5kg potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
- olive oil
- a few sprigs of rosemary
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 180C/gas 6.
Par-boil the potatoes for 5 minutes then drain. Toss with 4 tbsp olive oil and spread on a baking tray. Season and cook for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the rosemary, toss then cook for another 25-30 minutes or until crispy and golden. Sprinkle with sea salt.
We served both dishes with some barbecued sausages – but you can serve them with whatever you like!
(Original recipes from BBC Olive, December 2011.)
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Potatoes, Recipe, side dish, Squash | Leave a Comment »
7 December 2011 by jonoandjules
Simple to make which makes it a perfect dish after a long day at work, plus it is packed full of flavour and deliciousness. We used Beluga lentils, which are really just a variation on Puy lentils, that hold a lovely black colour, glisten well when served and retain a good firmness when cooked; ordinary Puy lentils will work just as well.
Lentils with squash and feta – to serve 2
- 100g Beluga lentils
- 400ml vegetable stock
- olive oil
- 200g butternut squash, diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
- a pinch of chilli flakes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 50g feta, crumbled
- 1/2 small bunch parsley, chopped
Cook the lentils in the stock for 15-20 minutes or until tender, then drain. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the squash and some seasoning then cook for about 5 minutes. Add the onions and chilli and cook for another 5 minutes or so or until the squash is golden and tender. Add the cumin and stir through. Add the lentils and stir to combine. Stir in the parsley then divide between two plates and scatter with the crumbled feta.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Wine suggestion: the earthiness of the ingredients pair well with medium bodied, earthy wines – a classic match would be a pinot noir for a red, or a sylvaner in a white.
Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Feta, Food, Lentils, Recipe, Squash | Leave a Comment »
4 December 2011 by jonoandjules
True inspiration by Jamie Oliver to use veal and cream in a shepherds pie – et voila … a Milkman’s Pie (veal being milk fed and then cream used in the dish).
Milkman’s Pie – to feed 6
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
- 50g unsalted butter
- 8 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 450g veal mince
- 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
- 1 lemon
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 110ml pale ale/bitter
- 800g floury potatoes – we used Kerr’s Pinks
- milk
- 150g button or chestnut mushrooms
- 200ml single cream
- 50g Cheddar cheese
Cut the carrots and onions roughly into 1cm pieces then fry in a large pan with some olive oil and butter, a few good pinches of salt and white pepper, the thyme leaves and bay leaves. Cook on a medium to high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened. Add the mince and flour, grate in the lemon zest and crumble in the stock cube. Keep stirring and breaking up the mince until the liquid from the meat starts to evaporate. When it starts to fry again and takes on a bit of colour, pour in the bitter and just enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a low heat and simmer with lid askew for 1 hour. Give it a stir every now and then.
When the mince has been cooking for about half an hour, preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Peel and quarter the potatoes and cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to steam in the pot for a few minutes, season well, then mash with a splash of milk and a some butter.
Finely slice the mushrooms and add to the mince, then pour in the cream. Season and bring back to the boil until the mixture has thickened a bit (we left ours a bit too liquid so be patient). Pour into a dish or tin and grate over the Cheddar. Spread the mashed potato on top and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until nice and brown on top. Serve with greens.
(Original recipe from Jamie’s Great Britain by Jamie Oliver, Penguin 2011.)
Wine Suggestion: A light young simple Syrah from the northern Rhône – like a Crozes-Hermitage. We were tempted with white but in hindsight think a red would fare better – nothing too heavy we think is the key.
Posted in Food | Tagged Cooking, Food, Jamie Oliver, Recipe, Veal | 2 Comments »
3 December 2011 by jonoandjules
The sauce for these mussels is a revelation: full of wonderful flavours and balance, rich and yet light. Don’t be afraid of the amount of whiskey you put in either – it really works.
Irish Whiskey Mussels – to serve 6
- 2kg mussels
- 1 large leek
- 1 stick of celery
- knob of butter
- 250g undyed smoked haddock, skin removed and pin-boned
- 150ml Irish whiskey – we used Green Spot
- 200ml double cream
- small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
Wash and debeard the mussels and throw any that won’t close away.
Finely slice the leek and celery (keep the yellow celery leaves for sprinkling over at the end). Put a wide, deep pot on a medium heat and add some olive oil and a knob of butter, along with the leek and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft then flake in the smoked haddock and pour in the whiskey. Set the pan alight and wait until the flames die down – mind your eyebrows.
Add the mussels and double cream. Stir well, put the lid on the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the mussels have all popped open – throw away any that stay closed. Move the mussels to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Bubble the cooking liquor until it thickens. Roughly chop the parsley and add to the pot. Taste the sauce for seasoning and pour it all over the mussels Scatter the celery leaves over and serve with bread or skinny chips.
(Original recipe Highland Mussels by Jamie Oliver from Jamie’s Great Britain, Penguin 2011.)
Wine Suggestion: Pick a nice dry and good quality German Riesling which should give you racy acidity, minerality and Riesling flavours which work well with the mussels and smoked haddock. We had a stunning example from Wagner Stempel – well worth checking out this up and coming producer from the Rheinhessen region (infamously known for Liebfraumilch!). Or you could always have a shot of whiskey!
Posted in Food, Irish Food, Shellfish, Whiskey | Tagged Cooking, Food, Green Spot, Irish Whiskey, Jamie Oliver, Mussels, Pot Still, Recipe | 2 Comments »
28 November 2011 by jonoandjules
These are the prawns we served as a canapé at Jules’ birthday dinner yesterday. Really simple to throw together and tasty too – the mint makes a big impact.
Prawns with mint & chilli yogurt
Mix 4 tbsp of natural yogurt with 1 small deseeded red chilli and 8 leaves fresh mint, both finely chopped, and some seasoning. Heat 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a frying pan, add 12 large raw peeled prawns (leave the tails on if you’re peeling yourself), and fry for a minute each side until they have turned pink and cooked through. Put teaspoonfuls of the yogurt on 12 baby gem lettuce leaves, top each with a hot prawn and a couple of tiny mint leaves. Serve hot.
Wine Suggestion: Something pink and bubbly! We had a Coates & Seely sparkling Rosé from Hampshire in Southern England. This producer used traditional French winemaking techniques and traditional Champagne grapes of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Very classy looking bottle too. Available from Mitchell & Son for €42.95.
Posted in Food, Party Food, Shellfish | Tagged Canapés, Cooking, Food, Party Food, prawns, Recipe, Shellfish | Leave a Comment »
26 November 2011 by jonoandjules
We love champ, and this recipe adds an extra layer of deliciousness. This idea is from Jamie’s latest book and we especially liked the addition of yellow celery leaves at the end.
King of mash: Irish champ
- 1kg potatoes
- 2 scallions
- 1 leek
- 150ml milk
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 50g butter
- a small handful of watercress (we omitted this as there was none in the shop)
- a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- a small handful of yellow celery leaves
Peel the potatoes and bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cut the potatoes into 2.5cm chunks then add to the pan and boil fast for 12-15 minutes, or until completely tender.
Meanwhile, slice the scallions and leeks as finely as you can. Put them in a saucepan with the milk, bay leaf, butter and plenty of seasoning. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for about 7-8 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry for a few minutes in the hot pot. Mash the potatoes, adding spoonfuls of the milk as you go. Taste and season. Roughly chop the watercress (if using) and stir through the mash (discard any thick stalks).
Just before serving reheat the mash with a lid on over a gentle heat. Stir in the parsley and celery leaves and serve with more butter if you like.
(Original recipe from Jamie’s Great Britain by Jamie Oliver, Penguin, 2011.)
Posted in Food, Irish Food, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Irish, Jamie, Potatoes, Recipe, side dish, Vegetarian | 7 Comments »
24 November 2011 by jonoandjules
Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends! This is our contribution to the Thanksgiving Dinner we’re going to tonight – we hope it’s better than the ‘traditional’ tinned stuff we’ve heard about! It keeps well for a week which is useful when preparing for big feasts and a little bit of chilli does wonders for the taste.
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 (ours came from Wisconsin), 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 | Leave a Comment »
23 November 2011 by jonoandjules
Mixing fresh tomatoes into a risotto is a revelation and adds a layer of freshness that is enhanced by the crushed fennel – yum! This is a lighter risotto with much less butter and cheese than we would normally add! Still there is loads of flavour and this is perfect for a weeknight (we try and save the butter and cheese for the weekend).
Saffron & tomato risotto – to serve 2
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- a large pinch of saffron threads, crushed
- olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock
- 275g arborio rice
- 125ml white wine
- 3 tbsp parmesan, grated
Mix the fennel seeds with the chopped tomatoes. Pour 1 tbsp of boiling water over the saffron to soak. Heat the oil in a wide, shallow pan and add the onion with some seasoning. Cook for a few minutes or until softened. Heat the stock in a separate pan until simmering.
Add the rice to the onion and cook for a few minutes or until the grains are glistening. Pour in the saffron and stir for a minute before adding the wine. Keep stirring until the wine is absorbed.
Add a ladleful of stock and stir again until absorbed. Keep doing this until the rice is cooked but still has a bite. Add the tomatoes and fennel seeds and cook for a minute. Serve with the Parmesan.
Wine Suggestion: Try a medium-bodied and well-rounded white from Italy, like a Fiano or Falanghina. Or you could push the boat out with a top quality Greco di Tufo, full of minerality but still with the freshness needed for this dish – we had none of these unfortunately 😦
Posted in Food, Healthy, Italian, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Easy, Food, Low fat, Recipe, rice, Risotto | Leave a Comment »
22 November 2011 by jonoandjules
This is pretty fiery and a really tasty mid-week dinner. Perfect for anyone suffering from a cold!
Prawns with mustard seeds & coconut – to serve 2
- 150g basmati rice
- 100g frozen peas
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- 1 green chilli, sliced
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 tbsp masala curry paste (we use Patak’s)
- 400g tin cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 200g large raw peeled prawns
- a small bunch of coriander, chopped
Cook the rice according to the pack instructions, adding the frozen peas a few minutes before the end.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, half the green chilli, and mustard seeds. Cook until the onion is soft and the seeds are popping. Add the curry paste and cook for a minute. Pour in the tomatoes and add the coconut. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened, then add the prawns. Cook for another few minutes until the prawns turn opaque. Serve with the pea rice and some coriander and green chilli sprinkled over.
(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, December 2011)
Wine Suggestion: We thought a simple, fruity Pinot Blanc, maybe a Pinot Grigio or a Beaujolais Nouveau for a bit of seasonal novelty (released on the 3rd Thursday in November and the first wine released each vintage). Then we decided a beer might be more appropriate!
Posted in Food, Shellfish | Tagged Cooking, Curry, Food, prawns, Recipe | 1 Comment »
20 November 2011 by jonoandjules
Poor Jono had to go into hospital to have his hand reset after breaking it on Monday and after a general anesthetic some comfort food was required! This recipe has bags of flavour as well as the comfort factor required.
Macaroni cheese – to serve 6
- 75g butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 75g plain flour
- 900ml boiling milk
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 225g cheese (we used a mixture of Gruyère and double Gloucester or you can just use Cheddar)
- 300g macaroni pasta
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and cook gently until soft. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then gradually add the milk, keep stirring all the time, and the mustard. Stir in 3/4s of the cheese and let it melt, then season.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water with a tsp of salt, until just soft (a minute or two less than it says on the pack). Drain, then mix into the cheese sauce and transfer to a ovenproof dish. Scatter the rest of the cheese over the top and put under a hot grill until brown on top.
(Original recipe from Rachel’s Favourite Food at Home by Rachel Allen, Collins, 2006.)
Wine Suggestion: This would be great with a full-bodied, structured white. Structure usually comes from oak – a Pouilly-Fuisse would be fantastic!
Posted in Cheese, Food, Pasta, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Recipe, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment »
16 November 2011 by jonoandjules
This dish is really easy, light and yet full of flavours. Takes hardly any time to rustle up on a week night too.
Sicilian-style fish stew – to serve 2
- olive oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- a pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 plum tomatoes (we had to use tinned tomatoes this time)
- 125ml white wine
- 400ml vegetable stock
- 50g couscous
- 250g white fish fillet – we used hake
- 1/2 a lemon, zested
- a small handful of chopped parsley chopped
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a wide, shallow pan. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and chilli flakes. Season and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another couple of minutes. Pour in the wine and stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes then add the couscous. Turn down to a simmer and add the fish. Cover with a lid and cook until the fish is done, about 5-7 minutes. Break the fish into large chunks as you serve and sprinkle over the lemon zest and parsley.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Wine suggestion: You want a bit of body and minerality here as there are some fairly robust flavours, despite being a light dish. We went for a Riesling from Alsace but a Provencal rosé would also work well.
Posted in Fish, Food, Healthy | Tagged Cooking, Fish, Food, Healthy, Quick, Recipe | 4 Comments »
15 November 2011 by jonoandjules
…to our Spaghetti Tetrazzini post below. Jamie Oliver had us convinced that this was Italian, publishing it in his Italy book and alluding to an old Italian recipe book.
Our trusty Italian friend has since discovered that Tetrazzini isn’t an Italian dish at all but an American one. It is thought that the dish was created by a chef in San Francisco who named it after an Italian opera star called Luisa Tetrazzini. It’s all there in black and white on wikipedia so it must be true. It also explains some of the comments from other bloggers who remember this from their childhood. I don’t think any of them are Italian either!
So cheers Enrico and good luck with your new foodie wine blog which comes highly recommended by Jono and Jules:
Grapecircus Big Top
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
13 November 2011 by jonoandjules
Another spaghetti dish but the full fat version this time – lot’s of double cream and cheese. This is a mysterious Italian dish from Jamie’s Italy which he claims is an old Italian recipe. We’ve looked in all of our Italian cookbooks and cannot find a reference to it anywhere. We even asked a real live Italian and he’d never heard of it either. So we’ll explain what it is – a super-indulgent chicken and mushroom pasta bake. We like it.
Spaghetti tetrazzini – chicken and mushroom pasta bake – to serve 6
- 20g of dried porcini mushrooms
- olive oil
- 4 skinned and boned chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
- 350g of mixed fresh mushrooms, wiped and torn
- 200ml of white wine
- 500g dried spaghetti
- 500ml double cream
- 200g Parmesan, grated
- a sprig of basil, leaves picked
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Put the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour over just enough boiling water to cover (about 150ml). Set aside to soak for a few minutes. Heat a large saucepan, and pour in a splash of olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown gently in the oil. Strain the porcini, keeping the liquid, and add to the pan with the garlic and fresh mushrooms. Add the wine, with the strained porcini soaking water, and turn the heat down. Simmer gently until the chicken pieces are cooked through and the wine has reduced a little.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water according to the pack instructions, then drain well. Add the cream to the chicken, bring to the boil and then turn off the heat. Season well with salt and pepper. Add the drained spaghetti to the creamy chicken sauce and toss well. Add three-quarters of the Parmesan and all the basil and stir well. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish, sprinkle with half of the remaining cheese and bake in the oven until brown, bubbling and crispy on the top (about 10-15 minutes). Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of cheese.
Wine Suggestion: We cooked this dish to match an unusual wine that has been sitting in our rack for some time now. A Chardonnay and Savignin (not Sauvignon) blend from the Jura, in Eastern France. This wine has earthy flavours and is a slightly oxidised style – oxidation is normally what destroys wines when they’ve been open too long so this is a bit unusual. At 13 years old (vintage 1998) it showed beautifully with lovely yellow apple flavours and a fresh acidity. Still we loved it and it was a perfect match for this creamy chicken and mushrooms dish. If you can’t find a wine from the Jura we suggest a cool climate Chardonnay that has weight but maintained its acidity – a Pouilly-Fuisse or Meursault would be perfect.
Posted in Food | Tagged Chicken, Cooking, Italian, Jamie Oliver, Mushrooms, Recipe, Spaghetti, Wine | 5 Comments »
11 November 2011 by jonoandjules
Creamy linguine and low-fat don’t usually go in the same sentence but in this case they work. Generally we’re not keen on low-fat substitutes, preferring to have a bit less of the real thing, but reduced-fat crème fraîche is an exception. We really enjoyed this and it feels quite indulgent despite being both low-fat and good for you.
Creamy linguine with prawns – to serve 2
- 175g linguine
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
- 100ml white wine
- 2 tbsp reduced-fat crème fraîche
- juice 1/2 lemon
- 150g raw peeled prawns
- small bunch chives, finely chopped
Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the oil and gently fry the garlic for 2 minutes. Tip in the wine and bubble over a high heat for 1 minute, then lower the heat and sitr in the crème fraîche and lemon juice. Season with salt and lots of black pepper. Simmer for 1 minute to reduce a little, then add the prawns and simmer in the sauce until they turn pink.
Drain the pasta and tip into the sauce with half the chives. Mix it all together, divide between two dishes and sprinkle with the rest of the chives.
Wine Suggestion: Have a glass of whatever you used in the sauce. Picpoul de Pinet works well and Tesco Finest do a fairly decent one at a very reasonable price. It’s light but has nice fruit and a good crisp acidity – perfect for shellfish plus enough acidity to cut through the creamy sauce in this dish.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Food, Healthy, Pasta, Shellfish | Tagged Cooking, Easy, Food, Healthy, Linguine, Low fat, prawns, Recipe | 3 Comments »
10 November 2011 by jonoandjules
This was surprisingly delicious and flavoursome; the curry paste really adds a good depth yet it is still light and wholesome. A Keema curry is one that uses mince which we’ve not really done. After this recipe we’ll certainly try a few others.
Keema curry & raita – to serve 4
- 1 onion, chopped
- 400g beef mince
- 340g frozen peas
- handful fresh coriander, chopped
FOR THE PASTE
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- thumb-sized piece ginger, chopped
- 1/2 tsp each turmeric and ground coriander
- 1 tbsp curry powder
FOR THE RAITA
- 200g fat-free natural yogurt
- 100g cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced
- handful fresh mint, chopped
Whizz the paste ingredients together in a blender or food processsor – you might need a splash of water.
Cook the onion in a splash of water for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the mince and cook for another 5 minutes to brown. Add the paste, cook for a minute, then pour in 100ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the raita ingredients together and season. When the mince is cooked, season and stir through the coriander. Serve with the raita and some brown rice.
Wine suggestion: You don’t want something with too much acidity here but it still needs a bit of easy fruit. Try a Pinot Blanc from Alsace.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Posted in Asian, Beef, Food, Healthy, Indian | Tagged Cooking, Curry, Food, Indian, Low fat, Raita, Recipe | 2 Comments »
9 November 2011 by jonoandjules
Because we’re not blessed by abundant fresh Porcini like the Italians we need to be a little inventive to capture the flavours and effect of a genuinely Italian recipe; this one delivers the goods in spades. If you find some fresh porcini grab them with both hands but otherwise try this mixture of wild mushrooms and a handful of dried porcini to boost the flavour.
Funghi Trifolati (Sautéed Mushrooms with Parsley & Garlic) – to serve 4 as a side dish
- 25g dried porcini
- 500g fresh mushrooms, use a mixture of wild and cultivated
- 2 shallots
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 15g unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Put the dried porcini in a bowl, cover with hot water and leave for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, clean the fresh mushrooms – wiping them with kitchen paper should be sufficient rather than washing them. Cut them into thick slices.
Lift the porcini out of the water and cut into small pieces.
Finely chop the shallots, put them in a large sauté pan and sauté with the olive oil and butter until soft. Add the garlic, half the parsley, a little salt and lots of pepper. Cook, stirring, for a minute and then add the porcini. Cook for 5 minutes or so and then throw in the fresh mushrooms and some parsley. Cook over a fairly high heat for about 10 minutes, making sure mushrooms don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. There should be very little liquid left by the end of the cooking.
Sprinkle with the last bit of parsley before serving.
(Original recipe by Anna Del Conte, Gastronomy of Italy, Pavilion Books, 2001.)
Posted in Food, Italian, Side dish, Vegetarian | Tagged Cooking, Food, Italian, Mushrooms, Porcini, Recipe | 2 Comments »
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