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Jono and Jules’ Wine of the Week

16 January 2011 by jonoandjules

Oops, we’ve broken our price point slightly on this one – the rule for wine of the week is to stay under €15.00, but this was the cheapest Italian red in Fallon & Byrne on Exchequer Street, Dublin and came in at €15.99. As we had a hankering for an Italian at the time to go with our meatballs (see below), this wine gets to be our Wine of the Week!

From an area slightly less prestigious than Chianti Classico, this Chianti Rufina delivers on value and flavour. It had a lovely, juicy cherry flavour which was balanced with fine, and slightly rustic tannins. This gave the wine a delightful character and was perfect with the Meatballs.

I am sure this would have been a few Euro more if from Chianti Classico as it had personality and good levels of fruit.

Posted in Italy, Wine, Wine of the Week | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Garlic, Thyme & Lemon Chicken

12 January 2011 by jonoandjules

Super easy and quick: this was on the table in under 15 minutes and tasted great! It’s also another healthy recipe for all of you January dieters (us included!). This serves two people.

  • 2 skinless Chicken breast fillets
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • Thyme leaves from 2 sprigs
  • Olive oil
  • 1.5 lemons – 1 juiced and half cut into wedges
  • 2 slices of crusty bread, toasted (we used ciabatta)
  • rocket to serve

Make a cut in the side of each chicken and open them up like a book. Cover in cling film and flatten out evenly with your hands.

Mix garlic and thyme with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and spread over the chicken.

Heat a non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken for 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the other. We needed to do them separately as our frying pan wasn’t big enough for two (and the pan is big). Put both chicken breasts back in the pan when done, pour over the lemon juice and season well. Make sure you turn them over to pick up the pan juices and tasty bits.

Serve each chicken breast on a slice of toast and top with the rocket and a wedge of lemon.

Wine suggestion: something lemony like an unoaked Semillon or a Gavi di Gavi (unfortunately we just had a glass of water)

Posted in Chicken, Food, Healthy | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments »

Super Healthy Veggie Balti

11 January 2011 by jonoandjules

This is exceptionally filling, very tasty and virtuous to boot. The recipe below says it is to feed four but we reckon it’d feed six; and we’re greedy!

Vegetable Balti – serves 4-6 (takes about an hour and a half to make).

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, thickly sliced
  • 1 large clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 eating apple, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks
  • 3 tbsp balti curry paste (we like Patak’s)
  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 large carrots, thickly sliced
  • 200g turnips, cut into chunks
  • 1 medium cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 425ml hot vegetable stock
  • 4 tbsp chopped coriander, plus extra to serve
  • 150g pot low-fat natural yoghurt

Heat the oil in a big pan, add the onion, garlic and apple and cook gently, stirring now and again, for about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the curry paste.

Throw in the vegetables and add the tomatoes and stock. Stir in 3 tbsp of the coriander. Bring to the boil, turn the heat to low, and cook with a lid on for half an hour.

Take off the lid and cook for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has reduced a bit. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix 1tbsp coriander into the yoghurt. Serve the curry in bowls, drizzle over some yoghurt and sprinkle on a bit of coriander. Serve with the rest of the yoghurt and warm naan breads. Enjoy.

Wine suggestion: Have a beer instead.

Find the original recipe on BBC Good Food.

Posted in Food, Healthy, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Tropical fruit salad

10 January 2011 by jonoandjules

This beats munching your way through a load of apples any day. We’ve been having it for breakfast with some natural yoghurt over the top and it’s fabulous.

Tropical fruit salad in lemongrass syrup – makes a big bowl full

  • 425g tin lychees in syrup
  • 2 stems lemongrass, halved and bashed with a rolling pin
  • 85g golden caster sugar
  • About 800g of supermarket fresh mixed tropical fruits – we got ours in M&S
  • 100g seedless red grapes

Drain the lychee juice into a pan and put the lychees in a big bowl. Add the lemongrass and sugar to the pan, heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then boil for 1 minute. Turn the heat off and set aside to infuse.

Strain the syrup over the lychees and tip in the fruits. Chill and enjoy for breakfast or whenever.

Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine January 2004.

Posted in Healthy, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

The Frankies Spuntino Meatballs

10 January 2011 by jonoandjules

This comes from a cookbook (The Frankies Spuntino) that was a very thoughtful birthday present for Jules from my sister Claire: an authentic Italian hangout in New York. We’d never heard of it, so it was a great treat to be introduced to something new. The two Frankie’s have gone back to their roots to produce real home cooking like their mothers and grand-mothers made in Italy and this is a great read as well as a useful addition to our recipe inventory. A Spuntino is a snack or a place to eat them, so this is about flavour and comfort rather than cheffy complications – we like it!

Warning – you will need to start this recipe the day before; it is not something you’ll have time to whip up after work as it takes at least 4 hours for the big pot of sauce alone. It is well worth it and the leftover sauce is exceptionally useful for so many extra dishes, plus it is a darn sight better than those jars of tomato sauces with celebrities on the front that you buy at the shops. Julie made the sauce while I was at work on Saturday and then we made the meatballs together on Sunday.

Frankies Spuntino’s very useful tomato sauce – makes heaps!

  • 1 x US cup (237ml) good quality olive oil
  • 13 cloves garlic
  • 4 x 800g tins of Italian tomatoes (go to a good deli to get them – we got ours in Roy Fox’s)
  • Large pinch of chilli flakes
  • 2 tsps fine sea salt

Put oil and garlic into a large deep saucepan and cook over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, giving the odd stir, until he garlic is deep golden with streaks of brown, and fragrant. If it starts to smell bitter or is colouring too quickly take if off the heat and turn the heat down.

While the garlic is on, pour the tomatoes into a bowl (you’ll need a big one) and crush them with your hands. Discard the stem end and any basil leaves in the can.

When the garlic is done, add the chilli flakes and cook them for 30 seconds or so, to infuse the spice into the oil. Throw in the tomatoes and salt and give it a good stir. Turn the heat up to medium and bring the sauce up to a gentle simmer. Leave it there for 4 hours – stirring now and again.

Check for salt at the end. You can now cook the sauce with meat (as below), leave it covered in the fridge for at least 4 days or freeze for a few months. If you are cooking the meatballs cook them in the entire quantity of sauce and then keep the leftover sauce for later – it gives it a great flavour – though remember you did this when your veggie friends come over!

Meatballs to serve 6 (if there is less than 6 people still make the whole batch as they keep in the fridge and can be frozen)

This recipe uses American cup measures so we’ve given you a rough equivalent – I don’t think you need to be too fussy for this recipe

  • 4 slices bread
  • 2 lbs minced beef
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/4 cup (or about 60ml) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese plus about a cup (237ml) for serving
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup pinenuts
  • 1 1/2 tsps fine sea salt
  • 15 turns white pepper
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) dried breadcrumbs
  • Tomato sauce (see above)

Heat the oven to 160C/325F. Put the fresh bread in a bowl, cover with water, and let it soak for a minute or so. Pour off the water and wring out the bread, then crumble and tear it into pieces.

Combine the bread with all the remaining ingredients, except the tomato sauce, in the order listed. Add the dried breadcrumbs last to adjust for wetness: the mixture should be moist wet, not sloppy wet (our mixture was sloppy wet so we added more dried breadcrumbs).

Shape the meat mixture into biggish meatballs and space them evenly on a baking tray. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The meatballs will be firm but still juicy and gently yielding when cooked through.

At this point you can cool the meatballs and leave them in the fridge for a couple of days or freeze them for later.

Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce in a saute pan large enough to take the meatballs easily.

Put the meatballs into the sauce and turn the heat up a little bit. Simmer for half an hour or so until they soak up a bit of sauce. They don’t get better the longer you leave them so don’t abandon them altogether.

Serve 3 meatballs per person in plenty of red sauce , and cover each portion with a load of grated Pecorino.

Save the leftover sauce and use it anytime tomato sauce is required eg pizza, pasta, lasagne, etc.

Yum yum!

Wine suggestion: something red and Italian is the obvious choice and will give you the right amount of acidity to balance the tomato sauce – nothing too fancy!

 

 

Posted in Beef, Food | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Jono and Jules’ Wine of the Week

9 January 2011 by jonoandjules

From The Corkscrew on Chatham Street (off Grafton St in Dublin): three guys who are passionate about their wines!

This is one they import themselves and I can see why: it has a fullness and roundness to the body and fruit while balancing a real easiness of drinking. The flavours and aromas of grapefruit and apple meld well with the fullness and juiciness to give a delightful wine that works very well with winter dishes of chicken and turkey, but equally on its own too. €14.95 and well worth it .

Jono

Posted in Chardonnay, France, Wine | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Budget dinner party for 4 people – €6(ish) a head

9 January 2011 by jonoandjules

In case you hadn’t gathered by now the first Friday in every month is the Irish Food Bloggers Association’s cookalong.

We’ve participated in the last three and it’s great craic  – even more so ’cause we invite a few friends over to cookalong with us… or at least sit there and chitter to us while we cook.

Each month has a theme and this one was either leftovers or recessionary budget style cooking. So a budget dinner party it had to be.

Our first thought was something like an Irish stew but we’ve done that many times and it’s always nice to try something new so we reckoned cheap cuts and seasonal veg was the way to go. After scouring our recipe books we came across this sausage and Jerusalem artichoke casserole (from Nigel Slater’s Tender Vol 1).

For the dessert: we both love Christmas pudding but every year we manage a tiny morsel on Christmas day and the rest lurks in the fridge making us feel guilty for not eating it. Or at least it did until we discovered this Christmas pudding sauce which we serve up at to everyone who visits after Christmas ’til the pudding is done. I think I actually prefer it to traditionally served Christmas pudding at this stage.

The recipes below will serve 4 people (generously) for a rather nice dinner party and will cost  €6.17 per head (provided you have some leftover Christmas pudding). The most expensive ingredient was the icecream, at €6.95 a tub, but we reckon that’s something not worth scrimping on. One of our guests also brought lots of fabulous cheese which he had leftover from the holidays. It would have been totally bargain bucket if we hadn’t drank an obscene amount of wine but howandever (it was a party… albeit a little one).

Sausage and Artichoke Casserole to feed 4

  • 8 fabulous pork sausages (budget or not you have to buy good ones)
  • olive oil
  • 4 onions
  • 2 clove garlic
  • 250g mushrooms
  • 500g Jerusalem artichokes
  • a lemon
  • a tsp of fennel seeds
  • 500ml light stock
  • a small bunch of chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • something tasty and green to serve – we had some buttered savoy cabbage

Brown the sausages really well in a little bit of olive oil in a big casserole. Set them aside.

Cut the onions into quarters, then add to empty sausage pan, add a bit more oil if you need it. Soften the onions over a medium heat until they are quite mushy – about 15-20 minutes.

Peel and finely slice the garlic and add it to the onions, cut the mushrooms in half and add them too.

Peel or just scrub (we just scrubbed) the artichokes, then cut them in half. Add them to the pan and let them colour a bit (push your onions over to the side). Now tip the sausage back in. Cut the lemon into big chunks and tuck it in along with the fennel seeds and plenty of salt and pepper.

Pour over enough stock to cover everything and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are nice and tender. If you have too much liquid turn up the heat and reduce it a bit. Stir in the parsley and check the seasoning.

Serve with your greens.

Christmas Pudding Sauce to serve 4 (with ice cream)

  • 175g Christmas pudding
  • 30g butter
  • 30g brown sugar
  • juice of 1/2 orange
  • 3 tbsp brandy
  • vanilla ice cream

Crumble the pudding into a shallow pan. Put it on a low heat and add the butter and sugar.

Mix in orange juice and brandy with a wooden spoon and bring slowly to the bubble.

Turn the heat down and simmer gently while you put the ice cream in 4 bowls. Spoon over the sauce and serve quickly before your ice cream melts.

Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s Real Fast Puddings.

I’m a bit embarrassed that our chums now know we only spent 6 quid each on them ….Hahaha!

Julie

Posted in Food, Pork | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Coriander Halibut and Carrot Pilaff

5 January 2011 by jonoandjules

To be honest we thought this would be a little bland (mostly as the look is a little light in the magazine photo – bland colours = bland flavour). We were wrong and we felt even more virtuous as it is a total diet dish; the flavours burst in every morsel.

To serve 4 (easily halved):

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 skinless halibut fillets, about 175g each (or cod)
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 large carrots grated
  • 200g basmati rice
  • 600ml vegetable stock
  • a handful of frozen peas

The rice and fish cooks at the same time so get everything ready first.

Heat the grill to high, then line with double thick foil and curl up at the edges so you don’t lose all the juice. Brush lightly with oil and put the fish on top. Sprinkle over the coriander, lemon zest and juice and drizzle with a bit more oil. Season with salt and pepper, then grill for about 10 minutes or until the fish flakes (keep an eye on it as it might cook quicker than this depending on how thick your fish is).

Meanwhile, heat the rest of the oil in a pan, add onion and cumin and fry for a few minutes. Stir in the carrots and then the rice until glistening. Add stock and bring to the boil. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes, then add the peas and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve the fish on top of the rice. Enjoy.

Original recipe is on BBC Good Food.


Posted in Fish, Food, Healthy | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Gigantes Plaki

3 January 2011 by jonoandjules

A classic from Greece that we’ve been wanting to do for ages – really Greek Baked Beans, but much more exciting than the tinned variety we’re used to! We served these with barbecued sausages but they’d go with any grilled meat, or just as they are with some crumbled feta cheese over the top.

Gigantes Plaki – a huge pot full

  • 500g dried butter beans
  • olive oil
  • an onion, finely chopped
  • 3 rashers top quality smoked streaky bacon
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
  • 2 carrots, finely sliced
  • 4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • small bunch flat parsley
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • red wine vinegar

Soak the butterbeans overnight in plenty of cold water.

The next day, drain the beans, put them in the pan and cover again with lots of cold water. Put the pan on a high heat and when it comes to the boil, turn the heat down and leave to simmer gently for about an hour, or until soft and tender (this can take quite a bit longer if your beans are old). Skim off any foam that comes to the top as they cook. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4, put a lug of olive oil into a big casserole on a medium heat and gently fry the onion and bacon, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, then add the carrots, fresh tomatoes, tomato puree and bay leaves. Chop the parsley and stir it in too. Add a splash of red wine vinegar and lots of seasoning. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add some more seasoning and tip in the drained beans. Stir well, then cover the pan with a lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour, until the beans are really soft and a lot of the liquid has been absorbed.

That’s it!

Original recipe in Jamie does…

Wine suggestion: A juicy and easy Cotes du Rhone Villages.

Posted in Food, Greek | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

A very happy New Year

2 January 2011 by jonoandjules

Over the last few years we’ve celebrated New Years by staying in and cooking something really nice and drinking a special bottle of wine; just the two of us! We then go out on New Year’s day to have a big lunch with friends. This year we cooked a rib of beef on the bone: in reality this is a roast beef for 2 people. Perfect with the quality of the beef really shining (we bought some well hung, organic beef from our butcher Tom) because the cooking is so simple.

Jamie’s Ultimate rib of beef with rosemary and garlic roast potatoes – to serve 2

For the potatoes:

  • 600g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • a sprig of rosemary
  • olive oil, or duck or goose fat
  • 5 cloves of garlic, skin on and smashed

For the beef:

  • 3 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
  • zest and juice of  1 lemon
  • a small bunch of rosemary tied together to make a little brush
  • olive oil
  • 1 x 1.2kg rib of beef

Put the garlic, lemon zest and tip of rosemary brush in a pestle and mortar, add a glug of olive oil and bash together. Use the brush to rub half of this marinade over your steak and leave for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.

Put potatoes cubes in a big pot of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Drain immediately in a colander and return to dry pot to dry out.

Crush rosemary leaves and add to a roasting tray with the potatoes, crushed garlic cloves and some oil. Season and toss together until well coated. Put in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden and crispy – give them a shake every now and again.

Heat ovenproof griddle pan on the hob until white hot. Season the steak really well and fry it in the pan without moving for a couple of minutes. Turn it over, baste it with the leftover marinade and put it in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the steak over every 5 minutes and continue to baste with the marinade. This should cook it to medium. When cooked squeeze over some lemon juice and rest for 5 minutes.

Carve and serve with the roasties – delicious!

Wine Suggestion: treat yourself to a really good Bordeaux.

Posted in Beef, Food | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Chilli hotpot

29 December 2010 by jonoandjules

Here’s a good tasty winter dish for those of you who can still face cooking after all the Christmas entertaining. Indeed if you still have some entertaining to do this is a great prepare ahead recipe which all cooks in one dish so no need for separate sides other than some steamed greens. We did not prepare ahead and so our guests ended up eating rather late…hopefully they felt it was worth the wait!

Don’t be put off by the long list of instructions and ingredients – it’s all very straightforward and you will probably have most of the ingredients in the cupboard already.

Cottage chilli hotpot to feed 6 (generously)

  • 800g braising steak, cubed
  • 2 tbsp plain flour, well seasoned
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 300 ml red wine
  • 2 red onions, cut into chunks
  • 2 carrots, cut into chunks
  • 4 garlic cloves, skin removed
  • 2 red peppers, cut into chunks
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
  • few thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
  • 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and chilli flakes
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tsp caster or granulated sugar
  • 250ml beef stock
  • 400g tin kidney beans, drained
  • 1 kg potatoes e.g. Maris Piper
  • knob of butter

Toss the beef in the flour, then brown half in a pan, using 1 tbsp oil. Remove to a bowl when browned. Add 100ml wine to the pan and scrape all the sticky bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce a little before pouring over the cooked beef. Wipe the pan and repeat with the rest of the beef and another 100ml wine.

Finely chop the onions, carrots and garlic in a food processor.

Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan and tip in the chopped veg, peppers, fresh chilli, thyme sprigs and bay. Fry for 10 mins. Tip in the spices, cook for 1 min, then add the rest of the wine and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, sugar, beef, winey juices and stock, season, then simmer for 1 1/2 – 2 hrs until the meat is really soft. Stir in the beans and allow to cool.

Peel and slice the potatoes about 5mm thick, then boil for 5 mins. Drain, then tip back into the pan. Add the butter and thyme leaves, season, then toss to coat (be gentle so you don’t break them up too much). Tip the chilli into a big dish, then layer the potatoes on top. Dot with butter. You can now leave it and bake it later on or heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 50 mins – 1 hr, until the sauce is bubbling and potatoes golden.

We served this with buttered savoy cabbage – you could also have some soured cream if you like.

Find the original recipe on the BBC Good Food Website.

Posted in Beef, Food | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments »

Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch

29 December 2010 by jonoandjules

We came across this eye-catching wine advertised in Central Victoria when we visited in June, but didn’t get to try it. When we saw it on the shelf of OddBins in Blackrock at just over €20, we thought it was definitely worth a try.

Made by two men (despite the name on the label) and inspired by their love of game and shooting; this is a characterful wine that combines depth of flavour, a full, rounded body and a lovely, light, freshness and drinkability. In comparison to the elegantly crafted but slightly dull Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay tasted a couple of weeks ago this is definitely less polished – and to it’s advantage as it is a delightful wine full of interest and character. We’d like to see more of these types of wine, and will be looking out for the matching Ladies Who Shoot Shiraz to see if this is just as interesting.

Posted in Australia, Chardonnay, Wine | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

Jono and Jules’ Wine of the Week

21 December 2010 by jonoandjules

This week we went to Oddbins in Blackrock village while walking home from work in the really bad snow. We unfairly put the staff under pressure, and the poor shop assistant even gave us a wine out of her Christmas box – thanks a mill!

We also don’t usually chill our reds in snow before drinking, but the photo opportunity, and the abundant snow in Dublin, begged for this photo.

To the wine: classically new world in that the fruit is wonderfully ripe with a little lift from slightly higher alcohol (compared to Burgundy, where Pinot Noir finds its greatest expression). The aromas and flavours are predominately cherries and summer berries and it has a nice juiciness and medium weight. The best thing is the balance and freshness which makes this wine effortless to drink and yet interesting and flavoursome.

Don’t serve with a big, meaty stew, rather this wine would be great with lighter meats, like Christmas turkey and ham .. the shop assistant would have had a nice wine for the big day ahead (now I feel guilty). It also went particularly well with barbecued sausages and champ; see right.

We paid €14.99 but don’t rush out as we think Oddbins may not have this in stock again until after Christmas.


Posted in Chile, Pinot Noir, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Sunday Brunch

19 December 2010 by jonoandjules

Not very seasonal we know but a little taste of sunshine to brighten our mood on a frosty Sunday morning. Cherry tomatoes are still nice and sweet all year (even if you do have to get them from somewhere sunnier than Ireland in December).

This is a nice idea from Ursula Ferrigno.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes on Toast – to serve 4

Preheat the oven to 200C, 400F, Gas 6.

Put 500g cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and scatter some rosemary leaves over. Bake until squashy – about 12 minutes.

Toast some ciabatta (we used M&S part-baked which you can bake at the same time as the tomatoes) then brush with olive oil.

Gently toss the tomatoes, salt, pepper, shavings of Parmesan cheese, and some torn basil in a big bowl.

Put on top of the toast to serve.

Julie

 

Posted in Brunch, Food, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Snack Attack

14 December 2010 by jonoandjules

This is not a recipe – more an idea for something to throw together when you need a snack… like after you’ve had a few pints in the pub or a long day at work in our case (unfortunately).

It’s a bit of an odd combination but scatter some thin slices of Manchego cheese, a few chunks of avocado, and a few sliced jalapenos from a jar over one half of a soft tortilla. Fold the other half over and griddle (or fry) for 1 minute on each side (pushing down hard so you get nice griddle marks and the cheese melts).

Et voila – bit like a posh toastie!

Posted in Food, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Asian-spiced fish with mushrooms

13 December 2010 by jonoandjules

Believe it or not … this is actually a delicate, white fish (hake) and not a badly burnt chop as the picture might imply. We blame a wonderfully rich and dark soy sauce (yum scrum) but if you use a lighter soy sauce like Kikkoman it may be more pleasing to the eye!

We made this because we haven’t had proper fish (ie. not shellfish) for a while and we’re trying to cook healthily  for a few days before Christmas takes over.

Asian-spiced fish with mushrooms (serves 4 – we halved the fish and mushrooms but not the sauce and served with rice for 2)

  • 25g butter
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • finely grated zest of a lime
  • 1 mild red chilli, thinly sliced in rings
  • 4 x 175g firm white fish fillets, skinned and boned (we used hake)
  • 200g mixed mushrooms, trimmed but left whole or at least chunky
  • coriander leaves to serve
  1. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Melt the butter in a little pan, then stir in the soy sauce, lime zest and chilli. Tip this into a shallow (non-metallic) dish and add the fish, splashing it well in the marinade. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
  2. Take the fish out of the marinade and put it on a baking tray. Toss the mushrooms in the marinade and scatter them around the fish, drizzling the rest of the marinade over the top. Roast for 6-8 minutes, until the fish is cooked and the mushrooms are sizzling. Scatter with coriander and serve with rice or noodles.

(Original recipe from Ainsley Harriot – not someone we often cook from).

If you are serving rice you could try Jono’s foolproof rice cooking method which he got from Madhur Jaffrey:

For 4 people:

Combine 300ml long-grain/basmati rice with 500ml water. Add 10g butter and bring to the boil. Cover tightly (we use tinfoil and a lid), turn heat to very very low, and leave it be for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve. Perfectly cooked rice!

Jono and Julie

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Chops with Celeriac Remoulade

12 December 2010 by jonoandjules

We barbecue all year round like eejits and when our butcher Tom (O’Toole’s in Glasthule) produced these fabulous pork chops we were powerless to resist – complete with crackling and everything!

Jono mixed together some coarse chopped rosemary from our balcony, a big fat garlic clove and plenty of salt and pepper. He pounded and ground this for a few minutes and then added enough olive oil to make a paste to smear on the chops – you want the mixture to stick on the chops so go easy on the oil.

While Jono barbecued the chops outside I made this tasty remoulade. Celeriac remoulade is in lots of my Mum’s old cookbooks from the seventies and it looks a bit like creamy coleslaw – this is Nigel Slater’s much lighter and fresher take on the whole thing (Tender Vol 1). Makes heaps for a side dish which means you can take some to work for lunch too.

Celeriac Remoulade

  • juice of half a lemon
  • about 500g of celeriac
  • a raw beetroot – medium size
  • 4 heaped tbsp creme fraiche
  • 2 tsp grainy mustard
  • olive or walnut oil
  • a small handful of parsley leaves
  • enough walnut halves to sprinkle over the top
  1. Put the lemon juice in a big mixing bowl.
  2. Peel the celeriac and grate it coarsely – we used the Magimix which grated it quite fine and it worked well.
  3. Toss the grated celeriac with the lemon juice in the bowl to stop it from turning brown.
  4. Grate the beetroot (also best done in the processor to avoid purple hands) and to the celeriac but don’t mix it in yet.
  5. Mix the creme fraiche, mustard and some seasoning in a bowl. Gently mix in enough oil to make a coating consistency (2-3 tbsps).
  6. Roughly chop the parsley and add to the sauce before folding it gently into the vegetables, don’t mix too hard or it will all turn very pink.
  7. Toast the walnuts lightly in a non-stick pan and scatter them over the salad.

Tip: Don’t make this on a first date as you’ll have mucky hands and faces by the time you’ve finished sucking the bones – delicious!

Julie

Posted in Food, Pork, Side dish | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments »

Jono and Jules’ Wine of the Week

12 December 2010 by jonoandjules

This week a wine found in Tesco – normally €23.49 but on offer for €15 (and so it qualifies for our wine of the week slot!)

We had some trepidation over this wine as we are a little biassed against big brands of which Wolf Blass is one – the cheaper level wines tend to be a big and brash and have much less attention to detail and the sense of place the grapes have been grown. We like to see a little individuality and personality in the wines we drink.

The Gold Label signifies a step up from the masses and we agree, this is sophisticated, balanced and not without charm. Would we pay full price – probably not – but for €15 it is a steal.

This would go perfectly with creamy chicken dishes; a full-bodied and yet soft and low-acid wine with flavours of yellow apples and toast. It maintains freshness through well judged winemaking techniques (battonage) and the result is very pleasant. A well balanced, well made, clever wine.

Jono

Posted in Australia, Chardonnay, Wine | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Vietnamese Prawn and Rice Soup

11 December 2010 by jonoandjules

WOO-HA! This is a fandabidozi soup!

Jono and me sold lots of wine today and got home late. If I’d have had my way we would have stopped in the pub for grub on the way home. I’m so glad he persuaded me to stick with the plan for Vietnamese soup.

If you like prawns and asian-style you will love this!! Super tasty and super healthy too.

Serves two tired people with very little effort:

  • 75g basmati rice
  • 750ml  chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • a finger of fresh ginger, cut into little matchsticks
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 150g raw, peeled prawns
  • 15g chopped dill
  • coriander to serve (but don’t go buying any just for this)
  1. Cook the rice until al dente and drain.
  2. Boil the stock, add the fish sauce, ginger, rice, lime juice, tomatoes, prawns and dill.
  3. Simmer until the prawns are pink and cooked.
  4. Serve with a bit of coriander over the top if you have some.
  5. Slurp.

Check out the original recipe here: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/889668/vietnamese-prawn-rice-and-dill-soup

Julie

Posted in Food, Healthy, Shellfish, Soup | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Crab claws

11 December 2010 by jonoandjules

When you have crab claws sitting in the freezer … yum!

Simply defrost the crab claws, melt some butter in a little olive oil, gently saute garlic and chilli until cooked. Add the crab claws and toss until warmed through. After this grill on high until coloured and then toss in a little fresh, chopped coriander. Enjoy!!!

Serve with a minerally white wine – we drank the delicious Casa de Mouraz, an organic white from the Dao in Portugal. Perfecto …

Jono

Posted in Food, Shellfish | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments »

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