Jono & Jules do food & wine

This is an Austrian recipe but the paprika that I use comes from Hungary. If your friends have got a cheap flight to Budapest make sure they grab you some ‘hot’ (not sweet!) paprika. They sell it everywhere in big packets and it is very cheap. I have tried many other hot paprikas and they just ain’t the same (but will do if you’re not going to Hungary any time soon).

N.B. Whatever you do don’t use Spanish smoked paprika as it would completely ruin a dish used in theses quantities!

Goulash for 4-6:

• Preheat the oven to 160C.
• Heat 2 tablespoons sunflower oil in a casserole until very hot.
• Brown 1kg braising steak pieces (do it in a few batches) and set aside.
• Add another tablespoon sunflower oil along with 2 large chopped onions and 2 large chopped garlic cloves. Cook on a low heat for around 10 minutes or until they are nice and soft.
• Return the meat and its juice to the casserole and blend in 2 rounded tablespoons hot paprika, 3 tablespoons tomato purée, 2 tablespoons wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon oregano and a bay leaf.
• Tip in a 400g tin of tomatoes and break them up with a spoon.
• Add 350ml beef stock (from a cube is fine), season and bring to the boil.Stir, cover and put it in the oven for 2 and a half hours.
• Halfway through add 2 large red peppers cut into rings.

Serve with plain boiled potatoes and a dollop of soured cream.

Wine suggestion: Quite a kick of spice off this so go for a big juicy red – we had a Syrah from near Montpelier in France, Chateau L’Engarran (their cuvée Quetton St George) which was very nice.

A lovely weeknight feed using left-over cream and Parmesan from the weekend.

• Simply take a chicken breast and poach it for 25 minutes, drain, cool and cube.
• In a frying pan saute the chicken cubes in 25g butter on a medium heat for 5 minutes until lightly browned
• add 75g sliced chestnut mushrooms, season well with salt and pepper and cook on low for 15 minutes
• While this is cooking put 175g Spaghetti on to boil in well salted water
• When the chicken and mushroom is done, stir in 125ml cream and slowly heat through.
• Serve spaghetti and spoon over the sauce. Sprinkle with 20g grated parmesan.

A tasty meal for 2.

Jono

We got a new cookbook … as if we don’t have lots already! But we like the publisher Phaidon (Silver Spoon, Pork & Sons) and we like Greek food 🙂 We bought it in our favourite book shop: Chapters on Parnell Street in Dublin, which has a great used section as well as new. This is a new but “non mint” copy and was a bargain at €19! Grab one while you can.

We first tried BBQ Olives. Soak black olives in water for 20 mins and then barbeque for 5 or so, threaded onto a skewer. Remove and sprinkle with oregano. Really delicious.

Next was Chicken Souvlaki which we served with a baked potato and some tzatziki (Vefa tells you how to make this but we cheated and bought a good one in the supermarket). The best thing about the souvlaki was its freshness and how it was so tasty and yet light and healthy.

To serve 4:

• Put 800g cubed chicken breast into a big bowl, add a pinch of dried oregano and a few tablespoons of olive oil, season with pepper, and toss. Cover and leave in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight – toss now and again.
• Preheat the grill or light the barbeque.
• Drain the chicken and thread it onto skewers, alternating with squares of green pepper (2 is plenty) and pieces of onion (about 2 again). Put the drained oil into a screw-top jar with 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and shake like mad.
• Brush the souvlaki with the mixture.
• Grill or barbeque, turning and brushing with the marinade, for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is done but watch you don’t overcook it and dry it out.
• Season with salt, sprinkle with more oregano and serve with Tzatziki.

Jono

Not that posh as it happens… we used a sparkling wine from New Zealand (and very nice it was too).

Dinner party on Saturday night meant we had some double cream leftover in the fridge. We also had a fizzy wine so this was Sunday night tea. Easy peasy and just a few ingredients.

Linguine with Champagne for 4

• Melt 40g butter in a shallow pan over a low heat.
• Add a finely chopped onion and 50g finely chopped pancetta and cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour in 200ml Champagne (or any sparkling wine), turn the heat to medium and cook until the alcohol has boiled off.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons double cream, season carefully and heat for a few minutes.
• Cook 350g linguine in lots of salty water until al dente.
• Divide the linguine between 4 bowls and pour over the sauce.
• Sprinkle some grated Parmesan over and serve with a glass of Champagne.

Thanks again Silver Spoon Pasta.

I love pink wine cause it looks girly, makes the table look pretty, and also because it has the same party feel of Champagne but costs considerably less.

Costieres de Nimes is near the southern Rhone and has similar sorts of grape varieties, climate and soils. Recently the quality of the wines have improved massively and the area is much less reliant on the co-operatives which are so widespread in the southern Rhone. So smaller estates have been doing some great things and should provide some excellent value to boot.

I was very excited when I came across this little pink number from one of the more reputable producers: Chateau Mourgues du Gres. Unfortunately it was a bit disappointing. Jono described it as “a low expression wine” and that sums it up really. Smells of not much and tastes of not much. It’s only saving grace was substantial body for a rose wine and a good texture for food. It may also have been better super-chilled on a sunny day rather than coolish in late Autumn.

So the moral of the story is – if you spot a red or white wine from Costieres de Nime, grab it, as you may be in for quite a treat at a reasonable price. If you see a pretty pink wine… well you still might get lucky. You can’t win them all as they say.

Julie

P.S. I have just received an email from a fellow wino who was amazed that I didn’t rate this wine – he did suggest that it may be best drunk at about 18 months to 2 years old. He reckons it has a lovely red fruit character… I’m going to have to try an older bottle to find out…damn life’s hard!

Marks & Spencer Meal Deal is just too cheap to resist. Being winos (and being lucky enough to have easy access to lots of good wines) we tend to gather a collection of these to drink at parties or late at night when people have drunk too much already (other people that is, not us of course).

Anyway, with the pasta dish below we thought a glass of something red with a bit of acidity to balance with the tomato would fit the bill… red with a bit of acidity usually means Italian and in fact when cooking dishes from anywhere in the world you can’t go far wrong with something the locals might drink themselves.

So we had the choice of opening something way too good for one glass with dinner on a Wednesday or the wine that came free with the meal deal. You lot may well have been supping on this yourselves or it might be lingering in your party selection.

So what was the verdict? It smells fruity, like dark cherries, with a bitter but not nasty twist. On the palate it is easy-going and fruity though there is a bit of drying sensation…maybe the tannins are a bit out of whack. It did improve when drunk with the pasta however and for €6 (I think that’s how much it cost when not in the deal) we couldn’t fault it really. We even had another glass on Thursday 😉 Julie

We just love “The Silver Spoon” cookbooks: simple sounding recipes that really work and are so tasty 🙂

Tonight we cooked Linguine with Broccoli and Pancetta – simple ingredients but surprisingly delicious!

From the Silver Spoon Pasta book (serves 4):

• Cut 600g broccoli into florets (and we chopped up the stalks too).
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan. Add 120g diced pancetta and cook on a medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in 1 finely chopped clove of garlic and half the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes. Stir every now and again.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato puree and 150ml vegetable stock (we use Marigold Swiss Bouillon), lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes (or until the broccoli is tender but firm).
• Cook 350g linguine with the rest of the broccoli in lots of salty water until al dente.
• Drain, tip into the pan with the sauce and toss over the heat for a few minutes.
• Sprinkle over 40g grated Parmesan to serve.

Enjoy 😉

Jono

I love chicken with bones in and crispy skin – and chicken legs are so much cheaper than fillets.

This is tasty enough to do for Sunday lunch and is very little effort indeed.

Get the recipe off the old faithful:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4749/maple-roast-chicken-with-potatoes-and-thyme

Julie

To be honest these were a bit futtery to make… especially at 8.30 on a Monday night when you’re absolutely starved.

Still they tasted great and your veggie friends will be very impressed with your efforts.

Get the recipe from BBC Good Food:

Baked Aubergine stuffed with roast pumpkin, feta and walnut with minted courgettes.

Nice with a glass of leftover Burgundy too 😉

Julie

If you happen to have some leftover truffle (and are therefore a very lucky person). Make a simple risotto bianco and grate the truffle over the top. Heaven!

While I was away in Hungary recently I found a stall in the markets selling fresh black truffles: I couldn’t resist!

Despite the look, the truffle had a great smell, so we invited some friends over for a truffle party. 🙂

Jules made retro prawn cocktail for starter and insisted on pink wine to go with it – “cause it looked pretty”.

Jules reckons Nigella’s recipe is best though it sounds rather disgusting (don’t leave out the pink peppercorns cause they look fab and taste good too).

450g cooked prawns, 200g salad cream, 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, few drops Tabasco sauce (or more if you’re brave), and 1 tablespoon pink pepercorns, crushed.

Mix it all together and hey presto – told you it’s a bit gross!

The pink wine went a treat with it too. Domaine de Pellehaut Cotes de Gascogne (on offer for €8.50 in Mitchell’s). Bargain!

Jono then made Orecchiette with peas, pancetta and black truffle as inspired by Giorgio Locatelli.

Quite a simple recipe that takes 100g Pancetta and sweats it in a knob of butter. You then add 8 tablespoons of peas and continue to cook a bit, add some water and cook for 3-4 minutes until peas are tender enough to crush so they resemble mushy peas. While you’re doing this cook some orecchiette for one minute less than recommended then add to mushy peas and pancetta. toss for a couple of minutes to coat pasta, add a tablespoon of grated parmesan and toss again. Finally grate over 25-30g of truffle, toss for the final time and serve.

Simple really, but delicious with a real luxury feel and that something extra special to the taste

We finished the meal with plums and greengages baked in freshly squeezed orange juice, maple syrup and star anise. So tasty I forgot to take a photo!

Delicious  salmon – the trick is to grill on a really high heat for 4-5 mins in an ovenproof dish so it is slightly under-done … and then to cover it with foil for a few minutes. It emerges cooked, creamy and velvety!

We topped it with quick stir-fried scallions with chilli and ginger and sweet soy sauce: see this recipe from BBC Good Food.

Drank a dry Alsace Riesling with this – it didn’t quite work as the savoury, mineral character fought with the chilli in the sauce. The riesling was delicious the next day with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for lunch 🙂

Jono