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Posts Tagged ‘Capers’

Chicken Provençal

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 October 2025| 4 Comments »

Hanging onto summer like rosé in October… As Autumn seems to appear intermittantly in Dublin, we’re clinging to the flavours of sunnier days. This simple Chicken Provençal is sunshine in a frying pan. You can’t beat the cheerful tones of this French classic, perfect for lifting spirits as the evenings draw in. Serve it with buttery new potatoes or a chunk of crusty baguette.

Wine Suggestion: We paired it with a classic dry Provençal rosé from Château Léoube – textured and full-bodied (for a rosé), yet still elegant and crisp on the finish.

Chicken Provençal – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 chicken thighs
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 anchovies in oil, chopped
  • 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 red peppers, cut into strips
  • 1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 big fennel bulb, quartered, core removed and thinly sliced
  • 2 courgettes, cut into 1cm thick slices
  • 8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 200ml white wine
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 100g pitted black olives
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 15g flatleaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
  • a handful of small basil leaves
  • a small handful of capers

Warm the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown well. You will probably need to do this in two batches. Put the browned chicken aside on a plate.

Turn the heat down and add the onion, anchovies, bay leaves and thyme with a good pinch of salt. Sauté gently for about 15 minutes or until very soft.

Turn the heat up a little, then add the peppers, fennel and courgettes, then sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute.

Pour in the wine and simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes, stock, rosemary and olives. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan with any juices on the plate and simmer very gently for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is very tender.

Stir in the parsley, half the basil and the capers. Taste and season again if required.

Serve with the rest of the basil scattered over.

(Original recipe from Lickedspoon with Debora Robertson on Substack, 4 Jun 2025.)

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Smoked Salmon on the Barbecue with Tomato Salad and Potato Salad

Posted in Barbecue, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 October 2025| Leave a Comment »

Quite a lot going on here but all very straightforward and not too time-consuming. We highly recommend this potato salad – piquant and not to mayonaisy.

Wine Suggestion: We’ve always enjoyed albariño but have really got into it in a big way recently by exploring the Spanish, Portuguese and new areas in the world making this great grape that pairs with fish and seafood. Tonight a little off-piste the Newton Johnson Albariño from Hermanus in South Africa … which has similar granitic soils to Spain. Sunshine, Antarctic breezes and a southern African hint make this unique but recognisable and delicious with the salmon, capers etc.

Smoked salmon on the barbecue with tomato salad and potato salad – serves 4

  • 4 lightly smoked salmon fillets (we bought ours in M&S)

FOR THE CHIVE DRESSING:

  • a small bunch of chives
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 90ml (6 tbsp) of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt

FOR THE TOMATO SALAD:

  • 6 tomatoes, finely sliced
  • 1 smal red onion, finely sliced
  • a pinch of caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp sherry vinegar
  • a handful of basil, torn

FOR THE POTATO SALAD:

  • 1 kg new potatoes – we used Jersey Royals
  • 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • a handful of cornichons, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • a small handful of parsley and dill, chopped

Start by boiling the potatoes for the salad in salty water until tender, then drain and set aside to cool.

Get your barbeuce on to heat up.

When the potatoes have cooled, cut them into halves or quarters and mix with the rest of the potato salad ingredients. Set aside until ready to serve.

For the chive dressing, set aside 4 chives for a garnish and finely slice the rest. Mix them with the shallot, olive oil, vinegar and salt.

For the tomato salad, arrange the sliced tomatoes on a serving plattter and scatter over the red onion. Season well with salt, pepper and sugar, then dress with the oil and vinegar and garnish with the basil.

Brush the fish with a little oil and cook over a hot barbecue for a couple of minutes on each side.

Spoon some chive dressing on each plate and top with the cooked salmon. Garnish with the remaining chives and serve with the tomato and potato salad.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Food Stories, BBC Books, 2024.)

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Sardines on Toast

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 15 July 2025| Leave a Comment »

We’re good at picking up fancy tins of fish but less good at using them! Here’s some nice inspiration for a tin of sardines.

Brushette with sardines and pickled cucumber – serves 4

  • 1 x 120g tin of sardines in olive oil, drained
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 tbsp good olive oil
  • ½ cucumber, peeled, halved lengthways and deseeded
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar, red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 beef tomato, halved horizontally
  • ½ tsp chopped marjoram
  • 1 tsp miniature capers in vinegar, drained
  • 4 slices of sourdough bread, toasted
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • green salad, to serve

Remove the large bone in the middle of each sardine and transfer the sardines to a bowl. Mash with a fork, then stir through the lemon juice and 1 tbsp of the olive oil.

Cut the cucumber halves into 1cm slices. Place in a bowl with the sugar, ½ tsp of the salt and the vinegar. Mix well, cover with cling film and leave aside for 10 minutes. Pour off all the excess liquid and put the cucumber slices onto a clean tea towel, gather up the edges and squeeze out the excess moisture. Set aside in a bowl.

Scoop out and discard the tomato seeds. Finely chop the flesh to a pulp with the rest of the salt. Transfer to a colander and leave for 5 minutes to drain. Mix the drained tomatoes with the rest of the olive oil and season with black pepper, then add the marjoram and capers. Set aside.

Gently rub the toasted sourdough with the garlic clove. Divide the sardines equally on top of the sourdough slices and add a spoonful of the chopped tomato mixture. Finish with the pickled cucumber and serve with a dressed green salad.

(Original recipe from The Italian Deli Cookbook by Theo Randall, Quadrille, 2021.)

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Hake with Panko & Pesto

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 26 April 2025| 2 Comments »

A week night fish dish that was a hit with everyone in our family, and that’s saying something. Peas are obligatory as the side.

Wine Suggestion: this works excellently with a zesty, citrus flavoured white like the Pico Maccario Gavi di Gavi from Piedmont in Italy.

Hake with Panko & Pesto – serves 4

  • 1kg floury potatoes, cut into wedges
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
  • 4 pieces of hake (or another firm white fish), skin and bones removed
  • 2 tbsp pesto
  • 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 tbsp chopped pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp capers, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp dill, chopped
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • ¼ lemon, zested and juiced

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan.

Put the wedges onto a baking tray and drizzle over 1 tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat in the oil. Bake for 50-55 minutes, turning halfway, until crispy and golden.

Oil another baking sheet and add the fish pieces. Spread the pesto over the fish pieces and sprinkle over the panko breadcrumbs. Drizzle with a tbsp of olive oil, then sprinkle over the Parmesan and chopped pine nuts. Place in the oven for the final 10-12 minutes of cooking time. The top should be golden and the fish should flake easily.

Mix the capers, dill, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice with some black pepper in a small bowl. Serve the fish with the wedges, peas and dip.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Avocado Butter on Toast with Tomato Salsa

Posted in Brunch, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 26 August 2024| Leave a Comment »

So much more than avocado on toast. A delicious recipe from Ottolenghi Simple.

Avocado butter on toast with tomato salsa – serves 4

  • 2-3 ripe avocados, you want about 250g of scooped out avocado
  • 60g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
  • 3 limes, you need 1½ tbsp finely grated lime zest and 1½ tbsp lime juice
  • 10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
  • 10g dill, roughly chopped
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 tsp capers, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 slices of sourdough
  • 1 small garlic clove, halved
  • ¼ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed

Put the avocado flesh, butter, half the lime zest, half the lime juice and ½ tsp salt into a blender or small bowl of a food processor. Whizz until smooth, then transfer to a bowl along with two-thirds of the herbs. Fold the herbs through then put into the fridge for 10 minutes.

Mix the tomatoes, capers, remaining lime zest & juice and the olive oil with plenty of black pepper. Set aside.

Toast the bread and rub one side with the garlic. Leave the bread to cool slightly then spread each slice with avocado butter and top with the tomato salsa. Sprinkle over the remaining herbs and the crushed cumin.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wrigley & Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)

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Jacket Potato Tonnato

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 22 August 2024| Leave a Comment »

Tonnato is one of our favourite sauces and it works amazingly well with soft-boiled eggs and jacket potatoes. We take this back; Tonnato is Jules’ absolute favourite sauce … so we just had to try this dish!

You can make the sauce earlier in the day and leave it in the fridge.

Wine Suggestion: taking us back to our honeymoon when we stayed at the winery is Felsina’s “I Sistri” Chardonnay and a good match indeed with the nutty, toasty character really complementing the fresh capers, rich egg and velvety sauce.

Jacket Potatoes with Tonnato Sauce – serves 4

  • 4 large baking potatoes
  • olive oil
  • 4 large eggs, soft-boiled (cook in already boiling water for 6½  minutes, then run under cold water) and peeled

FOR THE TONNATO SAUCE:

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 25g parsley, roughly chopped
  • 120g good quality tinned tuna in oil, we like Ortiz or Shines
  • 20g baby capers (or chop larger ones)
  • 2 anchovy fillets in oil, rinsed and patted dry
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 180ml olive oil

Heat the oven to 220C fan.

Rub the jacket potatoes with a little olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Put them on a tray and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200C fan and cook for another hour.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor with the lemon juice, 20g of the parsley, the tuna, half the capers, the anchovies and the garlic. Blitz to a rough paste, then scrape down the sides with a spatula. Now keep the machine running while you slowly trickle in the olive oil in a steady stream, the consistency should be like thin mayonnaise. Put this in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

When ready to serve, slice the potatoes down the middle and sprinkle inside with a little salt (we also add some butter but you don’t have to). Spoon the sauce over the potatoes and top with a halved egg. Sprinkle over the rest of the capers and parsley, then serve.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)

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Sardines and Peperonata on Toast

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 July 2024| Leave a Comment »

The perfect lunch for a sunny day. Get yourself a tin of sardines so you’re ready for the next one.

Sardines and peperonata on toast – serves 1

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 large roasted pepper from a jar, thinly sliced
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • ½ tbsp capers
  • ½ small garlic clove, finely sliced
  • a smal handful of basil, shredded
  • 2 slices of sourdough
  • 120g tin sardines of olive oil, drained

Whisk the olive oil and vinegar together in a small bowl. Add the pepper, shallot, capers and garlic. Toss with half the basil and season to taste.

Toast the bread, then top with the peperonata and large chunks of the sardines. Finish with the rest of the basil and a grind of black pepper.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Dab in a Bap

Posted in Fish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 16 February 2024| Leave a Comment »

Fish in a bap with caper mayonnaise because most things taste good in a bap.

Wine Suggestion: We went Portuguese and chose an Arinto-Verdelho blend from near Lisbon: the Mar de Lisboa white, made by Quinta de Chocapalha. Lemon flavours with hints of passionfruit felt the perfect addition to this dish and the minerally, zip added a freshness that really matched the caper mayonnaise.

Fish in a bap – serves 1 (easily multiplied)

  • 2 skinless fillets of dab or other flat fish – we used plaice
  • butter
  • 1 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • a fresh white bap
  • a squeeze of lemon & a dash of tabasco, to serve

For the caper mayonnaise:

  • 2 tbsp good mayo
  • 2 tsp capers, drained and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • lemon juice

Make the mayonnaise first by combining the mayonnaise, capers, parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice (to taste). Set aside.

Heat the the oil and a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Spread the flour out on a plate and season it well. Dust the fish fillets with the flour, shaking off any excess, then fry for 2 minutes on each side.

Slice the bap in half and butter it generously. Add a few lettuce leaves and put the cooked fish on top, seasoning with lemon juice and tabasco. Add a good blob of the caper mayonnaise, the close the bap and eat it.

(Original recipe from River Cottage Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury, 2009.)

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Patatas a lo pobre

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 28 January 2024| Leave a Comment »

A tasty side dish to get us out our potato rut of baby roast or dauphinoise. These went spectacularly well with roast chicken.

Patatas a lo pobre – serves 4

  • 600g waxy potatoes e.g. Charlottes
  • 1 bulb of fennel, cut into quarters lengthways and shred into 5mm slices
  • 75ml olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • a few sprigs of fresh oregano

Slice the potatoes into 5mm rounds.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan and add the potatoes and fennel. Cook over a medium heat until the potatoes are tender and starting to brown about 10-15 minutes. Keep tossing gently so it all cooks evenly.

When the potatoes are almost ready, add the garlic and sherry vinegar. Keep cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the potatoes are completely soft. Stir in the capers and oregano leaves and season with salt and pepper.

(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikerrs Mediterranean Adventure, Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2017.)

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Barbecue Lamb with Tomato & Capers

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 22 September 2023| Leave a Comment »

It’s last chance saloon if you want to cook this dish before both the tomatoes and weather turn rubbish. The marinade is added after you cook the lamb.

Wine Suggestion: We think barbecued lamb goes really nicely with Cabernet Franc, so a good excuse to open a bottle of our favourite wine: Chateau du Hureau’s Saumur-Champigny “Tuffe”.

Barbecue Lamb with Tomato & Capers – serves 6

  • 1.5kg butterflied leg of lamb

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 3 tomatoes, diced
  • 2 large shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • a small bunch of parsley, chopped
  • a small bunch of mint, chopped
  • a small bunch of basil, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Mix the ingredients for the marinade together, keeping a small handful of herbs aside to garnish at the end.

Get your barbecue going and wait until the flames have died down. Move the coals to the sides and put a drip-tray in the middle, then BBQ the lamb for 20 minutes on each side.

When the lamb is cooked to your liking, set it on a platter and spoon over the marinade. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Slice and serve with the marinade and the rest of the herbs.

(Original recipe by Adam Bush & Janine Ratcliffe, Olive Magazine, August 2017.)

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Guisado de Pollo

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 December 2022| Leave a Comment »

A Diana Henry recipe inspired by but not quite the same as the Dominican dish. This is perfect for a weeknight despite the long list of ingredients. Most will be in your cupboard and it’s really easy to put together. Lovely bright colours and flavours. This works on it’s own or with some crusty bread or rice.

Wine Suggestion: despite the inclination to go for a richer white, we felt in the mood for a red instead so chose Domaine Gayda’s Cepage Grenache. A brambly, dark red fruited wine with a juicy core and gentle, ripe tannins. We served it slightly cool to great effect and it made a delightful counterpoint to the chipotles (ours were very hot!).

Guisado de Pollo – serves 6

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 800g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 75g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2.5cm chunks
  • 400g waxy potatoes, cut into 1cm chunks – you can peel them if you like, we didn’t bother
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • 4 tsp ground cumin
  • a small tin of pineapple in natural juice, drained and cut into small chunks
  • 400g tin plum tomatoes
  • 1 tsp soft dark brown sugar
  • 2 tinned chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, or 3 tbsp chipotle paste (reduce if your chipotles are very hot)
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 1 jalapeño chilli, halved lengthways and deseeded
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • juice of 1 lime
  • a small bunch of coriander, chopped, to serve

Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large casserole and fry the chicken in batches until browned on both sides. It doesn’t need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the chopped pumpkin and potato to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until starting to colour. Remove and set aside.

Add the onion and pepper to the pan and cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic cand cumin and cook for another 2 minutes.

Stir in the pineapple, tomatoes, sugar, chipotles, thyme, chicken stock. Season and bring slowly to a simmer.

Cut the chicken into thick strips, then add to the casserole along with any juices from the plate. Add the potatoes, pumpkin and the jalapeño. Stir gently then leave to simmer for 25 minutes without a lid. Give it a stir now and again. It’s ready when the vegetables are soft and the sauce thickened.

Add the capers and lime juice and season to taste. Stir in the coriander and serve.

(Original recipe from A Bird in the Hand by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2015.)

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Pastrami & Cheese Bagels

Posted in Brunch, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 15 October 2022| Leave a Comment »

Pastrami bagel of dreams. We used some rose veal pastrami from Broughgammon Farm in Ballycastle but any pastrami will do.

Pastrami & cheese bagels – serves 4

  • 4 bagels
  • 8 slices of gruyère
  • 600g pastrami, finely sliced
  • 175g sauerkraut
  • dill pickles, to serve

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 120g kewpie mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp capers, rinsed and dried
  • 6 cornichons, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
  • a squirt of tomato ketchup
  • a squirt of sriracha sauce
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • a dash of fish sauce

Make the dressing first by whisking all the ingredients together. Taste and season as needed.

If you have a sandwich press, heat it up. We don’t and so cooked these in a heavy frying pan with another heavy frying pan on top to act like a press.

Cut the bagels in half, then put a slice of cheese on the bottom half of each. Top with loosely folded pastrami, sauerkraut and another slice of cheese. Cover with the bagel tops. Cook in the press or in a frying pan for about 4 minutes or until the cheese has melted, then open the bagels and spoon over the dressing.

Serve with the dill pickles on the side.

(Original recipe from Everything I Love to Cook by Neil Perry, Murdoch Books, 2021.)

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Stuffed Bavette Steak

Posted in Barbecue, Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 28 July 2022| Leave a Comment »

This is a great barbecue dish and you can prep the meat well in advance ready to cook when you need. You will probably need to order the bavette steak from your butcher and ask them to butterfly it so you end up with a large rectangle. The recipe comes from the best barbecue book we know which is Seared – the ultimate guide to barbecuing meat – by Genevieve Taylor.

Wine Suggestion: a big, bold, juicy red like a Rhône, Argentinian Malbec, or as tonight’s choice, Kilikanoon’s superlative Killermans Run GSM from the Clare Valley. Exhuberant fruit alongside refined, fresh tannins; a real class act.

Stuffed bavette steak – serves 4 to 6

  • 1kg bavette steak, butterflied (see above)
  • 80g prosciutto
  • 60g ‘nduja
  • 60g Parmesan, grated
  • 30g basil leaves, torn
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE TOMATO SALAD

  • 750g mixed tomatoes
  • a bunch of basil leaves, torn
  • 3-4 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
  • 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Lay the bavette out flat on a board. Turn the steak so that the grain runs horizontally – this is important as you want to be cutting across the grain when serving.

Lay the slices of prosicutto over the steak, then dot with the ‘nduja. Sprinkle over the Parmesan, basil and capers and season generously with black pepper.

Start with the side closest to you and roll the steak up tightly to form a cylinder. Tie it in a good few places with lengths of string to keep it tight. Season the outside of the steak with salt, then place on a rack over a tray and refrigerate until ready to cook. Do this at least 2 hours and no longer than 24 hours in advance.

When you’re ready to cook, get the barbecue going with two strips of fire down either side and the vents fully open. The barbecue needs to be hot, about 220-240C, with a section for indirect heat down the middle.

Put the steak, seam side down, in the centre of the barbecue and cover with the lid. Cook over indirect heat (i.e. over the bit with no coals underneath) for about 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 40C in the centre. Now move the bavettte direclty over the coals and sear over a high heat, turning every few minutes for about 15 minutes. The steak will be medium when about 56C in the centre.

Slice the tomatoes and spread over a large serving platter, then sprinkle over the torn basil. Drizzle with balsamic and olive oil and sesaon with salt and pepper. Carve the bavette into slices and lay down the centre of the dish.

(Original recipe from Seared by Genevieve Taylor, Quadrille, 2022.)

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Conchiglie with Tuna, Egg & Capers

Posted in Fish, Food, Italian, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 21 January 2022| Leave a Comment »

This recipe is from Rachel Roddy’s fabulous book, An A-Z of pasta. She introduces this one by asking if you are familar with vitello tonnato, which happens to be one of Jules’ favourite dishes, so we had to try it. Rachel uses the lumache pasta shape, which means snails and they are a bit like snail shells. We found these hard to find so we substituted conchiglie to great effect.

Wine Suggestion: look for a crisp, fresh white with a good body/structure like a dry, unoaked chardonnay from a cooler region. For us it was Céline & Frèdéric Gueguen’s Bourgogne Côtes Salines. Grown in vineyards just outside the Chablis appellation this is vibrantly fresh apple and melon flavoured with a savoury mid-palate that just melts into the tuna sauce.

Conchiglie with tuna, egg & capers – serves 4

  • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 stick of celery, trim to the palest bit, pull of any strings, and finely chop
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 x 200g tin of tuna in olive oil, drained
  • 2 tbsp tiny capers, rinsed
  • 200ml white wine
  • 1 unwaxed lemon, zested and juiced
  • 400g conchiglie (or lumache)
  • a sprig of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a generous amount of salt.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan, then add the onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook on a medium-low heat, until soft. You need to be patient as this will take a while.

Add the tuna and capers, stir for a minute, then add the wine and allow to bubble for 10 minutes, adding 3 tbsp of lemon juice and some zest for the last few minutes. You are looking for a saucy consistency so cook for a bit longer if it is still watery.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet timings, then drain and tip into a warm bowl, pour the sauce over the top, add the parsley, toss together, then quickly add the egg yolks and toss again.

(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)

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Pasta with Tomato Sauce & Brown Caper Butter

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 January 2022| 2 Comments »

This is tomato pasta sauce but with some unusual additions that make it taste a bit special. We hightly recommend you try this.

Pasta with tomato sauce & brown caper butter – serves 4

  • 400g penne pasta
  • Parmesan
  • flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to serve

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • olive oil, for frying
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp white miso
  • 1 tsp runny honey

FOR THE BROWN CAPER BUTTER

  • 4 tbsp capers, drained
  • 75g butter

Fry the onion in a splash of olive oil over a lowish heat for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, rosemary and tomato purée and fry for another minute, then add the tomatoes and simmer for 10-15 minutes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in lots of salty water until al denté.

Melt a small knob of the butter into a small frying pan, then add the capers and fry until they burst open, then tip into a small bowl. Add the rest of the butter to the frying pan and cook until it turns light brown and smells nutty, then pour over the capers.

Add the miso, honey and a little seasoning to the tomato sauce.

Drain the pasta but reserve a mug of the cooking water.

Mix the drained pasta with the tomato sauce and a splash of cooking water to loosen the sauce. Divide between warm bowls, then pour over the caper butter. Serve sprinkled with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and the chopped parsley.

(Original recipe by Ylva Bergqvist in Olive Magazine, December 2018.)

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Tuna Pasta Bake

Posted in Fish, Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 6 November 2021| 2 Comments »

Who doesn’t love tuna pasta bake. We’re a bit sceptical about one pot cooking … what’s the big deal with using more pots? Anyhow, the one pot works in this case as the pasta absorbs all the flavours. This is also another dish that breaks the nonsense “no cheese with fish” rule.

This is easily halved and can be whipped up from store cupboard ingredients mid-week.

Wine Suggestion: A light, youthful sangiovese with plenty of fruit like Rocca delle Macie’s Chianti Vernaiolo.

Tuna Pasta Bake – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tins of tuna, drained
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 25g capers
  • 25g black olives, halved
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • leaves from 1 sprig of thyme
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 400g short pasta, we used fusilli
  • 75g Cheddar cheese, grated

Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole, we have a shallow one which works well for this, then add the onion and cook until very soft. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the tuna, tomatoes, capers, olives, lemon zest, thyme and chilli flakes. Stir until well combined, then add the pasta. Season with salt and pepper, then stir until the pasta is completely coated in sauce.

Pour in enough water to just cover the pasta and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook until the pasta is al dente and has absorbed most of the water. This will take between 10 and 15 minutes, start checking at 10. You might need to stir now and again to stop it sticking to the bottom.

Heat the grill to high.

Sprinkle the dish with the cheese, then place under the grill until browned and bubbling.

(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ One Pot Wonders by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2019.)

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Courgette, Butter & Basil Gnocchi

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 20 September 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is the kind of weeknight dish we love, quick and esay but no compromise on flavour.

Wine Suggestion: Try a fun Italian white like a Pecorino or Falanghina, you won’t go far wrong.

Courgette, butter & basil gnocchi – serves 2

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 courgette, trimmed and cubed (we used 2 small courgettes, a green and a yellow)
  • 250g pack of gnocchi from the fridge
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsp capers, drained
  • a pinch of dried chilli flakes
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp salted butter
  • a small bunch of basil, leaves torn, plus a few extra to serve
  • pecorino, finely grated, to serve

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-hight heat, then cook the courgettes until golden and soft.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salty water to the boil, add the gnnocchi and cook until it floats to the top. Remove the cooked gnocchi with a slotted spoon as they rise to the surface. Keep a cupful of the cooking water.

While the gnocchi is cooking, add the garlic, capers and chilli flakes to the courgettes and cook for a minute. Add the lemon juice and stir to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butter and sizzle for 30 seconds or until it smells nutty. Add the gnocchi and a splash of the reserved cooking liquid to make a glossy sauce that coats the gnocchi.

Stir in most of the basil, then serve in warm bowls, sprinkled with the pecorino and extra basil leaves.

(Original recipe by Anna Glover in Olive Magazine, August 2021.)

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Gnocchi with Herb Sauce

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 1 May 2021| Leave a Comment »

Try this for a tasty weeknight dish, particularly if you have lots of herbs in the garden. We loved the anchovies in this but you can easily give it a go without. With gnocchi the trick is to definitely fry it at the end as this gives you both a crispy outside and a pillowy-soft centre.

Wine Suggestion: This needs a characterful white with a bit of acidity. Domaine Gueguen’s old-vine Aligote was our choice, but a good Gavi or top-notch Vermentino would work too.

Gnocchi with herb sauce – serves 2

  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 4 anchovies (optional)
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zest of half
  • 50g herbs – we used parsley, chives & basil
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g gnocchi

Blitz the capers, anchovies, garlic, lemon juice and herbs with 3 tbsp of the olive oil to make a sauce. Season and set aside.

Cook the gnocchi in salty water according to the pack – it takes hardly any time at all and don’t be tempted to leave it in longer, really as soon as it floats to the top it’s done. Drain the gnocchi, then heat the last tbsp of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat.

Fry the gnocchi for about 3 minute or until crispy on the outside and piping hot. Drain on kitchen paper, then tip into a bowl and toss with the sauce. Divide between warm bowls and top with lemon zest and lots of black pepper.

(Original recipe by Elena Silcock in BBC Good Food Magazine, April 2018.)

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Sicilian Couscous Salad

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 March 2021| 2 Comments »

This couscous salad with fennel and tuna is perfect for lunch at the weekend. It’s very simple but the flavours all come together brilliantly. Do buy top quality tuna in oil – we used our local Shines Wild Irish Tuna in Olive Oil.

Wine Suggestion: not having a Sicilian wine to hand we still kept it Italian and opened Patrizia Felluga’s Zuani Vigne Collio Bianco. A multivarietal blend typical of the region this is precise, broad and complex while retaining good vibrancy.

Sicilian couscous salad – serves 3

  • 150g couscous
  • 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder made up with 200ml of boiling water
  • 30ml best extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • 10g flaked almonds
  • 9 caper berries
  • half a fennel bulb, finely sliced, a mandoline works best for this if you have one
  • 185g jar of tuna in olive oil
  • a handful of rocket
  • juice of ½ a lemon

Put the couscous into a large bowl, pour over the hot stock, cover tightly with cling film and leave aside for 10 minutes.

Remove the cling film and fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Drizzle with 10ml of olive oil, then stir in the flaked almonds, caper berries and fennel and toss well.

Add the tuna, breaking it into chunks with a fork and mixing through.

Finally add the rocket, squeeze in the lemon juice, the rest of the olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper. Toss again and transfer to a platter to serve.

(Original recipe from A Table for Friends by Skye McAlpine, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020.)

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Stuffed Chicken with Lemon, Capers & Chilli

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 24 January 2021| Leave a Comment »

We made this a little while ago because we had some spare ricotta in the fridge. It was a really tasty mid-week meal with great flavours; lovely with some greens on the side.

Wine Suggestion: Keep it simple and go for a lightly oaked Chardonnay, Domaine Ventenac’s Cuvée Carole is a old favourite that has a lovely light touch.

Stuffed chicken with lemon, capers & chilli – serves 2

  • 2 large chicken breasts, with skin on
  • 4 tbsp ricotta
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
  • 1 tsp capers
  • 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • small handful of parsley
  • greens to serve or potatoes if you like

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.

Cut a slit in the side of each chicken breast, then use your fingers to make a pocket.

Mix the ricotta, half the lemon zest, Parmesan, capers, chilli flakes and seasoning in a bowl. Push this mixture into the chicken breasts, then secure with a cocktail stick.

Place the stuffed chicken into an ovenproof dish, drizzle over 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the other tbsp of oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and cook gently for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, season well, then simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened.

Spoon the tomato sauce onto plates, top with the chicken and sprinkle over the parsley and the rest of the lemon zest.

(Original recipe by Jennifer Joyce in BBC Good Food Magazine, October 2012.)

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