We love a pasta dish with just a few ingredients and this one is light and fresh and conveniently uses tinned tomatoes.
Wine Suggestion: Despite the cream which may suggest an oaked white, this actually works best with an unoaked, textural white instead. Something like the brilliant Dissidents Cassandre, a Vermentino from Maison Ventenac in Carbades which both lifts and expands the flavours, plus the fresh nuttiness cuts through the light cream.
Rigatoni with tomato, cream and pesto – serves 4
200ml double cream
300g tinned tomatoes, drained weight
2 tbsp pesto
350g rigatoni
40g Parmesan
Pour the cream into a saucepan, add the drained tomatoes and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto.
Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in lots of salty water until al dente, then drain and tip it into a warm serving bowl. Sprinkle the pasta with the Parmesan, then spoon over the sauce and serve.
(Original recipe from The Silver Spoon Pasta, Phaidon, 2009.)
We love pretty much anything with miso. This miso chicken roasted on a bed of sesame pumpkin is an excellent combination.
Wine Suggestion: We’re on a sherry so for this dish we pulled La Gitana Manzanilla out to find if it worked and were delighted to find it really does. If you have a Manzanilla/Fino to hand give it a go, otherwise find a textural Chardonnay which balances the flavours with an extra stalkiness and more time in bottle.
Sticky miso chicken on sesame pumpkin – serves 3
1.5kg pumpkin, thinly sliced (we used crown prince)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus extra to garnish
1 scallion, thinly sliced, to serve
coriander leaves, to serve
FOR THE STICKY MISO CHICKEN:
95g white miso paste
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
60ml mirin
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
6 skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets
Heat the oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9 and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Toss the pumpkin slices in a large bowl with the olive oil, sesame seeds and a good pinch of salt. Spread the pumpkin out over the baking tray and bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes.
To make the chicken, put the miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar and brown rice vinegar into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat, then set aside.
After 20 minutes, top the pumpkin with the chicken fillets and pour over any remaining marinade. Roast for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Sprinkle over sliced scallions, coriander leaves and sesame seeds to serve.
(Original recipe by Donna Hay in Olive Magazine, Christmas 2020.)
Happy Chinese New Year and all good fortune in the year of the rabbit. We celebrated with this simple version of a classic, super tender chicken with a delicous sauce.
Wine Suggestion: If you feel like a white, go for a Marsanne like Andre Perret’s VdP version from the Northern Rhone. That’s what we did.
Soy sauce chicken – serves 4
1kg chicken thighs
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
4 scallions, 3 cut in half, 1 finely slice on an angle, to serve
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
3 star anise
2 bay leaves
240ml light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water
steamed jasmine rice and steamed greens to serve
Season the chicken with salt and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok, then add the 3 halved scallions, ginger, star anise and bay leaves. Toss for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
Pour in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, 2 tbsp of the sugar and 480ml of water. Turn the heat up to hight and bring to the boil.
Slide in the chicken thighs, skin side down, in a single layer. Add more water if need to just about cover the chicken.
Turn the heat to low, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 35 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a plate and leave until cool enough to handle, then remove the bones and slice. Arrange on a serving dish.
Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid and discard the solids. Put 150ml into a small pan and put the pan over a medium heat. Just before it boils, add the cornflower mixture and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Remove from the heat once it’s at a nice thickness (you can add a bit more of the reserved cooking liquor if it gets too thick – you want it coating the back of a spoon).
Pour the sauce over the sliced chicken and sprinkle over the sliced scallion. Serve with jasmine rice and lots of steamed greens.
(Original recipe by Thy Lundkvist in BBC Good Food Magazine, January 2022.)
We’re clearing out in January, rather then dieting. This recipe used up the last of a side of smoked salmon and its simplicity is perfect.
Wine Suggestion: We think Verdicchio is under-rated as a grape and for food combinations like this where you have a creaminess, combined with some Omega fatty acids and citrus zest it is the business. Tonight our choice was Sartarelli’s Tralivio which balances fruit weight with an almost saline minerality.
Tagliatelle with Salmon and Mascarpone – serves 4
400g tagliatelle
200g smoked salmon, snipped with scissors into short strips
125g mascarpone
20g soft butter
zest of 1 lemon, plus more to garnish
a few sprigs of dill, snipped
Cook the tagliatelle in lots of very salty water until al dente.
Meanwhile, tip the salmon strips into a large warm serving bowl along with the mascarpone, butter and lemon zest. Add a ladleful of the pasta cooking water to loosen it all to a cream, then taste and add salt if needed.
Drain the pasta, reserving some water, then tip into the bowl with the sauce and toss gently, adding more cooking water if needed. Serve sprinkled with the dill and some more lemon zest.
(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)
Don’t judge this just by the look as it just looks like well cooked cabbage … and it is … but we’re addicted. Lifted to another level by the vinegar, this is our new favourite side.
Stewed Cabbage – serves 4
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
60g pancetta, chopped (optional)
1 small Savoy cabbage or half of a large one (about 600g)
2 heaped tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Put the oil, onion and pancetta (if using) into a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add some salt if you are not using pancetta. Cook gently, without browning, for about 15 minutes until soft.
Slice the cabbage into wedges and remove the tough core. Shred the leaves finely and rinse in a colander. Add the wet cabbage to the pan, then the butter, and stir for a few minutes until the butter melts. Stir through the vinegar and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for 60 to 80 minutes, stirring occasionlly, until completely soft and wilted. Add a splash of water if it looks dry at any point.
Season to taste with salt and serve.
(Original recipe from Stagioni by Olivia Cavalli, Pavillon, 2022.)
Perfect dish for nights when you’ve little energy – dinner for two in ten minutes and lots of flavour.
Wine Suggestion: A warmer climate Shiraz/Syrah is our choice as you need the juicier fruit, but nothing too jammy please. Tonight a glass of the Wolftrap Red from Boekenhoutskloof in South Africa. Mostly Shiraz but with a touch of Mourvèdre and Viognier it has the fruit to counter the harissa heat, and a balance that doesn’t overwhelm the food.
Tagliatelle with mushrooms and harissa – serves 2
150g tagliatelle
300g chestnut mushrooms
4 scallions
2 cloves of garlic
6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp harissa paste
grated Parmesan, to serve
Bring a large pan of very salty water to the boil, then cook the tagliatelle according to the timings on the pack.
Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes or until starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the scallions and continue to cook for a couple of minutes or until softened. Stir in the harissa paste.
Drain the pasta quickly and not too well, then tip into the pan with the mushrooms. Toss everything together, then serve in warm bowls with the Parmesan sprinkled over.
(Original recipe from A Cook’s Book by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2021.)
It seems to be miso-roasted everything at the minute, which is ok with us. Here it is with some parsnips.
Miso parsnips – serves 6
4 tbsp olive oil
800g parsnips, peeled and quartered
60g white miso
1 tbsp maple syrup
Heat your oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Put the oil into a deep roasting tin and stick it in the oven to heat up.
Bring a pan of salty water to the boil and boil the parsnips for 4-5 mintues, then drain and leave to steam dry in the warm pot for about 10 minutes.
Tip the parsnips into a bowl, pour over the miso and maple syrup, and season well. Stir to coat the parsnips in the mixture.
Remove the hot oil from the oven and tip in the parsnips, basting in the hot oil before roasting for 20 minutes. Baste again with the juices in the tin and return to the oven for another 10 to 20 minutes, until golden.
Wine Suggestion: We think this dish goes really well with a good Pinot Gris, like the Neudorf Moutere we were tempted to open. Dry, but full of fruit, and dusty, warm spices.
Shahi gobi saalan – serves 6
7 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large bay leaf
2.5cm piece of cassia bark
2 green cardamom pods
1 clove
5 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tsp ground coriander,
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
250ml water
750g cauliflower florets, cut into 5 cm pieces
1-2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
6 tbsp ground almonds
a handful of toasted flaked almonds to garnish
Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the bay leaf, cassia bark, cardamom pods and clove. As soon as the clove starts to puff up, add the onions and cook, stirring, until starting to caramelise.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, then add the coriander and chilli powder and cook, stirring, for another minute to cook out the spices. Add a splash of water if it starts to stick. Add the salt and sugar, then pour in the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow boil, then cover and simmer until the oil comes to the side of the pan.
Add the cauliflower and stir to coat in the onion mixture. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly, cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is just cooked. Taste and add more salt or sugar to taste.
Add 1.5 tins of coconut milk and the ground almonds and cook, uncovered, for a few minutes. You want a thick and creamy gravy so only add the rest of the coconut milk if needed. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over to serve.
(Original recipe from Ammu by Asma Khan, Ebury Press, 2022.)
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.)
Who doesn’t love meatballs. There’s at least one person in this house who would have them every week. This recipe by Olia Hercules makes heaps to help with that problem.
Wine Suggestion: great with a simple Sangiovese with bright and slightly crunchy fruits and a good wack of tannins. Rocca delle Macie’s Chianti Vernaiolo is our standby and doesn’t hide behind oak, rather celebrates the joy of fruit. The added joy is the smooth tannins this wine brings despite the potentially awkward Sangiovese grape; they have a great feel for getting the balance right even with a bouncingly youthful cuvee.
Olia’s Meatballs – Sugo Della Mamma – makes 30 meatballs
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
60g stale sourdough bread with crusts (or dry out 80g of fresh bread chunks in the oven)
250ml hot whole milk
20g parsley, very finely chopped
400g beef mince
400g pork mince
1 small egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
100g Pecorino/Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
¼ nutmeg, finely grated
FOR THE SAUCE:
up to 5 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and bruised but left whole
800g tomato passata or 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
a couple of sprigs of basil
Tagliagelle, pappardelle or orecchiette, to serve
Put the bread into a bowl and pour over the hot milk. Leave for 5 mintues then press the bread down to make sure it’s all soaked. Cover and leave for 15 minutes.
Mix the mince, egg, bread and soaking milk, grated garlic, parsley, cheese and nutmeg together. Season well with 1 tbsp of sea salt and lots of black pepper. Use your hands to mix it all together really well.
Wet your hands and shape the mixture into about 30 golf-ball sixed meatballs.
Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil for the sauce. Fry the meatballs in batches until browned on a couple of sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
If you need more fat you can add the extra 2 tbsp of oil, then add the bruised garlic and cook for a few minutes to infuse the oil, then remove and discard.
Add the passata or tomatoes to the pan, then fill the jar or tin with 200ml water and add that with a generous pinch of salt. Cook over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Gently place the meatballs into the sauce and cook for 15-20 minutes at a gentle bubble. Add the basil sprigs for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
Cook the pasta, then roughy drain so a little water remains. Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in, ladle over the sauce and meatballs and gently stir to combine.
Serve with extra grated pecorino.
(Original recipe from Home Food by Olia Hercules, Bloomsbury, 2022.)
We love simple ideas like this one for mid-week inspiration. We used ready-made spinach gnocchi, try and find a decent brand if you can.
Gnocchi with mushroom and paprika butter – serves 3
50g butter
400g chestnut mushrooms
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tsp chopped rosemary
½ tsp hot smoked paprika
500g pack gnocchi
100ml sour cream or crème fraîche
grated Parmesan, to serve
Heat a small knob of the butter in a pan, add the mushrooms and ½ tsp salt, and cook until soft and golden.
Add the rest of the butter, garlic and rosemary, then cook gently for 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the paprika and season with black pepper, then keep over a low heat while you cook the gnocchi.
Drain the gnocchi and tip into the mushroom pan. Toss everything together and serve in warm bowls with a dollop of cream, lots of black pepper and some Parmesan.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, October 2019.)
This is a nice soupy-stew sort of thing. Perfect for cold nights but still with nice fresh flavours.
Wine Suggestion: We went a bit left-field for this dish and look for an aged white Rioja where you get the roundness and poise of an oaked chardonnay but with a slightly softer acidity. Graceful in age the Urbina Rioja Bianco Crianza 2014 was both youthful with melon and citrus fruits, and with a layer of aged, tertiary fennel, aniseed and peach. A joy to know this is the current release from an under the radar winery.
Chicken with leeks & orzo – serves 3
3 tbsp olive oil
6 large chicken thighs
250g leeks, cut into short lengths, wash well to get rid of any grit and pat dry with kitchen paper.
1 litre chicken stock
half a lemon, cut into 2 fat wedges
6 black peppercorns
200g orzo
150g frozen peas
a small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
a small handful of tarragon, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Heat the oil in a large, deep casserole dish. Fry the chicken thighs until well-browned on both sides, then remove and set aside.
Add the leeks to the chicken fat in the pan and cook over a medium-low heat, with the lid on, for 5 minutes, you want them softened but not browned.
Add the stock and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes to the boil, then add half the lemon, peppercorns and 1 tsp of salt. Scatter in the orzo and boil for 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, then cover and bake for 35 minutes.
Add the peas, then return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Add the tarragon and parsley and serve in warm bowls.
(Original recipe from A Cook’s Book by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2021)
We served this with steak but it would be nice with other vegetable dishes too.
Pomegranate-glazed aubergine – serves 4
2 large aubergines, peeled and cut into 2.5cm rounds
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 scallions, finely sliced on the diagonal
a generous handful of salted peanuts, chopped
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7.
Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Set the aubergine slices onto the baking tray, then brush both sides with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes until cooked through but not browned.
Mix the pomegranate molasses and maple syrup together, then use a pastry brush to brush evenly over both sides of the aubergines, then sprinkle with some flaked sea salt. Roast for another 5-6 minutes or until glazed and sticky.
Scatter with the scallion and peanuts before serving.
(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Asteer, 2022.)
4 sprigs rosemary, 2 left whole and needles picked and finely chopped from the rest
1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
600g cherry tomatoes
2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 small salmon fillets
2 handfuls of rocket
Heat the oven to 220C/200 Fan/Gas 7.
Whisk the baslsamic, olive oil, chopped rosemary, garlic, and seasoning, together in a small bowl.
Tip the tomatoes and beans into a large roasting tray. Nestle in the salmon fillets, then pour over the dressing. Toss gently to make sure everything is coated in dressing.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Give the beans and tomatoes another gentle toss and push down on a few tomatoes to burst them. Scatter over the rocket and serve.
(Original recipe by Anna Glover in Olive Magazine, October 2021.)
We’ve made a salad like this before but this one is fresher and makes a great side dish for a crowd. We served it with some spicy baked salmon.
Georgian kidney bean salad – serves 6 to 8
2 x 400g tins kidney beans (we used 300g dried kidney beans, rinse then soak in 3 times the volume of cold water for 5 hours. Drain and put into a saucepan covered by an inch with cold water, then boil hard for 30 minutes, stirring to prevent any sticking)
50g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 heaped tsp dried mint
2 banana shallots, very thinly sliced into rings
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp pul biber chilli flakes
Maldon salt & fresh ground black pepper
If you are using tinned beans, drain them rinse well under a cold tap to get rid of the briny liquid. Shake the beans dry, then tip into a large bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredints to the bowl and fold together gently, you don’t want to crush the beans. Season well with salt and pepper, stir again and leave at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
Stir well again before serving.
(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)
The mussels are cooked in a fairly light sauce but packed with flavour. Serve with some crusty bread if you like.
Wine Suggestion: This dish demands a white with good bones, though you need to keep it fresh and savoury as well for the taste of the sea the mussels bring. We chose to good effect Quinta Soalheiro’s Alvarinho Reserva which comes from some of their oldest vineyards in the north of Portugal. Aromatically intense with a complex structure, it nonetheless also maintains a salty freshness from the grape making it a great match for mussels.
Mussels and orzo with coconut & saffron – serves 4
1kg mussels, scrubbed and debearded
80g orzo pasta
30g unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
½ a small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped into 1cm pieces
1 Scotch bonnet chilli
1¼ tsp fine salt
150g yellow cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ tsp tomato purée
¾ tsp saffron threads
400g tin coconut milk
up to 2 tsp chilli paste, we used paté bomba con peponcini piccanti (optional)
1 lemon
FOR THE HERB OIL:
5g chives, finely chopped
5g coriander, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
a pinch of fine salt
Put the orzo into a medium-sized ball and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse.
Heat the butter and oil in a large, shallow sauté pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, pepper, the whole Scotch bonnet and the salt. Cook gently for about 8 minutes, or until soft but not coloured.
Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and saffron and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then stir in the coconut milk and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the orzo, then spread the mussels out on top. Cover with a lid, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 5 minutes or until the mussels have all opened.
Discard the whole chilli, you can give it a squeeze into the sauce first if you like heat. Taste the sauce and add some chilli paste if you like.
Squeeze plenty of lemon juice over the mussels, then mix all the ingredients for the herb oil together and spoon over the top.
(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)
A delicious autumnal dish for not just sauerkraut lovers, but we think something to convert skeptics too. The sauerkraut provides freshness to the rich cream and cheese, plus it complements the velvety butternut texture.
Butternut squash with sauerkraut and gruyère – serves 3
3 small butternut squash
30g butter
1 tsp thyme leaves
2 medium to large onions, finely sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
a small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
250g sauerkraut
150ml double cream
125g Gruyère, grated
Heat the oven to 200C.
Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and fibres with a spoon. Set the halves in a large roasting tin, then dot over the butter, sprinkle over the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the hot over for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until soft.
Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large deep pan, over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 20 minutes or until pale gold and soft. Stir the parsley into the onions, then remove from the heat and add the sauerkraut, cream and cheese. Season.
When the squash are ready, divide the cheese and sauerkraut mixture betwen them, then return to the oven for another 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
(Original recipe from A Cook’s Book by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2021.)
We’re starting to switch to more autumnal dishes. This is thoroughly traditional in style and will put a bit of warmth in your belly. The best side for all pies is peas to which we added a few glazed carrots. Comfort food for cold weather.
Wine Suggestion: We’ve gone a bit mad for Portuguese reds the past while and for this it was no different as we opened, and enjoyed the Herdade do Sobroso Red. From the Alentejo this is an Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blend, having the joy of having a rich core, alongside an elegance and freshness that sits very nicely with the sausages and gravy.
Sausage & Mash Pie – serves 4
1 tbsp sunflower oil
8 large pork sausages
25g butter
2 onions, finely sliced
a pinch of golden caster sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
500ml beef stock
frozen peas, cooked to serve
FOR THE MASH:
1.25kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or Roosters, peeled and cut into large chunks
150ml whole milk
25g butter
25g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently cook the sausages over a medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the butter to the pan and heat until sizzling, then add the onions and sugar and cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Scatter over the flour and stir to make a paste, then add the tomato purée and cook for a minute. Add the vinegar, then pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Tip any juices from the sausages into the pan, then slice the sausages into chunky pieces and add these too. Simmer for 5 minutes or until you have a rich and glossy gravy. Tip the mixture into a large baking dish.
Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until just cooked. Drain and leave to steam dry for a minute. Pour the milk into the pan and bring to a simmer, then tip in the drained potatoes and butter, and mash. Season to taste.
Top the sausages with the mash, starting at the edge and working into the middle, careful not to leave any gaps or the gravy will bubble through. Use a fork to scrape lines along the surface and sprinkle with the cheese.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until browned. Remove the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the peas.
These are a nice spin on regular sausage roll. Great for a snack with some ketchup.
Sausage rolls with barberries & dill – makes 16
370g ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp sesame seeds
FOR THE FILLING:
350g sausagemeat
3 scallions, finely sliced
15g dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp dried barberries
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp pul biber chilli flakes
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7.
Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Put all of the filling ingredients into a large bowl. Season generously with maldon salt and black pepper, then mix with your hands for a couple of minutes until evenly combined.
Divide the puff pastry sheet in two, lengthways.
Divide the sausage mixture in two, then form two long sausages, almost the same length as the pastry strips. Place a sausage in the middle of each piece of pastry. Brush one edge of the pastry with egg, then fold the pastry edges over to enclose the sausage. The beaten egg will help to seal them.
Turn the rolls over so the seam is underneath, then cut each roll into 8 pieces.
Transfer to the baking tray and brush the tops with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, then bake in the hot oven for 22-25 minutes or until well browned. Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving with some ketchup if you like.
(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)
A delicious steak recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage. Ixta fries the steak in a pan over a high heat, we used a barbecue – fabulous flavours either way. You will need to grind about 3 black limes to get enough for the marinade and the butter.
Wine Suggestion: Thanks to our friends Tim & Mick, who’ve been travelling recently, we had an excellent Öküzgözü from Turkey which was regal, refined, and a delightful surprise. We wish we could remember the name of the winery as we forgot to take a picture and the bottle recycling was done the next day before we remembered! Full of black cherry, raspberry, and dark mulberry flavours; this was complex and had layers of dark chocolate, licorice, leather, tobacco, cloves, and something slightly herbal and minty, but we couldn’t put our finger on what.
Bavette steak with black lime & maple butter – serves 4
500g bavette steak, cut into 3 equal pieces
300g ripe tomatoes
½ red onion
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
FOR THE MARINADE:
1 tsp fine salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Urfa chili flakes (we used a mixture of smoked paprika and aleppo pepper)
1½ tsp ground black lime
about 50 twists of black pepper
FOR THE SOY AND MAPLE BUTTER:
40g ghee or unsalted butter
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2½ tsp maple syrup
½ a small clove of garlic, finely grated
¾ tsp ground black lime
¾ tsp Urfa chilli flakes (see above)
Pat the steak dry and put into a large bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and rub into the steaks. Leave aside for 10 minutes or up to 1 hour (you can do this further ahead and leave in the fridge but make sure you bring them back to room temperature before cooking).
Get your barbecue very hot, then sear the steaks for 2 minutes on each side, you want them dark brown on the outside but rare in the middle. Transfer to a warm plate and rest for 8 minutes, turning over halfway.
While the steaks are resting, slice the tomatoes and onions and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle with ½ tsp flaked salt.
Melt the ghee in a small saucepan over a medium heat. When it is melted and hot, remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, black lime and chilli flakes.
Slice the bavette against the grain and arrange over the onions and tomatoes. Sprinkle with some sea salt, then spoon over the soy and maple butter and serve with the lemon wedges on the side.
(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)
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