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Posts Tagged ‘Easy’

Baked Cod with Tomatoes, Chorizo & Butterbeans

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 7 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Baked Cod with Tomatoes, Chorizo & Butterbeans

The beans in this dish are absolutely delicious. This is really straightforward and tasty for a weeknight.

Wine Suggestion: Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre make a delcious Chablis that we’re quite partial to. Despite the Mediterranean-Spanish influence to the dish, this northern French, unoaked Chardonnay has the texture, minerality and vibrancy that food like this needs.

Baked cod with tomatoes, chorizo & butterbeans – serves 2

  • 125g chorizo, diced into 1cm pieces
  • 400g tin butterbeans, drained and rinsed
  • 500g mixed tomatoes, roughly diced, small ones can just be halved
  • 20 black olives
  • a handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1tsp golden caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 large piece of skinless cod fillet (300-400g) or 2 smaller fillets
  • a few pinches of smoked paprika

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

Put 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan, add the chorizo, then put over a gentle heat until crispy and the chorizo has released lots of oil. Scoop the chorizo out with a slotted spoon and reserve the oil.

Put the chorizo into a large bowl with the butterbeans, tomatoes, olives, parsley, vinegar, sugar, tomato purée and lots of seasoning, then toss.

Put a large piece of baking paper into a roughly A4 sized tin leaving some hanging over the edges. You might need to use two pieces of paper, the idea is to have a sealed parcel.

Tip the chorizo and beans into the paper, then set the fish on top. Sprinkle the fish with some smoked paprika and seasoning. Drizzle the chorizo oil over everything.

Gather the paper up and scrunch together to make a parcel, then put the tray into the oven for 20-30 minute, or until the fish is cooked.

(Original recipe by Sarah Cook in Olive Magazine, September 2015.)

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Cherry Tomato Risotto

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 5 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Cherry Tomato Risotto

We planted tomato plants in the garden during lockdown, and now we have cherry tomatoes coming out of our ears. Last week we made roasted cherry tomato soup and this week it’s tomato risotto. It’s a good complaint!

Wine Suggestion: A risotto … made with tomatoes … it had to be Sangiovese. We chose a bright, fresh fruited Chianti made by Trudie Styler and Sting. The Tenuta il Palaggio, When We Can Dance Chianti just revels in pure, good quality fruit; joyful and unsullied by oak.

Cherry tomato risotto – serves 4

  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 litre of vegetable stock (we use Swiss Marigold Bouillon Powder)
  • a knob of butter
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 rosemary sprig, finely chopped
  • 250g risotto rice
  • 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • a handful of basil leaves
  • grated Parmesan to serve

Put the tin of tomatoes in a food processor with 500ml of the veg stock and whizz until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and add the rest of stock, then bring to a gentle simmer.

Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over a gentle heat, then add the chopped onion and cook gently until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic & rosemary, then cook for another minute. Add the rice and stir for a minute until the grains are glistening.

Start adding generous ladlefuls of the tomato and stock mixture and stir gently until absorbed before adding more. When you have added about half the stock, add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and season with salt and lots of black pepper. Continue adding the stock until it is used up and the rice is al dente, it should take 20-25 minutes.

Cover the pot and leave for 1 minutes, then tear and stir in the basil leaves. Serve in warmed bowls with Parmesan grated over the top.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Paella with Runner Beans, Chicken & Prawns

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 2 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Paella with Runner Beans, Chicken & Prawns

We just can’t resist runner beans when we see them and were so glad to find this recipe which puts them to good use. Healthy enough for a weeknight too.

Wine Suggestion: for a dish with both chicken and shellfish we prefer textural white wines. With an extra umami-savoury element we find that Grüner Veltliner also complements the paprika and saffron here. Tonight a wine from a friend in the business, the Schloss Gobelsburg Langenlois Kamptal GV. Quite a ripe style but with backbone and finesse too.

Paella with runner beans, chicken & prawns – serves 4 (we halved successfully)

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 8 skinless chicken thighs
  • 225g paella rice
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 850ml hot chicken stock, with 2 large pinches of saffron added
  • 350g runner beans, peel down the sides with a vegetable peeler to remove any strings, then thickly slice into chunks
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped
  • 200g raw large king prawns

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and garlic, and fry for 5 minutes. Push the onions to one side, then add the chicken thighs and cook for 10 minutes or until browned.

Stir in the rice and paprika, then pour in the wine and let is sizzle for a minute or two. Add the saffron stock, then stir in the beans and pepper, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and most of the stock absorbed. You can add a bit more stock if needed.

Add the prawns for the last few minutes, they will turn pink when cooked. Season generously and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Courgettes with Mint & Ricotta

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 1 September 2020| 1 Comment »

Courgettes with Mint & Ricotta

There was a little bit of leftover ricotta in our fridge, and some courgettes and mint in the garden, which improved Tuesday’s freezer dinner immensely!

Courgettes with mint & ricotta – serves 2 as a side

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp unsalted butter
  • 2 large courgettes, sliced
  • zest and juice of ½ a lemon
  • a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 35g of ricotta (or whatever quantity you have)
  • a small handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped

Heat a large heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Heat half the oil with half the butter, then add half of the courgettes in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn the heat to low and continue cooking for 5 minutes, don’t be tempted to move them as you want them to take on plenty of colour.

Turn the courgettes, then grate over some lemon zest, pour over half the lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Leave for another 5 minutes or until very tender. Remove to a warm platter and repeat with the remaining courgettes.

Top the courgette with spoons of ricotta, drizzle over your best olive oil and scatter over the mint to serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Crab Cakes with Dill Mayonnaise

Posted in Fish, Food, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 25 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Crab cakes with dill mayonnaise

Always nice to have leftover crab and this handy recipe is both easy to make and a delight to eat. It can be made ahead of time if you like and cooked from chilled. We’ve put a stash in the freezer for a treat on another night too.

Wine Suggestion: for some reason this always feels so summery, so we think the matching wine needs to taste the same. We’ve been tasting a few different whites from Ribeiro and Bierzo in north western Spain recently, notably made from Treixadura, Godello, Loureiro and Albilla. They’re nice and light when they use a bit of lees contact, but very little, or no oak. Tonight the Dominio de Tares La Sonrisa, a Godello that is equally at home on a beach somewhere as it is at home, late at night, eating crab cakes.

Crab cakes with dill mayonnaise – serves 4 as a starter 

  • 250g potatoes, diced
  • 300g white crabmeat
  • 1 tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped
  • zest and juice of a lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
  • small bunch of dill, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 85g dried breadcrumbs
  • sunflower oil, for shallow frying

Boil the potatoes in plenty of salty water for about 15 minutes or until tender, then drain and leave to steam dry in the pot for a few minutes. Mash and leave to cool.

Mix the crabmeat, capers, scallions, lemon zest, half the lemon juice and half the dill, in a large bowl. Stir in the cooled mash and season, then make into 12 round cakes. Transfer to a plate and put in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up a bit.

Make the dill mayonnaise by mixing the mayonnaise with the remaining lemon juice and dill. Keep in the fridge until needed.

Put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs on 3 separate plates. Dust the crab cakes with the flour, then dip in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs to coat.

Add sunflower oil to a shallow frying pan until it comes about 1cm up the side. Heat the oil, then cook the crab cakes for about 3 minutes on each side or until crispy and golden. You will probably have to do this in batches. Drain on kitchen paper, then serve with the dill mayonnaise and some lemon wedges.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Béarnaise Sauce

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 24 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Bearnaise sauce

We rarely do the classic sauces, sometimes they look a bit intimidating. This Béarnaise is easily made and tastes superb, perfect for when only steak & chips will do. It will keep warm in the bowl while you cook your steaks.

Wine suggestion: Béarnaise is a slightly piquant sauce, so you have to make sure the wine you choose isn’t too acidic. Our choice was the Ridge Lytton Estate Petite Sirah. This is full bodied and richly plum flavoured with peppery tannins and very high levels of anthocyanins (colour and anti-oxidants). Crucially though it has only a medium acidity and so doesn’t fight the sauce. A rare enough grape, but in expert hands, wonderful indeed.

Béarnaise Sauce – serves 2

  • 50ml white wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • a large sprig of tarragon, bruised
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 200g unsalted butter, diced and softened
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp tarragon leaves, finely chopped
  • freshly ground white pepper
  • sea salt

Put the vinegar, black peppercorns, shallot and whole tarragon sprig into a small saucepan with 50ml of water, then bring to the boil. Simmer until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, then strain and reserve the liquid.

Put a heatproof bowl over a pan of just simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water.

Put the egg yolks, a cube of butter and a pinch of salt into the bowl. Whisk together, then add half the reserved liquid. Keep whisking until the mixture comes together and starts to thicken, then gradually add all of the butter, one cube at a time. Make sure that the mixture has emulsified (and not separated!) before you add any more butter each time. If it becomes too thick you can add teaspoons of warm water to thin it.

When all the butter has been added, remove the bowl from over the pan. Add a squeeze of lemon and stir in the chopped tarragon. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice, salt, white pepper, or more of the reduced liquid if needed. Leave the sauce in the warm bowl (off the heat) and it will keep warm for about 30 minutes but keep stirring occasionally.

(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Meat Feasts by Si King & Dave Myers, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2015.)

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Jamie’s Favourite Coleslaw

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 20 August 2020| 1 Comment »

Jamie's Coleslaw

A reprise of THE most visited blog post we’ve ever done! We thought it was worth highlighting again for that reason alone but it’s also a great coleslaw.

Jamie’s Favourite Coleslaw – serves 6 generously

  • ½ a white cabbage, core removed and cut into quarters
  • 1 small red onion, peeled
  • 3 carrots, peeled
  • 2 red apples, washed and cored
  • a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • juice of 1-2 lemons
  • some mayonnaise
  • 1 heaped tsp English mustard

Slice the cabbage as finely as possible or slice using a food processor. Then slice the onion in the same way and mix with the cabbage in a large bowl.

Julienne the carrots and apples with a mandolin or food processor or cut into matchsticks. Add to the bowl along with the chopped parsley, a few dollops of mayonnaise and the mustard. You can adjust the quantities of lemon juice and mayonnaise to how you like it. We just added the juice from one lemon and a few good dollops of mayonnaise. Season to taste and toss together.

(Original recipe from Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver, Penguin Books, 2006.)

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Courgette Gratin

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 19 August 2020| 1 Comment »

Courgette Gratin

Doesn’t everything taste better with a bit of cream & cheese?

Courgette Gratin – serves 4 as a side

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 800g courgettes, chopped into ½ cm slices
  • a few sprigs of thyme
  • a few basil leaves
  • 100ml crème fraîche
  • 50ml milk
  • 1 tsp flour
  • 75g Gruyère cheese (or you could use Cheddar), grated

Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the courgettes and herbs and season well with sea salt and black pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and cook gently for about 10 minutes, or until the courgettes have softened but still have a bit of a bite. Give them a stir occasionally.

Tip the courgettes into an ovenproof dish. Whisk the crème fraîche with the milk, flour and some salt. Pour this over the courgettes and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until browned and bubbling.

(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure, Seven Dials, 2017.)

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Mouclade

Posted in Food, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , on 12 August 2020| 1 Comment »

Mouclade

Not our first mouclade, as we’ve made many variations over the years, but we particularly liked this one by Diana Henry as the saffron gives the sauce a fantastic colour. A very popular summer lunch dish. You will need some bread for mopping up the sauce.

Wine Suggestion: we went Spanish today and paired this with a wine made predominantly of Treixadura but with small amounts of Godello, Albariño and Loureiro too. Made by Pazo Casanova in the DO Ribeiro which is on the Spanish section of the Minho River this is fresh and citrussy with hints of white flowers and stone fruit on the nose and a mid-weight, textured finish. While we don’t drink much Treixadura we were tempted by the addition of the other grapes which we knew would work with the dish and we can now add this rarer, indigenous Spanish variety to our repetoire of seafood loving wines.

Mouclade – serves 4

  • a good pinch of saffron threads
  • 2kg mussels
  • 30g unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ¾ tsp medium curry powder
  • 4 tbsp brandy
  • 2 tsp plain flour
  • 200ml dry white wine
  • 200ml double cream
  • generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Put the saffron in a cup with 5 tbsp of boiling water, then leave aside for 30 minutes.

Wash the mussels, remove any beards and crusty bits and throw away open mussels that don’t closed when given a sharp tap on the side of the sink.

Melt the butter in a pan and gently sauté the onion until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic and curry powder and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the brandy and boil until reduced to a couple of tablespoons. Reduce the heat, then stir in the flour and mix well until smooth. Cook for  a minute, then take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the saffron water. Set aside.

Put the wine and mussels into a large sauce and cover. Bring the boil and cook over a med-high heat for about 4 minutes, shaking now and then, until the mussels have opened. Strain the mussels in a colander, over a bowl to collect the cooking liquid. Cover the mussels to keep warm while you finish the sauce.

Strain the mussel cooking liquid through a J-cloth, then gently reheat the saffron sauce. Gradually stir in the mussel liquid, then bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Add the cream and simmer for 4 minutes or until reduced and a little thicker. Season to taste and stir through the parsley.

Put the mussels into a large serving bowl, pour over the sauce and serve.

(Original recipe from How to Eat a Peach by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2018.)

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Melon, Tomato, Prosciutto & mint Salad

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 11 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Melon, Tomato, Prosciutto & mint Salad

This makes a great summer lunch with some bread or an easy starter. The mint is a lovely addition.

Melon, tomato, prosciutto & mint salad – serves 4 to 6

  • 500g tomatoes, chopped into chunks or halved if small (heirloom tomatoes would be good if you can get them)
  • 1 melon, cut into chunks
  • 12 slices prosciutto
  • a handful of mint, leaves picked & shredded
  • crusty bread, to serve

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 1½ tbsp Sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp honey

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.

Put the tomatoes and melon into a large bowl, then toss with a little of the dressing and some salt and pepper.

Lay the prosciutto slices over a large dish, then spoon over the tomatoes & melon. Pour over another bit of dressing and scatter over the mint.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Courgettes with Parsley

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Courgette Trifolate

We can’t be the only people living on courgettes at the minute. Not that we’re complaining, we love looking out for different things to do with them which is how we came across this little side dish by Jacob Kennedy. The cooking method is a bit different but the result is delicious, the lesser cooked bits taste really strongly of courgettes and you also get some browned pieces with a deeper flavour.

Courgettes with Parsley – serves 4 as a side

  • 600g courgettes
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • a tiny pinch of crushed dried chilli flakes
  • about 20g of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Thinly slice the courgettes, 3-5mm.

Get out a large, wide frying pan.  It needs to be big enough to hold the courgettes no more than 2-3 layers deep.

Heat the pan until really smoking or at least very, very hot. Add all of the courgettes and shake the pan to settle them, leave for 30 seconds.

Drizzle over the oil and sprinkle with salt but don’t stir yet. Continue to cook for another 30 seconds, then add the garlic, chilli and some black pepper. Toss once, so the courgettes on the bottom are pretty much on the top and the garlic and chilli underneath. Leave for 15 seconds, then shake the pan and cook for another 15 seconds. Sprinkle with parsley and toss a few times to mix, then remove from the heat. Leave in the pan for a further minute to finish cooking, then serve hot or at room temperature.

(Original recipe from Bocca Cookbook by Jacob Kennedy, Bloomsbury, 2011.)

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Tuna Cooked in Lentils

Posted in Fish, Food, Italian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 9 August 2020| 2 Comments »

Tuna cooked in lentils

This really is the perfect dish by Joe Trivelli. Chunky pieces of tuna, earthy lentils and sweet tomatoes. We really recommend this one.

Wine Suggestion: Chill down a Grignolino, a red from Piedmont, and you’ve got a joyful  match. A friend brings in Olim Bauda’s version which is excellent, but we’re conscious this is a hard grape to find so if you can’t find one try a chilled, youthful Beaujolais or a Dolcetto.

Tuna Cooked in Lentils – serves 4

  • 200g dried lentils
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
  • 350g thick tuna steak, cut into 3 cm chunks
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • small bunch of basil leaves
  • 40g butter
  • 1 lemon
  • best extra virgin olive oil

Rinse the lentils and cook in water until tender, about 20 minutes, then drain.

Season the flour with salt and stir in the crushed coriander seeds. Lightly dust the tuna in the flour mixture.

Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and fry the garlic until golden. Remove the garlic from the pan and add the tuna. Turn quickly, then add the tomatoes and basil, followed by the lentils. Toss a few times, then turn off the heat. Put the butter on top and leave in the pan for 8 minutes, basting the tuna with the lentils. Squeeze over some lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

(Original recipe from The Modern Italian Cook by Joe Trivelli, Seven Dials, 2018.)

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Chorizo, Orzo & Sweetcorn Stew

Posted in Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 6 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Chorizo, Orzo & Sweetcorn Stew

A colourful dish for midweek, just as flavoursome as the colours suggest.

Chorizo, orzo & sweetcorn stew – serves 2

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • a bunch of scallions, sliced, keep the green and white parts separated
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 50g chorizo, diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 75g orzo
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 200g tin sweetcorn, drained
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 350ml chicken or veg stock
  • ½ small bunch of parsley, chopped
  • ½ lemon, zested and juiced

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the white parts of the scallions with the peppers and chorizo for about 8 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and the chorizo taking on some colour.

Stir in the garlic, orzo, paprika, sweetcorn and tomato and fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the orzo is tender.

Stir in the parsley, the green scallions and the lemon zest and juice.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Marinated Tomato & Feta Salad

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Marinated Tomato & Feta Salad

There are endless tomato salads for lunch at our house. We loved this marinated version with feta cheese and olives. Serve with warm pittas.

Marinated tomato & feta salad – serves 2

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 6 vine tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 100g feta, crumbled
  • 10 kalamata olives
  • a few mint leaves, torn
  • 2 pitta breads, warmed

Whisk the oil, vinegar and caster sugar together in a bowl, then add the onion and season.

Divide the tomato slices between two plates, then spoon over the onions and dressing. Leave to mingle for 10 minutes.

Scatter over the feta, olives and mint, then serve with the warm pittas.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, August 2016.)

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Lobster with Thermidor butter

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 3 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Lobster Thermidor

We’re pretty sure this isn’t the classic recipe but it was a lovely meal to end our holiday at home. Tomorrow we both go back to work, but tonight it was deliciousness all the way. We served this with a classic green salad, home-made chips and a fabulous wine that we bought on summer holidays in France last year.

Wine suggestion: a decadent dish requires a similar wine. Vintage Champagne is often suggested for lobster and works well, so does a good Premier Cru white Burgundy. On the same level though is good Jura Chardonnay and so we opened our last bottle of Domaine Labet’s “en Billat” 2016. Crunchy ripe apples, stony limestone and almond kernals, pears, quince, nuts and hints of buttery toast; quite extraordinary. We wish we had the will power to cellar these wines for longer … but keep on getting tempted.

Lobster with Thermidor butter – serves 2

  • 150ml white wine
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • a handful of chopped tarragon
  • a handful of chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ a lemon, juiced
  • a pinch of paprika
  • a dash of Tabasco sauce
  • 5 tbsp grated Parmesan
  • 140g softened butter
  • 2 cooked lobsters

Put the wine and the shallot into a small pan and bring to the boil. Reduce until almost dry, then cool.

Mix together the tarragon, parsley, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, paprika, Tabasco, Parmesan, the shallot mixture and the butter. Roll into a log, wrap in clingfilm and chill to harden.

Snap the claws off the lobsters. Cut the lobsters in half with a heavy knife then wash the head cavity under cold water and dry with kitchen towels.

Put the lobsters, cut side up, on a baking tray. Crack the claws and pick out all the meat, then stuff it into the head cavities.

Heat the grill to high. Slice the butter into thin rounds and lay along the lobsters to cover the meat. Grill for about 5 minutes or until the butter is bubbling and starting to brown. Pour any butter on the tray over the lobster before serving.

(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, August 2011.)

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Caprese Pasta Salad

Posted in Food, Italian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Caprese pasta salad

We regularly have a caprese salad (tomatoes, mozzarella & basil) for lunch in the summer months. This pasta version is a good one and makes it a bit more substantial.

Caprese pasta salad – serves 4

  • 200g orecchiette, cooked and rinsed under cold water, then drained again
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 150g baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 150g bocconcini (mini mozzarella) or a ball of mozzarella, torn into small pieces
  • a bunch of basil, shredded

Put the cooked pasta into a serving bowl with the olive oil, red wine vinegar and tomatoes, then season and toss.

Add the avocado, bocconcini and basil. Toss again gently and serve.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, July 2018.)

 

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Baked Cod & Butter Beans

Posted in Fish, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , on 30 July 2020| Leave a Comment »

Baked Cod & Butter Beans

An easy, midweek fish dish that’s perfect for two.

Wine Suggestion: despite being a fish dish this works with red wine, though we’d suggest nothing too heavy or rich. Tonight Domaine Rochette’s Morgon Cote du Py added an earthy texture and density and is a good example of why we should be drinking more Beaujolais.

Baked cod and butter beans – serves 2

  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 400g tin cherry tomatoes
  • 400g tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 chunky pieces of skinless cod loin
  • 35g breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp chopped rosemary
  • 25g grated Parmesan

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

Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan. Cook the onion and garlic until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the fennel seeds and cook for a minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the butter beans and season.

Sit the cod pieces in the beans. Mix the breadcrumbs with the rosemary, Parmesan, seasoning and a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the crumbs over the fish and bake for 15 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and the fish cooked.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, July 2019.)

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Gok’s Easy Noodles

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , on 28 July 2020| Leave a Comment »

Gok's Traditional Noodles

This is a favourite in our house; easy to whip up and wholesome and tasty. Think of it as proper pot noodle with no “E” numbers, just honest ingredients. Using homemade stock takes this to the next level, but we also really enjoy it with bought stock pots or cubes.

Easy traditional noodles – serves 2

  • 1 litre fresh chicken stock
  • 4cm piece of ginger, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
  • 100g wonton noodles or thin egg noodles
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 scallions, finely sliced

Bring the stock to the boil. Add the ginger and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.

Add the noodles and cook for about 4 minutes or until just tender. Remove the noodles from the pan with tongs and divide between the 2 bowls. Drizzle the noodles with the sesame oil and mix well.

Add the oyster sauce and light soy sauce to the stock and warm through.

Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and sprinkle with the scallions.

(Original recipe from Gok Cooks Chinese by Gok Whan, Michael Joseph, 2012.)

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Smoked Paprika-Baked Courgettes, Tomatoes & Green Beans with Eggs

Posted in Brunch, Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 25 July 2020| Leave a Comment »

Smoked Paprika-Baked Courgettes, Tomatoes & Green Beans with Eggs

We’re really not brunch people, mainly as there’s so much going on at the weekends that we don’t have the time. Lockdown has provided us with some opportunities however. So instead of getting up early and out the door on a Saturday morning we’ve been coming downstairs in our pjs and making something nice for breakfast.

Smoked paprika-baked courgettes, tomatoes & green beans with eggs – serves 2

  • 2 large courgettes, cut into ½ cm slices
  • 200g small waxy potatoes, quartered
  • 150g cherry tomatoes
  • 6 scallions, trimmed
  • 2 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme plus a few whole sprigs
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • ½ tbsp smoked paprika, plus extra to serve if you like
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 125g green beans, trimmed
  • 2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 190C/400F/Gas 6.

Blanch the green minutes for a couple of minutes in salty boiling water, then drain and run under cold water to stop them cooking. Dry with some kitchen paper and toss with ½ tbsp of the olive oil. Set aside.

Put all of the vegetables (except the green beans) into a large baking tray and spread them out in an even layer. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, the thyme, chilli flakes, smoked paprika, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together, then bake for 30 minutes, tossing the veg a few times.

Sprinkle the green beans over the top and return to the oven for another 8 minutes.

Break the eggs on top, season and put back in the oven for another 8 minutes for runny eggs.

Serve with a little more smoked paprika if you like.

(Original recipe from Diana Henry’s ‘From the Oven to the Table’, Mitchell Beazley, 2019.)

 

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Barbecued Prawns with Chilli, Lime & Coriander Butter

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 24 July 2020| Leave a Comment »

Barbecued Prawns with Chilli, Lime & Coriander Butter

Messy but oh so good! Treat your friends to a pile of these at your next barbecue and you will be very popular. Napkins, finger bowls, baby wipes etc., essential!

Wine Suggestion:  we think this needs an uncomplicated and fun white like a Picpoul de Pinet, Muscadet or Albariño, or going up a gear we chose the Bodegas Katxina Txakoli from near San Sebastien in Spain … tapas, sun, seafood and socialising. Happy days.

Barbecued prawns with chilli, lime & coriander butter – serves 4

  • 1kg large raw tiger prawns with the shell on, remove the heads before cooking

FOR THE BUTTER:

  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • a small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • juice of 1 lime, plus wedges to serve
  • 200g butter, softened

Make the butter by putting the garlic, coriander, chilli and lime juice into a food processor and pulse until chopped.

Toss 1 tbsp of the flavoured butter with prawns and leave in the fridge until ready to cook.

Put the rest onto a piece of tin foil and roll into a sausage shape. Put into the freezer to harden.

Preheat the barbecue, then cook the prawns for a few minutes on each side until pink. Serve on a platter and melt thin slices of the butter over the top. You can also melt some extra butter and serve on the side if you want. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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