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Posts Tagged ‘Easy’

Caesar Salad

Posted in Food, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , on 24 February 2020| Leave a Comment »

Caesar Salad

We’re not sure when Ceasar salad fell off the radar but it was resurrected by us on a Saturday night and tasted as good as ever. Particularly with roast chicken and chips.

Caesar Salad – serves 4

FOR THE CROUTONS:

  • 2 large cloves of garlic
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • half a baguette, cut into small cubes

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 medium clove of garlic, crushed
  • 4 good quality anchovies mashed with a fork (we like the tins of anchovies in olive oil by Ortiz)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium heads of romaine lettuce
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.

Bash the two garlic cloves and put into a bowl with the cubed bread and olive oil. Toss with your hands to coat with the oil, then scatter over a roasting tray and bake for about minutes or until golden.

Put the egg yolk into a bowl and whisk in the lemon juice, garlic, anchovies and mustard. Start adding the oil, drop by drop to begin with and then you can progress to a slow stream, whisking all the time until emulsified.

Toss the lettuce and Parmesan together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat the leaves, then scatter over the croutons to serve.

(Original recipe form Avoca Salads by Hugo Arnold, Avoca Ltd, 2007)

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Monastery Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 20 February 2020| Leave a Comment »

Monastery Soup

The second Bulgarian recipe we’ve cooked from Black Sea by Caroline Eden and one of the best soups we’ve had in ages. We think it’s the combination of sweet peppers and parsnip with the spicy broth that makes it so good. Serve with a good slick of olive oil and a dollop of sour cream on top.

Monastery Soup – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 large red or yellow pepper, diced very finely
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1 parsnip, finely diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced into thick rounds
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • a good pinch of chilli flakes
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 700ml veg stock
  • a tin of haricot beans, drained and rinsed
  • a tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • flat-leaf parsley & mint, chopped (to serve)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (to serve)
  • 2 tbsp sour cream or crème fraîche (to serve, optional but good)

Warm the sunflower oil in a large pot, then add the pepper, onion, parsnip and carrot with some salt. Cook for about 7 minutes or until the onion is translucent.

Add the paprika, chilli flakes, garlic and some black pepper and continue to cook for another few minutes. Add the stock and beans and turn up the heat. When the soup starts to boil, turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through (try one of the carrots). Remove from the heat and divide between warm bowls. Sprinkle over the herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. A spoon of sour cream on top is also really good.

(Original recipe Black Sea by Caroline Eden, Quadrille, 2018)

 

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Spicy Dalboka Mussels

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 16 February 2020| Leave a Comment »

Spicy Dalboka Mussels

We cooked these mussels on Friday night form Caroline Eden’s ‘Black Sea’. A book that is as good to read as to look at. The recipe is Bulgarian with the mussels cooked in a spicy tomato soup. You will need lots of crusty white bread to go with.

Wine Suggestion: This pairs superbly with a good new world Pinot Noir, ideally from a producer that values freshness. If you can push the boat out a bit we’d suggest a Felton Road from Central Otago or a Tyler from Santa Barbera but tonight it was Newton Johnson’s Felicite from Hermanus to equally good effect.

Spicy Dalboka Mussels – serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter

  • 500g mussels, scrubbed and beards and barnacles removed (chuck any that don’t close tightly when tapped)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, finely sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp chilli powder/pul biber (Turkish pepper flakes)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 10 pink peppercorns, crushed
  • 300ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • a decent handful of spinach (or lovage when it’s around)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • small bunch of dill, chopped
  • small bunch of parsley, chopped

Warm the olive oil in a large heavy-based casserole, then sauté the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, chilli, paprika and peppercorns, then the stock, vinegar and tomatoes – simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn the heat up to hight and add the mussels, spinach and salt. Cover and steam for a few minutes or until the mussels have opened (don’t eat any that haven’t opened).

Take the pan off the heat and add the lemon juice and herbs. Serve in bowls with lots of crusty white bread.

(Original recipe from Black Sea by Caroline Eden, Quadrille, 2018.)

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Nigel’s Bolognese

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on 6 February 2020| Leave a Comment »

Nigel's Bolognese

We love cookbooks that divide recipes up by the month of year. You can pick them off the shelf and get some instant inspiration that suits the weather conditions and what’s available. This is how we came to make this spaghetti bolognese, from Nigel Slater’s original Kitchen Diaries, on a cold night in January. We don’t usually add mushrooms to our Bolognese but they were really good here. Serve with some sort of long pasta (or penne if that’s what you’ve got) and loads of Parmesan.

Wine suggestion: we really enjoyed Michele Biancardi’s Ponteviro Primitivo from Puglia with this: wonderfully fresh and with a herbal spice as opposed to jam which appeals to our tastes.

A really good spaghetti Bolognese – serves 4

  • 50g butter
  • 70g cubed pancetta
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 large flat mushrooms (about 100g), finely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 400g beef mince
  • 200ml passata
  • 200ml red wine
  • 200ml stock
  • a nutmeg
  • 200ml full-cream milk or cream
  • spaghetti or tagliatelle (to serve)
  • grated Parmesan (to serve)

Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan, then stir in the pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes to soften, then add the carrots and celery and continue to cook. When they have softened a bit, add the mushrooms, tuck in the bay leaves and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat, stirring now and then.

Turn the heat up and add the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Leave to cook for 3-4 minutes until the bottom starts to brown, the stir again and leave to colour.

When the meat is well browned, add the tomatoes, red wine, stock, a grating of the nutmeg and some salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a bare bubble. Partially cover with a lid and leave to cook for 60-90 minutes, stirring now and then. Add a bit of extra liquid if it looks dry at any point.

Gradually add the milk/cream, then continue to cook for another 20 minutes. Season to taste and serve with the pasta and Parmesan.

(Original recipe from

 

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Pan-fried Sprouts with Soy & Hazelnuts

Posted in Food, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , on 1 February 2020| Leave a Comment »

Pan-fried sprouts with soy & hazelnuts

Here’s something different to try if you’re running out of Brussels Sprout inspiration. We’re a bit over the bacon and chestnut embellishments – they all seem a bit too Christmassy now.

Pan-fried sprouts with bay, soy, hazelnuts and sherry vinegar – serves 4

  • 20g butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 300g Brussels sprouts, remove the outer leaves and halve them
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 50g hazelnuts, chopped
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • parsley, to serve

Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil when the frying pan is hot. When the butter sizzles, add the sprouts and bay leaves, and shake to coat in the fat. Turn the heat down a bit and fry for 4-5 minutes or until starting to colour.

Add the chopped hazelnuts and toast for 2-3 minutes or until everything has turned golden, add a splash of water if browning too quickly.

Add the soy sauce, sherry vinegar and honey. Continue to cook until the heated through and the sprouts are tender.

Scatter some parsley over to serve if you have it.

(Original recipe by Thomasina Miers in the Guardian, 10th December 2019.)

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Chilli and Garlic Kebab – Kabab Khashkhash

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 28 January 2020| Leave a Comment »

Chilli and Garlic Kebab - Kabab Khashkhash

We’ve had The Aleppo Cookbook for ages and for some reason haven’t cooked too much out of it. It’s really dense with recipes and not so many photos – not that photos are essential, but they’re definitely helpful when flicking for inspiration. Anyhow, we took this book out a few weeks ago, determined to cook something, and chose these little kebabs for the barbecue. They were stunning! We served with spicy roast potatoes and salad but they would also be great as a starter with some sort of yoghurty dip.

Wine Suggestion: we love how these go so well with a good Tempranillo, a grape that flatters lamb and with a deft touch in the winery gives wonderful, complementary spices that work superbly with the warm spices of the Levant. For a bit of sophisticated elegance we had a glass of the Cantos de Valpiedra Rioja which is silky, smooth and refined.

Chilli and garlic kebab – Kabab Khashkhash – makes 10 skewers

  • 450g lamb mince
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1-2 hot red chillies, seeds removed and chopped
  • 15g finely chopped parsley
  • 2 tsp Aleppo pepper or paprika (do try and find Aleppo pepper)
  • 1 tbsp Aleppo spice mix or seven-spice powder
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1½ tsp salt, or to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well – hands are good for this. Transfer to a clean surface and knead for 30 seconds as you would bread dough.

Moisten your hands with water, then divide the meat into 10 prune-sized portions and form into balls.

Insert a wide, flat metal skewer through the middle of each meatball; then form the meat around the skewer to a length of about 14cm (similar to the picture above). Suspend the finished kebab over a deep baking dish resting the skewers on the sides.

Preheat a barbecue (preferably charcoal)and grill the kebabs until cooked how you like them.

(Original recipe from The Aleppo Cookbook by Marlene Matar, Head of Zeus, 2017.)

Chilli and Garlic Kebab

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Fish in Tahini

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 22 January 2020| 2 Comments »

Fish in Tahini (Samak bi Tahina)

There is a recipe for fish in tahini sauce in almost every Middle Eastern cookbook, and for good reason. The caramelised onions really complement the slightly sour tahini sauce. Serve with rice and salad.

Wine Suggestion: Not having had tahini with fish before we weren’t sure what to open, so went with our classic standby for seafood – Muscadet. The Domaine de la Chauviniere worked a treat and we would highly recommend this as a match.

Fish in Tahini (Samak bi Tahina) – serves 2

For the fish:

  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp ground Aleppo pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 fillets of white fish

For the sauce:

  • 80ml tahini
  • 50ml lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • salt, to taste
  • 80ml water

For the topping:

  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • a handful of coriander, chopped
  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • a handful of toasted pine nuts

Mix the spices and oil and rub over the fish, then leave to marinate in the fridge for half an hour.

Caramelise the onions by frying them over a very low heat until soft and browned – about half an hour.

Make the tahini sauce by mixing the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and water in a pan. Don’t worry if it curdles just keep stirring vigorously until it becomes smooth. Warm the sauce over a very low heat.

Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan and fry the marinated fish for a few minutes on each side, then remove from the heat and place in a warm dish.

Fry the garlic and coriander in a pan with a little oil for a minute.

Pour the warm tahini sauce over the fish, then sprinkle over the onions, followed by the coriander, garlic and pine nuts. Serve with bulgar wheat or rice and a salad or vegetables if you like.

(Original recipe from Syria: Recipes from Home by Itab Azzam and Dina Mousawi, Trapeze, 2017.)

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Mussels & Clams with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Posted in Food, Italian, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 18 January 2020| Leave a Comment »

Mussels & cockles with garlic breadcrumbs

This is a great starter from Polpo that tastes similar to stuffed mussels but is nowhere near as fiddly to prepare. We used cockles instead of clams as that is what we could get the day we cooked this.

Wine Suggestion: we’d suggest a white from central or sourther Italy for this dish. Tonight it was a Verdicchio from the Marches, the Tralivio by the Sartarelli family which combines citrus, apricots and wild herbs with texture, body and hints of a bitter almond on the finish. Very attractive, refreshing and a perfect food wine.

Mussels & Clams with Garlic Breadcrumbs – serves 4 – 6 as a starter

  • 100g old bread
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • a small handful of flat parsley leaves, chopped
  • a large pinch of dried chilli flakes
  • 1 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • flaky sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 kg mussels
  • 1kg clams
  • 100ml white wine
  • bread, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas 4.

Tear the old bread into pieces, then scatter over a baking tray and pour over plenty of olive oil over them. Put the tray into the oven for 5 minutes or until the bread is crisp and golden, then set aside.

When the bread has cooled blitz it in food processor with the chopped parsley, half the dried chilli, half the garlic and some seasoning. When the bread has turned to fine crumbs, taste some and adjust the seasoning and add some more oil if they are too dry.

Clean the mussels and clams in cold running water and discard any that are damaged or that stay open when tapped.

Heat a large pan and add some olive oil. Throw in the mussels and clams with the rest of the chilli and garlic and stir until the shells start to open. As they do, pour in the white wine and cover the pan with a lid. The shells should all have opened after a couple of minutes, throw away any that haven’t opened.

Add a handful of breadcrumbs to the pan to thicken the sauce. Spoon the mussels and clams into shallow bowls and sprinkle with the rest of the crumbs. Serve immediately with crusty bread if you like.

(Original recipe from Polpo by Russel Norman, Bloomsbury, 2012.)

 

 

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Carrot & Parsnip Soup with Chorizo

Posted in Food, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , on 14 January 2020| Leave a Comment »

Carrot & parsnip soup with chorizo

A soup that looks like sunshine, perfect for grey days!

Parsnip & carrot soup with chorizo – serves 2

  • olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • ¼ tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 800ml chicken stock
  • 2 cooking chorizo, chopped

Fry the onion, garlic & cumin in a little olive oil in a saucepan until softened.

Add the parsnips, carrots and chicken stock and simmer until the vegetables are soft.

Purée the soup and loosen with a little water if it’s too thick, season to taste.

Fry the chorizo in a little olive oil until crispy.

Serve the soup with the chorizo on top.

(Original recipe by Lulu Grimes in Olive Magazine, January 2013.)

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Fusilli with Chestnut Mushrooms, Leeks and Mascarpone Cheese

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 10 January 2020| Leave a Comment »

Fusilli with Chestnut Mushrooms, Leeks and Mascarpone Cheese

This pasta sauce can literally be made in the same time as it takes to boil the pasta. The recipe is easily halved for two and therefore good for using up mascarpone.

Wine Suggestion: A tasty supper like this pairs well with unoaked Chardonnay, particularly from slightly cooler areas like the Maçon in Burgundy. Tonight’s choice, the Domaine Manciat-Poncet Maçon-Charnay which has a fresh joy to it with red apples and citrus flavours.

Fusilli with chestnut mushrooms, leeks and mascarpone cheese – serves 4

  • 45g butter
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 leeks, washed and sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
  • 250g mascarpone cheese
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped chives
  • 4 pinches of cayenne pepper
  • 400g fusilli pasta
  • plenty of freshly grated Parmesan to serve

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the butter and allow to melt. When the butter is foaming add the mushrooms, leeks and garlic and fry for 5 minutes.

Add the mascarpone and cook for another minute or so, stirring continuously. Stir in the chives and cayenne pepper, then season carefully with salt and remove from the heat.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in lots of salty water according to the timings on the pack, then drain and return to the same pan.

Pour the mushroom sauce into the pasta pan and stir together for 30 seconds before dividing between warm bowls.

Sprinkle over the Parmesan and serve.

(Original recipe Gino’s Pasta by Gino D’Acampo, Kyle Books, 2010.)

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Scallop & Prawn Risotto

Posted in Fish, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 9 January 2020| 2 Comments »

 

Scallop & prawn risotto

We brought in the new decade with this fabulous scallop and prawn risotto. Couldn’t be simpler to make but tastes really special. Scallops aren’t cheap but you only need a few for this and they are totally worth it.

Wine Suggestion: A special occasion with a special person requires a special wine. Made by the brilliant Dermot Sugrue, his Cuvée Dr Brendan O’Regan is multilayered, multidimensional and complex. To be honest this is the best English Sparkling we’ve tasted and it has a great roundness and weight alongside it’s natural freshness which allowed us to start with seaside, fresh oysters and then segue to a much richer risotto without breaking a sweat.

Scallop & Prawn Risotto – serves 4

  • 100g butter, plus a bit extra
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 450g risotto rice
  • 750ml-1 litre, hot fish or light chicken stock
  • 350-400g raw peeled prawns
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 3 tbsp mascarpone
  • 12 scallops, orange roe and side muscles removed
  • a bunch of chives, finely chopped
  • a small bunch of basil, chopped

Melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan and gently cook the shallot until soft but not coloured. Add the rice and stir until the grains are coated in butter.

Gradually add the hot stock, stirring all the time, until the rice is just tender – about 20 minutes. Add the prawns when the rice is cooked but al dente, then season and add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the prawns until they have turned pink all over, then add the mascarpone and gently fold in.

Allow the risotto to rest for 5 minutes while you fry the scallops for a minute on each side in a knob of butter in a frying pan. Add these to the risotto and sprinkle with the herbs.

(Original recipe by Lulu Grimes in Olive Magazine, December 2015.)

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Vegan Achari Brussels Sprout Curry

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 8 January 2020| Leave a Comment »

Vegan Achari Brussels Sprout Curry

Sprouts are not just for Christmas. They’ll be around for ages yet and we love them. This is also a useful dish for those choosing a spell of Veganism. Serve with yoghurt (non-dairy if you wish) and naan breads.

Wine Suggestion: tonight we opened a German white lager, the Grevensteiner Naturtrübes Helles. A slightly cloudy and smooth beer with fruit hints and a refined malty touch. This has character and roundness and is a good foil to the curry and a compliment to the Brussels.

Vegan Achari Brussels Sprout Curry – serves 2

  • 750g brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered or halved depending on size
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds
  • rapeseed oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 2 green chillies, very finely chopped
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Bash the mustard, cumin, coriander and fennel seeds together in a mortar as finely as you can, then stir in the nigella seeds.

Heat a large frying pan, then add 2 tbsp of oil. When hot, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes before adding the spice mix, then continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and browning. Stir in the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for a few minutes more.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and the salt, then cook for 15 minutes. Add 400ml water and the sprouts, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for until just tender – start checking after 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with lemon juice before serving.

(Original recipe by Meera Sodha in The Guardian, Saturday, 21 December 2019.)

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Turkey Tetrazzini

Posted in Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 26 December 2019| Leave a Comment »

Turkey Tetrazzini

A creamy turkey and mushroom pasta bake for the inevitable leftovers. Tetrazzini was created by Italian immigrants to the USA adapting family recipes to local conditions and evolving tradition. We like this.

Wine Suggestion: Given this is American in origin we opened a Californian Chardonnay, the Cline Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast. The richness of fruit and hints of oak were a great match.

Turkey Tetrazzini – serves 4

  • 200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 200g spaghetti
  • 50g butter plus a bit extra for frying the mushrooms
  • 2tbsp flour
  • 250ml hot chicken stock
  • a few drops of Tabasco
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp dry sherry
  • 3 tbsp single cream
  • 300g cooked turkey
  • 4 tbsp grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Start by frying the mushrooms in a little butter until softened and browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water for the time indicated on the pack.

Meanwhile, make your white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir and cook for a minutes or so. Gradually whisk in the hot chicken stock until smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the tabasco, egg yolk, sherry and cream, then stir in the cooked turkey and mushrooms.

Layer the cooked spaghetti with the turkey mixture in a ovenproof dish, finishing with a layer of spaghetti and the Parmesan sprinkled over.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until piping hot and bubbling. Put briefly under a hot to crisp up the spaghetti on top if needed.

Serve with a green salad.

(Original recipe by Lulu Grimes in Olive Magazine, January 2008)

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Perfect Roast Potatoes

Posted in Food, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , on 19 December 2019| Leave a Comment »

Goose fat roasties

A seasonally appropriate side dish. Our advice is to make more than you think you could ever need!

Perfect Roasties – serves 8

  • 2kg roasting potatoes e.g. Maris Pipers or Roosters
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 5 tbsp goose fat
  • 5 tbsp vegetable oil

Cut the potatoes into evenly sized chunks – a big potato should be quartered.

Put the potatoes into a large pan of salted water and boil for 5 minutes, then drain really well.

Return the potatoes to the pan and scatter over the flour and a little salt. Cover with the lid and shake the pan a few times to coat the potatoes in the flour and rough up the edges.

Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.

Put the goose fat and oil in a large roasting tin and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. Tip in the potatoes and roll them around to coat them in the hot fat. Cook for half an hour, turning once, then turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook for a further 20 minutes or until crispy. Season with some more salt before serving.

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Roast Chicken Pasta

Posted in Chicken, Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , on 16 December 2019| Leave a Comment »

We’re all about creamy sauces, gratins and roasts at this time of the year. This is a great Friday night pasta dish by Nigel Slater with all the roast chicken flavour but quick to put together.

Wine suggestion: this really needs a full bodied white wine with texture. We naturally fall towards Chardonnay when thinking this, but the Languedoc one we had in the fridge we knew was easy drinking but not able to stand up to the food despite it being fuller bodied. Luckily we also had Vouvray made by Vincent and Tania Carême from our holidays earlier this year, and despite it being “tendre” or off-dry, it was a delight and an excellent match. The key was the texture even with the residual sugars left in the wine.

Roast chicken pasta – serves 4 generously

  • 4 sprigs of rosemary, leaves stripped
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 kg chicken thighs
  • 300g fusilli or trofie pasta
  • 7g tarragon, leaves stripped and chopped
  • 10g parsley, leaves stripped and chopped
  • zest of 1 lemon, grated
  • 75g pine nuts, toasted
  • 500ml double cream

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

Bash the rosemary, peppercorns and a tsp of sea salt in a pestle and mortar until you have a coarse powder, then blend in the olive oil.

Put the chicken thighs in a roasting tin, then pour over the rosemary mixture and rub to coat all over. Put into the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta in plenty of salty water according to the timings on the pack.

Remove the chicken from the bones, keeping it in large chunks if you can and catching any meaty juices.

Mix the tarragon, parsley, lemon and toasted pine nuts together.

Put the roasting tin over a medium heat, add the cream to the tin and stir to scrape all the crusty bits off the tin. When the cream starts to bubble, add the cooked pasta and chicken. Season with black pepper.

Serve the pasta in bowls with the pine nut and herb mixture scattered over the top.

(Original recipe by Nigel Slater in The Guardian, Sunday 1st December 2019)

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Spinach Rarebit with Poached Eggs

Posted in Brunch, Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 15 December 2019| Leave a Comment »

Spinach Rarebit with Poached Eggs

We sporadically try and make an effort with breakfast on the weekends though more often than not we fall back to poached eggs on toast – not that there is anything wrong with that. This rarebit was nice for a change and we’ll definitely be skipping lunch!

Spinach rarebit with poached eggs – serves 2

  • 100g baby spinach
  • 125g mature cheddar, grated
  • ½ english mustard – we used Dijon
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped
  • 2 dashes of worcestershire sauce
  • 1 egg yolk, plus 2 eggs for poaching
  • 4 small slices of sourdough
  • rocket dressed with lemon juice to serve

Put the spinach in a colander and pour over a kettleful of boiling water, then leave to cool. Squeeze out as much water as you can then chop.

Put the cheddar, mustard, scallions, worcestershire sauce, egg yolk and spinach in a bowl, season and stir to combine.

Poach the eggs in a small pan of simmering water.

Heat the grill to high. Toast the bread on both sides then spread the rarebit mixture over the slices. Grill until golden and bubbling, then top with an egg, plenty of black pepper and some dressed rocket on the side.

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

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Spiced Crispy Egg & Lentil Curry

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 14 December 2019| 3 Comments »

Spiced Crispy Egg & Lentil Curry

This is a great lentil curry but the star of the show is definitely the spiced crispy eggs. We’ll definitely be making these again with other dishes that could do with a crispy egg. Serve with steamed basmati rice.

Wine Suggestion: the spices in this dish will fight with tannins so we’d suggest pairing with a white wine. Our choice this evening was the Chayeau Pesquie Terrasses Blanc, a blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Clairette and Grenache Blanc – a real southern Rhône style blend with fresh stone fruit and citrus flavours.

Spiced crispy egg and lentil curry – serves 4

  • 100g red lentils
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tbsp oil for frying
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1½ tsp ground coriander
  • 4 cardamom pods, squashed
  • a thumb-sized piece of root ginger, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2-3 green chillies, sliced
  • 100g baby spinach, chopped
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • a small bunch of coriander, chopped

FOR THE CRISPY EGGS

  • 6 eggs
  • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
  • ¼ tsp paprika

Put the lentils, onions and tomatoes in a pan with the turmeric and a teaspoon of salt. Add water to just cover, then simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Drop the eggs into boiling water and cook for 7 minutes, then plunge them into iced water and leave to cool.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pan, then stir in the cumin, coriander and cardamom. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the ginger, garlic & chillies. Cook for a few minutes before adding the cooked lentils and 100ml water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, then add the spinach and cook for another 10 minutes.

Peel the eggs and heat the tbsp of oil in a frying pan. Add the eggs, turmeric, paprika and some salt. Cook the eggs until they start to blister and crisp.

Stir the garam masala and fresh coriander into the curry and serve with the halved eggs and some steamed basmati rice.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in BBC Olive Magazine, December 2017)

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Linguine with Garlic Mushrooms & Sage

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 8 December 2019| Leave a Comment »

Linguine with garlic mushrooms & sage

Nothing fancy here but might be the break you need from all the Christmas festivities. Minimal effort required!

Wine Suggestion: a light red wine was our choice today; the Domaine Bellier Cheverny Rouge, a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay from the Loire in France. Earthy and fresh plums and cherry flavours with fine, light tannins.

Linguine with garlic mushrooms & sage – serves 2

  • 150g linguine
  • 25g butter
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • a good pinch of chilli flakes
  • a handful of sage leaves, chopped
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • 50g Parmesan, finely grated

Cook the linguine in loads of salty water according to the timings on the pack.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms until very soft and golden and the any liquid has pretty much disappeared.

Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the sage and cook for another minute. Season generously.

Drain the pasta but reserve some of the cooking liquid. Add the cooked pasta to the mushroom pan with the lemon juice, Parmesan and enough of the reserved water to make a sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is coated.

Serve with a bit of extra Parmesan over the top if you like.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, November 2015)

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Cauliflower & Chestnut soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 6 December 2019| 1 Comment »

Cauliflower & chestnut soup

Got chestnuts? We made this with a vac-pack we still had in the drawer from last Christmas. A really delicious soup and perfect for using a post- or pre-season chestnut surplus!

Cauliflower & Chestnut Soup – serves 4

  • ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 250ml milk
  • 850ml vegetable stock
  • 150ml double cream
  • 200g pack vacuum-packed chestnuts, roughly chopped
  • 25g grated Parmesan, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes or until softened. Add the cauliflower, milk and stock, then bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.

Add the cream, season well, and bring back to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the chestnuts, then blend with a hand blender until smooth. Season to taste and serve with shaved Parmesan, lots of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Chicken & Ham Lasagne

Posted in Chicken, Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , on 26 November 2019| 2 Comments »

Chicken & Ham Lasagne

This is a good crowd pleaser and you can also freeze it so if you are fewer in number make two lasagnes in smaller dishes and save one for later.

Wine Suggestion: Rich and savoury; this goes really well with southern Rhône whites and our favourite, value option is the Chateau Pesquié Terrasses Blanc, a blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Clairette & Grenache Blanc. With floral hints, layers of citrus and a backbone of stonefruit flavours this is round, rich and fresh in equal measures; just what this dish needs.

Chicken & Ham Lasagne – serves 8

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ a medium onion, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 200ml white wine
  • 100g butter
  • 100g plain flour
  • 500ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 140g sliced smoked ham, cut into strips
  • 200g young spinach leaves
  • no pre-cook dried lasagne sheets
  • 200g ready-grated mozzarella
  • 25g Parmesan, finely grated

Put the chicken in a medium saucepan with the onion, bay leaves and wine. Pour over just enough water to cover, about 200ml. Put a lid on the pan and bring to a gentle simmer, then poach gently for 15 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked. Lift the chicken out onto a board and strain the liquid into a jug.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook for a minute. Gradually add the milk, a little at a time, stirring well between each addition to keep the sauce smooth. When all the milk has been added, continue with the chicken cooking liquid. When all the liquid is added, continue to cook and stir for a few minutes or until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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

Cut the chicken into small chunks and stir into the sauce. Add the ham and spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted. Spoon a third of the mixture into the bottom of a 3-litre lasagne dish. Top with lasagne sheets, then repeat the layers twice more, ending with lasagne. Scatter over the mozzarella and Parmesan and season with black pepper. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the lasagne is soft and the topping well browned.

TO FREEZE: Assemble the dish but don’t bake it. Leave to cool and cover with a double layer of foil, then freeze for up to 2 months.

TO COOK AFTER FREEZING: Remove the foil and cover with cling film. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove the cling film, cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 or until browned and bubbling.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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