Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Easy’

Comfort Food Chilli

Posted in Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , on 11 January 2016| 2 Comments »

Chilli with Chickpeas

We’ve tried loads of recipe for Chilli Con Carne. This is a good hearty version and we loved the addition of chickpeas and plenty of spice. Perfect for a cold night!

Wine Suggestion: Go juicy, red and with a bit of spice; youthful Cotes du Rhone would work, but so would other Grenache based wines such as a Spanish Garnacha. Alternately think Primitivo or Zinfandel but make sure the wine you choose isn’t too big as extra tannins might fight the spice in the Chilli; juicy is best here with depth and personality. Our choice was a Lirac from Domaine Joncier – their “le Gourmand”, which had juicy plum flavours, hints of mocha, a touch of rosemary and warm velvety spices.

Chilli Con Carne – serves 6

  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
  • 2 red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • olive oil
  • 1 heaped tsp of chilli powder
  • 1 heaped tsp of ground cumin
  • 1 heaped tsp of ground cinnamon
  • 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
  • 1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans, drained
  • 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
  • 500g minced beef
  • small bunch of coriander, leaves picked and stalks chopped
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • rice or baked potatoes to serve
  • natural yoghurt and/or guacamole to serve
  • lime wedges to serve

Heat about 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large casserole and add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and red peppers.

Add the chilli powder, cumin and cinnamon and season well with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring regularly, for about 7 minute or until the vegetables are softened and lightly coloured.

Add the chickpeas, kidney beans and tinned tomatoes.

Next add the mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.

Fill one of the empty tomato tins with water and add this to the pan too along with the chopped coriander stalks, the balsamic vinegar and some more salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, take the lid off and cook for a further 15 minutes. Add a splash of water at any stage if it starts to dry out.

Serve with rice or a baked potato and some yoghurt or guacamole and lime wedges.

(Original recipe from Jamie’s Ministry of Food by Jamie Oliver, Michael Joseph, 2008.)

Read Full Post »

Roasted broccoli

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 7 December 2015| 1 Comment »

Roasted broccoli

Roasted broccoli is a bit different and retains a satisfying crunch. Careful not to over-roast the pine nuts!

Roasted broccoli – serves 4 as a side dish

  • 200g broccoli, cut into florets including the stalk
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 25g pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 240C/Gas 9.

Put the broccoli in a bowl and toss with the garlic and olive oil, then season well with salt and black pepper.

Tip into a roasting tin and put into the oven. After 10 minutes sprinkle over the pine nuts and cook for another 5 minutes or until the broccoli is starting to soften and the pine nuts are golden.

(Original recipe from Rachel’s Everyday Kitchen by Rachel Allen, HarperCollins, 2013.)

Read Full Post »

Tuscan Slow-Cooked Shin of Beef with Chianti

Posted in Beef, Food, Italian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 12 October 2015| Leave a Comment »

Beef shin braised in Chianti

Take a shin of beef and braise it for hours in a bottle of Chianti until it can be carved with a spoon … what’s not to like!

Wine Suggestion: the obvious choice is Chianti but given the richness and depth in the food make sure it is one with a bit of depth; younger, or more basic Chianti is just too light. We tried one by Tenuta Sant’Alfonso which comes from a specific vineyard with clay-rich soils which was opulent and fuller structured. It had licorice, dark cherry and mocha flavours which was a great match.

Tuscan slow-cooked shin of beef with Chianti – serves 6

  • 1kg beef shin, off the bone
  • olive oil
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped
  • 3 sticks celery, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely sliced
  • 6 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 750ml Chianti or other robust red wine
  • 4 tbsp tomato purée
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 150ml beef stock

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

Season the meat, then brown in a large casserole with a little olive oil.

Remove the meat and cook the onions, celery, carrot and garlic until softened, adding a bit more oil if needed.

Pour in the wine and bring to the boil before adding the tomato purée, bay leaves & beef stock.

Return the beef to the pan and bring to a simmer.

Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 4 hours or until the meat falls apart.

When ready, pull the meat into chunks and stir through the sauces.

Serve with mash or fresh pappardelle pasta.

(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, September 2015.)

Read Full Post »

Halloumi with Spiced Chickpeas

Posted in Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 27 September 2015| Leave a Comment »

Haloumi with spiced chickpeas & spinach

This is a super simple and fresh weeknight meal for two. Halloumi cheese always feels like a bit of a treat.

Spiced Chickpeas with Halloumi – serves 2

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped or ½tsp chilli powder
  • 2 tsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
  • 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 200g bag baby spinach
  • 3 roasted red peppers from a jar
  • half a 250g pack of halloumi cheese, drained
  • juice of 1 lemon

Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the chilli and ginger for 1 minute. Stir in the chickpeas, spinach and peppers, then season. Cover and cook gently for a few minutes, stirring not and then, until the spinach has wilted and the chickpeas are warmed through.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot. Cut the halloumi into 6 slices and fry quickly for a minute or 2 on each side. Stir the lemon juice into the chickpeas and divide between 2 plates. Top with the halloumi and serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

Lamb, Squash & Apricot Tagine

Posted in Food, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 21 September 2015| 2 Comments »

Lamb, squash and apricot tagine

This dish couldn’t be easier and the sauce is delicious. It can be made in an authentic tagine if you have one, or alternately in a large casserole dish like we used here, both work well. Serve with couscous and natural yogurt.

Wine suggestion: With all the spice and richness in this dish the best wines to match the tagine are medium to full-bodied reds with a juicier fruit like a Ribera del Duero. Our pick of the moment is the Condado de Haza Crianza  2011 which has a lovely, open and approachable nature whilst hiding a core of real depth, texture and personality. We’re sure this wine will age really well if you like but suspect most will be consumed soon after purchase; very moreish!

Lamb, squash & apricot tagine – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ras el hanout
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 600g-800g lamb leg, diced into 2cm cubes, excess fat removed
  • 200g butternut squash
  • 200g soft dried apricots
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 500ml lamb or beef stock
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • small bunch of coriander

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

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole, add the onion & cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and spices, and cook, stirring, for another couple of minutes.

Stir in the lamb, squash and apricots, then add the tomatoes and stock and season well. Bring to the boil, put the lid on and transfer to the oven.

Stir after 1 hr and return to the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.

Check the seasoning and sprinkle over the lemon zest and coriander to serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

Haloumi & Aubergine Kebabs with a Pea and Mint Bulgur Salad

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 27 July 2015| Leave a Comment »

Haloumi & Aubergine Kebabs on a bulgur & pea salad

We’re much keener on nutty bulgur than quinoa that seems so popular at the moment. Bulgur makes for a much more interesting salad in our opinion and these aubergine and halloumi kebabs are a great veggie option for the barbecue. Leftovers taste nice for lunch the next day too.

Aubergine and Halloumi Kebabs with Garlic & Herb Bulgur Wheat 

  • 2 aubergines, sliced into strips
  • 200g pack of halloumi cheese, cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil plus more for brushing
  • 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp chopped mint

FOR THE GARLIC & HERB BULGUR WHEAT

  • 200g bulgur wheat
  • 175g frozen peas
  • 6 tbsp garlic oil (to make garlic oil just gently simmer a couple of peeled and smashed garlic cloves in oil for about 10 minutes, then discard the garlic and let the oil cool before using)
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • handful of herbs (such as mint, parsley, chives or a mixture) roughly chopped

Brush the aubergine strips with olive oil and barbecue until softened. Thread onto skewers with the halloumi cubes.

Mix the remaining olive oil with the chopped capers and mint.

Barbecue the kebabs until the cheese is golden and drizzle over the dressing to serve.

Meanwhile, cook the bulgar wheat in boiling salted water for 15 minutes or until tender, adding the peas for the last few minutes.

Make the dressing with the oil, lemon juice and seasoning. Fold the herbs through the drained bulgur wheat and peas and gently stir in the dressing.

(Original recipe for kebabs from BBC Olive Magazine July 2014 and bulgur wheat from BBC Good Food.)

Read Full Post »

Hot & Sour Fish Soup

Posted in Asian, Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 9 March 2015| 3 Comments »

Hot & sour fish soup

This is a quick and very low-calorie but very tasty soup. Buy some really fresh fish – we used hake. Hot & Sour Fish Soup – Serves 2

  • 2tbsp grated ginger
  • 1 dried red chilli (or use a small tsp of chilli flakes)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 stem lemongrass, lightly bashed
  • 700ml chicken or fish stock
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 400g skinless white fish fillets, cut into big chunks
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • cooked noodles

Put the ginger, chilli, scallions, lemongrass and stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the soy sauce, vinegar and fish, and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the spinach and season with the fish sauce. Adjust the vinegar and soy sauce to your own taste. Put the cooked noodles into soup bowls, discard the lemongrass and dried chilli from the soup, then pour over the noodles and serve. (Original recipe by Lulu Grimes and Janine Ratcliffe in BBC Olive February 2015.)

Read Full Post »

Bœuf à la Gardiane: Beef, red wine and black olive stew

Posted in Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 23 February 2015| Leave a Comment »

Bœuf à la Gardiane

 

Another classic from Elizabeth David, this stew originates in the Gard region of France and is very simple but full of flavour. Elizabeth suggests serving it with rice (a la Camargue) but it also worked well with roast potatoes and rosemary. There won’t be a lot of sauce as it is almost all absorbed by the meat as it cooks but this part of the charm; intensely flavoured, tender beef.

Wine suggestion: This dish would go well with any of the local red wines of the Gard and surrounding southern-French regions (Rhone, Languedoc, etc). Any combination of Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Syrah will work, particularly if they come from older, lower yielding vines and a sensitive hand in the winery. We drank a VdP La Clape from Domaine de Boède, Le Pavillon which is a great value combination of Cinsault and Syrah and which stood up to the flavours and adding it’s own character.

Bœuf à la gardiane – serves 4-5

  • 1kg top rump of beef, cut into small neat cubes approximately 2.5cm square
  • butter and olive oil
  • 4 tbsp brandy
  • 1 large glass of full-bodied red wine
  • bouquet garni of thyme, parsley, a little strip of orange peel and a whole garlic clove crushed with the back of a knife but left whole (tie together with thread)
  • 175g stoned black olives

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy based casserole dish and brown the beef in batches.

Warm the brandy in a soup ladle, pour over the meat, then carefully set alight. Shake the pan carefully until the flames go out.

Add the red wine and bubble for 30 seconds before seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Add the bouquet garni, turn the heat down as low as possible and cover the pan with at least two layers of greaseproof paper or foil and the lid.

Cook as gently as possible for about 3½ hours. Ten minutes before the end, remove the bouquet garni and add the olives.

Season to taste and serve.

(Original recipe from At Elizabeth David’s Table: Her very best everyday recipes, compiled by Jill Norman, Penguin, 2010.)

Read Full Post »

Chipotle Roast Pork with Black Bean & Avocado Salsa

Posted in Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 August 2014| 3 Comments »

Chipotle roast pork with black bean salsa

We often pick up a pork fillet at the butcher’s as they are cheap and versatile.  Make the salsa before you start cooking the pork so the flavours have time to develop.

Chipotle Roasted Pork with Avocado & Black Bean Salsa – serves 4

  • 2 pork tenderloins/fillets, about 250-350g each
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 1 tsp chipotle paste
  • ½ tsp olive oil

FOR THE SALSA: 

  • ½ small red onion
  • 2 limes
  • 1 red chilli
  • few coriander sprigs
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ripe but firm avocado
  • ½ x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 spring onion

Prepare the pork by removing the sinew from the surface. Cut each fillet in half.

Mix the salt, chipotle paste, olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the marinade all over the pork pieces. Leave in the fridge to marinate for at least half an hour, or up to a few hours.

Heat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3.

Put a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, brown the pork evenly all over. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked but still juicy. Test by inserting a skewer into the thickest part for 10 seconds, then rest it on your inner wrist; it should feel hot.

Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before carving on the diagonal into 7-8mm thick slices. Spoon the salsa onto a platter and top with the pork.

TO MAKE THE SALSA: 

Peel and finely dice the red onion and put into a bowl. Finely grate the zest from one of the limes and squeeze the juice from both. Add the lime zest and half the juice to the onion, saving the rest for seasoning at the end.

Cut the avocado into even dice and thinly slice the spring onion. Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Stir the avocado, black beans, spring onion, and coriander into the onion and lime mixture. Stir in the olive oil and season well with salt and more lime juice if needed. Leave to stand for 30 minute for the flavours to develop.

(Original recipe from Leith’s How to Cook, Quadrille Publishing, 2013.)

Read Full Post »

Fabulous Home-made Gnocchi

Posted in Food, Italian, Potato, tagged , , , , , , , on 16 June 2014| 2 Comments »

Gnocchi with peas

Gnocchi – where have you been all our lives? So much easier than we anticipated!

Wine suggestion: We tried a delicious Langhe Nebbiolo by Luigi Pira from Piedmont in Italy which had a great balance between light weight, depth of flavour, dancing acidity and a characterful earthiness. Gnocchi is refined and elegant but also earthy and rustic and the food-wine combo matched really well.

Gnocchi – serves 4

  • 2 large floury potatoes
  • 50g ricotta cheese
  • 90g plain flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 thyme sprig, leaves only
  • sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
  • Grated Parmesan – to serve

For the Sauce: 

  • olive oil
  • black pepper
  • 150g frozen peas, defrosted
  • butter
  • 1 thyme sprig, leaves only
  • zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

Bake the potatoes for 1-1¼ hours until tender. While the potatoes are still warm, remove the flesh from the skin and mash until smooth (use a potato ricer if you have one).

Mix in the ricotta, a pinch of salt and white pepper and the flour. Make a well in the middle, add the beaten egg and start to combine the mixture with floured hands. Work in the thyme leaves and continue until you have a smooth dough but don’t overwork or it will become too dense .

Cut the dough in half and shape each piece into a long cigar shape about 1.5 cm thick. Use the back of a floured table knife to cut each length into 2cm pieces to make ‘pillows’ of gnocchi.

Gently press each gnocchi in the middle with a floured finger.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the gnocchi, tilting the pan from side to side briefly to stop them sticking together, them simmer for just 1½-2 minutes or until they start to float.

Drain the gnocchi and leave to steam dry for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add a bit of olive oil. Add the gnocchi to the hot pan with a pinch of salt and black pepper and sauté for a minute or two on each side until coloured.

Add the peas to the pan with a knob of butter and the thyme leaves. Toss to heat through, then add the lemon zest. Serve with the grated Parmesan.

(Original recipe from Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course, Hodder & Stoughton, 2012.)

Read Full Post »

Weeknight Pasta Inspiration

Posted in Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , on 18 May 2014| Leave a Comment »

Bacon, Broccoli & Pesto Pasta

We like simple pasta dishes for when we’re feeling tired and uninspired. You can easily get the ingredients for this on your way home.

Wine Suggestion: A Chianti, as we felt like it and it worked really well with the combination of flavours.

Pasta with Bacon, Broccoli & Pesto – serves 4

  • 300-400g short pasta shapes (depending on how hungry you are)
  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 8 rashers of smoked bacon
  • 5 tbsp pesto
  • grated Parmesan, to serve

Cook the pasta according to the pack and add the broccoli about 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

When cooked, drain but keep a cup of the cooking water.

Grill the bacon until crisp (we use a gas barbecue for less mess), then cut into bite-size pieces.

Tip everything into the pasta pan, toss together and loosen with a little bit of pasta water if you like.

Sprinkle over the Parmesan to serve.

Read Full Post »

Pork with lemon & pine nuts

Posted in Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 10 May 2014| 2 Comments »

Pork with lemon and pinenuts

This was easy to whip up and a really tasty midweek meal.

Wine Suggestion: We’d suggest a crisp light white wine to go with this dish and thought the Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand worked exceptionally well. The Dog Point has a  great depth of flavour while maintaining a real elegance and layers of fine minerality, unlike quite a few other wines from this region which we find unsubtle so we highly suggest seeking out a good example. Other wines that would work would be good Sancerre or Cheverny blanc from the Loire.

Pork with Pine Nuts, Parsley & Lemon – serves 4

  • 500g pork fillet
  • large handful of flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • seasoned flour
  • 25g pine nuts
  • grated zest of ½ lemon and juice of a whole lemon
  • 1 tbsp clear honey

Cut the pork into 2cm thick slices. Toss in seasoned flour to coat very lightly and shake of the excess.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the pork in a single layer for a few minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry the pine nuts until lightly browned. Stir in the lemon zest, juice and honey. Bubble and stir briefly to make a sauce.

Return the pork to the pan and add the parsley. Continue to cook for another few minutes to heat through.

Serve with buttered papperdelle or tagliatelle.

(Original recipe by Mary Cadogan in BBC Good Food Magazine, April 2001.)

 

 

Read Full Post »

Citrusy Salmon with Garlic Pak Choi

Posted in Fish, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , on 7 May 2014| 1 Comment »

Salmon with Pak choi

Light yet tasty and full of flavour. Makes you feel healthy eating it.

Wine Suggestion: Some lighter styles of white wine can be overpowered by salmon. We went for an Italian grape variety called Pecorino which has a bit more body and a nice lemony flavour to complement the sauce.

Citrusy Salmon with Garlic Pak Choi – serves 4

  • olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • juice of 3 oranges
  • juice of 1 lime, and 2 tsp grated zest
  • 4 salmon fillets
  • 500g pak choi, stems quartered
  • 4 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp honey

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

Line a baking tray with kitchen foil.

Heat a little olive oil in a small pan, add the onion and one of the garlic cloves, and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft.

Add the orange and lime juice and the lime zest, then simmer gently until reduced by half. Season.

Meanwhile, put the salmon fillets on the baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until just cooked trough.

Heat a splash of olive oil in another pan, add the pak choi and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining garlic, the soy sauce and honey, and keep cooking for another couple of minutes.

Serve the salmon with the pak choi and the sauce drizzled over.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine, April 2014.)

Read Full Post »

Easy Chunky Chilli

Posted in Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 26 April 2014| 3 Comments »

Easy Chunky Chilli

This recipe uses a couple of cheat ingredients (kidney beans in chilli sauce and chipotle paste) with great results – very little effort but tonnes of flavour!

Wine Suggestion: We’d go for something juicy, fruity and red. Perhaps a Spanish Garnacha or a lighter Zinfandel where the tannins aren’t too high and dry and won’t conflict with the heat in the chilli.

Easy Chunky Chilli – to serve 4

  • olive oil
  • 400g diced stewing beef
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1-2 tbsp chipotle paste (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 400g can kidney beans in chilli sauce
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 lime, zested and cut into wedges
  • handful of coriander leaves
  • rice, to serve

Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large pan and cook the beef pieces until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened. Add the garlic, cumin and chipotle paste and cook for one minute.

Sieve the kidney beans but reserve the sauce. Add this sauce, along with the tomatoes and a can full of water, to the pan. Stir well and return the meat to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then cook covered for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender (you can also bake in the oven for 3 hours at 160C/140C fan/gas 3).

Add the kidney beans and lime zest, season and warm through. Serve with the coriander leaves, lime wedges and rice.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

Creamy Madeira Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 22 April 2014| 5 Comments »

Creamy Madeira Chicken

The inspiration for this dish comes from Nigel Slater who has written a book full of ideas with very few ingredients and lots of flavour.

Wine suggestion: Madeira is a fortified Portuguese which tends to have good levels of acidity and is noted for lasting forever, even when open. This is a wine which is also nice to drink and would pair well with this dish, otherwise we would try a southern white Burgundy for a round, richer touch, or a very good New World Chardonnay where the ripeness and balance is is in great harmony.

Creamy Madeira Chicken – to serve 2

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • a little seasoned flour
  • a thick slice of butter
  • a glass of Madeira
  • 4 tbsp double cream

Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin, or similar weapon, to flatten.

Dust the chicken with the seasoned flour.

Melt the butter in a shallow pan, add the chicken and cook briefly on both sides until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the Madeira to the pan and let it bubble while you scrape any chicken residue from the bottom of the pan. When the liquid has reduced by half, stir in the double cream, then season and simmer briefly.

(Original recipe from Eat: the little book of fast food by Nigel Slater, Fourth Estate, 2013.)

Read Full Post »

Easy Spinach & Feta Pie

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 15 April 2014| 3 Comments »

 

Easy Spanakopita

Inspired by Spanakopita, this is a simple recipe that’s easy to throw together when time is short and requires very little shopping.

Easy Spinach & Feta Pie (Cheat’s Spanakopita) – to serve 4

  • 1kg frozen whole-leaf spinach
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin, fennel or caraway seeds (use what you have)
  • 1 large onion, finely sliced
  • ½ tsp dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only, chopped
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 100g feta or soft goats cheese, broken into small chunks
  • 35g pine nuts, toasted or roughly chopped cashew nuts (we used a mix of both)
  • 375g all-butter, ready-rolled puff pastry

Heat the oven to 200°C /Gas Mark 6.

Put the frozen spinach into a saucepan with a splash of water. Cover and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until totally defrosted. Drain in a sieve, pressing with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spice seeds and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the onion and sauté until soft and golden. Add the thyme.

When the spinach has cooled a bit, squeeze as much liquid out of it as you can with your hands, then roughly chop. Mix with the onion, a squeeze of lemon juice and plenty of seasoning. Keep a few tablespoons of the egg for glazing and stir the rest into the spinach and onion mixture.

Spoon half the spinach mixture into an ovenproof dish (around 25 x 20 cm). Scatter over the cheese and pine nuts or cashews, and top with the remaining spinach. Brush a little beaten egg around the rim of the dish.

Lay the pastry over the dish and trim. Press the edge down on the rim of the dish so that it sticks. Brush with the rest of the beaten egg and bake for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.

(Original recipe from River Cottage Veg Everyday! by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury, 2011.)

Read Full Post »

Vichy Carrots

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 10 February 2014| Leave a Comment »

This is a classic French side dish which remarkably improves steamed carrots and we find impresses guests too despite being easy to cook.

Vichy carrots – serves 4

  • 6-8 carrots
  • 15g butter
  • small pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • few mint sprigs
  • few parsley sprigs
  • black pepper

Peel the carrots and cut into batons.

Put the butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently. Stir in the carrots and add enough water to come halfway up.

Increase the heat to medium and partially cover. Simmer until the carrots are tender and most of the water has evaporated.

Turn down the heat and remove the lid. Reduce the remaining liquid to a glaze, stirring to ensure the carrots are evenly coated and don’t stick.

Finely chop the mint and parsley – you need about a ¼ tsp of each. Season with pepper, stir in the herbs and serve.

(Original recipe from Leiths How to Cook, Quadrille Publishing Limited, 2013)

Read Full Post »

Carbonara Cabbage

Posted in Food, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 7 January 2014| 3 Comments »

This is delicious but very rich, plus a little goes a long way! We found this a really good twist on a classic.

Carbonara Cabbage – serves 8

  • 1kg Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
  • 12 rashers streaky bacon, chopped small
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 250ml single cream
  • 50g Parmesan, grated

Cook the cabbage for 10 minutes in a large pan of boiling salted water. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large frying pan for 7-8 minutes or until crispy, adding the garlic for the final few minutes.

Mix the cream and Parmesan in a bowl with some black pepper. Add the cream mixture and the cabbage to the bacon pan and toss everything together really well. Warm through for a few minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

Carrot & Sweet Potato Mash

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 3 January 2014| Leave a Comment »

This was good served alongside a beef hotpot, but we daresay it’ll be nice against a few other dishes as well.

Carrot & Sweet Potato Mash – to serve 4

  • 500g carrots, chopped
  • 500g sweet potatoes, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, bashed
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
  • 25g butter

Put the carrots, sweet potatoes and garlic in a large pan  salted water, bring to the boil and cook for about 12 minutes or until very tender, then drain. Add the cumin seeds, butter and seasoning and serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

Buttered Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Posted in Food, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , on 2 January 2014| 1 Comment »

For those who eat brussels sprouts more than once a year. This is a gem of a dish that we’ve done a few times now and an easy feature in any winter meal.

Buttered Sprouts with Pancetta – to serve 6

  • 100g cubed pancetta
  • 750g brussels sprouts
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 25g butter

Fry the pancetta in a non-stick frying pan for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Add the sprouts and cook for another minute. Add the stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sprouts are tender and the stock has reduced. Add the butter and season well but be careful with the salt, as the pancetta and stock should make this fairly salty already.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »