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Posts Tagged ‘Easy’

Daube of Beef

Posted in Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 9 November 2016| Leave a Comment »

Daube of Beef

This dish was traditionally cooked in a glazed clay pot. However these have successfully been replaced by cast-iron casseroles, like our favourite oval shaped one from le Creuset. It keeps the heat stable which makes it perfect for the long and slow cooking required for this dish. Very like our Chianti Beef recipe but with a few French touches.

Wine Suggestion: with a nod to the French origins of this dish we’d suggest a good Gigondas from the Rhone to match. With rich brambly fruit, good spicy tannins and a touch of elegant leathery development the Grapillon d’Or Gigondas was immensely enjoyed last time we cooked this, but other GSM (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvedre) blends from around the world would work well too.

Daube of Beef – serves 6

  • 1.2kg shin of beef, cut into large pieces
  • 4 tbsp plain flour, well seasoned
  • oil for frying
  • 200g smoked bacon lardons
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced thickly on a diagonal
  • 4 carrots, sliced thickly on a diagonal
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 750ml red wine
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 cloves, ground
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 strips of orange peel
  • flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Heat the oven to 150ºC/Fan 130ºC/Gas 2.

Toss the beef in the seasoned flour (we shake them together in a large freezer bag).

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan and brown the beef in batches before transferring with a slotted spoon to a large casserole dish with a lid. Add the bacon to the frying pan and cook until brown and crispy, then scoop out and add to the casserole with the beef. Cook the onions until golden and caramelised then add these to the beef. Finally fry the carrot and celery until just starting to colour. Add the garlic and cook for a minute then add to the beef. Add a splash of wine to the frying pan to deglaze, stirring to scrape any crusty bits from the bottom of the pan, then tip into the casserole. Add the rest of the wine to the casserole and bring to a simmer. Stir in the tomato purée, cloves, bay leaves and orange peel.

Transfer the casserole to the oven and cook for 2½ hours or until the meat is very tender – leave the lid off for a while at the end if you want the sauce to thicken to bit. Scatter with the parsley to finish.

(Original recipe by Lulu Grimes in BBC Olive Magazine, September, 2012).

 

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Salmon Teriyaki

Posted in Asian, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 7 November 2016| 1 Comment »

Salmon Teriyaki

Really delicious salmon with crispy skin and a rich sauce. Serve with rice and some asian greens.

Wine Suggestion: Soy sauce accentuates tannins in wine so we’d suggest avoiding reds for this dish. With ingredients that include Sake, Mirin/Sherry and sugar there are two options that we find work really well, and in a contrasting way. Firstly a non-dry, slightly sweet Oloroso sherry, like the Valdespino 1842 VOS Oloroso, will work with the umami savoury characters and compliment the rich sweetness. Alternately play with a bit of contrast and pick a good Rosé Champagne, like Billecart-Salmon’s benchmark example; this plays with the senses and adds an extra vibrancy to a dish already replete with flavour.

Salmon Teriyaki – serves 4

  • 250ml light soy sauce
  • 125ml sake or rice wine
  • 125ml mirin or dry sherry
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 4 salmon fillets, skin-on
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and stir until the sugar has dissolved to make a teriyaki sauce. Marinade the salmon in half of the sauce for at least 3 hours. Pour the rest of the sauce into a saucepan and bubble gently on a low heat for 30 minutes or until reduced and thickened.

Heat the oven to as high as it goes, then put the drained salmon fillets in an ovenproof dish, skin upwards. Cut small squares of foil to cover the salmon skin and stop it burning.

Bake for 5-6 minutes, then remove the foil and brush oil over the skin. Return to the oven for another 5-6 minutes or until the skin is crispy and starting to char.

Pour some of the reduced sauce onto each plate and sit the salmon on top to serve.

(Original recipe by Reiko Hashimoto-Lamber IN: BBC Good Food Magazine, April 2008.)

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Spicy Prawns

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 5 November 2016| Leave a Comment »

Spicy Prawns

These prawns, flavoured with lots of garlic and warm spices, make a simple but really tasty starter. Serve with plenty of bread for mopping up the juices.

Wine Suggestion: We really like unoaked, slightly lighter, Spanish reds with this dish especially with 30 minutes in the fridge to give a cool edge to them. A newish find has been the Jesus Romero “Rubus”, a delicious blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo and Syrah which has a purity and persistence of fruit that charms us every time.

Spicy Prawns – serves 4

  • 300g raw peeled king prawns
  • 4tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • ¾ tsp ground ginger
  • a good pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli powder
  • 5 tbsp chopped coriander or parsley

Heat the oil with the garlic and spices in a large frying pan. Keep stirring until aromatic, then throw in the prawns and fry quickly over a medium heat until pink – about a minute. Stir in the coriander or parsley and serve.

(Original recipe from Foolproof Mediterranean Cookery by Claudia Roden, BBC Worldwide Ltd., 2003.)

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Bombay Egg & Potato Curry

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Indian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 26 October 2016| Leave a Comment »

Egg & potato curry 1

A tasty mid-week veggie curry for two. Not much more to say really. Serve with a cold beer if you’ve got one.

Bombay Egg & Potato Curry – serves 2

  • 2 onions, 1 chopped and 1 quartered
  • sunflower oil
  • 2 green chillies, 1 halved and deseeded and the other finely sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • a handful of coriander, leaves and stalks separated
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 150ml coconut milk
  • 400g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm dice
  • 3 eggs
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • basmati rice to serve

Fry the chopped onion in 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole until soft and golden.

Meanwhile, whizz the quartered onion, halved chilli, garlic & coriander stalks with ¼ tsp salt to a paste – you might need to add a splash of water.

When the onions are softened, stir in the paste and spices and fry for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Crumble in the stock cube, stir in the tomatoes and coconut milk along with a tinful of water and bring to a simmer. Add the potatoes, then cover and simmer for about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the eggs in boiling water for about 8 minutes, then cool under cold running water, peel and quarter.

Remove the lid from the curry and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Taste the curry and season with salt, black pepper and lemon juice to taste. Gently lay the quartered eggs into the sauce, turn off the heat and replace the lid to allow the eggs to gently warm for a minute or so.

Serve with the sliced green chilli, coriander leaves and steamed basmati rice.

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

Egg & potato curry 2

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Pizza Baked Potato

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 October 2016| 1 Comment »

Pizza baked potato

The vast majority of our weeknight dinners are based on whatever happens to be left in the fridge after the weekend.  It turns out that leftover pizza toppings taste pretty good on top of a baked potato too. Also suitable for those who don’t eat pizza dough.

Wine Suggestion: If you happen to have something open already, that will do nicely.

Pizza Jacket Potatoes – serves 4

  • 4 large baking potatoes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 60g sliced pepperoni, torn (the thin sliced stuff from a packet will do fine)
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • small handful of basil leaves, shredded
  • 100g grated mozzarella/cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas 6.

Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Bake directly on the oven shelf for 1-1½ hrs, or until soft.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan and sauté the onion for 5 mins to soften. Stir in the garlic and pepperoni, and cook for a minute or two,  then add the chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins. Season and stir in half the basil. Spoon over the split potatoes and top each one with a good handful of cheese and the rest of the basil.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food.)

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Baked butternut squash, chickpeas, chilli & pomegranate

Posted in Food, Healthy, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 8 March 2016| 1 Comment »

Baked butternut squash, chickpeas, pepper & pomegranate

This was tasty for a mid-week veggie night. The pomegranate molasses add a pleasant sour note but if you don’t have any you can substitute a few tablespoons of lime juice and a teaspoon of soft brown sugar drizzled over the top.

Baked butternut squash, chickpeas & green chilli – serves 6

  • 1kg butternut squash, deseeded and cut into chunks
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • medium piece ginger, grated
  • 1 green chilli, finely diced
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds, mint & Greek yoghurt and couscous to serve

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

Put the squash onto a baking tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil, season and toss to coat evenly. Roast for 25 minutes or until soft.

Put half the squash into a medium casserole dish and set the rest aside. Heat a medium-sized frying pan and add the rest of the oil, then the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and paprika. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes, pomegranate molasses and chickpeas, then simmer for a minute before turning off the heat.

Pour half the tomato sauce over the squash in the casserole dish in an even layer. Arrange the rest of the squash on top then finish with the rest of the sauce. Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven and serve hot or at room temperature, scattered with chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds, and mint, with the yoghurt on the side. Serve with couscous.

(Original recipe by Bill Granger in BBC Good Food Magazine, March 2011.)

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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.)

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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.)

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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.)

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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)

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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)

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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.)

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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.)

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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.)

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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.)

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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.)

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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.

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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.)

 

 

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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.)

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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)

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