Jono has taken to baking in lockdown, not something we do much of normally. You can’t beat the smell of this baking in the oven. The recipe makes loads so you may not get through it all straight away, but don’t worry, gently warm in an oven for 5 minutes and serve with a dollop of cream and it’ll last a week or more.
Gingerbread Traybake
275g golden syrup
275g black treacle
225g light muscovado sugar
225g softened butter
450g self-raising flour
2 tsp ground mixed spice
2 tsp ground ginger
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 tbsp milk
Preheat the oven to 160C/Fan 140C/Gas 3.
Grease a 30 x 23cm traybake or roasting tin and line with baking parchment.
Put the syrup, treacle, sugar and butter in a large pan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour and spices. Add the beaten eggs and milk, and beat until smooth, then pour into the prepared tin.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and springs back when pressed in the centre with your fingertips. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible, BBC Book, 1993.)
Pastry is not an area of expertise for us, as we make it so rarely. We tend to attempt a quiche or similar about once a year but we really must try and squeeze in a few more before next March. The crust for this was super short and melt-in-the-mouth crumbly and the filling is so comforting and flavoursome.
Wine Suggestion: We think quiche is great with a red or white like you’d find in a country French Bistro, possibly a Beaujolais or Rhone for the reds but always leaning towards Alsace for the white (though many others work well too). We’ve gone on a bit of a Sylvaner kick recently and with this we had one from across the border in the Rheinhessen from Wagner-Stempel. Always under-rated, in good hands this grape combines a maturity and presence with vibrancy. Ripe apple and quince flavours finishing dry, fresh and invigorating.
Quiche Lorraine – serves 6
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onions, finely sliced
200g smoked streaky bacon, cut into 2cm pieces
300ml double cream,
200ml crème fraîche
3 large eggs
75g Gruyère cheese
FOR THE PASTRY:
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
150g cold butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg, beaten
To make the pastry, put the flour and and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and mix until the dough just starts coming together, then shape into a ball.
Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Place the pastry in a 23cm loose-based tart tin, pressing it well into the sides. Trim away the excess pastry and lightly prick the base. Leave the pastry case to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 4.
Place a piece of baking paper over the chilled pastry and fill with baking beans. Put the tin on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5-10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
Turn the oven temperature down to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas 3½.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon and onion together until lightly browned. Tip them onto a plate and leave to cool. Put the cream, crème fraîche and eggs into a jug and beat until well combined, then season with salt and pepper.
Spread the cooled onions and bacon evenly over the pastry case, then sprinkle the cheese on top. Slowly pour in most of the egg mixture, then put the tin on a baking tray, in the oven. Pull the oven shelf out slightly and pour in the rest of the egg mixture.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is just starting to brown and no longer wobbling. If you press the back of a teaspoon onto the centre, no liquid should be visible. Take out of the oven and leave to cook in the tin for 15 minutes before removing. Serve warm or at room temperature
(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ British Classics by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2018.)
These make a nice brunch or lunch dish with some brown bread or toast.
Smoked haddock & spinach egg pots – serves 4
a little soft butter for greasing
4 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
200g skinless smoked haddock fillets, diced
200g baby spinach
6 large eggs
200ml crème fraîche
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
50g Cheddar, grated
a pinch of sweet smoked paprika
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Brown bread or buttered toast, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6.
Grease the inside of four 250ml ramekins or oven-proof dishes with butter, then dust with the breadcrumbs.
Divide the fish between the dishes and put onto a baking tray.
Wilt the spinach in a large saucepan with a tiny amount of water. Stir over a high heat for a few minutes, until wilted. Remove from the heat and drain in a colander. Leave to cool slightly, then squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the spinach. Roughly chop and divide between the dishes.
Whisk the eggs and crème fraîche together in a bowl and season with a little grated nutmeg and some salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the dishes and sprinkle with the cheese and a little smoked paprika.
Put the tray on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the oven to the grill setting and cook for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the toast or bread.
(Original recipe from Fresh Start by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018.)
This soup really couldn’t be simpler and it’s nice and filling for lunchtime.
Tomato Soup with Chickpeas, Orzo & Pesto – serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin chickpeas
150g orzo pasta
700ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp basil pesto
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and celery and fry for 10-15 minutes, or until starting to soften, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add all of the other ingredients, except for the pesto and remaining oil, and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until the orzo is tender. Season to taste and divide between warm bowls. Stir in the remaining olive oil with the pesto, then drizzle over the soup.
This is a classic for a reason and you really shouldn’t wait until St Patrick’s day to make it; although for some reason that’s what we do every year. It’s a meal in a bowl but if you want to go all out you can serve it with colcannon and turnip mash with bacon and onions. Beware… we kept on taking seconds … and thirds…
Wine Suggestion: The Irish have a great affinity with Spanish wine, so we picked a Mencia from Bierzo, the Dominio de Tares “Baltos” which was full of flavour as well as vibrantly fresh with resolved and mildly spice tannins.
Irish Stew – serves 6 to 8
900g boneless lamb neck or shoulder, trimmed and cut into cubes
900ml lamb or chicken stock, home-made preferably
50g pearl barley, washed
225g potatoes, cut into chunks
225g carrots, thickly sliced
225g leeks, well trimmed and thickly sliced
225g pearl onions, peeled (if you can’t get these you can use halved shallots)
100g smoked bacon, diced
2 sprigs of thyme
chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish
Put the lamb pieces into a large flameproof casserole and pour over the stock.
Bring to the boil, then skim off any scum from the surface and stir in the barley. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 50 minutes, until slightly reduced and the lamb should be almost tender.
Add the potatoes, carrots, leeks, pearl onions, smoked bacon and thyme and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lamb and vegetables are completely tender but not falling apart. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve.
(Original recipe from Neven Maguire’s Complete Family Cookbook, Gill Books, 2016.)
Do we need to provide another recipe for Italian roast potatoes with rosemary? Probably not, but this version uses regular potatoes, rather than the baby waxy variety. So perhaps it will come in handy, as it did for us.
Roast Potatoes with Rosemary – serves 4 to 6
2kg potatoes e.g. Maris Piper or Roosters
a large handful of rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
extra virgin olive oil
Maldon salt and black pepper
Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks, then boil in salted water until just cooked through. Drain in a colander and leave for 10 minutes to cool slightly and lose some mixture.
Preheat the oven to 220C/220C Fan/Gas 7.
Heat a roasting tray in the oven with most of the rosemary leaves and a good few glugs of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Remove the tray from the oven and add the potatoes, turning to coat well in the oil and rosemary .
Roast for about 45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so.
(Original recipe from Polpo by Russell Norman, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012.)
We make soup most weeks during the cooler months and we really loved this one! The streaky bacon garnish is nice but it’s also good without it.
Creamy lentil & spinach soup with bacon – serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra for frying
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
140g green lentils
1.5 litres weak vegetable stock
200g baby spinach
4 tbsp double cream, plus a drizzle to serve if you like
6 rashers smoked streaky bacon (optional)
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions, carrots and celery, and cook for about 10 minutes or until softened.
Stir in the lentils and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the lentils are soft, add more water if you need too.
Add the spinach and cook for a couple of minutes to wilt.
Whizz the soup until smooth (we like it smooth-ish with a bit of texture left), then stir in the cream and season.
Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon until crispy and golden. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with some crispy bacon and a drizzle of cream.
Much more filling than the tinned variety but unlike a number of other baked bean recipes, you don’t have to start with dried beans. This is quick and still pretty handy for lunch.
Beans on toast – serves 4 to 6
200g bacon lardons or pancetta cubes
1 onion, roughly chopped
olive oil
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 x 400g tins of beans e.g. pinto, haricot or butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp black treacle
sourdough toast, to serve
Fry the bacon in a deep pan over a medium heat until golden, then add the onion. You can add a splash of olive oil if you need it.
Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Next add the beans and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the treacle and season with salt and black pepper.
Serve with toasted sourdough.
(Original recipe from The Kitchen Diaries II by Nigel Slater, Fourth Estate, 2012.)
For many years we didn’t buy Polpo by Russell Norman. It has a fancy binding and was always wrapped in plastic in the bookshop, so there was no way to have a flick. We can’t remember now what made us take the plunge, but we’re so glad we did. We’ve cooked many of the recipes and recently took this book off the shelf again and cooked a few more, finishing with this steak dish. You probably don’t need Italian roast potatoes with rosemary as a side but we couldn’t resist.
Wine Suggestion: A kind birthday gift from our friends Nicola and Dave was a wine we knew nothing about, the Iuli Umberta and opening it to try with this dish was a revelation. From the Monferrato hills east of Turin, this Barbera is so full of energy and layered with subtle flavours and gentle spice; so easy and refreshing.
Flank steak with portobello mushrooms – serves 4
800g flank steak, about 5cm thick
4 handfuls of rocket leaves
8 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
1 small handful of flat parsley leaves, chopped
Season the meat with plenty of salt and pepper.
We cooked ours on a hot barbecue but if you prefer you can oil a griddle pan and heat until hot, then grill the steak on both sides. 10-12 minutes in total should give you a medium-cooked steak. Leave it to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, dress the rocket leaves in some good olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Divide the rocket between the serving plates or you can put it onto one large platter.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan with the garlic and most of the parsley. Add the mushrooms and fry until soft and glossy, then set aside. We like to season these a little too.
When the meat has rested, sliced it thinly. Lay the steak on top of the rocket, then scatter with the mushrooms and serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and the rest of the parsley.
(Original recipe from Polpo by Russell Norman, Bloomsbury, 2012.)
Somewhere along the line we forgot about spaghetti carbonara, but remembered it again last night. This really is a store-cupboard dish. We’re never without pasta, eggs or Parmesan and more often than not there’s a half packet of pancetta or bacon lardons in the fridge needing used. Thursday night might turn into carbonara night!
Wine Suggestion: An open bottle of Edetaria via Terra red, made from Garnache Tinta grown in Terra Alta south of Barcelona was a joyful accompaniment. Fresh with refined spices and tannins; a gourmand wine. We don’t know whether it was the night or the wine but we had the chats all night after this food and wine.
Spaghetti Carbonara – serves 2 – though you can of course double to serve 4
200g spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
100g pancetta cubes or bacon lardons
1 clove of garlic, crushed
25ml vermouth or white wine
1 large egg
50g grated pecorino or Parmesan
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cook the spaghetti in lots of very salty water according to the timings on the pack.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the pancetta over a medium heat until crispy. Add the garlic and cook gently for a couple of minutes before the vermouth or white wine and bubble until well reduced. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Put the egg into a large bowl and beat it with a fork. Add a little salt and plenty of black pepper, then add the cheese and stir to combine.
Drain the pasta in a colander and immediately transfer to the bowl with the egg and cheese, don’t be too fussy when you’re draining as a little of the pasta cooking water will help make a silky sauce. Stir together until the spaghetti is coated in a glossy sauce, then add the pancetta and stir again.
Serve in warmed bowls and sprinkle with the parsley.
This handy Italian chicken dish is great for a Friday night and kids love it! Serve with a green salad, lemon wedges and mayonnaise. If you have eggs leftover you can pop them in the fridge to scramble the next morning.
Wine Suggestion: keep it simple with an easy, dry white of your choice: Chardonnay, Verdicchio, Chenin … or tonights choice the Flying Solo Grenache Blanc – Viognier blend from Domaine Gayda. Easy, friendly citrus and apple flavours with hints of heather and a slight nuttiness, finishing clean and dry.
Chicken Cotoletta – serves 4
2 chicken breasts, sliced lengthways with your knife parallel to the board to give 4 thin fillets (your butcher will do this for you if you ask)
juice of ½ lemon
1 handful of Italian 00 flour
3 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten
about 300g panko breadcrumbs
Put each piece of chicken between sheets of clingfilm, then beat them gently with a rolling pin until nice and thin. Season and sprinkle with the lemon juice.
Get 3 plates out and put the flour on one, the eggs on the next, and finally the breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken into the flour, shaking off any excess, then gently into the egg and finally into the breadcrumbs.
Heat a large frying pan with plenty of olive oil and fry the chicken until golden and crispy, a couple of minutes on each side. You can do this in batches if easier.
(Original recipe from Polpo by Russell Norman, Bloomsbury, 2012.)
Sometimes all you want is a plate of greens. Here they are with a Japanese-style sauce and some sticky rice and sesame seeds.
Wine Suggestion: We find this combination of flavours in the sauce work well with Riesling, especially if it’s the lighter styles with a touch of fruit. This could be a German Kabinett with lower alcohol, residual sugar and refreshing acidity, or one of the dry Clare Valley cuvées that leave a hint of sugar in making them very approachable in youth like Pike’s Hills & Valleys.
Greens with Sticky Sesame Rice – serves 2
1 tbsp caster sugar
140g sushi rice
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sunflower oil
350g purple sprouting broccoli or other long-stemmed broccoli
6 scallions, halved lengthways
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 tbsp brown miso paste
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tsp finely grated ginger
1 red chilli, deseeded and diced
Stir the sauce ingredients together with 1 tbsp water, then set aside.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil with the caster sugar and ½ tsp salt. Add the rice and boil for about 15 minutes (or whatever time it suggests on the pack) until just cooked. Drain well, return to the pan and sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil. Cover and keep warm.
Heat the sunflower oil in a wok until smoking hot. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for a few minutes until almost tender, add a splash of water now and then to create a bit of steam. Add the scallions and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then stir in the sauce and cook for another minute or two, stirring constantly.
Divide the rice between 2 plates and top with the stir-fry.
Every now and again we take one of Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries off the shelf for a bit of inspiration, and this is what we chose from the February chapter. We like Nigel’s recipes as they’re tasty but rarely require too much shopping. We served this with rice, a few greens on the side would be nice too.
Wine Suggestion: A dry, or just off-dry Alsace Pinot Gris or similar. Tonight Zind Humbrecht’s Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire from the Clos Windsbuhl has all the texture and layers of fruit we were looking for and more; superb.
Pork with garlic & oyster sauce – serves 2
5 tbsp of flavourless oil, we use groundnut oil
350g pork fillet, cubed
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely sliced
4 small hot red chillies, two chopped finely with the seeds left in and two left whole
150g mushrooms, roughly sliced
3 heaped tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
Heat your wok until very hot.
Add 2 tbsp of the oil and when it starts to smoke, add half the meat. Toss, until browned then remove to a plate and brown the rest.
Add the remaining oil to the wok and heat until smoking hot, then add the garlic, shallots and chillies. Toss for a minute or two until starting to colour. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry until they are soft and starting to colour, then return the meat to the pan. When the meat is hot, stir in the oyster sauce and Shaoxing wine and bring to the boil.
Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce for a couple of minutes, then serve.
(Original recipe from The Kitchen Diaries II by Nigel Slater, Fourth Estate, 2012.)
This makes a delicious veggie breakfast with toast or with bread and a salad for lunch. It is so simple but you need to use top quality tinned tomatoes as they are the star of the show.
Baked eggs with tomatoes – serves 4
500g tinned tomatoes, drained, seeded and chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
8 fresh eggs
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
Put the tomatoes into a saucepan with 2 tbsp of water and a couple of pinches of salt. Cover and simmer slowly for 30 minutes, give it a stir occasionally.
Pour the olive oil into an ovenproof dish, then pour the tomatoes on top.
Break the eggs into the dish on top of the sauce and season with black pepper. Bake for 5 minutes or until the whites are just set and the yolks still runny.
(Original recipe from Southern Italian Cooking by Valentina Harris, Pavilion Books Limited, 1993.)
This is a little different given the use of the milky poaching liquor which makes this creamy and rich. Not that we partake in the cheese and fish rule anyhow, but cheese was genuinely not required.
Wine Suggestion: Choose a white with a higher acidity to match the creamy stock and a bit of body as this is quite rich. We chose an alpine/cool-climate Chardonnay from Cantina Colterenzio from north-eastern Italy in the foothills of the Alps. Melon and apple fruit flavours with hints of buttery toast; refined and characterful.
Smoked Cod & Spinach Risotto – serves 2-3
450ml full fat milk
400g smoked cod or haddock
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
450ml hot stock
a small onion
50g butter
250g risotto rice
a glass of white wine
2 handfuls of spinach leaves, washed and torn into small pieces
Pour the milk into a saucepan large enough to take the fish in a single layer. Put the fish into the milk and add the bay leaves and peppercorns, then bring to the boil. When the milk starts to foam, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside with the fish left in the milk to infuse.
Heat the stock in a saucepan until gently simmering.
Peel and finely chop the onion, then fry gently in the butter in a heavy-based pan. When the onion is soft, but not coloured, add the rice and stir to coat.
Pour in the wine and allow to evaporate, then start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time. Keep stirring continually until each ladle of stock has been absorbed, then add some more. Keep the heat low to medium. When the stock is finished, start adding the poaching liquid from the fish (discard the peppercorns and bay leaves). Start tasting when almost all the milk has been absorbed. The rice should be soft but still have a little bite and it should take about 20 minutes.
Stir the spinach into the rice. Break the fish into big pieces and gently fold into the rice, trying not to break them up too much. Check for seasoning before serving.
(Original recipe from The Kitchen Diaries II by Nigel Slater, Fourth Estate, 2012.)
Try this delicious Indian brunch dish by Cyrus Todiwala – chilli cheese on toast with a fried egg on top and ketchup on the side. We poached our eggs this time.
Wine Suggestion: What do they serve in those brunch places? Bottomless prosecco – something like that.
Eggs kejriwal – serves 2
1 tsp butter, plus more for spreading on the toast
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-4 thick slices bread
100g mature cheddar, grated
2 tsp English mustard
a small handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
3 large eggs
1 tbsp oil
tomato ketchup, to serve (optional)
Melt the tsp of butter in a small frying pan and fry the onion for about 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Lightly toast the bread, then spread with butter and put onto a baking tray.
Heat the grill to medium.
Mix the onion, cheese, mustard, coriander, chilli and 1 egg together in a bowl and season.
Spread the cheese mix over the toast and grill for about 5 minutes or until set and bubbling.
Meanwhile, fry or poach your eggs.
Serve the cheese on toast on warmed plates with an egg on top and ketchup on the side.
(Original recipe by Cyrus Todiwala in BBC Good Food magazine, March 2020.)
This couscous salad with fennel and tuna is perfect for lunch at the weekend. It’s very simple but the flavours all come together brilliantly. Do buy top quality tuna in oil – we used our local Shines Wild Irish Tuna in Olive Oil.
Wine Suggestion: not having a Sicilian wine to hand we still kept it Italian and opened Patrizia Felluga’s Zuani Vigne Collio Bianco. A multivarietal blend typical of the region this is precise, broad and complex while retaining good vibrancy.
Sicilian couscous salad – serves 3
150g couscous
1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder made up with 200ml of boiling water
30ml best extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
10g flaked almonds
9 caper berries
half a fennel bulb, finely sliced, a mandoline works best for this if you have one
185g jar of tuna in olive oil
a handful of rocket
juice of ½ a lemon
Put the couscous into a large bowl, pour over the hot stock, cover tightly with cling film and leave aside for 10 minutes.
Remove the cling film and fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Drizzle with 10ml of olive oil, then stir in the flaked almonds, caper berries and fennel and toss well.
Add the tuna, breaking it into chunks with a fork and mixing through.
Finally add the rocket, squeeze in the lemon juice, the rest of the olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper. Toss again and transfer to a platter to serve.
(Original recipe from A Table for Friends by Skye McAlpine, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020.)
Who knew this was a thing? The ragu is made from whole lamb neck fillets which are cooked in a low oven for many hours and then shredded into the sauce. The result is absolutely delicious and much less laborious than our traditional version. You can make the lamb layer well in advance and keep it in the fridge or freezer until needed.
Wine Suggestion: to match the rich lamb and cheese we opened a Ramos Pinto Duas Quintas from the Douro. We’d kept this a few years from release and the layers of gentle spices had grown, the tannins softened to a back note, and the fruit had somehow got richer without adding any weight. A beautiful wine and an equitable accompaniment to a dish like this.
Braised lamb lasagne – serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
lamb neck fillets, about 400g in total
1 clove of garlic
1 sprig of rosemary
500g carton passata
500ml full-fat milk
50g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
70g Parmesan, grated
6 lasagne sheets
2 mozzarella balls, torn into thin strips
2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
dressed salad and garlic bread to serve
Heat the oven to 130C/110C fan/gas 1.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based casserole, season the lamb generously, then fry until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for another minute, then pour over the passata. Rinse out the carton with a splash of water and add this too. Season again, then cover tightly with foil, followed by the lid. Cook in the oven for at least 3½ or up to 4 hours by which time is should be very easy to shred. Leave it to cool a bit, then use a couple of forks to shred the lamb into the sauce.
Heat the milk in a saucepan until just simmering. Melt the butter in another saucepan, then stir in the flour to form a paste. Gradually whisk in the hot milk until you have a smooth glossy sauce. Stir in half the Parmesan and season.
Meanwhile, soak the lasagne sheets in just-boiled water to soften, then drain.
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Spread a thin layer of lamb sauce on the bottom of a small lasagne dish (it should fit two lasagne sheets without overlapping). Top with two lasagne sheets, then cover with a third of the béchamel and a third of the mozzarella. Add half of the remaining lamb sauce, then top this with 2 lasagne sheets and another third of the béchamel and mozzarella. Repeat once more, then sprinkle over the rest of the Parmesan and the panko breadcrumbs.
Bake for 35 minutes, then turn the oven up to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Bake for another 10 minutes to brown the top, then leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
PSB is our veg saviour early in the year when winter is lingering and spring still seems too far away. We loved this roasted version with a tangy lemon dressing.
Roasted PSB with feta & preserved lemons – serves 4 to 6 as a side
500g purple sprouting broccoli
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red chilli, chopped
1 preserved lemon, flesh and rind chopped, plus 1 tbsp juice from the jar
80g yoghurt
1 garlic cloves, grated
30g feta
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Put the PSB into large roasting tin, add the olive oil and red chilli, season with salt and pepper, then toss with your hands.
Roast for 15 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and starting to char.
Meanwhile stir the preserved lemon, juice and garlic into the yoghurt.
Crumble the feta over the roasted broccoli and drizzle with yoghurt dressing and your best olive oil.
A proper Venetian cichéti or wine bar snack. If you haven’t grilled fennel before we strongly suggest that you do, it becomes all caramelised and the flavour is much stronger. Here two strong flavours come together to great effect. Serve as a nibble with drinks.
Wine Suggestion: we didn’t have have any dry Venetian whites to hand but from further south in the Marches we had a bottle of Sartarelli’s Verdicchio Classico. Crisp, with hints of bitter, green almonds and pure peach and apple flavours and a saline twist that seemed to echo the anchovies. We were almost sitting in a bacaro overlooking a canal.
Grilled fennel with White Anchovies
1 small fennel bulb, sliced through the root into medium-thin pieces about 5mm thick
extra virgin olive oil
flaky sea salt
a handful of roughly chopped dill
10 white anchovy fillets
Preheat the grill to medium.
Put the fennel slices onto a baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Add half the dill and toss to coat, then put the baking tray under the grill for 10-15 minutes, turning once, or until starting to brown and caramelise at the edges. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
Spread the fennel over a platter and place an anchovy fillet on each slice, then scatter over the rest of the dill and serve.
(Original recipe from Polpo by Russell Norman, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 