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Posts Tagged ‘Gluten-free’

Bitter Leaves with Orange and Fennel

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10 December 2025| 1 Comment »

This stunning salad is a riot of colour, texture, and flavours. From Boustany by Sami Tamimi, this is not your average side salad. We served it alongside pan-fried duck breasts.

Bitter leaves with orange and fennel – serves 4 to 6

  • 4 blood oranges (or regular oranges)
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 75ml olive oil
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 2 tsp orange blossom water
  • 100g radicchio leaves
  • 100g white or red endive
  • ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
  • 120g rocket
  • 5g fresh tarragon leaves
  • 70g hard goat’s cheese, broken into chunks
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
  • 25g sunflower seeds, toasted

Remove the skin and white pith from the oranges (use a sharp knife), then slice the oranges into ½ cm slices.

Make the dressing by putting the lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and orange blossom water into a small bowl. Add ½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper, then whisk well and set aside.

Separate the radicchio and endive into leaves and tear into large pieces, then add to a mixing bowl. Add the onion, fennel and rocket. Pour over about a quarter of the dressing, add a pinch of salt and some black pepper and toss well.

Layer the leaves, oranges, goat’s cheese and herbs onto a large platter or salad bowl. Finish with a few pieces of orange, some chunks of cheese and spoon over the dressing. Scatter the pomegranate and sunflower seeds over, then serve.

(Original recipe from Boustany by Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2025.)

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Steamed Sea Bass with Garlic, Ginger and Spring Onions

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 November 2025| Leave a Comment »

We are beyond excited by our subscription seafood box from Urban Monger. This is what we did with two whole sea bass that arrived on our doorstep amongst various other delicious things. Serve with steamed rice and tenderstem broccoli.

Wine Suggestion: We love classic wines that are slightly atypical, but showing a new direction in wine. Tonight we wanted a crisp, fresh and dry white so opened a Sybille Kuntz Kabinett Riesling from the Mosel in Germany. A wine like this from the Mosel would have typically had residual sugar but Sybille makes all her wines completely dry, it’s a roaring success and such a thrill to drink with this delicate, and flavoursome dish. A celebration of flavour all round.

Steamed Sea Bass with Garlic, Ginger and Scallions – serves 2-3

  • 2 x 350g whole sea bass, scaled, cleaned and gutted
  • 15g root ginger, cut into fine matchsticks
  • 4-5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 red chilli, finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • a handful of coriander, roughly chopped

Put the fish in a fish kettle and sprinkle over the ginger (if you don’t have a fish kettle you could use a steamer or a rack in a roasting tin). Add 2cm of water. Use a couple of balls of tin foil to lift the rack up above the water level. Cover with the lid (or foil) and steam for about 10 minute or until cooked through. It’s easiest to use a thermometer and the fish should be 60C.

Lift the fish onto a warm serving dish and scatter over the scallions and chilli, then cover to keep warm.

Spoon about 5 tbsp of the cooking juices into a small pan, add the soy sauce and bring to the boil. Pour this over the fish. Heat the sesame oil in the same pan, then add the garlic and fry for a few seconds, then pour over the fish. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Simple Suppers, BBC Books, 2023.)

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Pork Chops with Butter Bean Mash

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 22 October 2025| Leave a Comment »

We’re loving The Bold Bean Company range of jarred beans. This simple butter bean mash is super tasty and would make a great side to almost anything. In fact our daughter has demanded this mash with other things since – a miracle in itself!

Wine Suggestion: This demands a fuller bodied white, but we didn’t feel like an oaky style so went with Podere Guardia Grande’s Saldenya, which is an unoaked Vermentino from an old vineyard in Sardinia that runs down to the sea. Fresh and dare we say it, salty, but with a plushness and weight of sunshine. A joy on its own as we cooked and then a good match with the dinner.

Pork chops with butter bean mash – serves 4

  • 50g mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp pul biber
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 pork chops
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 large jar of good quality butter beans
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • rocket, to serve

Get a barbecue ready for direct grilling.

Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, tomato purée, pul biber, black pepper and a good pinch of salt, together in a large bowl. Add the pork chops and toss to coat in the marinade.

Cook the pork chops on a hot barbecue for 3-4 minutes on each side or until charred and tender.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minutes, then add the drained butter beans, 70ml of just boiled water, the cumin and plenty of salt and pepper. Stir to combine then mash to whatever consistency you like.

To serve, divide the mash between plates, top with a pork chop and a handful of rocket leaves. Drizzle over any tasty juices over the top.

(Original recipe by John-Gregory Smith in Olive Magazine, July 2022.)

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Hake with Rice and Date Pickle

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 October 2025| Leave a Comment »

Every element of this dish from Lugma by Noor Murad, but it’s the date pickle that truly brings everything together. It lifts the whole plate and we can definitely see it making repeat appearances alongside all sorts of other dishes.

Wine Suggestion: We’ve been exploring the fresher, lighter reds from north-western Spain, a joyful match for spiced or richly flavoured fish like this. A recent gem is the Finca Millara Lagariza, a youthful, fruit forward and light bodied Mencía that we served lightly chilled. A brilliant pairing.

Fish with rice and date pickle – serves 4

FOR THE FISH:

  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • seeds from 15 cardamom pods
  • 600g skinless hake fillet, cut into 6cm pieces
  • 1½ tbsp melted ghee
  • ½ lemon

FOR THE RICE:

  • 2 tbsp melted ghee
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 5 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 fresh bay leaves
  • 150g date molasses
  • ½ tsp loosely packed saffron threads, roughly crushed
  • 300g basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear, then soaked for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours, then drained well

FOR THE DATE PICKLE:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes
  • 120g Medjool dates, pitted and thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 30g red onion, thinly sliced
  • 10g coriander, leaves and soft stems picked

Use a pestle and mortar to finely crush the cumin seeds and cardamom seeds.

Mix all the ground spices for the fish in a large bowl with ½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Add the fish and mix well to coat, then put in the fridge until needed.

For the rice, add the ghee, whole spices and bay leaves to a medium, lidded saucepan and place over a medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring now and then, until fragrant.

Stir in the molasses then pour in 620ml of hot water, the saffron and ¾ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then stir in the rice. Bring up to a fast boil for exactly 5 minutes, without stirring, until the grains have started to plump up and have absorbed at least half of the water. Cover with a clean tea towel followed by the lid, securing the ends of the tea towel over the lid. Turn the heat to low and cook, without touching, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pickle. Add the oil and fennel seeds to a small frying pan over a medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, then stir in the chilli and a small pinch of salt and pour into a medium heatproof bowl. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the dates, vinegar and onion. Set aside to pickle.

When the rice is read, remove the lid and tea towel. Allow the rice to cool slightly while you fry the fish.

Heat the ghee in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned and cooked through. Squeeze over the lemon juice.

Transfer the rice to a large platter and top with the fish and any fat in the pan. Stir the coriander into the pickle and serve alongside.

(Original recipe from Lugma by Noor Murad, Quadrille, 2025.)

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Smoked Salmon on the Barbecue with Tomato Salad and Potato Salad

Posted in Barbecue, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 October 2025| Leave a Comment »

Quite a lot going on here but all very straightforward and not too time-consuming. We highly recommend this potato salad – piquant and not to mayonaisy.

Wine Suggestion: We’ve always enjoyed albariño but have really got into it in a big way recently by exploring the Spanish, Portuguese and new areas in the world making this great grape that pairs with fish and seafood. Tonight a little off-piste the Newton Johnson Albariño from Hermanus in South Africa … which has similar granitic soils to Spain. Sunshine, Antarctic breezes and a southern African hint make this unique but recognisable and delicious with the salmon, capers etc.

Smoked salmon on the barbecue with tomato salad and potato salad – serves 4

  • 4 lightly smoked salmon fillets (we bought ours in M&S)

FOR THE CHIVE DRESSING:

  • a small bunch of chives
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 90ml (6 tbsp) of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt

FOR THE TOMATO SALAD:

  • 6 tomatoes, finely sliced
  • 1 smal red onion, finely sliced
  • a pinch of caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp sherry vinegar
  • a handful of basil, torn

FOR THE POTATO SALAD:

  • 1 kg new potatoes – we used Jersey Royals
  • 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • a handful of cornichons, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • a small handful of parsley and dill, chopped

Start by boiling the potatoes for the salad in salty water until tender, then drain and set aside to cool.

Get your barbeuce on to heat up.

When the potatoes have cooled, cut them into halves or quarters and mix with the rest of the potato salad ingredients. Set aside until ready to serve.

For the chive dressing, set aside 4 chives for a garnish and finely slice the rest. Mix them with the shallot, olive oil, vinegar and salt.

For the tomato salad, arrange the sliced tomatoes on a serving plattter and scatter over the red onion. Season well with salt, pepper and sugar, then dress with the oil and vinegar and garnish with the basil.

Brush the fish with a little oil and cook over a hot barbecue for a couple of minutes on each side.

Spoon some chive dressing on each plate and top with the cooked salmon. Garnish with the remaining chives and serve with the tomato and potato salad.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Food Stories, BBC Books, 2024.)

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Cioppino

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 29 September 2025| Leave a Comment »

This rich, tomato-based seafood stew is a true taste of San Francisco and packed with fresh shellfish. Cioppino is the perfect Saturday night dinner to share with friends, a bit messy but delicious.

You will need to cook it while everyone is there, but as long as your ingredients are prepped ahead of time, it’s all very straightforward. Make sure you’ve got plenty of bread on hand to soak up all the broth.

Wine Suggestion: A fresh, mineral-driven white is the perfect match for this seafood-rich stew. Something vibrant and clean, without the weight of oak. We didn’t have a Californian wine that quite suited so opened an old favourite, the Céline & Frédéric Chablis. It’s full of white stone fruit, crisp apple and zesty citrus with the distinct limestone chalkiness of Chablis.

Cioppino – serves 4 to 6

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • a small bulb of fennel, finely chopped
  • 2 Romano peppers, chopped
  • 250ml white wine, plus an extra splash for the mussels
  • 400g tin of finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 300ml very light chicken stock
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 750g mussels, cleaned
  • 300g firm white fish, we used cod, cut into chunks
  • 12 raw shell-on prawns
  • 200g scallops, halved if large
  • a good handful of parsley, chopped
  • sourdough baguette and butter, to serve

Heat the oil in a a large wide pan. Add the onion, garlic and fennel with a good pinch of salt and cook gently for 10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes until softened. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, stock and herbs, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large pan, then tip in the mussels with the extra splash of white wine. Cover and shake the pan for a few minutes until the mussels have opened. Scoop the mussels out and set aside, keep the cooking liquid.

Add the fish, prawns and scallops to the stew, cover and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes or until the fish is cooked and the prawns are pink. Add the mussels with the reserved cooking liquid (hold back any grit) and cook for another minute to heat through. Taste and season if needed.

Stir in the parsley and serve in bowls with plenty of bread and butter.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, August 2025.)

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Tarragon Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 19 September 2025| Leave a Comment »

While rummaging through a relative’s bookshelf, we stumbled upon an old cookbook called Cooking with Katie Stewart and took a few recipes along on a recent trip to France — and we’re so glad we did. With some cuisses de poulet from a local butcher and the basic equipment in a holiday kitchen, we cooked a simple tarragon chicken that was so delicious, we made it again as soon as we got home. Proof that sometimes the best recipes are the ones you nearly overlook.

Wine Suggestion: Go classic and open a Chardonnay with a bit of oak — I dare you. It works so well with the tarragon and chicken. Tonight, we went with an old favourite: the Neudorf Tiritiri Chardonnay. Done.

Tarragon Chicken – serves 6

  • 4 tsp dried tarragon
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 6 chicken joints (we used legs)
  • 50g butter
  • 300ml hot chicken stock
  • 300ml double cream
  • a handful of flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped

Put the dried tarragon into a small bowl and pour over the lemon juice, then leave to soak for 30 minutes.

Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the chicken pieces and slowly brown them on all sides (this may be easier in two batches). When the chicken is browned all over, about 15 minutes, put all of the chicken into the pan.

Season the chicken again and pour over the tarragon and lemon juice mixture, then add the hot stock and cream. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is really tender.

Lift the chicken on to a serving plate and pour over the sauce (you can strain it if you have a sieve). Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

(Original recipe from Cooking with Katie Steward, Hamlyn, 1974).

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Salmon with Cajun Spices

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , on 30 June 2025| 2 Comments »

Salmon is one of the most popular dishes in our house so it’s nice to find a recipe with some different flavours.

Wine Suggestion: double down on the citrussy aspect when choosing a wine so for this we headed to a Loire Sauvignon Blanc, but not from one of the “big two”, rather an under-rated Menetou Salon made by Anthony Girard at La Clef du Recit. A touch more grapefruit and orange, but with hints of lemon, the freshness really worked well with the salmon.

Salmon with Cajun spices – serves 2

  • 2 salmon fillets, skin on
  • 2 tsp Cajun spice blend
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 30g butter
  • lemon wedges, to serve

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 banana shallots, finely diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
  • ½ tsp Cajun spice blend
  • 150ml fish stock
  • 150ml crème fraîche
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Score the skin of the salmon with a sharp knife, then sprinkle both sides with the Cajun spice mix and a little salt. Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a frying pan.

Add the salmon to the hot oil, skin side down, pressing the fillets down with a fish slice. Cook for a few minutes on each side, then remove the pan from the heat.

Add the butter to the pan and baste the salmon with it as it melts. Transfer the salmon to a warm plate and leave to rest while you make the sauce.

Put the frying pan back over a medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic and Cajun spice blend and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the stock to the pan and let it bubble until reduced by half. Stir in the crème fraîche and cook for a minute or two until the sauce thickens. Season and add the lemon juice to taste. Remove from the heat and stir through the parsley.

Spoon the sauce onto warmed serving plates and top with the salmon. Serve with lemon wedges and green beans.

(Original recipe from Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain, Bloomsbury, 2024.)

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Avgolemono

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Greek, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 June 2025| Leave a Comment »

A Greek chicken and rice soup with egg and lemon. Tastes delicious and can only be good for you.

Avgolemono – serves 4 to 6

  • 125g extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium white onions, diced into 1cm pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, diced into 1cm pieces
  • 2 ribs of celery, diced into 1cm pieces
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 500g skinless chicken breasts
  • 125g rice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 75g lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp dill, chopped

Heat the oil in a large pot, then add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves and a pinch of salt. Cook gently for about 30 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile, put the chicken in a single layer in a large pan and cover with 2 litres of water. Add 2 tsp of fine sea salt, then bring to a simmer with the lid on. As soon as the water simmers, turn the heat right down and cook for 5 minutes, then turn the heat off and leave until cool enough to handle.

Remove the chicken and reserve the cooking liquid. Chop the chicken into 1cm pieces.

Add the rice, chicken and chicken cooking waterto the cooked vegetables and bring up to a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Whisk the eggs and lemon juice together, then add a couple of ladlefuls of the hot soup to this mix, whisking constantly, before adding the mixture to the soup in a thin stream, stirring all the time.

Bring the soup back to a simmer and leave for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened slightly. Remove the bay leaves and check the seasoning. Stir in half the dill, then take off the heat and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Seve in warm bowls with the rest of the dill, some more black pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil.

(Original recipe by Nick Bramham in FT Magazine, 1/2 March 2025.)

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Bean Chilli

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 21 February 2025| Leave a Comment »

This makes a big batch and it freezes well. Serve with rice, tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado and lime wedges.

Wine Suggestion: We like the textures and juiciness of a good Côtes du Rhône, like Domaine Romain Roche’s Cairanne which is a blend of Grenache and Syrah plus a herbal, earthy touch of Carignan that works well with the earthy beans

Bean chilli – serves 6 to 8

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 yellow peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 2 roasted peppers from a jar, drained and roughly chopped
  • 15g coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves kept to serve
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp chipotle paste
  • 400g tin of black beans
  • 400g tin of kidney beans
  • 400g tin of cannellini beans
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 300ml vegetable stock

Heat the oil in a large casserole or a deep pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Stir in the coriander stalks, spices, oregano, sugar and chipotle paste. Cook for 5 minutes more, then pour in the beans with their liquid, the tomatoes and the stock. Season well and bring to a simmer.

Leave the chilli on a gentle simmer for about an hour or until it has thickened and reduced. Taste for seasoning before serving with rice, tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, lime wedges, and the coriander leaves.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine, January 2024.)

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Cauliflower, Lentil & Coconut Dahl

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 19 January 2025| Leave a Comment »

There is one person in our household of 3 who has decided to be a vegetarian for January. We’re not all joining in as there was far too much other stuff in the freezer but we’re trying to batch cook things like this to keep her going for the month and to avoid her living on koka noodles. This is a simple and lovely dahl. Serve with rice and naan or flatbreads. It is also suitable for those doing veganuary.

Wine Suggestion: We quite like an earthy dahl with a beer and chose a local brew, the Barrelhead Hopsburgh Helles, a creamy pale golden German style lager that’s lovely and smooth.

Cauliflower, lentil & coconut dahl – serves 4 to 6

  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ to 1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 180g dried red lentils
  • 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
  • 400ml tomato passata
  • 600ml water
  • 75g baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • juice of 1 lemon

Melt the coconut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop.

Add the onion with a large pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then add the ground coriander, turmeric, cumin and chilli flakes and cook for another minute.

Add the cauliflower, lentils, coconut milk, tomato passata and water. Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils and cauliflower are cooked. Give it a stir occasionally to prevent it sticking.

Add the spinach, coriander and lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.

Serve with rice and daal or flatbreads.

(Original recipe from Avoca at Home, Penguin Random House, 2022.)

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Chicken Fricassee

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 7 January 2025| 2 Comments »

So simple and yet so lovely. The bit that takes time can be done earlier in the day and it’s fairly easy to finish off later. Serve with rice or whatever you fancy.

Wine Suggestion: We like how the stonefruit characters, mixed with slightly lower acidity from a southern Rhône white goes with the gentle and elegant nature of this dish. The Grapillon d’Or Vacqueyras white is a good example and it’s fleshy character and minerally/nutty textures are just perfect.

Chicken Fricassee – serves 6 to 8

  • 2kg whole chicken

FOR THE POACHING LIQUID:

  • 750ml chicken stock
  • 2 banana shallots, sliced
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced
  • 8 tsp black peppercorns
  • ½ lemon
  • a large bulb of garlic, cut in half horizontallly

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • a large knob of butter
  • 500g banana shallots, thinly sliced
  • 3 sticks celery, finely diced
  • 200ml double cream
  • 3 tbsp chopped chives
  • 3 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley

Put the whole chicken into a large, deep saucepan. Add all of the poaching liquid ingredients and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the liquid.

When the chicken is cold, take the chicken out and remove the meat from the carcass – discard the bones and skin. Tear the meat into large pieces and set aside. Strain the poaching liquid through a sieve into a large jug. Squeeze the garlic from the skin into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Discard the poaching veg, lemon and peppercorns.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and celery and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add the mashed garlic and fry for 10 seconds, then pour in the vermouth and boil to reduce by half. Add 600ml of the poaching liquid, bring to the boil and boil hard for 3 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp of the remaining poaching liquid to the cornflour and stir until smooth. Add this to the pan and cook until the sauce has thickened. Add the cream and cooked chicken and gently reheat until hot. Add the fresh herbs and season well with salt and black pepper.

(Original recipe from Mary’s Foolproof Dinners, BBC Books, 2024.)

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Egg Sambal Shakshuka

Posted in Brunch, Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 28 December 2024| 2 Comments »

We usually have shakshuka at breakfast time but this shakshuka-style dish works well for dinner with some steamed basmati. We did crack an extra egg into the leftover sauce the following morning though.

Egg Sambal Shakshuka – serves 4

  • 1½ tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 cloves
  • seeds from 2 cardamom pods
  • ½  tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1½  tbsp medium curry powder
  • 60ml olive oil
  • ½ tsp black mustard seeds
  • 20 curry leaves
  • 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 10g ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 10g coriander, stalks finely chopped and leave to serve
  • 150g datterini or cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tsp sambal oelek
  • 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
  • 100ml tamarind concentrate
  • 300ml water
  • 15g palm sugar or light brown soft sugar
  • 5 eggs

Put the fennel seeds, cloves and cardamom into a small dry frying pan and toast lightly for a couple of minutes or until fragrant, then grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar. Add the cinnamon and curry powder and set aside.

Put 3 tbsp of the oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and 10 curry leaves and cook for 1 minute, until the seeds start to pop. Add the onion and cook for about 7 minutes, until starting to colour. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander stalks and fresh tomatoes, cook for another 5 minutes, then add the fennel spice mix. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the sambal oelek, tinned tomatoes, tamarind, water, sugar and 1½  tsp of salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to meidum-low and cook for 20-25 mintues, until thickened.

Crack the eggs into the sambal and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked and the yolks just soft.

Meanwhile, put 3 tbsp of the oil into a small pan over a medium heat. Add the rest of the curry leaves, cook for about a minute or until very fragrant. Remove from the heat and drizzle the oil and curry leaves over the eggs and scatter over the coriander, leaves. Serve.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2024.)

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Fish Cooked in Tomato Sauce with Tahini

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 18 December 2024| Leave a Comment »

Two delicious sauces combine to really highlight the fish in this North African inspired dish. We used hake but you can of course use other white fish fillets. Serve with couscous and pitta breads.

Wine Suggestion: it is quite a complex challenge to balance the spices, tomatoes and creamy tahini, but we think this works great with Mediterranean inspired blends that include a bit of Tempranillo like Parker Estate Favourite Son Shiraz-Tempranillo. Despite this being a bigger red and this being a fish dish there’s a certain freshness from Coonawarra that comes through and very complimentary spices that make this work.

Fish cooked in tomato sauce with tahini – serves 4

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
  • 1 preserved lemon
  • 4 fillets of hake (or other white fish)
  • fresh coriander, to serve

FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE:

  • 1 clove of garlic
  • half a lemon
  • 80g tahini
  • 5-6 tbsp ice-cold water
  • a pinch of ground cumin

Warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan, then cook the onion with a pinch of salt until soft. Add the garlic and spices and continue frying for another minute or two, then add the tomato purée and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the tinned tomatoes, then rinse the tins with a little water and add that too. Break the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon and simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Quarter and deseed the preserved lemon, then chop into small pieces and add to the sauce.

Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce. Grate the garlic into a bowl, then squeeze over the juice of the half lemon, mix together and set aside for 5 minutes. Add the tahini to the garlic and lemon and whisk together, then add 1 tbsp of the cold water at a time, whisking until you have a smooth, runny sauce. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of cumin.

Season the fish, then nestle it into the tomato sauce. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until just cooked (a thermometer will help if you have one). Serve with the tahini sauce and coriander over the top and with some couscous and pitta breads.

(Original recipe from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts, Ebury Press, 2023.)

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Black Pepper & Bay Leaf Curry

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , on 14 December 2024| Leave a Comment »

An easy but very tasty curry for two.

Wine Suggestion: we would keep this very easy and open an Asahi, a dry and savoury lager that quenches the thirst and makes a refreshing match for the curry.

Black pepper & bay leaf curry – serves 2

  • 3 cloves of garlic, 2 peeled and grated
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns, finely ground
  • 300g chicken breast, cut into 4cm pieces
  • 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 250g vine cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 100ml single cream
  • juice of ½ lemon

Put the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and bay and stir for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile mix the turmeric, cumin, chilli, ground peppercorns and a tsp of salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

Add the grated garlic and ginger to the pan, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the spiced chicken, fry for 2 minutes on each side, then add the tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes or until they’ve broken down. Add the cream, simmer for a couple of minutes, then check the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice, taste for salt and serve with rice.

(Original recipe by Rukmini Iyer in The Guardian)

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Pilaf with Prawns & Feta

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 December 2024| Leave a Comment »

Prawns actually pair very well with feta, which is always a bit suprising to us. It’s nice to have a lighter dish amongst all the winter soups and stews.

Wine Suggestion: we think this suits a white grown somehwere around the Mediterranean, like tonight’s choice of the Hatzidakis Santorini Cuvée 15, a wonderfully fresh and complex Assyrtiko with honeysuckle and herbs on the nose followed by a textured, almost salty palate.

Prawn & feta pilaf – serves 4

  • 225g basmati rice
  • 15g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra to
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 275g tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • a big bunch of dill, chopped
  • a big bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped
  • a handful of mint leaves, chopped
  • 400ml fish stock or light chicken stock
  • 350g raw prawns, shelled and deveined
  • juice of ½ lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve
  • 55g black kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
  • 75g feta cheese, crumbled

Rince the rice in a sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear. Leave to soak for an hour if you have the time, then rinse again.

Heat the butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring now and then, until the onion is cooked and the tomatoes have softened. Stir in the rice and half the herbs, season well, then pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Boil hard until the rice starts to look pitted, with little holes in the service and it seems like the liquid has disapeared.

Wrap a clean tea towel around the lid of the pan and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

When the rice is almost ready, dry the prawns on kitchen paper and quickly sauté in a little olive oil over a high heat. Squeeze over the lemon juice and season with black pepper and salt.

When the rice is cooked, fork through the olives, remaining herbs and lemon juice with a good glug of your best extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to a serving platter, then scatter over the feta and mound the prawns on top. Drizzle again with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.

(Original recipe from Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons by Diana Henry, Aster*, 2024.)

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Spanish Lamb with Sherry

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Lamb, Spanish, tagged , , , , , , , on 19 November 2024| Leave a Comment »

This is delicious and goes perfectly with a bowl of warm couscous. It’s better to ask for the meat in one piece so you can cut it into big chunks yourself – the pre-cubed stuff is usually cut too small and will disappear into the sauce.

Wine Suggestion: If you’d like to keep to the theme a good, dry Oloroso sherry works well, but if you’d rather a red like we did tonight, something from a warm vineyard region may hit the mark … just make sure it’s balanced and not too hot from alcohol. Our choice was a treasured bottle brought from OZ many years ago of Hanging Rock’s Heathcote Shiraz. Dense and textured in youth this opens up and retains a freshness and layered velvetiness over many years of cellar aging too.

Spanish lamb with sherry – serves 4

  • 1kg lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, then cubed
  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 250ml medium sherry
  • 250ml lamb stock
  • generous pinch of saffron threads
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1½ tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • couscous, to serve

Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large casserole and brown the lamb in batches, then set aside.

Add the ½ tbsp of oil to the casserole, then add the onions and peppers and cook until the onions are golden and the peppers have softened. Add the garlic and paprika and stir for a minutes, then add the sherry and bring to a simmer.

Return the lamb to the casserole, along with the stock, saffron, sherry vinegar and honey. Season and bring to just under the boil. Turn the heat down, cover the pan with a lid and cook very gently for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove the lid from the casserole and continue to cook for another 30 minutes to reduce the liquid to a gravy-like consistency and the lamb should be very tender.

Serve with some warm couscous.

(Original recipe by Diana Henry in BBC Good Food Magazine, October, 2017.)

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Potato, Fennel & Smoked Trout Bake

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Potato, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 18 November 2024| Leave a Comment »

Such a lovely recipe, and you can of course use smoked salmon. We like smoked trout from Goatsbridge which is a local supplier. Recipe inspiration from the new Ottolenghi book – Comfort. You must have a green salad and a glass of white wine to serve. If you have a mandolin it will cut the potatoes and fennel just right.

Wine Suggestion: We served an oddity/one-off from Chateau Hureau from Saumur in the Loire. They grew a low quantity of Chenin Blanc grapes in 2022 due to frost so decided to make a Blanc de Noirs from Cabernet Franc for a bit of fun. Only available at cellar door it’s both crisp and fresh, but significantly has bags of texture which this dish needs. Look for whites with a touch of skin contact, or aged on lees as a substitute.

Potato, fennel & smoked trout bake – serves 4

  • 200ml milk
  • 425ml double cream
  • 2 anchovies, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, lightly smashed with skin on
  • 1 lemon, skin finely shaved into strips
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds, finely ground
  • 850g Yukon gold or red potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½ cm thick slices
  • 1-2 large fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 10g dill fronds, roughly chopped
  • 20g chives, finely chopped
  • 20g parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • 1½ tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 200g smoked trout (or smoked salmon) slices, roughly torn

for the lemon butter sauce:

  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp capers, roughly chopped
  • 40g unsalted butter, fridge cold and roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 170C fan.

Put the milk, cream, anchovies, garlic, lemon strips and ground fennel into a small saucepan. Place over a low heat and warm for 10 minutes, making sure it never comes to the boil. Give it a stir now and then and press on the solids to get plenty of flavour out of them. Remove from the heat.

Put the potato and fennel slices into a saucepan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 6-7 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks with ¾ tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper in a large bowl. Strain the infused milk into the eggs, pressing on the solids against the sieve. Whisk to combine.

Combine all the herbs in bowl. Measure out 2 tbsp and reserve for the butter sauce.

Grease an ovenproof dish with ½ tbsp of the butter. Spoon a third of the potato and fennel over the base and grind over some pepper. Sprinkle over half the herbs and lay half the smoked trout over the top. Repeat with half the remaining potatoes and fennel, season with pepper, then add all the remanining trout and the rest of the herbs. Arrange a final layer of potato and fennel on top and carefully pour over the egg mixture. Grind over some more pepper and dot over the remaining butter. Bake for 45 minutes or until set and just golden. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile make the lemon butter sauce. Put the lemon juice into a small saucepan on a medium-high heat and bring to a bubble. Allow to bubble for 1 minute, then add the capers and butter, a few pieces at a time. Whisk until smooth and creamy, then remove from the heat and stir in the reserved herbs and some more pepper. Spoon over the dish and serve warm with a green salad.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller & Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2024.)

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Lamb Rogan Josh with Fragrant Steamed Rice

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , , on 9 November 2024| Leave a Comment »

This has lovely flavours and best cooked a couple of days in advance. Make sure to cook the lamb until it is really soft and tender.

Wine Suggestion: this dish works great with Aussie Shiraz, like Kilikanoon’s excellent Killerman’s Run which has the obligatory pluminess over a very refined and fresh backbone with gentle pepper spices.

Lamb Rogan Josh – serves 4

  • 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 700g lamb neck, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tbsp of ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • 15g bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 200ml thick Greek yoghurt, plus extra to serve
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 100g red lentils
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • steamed rice, to serve
  • mango chutney, to serve
  • extra fresh coriander, to serve

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan. Add the lamb in batches and fry until well browned, then set aside.

Add another 2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan, then fry the cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves for a few seconds. Add the onions and stir-fry for 6-7 minutes, until browned. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for 2 minutes, then add the ground spices with the fresh coriander and fry for another minute, stirring.

Add the yoghurt, 1 tbsp at a time, frying for about 30 seconds between each addition and stirring constantly.

Tip the lamb back into the pan and stir in the tomatoes with the lentils and stock. Season to taste, then cover and simmer gently for 2 hours or until very soft and tender. The sauce should have reduced and thickened.

Serve the lamb with steamed rice, mango chutney and some fresh coriander.

(Original recipe from Neven Maguire’s Comple Family Cookbook, Gill Books, 2016.)

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Spicy Roast Potatoes with Tomato, Pepper & Harissa Sauce

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 4 November 2024| Leave a Comment »

A tasty side dish that is similar to Spanish Patatas Bravas but with the flavours changed up. Usefully you can make the sauce in advance and re-heat just before serving.

Spicy Roast Potatoes with Tomato, Pepper & Harissa Sauce – serves 6

  • 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm chunks
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 tbsp garlic oil
  • a handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped, to serve
  • crumbled feta, to serve

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, bashed and thinly sliced
  • 250g (drained weight) roasted red peppers from a jar, roughly chopped
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 heaped tbsp rose harissa
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7.

Line a baking tray with paper. Mix the spices with the garlic oil. Put the potatoes into a large bowl, pour over the spice mixture and toss to coat. Spread them out evenly on the tray, season with some salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes or until crispy and cooked through.

To make the sauce, drizzle some olive oil into a saucpean, add the garlic and cook over a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add the peppers, tomatoes and harissa and season well with salt. Cook for another couple of minutes. Stir in the sugar and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from the heat and whizz until smooth, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve the potatoes on a platter with the sauce poured over and feta and coriander scattered over the top.

(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)

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