4 sprigs rosemary, 2 left whole and needles picked and finely chopped from the rest
1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
600g cherry tomatoes
2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 small salmon fillets
2 handfuls of rocket
Heat the oven to 220C/200 Fan/Gas 7.
Whisk the baslsamic, olive oil, chopped rosemary, garlic, and seasoning, together in a small bowl.
Tip the tomatoes and beans into a large roasting tray. Nestle in the salmon fillets, then pour over the dressing. Toss gently to make sure everything is coated in dressing.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Give the beans and tomatoes another gentle toss and push down on a few tomatoes to burst them. Scatter over the rocket and serve.
(Original recipe by Anna Glover in Olive Magazine, October 2021.)
Tender chicken in tasty sauce, healthy stuff for mid-week. We served with brown rice.
Paprika chicken goulash – serves 4
500g skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well
1 large onion, halved and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 green pepper, chopped into chunks
1½ tbsp paprika
1 tsp caraway seeds
400g tin cherry tomatoes
300ml chicken stock
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
sour cream, to serve
rice, to serve
Toss the chicken with the seasoned flour. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large deep frying pan and cook in batches until browned all over, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes or until soft and browned at the edges. Add the pepper and cook for another 8 minutes or so or until soft.
Put the chicken back into the pan and add the spices, tomatoes and stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the chicken tender. Stir in the parsley and serve with sour cream and rice.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, May 2018.)
We loved these little breakfast tacos so much we made them a few days in a row; and the mini yellow corn tortillas from Picado work perfectly. Jono bravely picked each taco up with a bit of spillage, Jules sensibly used a knife and fork.
Breakfast tacos with bacon, eggs & avocado – serves 2
4 rashers smoked back bacon
3 tsp butter
6 medium eggs
8 mini corn tortillas (use less if you’re using bigger ones)
1 avocado, sliced
a bunch of coriander, chopped
Sriracha sauce, to serve
Grill or barbeuce the bacon until cooked and crispy, then snip with scissors into small pieces.
Melt the butter in a saucepan then softly scramble the eggs, take them off the heat when still slightly liquid so they don’t overcook. Stir in the crispy bacon.
Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan and lay onto two warm plate.
Spoon the bacon and eggs over the tacos, then top with avocado, coriander and a drizzle of Sriracha sauce.
In our house almost anything will be eaten if it’s mixed with noodles (though not mushrooms sadly … but we’re working on it). Any leftovers of this will make a popular lunchbox too.
Chicken & soba noodle stiry-fry – serves 4
800ml chicken stock
400g chicken breasts
200g dried soba noodles
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
half a red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
150g green beans, trimmed
150g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1½ tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
a small handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a pot, then add the chicken breasts and cook for 20 minutes. Make sure they are completely submerged in the stock. Remove the chicken breasts, shred with two forks and set aside.
Add the noodles to the chicken stock and cook according to the pack instructions. Remove the noodles from the stock with tongs and set aside, reserve the stock.
Heat the oil in a wok, then stir-fry the ginger, chilli and garlic for 30 seconds. Add the onion, carrot, green beans and mushrooms and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.
Add the shredded chicken, the noodles, 50ml of the reserved stock, the soy sauce and the sesame oil. Toss to combine and heat through. You can add a little more stock for moisture if you need.
Divide between warm bowls and scatter the coriander over the top.
(Original recipe by Nadine Brown in Olive Magazine, May 2021.)
Wine Suggestion: Something red from Italy’s Adriatic coast, but nothing too big or complex as this is a fun, casual dish! For us Umani Ronchi’s Rosso Conero Serrano, a Montepulciano – Sangiovese blend that has a medium body, fresh and bright cherry fruits and a gentle, earthy tannins was the ticket.
Prawn spaghetti with tomato, chilli & basil – serves 2
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, crushed
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
150g baby plum tomatoes
150ml white wine
200g spaghetti
a handful of basil leaves
225g raw peeled prawns
a generous knob of butter
Warm the oil in a large frying pan, then add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until starting to soften, then add the white wine and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions in lots of very salty water, then drain but reserve a cup of the cooking water.
Add the basil and prawns to the tomatoes, season well, and cook until the prawns turn pink. Stir in the butter and spaghetti and a splash of pasta cooking water if you need to loosen the sauce a bit. Toss it all together and serve.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, March 2020.)
This will improve your veg intake for the day and puts frozen prawns to good use. A perfect curry for mid-week. Serve with naan breads or rice and lime wedges.
Prawn, spinach & coconut curry – serves 2-3
2 tbsp olive oil
200g raw prawns, defrosted if frozen
1 onion, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1-2 chillies, deseeded
1 red pepper, sliced
2 tbsp curry paste, we like Patak’s Madras
400ml tin of coconut milk
80g Tenderstem broccoli, cooked until tender
100g baby spinach
lime wedges, to serve
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chillies and fry for another 2 minutes, then addd the sliced pepper and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
Push the veg to one side and fry the curry paste for a couple of minutes to heat through, then add the coconut milk and mix well to combine. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened, then add the prawns, broccoli and spinach. Stir well and simmer until the prawns are just cooked and the spinach wilted.
Serve with rice or naan breads and lime wedges for squeezing over.
If you have some truffle oil in the cupboard by all means use it to garnish this soup, but it is not essential. The soup tastes strongly of celeriac in a most pleasing way.
Cream of celeriac soup with truffle oil – serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1.2kg celeriac, peeled and diced
1.2 litres water
2 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
4 tbsp lemon thyme leaves, chopped
100ml cream
TO GARNISH:
2 tsp truffle oil or good extra virgin olive oil
finely chopped chives
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook gently for 10 minutes or until softened but not coloured.
Add the celeriac, water, bouillon powder and lemon thyme. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 20 minutes or until very soft.
Whizz the soup until smooth, then return to a gentle heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cream. Garnish with oil and chives to serve.
(Original recipe from Lose Weight For Good by Tom Kerridge, ABSOLUTE PRESS, 2017.)
A healthy version of chicken tikka masala with salad and saffron rice. You will be eating the rainbow for dinner with this one.
Wine Suggestion: A new find matched this well: Umani Ronchi’s Centovie, a rosé made from Montepulciano in Abruzzo. The cherry fruit flavours and savoury, dry finish were a good compliment to the food. If you can’t find a rosé made from this grape find a nice red and chill it a little instead.
Chicken tikka masala – serves 4
1 large skinless chicken crown (about 1kg), get your butcher to do this for you
FOR THE MARINADE:
juice of half a lemon
5cm piece of ginger, finely grated
4 large cloves of garlic, grated
2 tbsp medium Madras curry powder
2 heaped tsp smoked paprika
a large pinch of salt
100g Greek yoghurt (you can use 0% if you wish)
FOR THE CURRY SAUCE:
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, grated
2.5cm piece of ginger, finely grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml water
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
150g natural yoghurt
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
FOR THE SALAD:
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
half a cucumber, diced
juice of half a lime
1 tsp chaat masala
TO SERVE:
coriander leaves, roughly torn
basmati rice, cooked with salt and a pinch of saffron strands (only if you have them)
Put the chicken into a large dish and slash the breasts with a sharp knife. Mix all of the ingredients together for the marinade, then spread over the chicken. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 120C fan.
Put the chicken into a roasting dish and spoon over any remaining marinade. Cook for 2 hours (this won’t cook it through).
Meanwhile, make the curry sauce. Heat the oil in a deep frying or sauté pan. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown, add a splash of water if they stick. Add the garlic and ginger with a splash of water, stir well and cook for 1 minute. Add the spices with some salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a minute, then add the tinned tomatoes and the 300ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduced the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped peppers and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Remove the chicken from the oven and use a blowtorch over the surface to slightly blacken the marinade in places. If you don’t have a blowtorch just pop it under a hot grill. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
Mix the salad ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Remove the chicken breasts from the bone and cut into bite-size chunks. Reheat the curry sauce, then add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the yoghurt and chopped coriander, then season to taste.
Serve with some coriander leaves, saffron rice and the salad on the side.
(Original recipe from Lose Weight for Good by Tom Kerridge, ABSOLUTE PRESS, 2017.)
This was made at the end of a weekend where all the previous recipes we’d tried hadn’t quite come together, or worked as we’d hoped, so our expectations were low. What a relief: we were blown away with the flavour, and our enthusiasm returned with a vengeance! The recipe is by Jamie Oliver but inspired by the Japanese restaurant Nobu in London who are known for their black cod miso and for good reason. The recipe is simple but you need to start 24 hours in advance.
Wine Suggestion: This is a dish jam packed full of savoury umami flavours and needs a similarly umami loaded wine to match. We started with a small glass of Hidalgo La Gitana’s Pasada Pastrana, a single vineyard aged manzanilla which was excellent. Then we segued into savoury Grenache territory with Roc des Ange’s Segna da Cor from the wilds of Roussillon; vibrantly textured and almost sucking the stones it was grown on. What a way to end the weekend.
Black Cod Miso- serves 4
4 bulbs of pak choi, quartered
1 cucumber, peeled halved and deseeded, then sliced into long 1cm thick strips
juice of 1 lime
soy sauce
cooked sticky rice (to serve)
FOR THE MARINADE:
2 stems of lemongrass
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
200ml of sake or white wine
2 tbsp runny honey
300g miso paste
4 x 200g cod steaks, skin-on and pin-boned
Start the marinade the day before. Remove the outer layer from the lemongrass stems and discard. Bash the lemongrass with the back of a knife, then finely chop. Put the lemongrass into a pestle and mortar with the chilli, ginger and a pinch of salt, then bash to a paste.
Put the paste into a saucepan with the sake and honey, then bring to the boil. While the mixture is warming, gradually add the miso paste, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Simmer until the mixture is lightly golden, then remove from the heat and pour onto a flat tray so it cools quickly.
When the marinade is cool, put the fish into a container and pour over three-quarters of the marinade. Move the fish fillets around to ensure they are completely coated, then cover and put into the fridge. Put the rest of the marinade into a container and keep in the fridge until needed.
When ready to cook, preheat the grill until very hot. Put the pieces of fish onto an oiled baking tray, skin-side up and cook until slightly caramelized and golden. This will take 6-8 minutes depending on how thick your pieces of fish are.
Meanwhile, lay the pak choi into a steamer over a pan of boiling water. Add the strips of cucumber and steam until the pak choi is tender.
Stir the lime juice into the container of leftover marinade to loosen it slightly. Serve the fish with the greens and drizzle over a little soy sauce. Serve with cooked rice and the miso dressing on the side.
(Original recipe from Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver, Penguin Books, 2006.)
This vegan chilli is super simple and really tasty. The smoky chipotle is essential to the flavour so buy a good one or, if you can get them, chipotle chillies in adobo. It’s also quick to cook so perfect for weeknights. Serve with rice and some grated cheddar cheese and sour cream on the side if you’re not vegan.
Chipotle bean chilli with avocado salsa – serves 4 to 6
1 large red pepper, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 large green pepper, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic granules
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp chipotle chillies in adobo (or chipotle paste)
2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder (or use a stock cube)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin black beans
400g tin borlotti beans
400g tin mixed beans
pickled sliced jalpeño peppers, to serve
200g tortilla chips, to serve
FOR THE AVOCADO SALSA
2 ripe avocados
a handful of coriander leaves, chopped
juice of ½ lime
Heat a large cast-iron casserole or similar over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions, then fry for 3-4 minutes or until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
Stir in the peppers, then the ground cumin, smoked paprika and garlic granules. Continue cooking and stirring for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato purée and chipotle paste, stir well and cook for another minute.
Sprinkle in the bouillon powder, then pour in 500ml of water and the chopped tomatoes. Stir well and bring to the boil. Drain and rinse the tins of beans, then add them to the pan. Stir well then leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until reduced and thickened.
Meanwhile, peel and chop the avocados and put into a bowl. Add the chopped coriander, lime juice and some salt and pepper, then mix together.
Taste and season the chilli if needed. Then serve in bowls with rice, tortilla chips, the salsa and some pickled chillies.
(Original recipe from Outdoor Cooking by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury Absolute, 2021.)
Are you ready for something healthy yet? A delicious, quick and easy side dish. We served this with roast chicken, but we can see it happily going with lamb, sausages or a few other veggie dishes too.
Beetroot & lentil salad with mustard dressing – serves 5-6
200g puy lentils
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
300g cooked beetroot (not in vinegar), sliced
a large handful of tarragon, roughly chopped
Put the lentils into a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, then drain and leave to cool.
Whisk the mustard, olive oil and seasoning together in a small bowl.
Put the lentils into a bow, mix in the dressing, then stir in the beetroot, tarragon and more seasoning.
A simple fish dish for weeknights, and something a bit lighter before the feasting starts.
Wine Suggestion: A delight with a light, playful Riesling like Korrell’s Slice of Paradise from the Nahe in Germany, or Pikes Traditionale from the Clare Valley.
Grilled trout with Asian dressing – serves 2
300g Charlotte potatoes
2 skinless trout fillets
Thai basil or regular basil, to serve
FOR THE DRESSING:
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, remove the woody outer leaves and finely chop
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 red chilli, finely chopped
Boil the potatoes in salty water until tender, then drain and slice thickly, lengthways.
Season the trout, then grill for 3-4 minutes.
Arrange the potatoes onto plates and top with the trout. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and spoon over the top, then garnish with basil leaves.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, November 2014.)
A simple fish supper for two, but with plenty of flavour; both delicate, fresh and rich.
Wine Suggestion: The higher acidity, fuller body and citrus-minerality of a good Albariño make this a match worth trying. Tonight Quinta Soalheiro’s Primeiras Vinhas Alvarinho from their oldest vineyards and partially made in oak really makes a statement. A velvety texture, deep and soulful, long, serious and elegant in the same breath. This wine makes a case for this grape to be considered “noble” and makes a good partner to the fattier fish and vibrant asian acidity, umami flavours.
Grilled trout with Asian Dressing – serves 2
300g Charlotte potatoes
2 skinless fillets of trout
a few basil leaves, Thai would be nice but regular will do
FOR THE DRESSING:
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, remove the woody outer leaves and finely chop
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 red chilli, finely chopped
Boil the potatoes in salty water until tender, then drain and slice thickly, lengthways.
Season the trout, then grill for a few minutes.
Arrange the potatoes over two plates, then top each with a piece of fish.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together and sppon over the fish, and finish with a few basil leaves.
(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe, Olive Magazine, November 2014.)
It’s definitely a bit more like soup weather in Dublin and this one’s good and hearty!
Puy lentil and pearl barley soup – serves 6
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
100g dried Puy lentils
100g pearl barley
680g jar passata
1.5 litres vegetable stock
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the onion and carrots and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until softened and starting to colour.
Add the garlic, Puy lentils and pearl barley and stir for a minute, then add the passata and vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 40-45 minutes or until everything is tender.
Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar, season again if needed, and serve.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry Cooks up a Feast with Lucy Young, DK Penguin House, 2019.)
We’re often cooking for two which means we often halves of things to use up, like half a butternut squash. This is our favourite way to cook it.
Roasted butternut squash – serves 4 as a side (easily halved!)
1 large butternut squash (about 1kg), peeled, deseeded and cut into rough 3cm chunks
10 small sprigs of thyme
50ml olive oil
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Spread the squash out on a large baking tray, then add the thyme, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Give it a toss with your hands.
Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until tender and starting to caramelise.
This is the kind of weeknight dish we love, quick and esay but no compromise on flavour.
Wine Suggestion: Try a fun Italian white like a Pecorino or Falanghina, you won’t go far wrong.
Courgette, butter & basil gnocchi – serves 2
1 tbsp olive oil
1 courgette, trimmed and cubed (we used 2 small courgettes, a green and a yellow)
250g pack of gnocchi from the fridge
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp capers, drained
a pinch of dried chilli flakes
½ lemon, juiced
2 tbsp salted butter
a small bunch of basil, leaves torn, plus a few extra to serve
pecorino, finely grated, to serve
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-hight heat, then cook the courgettes until golden and soft.
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salty water to the boil, add the gnnocchi and cook until it floats to the top. Remove the cooked gnocchi with a slotted spoon as they rise to the surface. Keep a cupful of the cooking water.
While the gnocchi is cooking, add the garlic, capers and chilli flakes to the courgettes and cook for a minute. Add the lemon juice and stir to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butter and sizzle for 30 seconds or until it smells nutty. Add the gnocchi and a splash of the reserved cooking liquid to make a glossy sauce that coats the gnocchi.
Stir in most of the basil, then serve in warm bowls, sprinkled with the pecorino and extra basil leaves.
(Original recipe by Anna Glover in Olive Magazine, August 2021.)
A Moroccan-inspired fish dish for mid-week. Some couscous and yoghurt on the side are good additions.
Wine Suggestion: this works well with Grenache Blanc and we’ve fallen in love with one from Terra Alta in the south of Catalonia made by Edetaria. As it’s mid-week, the basic and joyful “via Terra” Garnatxa Blanca with its perfume and balance af fresh and ripe fruit flavours is perfect.
Fish Tagine with Saffron & Almonds – serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
a good pinch of saffron
600ml hot fish stock or chicken stock
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
½ a green chilli, thinly sliced (keep the other half to serve)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp tomato purée
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp ground almonds
zest of 1 orange, juice of ½
1 tbsp honey
700g white fish, cut into large chunks, we used hake
a small bunch of coriander, chopped
a handful of flaked almonds, toasted
½ green chilli, to serve
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes to soften.
Meanwhile, put the saffron in the hot stock and leave to steep.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan and cook for another few minutes. Add the spices and tomato purée, stir for a few minutes until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, ground almonds, orange zest and juice, honey and saffron-stock. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Add the fish and nestle it well down into the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer on a low heat for 2-3 minutes or until just cooked. Season to taste, then add the coriander and scatter with the toasted almonds. Scatter with the extra green chilli to serve.
We like to have soup for lunch but tend to get out of the habit in the summer months. This one is suitably summery and really captures the flavour of courgette.
Courgette and mint soup – serves 4
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
6 courgettes, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
750ml veg stock
150ml crème fraîche, plus a bit extra to serve
a small bunch of mint leaeves, chopped
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then cook the onions withs ome salt for about 10 minutes or until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook gently for a few minutes, then add the courgettes and cook gently for 20 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil for a few minutes. Whizz the soup until smooth, then stir in the crème fraîche and mint, then whizz again. Season.
Serve in warm bowls with some extra crème fraîche and mint leaves to garnish.
(Original recipe by Adam Bush in Olive Magazine, June 2020.)
There should be some good value asparagus around by now and this is a very tasty way with sweet potatoes.
Roasted sesame sweet potatoes & asparagus – serves 3 as a side
750g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
3 garlic cloves, sliced
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
½ tsp sesame oil
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
1½ tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
a bunch of asparagus, snap off the ends and cut in half
1 tsp sesame seeds
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Put the potatoes into a large roasting tin and toss with the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, fish sauce and 1 tbsp of the soy sauce. Roast for 20 minuts or until tender.
Add the asparagus, 3 tbsp of water and ½ tbsp of soy sauce. Roast for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over and serve.
Jono & Jules do food & wine 