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Posts Tagged ‘Jerusalem’

Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za’atar

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 15 October 2018| Leave a Comment »

Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za'atar

A divine vegetable dish from Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi’s book ‘Jerusalem’ – still one of our absolute favourites. We served this on a platter as a light starter but it would also work really well as a vegetarian/vegan main or as a side with other dishes. There were happy diners at our table!

Wine Suggestion: this worked excellently with Massaya’s le Colombier from the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon, a very Rhône blend with a touch of  Tempranillo which gives it hints of North African / Eastern spices.

Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za’atar – serves 4

  • 1 large butternut squash, cut into wedges (about 2cm x 6cm)
  • 2 red onions, cut into wedges
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 3½ tbsp light tahini paste
  • 1½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 30g pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp za’atar
  • 1 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat your oven to 240C/220C fan/Gas 9.

Put the squash and onion wedges into a large mixing bowl and toss with 3 tbsp of oil, 1 tsp of sea salt flakes and some black pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through and starting to crisp and brown at the edges, leave to cool.

Make the sauce by putting the tahini into a small bowl with the lemon juice, 2 tbsp of water, the garlic & ¼ tsp of sea salt. Whisk until the sauce is “the consistency of honey”. You may need to add more water or tahini.

Pour the rest of the oil into a small frying pan and warm over a low-medium heat. Add the pine nuts with ½ tsp of sea salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until golden brown. Remove from the heat and pour the nuts and oil into a bowl so that they stop cooking.

Spread the vegetables out on a serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and their oil, the za’atar and parsley.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Grilled Fish Skewers with Hawayej & Parsley

Posted in Barbecue, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 26 September 2018| 4 Comments »

Monkfish kebabs

We love the vitality this Yemeni spice mix (hawayej) gives to these monkfish kebabs from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi. We cooked these on a barbecue but you could also use a ridged griddle pan. Delicious served with rice, salad and a cucumber & mint yoghurt.

Wine Suggestion: Umani Ronchi’s Ca’Sal di Serra Verdicchio was our choice tonight as it has a lovely lemony character combined with a nutty, herbal twist; a good match.

Grilled fish skewers with hawayej & parsley – serves 4 to 6

  • 1kg monkfish, cut into 2.5cm cubes
  • 50g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • lemon wedges, to serve

HAWAYEJ SPICE MIX:

  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 whole cloves
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • 1½ tsp ground turmeric

First make the spice mix by putting the peppercorns, coriander, cumin and cloves in a pestle and mortar (or spice grinder) and pound until finely ground. Stir in the ground cardamom and turmeric, then transfer to a large bowl.

Next add the fish, parsley, garlic, chilli flakes, lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt to the bowl and mix well with your hands, massaging the spices into the fish. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for 6-12 hours (or 1 hour at a minimum).

Thread the fish chunks onto skewers, leaving gaps between the pieces,  then heat a barbecue until hot. Gently brush the kebabs with a little olive oil and cook in batches for about 2 minutes each side, or until just cooked through.

Serve immediately with the lemon wedges.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Chicken with Caramelised Onion and Cardamon Rice

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 24 July 2016| 3 Comments »

Chicken Caramelised Onion & Cardamon Rice

Another Ottolenghi success which  has that comforting combination of crispy chicken skin and warm spices. Always a crowd pleaser in our house!

Wine Suggestion: we went for a Viognier made in the northern Rhone valley by Jean-Michel Gerin. It was just his “La Champine” IGP Collines Rhodaniennes but it was delicious and had exotic fruit and spice hints that matched and complemented the cardamon and cinnamon.

Chicken with caramelised onion & cardamom rice – serves 4

  • 25g currants soaked in a little lemon juice
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, finely sliced
  • 1kg chicken thighs
  • 10 cardamom pods
  • ½ tsp whole cloves
  • 2 long cinnamon sticks, broken in two
  • 300g basmati rice
  • 550ml boiling water
  • 5g parsley, chopped
  • 5g dill, chopped
  • 5g coriander, chopped
  • 100g Greek yoghurt, mixed with 2 tbsp of olive oil (optional)

Heat half the olive oil in a large sauté pan, then add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Transfer the onion to a bowl and wipe the pan clean.

Put the chicken into a large bowl and season with 1½ tsp of salt and black pepper. Add the rest of the olive oil, cardamom, cloves & cinnamon and mix well together with your hands. Heat up the pan again and add the chicken and spices. Sear for 5 minutes per side and remove from the pan. Don’t worry about any spices that stay in the pan. Remove all but a millimetre of oil form the bottom of the pan. Add the rice, caramelised onion, 1 tsp of salt & lots of black pepper. Strain the currants and add them too. Stir well and return the seared chicken and push it into the rice.

Pour the boiling water over the rice and chicken, cover and cook on a very low heat for 50 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, take the lid off briefly and cover the dish with a clean tea towel before replacing the lid. Leave untouched for 10 minutes. Finally, add the herbs and use a fork to stir them in and fluff up the rice. Taste and season if necessary. Serve hot or warm with the yoghurt if you like.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)

 

Chicken with caramelised onion & cardamon

Chicken with caramelised onion & cardamon

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Turkey & Courgette Burgers

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , on 6 June 2016| 2 Comments »

Turkey & courgette burger

These delicious burgers have taken over our neighbourhood, everyone is making them, and they should because they are delicious!

Wine Suggestion: a fresh, vibrant rosé suits the dish and the time of the year. Something like the Roc des Anges “Effet Papillon” rosé made from Grenache Gris really hits the mark with this.

Turkey & courgette burgers with spring onion & cumin – serves 4-6 (about 18 burgers)

  • 500g turkey mince
  • 1 large courgette, coarsely grated
  • 40g scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium egg
  • 2 tbsp chopped mint
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • about 100ml sunflower oil for searing

Soured cream & sumac sauce:

  • 100g soured cream
  • 150g Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sumac
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Make the soured cream sauce by putting all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and chill until needed.

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC Fan/Gas Mark 7.

Mix all of the ingredients for the meatballs, except the sunflower oil, together in a large bowl. Shape into small burgers – they should weigh about 45g each and you should aim for around 18 of them.

Pour enough of the sunflower oil into a frying pan to get a thin layer on the bottom, about 2mm thick. Heat well and sear the meatballs in batches over a medium heat on all sides. Cook for about 4 minutes, adding more oil as needed, until golden brown.

Carefully transfer the meatballs onto an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and cook in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until just cooked through. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the sauce spooned over.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Burnt Aubergine with Garlic, Lemon & Pomegranate Seeds

Posted in Food, Party Food, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 22 September 2014| 1 Comment »

Burnt Aubergine salad

Not quite a Baba Ghanoush, but you can drizzle on some tahini paste to make it one. This was really delicious and we loved the freshness from the lemons and the burst of fruity pomegranate. You need to start this many hours in advance but the process is very straightforward and the result is worth it.

Burnt aubergine with garlic, lemon & pomegranate seeds – serves 4 as a meze plate

  • 4 large aubergines (about 1.5kg before cooking)
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tbsp chopped mint
  • 80g of pomegranate seeds (about ½ a large pomegranate)

If using a gas hob, line the base with foil and keep only the burners exposed. Put the aubergines on 4 separate moderate flames and roast for about 15-18 minutes or until the skin is burnt and flaky and the flesh is soft. Use metal tongs to turn them now and then.

Alternatively, score the aubergines with a knife in a few places, a couple of centimetres deep, and place on a baking tray under a hot grill for about an hour (we do ours on a gas barbecue). Turn them every 20 minutes or so and continue to cook even if they burst.

Allow the aubergines to cool slightly, then cut along each one and scoop out the flesh and divide it into long strips with your hands. Throw away the skin. Drain the flesh in a colander for at least an hour or longer if possible to get rid of as much water as possible.

Put the aubergine in a medium bowl and add the garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, ½ a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Stir and allow the aubergine to marinate at room temperature for at least an hour.

When ready to serve, mix in most of the herbs and adjust the seasoning. Pile onto a serving plate, scatter on the pomegranate seeds and garnish with the rest of the herbs.

We served ours with some barbecued flatbreads.

(Original recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s Jerusalem, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Basmati Rice & Orzo

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on 26 August 2014| 2 Comments »

Basmati rice with orzo

Such an impressive and versatile rice dish. Great with Middle Eastern-style food or indeed anything you deem rice an appropriate side for. We served with these delicious meatballs.

Basmati rice & orzo – serves 6

  • 250g basmati rice
  • 1 tbsp melted ghee or unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 85g orzo
  • 600ml chicken stock
  • 1 tsp salt

Wash the rice well, then put in a large bowl and cover with lots of cold water. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain.

Heat the ghee or butter and oil on a medium-high heat in a medium heavy-based saucepan. Add the orzo and sauté for a few minutes, or until the grains turn dark golden. Add the stock, bring to the boil and cook for 3 minutes. Add the drained rice and salt, bring to a gentle boil, stir gently, then cover the pan and simmer on a very low heat for 15 minutes. Don’t lift the lid during this time!

Take the rice off the heat, remove the lid and quickly cover with a clean tea towel. Put the lid back on over the towel and leave for 10 minutes. Fluff up with a fork before serving.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Baby spinach salad with dates & almonds

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 2 July 2014| 1 Comment »

 

Baby spinach salad with dates & almonds

A truly delicious salad from Yotam and Sami’s Jerusalem. The perfect start to any middle eastern inspired meal.

Baby spinach salad with dates & almonds – to serve 4

  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 100g pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthways
  • 30g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small pitas, about 100g, roughly torn in 4cm pieces
  • 75g whole unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp sumac
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 150g baby spinach leaves, washed
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt

Put the vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and half the oil in a frying pan. Add the pita and almonds and cook on a medium heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring continually, until the pita is crunchy and golden brown. Remove from the heat and mix in the sumac, chilli and ¼ tsp of salt. Set aside to cool.

When ready to serve, toss the spinach with the pita and mix in a large bowl. Add the dates and onion, remaining oil, lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve.

(Original recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi’s Jerusalem, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Mejadra (Lentils, Rice & Onions)

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 19 June 2013| Leave a Comment »

We challenge you to stop once you’ve started eating this! Serve as a main dish with some Greek yoghurt or yoghurt with cucumber. Leftovers are good served at room temperature.

Mejadra – to serve 6

  • 250g green or brown lentils
  • 4 medium onions
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 250ml sunflower oil
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1½ tbsp coriander seeds
  • 200g basmati rice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1½ tsp ground allspice
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 350ml water

Put the lentils in small saucepan, cover generously with water, bring to the boil and cook for 12-15 minutes or until they are soft but still have some bite, then drain.

Thinly slice the onions and put on a large flat plate. Sprinkle with flour and 1 tsp salt and toss with your hands. Heat 250ml sunflower oil in a medium heavy-based saucepan over a high heat. The oil is ready when a small piece of onion sizzles vigorously. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add a third of the onion. Fry for 5-7 minutes, stirring now and then, until golden-brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander lined with kitchen paper and sprinkle over a little more salt. Repeat with the next two batches (add a bit more oil if necessary).

Discard the oil and wipe the saucepan clean. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and put over a medium heat and toast the seeds for a minute or two. Add the rice, olive oil, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, ½ tsp salt and lots of black pepper. Stir until the rice is coated with oil, then add the cooked lentils and the water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer on a very low heat for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, remove the lid and quickly cover with a clean tea towel. Seal tightly with the lid and leave for 10 minutes.

Add half the fried onion and gently fork through. Pile up in a shallow serving bowl and top with the rest of the onion.

Wine Suggestion: This dish deserves a light red without too much aggressive tannins, weight or alcohol. A youthful Syrah from a lesser appellation in the Rhone would work, like St Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage. Alternately, try a youthful local red from the Golan Heights or Lebanon where the spiciness and warmth will also compliment the flavours.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012)

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Roast Chicken with Clementines and Arak

Posted in Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 12 March 2013| Leave a Comment »

This dish has proved so delicious we’ve had it for dinner twice already this week and plan for another night with friends on Friday. Strictly speaking it isn’t as described as we substituted Pernod for Arak which was what we had to hand; you could also use Ouzo if you have some of this instead. The dish is bursting with flavour so some plain rice is all that’s needed on the side. Start ahead of time if you can so the chicken has time to marinate.

Roasted chicken with clementines & arak – to serve 4

  • 100ml Pernod (or arak or ouzo)
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp grainy mustard
  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 2 medium fennel bulbs
  • 1.3kg chicken thighs (with skin and bone in)
  • 4 clementines, unpeeled, sliced horizontally into ½cm slices
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 2½ tsp fennel seeds, slightly crushe
  • salt and black pepper
  • chopped flat parsley, to garnish

Put the first six ingredients in a large bowl and add 2½ tsp of salt and 1½ tsp of black pepper. Whisk well.

Trim the fennel and cut each in half lengthways. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Add the fennel to the liquid, along with the chicken, clementine slices, thyme and fennel seeds. Combine with your hands then leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight (or skip this stage if you don’t have the time).

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas Mark 7.

Transfer the chicken and marinade to a large oven-proof tray that can hold everything in a single layer; make sure the chicken skin is facing up.

Put the tray in the oven and roast for 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken is well browned and cooked through.

Remove the chicken, fennel and clementines from the tray and arrange on a serving plate; cover and keep warm. Pour the cooking liquids into a small pan, place on a medium-high heat, bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by a third – you should have about 80ml left. Pour the hot sauce over the chicken, garnish with some chopped parsley and serve with plain steamed rice.

Wine Suggestion: There’s lots of flavour going on in this dish so beware of going too neutral with the wine. A richer Vermentino from Sardinia would work well, where they have really mastered this grape.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2012.)

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Fresh Figs

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 27 October 2012| 3 Comments »

Our first recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi and also the very first recipe in this fabulous new book. We have a short window of opportunity at the moment when fresh figs are going cheap so we’re eating them with almost everything. This makes a great sharing plate.

Roasted sweet potatoes & fresh figs – to serve 4 

  • 4 small sweet potatoes
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 40ml balsamic vinegar (it doesn’t have to be top quality)
  • 20g caster sugar
  • 12 scallions, halved lengthways and cut into 4cm lengths
  • 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
  • 6 ripe fresh figs, quartered
  • 150g soft goat’s cheese

Preheat the oven to 240ºC/220ºC Fan/Gas Mark 9.

Wash the sweet potatoes, halve them lengthways and cut each half into 3 long wedges. Mix with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, 2 tsp of sea salt and some black pepper. Place the wedges on a baking sheet, skin-side down, and bake for about 25 minutes, until soft but not mushy. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Make a balsamic reduction by putting the balsamic vinegar and sugar into a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2-4 minutes or until it thickens. Take the pan off the heat when the vinegar is still “runnier than honey” as it will continue to thicken as it cools. Stir in a drop of water before serving if it becomes too thick to drizzle.

Arrange the sweet potatoes on a large plate. Heat the rest of the oil in a medium saucepan and add the scallions and chilli. Fry on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring, and then spoon the oil, onions and chilli over the sweet potatoes. Dot the figs among the wedges and then drizzle over the balsamic reduction. Serve at room temperature with the goat’s cheese crumbled over.

(Original recipe from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, Ebury Publishing, 2012.)

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