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Posts Tagged ‘Mezcla’

Mackerel with Udon Noodles

Posted in Asian, Fish, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 12 May 2024| Leave a Comment »

Amazing flavours in this super quick and easy dish. We’re loving pretty much every recipe that Ixta Belfrage has a hand in.

Wine Suggestion: A really hard one to match we thought, but we pulled out Dr Loosen’s Graacher Dry Riesling … a wine he has “declassified” from Grosses Gewächse (Great Growth) as the vines are only 15-20 years old … not old enough for Ernie Loosen! A wine of both elegance and power, with a crispness that balances any oilyness of the mackeral, and joyful fruit to match chillies, limes, soy and star anise.

Mackerel udon – serves 2

  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved and seeds scooped out with a teaspoon
  • 1 tsp flaked salt
  • 2½ tbsp lime juice
  • 300g straight-to-wok fresh udon noodles (not dried)
  • 2 x 115g tins of mackerel in olive oil, drained and flaked into chunky pieces
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp black or white (or both) sesame seeds, toasted

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 5 tbsp mild olive oil or sunflower oil
  • 40g ginger, peeled and julienned
  • 2 large mild red chillies, finely sliced into rounds (discard the seeds)
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick, bashed with the side of a knife
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1½ tbsp maple syrup
  • ¾ tsp toasted sesame oil

Cut the cucumber into half-centimetre diagonal slices. Put the cucumber in a bowl and mix with the flaked salt and lime juice. Set aside to pickle while you make the rest.

Put the udon noodles in a large bowl and, cover with boiling water, then drain well and set aside.

Put a heatproof sieve over a heatproof bowl and set aside.

Put the oil for the dressing into a medium saucepan over a medium heat and allow to get hot. Add the ginger, chillies, star anise and cinnamon and fry gently, stirring often, until the ginger is crisp and golden – about 5 minutes but watch carefully. Drain through the sieve and keep both the oil and the crispy aromatics.

Transfer 3 tbsp of the aromatic oil to a separate bowl along with the soy sauce, maple syrup and sesame oil.

Drain the cucumbers and toss with the warm noodles. Transfer them to a platter and top with the mackerel. Spoon over the dressing, followed by the crispy aromatics, scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Chicken with Pineapple and ‘Nduja

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 16 March 2024| Leave a Comment »

A recipe from Ixta Belfrage’s excellent book, Mezcla. Pinapple has developed a bad reputation in savoury dishes but we love it … including on pizzas sometimes. Serve some steamed white rice on the side.

Wine Suggestion: we’re having an Italian moment, so chose the La Pruina Salice Salentino to go with this dish. A blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Negra it had a suprising elegance and didn’t overwhelm the flavours despite an obvious juiciness to the fruit. Balanced and surprisingly medium bodied; we’ll be revisitng this wine again.

Chicken with pineapple and ‘nduja – serves 4

  • 4 chicken thighs, at room temperature
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 medium onion, halved and very thinly sliced, ideally with a mandoline if you have one
  • 300g fresh pineapple, peeled, cut into rounds, then quartered and hard core removed
  • 4 tangerines or 2 oranges, squeezed to give 100g of juice
  • 100g chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp double cream
  • 5g coriander
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

FOR THE ‘NDUJA AND CHIPOTLE PASTE:

  • 50g ‘nduja paste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp tomato purée
  • ½ tsp chipotle flakes
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ¾ tsp fine salt
  • 20 twists of black pepper

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Put the ingredients for the ‘nduja and chipotle paste into a large bowl and mix together. Add the chicken thighs, garlic, and about ¾ of the onion and mix together well. Tip everything into a large oven-proof cast-iron frying pan or a baking dish. Make sure the chicken is skin-side up on top of the onions and garlic.

Add the pineapple to the mixing bowl and toss in any leftover paste, then arrange around the chicken.

Pour the orange juice around the chicken but make sure you don’t pour it over the chicken skin, then bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour in the chicken stock – again avoiding the chicken skin. Put back into the oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is browned and crispy.

Rest the dish for 5-10 minutes, then drizzle over the cream. Toss the coriander with the rest of the sliced onion and a little oil and salt, then sprinkle over the top. Serve with lime wedges.

(Original recipe from Mezlca by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Duck with Pepper Sauce and Green Salsa

Posted in Duck, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 21 January 2024| 1 Comment »

Jeez this sauce is good. A stunning recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage. There are a good few steps in the recipe, but prep everything first and you will be fine.

Wine Suggestion: Don’t push the boat out for a wine match as the gutsy flavours just need an easy, well made, rounded Chardonnay. Go anymore complex and the subtlety will be lost. For us tonight Domaine Gayda’s Sphere Chardonnay which see’s wonderful sunshine in the Languedoc, but maintains it’s freshness as the vineyards are on the foothills of the Pyrenees and juducious and light use of oak barrels to bring it together.

Duck with pepper sauce and green salsa – serves 2

  • 2 skin-on duck breasts
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1¼ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tbsp maple syrup
  • ⅛ tsp fine salt

FOR THE SALSA:

  • 2 scallions, very finely chopped
  • 5g chives, very finely chopped
  • 5g fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
  • ½ jalapeño, very finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • ⅛ tsp fine salt

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 banana shallot, very finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, very finely chopped
  • ⅛ tsp fine salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp green peppercorns, roughly crushed (the pickled green peppercorns are best for this)
  • ½ tsp chipotle chilli flakes
  • 1¼ tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 130g cream

Get a dish that will fit both duck breasts in a single layer. Mix the marinade ingredients together, then arrange the duck in the marinade, skin side up – try your best not to get any marinade on the skin. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours at room temperature, or ideally, overnight in the fridge. Don’t cover the container either way, as you want the skin to dry out. Bring to room temperature for 2 hours before cooking.

Prep the salsa by mixing all the ingredients together, then set aside.

Take the duck out of the marinade and transfer to a tray lined with a clean cloth, flesh side down, so the flesh dries out. Blot the skin with kitchen paper to make sure it’s as dry as possible. Rub some salt and pepper into the skin. Reserve the marinade.

Put the duck breasts into a cold, non-stick frying pan, skin-side down and spaced apart. Put the pan over a low heat and gently fry, pressing down on the duck, for about 10 minutes or until the skin is crisp and deep brown (keep going longer to achieve this if you need). Spoon away the duck fat that renders in the pan (keep for roasties another day). Transfer the duck breasts to a plate, skin side up, then increase the pan heat to high.

When the pan is very hot, return the breasts to the pan, flesh side down. Move breasts around for about 3 minutes to get them coloured evenly. Transfer the duck to a plate and rest, uncovered, for a full 12 minutes.

Either wash out the pan and allow it to cool or start with another non-stick frying pan. Add the butter, oil, shallots, garlic and salt to the cold frying-pan. Put over a medium-low heat and fry gently for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and golden. Add the black pepper, pepercorns, chipotle chilli flakes, and cumin and cook for another minute.

Pour the reserved marinade and the 2 tbsp water into the pan, turn the heat to hight and allow to bubble for 1½ minutes. Turn the heat down low and stir in the cream and cook for 1 minute to warm through.

Pour the sauce onto a plattter, then slice the duck and arrange it on top. Finish with the green salsa and serve with the lime wedges.

(Original recipe from Mexcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Porcini Sauce for Tagliatelle

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 14 January 2024| Leave a Comment »

This has a surprising umaminess given the short cooking time. A dish for mushroom lovers.

Wine Suggestion: We enjoy pairing mushroom dishes with Nebbiolo and really enjoy stepping outside the box to find versions made outside it’s native Piedmont. Tonight a glass of Clendenen Family Vineyards (Au Bon Climat) “Pip” from the Santa Maria Valley in California, which despite it getting some of the famous sunshine, is also a very cool area with fog … just like Piedmont. We liked it a lot.

Porcini sauce for tagliatelle – serves 2

  • 40g dried porcini
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 10g fresh parsley (stalks and leaves), finely chopped, plus extra to serve
  • a big pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1½ tbsp tomato purée
  • about 50 twists of freshly ground black pepper
  • 250g dried tagliatelle
  • 40g Parmesan, very finely grated, plus extra to serve
  • 3 tbsp double cream

Put the dried porcini into a bowl and cover with boiling water, then leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 75g of the soaking liquid. Very finely chop the porcini so it is like the consistency of mince, then set aside.

Put the oil, garlic, chilli flakes, parsley and fine salt into a large sauté pan, then place over a medium-low heat. Fry very gently for 5 minutes or until soft, taking care that the garlic doesn’t turn brown.

Increase the heat, then add the chopped porcini, tomato purée and the pepper. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then set the pan aside while you cook the tagliatelle.

Cook the pasta in boiling salty water until al dente, then drain and reserve 350g of the pasta water.

Return the sauté pan to a medium-high heat, then add the reserved porcini and pasta water. Bring to a simmer and leave to bubble for a few minutes. Add half the Parmesan, stir until melted before adding the rest. Lower the heat, then stir in the cream, followed by the cooked pasta. Toss over the heat for a minute or two until the sauce comes together.

Remove from the heat and serve with more Parmesan and olive oil.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Poached Fish and Charred Tomatoes

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 15 August 2023| Leave a Comment »

There is nothing difficult about this dish but despite the ease of cooking this tastes sophisticated and has bags of flavour. Inspiration from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, a book jam-packed with delicious things! Serve with some grilled sourdough.

Wine Suggestion: A good Sangiovese is our suggestion and we particularly enjoyed the Morisfarms Mandriolo from the Maremma on the Tuscan coast. With crushed raspberry flavours layered over a smooth dark berry core and aromas of violets this cut through any richness and gave it all a lift, adding an extra dimension to the meal. Just what we wanted with this complex and sophisticated meal.

Poached fish and charred tomatoes – serves 4

  • 4 x 100g white fish fillets e.g. cod or hake, skin and bones removed
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp fine salt

FOR THE AÏOLI:

  • 3 egg yolks
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  • ½ a small clove of garlic, crushed
  • ¼ tsp sweet paprika
  • pinch of saffron
  • 50g light olive oil

FOR THE BROTH:

  • 250g cherry tomatoes
  • 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, whole
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 5g fresh coriander
  • 5g fresh basil
  • 350g water
  • 15g unsalted butter
  • 1 jalapeño or green chilli, thinly sliced
  • 70g pitted green olives, roughly chopped
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
  • grilled sourdough, to serve

Place the fish in a dish with the lime juice and fine salt. Mix to coat, then aside while you prep everything else.

Make the aïoli by putting the egg yolks, salt, garlic, paprika, some black pepper and saffron into a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add half the oil and whisk hard for 30 seconds or until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the rest of the oil and whisk hard again for about a minute, then stir in the vinegar. You should end up with loose mayonnasie consistency.

Heat a large sauté pan over a high heat until smoking hot. Add the tomatoes and Scotch bonnet and cook for about 6 minutes, give the pan a shake now and then to get a bit of char on the tomatoes.

Remove from the heat and add the salt, oil, garlic, paprika, tomato purée, half the coriander and half the basil. Mix well then return to the heat and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add the water and butter and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, squeezing most of the tomatoes into the broth.

Lay the fish fillets into the broth, then cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 2 minutes.

Throw away the Scotch bonnet and top the dish with the green chilli, olives and remaining herbs. Serve with the aïoli spooned on top and with lime wedges and grilled bread on the side.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Oyster Mushroom Noodles

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 20 November 2022| 1 Comment »

Ixta Belfrage’s book, Mezcla, is full of genuinely new dishes with lots of flavour combinations that we’ve never tried before. These mushroom noodles are a great example. We used a mix of oyster mushrooms and ceps which worked well, but oyster mushrooms are definitely the way to go here. You can make the sauce ahead of time if you like.

Wine Suggestion: It’s not only mushroom season, but it’s Beaujolais Nouveau week too, so we had the luck of matching this dish with a bottle from our friend Chris. The Lapalu Beaujolais Villages Nouveau was smooth, dark fruited and earthy.

Oyster mushroom noodles – serves 2 as a main very generously

  • 200g fresh medium egg noodles (if you have dried egg noodles, cook them first)
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest and 2 tbsp juice
  • 10g chives, finely chopped
  • 10g dill, picked from the stems
  • créme fraîche or sour cream, to serve

FOR THE MUSHROOMS:

  • 400g oyster mushrooms
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp fine salt

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 40g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • 2 onions, very finely chopped
  • ¾ tsp caraway seeds
  • 1¼ tsp fine salt
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • 500g chicken stock or veg stock
  • 2 ½ tsp English mustard
  • 5 tbsp double cream

Preheat the oven to 200C fan/220C.

Tear the mushrooms in half. Line a large baking tray with parchment, add the mushrooms, oil and salt and toss with your hands, then spread out over the tray. Roast in the oven for 22-25 minutes, stirring halfway, or until golden-brown and starting to crisp at the edges. Set aside.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the butter, oil, onions, caraway seeds and ¾ tsp of fine salt into a large sauté and put over a medium heat. Gently fry for about 12 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and caramelized. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, you are looking for deep golden-grown but not burned or crispy. Remove half the onions onto a plate and set aside. Add the garlic to the pan and fry for 1 minutes, stirring, then remove the pan from the heat.

Add the stock, mustard, cream, ½ tsp of fine salt and lots of black pepper to the pan with the onions. Stir, then add half of the roasted mushrooms. Return to a medium heat and cook for 4 minutes. Stir the noodles into the sauce and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the noodles are hot.

Stir in the lemon juice and half the herbs. Transfer to a warm platter and top with the rest of the herbs, the lemon zest and the mushrooms and onions that you set aside before. Spoon over some crème fraîche or sour cream and finish with olive oil and black pepper.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Mussels and Orzo with Coconut & Saffron

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 November 2022| Leave a Comment »

The mussels are cooked in a fairly light sauce but packed with flavour. Serve with some crusty bread if you like.

Wine Suggestion: This dish demands a white with good bones, though you need to keep it fresh and savoury as well for the taste of the sea the mussels bring. We chose to good effect Quinta Soalheiro’s Alvarinho Reserva which comes from some of their oldest vineyards in the north of Portugal. Aromatically intense with a complex structure, it nonetheless also maintains a salty freshness from the grape making it a great match for mussels.

Mussels and orzo with coconut & saffron – serves 4

  • 1kg mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 80g orzo pasta
  • 30g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ a small onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped into 1cm pieces
  • 1 Scotch bonnet chilli
  • 1¼ tsp fine salt
  • 150g yellow cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • ½ tsp tomato purée
  • ¾ tsp saffron threads
  • 400g tin coconut milk
  • up to 2 tsp chilli paste, we used paté bomba con peponcini piccanti (optional)
  • 1 lemon

FOR THE HERB OIL:

  • 5g chives, finely chopped
  • 5g coriander, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • a pinch of fine salt

Put the orzo into a medium-sized ball and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse.

Heat the butter and oil in a large, shallow sauté pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, pepper, the whole Scotch bonnet and the salt. Cook gently for about 8 minutes, or until soft but not coloured.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and saffron and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then stir in the coconut milk and simmer for 3 minutes.

Add the orzo, then spread the mussels out on top. Cover with a lid, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 5 minutes or until the mussels have all opened.

Discard the whole chilli, you can give it a squeeze into the sauce first if you like heat. Taste the sauce and add some chilli paste if you like.

Squeeze plenty of lemon juice over the mussels, then mix all the ingredients for the herb oil together and spoon over the top.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Bavette Steak with Black Lime & Maple Butter

Posted in Barbecue, Beef, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 27 October 2022| Leave a Comment »

A delicious steak recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage. Ixta fries the steak in a pan over a high heat, we used a barbecue – fabulous flavours either way. You will need to grind about 3 black limes to get enough for the marinade and the butter.

Wine Suggestion: Thanks to our friends Tim & Mick, who’ve been travelling recently, we had an excellent Öküzgözü from Turkey which was regal, refined, and a delightful surprise. We wish we could remember the name of the winery as we forgot to take a picture and the bottle recycling was done the next day before we remembered! Full of black cherry, raspberry, and dark mulberry flavours; this was complex and had layers of dark chocolate, licorice, leather, tobacco, cloves, and something slightly herbal and minty, but we couldn’t put our finger on what.

Bavette steak with black lime & maple butter – serves 4

  • 500g bavette steak, cut into 3 equal pieces
  • 300g ripe tomatoes
  • ½ red onion
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Urfa chili flakes (we used a mixture of smoked paprika and aleppo pepper)
  • 1½ tsp ground black lime
  • about 50 twists of black pepper

FOR THE SOY AND MAPLE BUTTER:

  • 40g ghee or unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 2½ tsp maple syrup
  • ½ a small clove of garlic, finely grated
  • ¾ tsp ground black lime
  • ¾ tsp Urfa chilli flakes (see above)

Pat the steak dry and put into a large bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and rub into the steaks. Leave aside for 10 minutes or up to 1 hour (you can do this further ahead and leave in the fridge but make sure you bring them back to room temperature before cooking).

Get your barbecue very hot, then sear the steaks for 2 minutes on each side, you want them dark brown on the outside but rare in the middle. Transfer to a warm plate and rest for 8 minutes, turning over halfway.

While the steaks are resting, slice the tomatoes and onions and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle with ½ tsp flaked salt.

Melt the ghee in a small saucepan over a medium heat. When it is melted and hot, remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, black lime and chilli flakes.

Slice the bavette against the grain and arrange over the onions and tomatoes. Sprinkle with some sea salt, then spoon over the soy and maple butter and serve with the lemon wedges on the side.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Squash and Sage Lasagne Gratin

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 October 2022| Leave a Comment »

A bit like a classic lasagne but there’s no béchamel and definitely less fuss altogether. It tastes absolutely amazing too. The recipe is from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage; a book full of delicious things.

Wine Suggestion: we grabbed the first thing in the fridge which was the Zuani Bianco Riserva, an oaked Collio from North Eastern Italy which is a blend of Friulano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Stunning, with so much complexity and layered fruits, savouriness and creamy textures. An under-rated part of the world. If you can’t find something like this, look for a lightly oaked white with a fresh acidity and a nutty finish.

Squash and sage lasagne gratin – serves 4 (generously)

  • half a large butternut squash, peeled and seeds discarded (about 500g)
  • 400g ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2¾ tsp fine salt
  • 5g fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped, plus 10 extra leaves to serve
  • 6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
  • 220g double cream, plus extra 2 tbsp to serve
  • 80g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
  • ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 250g-300g dried lasagne sheets
  • 400g chicken stock (you can use veg stock if you prefer)

Heat the oven to 220C fan/240C.

Finely slice the butternut squash into very thin half moons – a mandoline is best for this or you could use the slicing attachment on a food processor.

Mix the squash slices, tomatoes, garlic, tomato purée, fine salt, chopped sage, 4 tbsp olive oil and lots of black pepper, together in a large bowl. Your hands are best to toss it all together.

Mix the cream, Parmesan and nutmeg together in another bowl. Set 80g of this mixture aside for later.

Cover the bottom of a baking dish (approx. 28cm x 23cm) with a layer of lasagne sheets, then a layer of the squash mixture. Spoon over some of the cream mixture, then continue the layering until you have used everything. Pour the stock evenly over everything in th edish, then cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes.

Remove from the oven and remove the foil. Spoon over the reserved 80g of cream mixture and return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Mix 2 tbsp of the oil with the 10 sage leaves in a small bowl. Spoon this over the lasagne and return to the oven for a final 5-6 minutes, or until the sage leaves look crisp and the lasagne golden-brown.

Rest for 10 minutes, then finish with the 2 tbsp of cream, a good drizzle of olive oil and plenty of extra grated Parmesan, sea salt and black pepper.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Green Salad with Maple, Lime & Sesame Dressing

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 7 August 2022| Leave a Comment »

We’re super excited by the dishes in Ixta Belfrage’s new book – Mezcla. We’ve done lots of drooling over the recipes but so far have only managed this green salad – it’s a good one!

Green salad with maple, lime & sesame dressing – serves 4

  • 2 baby gem lettuces, cut off the end and separate the leaves.
  • 10g mixed fresh herbs e.g. coriander, mint & basil
  • 2 green chillies, thinly sliced into rounds (optional)
  • 20g scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds (you can use black and white if you have them but white alone is fine), well toasted, then lightly crushed and mixed with flaked sea salt
  • lime wedges, to serve

FOR THE QUICK PICKLED ONIONS:

  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • ¼ tsp fine salt

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 60g olive oil
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 40g lime juice
  • 20g maple syrup
  • ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 5g chives, finely chopped

Put the ingredients for the pickled shallots into a small bowl and stir together. Leave to pickle for 15 minutes or up to an hour but no longer.

Make the dressing by gently mixing all the ingredients, except the chives, together. You don’t want the dressing to emulsify here so just stir to combine.

When ready to serve, stir the chives into the dressing. Put the lettuce and herbs into a large salad bowl and pour over the dressing. Add the pickled shallots, chillies and scallions and toss. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve with extra lime wedges.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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