Ottolenghi potato dishes are always a big hit and these were no exception. The rice flour makes them particularly crispy.
Roast potatoes with rosemary & za’atar – serves 6 to 8
2.5kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut fairly small – about 4-5cm chunks
2 tbsp fine salt
3 large sprigs of rosemary, 1 left whole and the leaves of the other 2 finely chopped
150ml sunflower oil
2 tbsp rice flour
1 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tbsp za’atar
Put the potatoes into a large pan and cover with cold water. Add the fine salt and the whole rosemary sprig, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and throw away the rosemary, then return the potatoes to the warm pan. Leave to dry for at least 15 minutes.
Heat the oven to 220C Fan.
Put the oil in a large roasting tray and put into the oven to heat for 10 minutes.
Add the rice flour to the dry potatoes and gently toss to coat.
Carefully add the potatoes to the hot oil in the tray, then roast for 50 minutes, turning halfway. Add the chopped rosemary and gently toss, then return to the oven for a further 3 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and stir in the sea salt flakes and za’atar.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort, Penguin Random House, 2024.)
Wine suggestion: this almost demands an oaked white and given the time of year we thought Patrick Javillier’s Bourgogne Cuvée des Forgets, from the vineyards near Meursault would match with equal amounts of richness, buttery toastiness and a fresh, minerally core. Sometimes nothing can beat a good, deftly handled, oaked Chardonnay.
Meatball Stroganoff – serves 6
500g dried tagliatelle
50g unsalted butter
2 tsp poppy seeds
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
70g slightly stale bread, crusts removed and roughly torn
100ml milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
500g beef mince
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 egg
5g dill, chopped
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
60ml olive oil, for frying the meatballs
FOR THE SAUCE:
3 banana shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
50g unsalted butter
400g small chestnut mushrooms, quartered
3 tbsp cognac
1½ tsp hot smoked paprika
1½ tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
650ml beef stock
150g sour cream
TO SERVE:
dill pickles, roughly chopped
a handful of dill, roughly chopped
Put the bread in the milk in a large bowl and set aside to soak for about 5 minutes.
Put the oil in a frying pan and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then scrape into a bowl. Allow the onions to cool a little, then add them to the bowl with the soaked bread, along with the remaining meatball ingredients, apart from the oil for frying the meatballs. Season with 1 tsp of salt and some black pepper. Mix together well with your hands, then make 26 meatballs (they should be about 30g each). Cover and keep the mixture in the fridge until ready to cook.
Put 2 tbsp of the oil into a large sauté pan and place over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add half the meatballs and cook for 8 minutes, until nicely browned and just cooked, shake the pan gently to turn them. Transfer to a plate and cook the rest of the meatballs in another 2 tbsp of oil. Set aside.
In the same pan that you fried the meatballs, add the shallots and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to caramelise. Add the garlic, cook for a minute, then scrape into a bowl.
Add half the butter to the pan, then add half the mushrooms, ¼ tsp of salt and cook for 6 minutes, until well browned and there is no liquid. Tip into the bowl with the shallots and repeat with the remaining mushrooms and butter, adding another ¼ tsp of salt.
Tip the mushrooms and shallots back into the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the cognac and let it bubble for a few seconds, then add the paprika, tomato purée, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced by a third. Add the sour cream, meatballs, ½ tsp of salt and some pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in lots of salty water, then drain and return to the pot, then add the butter and poppy seeds. Toss gently to melt the butter, then divide between six bowl and spoon the meatballs sauce on top. Garnish with chopped pickles and dill.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller & Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2024. )
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.)
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: Weserved 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.)
Back to school routine and quick fixes are required. This one is nice!
Wine Suggestion: An uncomplicated, but tasty dish requires similar from a wine. Tonight’s choice was Graziano Pra’s “Otto” Soave Classico with classic green apple and almond flavours. Fresh and lighlty floral with a gentle texture that helps it pair with food.
Pasta with broccoli, anchovy and cumin – serves 4
300g dried fusilli or other short pasta
90ml olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
6 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
370g jarred chickpeas, drained (but don’t rinse)
1 tsp aleppo chilli powder
200g tenderstem broccoli, cut into 2½ cm lengths
30g Parmesan, finely grated
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add plenty of salt. Add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the time indicated on the pack.
Meanwhile, pour the oil into a large sauté pan and put over a medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for a minute, then stir in the anchovies, lemon zest and cumin, and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the chickpeas, chilli and a good grind of black pepper, mix well and turn off the heat.
When the timer goes for the pasta, add the broccoli to the pasta pot and cook for the remaining 3 minutes. Reserve about 100ml of the pasta cooking water, then drain and add the pasta and broccoli to the chickpea pan. Scatter over two-thirds of the Parmesan, then return the pan to the heat and toss well for a minute, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to make a sauce that coats the pasta.
Spoon into warm bowls, add a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of aleppo chilli and the remaining Parmesan.
(Original recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi in The Guardian, 13 Apr 2024.)
How can it be soup season already?? This is a good transition recipe made with summer veg and herbs. Don’t leave out the feta and lemon zest garnish as it really makes it sing.
Courgette, pea and basil soup – serves 8
75ml olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 bulb of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
about 1.3kg of courgettes, cut into 3 cm thick slices
1 litre veg stock
500g frozen peas
50g basil leaves
200g feta, crumbled into pieces
1 lemon, finely grate the zest
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and fry for a few minutes or until turning golden. Add the courgettes, 2 tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper and keep cooking for about 3 minutes, stirring all the time, until the courgettes are starting to brown. Pour in the stock and 500ml of water, then bring to the boil over a high heat. Cook for 7 minutes, until the courgettes are softened.
Add the peas, stir through for 1 minute, then add the basil. Remove the soup from the heat and whizz using a stick blender or liquidiser until smooth.
Serve the soup in bowls with crumbled feta, some lemon zest and a drizzle of good olive oil.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi with Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, Penguin: Random House, 2018.)
So much more than avocado on toast. A delicious recipe from Ottolenghi Simple.
Avocado butter on toast with tomato salsa – serves 4
2-3 ripe avocados, you want about 250g of scooped out avocado
60g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
3 limes, you need 1½ tbsp finely grated lime zest and 1½ tbsp lime juice
10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
10g dill, roughly chopped
200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tsp capers, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 slices of sourdough
1 small garlic clove, halved
¼ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
Put the avocado flesh, butter, half the lime zest, half the lime juice and ½ tsp salt into a blender or small bowl of a food processor. Whizz until smooth, then transfer to a bowl along with two-thirds of the herbs. Fold the herbs through then put into the fridge for 10 minutes.
Mix the tomatoes, capers, remaining lime zest & juice and the olive oil with plenty of black pepper. Set aside.
Toast the bread and rub one side with the garlic. Leave the bread to cool slightly then spread each slice with avocado butter and top with the tomato salsa. Sprinkle over the remaining herbs and the crushed cumin.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wrigley & Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)
Tonnato is one of our favourite sauces and it works amazingly well with soft-boiled eggs and jacket potatoes. We take this back; Tonnato is Jules’ absolute favourite sauce … so we just had to try this dish!
You can make the sauce earlier in the day and leave it in the fridge.
Wine Suggestion: taking us back to our honeymoon when we stayed at the winery is Felsina’s “I Sistri” Chardonnay and a good match indeed with the nutty, toasty character really complementing the fresh capers, rich egg and velvety sauce.
Jacket Potatoes with Tonnato Sauce – serves 4
4 large baking potatoes
olive oil
4 large eggs, soft-boiled (cook in already boiling water for 6½ minutes, then run under cold water) and peeled
FOR THE TONNATO SAUCE:
2 large egg yolks
3 tbsp lemon juice
25g parsley, roughly chopped
120g good quality tinned tuna in oil, we like Ortiz or Shines
20g baby capers (or chop larger ones)
2 anchovy fillets in oil, rinsed and patted dry
1 garlic clove, crushed
180ml olive oil
Heat the oven to 220C fan.
Rub the jacket potatoes with a little olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Put them on a tray and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200C fan and cook for another hour.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor with the lemon juice, 20g of the parsley, the tuna, half the capers, the anchovies and the garlic. Blitz to a rough paste, then scrape down the sides with a spatula. Now keep the machine running while you slowly trickle in the olive oil in a steady stream, the consistency should be like thin mayonnaise. Put this in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
When ready to serve, slice the potatoes down the middle and sprinkle inside with a little salt (we also add some butter but you don’t have to). Spoon the sauce over the potatoes and top with a halved egg. Sprinkle over the rest of the capers and parsley, then serve.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)
It’s the classic roast chicken but this time with fresh and preserved lemon. Yummy!
Wine Suggestion: We have a bit of a thing for dry Loire Chenin Blanc and were fortunate to visit Jacky Blot from Domaine de la Taille aux Loups earlier this year. Although he passed away not long after our visit, being able to taste the results of his work in a glass really keeps his memory alive. We opened a bottle of his Vin de France “Clos de la Bretonniere” with this dinner and were transported back to the tasting room and the couple of hours we spent with Jacky. A vibrantly dry Vouvray with tension and tautness in abundance and layers of minerally fruit, it paired beautifully with the roast chicken. Salut Jacky!
Roast chicken with preserved lemon – serves 4
70g butter, softened
3 tbsp thyme leaves
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 small preserved lemon, pips discarded and flesh and skin roughly chopped
1 lemon, zest finely grated, plus 1½ tbsp of juice
1 whole chicken
Heat the oven to 190C fan.
Put the butter, thyme, garlic, preserved lemon, lemon zest, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper in a food proessor and blitz to combine.
Loosen the chicken skin over the breasts (careful not to tear it) and spread most of the butter mixture underneath. Spread the rest over the legs.
Put the chicken into a roasting tin and drizzle with the lemon juice and sprinkle over ½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper.
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes per 500g plus an extra 10 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the juices run clear. Baste every 20 minutes as it cooks.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)
The sauce here is fairly spicy but well-tempered by the fishcakes and lots of white rice and some yoghurt if you like. The depth of flavour and balance is superb. You can cook the sauce and prep the kofta mixture in advance.
Wine Suggestion: this works with Grenache – Tempranillo blends, especially if they’re fruit forward and low/no oak like Jesus Romero’s Rubus from rural Aragon. We love this as it’s real hands-off winemaking at it’s best, capturing the essence and energy of the fruit in the vineyard.
Fish koftas in chilli and tomato sauce – serves 4
FOR THE KOFTAS:
500g firm white fish without skin and bones, we used hake
4 scallions, finely sliced
10g dill, roughly choped, plus extra picked fronds to serve
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 egg, beaten
30g panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp olive oil
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
15g dried ancho chillies, stems removed
2 tsp caraway seeds, toasted and roughly crushed
1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and roughly crushed
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 onion, roughly chopped
60m olive oil
1 green chilli, halved and seeds removed
1 tbsp tomato purée
3-4 plum tomatoes, roughly grated and skins discarded
300ml chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 tsp caster sugar
25g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Make the sauce first. Put the dried chillies into a bowl and cover with lots of boiling water. Leave to soak for 20 minutes, then drain and discard the liquid and the seeds. Roughly chop the chillies and put them into a food processor with two-thirds of the caraway and cumin seeds, the garlic, the onion and 2 tbsp of the oil. Whizz until you have a coarse paste.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan, then add the chilli paste, green chilli and tomato purée. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant. Add the tomatoes, stock, 200ml water, sugar, half the coriander, 1¼ tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then keep warm until needed (or cool and re-heat later).
Meanwhile, make the koftas. Finely chop the fish into ½-1cm pieces. Put them into a large bowl with the scallions, dill, chilli, lemon zest, egg, panko, the rest of the coriander, the remaining caraway and cumin, 1 tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper and mix well to combine. Form into 12 round fish cakes, pressing to compact them so they don’t fall apart.
Heat 1½ tbsp of oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add half the koftas and cook for 2½ minutes on each side, or until golden. Transfer to a plate, then repeat with the rest of the koftas.
Bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the koftas, then turn the heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes. Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then serve with the extra dill.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen, Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
You can prep this salad in advance and serve warm or at room temperature. Jam-packed with flavour and a great side dish for a barbecue or roast meat.
Roasted pepper salad with cucumber and herbs – serves 4 as a side dish
4 green peppers (600g), cut into 4cm pieces
2 red peppers (300g), cut into 4cm pieces
4 vine tomatoes (400g), quartered
2 small red onions (200g), roughly cut into 3cm pieces
1 green chilli, stem removed and left whole
6 large cloves of garlic, peeled
6 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp lemon juice
10g parsley, roughly chopped
10g coriander, roughly chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes
¾ tsp Urfa chilli flakes
Heat the oven to 230C fan.
Put the peppers, tomatoes, red onion, chilli and garlic into a large bowl. Add 4 tbsp olive oil, ¾ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Toss well to combine.
Line to large baking sheets with baking parchment. Spread the vegetables out over the trays and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until softened and charred.
When cool enough to handle, roughly chop the vegetables and transfer to a bowl with the lemon juice, herbs and ½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper.
In a separate bowl, toss the cucumber with 2 tbsp of oil, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper.
Spread the roasted pepper mixture out over a platter. Spoon over the cucumber and sprinkle with the chilli.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love, Ebury Press, 2021.)
A dish from Falastin, it’s packed with flavour and we recommend adding the optional black olives and feta cheese. A green salad and some crusty bread is also a good choice. The tomato sauce and coriander sauce can both be made in advance, just char your cherry tomatoes and fry the prawns at the end.
Wine Suggestion: Despite this being a seafood dish we think a Southern French red is the way to go with this. Tonight something quite special: Roc des Anges Unic which is a super expressive Grenache with a thrilling tension and energy.
Prawn and tomato stew with coriander pesto – serves 4
250g cherry tomatoes
60ml olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
1½ cumin seeds, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
8 cardamom pods, lightly bashed in a pestle and mortar
20g dill, finely chopped
2 tsp tomato purée
6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
600g peeled raw king prawns
a handful of black kalamata olives (optional)
100g feta cheese, crumbled into chunky pieces (optional)
FOR THE CORIANDER PESTO:
30g coriander, roughly chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 lemon, finely grate the zest to get 1½ tsp, then cut into wedges to serve
80ml olive oil
Toss the cherry tomatoes with 1 tsp of oil. Heat a large sauté pan over a high heat, then add the cherry tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until charred and blistered. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Wipe the pan out, then add 2 tbsp of olive oil and place over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, spices, dill and tomato purée, then cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the plum tomatoes and 300ml of water, 1½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until thickened and the tomatoes have broken down.
Meanwhile, make the coriander pesto. Put the coriander, pine nuts and chilli into a food processor and pulse a few times, just until the pine nuts are roughly crumbled. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the olive oil, lemon zest, ¼ tsp of salt and some black pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
Dry the prawns well then mix in bowl with ¼ tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of oil and plenty of black pepper.
Put 2 tsp of oil into a large frying pan and place on a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the prawns in batches and fry for a minute on each side, until cooked and browned.
Stir the cooked prawns and the charred tomatoes into the tomato sauce and cook over a medium heat for another 3 minutes, to heat through. Transfer the prawns and tomatoes to a serving dish, drizzle over some of the coriander pesto and sprinkle over the olives and crumbled feta.
(Original recipe from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wrigley, Ebury Press, 2020.)
We spotted this salad idea in the Guardian so ate it outside with a barbecue … perfect!
Green salad with carrots and pistachios – serves 4
4 carrots, grated
1 tsp Dijon mustard
20g sultanas
5 tsp white wine vinegar
60ml olive oil
1 small clove of garlic, crushed
100g plain yoghurt
½ tsp caster sugar
10g mint leaves, finely chopped
20g parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated and halved lengthways
1 white chicory, leaves separated and halved lengthways
1 butterhead lettuce, leaves separated and large ones halved lengthways
30g pistachios, toasted and lightly crushed
Mix the grated carrots with the mustard, sultanas, 4 tsp of white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp of olive oil and ½ tsp of salt in a small bowl, then leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the dressing in a large bowl by mixing 1 tsp white wine vinegar with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, the garlic, yoghurt, sugar, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper.
Combine the chopped mint and parsley in a bowl.
Put the salad leaves and half the chopped herbs into the bowl with the dressing, then toss gently to coat.
Arrange the leaves on a shallot serving platter or bowl and scatter the marinated carrot on top. Serve with the rest of herbs and the pistachios sprinkled over.
(Original recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi in the Guardian.)
There’s a few different ingredients in this Ottolenghi dish but they are worth seeking out. We’ve served this to friends a few times and it’s very popular. Serve with steamed rice and corn tortillas.
Wine Suggestion: A juicy red with gentle, warm, velvety spices is what we’d recommend, like a Grenache blend from the Southern Rhône. Romain Roche’s Cairanne is a current favourite; so smooth and effortless, but with great depth and expression. All velvety southern French sunshine and joie de vie.
Spicy chicken bake with blue cheese dressing – serves 4
15 dried cascabel chillies, stems and seeds removed
15g dried chipotle chillies, stems and seeds removed
3 limes, 2 tbsp juice and 1 cut into wedges to serve
150g celery, peeled and very thinly cliced
1 red chilli, roughly chopped with seeds left in
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
450g cooked rotisserie chicken, discard the skin and roughly tear into large pieces
20g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
150g buffalo mozzarella, roughly torn
FOR THE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING:
150g soured cream
100g cream cheese
100g Roquefort cheese or Gorgonzola, finely crumbled
1 tbsp whole milk
Put the chillies into a small bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. Weigh down with a saucer and set aside for 10 minutes.
Put the lime juice, celery and a pinch of salt into a small bowl, mix well and set aside to pickle.
Drain the chillies and roughly chop. Put into a food processor with the fresh chilli, garlic and tomatoes, then blitz until smooth.
Heat the oven to 240C, or as high as your oven goes.
Put the oil into a large, shallow cast-iron pan and place over a medim-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and deeply browned. Add the whizzed chilli mixture, 100ml of water and 1½ tsp of salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Add the cooked chicken and another 100ml of water and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander and two-thirds of the scallions.
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the blue cheese dressing along with a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Reserve half the mixture and dollop the rest over the chicken mixture. Top with the torn mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes or until browned and bubbling. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Stir the rest of the scallions into the pickled celery and spoon half over the chicken bake. Serve the rest of the celery, the blue cheese dressing and lime wedges on the side.
(Original recipe from Ottolentghi Test Kitchen Extra Good Things by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2022.)
We love this side dish from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen so much we’ve made it a few times over the past month and it’s been a hit every time. You can make the aïoli in advance and put it in the fridge which is useful.
Roast potatoes with aïoli and pine nut butter – serves 4
750g baby new potatoes, halved lengthways
2 tbsp olive oil
5g parsley, roughly chopped
FOR THE AÏOLI
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
100ml olive oil
100ml sunflower oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
75g Greek-style yoghurt
FOR THE PINE NUT BUTTER
30g unsalted butter
20g pine nuts
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Our advice is to get the aïoli made first, it will keep fine in the fridge if you want to do it earlier in the day.
Put the garlic, Dijon, egg, egg yolk and a ¼ tsp of salt into the small bowl of a food processor. Whiss together for a few seconds, then gradually add both oils in a slow steady stream with the machine running the whole time. You should end up with a runny mayonnaise. Transfer this to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and yoghurt. Cover and out in the fridge until needed.
Preheat the oven to 220C fan.
Put the potatoes into a saucepan with 2 tsp of salt and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 6 minutes or until almost tender. Drain in a sieve and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Spread the potatoes over a parchment lined baking tray and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and some salt and black pepper. Roast these in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown, then toss with the parsley.
To make the pine nut the butter into a small frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the pine nuts and cook until golden, stir in the paprika and remove from the heat.
Spread the aïoli over a serving dish, top with the potatoes and drizzle over the butter.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Text Kitchen: Shelf Love, Penguin Random House, 2021.)
We don’t think we’ve ever roasted kohlrabi before but they have it in our local farm shop so we thought we’d give it a go. We mostly see it raw in salads but have to say it is absolutely lovely when roasted. The recipe is simple though there are a few bits to it. Try the roasted kohlrabi if nothing else.
Wine Suggestion: A medium bodied, pure fruited red like Olga Raffault’s Chinon les Barnabés which has a charming perfume and an array of purple and red fruits sitting lightly on top of a deep core. For this dish you need that juxtaposition of purity and depth to play alongside the earthy range of flavours.
Barley with roasted kholrabi, tomatoes & watercress salsa – serves 4 as a main
4 small kohlrabi
4 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and finely chopped (optional)
140ml olive oil, plus a bit extra to drizzle
1 large head of garlic, cut a slice off the top to expose the cloves, plus 4 extra cloves, crushed
300g ripe cherry tomatoes
300g pearl barley
2-3 banana shallots, finely sliced
2 tsp caraway seeds
5 strips of lemon zest and 2 tbsp juice, plus some wedges to serve
1 red Scotch bonnet chilli
3 tbsp tomato purée
150ml dry white wine
100g watercress
60ml double cream (optional if you don’t want dairy but nice if you do)
Preheat the oven to 190C fan.
Trim and peel the kohlrabi, then cut them into 8 wedges (more if you have any big ones). Put them into a large bowl and toss with the anchovies, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 crushed garlic cloves, ½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Spread them out over a tray lined with baking paper.
Put the whole garlic bulb onto a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Wrap the bulb tightly in the bulb, then place it in the corner of the baking tray with the kohlrabi. Put the tray in the oven to roast for 25 minutes.
Turn the kohlrabi pieces over, then add the tomatoes to the tray and continue to roast for another 20 minutes, or until the kohlrabi wedges are soft and deep brown and the tomatoes are blistered. Turn the oven off, then leave the tray in there to keep warm.
While the vegetables are cooking, put the barley into a medim-sized saucepan and cover with lots of cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 20 minutes or until almost cooked but still with a bite. Drain and set aside.
When the vegetables are cooked, remove the garlic bulb in the foil. Put a large sauté pan over a medium-high heat with 50ml olive oil, the roasted garlic, remaining 2 cloves of crushed garlic, the shallots, caraway seeds, lemon peel strips, Scotch bonnet, and 2½ tsp salt. Gently fry for 12 minutes, stirring, until the shallots are soft and golden brown.
Add the tomato purée and cook for 30 seconds before adding the wine, 500ml of water and lots of black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 7 minutes, then add the cooked barley and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Discard the Scotch bonnet and the lemon peel.
Whizz half the watercress, the lemon juice, 60ml of olive oil and ¼ tsp of salt in the small bowl of a food processor until smooth.
Transfer the barley to a large serving bowl. Drizzle over the watercress salsa and cream over the barley and gently swirl them in. Top with the rest of the watercress, then the roasted kohlrabi and tomatoes. Serve with extra lemon wedges.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2020.)
This takes a long time so the trick is to poach the chicken the day beforehand and store the torn chicken and stock separately in the fridge. Everything else is fairly easy to put together on the day. A feast!
Celebration Rice – serves 8
1 small chicken, about 1.4kg
2 cinnamon sticks
1 onion, cut into 6 wedges
1 bulb of garlic, skin on and halved widthways
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
FOR THE RICE:
2 tbsp olive oil
40g unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
300g lamb mince
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
400g basmati rice, washed, soaked in cold water for at least 1 hour and then drained
FOR THE GARLIC YOGHURT:
500g Greek yoghurt
2 clove of garlic, crushed
FOR THE GARNISH:
50g unsalted butter
30g blanched almonds
30g pine nuts
¾ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes
4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
Put the chicken into a large saucepan with the cinnamon sticks, onion, garlic, 2 litres of water and 2 tsp of salt. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 70 minutes, or until cooked through. Lift the chicken out and tear into large bite-size chunks when cool enough to handle. Put the chicken into a bowl with the ground cumin and cinnamon and set aside. Strain the stock through a sieve and discard the solids. Measure out 850ml of the stock and keep warm (keep the rest for something else). If you are doing this part a day ahead you will need to reheat the stock and put the spices on the chicken when ready to cook.
For the rice, put the oil and half the butter into a large saucepan, and place on a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden. Add the lamb, garlic and spices and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until the lamb has lost its pinkness. Add the rice, 700ml of the warm stock, 1 ¾ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to sit, covered, for another 15 minutes. Add the remaining butter and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the yoghurt sauce by whisking the yoghurt, garlic, ¾ tsp of salt and the remaining 150ml of warm stock in a medium bowl.
Put 2 tbsp of oil in to a large sauté pan on a medim-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minute, to warm through. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley, then set aside.
Make the garnish by putting the butter into a small frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the almonds and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until lightly coloured. Add the pine nuts and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat and add the chilli flakes.
Spread the rice over a large serving platter. Top with the chicken, then pour over half the garlic yoghurt. Finish with the nuts and butter, followed by the parsley leaves and pomegranate seeds. Serve the rest of the yoghurt alongside.
(Original recipe by Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
These are delicious and perfect with some crusty bread or flatbreads for scooping. Do buy the fancy butter beans in a glass jar if you can. You can make this up to a day ahead and the flavours will improve.
Wine Suggestion: We really like this dish with a nice, chilled Vermentino. Tonight’s choice, the Poggio ai Ginepri Bianco from Tenuta Argentiera in Bolgheri. Long and vibrant with a rich citrus and pear flavour and layers of texture and wild sage to finish.
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 mild red chillies, finely chopped, including the seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds, finely crushed with a pestle and mortar
3 preserved lemons (80g), inner parts discarded and skin finely sliced
1 ½ tbsp roughly chopped thyme leaves
4 sprigs of rosemary
1 tbsp tomato purée
170ml olive oil
1 jar of butter beans (700g)
2 large vine tomatoes, roughly grated and skins discarded
Put the garlic, chillies, coriander, preserved lemon, thyme, rosemary, tomato purée, olive oil and 1¼ tsp of flaked salt into a medium sauté pan on a medium-low heat and stir together. Heat gently for 25 minutes, or until very fragrant but not browned at all. Turn the heat to low if the oil gets to hot.
Stir in the butter beans, then turn the heat up to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for at least an hour, or longer if you can.
Meanwhile, mix the grated tomato with ⅓ tsp of flaked sea salt and plenty of black pepper.
Spoon the butter beans into a shallow bowl and spoon over the grated tomato, mixing it in in places. Then serve with crusty bread or flatbreads.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
A truly delicious dip to serve as a starter with warm flatbreads or pitta. It was very difficult to stop ourselves eating the lot …and thereby spoiling our appetite for the main to follow.
Yellow split pea purée with buttered onions and caper salsa – serves 6
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, finely chopped
180g yellow split peas, rinsed well and drained
½ tsp ground turmeric
FOR THE SALSA:
2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
5g parsley, finely chopped
2 thin lemon slices, discard the pips and finely chop (including the rind)
2 tbsp oil
Put the butter, 2 tbsp of oil, the onions and ¾ tsp of salt into a large sauté pan over a medium heat for 15-18 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and golden. Transfer half the onions, along with most of the oil and melted butter to a small bowl, and set aside.
Add the split peas, turmeric and 1.2 litres of water and ¾ tsp of salt to the pan with the remaining onions and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, uncovered. Cover with the lid and cook for another 40-45 minutes, or until the split peas are very soft and most of the liquid is evaporated. If not, you can remove the lid again and cook a little longer.
Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the salsa in a small bowl.
Whizz the warm split peas with the remaining cooking water and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a food processor until completely smooth.
Spoon into a shallow dish, creating a dip in the middle. Mix the buttery onions with the caper salsa, then spoon on to the dip. Serve warm.
(Original recipe from OTK Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
Do buy good quality tuna for this, packed in olive oil. We like Ortiz which is widely available and excellent quality. We’d also highly recommend Shines’ Wild Irish Tuna, one of our local companies based in Donegal. We have tried loads of their tinned and jarred fish and they are all top quality.
Wine Suggestion: We chose a lighter red to match this dish from the Marches in central Italy. The Umani Ronchi San Lorenzo Rosso Conero has style and panache and the medium body, morello cherry flavours, soft spices and silky tannins are a charming match.
Baked orzo puttanesca – serves 4
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
½ tsp chilli flakes
3 anchovies in oil, drained and roughly chopped
2 tbsp capers
30g preserved lemon, discard the flesh and thinly slice the skin into strips
70g pitted Kalamata olives, roughly torn in half
2 tins of good tuna in olive oil, drained and roughly flaked
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
250g dried orzo
1-2 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into half ½ cm thick rounds
40g Parmesan, finely grated
5g basil leaves, roughly torn
Preheat the oven to 200C fan.
Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan that has a lid. Add the onion and cook gently for about 8 minutes or until softed and browned. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and anchovies and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the capers, half the preserved lemon strips, 45g of the olives, the tuna, tomato purée, tinned tomatoes, orzo, 450ml of water, 1 tsp of salt and lots of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover with the lid and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked through.
Turn the oven up to 230C fan.
Remove the lid from the dish, top with the tomato slices and sprinkle over the cheese. Bake for a further 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned, then leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle over the remaining olives, preserved lemon, basil and 1 tbsp of oil before serving.
(Original recipe from OTK Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 