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Posts Tagged ‘Recipe’

Honey-Mustard Hot Dogs

Posted in Barbecue, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 9 October 2020| 2 Comments »

This is the sort of lunch our daughter likes after she’s run around a Camogie pitch for a couple of hours. It’s also good if you’ve been standing in the cold at the side of the pitch!

Honey-mustard hot dogs – serves 4

  • 50g grated emmental
  • 50g grated cheddar
  • 3 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 4 sausages
  • 4 brioche hot dog buns

Cook the sausages, we do them on the barbecue but whatever way you like will be fine.

Meanwhile put the emmental, cheddar, mustard and honey in a bowl and stir to combine.

Heat the grill to high.

Split the hot dog buns and fill with a sausage, then top with the cheesy mixture. Put on a baking sheet and flash under the grill for a minute or two to melt the cheese.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Poached Lobster Risotto

Posted in Fish, Food, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 8 October 2020| Leave a Comment »

This is restaurant-style risotto which is packed full of lobster flavour. The shells are used to flavour the stock and it’s finished with a delicious reduction, the kitchen smells amazing! We associate risottos with Italy but this is proper French food, full of butter and brandy. Recipe from Rick Stein’s Secret France.

Wine Suggestion: This is a rich dish that needs a wine that is fresh and flavoursome as opposed to something equally rich. Our go to wine would be an oaked Chardonnay in this case, but it doesn’t work as well as you’d think. A toasty Champagne or good bottle fermented sparkling with good age on lees is a fine choice though, and tonight we had treat of the Champagne Valentin Leflaive cuvée CA/15/40. A new project by Olivier Leflaive from Burgundy made with 100% Chardonnay from Cramant and Avize, 45 months on lees and only 4g dosage. An exciting debut and a good match to boot.

Poached Lobster Risotto – serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter

  • 1 cooked lobster
  • 30ml olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 200g risotto rice
  • 150ml dry white wine
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • fresh tarragon sprigs, to serve

FOR THE LOBSTER STOCK AND REDUCTION

  • lobster shell, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (no need to peel)
  • 50g butter
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 500g tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • a small handful of tarragon, roughtly chopped
  • 1.5 litres fish stock
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp Cognac
  • a squeeze of lemon juice

Remove the meat from the lobster and keep the shell for the stock. Slice the body into chunky slices and keep the meat from the claws as chunky as possible. 

For the stock, put the lobster shell in a large pot with the onion, garlic and 20g of the butter. Cook for about 5 minutes over a medium heat, then add the wine, tomatoes, tarragon and stock and bring to the boil. Add salt and simmer for 40 minutes. Pass the stock through a fine sieve over another pot and throw away the solid ingredients. Put 200ml of the stock aside for the reduction and keep the rest warm over a low heat. 

Heat the oil in a pan, add the shallot and garlic and cook until soft. Add the rice and stir until glistening with the shallots and oil, then add the wine and let it bubble until absorbed. Add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding another. Keep going like this until the rice is al dente, then season. 

Meanwhile, put the reserved 200ml of stock into a saucepan with the Cognac and bring to the boil. Cook until reduced by three-quarters, then whisk in the rest of the butter (30g) to make a sauce that coats the back of a spoon. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. 

Heat a tbsp of butter in a frying pan. When it’s foaming, add the lobster meat and warm it through. Serve the risotto topped with lobster and spoon the reduction around it. Finish with some tarragon sprigs. 

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Secret France, BBC Books, 2019.)

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Yoghurt & Spiced Roast Salmon

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 6 October 2020| Leave a Comment »

Yoghurt & Spiced Roast Salmon

A genius way for cooking salmon by Sabrina Ghayour, nicely charred on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside. We stuffed this into warm tortillas with coriander leaves, finely sliced red onion, fresh tomatoes and a dollop of yoghurt. A week night feast made in about 20 minutes. Delicious!

Wine Suggestion: Find a light, dry Alvarinho/Albariño and you’ll be a happy camper. Spain and Portugal are the likely sources but don’t forget little gems coming new areas too. For us tonight the Forrest Estate Albariño from Marlborough NZ. We suspect we’ll see much more of this grape from here in the future.

Yoghurt & Spiced Roast Salmon – serves 4

  • 500g skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 cm cubes

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp garlic granules
  • 1 tbsp rose harissa
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • finely grated zest of 1 lime and a decent squeeze of the juice
  • 1 tsp olive oil

Heat the oven as high as it will go. Don’t be nervous, our oven goes pretty high and this method worked perfectly.

Line a baking tray with paper.

Put all the marinade ingredients into a bowl, season with plenty of black pepper and maldon salt. Toss the salmon in the marinade until well coated, hands are best for this.

Spread the salmon over the lined baking tray and cook in the hot oven for 10 minutes.

(Original recipe from Simply by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2020)

Yoghurt & Spiced Roast Salmon

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Potato, Onion and Horseradish Gratin

Posted in Food, Potato, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 25 September 2020| 1 Comment »

We served this tasty potato dish with feather blade steaks braised in port and it would be good with other roast or braised beef dishes.

Potato, Onion & Horseradish Gratin – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 100g butter
  • 3 onions, thinly sliced
  • a bunch of fresh thyme, remove the leaves from half
  • about 900g of large floury potatoes, sliced very thinly (a mandolin or food processor is best for this)
  • 4 tbsp horseradish sauce
  • 300ml beef stock

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Heat the oil and 25g of the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and season well with salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly.

Meanwhile, put the stock into a saucepan with a small bunch of thyme and bring to the boil. Cook for a couple of minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain into a clean pan and keep warm.

Put the sliced potatoes into a large bowl with the thyme leaves. Melt the remaining 75g of butter and pour this over the potatoes and season well. Toss with your hands to coat the potatoes in the butter.

When the onions are cooked, stir in the horseradish sauce. Spread a third of the potatoes over the base of an ovenproof dish (20cm square is about right). Spread over half the onions and a third of the beef stock. Cover with another third of the potatoes, followed by the rest of the onions and a final layer of potatoes on top. Pour over the remaining stock, then cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 30 minutes or until golden.

(Original recipe from Marcus Everyday by Marcus Wareing, HarperCollins Publishing, 2019.)

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Feather Blade Braised in Port

Posted in Beef, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 24 September 2020| 1 Comment »

Feather Blade Braised in Port

Feather blade is such a good value cut of meat and delicious when cooked low and slow. A great dish for the colder months. Serve with potato, onion & horseradish potatoes and some greens. You can make this in advance and reheat before serving.

Wine suggestion: As this is cooked with Port we’d suggest a dry and full-bodied red wine from Portugal if you can find it. As we’d used Quinta de la Rosa’s Ruby Port for this idish it was approriate to drink their Tinto

Feather Blade Braised in Port – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 feather blade steaks (about 200g each)
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 4 cloves of garlic, bashed
  • 2 carrots, halved crossways
  • a bunch of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 star anise
  • 6 white peppercorns
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 300ml port
  • 1.2 litres of beef stock
  • a little flour to thicken the sauce if you like

Preheat the oven to 140C/120 fan/gas 1.

Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof, casserole dish. Season the steaks with salt, then sear in the oil until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Do this in batches if you need so the pan isn’t overcrowded. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion, garlic, carrots, leek, a small handful of the thyme, bay leaves, start anise and peppercorns and fry for 10-15 minutes or until lightly caramelised. Add the tomato purée and port and simmer for 15 minutes or until the port is reduced and syrupy. Add the beef stock and bing to a gentle simmer. Return the meat and any juices to the pan, then cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours.

Gently remove the steaks from the pan, then strain the sauce into a clean saucepan (discard the veg). Bring the sauce to a fast boil and reduced by about half. We thickened the sauce a little with some flour too but you don’t have to do this. Put the meat in the casserole dish to keep warm while you reduce the sauce. To serve, pour the reduced sauce over the meat in the casserole dish and cover with the lid. Bring to a simmer over a low heat, check the seasoning, then serve.

(Original recipe from Marcus Everyday by Marcus Wareing, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2019.)

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Sweetcorn, Black Bean & Avocado Salad

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 23 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Sweetcorn, Black Bean & Avocado Salad

A lovely salad which is perfect for using the fresh corn cobs that are in the shops around now. We served with barbecued chicken but it would be great with loads of things. Another great idea by Sabrina Ghayour.

Sweetcorn, black bean & avocado salad – serves 5 to 6

  • 3 fresh corn cobs
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • ½ a 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves, very finely chopped (we didn’t have these but we added some lime zest instead)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • ½ a small red pepper, finely diced
  • ½ a small green pepper, finely diced
  • 1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • about 30g of fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 1 heaped tbsp of mayonnaise
  • a drizzle of olive oil

Cook the corn cobs in lots of boiling salty water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool, then drain again.

Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the cobs in strips.

Put the corn in a large bowl with all of the other ingredients and season well with Maldon sea salt and black pepper.

(Original recipe from Simply by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2020)

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Pan-fried Figs in Parma Ham

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 22 September 2020| 1 Comment »

Pan-fried Figs in Parma Ham

Jono bought a ridiculous amount of figs this week. He got a “good deal” and so we’ve spent all weekend trying to use them. There is lots of fig jam and chutney but we also loved this little starter by Sabrina Ghayour.

Wine Suggestion: this is such a good tapas dish with the play of salty ham, sweet fruitiness and a layer of rich fat. To match we went with a Sanchez Romate Fino someone had given us and were very happy indeed.

Pan-fried figs in Parma ham – makes 16

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 large figs, quartered
  • 1 heaped tbsp za’atar
  • 8 slices of Parma ham (or Serrano ham), halved lengthways into long strips
  • top quality balsamic vinegar

Put the oil in a small bowl and stir in the lemon zest and heaps of freshly ground black pepper. Rub this oil on the cut sides of each piece of fig. Sprinkle the za’atar over the figs, then wrap a pieces of ham around each one, overlap so that the pieces are almost covered by the ham.

Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Drizzle in a little olive oil and fry the figs on both cut sides for about a minute or until the ham crisps up and browns. Serve on plates with some aged balsamic vinegar drizzled over.

(Original recipe from Sirocco by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2016.)

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Fresh Tomato Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , on 20 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Fresh Tomato Soup

The perfect soup for a glut of ripe tomatoes, there’s not much point otherwise as the forced imported ones won’t have enough flavour.

Fresh tomato soup – serves 4

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery, finely chopped
  • 50g butter
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 500g very ripe tomatoes
  • 850ml chicken stock
  • 4 tbsp crème fraîche, plus extra to serve if you like
  • a few basil leaves (only if you have them!)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 15 minutes or until very soft.

Add the thyme and bay leaves and cook for a minute, then add the tomatoes,  chicken stock and some seasoning. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Discard the herbs, add the crème fraîche and whizz until smooth. Check the seasoning and serve with some extra crème fraîche if you like and a few basil leaves.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, September 2016.)

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Turmeric Chicken Kebabs

Posted in Barbecue, Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 19 September 2020| 3 Comments »

Turmeric Chicken KebabsWe’re total suckers for a new cookbook and therefore just couldn’t live without Simply by Sabrina Ghayour. We cooked a few dishes last weekend and they were all great. It’s an Indian summer in Ireland too, so it was great to do barbecue and drinks in the sunshine. We’re now on the hunt for more recipes using fresh turmeric.

Wine Suggestion: This works perfectly with a goood Rioja Reserva, especially if it has a few extra years in the bottle. There is something about how Tempranillo becomes all velvety and aromatic with a few years aged in oak, plus a few extra in the bottle that really works for warm spices and smoky barbecue flavours. Our treat was the Muga Reserva from 2001 which was excellent but it doesn’t need as much age as this, just nice fruit so choose what is at hand.

Turmeric Chicken Kebabs – serves 4 to 6

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • sweet chilli sauce, to serve

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 5cm piece of fresh turmeric, scrubbed and grated (wear gloves!)
  • 1 tbsp garlic granules
  • finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 1 generous tbsp clear honey
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Put all the of the ingredients for the marinade in a container and mix together. Do be careful as the turmeric is bright yellow and will stain anything it comes in contact with.

Cut the chicken breasts lengthways into 3 long strips. Stir into the marinade, then cover the container with a lid and put into the fridge. We did this in the morning and the chicken was really delicious by the time we cooked it that evening. Sabrina suggests 30 minutes to an hour or overnight, so no panic if you’re short on time or want to get ahead.

Get your barbecue going and get it nice and hot.

Thread the chicken onto kebab skewers, we prefer to use metal ones but wooden ones are fine, just make sure you soak them for 20 minutes before using. You can thread individual pieces onto short skewers or put a few onto a longer skewer.

Cook the chicken over a high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through (alternatively you can cook these in the oven on a tray lined with baking paper at the highest setting for 10-12 minutes or until cooked). Serve with the sweet chilli sauce on the side.

(Original recipe from Simply by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2020.)

 

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Marinated Figs with Mozzarella & Prosciutto

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 16 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Marinated Figs with Mozzarella & Prosciutto

A fig salad for lunch; tasty indeed. It’s fig season, so they shouldn’t cost the earth and this is a great combination.

Marinated figs with mozzarella & prosciutto – serves 2

  • 4-6 figs, quartered
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp runny honey
  • 50g rocket
  • 1 ball mozzarella, torn into pieces
  • 6 slices prosciutto
  • a small handful of basil leaves

Whisk the vinegar with the mustard, then gradually whisk in the olive oil, honey and seasoning. Put the figs on a plate and spoon over the dressing, then leave aside for 20 minutes.

Spread the rocket, mozzarella and prosciutto over a platter. Spoon over the figs and the dressing and finish with the basil leaves.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, September 2018)

 

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Green Hummus

Posted in Food, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 15 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Green Hummus

Really fresh and tasty. A lovely recipe from Simply by Sabrina Ghayour (our new favourite thing!). We served with toasted pittas. Leftovers great for lunch the next day.

Green hummus – serves 6 to 8

  • 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and reserve ¾ of the brine from 1 of the tins
  • juice of ½ a lemon, you might need a bit more
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 30g of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 30g of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • 15g of tarragon, leaves picked, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds
  • warm pitta bread, to serve

Put the chickpeas, reserved brine, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, coriander, tarragon, tahini, some sea salt and black pepper, in a food processor and whizz until smooth.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, you might like to add more lemon juice. Serve in a bowl garnished with the nigella seeds and with some of your best olive oil drizzled over.

(Original recipe from Simply by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2020.)

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Creamed Carrots

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 14 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Creamed Carrots

This is a lovely side dish to serve alongside lamb koftas or something similar. We had it for dinner with just some brown rice and that was surprisingly good too.

Creamed Carrots – serves 4

  • 400g carrots, coarsely grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • a thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely shredded
  • 3-4 small, hot green chillies, finely chopped
  • a thick slice of butter
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
  • 2 tbsp cashew nuts, toasted in a dry pan or in the oven, roughly chopped
  • 4 tbsp double cream
  • 4 heaped tbsp natural yoghurt
  • a good handful of coriander leaves
  • a squeeze of lime

Melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the garlic, ginger and mustard seeds and cook for a minute before adding the chopped chillies. Stir together for a minute then add the carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Stir the cream and yoghurt together and fold into the hot carrots with some seasoning. Immediately tip into a serving dish and top with the cashew nuts, coriander leaves and lime.

(Original recipe from Tender Volume I  by Nigel Slater, Fourth Estate, 2009)

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Chicken Fricassée with Morels

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 13 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Chicken Fricassée with Morels

It’s bean a while since we’ve been in France, but when we were there we stocked up on dried morels (and ceps) at the Saint-Cyprien market, and bought as much wine as they would let us have at Domaine Labet in the Jura. Creamy mushroom sauce and chardonnay from the Jura is a magic combination! We served this with roast potatoes made with a variety called carolus from McNally Family Farm – they make amazing roasties!

Wine Suggestion: We were fortunate to find a couple of different vintages of Labet’s En Chalasse Chardonnay which comes from very old vineyard plots. Tonight we opened the 2015 which showed the effect of a warm vintage with a broad and lifted ripe apple character and hints of nuts and spices. More gentle acidity than usual but well in balance with hints of skin contact and phenolic textures on the palate.

Chicken fricassée with morels – serves 4

  • 20g dried morels
  • 40g unsalted butter
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts with the skin on
  • 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
  • 90g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
  • 100ml Noilly Prat or dry sherry
  • 130ml chicken stock
  • 300g full-fat crème fraîche

Soak the morels in 200ml of tepid water for about 15 minutes, then drain through a sieve over a bowl to catch the liquid.  Strain the liquid and keep 75ml for the sauce. Rinse the morels under cold water to remove any grit, then dry with kitchen paper and cut in half lengthways.

Melt half the butter in a large sauté pan and fry the chicken, skin-side down, for about 3 minutes or until nicely browned. Turn the chicken pieces over and continue to brown for a few minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the rest of the butter to the pan, then fry the shallot until softened. Add the morels and chestnut mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Add the Noilly Prat or sherry, the reserved soaking liquid and the stock, then bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for a few minutes.

Add the crème fraîche and stir until melted into the sauce, then put the chicken back in, along with any juices on the plate. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over a medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and lots of black pepper.

(Original recipe from Secret France by Rick Stein, BBC Books, 2019)

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Sorrel Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 12 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Sorrel Soup

This is the sorrel soup from Rick Stein’s book, Secret France. It’s delicious and tastes just like soups we’ve had in France on our holidays, and are never quite sure what’s in them. We got bags of fabulously fresh sorrel from McNally Family Farm.

Sorrel soup – serves 4 to 6

  • 50g butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 450g potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes
  • 1 litre chicken or veg stock
  • 250g sorrel
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 4 tbsp single cream
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the onion, garlic, leek and potatoes. Cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes or until softened.

Add the stock and the sorrel and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Blend until smooth.

Season with salt and lots of black pepper, then stir in the honey. Serve in warm bowls with a drizzle of cream and the chives over the top.

(Original recipe from Secret France by Rick Stein, BBC Books, 2019.)

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Baked Cod with Tomatoes, Chorizo & Butterbeans

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 7 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Baked Cod with Tomatoes, Chorizo & Butterbeans

The beans in this dish are absolutely delicious. This is really straightforward and tasty for a weeknight.

Wine Suggestion: Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre make a delcious Chablis that we’re quite partial to. Despite the Mediterranean-Spanish influence to the dish, this northern French, unoaked Chardonnay has the texture, minerality and vibrancy that food like this needs.

Baked cod with tomatoes, chorizo & butterbeans – serves 2

  • 125g chorizo, diced into 1cm pieces
  • 400g tin butterbeans, drained and rinsed
  • 500g mixed tomatoes, roughly diced, small ones can just be halved
  • 20 black olives
  • a handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1tsp golden caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 large piece of skinless cod fillet (300-400g) or 2 smaller fillets
  • a few pinches of smoked paprika

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Put 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan, add the chorizo, then put over a gentle heat until crispy and the chorizo has released lots of oil. Scoop the chorizo out with a slotted spoon and reserve the oil.

Put the chorizo into a large bowl with the butterbeans, tomatoes, olives, parsley, vinegar, sugar, tomato purée and lots of seasoning, then toss.

Put a large piece of baking paper into a roughly A4 sized tin leaving some hanging over the edges. You might need to use two pieces of paper, the idea is to have a sealed parcel.

Tip the chorizo and beans into the paper, then set the fish on top. Sprinkle the fish with some smoked paprika and seasoning. Drizzle the chorizo oil over everything.

Gather the paper up and scrunch together to make a parcel, then put the tray into the oven for 20-30 minute, or until the fish is cooked.

(Original recipe by Sarah Cook in Olive Magazine, September 2015.)

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Cherry Tomato Risotto

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 5 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Cherry Tomato Risotto

We planted tomato plants in the garden during lockdown, and now we have cherry tomatoes coming out of our ears. Last week we made roasted cherry tomato soup and this week it’s tomato risotto. It’s a good complaint!

Wine Suggestion: A risotto … made with tomatoes … it had to be Sangiovese. We chose a bright, fresh fruited Chianti made by Trudie Styler and Sting. The Tenuta il Palaggio, When We Can Dance Chianti just revels in pure, good quality fruit; joyful and unsullied by oak.

Cherry tomato risotto – serves 4

  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 litre of vegetable stock (we use Swiss Marigold Bouillon Powder)
  • a knob of butter
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 rosemary sprig, finely chopped
  • 250g risotto rice
  • 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • a handful of basil leaves
  • grated Parmesan to serve

Put the tin of tomatoes in a food processor with 500ml of the veg stock and whizz until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and add the rest of stock, then bring to a gentle simmer.

Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over a gentle heat, then add the chopped onion and cook gently until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic & rosemary, then cook for another minute. Add the rice and stir for a minute until the grains are glistening.

Start adding generous ladlefuls of the tomato and stock mixture and stir gently until absorbed before adding more. When you have added about half the stock, add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and season with salt and lots of black pepper. Continue adding the stock until it is used up and the rice is al dente, it should take 20-25 minutes.

Cover the pot and leave for 1 minutes, then tear and stir in the basil leaves. Serve in warmed bowls with Parmesan grated over the top.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Aioli

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 3 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Aioli

Otherwise known as garlic mayonnaise and a super handy condiment to have up your sleeve and infinitely better than most supermarket versions.

Aioli – serves 4 to 6

  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 250ml mild olive oil or sunflower oil
  • a squeeze of lemon juice

Put the garlic in a food processor with the egg yolks and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper (we prefer freshly ground white pepper).

Turn the food processor on and start drizzling in the oil, just a few drops at a time. When it starts to emulsify, you can start adding the oil in a slow, steady stream until you have added it all and you have a mayonnaise. Check the seasoning and add a squeeze of lemon to taste.

(Recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2017)

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Paella with Runner Beans, Chicken & Prawns

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 2 September 2020| Leave a Comment »

Paella with Runner Beans, Chicken & Prawns

We just can’t resist runner beans when we see them and were so glad to find this recipe which puts them to good use. Healthy enough for a weeknight too.

Wine Suggestion: for a dish with both chicken and shellfish we prefer textural white wines. With an extra umami-savoury element we find that Grüner Veltliner also complements the paprika and saffron here. Tonight a wine from a friend in the business, the Schloss Gobelsburg Langenlois Kamptal GV. Quite a ripe style but with backbone and finesse too.

Paella with runner beans, chicken & prawns – serves 4 (we halved successfully)

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 8 skinless chicken thighs
  • 225g paella rice
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 850ml hot chicken stock, with 2 large pinches of saffron added
  • 350g runner beans, peel down the sides with a vegetable peeler to remove any strings, then thickly slice into chunks
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped
  • 200g raw large king prawns

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and garlic, and fry for 5 minutes. Push the onions to one side, then add the chicken thighs and cook for 10 minutes or until browned.

Stir in the rice and paprika, then pour in the wine and let is sizzle for a minute or two. Add the saffron stock, then stir in the beans and pepper, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and most of the stock absorbed. You can add a bit more stock if needed.

Add the prawns for the last few minutes, they will turn pink when cooked. Season generously and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Courgettes with Mint & Ricotta

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 1 September 2020| 1 Comment »

Courgettes with Mint & Ricotta

There was a little bit of leftover ricotta in our fridge, and some courgettes and mint in the garden, which improved Tuesday’s freezer dinner immensely!

Courgettes with mint & ricotta – serves 2 as a side

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp unsalted butter
  • 2 large courgettes, sliced
  • zest and juice of ½ a lemon
  • a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 35g of ricotta (or whatever quantity you have)
  • a small handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped

Heat a large heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Heat half the oil with half the butter, then add half of the courgettes in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn the heat to low and continue cooking for 5 minutes, don’t be tempted to move them as you want them to take on plenty of colour.

Turn the courgettes, then grate over some lemon zest, pour over half the lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Leave for another 5 minutes or until very tender. Remove to a warm platter and repeat with the remaining courgettes.

Top the courgette with spoons of ricotta, drizzle over your best olive oil and scatter over the mint to serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Vitello Tonnato

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Italian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 31 August 2020| Leave a Comment »

Vitello Tonnato

Well it’s the last day of summer on this side of the world but we’re still hanging on for a while longer. Vitello tonnato is a true holiday dish and one we can never resist when we see it on a menu – forever summer!

You need to cook the veal and make the mayonnaise the night before you wish to serve.

Wine suggestion: naturally this goes with a range of Italian wines, either white or youthful reds. Make sure they aren’t too lush though and keep a bit of acidity or else the caprrs will work against you and you’ll lose the delicate flavour balance. To push out of this comfort zone though we headed east to Greece and a new found favourite: Thymiopoulos’ Xinomavro Jeunes-Vignes from Naoussa. With hints of youthful Burgundy and Piedmont, touches of crunchiness, delightful earthy red fruits and plenty of class to match the dish.

Vitello tonnato – serves 6

  • 2 banana shallots, halved lengthways
  • 1 carrot, halved
  • 1 celery stick, halved
  • 1 bay leaf
  • small bunch of thyme
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 200ml white wine
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 600g rose veal fillet, trimmed of any fatty bits and sinew

FOR THE MAYONNAISE:

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 198g tin tuna in sunflower oil, drained
  • 1 tbsp baby capers, drained
  • 1½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • ¼ tsp sea salt, plus extra to season
  • 100ml sunflower oil
  • 50ml olive oil

TO GARNISH:

  • 2 tbsp baby capers, drained
  • roughly chopped parsley
  • 12 caper berries
  • lemon wedges

Put the shallots, carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, wine and chicken stock into a large saucepan. Add 1 tsp of salt and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Place the veal into the stock, then turn down to a bare simmer and poach for 15 minutes, turning regularly. Remove from the liquid and set aside to cool. Keep 100ml of the cooking liquid for the mayonnaise.

When the veal has cooled, season it generously with black pepper and wrap tightly in clingfilm. Put in the fridge and chill overnight.

To make the mayonnaise, put the egg yolks, tuna, capers, 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, mustard and sugar into a food processor. Season with salt and black pepper. Whizz until well combined, then gradually add both the oils and blend until smooth and thickened.

Add 2 tbsp of the reserved cooking liquid and blend again to give a soft consistency, add a bit more if you need. Spoon the mayonnaise into a bowl, then season again and add some more lemon juice if needed. Cover the surface with clingfilm and chill in the fridge overnight.

When ready to serve, slice the veal very thinly and arrange in overlapping slices on a platter and top with spoons of the tuna mayonnaise. Garnish with baby capers, parsley and caper berries, then season again with black pepper and a little salt. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

(Recipe from the Hairy Bikers’ Meat Feasts by Si King and Dave Myers, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2015.)

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