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Spanish Rice with Pork & Spinach

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Pork, Spanish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 5 December 2019| Leave a Comment »

Spanish rice with pork & spinach

Another great one-pot dish by Diana Henry – one our absolute favourite food writers (we might have said that already). Don’t be tempted to stir the rice, it’s not a risotto.

Wine Suggestion: this dish goes with juicy Spanish reds with a good option being the Finca Antigua Syrah from La Mancha. While not a traditional grape variety for Spain, Syrah is increasingly seen and seems to take on a local twist which we find works really well; creamy with warm spices.

Spanish rice with pork and spinach – serves 6

  • 350g pork fillet, halved lengthways and sliced
  • 7 tbsp olive oil
  • 100 chorizo, skin removed and cut into chunks
  • 300g bacon, cut into meaty chunks (you might have to order a piece of bacon from your butcher)
  • 2 large onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 red peppers, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 300g paella rice
  • 1.2 litres hot chicken stock
  • 650g spinach
  • 1 lemon

Season the pork. Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan and quickly brown the pork until cooked through, then set aside.

Reduce the heat and add another 3 tbsp of the oil and the chorizo and bacon. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then add the onions and peppers and cook over a medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, paprika and chilli and cook for another couple of minutes, then add the rice. Stir the rice into the juices (this is the only time you will stir it), then add the stock and season. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until there is only a little liquid left and the rice almost tender.

Meanwhile, wilt the spinach in the last tbsp of oil and season. Scatter the spinach over the rice and tuck in the pork pieces. Check for seasoning, then reduce the heat to its lowest, cover and leave for 5 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over the top and serve.

Original recipe from Food from Plenty by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2010.)

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Brussel Sprouts with Smoked Mozzarella & Dill

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 29 November 2019| 2 Comments »

Brussel sprout & smoked cheese gratin

We need no encouragement to eat more Brussels sprouts, but we will certainly be making this dish again from Nigel Slater’s Greenfeast. It is super indulgent and would work well in small portions as a side dish – though we just had huge platefuls for dinner.

Wine Suggestion: A fresh and young Chardonnay with a hint of oak  would be our choice. Tonight the Domaine Ventenac, Les Dissidents Préjugés from Cabardès in the Languedoc, made in large oak barrels (20hl) and grown on clay; crisp with mineral textures and a round vibrant core. A wine to help break the prejudice some people have for this grape.

Brussels sprouts, smoked mozzarella and dill – serves 3 (or more as a side dish)

  • 300g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded
  • 40g butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 15g dill, chopped
  • 250g smoked mozzarella, cut into thick slices
  • 250ml double cream

FOR THE CRUMBS:

  • 40g butter
  • a handful of coarse breadcrumbs
  • 3 tbsp chopped dill

Heat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6.

Warm the butter and olive oil in a shallow pan, then add the sprouts and cook for 2 minutes. They should turn bright green. Stir in the dill and season with black pepper.

Put half the sprouts in a baking dish and add most of the mozzarella. Put the rest of the Brussels sprouts and cheese over the top.

To make the crumbs: warm the butter in a shallow pan, add the crumbs and cook until golden, then stir in the dill. Pour the cream over the sprouts and cheese and top with a layer of breadcrumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and bubbling.

(Original recipe from Greenfeast: autumn, winter by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2019.)

 

 

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Chicken & Ham Lasagne

Posted in Chicken, Food, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , on 26 November 2019| 2 Comments »

Chicken & Ham Lasagne

This is a good crowd pleaser and you can also freeze it so if you are fewer in number make two lasagnes in smaller dishes and save one for later.

Wine Suggestion: Rich and savoury; this goes really well with southern Rhône whites and our favourite, value option is the Chateau Pesquié Terrasses Blanc, a blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Clairette & Grenache Blanc. With floral hints, layers of citrus and a backbone of stonefruit flavours this is round, rich and fresh in equal measures; just what this dish needs.

Chicken & Ham Lasagne – serves 8

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ a medium onion, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 200ml white wine
  • 100g butter
  • 100g plain flour
  • 500ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 140g sliced smoked ham, cut into strips
  • 200g young spinach leaves
  • no pre-cook dried lasagne sheets
  • 200g ready-grated mozzarella
  • 25g Parmesan, finely grated

Put the chicken in a medium saucepan with the onion, bay leaves and wine. Pour over just enough water to cover, about 200ml. Put a lid on the pan and bring to a gentle simmer, then poach gently for 15 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked. Lift the chicken out onto a board and strain the liquid into a jug.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook for a minute. Gradually add the milk, a little at a time, stirring well between each addition to keep the sauce smooth. When all the milk has been added, continue with the chicken cooking liquid. When all the liquid is added, continue to cook and stir for a few minutes or until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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

Cut the chicken into small chunks and stir into the sauce. Add the ham and spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted. Spoon a third of the mixture into the bottom of a 3-litre lasagne dish. Top with lasagne sheets, then repeat the layers twice more, ending with lasagne. Scatter over the mozzarella and Parmesan and season with black pepper. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the lasagne is soft and the topping well browned.

TO FREEZE: Assemble the dish but don’t bake it. Leave to cool and cover with a double layer of foil, then freeze for up to 2 months.

TO COOK AFTER FREEZING: Remove the foil and cover with cling film. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove the cling film, cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 or until browned and bubbling.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Haricot Beans with Rice & Onions

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 24 November 2019| Leave a Comment »

Haricot Beans with Rice & Onions

Another dish made for no other reason than half a bag of fresh dill in the fridge, threatening to go to waste. This is a big bowl of buttery deliciousness and the perfect comfort food for a cold night.

Wine Suggestion: to match the cold and damp evening, and this comfort food you need to look at a comforting, juicy red; tonight the Altosur Malbec, a wine that genuinely outperforms its pricepoint.

Haricot beans with rice and onions – serves 2

  • 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into thin rings
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 150g white long-grain rice
  • 2 cloves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1 x 400g tin of haricot beans, drained
  • 60g butter
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • a handful of chopped dill

Warm the olive oil in a saucepan, add the garlic, then the onions, and leave to cook over a moderate heat until soft and golden. Remove from the heat, scoop out the onions and keep the pan for later.

Wash the rice in warm water, then drain and transfer to a saucepan and pour in water to cover by 2cm. Add salt, the cloves and the peppercorns, then bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer, then cover tightly with a lid and leave for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for a further 5 minutes.

Melt the butter in the onion pan, then cook the cumin seeds and turmeric for a minute or until fragrant. Add the beans and heat through.

Fork through the rice, check the seasoning and pick out the cloves. Stir in the dill and divide between two bowls. Spoon over the hot beans and top with the fried onions.

(Original recipe from Greenfeast: autumn, winter by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2019.)

 

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Veggie Breakfast

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 22 November 2019| Leave a Comment »

Vege breakfast

This is a variation on a brunch dish from Jamie Oliver’s Veg book. Honeyed halloumi, chopped salad, yoghurt, tahini and soft-boiled eggs & dukkah. Jamie also suggests figs and black olives but we couldn’t find figs anywhere this weekend so we made do with some grapes instead and a plate of toasted sourdough. It definitely improved our morning and we’ve made honeyed halloumi for breakfast and dukkah on everything since.

To make your own dukkah mix 50g blanched hazelnuts, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp coriander seeds and 2tbsp sesame seeds in a bowl. Spread over a baking tray and cook for 8-10 minutes at 180C/160 fan or until toasted. Pulse the mixture a few times in a food processor just to chop the nuts.

Veggie Breakfast – serves 4

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 little gem lettuce
  • 4 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves mint
  • 1 ripe beef tomato
  • ½ a cucumber
  • 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 lemon
  • 225g halloumi cheese
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 4 tsp runny honey
  • 4 ripe figs, quartered –  or other fruit
  • 8 black olives, destoned
  • 1 tbsp dukkah (see above)
  • flatbread or toasted sourdough

Bring a pan of water to the boil, then put the eggs in and cook for 6½ minutes, then drain and peel under cool running water.

Chop the lettuce, mint, tomato and cucumber together on a board. Drizzle over the yoghurt and tahini and squeeze over the lemon juice, then continue to chop and mix until fine. Season with salt and black pepper.

Slice the halloumi lengthways into 4, then fry in 1 tbsp of oil over a medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds and turn the cheese until coated all over. Remove to a plate and drizzle with the honey.

Halve the eggs and sprinkle with the dukkah. Arrange the fruit and olives together on a plate.

Serve warm with some toasted sourdough or flatbreads.

(Original recipe from Veg by Jamie Oliver, Michael Joseph, 2019.)

 

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Cockles with Tomato, Pastis & Parsley

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 20 November 2019| Leave a Comment »

Cockles with Tomato, Pastis & Parsley

A Gill Meller recipe for clams or he also suggests mussels. It was cockles on Friday in our local fish shop and they work just as well too. These are boozy and they taste strongly of pastis which we enjoyed immensely and gave the whole dish a real clarity of flavour.

Wine Suggestion: Quite often we’d suggest white wine with seafood, and you’d be right here too. However, this doesn’t mean red can’t work just as well, you need to make sure it isn’t too heavy and has a natural freshness of acidity … like from a cooler vineyard region. Tonight we opened the Dezat Sancerre Rouge which is made from Pinot Noir and is joyful and deliciously ripe while remaining pure and fresh. A good complement to the tomatoes and sea flavours and a match to the anise of the pastis.

Cockles with tomato, pastis & parsley – serves 2

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
  • finely grated zest of ½ a lemon
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 100ml pastis or Pernod
  • 1kg cockles (or clams or mussels), washed and throw away any with broken or open shells
  • 2 to 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat a large, heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Heat the olive oil, then add the onion and garlic. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes or until soft but not coloured.

Add the lemon zest, fennel seeds, bay leaves and rosemary and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, then half fill the empty tin with water and pour this in too. Add the sugar, season again, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring, often, until rich and thick.

Add the pastis and turn the heat up. When the liquid is boiling, add the cockles, stir once, give the pan a good shake, then cover with a tight lid.

Cook for 3-4 minutes (shaking occasionally), or until all the shells have opened. Throw away any that remain closed. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley.

(Original recipe from Time by Gill Meller, Quadrille, 2018.)

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Roast New Potato & Pickle Salad

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 17 November 2019| 2 Comments »

Roast new potato & pickle salad

Another dish from Jamie’s Veg book. We’re all about the pickles in this house and this was just so fresh and tasty. We had rather large platefuls but it would also work really well as a side for fish without the feta. In fact, it would work alone without the feta too.

Wine Suggestion: fresh and vibrant whites are what you need for this dish; tonight the Wengut Korrell Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) from the Nahe in Germany. Not the current vintage but from 2016 instead and no harm at all as the winery seems to craft a natural freshness that makes this just as enjoyable now as it did a couple of years ago.

Roast new potato & pickle salad – serves 6

  • 1.2kg new potatoes
  • 6 garlic cloves, bashed
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zest finely grated
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 cucumber, scratched with a fork and sliced into rounds
  • 100g radishes, quartered
  • ½ a red onion, very finely sliced
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 15g dill, leaves picked
  • 15g mint, leaves picked
  • 40g feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.

Cook the potatoes in plenty of boiling salty water for 20 minutes or until tender, then drain and steam dry in the pot. Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tray and drizzle with 2 tbsp of oil, then add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

Add the bashed garlic cloves to the tray, then roast for 20 minutes.

Scatter the lemon zest, rosemary and flour over the potatoes, then toss together. Squash the potatoes flat with a potato masher and roast for 30 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

Meanwhile, put the cucumber, radishes and red onion into a bowl with the mustard, vinegar and half the lemon juice.

When the potatoes are cooked, season the pickle with salt and pepper and stir through the herbs, then put the pickled mixture on top of the hot potatoes and mix just before serving. Crumble over the feta cheese and add some extra lemon if you like.

(Original recipe from Veg by Jamie Oliver, Michael Joseph, 2019.)

 

 

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Carrot & Ginger Purée with Pan-fried Cod

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , on 13 November 2019| Leave a Comment »

Carrot & Ginger mash with pan fried codSo, this is a full-on diet dish, but the carrot and ginger mash is spectacular and we couldn’t recommend it highly enough for nights when you need some restraint. We are a greedy household and require restraint on a regular basis – no wine for us tonight!

Carrot & Ginger Mash with Pan-fried Cod – serves 2

  • 2 large carrots (about 300g), thickly sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 15g fresh root ginger, peeled
  • 15g butter
  • ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 thick, skinless cod fillets
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • dried chilli flakes

Put the carrots, garlic & ginger in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes or until soft.

Take the pan off the heat, reserve a ladle of the cooking water, then drain. Return the carrot mixture to the pan and add 3 tbsp of the reserved cooking water, the butter, and the lemon juice. Whizz the carrots to a purée with a stick blender, adding a bit more of the water if needed. Season with salt and black pepper.

Season the cod with sea salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the cod for about 4 minutes, then turn, sprinkle with a few chilli flakes, and cook on the other side for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick they are.

Spoon the purée onto warm plates and serve with the fish on top and plenty of green veg.

(Original recipe from The Fast 800 Recipe Book by Dr Claire Bailey & Justine Pattison, Short Books, 2019.)

 

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Pork, Roast Squash, Apple & Chestnut Salad

Posted in Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 11 November 2019| Leave a Comment »

Pork, Roast Squash, Apple & Chestnut Salad

Could there be a more autumnal dish? We went completely overboard with a roast pork last weekend and have been searching for great recipes to use it all up. Love your leftovers!

Wine Suggestion: Pork and apples are a happy match for a good Chenin Blanc. Tonight we had Bernard Fouquet’s, Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Silex. Fresh and appley to complement the salad with a lovely clean, dry finish; a soft and friendly wine with good persistence and layers of texture.

Pork, roast squash, apple and chestnut salad – serves 4

For the salad:

  • 50g butter
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1kg squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut into slim wedges
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 apples, halved, cored and cut into wedges
  • 100g cooked chestnuts (vacuum-packed work fine)
  • 100g spicy pork sausage, cut into chunks
  • 200g leftover cooked pork, cut into chunks
  • 25g hazelnuts, toasted (roast for 20 minutes or so until they smell toasty, the skins will rub off easily with a clean tea towel)
  • 150g watercress or baby spinach

For the dressing:

  • 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • a tiny bit of Dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp hazelnut oil (we didn’t have any hazelnut oil so used extra virgin olive oil instead)

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.

Melt 25g of the butter in a saucepan. Add 3 tbsp of the olive oil, the cinnamon and ginger. Put the squash into a roasting tin and drizzle over the spicy mixture, tossing to coat. Season the squash, then sprinkle over half of the sugar. Roast for 25 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelised.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Melt the rest of the butter in a large frying pan and sauté the apples until golden. Add the chestnuts and heat through, then set aside. Add the rest of the oil to the same pan and sauté the sausage until cooked and nicely browned, then add the pork and heat through – a few toasty brown bits on the pork will taste good too. Season.

Toss the warm squash with all the salad ingredients and the dressing.

(Original recipe from Food by Plenty by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2011.)

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Honey-glazed Chicken Wings

Posted in Chicken, Food, Gluten-free, Party Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 9 November 2019| 2 Comments »

Honey glazed chicken wings

We love a good chicken wing and the only way to eat them is with your fingers – like we need an excuse. Cheap as chips too. What’s not to love?

Wine Suggestion: keeping it simple we pulled out a bottle of the Petit Mazuret Viognier from southern France. Not complex, but rich and able to stand up to the flavours of the chicken; a very satisfying accompaniment

Honey-glazed Chicken Wings – serves 6 as a starter

  • 1kg chicken wings
  • 2 tbsp clear honey
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 100ml sour cream
  • 100ml buttermilk
  • 100g mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • pinch of smoked paprika
  • 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
  • celery sticks, to serve (optional)

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

Put the wings in a large roasting tin. Mix the honey, soy and ½ tbsp sesame seeds in a bowl, then pour over the wings. Mix well with your hands to coat, then roast for 20 minutes or so until browned, sticky and cooked through.

Meanwhile, combine the sour cream, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice and paprika. Season well, then chill until ready to serve.

When cooked, sprinkle over the rest of the sesame seeds and the chilli. Serve with the dip and some celery sticks if you like.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

 

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Mussels with Red Onions, Cider and Crème Fraîche

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 6 November 2019| Leave a Comment »

Mussels with red onions, cider and creme fraiche

We associate mussels with cold weather and cook them often in the darker months. Makes no sense really when we’ve no issue eating buckets of them in the sunshine on holidays. We loved the creamy sauce on these – crusty bread essential!

Wine Suggestion: it feels natural to use the cider you cook with as the accompaniment. Our choice was the artisanale and organic Cidrerie le Maitre, a very new, young producer in Brittany we stumbled upon by following little signs off the main roads into a winding, forgotten lane in the middle of the French countryside. Daniel le Maitre uses 12 ancient local varieties of apples and the result is dry, very fruity and appley but with a wonderful texture of apple skins and a great depth of flavour which makes it a great food match. A happy discovery, and their Cider Vinegar is also a good addition to our cupboard too.

Mussels with Red Onion, Cider & Crème Fraîche – serves 2

  • 1kg mussels
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 150ml dry cider
  • 2 tsp finely chopped sage
  • 150ml crème fraîche

Scrub the mussels, and discard if open and they won’t close when you give them a sharp tap.

Melt the butter in a large pan, cook the onions for a few minutes, then add the garlic. Pour the cider over and add the sage, then bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until reduced by half.

Add the mussels, then cover and cook over a medium heat (shaking the pan occasionally) for 3-4 mins or until they have opened. Lift the mussels into a bowl and keep warm.

Bubble the cooking liquid in the pan for a couple of minutes, then gradually blend in the crème fraîche. Heat the sauce through and pour over the mussels to serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Posted in Cheese, Food, Italian, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , on 3 November 2019| Leave a Comment »

Spaghetti Carbonara

We’re not in the least offended by a splash of cream in a carbonara but this is the traditional version made with nothing but eggs, pecorino and pancetta. The quality really matters when you’re using just a few ingredients so definitely go for the best you can find or afford.

Wine Suggestion: An Italian white like a Pecorino from the Marches springs to mind, but some of the fuller textured wines from Lugana or Friuli from the North, or a Greco from the South make a good alternative; a layered texture and freshness is what your looking for to match this dish.

Spaghetti all carbonara – serves 4

  • 400g spaghetti
  • 100g pancetta lardons or guanciale
  • butter
  • 1 clove of garlic, halved
  • 4 eggs
  • 100g pecorino (or Parmesan), grated

Cook the pasta, according to the timings on the pack, in plenty of salty water.

Meanwhile, put the pancetta into a cold frying pan and bring slowly up to a high heat. When the pancetta has started to release its fat, add a knob of butter and the garlic, then turn down to medium. Fry until the pancetta is browned but not too crispy or it will harden. Discard the garlic and keep the pan warm.

Beat the eggs with most of the cheese. When the pasta is done, drain it, and keep a few tablespoons of cooking water. Tip the pasta back into the hot pasta pan, but off the heat. Add the egg mixture and pancetta and toss everything together quickly. Season with plenty of black pepper and add a bit of water to loosen the sauce if needed. Serve sprinkled with the remaining cheese.

(Original recipe by Lulu Grimes in Olive Magazine, October 2011.)

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Bobotie

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 29 October 2019| Leave a Comment »

Bobotie

We made this on the first dark night after the clocks changed. A delicious spicy baked dish from South Africa that we had heard of many times but never tasted. Definitely give this one a go as the flavours are fantastic.

Wine Suggestion: An old favourite provided the match tonight: the Secateurs Red by Adi Badenhorst. A Shiraz, Cinsault & Grenache blend, this shows how Swartland holds it’s own against similar Southern Rhone wines; a juicy and spicy red with class.

Bobotie – serves 6

  • butter, for greasing
  • 4 tbsp of olive oil
  • 3 onions, peeled and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1½ tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 ½ tsp garam masala
  • 1kg beef or lamb mince (we used lamb)
  • 100ml red-wine or cider vinegar
  • 100g flaked almonds
  • 120g raisins
  • 50g fresh breadcrumbs
  • 75g fruit chutney (we used Crossogue Preserves’ Irish Harvest Fruit Chutney)

For the topping:

  • 3 eggs
  • 500ml full-fat milk
  • 3 bay leaves

Heat the oven to 180C/160fan/gas 4.

Grease a large baking dish and set aside.

Warm a large, wide casserole over a medium heat and add three tablespoons of oil.

Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and sweat for 10 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves and spices and cook for another few minutes. Tip the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Put the pan back over the heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Season the meat with salt and pepper and brown in the hot pan in batches, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and cooking until dark. When the meat is all browned put it all back in to the pan and add the vinegar, almonds and raisins.

Turn the heat down low and simmer for five minutes. Remove from the the heat, stir in the breadcrumbs and chutney and check the seasoning. Tip the mixture into the greased baking dish, level the top with the back of a spoon and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Beat together the eggs and milk and pour over the meat. Scatter over the bay leaves, then bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden and the custard just set. We served with brown rice and Tenderstem broccoli.

(Original recipe by Thomasina Myers in the Guardian, 21 Oct 2019)

Bobotie

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Fig, Blue Cheese & Walnut Salad

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 18 October 2019| Leave a Comment »

Fig, Blue Cheese & Walnut Salad

There are figs going cheap everywhere at the moment and we’re trying to find lots of things to do with them. This salad by Thomasina Miers is delicious and full of autumnal flavours.

Wine Suggestion: if you feel like wine with your salad choose a fresh, unoaked white. There’s plenty of options but we like Jean-Michel Gerin’s le Champine Viognier from the northern Rhone which sits nicely with all the components here.

Roasted red onion, fig, blue cheese & walnut salad – serves 4

  • 2 red onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 4-5 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-2 tsp soft brown sugar
  • 6 ripe figs, sliced in half widthways
  • 75g walnuts
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • 1 head radicchio, finely shredded
  • 100g watercress
  • 120g blue cheese, we used Gorgonzola as we had some for another dish

Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

Scatter the onions over a large baking tray, season generously and drizzle with a tablespoon of the vinegar and olive oil to coat. Toss with your hands, lightly scatter with brown sugar, then roast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the figs cut side down on a different tray, and season with salt, pepper, a little brown sugar and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the oven with the figs for another 10-12 minutes or until the figs are slightly softened and releasing their juice and the onions are crisp at the edges.

Drizzle the rest of the vinegar over the figs. Put the walnuts in a small baking tray and roast for 5 minutes. Roughly chop.

Pour the juice from the fig roasting tray into a small cup, then whisk in 2-3 tbsp of oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season to taste.

Arrange the leaves on a large plate, top with the red onions and figs and dot around the cheese. Scatter over the walnuts and drizzle over the dressing.

(Original recipe by Thomasina Miers in The Guardian.)

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Potato, Courgette, Chickpea & Rosemary Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Italian, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 17 October 2019| Leave a Comment »

Potato, Courgette, Chickpea and Rosemary soup

This is such a simple soup but it just tastes full of goodness. We loved it and we are loving Rachel Roddy’s cookbook – Two Kitchens – which is full of simple ideas that work perfectly.

Potato, chickpea, courgette and rosemary soup – serves 4 – Zuppa di patate, ceci, zucchine e rosmarino

  • 1 large white onion, chopped
  • 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large sprig of rosemary
  • 1 large potato, diced
  • 2 medium courgettes, diced
  • a pinch of red chilli flakes
  • 800g tinned chickpeas, drained
  • grated pecorino, we used lots but as you please

Warm the olive oil and onion in a heavy-based pan over a medium-low heat and cook until the onion is soft. Add the rosemary and cook for another minute or two.

Add the courgettes and potatoes to the pan with the chilli flakes and stir until everything is coated in the oil.

Add the chickpeas,  1 litre of water and some seasoning.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are beginning to fall apart. Taste for seasoning and serve with the cheese.

(Original recipe from Two Kitchens – Family Recipes from Sicily and Rome by Rachel Roddy, HEADLINE HOME, 2017)

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Fish in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Capers and Olives

Posted in Fish, Gluten-free, Italian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 16 October 2019| Leave a Comment »

Fish in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Capers and Olives

It seems like so long since we’ve cooked fresh fish, but tonight was the night. We’ve had Rachel Roddy’s book (Two Kitchens: Family Recipes from Sicily and Rome) for ages now but this has been its first outing (for reasons that we won’t bore you with here). This dish was everything we hoped for – quick for a Friday night but absolutely packed with all the flavours that this family loves. We served with couscous but rice or bread are also suggested. Well done Rachel!

Wine Suggestion: we were seduced by the Sicilian white, the Gulfi Carjcanti, a blend of Carricante and the ancient Albanello. Lively and herbal alongside a salty sapiness in the flavour making this a great wine to pair with seafood, let alone the olives, capers and tomatoes in this dish.

Fish in spicy tomato sauce with capers and olives (Pesce all ghiotta) – serves 4

  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 celery sticks, remove the strings and finely dice
  • 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 500g fresh tomatoes, or tinned plum tomatoes drained of the juice
  • 1 tsp sugar (optional but sometimes good if using tinned tomatoes)
  • a pinch of red chilli flakes
  • 50g salted capers, rinsed
  • 60g olives – we used a mixture of green and black
  • 4 fish fillets (cod, bream or hake – we used hake), about 120g each
  • 1 heaped tbsp of chopped flat-leaf parsley

Take your fish out of the fridge and season it with a little salt.

Gently fry the onions in a deep frying pan, large enough to fit the hake fillets in a single layer later, until soft and translucent.

Add the celery and cook for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes and chilli and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add the capers and olives and simmer for another couple of minutes.

Take the pan off the heat, make a space in the sauce and arrange the fish fillets, skin-side down, in a single layer, then spoon over some of the sauce. Put the pan back over a low heat and simmer very gently, spooning more sauce over occasionally, until the fish is cooked through – watch carefully as it shouldn’t take too long. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

(Original recipe from ‘Two Kitchens – Family Recipes from Sicily and Rome’ by Rachel Roddy, HEADLINE HOME, 2017)

 

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Chicken with Mushrooms

Posted in Chicken, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 9 October 2019| 2 Comments »

Chicken with Mushrooms

This is a great one-pan dish for mid-week. Tasty, economical and good for you too. We’re all into healthy stuff now that we have a kitchen and no longer need to eat out so much. We served with buttery mash (not so healthy) but a salad or extra greens would also be appropriate.

Wine Suggestion: Given it’s mid-week, we’d suggest the Domaine Ventenac Cuvée Carole which is mostly Chardonnay, but has a touch of Gros Manseng to brilliant effect. Fresh and easy, and yet textured, savoury as well as full of joyful fruit.

Chicken with Mushrooms – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • flour, for dusting
  • 50g pancetta cubes
  • 300g small button mushrooms
  • 2 large shallots, chopped
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 50g frozen peas
  • small handful of parsley, finely chopped

Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan. Season and dust the chicken with flour, then brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Fry the pancetta and mushrooms in the same pan until softened, then remove.

Add another tbsp of olive oil and cook the shallots for a few minutes until soft. Add the stock and vinegar then bubble for a couple of minutes before returning the chicken, pancetta and mushrooms to the pan. Cook for 15 minutes.

Add the peas and parsley and cook for 2 minutes more before serving with mash, salad or veg.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

 

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Creamy Lemon & Spinach Ravioli

Posted in Italian, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 20 September 2019| Leave a Comment »

This veggie pasta dish uses shop-bought ravioli and the whole thing cooks in one pan in the oven. Couldn’t be simpler and really tasty on a night when time is short (which is every night for us at the minute).

Wine Suggestion: a lemony, fresh white like the Umani Ronchi Ca’Sal di Serra Verdicchio which is crisp and pure with lovely vibrant fruit. It tastes of summer which we’ve had a reprise of these last few days.

Creamy Lemon & Spinach Ravioli – serves 2

  • 250g pack spinach & ricotta ravioli (or another flavour if you prefer)
  • 100g frozen peas
  • 100g baby spinach, chopped
  • 200ml hot vegetable stock
  • 4 tbsp soft cheese, we used Philadelphia
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 50g Parmesan, grated

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

Spread the ravioli over a baking dish and scatter over the peas and spinach.

Whisk the hot stock, soft cheese, lemon zest and juice and half the Parmesan together in a jug. Season well, then pour over the ravioli. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the foil, scatter over the rest of the cheese, then bake for another 5 minutes before serving.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, September 2019)

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Hello… and a recipe for ratatouille

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 16 September 2019| 3 Comments »

Well hello there, we have been very quiet for the last few months while our new kitchen and other house renovations are happening. We had really hoped to be back to normal by now but we’re still kitchen hopping amongst our very generous (and patient) family & friends. So normal service will hopefully resume very soon and in the meantime here’s a fab recipe for a super rich ratatouille by Barney Desmazery for BBC Good Food. We served with some steak off the barbecue but it is also great on it’s own with some toasted bread.

Wine Suggestion: we love choosing southern French reds when eating this dish and find that Syrah, Grenache, Mourvédre and Carignan (either on their own or as a blend) just work. Tonight it was the superb Faugères “les Bancels” from Domaine Cébène which is elegant, effortless and wonderfully long on the finish.

Ratatouille – serves 6

  • 3 red peppers, quartered and seeds removed
  • a handful of basil, separate the leaves and stalks (you will need both)
  • a large sprig of thyme
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil, plus extra for frying
  • 2 courgettes (any colour or a mix), roughly chopped
  • 1 aubergine, chopped into large chunks
  • 1 red onion, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • a pinch of sugar
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • grilled sourdough, to serve

Put the pieces of pepper onto a baking tray and place under a hot grill until blackened. Tip them into a bowl, cover and leave to cool. Peel the skin off the peppers, then cut into strips and toss back into the juices in the bowl.

Tie the basil stalks and thyme together with kitchen string.

Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4.

Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and fry the courgettes and aubergine for 15 minutes or until browned. It is easiest to do this in batches, adding a little of the oil each time.

Remove the courgette and aubergine from the pan and set aside. Add a drizzle more oil, then add the onion and cook for 15 minutes or until softened and starting to brown. Add the garlic and sizzle for a minute. Scatter with sugar, then leave for a minute to caramelise before adding the vinegar. Stir in the cooked veg and pepper juice, season well, then pour over the cans of tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Add the tied herbs to the dish, cover, and cook in the oven for an hour. Remove the lid and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes or until reduced and jammy. Leave to cool until just warm, then stir through most of the basil leaves and the extra virgin olive oil. Scatter the rest of the basil over the top and serve with the toasted sourdough.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Tumbet – Mediterranean Vegetable Bake

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10 September 2019| 2 Comments »

Tumbet

This Mallorcan vegetable dish is perfect for late summer when peppers, tomatoes, aubergines & courgettes are in abundance. It works really well alongside roast pork and other meat or fish but it has enough going on to work as a veggie main too. There are a few processes but ultimately this is an easy dish and you can prep it in advance and bake when you’re ready.

Wine Suggestion: given the Mediterranean origin, we’d suggest a wine match with Grenache / Garnacha, either on it’s own or with a typical southern French blend.

Tumbet – seres 4

  • 2 medium aubergines, cut into 1.5cm rounds
  • up to 200ml olive oil
  • 2 medium courgettes, cut into 2cm rounds
  • 500g large waxy potatoes e.g. Charlotte, thinly sliced (about 3mm) – use a mandolin if you have one
  • 2 roast red peppers, cut into strips (to roast yourself put the peppers on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil, then roast for 30 minutes at 220C/Fan 200/Gas 7. Leave in a covered bowl to cool, then peel off the skins.)
  • small bunch of fresh oregano
  • small bunch of fresh basil

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 400g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or you can use a tin)
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • pinch of sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6.

Spread the aubergine slices over a large baking tray and brush with some of the olive oil. Season with salt and roast for 20-25 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Leave to cool.

Pour ½ cm of oil into a large, heavy-based frying pan. Fry the courgettes over a medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side, then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Season lightly with salt.

Add the potato slices to the pan and fry on both sides for about 10 minutes or until softened the whole way through and a light golden colour. Drain on kitchen paper.

To make the sauce, put the olive oil in a sauce pan and cook the garlic over a low to medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until softened, then add the tomatoes and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook gently for about 25 minutes or until well reduced. Taste after 10 minutes and add a pinch of sugar if it seems acidic.

Spread a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce in the base of a large baking dish. Sprinkle over some oregano and basil leaves, then top with the aubergine slices. Add more tomato sauce, sprinkle with more herbs, and add the courgettes. Repeat with more tomato sauce, herbs and the peppers, then finish with the last of the tomato sauce and herbs and top with the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

When ready to bake the dish, heat the oven to 180C/160C/Gas 4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp and browned and the vegetables underneath are tender.

(Original recipe from the Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2017.)

 

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