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Posts Tagged ‘Recipe’

Clam & Chorizo Risotto

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

Cockle & Chorizo Risotto

We couldn’t find clams in Dublin the day we cooked this and had to substitute cockles. Still very delicious, but make sure you wash them thoroughly in cold running water to get rid of any sand.

Wine Suggestion: The zing of a good Picpoul de Pinet was our choice and it was a very good match indeed; clean, fresh and appley. Picpoul is often drunk with lighter dishes as it’s such an easy drinking wine, but this is a shame as Picpoul comes into it’s own with a richer dish like this.

Clam & Chorizo Risotto – serves 4

  • 1kg fresh clams, rinsed well in running water for a few minutes to remove any sand (or you can use cockles)
  • 200ml dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 spicy cooking chorizos, finely diced (we used one big one)
  • a bay leaf
  • 300g carnaroli rice
  • 1.5 litres chicken stock
  • 50g Parmesan, grated
  • 50g butter
  • 2 tbsp chopped basil
  • 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat a large casserole dish on a high heat and add the clams. Throw in half the wine, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 minutes or until the clams open. Drain and set aside, reserving the liquor. Remove the clams from their shells when cool enough to handle.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the chorizo and bay leaf and cook for a few minutes. Add the rice and toast for a couple of minutes, then add the rest of the wine and turn up the heat to evaporate.

Add the reserved cooking liquor, then start adding the chicken stock a ladle at a time, stirring. Add another ladle only when the previous ladle of stock has been absorbed. Continue until the rice is almost cooked, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the Parmesan, butter and herbs. Add the clams and stir to heat through. Taste and season with salt if needed, then serve.

(Original recipe from The Skills by Monica Galetti, Quadrille, 2016.)

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Pea & Mint Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 21 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

Pea & Mint Soup

It’s getting close to that time of year when we start to really crave some daylight and spring veg. Fresh peas are a long way off yet but this hearty pea and mint soup is full of promise. Leave out the swirl of cream to keep it vegan.

Pea & Mint Soup – serves 4 generously

  • 80g yellow split peas
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large onions, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1.2 litres vegetable stock
  • 700g frozen peas
  • 2 handfuls of mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 4 tsp single cream (optional to garnish)

Put the split peas into a saucepan and add 800ml of water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until just tender. Remove any scum from the surface as they cook.

10 minutes before the split peas are cooked, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes to soften, add a splash of water if they start to stick. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Drain the split peas and add to the onions along with the vegetable stock. Bring the boil, then simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Stir in the frozen peas and chopped mint and season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Whizz the soup with a blender until smooth (or smoothish if you prefer) – you might have to do this in batches.

Ladle into warm bowls and drizzle with cream if you like.

(Original recipe from Lose Weight for Good by Tom Kerridge, Absolute Press, 2017.)

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Braised Venison

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , on 20 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

braised-venison.jpg

A little nod to game season and a great winter stew. Don’t be tempted to buy anything too lean as you need the fat to stop the venison becoming dry when slow-cooking.

Wine Suggestion: This dish needs a juicy red wine with structure, but not too many dry tannins. Tonight we tried Domaine Rochette’s Morgon, a good cru Beaujolais, and were delighted how well it worked.

Braised Venison – serves 8

  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 140g turnip/swede, roughly chopped
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 3 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  • olive oil and butter, for frying
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1kg boned haunch or shoulder of venison cut into large chunks
  • 5 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
  • 450ml dry red wine e.g. Rioja
  • 450ml beef stock
  • 2 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf

Heat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4.

Fry the vegetable in a little oil or butter in a heavy casserole for about 5 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute, then set aside.

Put the venison into a plastic bag with the seasoned flour and shake to coat. Add a little oil and butter to a large frying pan and fry the venison over a high heat until well browned. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and add to the casserole with the vegetables. You will need to do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Add a little more oil and butter with each batch if needed.

Add the redcurrant jelly and wine to the frying pan and bring to the boil, scraping any crusty bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine mixture to the casserole dish, then add the beef stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Season and bring to the boil, then cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hours or until tender. Check the seasoning before serving. We enjoyed ours with some dauphinoise potatoes and green cabbage.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

 

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Homemade Granola

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 17 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

Jules' granola

We love granola but often find it too sweet. This home-made version by Tom Kerridge is a super-flavoursome breakfast option. Serve with plain yoghurt and fresh fruit.

Homemade Granola 

  • 300g rolled oats
  • 100g mixed seeds -e.g. pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds
  • 50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 50g pecans, roughly chopped
  • 50g pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 50g flaked almonds
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 125ml maple syrup
  • 50ml honey
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 50g coconut flakes
  • 150g mixed dried fruits e.g. cranberries, chopped apricots, chopped dried apple, raisins

Preheat the oven to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas 3.

Line two baking trays with baking parchment.

Mix the oats, seeds, chopped nuts and flaked almonds together in a big bowl.

Put the coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, vanilla and spices into a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the coconut oil has melted. Pour over the oat mixture, add the salt and mix well.

Spread the mixture out in a thin layer on the baking trays and bake for 15 minutes. Add the coconut flakes and dried fruit. Mix well and bake for a further 8-10 minutes or until the coconut flakes have browned. Remove from the oven and leave aside to cool.

Store in an airtight container and serve with yoghurt and fresh fruit.

(Original recipe from Tom Kerridge’s Fresh Start, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018.)

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Mushrooms Baked on Toast with Herbs, Butter & Garlic

Posted in Brunch, Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 14 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

Mushrooms baked on toast with herbs, butter & garlic

Roasting this entire dish in the oven is such a good idea. The mushroom juice soaks into the toast and it all comes together in a truly magical way. Yet more breakfast inspiration from Gill Meller.

Mushrooms baked on toast with garden herbs, butter & garlic – serves 5

  • 5 slices of good country-style bread or sourdough
  • 10 large open-cap mushrooms e.g. Portobello
  • 50g cold butter
  • 5 thyme sprigs
  • a small bunch of parsley, leaves finely chopped
  • ½ a small bunch of chives, finely chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, skin on and bashed with the flat of a knife
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 6½.

Arrange the bread on a large baking tray. Put the mushrooms on top; no matter if they hang over the edges.

Slice the butter thinly and put pieces on each mushroom. Scatter over the herbs and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.

Bake the mushrooms for 15-20 minutes or until the mushrooms are completely soft and the toast is crunchy at the edges.

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

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Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Smoked Paprika, Yoghurt & Eggs

Posted in Brunch, Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 13 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

Purple sprouting broccoli with smoked paprika, yoghurt & eggs

We’re trying to make more of an effort at breakfast time. This dish by Gill Meller of River Cottage is more suited to a weekend when you have a bit more time but it’s worth it as the flavours are great. The vegetable shop can get a bit boring at this time of year but then arrives Purple Sprouting Broccoli to keep us in good spirits.

Serve this with some toasted brown bread for mopping up the hot, smoky butter.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Smoked Paprika, Yoghurt & Eggs – serves 2

  • 2 eggs
  • 250g purple sprouting broccoli
  • 50g butter
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • toasted brown bread, to serve

Start by poaching the eggs and keeping them warm.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and simmer the purple sprouting broccoli for a few minutes until tender. Drain and allow to steam dry.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan until sizzling then add the garlic, rosemary and smoked paprika. Cook for about a minute or until the garlic is softened but not browned, then remove from the heat.

Divide the yoghurt between two warmed bowls. Lay the broccoli in the bowls with the poached eggs. Season everything with salt and pepper and spoon over the smoky butter. Serve immediately with plenty of toast.

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

 

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Proper Creamed Spinach

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 10 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

Creamed Spinach

This is creamed spinach, not that bizarre idea of serving spinach with runny cream, and it truly is the best accompaniment to a barbecued ribeye steak. Our dinner for two on New Year’s Eve.

Creamed spinach – serves 2

  • 300ml whole milk
  • ½ onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove of garlic, bashed
  • 2 bay leaves, torn
  • 500g main crop spinach
  • 50g butter, plus a bit extra
  • 40g plain flour
  • nutmeg, for grating
  • a large handful of coarse white breadcrumbs
  • a large handful of finely grated Cheddar cheese

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 6.

Pour the milk into a medium-sized saucepan and put over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaves and bring to a gentle simmer. Take the pan off the heat and leave to infuse for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, drop the spinach into a large pan of boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, until wilted. Drain and cool until you can squeeze the excess liquid out with your hands. Roughly chop and set aside.

Heat a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. When it starts to bubble, add the flour and cook and stir for 1 minute before pouring in the infused milk (strain it through a sieve first and discard the onion and herbs). Whisk for 1-2 minutes to make a thick white sauce. Season well with salt and pepper and a good grating of nutmeg, then remove from the heat and fold in the chopped spinach. Spoon the mixture into a small ovenproof dish.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the grated cheese and scatter over the dish. Dot with a little butter and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until crisp, golden and bubbling.

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

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Crab Linguine with Chilli & Parsley

Posted in Food, Pasta, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , on 9 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

Crab linguine with chilli & parsley

A fresh tasting seafood pasta dish.

Wine Suggestion: We’re not huge fans of Prosecco generally as there’s an awful lot of very ordinary stuff being sold. However, if you have a good one to hand, like the Nino Franco Rustico, then you’ve found your crab linguine match.

Crab Linguine with Chilli & Parsley – serves 4

  • 400g linguine
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 whole cooked crab, picked, or about 100g brown crabmeat and 200g fresh white crabmeat
  • 5 tbsp white wine
  • a small squeeze of lemon
  •  a large handful parsley leaves, very finely chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the linguine for a minute less than indicated on the pack.

Meanwhile, gently heat 3 tbsp of olive oil with the chilli and garlic in a large wide pan. Cook the chilli and garlic very gently until they start to sizzle, then turn up the heat and add the white wine. Simmer until the wine and olive oil come together. Then take off the heat and add the brown crabmeat, using a wooden spoon to mash it up to make a thick sauce.

When the pasta is ready, turn off the heat. Place the crab sauce over a very low heat and use a pair of kitchen tongs to lift the pasta from the water into the sauce.

Remove the pan from the the heat and add the white crabmeat and parsley to the pasta with a sprinkling of sea salt. Stir everything together, adding a drop of pasta water if needed to loosen. Taste for seasoning and add a small squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately drizzled with the remaining oil.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Potato & Leek Soup with Smoked Gubbeen Cheese & Chives

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Irish Food, Soup, Vegetarian, Wine, tagged , , , , , , , on 7 January 2019| 3 Comments »

Potato & leek soup with smoked Gubbeen cheese & chives

This is no ordinary leek and potato soup but rich and complex with a subtle smoky flavour from the cheese. We’ve been cooking from Gill Meller’s latest book, Time, and the recipes are stunning.

This is the kind of soup that goes well with Northern Irish Wheaten Bread.

Leek & Potato Soup with Smoked Gubbeen & Chives – serves 4

  • 1 litre of vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • 3 floury white potatoes (about 350g), peeled and cut into 1-2cm cubes
  • 3 medium-large leeks, sliced into 1cm rounds
  • 25g butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 shallots or 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 or 3 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
  • 100ml double cream
  • 50g smoked Gubbeen (Gill suggests smoked Cheddar or goat’s cheese), grated, plus extra to serve
  • a small bunch of chives, finely chopped

Bring the stock to the boil in a large heavy pan. Add just a third of the potato, bring the stock back to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes, or until the potato cubes are tender. Add a third of the leeks and cook for a few minutes to soften, then drain the vegetables in a colander set over a bowl to catch the stock.

Return the pan to a medium heat and heat the butter and olive oil. When bubbling, add the onion, garlic and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes, then add the remaining leeks and potato to the pan, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Cook gently for 3-4 minutes, then add the reserved stock and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook the soup for about 15 minutes or until the leeks and potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth.

Return the soup to the pan. Add the cooked leeks and potatoes from earlier, along with the cream, grated cheese and chopped chives. Season again, then put back on the heat and bring slowly to a simmer. Stir well, remove from the heat, and stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with some extra cheese, chives and seasoning.

(Original recipe from Time: A Year & a Day in the Kitchen by Gill Meller, Quadrille, 2018.)

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Cheese Board Soufflé with a Winter Salad

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 6 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

Cheeseboard soufflé

Another useful recipe for all the leftover cheese following the holidays. The soufflé is deliciously light and the pear and walnut salad (scroll down for recipe) is the perfect accompaniment.

Wine Suggestion: a classic, and to our mind excellent wine match is bubbly, and at the moment we’ve been exploring the different Cremant’s found around France. Tonight it was the Domaine Manciat-Poncet Cremant de Bourgogne from the Maçonnais (chosen and provided by our friend Michelle), and a good choice indeed.

Cheeseboard Soufflé – serves 4

  • 50g butter
  • 25g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 200ml milk
  • 300g hard cheese, cut into chunks (we used Comté, Cheddar & Parmesan)
  • 100ml double cream or crème fraîche
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • grating of nutmeg
  • pinch of cayenne pepper

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

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Brush a 20cm soufflé dish with a little of the melted butter, then dust with flour.

Stir the rest of the flour into the melted butter in the saucepan, then bubble together for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the milk to make a white sauce, then add two-thirds of the cheese and continue to stir over the heat to melt.

Leave to cool slightly, then mix in the rest of the cheese, the cream and the egg yolks. Season and add the nutmeg and cayenne pepper.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the cheese sauce, then carefully transfer into the soufflé dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until puffed up and golden.

Serve with the winter salad below.

Winter seasonal salad

Pear, blue cheese & walnut salad – serves 4

  • 110g bag of mixed salad leaves
  • 100g blue or goat’s cheese, crumbled
  • 50g shelled nuts – we used walnuts
  • 1 pear, sliced
  • 3 tbsp of salad dressing

Toss the salad ingredients together. Once the soufflé is cooked, dress the salad and serve.

Cheese board soufflé 2

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Northern Irish Wheaten Bread

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 3 January 2019| Leave a Comment »

Wheaten bread

A Northern Irish classic, wheaten bread is also the classic plain soda bread from further south in Ireland. As Jules grew up near Belfast and went to the same school as Trish Deseine (who knew?), our inspiration for this recipe, we call it “Wheaten”. Whatever you call it, this is an Irish classic and intrinsic to Irish food culture. So simple to make, tasty and versatile, this should be part of any cooks repertoire. We like it with a bowl of soup for lunch and toasted for breakfast the day after.

Northern Irish Wheaten Bread – makes 1 loaf

  • 250g plain flour
  • 250g wholemeal flour
  • 1 barely round tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 450-475ml buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 225C.

Mix the flours in a large, wide bowl, add the salt and sieved baking soda. Run the mixture through your fingers to distribute everything evenly.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk. Stir the mixture in circles with outstretched fingers starting from the centre of the bowl and working outwards. It shouldn’t take long for the dough to almost come together. Give it a very quick knead in the bowl to make sure all the flour is incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface.

Sprinkle a little flour on your hands and gently tidy the dough into a round and transfer to an oven tray. Tuck the edges underneath with your hands, then gently pat with your fingers into a loaf about 4cm thick.

Cut a deep cross into the bread and prick the centre of the four sections with a fork.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 200C for a further 15minutes. Turn the bread upside down and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes or until done – you can tell as it will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack.

(Original recipe from Trish Deseine’s ‘Home: Recipes from Ireland, Hatchette Livre, 2015.)

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Penne Baked with Three Cheeses

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 1 January 2019| 3 Comments »

Penne baked with three cheeses

There is a never-ending supply of leftover cheese in our fridge but never more so than at this time of year. This is a super-easy pasta dish which will help to use up the cheeseboard leftovers.

Penne baked with three cheeses – serves 2

  • 200g penne
  • 25g butter
  • 25g plain flour
  • 350ml milk
  • 75g hard cheese e.g. cheddar/gruyère, grated
  • 50g blue cheese e.g. stilton/gorgonzola/roquefort, crumbled
  • a handful of breadcrumbs (we used panko)
  • 1 tbsp grated Parmesan

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

Cook the pasta until al dente then rinse under cold water to stop it cooking any further and drain.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually stir in the milk, stirring continuously, to make a white sauce. When the sauce has thickened and is starting to bubble, add the hard and blue cheese and stir until melted. Season to taste, then mix with the cooked pasta and pour into an ovenproof dish.

Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan together and sprinkle over the top, then bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

(Original Recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, December 2009.)

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A Celebratory Salmon & Crab Starter for New Year

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , on 31 December 2018| Leave a Comment »

Smoked salmon & crab timbales with cucumber parpadelle

This luxurious starter of smoked salmon timbales filled with creamy crab can be made up to a day ahead. You do need to find big slices of smoked salmon as you need to completely line the moulds to stop the filling leaking out.

Wine Suggestion: as befits the occasion these go great with bubbly. We love good Champagne, but have recently been sampling various Cremants from around France and enjoying the variation and character each brings. With this we served the Manciat Poncet Cremant de Bourgogne which our friend brought along to dinner.

Smoked salmon timbales with cucumber pappardelle – serves 8

  • 12 large slices of smoked salmon
  • 225g full-fat soft cheese
  • 100-150ml sour cream
  • 100g white crab meat
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh dill, plus some sprigs to garnish
  • lemon wedges, to garnish

FOR THE CUCUMBER PAPPARDELLE:

  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 150ml olive oil
  • a few black peppercorns
  • 1-2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 large cucumber peeled

Line eight 100ml ramekins with the smoked salmon making sure there are not gaps and hanging it well over the sides.

Beat the cheese to soften and mix in 100ml soured cream – loosen with a little more cream if still too firm to spoon.

Pick over the crab and remove any tiny bits of shell. Stir into the cheese with the chopped dill and season. Spoon into the moulds and fold over the overhanging salmon, then cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 2 hours (you can do this up to a day ahead).

Make the dressing for the cucumber. Put the sugar and 3 tbsp of water int a small saucepan and bring quickly to a simmer. Add the lemon zest and juice, oil and peppercorns, then taste and add 1-2 tsp of vinegar. Season with salt. Return to the boil, then cool (this can also be made up to a day ahead).

Use a swivel peeler to shave long strips of cucumber until you get to the seeds. Discard the centre. Don’t do this any more than 30 minutes beforehand or it will go soggy.

To serve, unwrap and run a knife between the salmon and the ramekins to pop them out onto plates. Strain the dressing through a sieve, mix a few tablespoons with the cucumber and arrange next to the timbales. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill and drizzle over some more dressing.

(Original recipe by Gary Rhodes in BBC Good Food Magazine, December 2004.)

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Chickpea and Spinach Curry

Posted in Gluten-free, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 30 December 2018| Leave a Comment »

Chickpea and spinach curry

We don’t know about you lot but our bellies are crying out for a rest and we haven’t even got to New Year’s yet. This is a lightweight curry suitable for veggies and vegans (if you don’t serve with yoghurt) and it’s also substantial enough to serve as it is without any rice. The spices are very gentle as confirmed by our 5 year old who has developed a recent aversion to anything ‘too spicy!!’.

Chickpea & spinach curry – serves 4

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 6cm piece of ginger, finely grated
  • 2 long green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 400ml vegetable stock
  • 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 150g baby spinach
  • 4 tbsp natural yoghurt (optional to serve)
  • Sprigs of coriander (to serve)

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over a high heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or until starting to brown, add a splash of water if they stick.

Add the garlic, ginger and chillies and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the spices and salt and stir for a minute, then add the tomato purée and cook for another minute.

Add the tinned tomatoes, stock and chickpeas, then bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

When ready to serve, stir through the spinach and cook briefly until just wilted.

Divide between bowls (on top of some steamed rice if you like) and top with a spoon of yoghurt and some coriander.

(Original recipe from Lose Weight for Good by Tom Kerridge, Absolute Press, 2017.)

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Buttered Sprouts with Chestnuts & Bacon

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 29 December 2018| Leave a Comment »

Buttered Sprouts with Chestnuts & Bacon

Sprouts are not just for Christmas and indeed should be eaten throughout the frosty months in our opinion. We particularly like this recipe with butter, bacon bits and chestnuts – a sprout-lovers dream!

Buttered sprouts with chestnuts & bacon – serves 8 (easily halved)

  • 1.25kg Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 6 rashers streaky smoked bacon cut into bit-sized pieces or cubes of pancetta
  • 200g vacuum-packed chestnuts
  • 50g butter

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and tip in the sprouts. Return to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, then drain and run under the cold tap until cold, then drain again.

Heat a large frying pan, add the bacon and gently fry for 10 minutes until crispy. Scoop the bacon out of the pan with a slotted spoon and leave the fat behind, then add the chestnuts and fry over a high heat for about 5 minutes until they have darkened in places, then tip out of the pan.

Put the sprouts into the frying pan with a splash of water, then cover the pan with a lid and finish cooking over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until just tender. Remove the cover, turn up the heat, then add most of the butter and sauté the sprouts for another 2 minutes. Tip in the bacon and chestnuts, season generously, then serve with the last bit of butter on top.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine, December 2009.)

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Mustardy Cauliflower Cheese

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 19 December 2018| 4 Comments »

Mustardy Cauliflower Cheese

We love cauliflower cheese and are rarely tempted to tamper with the traditional dish of steamed cauliflower smothered in cheesy béchamel sauce and well-browned under the grill. We suspected we might be safe however in the hands of Yotam Ottolenghi. This version is spicy and has loads of flavours going on. We thought it would be great with roast chicken or lamb or something off the barbecue.

Yotam helpfully suggests that you can make this up to the point of baking and keep in the fridge for up to a day.

Mustardy Cauliflower Chicken – serves 4

  • 1 large cauliflower, broken into roughly 4cm florets
  • 30g unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp medium curry powder
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
  • ¾ tsp black mustard seeds
  • 200ml double cream
  • 120g mature Cheddar, coarsely grated
  • 15g fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 5g parsley, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C fan.

Steam the cauliflower for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Remove and set aside to cool a bit.

Put the butter into a 24cm round casserole dish and put over a medium heat. Sauté the onion for about 8 minutes or until golden. Add the cumin seeds, curry powder, mustard powder and chillies and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mustard seeds, cook for another minute, then pour in the cream. Add 100g of the Cheddar and ½ tsp of salt, then simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken. Add the cauliflower, stir gently, and simmer for another minute before removing from the heat.

Mix the rest of the Cheddar with the breadcrumbs and parsley, then sprinkle over the cauliflower. Wipe the inside of the pan clean to stop the cream from burning and place in the oven. Bake for about 8 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cauliflower is hot. Turn the grill to high and grill to brown the top for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cook for 5 minutes before serving.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi with Tara Wigley & Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)

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Spiced Garlic Savoy Cabbage

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 18 December 2018| Leave a Comment »

Spiced Garlic Savoy Cabbage

It’s nice to do something different with greens now and then. This rich, garlicky and full of flavour cabbage dish goes really well with lamb. We also liked it served with a few other veggie dishes. You could of course use other varieties of green cabbage.

Spiced Garlic Savoy Cabbage – serves 4 to 6

  • 1 large head of Savoy cabbage, halved, core removed and leaves cut into ribbons
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp nigella seeds
  • 1-2 tsp nigella seeds
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 whole head of garlic, cloves bashed and thinly sliced
  • 50g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 6 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Wash and drain the cabbage but don’t bother to shake off the water as this will be used to steam it.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the spices and dry-roast for a minute, shaking, until they smell aromatic and are starting to brown.

Add enough olive oil to just coat the base of the pan. Add the garlic and fry for a minute, then put half the cabbage into the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper and stir well before adding the rest of the cabbage and seasoning lightly again. Drizzle over a little oil, then cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Stir the cabbage well to coat in the spices, then add the butter and stir. Check the seasoning, then take the pan off the heat and stir through the yoghurt.

(Original recipe from Feasts by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2017.)

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Roasted Beetroot Salad with Burnt Chestnuts

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 14 December 2018| Leave a Comment »

 

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Burnt Chestnuts

We can’t help but associate chestnuts with December when everyone’s in holiday mood. This side dish would complement any banquet and would even work well on the big day as an alternative to carrots and sprouts (not that there’s anything wrong with them). Another great idea from Sabrina Ghayour.

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Burnt Chestnuts, Tahini Yoghurt & Herb Oil – serves 4

  • 1.5kg beetroot, roasted and peeled, quartered (roast beetroots wrapped in foil for between 45 to 90 minutes or until soft when pierced with a knife)
  • 200g vacuum packed cooked chestnuts

FOR THE YOGHURT SAUCE

  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 100g Greek-style yoghurt
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp warm water

FOR THE HERB OIL

  • 15g dill
  • 15g coriander
  • a good squeeze of lemon juice
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 5 tbsp olive oil

TO GARNISH

  • toasted sesame seeds
  • toasted nigella seeds

Arrange the beetroot quarters over a large platter.

Heat a large frying pan over a high heat, then dry fry the chestnuts for a couple of minutes on each side or until slightly blackened. Arrange the chestnuts on the platter with the beetroot.

Make the herb oil by pouring boiling water into a bowl and immersing the dill and coriander in it. Leave to blanch for 1 minutes before draining and then cool the herbs by running under cold water.

Blitz the herbs in a blender with the squeeze of lemon juice, the lemon zest, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Blend to a smooth mixture, adding more oil to loosen if needed. Adjust the seasoning and set aside.

Combine the ingredients for the yoghurt sauce together and add enough warm water to make a smooth sauce. Drizzle the yoghurt sauce over the beetroot. Spoon over the herb oil and sprinkle with the toasted seeds to garnish.

(Original recipe from Feasts by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2017.)

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Vegetable Stew with Saffron, Curry & Parmesan cream

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 10 December 2018| Leave a Comment »

Veg Stew with saffron, curry & parmesan cream

It’s not too often that we taste something that is nothing like anything we’ve had before but that’s what happened with this dish. A deeply savoury, packed with umami flavours, and very satisfying veggie dish. We were a bit suspicious of the Parmesan cream but it’s exactly what the stew needs to enrich it. Great stuff!

Wine Suggestion: This is a great match for a dry Oloroso Sherry with it’s nuttiness and umami characters playing an extra chorus alongside these interesting flavours in the stew. If Sherry is not your thing look for a good northern-Rhône white; our current favourite is the Domaine Coursodon Etincelle, an unclassified Roussanne-Viognier blend that is textured, purfumed and complex.

Vegetable stew with saffron, curry & Parmesan cream – serves 4

  • 4 cloves of garlic, save one clove and finely chop the rest
  • 1 onion, diced
  • olive oil or butter for frying
  • 200g celeriac, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
  • a pinch of saffron
  • 2 tsp medium curry powder
  • 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes
  • Parmesan rind
  • 400g tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 slices of multigrain bread
  • a handful of mixed herbs, e.g. flat-leaf parsley, basil or dill, chopped
  • 1 tbsp miso
  • 1 tsp runny honey
  • a pinch of dried chilli flakes

FOR THE PARMESAN CREAM

  • 100g mayonnaise
  • 4 tbsp finely grated Parmesan

Fry the onion in the oil or butter over a low-medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the celeriac and chopped garlic, turn up the heat and fry for a few minutes.

Add the potatoes, spices, tomatoes, cheese rind, 600ml of water and plenty of seasoning. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the beans and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut edges on the slices of bread. Sprinkle the herbs on top and fry in oil and/or butter in a frying pan until golden.

Combine the mayonnaise and Parmesan in a bowl to make the Parmesan cream.

Remove the cheese rind from the stew and season with the miso, honey, chilli flakes and check for seasoning.

Serve the stew with the fried bread and Parmesan cream on the side.

(Original recipe by Ylva Bergqvist in Olive magazine, Christmas 2018.)

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Cheesy Jacket Potatoes with Sweetcorn & Roasted Peppers

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 8 December 2018| 1 Comment »

Cheesy Jacket Potatoes with Sweetcorn & Roasted Peppers

Weeknight dinners in our house largely consist of dishes constructed from whatever happens to be lying in the fridge after the weekend. We rarely go shopping mid-week and consequently rarely waste food. This week we had some tinned El Navarrico Piquillo peppers which we had used in a paella. These are fabulous, but not cheap, and don’t keep for long once opened. We used them to stuff some jacket potatoes with a bit of cheddar cheese, the last of the chives in the garden and the dregs from a tin of sweetcorn leftover from sandwich filling for school lunchboxes. Serve with any salad leaves you have in the fridge drawer. Also a suitable filling for a quesadilla!

Wine Suggestion: a juicy Garnacha from Spain to match the mid-week casual dinner and the smoky Piquillo peppers

Cheesy jacket potatoes with sweetcorn and roasted peppers – serves 4

  • 4 x 200g floury potatoes – roosters work well
  • 175g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 100g sweetcorn, either defrosted if frozen of drained if from a tin
  • 1 roasted red pepper (from a jar or tin), diced
  • 1 tbsp snipped chives
  • lightly dressed green salad, to serve

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

Pierce the potatoes a couple of times with a fork and rub all over with a little olive oil and salt. Bake for about 1 hour, until soft.

Taking care not to burn yourself, cut the potatoes in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the potato from the middle but don’t break the skins. Put the scooped out potato into a bowl.

Use a fork to mash the potatoes, then add 100g of the cheese with the sweetcorn and roasted pepper and mix well. Season to taste and stir in the chives.

Arrange the potato skins on a baking tray and scoop the potato mixture into them. Sprinkle over the rest of the cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden.

Serve with some extra chives over the top and a green salad on the side.

(Original recipe from Nevan Maguire’s Complete Family Cookbook, Gill Books, 2016.)

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