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Posts Tagged ‘Recipe’

Glazed Chorizo Tapas

Posted in Food, Party Food, Spanish, tagged , , , , on 27 December 2011| Leave a Comment »

This dish delivers bags of flavour and yet is simple to make – great for a crowd, or on an evening when you are craving something tasty and yet quick and easy. This idea comes from the Tapas Feast in Jamie’s 30-minute meals.

Glazed Chorizo – to serve 6 as a tapas

  • 250g good-quality whole chorizo
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp runny honey

Slice the chorizo into 2cm chunks. Fry in a small frying pan with a little olive oil and toss now and then until the chunks are crispy and golden. Lightly bash the 2 unpeeled garlic cloves and add to the pan. After a minute  drain away most of the fat so you are left with about 1 tbsp. Add the vinegar and honey and leave it to reduce to a sticky glaze. Keep shaking the pan to make sure the sauce doesn’t stick.

Serve with chunks of bread to mop up the sauce and a glass of Fino Sherry (we like Lustau).

(Original recipe from Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver, Penguin, 2010.)

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Pasta with Blue Cheese Cream

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , on 21 December 2011| 2 Comments »

When stuck with too much leftover blue cheese (Stilton in this case) we whipped up a quick mid-week pasta dish.

Pasta with Blue Cheese Cream – serves 4

  • 350g short pasta (we used penne)
  • approx. 175g Stilton or other blue cheese, cut up small
  • 150ml double cream
  • pinch of sugar
  • chopped parsley or sage

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the pack. Drain the cooked pasta and put it back in the pot it was cooked in. Add the cheese, cream, sugar, lots of black pepper and parsley. Stir gently over a medium heat until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Wine Suggestion: This is quite a rich dish and so needs an equal pairing like Pinot Gris, the slight sweetness of which will also work with the salty blue cheese (similar to the effect of adding a pinch of sugar to the sauce).


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Fondant Baby Spuds

Posted in Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , on 20 December 2011| Leave a Comment »

Jules made a fab dish that we’ll definitely do again! She says she was all inspired by Masterchef where they never have time to cook them through properly. Cook these when you’re not in a hurry.

Baby Potato Fondants – to serve 8

  • 1kg baby potatoes
  • 1 whole garlic clove, smashed once
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 200ml dry white wine
  • 50g butter

Put the potatoes, garlic and bay leaves in a large sauté pan with a lid. Add the wine and butter and put the lid on. Simmer for about an hour or until the wine has evaporated and the potatoes are coated in buttery juices.

Turn the heat down to low and sizzle the potatoes in the butter, shaking and turning them until completely cook through and crispy and brown on the outside (like the pic). Serve with a bit of sea salt over the top and whatever else you’ve cooked.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food Magazine, December 2011.)

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Baked Fish with Orzo and Gremolata

Posted in Fish, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , on 19 December 2011| 3 Comments »

A much needed bit of lightness in the midst of all the Christmas festivities. This is really nice and we got to use our new shallow casserole – not sure how we ever survived without one. The fish steams lightly in the oven which keeps it really moist and you’ve much less chance of over-cooking.

Baked fish with orzo and gremolata – to serve 4

  • 25g butter
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 200g orzo
  • 4 thick skinless pieces of haddock or cod
  • a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1/2 a garlic clove, finely chopped

Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Heat the butter in a non-stick shallow oven-proof pan. Slowly cook the scallions until soft and then add the orzo and chicken stock. Simmer for a few minutes, until the orzo is almost cooked. Lay the fish on top, season, cover with a lid and put in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until your fish is cooked through – it will flake easily when pushed with a fork.

Mix the parsley, lemon and garlic and sprinkle over the top.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Wine Suggestion: Go for something simple, light and lemony – like a Verdicchio or a light and dry Riesling. Nothing too complicated is required here.

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Parmesan Garlic Bread

Posted in Food, Side dish, tagged , , , on 18 December 2011| Leave a Comment »

Totally garlic infused and encrusted … yum! Best served in the foil to tear and share – the cheese goes stringy as you rip it apart. Best not to eat before a first date but good to share on a second!

Parmesan Garlic Bread – to serve 4

  • 100g softened butter
  • 2/3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • a handful of chopped parsley
  • 50g coarsely grated Parmesan
  • a small baguette

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7.

Mash the butter in a bowl until creamy then mix in the garlic, parsley and Parmesan.

Cut slices into the baguette but make sure you don’t slice the whole way through. Put the baguette on a large piece of tinfoil.

Stuff the garlic butter between the slices. Wrap the bread loosely and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Open the foil up to expose the bread and bake for another 5 minutes so it’s crunchy on top and drenched with cheesy garlic butter. Heaven!

(Original recipe from Nigel Slater Real Food, Fourth Estate, 1998.)

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Penne Pasta in Vodka!

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, tagged , , , , , on 16 December 2011| 2 Comments »

We thought this was unusual until we found out you can get sugo from Italy with vodka already added! The pasta doesn’t taste like vodka but it gives a kind of glycerous texture. We’re going to cook another pasta with vodka to try and understand the effect better. This recipe is kind of old fashioned – my Granny never cooked pasta but if she did she probably would have done a sauce like this (only without the vodka). That’s not a criticism – it’s the pasta version of a good stew!

Penne Rigate Alla Vodka – to serve 4

  • 50g butter
  • 1 thick slice cooked ham, diced
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 5 tbsp double cream
  • 3 tbsp vodka
  • 350g penne rigate

Melt the butter in a pan, add ham, tomato purée and parsley, season and cook, stirring now and then, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and vodka and cook until the vodka has evaporated and it doesn’t smell so alcoholic. Cook the penne in salted boiling water according to the pack, then drain. Tip it back into the pan and stir through the sauce.

(Original recipe from Silver Spoon Pasta, Phaidon, 2009).

Wine Suggestion: Try a white from Southern Italy like a Greco di Tufo which is minerally, fresh and relatively full-bodied.

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Syllabub de Gewurztraminer

Posted in Dessert, Food, tagged , , , , , , on 15 December 2011| Leave a Comment »

Yes … Jono and jules do make desserts … but just not very often. So in a weak moment last weekend we succumbed to whipping up, literally, some syllabub as we had some Gewürztraminer, an off-dry, aromatic, lychee and rose smelling spicy wine lying around. The good think about syllabubs are their lightness and ability to be made a little beforehand so they’re easy to pull out at the end of a meal with very little effort apart from dressing the top with some marinated lemon peel to garnish. Serve with some crunchy biscuits.

White Wine Syllabub – to serve 6

  • finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
  • 2 tbsp brandy
  • 50g caster or icing sugar
  • 150ml medium-dry, spicy white wine – Gewurtz works well
  • 300ml double cream

Mix the zest and lemon juice, brandy, sugar and white wine together. Cover and chill overnight – or at least for 1 hour.

Strain the wine mixture and throw away the lemon zest. Put the cream in a bowl and whisk, slowly adding the wine mixture, until it loosely holds its shape and leaves a ribbon on the surface when you trail the whisk along it. Don’t whisk too long or it will curdle!

Spoon into tall glasses and leave somewhere cool until ready to serve. Decorate with a twist of lemon peel.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Spanish Christmas, BBC2, 2011.)

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Easy Peasy Canapés

Posted in Food, Party Food, tagged , , , , , , on 13 December 2011| Leave a Comment »

These looked so pretty! The flavours really compliment each other and the ones to the right of the picture have no chorizo and still tasted fab!

Prawn, chorizo & tomato kebabs – makes 12

  • 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • a couple of sprigs of thyme broken into small pieces
  • 12 raw, peeled tiger prawns
  • 12 slices from a whole chorizo sausage
  • 12 basil leaves, cut in half

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the tomatoes cut-side up on a baking tray, top with a thin lice of garlic, a piece of thyme, a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt on each. Cook for 30 minutes.

Fry the chorizo and prawns in a little oil in two separate pans, keeping everything warm. Push a prawn, a piece of basil, a piece of chorizo, some more basil and a tomato half on to cocktail sticks or little skewers.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Wine Suggestion: We like to serve sparkling wine with canapés – especially at this time of year. Try a dry sparkling rosé for an occasion or a still rosé from Bordeaux or Provence which will give a bit of texture from the tannins as well as a savoury dryness.


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Mushroom Puff Pie

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on 12 December 2011| 3 Comments »

Fear not, for this is not a complicated pastry recipe. In fact it is an absolute doddle as it uses two ready-made puff pastry sheets which are exactly the right size. No rolling required!

No-fuss puff-pastry mushroom pie – to feed 4

  • 5 medium onions
  • butter or oil
  • 350g firm mushrooms
  • a small handful of chopped thyme or oregano
  • 200g crème fraîche
  • 425g puff pastry
  • a little beaten egg or milk to glaze

Roughly chop the onions and cook slowly with butter or oil over a low heat for about 20 minutes, until golden and soft. Slice the mushrooms and add to the onions, adding more butter or oil if needed. Leave them to turn golden and tender but stir now and then so they don’t stick. Season with the chopped herbs and stir in the crème fraîche with some salt and pepper. Make sure it is creamy rather than runny by bubbling it for a couple of minutes to thicken.

Heat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Lay one puff-pastry rectangle on a lightly floured baking sheet and spread the mushrooms and onions over, leaving a rim around the edge. Brush a little egg or milk around the rim, lay the second sheet on top and squeeze the edges together well to seal. Brush with some more of the egg or milk, then cut a couple of small holes in the top.

Bake until puffed up like a cushion and nicely browned – about 25 minutes. Check the bottom to make sure it’s crispy underneath.

Serve with a green salad.

(Original recipe from Nigel Slater’s Appetite, Fourth Estate, 2000.)

Wine Suggestion: We would suggest a medium bodied but well structured white wine with minerality such as a good Chardonnay. We had the benefit of trying a 2004 Cullen Margaret River Chardonnay which was youthful, fresh and superb; full of personality and minerality while still being effortless and elegant.

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Rice with Monkfish, Saffron and Red Peppers

Posted in Fish, Food, Spanish, tagged , , , , , , on 10 December 2011| 2 Comments »

We have loved every recipe we have tried from Rick Stein’s Spain. This is a really nice rice dish from Valencia which we’ll definitely be doing again. It tastes similar to paella but requires fewer ingredients. Delicious and easy!

Arroz de rape, azafrán y pimientos – to serve 6

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 75g finely chopped shallot
  • 1 small head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp pimentón dulce (smoked sweet Spanish paprika), plus a bit extra for seasoning the fish
  • a pinch of crushed dried chillies
  • 200g vine ripened beef tomatoes, halved
  • 1 litre Fish stock
  • 1/2 tsp loosely packed saffron strands
  • 400g short-grained paella rice such as Calasperra
  • 1 large roasted red pepper or 3 jarred pimientos
  • 500g monkfish fillet, trimmed of membrane then cut across into 1 cm thick slices
  • Aioli to serve

Grate the tomatoes using a coarse grater. You will be left with the skin which you can discard. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a 28-30cm cazuela or shallow flameproof casserole, add the shallot and fry gently for 10 minutes or until soft but not browned. Add the garlic, pimentón and chillies and fry for another 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and cook until they have broken down into a sauce.

Stir in the fish stock, saffron and 1 1/2 tsp of salt and bring to the boil, stirring. Sprinkle in the rice, stir once, then leave to simmer vigorously over a medium-high heat for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the roasted red pepper or jarred pimientos into 1cm-wide strips, removing any skin and seeds. Sprinkle over the top of the rice and shake briefly so they sink in a bit. Lower the heat and leave to simmer gently for another 12 minutes. At the end the liquid should all have absorbed and the rice should have small holes on the surface.

Before the rice is ready, pat the monkfish pieces dry and season well with salt and a little pimentón. Heat 2tbsp olil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the monkfish slices in batches and fry over a high heat for 1 minute on each side until very lightly coloured and almost cooked.

Lay the fish on top of the rice, turn off the heat and cover with a lid or clean cloth. Leave to rest for 5 minutes to allow the monkfish to finish cooking through.

Serve with alioli.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Spain, BBC Books, 2011)

Wine Suggestion: The best match would be something with a the joy of youth and fruitiness like a joven (young) Tempranillo or a light Garnacha.

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Side Dishes to Feed a Crowd

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on 8 December 2011| Leave a Comment »

Here’s a couple of easy side dishes that will feed loads of people! For the salad you can roast the squash and tomatoes and make the dressing ahead.

Cannellini Bean and Roast Squash Salad with Basil Dressing – to feed 12

  • 1kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
  • olive oil
  • 500g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 shallots, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • basil
  • 4 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained (we didn’t have cannellini so used a mix of flageolet and haricot beans)

Heat the oven to 220C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the squash on a baking tray with 2 tbsp oil and season. Roast for 20 minutes then add the tomatoes, turn up the heat to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and roast for 15 minutes. Then cool.

Put the shallots, mustard, vinegar and basil in a processor and blend. Add 4 tbsp olive oil and 3tbsp of water and blend to make a dressing.

Put the beans on a platter. Top with the squash and tomatoes then drizzle over the dressing. Toss gently and serve.

Diced olive oil roasties with rosemary – to serve 12

  • 2.5kg potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
  • olive oil
  • a few sprigs of rosemary

Heat the oven to 220C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Par-boil the potatoes for 5 minutes then drain. Toss with 4 tbsp olive oil and spread on a baking tray. Season and cook for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the rosemary, toss then cook for another 25-30 minutes or until crispy and golden. Sprinkle with sea salt.

We served both dishes with some barbecued sausages – but you can serve them with whatever you like!

(Original recipes from BBC Olive, December 2011.)

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Beluga Lentil, Butternut and Feta salad

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on 7 December 2011| Leave a Comment »

Simple to make which makes it a perfect dish after a long day at work, plus it is packed full of flavour and deliciousness. We used Beluga lentils, which are really just a variation on Puy lentils, that hold a lovely black colour, glisten well when served and retain a good firmness when cooked; ordinary Puy lentils will work just as well.

Lentils with squash and feta – to serve 2

  • 100g Beluga lentils
  • 400ml vegetable stock
  • olive oil
  • 200g butternut squash, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
  • a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 50g feta, crumbled
  • 1/2 small bunch parsley, chopped

Cook the lentils in the stock for 15-20 minutes or until tender, then drain. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the squash and some seasoning then cook for about 5 minutes. Add the onions and chilli and cook for another 5 minutes or so or until the squash is golden and tender. Add the cumin and stir through. Add the lentils and stir to combine. Stir in the parsley then divide between two plates and scatter with the crumbled feta.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Wine suggestion: the earthiness of the ingredients pair well with medium bodied, earthy wines – a classic match would be a pinot noir for a red, or a sylvaner in a white.

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Milkman’s Pie

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , on 4 December 2011| 2 Comments »

True inspiration by Jamie Oliver to use veal and cream in a shepherds pie – et voila … a Milkman’s Pie (veal being milk fed and then cream used in the dish).

Milkman’s Pie – to feed 6

  • 2 onions
  • 2 carrots
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 8 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 450g veal mince
  • 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • 110ml pale ale/bitter
  • 800g floury potatoes – we used Kerr’s Pinks
  • milk
  • 150g button or chestnut mushrooms
  • 200ml single cream
  • 50g Cheddar cheese

Cut the carrots and onions roughly into 1cm pieces then fry in a large pan with some olive oil and butter, a few good pinches of salt and white pepper, the thyme leaves and bay leaves. Cook on a medium to high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened. Add the mince and flour, grate in the lemon zest and crumble in the stock cube. Keep stirring and breaking up the mince until the liquid from the meat starts to evaporate. When it starts to fry again and takes on a bit of colour, pour in the bitter and just enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a low heat and simmer with lid askew for 1 hour. Give it a stir every now and then.

When the mince has been cooking for about half an hour, preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Peel and quarter the potatoes and cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to steam in the pot for a few minutes, season well, then mash with a splash of milk and a some butter.

Finely slice the mushrooms and add to the mince, then pour in the cream. Season and bring back to the boil until the mixture has thickened a bit (we left ours a bit too liquid so be patient). Pour into a dish or tin and grate over the Cheddar. Spread the mashed potato on top and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until nice and brown on top. Serve with greens.

(Original recipe from Jamie’s Great Britain by Jamie Oliver, Penguin 2011.)

Wine Suggestion: A light young simple Syrah from the northern Rhône – like a Crozes-Hermitage. We were tempted with white but in hindsight think a red would fare better – nothing too heavy we think is the key.

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Irish Whiskey Mussels

Posted in Food, Irish Food, Shellfish, Whiskey, tagged , , , , , , , on 3 December 2011| 2 Comments »

The sauce for these mussels is a revelation: full of wonderful flavours and balance, rich and yet light. Don’t be afraid of the amount of whiskey you put in either – it really works.

Irish Whiskey Mussels – to serve 6

  • 2kg mussels
  • 1 large leek
  • 1 stick of celery
  • knob of butter
  • 250g undyed smoked haddock, skin removed and pin-boned
  • 150ml Irish whiskey – we used Green Spot
  • 200ml double cream
  • small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
Wash and debeard the mussels and throw any that won’t close away.

Finely slice the leek and celery (keep the yellow celery leaves for sprinkling over at the end). Put a wide, deep pot on a medium heat and add some olive oil and a knob of butter, along with the leek and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft then flake in the smoked haddock and pour in the whiskey. Set the pan alight and wait until the flames die down – mind your eyebrows.

Add the mussels and double cream. Stir well, put the lid on the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the mussels have all popped open – throw away any that stay closed. Move the mussels to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Bubble the cooking liquor until it thickens. Roughly chop the parsley and add to the pot. Taste the sauce for seasoning and pour it all over the mussels Scatter the celery leaves over and serve with bread or skinny chips.

(Original recipe Highland Mussels by Jamie Oliver from Jamie’s Great Britain, Penguin 2011.)

Wine Suggestion: Pick a nice dry and good quality German Riesling which should give you racy acidity, minerality and Riesling flavours which work well with the mussels and smoked haddock. We had a stunning example from Wagner Stempel – well worth checking out this up and coming producer from the Rheinhessen region (infamously known for Liebfraumilch!). Or you could always have a shot of whiskey!

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Jules’ Party Prawns

Posted in Food, Party Food, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , on 28 November 2011| Leave a Comment »

These are the prawns we served as a canapé at Jules’ birthday dinner yesterday. Really simple to throw together and tasty too – the mint makes a big impact.

Prawns with mint & chilli yogurt 

Mix 4 tbsp of natural yogurt with 1 small deseeded red chilli and 8 leaves fresh mint, both finely chopped, and some seasoning. Heat 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a frying pan, add 12 large raw peeled prawns (leave the tails on if you’re peeling yourself), and fry for a minute each side until they have turned pink and cooked through. Put teaspoonfuls of the yogurt on 12 baby gem lettuce leaves, top each with a hot prawn and a couple of tiny mint leaves. Serve hot.

Wine Suggestion: Something pink and bubbly! We had a Coates & Seely sparkling Rosé from Hampshire in Southern England. This producer used traditional French winemaking techniques and traditional Champagne grapes of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Very classy looking bottle too. Available from Mitchell & Son for €42.95.

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Irish Champ

Posted in Food, Irish Food, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on 26 November 2011| 7 Comments »

We love  champ, and this recipe adds an extra layer of deliciousness. This idea is from Jamie’s latest book and we especially liked the addition of yellow celery leaves at the end.

King of mash: Irish champ

  • 1kg potatoes
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 leek
  • 150ml milk
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 50g butter
  • a small handful of watercress (we omitted this as there was none in the shop)
  • a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
  • a small handful of yellow celery leaves

Peel the potatoes and bring a large pan of  salted water to the boil. Cut the potatoes into 2.5cm chunks then add to the pan and boil fast for 12-15 minutes, or until completely tender.

Meanwhile, slice the scallions and leeks as finely as you can. Put them in a saucepan with the milk, bay leaf, butter and plenty of seasoning. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for about 7-8 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry for a few minutes in the hot pot. Mash the potatoes, adding spoonfuls of the milk as you go. Taste and season. Roughly chop the watercress (if using) and stir through the mash (discard any thick stalks).

Just before serving reheat the mash with a lid on over a gentle heat. Stir in the parsley and celery leaves and serve with more butter if you like.

(Original recipe from Jamie’s Great Britain by Jamie Oliver, Penguin, 2011.)

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Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce

Posted in Food, Party Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on 24 November 2011| Leave a Comment »

Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends! This is our contribution to the Thanksgiving Dinner we’re going to tonight – we hope it’s better than the ‘traditional’ tinned stuff we’ve heard about! It keeps well for a week which is useful when preparing for big feasts and a little bit of chilli does wonders for the taste.

Chilli Cranberry Sauce

Gently heat 100g golden caster sugar and 175ml white wine in a saucepan. Wait until the sugar has dissolved and then bring to the boil.

Add 1/2 a mild red chilli (chopped and with seeds left in) and 300g of fresh or frozen cranberries (ours came from Wisconsin), bring back to the boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes. You want the berries to burst but not collapse completely. Take the sauce off the heat. As it cools it will continue to cook and thicken.

 (Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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A Light Saffron & Tomato Risotto

Posted in Food, Healthy, Italian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on 23 November 2011| Leave a Comment »

Mixing fresh tomatoes into a risotto is a revelation and adds a layer of freshness that is enhanced by the crushed fennel – yum! This is a lighter risotto with much less butter and cheese than we would normally add! Still there is loads of flavour and this is perfect for a weeknight (we try and save the butter and cheese for the weekend).

Saffron & tomato risotto – to serve 2

  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • a large pinch of saffron threads, crushed
  • olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1.5 litres vegetable stock
  • 275g arborio rice
  • 125ml white wine
  • 3 tbsp parmesan, grated

Mix the fennel seeds with the chopped tomatoes. Pour 1 tbsp of boiling water over the saffron to soak. Heat the oil in a wide, shallow pan and add the onion with some seasoning. Cook for a few minutes or until softened. Heat the stock in a separate pan until simmering.

Add the rice to the onion and cook for a few minutes or until the grains are glistening. Pour in the saffron and stir for a minute before adding the wine. Keep stirring until the wine is absorbed.

Add a ladleful of stock and stir again until absorbed. Keep doing this until the rice is cooked but still has a bite. Add the tomatoes and fennel seeds and cook for a minute. Serve with the Parmesan.

Wine Suggestion: Try a medium-bodied and well-rounded white from Italy, like a Fiano or Falanghina. Or you could push the boat out with a top quality Greco di Tufo, full of minerality but still with the freshness needed for this dish – we had none of these unfortunately 😦

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Prawns with Mustard Seeds and Coconut

Posted in Food, Shellfish, tagged , , , , on 22 November 2011| 1 Comment »

This is pretty fiery and a really tasty mid-week dinner. Perfect for anyone suffering from a cold!

Prawns with mustard seeds & coconut – to serve 2

  • 150g basmati rice
  • 100g frozen peas
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced
  • 1 green chilli, sliced
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 tbsp masala curry paste (we use Patak’s)
  • 400g tin cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
  • 200g large raw peeled prawns
  • a small bunch of coriander, chopped

Cook the rice according to the pack instructions, adding the frozen peas a few minutes before the end.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, half the green chilli, and mustard seeds. Cook until the onion is soft and the seeds are popping. Add the curry paste and cook for a minute. Pour in the tomatoes and add the coconut. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened, then add the prawns. Cook for another few minutes until the prawns turn opaque. Serve with the pea rice and some coriander and green chilli sprinkled over.

(Original recipe from BBC Olive Magazine, December 2011)

Wine Suggestion: We thought a simple, fruity Pinot Blanc, maybe a Pinot Grigio or a Beaujolais Nouveau for a bit of seasonal novelty (released on the 3rd Thursday in November and the first wine released each vintage). Then we decided a beer might be more appropriate!

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Post Op Mac n Cheese

Posted in Cheese, Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , on 20 November 2011| Leave a Comment »

Poor Jono had to go into hospital to have his hand reset after breaking it on Monday and after a general anesthetic some comfort food was required!  This recipe has bags of flavour as well as the comfort factor required.

Macaroni cheese – to serve 6

  • 75g butter
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 75g plain flour
  • 900ml boiling milk
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 225g cheese (we used a mixture of Gruyère and double Gloucester or you can just use Cheddar)
  • 300g macaroni pasta

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and cook gently until soft. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then gradually add the milk, keep stirring all the time, and the mustard. Stir in 3/4s of the cheese and let it melt, then season.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water with a tsp of salt, until just soft (a minute or two less than it says on the pack). Drain, then mix into the cheese sauce and transfer to a ovenproof dish. Scatter the rest of the cheese over the top and put under a hot grill until brown on top.

(Original recipe from Rachel’s Favourite Food at Home by Rachel Allen, Collins, 2006.)

Wine Suggestion: This would be great with a full-bodied, structured white. Structure usually comes from oak – a Pouilly-Fuisse would be fantastic!

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