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Posts Tagged ‘Recipes’

Cauliflower Shawarma

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 28 April 2024| 1 Comment »

We can’t get enough of roasted cauliflower and it’s at it’s best in this recipe with caramelised onions and smothered in tahini dressing.

Wine Suggestion: We’re mad for Loire Cabernet Franc and found a new vigneron on our last trip to Saumur: Domaine Théo Blet. We picked up his Saumur Rouge “les Fabureaux” and were completely charmed. Plus it went delightfully with this dish, complementing the spices and earthy tahini.

Cauliflower ‘shawarma’ – serves 2 as a main or more as a side or starter

  • 1 medium cauliflower, leaves attached
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp baharat spice mix
  • 1 tsp sea salt

FOR THE CARAMELISED ONIONS:

  • 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar

FOR THE TAHINI DRESSING:

  • 1 lemon
  • 125g tahini paste
  • a pinch of salt
  • 100-130ml water

FOR THE GARNISH:

  • 2 tbsp roasted pine nuts
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • pittas or crispy pitta shards, to serve

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

Put the whole cauliflower, including the leaves, into an ovenproof saucepan that it fits in snugly. Fill the pan with enough water to just cover the stem and leaves. Drizzle the oil all over the florets and sprinkle with the baharat spice mix and sea salt – it will seem like a lot but go with it. Put the pan into the oven and roast for 1-1½ hours. It is ready when you can easily insert a small knife right down the stem.

Meanwhile, put the onions in a frying pan with the oil and salt and fry over a low heat until soft and golden. Add the sugar and cook until the onions are caramelised and brown, then remove from the heat.

Mix the tahini paste in a small bowl with the juice of half the lemon and the salt. Add 100ml water and mix well. Keep stirring and gradually adding water until the paste has a loose creamy texture.

Lift the cooked cauliflower out of the water and cut into thick slices, including the stems and leaves. Divide between plates, then squeeze over the other half of the lemon and top with the caramelised onions and tahini paste. Garnish with pine nuts and sumac and serve with warm pittas or crispy flatbread.

(Original recipe from Honey & Co. Food from the Middle East by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich, Saltyard Books, 2014.)

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Marinated Halloumi Skewers

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, Side dish, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 25 January 2024| Leave a Comment »

An excellent recipe for squeaky cheese aka halloumi. Great as a main course (we served with a bean dish and flatbreads) or as a side.

Marinated halloumi – serves 3

  • 250g block of halloumi, cut into 6 cubes
  • ½ red pepper, cut into 6 pieces
  • ½ yellow pepper, cut into 6 pieces
  • 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tsp dried mint
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 3 tbsp garlic oil

TO SERVE:

  • flatbreads
  • chilli sauce
  • lemon wedges
  • honey for drizzling

Heat your oven as high as it will go and line a tray with baking paper.

Put the halloumi, peppers and tomatoes into a mixing bowl, then add the herbs, spices, garlic oil and lots of black pepper and gently mix.

Divide the mixture between 3 skewers, then put the skewers onto the paper-lined tray and roast for about 15 minutes.

Serve with flatbreads, chilli sauce, lemon wedges and a drizzle of honey.

(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)

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Spicy Coconut and Chicken Noodles

Posted in Asian, Chicken, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 23 January 2024| 2 Comments »

We made these noodles on the day we got our new puppy, Remy. We can barely remember what they tasted like as we were too busy congratulating ourselves on picking the best little dog ever. However we wrote, usefully, on the recipe that they tasted very good indeed … so we’ll go with that.

Wine Suggestion: The coconut and turmeric elements to this dish work really well with an off-dry Riesling, like those from the Mosel in Germany. The Dr Loosen “L” Riesling is an inexpensive, but very well made option with charming fruit and a very good balance, finishing clean and fresh.

Spicy Coconut and Chicken Noodles – serves 4

  • vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 600g boneless and skinless chicken thighs
  • 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tbsp rose harissa
  • 400ml tin coconut milk
  • 300g medium egg noodles

TO SERVE:

  • a handful of bean sprouts
  • lime wedges
  • coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Put a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, drizzle in some vegetable oil and fry the onions until soft. Add the chicken and dry spices along with lots of salt and pepper and stir to coat the chicken in the mixture, then stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the harrisa and stir-fry for a few more minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, then pour in the coconut milk and some water so that the chicken is just covered. Stir, then cover the pan with a lid and cook gently for an hour, stirring now and then to make sure it hasn’t stuck. You can top up the liquid a little if needed.

Cook the noodles according to the pack instructions, then drain and divide between 4 bowls.

Pour the chicken over the cooked noodles, then add the bean sprouts, lime wedges and coriander.

(Original recipe from Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster*, 2023.)

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Duck with Pepper Sauce and Green Salsa

Posted in Duck, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 21 January 2024| 1 Comment »

Jeez this sauce is good. A stunning recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage. There are a good few steps in the recipe, but prep everything first and you will be fine.

Wine Suggestion: Don’t push the boat out for a wine match as the gutsy flavours just need an easy, well made, rounded Chardonnay. Go anymore complex and the subtlety will be lost. For us tonight Domaine Gayda’s Sphere Chardonnay which see’s wonderful sunshine in the Languedoc, but maintains it’s freshness as the vineyards are on the foothills of the Pyrenees and juducious and light use of oak barrels to bring it together.

Duck with pepper sauce and green salsa – serves 2

  • 2 skin-on duck breasts
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1¼ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tbsp maple syrup
  • ⅛ tsp fine salt

FOR THE SALSA:

  • 2 scallions, very finely chopped
  • 5g chives, very finely chopped
  • 5g fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
  • ½ jalapeño, very finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • ⅛ tsp fine salt

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 banana shallot, very finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, very finely chopped
  • ⅛ tsp fine salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp green peppercorns, roughly crushed (the pickled green peppercorns are best for this)
  • ½ tsp chipotle chilli flakes
  • 1¼ tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 130g cream

Get a dish that will fit both duck breasts in a single layer. Mix the marinade ingredients together, then arrange the duck in the marinade, skin side up – try your best not to get any marinade on the skin. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours at room temperature, or ideally, overnight in the fridge. Don’t cover the container either way, as you want the skin to dry out. Bring to room temperature for 2 hours before cooking.

Prep the salsa by mixing all the ingredients together, then set aside.

Take the duck out of the marinade and transfer to a tray lined with a clean cloth, flesh side down, so the flesh dries out. Blot the skin with kitchen paper to make sure it’s as dry as possible. Rub some salt and pepper into the skin. Reserve the marinade.

Put the duck breasts into a cold, non-stick frying pan, skin-side down and spaced apart. Put the pan over a low heat and gently fry, pressing down on the duck, for about 10 minutes or until the skin is crisp and deep brown (keep going longer to achieve this if you need). Spoon away the duck fat that renders in the pan (keep for roasties another day). Transfer the duck breasts to a plate, skin side up, then increase the pan heat to high.

When the pan is very hot, return the breasts to the pan, flesh side down. Move breasts around for about 3 minutes to get them coloured evenly. Transfer the duck to a plate and rest, uncovered, for a full 12 minutes.

Either wash out the pan and allow it to cool or start with another non-stick frying pan. Add the butter, oil, shallots, garlic and salt to the cold frying-pan. Put over a medium-low heat and fry gently for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and golden. Add the black pepper, pepercorns, chipotle chilli flakes, and cumin and cook for another minute.

Pour the reserved marinade and the 2 tbsp water into the pan, turn the heat to hight and allow to bubble for 1½ minutes. Turn the heat down low and stir in the cream and cook for 1 minute to warm through.

Pour the sauce onto a plattter, then slice the duck and arrange it on top. Finish with the green salsa and serve with the lime wedges.

(Original recipe from Mexcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Porcini Sauce for Tagliatelle

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 14 January 2024| Leave a Comment »

This has a surprising umaminess given the short cooking time. A dish for mushroom lovers.

Wine Suggestion: We enjoy pairing mushroom dishes with Nebbiolo and really enjoy stepping outside the box to find versions made outside it’s native Piedmont. Tonight a glass of Clendenen Family Vineyards (Au Bon Climat) “Pip” from the Santa Maria Valley in California, which despite it getting some of the famous sunshine, is also a very cool area with fog … just like Piedmont. We liked it a lot.

Porcini sauce for tagliatelle – serves 2

  • 40g dried porcini
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 10g fresh parsley (stalks and leaves), finely chopped, plus extra to serve
  • a big pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1½ tbsp tomato purée
  • about 50 twists of freshly ground black pepper
  • 250g dried tagliatelle
  • 40g Parmesan, very finely grated, plus extra to serve
  • 3 tbsp double cream

Put the dried porcini into a bowl and cover with boiling water, then leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 75g of the soaking liquid. Very finely chop the porcini so it is like the consistency of mince, then set aside.

Put the oil, garlic, chilli flakes, parsley and fine salt into a large sauté pan, then place over a medium-low heat. Fry very gently for 5 minutes or until soft, taking care that the garlic doesn’t turn brown.

Increase the heat, then add the chopped porcini, tomato purée and the pepper. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then set the pan aside while you cook the tagliatelle.

Cook the pasta in boiling salty water until al dente, then drain and reserve 350g of the pasta water.

Return the sauté pan to a medium-high heat, then add the reserved porcini and pasta water. Bring to a simmer and leave to bubble for a few minutes. Add half the Parmesan, stir until melted before adding the rest. Lower the heat, then stir in the cream, followed by the cooked pasta. Toss over the heat for a minute or two until the sauce comes together.

Remove from the heat and serve with more Parmesan and olive oil.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

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Easy Lemon & Pea Risotto

Posted in Food, Healthy, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 7 March 2011| 2 Comments »

An easy and healthy after-work dish done in under half an hour and using things you probably have in the cupboard. We had to buy a lemon, and only because the one on the shelf looked a bit past it.

Serves 2, but easily doubled

  • 200g risotto rice
  • 850ml hot vegetable stock
  • 50g frozen peas
  • 50g Parmesan, grated, plus a bit more for over the top at the end
  • juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon

Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat, then toast the rice, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add one ladle of hot stock and keep stirring until absorbed. The first ladle will be really quick.

Add the rest of the stock, a ladle at a time, until the rice is almost cooked, keep stirring it all the time. It will take about 20 minutes for you to stir in all your stock.

Stir in the peas and cook for 3-5 minutes and remove the pan from the heat.

Add the cheese, lemon juice, seasoning and then stir. Stick the lid on and let it rest for a minute.

Serve in bowls with the zest and a bit more Parmesan over the top.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Wine suggestion: Have a glass of something white if you have some leftover from the weekend.

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