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Posts Tagged ‘Rosemary’

Roast Potatoes with Rosemary & Za’atar

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 20 May 2025| Leave a Comment »

Ottolenghi potato dishes are always a big hit and these were no exception. The rice flour makes them particularly crispy.

Roast potatoes with rosemary & za’atar – serves 6 to 8

  • 2.5kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut fairly small – about 4-5cm chunks
  • 2 tbsp fine salt
  • 3 large sprigs of rosemary, 1 left whole and the leaves of the other 2 finely chopped
  • 150ml sunflower oil
  • 2 tbsp rice flour
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 2 tbsp za’atar

Put the potatoes into a large pan and cover with cold water. Add the fine salt and the whole rosemary sprig, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and throw away the rosemary, then return the potatoes to the warm pan. Leave to dry for at least 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 220C Fan.

Put the oil in a large roasting tray and put into the oven to heat for 10 minutes.

Add the rice flour to the dry potatoes and gently toss to coat.

Carefully add the potatoes to the hot oil in the tray, then roast for 50 minutes, turning halfway. Add the chopped rosemary and gently toss, then return to the oven for a further 3 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and stir in the sea salt flakes and za’atar.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort, Penguin Random House, 2024.)

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Slow-cooked Lamb with Butterbeans

Posted in Food, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 18 March 2025| Leave a Comment »

A delicious prep-ahead dish that only improves if made in advance. Serve with salad and crusty bread.

Slow-cooked lamb with butterbeans – serves 4

  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
  • 2 ½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
  • ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
  • 800g lamb neck, cut into bite-size cubes
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lemon, finely shave the skin into strips, then cut into wedges to serve
  • 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
  • 4 anchovies, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 1 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped
  • 250g cherry tomatoes
  • 75ml white wine
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • 1 x 700g jar good quality butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • 150g thick Greek-style yoghurt
  • 10g parsley, roughly chopped

Mix the coriander seeds and 2 tsp of the cumin seeds together in a small bowl.

Mix the remaining ½ tsp of cumin seeds with the sea salt flakes and set aside.

Season the lamb with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large shallow ovenproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the lamb in batches and cook until nicely browned. You can add another tbsp of oil if needed. Scoop out with a slotted spoon onto a plate and set aside.

Add 2 tbsp of the oil to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, bay leaves, lemon strips and garlic and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the anchovies, the coriander-cumin mix, thyme, rosemary and half the tomatoes. Cook for a minute, then return the lamb to the pan. Cook for a minute, then add the wine. Let it bubble for 30 seconds, then add the stock and season well with salt and pepper. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven for 1½ hours, until the lamb is very soft and the liquid well-reduced.

Add the butter beans and the rest of the tomatoes. Stir, cover again and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with the salt and cumin seed mix and the chopped parsley.

Salad and crusty bread is all you need on the side.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2024.)

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Baked Lamb Chops with Creamy Rosemary Sauce

Posted in Food, Lamb, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on 24 November 2024| Leave a Comment »

Quite old-fashioned but homely and tasty, perfect as the weather turns a bit colder.

Wine suggestion: the Quinta de Chocapalha Tinto, which is a blend of four classic Portuguese grapes: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Castelão hit a satisfying mark here. A wine of depth, body, roundness and judicious tannins this hit the mark for the same reasons the dish did.

Baked lamb chops with a creamy rosemary sauce – serves 4

  • 8 lamb loin chops
  • 1 small onion, peeled and chopped

For the sauce:

  • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 rounded tbsp rosemary leaves
  • 25g butter
  • 25g plain flour
  • 175ml milk
  • 175ml veg stock
  • 2 tbsp double cream

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Place the lamb chops in a shallow roasting tin and arrange the onion around them.

Season with salt and pepper and bake on the top shelf of the oven for about 45 minutes or until the fat is crisp.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and sweat the onions over a very gentle heat for 5 minutes. Bruise the rosemary leaves with a pestle and mortar, then chop them very finely and add them to the onion. Continue to cook gently for another 15 minutes, but don’t let the onions colour too much. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth, then gradually add the milk followed by the stock, stirring constantly. Season with salt and peper and allow to simmer very gently for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and liquidise half and combine with the rest along with the cream. Check the seasoning and pour into a warm serving jug – cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming.

Serve the chops with the sauce poured over.

(Original recipe from Delia Online)

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Pasta e fagioli

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10 July 2024| Leave a Comment »

We picked up some pretty dried borlotti beans when travelling earlier this year and this rustic pasta dish was the perfect dish for them.

Wine Suggestion: There’s an honesty and an earthiness to this dish that we can’t ignore, and just love. To be sympathetic we chose La Pruina’s Salice Salentino, a blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Negra from Puglia. Gentle layers of spice, equally soft and intense, surrounding a mid-weight core of earthy plums and wild red fruits.

Pasta e fagioli – serves 4

  • 250g dried borlotti beans
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
  • a big sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 200g fresh tomatoes, peeld and crushed
  • 220g conchiglie, or other tubular pasta (we used a mix of packet ends)
  • olive oil, red chilli flakes and grated pecorino cheese, to serve

Soak the beans overnight, then drain and cover with enough cold water to cover them by at least 10cm. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook until tender, usually about an hour and a half. Leave to cool in the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, gently warm the olive oil in a large deep sauté pan, then add the garlic and rosemary and gently fry until they smell good. Discard the garlic and add the tomatoes to the pan. Turn the heat up a little and cook for about 10 minutes or until looking saucey. Add the cooked beans and a couple of ladlefuls of their cooking liquid, then leave to bubble for 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt.

Add another couple of ladlefuls of liquid and then add the pasta and continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the pasta is tender. You might need a bit more liquid. Serve in warm bowls with some olive oil, chilli flakes and grated pecorino cheese.

(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin:Fig Tree, 2021.)

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Bacon, Chestnut, Rosemary & Potato Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 11 February 2023| Leave a Comment »

We have a reputation for using things up, and hence were donated a friends’ leftover chestnuts from Christmas: they thought we would probably use them. No probably about it … here they are in the loveliest Provençal soup recipe by Alex Jackson.

Wine Suggestion: And if you feel inspired then try a La Clef du Recit Menetou-Salon to accompany this dish. A Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire, the soils and aspect give this wine an extra super depth and richness, while maintaining the purity and clarity of expression to make it an excellent match.

Bacon, chestnut, rosemary & potato soup – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 60g smoked pancetta lardons
  • 2 medium white onions, finely diced
  • ½ head celery, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled, green middle removed and finely sliced lengthways
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp picked rosemary leaves (no more)
  • a few dried ceps, soaked in boiling water and roughly chopped (reserve the soaking water)
  • 100g cooked chestnuts, broken in half
  • 500g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm chunks
  • 1 litre homemade chicken stock or water
  • best extra virgin olive oil, to serve
  • grated Parmesan, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan, then add the pancetta and cook over a gentle heat until well browned but not crispy. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and fennel seeds. Add a good pinch of salt and fry slowly for at least 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and sweet.

Finely chop the rosemary, then add to the pan and allow to cook for another couple of minutes. Add the chopped porcini and cook for a few minutes before adding the chestnuts and potatoes. Pour in the liquid from the mushrooms, then add stock until the vegetables are just covered by about an inch of liquid (you can add more as it cooks if you need). Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Mash the chestnuts against the edge of the pan to mush them up a bit. The soup should have some liquid but otherwise be quite thick.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve in warm bowls with Parmesan and olive oil drizzled over the top.

(Original recipe from Sardine by Alex Jackson, Pavilion, 2019.)

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Chestnut, Bacon, Bean and Pumpkin Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 26 January 2023| Leave a Comment »

This is a delicious soup recipe from Cooking by Jeremy Lee. Make it on a cold day when you don’t have very much else to do, it takes an age but tastes amazing. You need to soak the beans the night before.

Chestnut, bacon, bean and pumpkin soup – serves 6

  • 2 small onions
  • 3 sticks of celery
  • 3 large carrots
  • 1 smoked ham hock or diced smoked pancetta
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • a small stick of rosemary
  • a small handful of thyme
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • a big pinch of dried chilli flakes
  • 250g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight in lots of cold water
  • 1 small pumpkin or a wedge of pumkin, roughly 1kg
  • 250g vac-packed chesnuts
  • Parmesan and good extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Peel and cut the onions, celery and carrot into chunky pieces. If using a smoked ham hock cut it into small cubes.

Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy saucepan and add the pork, herbs, garlic, chilli flakes and vegetables. Stir well, cover with a lid and cook over a gentle heat, stirring occaionally, for roughly 1½ – 2 hours. If your ring is hot they may take a bit less time than this to become soft and caramelised. The idea is to cook them as slowly as possible until you achieve this then proceed with the recipe.

Drain the beans and rinse under cold water until it runs clear. Put the beans into a saucepan with lots of cold water and bring the boil over a high heat. Drain well and lightly rinse, then tip them on to the vegetables and cover with 4-5cm of water. Bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for at least an hour or until the beans are tender. Don’t be tempted to stir the soup while the beans are cooking, you want them to hold together.

Heat the oven to 180C and roast the pumpkin whole for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until soft and fudgy. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then remove the seeds and skin. Purée the cooked pumpkin and add to the cooked beans.

Chop the chestnuts coarsely and add them to the soup, then gently reheat. Take care when stirring to keep the beans as intact as possible. Season well with salt and black pepper.

Serve in warm bowls with lots of grated Parmesan cheese and drizzled with your best olive oil.

(Original recipe from Cooking by Jeremy Lee, 4th Estate, 2022.)

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Gnocchi with Mushrooms & Paprika Butter

Posted in Food, Italian, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 10 November 2022| Leave a Comment »

We love simple ideas like this one for mid-week inspiration. We used ready-made spinach gnocchi, try and find a decent brand if you can.

Gnocchi with mushroom and paprika butter – serves 3

  • 50g butter
  • 400g chestnut mushrooms
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 2 tsp chopped rosemary
  • ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
  • 500g pack gnocchi
  • 100ml sour cream or crème fraîche
  • grated Parmesan, to serve

Heat a small knob of the butter in a pan, add the mushrooms and ½ tsp salt, and cook until soft and golden.

Add the rest of the butter, garlic and rosemary, then cook gently for 4-5 minutes.

Stir in the paprika and season with black pepper, then keep over a low heat while you cook the gnocchi.

Drain the gnocchi and tip into the mushroom pan. Toss everything together and serve in warm bowls with a dollop of cream, lots of black pepper and some Parmesan.

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

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Rosemary and Balsamic Salmon with Tomatoes

Posted in Fish, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 7 November 2022| Leave a Comment »

A roasting tin dinner for busy evenings and when a batch of “very” late season cherry tomatoes land in our lap.

Rosemary & balsmic salmon with tomatoes – serves 4 (easily halved)

  • 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 sprigs rosemary, 2 left whole and needles picked and finely chopped from the rest
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
  • 600g cherry tomatoes
  • 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 small salmon fillets
  • 2 handfuls of rocket

Heat the oven to 220C/200 Fan/Gas 7.

Whisk the baslsamic, olive oil, chopped rosemary, garlic, and seasoning, together in a small bowl.

Tip the tomatoes and beans into a large roasting tray. Nestle in the salmon fillets, then pour over the dressing. Toss gently to make sure everything is coated in dressing.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Give the beans and tomatoes another gentle toss and push down on a few tomatoes to burst them. Scatter over the rocket and serve.

(Original recipe by Anna Glover in Olive Magazine, October 2021.)

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Pasta & Chickpea Soup

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Soup, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 9 April 2022| Leave a Comment »

A recipe by Rachel Roddy; simple and filling. Keep your Parmesan rinds in the freezer for adding to soups like this.

Pasta & Chickpea Soup – serves 4

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • a sprig of rosemary
  • 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained
  • a Parmesan rind (optional)
  • 225g short tubular pasta e.g. tubetti or ditalini or broken tagliatelle

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan, then add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery, then cook gently until soft and fragrant.

Add the tomato purée and sprig of rosemary, stir and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the chickpeas. Add 1 litre of hot water, a pinch of salt and the Parmesan rind, then stir again. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove half the soup and pass through a food mill or blend with a stick blender until smooth, then return to the pan. Season to taste with salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender, the pack timings should work but do check as you go and keep stirring. You add a bit more boiling water if needed. Season again to taste then serve garnished with your favourite olive oil.

(Original recipe from Five Quarters: Recipes and Notes from a Kitchen in Rome by Rachel Roddy, Salt Yard Book Co., 2015.)

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Butter Beans with Preserved Lemon, Chilli and Herb Oil

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 30 March 2022| Leave a Comment »

These are delicious and perfect with some crusty bread or flatbreads for scooping. Do buy the fancy butter beans in a glass jar if you can. You can make this up to a day ahead and the flavours will improve.

Wine Suggestion: We really like this dish with a nice, chilled Vermentino. Tonight’s choice, the Poggio ai Ginepri Bianco from Tenuta Argentiera in Bolgheri. Long and vibrant with a rich citrus and pear flavour and layers of texture and wild sage to finish.

  • 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 mild red chillies, finely chopped, including the seeds
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds, finely crushed with a pestle and mortar
  • 3 preserved lemons (80g), inner parts discarded and skin finely sliced
  • 1 ½ tbsp roughly chopped thyme leaves
  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 170ml olive oil
  • 1 jar of butter beans (700g)
  • 2 large vine tomatoes, roughly grated and skins discarded

Put the garlic, chillies, coriander, preserved lemon, thyme, rosemary, tomato purée, olive oil and 1¼ tsp of flaked salt into a medium sauté pan on a medium-low heat and stir together. Heat gently for 25 minutes, or until very fragrant but not browned at all. Turn the heat to low if the oil gets to hot.

Stir in the butter beans, then turn the heat up to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for at least an hour, or longer if you can.

Meanwhile, mix the grated tomato with ⅓ tsp of flaked sea salt and plenty of black pepper.

Spoon the butter beans into a shallow bowl and spoon over the grated tomato, mixing it in in places. Then serve with crusty bread or flatbreads.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)

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Rosemary Roast Potatoes

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Italian, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 March 2021| 1 Comment »

Do we need to provide another recipe for Italian roast potatoes with rosemary? Probably not, but this version uses regular potatoes, rather than the baby waxy variety. So perhaps it will come in handy, as it did for us. 

Roast Potatoes with Rosemary – serves 4 to 6

  • 2kg potatoes e.g. Maris Piper or Roosters
  • a large handful of rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • Maldon salt and black pepper

Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks, then boil in salted water until just cooked through. Drain in a colander and leave for 10 minutes to cool slightly and lose some mixture. 

Preheat the oven to 220C/220C Fan/Gas 7.

Heat a roasting tray in the oven with most of the rosemary leaves and a good few glugs of olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Remove the tray from the oven and add the potatoes, turning to coat well in the oil and rosemary .

Roast for about 45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so. 

(Original recipe from Polpo by Russell Norman, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012.)

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Leeks with Orzo, Lemon & Herbs

Posted in Food, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 12 January 2021| Leave a Comment »

Leeks usually end up in a soup or supporting other ingredients in a pie or something, but they are the star of the show in this veggie main course dish by Gill Meller. Here they are cooked in olive oil with orzo pasta, lemon, rosemary, parsley and cheese and it is most certainly a “leek dish”. By all means serve as a side dish too if you like. 

Wine Suggestion: We chose a wine to lift the winter mood; with friendly fruit, a nutty and stony twist and hints of sunshine – the La Sonrisa de Tares. A Godello from Bierzo which brought a smile to our faces.

Leeks with Orzo, Lemon & Herbs – serves 4

  • 200ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 3 leeks, sliced into 1cm rounds
  • 250g orzo pasta
  • 100g pecorino (we used Parmesan), finely grated, plus extra to serve
  • a handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 450ml vegetable stock
  • 125g mozzarella cheese

Heat the oven to 190C/170 fan/375 F/Gas 5.

Put a large, wide, heavy-based casserole over a low heat. Add the olive oil and when it has warmed, add the garlic and rosemary. Allow the garlic to sizzle for a minute or so, then add the leeks, orzo, half of the grated pecorino, the chopped parsley and the lemon zest. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir gently but try not to break the leeks up too much.

Pour over the vegetable stock, then stir again and use a wooden spoon to push the leeks down into the stock. Tear over the mozzarella cheese and scatter over the remaining pecorino. Season the top with some flaky salt and extra black pepper, then bake for 35-45 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed and the top is golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving with a bit more pecorino if you like.

(Original recipe from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2020.)

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Linguine with Creamy Tomato, Rosemary & Caper Sauce

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , on 23 July 2018| Leave a Comment »

Linguine with Creamy Tomato, Rosemary & Caper Sauce

Super simple weeknight pasta that tastes delicious.

Wine suggestion: A youthful Sangiovese from Tuscany is our pick with the wine at hand the Rocca delle Macie Vernaiolo which we find a great unoaked and fresh red wine. We like to put it in the fridge for 30 minutes before opening at this time of the year.

Linguine with creamy tomato, rosemary & caper sauce – serves 2

  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp chopped rosemary
  • 1 tin of plum tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 3 tbsp double cream
  • 150g linguine
  • Parmesan, grated, to serve

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chilli & rosemary and cook for another minute. Add the tin of tomatoes.

Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes, squashing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon occasionally so they break down into a thick sauce. Add the capers and cream and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to the pack, then drain well. Tip the pasta into the sauce and toss together. Serve in warm bowls with some Parmesan for sprinkling over.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe IN: BBC Olive Magazine, May 2015.)

 

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Rabbit with Onions & Rosemary

Posted in Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 11 March 2018| Leave a Comment »

Rabbit with onions and rosemary

A rustic French dish with meltingly tender rabbit. Serve with the lamb’s lettuce salad (included in the recipe) and some roasted baby potatoes.

Wine Suggestion: This goes great with with a nice Cabernet Franc from the Loire, like a Saumur or Chinon if the weather is bright and warming up for Spring. Alternately we love the richer, more velvety wines of La Clape in the Languedoc if it’s a cooler Winter day.

Rabbit with onions & rosemary – serves 6

  • 2kg rabbit portions
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 large onions, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
  • 600ml white wine
  • 425ml chicken stock
  • 200g chestnut mushrooms, halved
  • 6 rashers streaky bacon, thinly sliced
  • chopped parsley to serve

FOR THE LAMB’S LETTUCE SALAD:

  • 140g lamb’s lettuce
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Season the rabbit joints on both sides and sprinkle lightly with flour.

Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a large heavy pan, then quickly fry the rabbit in batches over a high heat to brown all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and fry the onions over a medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until browned. Return the rabbit to the pan with the bay, rosemary, wine and stock. Cover and cook for 50-60 minutes or until the rabbit is soft.

Add the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes, then taste and season.

Meanwhile, grill the bacon until crispy, then break into chunks. Sprinkle the rabbit with the bacon and parsley before serving.

To make the salad: 

Tip the lettuce leaves into a large bowl. Mix the shallot, vinegar & mustard, then set aside for 10 minutes. Add some salt and pepper, then gradually whisk in the oil until the dressing has thickened. Toss with the lettuce just before serving.

(Original recipe by Mary Cadogan IN: BBC Good Food Magazine, March 2008.)

Rabbit w onions & rosemary

 

 

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Rigatoni with Tomato & Rosemary Sauce

Posted in Food, Pasta, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 19 February 2018| 2 Comments »

There is a rosemary bush in our front garden and it often comes to the rescue when we have pretty much nothing for dinner. Provided you have a rosemary bush at your disposal this is pretty much a store cupboard dish and also handy for using the end of a jar of cream. This is surprisingly tasty and a great throw together weeknight dish.

Wine Suggestion: this dish suits a rustic red wine with a bit of “garrigue”, the southern French earthy, herby, spice that is a bit wild and untamed. This time we opened a wine that has this in spades, the Mas Conscience “le Cas” which is 100% old vine Carignan, which is all black fruits hints of hot rocks and earth, and wild Languedoc spices. Not shy in character but a good match nonetheless.

Rigatoni with Tomato & Rosemary Sauce – serves 4

  • 4 sprigs of rosemary, leaves finely chopped and stalks discarded
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 400g rigatoni or penne
  • 100ml double cream
  • 1 tsp sugar

Fry the chopped rosemary in a tablespoon of olive oil for about a minute. Stir in the tinned tomatoes and the chilli flakes, then simmer hard for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in lots of salted boiling water according to the time indicated on the pack.

Stir the double cream into the sauce along with the sugar and plenty of seasoning, then mix in the drained pasta and serve.

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

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Epic Rib-Eye Steak

Posted in Beef, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 January 2018| 2 Comments »

Epic rib-eye steak

New Year’s eve is a night we treasure to eat nice food and open a good bottle of wine; just the two of us (the third still flakes out around 7pm). This year we are glad that Jamie Oliver is back on song with his new book “5 Ingredients”. This was delicious, luxurious and yes –  very few ingredients.

Wine suggestion: from our cellar came a bottle of the Chateau Rayas “Pignan” 2005 which while 12 years old was beautifully youthful, smooth, complex and deep. A 100% grenache from a very particular vineyard this is a remarkable wine that we’re glad to have shared together to begin 2018.

Epic Rib-Eye Steak – serves 4

  • 600g piece of rib-eye steak (ideally about 5 cm thick), fat removed
  • 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
  • 350g mixed mushrooms, tear up any larger ones into bite size chunks
  • 1 x 660g jar of white beans
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Rub the steak all over with a little olive oil, a pinch of salt and some black pepper, then sear on all sides for 10 minutes in total. You’re looking for a nice dark brown on the outside and medium rare in the middle – of course keep cooking if you prefer it more cooked than this. When done, remove to a warm plate and cover with tin foil.

Turn the heat under the pan down to medium. Add the rosemary leaves and crisp up for 30 seconds, then add the garlic and mushrooms with a splash of oil if needed and cook for 8 minutes or until golden.

Pour in the beans and their juice, add the red wine vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes, then season to taste. Sit the steak on top and pour over any juices from the plate. Slice the steak at the table and serve with with a drizzle of your best olive oil.

(Original recipe from 5 Ingredients by Jamie Oliver, Michael Joseph, 2017.)

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Super-healthy, Italian Chicken & Rosemary Stew

Posted in Chicken, Food, Healthy, tagged , , , , , on 9 March 2011| 7 Comments »

As well as being super-healthy this dish is bursting with great flavour; and it achieves this without the use of salt or pepper. We are usually very generous with seasoning (we take our inspiration for the pros) but this has more than enough delicious flavour without any: we were impressed and helped ourselves to seconds after scoffing the initial bowl.
Serves 4
  • 6 Chicken Thighs, skinless, boneless and quartered
  • olive oil
  • 2 Onions, sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
  • 2 sprigs of Rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
  • 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Pearled Spelt (or Pearled Barley if you can’t find this)
  • 500ml Chicken Stock
  • 250g waxy potatoes like Charlotte, peeled and quartered
  • small bunch of Parsley, chopped
Heat oven to 190C / fan 170C / Gas 5.
Fry the chicken thighs in a little olive oil until browned. Remove and then add the onions and cook until softened.
Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for a minute, add the balsamic and cook for a further minute.
Add the rest of the ingredients, including the chicken, bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven for one hour.
When cooked stir in the parsley and serve in bowls with crusty bread.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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20 Minute Pork & Mushrooms

Posted in Food, Healthy, Pork, tagged , , , , , , on 2 March 2011| Leave a Comment »

This literally takes 20 minutes and you will probably have everything you need except the pork fillet and mushrooms. Cheap, tasty, healthy, and perfect for a Wednesday. We had some potatoes and cabbage in the cupboard which complimented nicely.

20-minute pork pan-fry – to serve 4

  • 500g pork fillet, cut on the diagonal into finger-thick slices
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms
  • a big clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 300ml vegetable stock

Tip the flour and rosemary into a plastic food bag and add salt, pepper and the pork slices. Give it a good shake to coat the meat.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a big frying pan, add the pork and fry for 3-4 minutes until nicely browned, turning once. Remove it from the pan.

Add the rest of the oil and fry the mushrooms for a couple of minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic and pork to the pan along with any flour left in your plastic bag. Stir in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

You could add a splash of wine if you like or just drink a glass with it.

Serve with some mash and cabbage or something else green.

Find the original recipe on BBC Good Food.

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