Make this when you want something warm, healthy and with minimum fuss. Exactly what you need after a long day. Ready in less than an hour and the perfect weeknight dinner.
Lentils & Chickpeas with Coconut – serves 8 (freeze leftovers for another day)
400ml tin of coconut milk
2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 onion, finely chopped
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground coriander
400g tin chopped tomatoes
200g dried split lentils
400g tin chickpeas
a pinch of chilli flakes, to serve
coriander leaves, to serve
steamed basmati rice, to serve
Measure 60ml of the coconut milk and set aside for drizzling over at the end.
Melt the ghee or coconut oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for a few minutes, then add the spices and stir for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, the remaining coconut milk, 750ml of water, lentils and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes, uncovered, sitrring occasionally. The lentils should be soft and creamy.
Serve over steamed rice with a drizzle of the coconut milk, a pinch of chilli flakes and some fresh coriander.
(Original recipe from RecipeTin Eats Tonight by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2024.)
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.)
There is one person in our household of 3 who has decided to be a vegetarian for January. We’re not all joining in as there was far too much other stuff in the freezer but we’re trying to batch cook things like this to keep her going for the month and to avoid her living on koka noodles. This is a simple and lovely dahl. Serve with rice and naan or flatbreads. It is also suitable for those doing veganuary.
Wine Suggestion: We quite like an earthy dahl with a beer and chose a local brew, the Barrelhead Hopsburgh Helles, a creamy pale golden German style lager that’s lovely and smooth.
Cauliflower, lentil & coconut dahl – serves 4 to 6
4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp mustard seeds
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
½ to 1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
180g dried red lentils
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
400ml tomato passata
600ml water
75g baby spinach
2 tbsp chopped coriander
juice of 1 lemon
Melt the coconut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop.
Add the onion with a large pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then add the ground coriander, turmeric, cumin and chilli flakes and cook for another minute.
Add the cauliflower, lentils, coconut milk, tomato passata and water. Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils and cauliflower are cooked. Give it a stir occasionally to prevent it sticking.
Add the spinach, coriander and lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.
Serve with rice and daal or flatbreads.
(Original recipe from Avoca at Home, Penguin Random House, 2022.)
This vegan curry caught our eye on The Guardian website and we’re glad we tried it. Courgettes are in-season and if you like beans and pulses like we do then this is a great combination. We’ll definitely do this one again.
Drink suggestion: we had this with a glass of Asahi Super Dry Lager which we find works better with more foods than other brands. We know it’s not as trendy as craft beer, but it’s a good recipe and has a good ability to work with food.
Courgette & white bean curry – serves 4
5 tbsp rapeseed oil
20 fresh or frozen curry leaves
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and very finely sliced
2 green finger chillies, sliced lenthways
500g courgettes, halved lengthways and cut into short pieces
1 tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 x 400g tins coconut milk
2 x 400g tins cannellini beans
40g fresh coriander, leaves and stems sliced
juice of ½ lemon
steamed basmati rice, to serve
Put the oil in a large sauté pan over a high heat. When very hot, add the curry leaves, cumin seeds and mustard seeds and stir. Next, add the onion, garlic, chillies and courgettes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the turmeric, salt and pepper, and continue cooking for another 4 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and beans, and cook, still on a fast boil, for another 5 minutes, or until the courgettes are tender. Stir in the coriander, then add the lemon juice a tsp at a time until it tastes right.
Serve with basmati rice.
(Original recipe by Meera Sodha in The Guardian, 30th May 2024.)
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.)
Such a tasty side dish! We served with a roast chicken but it will go with pretty much anything.
Potatoes with chimichurri – serves 6 as a side dish
800g waxy potatoes
600g sweet potatoes
5g oregano leaves, roughly chopped
5g parsley, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
250ml chicken stock or vegetable stock
FOR THE CHIMICHURRI:
10g parsley, finely chopped
5g oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 mild red chilli, finely chopped (seeds in or out as you wish)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
Heat the oven to 180C fan.
Peel the potaotes, then slice the waxy sort using a mandolin. Use a sharp knife to slice the sweet potatoes finely – they should be slightly thicker than the regular potatoes.
Put both sorts of potatoes into a large bowl and add the garlic, herbs, 3 tbsp of the oil, 1½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Toss gently with your hands to combine but make sure you don’t break the potatoes.
Lightly grease a large ovenproof cast-iron frying pan or a round baking dish – about 23cm in diameter. Start at the edge and arrange the potatoes in overlapping circles until you reach the middle. Pour the stock over the top. Lightly grease a piece of foil and cover the dish tightly with it. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and turn the heat up to 220C. Remove the foil from the pan and drizzle over the last 2 tbsp of olive oil. Return to the oven for 20 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly, for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce. Put all of the ingredients into a bowl with ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Mix well to combine.
When you’re ready to serve, spoon the chimichurri over the top of the potatoes.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2022.)
You can prep this salad in advance and serve warm or at room temperature. Jam-packed with flavour and a great side dish for a barbecue or roast meat.
Roasted pepper salad with cucumber and herbs – serves 4 as a side dish
4 green peppers (600g), cut into 4cm pieces
2 red peppers (300g), cut into 4cm pieces
4 vine tomatoes (400g), quartered
2 small red onions (200g), roughly cut into 3cm pieces
1 green chilli, stem removed and left whole
6 large cloves of garlic, peeled
6 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp lemon juice
10g parsley, roughly chopped
10g coriander, roughly chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes
¾ tsp Urfa chilli flakes
Heat the oven to 230C fan.
Put the peppers, tomatoes, red onion, chilli and garlic into a large bowl. Add 4 tbsp olive oil, ¾ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Toss well to combine.
Line to large baking sheets with baking parchment. Spread the vegetables out over the trays and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until softened and charred.
When cool enough to handle, roughly chop the vegetables and transfer to a bowl with the lemon juice, herbs and ½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper.
In a separate bowl, toss the cucumber with 2 tbsp of oil, ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper.
Spread the roasted pepper mixture out over a platter. Spoon over the cucumber and sprinkle with the chilli.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love, Ebury Press, 2021.)
Our favourite vegetarian cookbook at the moment is East by Meera Sodha. This is an Indian main course dish but it’s like a soup and works well as both a mid-week dinner, and in a flask for lunch the next day. Also vegan and gluten-free if this is useful information for you. Serve with crusty bread.
Black-eyed bean and chickpea usal – serves 4
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 long green chillies, very finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 large vine tomatoes, chopped
1¾ tsp salt
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 x 400g tin of black-eyed beans, drained
250g frozen peas, defrosted
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
200g mangetout
1 tbsp lemon juice
a handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a high heat. Add the onion and chillies and cook for about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a minute more.
Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes or until they have broken down, then add the salt and spices and stiry-fry for another minute.
Stir in the black-eyed beans, peas, chickpeas and mangetout and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and coriander, then taste and season with more salt if needed.
(Original recipe from East by Meera Sodha, Penguin, 2019.)
This is a big dish and enough to serve on it’s own. It also goes well with this spicy chicken dish as helpfully suggested by Noor and Yotam, the authors of the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Extra Good Things, where the recipe comes from.
Black beans and rice with jammy peppers – serves 6
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp cumin seeds, finely crushed with a pestle and mortar
2 tsp coriander seeds, finely crushed with a pestle and mortar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
300g short-grain brown rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes, then drained
2 x 400g tins of black beans, drained and rinsed
20g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
2 medium avocados, cut into cubes
FOR THE PEPPERS:
75ml olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 red peppers, trimmed and cut into 1cm thick strips
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1½ tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp light soft brown sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chipotle chilli flakes
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Make the peppers first by putting the oil into a medium sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 4 minutes, to soften. Add the peppers and ½ tsp of salt and cook for another 6 minutes, until softened and starting to colour. Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the garlic, tomato purée, sugar, oregano, chipotle, vinegar, 2 tbsp of water and plenty of black pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for half an hour, stirring now and then, until soft. Set aside.
Meanwhile, make the rice. Put 4 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan and place over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and starting to colour. Add the garlic, spices and oregano and cook for a minute, until fragrant. Stir through the rice to coat, then add the black beans, 520ml of water, 1¼ tsp of salt and lots of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and leave to cook, covered for 50 minutes. Remove the lid and set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, blitz the coriander, lime juice and 2 tbsp of oil in a mini food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the avocado and ¼ tsp of salt.
Transfer the rice and beans to a large platter and spoon over the peppers and avocado. Serve with the lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Extra Good Things by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2022.)
Wine Suggestion: We think this dish goes really well with a good Pinot Gris, like the Neudorf Moutere we were tempted to open. Dry, but full of fruit, and dusty, warm spices.
Shahi gobi saalan – serves 6
7 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large bay leaf
2.5cm piece of cassia bark
2 green cardamom pods
1 clove
5 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tsp ground coriander,
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
250ml water
750g cauliflower florets, cut into 5 cm pieces
1-2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
6 tbsp ground almonds
a handful of toasted flaked almonds to garnish
Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the bay leaf, cassia bark, cardamom pods and clove. As soon as the clove starts to puff up, add the onions and cook, stirring, until starting to caramelise.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, then add the coriander and chilli powder and cook, stirring, for another minute to cook out the spices. Add a splash of water if it starts to stick. Add the salt and sugar, then pour in the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow boil, then cover and simmer until the oil comes to the side of the pan.
Add the cauliflower and stir to coat in the onion mixture. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly, cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is just cooked. Taste and add more salt or sugar to taste.
Add 1.5 tins of coconut milk and the ground almonds and cook, uncovered, for a few minutes. You want a thick and creamy gravy so only add the rest of the coconut milk if needed. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over to serve.
(Original recipe from Ammu by Asma Khan, Ebury Press, 2022.)
We’ve made a salad like this before but this one is fresher and makes a great side dish for a crowd. We served it with some spicy baked salmon.
Georgian kidney bean salad – serves 6 to 8
2 x 400g tins kidney beans (we used 300g dried kidney beans, rinse then soak in 3 times the volume of cold water for 5 hours. Drain and put into a saucepan covered by an inch with cold water, then boil hard for 30 minutes, stirring to prevent any sticking)
50g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 heaped tsp dried mint
2 banana shallots, very thinly sliced into rings
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp pul biber chilli flakes
Maldon salt & fresh ground black pepper
If you are using tinned beans, drain them rinse well under a cold tap to get rid of the briny liquid. Shake the beans dry, then tip into a large bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredints to the bowl and fold together gently, you don’t want to crush the beans. Season well with salt and pepper, stir again and leave at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
Stir well again before serving.
(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)
We love dal on a friday night with some naan breads from the takeaway.
Chana dal – serves 4
400g yellow split peas or chana dal
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 fresh red chillies, pricked with a knife in a few places
Rinse the dal in a few changes of cold water, until the water runs clear, then put into a saucepan. Cover with 1.25 litres of cold water and bring to the boil, then simmer for about 40 minutes, or until cooked. The texture should be soft with no bite or chalky texture.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cumin seeds and cook for gently for about 15 minutes or until caramelized. Add half the garlic and fry for another few minutes, then remove from the heat.
Add the onion mixture to the dal, along with the garam masala, chilli powder and salt. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Wipe out the frying pan, then heat the remaining oil. Add the mustard seeds and fry until they pop, then add the rest of the garlic and the red chillies. As soon as the garlic starts to turn golden, take the pan off the heat and drizzle everything over the dal, garnishing with the chillies. Stir everything together before serving with rice, chapattis or naan and pickles.
(Original recipe from Made in India by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree, 2014.)
Finally we have some nice weather and so we are barbecuing everything, including broccoli which is a new one for us. This is the chargrilled broccoli with chilli and garlic from the original Ottolenghi book and it works equally well on a barbecue. Cook the broccoli first and it will sit happily in the dressing until whatever else you are cooking is ready.
Chargrilled broccoli with chilli and garlic – serves 4
2 heads of regular broccoli (about 500g)
115ml olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
2 mild red chillies, finely sliced
thin slices of lemon, to garnish
Cut the broccoli into florets. Fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Blanch the florets in a large pan of boiling water for 2 minutes only, then scoop out and into the bowl of iced water.
Drain the broccoli and make sure it’s really well dried. Toss in a bowl with 45ml of the olive oil and some salt and pepper.
Barbecue the broccoli until charred on all sides. Meanwhile, put the rest of the olive oil into a small pan with the garlic and chillies. Cook over a medium heat until the garlic turns golden, take it off the heat at this point to prevent the garlic burning.
Put the barbecued broccoli into a large bowl and immediately pour over the garlic and chilli oil. Toss gently to coat then set aside until ready to serve. Garnish with the lemon slices.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi The Cookbook, Ebury Press, 2008.)
We don’t think we’ve ever roasted kohlrabi before but they have it in our local farm shop so we thought we’d give it a go. We mostly see it raw in salads but have to say it is absolutely lovely when roasted. The recipe is simple though there are a few bits to it. Try the roasted kohlrabi if nothing else.
Wine Suggestion: A medium bodied, pure fruited red like Olga Raffault’s Chinon les Barnabés which has a charming perfume and an array of purple and red fruits sitting lightly on top of a deep core. For this dish you need that juxtaposition of purity and depth to play alongside the earthy range of flavours.
Barley with roasted kholrabi, tomatoes & watercress salsa – serves 4 as a main
4 small kohlrabi
4 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and finely chopped (optional)
140ml olive oil, plus a bit extra to drizzle
1 large head of garlic, cut a slice off the top to expose the cloves, plus 4 extra cloves, crushed
300g ripe cherry tomatoes
300g pearl barley
2-3 banana shallots, finely sliced
2 tsp caraway seeds
5 strips of lemon zest and 2 tbsp juice, plus some wedges to serve
1 red Scotch bonnet chilli
3 tbsp tomato purée
150ml dry white wine
100g watercress
60ml double cream (optional if you don’t want dairy but nice if you do)
Preheat the oven to 190C fan.
Trim and peel the kohlrabi, then cut them into 8 wedges (more if you have any big ones). Put them into a large bowl and toss with the anchovies, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 crushed garlic cloves, ½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Spread them out over a tray lined with baking paper.
Put the whole garlic bulb onto a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Wrap the bulb tightly in the bulb, then place it in the corner of the baking tray with the kohlrabi. Put the tray in the oven to roast for 25 minutes.
Turn the kohlrabi pieces over, then add the tomatoes to the tray and continue to roast for another 20 minutes, or until the kohlrabi wedges are soft and deep brown and the tomatoes are blistered. Turn the oven off, then leave the tray in there to keep warm.
While the vegetables are cooking, put the barley into a medim-sized saucepan and cover with lots of cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 20 minutes or until almost cooked but still with a bite. Drain and set aside.
When the vegetables are cooked, remove the garlic bulb in the foil. Put a large sauté pan over a medium-high heat with 50ml olive oil, the roasted garlic, remaining 2 cloves of crushed garlic, the shallots, caraway seeds, lemon peel strips, Scotch bonnet, and 2½ tsp salt. Gently fry for 12 minutes, stirring, until the shallots are soft and golden brown.
Add the tomato purée and cook for 30 seconds before adding the wine, 500ml of water and lots of black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 7 minutes, then add the cooked barley and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Discard the Scotch bonnet and the lemon peel.
Whizz half the watercress, the lemon juice, 60ml of olive oil and ¼ tsp of salt in the small bowl of a food processor until smooth.
Transfer the barley to a large serving bowl. Drizzle over the watercress salsa and cream over the barley and gently swirl them in. Top with the rest of the watercress, then the roasted kohlrabi and tomatoes. Serve with extra lemon wedges.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2020.)
Well this is just delicious; we love bean chillies anyhow but this is a particularly good one. We are not vegan and so served this with sour cream. We’ve included the instructions for a vegan crème fraîche below if you prefer.
Wine Suggestion: For some reason we gravitate to American (both North & South) reds when eating chillies, and with the Wines of Argentina tasting in Dublin yesterday it was natural we’d open a Malbec. A star of the show, and definitely by no means the most expensive, the Altosur Malbec by Finca Sophenia in Gualtallary, Mendoza was our choice. And it seems like Decanter agrees with our choice too – Best in Show and Best Value in their World Wine Awards just announced. Bravo Finca Sophenia and perfect for our chilli.
Vegan chilli – serves 4-6
4 sweet potatoes, skins scrubbed
2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus a bit extra to rub on the potatoes
100g broccoli florets
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 large clove of garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 red pepper, chopped
2 x tins chopped tomatoes
400g tin chickpeas, drianed and rinsed
100g fresh, frozen or tinned sweetcorn kernels
400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
400g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
sour cream or crème fraîche (or make the vegan crème fraîche below)
IF YOU WANT VEGAN CRÈME FRAÎCHE:
65g cashews soaked in 120ml water for 30 minutes, then drained
juice of ½ lemon
TO SERVE:
75g edamame beans
1 avocado, chopped
lime wedges
Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C.
Rub the sweet potatoes with a little bit of vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until tender.
Steam the broccoli until tender, then set aside.
If you want to make the vegan crème fraîche, put the soaked and drained cashews in a blender with the lemon juice. Season with salt and blitz to a cream.
Heat the oil in a large, deep pan, over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and spices and cook for a few minute or until softened. Add the red pepper and tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chickpeas, sweetcorn, black beans and kidney beans. Season with salt and simmer for 10-15 minutes. If it starts to look dry, you can add a splash of water.
Add the steamed broccoli and mix to warm through.
Trim the ends off the sweet potatoes and cut them in half but not the whole way through. Spoon the chilli into the potatoes and top with some edamame beans and sour cream or crème fraîche, then serve with the avocado and lime wedges.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein at Home, BBC Books, 2021.)
This is just a simple green salad but the addition of chopped green olives and red onions takes it to the next level. It’s particularly good with tomato-based dishes, like lasagne or Parmigiana.
Green salad with olive dressing – serves 6
1 small red onion, finely chopped
50g green olives, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp golden caster sugar
6 big handfuls of mixed green salad leaves
Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl, then add the olives and red onion and season.
Tip the salad leaves into a bowl and drizzle over the dressing, then toss gently to coat.
If you use a vegan curry paste you can easily make this a vegan dish. Lots of bright colours and great flavours in this one, and it’s quick to make.
Wine Suggestion: We think a minerally, just off-dry Riesling like Pikes Hills & Valleys from the Clare Valley is the ticket here with the limey fruit characters lifting the flavours of the dish and then the hint of residual sugar to balance the chillies.
Thai Green Veggie Curry – serves 4
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium butternut squash (800g), cut into small cubes
3 tbsp light soy sauce
a handful of sugar snap peas
a handful of asparagus, snap off the woody ends and discard
a handful of green beans
a handful of frozen edamame beans
1 lime, cut into wedge, to serve
a handful of coriander leaves, to serve
1 red chilli, finely sliced, to serve
1 scallion, finely sliced, to serve
jasmine rice, to serve
FOR THE CURRY BASE
1 lemongrass stalk, bash with a rolling pin to bruise it
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
2 x 400ml coconut milk
Toss the cubes of butternut squash with the light soy sauce in a bowl. Heat 1 tbsp of the sunflower oil in a wok, then add the squash and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until softened and browned, stirring often.
To make the curry base, heat 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a large frying pan, then add the lemongrass stalk and curry paste and cook over a high heat for a minute.
Stir in the coconut milk, then reduce the heat a bit and simmer for 8 minues.
Discard the lemongrass, then add the sugar snap peas, asparagus, green beans and edamame beans to the sauce and cook for 4-5 minutes or until just tender.
Ladle the curry sauce into bowls and top with the squash, a squeeze of lime, some coriander, red chilli and scallion. Serve with jasmine rice.
(Original recipe by Katy Beskow in Olive Magazine, April 2018.)
This is a great dish for using up bits of leftover veg and antipasti things. Keep the base of onions, garlic, rice and veg stock but after that you can use up whatever you’ve got – we’ve given what we used below as an example.
Wine Suggestion: This Spanish inspired dish encouraged us to have a glass of a Spanish Garnacha Blanca, the Edetària via Terra Blanca which we find unprepossessing and charming, plus with the right textures and flavours to match this paella. We dare say their equivalent via Terra Tinto (Garnacha Negra) would also be a good match too if you fancied a glass of red instead.
Baked veggie paella – serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
half a red pepper, sliced
half a yellow pepper, sliced
half a green pepper, sliced
1 courgette, halved lengthways and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sundried tomato purée
300g bomba paella rice
850ml vegetable stock
100g chargrilled artichokes in olive oil, halved if big
75g mixed olives
75g Sunblush tomatoes
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
lemon wedges, to serve
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Heat the olive oil in a shallow casserole and cook the onions, peppers and courgettes with some salt for about 10 minutes or until softened and starting to caramelise.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the tomato purée and rice and stir until the grains are coated.
Add the stock, artichokes, olives and Sunblush tomatoes, then season and mix well. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Scatter over the parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
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.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 