This granola from Dishoom has only a hint of sweetness and is much more nutty with hints of butter and spice so it makes a great foil to any fresh or poached fruit (here with Nigella’s pomegranate-poached quinces). It’s also great with just some creamy yoghurt, we loved it. The kitchen smells incredible as it toasts!
Dishoom Granola – makes 10-12 portions
200g rolled oats
100g almonds
80g cashew nuts
75g pistachio nuts
45g desiccated coconut
70g sunflower seeds
70g pumpkin seeds
20g sesame seeds
100g acacia honey
100g unsalted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Heat the oven to 210C/190C fan/Gas 6-7.
Line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
Mix the oats, nuts, desiccated coconut and seeds together in a big bowl.
Put the honey, butter and ground cinnamon into a small saucepan and heat gently until the butter is just melted. Pour over the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix well.
Divide the mixture between the baking trays and spread evenly, just a wooden spoon to pat it down. Put one tray in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and mix well, then press it down again. Bake for another 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before you stir or move it. Repeat with the other tray.
Store in an airtight container and use within a month.
(Original recipe from Dishoom by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar & Naved Nasir, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019.)
This soup is super simple but it’s really good with the toasted feta tortillas on the side for a weekday lunch.
Bean soup with feta tortillas – serves 4
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 heaped tbsp chipotle paste
500g carton passata
500ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
200g feta
4 large soft flour tortillas
a handful of coriander, roughly chopped
sour cream or yoghurt to serve
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until soft.
Add the chipotle paste, passata, stock and beans. Season, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, crumble the feta over one half of each of the tortillas, then sprinkle with the chopped coriander and season with black pepper. Fold the uncovered side over and press together. Heat a dry frying pan and cook the tortillas for a minute on each side or until crispy and the cheese has melted.
Serve the soup in warm bowls with a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt if you have it and the feta tortillas on the side.
You could have these for dessert with some crème fraîche but we like them for breakfast with yoghurt and granola.
Pomegranate-poached quinces – serves 6
700ml pure pomegranate juice
300ml cold water
350g caster sugar
3 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp pink peppercorns
a few sprigs of thyme
pomegranate seeds, to serve (we skipped these)
Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan.
Put the pomegranate juice, water and sugar into a heavy casserole with a lid. Stir well, then add the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme. Put the casserole over a low heat and leave to warm gently.
Peel, quarter and core the quinces and add to the pan with the pomegranate juice.
Bring to the boil, then scrunch up a piece of baking paper, slightly bigger than the pan, then unscrunch again and press down on top of the quinces, tucking it in and up the sides of the pan. Cover with the lid and place in the oven.
Cook for 1½-2 hours or until tender. Remove the lid and baking paper, then scoop out the quinces with a spoon. Strain the liquid, then return to the heat and bubble until reduced by half. Pour the liquid back over the quinces and leave to cool. Keep in the fridge until ready to eat, they keep well for a few days.
(Original recipe from Cook, Eat, Repeat by Nigella Lawson, Chatto & Windus, 2020)
It’s difficult to know how to introduce this recipe by Rosie Birkett. It is far from shy in terms of flavour, bursting with it in fact, and we’d suggest you have to be a bit adventurous, as it has so many punchy layers. Great to see celeriac getting the attention it deserves.
The recipe is not difficult, but it does take a little effort to make all of the separate components.
Wine Suggestion: to match such a punchy, savoury dish you can go all out with a wine to match these levels of flavour, or go light to be complimentary. We went the latter route and opened an easy, dry Rosé. Tonight a bottle from a friend, the Domaine le Novi Côté Levant Rosé, which tasted of fresh red berries, hints of citrus and light tannins, finishing zesty and minerally.
Gochujang-glazed celeriac with black beans, green salsa & crispy shallots – serves 2
about 25g of sea salt flakes
1 medium celeriac, about 750g, peeled, halved and cut into 3cm thick wedges
sunflower oil, for frying
1-2 shallots, finely sliced
FOR THE GLAZE:
2 tbsp gochujang paste
50g salted butter
3 tsp honey
1 orange, juiced
2 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp sesame seeds
FOR THE BLACK BEANS:
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
a small bunch of coriander, stems finely chopped and leaves reserved
a pinch of ground coriander
400g tin of black beans, don’t drain them as you need the liquid
½ lime, juiced (you will need the other half for the salsa)
FOR THE GREEN SALSA:
1 green apple, roughly chopped
½ green chilli, deseeded
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
½ lime, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Line a tray with baking paper and sprinkle the salt over the top. Put the celeriac slices on top of the salt, then roast for 15 minutes at the top of the oven.
Make the glaze while the celeriac is baking. Put the gochujang, butter, honey, a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp water, the orange juice and cornflour in a pan. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes or until smooth, then set aside.
Leave the celeriac to cool slightly, then remove any excess salt and toss each piece in the glaze. Discard the salt from the tray, return the wedges to it and roast for another 10 minutes. Glaze again and scatter over the sesame seeds, then roast for a final 10-20 minutes or until sticky and caramelised (turn the oven up a bit if you need).
Meanwhile, make the beans. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the cumin and bay leaf until sizzling, then add the onion, coriander stems, ground coriander and a good pinch of salt. Fry, stirring, for about 8 minutes or until golden and soft. Add the beans with their liquid and a pinch of salt, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring, until the beans look creamy and the liquid and almost gone. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the lime juice, then set aside and keep warm.
To make the salsa, put the apple, chilli, pumpkin seeds, lime juice and reserved coriander leaves in a food processor and whizz until combined but chunky. Add the oil and whizz again, then season to taste.
To make the crispy shallots, heat the sunflower oil in a small frying pan and fry the shallots over a low-medium heat for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper and season.
Serve the beans on warm plates, topped with the celeriac, salsa and crispy shallots.
Our default lockdown lunch is soup, it helps with the heating bills! We ran out of soup last week and found this recipe when looking for lunch inspiration that would use the only ingredient left in the fridge – carrots. It was really very nice.
Spicy Carrot & Chickpea Pitta – serves 4
50g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 heaped tsp of cumin seeds
4 large carrots, cut into 2cm thick rounds
1 large garlic clove, finely sliced
finely grated zest of an orange, plus a good squeeze of the juice
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 pitta breads
yoghurt or sour cream to serve
Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the carrots and fry for 8-10 minutes. The carrots should be tender and starting to brown, but still with a bit of bite.
Add the garlic, orange zest, paprika, and chickpeas and cook until the chickpeas are hot. Remove from the heat, season well with salt, pepper and a good squeeze of orange juice.
Warm the pitta breads in a toaster or under the grill, then stuff the mixture into the pockets and top with yoghurt or sour cream.
(Original recipe from River Cottage Veg Everyday! by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury, 2011.)
It’s about this time of year when we usually get a bit tired of root veg and starting craving food more associated with Spring. Not so this year and largely due to Gill Meller who can do wonders with winter veg. Baked potatoes stuffed with celeriac didn’t sound super appealing to us but we can assure you these are delicious!
Wine Suggestion: a winter white called tonight: Jean-Michel Gerin’s La Champine Viognier from a young vineyard near their Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu vineyards. Great value from this top maker and while not as rich as their Condrieu it has charming fruit and a fresh purity.
Celeriac baked potatoes – serves 4
4 large baking potatoes
50g unsalted butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 small celeriac, peeled and cut into 2cm dice
a handful of dried ceps (or any dried mushrooms)
100ml double cream
100ml full-cream milk
1 tsp dried seaweed flakes (these are optional but we used Dulse Flakes from Aran Islands Seaweed which you can buy online)
a handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
a handful of grated cheddar cheese
Start by baking the potatoes. We like to scrub them, then rub in a little olive oil and sprinkle over some salt. Bake at 220C for 20 minutes then turn the heat down to 200C and cook for 40-60 minutes, or until cooked through.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, taking care not to damage the skins. Return the empty shells to the oven for 10 minutes to crisp up.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy pan over a medium-low heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt and start to bubble, then add the onion, garlic, celeriac and dried mushrooms. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring often, until the celeriac is soft. If it starts to catch just add a splash of water and lower the heat. When the celeriac is nice and soft, add the cream, milk, scooped out potato flesh, seaweed flakes and parsley. Stir to combine and season again if needed.
Stuff the crispy potato skins with the celeriac mixture, then place on a baking tray and scatter over the grated cheese. Return to the oven for 12-15 minutes or until hot. Serve with a dressed green salad.
(Original recipe from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2020.)
It’s about this time of year when purple sprouting broccoli arrives and saves us from the monotony of root veg. We’ve yet to be rescued and therefore had to use some imported tenderstem instead, which was fine, but definitely inferior to the local purple variety.
Wine Suggestion: We think this goes really well with Viognier. A richer, more aromatic white with a bit of phenolic grip as opposed to acidity and compliments the richness and body of the food. This wouldn’t work if the acidity was too high. A good, well-priced suggestion is the Cline Cellars North Coast Viognier, from a selection of well sited organic vineyards on the Sonoma coast in California. Well judged and avoids some of the OTT characters other Californian wines can exhibit.
Peanut Butter and Broccoli Pad Thai – serves 4
FOR THE SAUCE:
6 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp tamarind paste
3 tbsp runny honey
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
FOR THE TOFU & BROCCOLI:
450g purple sprouting broccoli or other long-stemmed broccoli, put the florets to one side and cut the stalks into 1cm pieces
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1.5cm ginger, peeled and grated
2 bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
225g firm tofu, drained and cubed
250g flat folded rice noodles
rapeseed oil
6 scallions, finely chopped
a handful of sesame seeds
a handful of Thai basil leaves, shredded (use regular basil if you have to)
a handful of fresh mint leaves, shredded
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
Make the sauce by mixing the peanut butter, tamarind paste and honey in a bowl, then slowly mix in the soy sauce, lime juice and 4 tbsp of water.
Cook the noodles according the instructions on the pack, then rinse under cold water, drain, and drizzle with a tbsp of rapeseed oil. Toss gently with your hands.
Heat 2tbsp of rapeseed oil, over a medium-high heat, in a large non-stick pan or wok with a lid. Fry the tofu for 5 minutes, turning every minute, until pale golden. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 2 minutes, then add the broccoli stalks and 4 tbsp of water. Cover the pan and steam for 2 minutes or until the stalks are tender. Add the broccoli florets, the sauce and scallions (reserving a few to garnish), stir to combine, then cover again and leave for 2 minutes.
Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, then add the noodles a handful at a time, mixing them in gently to coat with the sauce, then turn off the heat.
Divide the noodles between 4 bowls, sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions, then drizzle over some sesame oil and scatter over the herbs. Add a generous squeeze of lime and serve.
(Original recipe from East by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree: Penguin Books, 2019.)
Meera Sodha’s daily Dal that she inherited from her mother. Nothing complex but very satisfying and like so many dishes, tastes better the next day. We served with rice, naan bread from the takeaway, yoghurt and mango chutney.
Daily dal – serves 4
225g red lentils
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
12 peppercorns
4 cloves
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
6cm ginger, peeled and finely grated
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
400g tin plum tomatoes
Rinse the lentils in a sieve until the water runs clear then put into a deep saucepan with a lid. Add 600ml of cold water, then bring to the boil over a medium-high heat. Cover with the lid and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes without stirring, until tender.
Meanwhile, put the oil into another deep saucepan. When hot, add the peppercorns and cloves and stir-fry for a minute, or until fragrant, then add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another 4 minutes before adding the chilli powder, coriander, turmeric and salt. Stir well, then add the tinned tomatoes, crushing them with your hand, then cover and simmer gently for about 8 minutes.
The tomatoes should look paste-like now with only a little juice. Add the lentils using a draining spoon, then pour in any remaining water that they were boiling in, a little at a time, or until the consistency is good.
Cover the pan again and cook on a low heat for a final 10 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and more chilli if you like.
(Original recipe from Made in India by Meera Sodha, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2014.)
Roasted red pepper and walnut dip – Muhammara – serves 4
A new favourite side-dish/dip, called Muhammara, from Falestin, one of our favourite books of 2020, the year we did nothing but cook! This is such a handy thing, good with pitta breads but also as a delicious side dish. We served it with lamb and rice.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Add the walnuts and roast for about 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside.
Increase the temperature to 220C fan. Put the peppers onto a parchment-lined baking tray and toss with 1 tsp of oil. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until completely soft and charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to cool for about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, stems and seeds.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a medium sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 7 minutes, until softened and browned. Add the garlic, tomato purée and spices and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Remove from the heat and tip into a food processor with the roasted peppers, panko breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp of salt and some black pepper. Blitz for about 30 seconds to get a coarse paste. Add 90g of the walnuts and pulse again briefly, just to break the walnuts down a bit. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Roughly crush the rest of the walnuts with your hands and sprinkle these over with the parsley.
(Original recipe from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley, Ebury Press, 2020.)
A truly delicious veggie main. Perhaps best made by someone else if you would prefer not to see the amount of cream and butter involved. It’s cold outside, and we really didn’t feel like a salad tonight.
Wine Suggestion: A homely, oaked chardonnay is our choice. In our rack both the Rustenberg from Stellenbosch and the Domaine Ventenac in Cabardes are vying for attention. The latter won out tonight, but it could have gone either way. Nice to have choice.
Potato, leek & blue cheese pie – serves 6
FOR THE POTATO TOP:
1kg large potatoes, peeled (use a variety good for mashing)
175ml full-cream milk
100g unsalted butter
FOR THE FILLING:
4 leeks, sliced into 3cm rounds
1 tbsp thyme leaves
100g unsalted butter
1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
50g plain flour
125ml whole milk
180ml double cream
150 frozen peas
100g blue cheese, crumbled into small chunks
a small handful of flat leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
Start with the topping. Cut the potatoes into even-sized pieces, not too small. Put into a large saucepan and just cover with cold water, season with salt. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, then return to the warm saucepan and leave to steam for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, gently heat the milk and butter together in a small pan until the butter has melted.
Start mashing the potatoes, then gradually add the hot milk and butter mixture. Keep mashing until well combined and smooth. It will seem like you have too much milk and butter but keep going. Season well with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Next make the filling. Put a large pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks, half the thyme leaves, 25g of the butter and the garlic. Add 100ml of water, season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and steam until just tender, about 8 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400 F/Gas 6.
Put a colander over a bowl, then drain the leeks in the colander and reserve the cooking liquid.
Rinse the pan and return it to a medium heat. Add the rest of the butter and when melted, stir in the flour and cook for a minute over a low heat. Add the leek and cooking liquid, plus the milk and double cream. Whisk the sauce well until it is thick and creamy, it’s ready when small bubbles are just starting to break on the surface.
Stir in the peas, leeks and half the blue cheese. Add the parsley and lots of salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into a dish and level it out. Heap the mash on top but don’t worry about being too neat. Dot the remaining cheese over the top, then sprinkle with the rest of the thyme leaves. Season the top with salt and pepper, then bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
(Original recipe from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller, Hardie Grant, Quadrille, 2020.)
There’s not many treats to be had at the moment, so we recommend treating yourself at breakfast with this delicious granola recipe by Yasmin Khan. We like it with yoghurt and roasted quinces.
Persian granola – makes a large jarful for a few breakfasts
3 tbsp sunflower oil
150ml date molasses or maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
¾ tsp vanilla extract
350g jumbo rolled oats
a large pinch of sea salt
25g sunflower seeds
25g pumpkin seeds
35g pistachios, roughly chopped
35g flaked almonds
50g dried fruit (optional), we used dried cranberries but you could use any dried fruit or a mixture
Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3½
Mix the oil, date molasses or maple syrup, honey and vanilla extract, together in a small bowl.
Mix the dried ingredients, except the flaked almonds and the dried fruit, together in a large bowl, then pour over the sticky mixture and stir well to coat.
Divide the mixture between two baking trays and pat down with a wooden spoon.
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, then remove and stir through the flaked almonds. Return to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Keep checking though as it can burn easily.
Leave to cool on the trays, then stir through the dried fruit if you’re using. It will keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight jar.
(Original recipe from The Saffron Tales by Yasmin Khan, Bloomsbury, 2016.)
This soup uses all store cupboard ingredients. You do need fresh coriander but we regularly have an almost full bag of this in the fridge and are happy to have this soup idea to use it up. We make soup almost every week in the winter months and this is definitely one of our favourites. The recipe is from Ottolenghi Simple where they suggest leaving it rough, which we did, but you can blend until smooth if you prefer.
Curried lentil, tomato & coconut soup – serves 4
2 tbsp coconut oil or sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp medium curry powder
¼ tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
150g red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
25g coriander stalks, roughly chopped, plus 5g picked leaves to garnish
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
Put the oil into a large saucepan and put over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and caramelised.
Add the curry powder, chilli flakes, garlic and ginger and keep frying for another 2 minutes, stirring all the time.
Add the lentils, stir through for a minute, then add the tomatoes, coriander stalks, 600ml of water, 1 tsp of salt and a lots of black pepper.
Pour the coconut milk into a large bowl and whisk gently until smooth. Set aside 4 tbsp to garnish the bowls, then add the coconut milk to the soup. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft abut still holding their shape. Add a bit more water – 100-150ml – if the soup is too thick.
Divide the soup between warm bowls and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk and some coriander leaves.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)
We have a 7 year old at home who is usually very good at eating pretty much anything we put in front of her. Recently though, she’s gone a bit fussy and very plain in her requests. We’re remaining calm and trying to cook some kid-friendly food to coax her back to her adventurous self. Served with salad and garlic bread, the dish was scraped clean.
Wine Suggestion: Youthful, Italian reds are the order of the day, be it a Sangiovese or Montepulciano, or tonight’s choice of Barbera from Pico Maccario in the Piedmont.
Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni – serves 6
butter for greasing the dish
18 cannelloni tubes (you can use a few more if you have extra filling and enough room in your dish)
30g Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to serve
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
300ml chicken stock or veg stock
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
60g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
FOR THE FILLING:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
500g spinach leaves, chopped
500g ricotta cheese
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
Make the tomato sauce first by heating the oil in a saucepan, then adding the celery, onion, carrot and garlic. Cook gently for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the stock, tomatoes and tomato purée, then season well with salt and pepper, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer, stirring now and then, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling by heating the oil in a large pan, then add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the spinach and cook over a high heat for a couple of minute until completely wilted. Cool slightly, then stir in the ricotta, nutmeg and plenty of seasoning.
Purée the tomato sauce in a food processor, then stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Grease a large ovenproof dish in which the cannelloni tubes can lie in a single layer.
Spoon the filling into the cannelloni tubes. Two teaspoons works best for this; 1 to spoon the filling into the tube, and use the opposite end of the other spoon to push the filling down into the tube.
Arrange the filled cannelloni in the dish, then cover with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, then serve with extra Parmesan on top.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry’s Complete Cookbook, DK, 1995.)
We’re not buying any meat or fish this January, it’s not veganuary, but just an effort to be a little frugal at the start of the year. We also want to make sure we use up all the odds and ends in the freezer. We’ve been making lots of Korean dishes but they tend to focus on meat or fish, so we decided to give some winter veg the Gochujang treatment. Serve with some sticky rice.
Wine Suggestion: The sommelier’s secret weapon: Quinta Soalheiro’s Allo. Light and fresh, but with fruit, texture and depth to stand up to any dish. The earthy, iodine kale and spicy flavours just work with this wine.
Korean Winter Veg Stir-fry – serves 2
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, halved and sliced
a small clove of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
a small bunch of long-stemmed broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, cut into batons
100g greens, we used purple kale but any kale or cabbage will be good, remove any thick stalks and shred
4 scallions, 2 chopped and 2 cut into 4 cm lengths
½ tbsp sesame seeds
FOR THE GOCHUJANG SAUCE:
1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin or rice wine
1 tbsp honey
To make the gochujang sauce, mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Heat a large wok over a high heat, then add 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until softened, a couple of minutes.
Add another tbsp of oil to the wok, then add the broccoli, carrot and longer pieces of scallion, continue to stir-fry until slightly softened.
Add the sauce and the kale and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. The sauce should be sticky on the vegetables and everything piping hot.
Serve the veg over sticky rice and sprinkled with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.
(Original recipe from My Asian Kitchen by Jennifer Joyce, Murdoch Books, 2018.)
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.)
The trick, as with all gratin’s, is to slice the vegetables really thinly. Invest in a mandolin, or use your food processor’s slicing blade, and you’ll get even slices that will cook at the same time. This dish has a lovely festive feel to it and would be great as a side dish for roast chicken (or turkey) or a rich casserole. We served just as it was with some steamed broccoli which was good too.
There was no cheese in the original recipe so feel free to leave it out. We’re still working our way through the cheese mountain in the fridge.
Creamy vegetable gratin with chestnuts and cranberries – serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side
400g potatoes
300g parsnips
300g celeriac
425ml double cream
140ml sour cream
85ml full-fat milk
2 cloves of garlic, very finely sliced
leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme
butter, to grease the dish
50g dried cranberries
100g cooked chestnuts, sliced
a large handful of grated Parmesan
a large handful of grated Cheddar/Gruyere
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Slice the potatoes, parsnips and celeriac very finely, use a mandolin if you have one.
In a large saucepan, mix the creams and milk together, then bring to just under the boil. Add the sliced veg, garlic and thyme and cook gently for 5 minutes.
Season generously and spoon half the vegetables into a buttered gratin dish. Sprinkle the cranberries and chestnuts on top and half of the cheese, then add another layer of vegetables and the rest of the cheese over the top.
Bake for 1 hour or until completely tender. You may need to cover with foil after 45 minutes to stop it browning too much.
(Original recipe from Food from Plenty by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2010.)
We made this on the first of January. We don’t do veggie January or veganuary but after all the rich food of November and December we were looking forward to some lighter dishes and this felt just right; both elegant and light, but full of lovely layers of flavour and textures.
Wine Suggestion: serve this with an umami rich red wine, but one that isn’t too fruity and rich either. If you can plump for an older, good Barolo lucky you, but tonight we were still lucky enough to have Domaine Jamet’s Côtes du Rhône: 100% northern Rhône Syrah with depth and personality, plums and brambles, peppery spice and savouriness.
Shiitake pho with crispy leeks – serves 4
4 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for shallow-frying
4 banana shallots, thinly sliced (just use an onion if you don’t have shallots)
5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 star anise
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 leeks, 1 sliced the other shredded into long strips
2 bird’s eye chillies, very finely chopped
375g fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp light soy sauce
6 scallions, very finely sliced
2 litres vegetable stock (vegan if you wish)
200g flat rice noodles
a large handful of fresh coriander leaves, shredded
1 lime, quartered
You need a very big pot for this, at least 3 litres.
Heat the oil in the large pot and fry the shallots for 5 minutes. Add the ginger, star anise, cloves and cinnamon stick, then fry for another 5 minutes or until starting to colour and stick.
Add the finely sliced leek, chillies and mushrooms, and stir-fry for 8-10 minutes, until softened, then add the soy sauce, half the scallions and the stock. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down very low and leave to simmer. Season to taste with salt.
Meanwhile, fry the shredded leek. Pour enough oil into a frying pan to come up to 1cm up the sides, then heat over a medium flame until very hot. Fry the shredded leek in batches, until crispy and golden, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the pack and drain.
To serve, divide the noodles between 4 large bowls, then ladle the broth on top. Scatter with the coriander, the crispy leeks, scallions and a squeeze of lime.
(Original recipe from East by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree, 2019.)
With a few days left before the New Year… when we, like many others are happy to change pace for a bit. For us that means lots of exercise, early nights and healthier food to eat. We don’t go on a diet but after all the excess of Christmas it’s just what we’re craving. All of this means that we have just a few days to get through all the delicious cheese in the fridge. Feel free to play around with the cheeses, we used Cooleeney from Tipperary, but Taleggio or Brie would work too.
5g tarragon, leaves picked, half chopped, half left whole
1 cauliflower, broken into florets
Heat the oven to 220C/200Cfan/gas 7.
Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan, then stir in the flour to make a paste. Cook for a few minutes, then gradually add the milk, stirring the whole time, until you have a smooth sauce. Season.
Add the bay leaf, cheddar, Parmesan, half the taleggio and the whole tarragon leaves. Heat gently, stirring continuously, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the cheeses have melted and the sauce thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse.
Cook the cauliflower in a steamer for 8 to 10 minutes or until just tender. Put the cauliflower into a baking dish. Add the chopped tarragon to the sauce and pour over the cauliflower.
Dot with the remaining taleggio and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
This pasta dish by Gizzi Erskine certainly packs a punch. Roasted cauliflower is a bit trendy at the moment but we don’t think we’ll tire of it and the additions of preserved lemon, chilli and cream makes a great combination.
Wine Suggestion: The Edetària via Edetana Blanc from DO Terra Alta, near Tarragona in Spain is an old vine Granacha Blanca (70%) with the remainder being Viognier. Wonderfully bright and pure with both an exotic lushness and cream on the palate as well as a blindingly salty, mineral finish. Bravo to the winemakers.
Roasted cauliflower, preserved lemon and chilli pasta – serves 4
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets, and the inner leaves
100ml olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for roasting the cauliflower
40g rye bread, blitzed into breadcrumbs (we used some stale sourdough which worked perfectly too)
250g ditali pasta, macaroni, mezzi, rigatoni or orecchiette
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 dried chilli, crushed
3 egg yolks
200g sour cream
80g Parmesan, grated
a large handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
2 preserved lemons, pips discarded and skin thinly sliced
grated zest of 1 lemon
Preheat the oven to very hot, about 260C/Gas 10 or as high as your oven goes.
Spread the cauliflower and leaves on a baking tray, drizzle over 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt. Toss with your hands to coat in the oil. Roast in the hot over for 15 minutes, until cooked through and browned, a bit of charring is fine.
Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and fry until crispy and golden, then drain on some kitchen paper and set aside.
Cook the pasta in lots of very salty water for a couple minutes less than the pack instructions, it will finish cooking in the sauce. Drain, and keep 100ml of the pasta cooking water in case you need to thin the sauce later.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the rest of the oil in a separate frying pan with the garlic and chilli and cook gently for 5 minutes, until softened, then set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks, cream and Parmesan together in a bowl. Put the pasta pan back over a medium heat and stir in the egg mixture, then the garlic and chilli oil, parsley, preserved lemon, lemon zest and plenty of black pepper. Mix for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, check for seasoning and stir through the roasted cauliflower. You can loosen a little with the reserved pasta cooking water if needed. Serve on warm plates with the crispy breadcrumbs sprinkled over and a little extra Parmesan if you like.
(Original recipe from Restore by Gizzi Erskine, HQ, 2020.)
Well this was a revelation! We love kimchi but admit that we’ve only ever bought it in jars and never attempted to make it ourselves; a new year’s resolution in there perhaps. Having no kimchi in the cupboard we decided to give this a go and it’s nothing short of delicious. It’s ideally made with the small Persian cucumbers which we couldn’t find in our local shops over Christmas but a regular cucumber works fine too, just scoop out most of the seeds with a teaspoon first.
Almost-instant cucumber kimchi – serves 4-6 as a side
3 Persian cucumbers or 1 regular cucumber (see note above)
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp gochugaru red pepper powder
2 tsp unrefined sugar or coconut palm sugar
2 ½ tsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp roasted sesame seed oil
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Wash the cucumbers and pat dry. Halve them lengthways and slice very finely. Put the slices into a bowl with the salt, toss to combine, then leave aside for 30 minutes.
Combine the rest of the ingredients, apart from the sesame seeds, in a bowl. Drain the cucumber of any liquid, then add to the bowl with the other ingredients and stir well. Cover and put in the fridge for at least half an hour or until chilled.
Serve sprinkled with the sesame seeds. If you can resist eating it all this will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week.
(Original recipe from Our Korean Kitchen by Jordan Bourke and Rejina Pyo, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2015.)
