Posts tagged garlic

Chicken & Black Bean Empanadas

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Chicken & Black Bean Empanadas

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promised I’d be inspired from our recent adventures in Mexico. The food and country stole our hearts and we are incredibly lucky to have had such an amazing immersive honeymoon. Whilst I’ve only managed to find one good Mezcal bar in London (Hacha, Brixton/Dalston), I have been creating smoothie bowls, tacos and now, empanadas in the kitchen.

I think empandas are pretty forgiving and adaptable (don’t tell the Mexicans?). Being a very loose cousin to the Cornish pasty in my view, as long as the pastry is fresh and flaky and the filling tasty and moist –  you can’t go wrong. We didn’t eat too many of these in Mexico to know the ‘traditional’ size but I like that you can make these larger or smaller to fit into your menu. Here I opted for the slightly larger than canapé size as part of a Mexican tasting menu.

Makes about 15 (depending on their size)

  • 500g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 150g cold butter, cubed
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 4-5 chicken thighs, skin off, deboned
  • 2 large shallots, chopped finely
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp each ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes (or as hot as you like)
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 can tinned tomatoes
  • Handful coriander, chopped

You can use shortcrust pasty or puff if you don’t want to make it yourself. I used a tea saucer size to cut out the pastry circles for size.

Filling

  1. Preheat the oven to 180℃ and get yourself a large casserole dish.
  2. Heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat in your dish and add the shallots. Gently cook for about 8 minutes until soft and translucent making sure they don’t catch. Season well, add the garlic and cook for a further few minutes to soften.
  3. Add the chicken thighs and turn up the heat to brown them slightly on the outside (don’t worry too much, it’ll all go in the oven shortly!)
  4. Add the ground spices and mix everything well to coat for a few minutes.
  5. Add in the tinned tomatoes and mix well. Add half a can of water from the kettle if its looking a bit thick, basically enough to submerge the chicken but not too watery!
  6. Add the black beans and mix well.
  7. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes, lid on. Remove the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes or so. By this time the mixture should have reduced nicely and the chicken tender.
  8. Remove the dish from the oven and leave to cool slightly.
  9. Before it gets cold, take two forks and shred the chicken into bitesize pieces and mix everything to combine before leaving to cool completely before stirring in the chopped coriander.

Pastry

  1. To make the pastry, mix the cold cubed butter and flour and baking powder in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs. Season. (You can rub this in by hand but make sure the butter is cold).
  2. Add in a few tbsp of cold water bit by bit with the processor running until the dough just starts to come together in a ball.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and combine into a nice soft ball. Wrap in cling film and refredigate for 1 hour.

Assembly

  1. Remove the pastry from the fridge and leave to warm up for about 15 minutes. Cut into quarters to make it easier to handle. Roll each quarter out on a floured work surface to the ticket of a coin. Use a cutter or an upturned saucer to cut out circles of pastry. Size is totally up to you – you can go large pasty style or small canapé size.
  2. Spoon a small amount of mixture into the centre of the pastry – the amount will depend on the size but be cautious and don’t overfill, its easily done.
  3. Brush beaten egg around the outside of the whole pastry disc.
  4. Turn over the pastry to make a half moon and seal the edges with a fork by pressing the pastry edges together.
  5. Brush the empanada with egg and bake at 200℃ for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Braised Pork Cheeks with Parsnip Puree

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Braised Pork Cheeks with Parsnip Puree

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ork cheeks are such a delight to braise slowly in wine. After 3 hours quietly stewing they are pleasingly tender with a melt in the mouth texture. Beautiful served atop something creamy and comforting like some garlicy mash potato but I love the sweetness of the parsnips here and their velvety texture.

You can get pork cheeks at any good butcher and they are cheap as chips but are such a show stopper! If you can only get hold of ox cheeks, you can use the same recipe just upping the cooking time to 5-6 hours and adding more stock/wine – they are about 10 times the size after all. Two ox cheeks will easily feed 4 unlike pork cheeks where I usually allow 2-3 per person.

Serves 4

  • 12 pork cheeks
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 carrot
  • 6 banana shallots, finely chop 2, cut the others into halves.
  • 2 sticks celery
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 1 sprig rosemary, leaves picked
  • 400ml red wine (roughly – I didn’t measure)
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped to serve

Parsnip Puree

  • 500g parsnips
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 200ml milk
  1. Heat the oven to 160 degrees and get a large casserole dish on the hob over a medium heat and add a splash of olive oil and heat.
  2. Coat the pork cheeks in the flour and some salt and pepper and dust off the excess. Add them to the pan and brown quickly on all sides for just a few minutes and then set aside on a plate.
  3. In the same pan, add the finely chopped carrot, celery and shallot and sweat for about 5-8 minutes on a light heat until starting to soften and caramelise.
  4. Add the halved shallots, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary and some good seasoning and stir for a few minutes.
  5. Return the cheeks to the pan and mix.
  6. Add enough red wine to just come up the sides of the dish. Crumble in a stock cube and top up with enough boiling water to submerge the cheeks but not so they are drowning.
  7. Pop in the oven for about 3 hours. Check the liquid level now and again, it should be reducing so after the 3 hours, you have a nice reduced thick sauce but the meat is by no meats drying out. Top up with more liquid if needed OR remove the lid if its too thin so it can reduce a bit.
  8. After about 3 hours, the cheeks should be beautifully tender, the sauce reduced and the top of the cheeks browning. You can pop the dish back on the hob to reduce some more if needed.

Parnisps

  1. Peel and chop the parsnips into chunks and add them to a saucepan with the milk and then top up with water to cover. Add the bay leaf and some cracked black pepper.
  2. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until they are just tender – don’t over cook of they will be water logged, undercooked and you’ll get a lumpy puree!
  3. Drain the parsnips making sure you reserve the hot milk. Remove the bay leaf.
  4. Blend the parsnips in a blender with some salt and pepper and some of the reserved cooking milk but don’t add all at once. Add more of the milk as you blend to get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To serve, spoon a lovely pool of parsnips puree onto a warm plate. Top with a few pork cheeks and some of that lovely thick sauce and a scattering of chopped parsley! Serve with some braised leeks and peas or greens of choice!

Butterbean ‘Hummus’ with Broccoli, garlic, almonds & chilli

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Butterbean ‘Hummus’ with Broccoli, garlic, almonds & chilli

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ne of the bonus’ for both me and my family & friends is that a cookery book is always a well received gift. Especially if its Middle Eastern inspired. My latest addition is both extremely enlightening and beautifully and factually written! ‘The Jewelled Table’  by Bethany Kehdy.

Having claimed a Middle Eastern ‘style’ to my own food with a heavy twist from almost everywhere, it was interesting to learn some truths about some of the dishes that are now such staples in our UK diets. Hummus most notably. 

  1. ‘Hummus’ means ‘chickpeas’. Hence why this recipe isn’t technically hummus but simply steals the tahini and lemon juice components that make our traditional hummus.
  2. No one country owns hummus. Thus, I think its OK to cook it with your own interpretation.

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hilst I adore Bethany’s recipes, I’m never one to simply follow and obey. That and I had less time on my hands than a few of her hummus’ called for so I adapted. Mainly from her recommendation to use dried chickpeas. I’ve found a fantastic brand (Napolina) which I will always use so sadly I am a little to lazy to follow this hearty advise.

I’ve have interpreted her ‘Mock hummus’ and added a few bits of my own. I’ve also topped it with the topping from another recipe (‘Butter Hummus’). But admittedly, the delicious and inspiring toppings in this book will make you simply want to create and heat upon a pot of supermarket…’hummus’? 

I hope you’re not confused about hummus. 

Adapted from ‘Mock Hummus, The Jewelled Table’.

Serves 2 (as a side)

Hummus

  • 1 can butter beans, drained.
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 2-3 tbsp tahini
  • 1-2 lemons, juice
  • 1 tbsp spice mix (see tip below). Equally you could use any spices you feel like.
  • Salt and pepper

  1. Blend the butter beans, tahini, juice of 1 lemon, spices and seasoning in a processor until smooth. 
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning or add more lemon if needed.
  3. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and keep at room temperature.

Braised Broccoli

  • Tenderstem broccoli
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red chilli, sliced
  • Handful flaked almonds
  • 3 sundried tomatoes, drained and sliced thinly
  • 1 handful parsley, chopped

 

  1. Heat a frying pan on medium high and add a splash of rapeseed oil. Stri fry the broccoli for about 5-8 minutes until beginning to cook and crisp.
  2. Add the garlic and chilli and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until just beginning to turn golden (careful not to burn the garlic)
  3. Add the flaked almonds and fry until golden.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs and the tomatoes.
  5. Elegantly place on top of the hummus and serve immediately.

I served mine with fired halloumi and some warm flatbreads for dipping!

Enjoy.

TIP: Spice mix: Made by toasting all whole spices in a hot frying pan until fragrant. Then grind in a pestle and mortar. (The cinnamon can be removed and any empty cardamon pods) 1tbsp of each fennel; cumin; coriander; fenugreek; black/yellow mustard seed; 1 cinnamon stick; 3 cardamon pods; 1 star anise 

Glamorous Little Gems & Chicken

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Glamorous Little Gems & Chicken

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ts been one of the hottest days in London and I’m wishing I was anywhere else. Regardless if this is a “technically” true stat, for me, an outrageously and inhumane (#dramaqueen) commute home on a train only partially cooler than an incinerating furnace left me feeling like a spit roast chicken…without the delicious golden skin (which we all know is the best part). I power walked home with nothing but a swimming pool and a cold beer on the mind. To do just that. I love it when a plan comes together. After a refreshing lengths session in the local pool with the lane to myself and only one drifting plaster in sight I counted this as a good exercise sessions (it is also Thursday…most people have better things to do). I was feeling energised, refreshed and ready for the start of my evening round 2. Beer on the mind I wondered aimlessly around Co-op. Again, depressing for a Thursday evening I know. Inspiration at a stand still.

I’m convinced some of my favourite recipes are created out ofspontaneity and the need to EAT! And tonight, I was in one of those rare moods where (yes I’ll admit) I just want to eat and don’t care to much for the show business of blogging and aesthetics. Needless to say….I inevitably eyed up my camera as I always do as the meal was coming together and…well here you are. Thursday evenings creation. I am, if you are keen to know, enjoying a cold beer as I write this. I likely won’t be proofreading so please don’t be that ‘helpful’ reader who comments to advise of my grammatical errors….

Ingredients (Serves 2)

  • 4 chicken thighs, deboned
  • 8 slices thin chorizo
  • 1 large garlic clove, diced
  • 2 little gem lettuces
  • Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Zest 1 lemon
  • Two large handfuls breadcrumbs
  • Sunflower oil
  • Lemon juice & yoghurt to serve (optional)
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Start by deboning the chicken thighs as most come sold with bone in. Easiest way is crudely with a pair of scissors. Heat a frying pan until hot. Season the skin side of the chicken well and then fry skin side down until really crisp and golden (like that spit roast…).
  2. Place the 8 slices of chorizo in a baking tray. When the chicken skin is temptingly crispy, seal the flesh side in the pan by flashing it on the heat before placing on top of the chrizo slices skin side up and putting the tray into the oven for 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the frying pan again and add a little oil. Fry the breadcrumbs and the diced garlic until golden and crisp, set aside in a large bowl.
  4. When the breadcrumbs have cooled slightly, to the bowl, add the lemon zest, as much finely grated parmesan as you like, the finely chopped parsley and some good seasoning.
  5. Heat a griddle pan or the same frying pan again and add a small splash of sunflower oil. At 5 minutes before the chicken is ready, halve the little gems, discarding any tatty outer leaves, and char these cut side down for a few minutes until just beginning to soften and the outside is golden (these are ideally done charred on a BBQ but a griddle works well. I actually did mine using a frying pan so this is also fine and effective). Remove from the heat.
  6. To serve, place the crispy chorizo on a plate and top with the chicken. Serve with the little gems scattered generously with the breadcurmb/cheesy crumb.

A cooling lemony yoghurt works well here drizzled over the little gems to add some clean acidity as most of the elements here are greasy. Some freshly boil peas also add a nice clean taste and addition. This also works well as an excellent side dish to many other proteins and salad. The textural contrast is the best!

Spring Stew

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Spring Stew

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his green spring stew celebrates vegetables but warms the stomach and is a nice transition from a cold Spring day to a Summer evening! You can absolutely experiment with adding different vegetables such as those listed below – weights and measures are also very rough here. Use your hands and throw things in! Just be concious of the cooking times of the different vegetables you choose – asparagus will need to just touch the heat before its overcooked, while green beans will need a little more time. So add these along the way accordingly. Open to variation but the lardons and garlic provide a good foundation and depth of flavour to build on so I recommend these as a must.

I cooked and served this with a delicately fried piece of seabass but a pan fried fillet of soft pink trout would be an excellent and seasonal choice. Topped with a dollop of homemade and indulgent hollandaise (see here) if you want to take this to a higher level or add another dimension.

Serves 2

  • 2 x seabass/seabream/trout fillets
  • 300g frozen garden peas (approximate weight)
  • 2 x little gem lettuce, chopped roughly
  • 200g smoked bacon lardons
  • 200g sugar snaps peas/green beans/asparagus tips/chopped courgettes (or a mixture of them all)
  • 1 red onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped finely
  • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 lemon, juice only
  • 1/2 stock cube
  • 1 tbsp soft unsalted butter (For the beurre manie, see Cheffy Tip!)
  • 1 tbsp flour

Cheffy Tip: I often use a ‘beurre manie’ (aka, kneaded butter) when I want to thicken a sauce but not make a white sauce or a roux. When you make a casserole and the sauce is a bit thin, or when you want to make the juices in a pan a bit thicker this is your tactic! When you mix the butter and flour into a paste, you coat the flour in butter particles. That way, when you stir this paste into hot sauces and liquids, the butter melts and distributes the flour particles evenly ensuring there are no lumps! (Ideally). You can make a small bowl and then add in tablespoons bit by bit until the thickness desired.

  1. Heat a splash of olive/sunflower oil in a frying pan and sauté the red onion for 8-10 minutes until translucent and softening. Continue cooking until they begin to turn a little golden but don’t burn. Season well.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes only.
  3. Add the bacon lardons and cook through until crispy.
  4. Crumble the half stock cube into a mug and add some hot water (about 300ml but its not exact, you won’t use it all, it will have to be used by eye)
  5. Add the frozen peas and toss briefly. You now need to work quickly as the pea, sugar snaps and lettuce will cook fast and you don’t want soggy overcooked fresh greens! Ideally the vege/lettuce should be al dente.
  6. Pour a good splash of the hot stock into the frying pan, enough so that there is a ‘sauce’ that will simmer you veges but not so that its swimming! You don’t need to use all the stock but its there to balance the sauce as you wish. Bring to a simmer.
  7. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mash the soft butter with the flour to a paste until dough like (this is called a ‘beurre manie’). Whisk this quickly into the liquid in the frying pan – I stress quickly to ensure no lumps. This ‘paste’ will thicken the sauce but ensure no lumps. Simmer very gently and you should see the sauce start to thicken a touch. Make/add more more paste as needed if you’ve added lots of stock.
  8. Once you’ve done this, add the chopped little gems and the vegetables of choice and cover the pan with a lid. Let the heat and sauce steam the veges just a touch to let it warm but not go too soggy.
  9. The ‘stew’ should have a thick gravy like sauce but its shouldn’t be swimming in moisture so if it is, just turn the heat up a notch and reduce some of the liquid down. Remove the pan from the heat when ready, check and season as needed and scatter in the chopped parsley.
  10. Finally, add a good squeeze of lemon for seasoning.
  11. Enjoy with a pan fried fillet of fish or steamed cod. Trout would be a great addition here.

Roasted Indian Chicken Curry

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Roasted Indian Chicken Curry

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oasting (especially if done slowly) always brings out a flavour that can’t be beaten by quick or lazy cooking. Combining amazing spices, some ginger heat and of course some coconut milk and popping this in a hot oven care free was the ideal way to focus my time, attention and love on a juicy glass (ahem…shared bottle) of Syrah from South Africa (see foot note). I’d recommend cooking this on a Sunday if you fancy a change from a roast but with all the depth of flavour. Feel free to experiment with different spices, cuts of meat or side dishes. My nigella seed flatbreads dipped in mango chutney would work a treat. This is also a very mild curry (note, no chilli) so don’t expect to be punched by heat! But do add accordingly if that’s how you want your Sunday evening.

TIP: This can by all means be made simply roasted in tray from start to finish with no fuss! (I opted to use a tray and then a casserole dish but this can be ignored). Roasting in a deep roasting tin then adding the coconut milk gives you crispy potatoes, chicken and minimal washing up. When you ‘roast’ in a casserole dish you don’t get the circulation of air and the crispy finish that you do when in a tray so this is preferred. However, I often like to manipulate the sauce consistency so I prefer to manage this by adding to a casserole once ready to add the coconut milk. But this is up to you!!

Serves 2

  • 4 x chicken pieces on the bone (2 x thighs and 2 x drumsticks)
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 500g small potatoes/new potatoes (halved if needed)
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground tumeric
  • 1 x can coconut milk
  • Handful curry leaves
  • 150g frozen peas
  • Large handful green beans
  • 1 lime
  • Bunch coriander, chopped

Marinade

  • Knob of ginger, freshly grated – 2 tbsp
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 limes, zest only (reserve for serving)
  • 1 tsp ground tumeric
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 large tsp ground garam masala
  • Sunflower oil

To serve

  • Popadoms
  • Mango chutney
  • Chopped coriander
  • Lime wedges (from marinade)
  1. Start by marinating the chicken (at least 30 minutes before, overnight if possible). Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add the chicken and potatoes. Add a few tsp of sunflower oil and use your hands to fully coat. Cover and refrigerate.
  2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C.
  3. This can be made in either a roasting tray OR a large flameproof casserole dish however I found the combination of the two the best (see above tip). Drizzle a little oil in the roasting tray and add the sliced red onions and garlic. Remove the chicken and potatoes from the fridge and add to the dish. Make sure the skin of the chicken is facing upwards and that the chicken is sitting on top of the everything.
  4. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a high heat and dry fry the fennel, coriander, cumin and mustard seeds for a few minutes, just until fragrant. Remove form the heat and grind in a pestle and mortar.
  6. Add these spices and the ground spices to the coconut milk and whisk. Add the curry leaves.
  7. After 50 minutes, remove the tray from the oven. Transfer the contents to a large casserole dish, ensuring your scrap all the delicious goodness off the bottom.
  8. Add the coconut milk (avoiding soaking the crispy chicken skin if you can) and ensure again that the chicken pieces are facing upwards, skin on the top.
  9. Bake in the oven for another 30 minutes.
  10. After this time, add the beans, peas and a generous squeeze of lime. Return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes.
  11. When ready to serve, scatter over the chopped coriander. Serve with popadoms and mango chutney.

WINE: We devoured this with a delicious Syrah from South Africa from the gorgeous Vrede en Lust. Benefits from decanting.

Creamed Spinach & Goats Cheese Crumble

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Creamed Spinach & Goats Cheese Crumble

 

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appy New Year! This was quite rightly a while ago now. January has come and gone and I’ve yet to even blog a shortbread biscuit or mince pie. But I’ve been sunning myself on South Africa’s beaches, drinking from their vineyards and eating…biltong. I don’t regret my absence. However, it has been a shameful while since I’ve given FITP some loving attention. Importantly I must confirm it is NOT because I’ve stopped cooking or experimenting. My pans continue to earn their keep and my fellow friends kept fed and watered. Its been quite an adventure over the past months and that combined with the lack of natural light, I’ve had limited time to take pictures worthy of my perfectionism and blogging standards. Recent stressful distractions at the later end of 2017 have sucked my what would have been ”recipe daydreaming time” for my blogging creations. More so I have sadly (?) opted for either comfort eats or trusty go-tos. That said there have been some blog worthy comfort eats that will have to grace these pages before the summer…

But this Monday evening in early February once again faded into another dark quiet Monday with nothing to excite me except the idea of coming home for dinner and a round of ‘Silent Witness’ (Judge as you will). That coupled with the tight budgets I’ve restricted myself to in order to fund my tenacious sun worshiping this year means that experimenting is also not such an attractive prospect for the bank balance. This dish therefore fits quite nicely. Its amazing what a £1.20 bag of frozen spinach can make and just how far it’ll go. You’re skeptical about spinach going a long way…I can tell. But this could feed a vegetarian army if such a thing exists.

Tip – opt for a larger more shallow baking dish for a better eat. Mine was a little deep and small.

Serves 4-6 (Adapted from Jamie O’s classic here)

Ingredients

  • 1kg frozen spinach ‘blocks’
  • 1 red onion, chopped finely
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • Nutmeg
  • 150g soft goats cheese
  • 100g breadcrumbs OR bread
  • 100g oats
  • 100g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 50g flaked almonds
  • 250ml creme fraiche
  • 1 lemon
  1. Preheat the oven to 180.
  2. Start by sweating the onion in a little oil in a large frying pan until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and fry for a few more minutes.
  3. Add the spinach ‘blocks’ and turn up the heat to a medium setting. You want to cook out the spinach for a out 10 minutes until the blocks have melted down and you have evaporated the majority of the water.
  4. Meanwhile, blitz the bread in a processor into breadcrumbs. Season well.
  5. Add the oats and pulse lightly just to combine.
  6. Add the cubed butter and blend until you have a crumb like texture.
  7. Stir in the almonds and reserve this topping for later.
  8. Once the spinach has reduced in moisture, grate in a good few gratings of nutmeg. Add the mixture to the food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and season well.
  9. Add the creme friache and the zest of the lemon and pulse to combine. (These steps are optional. If you don’t have a processor you can simply stir the creme friache and spinach together to achieve a more textured mix).
  10. Tip a third of the mixture into a shallow baking dish (In hindsight, the one I used was a little deep). Crumble over a third of the goats cheese.
  11. Repeat with the next layer alternating with goats cheese and spinach. (Alternatively, you could add the goats cheese to the spinach mixture and pulse lightly. I preferred having nuggets of goats cheese rather than an overall flavour throughout).
  12. Once you’ve used up all the mixture, top the spinach evenly with the crumble.
  13. Bake in the oven for about 35-40 minutes until the crumble turns a golden brown and the juices from the spinach are starting to bubble up around the edges.
  14. Dive in!

 

 

Hoisin, Soy and Ginger Meatballs

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Hoisin, Soy and Ginger Meatballs

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ntil this recipe, I’d really underestimated minced pork. I like pork. I appreciate a good sausage (…ahem..) and I would fight you greedily for the crackling on a hog roast but I rarely cook with it. However my love of Asian-fusion recipes, the need for a warming Autumnal meal and some timely inspiration resulted in this tasty, moreish and speedy meatball dish.

It was an intense weekend. In training for 15km run round Lake Garda in October, it was decided that a smaller practice run was on the Saturday morning agenda. Two hours of enthusiastic and competitive running later, we’d clocked up 13 miles, some sore joints and a feisty appetite. So Sunday welcomed warm showers, relaxation and calorie replacement. And this recipe did a fine job.

Warming, comforting, firey, hoisin-sweet and punching in flavour, it was like an Asian hug in a bowl after a hectic weekend. It also makes a super speedy mid week meal and fantastic leftovers. I’m eating them as I write and they are just as good the second time round on a bowl of vegetable stir fry or raw courgette.

Rice – serve on your rice of choice. I’d recommend a jasmine or a sticky rice to avoid too many flavours. I do however like to squeeze a generous lime into the rice once cooked to add some contrast to the sweet hoisin here.

Serve 4

Meatballs

  • 600g minced pork
  • 30 self raising flour
  • 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic gloves, grated
  • 1 small red chilli (as hot as you like)

Sauce

  • 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 125ml chicken stock

To serve

  • Steamed pak choy, broccoli,/any green vege
  • Bunch coriander, chopped
  • Steamed coconut/jasmine/brown/sticky rice (of choice)
  • 1 lime
  1. Start by combining all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Use your (clean) hands, combine the mixture together so that everything is mixed well. Don’t overwork and pound the meat or it’ll give you rubbery meatballs. Chill for about 15 minutes.
  2. Once a little chilled, heat your oven to 240°C.
  3. Start cooking your rice now.
  4. Roll your pork into meatballs – golf balls size (about 16)
  5. Get a large frying pan on a high heat and add a splash of sunflower oil. (I like to fry mine to give a crispy outside then finish them off in the oven. Alternatively you can avoid this step and jump straight to the oven). Flash fry your meatballs for a few minutes until they form a dark golden crust on the outside. Place into a lined baking dish and add to the oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking.
  6. Meanwhile make your sauce. Add a splash more oil to your frying pan and fry the spring onions on a medium heat to soften slightly. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for another minute.
  7. Add the hoisin and the soy and stir well. Finally add the stock and simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly.
  8. Remove your meatballs from the oven and add them to the frying pan and coat them liberally in the sauce.
  9. Add a good squeeze of lime to the cooked rice if appropriate and serve about 4 meatballs per person on top of this. Spoon over some of the excess sauce.
  10. Scatter with coriander and a squeeze of lime if needed.
  11. Serve alongside your fresh greens.

 

Chicken Satay

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Chicken Satay

I

 usually feel that people fall into a love or hate category when it comes to peanut butter, the later being of rarity these days what with all the dreamy varieties and versions available. I embrace all that can be combined with it favouring the blackcurrant jam toast. However if you’ve not tried celery sticks dipped in peanut butter yet then you can thank me later for the introduction. Having mentioned the vast choice we now have for this delicious American spread, sadly I hate to admit that a cheap jar works wonders here. Save your fancy and expensive cashew, pecan and peanut blend for your sourdough toast at brunch y’all.

With no need to continue my expressive love of peanut butter, chicken satay is like a warm hug when wrapped comfortingly in the soft hand of a loveable flatbread with a crunchy, fresh salad. And this recipe really can be served in many ways as mentioned below. I prefer whole thighs rather than diced breast as they have far more flavour and texture. Served with a spoonful of the rich, spicy sauce, a zesty salad and some pillowey flatbreads. Alternatively, chop, coat and wrap the chicken and salad in the mits of a floury flatbread or flat wrap and dive in hands or face only. Use any combination of salad you like but whatever you do, coat liberally with lemon! It cuts through the rich and creamy peanut sauce welcomingly and essentially.

NOTE: If you haven’t tried making peanut butter before its really really simple provided you have a food processor! See here 

Adapted from Nigel Slater.

Serves 4

Chicken Satay

  • 4-8 chicken thighs, de-bonded (allow for 1-2 each depending on starter/main serving size)
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Thumb ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
  • 1 large red chilli, chopped finely
  • 1-2 limes
  • 125ml crunchy peanut butter
  • 250ml water
  • Bunch coriander, chopped
  • Sunflower or light, flavourless oil.

Salad & Sides

  • 1 cucumber, chopped into batons
  • 4 little gems lettuce, leaves picked
  • Handful radishes, sliced finely
  • Bunch spring onions, sliced as preferred
  • 1 lemon
  • Handful coriander, chopped
  • Flatbreads (homemade, see here)
  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C and begin with the chicken. Heat a hot frying pan with a tbsp of sunflower oil on a high heat. Fry the chicken skin side down until crispy and golden. Turn the thighs over and seal on the other side. Remove from the pan and place in a baking tray. Finish cooking in the oven for about 15-20 minutes while you make the sauce.
  2. Using the same pan, reduce the heat and soften the chopped onion for about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli and lemongrass and fry for just a few minutes being careful not to burn it – the garlic in particular.
  3. Next add the peanut butter and stir well and continuously to combine with the aromats. Reduce the heat to a low and add half the water. Stir to combine.
  4. The sauce will bubble and thicken as you do this so add the rest of the water when needed, a whisk is useful here.
  5. Keep on a very low heat to warm through, adding a splash more water if you require a thinner consistency.
  6. Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl and squeeze over a generous squeeze of lemon and seasoning.
  7. By now the chicken should have finished cooking, remove from the oven and set aside to rest for a moment while you put the final touches to the sauce.
  8. Add the juice of 1 large lime. Taste – if it needs more to cut through the richness then add another squeeze. Add a handful of the coriander and stir to combine saving the remaining herbs for serving.
  9. Serving is up to you – I prefer to place the thighs gently in the sauce to ensure the skin you worked hard to crisp up remains crispy and then serve the whole dish on the table for people to help themselves from – thighs and sauce scattered with the leftover coriander. Alternatively, you can chop the chicken pieces into bite sized chucks and stir thoughout the sauce to coat entirely and serve in your flatbreads/lettuce leaves like a wrap.

Harissa Chicken With Orange Herb Barley Salad

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Harissa Chicken With Orange Herb Barley Salad

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I

ts safe to say I’m a fan of Greece. The food, the weather, the glassy wakeboard inviting waters and the calming pace of life. I’ve even been partial to the odd Greek wine! I visit every year for my dose of Vitamin D and halloumi and to brush up on my water sports. But I’ll focus on the food for the time being. After experimenting with a unassuming pack of Odysea’s deliciously authentic Saganaki cheese last year it was time to venture into their range a bit more with my appreciation of Greece and the Med. Being the good natured Greek loving company that they are I arrived home one Friday evening after work to a box of delightful goodies to sample and experiment with!

And sample I did.

This recipe is adapted from a Bill Granger combination I once saw and with all the right flavours from Odysea (with the odd ‘forage in the pantry’ twist) it was the perfect foundation for my med inspired dish to help prolong the recent spring sun. The roasted oranges add a really unusual touch here along with the gentle spicing which are a perfect match with Odysea’s punchy, creamy and crumbly feta cheese. Heaps of mint, dill and lemon juice bring it all to life and sooth the post harissa spice! One to give a go on a sunny but still brisk Spring evening.

Serves 4

  • 2 small oranges
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp ‘Odysea Wild Thyme & Fragrant Honey’
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g pearl barely or spelt
  • Juice 1 lemon
  • 1 carrot grated
  • 200g ‘Odysea Greek Feta‘, crumbled in large chunks
  • Large handful mint leaves
  • Small handful dill, finely chopped
  • 2 small poussin (or 4 joints of chicken e.g. chicken legs, thighs etc)
  • 4-6 tbsp of ‘Odysea Harissa spread‘ or 2 tbsp harissa paste
  •  2 large garlic cloves
  • Salad to serve – I used a crisp mix of chicory, little gems and watercress dressed in some lemon and extra virgin olive oil (Odysea of course)
  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
  2. Marinade the poussin in the harissa, seasoning well and then add 1 pealed, gently crushed garlic clove to each cavity and set aside.Jess - Harissa Chicken5
  3. Slice the oranges thinly and place on a lined baking tray evenly spread. Grind the fennel, cumin and chilli flakes in a pestle and mortar and then add the honey and olive oil and mix well. Coat the oranges slices in the mixture.
  4. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, keeping an eye on them until they begin to caramelise and char. This time with vary depending on how juicy the oranges are. Leave to cool slightly.
  5. Cook the barely or spelt according to the packet instructions until tender then drain well and leave to cool to room temperature.
  6. Meanwhile, turn the oven down to 190°C and place the poussin on a lined baking tray. Bake for around 40 minutes until tender and the juices run clear. Set aside to rest while you finish the salad.
  7. Add the warm oranges slices to the drained grains.
  8. Stir in the juice of the lemon, plenty of salt and pepper and the chopped dill.
  9. Scatter in the crumbled feta, the grated carrot and stir to combine.
  10. Finally, roughly chop the mint at the last minute and add to the grains and stir.
  11. Loosen with a little more lemon or a splash of extra virgin olive oil if needed
  12. Carve your rested poussin in half and serve half each alongside the grain and green salad, scattered with extra mint if you like

NOTES: This would also be lovely with a side of warm pillowy flatbreads, dipped into a cleansing and fresh lime and coriander yoghurt or tzatziki.

For a wine match I would suggest a fresh Chenin Blanc or the slightly aromatic taste of  Viognier.

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