Posts tagged saffron

Spiced Lamb, Charred Carrots, Green Coucous, Saffron Yoghurt

September 6, 2014 Comments Off read Meat, Vegetables and Salads

I strongly recommend and encourage you to use Organic carrots here but if they’re homegrown, all the better. You can usually tell by their wispy piggy-tail-like ends – these bits always seem to taste the sweetest and nicest. Being simply boiled and charred in a griddle with lemon, the flavour has to good otherwise you’ll just end up chewing on a tasteless carrot stick….

The green couscous recipe is adapted from Ottolenghi and the remainder is a combination of flavours and textures I love and craved last weekend of August that raced by in the blink of my (luckily sun glass clad) eyes!

Serves 2

Green Couscous

100g cous cous
150ml boiling water
1 small onion, finely sliced
Ground cumin
25g pistachios, chopped roughly
1 small green chilli, chopped
Large bunch herbs: Parsley, basil, mint, coriander, dill
Good olive oil

Place the couscous in a shallow bowl and season well. Add a very small knob of butter if you wish and then pour over the boiling water. Cover and set aside.
Heat a bit of oil in a frying pan and gently and slowly fry the onion until soft and beginning to colour. Add a big pinch of cumin and fry for a few minutes before taking off the heat.
While the onion is cooking, make the herb paste. Blend the herbs in a food processor, adding a slow stream of oil until blended nicely into a paste (The amount of oil you add here is up to you. The more you add the more moist the couscous will be).
When the couscous has absorbed all the water, use a fork to fluff up the grains and add to the pan with the cumin onions. Add the green chilli and pistachios and finely stir through your herb paste.
Taste and add a touch or lemon juice or seasoning or more olive oil to loosen.

Carrots

6-8 Organic/home grown carrots, cleaned
1 lemon, zest
1tbsp olive oil

Leave the carrots whole and cook in simmering water for about 4 minutes or so but just until tender when pierced with a knife but still with lots of bite and a bit of crunch. Drain and leave to cool and dry a little.
Heat a griddle pan until hot and add the oil.
Griddle the carrots until beginning to char on the outside for a few minutes
Serve warm with the couscous, with the grated lemon zest scattered over the top.

Lamb Steaks and Yoghurt

2 lamb leg steaks (You can also use lamb cutlets if you wish)
Ras el Hanout, Smoked paprika, spice mix (see here)
Olive oil
150g plain yoghurt
Pinch saffron threads

Sprinkle a good pinch of the dry spices and spice mix over your lamb steaks. Drizzle with olive oil and massage the spices into the meat. Set aside at room temperature.
Put the saffron in a small cup and add 1 tbsp of hot water. Leave to infuse.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan or griddle pan until hot.
Fry the steaks for 2 minutes per side (for a piece the thickness of mine, about 2cm, for medium) and then wrap tightly in foil and leave to rest for at least 5 minutes while you assemble the dish.
Take the saffron water (which should be a vibrate yellow) Pour into the yoghurt with some generous seasoning and stir to combine.
When ready to serve, carve your rested lamb and serve on top of your couscous and carrots with a generous dollop of yoghurt. Drizzle with the resting lamb juices!

Wine suggestion: Sijnn White 2012 (Chenin-Viogner)

I devoured this with a glass (or two) of Sijnn White 2012. South African, 84% Chenin Blanc, 16% Viogner. Stony fruits, peach, mineral and nutty flavour went deliciously with the spices in this dish.

Saffron Risotto, Sea Bass, Parsley Oil

July 23, 2013 Comments Off read Seafood

This really hit the spot after a long weekend and an enjoyable fortnight of barbequed meat and salads. Risotto is my favourite way to relax in the evening especially with a glass in hand. As a risotto lover, this is definitely up there in my top 5.

Serves 2

2 generous handfuls of Arborio risotto rice (about 200-250g)
1 shallot or 1 small onion, chopped finely
½ garlic clove, chopped finely
1 small glass of dry white wine
Large pinch of saffron strands
750-1litre hot light vegetable stock
50g unsalted butter
4 large tbsp of finely grated parmesan
2 sea bass fillets
4 thin slices of chorizo
Small bunch parsley
80ml olive oil

Begin with the parsley oil. Bring a pan of water to the boil and have a bowl of iced water ready at the same time. Blanch the parsley in the boiling water for no more than 15 secs. Quickly drain and place into the iced water. Ring out any excess water and pat the leaves dry.
Heat the 80ml of olive oil in a pan until blood temperature and add the parsley. Place all in a food processor with a pinch of salt and blend until you have a lovely green oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning and place in a small jug and leave to cool to room temperature.
Start the risotto (see here for my tips). Melt about 30g of the butter and a drizzle of oil in a pan and fry the onion gently for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a few more minutes.
Keep your stock in a saucepan close by on a low heat and whisk in the saffron.
Add the rice to the onion and garlic and fry over a medium-high heat until beginning to turn translucent. When too hot to touch, add the wine and simmer until absorbed.
Turn the heat down to a medium-low and add the hot stock ladle by ladle as it becomes absorbed, stirring all the time keeping the mix on a very gentle simmer. Keep adding stock for about 15-18 minutes until the rice is cooked but with some bite (you probably won’t need it all). Season to taste.
When loose in texture and the rice is cooked, add the remaining butter, the grated parmesan and a squeeze of lemon, cover with a lid and take off the heat and place the risotto to one side to rest.
Heat a frying pan to a highish heat and season your sea bass fillets, cutting them into smaller pieces if you like. Fry for about 3 minutes, skin side down until crisp and finish cooking for up to 1 minute on the other side until cooked. Fry the chorizo slices in the remaining oil until crisp.
Stir the melted cheese and butter into the risotto- the texture should be creamy and ‘oozy’ and NOT stodgy. It should require serving in a bowl not on a plate. Taste and adjust the seasoning before dividing into two warm bowls.
Top with the sea bass fillets and the chorizo slices and drizzle with the vibrant parsley oil! Enjoy with a crisp glass of Muscadet.

Saffron, Fig and Chicken Tagine

July 12, 2013 Comments Off read Poultry

This recipe is one from the archive. My mum and I always collect recipes we want to cook or for inspiration when seen in magazines and newspapers and this one has been patiently and modestly waiting since…wait for it…1999 from a senescent copy of ‘Good Housekeeping’ magazine. But, sometimes the old ones are the best. With a few tweaks here and there to suit our tastes, it was a crowd pleaser!

Serves 4

8 free range chicken thighs
2 onions
3cm piece ginger, chopped/grated
1 heaped tsp coriander seeds
Large pinch saffron strands
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
200g dried figs
200g cous cous
1 heaped tsp hot harissa paste or 1 hot red chilli, chopped finely
50g toasted flaked almonds
50g raisins
Bunch parsley, chopped
Bunch fresh mint, chopped

Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Heat a splash of oil in a heavy based casserole dish. Cut the onions into quarters, leaving the root in tack so that the chunks stay nicely together (optional) and fry gently for 10 minutes of so until soft and golden.
Add the grated ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the coriander seeds, saffron, turmeric and the cinnamon stick and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then scatter in the figs. Set aside.
Heat a frying pan until really hot. Season the chicken thighs and fry, skin side down, for about 10 minutes over a high heat to brown the chicken and crisp up the skin.
Place the chicken thighs on top of the onions and figs in a single layer. Pour 500ml of boiling water around the chicken (preferably not over it), cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
About 5 minutes before it is ready, place a serving dish in the oven to heat up. When ready, remove the chicken, figs and onion to the dish and keep warm in the oven. A good idea is to stick on the grill to crisp up the chicken skin but keep and eye on it if you do.
You should have at least 300ml of the juices left in the dish for the cous cous but top up with boiling water if not. Bring to the boil on the hob and add the harissa or chilli. Remove from the heat and add the cous cous, raisins, almonds, all bar a pinch of the herbs and cover with a lid and leave to absorb for a few minutes.
When ready to serve, stir the cous cous and pile it high onto your serving platter. Top with the reserved chicken and figs and any juices and scatter with the herbs!
Enjoy with a nice, simply dressed lemony green salad.

Fennel, Fish, Saffron

June 9, 2013 Comments Off read Seafood

A night in by myself, I fancied experimenting a bit. This is not totally refined so give me a break on the measurements if you attempt something similar for dinner. But, here is what I came up with! In this case I used a hake fillet but ideally I would have used my favourtie seabass but any white strong fish will work well here. Additionally, I used Jersey Royals as they were in season but any spud will do. (Serves about 3)

Fennel Puree

3 large fennel bulbs
40g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Light stock

Roughly chop the fennel, removing the tougher outer layers and place. Place in a saucepan and cover with some light vegetable stock or water.
Bring to the boil and then simmer until the fennel is tender and soft (about 10 minutes or so)
Drain, reserving the stock, and place in a blender with some seasoning, the butter and the oil. Blend until smooth adding some of the reserved stock to achieve the desired consistency. Set aside in the pan to keep warm over a low heat.

Saffron Roast Potatoes

500g Jersey Royals pealed and sliced
Large pinch saffron stamens
Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Crush the saffron into a powder in a pestle and mortar.
Just cover the potatoes in cold salted water and add about 1/3 of the saffron. Par-boil until just tender, about 10 minutes, then drain and leave to dry a little.
Mix the rest of the saffron with a good splash of olive oil and coat the potatoes in it in a roasting tray. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes until crisp.

Fish

3 x white fish fillets such as seabass/hake/halibut

Season your fish evenly with salt and pepper.
Heat a non-stick frying pan until really hot and fry your fish, skin side down, for 3-4 minutes depending on thickness until crisp and nearly cooked. Flip and finish cooking on the flesh side on a lower heat for another minute or so.
Serve with a spoonful of the fennel puree and some of the crispy saffron potatoes. I also caramelised a few wafer thin slices of fennel in a little butter.

Bouillabaisse with Rouille, Sourdough Croutons and Samphire

September 19, 2012 Comments Off read Seafood

Bouillabaisse is a Provencal fish stew. This is probably one of my favourite dishes and I love to spend an afternoon making it properly from scratch, however, don’t be put off, it can be done quicker I just like to take my time!

Contents (serves 4)

1 x tinned tomatoes
1 litre homemade fish stock
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
mixed seafood- I used 1xgurnard, 1xbream and 1 large hake fillet, filleted and chopped into chunks. Reserve the fish bones/heads for the stock
12-15 raw crevettes/prawns- peeled, shells retained
Handful of mussels
Bunch flat-leaf parsley, stalk reserved for stock
Samphire, steamed for about 3 minutes, to serve
Rouille, to serve

Soup base

1 large bulb fennel
2 sticks celery
6 cloves garlic
2 onions
2 carrots
3 bay leaves
Bunch of flat leaf parsley
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
Small glass white wine/Pernod

Fish Stock

Bones, head and tails or the fish (about 2 carcases) or ask your fishmonger for some free scraps
2 red onions, quartered
2 carrots, sliced
2 sticks celery, halved
Stalks of flat-leaf parsley
1 fennel bulb, sliced
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
Salt
2 litre cold water

Start by making the fresh fish stock but if using a cube, skip to stage 4.
Place all the ingredients into a large pan (except the salt) and cover with the water. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that comes to the surface and discard.
Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, but no longer. Season to taste and then strain and reserve the stock for use later.
Now start on the soup base. Chop the vegetables and fry gently in some oil in a large pot with the fennel seeds, bay leaves and parsley. Cover with a cartouche (a round shaped piece of parchment) to prevent the vegetable catching and to help soften them. Reduce the heat and soften for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, increase the heat and caramelize the vegetables for a few minutes until tinged with brown. Add a small glass of white wine and simmer for 1 minute before adding the tomatoes, 600-800ml fish stock and a pinch of saffron and cayenne and season. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 1 hour. Meanwhile…….

A traditional bouillabaisse has a ‘tomatoey’ sauce flavour, however, I have adapted various recipes to bring out the best in the flavours I like best. Feel free to skip this step but it wholeheartedly adds a deep, rich, fishy punch to the soup base. Here I have made a prawn stock/reduction using the reserved shells.

Fry the reserved prawn/crevette shells and heads in a little oil for about 5 minutes, until they turn a beautiful deep orange and release their juices
Add a splash of wine and simmer for 1 minute, before adding a large spoonful of the simmering soup base and then top up with about 200ml of fish stock.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minutes.
After this time, strain and retain the prawn stock, season and discard the shells.

8. After 1 hour, puree the soup with a hand blender (not too smooth, don’t worry if there are a few lumps) and add the prawn reduction (If not using, add fish stock to obtain your required consistency)

9. Finally, add the chunks of fish and on a very low simmer, cook the fish for about 6-7 minutes before adding the shelled prawns and mussels. With a lid on, cook for a few minutes until the mussels are open and the prawns are cooked.

10. Serve in deep, warmed bowls topped with samphire and scattered with chopped parsley and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. I devoured mine with the traditional mayonnaise- Rouille and giant sourdough croutons