Posts by Jess

Spanish-style Fish Stew

February 19, 2013 Comments Off read Seafood

I should really call this ‘30 minute Spanish-style fish stew’ as it really is quick. It is probably one of the most flavourful dishes you will get out of such a small amount of cooking. The spicy chorizo flavour provides a punchy character suitable for even the most headstrong bull-fighting Spaniard with delicate but robust enough chunks of meaty fish. It won’t take you hours to knock out and I frequently glam it up for dinner party occasions with extra shellfish or topped with a butter basted piece of crispy fried seabass. Alternatively, keep it hearty and rustic as I did here, which my student budget no doubt appreciated this week. I can guarantee it will leave you satisfied and happy as I feel right now writing this after a hearty bowl….

(Serves 3 generously)

1 large bulb fennel or 2 small ones, halved and sliced (fronds and green tops reserved for garnish)
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp fennel seeds
100g chorizo, sliced into chunks
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 glass of dry white wine
500g tomato passata
1 pint hot, good fish stock
Squeeze lemon juice
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Meaty fish e.g. Haddock/cod/monkfish or a mixture
(Optional) Handful of cleaned mussels/prawns/sliced squid
Croutons to serve
Flat leaf parsley to serve

Begin by heating some olive oil in a large casserole dish. Gently sweat the chopped onion and fennel for about 15 minutes over a low heat until soft and beginning to caramelise.
Add the fennel seeds and fry for a few minutes to release the flavour and then add the garlic.
Add the sliced chorizo and cook just until the oils begin to be released.
Turn up the heat and de-glaze the pan with the white wine and simmer away for a few minutes.
Add the tomato passata and the fish stock and stir to combine.
Simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened (adding more stock for a thinner base if prefered) Season to taste with salt and plenty of heavy handed black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Cut you fish into bite sized chunks. If using mussels and prawns, add these, and the chopped fish to the hot stew and cover with a lid. Simmer gently for a matter of minutes until the prawns are pink, the mussels are open and the fish is just starting to flake.
Serve in oven warmed shallow bowls, garnished with chopped flat leaf parsley, the chopped fennel fronds and a handful or crispy croutons.

Alternatively serve with some fresh french bread, sourdough croutons and punchy rouille (see here). This is also lovely served at a dinner party glammed up with more shellfish and squid and topped with individual pieces of crisp fried seabass fillets.

WINE: Absolutely delicious served with one of the countries crispy whites – try this Lagar de Cervera, 2014 Albariño, Galicia available at Armit Wines.

WINE: Absolutely delicious served with one of the countries own crisp whites – try this Lagar de Cervera, 2014 Albariño, Galicia available at Armit Wines

Spinach and Pea Fritters with Lime Butter

February 17, 2013 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

I am always making fritters and when I saw a version of this recipe in my new copy of Ottolenghi’s ‘Plenty’, I had to give it a go. This recipe has been adapted from the original- not out of an unappreciation of it but simply due to lack of the full list of ingredients in my pantry. I have replaced a few and added others such as the peas, some mint and more cumin. Like my other fritter recipes (see here) ….(and here) the basic batter of flour and egg is open to any ingredients! I had these as a lunch but they would be equally amazing with a poached egg, bacon and a creamy hollandaise as a muffin-less take on eggs Benedict for brunch…

Serves 3 (makes about 9 fritters)

150g spinach
Handful of peas
60g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
25g unsalted butter, melted
Salt and pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cumin seed
Splash of milk
50g salted butter, softened
Zest of 1 lime
Small bunch mint, finely chopped

Wilt the spinach in a hot pan with a splash of water until wilted. Drain in a sieve and squeeze out the excess water. Leave to cool. Blanch the frozen peas in boiling water for a few minutes and then drain and leave to cool.
Meanwhile make the butter. Grate the lime zest into the salted butter and add the chopped mint. Mix with a fork until combined. Place the butter between some baking parchment and roll into a cylinder and chill in the fridge until needed.
Now, whisk the flour, baking powder, melted butter, egg, salt and pepper, cumin and a splash of milk to form a batter.
Chop the spinach and add, with the peas, to the batter mixture and stir.
Whisk together and add enough milk to form a thick batter which is loose enough to spoon into pancakes in the pan.
Heat some olive oil in a frying pan, enough to cover the base, and fry large spoonfuls of mixture for a bout 2 minutes on each side on a high-ish heat until a crust forms and they are golden brown.

6. Flip over and fry for a few more minutes until cooked. Drain on kitchen paper and serve, with a slice of lime, mint butter melted on top and a fresh tomato salad.

Spicy Lamb Patties, Coconut Flatbreads, Lime yoghurt – Beer

February 15, 2013 Comments Off read Meat

I love this type of food. Fresh, simple and filled with flavour this is one from the archive but is actually something I crave in the spring when the sun starts to shine! This looks like a long list but most of the ingredients will be in your pantry and all you need to do is simply throw them together! So when the Spring sun makes an appearance, take a little forage in the pantry for this perfect sharing-style meal for all your buddies with a couple of cold beers….

Spicy lamb patties

500g lamb mince
1 tsp flaky salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
½ tsp cumin seed
1tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ras el hanout
1-2 tsp smoked sweet paprika (depending on your hot levels)

Lime yoghurt

250g thick Greek yoghurt
Handful of chopped mint, or coriander
Grated zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Coconut flatbreads

250g plain flour
150ml warm water
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Large handful of dessicated coconut

Start with the lamb patties. Combine all the dry spices in a pestle and mortar and grind together.
Using your hands, take golf ball sized pieces of lamb mince and roll in your hands and slightly flatten to form mini burger-like patties (alternatively make large burgers). Roll generously in the dry rub until coated and place on a plate. Continue until you have used up all the lamb and then cover the patties with cling film and chill.
Now make the flatbread dough. Sieve out the flour and add the oil, seasoning and the dessicated coconut. Make a well in the centre and add the warm water.
Using a fork, mix to combine until you have a dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until it comes together.
Place the dough ball in a floured bowl and cover with cling film to rest.
Meanwhile make the yoghurt by combining all the ingredients and alter to taste with a bit more of anything you think it needs.
Heat a large non-stick pan over a high heat and put on the extractor fan. Now, take walnut sized pieces of dough and roll out on a floured surface until you have about 6-8 flatbreads about 2mm thick. Fry over a high heat in a frying pan for a few minutes each side.They will puff up as they cook. If the heat gets to high and they char and burn before they are cooked through, turn the heat down a little. You just want a little charring and the coconut to toast. Complete with the remaining dough, wrapping them in a tea towel afterwards as you go to keep them warm and soft.
Now heat some oil in the same pan over a high heat and fry the lamb patties for about 2-3 minutes each side until cooked through. The outside will look burnt but it will just be the spices charring and forming a crust for the juicy insides.

Serve the patties wrapped tightly in the warm flatbreads with the cool yoghurt and some fresh lemony dressed salad leaves in one small edible pouch.

Alternatively, I frequently cook this all on the barbeque in the summertime….

Pea and Edamame Bean soup

February 9, 2013 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

My pea and mint soup recipe is my default lunch when I fancy a bowl of warming comfort and I’m in a rush or can’t be bothered to simmer away a pot of vegetables. This time however, I added a few extra twists on my usual standby which were a nice change. In the January months when its cold and you want to be healthy, I often find I resort boringly to the same old recipes. This can be knocked out in about 15 minutes however and kept as pain or as fancy as you like.

Soup

280g frozen garden peas
400ml good quality hot chicken or vegetable stock (trust me it will make all the difference if its a good cube or a homemade stock)
100g edamame or soya beans
25g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Handful of fresh basil or mint leaves, finely chopped or shredded
Olive oil
Nigella seeds to garnish
Yoghurt to garnish

Melt the butter and a splash of oil in a saucepan until bubbling.
Add the onion and cook gently over a low heat for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent
Add the chopped garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the frozen peas and coat in the buttery onions
Add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender
Return to the heat and stir in the frozen edamame or soya beans. If it is too thick for you at this stage, add a splash of water.
Simmer for a few minutes. Then stir through the chopped herbs.
Season to taste and serve garnish with a swirl or natural yoghurt and a sprinkling of nigella seeds

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

February 7, 2013 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

You know the moments when nothing but a chocolate cake will quite do? This cake is so moist and simple and courtesy of Nigella, the queen of chocolate desserts. With no butter its great for all those lactose intolerant folk and if you use ground almonds instead of flour…..gluten free! Plus, almonds give it an added texture which is really nice. I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t offer a deep and hearty enough chocolate flavour….I would suggest a generous painting in a dark ganache perhaps……? Anyhow, nothing pleased me more than taking a charitable and gluttonous chunk over to some appreciating friends to share the satisfaction. Of course, I kept some for myself too………..now pass me the mascarpone…

150ml olive oil
50g cocoa powder
125ml boiling water
2 tsp vanilla extract
125g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 eggs
200g caster sugar

Line a 23cm (ish) cake tin and preheat the oven to 170°C.
Whisk the vanilla and cocoa powder into the boiling water until smooth. Leave to cool a little.
Using an electric whisk or a food processor, combine the eggs, oil and sugar for a good few minutes until pale, frothy and airy.
Pour in the chocolate mixture and combine.
Then combine the flour and bicarbonate and stir into the chocolate mixture.
In the words of Nigella- ‘pour the liquid batter’ into the lined cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until a knife inserted comes out clean (although it will be a moist cake)
Serve warm with ice cream, mascarpone or anything that hits the spot!

Rose, Mint and Coconut Macaroons

February 3, 2013 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

With Valentines day approaching and a craving for macaroons, my girlie side made its way into these sweet little morsels over the weekend as I experimented a little with some new flavours. I love bright coloured macaroons and with some rosewater and red colouring to hand, these barged their way into the oven. I adore ANYTHING coconut related so I knocked up a coconut buttercream to sandwich these together but I couldn’t resist the green the mint adds against the rosy red. It seems this year I have a date with a macaroon………could be worse

Macaroons (makes about 30)

90g egg whites (about 3. These can be old egg whites you have lying around in the fridge, they often work better)
30g caster sugar
200g icing sugar
110g ground almonds
2tbsp red food colouring
1 large tsp rosewater

Buttercream

70g unsalted, softened butter
50g coconut cream block
90g icing sugar
1 heaped tbsp dessicated coconut
Small handful chopped mint leaves

Begin with the macaroons. Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line a large baking tray with parchment so that your are ready and prepare your piping bag.
In a food processor, blitz the ground almonds and the icing sugar together until fine. Sieve into a large bowl.
In another really clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks and then add the caster sugar a bit at a time until you have a glossy meringue. Don’t over-beat.
At this stage, add the red colouring and rosewater to the egg whites (This is the point where you can add other flavours or colours of your choice)
Fold in one third of the ground almond and icing sugar mix into the egg whites to loosen.
Then fold in the rest until thoroughly combined but be careful not to knock out all the air.
Fill your piping bag with the mixture and pipe small rounds onto the lined baking tray
Give the tray a few sharp hits on the surface by dropping the tray from a small height to flatten the macaroons. Leave the tray in a safe place for 30 minutes.
Now bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes (mine took about 13…) until they come easily away from the tray.
Leave to cool. Make the buttercream. Melt the coconut block over a pan of simmering water until runny or immerse the block, in its bag, in some hot water.
In a processor, mix the butter and icing sugar and then add in the coconut cream. Add the chopped mint and blitz again. Then stir in the dessicated coconut.
Spoon into another piping bag and pipe enough mixture onto the back of one macaroon and sandwich with another. Continue with the rest.

Anyone you make these for will adore them….they are sweet, delicate and dreamily elegant….not to mention delicious!

Blackberry and almond slice

February 1, 2013 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

This recipe is one of my favourite treats for the cake tin and was thankfully saved from a copy of the ‘Waitrose Food Illustrated’ magazine from the 90’s before I was even tall enough to reach the kitchen counter. Its delicious, as is everything with a frangipane topping in my opinion. With the thought of that bumper crop of blackberries still stored safely in my freezer, half a block of sweet pastry stored in the fridge and some slight adaptation and tweaks in the recipe, it made a welcome occupier of the detoxing January cake tin……

(Alternatively you can use different flavoured jam and fruits. Cherries would be nice with a spike of Kirsch)

Sweet pastry (or buy a block of 350g)

225g plain flour
115g unsalted butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg, beaten

Topping

150g blackberry or blackcurrant jam
125g unsalted butter
135g soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
200g ground almonds (I like to buy flaked almonds and grind them myself as it adds a much nice texture and flavour)
300g blackberries
50g flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Begin by lining a large baking tin with parchment (about 20cm x 30cm or whatever is to hand)
Roll out the pastry on floured surface to about 1 pound coin thick and cut into the shape of the tin, and line the base evenly. Prick with a fork and bake for about 15 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven.
Now make the frangipane. Using a spoon and some elbow grease or a blender, cream the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs and vanilla bit by bit (don’t worry if it curdles)
Now add the ground almonds and mix thoroughly. (Add a splash of milk if it looks too thick, depending on how big your eggs were)
Spoon the jam onto the pre-cooked pastry base and spread out evenly. Top with the frangipane and spread evenly over the top to cover the jam. Sprinkle with the berries and scatter over the flaked almonds
Bake for anywhere between 20-45 minutes (sorry but this depends on the tin size but usually about 30 minutes), checking every so often until golden and set. I often find frangipane takes a little longer to cook than recipes state but it will get there. It will always be more moist and soft than a cake sponge so check its done by giving it a wiggle. It should be set!

This is lovely served with some mascarpone or cream cheese, sweetened with icing sugar and a generous pinch or two of ground cinnamon….dreamy.

Turkish lamb-stuffed flatbreads with cacik

January 24, 2013 Comments Off read Meat

These are like a Turkish inspired ‘pasty’ I’ve been meaning to attempt for ages from a long ago copy of Vogue’s ‘Entertaining and Travel’ magazine I picked up on my travels down under. They are like a lamb pasty but with a fresh, vibrant cooling yoghurt, called cacik which is a bit like tzatziki.

Makes 8 small or 6 larger pittas

185g bread flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp dried yeast
pinch of toasted and crushed cumin seeds,
Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
500g minced lamb
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli flakes
50g tomato puree
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
40g pie nuts, roasted
Bunch of coriander
1 lemon, zest and wedges to serve

Cacik

250g Greek yoghurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped dill
1 tbsp chopped mint
½ garlic clove, crushed
1 lime, zest and juice

Begin with the cacik by combining all the ingredients with some salt and pepper and chill until needed.
For the flatbread dough, sift the flour, baking powder, yeast, a large pinch of salt and the cumin seed into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add a splash of oil and 125ml of warm water and mix with a fork to form a dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until elastic. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
To make the lamb filling, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a pan and cook the onion until soft. Add the lamb and cook until browned. Add the spices, tomato puree, pomegranate molasses and 2 tbsp of water and cook for a few more minutes until fragrant.
Add the pine nuts and a large handful of chopped coriander and the zest of 1 lemon.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Divide the dough into 6 or 8 pieces and role thinly onto a floured surface into a rough circle shape.
Place 1/8 or 1/6 of the mixture onto one side of the dough and brush a little water around the outside. Fold over and press the edges together gently to seal, squashing the pitta down to flatten it if you can without breaking it. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make about 6-8 ‘pasties’.
Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat and heat a splash of olive oil. Fry the stuffed flatbreads, about 2 at a time, until golden. Place in the oven to keep warm and to heat through while you finish the rest.
Scatter oven some extra coriander and serve with the cooling cacik and lemon wedges.

Made really small, these would make a great little canape or starter!

Pine nut, honey and rosemary tartlets

January 15, 2013 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

I love the subtlety rosemary can add to a dessert. Added carefully it can be delicious and after a first trying it in an outrageously scrumptious recipe which included a vat of stewed sweet apricots and some crunchy textured crumble, pine nuts were inevitably due to work. This is a cross between a pecan pie with pine nuts and a treacle tart. Served at the end of a recent dinner party topped with a chocolate sorbet, it was a winner.

Sweet pastry

250g plain flour
50g sifted icing sugar
125g cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg, beaten
Splash milk

Filling

150g pine nuts
2 eggs
75g unsalted butter, cubed
100g runny honey
100g soft brown sugar
½ vanilla pod, seeds removed OR 2 tsp vanilla extract
1 small sprigs of rosemary (optional)

Make you pastry by rubbing the flour and icing sugar into the butter to form a breadcrumb texture. Add the egg and a splash of milk to bring it together to form a soft dough but make sure you are gentle. Wrap in cling and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Next, line 6 small or 1 large tart tin and bake blind (see here to do this)
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a large frying pan over medium high heat, toast your pine nuts until fragrant and golden. Leave to cool.
Add the honey and rosemary sprigs to a saucepan and heat gently over a low heat until warm and runny. All the honey to sit on a low heat for a good 10 minutes to let the rosemary infuse
Then remove and reserve the rosemary. Then whisk in the cubed butter until melted.
In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs and vanilla until combined.
Strip the leaves from the reserved rosemary and chopped very finely to get about 1 tsp or less of the leaves and add back to the honey and butter (optional). Whisk the butter and honey mix into the egg and sugar mixture.
Now, space your pre-baked tart cases out onto a lined baking tray and sprinkle the pine nuts amongst the cases. Make sure you keep the tart case inside its metal tin (unlike I did) as this will add extra support for the thick mixture.
Fill with the honey mixture evenly and bake for 18-20 minutes until set. Remove and leave to cool and set.

(The first time I did this, I took the tart cases out their metal tins and the sides collapsed (disaster) so I strongly recommend leaving them in the tins to add support for the heavy honey mixture) Served with a generous and glossy scoop of chocolate sorbet, they were the perfect finish to a lovely dinner party.

Five Spice Rib Ragu

January 13, 2013 Comments Off read Meat

ast night we had the pleasure of cooking for some family friends who can always be relied upon to offer up a humble and sincere appreciation for food which makes them ideal guests. Not only am I not usually one for trying out a new dish for the first time at a dinner party but I often wonder why people do decide to venture into the unknown with pressure of for hungry guests. However, if I was to experiment on anyone for the first time, these guys would be right on my list. With some much needed tweaking in regards to flavour (sorry Nig’) from a recipe from Nigel Slater’s diaries, some added Chinese influence to this recipe turned into a winner.

Serves 6 easily

1 large onion, finely chopped
3 sticks celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
50g butter
4 racks of baby pork ribs (just over 1kg) cut into 3 rib pieces
250g mushrooms, chopped
1 generous handful of dried wild mushrooms
800ml hot beef stock
1 cinnamon stick
4 star anise
1tsp five spice paste
1 heaped tbsp flour
1 heaped tbsp softened butter
Pappardelle/tagliatelle pasta of choice (enough for 6)
Chopped parsley to garnish

Being by soaking the dried mushrooms in the hot beef stock for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large casserole dish with a splash of olive oil and brown the ribs all over to caramelise the outside and release their flavour. Remove and set aside.
Add the finely chopped carrots, onions and celery to the dish and cook for about 15 minutes until beginning to soften. Add a touch more oil if needed.
Add the chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until these are soft too.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the wild mushrooms from their soaking liquid and add these to the pan and cook for a few more minutes along with the cinnamon, star anise and the five spice paste. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Return the ribs to the pan and cover the whole thing with the beef stock and bring to the boil.
Now you can either simmer this on the hob, covered, for about 3 hours, or I prefer to pop it into a low oven (135°C.) for about 3 hours or so until the pork is tender and just the slightest touch of the ribs will loosen them enough to pull out the pan by hand.
After the required time, remove and discard the ribs using a pair of forks to leave the tender pork. They should just slide out. Taste and season as required.
Increase the temperature to 200°C and return the ragu to the oven to brown the top, reduce the sauce and let it thicken for about 30 minutes or so. If, after 30 minutes, it still needs to be a little thicker, simmer the pan on the hob. Then, mix the 1 tbsp of plain flour and 1 tbsp of butter together in a small bowl to form a paste and whisk this into the sauce. The flour will thicken the sauce without it going lumpy and the butter will add a nice gloss.
Cook your pasta in lots of salted water while the ragu keeps warm on a low heat. Drain and toss with a little olive oil and seasoning. Serve with a generous helping of ragu and a scattering of parsley.

This was lovely served with a green salad of rocket and watercress, crispy shaved fennel and celery and dressed very gently in lemon juice and good extra virgin olive oil for freshness.

WINE: Pasta with a roasted ragu meat sauce suits nothing better than an Italian red. Try something such as the Agricola Punica, 2013 Montessu from Sardinia available at Armit Wines