Posts by Jess

Mushroom & Cavolo Nero Lasagne

Comments Off on Mushroom & Cavolo Nero Lasagne read Vegetables and Salads
Mushroom & Cavolo Nero Lasagne

L

asagne is a warming comfort dish perfect for these soggy Autumn days. But with increasingly more vegetarian recipes out there to be experimented with I couldn’t resist the sound of this combination with a stringy cheese sauce and some soft sheets of pasta. The Italians might have something else too say about this but I think you can make ‘lasagne’ with anything as long as your have plenty of cheese, a white sauce and pasta. Throw in any meat ragu or roasted vegetable combination you like.

Serve 6-8

  • About 9 x sheets fresh lasagne pasta sheets (dried will work also)
  • About 300g cavolo nero, chopped (woody stalks removed)
  • 500g mixed mushrooms (I used a pack of chestnut and some chanterelles) sliced
  • Handful of dried mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • Few sprigs thyme, leaves picked
  • 60g butter
  • 60g plain flour
  • 750ml milk
  • 100g grated cheese (I used 50/50 cheddar and gruyere
  • Parmesan cheese for grating on top
  1. Start by making the white sauce. Heat 50g of butter in a saucepan and melt slowly. Next, add in the flour and mix throughly until you have a paste. Cook out this paste for a minute or so.
  2. Next, add a good splash of milk and use a whisk to mix throughly. It will start to thicken fast so whisk fast and constantly. Add more milk and repeat until you’ve added all the milk and the sauce is smooth. Season well with plenty of freshly cracked pepper. Simmer on a medium heat for about 5-8 minutes until the side thickens and its smooth. Taste and season if needed.
  3. Add all but a handful of the grated cheese, mix and remove from the heat. Add the chopped cavolo nero and stir. Put a lid on top and set aside. The heat should wilt the greens, ready for the lasagne.
  4. Soak the dried mushrooms in water (enough to cover) and leave for 20 minutes.
  5. Heat a frying pan on a medium heat and add the remaining 10g of butter and a dash of sunflower/olive oil (Never cook with Extra virgin – it should not be heated). Add the chestnut mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes until they are beginning to brown and the water they release has been evaporated. Season well. Add the chanterelles, chopped garlic and sage for the final few minutes. Remove from the heat.
  6. Preheat the oven to 180.
  7. Drain the soaked mushrooms, keeping the liquid, and chop roughly. Add to the pan of cooked mushrooms.
  8. Get yourself a rectangular lasagne dish, about 28x22cm approx.
  9. Spoon a small amount of white sauce on the bottom of the dish. Cover with 2-3 lasagne sheets, depending on your dish size. You don’t want any overlapping so cut them up to fit if needed.
  10. Spoon over 1/3 of the white sauce with the cavil nero followed by half of the mushroom mixture and spread evenly.
  11. Top with another layer of lasagne sheets and repeat the process adding 1/3 white sauce and the other half of the mushrooms. Top with the final layer of lasagne sheets (3 laters in total).
  12. You should be left with 1/3 of the white sauce. Spoon this over the top of the pasta, making sure to moisten all the sheets so they don’t dry out in cooking.
  13. Finally, scatter over the handful of cheese you reserved and grate a generous coating of parmesan over the whole thing. I don’t hold back with the parmesan. It creates a beautful golden crust and tastes amazing.
  14. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until golden on top and the white sauce is bubbling underneath.]

SERVE: with a crisp little gem, chicory and rocket salad coated in a smooth Dijon mustard dressing.

Spanish Tortilla with Burrata & Herbs

Comments Off on Spanish Tortilla with Burrata & Herbs read Vegetables and Salads
Spanish Tortilla with Burrata & Herbs

I

t’s been a while since I’ve posted a recipe but I’ve certainly not stopped cooking. Engaged life has had me practicing my wife skills after all…!

I’ve shamefully never cooked a Spanish tortilla so I felt it was about time I added it to my repertoire. I have historically not had the best track record with eggs. Ask my fiancee..ahem. This is mainly due to my impatience but I’ve apparently gotten better! Wife points! I’ve forever ooooed at the prepacked tortillas in the supermarket ‘delis’ confidently telling myself I’ll make one so I’m glad I finally have because this really is a dish that is so simple and so delicious and much better made at home.

Makes the perfect Monday night dinner or the centre stage of a casual tapas feast for guests with lots of other Spanish treat.

*I am very aware that I’ve tainted the Spanish authenticity in this classic dish with Italian burrata but I challenge any of you to say you won’t be adding it and it doesn’t taste good!

Adapted from ‘Half Baked Harvest‘. I rather non traditionally but with my health in mind, roasted the potatoes slices to soften them rather than frying in oil!

Serves 6

  • 8 eggs
  • 3 potatoes (I used Maris piper), sliced to 1/2cm slices
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • Handful thyme & rosemary, leaves picked, chopped
  • 1 packet/bunch chives, chopped
  • 1/2 pack flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • Handful basil, leaves chopped
  • Handful dill, chopped
  • Olive oil
  • 4 slices parma ham/prosciutto
  • 1 packet rocket leaves
  • 1 ball fresh burrata – the best you can afford (use buffalo mozzarella if you can’t get burrata but don’t use normal/cheap mozzarella, it just won’t be the same!)
  • 1 lemon

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Slice the potatoes and spread them evenly on a baking tray. Season and drizzle over some oil and roast for about 15 minutes or until just beginning to brown but not crisp. They should be soft at this stage but not falling apart. Set aside to cool.
  2. Heat a nonstick large frying pan on a medium heat- it is vital its non stick else you’ll have a scrambled egg mess. Add a splash of oil and gently fry the onion until soft and beginning to caramelise. Now, add the chopped rosemary and thyme and fry for a few more minutes. Set aside to cool.
  3. Turn the oven heat up to 220°C.
  4. In a bowl mix all the fresh herbs with the fried onions. Add the potatoes. Whisk the eggs well in a separate bowl and season well. Pour then eggs over the potatoes and gently stir making sure you don’t break the potatoes up.
  5. Preheat the frying pan you used for the onions on a medium heat. Pour in the potato-egg mixture moving the egg around gently at the start and then quickly spread the potatoes into an even layer.
  6. With the heat on medium low, let the eggs cook for about 5-10 minutes using a spatula now and again to tease the edges away from the sides. The aim is to let the bottom cook gently so its important not to have it too hot. Shake the pan gently now and again.
  7. Once there is a good crust around the edges and the eggs are beginning to cook in the middle, place the pan in the oven and cook for about 8 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through.
  8. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes.
  9. When ready, carefully invert the pan onto a serving platter.
  10. Top with the rocket leaves and squeeze over a little lemon.
  11. Top with the parma ham and finally the burrata.
  12. Drizzle with some lovely extra virgin olive oil and serve! Ideal at room temperature.

Soy & Ginger Shin of Beef

Comments Off on Soy & Ginger Shin of Beef read Meat
Soy & Ginger Shin of Beef

S

hin of beef is so cheap and versatile and as long as you have a little bit of time on your hands to sit back, do nothing and watch and smell it turning into heavenly supper then you’re in for a treat. You can make many stews with shin of beef, traditional mushroom and bacon with some crunchy dumplings or an Asian themed dinner with some soy!

Adapted from River Cottage

Serves 4

  • 1-1.5kg shin beef (cut into chunks or big pieces)\
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 thumb sized piece fresh ginger, sliced
  • 3 tbsp tart jam e.g. redcurrant or plum
  • 150ml soy sauce
  • 350-500ml apple juice
  • 2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 2 dried chillis
  • Rice to serve
  • Lime
  • Coriander chopped
  1. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees.
  2. Heat a heavy cast-iron casserola pan over a medium high heat and add a splash of sunflower oil. Season he chunks of meat and add these to the pan to brown well on all sides.
  3. Once browned, remove and set aside on a plate.
  4. Reduce the heat of the pan to medium and add the onion and cook gently until starting to soften. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for a few minutes until everything is starting to brown slightly (but not burn).
  5. Next return the meat to the pan and stir to combine.
  6. Add the jam and stir, followed by the soy sauce.
  7. Add enough apple juice to cover the meat but not drown it.
  8. Finally add the vinegar and the chillis.
  9. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for about 2 1/2 – 3 hours, checking a few times along the way.
  10. Before serving, sort out your rice recipe! I cooked some brown rice, squeezed in some lime and chopped coriander.
  11. Remove the lid of the casserole after about 2 1/2 hours and turn up the heat to about 200 to brown the top of the meat (if you like).
  12. When ready to serve, spoon on top of the rice and serve with a wedge of lime and some fresh steamed green vegetables.

Hugh serves his with noodles…but I’ve never been a fan. I think this works far better with some zesty lime rice.

Spinach & Cheese Spiral

Comments Off on Spinach & Cheese Spiral read Vegetables and Salads

F

ilo pastry is one of my favourite pastries. Its light, crispy, buttery and gives the most amazing texture contrast when baked with a soft filling. Its not only ideal for savoury pies such as here but impressive when cooked with a sweet filling. This very spiral can be packed with a sweet almond frangipane and dusted with icing sugar for a delicious dessert.

This a a spiral version of the traditional Greek spanakopita that can be made in a round tin also. This may look more complicated but its actually a lot easier if you don’t have a tin to hand! It can be a bit tricky to manipulate however I promise once baked it will look like stunning. As someone who grumpily shoved the raw pie into the oven, cursing at how it looked “nothing like the recipe photo” and “how on earth can that be expected to work” it came out looking like a model spanakopita. I felt smug.

Serve with a simple fresh green salad with plenty of lemon juice and a scoop of Greek yoghurt.

TIP: Keep the filo pastry under a damp tea towel when not using to stop it drying out. It WILL dry out in minutes and break apart if not.

TIP: Use plenty of melted butter. Don’t leave any raw pastry un-buttered. It will make it easier to form into a spiral, prevent cracks and taste better.

Adapted from delicious magazine.

Serves 4

  • 1 pack filo pastry (about 6-7 sheets)
  • 125g unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds

Filling

  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 x 400g bags spinach leaves
  • 300g feta, crumbled
  • 150g goats cheese, crumbled
  • 40g parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 3 free range eggs
  • Bunch dill, finely chopped
  • Bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
  • Pinch chilli flakes
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 75g pine nuts, toasted
  • Nutmeg
  1. Preheat the oven to 190 and line a baking tray with parchment.
  2. Wilt the spinach in batches in your biggest pan with a splash of water. Drain, cool and then squeeze out any excess water. Then, using a muslin cloth or tea towel, tightly squeeze the remaining water (you’ll be shocked at how little spinach you end up with).
  3. Roughly chop the remaining spinach and add to a big mixing bowl. Set aside.
  4. Fry the red onions for about 5 minutes until soft. Season and add the balsamic. Let this sizzle and cook and coat the onions until they become sticky. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
  5. Add all the cheeses, the eggs, the dill (save a handful for serving), mint, chilli, lemon, pine nuts and a pinch of nutmeg to the spinach bowl. Season well. Finally, add the onions and mix well.
  6. Melt the butter if not already done so.
  7. Put one sheet of rectangular filo on a clear work surface and brush generously with butter. Top with another sheet and brush as before. Add 1/3 of the spinach mixture in a line against the long edge of the pastry. Roll into a cylinder, brushing with butter to cover any raw pastry.
  8. Twirl the long roll into a coil keeping it tight at the centre. Ensure its generously buttered or it will crack. Don’t worry if it does, you can patch it up with extra buttered filo before baking.
  9. Repeat this step with the other pastry sheets and the other 2/3 of mixture adding the rolls to the coil making it larger as you go.
  10. Brush the whole wheel liberally with butter. If there are any large cracks and the filling is exposed, take a spare piece of pastry, butter and then patch it up as best you can. Finally, scatter with a pinch of salt and the sesame and nigella seeds.
  11. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until golden brown and cooked.
  12. Serve scattered with extra dill.

I like to cut mine into a slice like you would a quiche. Some serve by the roll, pealing off bits of the spiral. As you like. My way you end up with a higher pastry ratio!

 

Sesame Crusted Salmon & Spicy Corn Salsa

Comments Off on Sesame Crusted Salmon & Spicy Corn Salsa read Seafood, Vegetables and Salads
Sesame Crusted Salmon & Spicy Corn Salsa

D

pending on how well you know me or how avidly you follow my instagram, you may or may not know that I’m currently training to be a sports masseuse. I’ll spare you the details, but it involves me having to practice on about 30 willing clients for free before qualifying. (Please get in touch is you’re a commute from Brixton and would like one!)

So this evening after work was massage night. On these evenings, real work to homework, I need a quick healthy dinner and salmon always comes to mind. I picked up a few pieces and used up the fridge remains on this occasion. I wanted crunch, flavour and spice. This salsa-come-salad is a combination of some of my favourite tastes with some added croutons for crunch amongst the soft textures. That and croutons always make any meal better. A bit like butter…

C

oating the salmon adds a really nice change to marinading or doing whatever it is you usually do with salmon. My pet hate (besides “English bolognese”) is the length of time people cook salmon! Dry, dry, dry! In a hot 220 oven it needs only 7 minutes at most for the supermarket vat-pack sized pieces. Soft in the middle and just cooked. If you pan fry it first to crisp the skin, knock another minute off in the oven as I do here. Tip. If you see that white creamy looking juice coming from the salmon…it’s already overcooked. Sorry. 

P.S. Don’t let this put you off cooking salmon for me if i’m ever over for dinner. Just cook it right…;-)

Serves 2

*Measurements done on judgement. Use more of less of each as desired.

  • 2 salmon fillets
  • Sesame seeds (about 3 tbsp)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp runny honey
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1 packet cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 180g sweetcorn 
  • 1 bunch coriander, chopped
  • 1 green chilli, chopped finely
  • 4 spring onions, chopped finely
  • 1 lime, juice and zest
  • Leftover stale bread, chopped OR 2 slices bread, cubed 
  • Sunflower oil (for frying) & Extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
  • Yoghurt to serve
  1. Start by preparing the salmon and preheating the oven 220. Place the soy sauce and honey in a bowl and mix. Add the salmon to coat.
  2. Scatter the sesame seeds on a place in an even layer. Take the salmon from the soy and place flesh side down on the sesame seeds. Turn to coat the fleshy edges. Don’t coat the skin. Repeat on the other salmon and set aside.
  3. Cube the bread and put it in a baking tray. Season well and drizzle with some sunflower/rapeseed oil. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden and crispy and oily! Remove and set aside.
  4. Make the salsa by combining the tomatoes, avocado, corn, coriander, spring onion and chilli. Grate in the zest of the lime and squeeze in the juice. Add a tsp of extra virgin oil. Season well.
  5. When ready to cook the salmon, heat a non-stick frying pan to a high heat. Sear the salmon skin side down for about 30 seconds. Flip and sear the sesame fleshy side and the edges for only 20 seconds or so to seal and turn the seeds golden. Place on a baking tray lined with some oiled oil and bake in the oven for 6-7 minutes.
  6. While these are cooking, add the croutons to the salsa and mix well. By the time you serve some will have absorbed the tasty juices and some will be crunchy and delicious.
  7. Serve the salmon with a spoonful of salsa, a wedge of lime and some fresh yoghurt.

Ta-da.

If anyone would truly like a free massage (free depending on if you read this in September 2019…in which case I will be charging) then please get in touch on my contact page.

 

Green Shakshuka

Comments Off on Green Shakshuka read Breakfast, Vegetables and Salads
Green Shakshuka

I

 say this a lot but what a dish. A new favourite. Please make it. Breakfast, lunch or dinner appropriate. It thus needs little said about it (added to the fact I was back at work today after a two week holiday and I’m feeling a bit tired for “words”). I love shakshuka but I also love my greens. This combination of sweet, slowly cooked leeks, fresh crisp pea crunch and subtle spice and chilli in the background is such a comforting mix. Topped classically with feta and unclassically with dill and sumac. Ottolenghi would be proud. Luckily since I’ve detoured from his new book on this one.

Its my Mum’s birthday today so I cooked with her in mind as I often do as she is ultimately where I learnt my craft. This weekend I will return home for birthday hugs and to cook her a birthday meal. She today requested my previous post – Salmon & Salsa. However, perhaps this will be not he menu after tonight?

Serve with your preference of bread. Toasted pitta, flatbreads, warm sourdough chunks…anything to scoop up those gooey yolks.

Serves 2 (greedily for dinner, 4 for brunch with bread)

  • 4 spring onions, chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped
  • 1-2 green chillis, sliced
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 leeks, sliced thinly
  • 150g “ish” spinach leaves (this was a guess…it was just enough to fill my pan!)
  • 100g peas (frozen, blanched in hot water)
  • 4 free range eggs
  • 1/2 packet feta cheese
  • 1 lemon, zest (wedges for serving)
  • 1 small handful coriander, leaves chopped finely
  • 1 small handful dill, chopped finely
  • Sumac to serve
  • Pita/flatbreads/toasted chunky bread to serve for “scooping”
  1. heat a large fry pan and toast the cumin and coriander seeds for a few minutes until fragrant. Remove from the pan and crush in a pestle and mortar. Set aside.
  2. Heat some olive/sunflower/rapeseed oil in a large frying pan (never extra virgin oil! Do not cook with this ever, a post to follow on this). Add the spring onions and soften for a few minutes. Add the garlic and chilli and fry gently careful not to catch/burn the garlic.
  3. Add the cumin and coriander mix. Stir to combine.
  4. Add the chopped leeks and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to a gentle temperature and let the leeks soften down for about 10-15 minutes until beginning to caramelise. Add a lid if you like to help them along.
  5. Add the spinach leaves and toss with the leeks and allow these to wilt with the heat. Add the peas.
  6. When the spinach is wilted, make 4 wells inside the mixture. Crack your eggs carefully into each well and reduce the heat a little. Eggs need long and slow cooking! Season the eggs and then let them gently cook. Cover with a lid or foil towards the end to help the whites along their way.
  7. Whilst the eggs cook, get all your garnish ready if you haven’t already so you can serve immeidaelyy.
  8. The eggs are ready when the whites are just beginning to set on top and the yolks are still runny. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the coriander, dill, lemon zest, feta and finally a pinch of sumac over each yolk.
  9. Serve immediately with your warm bread and a wedge of lemon!

Gooey, runny, sumac and dill sprinkled yolks. Food porn.

Salmon & Salsa

Comments Off on Salmon & Salsa read Seafood
Salmon & Salsa

I

 have a growing collection of cookery books but without doubt the author I return to time and time again is my dear favourite Ottolenghi. I adore Ottolenghi’s recipes, passion, humble nature and authenticity. My style of cooking leans heavily towards the middle East with flavours and dishes that just can’t be matched. And I thank Ottolenghi for bringing these amazing recipes to us in the UK as he must without question, be crowned responsible for that.

I know many people that find his recipes intimidating, if not a bit overwhelming due to their list of foreign and exotic ingredients. Even in a time when almost all of these can be found in your local supermarket, some being perhaps a little tricker, but all still totally accessible. I however, am not and always relish the chance to gather the little gems in my pantry and spend some quality time creating such amazing flavours.

T

hat said, Ottolenghi has (surprisingly for me if I’m honest) created a new book that focus’ on ‘simple‘. Aptly named ‘Simple’. The recipes are true Otto style with flavours from the East and still with a huge range of exotic ingredients. It is however, as he quite rightly notes in the introduction, a simpler book. Shorter lists of ingredients and what I see as being an accessible introduction to Otto’s style. Saying this, if you’re new to his recipes, start here for sure before working up his list of books. Only venturing to his gorgeous edition ‘Nopi‘ when you’ve a few years under your belt (Nopi is a no-nonsense book aimed at the experienced amateur. It does not hide that these recipes are laborious, often taking days. If you’re not inclined to try this yet, you can visit Nopi and have the chefs do the work).

I’ve been sticky-taping the recipes I’m keen to cook over the next few weeks and its become apparent that I might as well have taped the ones I didn’t want to make as there are very few. What I like about this book is that its approachable and simple. But, for the amateur, there are plenty of opportunities to add extra layers, flavours and ingredients if you wish to make them more complex.

Saying that, this recipe for salmon and salsa, cleverly named ‘Bridget Jone’s pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa’ is just lovely on its own. I have adapted it slightly but I have noted where. I also omitted the saffron as I was out!

Serves 2

  • 2 salmon fillets (I used salmon steak and thought this was far more delicious)
  • 50g currants/raisins
  • 180g celery, diced to 1cm pieces (about 2 sticks)
  • 15g pine nuts
  • 20g capers, plus 1 tbsp brine
  • 20g green olives, chopped
  • 20g mint, chopped finely (original used parsley)
  • 1 lemon
  1. Cover the currants with boiling water and leave for 20 mins.
  2. Mix the salmon with some olive oil and season well. Preheat the oven to 200.
  3. Put a tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the celery and pine nuts for about 5 minutes until the nuts begin to turn golden. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the capers, olives, brine and season. Drain the currants and add these.
  4. Add 1 tsp of lemon zest to the chopped mint and mix. Set aside.
  5. Heat a griddle plan or frying pan to a high heat. Once hot add the salmon (skin side down for fillets) to the pan and sear on one side. Quickly turn and sear on the other side. Place in the oven quickly and bake for 6-7 minutes (no more).
  6. When the salmon is nearly ready, add a tsp of lemon juice to the salsa. Stir and taste to check seasoning, adding more if needed.
  7. When the salmon is ready, remove from the oven and quickly top with the salsa. Sprinkle over the mint and lemon and serve.

NOTE: Otto uses parsley and adds this and the lemon direct to the salsa. I didn’t hear as the heat from the salsa would have wilted and ruined the lovely mint so I did this at serving. Its up to you.

Nectarine, Basil, Balsamic & Halloumi Salad (With a side of hummus)

Comments Off on Nectarine, Basil, Balsamic & Halloumi Salad (With a side of hummus) read Vegetables and Salads
Nectarine, Basil, Balsamic & Halloumi Salad (With a side of hummus)

T

his dish started how many of my ‘simple’ dishes start. A long day at work and getting home later than planned leaves me wanting something easy and quick and halloumi is a great satisfying win that helps add to my increasingly vegetarian dishes.

Grabbing salad ingredients from the fridge to use up before a summer holiday, I was happy to see my favourite combination just waiting to be thrown together. Nectarine, basil, balsamic. If you haven’t tried these yet then I thoroughly recommend making this salad. Or is time is short, just try adding these 3 delights together in a bowl…and eating on some toasted buttered sourdough..and top with slow cooked scambeled eggs…OK you may need more time if you get carried away like me.

The salad is an excellent on its own, but talking of getting carried away, a side dish of warm floury flatbreads and lemony homemade hummus is never a bad idea. So while my halloumi fried, I made a quick humus. And if you have a food processor, then making hummus at home is literally a very quick job. Its the unlucky pot washer that suffers.

Serves 2 (greedy people)

  • 2 ripe nectarines, chopped into 2cm cubes
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1 small head broccoli, chopped in florets
  • 1 pack of halloumi, cubed
  • 1 little gem lettuce, chopped
  • 1 bag mixed salad – rocket, watercress, spinach etc
  • Handful basil leaves, torn
  • Handful flaked almonds, dry roasted
  • 1 lemon
  • Balsamic glaze (I like the one that Odysea sell). I’d avoid using the thinner vinegar as it doesn’t work as well here.
  • Flatbreads, homemade or shop bought, warmed
  1. Add the broccoli florets to a baking tray, season and drizzle very lightly with some sunflower oil. Roast the broccoli for 15 minutes at 200°C. Once roasted, remove from the oven and then leave to cool slightly.
  2. Add the nectarines, avocado, basil leaves, and almonds to a bowl. Season.
  3. Add the little gem leaves, salad leaves and roasted broccoli florets to a large serving bowl or platter. Add the nectarine combination and toss together.
  4. Squeeze over the juice of the lemon and then a generous amount of balsamic glaze. Toss to combine, taste and season.
  5. Fry the halloumi cubes in a little sunflower oil in a hot frying pan until golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel and add to the top of the salad.
  6. Serve with extra balsamic, warm flatbreads and some tasty hummus.

Hummus

  • 1 x can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 large tbsp tahini
  • Juice 1 lemon
  • Handful of fresh coriander
  • 1/2 green or red chilli
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp spice mix
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Sumac – to serve
  1. To make the hummus, add all ingredients to a food processor and season.
  2. Blend until smooth, adding as much extra virgin olive oil to loosen to your desired texture.
  3. Spoon into a serving dish, drizzle with oil and scatter with sumac.

Seasonal Spring – Asparagus & Jersey Royals

Comments Off on Seasonal Spring – Asparagus & Jersey Royals read Seafood, Vegetables and Salads
Seasonal Spring – Asparagus & Jersey Royals

S

easonal eating for me is the sign of a cook that knows what they’re doing in the kitchen. Knowing what ingredients are in season and optimising their chance in the spotlight to get the best from them. We’re spoilt for choice in the UK. Asparagus when we want it, shipped from Peru. Avocados with so much pressure and expectation on their ripeness the moment we need them. No wonder sometimes they arrived a little bruised…they’re living up to millennial perfection!

That said, an evening in armed with hunger, but sadly not creativity, was the perfect Spring opportunity to cook seasonally. I try and only buy English asparagus but that doesn’t give me much chance to eat it. Not only does it taste delicious in season but it really is the best from our UK growers. Given its got such a small seasonal window (May!) I took the chance.

Note: You can either boil the potatoes OR roast them. You can also either steam the asparagus or pan fry. All cooking techniques are optional! 

Serves 2 

  • 2 seabass/seabream fillets
  • 1 large bunch asparagus
  • 1 bowl/bag mixed salad leaves to include watercress, rocket, spinach
  • Jersey royals – enough for 2 depending on hunger
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp capers, drained
  • Knob of butter

 

  1. Boil the Jersey Royals in simmering water until just cooked but not soft. They should have a little bite to them. You can either have these boiled, buttered and seasoned when they’re hot OR roast them. I roasted mine with a splash of oil, salt and pepper at 200 for about 25 minutes or until golden and crisp. Keep an eye on them.
  2. Snap the end off the asparagus spears. They should have a natural break point when you snap them which is where you discard the end. You can by all means also eat the ends! just chop them up smaller. Pan fry them with a tiny drop of oil and some seasoning. You do not want to fry for too long, just until softening but still with bite. 
  3. Add the wilted spears to the salad leaves and toss. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and some seasoning and toss again. Set aside.
  4. Heat a frying pan to a high heat and add a splash of oil. Score the fish fillets on the skin side and season. Fry for 3 minutes, skin side down until crisp and the flesh beginning to turn operate. Flip onto the other side for the final 30 seconds or so until cooked.
  5. At the very last minute add the capers and let them fry in the oil around the fish. Remove the pan from he heat and add a knob of butter. Toss the fish in the browning butter and capers.
  6. Serve immediately with the salad and the potatoes with a wedge of lemon.

This would also be amazing with a beautiful home-made mayonnaise or tartare sauce.

Guinness Lamb Shanks

Comments Off on Guinness Lamb Shanks read Meat
Guinness Lamb Shanks

I

‘ll start by admitting that this is a trusty Jamie O recipe that I’ve adapted. I think quite rightly adapted, by adding a lot more Guinness than his recipe suggests. Seeing as it’s in the title, I felt a good pint minus a few motivating sips should be involved. You can basically slow cook lamb shanks in any liquid with some stock –  ale, cider, wine etc, so this was screaming for the booze.

Jamie O is both the reason I started cooking when I was younger and my constant inspiration. He is my go-to for tasty and reliable recipes when lacking ideas. I also love lamb shank. Forever a crowd pleaser and a winner when cooked slowly. I’ve a number of tasty lamb shank recipes on the blog but February 14th was calling for something with an indulgent difference. If you’ve read last weeks post you’ll know that my lucky date polished off a cleansing Peruvian sea bass cerviche before enrolling in Guinness lamb shank. He had no choice.

What did I get in return you might wonder? Only the luckiest of men would get his own menu I hear you say. And little did I know that a mere 22 hours after serving this Irish inspired delight, that I’d be whisked away on a plane to none other than…Dublin!!! For a surprise weekend away! Only the luckiest of ladies would be treated to such adventures. Too close a coincidence some might say…but little did I know that I’d be standing over Dublin sipping a Guinness in the Guinness factory panoramic bar a day later. Cheers to Dublin and Guinness. Enjoy this recipe.

Serves 4

  • 4 lamb shanks
  • 2 red onions, chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped
  • Handful raisins
  • 1 heaped tbsp red onion marmalade
  • 1 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
  • 1 can Guinness
  • Few sticks rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
  • 1 litre hot beef/lamb stock

Mint oil

  • Bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
  • 1 lemon
  • Good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C. 
  2. Heat a large casserole dish, large enough to hold the lamb shanks, on the hob on a medium heat and add a splash of oil. Seasons the shanks then brown them to caramelise the edges and develop some flavour. Do this for 5-8 minutes or so, just to brown the main end and sides, don’t be too fussy, it’ll brown fully later. Set aside on a plate.
  3. Add a touch more oil to the casserole and reduce the heat to gently soften the onions for about 8 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Add the rosemary and stir to combine. Season.
  5. Add the marmalade, raisins, ketchup and W sauce and stir to combine. Turn the heat up a touch and add the Guinness.
  6. Add the lamb shanks back to the pan and top up with enough stock to bring the liquid about 1/2 way up the sides so its submerged but not drowning. 
  7. Now you can leave it alone in the oven with a lid on. Leave to cook for about 2 hours. After this time, remove the lid and increase the temperature to 180°C. This will enable the juices to reduce and the mixture to thicken. Leave this for about an hour but after it has been in for 2 & 1/2 hours in total, its really up to you and your timings. I left mine for about 3 hours total and really reduced and thickened the sauce and browned the shanks to a dark ale colour. You can play with the temperature to achieve your style. Careful not to dry the sauce though.
  8. Once cooked, remove from the oven. Serve with creamy mash, polenta, creamy beans and leeks or whatever your heart desires. Top with mint oil.

Mint oil

  1. bash the min leaves in a pestle and mortar with some flaky salt. Add a very small touch of oil and mash until the desired consistency.
  2. You don’t want to add too much oil and lamb is notoriously oil and fatty so this should freshen rather than cloy the pallet.