Normally, I am lucky enough to take several trips a year – for a chef, there is no better way to expand your palate and educate yourself than by travelling.
I am looking forward to travelling again but in the meantime, enjoy these Italian dishes to take you back to a sunny place in the Mediterranean.
Chicken orvieto
(Serves 4 with leftovers)
Olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
30 cloves garlic, peel and chop four, rest kept in skin
450g potatoes, peeled, diced
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1.5 kg chicken
250g black and green olives, pitted
1 rosemary sprig, destalked
1 glass of dry white wine
1 glass of water
Salt and pepper
Method:
Cook the onion in a heavy–bottomed pot in olive oil until soft, but not brown. Add the peeled garlic, potatoes, fennel and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon juice; leave to cool.
Heat oven to 180C. Stuff cooked ingredients into chicken carcass and sew or close with a skewer. Season chicken skin with oil, salt and pepper and place in a roasting dish.
Place on one side in the oven, turning over after 20 minutes, repeating until the legs and all sides of the carcass are browned.
When turning over for the last time, add the rest of garlic, olives, rosemary and drizzle the bird with olive oil. Place back in oven for 20 minutes.
Insert a skewer between leg and breast and if liquid runs clear, the bird is cooked – if still bloody, return to oven.
When cooked, remove from roasting tray, cover and leave to rest, removing garlic and olives.
Place the tray on to the hob, adding a glass of wine and water. Stir well, leave to reduce.
Slice and serve with a tablespoon of the cooked stuffing, a tablespoon of the garlic and olives and drizzle over the cooked chicken juices (demi glaze).
Poached fig and zabaglione
(Serves 4)
400ml Marsala wine
100ml water
140g brown sugar
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
8 figs
For the zabaglione:
4 large egg yolks
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 pinch cornflour
150ml Marsala wine
To garnish:
Caster sugar
Method:
Place wine, water, brown sugar, star anise and cinnamon in a pot on the hob and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, simmer for three minutes.
Poach figs in the liquid for 15 minutes, covering with a cartouche until they have gone soft and the liquid is like syrup. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.
To make the zabaglione, boil a pot of water, not too full. Place the yolks into a bowl with the brown sugar and cornflour, place the bowl on to the water and whisk rapidly until the mix thickens. You want the mix to double in volume. Add the wine and whisk until fully mixed.
Place figs in bowl, poured over with syrup, topped with zabaglione. Decorate with star anise and cinnamon stick and dust with caster sugar.
]]>If you're looking to impress dinner guests this weekend then look no further because this week we have two fabulous recipes that are perfect for a dinner party. Both dishes are easy to prepare and ultra tasty, starting with a mouthwatering roast chicken with cabernet sauvignon - a firm favourite on Marco Pierre White's menus - followed by a tiramisu to satisfy your sweet tooth. And they're sure to get your guests talking. I hope you enjoy them.
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If you're looking to impress dinner guests this weekend then look no further because this week we have two fabulous recipes that are perfect for a dinner party. Both dishes are easy to prepare and ultra tasty, starting with a mouthwatering roast chicken with canernet sauvignon - a firm favourite on Marco Pierre White's menus - followed by a tiramisu to satisfy your sweet tooth. And they're sure to get your guests talking. I hope you enjoy them.
Roast chicken with Cabernet Sauvignon (Serves 4)
1 × 1.2kg chicken
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
50ml Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar
50ml water
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped
Method:
Start by preheating the oven to 180C. Place the chicken in a roasting tin; pour over the oil and rub into the skin. Add 50ml water to the bottom of the tray; season with salt and pepper and place in the oven for 50 minutes. During this time, baste with the liquid at least twice. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 15 minutes, covered in tinfoil.
Place the Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar into a saucepan; heat on a high heat until the vinegar becomes like a syrup. Add in the juices from your roasting tray into the mix and stir on the heat until both liquids combine to make a sauce.
Add the finely diced shallots to your sauce and cook out for a further minute. Add the chopped herbs and then mix.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and carve the meat. Serve with creamed potato and with the rest of sauce on the side.
Traditional Tiramisu (Makes 4 individual servings)
100ml espresso coffee
15ml coffee liqueur
4 sponge fingers
80g egg white whisked to a soft peak
2tbsp sugar
250g mascarpone
2tbsp honey
Grated chocolate for garnish
Coco powder
Method:
Make your espresso and pour it into a heatproof jug, adding the coffee liqueur, then leave it to cool. Break each sponge finger into four pieces and drop into four small glasses, then pour a third of the cooled espresso mixture over them. Press down gently, making sure the biscuits are completely soaked.
Using a whisk, beat the egg whites and sugar until they form soft peaks. In a separate bowl beat the mascarpone, the rest of your espresso and the honey slowly to a smooth paste.
Fold the egg whites into the mixture, a third at a time, and spoon the mixture into the glass over the sponge fingers.
Grate the chocolate and dust with coco powder. Garnish the mixture with the chocolate and coco powder and serve.
]]>This week’s recipes are two great main courses offering something a little different. We are all told how good lentils and beans are for us and both have star roles in these dishes which make use of fresh and tinned ingredients.
I am a big believer in having great store cupboard ingredients to rustle something up with: beans, along with coconut milk and tinned tomatoes, are just a few of the things which you will always find in my cupboard.
I hope you enjoy this week’s recipes and cook them for years to come.
Spiced Monkfish with Lentil Dhal serves two as a main course)
Ingredients
2 × 200g monkfish tail
1 teasp garam masala
sea salt
fresh black pepper
For the lentil dhal:
2 tablesp vegetable oil
1 teasp cumin seeds
1 teasp saffron
1 pinch ground turmeric
1 onion, fine chop
2 garlic cloves, fine chop
3 red chillis, deseeded and chopped
2 teasp tomato puree
400g green lentils, rinsed and drained
400g spinach, chopped
15g coriander, destalked and chopped
200g Greek yoghurt
Start by dusting off the monkfish in the garam masala and seasoning with salt and pepper. When you are ready to serve, you can quickly pan fry the fish on a medium heat with a drizzle of oil for eight minutes each side.
For the dhal, place a pot on a medium heat and add in the oil. Once warm, add in the cumin seeds, saffron and any leftover garam masala from the fish, the turmeric, onion, garlic cloves and chilli and cook until the ingredients are soft. Your kitchen will smell like a spice souk – amazing.
Add in the tomato puree and lentils and cook for a further five minutes. Add in the spinach and coriander and keep on a low heat. Start getting the fish cooked.
Once your fish is cooked, stir the yoghurt into the lentil dhal and serve on the plate with the monkfish on top.
Duck, Pancetta and Flagelot beans gremolata (serves four as a starter / two as main course)
Ingredients
4 duck legs
400g onions, sliced
5 garlic cloves, sliced
140g streaky bacon or pancetta, chopped
400g tin Flagelot beans
400g tin tomatoes
300ml white wine
500ml chicken stock
olive oil
sea salt
cracked black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 lemon, zest only
25g flat leaf parsley, destalked and chopped
Start by placing a heavy bottomed pot on a medium heat and adding in a splash of olive oil. Add in the chopped bacon/pancetta and cook until browned. Remove from the pot and leave to the side.
In the same pot, add in the onions and four of the cloves of garlic and cook until soft and they begin to colour. Once cooked, move to the side of the pan to make way for the duck.
Season the duck leg with the salt and pepper, add to the pot skin side down and brown. Add in the bacon, tinned tomatoes, white wine and stock. Tie the herbs together with a bit of string and add to the mix. Add the carrots and simmer for five minutes.
Make a lid for the pot using greaseproof paper and place on top of the ingredients in the pot, it is OK if this touches it. Place a lid on top, reduce the heat and leave on the hob for two hours. Remove from heat.
Rinse the beans from the tin in a sieve, add to the zested lemon, the chopped parsley and remaining garlic clove. Chop all the ingredients together and place in frying pan and heat through. When ready to serve, place the duck leg on the plate with a good spoonful of the gremolata on the side.
]]>Tis the season… for long and leisurely evenings spent outdoors and with friends. This week’s recipes are great for groups of people especially outdoor events or barbecues – primarily for ease, as they can both be prepared the day before and there is very little prep time involved on the day.
We did a live demonstration yesterday at the Balmoral Show 2019 using this recipe and so many have requested it!
Belfast’s own Jawbox gin is making a real name for itself among the connoisseurs of the city and beyond. The salmon recipe has a little twist in appreciation of Jawbox as I have included a hint of it in the recipe – but of course, you can use any gin you might have in the house.
This is a super, light dish served with creme fraiche and lemon and provides a great palate cleanser.
Salmon with jawbox gin and beetroot (Serves 6–8)
1kg side of salmon with skin on and trimmed
85g brown sugar
65g salt, Maldon sea salt works best
½ teaspoon white pepper
50g Dijon mustard
Beetroot puree
130ml gin
Start by making the beetroot puree. Get four medium–sized beetroots and cook in a boiling pot of water for 90 minutes. Do not season the water with salt. Once they are cooked and soft, peel (remember to wear gloves for this bit) and blend into a puree.
To prepare the fish, lay the salmon fillet on a piece of cling film big enough so you can wrap the salmon up tightly. Mix all the ingredients into a bowl and pour over the fish with the mixture and leave unwrapped for 30 minutes.
Next, wrap the fish up tightly in the clingfilm, place on a tray and refrigerate for three days.
If you do not use it all, re–wrap in cling film as it should keep for one week.
Serve with a little creme fraiche and a wedge of lemon.
]]>This week’s recipes are perfect for either a family lunch or a dinner party. It is amazing how much fun you can have with friends and family over dinner and often we go overboard with preparing our meals, but in general people just love catching up.
The first recipe is thick, salted pork chops, followed by a passion fruit Pavlova. Both of these crowd–pleasing dishes are perfect for all ages and relatively easy to cook, allowing you to take the stress out of hosting and enjoy your time with family and friends.
Thick cut pork chops (Serves 4)
125g table salt
375ml apple juice
8 sprigs sage
1 tsp juniper berries, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 × 450g pork loin cutlets, with the fatty skin scored
30g unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
500ml dry cider
Place the salt in a pot, add 250ml water and bring to medium heat, dissolving the salt. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and pour the liquid into a container to brine the chops. To the salted water add the apple juice, sage, juniper, cinnamon and garlic. Add the pork, ensuring that it is fully covered in the brine, and cover with cling film. Refrigerate for four hours.
To cook, pre–heat the oven to 200C. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry. Sieve out the herbs and spices.
Place the butter and oil in a heavy–bottomed casserole dish and heat on the hob. Once the butter has melted, brown the pork chops on each side. Add in the herbs and spices, pour in the cider and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the pork is cooked to your liking. Remove from the dish and slice.
Passion fruit pavlova (Makes one large pavlova or six small ones)
4 egg whites
pinch salt
250g caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour, sieved
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 drops vanilla extract
750ml cream
10 passion fruit, skin removed, pulp only
Preheat the oven to 120C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Beat the egg whites and salt until you have peaks, beat in the sugar a little at a time until the mix becomes stiff and the mixture has a shiny look. Fold in the sifted cornflour, vinegar and vanilla.
Pour the mixture on top of the greaseproof paper and flatten out the centre so that it cooks evenly. Place in the oven for 2 hours. To check that it is cooked, place a palette knife under the pavlova – it should come away clean. Turn off the oven and open the door.
Peel the paper away. Whip the cream until it has soft peaks and place on top of the pavlova. Remove the pulp from your passion fruit and place on top of the cream. Serve with a little extra cream.
]]>This week’s recipes are elegant summery dishes, sure to impress and are easy to make. The first is great served as canapés or an appetiser, the second is a roasting dish perfect for a healthy family dinner.
Both dishes use fennel which is a very underrated vegetable but one that is increasing in popularity. Fennel grows in a warm and dry Mediterranean climate and has a fresh anise flavour.
It’s a great accompaniment to most fish dishes, and we know that eating more fish regularly is good for us. This superfood from the sea has many nutritional benefits and is one of the most beneficial protein sources for your diet.
Sea bass ceviche with fennel and orange (Serves 6 as starter)
500g sea bass fillet, sliced thinly
1 bulb fennel, sliced thinly
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
50ml fresh orange juice
2 oranges, peeled and segmented, inner skin removed
For the dressing:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground
1 tsp honey
100ml extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to season
For this dish it is best to make the dressing first. To start, heat a dry pan and toast the fennel seeds until popping. Crush with a pestle and mortar. Place the fennel in a bowl, add the other ingredients and whisk vigorously until combined. Season with salt to taste and leave to the side.
Slice the sea bass thinly and place on a flat plate, spooning over 20ml of the fresh orange juice. Leave for 10 minutes.
Slice the fennel thinly and put in a bowl with the sea bass. Season with salt and black pepper and covered with remainder of the fresh orange juice. You can cling film this and place in fridge until ready to serve.
Remove and place the sea bass and fennel on a clean plate and dress with the segmented orange. Drizzle over a spoonful of the dressing and garnish with the fennel herbs from the top of the fennel bulb.
FENNEL AND LEMON SALMON WITH PESTO BUTTER
Fennel and lemon salmon with pesto butter (Serves 4)
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced thinly lengthways
4 salmon fillets approx 300g, skin on
salt
black pepper
1tsp lemon rind, grated
2 tbsp olive oil
For the pesto butter:
80g butter
1 bunch basil leaves
1 clove garlic
50g pine nuts
50g Parmesan
Salad leaves to garnish. Preheat the oven to 240C. Line a roasting tray with greaseproof paper. Place the fennel on the tray with the salmon, skin side up. Score the salmon skin lightly and season with the salt and pepper. Drizzle the ingredients with olive oil and sprinkle over the lemon rind. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, when the fish should be just cooked.
To make the pesto butter, add the butter to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Using a pestle and mortar, combine the garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan with one large bunch of basil. Once mixed, combine with the butter which should be at room temperature.
When serving the salmon, spoon over one tablespoon of the pesto butter and drizzle some over new baby boiled potatoes.
]]>These dishes are super quick yet they’re things you’d probably only think of ordering in a restaurant rather than cooking at home. Think again – this squid recipe is super easy and as long as you clean it thoroughly it will be delicious.
And this very simple Spanish dish of clams with sherry is something I look forward to when I go on holiday this summer. It’s so tasty and great to mop up with a piece of fresh bread.
Try them – and let me know how you get on. If your confidence isn’t quite there yet to tackle squid or clams, our new cookery classes are online for bookings from August so have a look. Hope to see you on one of them soon.
Stir fried squid (Serves 2)
250g squid, cleaned
2 tablesp sunflower oil
1 teasp sesame oil
100g shitake and oyster mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
300g pak choi or gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
4 spring onions, cleaned and chopped – include the stalks
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
1cm ginger, grated
½ lemon juiced
1 tablesp soy sauce
1 handful sesame seeds, toasted on a dry pan
sea salt
Wash the squid and, using a clean tea towel or blue roll, pat dry. Slice into rings or, as I have done, slice lengthways and score the skin to get the nice pattern in the photograph. It is best to have this dish in bite–sized pieces as it can be hard to slice when eating.
Heat the sesame and sunflower oil together in a wok or heavy–bottomed pan and raise to a high heat (make sure your extractor fan is on). Add in the squid and mushrooms, chilli, garlic, ginger and a pinch of salt. Cook for up to three minutes, making sure you keep tossing the pan. Tip into a bowl.
Add in another teaspoon of oil and when hot add in the greens; cook until wilted, tossing as you go. Add the lemon juice and soy sauce. Return the squid to the pan to reheat for a minute. Serve with steamed rice or noodles, with toasted sesame seeds scattered on top.
Clams with sherry and garlic (Serves 4 as a starter or lunch)
4 tablesp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pinch saffron
1 tabelsp smoked paprika
150ml dry sherry
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 teasp sherry vinegar
1kg fresh clams
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, stalk removed and chopped
sea salt
black pepper
Heating a frying pan (which has a lid) to a medium heat. Add the oil, garlic and spices. Cook for a minute, ensuring it doesn’t burn. Add the sherry, tomatoes and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat and allow to bubble for five minutes.
Wash the clams under running cold water and discard any that are already open or do not close to the touch. Add the washed clams to the tomato mix in the pan, put on the lid and cook for two to three minutes, shaking the pan from time to time.
Take a peek under the lid – discard any clams that have not opened. Taste and add seasoning if required.
Garnish with flat leaf parsley and serve in the pan at the table, preferably with crusty bread.
]]>It isn't really the weather for barbecues and salads, so this week’s recipes revert to something warm and delicious. Both dishes are quick and easy, perfect for everyday dinners. As they are pasta based and suitable for vegetarians, they are both all–round crowd pleasers.
Sweet potato is a great ingredient as it can really add that sweet taste that we all crave but without actually adding any high–calorie sweet additives, while the kale with anchovies and chilli flakes is truly delicious and gives an alternative use for kale (it’s not just for salads). I think it should find its way into every shop.
Give these recipes a go and let me know how you get on by tweeting @JamesSt___
Kale Spaghetti (Serves 2)
Ingredients:
225g spaghetti
3 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 anchovy fillets, in brine
1 bunch kale, stem removed and sliced thinly
1/2 lemon zested
chilli flakes
Method:
Start by bringing a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add in the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a separate pan, heat the olive oil on a medium heat and add in the garlic and anchovies and cook until it sizzles. Add in the strips of kale and cook until it softens, making sure you turn it over.
Add in the lemon zest and the cooked spaghetti and mix through.
Drizzle with olive oil and serve with a garnish of chilli flakes.
Sweet Potato, Halloumi and Pappardelle (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and fine chop
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
sea salt
black pepper
120g almonds, rough chopped
200g halloumi, chopped
400g pappardelle
240g mascarpone
2 tsp lemon rind, grated
Method
Start by preheating the oven to 20C to cook off the sweet potatoes.
Line a roasting tray with greaseproof paper. Place the chopped sweet potatoes on the roasting tray with the oil and the chilli flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 15 minutes, then add in the almonds and the halloumi into the tray and cook for a further 10 minutes until golden.
Place the pappardelle pasta into a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve 100ml of the cooking water and place back into the pan, adding in the mascarpone and mix in the grated lemon and combine.
Serve with the roasting vegetables, halloumi and almonds on top. Season with salt and pepper to serve.
]]>With children finishing school this weekend, these’s recipes are perfect for the summer holidays. Spiced beans and eggs and vegan chocolate brownies are all–round winners in our house – both delicious and easy to dish up, they are sure to keep the kids happy.
Eggs are nutritious, tasty and usually pass muster with youngsters, particularly with a bit of chilli heat; the vegan chocolate brownie is on the menu at our Hadskis restaurant in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s a firm winner.
Spiced beans with eggs (Serves 2)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
½ green chilli, deseeded and sliced
5 sprigs coriander, destalked and chopped
1 pinch cumin
1 tsp chipotle paste
1 tin borlotti beans
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 eggs
Cheese – cheddar, pecorino or feta
Method:
Warm the oil in the bottom of a deep–frying pan (one with a lid); once sizzling, add in the onions, red pepper, chilli and garlic. Cook until soft on a medium heat.
Stir in the coriander and cumin and cook until the smell of the spices opens up – a couple of minutes on a medium heat.
Add the borlotti beans, the tomatoes and chipotle paste and bring to a high heat until bubbling. Cook for three minutes, then reduce to a simmer for a further five minutes.
Make two hollows in the bean mix and crack an egg into each. Cover the pan with a lid. Keep on a gentle heat until the white of the egg is cooked. I prefer them soft in this dish but not runny.
Add a handful of grated cheese and finish off under the grill. Keep an eye on this as it will burn quickly. Remove from grill and sprinkle with any remaining coriander. Serve with heated tortilla for brunch.
Vegan chocolate brownie
(Makes one baking tray)
20ml rapeseed oil
200g diary–free dark chocolate (valrhona brand is the best)
200g pecan nuts, crushed
4 tsp cocoa powder
170g self–raising flour
180g golden caster sugar
pinch Maldon sea salt
1 vanilla pod
230ml soya milk, unsweetened
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease a baking tray with a little of the rapeseed oil and line with greaseproof paper.
Make a bain maire with a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Break up 2/3 of the chocolate and melt, making sure you do not get any water in. Once melted remove from the heat.
Sieve the flour and the cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar, salt and scrape in the vanilla pods. Add in all the wet ingredients including the melted chocolate and combine.
Chop up the remainder of the chocolate and add to mix, including the chopped pecans. Pour the mixture into the tin bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove once the mixture is cooked but the centre still a bit soft. Leave to cool in the tin and then remove. Place on rack and slice to serve.
]]>FROM time to time we all like our flavours with hints of exotic spices. These two recipes will give you exactly that – breaded squid with noodle salad brings a touch of the fragrant Chinese five spice to your tastebuds along with plenty of chilli.
The Vietnamese rice paper rolls are a very tasty and filling meal, with lots of fresh herbs that pack a punch. Both dishes are full of flavour and perfect for this warm, balmy weather. I hope you enjoy them both.
Breaded squid with noodle salad (Serves 4)
100g rice flour
½ teasp Chinese five spice
1 teasp sea salt flakes
8 squid tubes, cleaned and thinly sliced
vegetable oil
150g vermicelli noodles, cooked
2 spring onions, fine chopped
160g green cabbage, finely sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and finely sliced
150g peas, blanched in hot water
A few springs coriander, chopped
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
2 limes, halved to garnish
Method:
Mix the flour, five spice and salt in a large bowl and combine. Add the squid and toss until coated all over.
Heat about 3cm of vegetable oil in a wok on a medium heat. Cook off the squid in batches until crisp and golden. This should take two minutes for each batch and drain and leave on a clean paper towel.
Cook off the noodles as per the packet instructions and drain and leave to the side. Mix with the spring onions, cucumber, peas and herbs and toss to combine.
Add the cooked squid on top and garnish with the chilli and garnish with a wedge of lime.
Vietnamese rice paper rolls (Serves 2)
For the rolls:
8 rice paper wraps
50g vermicelli rice noodles
10 leaves from baby gem, washed
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin strips
½ cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin strips
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
60g bean sprouts
30g salted peanuts, shopped
1 bunch mint
10 sprigs coriander
10 sprigs basil
For the dipping sauce:
1 teasp ginger, grated
2 chillis, deseeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teasp light brown sugar
3 tablesp soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
Method:
First, place the noodles in a bowl and cover with bowling water. Leave according to instructions until cooked through. Strain them and cool under running water. Leave aside.
Take each baby gem lettuce leaf and add in a few noodles and top with carrot strips, cucumber strips, spring onion, beansprouts. Finish with a garnish of the peanuts and the herbs. You can repeat this process until all the baby gem leaves are sitting ready to be wrapped.
Take your rice paper and soak in a bowl of boiling water, again make sure to read the instructions for these. Place on a clean tea towel and take one rice paper at a time. Lay out the paper and place the lettuce leaf on top. Fold as you would a burrito. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up.
For the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients into one bowl and season to taste. Take the rolls, slice in two and serve.
]]>THIS week’s recipes are two light and healthy options which fit perfectly in with the glorious summery weather. Red mullet is always nice for a change and is increasing in popularity as it is quick and easy to cook and has lots of great health benefits.
Grilled vegetables are another great quick and easy dish for the summer and are great served with some cous cous and a drizzle of olive oil. Most households will have some vegetables in the fridge which have not been cooked – griddling them with a little olive is a great way to use them up.
Red Mullet with Tomato, Cucumber and Ginger Salad (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp ginger, grated
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp lime ring, grated
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and sliced
250g cherry tomatoes, deseeded and sliced
1 shallot fine slice
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 × 300g red mullet
35g plain flour
1 tsp salt flakes
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Vegetable or rapeseed oil
Handful of coriander leaves, destalked and chopped for garnish
Method:
To make the salad dressing place the garlic, ginger, sugar, lime juice and rind and the olive oil in a bowl and mix, add in the cucumber, tomato and chilli and shallot and combine with the liquid and set aside.
Place the flour, pepper and the salt in a shallow dish to dip the fish in. With the fish, slice three slits into the side of the fish and place in the flour and the salt. Coat it well in the mix.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and place the fish in and cook on one side for six minutes turning over and cook on the other side for six minutes.
Place on a dish to serve and garnish with the salad and coriander leaves.
Chargrilled Vegetables
Great as a side for fish or any meat.
Ingredients:
1 red pepper
1 head chicory
1 courgette yellow or green
10ml vegetable oil to cook
5 mil olive oil
3 stalks of flat leaf parsley, destalked and chopped
10ml lemon juice
Method:
Coat the chicory and courgette lightly with a little of the oil. Using a griddle pan place on a high heat. Place the vegetables in but do not over crowd the pan and cook on each side for one to two minutes until they are charred on the outside, but you do not want them to be cooked entirely through. It is always nice to have a bit of a bite in vegetables.
To serve place the lemon juice, olive oil in a bowl and toss the vegetables in this and season to taste. Garnish with the coriander.
]]>This week, two recipes packed full of spice and flavour: a melt–in–the–mouth Moroccan lamb tagine and a green and black peppered beef that makes for the perfect Friday night dinner.
There has been a real increase in Moroccan–influenced dishes, due mainly to London–based Israeli celebrity chef Yotam Ottolenghi and his love of brilliant, flavour–forward dishes; as a result, we have introduced a themed class into our cookery school calendar (see cookinbelfast.co.uk).
Lamb shank tagine (Serves up to 4 )
1 tablesp rapeseed oil
4 lamb shanks
2 onions, chopped
1 aubergine, finely chopped
1–inch ginger, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pinch ground cinnamon
2 teasp paprika
1 teasp ground turmeric
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 pinch saffron
600ml stock, vegetable or chicken (enough to cover the meat when cooking)
15 dried apricots, chopped
1 lemon, zested
For the garnish:
ground black pepper
5 tablesp flaked almonds
1 bunch parsley, destalked and chopped
Preheat the oven to 160C. Place a large casserole dish on the hob on a gentle heat; add the oil and, once bubbling add the meat. Once browned, remove meat from the pan and turn the heat down to a simmer.
Add in the onions and aubergine and cook for five minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir while cooking. Return the meat to the pan and add the cinnamon, paprika and turmeric.
Add the chopped tomatoes, saffron, stock and dried apricots and give everything a good stir. Place the lid on the dish and place in the oven for 90 minutes. Check every now and again, making sure the meat is covered with the liquid – if not, top up with water. Skim off any fat sitting on top any time you check the dish.
Once cooked, the meat should be falling off the bone. If not, return to the oven for further cooking. When ready, add in the lemon zest and cook for a further five minutes.
To serve, toast the flaked almonds on a dry pan, placing on top and garnishing with the black pepper and the herbs. Serve with roasted potatoes or couscous.
Green and black peppered beef (Serves 4)
2 tablesp black peppercorns
450g beef fillet, sliced into cubes
2 tablesp oyster sauce
1 tablesp chinese rice wine
2 teasp light soy sauce
1 teasp sesame oil
2 teasp corn flour
2 tablesp water mixed with 1 teasp corn flour
3 teasp groundnut oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 green pepper, cubed
1 onion, diced
120ml chicken stock
Place the black peppercorns in a mortar and crush. Place the oyster sauce, rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil into a bowl and mix thoroughly with the peppercorns. Place the beef in the bowl and coat in the mixture. Clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least two hours.
When ready to cook, place your wok on the hob and add in the groundnut oil. Once hot add the beef only, leaving the marinade in the bowl. Add in the garlic, green peppers and onion and stir fry.
Once cooked through (which should only take minutes), add in the marinade and stock, stirring in the corn flour to thicken the sauce. Serve with steamed rice and green vegetables.
]]>THIS week’s recipes are perfect for as a delicious light lunch. Both are quick and easy to cook and are sure to tickle your taste buds. Cauliflower and chicken soup is a surprising crowd pleaser, with cauliflower being a great healthy alternative to potatoes. Focaccia is an excellent sharing bread and can be used as a side to many meals.
Chicken and cauliflower soup (Serves 2)
½ head cauliflower, leaves removed
1 onion fine chopped
1 bunch coriander, destalked and chopped
3 limes, juiced
1 litre chicken stock
1 chicken breast, skin removed and chopped
1 pinch salt
75g peas, fresh or frozen
Blitz your cauliflower in a blender – reserving a couple of large pieces for a bit of bite – until it resembles couscous.
Place a pot on the hob and bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Add the chicken, onion and salt; keep on the heat until the chicken is cooked through. Add in the cauliflower, frozen peas and lime juice. Cook until soft – this should take 10 minutes.
Before taking off the heat, add the coriander and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a wedge of lime on the side.
Focaccia
300ml tepid water
3 tsp fresh yeast
500g Italian type ‘00’ strong flour plus extra for rolling and dusting
1 tsp fine salt
4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
Glug of extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
15g coarse sea salt flakes
1 red onion, sliced thin
Mix the tepid water and yeast in a small bowl until the yeast is dissolved. Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl; make a well in the centre. Pour in half the liquid and the olive oil and mix.
When it starts to come together add the remaining liquid to form a sticky dough. Flour a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes, using more flour if necessary. The dough should not be sticky but smooth and elastic. Oil a bowl and place the dough in it; cover with oiled cling film. Leave for up to 90 minutes in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.
While the dough is proving, caramelise your red onions in pot with olive oil and cook until soft – don’t burn or over cook. Remove from heat and leave aside.
When the dough has risen, knock out the air with your fist while it’s still in the bowl and leave for 15–20 minutes, covered in cling film again.
Oil your baking tray with olive oil and place your dough on it – you don’t need to manipulate it as it will cook into the shape of the tray. Using your finger, gently prong the dough evenly and drizzle olive oil over evenly and scatter with sea salt (Maldon is the brand we use) and the caramelised red onions.
Place in preheated oven to 180C and bake for 25–35 minutes until crusty and hollow sounding when tapped underneath. Remove and place on cooling tray. Best served warm.
]]>This week’s recipes are two delicious chocolate desserts. Chocolate Pavlova is very simple to make and can be decorated simply, with some cream and a scattering of fresh berries.
The profiteroles are slightly more complicated to make but they always go down a treat when on the menu at our Belfast restaurants. Satisfy your sweet tooth and try these out this weekend – I know you’ll enjoy them.
Profiteroles (Makes 16)
For the paste:
125g plain flour
1 tsp sugar
80g butter, plus extra for greasing
3 eggs
For the chocolate Sauce:
150ml double cream
100ml milk
200g dark chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
For the Filling:
450ml double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
First, make the paste by sieving the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. Melt the butter in a pan, add 250ml boiling water and the sieved mixture and mix vigorously using a wooden spoon. When the mixture becomes a thick, shiny paste stop and leave to cool.
Beat the eggs in a bowl and place the paste in a separate bowl. Add a little of the egg at a time until the mix is smooth, silky and falls off the spoon. Then cover and place in the fridge for one day.
When ready to make the profiteroles, preheat the oven to 200C and grease two large baking trays with butter. Spoon out a heaped tablespoon of the paste, repeating to use all the mix.
Place in the oven for 10 minutes; then reduce heat to 180C for 20 minutes. Don’t open the door until the mix has turned golden brown and risen. Once cooked, remove and allow to cool.
For the sauce, bring the cream and milk to a simmer in a pan, break the chocolate, add into the mix, add in the vanilla extract and salt and stir until smooth. Take off the heat.
For the filling, place the double cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl; combine with an electric whisk until smooth. Place into a piping bag, pinch a small hole on the side of the profiteroles and pipe in the mix.
When ready to serve, stack the profiteroles, reheat the sauce to warm and pour over.
Chocolate pavlova
6 egg whites
350g golden caster sugar
1 tbsp corn flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp white wine vinegar
100g dark chocolate chips
100g white chocolate chips
100g mini marshmallows
500ml whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
50g dark chocolate, grated, for the topping
icing sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 120C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Beat the egg whites and salt until you have peaks, then beat in the sugar a little at a time until the mix becomes stiff and the mixture has a shiny look. Fold in the sifted cornflour, vinegar, cocoa powder and vanilla.
Fold in the chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, pour the mixture on top of the greaseproof paper and flatten out the centre so that it cooks evenly. Place in the oven for two hours. To check that it is cooked place a palette knife under the pavlova – it should come away clean. Turn off the oven and open the door.
To serve, whip the cream until it has soft peaks and place on top of the pavlova. Dust with the grated chocolate and then cocoa powder. Serve with a little extra cream.
]]>This week’s recipes are perfect for entertaining and to prepare in advance of a dinner party. I always get asked at the Cookery School what the most important ingredient of any dinner or lunch is and, besides taste and company, it is all about timing. We go through this on our effortless entertaining classes and show how to pull a three–course meal together with ease.
A well–made panna cotta is a great dessert for any lunch or dinner and is a super–efficient dessert for all seasons. Last year, we made it with honey, at the height of summer we made it with lemons and at this time of year it is great with the end–of–season strawberries or raspberries.
I have paired this with a pork belly, which is great as a main course when served with root vegetables, boiled season potatoes – and a knob of butter, of course.
This month sees the launch of Taste The Island, a celebration of all Irish food. A number of events and special menus are available to check out at Tastetheisland.com. I am also hosting two complimentary cookery school demonstrations showcasing some of my favourite Irish products. To book a place, have a look at our website Cookinbelfast.co.uk.
Strawberry panna cotta (serves six)
Strawberry Coulis ingredients:
200g strawberries
1 tbsp icing sugar
Panna cotta ingredients:
600ml cream
150ml milk
175g sugar
5 gelatin leaves
3 tbsp strawberry coulis
Method:
Start by making the coulis, you do not have to use all of this in this recipe but if you store this in the fridge in a sterile jar it can be used for other desserts.
Place the strawberries in a pan with the icing sugar on the heat and once they start to dissolve and burst mix them together, you can use a stick blender to blend. Do not over blend as you do not want the seeds to break up and the juice to get discoloured.
Pass through a fine sieve and remove all the seeds, keeping the juice. Once the coulis is made, soak the gelatin leaves cold water for 10 minutes before use.
Place the milk, cream and sugar in a pan and put on a gentle heat. Add in the softened gelatin to the mix and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
Once cool, add in the coulis to taste. I am not a fan of anything too sweet, so 3 tbsp is enough for me, but taste and stir to your palette. Once mixed through pour the mix into moulds and set in the refrigerator.
If you want these perfect (as in no bubble at the top), use a blowtorch on the top to remove all bubbles before setting in the fridge. This will take 2 hours to set and can be done the night before.
You can serve this with a cornel of cream, mixed berries or both.
Pork Belly Marinade
Ingredients:
1 kg pork belly
1 litre apple juice
80 ml soy sauce
3 inches’ ginger
20 parsley stalks
1 bulb garlic chopped
1/2 bottle white wine
4–star anise
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
4 tbsp honey
2 tbsp salt
3 bay leaves
Method:
Combine all ingredients and cover pork belly. Leave to marinade for 24 hours.
Pre–heat oven to 180C. Remove pork belly from marinade and leave to the side.
Place the pork belly in the oven on a roasting tray and cook for 12 minutes, then turn over in oven and cook for a further 8 minutes.
Remove the pork belly from the oven and leave to rest for 6 minutes. Slice thinly and serve.
]]>This week’s recipes are two simple dishes to have as a delicious lunch or a tasty supper. With the abundance of produce on offer at this time of year, it is always best to use this up and cut down on as much food waste as possible.
The red pepper soup recipe makes good use of fresh and what you might call store–cupboard veg and it’s so tasty and simple to make that you’ll return to it again and again.
The apple and blackberry cobbler – a great way of using up blackberries if you’ve been out foraging with the kids in the past week or two – is a real crowd–pleaser. Plus it’s just the thing on these darkening evenings, when the weather gets a bit nippier and you want something warming and wholesome to cheer you up. Summer feels a long way away now…
Red pepper soup (Serves 4)
500g ripe plum tomatoes
5 red peppers(chopped)
6 cloves garlic
1 large onion
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil
500ml vegetable stock
Method:
Preheat an oven to 200C. Mix the tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onion and season with salt and pepper and cover with a good covering of olive oil. Place in a roasting tray and cook for about 30 minutes, then remove from the oven. Place in a pan with the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Place in a food processor and blend until smooth and serve.
Apple and blackberry cobbler (Serves 4)
For the fruit filling:
1kg cooking apples peeled, cored and cut into small dice approx 2cm in size
250g blackberries
100g Demerara sugar
Icing sugar for dusting
For the topping:
150g self–raising flour
50g cold butter, cut into cubes
50g caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
4 tablesp milk
Method:
You will need a good oven–proof deep pie dish. Start by pre–heating the oven to 180C and greasing your dish. Put the apples, blackberries and sugar into the dish and mix well.
To make the topping, add the flour and the butter into a food processor and mix together until the mixture has a breadcrumb consistency. You can do this by hand as well but it will take a little longer. At that stage, add in the caster sugar, the egg and the milk and mix together again. It should resemble a wet scone mix.
Spoon the dough over the fruit and place in the oven for 30 minutes, until it is brown on top and the fruit is bubbling over the top.
Remove from the oven, dust with caster sugar and serve.
This week’s recipes are taking full advantage of all the luscious berries that are in season at the moment.
Northern Ireland is home to a number of really great jam makers, many of these home–based producers making small–batch jams. This industry is thriving and I thought I would add to this with my own two recipes, Redcurrant Jelly and Blackberry and Cherry Preserve.
By preserving seasonal produce, you can enjoy your favourite food all year round.
The preserve is great paired with all breads while the jelly is delicious served with all birds such as pigeon, grouse and chicken, or event just spread over plain white toast.
Blackberry and cherry preserve
350g cherries, washed, pitted and crushed
350g blackberries, washed and crushed
1 tbsp lemon rind, chopped
900g sugar
½ tsp ground nutmeg
Place all the ingredients in a heavy–bottomed pot. Place on a medium heat until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Once all of the sugar is melted through, boil the mixture but be careful not to burn it. Using a handheld thermometer, bring the mix to 120C and then remove from heat.
You can strain the mix through a fine sieve if you prefer – my preference is for retaining the seeds and texture, but this is not to everyone’s taste.
Ladle the mix into sterile jars (the best way to do this is to place any jars in boiling water and then leave to dry). Leave a good couple of centimetres free at the top. Cut out some round shapes on greaseproof paper and place on top of the jam. Seal with an elastic band and place the lid on.
Then place the jar into a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, remove and leave to cool.
Redcurrant jelly
(Serves up to 12 but can be stored in Kilner jar in fridge)
400ml of orange juice (freshly squeezed, approx. 6 oranges)
400g caster sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1kg redcurrants
Peel and roughly dice the redcurrants (discarding the pith) and put into pot with cold water. Add 1 tsp of caster sugar and bring to boil. Refresh in cold water and repeat this process three times.
Place the orange juice, mixed spice and remaining sugar into the pot with the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and ground black pepper. Bring to the boil and then simmer to reduce liquid by half.
Add in your redcurrants and bring back to the boil and reduce by half again. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pass through a sieve if you prefer smooth redcurrant jelly.
If, however you prefer chunky jelly strain all juice away and let cool. Place in bowl and refrigerate until required.
]]>This week we have shepherd’s pie and plum and apple crumble – both recipes are delicious home comfort dishes, perfect to warm belly and heart.
At this time of year everyone is struggling to get back into a routine following from the highs of the summer and there is nothing better than having the time to prepare a home–cooked meal to get the family together.
The best thing about this time of year is that there is so much local produce available and this weekend the Armagh Food and Cider Festival (visitarmagh.com/festivals/food–cider) celebrates the fantastic local produce available with a giant–sized programme of unique gastronomic events and activities designed to suit everyone’s tastes.
Shepherd's pie (Serves 4)
1lb lamb mince
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion chopped
4 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 sprig picked thyme
200ml beef or chicken stock
salt and pepper
For the topping:
4 large potatoes, boiled and mashed using 100ml skimmed milk 20z butter, salt and pepper
Method:
Heat the oil in frying pan. Add in the lamb mince and cook until brown. Drain off fat and leave lamb to the side. In the same pan, fry off the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and, once browned, add in the bay leaf and thyme and cook for five minutes.
Add in mince, tomatoes and stock and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid is reduced. For the topping, peel and quarter your potatoes and boil until soft. Remove liquid and place potatoes back into the pot on heat; mash them and add in butter, then milk and continue to mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Place oven on at 200C and in an oven–proof dish; add in the mince and top with mashed potato, cook in oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Apple and plum crumble (Serves 6)
Apple and plum crumble, perfect for an autumn dessert
6 apples, peeled, core removed and chopped
8 plums, stone removed and chopped
100g sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
100g butter
100g flour
50g almonds
Method:
Start by lightly stewing the apples – place them in a pot with 50g sugar and 25g butter and cook for five minutes at a low heat. You do not want the apples to lose their shape or make a puree.
Get your baking dish ready and add in your plums with the cinnamon and 1tbsp of sugar. Add in your apple mix and leave aside.
To make the crumble, place the cold butter and flour in a processor and pulse until the texture is like breadcrumbs. Stir in the almonds and the remaining sugar and cinnamon and scatter over the plum and apple mix.
Cook for 40 mins at 180C until golden. Serve with custard.
]]>Here are two quick dinner options for any night of the week. The chicken dish can be prepared ahead of time and placed in the fridge, ready to pop in the oven for dinner that evening. The dessert is one of my favourites and a great way of using peaches.
Gone are the days when everyone sat down to a fully prepared meal seven days a week. I used to laugh when my mother–in–law spent her Saturday’s shopping, prepping and bagging all her vegetables for the week of dinners, but in today’s busy environment she was streets ahead, as everything was bought in fresh, cleaned and prepared, ready to cook.
All our cookery classes focus on the topics of how to use the same ingredients differently for meals, alongside larder essentials and a bit of planning, while some just focus on how to get comfortable if you’re a newcomer in the kitchen.
Spiced chicken with sweet potato and peppers (Serves 4)
4 chicken legs
2 large sweet potatoes, skin on and sliced into wedges
2 large onions, sliced
2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary
salt
pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
Start by pre–heating the oven to 180C. Place the chicken legs, sweet potatoes, peppers and onions into a roasting tin.
Drizzle over the olive oil and add the sprigs of rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and coat all the ingredients using your hands. Try and make sure that everything is coated with the oil. (Don’t forget to wash your hands!)
Place the roasting tin in the oven. Remove after 25 minutes, sprinkle over the paprika and place back into the oven for a further 20 minutes.
Use a wooden spoon to move the ingredients around so they it don’t stick to the bottom of the tray. Serve on its own, with salad or with rice.
Peaches with white chocolate sauce (Serves 6)
6 peaches
6 tsp brown sugar
For the sauce:
100ml double cream
25g butter
100g white chocolate, chopped
Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the peaches in half and remove the stone. Place the peaches cut side up on a roasting tray. Sprinkle each with the brown sugar and place in the oven to cook for 20 to 25 minutes. The peaches should be golden and juicy.
To make the white chocolate sauce, place the cream and the butter into a pan; place on the heat and boil until the butter is melted. Take off the heat and add in the white chocolate and stir through. It is always best to have your chocolate chopped as small as you can for this. Stir through until completely melted.
When ready to serve, place the peaches on the plate and drizzle with the chocolate sauce. This recipe works well with plums too, which are in season for another month or so.
]]>This week’s recipes are two very quick and simple crowd pleasers and perfect at this time of year to warm up the family after a long day at work and school.
Beef and Mushroom Casserole is a firm favourite as a one pot wonder and Poached Rhubarb and Custard fool is the perfect comforting flavour combination to round off.
As part of the Taste the Island initiative, we are holding demos at our cookery school and showing off how to cook the best of land and sea from the island of Ireland. We are always adding more cookery classes to our calendar as well, with something for budding and experienced chefs. For more information and to book your cookery class visit cookinbelfast.co.uk/classes–events.
Beef and mushroom casserole (Serves 2)
400g braising steak, diced
½ tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp mushroom paste
350ml beef stock
½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
75g mixed mushrooms, chopped
4 sprigs of thyme
200g cavolo nero
Method:
Pre–heat your oven to 190C. Fry off the steak in a heavy–bottomed casserole dish (which has a lid), on the hob on a medium heat, ensuring all sides are browned.
Stir in the flour and porcini paste and cook for 30 seconds, then gradually add in the stock and vinegar. Bring the liquid to the boil, put the lid on and then move to the oven for two hours.
Then add in the mushrooms and thyme. Place the lid back on and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
In a pot of boiling water cook the cavolo nero; drain once al dente.
Remove the thyme from the pot and serve the casserole with the cavolo nero.
Poached rhubarb custard fool (Serves 4)
20g butter
100g caster sugar
200g rhubarb
For the custard:
235ml double cream
235ml milk
1 vanilla pod
½ tbsp cornflour
pinch turmeric
50g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
For the syrup:
50ml grenadine
50g caster sugar
¼ tsp vanilla seed paste
6 plain digestive biscuits, crumbled
Method:
Place the butter, sugar and rhubarb in a pan and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes until it becomes soft and forms into a compote. In a separate pan bring the cream and milk to the boil, with the vanilla pod.
Place the egg yolks in a bowl with the cornflour, turmeric and sugar and whisk in the hot milk and cream. Place in a clean pan and cook gently until it thickens to a custard–like consistency. Add in half of the rhubarb compote and leave it to the side to cool.
For the syrup on top, place the grenadine, sugar and vanilla paste in a pan and bring to the boil. Once boiled remove from the heat and leave to cool.
To serve, spoon the compote into a clean glass – I love to serve desserts, especially ones like this, in glasses as it means it can be pre–made and left in the fridge until needed. Add on a layer of the custard, leave to set and top off with one more layer of rhubarb. Top with syrup and the crumbled digestives when ready to serve.
]]>This week we have two wonderful, hearty fish dishes to choose from. Both options are quick and easy to make, with rich flavours that the whole family will love.
A perfect option for those rushed mid–week dinners when you are in late from work or running out the door in the evenings to the many activities with the kids, it’s also worth remembering that fish is a high–protein, low–fat food that provides a range of health benefits. Ideally, we should be aiming for two portions of fish a week and these recipes are a lovely way to work this in to your weekly menu.
Tomato and fish broth
2 onions, diced
olive oil
1 clove of garlic
5 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 fennel, sliced
1 litre vegetable stock
2 gherkins, sliced
16 olives, stoned
1 sprig parsley, picked
3 sprigs dill, picked
500g any white fish
4 tbsp soured cream
Peeling and chop the onions. Place in a pan with the olive oil on a moderate heat, add in the garlic and soften. Add in the tomatoes and cook until soft.
After a couple of minutes add the fennel to the pan and cook until it too has softened. Add in your stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes and let the liquid reduce a bit and thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the fish in and cook for four to five minutes, then add in the gherkins, olives and the herbs.
Season to taste one more time and serve with a dollop of soured cream.
Prawns, cod with fennel and white wine
20g salted butter
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1 leek, trimmed and diced
150ml white wine
200ml crème fraiche
260g cod or any white fish, cut into thick slices
10 prawns, shell off
25g flat leaf parsley, chopped
Start by melting the butter in a casserole dish on a medium heat, then add in the fennel and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add in the leek and cook again, covered with the lid, for five minutes until soft.
Add in the wine and crème fraiche and simmer with the lid off for four minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add in the prawns and the fish and cover with the lid. Simmer for seven to eight minutes until the fish is opaque and flaky and the prawns are pink and opaque.
A perfect option for those rushed mid–week dinners when you are in late from work or running out the door in the evenings to the many activities with the kids, it’s also worth remembering that fish is a high–protein, low–fat food that provides a range of health benefits. Ideally, we should be aiming for two portions of fish a week and these recipes are a lovely way to work this in to your weekly menu.
Tomato and fish broth
2 onions, diced
olive oil
1 clove of garlic
5 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 fennel, sliced
1 litre vegetable stock
2 gherkins, sliced
16 olives, stoned
1 sprig parsley, picked
3 sprigs dill, picked
500g any white fish
4 tbsp soured cream
Peeling and chop the onions. Place in a pan with the olive oil on a moderate heat, add in the garlic and soften. Add in the tomatoes and cook until soft.
After a couple of minutes add the fennel to the pan and cook until it too has softened. Add in your stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes and let the liquid reduce a bit and thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the fish in and cook for four to five minutes, then add in the gherkins, olives and the herbs.
Season to taste one more time and serve with a dollop of soured cream.
Prawns, cod with fennel and white wine
20g salted butter
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1 leek, trimmed and diced
150ml white wine
200ml crème fraiche
260g cod or any white fish, cut into thick slices
10 prawns, shell off
25g flat leaf parsley, chopped
Start by melting the butter in a casserole dish on a medium heat, then add in the fennel and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add in the leek and cook again, covered with the lid, for five minutes until soft.
Add in the wine and crème fraiche and simmer with the lid off for four minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add in the prawns and the fish and cover with the lid. Simmer for seven to eight minutes until the fish is opaque and flaky and the prawns are pink and opaque.
]]>Bank holiday weekends are a great time for pulling out all the stops with a humdinger dish that can be enjoyed – and appreciated, vocally, hopefully – by all the family.
In the warmer weather, the last thing you want to do is stand over a hot stove all day, so simplicity is the main ingredient with this week’s recipes. Don’t be fooled into thinking simplicity means a dull–looking plate, however – it can often be the little black dress of cooking.
While we can’t travel this bank holiday, we can bring a taste of the continent to our plates and this week’s dishes bring out the best of Italy: a surprisingly quick yet impressive carbonara followed by a smooth and decadent crème brulee, both best enjoyed al fresco.
Quick Carbonara (Serves 4)
1 tsp olive oil
200g smoked bacon, diced
150g soft cream cheese
150ml single cream
50g Parmesan, grated
500g spaghetti
Method:
Fry the bacon in a dry pan until crispy and drain off the excess fat from the pan. In a bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, single cream and Parmesan until thoroughly mixed.
Cook the pasta in pot water with salt until al dente, drain and then toss the cream mix until all the pasta is thoroughly covered. Add in the bacon and a spoonful of the pasta water, if needed to loosen. Serve, adding more Parmesan to top if you like.
Créme Brûlée
(Serves 4)
450ml whipping cream
1 vanilla pod
6 egg yolks
70g caster sugar
Demerara sugar to caramelize
Method:
Preheat the oven to 150C. Place a pan on the hob, heat and add in the cream. Split the vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds into the cream. Add in the pod and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to the side.
Mix the egg yolks and sugar together and pour this over the cream, mixing in well with a whisk. Strain through a sieve and divide the mix between four ramekins until they are three quarters full.
Place the ramekins in a roasting tray and create a bain–marie by adding water to the tray, ensuring that you do not get any water into your ramekins. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until set. Once cooked, remove from oven and leave to cool. When cool, you can place them in the fridge until needed.
When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and sprinkle with demerara sugar evenly over each of the brûlées. Place under the grill on the hottest setting until the sugar is caramelised or alternatively use a blowtorch to caramelise the sugar and serve.
]]>This week's recipes take us back to the sea with a celebration of two classic shellfish dishes.
Prized for its soft texture and its delicate, sweet taste, crab is a fantastic meat to cook with and is low in fat. It's popularly served as crab claws, crab cakes, or within fish pies and curries, but my recipe this week is an authentic crab bisque – a smooth, creamy seafood soup, luxurious in both flavour and in texture.
Next up, we have a gastro classic – mussels, served in a creamy garlic and white wine sauce with warm crusty bread for dipping. A simple, yet delightful dish that really shows off the wonderful flavour of this tender meat.
Crab Bisque (Serves 2)
Shells, legs and claws from 2 brown crabs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1 carrot
1 stick celery
3 cloves garlic
1 bulb fennel
350ml white wine
4 tbsp brandy
400g tinned tomatoes
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs thyme
pinch saffron
3 tbsp uncooked basmati rice
75ml double cream
Method:
Break down your crab to main shell, claws and legs. Break down the shell as much as you can as you will need to blend this at a later stage. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add your onion, carrot, celery, fennel and garlic. Cook gently for 15 minutes until soft.
Add the crab into the mix and stir for a few minutes. Next, add the brandy and turn the heat up. Let the mix bubble for one minute then add the wine and keep on a high heat. Cook for two minutes.
Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, star anise, thyme, saffron and rice. Cover with one litre of water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, leave on a simmer for 80 minutes, stirring occasionally but keep the lid on the pot. Taste the mix at this stage – it should be rich.
Using a blender, blend as much as you can, including the shell. Once blended, pass through a sieve, pushing down to get all the remaining juice through. Place back in the pot and cook, adding the double cream. When ready to serve you can dress with some white crab meat and lots of olive oil.
Traditional mussels (Serves 2)
1.8kg of mussels
1 knob butter, unsalted
4 clove garlic
1 onion
1 glass dry white wine
3 tbsp double cream
Fresh parsley
Pepper
Method:
Before cooking, discard any mussels which do not close tight once given a tap on your work-surface counter. Wash and debeard all the mussels. In a large saucepan melt the butter over a high heat. Finely chop the garlic and onion and cook for one minute. Add in the wine and bring to the boil.
Next, add in the mussels and pop the lid back on the pot. Cook for four minutes or until the mussels are opened. Discard any mussels that have not opened in the cooking process. Stir in the cream and dress with chopped parsley. Serve with warm crusty bread especially for dipping into the delicious sauce.
]]>For the ribs, buy a rack of beef ribs from your butcher, which you can get him to slice into individual portions. I normally allow three ribs per person.
Place ribs in a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil, once boiled, simmer for 60-70 minutes, until cooked. Remove from water and leave to the side.
For the sauce, you will need:
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 chillis, deseeded and diced (add more if you like it hot)
5 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 pinch cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Worcester sauce
1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
150g brown sugar
150ml apple juice
200ml tomato ketchup
100ml HP Sauce
1 tsp sea salt
1 clove
Zest of 1 orange
Place all ingredients in a large pot on a low to medium heat and cook on a simmer for up to 50 minutes or until the juice has evaporated. Leave to cool and blend thoroughly. Once cooled, coat the ribs in the marinade and cover in cling film and place in the fridge overnight.
You can make the marinade and store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 14 days.
Moroccan Chicken legs
900g chicken Legs
3 tblsp maple syrup
1 tsp harissa paste
1 orange, zested & juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
Heat your BBQ to a high setting. Place the chicken legs on to the BBQ rack and grill for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn over and grill on other side until golden.
Mix all the harissa paste, syrup and cumin seeds with the zest of the orange and lemons and half of the zest. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken legs or using a brush ensure that all the legs are coated. Place on the BBQ rack again for a further 15 minutes. The chicken legs can be cooked exactly the same way under the grill – just make sure you have your extractor fan on or the doors open! Serve with herbed couscous, pitta bread and a selection of dips.
]]>THIS week’s recipes are perfect for the drizzly, grey weather we have been having recently as they are really warming, nourishing dishes.
At this time of the year dinners can be very difficult, especially if there are children at home on their summer holidays, who are always hungry, making it harder to keep food in the house.
Thankfully, sausages are always a great option as they come in so many varieties and there are countless meal ideas that include them, so this week we are focusing on two sausage-based recipes.
SAUSAGES WITH TOMATO AND BAY LEAVES (Serves 2)
6 pork sausages
4 shallots, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 jar of passata tomatoes
2 bay leaves, chopped
1 sprig of thyme, picked
1 tsp of chilli flakes
Salt and pepper
Method:
Start by pre-heating the oven to 200C. Place the sausages in a roasting tray with the shallots and cook in the oven until slightly browned. Next, add in the celery and cover the ingredients with the tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, chilli flakes and a cup of water. Then season with salt and pepper and leave to cook for a further 15 minutes.
Make sure that the sausages are fully cooked through and mix the ingredients before serving. This dish is perfectly paired with new boiled potatoes crushed with a little bit of olive oil, or a crusty while loaf.
Venison sausages with lentils (Serves 2)
8 venison sausages
1 tbsp of olive oil
4 slices smoked bacon, chopped
6 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 sprig of rosemary
1 tbsp of tomato puree
200g of puy lentils
300ml port
500ml chicken stock
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
Fresh parsley, chopped
Method:
Heat some olive oil in a large pot. Add the sausages and cook off on a medium heat until browned. Once browned, remove the sausages and add in the bacon and fry off for just a couple of minutes then add in the shallots, carrots and garlic and cook for a further minute.
Next, add in the tomato puree and cook again for another minute. Now add in the lentils and stir, add in the port and stock then bring all the ingredients to the boil. Once boiled, leave the pot to simmer for around 30 minutes until the lentils have soaked up all the stock and most of the liquid has disappeared.
The next step is to stir in the redcurrant jelly and add the sausages back in. Cook thoroughly until the sausages are warmed the whole way through. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and rosemary over the top and serve.
]]>As September rolls around, so too does the usual school routine, albeit a little different than usual, but we will still be keen to keep up our usual healthy and satisfying after school meals.
]]>As September rolls around, so too does the usual school routine, albeit a little different than usual, but we will still be keen to keep up our usual healthy and satisfying after-school meals
This week's recipes are two fish-based dishes. Being a chef, I always tend to have some sort of fish in the fridge as it is a very versatile foundation for any substantial meal. It is also very convenient when leaning towards healthier options.
These dishes work well at any time of the day whether you’d prefer a generous lunch or a light dinner. The trout recipe also works well as a dinner starter.
Kedgeree (Serves 2–4)
2 kipper fillets
1 red onion, finely diced
Olive oil
200g brown rice
2 tsp curry powder
2 eggs
Handful of baby spinach
Sea salt
Pepper
Method:
Before you begin, open a windows and turn on the extraction fan – cooking kippers can create quite a smell in the kitchen.
Place the kippers on a tinfoil–covered tray and put under the grill for five minutes until they are gently falling away from the skin. Add the olive oil to a pan and set on a medium heat to cook off the red onion, then add salt, brown rice and curry powder. Cover the ingredients in boiling water and top up as needed ensuring that the pan does not dry but the rice is thoroughly cooked through.
While the rice is cooking, boil off the two eggs for eight minutes. Once boiled, remove from the water, remove the eggshells and slice into quarters. When the rice is fully cooked, add the baby spinach and let it wilt. Remove from the heat and drain any remaining water, add the meat from the kippers and mix. Serve with the boiled eggs on top and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Trout, baby gem and peas (Serves 4)
50g butter
4 scallions / spring onions
2 baby gem lettuces, halved
400g peas, fresh or frozen
50ml vegetable stock
4 trout fillets
Mixture of herbs – mint, tarragon chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Lemon, quartered to serve
Method:
Set a frying pan on a medium heat; add the butter and cook off the spring onions (halved or whole, trimmed at each end). Add the onions, halved baby gems with the flat side facing down, the peas and stock. Leave to cook on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes.
In a second pan, add olive oil and turn up the heat. Place the fillets skin side down and cook for six to eight minutes per side. (The skin should be crispy so this can be cooked for eight minutes and the underside for slightly less.)
Remove the baby gem, scallions and peas from the pan and set in a dish. Place the trout on top and scatter with the chopped herbs. Take a spoonful of the juice from the butter pan and spoon over with a drizzle of olive oil; serve with the lemon.
]]>My focus this week is on soup. As we edge towards autumn and the weather begins to turn, a piping hot bowl of homemade soup is the perfect way to warm up.
Soup is among my favourite foods – so convenient and versatile you can have it for lunch, starter, or dinner. It ‘s a great way to use up any extra ingredients in the fridge that are nearing their use–by date.
Even though there are so many possible variations most of us tend to stick to the classics – vegetable, tomato and basil or potato and leek – so here are a couple of alternatives.
Kale and walnut soup (Serves 4)
2 tbsp olive oil
30g red onion, diced
30g celery, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 pinch thyme, dried is fine
75g haricot and/or cannellini beans (tinned are fine)
500ml vegetable stock
50g kale, shredded
4 walnuts, chopped and toasted
4 almonds, chopped and toasted
Method:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and fry off the red onion. After a minute or two add in the celery and garlic and cook until soft. Add in the thyme, white beans and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the kale and cook for 10 minutes. When the kale is cooked through take half of the mix and blend it. If the blended mixture is too thick, add some water, if too runny add it back to the pot and cook through for a little bit longer.
To cook the walnuts and almonds, place them in a dry pan on a low heat and cook until toasted – carefully, as they can burn easily.
When everything is ready, ladle the soup into a bowl; garnish with the walnuts and almonds and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.
Broccoli with blue cheese soup (Serves 8)
50g butter
6 shallots, finely diced
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
4 celery sticks, sliced
1.5 litres chicken stock
950g tender stem broccoli, chopped
400g Young Buck blue cheese, room temperature
A pinch of nutmeg
Black pepper
200ml double cream or crème fraiche
Croutons to garnish
Method:
Melt the butter in a large pot; add the shallots and cook on a gentle heat until soft. Add the potatoes and celery and stir until coated. Add the stock, bring the liquid to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Add the broccoli and cook for a couple of minutes until the stalks become tender. Take three quarters of the soup mixture, blend together and add back into the pot. Crumble in the blue cheese, black pepper and nutmeg. Check the taste for seasoning – add salt if needed.
Finally, add in the cream or crème fraiche and cook through. When it is ready to serve, ladle into a bowl and garnish with croutons.
]]>I’m a big fan of steak both because of the taste and because of the quality of Northern Ireland meat – and there is no better time than now to be supporting local formers and butchers.
Steak night in our house often mean a sharing steak; there’s often enough left over to put into a fresh baguette with watercress and horseradish or mustard dressing next day.
This week’s second recipe is an easy one that’s guaranteed to entice kids to help in the kitchen. Cookie dough can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days and the cookies pair really well with ice cream. My favourite local one is Al Gelato, though I recently tasted the some from Draynes Farms and it was great. Enjoy!
Peppercorn T-bone steak with smoky barbecue relish (Serves 4)
2 tbsp green peppercorns
2 tbsp sea salt
2 800g T–Bone steaks
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the relish:
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
2 whole dried chilli
2 tbsp mustard powder
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp sea salt
400g chopped tomatoes (tinned is fine)
80ml Worcestershire sauce
90g honey
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
90g brown sugar
Method:
First, make the relish: Place the oil in a pan on a high heat. Add he onion, garlic, bay leaves, chilli and cook for five minutes, stirring. Add the mustard powder, paprika and salt followed by the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, honey and sugar; bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until it’s a jam–like consistency. Remove the chilli and bay leaves and set into serving jar.
For the steak, bring to room temperature and preheat a chargrill pan to a high heat. Crush the peppercorns with a pestle and mortar. Add the salt and mix. Drizzle the steak with the oil and massage in, cover with the pepper and salt and cook for five minutes each side for medium. Take off heat and rest for five minutes. Slice and serve with the relish.
Double chocolate chip cookies (Makes 30)
125g self–raising flour
25g cocoa
½ tsp baking powder
12g butter
75g soft brown sugar
50g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
175g chocolate chips
75g walnuts, chopped
Method:
Heat the oven to 190C. Mix the flour, cocoa and baking powder and sieve into a bowl. Cream the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar together and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in one at a time, add the vanilla essence and mix well.
Add the flour mix and stir together evenly. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts and mix again. Using a tablespoon and teaspoon, take the mix and drop on to a well–greased baking tray. Bake in batches for 10 minutes until golden. Remove from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool.
]]>Sustainable cooking has become more front and centre in the food world. It’s an issue that can mean different things to different chefs, but to me it’s all about reducing waste in the kitchen and sourcing produce as locally as possible.
To waste less, we must get the most from our products; chicken is ideal as there are countless ways to cook it and there’s very little waste.
My second recipe this week makes for a great family friendly activity. My kids both love cookies and by the time you’d pick up some biscuits in the shop, these would be ready to eat. Double up the batch and keep the dough in the fridge.
Thai chicken noodle soup (Serves 4–6)
175g dried egg noodles
2 sticks lemongrass
175g chicken breast, skin off, sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, chopped
1.2L chicken stock
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
1 tin sweetcorn
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp madras curry powder
2 small red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 pinch black pepper
2 tbsp lime juice
1 handful coriander, chopped
1 small handful of basil leaves, chopped
Method:
Place the noodles in a pan of boiling water and cook for three to five minutes. Drain when tender and leave aside. Peel the lemongrass until you reach the white centre, then chop into three–inch pieces and crush with the flat side of a knife. Shred the chicken into bite–sized strips.
Heat a large heavy–bottomed pan on a high heat, add the oil, onion, garlic and lemongrass and stir fry for three minutes. Stir in the stock and coconut milk, reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes with the lid on.
Add the chillis, chicken, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, curry powder, salt and pepper then stir. Leave to cook for three more minutes. Add the noodles and sweetcorn and cook for a further four or five minutes.
When ready to serve, remove the lemongrass and stir in the lime juice. Pour into bowls and garnish with the chopped coriander and basil leaves, then tuck in!
Peanut butter cookies
200g peanut butter (I use half smooth, half crunchy)
175g caster sugar
1 pinch salt
1 egg
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C then line a baking tray with greaseproof paper or a silicone baking mat.
Mix the peanut butter, sugar and salt in a bowl; add the egg and combine to make a sticky dough. Taking one spoonful at a time, place the dough on the baking tray, well spaced out. Using a fork dusted in caster sugar, squish down to a standard cookie size. Place in the oven and cook for 12 minutes.
Place any remaining dough on double–wrapped cling film and roll into a tube, then leave in the fridge.
When the cookies are ready, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. They will keep in an airtight container for three days.
]]>As vegetarian dishes have made their way further into our everyday diets, some of us still find it quite difficult to incorporate meat–free dishes on a regular basis – therefore this week’s recipes are two roasted fruit dishes.
When cooking a vegetarian meal, we tend to go straight towards rice and pasta but these are not necessarily the healthiest of options. These fruit dishes are an easy and tasty way to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into your week’s menu.
The pumpkin dish in particular is quite the crowd pleaser, whereas the beetroot and blackberry dish is slightly more refined but is absolutely delicious – especially with baked cheese and plenty of bread.
If the weekend comes and you would rather take all the preparation away from the process, the Hadski’s Cook & Dine takeaway option is still in full swing with a special menu in place for the month of December, including all your festive favourites. Get in touch to find out more about some of our special Christmas offers (jamesstandco.com/hadskis).
Roasted blackberry and beetroot (Serves 3)
6 small beetroots, firm, raw
1 small garlic bulb, halved
1 tbsp pine nuts
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
3 handfuls of blackberries
Method:
Before preparing the ingredients, preheat the oven to 200C. Remove the head from the beetroot and scrub clean, then chop into wedges.
Next place the beetroot on a roasting tray, then add the garlic halves and pine nuts. Drizzle over some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients together with your hands, place the tray in the oven and roast for 40 minutes.
After 20 minutes in the oven, use oven gloves and give the tray a shake to prevent the beetroot sticking and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes. After 40 minutes in the oven the beetroot should be tender to taste – slice a small piece to check.
Put the blackberries in a sieve and rinse under running water. Set in the roasting tray with the beetroot and toss, then place back in the oven for five more minutes.
When ready, serve with baked camembert and crusty bread.
Roasted pumpkin, pecorino and roast hazelnut (Serves 3)
1 small pumpkin
30g pecorino cheese
1 small handful of hazelnuts
Olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
½ lemon, juiced
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Halve the pumpkin and remove the seeds, then slice, similarly to how you would slice a loaf of bread. Place the pumpkin slices on a roasting tray and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Remove the hazelnuts from the shell and crush, then scatter over the top of the pumpkin and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
After this time, the pumpkin should be soft but not mushy. Juice over the half lemon and the pecorino, finely grated.
Serve warm as a starter or light meal.
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