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Roasted Squash Risotto With Wensleydale Cheese

Having grown-up in the part of town with an Italian heritage, a good risotto was never difficult to find.

At his time of the year squash, one of my favourite ingredients, becomes particularly abundant, and I simply can’t get enough of it. I love squash, they’re so beautiful to look at, incredible versatile, and, if treated correctly, extremely delicious - if not treated correctly they can be watery and tasteless.

It’s even better if if it’s been grown in your own garden, or, in my case, as the squash we sowed this year failed to produce particularly abundantly, has been sourced from one of the Italian allotments in the neighbourhood. Personally, however, I prefer to use onion squash for this recipe (pictured), as they’re particularly tasty, and their flesh is good and firm.

What’s more, risotto is so quick and easy cook, that it makes it a perfect evening meal, after arriving home from work, when it can be prepared whilst consuming one’s first glass of wine, and catching-up with the day’s events.

What you’ll need

 Approximately 1kg/2lb 4oz peeled, deseeded squash, cubed

1 tbsp olive oil

A handful  squash seeds retained from the squash

1 large onion, or two medium leeks, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

25g butter

300g risotto rice

A large glass of  white wine

1.2 litres of good, hot, fresh  vegetable, or chicken, stock (never use cubes)

100g Wensleydale cheese, crumbled

A small bunch chives, snipped

 How to do it

 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Toss the squash in oil and place into a roasting tin, and roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and golden. With 5 minutes to go, toss the roasted  seeds with a little oil and good sea salt, make a little space among the squash and spread out the seeds, then finish roasting.

Remove half the squash and purée or mash, and keep the rest warm in a very low oven until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, soften the onion, or leeks, and garlic in the butter in a frying pan.

Stir in the rice for 1-2 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the wine has evaporated.

Add the hot stock, a ladle full at a time, stirring until each addition is almost completely absorbed.

Once all the stock has been added, the rice should be tender and creamy.

Stir in the puréed or mashed squash until warm, then season if you like.

Serve in shallow bowls, scatter over the reserved roasted squash, crumbled cheese, chives and  seeds... and a second glass of wine for the cook.

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Quick and Easy, Sexy Italian Beans on Toast

I don’t know about you, but the thought of those branded, tinned, baked beans packed with sugar, salt and starch absolutely turns my stomach (have you ever left a plate which has had baked beans served on it over night? The starch sets like concrete). I find them totally unappetising, and virtually inedible.

However, baked beans need not be the nightmare snack, at the end of a heavy night on the sauce, endured by many. 

We all know that in order to make proper baked beans, in the Italian, or French, rural tradition, it can take ages to bake them in the oven, in an earthenware casserole dish, etc, etc, but this method is almost as quick as opening a tin.

I hope you enjoy them.

What You’ll Need

1 Large Onion

250g of small, ripe, tomatoes

2-3 fat cloves of garlic - depending upon how garlicy you like your beans

tin of cannellini beans (in water), drained

a small handful of fresh thyme - stripped from their stalks

a pinch of good sea salt

black pepper

a splash of good red wine, or sherry, vinegar

a generous glug of olive oil

four thinly cut slices of really good, artisan, sourdough bread

How to Do It

Peel and finely chop the onion, place it in a large fry-pan, with the olive oil, with the lid on, over a moderate heat. Remove the lid and stir occasionally, in order to stop the onions from burning.

Meanwhile, wash and cut all of the tomatoes in half and sprinkle them with a little of the sea salt.

Peel and squash the garlic.

When the onions are soft and translucent remove the lid and add the tomatoes the thyme and the garlic, sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and a generous grinding of black pepper, and stir. Add a little more oil at this point if you think it necessary.

Simmer until the tomatoes begin to really break-down, stir the pan intermittently as this helps the tomatoes to break down and all of the ingredients to properly amalgamate into an unctuous, tomatoy, garlicy, oily sauce.

When the tomatoes have largely disintegrated, but not completely, add the beans to the pan and give them a good stir.

Cook for a further ten minutes, or so, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have almost completely broken down and some of the beans are beginning to break-up too .

Whilst this is finishing toast the bread until quite crisp, and rub it, vigorously, with a peeled clove of garlic

Sprinkle the beans with just a little of the vinegar and serve serve on the toast - drizzle a little really good, fruity,extra virgin olive oil if you wish.

Serve with a pot of really good coffee, or, if you really want to push the boat out, a glass of your favourite wine… why not? Beans don't have to be relegated to the budget end of the menu.

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BROCCOLI PESTO PASTA

So, the weekend at this time of the year (early February) in the UK, when its frigid outside, dull, drab, dark, and uninteresting, when we’re desperately awaiting the return of spring, and we have no immediate desire to venture outdoors, I find it rather inspiring to plan a Mediterranean style weekend in the house.

After a brief expedition to procure a selection of good reds - for this dish preferably Italian, though you’d be forgiven for substituting with a nice, full bodied, French Cab Sav - what better to accompany them than a plate of scrumptious sunshine, and, preferably, something which isn’t too arduous in the preparation, and wont trespass too heavily into important quaffing time?

We seem to  have developed a fixation, in the UK, with “fresh” pasta, but, of course, in Italy the vast majority of pasta used is of the dried variety. Pasta, in Italy, is made in bulk, dried and stored for later use. We Brits, on the other hand, have swallowed the myth, hook-line-and-sinker, that, in all cases, fresh is best. Perhaps its because our supermarkets tend to stock only the least imaginative, bland, branded varieties of dried pasta?

However, I recommend getting to know the owners of your local Italian deli. Produce from which, is usually more authentic, of better quality, and, in many cases, much less expensive. We’re lucky here, on the east-side of Nottingham, we have a vibrant Italian community. During WW2 the local Colwick Woods was used as the location for an Italian prisoner of war camp. The inmates were, apparently, treated rather cordially and were given relative free-range. They were encouraged to help establish the local allotments, in the drive to “Dig for Britain”, most of which are still productive and in full use by local residents. The story goes that many of the young Italian males met and fell in love with local girls, married and remained. Subsequently the area of Bakersfield has, since, been known as “Little Italy”.

So, for this recipe I like to use the “fusilli al pepperoncino” (a durum wheat semolina pasta, with a little added chilli pepper), pictured above, which I buy from the single remaining Italian deli and restaurant in the area (Navara’s) – there were loads in Bakersfield (and down the hill, toward town, in Sneinton), when I grew-up here, as a kid.

Broccoli pesto pasta is so quick and easy to make, and is, in my opinion, totally delicious. Give it a go - pour yourself a large glass of red and get involved, by the time you’ve finished your first glass dinner will be completed... it really is “that” easy.

What you’ll need 

(serves 2 with plenty left over, or 4, if you don’t eat a great deal and if served with a salad)

400g penne, farfalle, conchiglie, fusilli pasta (or other, of your choice)

250g broccoli, cut into florets

1 large garlic clove, peeled

1 large lemon

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

3 tbsp pine nuts

5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated

 How to do it

Tip the pasta into a large pan of boiling salted water and cook according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, bring a smaller pan of salted water to the boil, add the broccoli and boil for 4 minutes.

Drain the broccoli and return it to the pan. Lightly mash the broccoli with a potato masher or fork. Finely grate the garlic and zest the lemon, then mix into the broccoli with the chilli flakes and pine nuts. Cut the lemon in half and keep for later.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Stir in the broccoli pesto and squeeze over the juice of 1⁄2 lemon. Pour in the olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper. Spoon in the grated Parmesan, toss the pasta well and serve.

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TUSCAN BAKED BORLOTTI BEANS WITH SAUSAGE

Serves four

 Ingredients:

1 cup of dried borlotti beans per person (2 tins of borlotti beans can be substituted, if you want to save the time of soaking & boiling)

6 large vine fresh tomatoes

1 whole bulb of good garlic

2 large red onions

2 good quality butchers, pork, sausages per person (actually, we’ve done this recipe using chorizo sausage and it works well)

2-3 tablespoons of good olive oil

1 good teaspoon of smoked paprika

1 tablespoon of mixed-dried Italian herbs (essentially oregano and thyme)

sea salt

cracked black pepper

 Method:

 Soak the beans in plenty of fresh water either over night, or for at least eight hours then drain them and place into a large pan and cover with plenty of water. Add a good dash of olive oil to the water in order to prevent it from boiling over. Bring this to the boil and allow to boil for fifteen minutes, then reduce the heat, place on a lid and allow to simmer for a further hour and a quarter, or until beans are tender. Check the beans periodically to ensure there’s sufficient water to cover all the beans at all times. Add boiling water from a kettle if necessary.

When the beans are about 10 minutes from being finished, place the sausages in the bottom of a large metal casserole dish and place (lidless) in a pre-heated oven (190°).

Once the beans are done (or if using tinned beans) drain them and transfer to the casserole dish, with the sausages. Wash and half the tomatoes, peel and quarter the onions, peel and slightly crush each of the cloves of the garlic and place all of these into the beans.

Sprinkle over the top the sea salt, pepper, smoked paprika and dried herbs. Gently move the whole thing around with a wooden spoon and drizzle the olive oil over the whole thing.

Cover with a lid, place back into the oven and bake for between forty-five minutes to an one hour.

Serve with either good quality toasted bread, or boiled/steamed rice, a mixed leaf salad and a glass of good quality Chianti.

NOTE:

It’s essential that only exceptionally good quality, preferably high welfare, sausage is used in this recipe, to use any other would completely ruin the experience.

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“Fish” with Red Onion, Tomato and Sweet Vinegar

It won’t have escaped your notice that many of the recipes I recommend tend toward the Spanish, or North African palate.

This is partly due to the influence of family heritage, but also, perhaps more significantly, because I love the food proffered by the Clarks (Sam and Samantha) patrons of Moro, the restaurant in Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, EC1R. Which, I have to say, is one of the nicest and most satisfying restaurants I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating in.

In this particular recipe the Clarks recommend the use of Tuna, and whilst it clearly works best with the more solid, firm, meaty, varieties of fish, such as tuna, sword fish, shark, etc, I’ve also successfully produced this dish with Monk fish, thick cod steaks, and salmon steaks, the key being in the solidity and body of the flesh. The version in the pic used the latter. It also has to be said that this is one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever cooked and, subsequently, has become a regular staple among the weekly menu in the Matthews’ household.

So, to the sharp end of this piece, the recipe.

 Ingredients

6 tablespoons of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, cut finely

3 red onions, sliced lengthways

4 fresh bay leaves

600g of fresh fish (your choice, preferably from those varieties named above)

2 teaspoons of chopped fresh oregano

350g cherry tomatoes, halved

300g drained, cooked, cannellini beans (or other beans which tend toward the creamy when cooked), tinned beans work perfectly

1 tablespoon of “good quality” sweet red wine vinegar

Method

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan over a low heat and fry the garlic until it becomes crisp and golden – do not allow it to burn or it will make the dish bitter.  Remove the garlic from the pan and set it aside for later.

Add the onions and the bay leaves to the same pan, with a good pinch of salt, and increase the heat to medium. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and beginning to brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Place a broad bottomed skillet over a high heat, until it begins to smoke. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Add the remaining oil to the hot pan and sear the fish on both sides – they will only need about two minutes on either side – add the cooked onions half of the oregano, the tomatoes, and the beans, and sprinkle with the vinegar, and sauté for a couple of minutes more, until everything is warmed through. 

Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle over the remaining oregano and the crispy garlic and serve immediately, with a bottle of wine of your choice.

We sometimes serve this with simple rice, as in the pic, otherwise couscous, bulgar wheat, or simply by itself, depending upon how hungry we are, at the end of a long working day.

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Fried Spanish Potatoes and ChorizoSupper

As we approach the warmer days of spring we still, never-the-less, have to navigate through those pretty chilly days of late March - early April and this recipe is one of those suppers which is guaranteed to satisfy when you’ve ventured out, having been tempted to wear a summery outfit, expecting a warmer day, inspired by hope rather than experience, and have returned home in the evening famished with cold... and its so easy its ridiculous to do too.

Essentially, prepare your favourite chair and either switch on the tv, or select a suitable playlist. Pour yourself a large glass of good Rioja, quickly throw together the recipe below and return to your chosen chair, dim the lighting, settle back and enjoy the rest of the evening. 

 The Ingredients (will feed 4, or 2 really greedy, people)

 750g small potatoes  (new ones orAnya are good) cut into rough chunks about the size of your thumb

4-6 cooking chorizo cut into 2cm pieces

1 large, or 2 medium, sized onions, chopped roughly

4 large cloves of garlic, lightly crushed

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

2tspns smoked pimenton (the hot one)

300g of tinned broad beans

A good handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Salt and freshly cracked pepper to season

 The cooking

 Boil, or steam the potatoes, until they’re all but cooked.  Throw them into a colander and give them agood shake. This breaks up the surface and creates a great key for all thesmoky, spicy, garlicy flavour to cling to. Put these to one side.

 In a large, non-stick, skillet pan, gently soften the onion in a little oil, until golden and translucent.

 When the onion is ready throw in the chorizo and the garlic and gently fry for a few minutes, then add the potatoes, beans  and the pimenton and a little more oil, or a knob of butter, if needed.

Gently fry everything together, stirring frequently to avoid sticking, until everything is cooked through and has soaked up all of the spicy, oily, smokiness of the pimenton and chorizo.

Season with the salt and pepper and toss in the chopped parsley.

Serve in your favourite bowl, either by itself, or with the salad, pickle or salsa of your choice… and don’t forget the large glass of Rioja.

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Braised Partridge with Red Cabbage, Wine and Blackcurrant Jelly 

I don't know about you, but at this time of the year my mind always turns to game.

I guess its only natural, the hedgerows are changing colour, slowly turning every hue from light golden to rich russet, and , living as we do, on the edge of hunting country in the east midlands of England, the crops, among the gently undulating hills near to home, have been harvested, the fields have already been ploughed and harrowed, ready to take winter crops and the country, and the butchers shops here abouts, are replete with game of every different variety.

So, I happened upon these four delicious little birds as I passed by a butchers stall at the local market, at the weekend, and I couldn't help myself... I hope you decide to try this recipe and enjoy eating it as much as I did.

Ingredients 

4 x partridges

450g red cabbage, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons of blackcurrant jelly

2 tablespoons olive oil

A large knob of butter

130g  pancetta, cubed

2 medium onions, finely sliced

The zest of one large orange

Handful of thyme, finely chopped

0.5 litre of good roast chicken stock

A half bottle of good red wine

Maldon sea salt and pepper to season 

Method 

Heat the olive oil and butter in the casserole over a fairly high heat. Season the partridges then brown them all over in the hot fat before removing them to a plate. 

Brown the pancetta, which will take 4-5 minutes, then remove that to the plate.

Soften the onions in the fat for 5 minutes until golden then add the garlic and cook for a minute, before adding cabbage and the thyme and cooking for a few minutes longer keep stirring to prevent the cabbage from catching on the bottom of the pan.

 Return the pancetta to the pan, add the blackcurrant jelly, orange zest, wine and the stock. Season with the salt and pepper and give everything a good stir. 

Sit the partridges on their backs on top of the cabbage and bring to simmering point.

Cover the casserole, place it in the oven and pot roast for 40 minutes. Then remove the lid and let everything cook for another 10 minutes or so to crisp up the skin of the birds.

Remove everything from the pan and arrange on warmed plates, placing each partridge on a bed of cabbage, then place the casserole on the hob and reduce the saucy down until deliciously rich and unctuous and pour over each  dish.

Serve with some blackcurrant jelly and/or a little English mustard, as an accompaniment. If you wish you can honey glaze and roast a few parsnips and accompany the dish with these also. 

Needless to say that a good glass of claret will help wash things down perfectly.

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Mediterranean Style Roasted Vegetable Salad

This really simple and easy salad is an absolute staple in our household all year round, but specifically throughout the summer months. Delicious and extremely satisfying, it can be eaten by itself as a lunch, or supper, though it makes a perfect accompaniment to grilled fish.

 Ingredients

2 large onions, cut into thick wedges

1 aubergine, cut into thick slices

1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and thickly sliced

1 yellow pepper, cored, deseeded and thickly sliced

2 large Fiorentino tomatoes, cut into thick wedges

8 garlic cloves, in their skins

Good quality feta cheese (cottage cheese can be used)

Olive oil, for drizzling

Sea salt and ground, black,  pepper

 Dressing

2 teaspoons of cumin seeds

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

3 tablespoons of sherry vinegar

4 tablespoons of olive oil (extra virgin)

1 teaspoon of pimento dulce (mild paprika)

1 teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary leaves

Method

Spread all of the vegetables and the garlic out on a large baking tray and lightly drizzle with oil.

Roast in a preheated oven, 190°c (375°f) for 25 – 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, remove the garlic and slip the beautifully unctuous interior from their skins and pop it into a blender. Add all of the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth.

Arrange the vegetables in a serving dish, add the cheese and drizzle over the dressing. Toss well and season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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TURLU TURLU

Serves 4

Turlu turlu, “so good they named it twice”, so say the husband and wife team of Sam and Samantha Clark. This delicious, subtly spiced ratatouille, of Turkish origin has become, over recent years, one of the most regular fixtures on our family menu. The roasting of the vegetables adds sweetness and complexity of texture. It can be served with a rocket salad and yoghurt sauce, couscous, or bulgar wheat, but is also perfect with grilled meat or fish.

I first discovered the work of the Clarks several years ago, when I inadvertently came upon their first book “Moro”, which was immediately added to our shelves and the Clark's other publication, Casa Moro and Moro East, have since joined it. It has to be said that these three tomes are among a small handful of reference books, among our extensive library, which underpin our entire family menu and are referred to most days.

If you’ve not discovered Moro I recommend both adding the books to your collection and visiting the restaurant at 34-36 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE, which is, in my experience, excellent in every way.

The recipe here is little changed from the original and is cooked in the Matthews’ kitchen very frequently. 

Ingredients (the ratatouille)

3 courgettes, trimmed and cut into 2cm discs

1 aubergine, halved lengthways and each half cut into 4 wedges length ways

1 large onion, roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves, thickly sliced

2 green peppers, halved, seeded and thickly sliced 

3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and each half cut in 3 lengthways

200g turnips, cut into wedges about 2cm thick

2 medium potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons of ground allspice

2 teaspoons of coriander seeds, cracked in a mortar & pestle

3 cloves, cracked in a mortar & pestle

380g of cooked chickpeas

150ml of tomato passata or sweet tomato sauce (see following page)

A bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped

sea salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°c / 425°f / gas 7

Sprinkle a teaspoon of fine sea salt on the prepared courgettes and aubergine and let them stand for 20 minutes before rinsing under cold water.

In a large bowl toss the aubergine, onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, turnips and potatoes with the olive oil, allspice, coriander seeds and a little salt and pepper. Now spread out the vegetable mixture in a large roasting tray, no more than one layer deep (otherwise the vegetables steam rather than roast) and place in the preheated oven. The idea is that some of the vegetables colour or caramelise while roasting, but are gently turned in the tray every 15 minutes to prevent burning. After 45 minutes, gently stir in the courgettes and cook for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile heat up the chickpeas with the passata or tomato sauce in a pan and check for seasoning. Now add to your vegetables, stir in well, along with your prepared fresh herbs, and serve with whichever accompaniment you favour on the day…

The Sweet Tomato Sauce

This sauce is delicious even when made with tinned tomatoes. The secret is to caramelise the garlic in the olive oil and to cook the tomatoes slowly until they concentrate their flavour and become sweet. You can also add a little cinnamon and/or chilli, which will add a different dimension to the sauce. 

Ingredients

2 x 400g tins of whole plum tomatoes, drained of juice, or 1kg of sweet fresh tomatoes

4 tablespoons of olive oil

6 garlic cloves, either thinly sliced, or crushed

Half teaspoon of ground cinnamon

sea salt and black pepper

Method

If you’re using fresh tomatoes, you need to first blanch them to loosen the skins. To do this, break off the stalk, make a little slit in each skin and in a bowl pour over enough boiling water to cover them. After twenty–thirty seconds refresh with cold water until they’re easy to handle. Remove the skins and discard. Cut the tomatoes in half across, seed them and remove any hard core. If using tinned tomatoes, place in a bowl and mash with your hands, throwing away any bits of skin or core.

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the garlic and fry until the garlic begins to colour. Add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt to balance their acidity, and the cinnamon. Cook over a medium heat until most of the liquid that the tomatoes give out has evaporated. Taste for seasoning and serve.

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Posh Bangers & Mash, with Pan-Cooked Cranberry Chutney

This age-old British staple has undergone something of a renaissance recently, particularly in some of the more adventurous restaurants around our capital. The key driver behind this miraculous resurrection has been the combination of our rediscovered love for good food, generally, and our demand for really good produce. The quality of the sausage available to us differs immensely. For example, at one end of the spectrum we see the bog standard, cheap, pink, anemic, flaccid supermarket banger wrapped in celophane and with very little taste at all. On the other hand we've seen the return of the quality butcher's banger.

Recent demand, issuing from a more discerning public, has also put an emphasis upon the welfare of the animals used in our food chain. This has resulted, in the best examples, in our butchers offering excellent produce, resulting from animals which we can be sure enjoyed a more happy, healthy life, in comfortable surroundings, prior to their slaughter. Ask your butcher about the welfare enjoyed by the animals on their cold block. If they cannot guarantee the provenance of their produce then they don't deserve your patronage. 

So, to posh bangers and mash, no longer, necessarily, a cheap meal at the end of the month, before payday, but a gourmet treat, on any table. Certainly one which has returned to our family menu.

Ingredients

1 kg potatoes (good mashers) peeled and halved

olive oil

2 leeks, sliced and washed

200 ml milk

A hunk of salted butter

extra virgin olive oil

1 sprig fresh sage, leaves picked

2 red onions, cut into wedges

1 handful fresh or frozen cranberries - thawed

2.5 cm piece cinnamon stick

5 cm piece fresh ginger, grated

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

8 pork sausages – excellent butchers sausages, preferably high welfare

Method

Cook the potatoes  until cooked through. Drain, cover and set aside.

Add a good lug of oil to a saucepan and add the leeks. Sweat gently for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the milk and bring to the boil then turn the heat off and add to the potatoes and the butter and Mash well, beat to a cream. Season to taste. Cover and set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium.

Add a splash of oil to a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the sage leaves until crisp. Remove and set aside.

Add some more oil to the pan and sauté the onions for around 5 minutes, then add the cranberries, cinnamon and a splash of water. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring, until the onions are soft and the chutney has reduced.

Add the ginger and vinegar and cook for just one minute. Season and remove the cinnamon stick.

Put the sausages under the grill, turning regularly, until golden brown and cooked.

Place a good spoon of creamy mash onto the middle of each plate, position a couple of sausages on top, spoon over a good measure of the chutney and garnish with crispy sage leaves and serve.

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Spicy, Indian Style, Cauliflower Cheese

I first discovered this recipe many years ago, while reading Madhur Jaffrey's autobiography. Apparently it was a favourite of her grandmother, when she was a child in Delhi. We have adapted it slightly throughout the years but it is, essentially Madhur's recipe and we can take little credit for it. However, it is very easy to prepare and a deliciously satisfying take on a dish which is an otherwise familiar staple for many. Its certainly a regular fixture on the Matthews family menu. Its not fancy, or pretentious,, but it represents good, honest, delicious family cooking. 

Ingredients

Serves 4, or 3, with a portion left over for lunch at work tomorrow.

 2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of whole cumin seeds

1 very large cauliflower (or two small ones)- florets cut so that each floret has a stem

400ml of either grated fresh tomato or two large tins of plum tomatoes with the juice drained off and chopped.

2.5cm piece of fresh ginger – peeled and grated to a pulp on the finest part of a grater

2 fresh, birds-eye, chillies, cut into small rounds

¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon of coriander seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle

½teaspoon of salt (to taste)

1 fair sized bunch of fresh green coriander – chopped

250ml - 300ml of natural yoghurt, or double cream, if you’re feeling particularly decadent

125g strong cheddar cheese – grated (I’ve also found that good Parmesan works very well as an alternative to cheddar).

Method

Preheat the oven to 430f (230c, gas mark 8)

Put the oil into a large, preferably non-stick, pan (a wok works well) over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, put in the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 10 seconds.

Add the cauliflower florets and stir them around for about 2 minutes, so that they slightly brown in places and the roasted cumin seeds lodge in the folds of the cauliflower.

Add the grated ginger, chillies, cayenne, turmeric, ground coriander seeds, fresh coriander and salt and give a stir, then add the tomatoes and stir well to mix all the ingredients together. Cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are almost absorbed and the cauliflower is almost done.

Put the contents of the pan into an oven-proof dish (I’ve found that the bottom half of a large enamelled casserole works well).

Add the yoghurt, or double cream if you’re using that, and stir it into the cauliflower, etc. Sprinkle the cheese liberally over the top.

Put into the middle of the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and developed a few brown spots.

Serve with boiled basmati rice, or naan bread.

I find the absorbtion method for cooking rice to be most satisfactory – ie: add one handful of rice per person to a pan, cover with cold water to the depth of about 2.5cm above the surface of the rice, salt slightly, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and allow to bubble, uncovered, until virtually all of the water has been absorbed and the top of the rice appears dry,  place the pan lid onto the pan, turn-off the heat completely and leave the rice to steam in the residual moisture for about 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

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Spanish Frittata

A Spanish frittata is one of those dishes which is easily taken for granted, but if cooked and flavoured authentically, it can be the most nutritious and satisfying meal at any time of the day - perfect for breakfast, lunch or supper.

My wife's Spanish ancestry has dictated that the frittata has been a fixture on our family menu for many years.

In fact, we often breakfast at an unassuming, but rather splendid, little Andalusian patisserie, in Wandsworth Road, Lambeth (London), who serve the most amazing frittatas we've ever experienced. Its the perfect place to start any Sunday morning.

http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1156/136074.php

What you'll Need

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium potatoes (360g), peeled, thinly sliced

160g cooked (or frozen) broad beans

3 medium shallots, thinly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, roasted, deseeded, and sliced

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp smoked paprika

6 large eggs

60g grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp drained, chopped, capers

 How to do it

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Layer in half the potatoes, broad beans, shallots and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper, repeat layer and cook until potatoes are tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently to avoid any burning, for about 20 minutes in total.

Remove pan from the heat, sprinkle and toss with thyme and smoked paprika.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper. Add the potato mixture to eggs. Wipe the pan clean and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to pan. Pour in the mixture and sprinkle with the cheese and capers. Reduce heat to medium and cook until eggs are slightly firm, about ten minutes.

Heat the grill and place the pan under it until the top of the frittata is lightly brown.  Remove, sprinkle with parsley and let it stand for five minutes.  Cut the frittata into wedges and serve warm with crème frâiche or plain yogurt, and a leafy salad of your choice.

[thesaucyapprentice-blog]

Roast Beetroot and Brie Salad

Beetroot is a much maligned and sadly underused vegetable, in the UK. As a child I, like many others, really didn't appreciate it very much at all. However, having discovered this recipe some years ago I really look forward to this time of the year (late August - Early September) when fresh beetroot is readily available in our local shops and supermarkets.

Roasting the beet really brings out the flavour and combining its earthy qualities with the peppery flavour of the rocket, the salty-creaminess of the brie and the sweet crunchiness of the walnuts, is simply inspired.

Give it a go, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients:

serves 4

500g of Pasta (any pasta will do, but I like to use tagliatelle)

2 tablespoons of good walnut oil

1 tablespoon of good, sweet, balsamic Vinegar

4 large beetroots

1/2 wheel brie, broken into rough pieces

2 large handsful of Rocket

1 large tablespoon of clear Honey

100g of shelled, halved walnuts.

Method:

Bake the beetroot, with a drizzle of olive oil, in a hot oven until tender. Wait to peel the skin off until after they’ve cooked, to preserve the nutrients.

While the beets are cooking place the honey into a non-stick fry pan and warm until melted and beginning to bubble. Place the walnuts into the pan and stir thoroughly, for a few minutes, to coat the walnuts in honey. Remove from the pan and place on one side.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta and drain and place into a large serving bowl.

While the pasta is cooking peel the beets while still hot and cut them into quarters, or eighths, depending upon their size, and add to the pasta along with the brie, the rocket and the walnuts. Toss everything together and serve hot drizzled with the amalgamation of the walnut oil and balsamic vinegar.  

[thesaucyapprentice-blog]

Grilled Courgette and Bell Pepper Fattoush

Fattoush is a delicious, and very easy to make, bread salad with its origins in Turkey, though now pretty endemic across the southern and eastern Mediterranean as well as North Africa. However, I first experienced it a little closer to home, in London, where our cuisine is, at the beginning of the 21st century, totally international.

With our family diet consisting, primarily, of vegetarian cuisine, I’d estimate by at least 90%, this is a dish that we often turn to, after a long day at work, when time is short and we feel the need for something which is delicious, nutritious and very quick to prepare, while we’re showering, changing into comfortable, home, clothing and pouring that first glass of wine and selecting music for the evening.

The recipe

Ingredients

For the grill

3 medium orange or red bell peppers (about half a kilo), stemmed, seeded and quartered

4 to 5 slender corgettes (about 1 pound), trimmed, cut lengthwise in half

2 pita breads, each cut horizontally into 2 disks

Olive oil (for grilling)

For the dish

1 medium sized cucumber, peeled, halved and seeded and  cut into  1cm cubes

12 cherry tomatoes, each halved

4 large spring onions, thinly sliced

A handful of pitted Kalamata olives, halved

A large bunch of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

A Medium sized bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons of olive oil

 The juice of one lemon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

125g of feta cheese, roughly broken/crumbled into large-ish pieces

Ground sumac* (optional)

Method

Brush the peppers and courgettes on both sides with oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and place in a lightly oiled griddle pan and grill until slightly charred and just tender, turning often, about 6 minutes. Transfer vegetables to foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat this process with the bread, until lightly charred and just crisp, turning often, about 3 minutes and then place these with the vegetables and allow all to cool.

 Roughly tear the cooled bread into 1cm-2cm pieces and place on one side.

Cut the cooled pepper and courgette into approximately1cm squares.

Place vegetables in a large bowl and add the cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions, olives, mint and coriander and toss to combine. Add the bread pieces.

Whisk the oil, lemon juice, and cumin in small bowl to blend. Season this dressing to taste with salt and pepper. And then pour the emulsion into the salad and toss well in order that everything receives a liberal coating. Add the crumbled feta and gently mix into the salad. Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl, sprinkle ground sumac over the top and serve.

[thesaucyapprentice-blog]

Broad Beans with Peta Negra Ham

I've limped through this past week with what has probably been one of the worse cold/viruses I've suffered in a very long time, However, I attempted to aid my recovery this Saturday afternoon (15 June 2013) by rustling-up one of my favourite lunch-time snacks - broad beans with peta negra ham.

Recipe (serves 2)

Ingredients:

55g of finely sliced Peta Negra ham (or other Spanish cured ham) torn

120g podded baby broad beans

1 medium sized clove of garlic (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon of good extra virgin olive oil

a splash of good sherry vinegar

a few flakes of Maldon sea salt

a sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper

Method:

Add the beans to a pan of rapidly boiling water, and cook for no more than 3 minutes, then drain them through a colander and immediately rinse under cold water. Peel at least half of the beans (all of them if they're not young ones).

Put the beans into a bowl and tear the ham, in strips, and combine it with the beans. Peel and chop the garlic clove and add this to the bowl. Splash over the olive oil and a teaspoon of sherry vinegar, mix well and season with the salt and pepper.

You could accompany this with a glass of something very chilled, very dry and rather crisp... the perfect Saturday lunch-time snack.

[thesaucyapprentice-blog]

Quick and Delicious Vegetarian Chili

When our daughter was around eight years of age she announced, one meal time, that she’d like to become a vegetarian. We quizzed her regarding what had inspired this new desire, and when she informed us that it was based upon a moral stance, we were both surprised by her mature choice of words and just a little confounded regarding how to proceed.

However, undaunted, and wishing to show our support, we decided to try living as a vegetarian family. The only problem was, that our entire vegetarian repertoire, at that time, consisted of a baked potato with a can of Heinz baked beans. So, deciding that this limited menu might fall short in supplying all the necessary nutrition required by a growing girl, and sure that its narrow scope would, very quickly, become rather boring, we recruited the help of those among our friends who were already accomplished vegetarians and who had already built up a fair repertoire of their own, and scoured the local bookshops for inspiration. 

This quick, and rather delicious, vegetarian chili was one of the first recipes to become a standard on the family, vegetarian, menu and proved to be a life saver. We have developed it over the years and this version is quite hot, so if you’re not all-together fond of hot food simply tone down the amount of spice, its just as delicious and very nutritious without it.

As a family we remained totally vegetarian for around ten years, after which the temptation of a bacon sandwich – its always bacon, isn't it – finally proved too much to resist, and we've all returned to an omnivorous diet since, though we still only tend to eat meat, of one variety or another, around once a week, on average.

Anyway, enough talk, give this a go, I’m sure you’ll like it.

The recipe: serves 4

Ingredients:

2 x table spoons of oil

2 x onions, peeled and diced

4 x cloves of garlic

1 x red bell pepper, deseeded and diced

1 x green bell pepper, deseeded and diced

3 x large carrots, diced

2 x 390g cans of good quality Italian tomatoes

2 x 425g cans of red kidney beans

2 x Birdseye chilies, chopped finely

1 x teaspoons each of cumin, allspice and smoked paprika

3 x cloves, crushed

2 x table spoons of fresh oregano

Ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Method:

Gently heat the oil in a large pan and put I the onion and soften for about 5 minutes.

Add the bell peppers and the carrot to the pan, give it a stir and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add all of the spices, herbs and the garlic, stir and cook for a couple of minutes, before adding the tomatoes. Bring up to heat and cook for around 15 – 20 minutes.

Add the beans and stir well. Heat through.

Serve with nachos and sour cream.

[thesaucyapprentice-blog]

Italian Beef Stew with Polenta (temporary photo)

Serves 4

My wife and I have a life-long relationship with Italian food and we love it. Unfortunately, though we have some incredibly good Italian restaurants in the UK, and have had since at least the mid 1950's, even today, Italian food, for many Brits, simply means pizza or pasta, but there's so much more to Italian cuisine. If you care to explore it, it offers a rich and wonderfully diverse menu.

Here I present a deliciously rich beef stew, based upon an old Tuscan recipe, and, actually, if you ever find yourself on the east-side of Nottingham, "Biondi" - a wonderfully intimate bistro situated by the side of the River Trent, at Gunthorpe, do an excellent version of this, and the location is quite stunning... 

Check it out: http://www.biondibistro.co.uk/

Ingredients 

75g plain flour

2kg beef, cut into 3cm cubes (I use sirlion steak for this recipe, but stewing steak would work, if its good quality)

60ml olive oil

100g pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

2 large onions, finely chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

250ml dry white wine

400g can chopped Italian tomatoes

500ml good, fresh, beef stock

1 good tbs chopped fresh rosemary

1 good tbs chopped fresh sage

2 tbs capers, rinsed, drained, chopped

A handful of chopped fresh, flat leaved, parsley 

Mediterranean sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste and to season the flour

1 x pack of ready made polenta

Method 

Place the flour, salt and pepper, in a sealable plastic bag, add the beef and shake well so that the meat becomes totally coated with the mixture.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, or until browned and then transfer it to a plate. 

Add the pancetta, carrot, celery, onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir in the wine, scraping the pan with a flat-edged wooden spoon to dislodge any bits that might have cooked onto the base. Stir in the beef, tomato, stock, rosemary and sage. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent anything burning to the pan. Uncover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender and the sauce is thick. 

While the stew is reducing cut two 10cm wedges of ready made polenta, per person, and sear on both sides in a hot griddle-pan. 

When the stew is finished, stir in the capers, check the flavour and add more salt and pepper if necessary and top with the parsley. 

Serve in bowls and float a couple of pieces of polenta in each bowl. 

Accompany with a bottle of good Chianti and good company.