January recipes: Gut Reaction

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

We’re serving up a taster from The Gut-Loving Cookbook by Alana & Lisa MacFarlane which is out this month, published by Pavilion Books

Baked salmon topped with sourdough crumbs

Ingredients:•

• One slice of day-old sourdough, or shop-bought sourdough loaf
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• One lemon, quartered
• One fennel bulb, finely sliced
• One red onion, sliced
• Two handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• 100g jarred artichoke, drained
• Two salmon fillets
• Two garlic cloves, finely sliced
• Handful of stoned black olives
• Handful of fresh herbs, such
as basil or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper

Prep: five minutes | Cooking: 30 minutes | Serves: two people

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Add the sourdough to a blender and pulse to breadcrumbs, then stir in the ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Place the fennel, onion, tomatoes and jarred artichokes in a mixing bowl, season well and coat with the remaining olive oil. Spread out over a medium baking tray and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven, stir in the garlic and olives, add the salmon and cover the salmon and vegetables with the sourdough breadcrumbs. Return to the oven and cook for a further 15–20 minutes until the salmon is cooked through.

Serve garnished with the chopped fresh herbs and an extra squeeze of lemon juice.

Extract credit to: The Gut-Loving Cookbook by Alana and Lisa Macfarlane of The Gut Stuff (Pavilion Books). Image credit – Haarala Hamilton

Spiced green pancakes

Who said pancakes have gotta be sweet? I love these for a weekend brunch or a lazy late lunch. Excellent with a spicy Bloody Mary!

Ingredients:

Pancakes
• One garlic clove, peeled
• Handful of fresh coriander
• Handful of spinach
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 100ml (3½ fl oz) milk or oat milk, plus extra if needed
• 125g (4½ oz) spelt flour
• Two large eggs
• 1-2 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper

Topping
• One avocado, cut into chunks
• Two spring onions, finely sliced
• Two handfuls of spinach
• 2 tbsp milk kefir (homemade, or shop-bought)
• One 200g (7oz) can of sweetcorn, drained
• ½ tbsp chilli flakes
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Prep: 22 minutes | Cooking: 50 minutes | Makes: Two

Method

Put the garlic, coriander, spinach, cumin and cardamom in a blender and blitz to a smooth green paste. Add a splash of the milk or oat milk to loosen if needed.

Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and create a well, then add the eggs, slowly whisking them into the flour. Add a pinch of salt and stir, then gradually add the milk, followed by the green paste and whisk to combine. Leave to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.

Put all the topping ingredients in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Melt the butter in a 20cm (8 in) non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

Once hot, whisk the batter, then ladle 60ml (4 tbsp) into the pan. Cook for two minutes, then flip and cook for a further minute. Transfer to a plate and repeat, serve with the mixed topping.

Store any leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for three or four days.

The topping is best prepared and served immediately.

We have two copies of  The Gut-Loving Cookbook by Alana & Lisa MacFarlane, published by Pavilion Books to giveaway

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

December recipes: Comfort & joy

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

We’re offering a taste of Christmas at River Cottage by Lucy Brazier with foreword, essays and seasonal recipes from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, published by Bloomsbury, Priced £22.

Brandade with breadcrumbs

Ingredients:•

• 450g fillets of sustainably caught white fish, such as whiting, pouting, pollack, cod or haddock
• 375g floury potatoes, such as King Edward, peeled and cut into even sized chunks
• 40g unsalted butter
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 150ml milk
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 75g coarse breadcrumbs
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper

Prep: 25 minutes | Cooking: 15-20 minutes | Serves: 4-6 as main, 8-10 as starter

Method

First, lightly salt the fish. Slice the fillets off their skins and check for remaining bones. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of salt on a board, lay the fish fillets on top, then sprinkle over a further light covering of salt. Leave for 15–20 minutes & rinse off the salt under a cold tap. Pat fish dry with kitchen paper. While it’s salting, cook potatoes in boiling water for 15–20 minutes until tender; drain and return to hot pan.

Melt the butter in a large pan over a low heat, add the garlic and sweat gently for a couple of minutes. Add the rinsed fish to the pan and pour over the milk. Bring slowly to a simmer, cover and cook very gently for another couple of minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Scoop the fish out of the pan with a slotted spoon onto a plate, leaving the hot milk behind.

Add 2½ tbsp of the extra virgin olive oil and a few grinds of pepper to the hot milk in the pan, then tip in the hot potatoes and mash thoroughly. Break the fish into flakes and mash roughly with a fork then add to the potato mash and stir well. Taste and add more pepper if you like.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5. Spoon the brandade into a shallow ovenproof dish. Mix the coarse breadcrumbs with the remaining 1½ tbsp olive oil and scatter over the surface of the brandade. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until golden and piping hot.

Red cabbage & beetroot pickle

Red cabbage is a familiar element of Christmas lunch. It is often braised, which makes it an easy dish to cook ahead of time, freeze and then reheat at the last minute. I think it is always good to have at least one vegetable you can get on the table with the minimum of fuss but I prefer my cabbage crunchy. This recipe is exactly that, injecting a fresh zing into the Christmas feast and the days that follow. I usually make mine several weeks in advance. You don’t even need to decant it from its glass jar, just plonk straight on the table.

Ingredients:•

• 420g beetroot, peeled and grated 500g red cabbage, sliced
• Finely grated zest of two oranges
• 10g cumin seeds, toasted and bashed
• 5g caraway seeds toasted and bashed
• Five juniper berries, lightly crushed

For the pickling liquor:
• 700ml cider vinegar
• 20g coriander seeds, toasted
• 20g fennel seeds, toasted
• 10g black peppercorns
• 20g salt
• One dried red chilli (optional)

You will also need:
• A sterilised 1.5 litre Kilner jar

Prep: 60 minutes | Cooking: Five minutes | Makes: 1.5 litres

Method

First, prepare the pickling liquor. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, pour on 200ml water and slowly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for an hour.

Meanwhile, put the beetroot, red cabbage, orange zest and spices for into a bowl and toss to mix.

Bring the infused pickling liquor back to the boil, then pour it through a sieve straight over the veg mix. Stir to combine.

This pickle is nice to eat as soon as it cools, but ideally should be packed into a sterilised 1.5 litre Kilner jar, sealed and left for a couple of weeks. It will keep in a cool, dark cupboard for up to six months; once opened, it needs to be stored in the fridge.

We have two copies of Christmas at River Cottage by Lucy Brazier with foreword, essays and seasonal recipes from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, to giveaway this month!

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

November recipes: Passage to India

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

We’re sharing a taste of From Gujarat With Love – 100 Authentic Indian Vegetarian Recipes by Vina Patel

There is a very special story behind this dish and I must share it. It was one of the first dishes I ever learnt to make (I like to call it the Bachelor’s Dish!) and one of very few I had in my culinary arsenal when I got married and moved to the States. I was an inexperienced cook and served it to my husband’s friends for dinner one night along with fresh hand-rolled roti. I watched them wolf it down, thinking it was typical of hungry young men – but later realised they truly loved it! I shared the recipe with them and was (and still am) delighted to hear they often make it for their families. As a tradition, I serve it every time they visit us, some 30 years later. I love how food connects people, creating lifelong friendships.

Potato and Pea Curry

Ingredients:•

• 3 tbsp oil
• 3⁄4 tsp cumin seeds, slightly crushed or roughly ground
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 1⁄2 tsp chilli powder
• 570ml/20fl oz/21⁄2 cups water
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm (3⁄4-inch) cubes
• 250g/9oz/2 cups shelled petits pois or peas, thawed if frozen
• 1 1⁄2 tsp Coriander-cumin Powder
• 3⁄4 tsp Garlic Paste
• salt, to taste
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic scapes (optional)
• Roti, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over a medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to crackle, add the asafoetida, ground turmeric, chilli powder and water. Bring to the boil, then add the potatoes, peas, coriander-cumin powder, garlic paste, and salt to taste.

Cover partially with a lid and cook for 12–14 minutes over a medium heat. Uncover the pan and add the chopped coriander.

Reduce the heat to low and cook for another two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another 60ml/2fl oz/1⁄4 cup of water if needed.
Stir in the chopped garlic scapes, if using, and remove the pan from the heat. Serve with roti.

SPICY PEA CROQUETTES KACHORI

Every recipe tells a story, and this one is no exception. When I was pregnant with my youngest, my mother-in-law would make kachoris for breakfasts at the weekends. We feasted on them until we couldn’t eat any more. Here, the coconut adds a lovely Surti element. A food processor speeds things up, if you have one.

Ingredients:•

For the filling
• 5cm (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger
• 3 green chillies, stems removed
• 450g/1lb/3 1⁄2 cups shelled petits pois or peas, thawed if frozen
• 1 tbsp oil, plus 700–950ml/24–32fl oz/3–4 cups oil, for deep-frying
• pinch of asafoetida
• 3 tbsp raisins
• 3 tbsp cashew nuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut or sweetened coconut flakes
• 10g/1⁄3oz/1⁄4 cup finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
• 3⁄4 tsp garam masala salt, to taste
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice 1 1⁄2 tsp sugar

For the dough
• 200g/7oz/1 1⁄2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
• 3–4 tbsp oil
• 5 tbsp plus 2 tsp warm water
• chutney, to serve

For the filling, peel the ginger and blitz with the chillies in a blender or food processor for 1 minute. Add the peas and blitz for 15–20 seconds to a coarse consistency.

Heat the tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Add the asafoetida and cook for 5–7 seconds. Add the pea mixture and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the raisins, cashews, coconut, coriander, garam masala and salt and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and sugar and mix well. Remove the pan from the heat. Allow to cool slightly so the mixture is easier to handle. Shape into 12 balls, approximately 4cm (11⁄2 inches) in diameter and set aside.

For the dough, combine the flour and oil in a bowl. Mix well and add the warm water. Knead for 2–3 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. Add a little more water if needed. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a disc, about 10cm (4 inches) in diameter.

Take the filling portions and arrange one in the centre of each dough disc. Bring the sides of the dough together like a parcel and pinch the top to seal. Trim off any excess dough from the pinched end.

Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep saucepan over a medium heat.

To avoid overcrowding, carefully lower in half the kachori and deep-fry for 2–4 minutes, using a slotted spoon to move them around, until they are golden all over.

Using a metal slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining kachori, then serve hot with your favourite chutney.

 Extract credit: From Gujarat with Love: 100 Authentic Indian Recipes by Vina Patel (Pavilion Books). Image credit to Jonathan Lovekin.

We have two copies of Vina Patel’s From Gujarat With Love –
100 Authentic Indian Vegetarian Recipes to giveaway this month!

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

October recipes: Sweet spot

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

Ravneet Gill’s Sugar, I Love You: Knockout Recipes to Celebrate The Sweeter Things in Life, is out this month.

For your eating pleasure, I spent weeks testing variations of chocolate cake. I knew what I wanted: something wonderfully moist, a touch bitter, light, quick-to-make and beautiful. The perfect lazy person’s cake. It had to be a gleaming beauty!

Lazy Person’s Cake

Ingredients:
For the wet cake mix
• 175ml light olive oil & extra
• 2 eggs
• 175ml buttermilk
• 170ml boiling water
• 5g/1 tsp instant coffee

For the dry cake mix
• 125g caster sugar
• 125g light brown sugar
• 80g cocoa powder
• 230g plain flour
• 5g/1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 10g/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 5g/1 tsp baking powder

For the malt chocolate ganache
• 150g 70 per cent cocoa solids chocolate, chopped
• 50g 55 per cent cocoa solids chocolate, chopped
• pinch of sea salt flakes
• 300g double cream
• 1 tbsp malt extract (alternatively use black treacle, maple syrup or honey)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/gas mark 4. Grease two 20cm (8in) cake tins with oil, then line with baking paper. Weigh all the dry cake mix ingredients & stir with a whisk (if the sugar is lumpy, you’ll have to sift it.).

2. Weigh all the wet cake mix ingredients, except the water & coffee, into a large bowl and whisk. Make the coffee in a cup, pour it into the wet ingredients bowl and stir. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and whisk to combine. Divide the mixture evenly between tins. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before flipping on to a wire rack (allow to cool fully before ganache).

3. To make the ganache, put both the chocolates and the salt in a large heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, heat the cream with the malt extract until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave for 1 minute. Use a whisk to stir from the middle outwards – so as not to whisk in any air – until silky & beautiful. Let ganache sit for 10 mins.

4. Take a large plate with a lip. Place a cooled cake on the plate and spoon over enough ganache to cover the top. Don’t worry if it spills over the edges, we kind of want this. Place the next cake on top. Pour the remaining ganache all over, without a care in the world. Use a spoon to guide it over, making sure plenty of ganache is falling down the sides. Put the cake in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.

5. Remove from fridge and, using a small offset palette knife, scoop up the set ganache from the edges of the plate and spread over the sides to create a smooth finish. It really is that easy and effortless.You’ll have your friends thinking you really care…

This cake keeps best in an airtight container at room temperature for three days. If kept in the fridge, allow to come to room temp before eating – it’ll be nicer! I recommend mircowaving a slice for 20 seconds & pouring cold cream all over it.

We have two copies of Ravneet Gill’s Sugar, I Love You to giveaway this month!

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

September recipes: Coffee & banoffee

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

This September, Macmillan Cancer Support’s iconic Coffee Morning event is back on Friday 24th September, however you plan it and whatever your baking talents (or lack of) host your coffee morning your way and help raise millions to support the growing number of people living with cancer

The smallest gesture really can make the biggest difference to those affected by cancer, and every year Macmillan supporters up and down the country help raise millions of pounds just by taking part in Coffee Morning.

M&S, headline partner of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Coffee Morning, want to inspire you to get in the kitchen for this worthy cause by providing a delicious recipe for their M&S Banoffee Banana Bread with Caramel and Popcorn Sauce. So pop your apron on, grab your whisk and give this delicious recipe a go!

Banoffee Banana Bread with Caramel and Popcorn Sauce

Ingredients:

• 25g salted caramel popcorn
• 250g mascarpone
• 150g icing sugar
• 45ml caramel and toasted popcorn flavour sauce
• 2 ripe bananas
• 30g pecans
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 180g self-raising flour
• 20ml black treacle
• 2 medium eggs
• 150g light muscovado sugar
• 100g unsalted butter

PREP:  15 minutes

COOKING: 40-45 minutes

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 19cm loaf tin.

2. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one a time, along with the treacle and mix well.

3. Gently fold in 2 tbsp flour, to loosen the batter. Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder, pecans and bananas.

4. Pour half the batter into the tin. Drizzle 40ml of the caramel sauce on top, then pour the remaining batter into the tin.

5. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool.

6. To make the icing, whisk the icing sugar with the mascarpone until smooth and creamy.

7. When the loaf has cooled, spread the icing on top and finish with an extra drizzle of the remaining caramel sauce and the salted caramel popcorn.

 

Do something amazing today sign up to host a Macmillan Coffee Morning at coffee register.macmillan.org.uk

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

August recipes: Rays of sunshine

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

We’re serving up two dishes from Sunshine Kitchen: Delicious Creole recipes from the Heart of the Caribbean by Vanessa Bolosier, published by Pavilion Books.

Carnival equals sweet fritters! These treats are traditionally served in the Caribbean every Sunday throughout January and until Ash Wednesday.

Banana & rum fritters

Ingredients:

• Four ripe bananas
• 60g/2¼oz/5 tbsp golden granulated sugar
• Two eggs
• 125g/4½oz/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• One vanilla pod, cut in half lengthwise
• Grated zest of one lime
• A pinch grated cinnamon
• A pinch grated nutmeg
• 1tbsp white rum
• 1 litre/1¾ pints/four cups sunflower oil
• 1tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar

PREP:  2 minutes

COOKING: 5 minutes

MAKES: 20-30

Method:

1. Peel the bananas, put them in a bowl and mash with a fork. Whisk in the sugar and eggs, then the flour and baking powder. Using a small knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add to the mixture, then stir in the lime zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and rum.

2. In a deep pan, heat the oil over a medium heat until it reaches 180°C/350°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30–40 seconds. Make sure the oil doesn’t get too hot and start to smoke. Gently drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into the oil and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, turning occasionally, until dark golden all over.

3. Scoop the fritters out of the oil and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve hot.

♥ Tip
I like to add a tablespoon of unsweetened desiccated (dry) coconut to my banana fritters to add texture.

Creole rice

Ingredients:

• Two eggs
• 2tbsp vegetable oil
• Onion, very finely chopped
• One spring onion, very finely chopped
• Four garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• 1⁄2 tsp Colombo powder
• 1⁄2 tsp tomato purée (paste)
• 500g/1lb 2oz/21⁄2 cups jasmine rice
• A can (about 300g/101⁄2oz) sweetcorn, drained
• 500ml/18fl oz/two cups water
• Two chicken stock cubes
• A bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Colombo powder:

• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1⁄2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 clove
• 1 tbsp garlic powder

PREP: 15 minutes

COOKING: 32 minutes

MAKES: 4

Method:

Creole rice (also called riz melangé) is a housewife’s godsend. When she serves this — to which you can add chicken or fish — it means she was either in a rush, or just used whatever was in her cupboard. It’s also a favourite to bring when spending a day on the beach with the family and barbecuing some chicken wings in situ.

Many of the migrants who arrived around 1862 came from southern India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), so this is how their spice mix acquired its name. Make your own by putting all the spices in a spice grinder or mortar & pestle and grinding to a fine powder. Sieve it, keep in an airtight container and use within two or three months:

1. Put the eggs in a saucepan of cold water, bring to simmering point and simmer for 7–10 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, spring onion, garlic, Colombo powder and tomato purée and cook until the onions start to soften.

3. Add the rice and corn. Stir to coat the rice. Add the water, cubes & bay leaf and stir well. Season. Cover and cook over a low heat for 25 minutes, stirring two or three times so the rice doesn’t stick Cut each egg into six and stir into the rice.

4. Remove the bay and serve hot, for example with chicken fricassée.

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

July recipes: Tutti Fruity

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

It’s barbecue season! We’ve teamed up with home economics star Jack Monroe & Del Monte to serve this sunny delight

Jack Monroe’s Del Monte® spicy pork belly with prune chutney

Ingredients:

• 1 (425g) can of Del Monte® prunes in juice
• Two fat cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp light coloured vinegar – cider, red, white or rice are all fine
• 1 tbsp light cooking oil
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt or 1/4 tsp table salt
• Plenty of black pepper
• 800g pork belly, sliced
• One large onion
• Two large stalks of celery

PREP: Prep: 6-24 hours

COOKING: Cooking: 40 mins, plus 10 minutes cooling time

MAKES: 4-6

Method:

1. Strain the prunes, putting the juice in a large jar with a lid for the marinade. Set to one side.

2. Peel and crush (or mince) your garlic and add to the juice, with vinegar and a little oil. Mix Chinese five spice, fennel, salt & peppe and add most of this to the jar. Lid tightly and shake to mix and emulsify. Pop pork into the smallest food-safe sealable container that will hold it and pour 3/4 of the marinade carefully all over. Refrigerate for six-24 hours (no more).

3. Make the chutney. Destone the prunes by gently squeezingthem & pop into a medium saucepan. Peel and halve, then very finely slice onion & celery. Add to the pan with the remaining marinade and an extra tbsp of vinegar. Bring to the boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until the veg is very soft. You may need to add a splash of water, so keep an eye to make sure it doesn’t dry out, but it should take around 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a clean, heat-proof jar, screw lid on while hot and leave to cool fully before popping in fridge.

4. When it’s time to cook the pork, take from the fridge for 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 210oC, gas mark 6, with a shelf in the middle of it or just below. Transfer the pork to the small roasting dish and pour over the marinade to just below where the top fat layer starts. Rub the remaining marinade on the exposed fat. Pop the pork in for 10-12 minutes to crisp fat. Turn oven to 140oC, and cook further 90 minutes. Ovens vary, so check.

5. Place a wire cooling rack on top of a roasting tray with sides. Take pork from oven and place pieces on the wire rack to rest for 10 minutes.

6. For the gravy, mix 1tbsp each of oil / butter & flour in a small pan over a low heat. Gradually add the juices, stirring the whole time, and thin with stock or water as desired. Taste and season. Serve hot – it will thicken as it cools.

Jack Monroe’s Del Monte® mandarin, pickled bean, feta & herb salad

Ingredients:
For pickled beans:

• 1 can (400g) borlotti beans
• 1 can (400g) cannellini beans
• 1 small onion
• 6 fat cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp mixed dried herbs or a few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 400ml light coloured vinegar
• 100ml light cooking oil
• 1 tbsp of salt
• Plenty of black pepper

For the salad and Mandarin dressing:

• One can (300g) Del Monte® mandarin segments in Juice
• Light-coloured vinegar
• Light cooking oil of
your choice
• Salt and pepper
• A handful of fresh basil
• A handful of fresh parsley
• 100g mixed salad leaves
• 100g feta or other Greek-style salad cheese

PREP: 30 minutes to prepare the bean pickle, four days to settle, 20 minutes to prepare the salad

MAKES: 2 or 3 as a main dish or 6 to 8 as a side

Method:

The pickled beans will need to be made well ahead; they start to come into their own about four days after bottling, but it is worth the wait!

1. Drain & rinse your beans. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Peel and very finely slice your onion and garlic, add. Measure in the dried herbs, mix & set it all to one side.

2. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, bay leaves, salt & pepper. Place on a medium hob ring on a high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce to simmer. Add the bean mix and pour over the oil. Simmer for four or five more minutes. Remove the pan and stir well. Ladle evenly into clean, sterilised jars, filling to the neck to create an airtight seal. Fasten the lids immediately and leave to cool completely before transferring to the fridge. Gently turn the jars a few times at least once a day to redistribute the ingredients, before returning to the fridge.

3. To make the dressing: strain the mandarins through a fine-mesh sieve into a mixing bowl to separate the juice from the fruit. Pour the juice into a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Add an equal amount each of light-coloured vinegar and oil. Add a few pinches of salt and some pepper, and seal the vessel tightly. Shake well to emulsify and make your dressing and set it to one side.

4. To make the salad: add your salad leaves to a large mixing bowl, along with
most of the chopped parsley and whole basil leaves. Using a slotted spoon,
add a generous amount of the pickled beans, then add your drained mandarins and crumble in your feta. Dress generously with the mandarin dressing, toss briefly to coat everything. Serve with more black pepper to taste and any reserved herbs to garnish.

Jack’s tip 1:

The beans will keep for two months in the fridge unopened, but use within a week of opening.

Tip 2:

The salad dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days, shake it every few days to re-combine it and it will last a bit longer.

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

June recipes: Cupcakes & kindness

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

Dust off your baking bowls, whip out your whisks and unite against dementia by signing up for Cupcake Day

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 125g Dark Chocolate (minimum 56% cocoa solids)
• 125g Unsalted Butter
• 1.5 tsp Instant Coffee
• 90ml Boiling Water
• 120g Plain Flour
• 30g Cocoa Powder
• 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
• 100g Golden Caster Sugar
• 150g Light Brown Sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 95ml Sour Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

For the icing:

• 360g dark chocolate
• 450g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 450g icing sugar

PREP: 20 minutes

COOKING: 25 minutes

MAKES: 4

Dementia is set to be the 21st century’s biggest killer and affect 1,000,000 people by 2025. Each cupcake sold this Cupcake Day, June 17th, will help Alzheimer’s Society reach more people, find out more about how you can help at cupcakeday.org.uk

Method:

1. Set the oven to 160C/150C fan/Gas Mark 3. Set out 12 cupcake cases in cupcake trays.

2. Melt together the chocolate and the butter in a medium pan. Separately, mix the instant coffee with the boiling water and then stir into the chocolate mixture until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sugar. Give it a quick mix to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract.

4. Mix together the wet ingredients, then fold into the dry ingredients.

5. Fill each case 2/3 of the way up and bake for around 25 minutes or until firm to the touch and a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean.

6. Cool in the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

For the icing:

1. Melt the chocolate in a small pan and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the icing sugar until pale and creamy (at least 4-5 minutes).

3. Fold the chocolate into the mixture, and use to ice the cooled cupcakes.

Very Berry Vegan Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 240g self-raising flour (or gluten-free flour)
• 220g caster sugar
• 5 tablespoons rapeseed oil
• 225 ml almond milk
• 190g fresh strawberry purée
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 50g dairy-free margarine
• 300g icing sugar
• 50g fresh strawberry purée
• Fresh strawberries for decoration
• Multi-coloured sprinkles (optional)

PREP: 20 minutes

COOKING: 15-18 minutes

MAKES: 12

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C for 15 minutes and line a cupcake tin with 12 large cupcake liners.

1. Sift the flour and sugar into a large mixing bowl.

2. In another bowl, blend the strawberry purée, oil, almond milk and vanilla extract.

3. Pour the strawberry mixture onto the dry ingredients and use an electric whisk to combine until the batter is smooth.

4. Fill 12 cupcake liners two-thirds full with the batter and bake for 15-18 minutes.

5. Set aside and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

6. To make the sumptuous strawberry icing place the margarine in a large mixing bowl and sift in the icing sugar in stages, whisking well to ensure the icing is fluffy and smooth. Add the pureed strawberries to the mixture.

7. Once the cupcakes are cool, spread or pipe the icing onto the cakes and decorate with multi-coloured sprinkles and a fresh strawberry. The fresh strawberries in the decadently fruity icing means it’s best to ice the cakes immediately before serving.

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

May recipes: Watercress wonders

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

Suze Morrison, founder of Gourmet Glow, has teamed up with The Watercress Company to offer some healthy meals

Burrata, strawberry & passionfruit sambal, pineapple & watercress salad

Ingredients:

• Two balls of burrata
• One pineapple
• 200g strawberries, chopped into 0.5cm dice
• 3cm ginger, minced
• Four cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 red chillies, finely chopped
• 80g caster sugar
• Pulp of two passionfruit
• One lime, juiced
• 1 tsp white miso
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 200g watercress

Fruity cashew confetti:

• 50g cashews, roasted for 15 minutes at 160C
• 10g freeze-dried strawberries
• 20g dried pineapple (from pineapple above)

PREP: 30 minutes & four hours drying

SERVES: 4

May heralds the start of the UK watercress season when the lush, peppery, vitamin-filled green leaf is available in abundance on supermarket shelves, freshly harvested from farms in Hampshire and Dorset, where watercress has flourished for over 150 years.

Watercress is a uniquely grown crop with its roots clinging to the gravel base of the beds, while the plants sway in the nutrient-rich spring water that flows past. The water is pure and clean, forced up from deep underground aquifers and filtered through the chalk of the South Downs.

Method:
1. Begin with the pineapple crisps. Set the oven to the lowest it can go and slice half the pineapple as finely as you can (if you have a mandolin, use this)

2. Lay the slices on baking paper and dry for four hours, or until crisp throughout. Set aside to cool.

3. Take 20g of this pineapple and blitz to a ‘confetti’ with the freeze dried strawberries and cashews. Set aside in an airtight container.

4. Chop the remaining pineapple into chunks
and grill in a griddle pan until lightly charred, soft and sweet.

5. For the sambal, combine the strawberries, ginger, garlic, chilies, sugar, passionfruit, miso and coriander in a bowl. Taste, it should be tangy, sweet, spicy and lightly salted. Adjust with more lime, sugar or salt if needed.

6. When ready, divide each burrata in two. Divide the watercress and sambal between four bowls and top with the burrata and grilled pineapple.

7. Sprinkle with the confetti and serve.

Masala fried red mullet with potato & watercress salad

Ingredients:

• Four red mullet fillets (or mackerel, salmon, sardines etc)
• One onion, finely sliced
• 800g baby potatoes, skin on
• 4 tbsp oil
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp nigella seeds
• 200g watercress
• 20g basmati rice
• Lemon to serve

Masala spice blend:

• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Raita:

• 300g full-fat Greek yoghurt
• ½ cucumber, seeds removed, julienned
• One clove of garlic, minced
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp nigella seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• Pinch salt

PREP: 60 minutes

COOKING: 35 minutes

SERVES: 4

Method:

Begin with the roasted rice. Add the rice to a dry frying pan, heat to the highest heat & toast, shaking the pan until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Remove, allow to cool then grind to a coarse crumb in a blender. Set aside in a jar (this keeps for ages and adds great crunch to salads)

2. For the raita, mix the yogurt, cucumber, garlic and salt in a bowl. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin and nigella. Fry until beginning to pop then pour the whole lot into the yogurt bowl. Stir in and allow to rest.

3. Add the potatoes to a pan, cover with cold water and cook until just tender. Remove, drain and allow to steam until dry. If you have time transfer to the fridge on a wire rack to dry more.

4. Rub the spice mix over your fish fillets. Set aside.

5. Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion until crisp & golden. Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt and set aside.

6. Add the potatoes to the hot oniony oil and lightly crush with a fork You want to retain some shape but give crumbly edges to go super crispy. Fry for 2-3 minutes, sprinkle with the salt & nigella and flip. Cook until all the edges are crisp (you may need to fry in batches). Set aside.

7. Heat a splash more oil in the pan and add the fish fillets skin side down. Have the heat on medium high to prevent the edges from curling up. If they do, the heat is too high, and the skin may scorch. Cook for 2 minutes, flip and cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and rest.

8. Lay the watercress on a platter and tumble over the potatoes. Spoon over the raita, top with the fish and finally the crispy onions and 2 tbsp roasted rice. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

April recipes: Baking power

Round & About

Posted on

recipes

We’ve cooked up a sneaky slice of The National Trust Book of Baking by Sybil Kapoor, which is out on 15th April, with these heart-warming spring recipes.

Easy leek tart

Ingredients:

• 225g/8oz puff pastry (see below if making fresh)
• 680g/11⁄2 lb untrimmed leeks
• 1⁄2 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 225g/8oz taleggio cheese

For the puff pastry

• 225g/8oz plain flour pinch of salt
• 225g/8oz cold butter about 120ml/4fl oz cold water

PREP: 15 minutes & 30 minutes rest time

COOKING: 25 minutes

SERVES: 6

Method:

1 On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a large rectangle about 3mm/1⁄8 in thick. Using a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12in Swiss roll tin as a giant pastry cutter, cut out a rectangle of that size. If you are using homemade puff pastry there will be quite
a lot of leftover pastry, so carefully fold up the trimmings and freeze. Take a sharp knife and lightly run it about 1cm/1⁄2 in inside the pastry edge, so that you score a line to create a rim for the tart. Prick the internal rectangle with a fork. Place on a non-stick baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to fan 200°C/gas 7.

2 Trim the leeks of their roots and darker green leaves. Remove the tough outer leaves then slice lengthways through the green- coloured section of leaves. Wash thoroughly in a sink of cold water. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the leeks, return to the boil and cook briskly for 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and cool under the cold tap. Squeeze out the excess water and pat dry on kitchen paper.

3 Slice the leeks and spread them over the pastry, taking care not to cover the rim. Scatter with the chopped tarragon and lightly season. Remove the rind from the cheese and slice or break into pieces. Dot over the filling.

4 Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and the cheese is bubbling and flecked gold.

Puff Pastry:

The pastry itself doesn’t take long to make, but it needs to be rested regularly in between rollings. The chilling times are the minimum period of time you should leave the dough, but you can leave it several hours if you like.

1 Mix together the flour and salt in a food processor. Cut 30g/1oz of the cold butter into small dice, add to the flour and whiz until it forms fine crumbs. Tip into a bowl and mix in enough cold water to form a rough dough. Lightly knead into a ball, wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Return the remaining butter to the fridge.

2 Fifteen minutes before you are ready to roll, take the remaining 200g/7oz butter out of the fridge and let it soften slightly. Place the butter between two sheets of greaseproof paper or baking parchment and use a rolling pin to flatten it into a 2.5cm/1in thick rectangle.

3 On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle that is three times the length of the butter and about 2.5cm/1in wider than the butter. Place the butter in the centre of the dough and then fold over the top and bottom flaps of dough, so that the butter is completely covered. Using the rolling pin, lightly press down on each edge so that the butter is sealed in. Give the dough a half-turn clockwise.

4 Using short sharp strokes, roll out the dough so that it returns to its original length (three times that of the butter) but retains the same thickness. Then fold in the top and bottom ends, press the edges with the rolling pin and give a further half-turn clockwise. If the butter is breaking through the pastry or the pastry is becoming warm, stop, wrap and chill for 30 minutes. If not, you can repeat the rolling process one more time before resting the dough. Make a note of which way the dough is facing before chilling, as you will need to continue with the clockwise half-turns.

5 After 30 minutes’ chilling, replace the pastry on the floured surface in the position that you left off and continue with a further two rolls and half-turns. Chill for another 30 minutes and then make two more rolls and half-turns. Wrap and chill until needed or cut in half and freeze.

Strawberry cream cake

Ingredients:

Whisked sponge

• 85g/3oz caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 85g/3oz plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• pinch of salt
• 3 medium eggs

Strawberry filling

• 310g/11oz strawberries 1 tablespoon kirsch
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar 225ml/8fl oz double cream

PREP: 15 minutes

COOKING: 20 minutes

SERVES: 8

This cake is the picture of summer if you place a freshly opened rose on its sugary top. Perfect for June birthdays. As it is a whisked sponge, and contains no fat, it is best eaten on the day it’s baked. The sponge freezes well and makes a wonderful trifle.

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to fan 170°C/gas 4. Lightly oil two 18cm/7in cake tins. Line the base of each with baking parchment and lightly oil. Dust the sides of each tin with caster sugar and then with flour.
2 Sift the flour and salt together and set aside. Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl. If you have an electric whisk, beat until the mixture is pale and thick and leaves a trail when you lift the whisk. If you’re whisking by hand, place the bowl over a pan of just-boiled water (off the heat); whisk until it is pale and thick, then remove from the pan and continue to whisk until cool.
3 Tip the flour over the surface of the whisked egg mixture and, using a flat metal spoon, gently fold the flour into the mixture. Divide between the two tins and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Test by lightly pressing the cake with your fingertip: it will spring back if cooked.
4 Leave the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn out the cakes and peel off the baking paper. Dust the top of one cake (baked-side up) with caster sugar. Leave until cold.
5 Meanwhile, hull, halve and slice the strawberries. Toss with the kirsch and 2 tablespoons caster sugar.
6 Once the cakes are cold, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold in the strawberry mixture. Spread over the bottom sponge, leaving a clear edge for the cream to squeeze into when you
add the top. Gently squash on the sugared top and add a further dusting of caster sugar.

See our other recipes

Click here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter: