RECIPES
SPICED SUNDAY CHICKEN
One of the best ways to induce flavour into a chicken is to get under its skin. By that I mean, just gently (using your fingers of course) easing the skin away from the flesh. This method is great for putting herbs or even wafer thin slices of lemon (see Midweek Chicken with Lemon and Fennel). [...]
TAKE A BUTCHER’S HOOK
Eating meat is all about love
Good butchers are a rare breed. The profession requires love, dexterity and passion. You’ll hardly ever speak to a good one who doesn’t get misty-eyed about the beast he has butchered for your pleasure. Above all, you must love the thing you want to eat. Enough to slaughter, butcher and cook it. In London, the [...]
PORK CHOPS WITH SHERRY AND CHARD
Fry large pork chops very gently in butter with whole black peppercorns, finely chopped fresh sage leaves until sizzling and brown on both sides. When done, remove meat and heat up the pan. Add finely chopped chard (kale or spinach will do but need more or less cooking time) and soften. When al dente add [...]
VANILLA RISOTTO WITH LANGOUSTINES
As ever with risotto, chop finely some shallots and here also some celery. Soften them in butter for about 5 minutes. This is called in Italy sottofrito. Now add the rice, Carnaroli, a larger grain works well here. Stir it in with some olive oil until every grain of the rice appears coated. Now start [...]
GRILLED PEPPERS AND SARDINES
I’m sure it’s a very well known trick that to skin peppers you need to burn the skin and let it blister under a grill or holding the pepper and turning it over the gas flame. Once the skin is completely black, put the peppers into a plastic bag and pop them in the freezer [...]
BABY ARTICHOKES WITH TOULOUSE SAUSAGES
Globe artichokes are not everyone’s bag. When they go to seed their purple flowers make them look like fairly impenetrable giant thistles. But boiled and the leaves gently dipped in vinaigrette are a real treat, ultimately revealing the tender heart of the flower, soft and green. When still very young – about the size of [...]
BARRAMUNDI AND BRAISED FENNEL
Waitrose have a sustainable fishing policy. So if you cant get to your favourite fishmonger, at least you know you’re supporting good practice. My branch often stocks Barramundi, the antipodean favourite. Though god knows about the food miles. Any way it’s a freshwater species that has the meatiness and flavour of monkfish with a bold [...]
PERFECT TOMATO SAUCE
I was taught how to make tomato sauce by a relative of Ruthie Rogers from the River Cafe, so it ought to be good. The secret is to use good quality Italian tinned tomatoes. But before decanting them into the pan, you squeeze all of the watery tomato liquid out of the tin so you [...]
DOVER SOLE WITH PARSNIP CHIPS
In these days there is a critical lack of sustainable fishing policy, so mostly these fish are in danger. As with all of your food, you need to be very clear where it comes from and that the fishing fleet has the stamp of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). If you do buy a Dover [...]
CURRIED CELERIAC SOUP
Looking like Medusa’s head, with it’s muddy, gnarled roots, celeriac occupies a rather unglamorous place in the vegetable department. But its mustardy, aniseed flavour brings great rewards. For me Celeriac is way higher up the list than parsnips. Something the Belgian and I will never agree on. Peel and slice a celeriac root and simmer [...]
PARMESAN OMELETTE WITH SOUR DOUGH TOAST
There is a rather old-fashioned idea of supper as a different meal from dinner. It usually signifies something light and either later or earlier. You certainly wouldn’t need to dress for supper. It’s possibly when you’ve had a big lunch and want to get the eating part of the day over or the theatre ran [...]
GOOSE WITH PRUNES AND POTATO SALAD
You don’t often see a whole goose except in at Christmas. However, from time to time you may find goose breasts packaged up. I recently found from some from France in H Tidiman, my local butcher on Broadway Market. They are hefty things and 2 are more than enough to satisfy 4 people. They need a bit [...]
TIGER PRAWN AND CORIANDER SALAD
Chop soft-boiled egg and avocado into coriander, caperberries, curly lettuce and watercress. Brush tiger prawns with melted butter and grill. Toast croutons in extra virgin olive oil. Dressing of lime juice, sesame oil, spoonful of honey, salt and pepper.
PAPARDELLE WITH CRAB, CAPER AND TARRAGON
See the post ‘Making Tomato Sauce’. Chop finely a chilli and tarragon. Stir into tomato sauce with capers and white crab meat. Serve with papardelle or linguine.
CHICKEN AND SAGE RISOTTO
See post Making Risottos Chop the sage into the pan when you are softening the finely chopped shallots. This dish is best made with stock from the carcass of leftover chicken and its flesh, which you shred and add at the end.
MAKING RISOTTOS
Risottos seem to have built a bit of reputation for being tricky. Which they are. But you need to have a go to learn how to get them right. And in truth really nothing can be easier as long as you watch them constantly and you use the right kind of rice. There are three [...]
SORREL SOUP
Soften an onion in oil with salt and pepper. Peel and dice some potatoes. Add and simmer with stock. When soft add raw sorrel and blend immediately. Serve with croutons and grated parmesan.
POTATO AND ROSEMARY SOUP
Chop an onion and fry with garlic and rosemary leaves. Add small-chopped potatoes, carrot, courgette, celery, turnip and simmer in stock until soft. When serving add a handful of chopped fresh tarragon.
BRAISED FENNEL SOUP
Chop up a couple of bulbs of fennel into wedges and cook slowly in a little butter and olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan with a lid. When slightly burnt at the edges, add stock and grated lemon rind. Simmer until soft and blend. Garnish with fried slices of hot chorizo, chopped garlic and fresh [...]
CHRISTMAS GOOSE SOUP
When the festive days leave you overfull, strip the bird and boil the carcass in water with an onion, leek and large carrot for an hour. Strain off the liquid. Slice fresh onion, leek, carrot and celery and cook in oil. When soft add the stock and some of the leftover goosey bits and pieces.
GOLDEN BEETROOT SOUP
Sweat sliced leeks and fennel in olive oil with fresh chopped sage, salt and pepper and peeled, chopped golden beetroot. Cover with stock and simmer until it is all soft. Blend and serve with sour cream, croutons and chopped chives.
BELLY PORK WITH ASPARAGUS
Take a flat of belly pork – you need about 10cm wide per person. Slice under the layer of fat and rub fennel seeds, lemon rind and garlic into the incision. Slow cook for 3 hours. When cooked remove the meat from the dish, cover and allow to rest. Take some asparagus and cook it [...]
BEEF WITH FRESH HORSERADISH AND ALMONDS
Buy a decent cut of lean beef. You want a small topside and cut it yourself. If you have a good butcher, tell them what you’re making but don’t buy anything that’s called ‘frying’ or ‘minute’ steak’. Cut the beef into long, thin strips and flash fry, making sure you don’t cook it too long [...]
PORK IN MILK
Remove any rind or fat from a loin of pork. Brown it with some oil in a pan, adding fresh cracked black pepper and lots of grated nutmeg. Cover meat with milk and simmer for two hours until the liquid is reduced to a nutty, caramelised sloop. Keep turning the meat in the pan, so [...]
SPICED GAMMON AND EGGS
Coat the skin of a gammon joint with a mixture of garam masala, ground cumin, coriander, lemon juice and honey. Bake gently in a medium oven. Melt a little butter and olive oil in a frying pan with salt and pepper and fry two large slices of brown bread and two eggs. Serve with generous [...]
LAMB STEW WITH COUSCOUS
Slice two onions and soften them in oil. Add big cubes of lamb neck until beginning to brown on the outside. Next turn the lamb in a little flour, fresh thyme leaves and cayenne pepper. Continue to brown and let the pan get a bit gooey, then cover with water and red wine. When bubbling [...]
BOILED BEEF IN RED WINE AND VINEGAR
This is a triumphant dinner party dish for a Friday night when you’ve been busy. Just come home, put on the beef, keep a steady eye on it and open some wine. By the time you’ve had a drink, bathed and talked to your guests, it will be ready. Chop onions, carrots, celery very fine [...]
PORK PATTIES IN THYME AND BUTTER
Mix pork mince with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, finely chopped shallot and the yolk of an egg. Shape into patties and coat in breadcrumbs*. Fry gently in butter with thyme. Anna del Conte thinks that everyone should have a jar of breadcrumbs in their fridge. It’s very easy. Take a stale loaf and [...]
PORK LOIN WITH CARDAMOM AND ORANGES
Toast some cardamom seeds and cumin seeds in a pan with butter. When they are popping, whizz them in a blender with garlic, salt and red peppercorns, capers, olive oil and the zest of two oranges. Squish this mixture into small incisions all over meat and smear the mixture all over the outside. Put it [...]
PEPPERED T-BONE STEAK WITH BRAISED CUCUMBER SALAD
For two people ask your butcher to cut you one generous T-bone steak or Porterhouse, with a decent bit of fillet in it. It’s important to bring it to room temp for an hour before cooking, particularly if you like it rare. Before cooking drizzle balsamic vinegar over the meat and roll in black pepper, [...]
ROAST MUTTON SHOULDER WITH ANCHOVY AND FENNEL
Don’t be frightened by the idea of mutton. It went out of fashion in the 1970s with the aggressive marketing of cheap New Zealand Lamb. But its worth finding and cooking. It’s really just lamb that’s a bit older, has richer flavours and stronger taste. The shoulder requires long slow cooking being layered with fat [...]
SURVIVING THE WINTER
Easy recipes for marmalade, baked ham and duck confit
Something about New Year marks the onset of real winter. This weather urges me to re-stock the larder. After a month of festive eating, I want to load up the kitchen with practical foods that will help us through these dreary months.
REVIEWS
INAMO
I’m never quite sure about fusion cooking. It can be the best of both worlds or the worst. Too often it means perfectly good dishes being rendered in foreign [...]
RECIPES
SQUID STUFFED WITH CHORIZO IN TOMATO SAUCE
Make your tomato sauce using the following recipe on PipsDish. The only addition is to add [...]
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