Cannellini Beans with Thyme

A Claudia Roden recipe.  She pairs it with hake but it's a quick and versatile store-cupboard accompaniment

• 400g Tin of Cannellini beans
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• Fresh thyme
• 100ml water
• Olive oil

Fry the chopped onion in olive oil over low heat until soft. Drain and rinse (?) the beans,  add to the onion and season with salt and pepper and some fresh thyme leaves to taste

Add 100ml water and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

Serve with 1-2 tbsp olive oil drizzled over

Alternatives: e.g. add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, parmesan cheese

SPICY CHICKEN COUS COUS

 Originally a Leon recipe - delicious

Ingredients

SCALE

• 4 chicken breasts (cut into big chunks)
• 2 tsp dried chilli flakes (don't hold back)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 8 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp curry powder
• 300 g cous cous
• 2 tbsp butter
• 25 g raisins
• 500 ml chicken stock
• salt
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds or flaked almonds
• handful chopped fresh mint
• handful chopped fresh coriander
• lemon to serve
• FOR THE GARLICKY TOMATOES
• 200 g cherry or plum tomatoes (halved)
• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

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Instructions

1. Put the chicken pieces into an ovenproof dish. Mix the chilli, cinnamon, garlic, salt, half the olive oil and curry powder together. Coat the chicken and leave it for 20 minutes.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 220c. Mix 2 tbsp olive oil, and 3 cloves chopped garlic together in a bowl and stir in the tomatoes, coating with the oil. Lay these out in a single layer on a baking tray. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. Put the cous cous and raisins into a bowl and stir in the remaining olive oil thoroughly until the grains are coated. Cover with chicken stock. lay a tea towel over the top and leave for 5 minutes.
4. Mix the cous cous well into the chicken, pushing the raisins below the surface (so they don't burn),  dot the top with knobs of butter and cook on the top shelf of the oven for 25 minutes. (Cook the tomatoes at the same time)
5. Place the tomatoes on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes.
6. While these are cooking, lightly toast the sunflower seeds or flaked almonds (just dry fry them in a frying pan)
7. To serve, scatter the seeds/almonds and chopped herbs over the top, and then serve with a generous wedge of lemon on the side.

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

 

Serves: 6-8

This soup originated from a woman who lived in a little village on the Nile; it is in Claudia Roden’s latest book Med and it is wonderful. The cooked down lentils bring a creaminess to the soup, the spices bring a warmth and it’s finished off with the (optional) sharp sweetness of the caramelised onions 

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
300gms cup of dried red lentils
2 litres vegetable stock
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
Pinch of chilli
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients- caramelised onions

3 large onions, sliced
Splash of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar

Method

1. Soften the onions, carrots and garlic in olive oil in a large pan on low heat for about 10 mins.
2. Add the lentils and stock and bring to the boil and then simmer for 40mins, until the lentils have disintegrated. As foam appears on the top skim it off.
3. Meanwhile cooked the caramelised onions in a pan on low heat with a bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar until dark and soft, about 30-40mins.
4. Stir in the cumin, coriander, chilli and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. If the soup needs thinning add a bit of water, it shouldn’t be too thick.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with caramelised onions.

Moroccan Aubergine Chickpea Tagine

 

Moroccan Aubergine Chickpea Tagine

• PREP TIME: 30
 
• COOK TIME: 40
 
• TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES
 
• YIELD: 6 1X

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DESCRIPTION

Delicious, healthy Tagine Recipe with Aubergine and Chickpeas- seasoned with Moroccan spices and served over couscous. 

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 extra-large aubergine (or two small)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2–4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6–8 garlic cloves, rough chopped
• 100g celery
• 1 red pepper (or large carrot)
• 1 tablespoon, ras el hanout, more taste
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 14-ounce can tomatoes
• 60g raisins (or chopped dried apricots)
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed.
• 240 ml vegetable stock 

Garnishes: Cinnamon scented couscous, flat-leaf parsley, olive oil, optional yogurt, optional Aleppo chili flakes

Cinnamon-Scented Couscous (serves 4) 

• 400 ml vegetable stock 
• 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small cinnamon stick  ( or 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic ( or onion)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 265 gms dry couscous

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Preheat the oven to 190C

Instructions:

Prepare the  Aubergine: Quarter the aubergine, and cut into large chunks (1 1/2 inches at widest part). Place in a big bowl, cover with cool water just to enough to cover,  and stir in the salt. Place a plate over top to keep the aubergine submerged 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry. (Don’t rinse.)

Pan Sear: In a large ovenable pot over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Working in 2 batches, brown two sides of the aubergine, until golden, then set these aside. No need to cook through.

Make the stew: Add more oil to the same pan, and the onion and saute 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic, celery and red pepper and lower heat, cook until tender about 5 minutes. Lower heat to low. Add the spices, canned tomatoes (and juices),  raisins, salt, pepper, chickpeas and vegetable stock . Bring to simmer, stirring.

Nestle in the aubergine and give the pan a good shake so the stew levels. It should be like a stew-like. If it seems dry, add a little water. Drizzle with a little olive oil, cover tightly and place in the warm oven.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until aubergine is tender and cooked through. While it’s baking make the couscous.

Remove the lid, taste adding more salt to taste, keeping in mind the couscous will soak up some of the salt. If you feel the stew needs more flavour overall, add a little more ras el hanout, a 1/2 teaspoon at a time, tasting as you go. If it seems watery, bake uncovered for a few minutes. If dry, add a little water. To serve, Sprinkle with optional  Aleppo chili flakes and fresh Parsley. I like adding an additional drizzle of olive oil, or a dollop of yogurt, up to you.

Serve with the cinnamon-scented couscous.

To make couscous: Place broth, oil, spices and salt in a medium pot, and bring to boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 7 minutes. Uncover and fluff with fork. Adjust salt.

Turkish Carrot and Lentils

Based on a Diana Henry recipe.  Diana uses 50% more carrot and gives 25 min cooking time but I find it takes a bit longer to get the lentils cooked - about 40 minutes (probably depends on the lentil type)

Serves 4

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, cut into slim crescent moon-shaped slices
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 ½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp cummin seeds
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 125g Puy or green lentils
• 4 carrots, cut into rounds (not too thickly)
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• Pinch sugar (optional)
• 275ml water or vegetable or chicken stock
• Salt and pepper (if you’re using chicken stock you won’t need much salt)
• 2 tbsp chopped herbs (parsley or dill or a mixture)
• Good squeeze of lemon and a bit of extra virgin olive oil to finish

• Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and saute the onion until it’s soft and pale gold. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another two minutes. Add everything else – except the herbs, lemon and extra virgin olive oil – and bring to the boil. Immediately turn the heat right down and cook gently for about 40 minutes. 
• The liquid should have been absorbed by that stage (add a little water if you need to. You don’t want the lentils to burn but you do want all the liquid to have disappeared by the time the lentils and carrots are tender). Keep a close eye on the lentils – they can go from just right to mushy in a matter of minutes. The lentils should retain their shape. If they get soft they're still fine - edible - but you lose structure and that makes the dish a bit flat.
• Add the herbs, some lemon and extra virgin olive oil and taste – you might want to adjust the seasoning. This is when you really 'make' this dish, when you add the lemon and extra virgin olive oil and check the seasoning. These final adjustments can take this from bland to exceptional.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with a bowl of Greek yoghurt (stir some crushed garlic into it if you want to).

Emergency Microwave Cake

 

Ingredients

• 30g butter
• 1 large egg*
• 30ml milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 50g granulated sugar
• 50g flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Tiny pinch of salt

• Instructions

  • Microwave the butter it until just melted.

    Whisk in the egg

    Stir in the milk, vanilla, almond and sugar.

    Add the flour, baking powder and salt.

    Whisk the batter until smooth..  It can be kept in the fridge for up to a couple of days at this stage.

    When ready to serve, divide batter into 3 ramekins.

    Microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds

    Top with whipped cream and fresh berries or just have it with strong coffee.

    
    

Baked Leeks and/or Cauliflower in Cheese Sauce

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium leeks, halved lengthways  (and/or cauliflower florets) 
• 30g butter
• 4 tablespoons plain flour
• 350ml whole milk
• 50g strong cheddar, grated
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• salt and (lots of) pepper

Method

• Grease an oven dish and lay leeks (cut side up) in a single layer
• Melt butter, stir in flour until smooth.  Gradually stir in milk over a high heat, whisking all the time and then add the cheese, garlic and salt & pepper
• Pour sauce over the veg and bake for 30 mins at 200C.