Meatballs and beans in a lemon sauce.

This is a delicious recipe from Ottolenghi’s ‘Jerusalem’ which is one of my favourite recipe books. It has a sense of Persia about it, and for a while I was trying to find it in another book. I used up a couple of reduced lamb steaks and some beef mince, as well as some broad beans from the freezer to make this. It is easiest to make if you have a mincer; mine is electric and very efficient. 

INGREDIENTS: 

For the meatballs:

  • 300g beef mince
  • 200g lamb mince (or mince some lamb)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 120g breadcrumbs (I put three large slices of stale wholemeal bread in a blender)
  • 2tbsp each of chopped mint, coriander and parsley
  • 1 tsp dried dill (or 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped if it is available)
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp baharat spice mix (I got mine from Seasoned Pioneers) 
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp capers, chopped
  • 1 large egg, beaten

For the Sauce:

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 300 to 400g broad beans, fresh or frozen
  • 1 tsp dried thyme, or the leaves from 4 fresh sprigs
  • 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • a bunch of spring onions, in 2cm segments, or a chopped shallot
  • juice of half a lemon (around 2 tbsp, or to taste)
  • 500ml chicken stock
  • salt and pepper

METHOD:

  • In a large bowl, mix the meatball ingredients together. If you have a mincer, feed the mixture through the mincer after mixing, to ensure the ingredients are chopped and mixed together. 
  • Divide the mixture into 24 meatballs, about the size of a pingpong ball. Put them on an oiled baking tray, and leave them in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. 
  • Heat the oven up to high, and then put the chilled meatballs in for 5 minutes, until they are browned. 
  • Meanwhile, if you are feeling keen, poach the broad beans and remove the skins. Personally I like the skins and generally leave them on. The original recipe suggests half and half. 
  • In a large casserole pan, heat the olive oil. When it is hot, fry the spring onion, thyme and garlic over a medium heat for 3 minutes or so. 
  • Add the unpeeled broad beans, 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, 80ml stock, 1/4 tsp salt and lots of black pepper. Poach the beans in the stock for 10 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs with the remaining stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes over a low heat. At this juncture, you could turn the heat off and do something else, and come back to reheat. 
  • Just before serving, check to see if there is enough sauce. Stir in mixed chopped fresh herbs (mint, coriander, parsley, dill) and the peeled beans.

I served this with plain rice, my daugher got a wee take-away from me, and served hers with orzo pasta and pinenuts. Both delicious. 

Sausage casserole with smoked paprika

We are in that zone where the deliveries to our island shops are unpredictable, with bad weather and uncertainty with ferry maintenance. The consequence can be that the local shops have to sell volumes of short-dated groceries, and I managed to buy a lot of sausages, which are now in a number of local freezers. There was also a good supply of spinach leaves. Another top tip – if you are freezing overstocked spinach, steam it first and freeze it in 100g or 200g containers. 

This recipe came from a local collection of recipes, there are a few other sausage recipes in there. I do have a weakness for sausage casserole, so delicious with potatoes and green vegetables. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 large stick of celery, chopped
  • 2 bell peppers, roughly chopped
  • 1 pack of six sausages, around 400g
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 2 cans of chopped tomatoes (2x400g)
  • 1 can of cannellini beans, drained
  • 1 large or two small bags of spinach, around 250g

METHOD:

  • In a large casserole dish, heat the olive oil and then fry the onion for five minutes, medium heat. 
  • Next, add the celery, garlic and peppers, stir together and cook for another five minutes
  • Add the spices, and turn the heat up for a minute or two, then add the sausages. Cook until they are beginning to brown, and then add the tomatoes and beans, and bring to a simmer. 
  • Cover and cook for 40 minutes. Once the casserole is cooked, add the spinach and bring back to a simmer. 

Serve with mashed potatoes or brown rice, as well as side dishes of vegetables. 

Potatoes and spinach

More potato recipes. Charlotte potatoes work so well in these dishes, their flavour is great, they hold their shape and their texture is so smooth when they are cooked. I had spinach in the freezer. Buying packs of fresh spinach at their expiry date is a good deal. I break up the brittle and frozen spinach leaves in the bag before use. 

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 600g charlotte potatoes, or similar waxy potatoes, peeled and diced (1cm dice)
  • salt
  • 300g spinach leaves
  • 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1/2tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

METHOD:

  • Boil the potatoes in salted water for around 6 minutes, then drain and spread them out to cool
  • Steam the spinach until it is wilted, only takes a few minutes. Once it is cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and then chop, and set aside. 
  • Heat the oil in a wok or heavy frying pan, and when it is hot, add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the onion and garlic, turn the heat down and fry for a couple of minutes
  • Add the spinach, and keep cooking and stirring for another 10 minutes. 
  • Add the potato, 1 tsp salt, the garam masala and the cayenne pepper. Stir and mix until the potatoes are heated through and soft.  

 

Cauliflower and potato curry

I just ate the rest of the leftovers that I was going to have tomorrow. This is a delicious and fragrant dish, good served at room temperature as a side dish or snack, part of a picnic or a larger meal. It is good with parathas and sour lime pickle

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cauliflower
  • 2 large potatoes
  • 6 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 whole hot red peppers
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp salt
  • a grind of black pepper
  • 1 tsp garam masala

METHOD:

  • Dismember the cauliflower, reduce it to small florets, and put into a bowl of cold water
  • Peel and chop the potatoes into 1 to 1.5cm cubes, and put into a bowl of cold water for half an hour. 
  • When you are ready to start cooking, drain the vegetables and pat dry with a teatowel
  • Heat the oil in the bottom of a large frying pan or wok over a high heat. When the oil is hot put in the fenugreek, cumin, fennel and red peppers and stir once, then add the cauliflower and potatoes. 
  • Stir again, turn the heat to medium and add the salt, turmeric, pepper and coriander. Keep stirring from time to time and cook for around 7 minutes
  • Add around 50ml water, cover and turn the heat to low, and cook for another 7 minutes. 
  • Sprinkle with the garam masala, stir and serve. 

 

 

Spicy fish and fennel soup

I bought a bag of fennel that was reduced, an impulse buy as I had been planning to cook a cauliflower and potato curry. I’d remembered that I had a large piece of poached salmon in the freezer, and I made this delicious stew. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 shallots, finely chopped (or use an onion)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 3 small fennel bulbs, finely chopped
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp pureed red peppers
  • salt and pepper
  • a dash of hot chilli sauce
  • a pinch of saffron
  • 1.3 litres of fish stock 
  • around 400g fish, off the bone (could be salmon, could be any fish, including shellfish)
  • a piece of orange peel
  • Grated cheese, to serve (optional)

METHOD:

  • Heat the oil in a large pan, and gently fry the onion. After a few minutes add the garlic, and then the fennel, and cook together for around five minutes. 
  • Add the tomatoes, orange peel, a good pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper, 3 tbsp red pepper puree, and a splash of chilli sauce. Simmer for five minutes
  • Add the stock, then bring the soup to a simmer, reducing slightly. Meanwhile, steep the saffron in a little hot water.
  • Once the soup looks to be a good consistency, slip in the fish and the saffron, and bring back to a simmer. 
  • When the fish is just cooked, and hot through, give the soup a good stir to mix everything up. If you can, retrieve the orange peel from the soup. 
  • Serve in large bowls with grated cheese on top. We tried it with cheddar, parmesan, it was good with gruyere as well. 

Potato and aubergines

Another recipe in the quest to try all of the potato recipes. This was very easy, but the original recipe didn’t make much, so I scaled it up. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil, such as rapeseed oil
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 450g potatoes, peeled and diced into 1cm dice (I used Charlotte potatoes)
  • 450g aubergine, cut into 1cm dice. 
  • 2 tbsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • fresh coriander leaf to garnish

METHOD:

  • In a large frying pan, heat the oil over a high heat and then put in the mustard seeds and stil. When they pop add the potatoes and aubergine, stir to mix and add all the other spices and salt. Continue to stir and mix for a minute or so, ensuring that the spices are evenly dispersed. 
  • Add 200ml water, bring it to the boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. It is worth stirring just before the end to ensure it isn’t sticking. 

Serve as part of a larger meal, in small bowls. 

 

Potato and mushroom soup

I am still focusing on recipes with potato in them. This is a very simple soup, quite rich and buttery with a great flavour. There are a lot of versions online, with differing herbs and proportions. This worked for me. You could substitute thyme for dill, or add cheese if you wished. 

I made this at the new house on the induction hob, and discovered my soup pan was not compatible. I ended up simmering the soup over the solid fuel stove, which worked perfectly. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 x 50g butter
  • 2 large leeks, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1.5 litres chicken stock
  • 3 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 2 bayleaves
  • 1kg potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 500g mushrooms, sliced
  • 300ml sour cream (or double cream)
  • 2 tbsp plan flour

METHOD:

  • In a large saucepan, melt 50g butter, and when it is foaming, add the carrots and the leeks, and fry over a medium heat for around 5 minutes, until the leeks start to colour brown a little at the edges. 
  • Add the stock, then the dill, salt, pepper and bayleaves. Finally, add the diced potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cook for another 20 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust if required. 
  • In a frying pan, melt another 50g butter until it is foaming, and fry the mushrooms. Stir these into the soup. 
  • Take some of the liquor from the soup, and mix with the flour, to form a smooth soft paste. Add the flour mixture and the cream into the soup, and simmer without boiling, so that the soup thickens. 
  • Serve with toasted brown bread. 

I don’t know that the flour is essential, but the soup was really good, and I haven’t tried many variations. If you use a vegetable stock, you have a vegetarian option. One online version also added soup pasta, another used onion and garlic. I prefer leeks with mushrooms, though. 

Minced lamb with potatoes

This is really delicious, warm and delicately flavoured. It is in Madhur Jaffrey’s book ‘Curry easy‘. The book suggests serving this with rice, dal, yoghurt and pickles. I skipped the rice, but I wish I hadn’t. I actually altered the quantities a little, as I had more minced lamb than the recipe asks for, and I didn’t want to refreeze any. 

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 3 Tbsp rapeseed oil or sunflower oil
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 1/2  teaspoon finely chopped root ginger
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1300 g minced lamb (I minced some lamb that was in the freezer – I have a fab electric mincer)
  • 5 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, pureed
  • 1 heaped tsp cumin seed
  • 3 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 450g peeled potatoes, chopped into 2cm chunks

METHOD:

  • In a large pan, hjeat the oil over a medium to high heat. When it is hot, add the cinnamon sticks, roll them in the hot oil for a few seconds and then add the onion, and fry for a few munites, until starting to brown. Then add the garlic and ginger and stir to mix for a minute
  • Add the lamb, stir and fry, breaking up the meat. Keep cooking until the meat loses its redness. 
  • Add yoghurt, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and turmeric and stir together, and bring back to a slow simmer. 
  • Add the salt, potatoes and around 700ml water, stir together and bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes. 

 

 

 

Red Lentil Dal with asafoetida

This is a very basic dal. The main message is, use four times as much water as the weight in lentils, then when the lentils are cooked and salted to taste, fry the spices in oil, and stir in. It is an excellent side-dish. 

I get a lot of my spices by mail order from seasoned pioneers, such as the asafoetida in this dish. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 200g red lentils 
  • 800ml water
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp oil or butter
  • 1/8 tsp asafoetida
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1-2 hot whole dried chillies
  • 1 shallot, in slivers

METHOD:

  • Put the red lentils in a saucepan with the water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for around 30 minutes until the lentils are breaking up. Check from time to time and stir to prevent the dal from sticking. Turn of the heat, and stir in the salt when the lentils are broken up. 
  • Pour the oil/ghee/butter into a small pan, and bring to a medium high temperature. Add the asafoetida, then cumin and then the peppers in that order, stirring once before each addition. As soon as the spices start to darken, add the shallot, cook until that starts to colour, and then pour into the cooked dal. Stir to mix and then serve. 

Dal, by itself, is a great light meal with a bit of nan bread to scoop it up. It is also excellent as a side dish in a more substantial meal, served in a small bowl. 

Steamed pudding with caramel topping

This is Malcolm’s speciality, I prefer to serve this with double cream, he prefers custard. We have a special pan for steamed puddings, big enough to support a well-wrapped pudding bowl on a trivet in the boiling water. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 can condensed milk caramel
  • 120g butter
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 120g self-raising flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten

METHOD:

  • Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
  • Sift in the flour and add the beaten egg, a little at a time, and beating well between additions. 
  • Use a buttered 1.1 litre pudding bowl. Put the condensed milk caramel at the bottom of the bowl, and then add the sponge mixture carefully over the top.
  • Cover securely (Malcolm uses tin foil and string) and then steam for 1.5 to 2 hours. 
  • Turn the hot pudding out onto a plate. The caramel should pour down the sides in a slow sticky sort of way. 

We served with a choice of cream or custard, but a lemon sauce might be quite good here as well.