It struck me that I normally write about a dish rather than a meal. However sometimes it's the combination of things that really works, not just the individual recipes. Last Sunday was one of those occasions when it all just seemed to come together. It also did so with very little fuss
We had our good friends David and Cathy over with their 'adopted' son Krishna and we just had Martha out of our brood.
We started with little crostini: a couple of dips from Skye Gyngell, a Jamie Oliver courgette spread 'Zucchini in padella' and some torn buffalo mozarella and baby tomatoes drizzled with olive oil.
To Start
Skye's mezze dips
btw this recipe makes tons ... you could easily halve it and still have loads left over
Roasted spice mix
All of the recipes use this blend of strong, vibrant flavours.
1-2 cinnamon sticks
50g/2oz coriander seeds
50g/2oz cumin seeds
50g/2oz fennel seeds
50g/2oz mustard seeds
50g/2oz fenugreek seeds
5 cardamom pods
2-3 star anise (or cloves)
Place a dry, heavy-based frying pan (preferably non-stick) over a low heat. Break the cinnamon sticks in half. Once a clear smoke begins to rise from your pan, add all the spices and cook, stirring frequently, to toast them. Be careful not to burn them, though, as this will give a bitter taste. Once the seeds begin to pop, they are ready. Remove from the heat and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Roasted tomato and red pepper purée
This rustic purée sits happily on the mezze plate, but is also lovely served with grilled, firm-fleshed white fish or chicken.
Serves 4
4 red peppers
2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 red chillies, sliced
Bunch of coriander, washed
1 tbsp roasted spice mix
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
125ml/4fl oz plain yoghurt
1/2 bunch of mint, leaves only
Heat the oven to 100C/220F/Gas 1/4. Halve, core and deseed the red peppers, removing all the white pith. Put in a roasting pan with the onion, garlic, tomatoes and chillies.
Separate the coriander leaves and set aside; finely chop the roots and stems and scatter over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the spice mix and dried mint, then drizzle over the oil and vinegar. Season and toss to mix. Slow-roast for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the red peppers are soft and slightly caramelised.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature, then whizz in a blender with yoghurt, mint and the coriander leaves until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning – it will need salt.
Beetroot purée
This vivid purée is a staple in our mezze plate. Its zing allows it to stand proudly on its own, too, so it's worth making extra. I love it simply spread on toast, and with griddled scallops. If you buy ready-cooked beetroot, make sure it is plainly cooked, not boiled in vinegar.
Serves 6
11/2kg/3lb cooked beetroot, peeled (I bought pre-cooked and vacuum packed from waitrose)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large red chilli
Bunch of coriander, washed
1/2 bunch of mint, leaves only
1 tbsp grated fresh horseradish
1 tbsp roasted spice mix
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, or to taste
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
125ml thick Greek-style yoghurt
Sea salt
Place the beetroot in a blender with the garlic and chilli. Chop the coriander roots and stems and add to the blender with the mint, horseradish, spice mix, balsamic and oil. Blend really well to smooth purée.
Add the yoghurt and pulse quickly, once or twice. Taste for seasoning – it will need salt to bring all the flavours together. You may also need a few more drops of balsamic vinegar – it needs a sharp edge.
Zucchini in padella
ingredients
3 firm medium zucchini, sliced into half-inch pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1/2 a fresh chili, sliced, or 1 small dried red chili, crumbled
handful of fresh marjoram or oregano, leaves picked, or 1tsp dried oregano
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 good-quality anchovy fillets, in olive oil
zest and juice of half a lemon, in separate bowls
sprig of fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped
Method
Glug some olive oil in a pan on medium heat.
Add garlic and chili. After 30 seconds, add zucchini and herbs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Make sure your pan's not too hot -- you don't want the zucchini to cook too quickly.
Mix it all up and cover with a lid slightly ajar to hold some steam in. Give pan a little shake every couple of minutes for the next 10 to 12 minutes.
For the last 2 minutes of cooking, add anchovies and lemon zest.
Once anchovies have melted, season to taste, add a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the chili and seasoning.
Serve right away with chopped mint.
The main event
after we had polished off the crostini/dips with a couple of bottles of prosecco we moved on to the star turn which was a butterflied leg of lamb grilled River cafe style.
We accompanied this with salsa verde, asparagus in milk and anchovy sauce, green beans and roast potatoes from Lucca.
nb the salsa verde recipe I used here is hand chopped and leaves out the usual anchovies.
We washed it down with a bottle of Il Bruciato 2007 from Bolgheri
Ingredients
1 leg of spring lamb about 2.25kg in weight boned and butterflied
5 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
2 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
a good pinch of coarsely ground black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sea salt
Method
Mix the crushed garlic, rosemary and pepper in a bowl and rub into the cut side of the meat. Place the meat in a shallow dish and pour over the lemon juice and olive oil. Turn the meat over a couple of times to make sure it is coated then cover.
Leave to marinate at room temperature overnight or for at least 4 hours turning the meat occasionally.
Preheat a grill to very high. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry. Season with salt. Carefully place the meat on the grill and seal on both sides. Lower the heat and continue to grill until the desired degree of pinkness turning once.
Allow at least 8-10 minutes per side.
hand chopped Salsa verde
ingredients
1 1/2 tbsp capers
1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
bunch of flat leaf parsley
handful of rocket leaves
10 mint leaves
200ml extra virgin olive oil
method
roughly chop the capers and place them in a bowl with the garlic, mustard and wine vinegar.
Wash the herbs and leaves and chop finely. Add to the bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour over the olive oil and stir to combine.
asparagus with anchovy and milk
Ingredients
30 spears of asparagus
sauce
6 anchovy fillets(1/2 a small tin)
grated peel of 1 lemon (I do mine on a microplane but a grater will do)
1 small dried chilli (or ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes)
1 garlic clove (peeled and crushed with a little salt)
125ml whole milk
4 tbs ex virgin olive oil
method
Put the anchovies, lemon peel, chilli and garlic into a food processor and chop briefly.
Add the milk and pulse to make a smooth sauce.
Pour into a bowl and stir in the olive oil until it emulsifies. It should be a lovely thick runny consistency.
Boil the asparagus in salted water until al dente (about 5 minutes) don’t overcook there’s nothing worse than squidgy asparagus.
Drain well. Serve on a warm seving plate with the sauce dribbled over liberally and whatever is left over on the side .
Roast potatoes from Lucca (River Cafe Classic)
ingredients
1.5kg waxy potatoes
1 medium red onion peeled
6 garlic clove, peeled and kept whole
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs fresh sage
120ml dry white wine
100ml ex virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
method
Pre heat oven to 200c
peel potatoes and slice into very fine slices (5mm) use a mandoline if you can.
Put them in cold water to wash off excess starch, drain and pat dry and then put in a large mixing bowl.
finely slice the red onion and, keeping the garlic cloves whole just press them to partly crush them. Wash the herbs and pull the leaves from the woody stems.. Add the onion, garlic and herbs to the bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss well to make sure the potatoes and herbs are coated with the oil and wine.
choose a baking tray that will fit all the potatoes in spread in not too thick a layer (but not too thin or they will burn at the edges). Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 25 mins.
Remove the foil , then, using the back of a large spoon or a potato masher, breakup the potatoes and herbs to make a rough mash. Drizzle with olive oil.
Return the tray to the hot oven and roast for a further 30-45 mins, until the potatoes are brown and crsip and still light and fluffy underneath.
Green beans
boil them in salted water drizzle with good olive oil
We had our good friends David and Cathy over with their 'adopted' son Krishna and we just had Martha out of our brood.
We started with little crostini: a couple of dips from Skye Gyngell, a Jamie Oliver courgette spread 'Zucchini in padella' and some torn buffalo mozarella and baby tomatoes drizzled with olive oil.
To Start
Skye's mezze dips
btw this recipe makes tons ... you could easily halve it and still have loads left over
Roasted spice mix
All of the recipes use this blend of strong, vibrant flavours.
1-2 cinnamon sticks
50g/2oz coriander seeds
50g/2oz cumin seeds
50g/2oz fennel seeds
50g/2oz mustard seeds
50g/2oz fenugreek seeds
5 cardamom pods
2-3 star anise (or cloves)
Place a dry, heavy-based frying pan (preferably non-stick) over a low heat. Break the cinnamon sticks in half. Once a clear smoke begins to rise from your pan, add all the spices and cook, stirring frequently, to toast them. Be careful not to burn them, though, as this will give a bitter taste. Once the seeds begin to pop, they are ready. Remove from the heat and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Roasted tomato and red pepper purée
This rustic purée sits happily on the mezze plate, but is also lovely served with grilled, firm-fleshed white fish or chicken.
Serves 4
4 red peppers
2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 red chillies, sliced
Bunch of coriander, washed
1 tbsp roasted spice mix
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
125ml/4fl oz plain yoghurt
1/2 bunch of mint, leaves only
Heat the oven to 100C/220F/Gas 1/4. Halve, core and deseed the red peppers, removing all the white pith. Put in a roasting pan with the onion, garlic, tomatoes and chillies.
Separate the coriander leaves and set aside; finely chop the roots and stems and scatter over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the spice mix and dried mint, then drizzle over the oil and vinegar. Season and toss to mix. Slow-roast for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the red peppers are soft and slightly caramelised.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature, then whizz in a blender with yoghurt, mint and the coriander leaves until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning – it will need salt.
Beetroot purée
This vivid purée is a staple in our mezze plate. Its zing allows it to stand proudly on its own, too, so it's worth making extra. I love it simply spread on toast, and with griddled scallops. If you buy ready-cooked beetroot, make sure it is plainly cooked, not boiled in vinegar.
Serves 6
11/2kg/3lb cooked beetroot, peeled (I bought pre-cooked and vacuum packed from waitrose)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large red chilli
Bunch of coriander, washed
1/2 bunch of mint, leaves only
1 tbsp grated fresh horseradish
1 tbsp roasted spice mix
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, or to taste
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
125ml thick Greek-style yoghurt
Sea salt
Place the beetroot in a blender with the garlic and chilli. Chop the coriander roots and stems and add to the blender with the mint, horseradish, spice mix, balsamic and oil. Blend really well to smooth purée.
Add the yoghurt and pulse quickly, once or twice. Taste for seasoning – it will need salt to bring all the flavours together. You may also need a few more drops of balsamic vinegar – it needs a sharp edge.
Zucchini in padella
ingredients
3 firm medium zucchini, sliced into half-inch pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1/2 a fresh chili, sliced, or 1 small dried red chili, crumbled
handful of fresh marjoram or oregano, leaves picked, or 1tsp dried oregano
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 good-quality anchovy fillets, in olive oil
zest and juice of half a lemon, in separate bowls
sprig of fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped
Method
Glug some olive oil in a pan on medium heat.
Add garlic and chili. After 30 seconds, add zucchini and herbs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Make sure your pan's not too hot -- you don't want the zucchini to cook too quickly.
Mix it all up and cover with a lid slightly ajar to hold some steam in. Give pan a little shake every couple of minutes for the next 10 to 12 minutes.
For the last 2 minutes of cooking, add anchovies and lemon zest.
Once anchovies have melted, season to taste, add a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the chili and seasoning.
Serve right away with chopped mint.
The main event
after we had polished off the crostini/dips with a couple of bottles of prosecco we moved on to the star turn which was a butterflied leg of lamb grilled River cafe style.
We accompanied this with salsa verde, asparagus in milk and anchovy sauce, green beans and roast potatoes from Lucca.
nb the salsa verde recipe I used here is hand chopped and leaves out the usual anchovies.
We washed it down with a bottle of Il Bruciato 2007 from Bolgheri
Ingredients
1 leg of spring lamb about 2.25kg in weight boned and butterflied
5 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
2 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
a good pinch of coarsely ground black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sea salt
Method
Mix the crushed garlic, rosemary and pepper in a bowl and rub into the cut side of the meat. Place the meat in a shallow dish and pour over the lemon juice and olive oil. Turn the meat over a couple of times to make sure it is coated then cover.
Leave to marinate at room temperature overnight or for at least 4 hours turning the meat occasionally.
Preheat a grill to very high. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry. Season with salt. Carefully place the meat on the grill and seal on both sides. Lower the heat and continue to grill until the desired degree of pinkness turning once.
Allow at least 8-10 minutes per side.
hand chopped Salsa verde
ingredients
1 1/2 tbsp capers
1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
bunch of flat leaf parsley
handful of rocket leaves
10 mint leaves
200ml extra virgin olive oil
method
roughly chop the capers and place them in a bowl with the garlic, mustard and wine vinegar.
Wash the herbs and leaves and chop finely. Add to the bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour over the olive oil and stir to combine.
asparagus with anchovy and milk
Ingredients
30 spears of asparagus
sauce
6 anchovy fillets(1/2 a small tin)
grated peel of 1 lemon (I do mine on a microplane but a grater will do)
1 small dried chilli (or ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes)
1 garlic clove (peeled and crushed with a little salt)
125ml whole milk
4 tbs ex virgin olive oil
method
Put the anchovies, lemon peel, chilli and garlic into a food processor and chop briefly.
Add the milk and pulse to make a smooth sauce.
Pour into a bowl and stir in the olive oil until it emulsifies. It should be a lovely thick runny consistency.
Boil the asparagus in salted water until al dente (about 5 minutes) don’t overcook there’s nothing worse than squidgy asparagus.
Drain well. Serve on a warm seving plate with the sauce dribbled over liberally and whatever is left over on the side .
Roast potatoes from Lucca (River Cafe Classic)
ingredients
1.5kg waxy potatoes
1 medium red onion peeled
6 garlic clove, peeled and kept whole
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs fresh sage
120ml dry white wine
100ml ex virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
method
Pre heat oven to 200c
peel potatoes and slice into very fine slices (5mm) use a mandoline if you can.
Put them in cold water to wash off excess starch, drain and pat dry and then put in a large mixing bowl.
finely slice the red onion and, keeping the garlic cloves whole just press them to partly crush them. Wash the herbs and pull the leaves from the woody stems.. Add the onion, garlic and herbs to the bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss well to make sure the potatoes and herbs are coated with the oil and wine.
choose a baking tray that will fit all the potatoes in spread in not too thick a layer (but not too thin or they will burn at the edges). Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 25 mins.
Remove the foil , then, using the back of a large spoon or a potato masher, breakup the potatoes and herbs to make a rough mash. Drizzle with olive oil.
Return the tray to the hot oven and roast for a further 30-45 mins, until the potatoes are brown and crsip and still light and fluffy underneath.
Green beans
boil them in salted water drizzle with good olive oil
Comments