Ottolenghi’s Courgette and Manouri Fritters

 Ottolenghi’s Courgette and Manouri Fritters

Ingredients

3            3 medium courgettes (580g), trimmed and coarsely grated

2            small shallots (50g), finely chopped

2            garlic cloves, crushed

finely grated zest of 2 limes

60g        self-raising flour

2            eggs, lightly beaten

2½ tsp  ground coriander

1½ tsp  ground cardamom

150g     manouri (or halloumi or feta), roughly broken into 1–2cm chunks

about 150ml              sunflower oil, for frying

coarse sea salt and black pepper

For the lime and cardamom soured cream:

200ml   soured cream

5g          coriander, roughly chopped

½ tsp     ground cardamom

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

Method

1 Mix together all the ingredients for the soured cream sauce in a small bowl, along with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

 

2 Place the grated courgettes in a colander and sprinkle over 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside for 10 minutes, then squeeze them to remove most of the liquid: you want the courgettes to keep a little bit of moisture, so don’t squeeze them completely dry. Transfer to a large bowl and add the shallots, garlic, lime zest, flour, eggs, ground coriander, cardamom and a grind of black pepper. Mix well to form a uniform batter, then fold in the manouri cheese gently so it doesn’t break up much.

 

3 Pour enough oil into a large frying pan so it rises 2–3mm up the sides and place on a medium heat. Once hot, add 4 separate heaped dessertspoons of mixture to the pan, spacing them well apart and flattening each fritter slightly with the flat side of a slotted spoon as they cook. Cook for 6 minutes (or according to the cooking instructions above, if your fritters are quenelles), turning once halfway through, until golden and crisp on both sides. Transfer to a kitchen paper-lined plate and keep somewhere warm while you continue with the remaining two batches. Place 3 fritters on each plate and serve at once, with the sauce alongside or in a bowl on the side.

by Yotam Ottolenghi, Ramael Scully from NOPI: The Cookbook

 Lamb Steaks 

🕘Prep: 35 mins

Cook:1 hrs 

🍳Easy

🍽Serves 4

This tender and smoky grilled leg of lamb is a memorable centerpiece of a summer barbecue.

Ingredients

4 (12- to 14-ounce) cross-cut lamb leg steaks (about 3/4 inch thick)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Garlic-Caper Vinaigrette

Marsala Cipollini Onions, warm or at room temperature

Pistachio Gremolata

Directions

Place steaks on a work surface. Using a meat tenderizer or fork, poke steaks all over until well tenderized (or ask your butcher to tenderize the steaks). Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

1.       Meanwhile, open bottom and top vents of a charcoal grill completely. Light charcoal chimney starter filled with briquettes. When briquettes are covered with gray ash, pour in an even layer on bottom of grill. Place lamb steaks on oiled grate; grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, to desired degree of doneness, about 10 minutes for medium. Transfer to a platter; let rest 10 minutes.

2.       To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons Garlic-Caper Vinaigrette over each steak. Top evenly with Marsala Cipollini Onions, syrup from onions, and Pistachio Gremolata. Serve immediately

By Ian Wortham

Fish tacos

 

Fish tacos

🕘Prep:20 mins

Cook:10 mins

🍳Easy

🍽Serves 4

Pack in the flavour and lots of veg in this easy fish tacos recipe. It's an easy way to get your family eating more fish, and one portion counts as three of their 5-a-day

Ingredients

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 limes

500g white fish fillets, such as cod, haddock, pollack or tilapia, skin and bones removed

¼ red cabbage

2 large tomatoes

2 large avocados

2 tbsp vegetable oil

8 small corn or wheat tortilla wraps

small bunch coriander, chopped

1 green chilli, finely sliced, optional

100g soured cream

chilli sauce, to serve

Method

STEP 1

Combine the cumin, coriander, paprika and a generous pinch of salt in a large bowl, add the juice from 1 lime and mix well. Toss the fish fillets in the spiced lime paste and set aside while you prepare the salad.

STEP 2

Finely slice the cabbage – you can do this by hand or in a food processor if you want it really fine – squeeze over the juice from half a lime and season with a little salt, scrunch the salt and lime into the cabbage and set aside. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces. Stone the avocado, scoop out the soft inside and slice, or if it’s a very ripe avocado you may want to mash it in a bowl with a little lime and salt. Keep all the salad ingredients separate on a board.

STEP 3

Heat the grill to high. Line a baking tray with foil and brush with a little oil, place the fish fillets on the tray, pour over any paste from the bowl and brush with a little more oil. Cook the fish close to the grill for 8-10 mins until the fish is cooked and starting to scorch in places, to check its cooked, gently push one of the fillets, it should easily flake when cooked.

STEP 4

If you have a gas hob, warm the tortillas directly over the flames with a pair of tongs for a charred finish. Alternatively, wrap in foil and warm in the oven on the shelf beneath the fish.

STEP 5

To serve, spread a little soured cream over each warm tortilla, top with a handful of cabbage, some tomatoes and a few slices of avocado. Flake the fish and add a few big chunks to each tortilla then top with coriander, chilli and chilli sauce.

Roast Duck

Roast Duck 

🕘Prep:5 mins

Cook:1 hr

plus 20 mins resting

🍳Easy

🍽Serves 4

Try roast duck as an easy alternative to the usual turkey dinner on Christmas Day. A sticky Seville orange and marmalade glaze makes it even more festive

Ingredients

1 oven-ready duck, about 2 kg

2 oranges, halved

60g Seville orange marmalad

Method

STEP 1

Expose and cut out the wishbone. This makes the duck easier to carve once cooked. A butcher can do this for you.

STEP 2

Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Lightly score the skin on the duck all over, and make a deep cut from inside the body into each leg.

STEP 3

Season the duck well. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a low heat. Place the duck on its side with the thigh touching the pan for 15 mins. Turn and cook on the other side for 15 mins more.

STEP 4

Turn the duck breast-side down, then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 5 mins. Drain the fat from the pan, turn the duck onto its back and continue to cook for 15 minutes.

STEP 5

Meanwhile, cut both oranges in half, then cut 4 wedges from half an orange. Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat, then cook the orange wedges in the dry pan for 1 min on each side to lightly caramelise.

STEP 6

Remove the orange wedges from the pan and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the remaining orange halves into the hot pan and reduce by half. Add the marmalade, take off the heat, add 1 tbsp water and stir together.

STEP 7

After 15 mins of roasting, brush the marmalade glaze over and continue to roast for a final 10 mins. Rest for 20 mins.

STEP 8

Carve by cutting the leg and thigh away, then separating the leg from the thigh. Carve slices of breast and serve with the orange wedges to squeeze over.

   By Raymond Blanc

Bolognese

Bolognese 

🕘Prep:25 mins

Cook:1 hr and 30 mins

🍳Easy

🍽Serves 12

Whip up a huge batch of bolognese that's fit to feed a hungry crowd, or freeze half for a speedy midweek meal

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

6 smoked bacon rashers, chopped

4 onions, finely chopped

3 carrots, finely chopped

4 celery sticks, finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp dried mixed herbs

2 bay leaves

500g mushrooms, sliced

1½ kg lean minced beef (or use half beef, half pork mince)

6 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

6 tbsp tomato purée

large glass red wine (optional)

4 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

parmesan, to serve

Method

STEP 1

Heat the oil in a very large saucepan. Gently cook the bacon, onions, carrots and celery for 20 mins until golden. Add the garlic, herbs, bay and mushrooms, then cook for 2 mins more.

STEP 2

Heat a large frying pan until really hot. Crumble in just enough mince to cover the pan, cook until brown, then tip in with the veg. Continue to fry the mince in batches until used up. Tip the tomatoes and purée in with the mince and veg. Rinse the cans out with the red wine, if you have some, or with a little water, then add to the pan with the vinegar and sugar. Season generously and bring to a simmer. Simmer slowly for 1 hr until thick and saucy and the mince is tender. Serve with pasta and parmesan.

By Barney Desmazery 

 

Pizza baked potato

 

Pizza baked potato 

🕘Prep:5 mins

Cook:1 hr and 45 mins

🍳Easy

🍽Serves 4

This budget-friendly supper combines two favourites in one dish. Top your jacket spuds with cheese, tomato, pepperoni and basil

Ingredients

4 baking potatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

½ red onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

60g pack sliced pepperoni, torn

400g can chopped tomato

½ small pack basil leaves, shredded

100g grated mozzarella

Method

STEP 1

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Scrub the potatoes and dry well, then prick several times with a fork. Bake directly on the oven shelf for 1-1½ hrs, until they feel soft. If you are short of time, prick each potato with a fork, wrap in a sheet of kitchen paper and microwave on High for 8-10 mins until soft inside.

 

STEP 2

While the potatoes cook, heat the oil in a small pan and sauté the onion for 5 mins to soften. Stir in the garlic and pepperoni, and cook for 1-2 mins, then add the chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins. Season and stir in half the basil. Spoon over the split potatoes and top each one with a good handful of cheese and the rest of the basil.

By Katy Greenwood

Mussels

 

                      Mussels  

🕘Prep:15 mins

Cook:5 mins

🍳Easy

British mussels are cheap, sustainable and surprisingly simple to cook. Follow Mary Cadogan’s step-by-step guide to preparing mussels

Ingredients

1kg mussels, in shells

small glass white wine

1 shallot, finely chopped

chopped parsley, to serve

Method

STEP 1

Tip the mussels into the sink or a large bowl of cold water. Swish them around with your hands to wash them thoroughly. Use a small sharp knife to scrape off any barnacles attached to the shells. Discard any mussels with broken shells.

STEP 2

Pull off the beards using the knife to help you – they just need a good tug. The beard is the brown wispy bit hanging out of the join in the shells. Not all mussels will have beards.

STEP 3

If any mussels are open, tap them sharply against the side of the sink, worktop or with a knife. If they don’t close, discard them – they are dead and not edible.

STEP 4

Rinse the mussels again in fresh cold water to remove any bits of shell or barnacle, and drain in a colander. Tip the mussels into a large pan, then add the wine and chopped shallot. The pan should not be more than half full – the mussels need plenty of space to move around so that they cook thoroughly.

STEP 5

Set the pan over a high heat and cover tightly with a lid. When the pan starts to steam, cook the mussels for 3-4 mins, shaking the pan from time to time to ensure they cook evenly. They are cooked when the shells have opened. Mussels that have not opened are fine to eat if they can be easily opened.

STEP 6

Remove the pan from the heat to stop the mussels cooking any further. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, then spoon them into warmed bowls and pour over the pan juices.

By Mary Cadogan