But it. Try it. Cavolo Nero

We have all found ourselves browsing around a little market or even the local supermarket and happen upon an ingredient we'd like to try, but then the culinary chicken in us raises its ugly head. Do I know what to do with it? Do I have a recipe? Which cookbook was it in? Hmmm best leave it today.

This weekend I took the vegetables by the horns and grabbed a bunch of cavolo nero. A deep green leaf I associate with Italian dishes. I promised myself I would not let it end up wasted and with a bit of a rummage through my arsenal of cookbooks, I found a simple recipe that needed neither tonnes of ingredients nor half day off work to prepare.

CONCHIGLIE AL CAVOLO NERO or as its known down our road 'pasta shells'. I found this recipe in 'The River Cafe Cookbook' by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. I have thumbed my way through this book a hundred times. Some recipes catch your eye and some go unnoticed. If I hadn't had this particular ingredient I would never of tried it. It was a wonderfully comforting dish. The sauce is rich with the flavour of garlic. It's the perfect example of Italian simplicity. You will make this again and again. There are only 6 ingredients therefore, at the risk of sounding like a nag, please please buy a block of good Parmesan and grate it your self. Ready grated takes a lot away from the flavour and dried is just wrong.

Ingredients

- 900g cavolo nero

- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

- 300ml (10fl oz) double cream

- 7 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3-2 dried chillies, crumbled

- 150g Parmesan, freshly grated

- 250g conchiglie

Remove the tough stalks from each leaf of cavolo nero, and cut each piece into 3 or 4 pieces. Blanch in boiling salted water for a few minutes only, until tender and bright green. Drain and dry.

Put the double cream and 5 whole garlic cloves into a pan and simmer gently until the garlic is soft. Purée in a blender. Be careful the cream does not catch in the pan or the bottom will be a gorgeous brown sludge. 

In a separate pan heat the olive oil and fry the remaining 2 cloves of garlic, cut into thin slices, and the chilli. When the garlic has started to colour, add the cavolo nero, stir and season. Pour in the cream/garlic purée and simmer for 5 minutes, until the cavolo nero is coated and the sauce has thickened. Add the Parmesan.

Whilst all this is going on boil the pasta in a generous amount of boiling salted water. Drain thoroughly. Add to the sauce and mix well.

Tuck in with some crusty bread

Smokey BBQ Burger Sauce

A few days ago I managed to sneak in what I imagine will be the last BBQ of the summer. Truth be told it was a little chilly and a lot dark. None the less, a star emerged for this final farewell to al fresco dining. I made pork burgers following Mr Ramsays slider recipe and very nice they were too. The smokey BBQ sauce/relish that accompanied this recipe was a keeper though.
I will admit that the compulsion to 'just have another taste', almost left us with nothing but a bottle of ketchup for the burgers. This is dangerously moorish. Spicy, smokey, sweet and sour. I cannot stop thinking of reasons to make it. I did manage to reign it in at the last minute thankfully.
I am not really sure whether to call it a sauce or a relish. Sauce, in my mind, has dippability and relish a far chunkier affair altogether. I guess it's somewhere in between. I was unable to come up with a witty mix of the words sauce and relish, luckily sparing us all that cringey moment.
The key is the paprika, it has to be smoked. That's where the wonderful flavour comes from. I used hot smoked paprika and it had a really nice heat to the sauce. If you would rather a milder version try using sweet smoked paprika instead.

Ingredients:

- Olive oil for frying
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 tbsp tomato ketchup
- freshly ground pepper and sea salt

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion, garlic, sugar and seasoning. Fry this for 5 minutes then add the smoked paprika, stir and cook for 10-15 minutes until the onion has caramelised. Add the vinegar and let this cook out for just a couple of minutes. Finally add the Worcestershire and ketchup and cook for a further 8 minutes until dropping consistency.

Obviously this can be made in advance.

Give this recipe a go. It's so easy to make so what if it doesn't really go in your cheese sandwich.

No Work JERK

My first taste of Jerk was in Jamaica. I was 20 and the package'tastic hotel we were staying in seemed to serve jerk chicken every other evening. I hadn't experienced any spicy food at this time, so my first impression was 'to hot and to often'. Since then my favourite Caribbean dish was always 'Salt fish and ackee'. That was until a few years ago, when I was 'lucky' enough to get stranded in Barbados for eleven days by that pesky ash cloud. My accommodation was room only and eating out every night was proving expensive. I became a regular with the roadside food stalls. I learnt that a flying fish burger is a fantastic hangover cure and that a well marinaded bbq'd chunk of jerk lamb, devoured on a street bench watching the world go by was savoury heaven. The slightly sour, slightly sweet and spicy caramelised outside and pink juicy centre. I could rarely stop myself going back for more.

I wanted to recreate that taste at home and started to research recipes. Dry rub or wet marinade. Which should I go for? I went wet! I couldn't believe quite how simple this was to make. Did it compare with the street vendors version? It was lacking the warm Caribbean evening breeze and the dancehall music blasting from a nearby bar, but that aside I liked it a lot.

I went for chicken for my taste test meat but pork, steak and especially lamb are all great alternatives.

Firstly whizz:
 - 1 medium onion, quartered
 - 1 garlic clove, halved
 - 2 scotch bonnet chillies, quartered and deseeded                                                                               in a food processor just until they are roughly chopped. If you like it hot add another chilli. I do not recommend handling the chillies unless your used to it. You can use plastic gloves or my method of using plastic kitchen tongs to hold the chilli was highly successful.
Next add:
 - 80ml(1/3cup) soy sauce
 - 60ml(1/4cup) cider or red wine vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
 - 1 tbsp of light brown sugar
 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
 - 1 tsp ground allspice
 - 1 tsp dried thyme
 - 1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
 - 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Process to a coarse paste. Cover the meat and marinade for 6 hours or overnight if possible. BBQ or grill, low and slow.

DON'T FORGET THE RED STRIPE!!!

PS Other beers are available. I know because I have just seen 'Banks' on offer in Tesco

PPS Other supermarkets are available

To Buy Or Not To Buy - HUMMUS

        Versitile and healthy, a dip and a spread, I can always find ways to use up any hummus I have knocking around my fridge. But is it really worth going to the effort of making your own hummus. For me it's the total opposite of Marmite, I neither love nor hate it. The only time I have ever really been wowed by a hummus was in my favourite Turkish eatery 'Troy', on City rd. They import, I've been reliably informed, white chickpeas from Turkey. It completely blows away any shop bought or even deli counter competitor.
        Still , after hand peeling roughly 130 chickpeas this evening, I feel a little more justified than I did 3 hours ago to comment on task v taste. I am aware that at least some of you have instantly lost all interest in anything other than 'she peeled them???' I did indeed. This was down to watching the human teddy bear, that is Simon Hopkinson recently, who insisted peeling is perfection as far as hummus goes,.This notion was like fly paper to me and I knew there was only one way to free myself.
        Looking at the mound of tini tiny balls in my sieve, I certainly wasn't excited by the task ahead. Heroically I dived in. I could see nothing but beige and my mind wandered away. They were far easier to peel than I imagined and with a quick grab and pinch, I settled into the task, hips swaying side to side as the pile of skins slowly grew larger and the end was in site. The purpose of this is to create a hummus with a smoother texture.
        To be fair, if I hadn't peeled the chickpeas this recipe would hardly of involved any effort at all. It called for jarred chickpeas and you really need to buy the best you can get your hands on. There are very few ingredients and the better they are the more flavour the hummus will have. Pick up a posh jar of chickpeas the next time you pop into a deli somewhere, perhaps a good tahini too.
        Drain the chickpeas and reserve their liquid. Weigh out 230g of chickpeas and get peeling. I would suggest singing Queens 'don't stop me now'. Place the chickpeas in a food processor with 1/2 tsp of ground cumin, some of the oil from the top of the tahini jar, 75g of the brown tahini paste, 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice and one clove of garlic crushed to a paste. Roughly chop the garlic clove then add 1 tsp of coarse sea salt, carefully use the side of a wide knife to squash the garlic, place your finger on one side of the blade and rub over the garlic. Whizz all the ingredients. Mine was to dry and this is when I added some of the chickpea juice, a little at a time until I had the correct consistency. Be cautious as you can always add more but you can't take it out if its to runny.
        To serve, spoon the hummus into your dish of choice. With a spoon swirl around the middle of the hummus, creating a wall around the edge (see about picture), drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with some cayenne pepper.
       So, to peel or not to peel? The hummus was beautifully smooth and a real treat. I would definitely go through the effort whenever I had the time. There may have been alot of them but they were very easy to peel and it didn't take to long.  More so the flavour and texture of homemade hummus is far more pleasurable than those plastic tubs from the supermarkets. There's only one thing for it. I will have to make it again with the skins on.  If it still tastes much better I may never buy ready made again
       

Homemade flatbreads to feel smug about

Once I had got it into my head to attempt making my own flatbreads for Fridays BBQ, I just couldn't wait. I didn't need to buy any ingredients, they were all things I had at home and having marinated the meat the previous evening, no shopping trip was required............or so I thought. What I had neglected to get were some back up wraps. Suddenly my attempt at naan breads flashed before me. The 2 inch thick house bricks. Oh dear. A sinking feeling filled my soul just as all shops were closing. I took a deep breath and concentrated on how the dough I had already mixed and kneaded felt right. Wait I had nothing to compare it to. I shook the last thought from my head. If  they didn't go well we were just having some meat and dip. OK stop lets think positively. Right well no pressure then.

I had started the dough by placing 500g of plain flour, 1tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar and 1tsp of fast action yeast into a bowl and mixed well. Then I heated 100ml of full fat milk until lukewarm then added 150ml of natural yoghurt and 50g of melted butter. I slowly added the warm milk mixture to the flour and mixed until it all came together. The recipe said to add an extra slash of milk if needed, but as yoghurt proved difficult to measure and I probably added a little extra, I didn't need the milk. I kneaded the dough for about five minutes until springy. Then leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

The dough will make about 8 breads depending on the size of each. Divide the dough into balls, cover and leave for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat a moderate grill and a large baking tray. Roll each ball into a rough teardrop shape. Place on the baking tray and sprinkle with sesame seeds. As this was my first attempt I discovered something the recipe didn't mention. Roll them as thin as you dare. My first 2, as they fit 2 at a time on the tray, were a tad thick. In fact not even a cm. The next 2 were a bit thinner and it was hit and miss whether I could get them to the baking tray but the dough is really stretchy and they made it in one piece. They roughly took about 10 minutes under the grill but don't take my word for it and keep an eye on them.

They were so much fresher and more satisfying than shop bought and I really hope this recipe doesn't come across as complicated in any way, as it was practically 'wally proof', which I found very handy indeed.

I served them with the Lamb Souvlaki from my previous post,  however they are perfect for any meats, or dips OR ANYTHING! I am a fan if you hadn't guessed. I plan to make them again and again until I am quite the expert. A great staple recipe and I am a little smug.

Thank you John Torode for this one. What a guy

LAMB SOUVLAKI

Here's one for the BBQ

Easy! If you can, start marinating the day before for ultimate flavour.

Tenderise 4 x juicy lamb rump steaks in 1 tbsp of salt, thyme leaves from 2 sprigs and the juice from 2 lemons and leave it for a couple of hours. I used a freezer bag for this.

Next put-
250ml of natural yogurt
2 deseeded red chillies
2 cloves of garlic
1tbsp cinnamon
Half tsp each of ground cloves, turmeric and cardamom
And a small bunch coriander leaves into a food processor, season and whizz to a paste.

Place the lamb in a dish and pour over the marinade. Get your hands in and make sure it's well covered and chill overnight. 4 hours minimum in a total BBQ emergency.

That's it!

Get your BBQ nice and hot and as soon as the coals are white sear it on the hottest bit then move to a slightly cooler part to cook. Timing will depend on the thickness of the steaks. its hard to get chunky ones in the supermarkets so try your butcher. Ideally I would say just pink in the middle but that's your call. Rest the lamb before cutting.

Serve with flatbreads, hummus, tzatziki and some pickled chillies or whatever takes your fancy. Cooking this again Friday and attempting my own flatbreads so check back for the recipe (if it works).

YUMMERS

BUTT CHICKEN WITH CAJUN SPICES

I have been aware of beer can chicken for some time and the novelty factor has always made me want to give it a go.. Its not clever but I can't help but smirk at the sight of a chicken sat upright. It's not classy but it very cute, besides this blog is less about fine dining and more about home cooking. So if you are a bit to grown up to find  a chicken with a can of beer up its bum even the slightest bit endearing then remove the can before serving!!!!!

First of all the Cajun seasoning. I decided to make half the volume, I still had a fair bit left over which will store well in an air tight container and is great for wedges or most meats. Obviously if you are an American or indeed anyone who has a great cajun seasoning recipe, do use your own. but if your're Joe public in Britain here is the full recipe. I guess you could try and use supermarket brand but I would be concerned it may end up lacking in flavour. Let me know if you do.

Cajun seasoning

- 2 tbsp ground paprika
- 1 -2 tbsp good sea salt
- 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp cayenne
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
- 1 tsp dried roasted chilli flakes

Spoon all the ingredients into a clean jar. put the lid on, and shake well to combine everything thoroughly. Whizz into a powder in a mini chopper.

Recipe-

- 1 x 1.5kg chicken
- 1 x 440ml can of beer or lager
- 3 bay leaves
- a large sprig or two of fresh thyme
- 1 spring onion
- 3 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed
- 1/2 red jalapeno chilli ( I could only get green)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 25g unsalted butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
-1 tbsp cajun seasoning ( see above)

Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/gas mark 6. Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper. Open the beer can and take a sip. Then shove the bay leaves, thyme,spring onions garlic and jalapeno (my keyboard doesn't have the squiggle above the n) into the can. Stand it in a roasting tray, then push the chicken down onto the can. Most of it should go into the chicken and you can use the legs to help it balance.

Mix together the olive oil, cajun seasoning and cumin. brush it all over the chicken. roast in the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times with the olive oil mixture. The steam from the beer will cook the chicken faster than a usual roast so if your are using a smaller chicken adjust the time accordingly to avoid over cooking.

When cooked remove the chicken from the can and set aside. tip the contents of the can into the tray and cook over a high heat for until reduced by two thirds, then stir in the butter. Serve with a nice homemade colslaw.

CSI TOP TIP - Take care firstly putting the chicken in the oven, it will need support not to topple over and secondly and more importantly when removing the chicken from the oven as you could spill hot beer on yourself.

As always - stunning presentation ha ha!

I got this recipe from ' Leon family and freinds' by Kay Plunkett Hodge and John Vincent