Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Sticky miso chicken roasted on sesame butternut squash

Belinda

The perfect balance of salty and sweet, miso chicken is the absolute star in this recipe. Get creative with a simple switch of veg and herbs for a tasty new spin.

Serves 4

3 lb 3 oz (1.5 kg) butternut squash, skin scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
sea salt flakes
scallions (green onion) thinly sliced and cilantro (coriander) leaves, to serve

Sticky miso chicken
⅓ cup white miso paste (shiro)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)
2 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
5 oz boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and halved

Preheat oven to 425F (220°C)
Place squash, oil, sesame seeds and salt in a bowl and toss to coat. Place on a large baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Roast the pumpkin for 20 minutes.

To make the sticky miso chicken, place the miso, oil, soy, mirin, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside until ready to use.

When the pumpkin has cooked for the 20 minutes, top the pumpkin with the miso chicken and pour over any remaining miso marinade. Roast for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

To serve, divide between plates, sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and top with green onion and coriander.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegan

Roasted beetroot falafels with tahini sauce

Belinda

A delicious beet-inspired falafel recipe. Baked or broiled to maintain a wonderful, healthy, gluten-free, vegan falafel.

Makes 10

2 beetroots (just under tennis ball size)
2 large garlic cloves
250g (2 cups) cooked chickpeas
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
Tahini Sauce (to serve)

Ahead of time: Slice the rough neck/top off the beetroots and discard. Chop the remaining beetroot into cubes (1.5cm/half an inch cubed in size). Bake in the oven on a baking tray for about 45 minutes on a high heat. When done, take out and leave to cool until you are ready to make the falafels. This can be done ahead of time, or the night before when you are using the oven for something else.

When beetroot is ready…
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything has broken down. It doesn’t need to be pureed completely, just broken down into tiny pieces so that when you compress, everything binds together.
If it seems a little too crumbly then I recommend adding a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil. Moisture depends on how much the chickpeas have been drained or how the moisture level of the baked beetroot.
Roll into balls (a little smaller than golf balls in size).
Press the balls down into mini patty shapes.
Place onto a broiler tray and broil on a medium/low heat for about 8 minutes on each side. (You can also bake these in the oven as an alternative to grilling).
Serve right away.

This is really good served with this tahini sauce

Tahini Sauce

100ml tahini
50ml spring or filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
1 clove garlic

Crush the garlic.
Blend all ingredients together with a hand blender.
If you prefer to mix with a spoon, it works best by mixing a little water at a time. It might take a little longer to come together by hand, say 30 seconds, but is well worth the effort.

Do-ahead · Meat · Pasta

Classic Tuscan Lasagna

Belinda

This is the classic lasagna recipe, the same lasagna you would find on the table of many Tuscan and northern Italian families for Sunday lunch or Holiday feasts. No messing around with added ingredients, keep it traditional and make sure you have enough ground nutmeg in the bechamel sauce that you can taste it.

Serves 4 people

3lbs Tuscan Ragù see below for recipe
1 package Lasagna sheets about 4 portions of fresh pasta
2 cups Parmigiano cheese grated
For the Béchamel sauce:
4 cups whole Milk
½ cup Butter
½ cup Flour
Salt
Black Pepper
Ground fresh nutmeg

Prepare the Bechamel:
In a pot, melt the butter and add the flour. Mix until you get a paste and cook it for a minute or two until it gets thicker.
Add the room temperature or warm milk and turn down the heat. Mix occasionally, to melt the roux and to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pot.
Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until it gets thick enough to coat a spoon, then season with salt, black pepper and a pinch of ground nutmeg to taste.

Tuscan Ragu
1 cup Red Onion
1 cup Carrots
1 cup Celery
4 cups mixed Pork and Beef ground meat
4 Italian Sausages
28 oz peeled San Marzano tomatoes , canned
2 tablespoon Concentrated Tomato Paste
0.67 cup Red Wine
1 tablespoon Juniper berries (dried)
Beef Stock
6-8 Bay Leaves
4-6 tablespoon EVO Oil
2-4 teaspoon Sugar
Salt, Pepper
Start making the soffritto by finely chopping the onion, carrot and celery or if you don’t want chunks in the sauce, you can use a mixer until they’re finely shredded.
Add 4-5 tablespoon of EVO oil in a large pot and add the soffritto. Turn on the medium heat and cook until they become really soft (do not brown).
Add the ground meat and the sausages and turn the heat to high and cook until the meat changes color, then add salt and pepper to season the meat. Finally pour the wine and let evaporate the alcohol.
Purèe the San Marzano tomatoes in a blender, then turn the heat to low and add the pureed tomatoes to the pot. Add enough beef stock to cover all. Add also the concentrated tomato paste and mix.
Taste and season accordingly; if necessary, add some sugar to break the acidity of the tomatoes.
Finally, add the bay leaves and the juniper berries. Mix well with a wooden spoon and cover the pot with the lid. Let it simmer for at least 2 hours stirring every once in a while.
If the sauce reduces too much, add some more beef stock.
Notes
You can add ⅓ cup of milk 15 minutes before the cooking time ends to add more creaminess, break the acidity of the tomatoes and make the flavors more delicate.
You can let the sauce cool and then pour it into freezer bags or freezer containers and freeze for up to 2 months.

Assemble the layers for the lasagna:
Preheat the oven at 200°C (400°F).
Spread a thin layer of bechamel sauce on the bottom of the pan, cover with a layer of pasta, then a layer of Ragù sauce, a layer of bechamel sauce and grated Parmigiano.
Repeat the layers, pressing down a little bit when you add the pasta. When the pan is full, finish with a last layer of pasta, sauce and a generous amount of grated Parmigiano cheese. (You will probably have spare ragu sauce so freeze it for another lasagna.)
Bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 35-40 minutes. If the crust is not crunchy enough, finish with 3-4 minutes under the broiler.
If instead you notice the crust getting too brown before the cooking time is over, cover the pan loosely with foil.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Za’atar Spice and Green Tahini Sauce

Belinda

This is a healthy vegan side dish bursting with Middle Eastern flavor. Easy and delicious!
Allow 90 minutes roasting time

1 whole large cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon za’atar spice (or try dukkah) ( or try a mix of coriander, cumin and optional sumac)
1 cup water
1 Batch TAHINI SAUCE (go to recipe below)
Garnish with fresh herbs – parsley, dill and or mint, sprinkle with optional Aleppo chili flakes, drizzle with this the green Tahini sauce!

Preheat oven to 425F.

Trim the cauliflower – either cutting off the stem (easier) or leaving it intact, trimming and slicing the bottom so it stands up straight.

Place it in an ovenproof skillet or dutch oven. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil all over the cauliflower, sprinkle with salt and za’atar spice. Pour one cup of water into the bottom of the pan.

Cover tightly with the lid or foil and bake for 45-60 minutes- or until tender all the way to the middle, when pierced with a knife. Smaller cauliflower heads may only take 45 minutes, larger can take up to 60.

Make the Everyday Tahini Sauce! Follow the link to the recipe.

Very carefully take the lid or foil off, minding the hot steam (it will burn!). Drizzle with a little more olive oil, place back in the oven for 30 minutes, perhaps rotating halfway through. At this point it should be deeply golden, but if not, continue roasting until it is… please no pale cauliflowers here!!!

Remove from the oven and sprinkle more za’atar if you like, fresh herbs, optional Aleppo chili flakes, and either drizzle the tahini sauce over the whole thing right in the pan, or cut it up, like a cake, into wedges and serve the tahini sauce on the side.

GREEN TAHNI SAUCE

1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 fat garlic cloves
3/4 cup fresh herbs (cilantro, Italian parsley, mint, dill or basil or a combo! See notes)
2–3 slices jalapeno (optional)
1/2- 1 teaspoon salt, start with 1/2 teaspoon add more to taste
½ cup tahini paste, stirred

Place all the ingredients (except the tahini paste) in a blender or food processor and blend until combined but not overly smooth. Add tahini paste. Blend until creamy, leaving some of the herbs intact.

Taste, and adjust salt, acid and heat. (Add salt, lemon, fresh chilies to taste).

If you want a “looser “sauce, add a little more water until the desired consistency.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Sticky sesame-baked cauliflower

Belinda

Recipe by Anna Jones

Sticky sesame baked cauliflower, it’s crispy, sticky, sweet, salty and sour. Lovely eaten with crisp leaves and lime spiked rice.

SERVES 4

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER
120g spelt flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
a clove of garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 large head of cauliflower (about 800g)

FOR THE SAUCE
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon chili paste or chili sauce
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
a small thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

TO SERVE
300g brown rice
2 heads of Little Gem lettuce or 1 head of Romaine, shredded
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
4 spring onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper. To cook your rice, rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear then put it into a pan, cover with 3 times the amount of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20–40 minutes, depending on the type of brown rice you are using.

In a large bowl, whisk the flours, 150–200ml water, grated garlic, sesame seeds and a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Your batter should be like a pancake batter, thick enough to coat a piece of cauliflower and not run off. If the batter is too thick, add a drop of water until you reach that consistency.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Toss the cauliflower florets in a good pinch of salt, then drop them into the batter and stir until all the pieces are coated. Use 2 forks to transfer the battered cauliflower to the baking trays, leaving a bit of space around each floret. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

While the cauliflower is baking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan combine the sauce ingredients. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil on the stove over a medium heat. Simmer for a couple of minutes or until slightly reduced. Set aside.

When the cauliflower is golden and crisp remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Once it is cool enough to handle, transfer the par-baked cauliflower to a large bowl. Cover the cauliflower with all but 3 table- spoons of the sesame sauce. Toss to thoroughly coat the cauliflower.

Put the cauliflower back on the baking trays and back into the oven for another 10–15 minutes, or until the edges are starting to darken. Remove from the oven. Serve with the shredded lettuce and cooked rice. Finish with the remaining sauce, extra sesame seeds, and spring onions.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Miso roast squash and potatoes with almonds and kale

Belinda

Recipe by Anna Jones


This recipe saves a lot of work, as squash, potatoes and greens can be cooked together in one tray. The chili, miso and lemon combo is a great foil for some of the richer seasonal dishes.

Serves 8

500g small potatoes, scrubbed clean
700g Crown Prince, butternut or other squash
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp white miso
2 tbsp harissa
Juice of 1 lemon
100g kale, de-stemmed and shredded
100g toasted almonds

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters no larger than your thumb.

Cut the squash in half lengthways (no need to peel), use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then cut into 2cm slices.

In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, miso, harissa and lemon juice.

Put the potatoes and squash on to a baking tray with half the harissa mixture. Toss well, using your hands, to make sure everything is coated. Roast for 40-45 minutes until everything is cooked through and browning at the edges. Turn everything once or twice to make sure it browns evenly, and keep a close eye on it as it can burn in a flash.

Add the shredded kale and roast for a final 10 minutes. It should crisp up a little. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon over the remaining dressing and scatter with the toasted almonds.

Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Za’atar Salmon & Tahini

Belinda

Fabulous recipe from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen (OTK)

4 salmon fillets (1lb 5 oz/ 600g), skin on and pin bones removed
2 tbsp za’atar
2 tsp sumac, plus 1/2 teaspoon more for sprinkling
4 tbsp (60 mls) olive oil
9 oz (250 grams) baby spinach or other tender green of choice
1/3 cup (90 grams) tahini
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Pat dry the salmon and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the za’atar and sumac, then sprinkle this all over the top of the salmon to create a crust.
Place a large, oven-safe sauté pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the spinach and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted.
Top with the salmon, skin side down, and drizzle the top of the fish with 2 tablespoons of oil. Bake for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the tahini, garlic, 21⁄2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a good pinch of salt, and 7 tablespoons/100ml of water until smooth and quite runny.
When ready, remove the pan from the oven and pour the tahini all around the salmon (but not on the fish at all). Bake for another 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the tahini is bubbling. Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and oil over everything and top with the cilantro and extra sumac.
Make it your own:

– Swap out the salmon for other sustainably caught fish, adjusting cooking times as needed.
– Use other leafy greens in place of spinach, such as kale or chard.

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Vegan

Vegan Parmesan cheese

Belinda

This is a wonderful alternative to Parmesan cheese and the hemp hearts amp up the protein, omega-3 and omega-6 fats, fiber, magnesium and iron.

Yields 1 cup

1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt, crushed
1/8 tsp granulated garlic
Zest of 1 medium lemon

Shake all the ingredients together in a sealed container such as a mason jar until well combined.
Use anywhere you would use parmesan cheese

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free

Soy and Scallion Tofu Bowl

Belinda

Serves 2-4

1 14-oz. block firm or extra-firm tofu, drained
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
3 scallions, chopped into 1″ pieces
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) or 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Cooked white rice (for serving)

Squeeze the tofu over a bowl to expel as much water as possible (don’t worry if it starts to break apart). Grate on the large holes of a box grater; set aside.

Heat the oil and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Cook, turning once, until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and 1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tofu, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, tossing occasionally and breaking tofu apart with a wooden spoon, until it begins to crisp in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, soy sauce, mirin, and butter and cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Divide rice among shallow bowls and spoon tofu mixture over; top with more sesame seeds and Aleppo-style pepper.

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Spiced Green Tahini Sauce

Belinda

This is addictive and healthy. It’s great as a dip, a dressing on salads and on just about anything else.

8 Servings

3 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon roasted ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
1 cup tahini
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Pulse the garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, fenugreek, and 2 tsp. salt in a food processor until similar in texture to pesto. Add the tahini and lemon juice; process 30 seconds.

With the motor running, gradually drizzle in ¾ cup water and process, adding more water to thin if needed, until sauce is light green and the consistency of sour cream. Season with salt.

Do Ahead: The sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.