Thanksgiving cranberry and fig chutney

October 15, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Try this instead of the usual cranberry sauce!
It’s also divine with ham, sausages, pork or cheese.

Screen Shot 2019-10-15 at 11.42.16 AM

2 lbs fresh cranberries
8 oz black mission figs
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup golden raisins
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 orange, juice and zest
1 lemon, juice and zest
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp ginger, grated
1 bunch fresh thyme, tied together

Combine all of the ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil then simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Make this a few days ahead to lessen the load on Thanksgiving day.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Thanksgiving Osso Bucco

October 15, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Fabulous recipe from “Food 52”
What to make on Thanksgiving when turkey is a bit too much, when you are planning a romantic dinner for two, when your friends do not like white meat, or simply when you are up for something a little bit more adventurous than just a good old roasted bird. This is a dish that preserves the spirit of the Thanksgiving meal, without really having to do the entire thing.

Screen Shot 2019-10-15 at 11.34.01 AM

Serves 4

2lbs turkey drumsticks, cut crosswise into 1.5″ thick pieces, by your butcher.
1 finely chopped yellow onion
2 diced carrots
2 minced garlic cloves
8 diced Turkish apricots
16 dried cranberries, halved
1 cup hard cider
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325°F.
In a large cast iron casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the turkey pieces with salt and pepper and brown them nicely, about two minutes per side.
Remove the turkey from the pan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, until the onion is very soft and slightly caramelized, for about five minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for another minute. Add the carrots and cook for another five minutes. Stir in the apricots, cranberries, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cider. Place the turkey pieces back into the casserole, coat with the sauce, and bring to simmer.
Cover the casserole with a lid and put it in the oven. Cook until the meat is very tender and begins to fall of the bones, for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (If it becomes dry during cooking, feel free to add a bit more liquid.)
Adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve warm with mashed potatoes and the sauce spooned on top.

Fish · Pasta

Easy baked salmon with gnocchi

October 13, 2019 Belinda

Everyone loves a one-pan dish and you can’t go wrong with this creamy gnocchi topped with salmon fillets. It’s an easy, midweek meal that’s ready in 30 mins.
Recipe c/o Delicious magazine

Screen Shot 2019-10-13 at 12.15.10 PM

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 large head broccoli, separated into florets
11 oz reduced-fat cream  cheese
3 tbsp fresh pesto
 1 lb fresh gnocchi
Juice 1 lemon
4 small organic salmon fillets

Heat the oven to 400F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or shallow casserole and fry the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.
Mix in the cream cheese, pesto and about 5 fl oz (160ml) water, then heat gently, stirring to combine.
Meanwhile, microwave the gnocchi for 1 minute on high (or boil, following the pack instructions).
Stir into the sauce with lots of black pepper, the lemon juice and salt to taste.
Nestle the salmon fillets in the sauce among the gnocchi and bake for 12-14 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through. Serve straightaway.

Chocolate · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Sweet and smoky Mexican chicken

October 13, 2019 Belinda

Chicken meets chocolate in this rich and distinctive dish by Ottolenghi

Screen Shot 2019-10-13 at 9.29.39 AM

Serves 6-8

2 medium red peppers
3 small cinnamon sticks, freshly ground (or, failing that, 1½ tbsp ground cinnamon)
4 chipotle chillies, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, drained, seeds and stalks removed
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
2.5 tsp soft brown sugar
2.5 fl oz olive oil
Salt and black pepper
4 lbs (1.75kg) whole chicken legs (ie with both drumsticks and thighs), skin-on
1 oz (20g) dark chocolate, finely grated
1.5 lbs (650g) baby maris peer potatoes (or other roasting potato), peeled and halved
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 2cm x 6cm wedges
2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
1.5oz (10g) cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6.
Put the peppers on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, until the skin has blackened.
Transfer to a small bowl, cover with cling-film and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, peel the peppers, and discard the skins, seeds and stalks.
Put the pepper flesh in the small bowl of a food processor, and add the cinnamon, chili, garlic, vinegar, sugar, three tablespoons of the oil, a teaspoon and half of salt and three tablespoons of water.
Blitz for a minute, until smooth, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken legs and chocolate, and mix to coat.
Put both types of potato in a separate large bowl with the onions, the remaining oil, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Mix well, combine with the chicken, then tip everything on to a large 12″ (30cm) x 16″ (40cm) baking tray.
Arrange the chicken skin-side up and roast for about 50 minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are cook

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Meat

Roast pork belly with apple, soy and ginger

October 13, 2019October 13, 2019 Belinda

This is a wonderful and simple recipe from the one and only Yotam Ottolenghi

The flavors in this dish are inspired by Filipino pork adobo, in which the meat is cooked in a sweet and vinegary, soy-based sauce. Here, I use apple juice, apple vinegar and whole apples to cut through that richness. Don’t be put off by the long cooking time – once everything’s in the oven, it’s mostly just a waiting game. Serve with plain rice.

Screen Shot 2019-10-13 at 9.16.00 AM

Prep 15 min
Cook 2 hr 30 min
Serves 4

1 whole pork belly joint (800-900g), boneless
Flaked sea salt
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
12 garlic cloves, peeled
2 oz (40g) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 whole star anise
3 bay leaves
3 fl oz (90ml) soy sauce
8 fl oz (250ml) chicken stock
8 fl oz (250ml) unsweetened apple juice (I use a cloudy variety)
3oz (70ml) apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
3 medium Pink Lady apples (400g), cored and cut into quarters
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Heat the oven to 185C (165C fan)/365F/gas 4½. Use a small, sharp knife to score the skin of the pork in a cross-hatch pattern spaced roughly 1½cm apart, then rub a teaspoon of flaked salt into the skin, push it down into the slashes.

Put the oil in a large ovenproof saute pan on a medium-high heat, then fry the onion, stirring, for three minutes, just to soften. Add the garlic, ginger, star anise and bay leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly colored – another three minutes.
Add the soy, stock, apple juice, vinegar, sugar and black peppercorns, and bring to a simmer.

Take off the heat and lay in the pork, skin side up, taking care not to get the skin wet (it should not at any stage be submerged in liquid). Transfer to the oven, roast for 90 minutes, then remove and arrange the apples around the pork, stirring gently to coat them in the sauce and again taking care not to get any liquid on the skin. Return to the oven for 30 minutes, or until the apples have softened but still retain their shape, and the pork is deeply golden.

Gently lift the pork on to a board, leave to rest for 10-15 minutes, then cut into 1½cm-thick slices. To serve, transfer the contents of the saute pan to a serving dish with a lip, lay the pork slices on top and sprinkle with the spring onions.

Asian flavors · Pasta · Poultry

Peanut chicken tray-bake

October 4, 2019October 4, 2019 Belinda

Nut butters are so versatile, especially peanut, and whenever I run out, I just make my own. It’s cheaper and easier. And it can be used for much more than just breakfast, like in this peanut chicken tray-bake. You make enough here to keep a jar in your cupboard too.
Recipe by Nadiya Hussain

Screen Shot 2019-10-04 at 3.55.42 PM

Serves 4

For the peanut butter
500g/1lb 2oz salted peanuts
1 tbsp honey
4–5 tbsp vegetable oil

For the chicken
250g/9oz gnocchi
1kg/2lb 4oz deboned and skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp vegetable oil
5 tbsp Thai green curry paste
5 tbsp peanut butter, from above
1 tsp salt
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
2 small red onions, cut into small wedges
3 tbsp salted peanuts, roughly chopped
handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 lime, juice only

To make the peanut butter, put the nuts into a food processor with the salt (if using) and honey and blend until it starts to change texture. Add the oil gradually and as soon as the texture is smooth and shiny, stop and transfer the mixture to a jar.

For the chicken, preheat the oven to 400 F and have a roasting dish (about 12″x8½”x2″) at the ready.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, then add the gnocchi. Boil until the gnocchi come to the surface, then take off the heat, drain and set aside.

Put the chicken into a large bowl. Add the honey, oil, curry paste, peanut butter and salt, and mix it well with your hands. Add the chicken to the roasting dish along with the broccoli, onions and gnocchi and bake for 30 minutes, giving it a stir halfway through.

Serve topped with the chopped nuts, coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Do-ahead · Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Fast and easy sheet-pan mac and cheese with pumpkin and brown butter

October 4, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from Ella Quittner on FOOD 52.

“There’s nothing cozier or easier to pull off than sheet-pan mac and cheese. It’s perfectly creamy and crunchy, lacking in any superfluous bits. And when pumpkin and brown butter join the party, well, it’s unstoppable. Think of this fall-flavor-forward version as a flexible blueprint: play around with cheese-type, and scale up (or down) the pumpkin to your taste. Toss in caramelized shallots, or chunks of roasted pumpkin or squash if you please. Panko can be swapped out for other breadcrumbs, or jazzed up with a pinch of cayenne. No matter what path you take, just be sure to go back for seconds.”

Screen Shot 2019-10-04 at 2.17.46 PM

Serves 4
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for pasta water
1 pound Cavatappi (or other twisty pasta shape with lots of nooks for cheese to nestle into)
6 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the pan
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (you can substitute black or rainbow if you prefer)
1 pound sharp cheddar, grated, roughly divided into about three-quarters (12 ounces) and one-quarter (four ounces)
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated
1 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups plain panko
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw

Heat oven to 475°F. Grease a 11×17-inch sheet pan with rimmed edges.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for only 4 to 5 minutes, so they’re quite al dente—just soft enough that if you taste one, there’s no audible crunch. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and drain the pot of pasta.
In the same pot you used for the noodles, brown 6 tablespoons of butter: Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it foams. The foam will recede, and the butter will be golden-tan. (If your pot is dark, you’ll know it’s ready when it starts to give off a deeply appealing rich, nutty scent.) Turn the heat down to low, add back the noodles, and immediately toss so your butter doesn’t stay on the bottom and burn. Drizzle in a few tablespoons of the hot reserved cooking water. Add the salt, pepper, three-quarters of the cheddar (about 12 ounces), Pecorino, and milk, and stir until you have a homogenous, creamy sauce. Mix in the pumpkin puree, adding a little more reserved water if needed to thin slightly. Turn off the heat.
Transfer to the sheet pan, and sprinkle the remaining 4 ounces of cheddar, the panko, and the pumpkin seeds over the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the panko is nice and toasted, and some of the cheesy noodles sticking out around the edges are tinged with amber spots.

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat

Cauliflower Pizza Bake

October 4, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from “FOOD 52”
This is what happens when you combine the caramelized, golden-edged goodness of roasted cauliflower with melty pockets of mozzarella, crispy pepperoni, and your other favorite pizza toppings. Serve it to cauliflower lovers, or even the haters. Trust me, it’ll make you see cauliflower in a whole new way.

Screen Shot 2019-10-04 at 1.50.19 PM

SERVES 4

1/2 pound (about 2 links) uncooked Italian sausage, removed from casings and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small, bite-sized florets
1/2 cup pizza sauce, divided
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for finishing dish
Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup black olives (I like to use the sliced, canned kind)
1/4 cup slivered or halved sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (drained of oil before using)
2 to 3 ounces pepperoni
4 ounces fresh mozzarella (sold in rounds or logs), torn into bite-sized pieces
A big handful of fresh basil leaves, torn

Heat oven to 425 F.
Place a parchment-lined sheet pan in the oven while it heats. The hot pan will help the sausage to get nicely browned, fast!
Working quickly, transfer the sausage to the preheated sheet pan in a single, even layer. (Careful, the pan will be hot!) Drizzle the sausage with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the sausage is starting to brown (set a timer).

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine cauliflower florets with 1/4 cup pizza sauce, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss. You want the pizza sauce to lightly yet thoroughly coat the florets; add another tablespoon of sauce, if needed.
Add olives and sun-dried tomatoes to the bowl and toss again.
When the timer for the sausage goes off, add the cauliflower mixture to the sheet pan, stirring a few times to coat the cauliflower in the sausage fat. Arrange pepperoni evenly across the top.

Roast for 15 more minutes, until the cauliflower is crisp-tender and the pepperoni has browned. (Taste a piece of cauliflower; if it isn’t approaching tender, return to the oven for a few more minutes before proceeding to Step 6. Season with a little more salt and pepper, if needed.)

Remove sheet pan from oven, and spoon 1/4 cup more sauce over the cauliflower mixture; add a little extra, if desired, for a saucier version. Arrange bites of torn mozzarella over (and in between) the cauliflower florets (avoid putting it directly on the bottom of the sheet pan).
Roast in the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the sauce is warmed and cheese is melted.
Cool for about 5 minutes, then grate more parmesan on top and scatter the basil. Serve warm.