Place a steamer insert into a saucepan, and fill with 1 1/2 cups of water, or just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the sliced carrots, reduce the heat to medium, and cover the pan again. Steam until tender but not mushy, 4 to 6 minutes depending on the thickness of the slices. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, and thyme. Cook the spices and garlic, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid and the bay leaf, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the carrots, tossing well to coat with the spice mixture, and cook until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and remove the bay leaf before serving.
Preheat oven to 410° F. Pour the water into a large bowl. Make sure it is room temperature. Add the salt. Blend well with a mixer, fork or spatula to make sure it dissolves well. While you continue to beat the mixture, slowly add the corn meal—a little bit at a time. Once all the flour is added, keep mixing until the corn meal, water and salt are thoroughly blended and dissolved. Set aside the masa in its bowl. Let it rest for 5 minutes so that the flour is thoroughly hydrated. This type of corn flour does not have any gluten, so it doesn’t need to be kneaded. The masa should be smooth, firm yet malleable. While waiting for the 5 minutes’ rest, heat your budare (or comal, griddle, cast-iron pan or non-stick pan) over medium heat. Coat with a little bit of the oil. Fill a small bowl with water to wet your hands to make the arepas. Take about 2 Tbsp of the masa in your damp hands. The masa should fit easily in your palm so that it is easy to shape into a small ball. Cross your hands, so that one is on top of the other, with the masa ball between them. Rotate your right hand in a circle, so that you are at the same time both pressing the masa into a flat disc and keeping its round shape. arepa making The last step in shaping your arepa is to quickly pass and lightly press the masa disc from one hand to the other until it is about ¾ of an inch thick and 4 inches wide. Smooth the edges with your fingertips (quickly dip them into the water bowl first) so that they stay as round as possible and without cracks. arepa making Place your arepas in batches on the preheated surface of your budare griddle or nonstick pan. Let each side turn golden, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Check them often so that they don’t burn. Once they are nicely browned on both sides, place the arepas on a baking sheet in your preheated oven for 10 minutes. They should be somewhat puffy, so that if you tap an arepa lightly on top, it will sound like you are tapping an empty box. Serve
step 1 Put a sieve over a large bowl, line it with a thick sheet of non-dyed kitchen paper or a clean muslin cloth, and spoon in the yogurt. Cover with another sheet of kitchen paper and leave to strain in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hrs. step 2 Add the lemon juice, most of the olive oil and the dried mint to a bowl and stir well for the dried mint to soften and soak up the juices. Mix in the strained yogurt, then pour away the strained yogurt liquid and leave that bowl to one side. step 3 Halve the cucumber(s) lengthways and remove the seeds by running a teaspoon from the top to the bottom of the flesh, halve the cucumbers widthways to make them shorter and easier to handle, then coarsely grate each one into the bowl the yogurt was straining over. Using clean hands (or a clean muslin cloth), squeeze as much of the liquid out of the cucumber as possible. step 4 Add the strained, grated cucumber, garlic and ¾ tsp flaky salt to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of dried mint.
Prep the cucumbers: Peel the cucumbers. Cut them into quarters, lengthwise. (If the seeds are bitter, scrape out the seeds and discard.) Cut the cucumbers again, crosswise, into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Toss the salad: Place cucumbers into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Toss with sesame oil, seasoned rice vinegar, basil (if using), and chili flakes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if using.
step 1 Combine the yeast, a pinch of the sugar and a couple tablespoons of lukewarm water in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast, then leave for 10 mins until foamy. step 2 Meanwhile, combine the flour, the remaining sugar and 2 tsp fine salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add half the beaten egg, the yeast mixture and the oil. Pour in 200ml lukewarm water (it should feel slightly warm to the touch) and stir with a spoon, then mix using one hand, keeping the other clean while you bring the dough together. If there are a lot of very dry bits, gradually add a little water to just bring it together – you don't want it to get too wet and sticky. The dough should be moist, but not soggy. step 3 Once the dough has come together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead using both hands for 10 mins until smooth and a bit springy. If it gets very sticky, add a very small amount of flour – as little as possible. A dough scraper is useful if the dough is sticking to the work surface. Stretch the sides of the dough down and pull together to form a ball. Lightly oil a bowl, then lightly roll the dough ball around the bowl so it's coated in the oil. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hr, or until dough has doubled in size. step 4 Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into three equal pieces, weighing for accuracy, if you like. Roll each piece into a long sausage shape about 25cm long, tapering them slightly at both ends. Lay the pieces out in front of you, parallel to one another with a couple centimetres between each. Bring the sausages together at the top end, then plait them down the length, tucking in the ends when you reach the bottom. Carefully transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet and loosely cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to rise until puffy and billowy, about 40 mins. step 5 Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of each chicken breast with seasoned salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the boiling water with a few generous pinches of kosher salt. Add the pasta and give it a stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a cutting board; allow it to rest. Turn the heat down to medium and dd the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil to the same pan you used to cook the chicken. Add the veggies (minus the garlic) and red pepper flakes to the pan and stir to coat with the oil and butter (refrain from seasoning with salt until the veggies are finished browning). Cook, stirring often, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Continue to cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, and reserved pasta water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and allow to simmer and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.
Combine onions, celery, cilantro, and parsley in a large pot. Stir in turmeric, cumin, paprika, ginger, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Place chicken thighs on top. Drizzle olive oil over chicken. Cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is tender, about 40 minutes. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; let soak for 10 minutes. Drain. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Transfer chicken mixture into an oven-safe tagine or casserole dish. Add sweet potato and carrots. Cover with lid or aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven until sweet potato is soft, about 40 minutes. Add drained raisins and prunes. Continue baking, covered, until raisins and prunes are heated through, about 10 minutes.
step 1 Toss the chicken, garlic, ginger, onion, coriander and chilli into a food processor and season well. Blitz until the chicken is finely ground and everything is well mixed. Use your hands to shape six small cakes. step 2 Heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the cakes over a medium heat for about 6-8 mins, turning once. Serve hot, with sweet chilli sauce, lime wedges, coriander, shredded spring onion and red chilli.
step 1 Heat grill to very hot. Slice the aubergines in half lengthways, then grill for 25 mins, turning occasionally, until soft – the skin will remain firm, but the flesh will soften. Lift the aubergines off the grill and leave until cool enough to handle. step 2 Using a sharp knife, score the grilled flesh and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Tip into a bowl and mash with a fork until you get a thick pulp. Beat in the lemon juice and garlic. Add the yogurt and dill, and season. Serve while still warm.
step 1 Tip the flours into a food processor. Add the yeast, sugar and 1tsp salt, then mix well. Pour in 350ml warm water and the oil, then process to a soft dough. Mix for 1 min, then leave until doubled in size, about 1 hour. step 2 Pulse the dough a couple of times just to knock out the air, then tip onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in half and roll out one half to a rectangle about 20 x 40cm. Trim the edges using a large sharp knife, then cut into eight 10cm squares. Line a large tray or two baking sheets with non-stick paper and arrange the bread rectangles over the tray in one layer. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Leave in a warm place for about 30 mins until the dough is just starting to rise. step 3 Place bread directly onto the BBQ racks and cook for a couple of mins until they puff up, then flip over and cook on the other side. Tip into a basket and serve with the dips.
Coat the chicken with egg white: In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator. Make the sweet and sour sauce: Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and brown sugar. Stir-fry the chicken over high heat: Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the pieces out in one layer. Let the chicken fry untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible. Stir-fry the bell pepper and ginger: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up before adding the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple, sauce, and then, the chicken: Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn up the heat to high. When the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking. Adjust the seasoning and serve: Taste the sauce and add more brown sugar or vinegar to suit your tastes, if you’d like. Serve hot with steamed white or brown rice.
15 minute potato gratin with chicken and bacon greens: a gratin always seems more effort and more indulgent than ordinary boiled or roasts, but it doesn't have to take 45mins, it's nice for a change and you can control the calorie content by going with full fat to low fat creme fraiche. (It's always tastes better full fat though obviously!) to serve 4: use 800g of potatoes, finely slice and boil in a pan for about 5-8 mins till firmish, not soft. Finely slice 3 onions and place in an oven dish with 2 tblsp of olive oil and 100ml of chicken stock. Cook till the onions are soft then drain the potatoes and pour onto the onions. Season and spoon over cream or creme fraiche till all is covered but not swimming. Grate Parmesan over the top then finish under the grill till nicely golden. serve with chicken and bacon, peas and spinach.
step 1 Put the saffron in a small bowl with 75ml of just-boiled water. Stir and set aside. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a broad, shallow casserole dish. Cook the garlic until pale gold in colour, then add the blanched almonds and bread, and continue to fry until everything is golden. Tip into a food processor with some salt and pepper and the parsley, and whizz together. step 2 Heat 2 more tbsp of the oil in the pan and brown the chicken all over, seasoning as you cook. Put in a bowl and set aside. step 3 Remove all but about 2 tbsp of chicken fat from the pan and cook the onion, carrot and celery until golden. Add the sherry, stirring to dislodge any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Pour in the stock and the saffron (with its water), and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the spices and bay leaves, and put the chicken back in the pan with any juices. Season and gently cook the chicken for about 40 mins with the lid on. step 4 Transfer the chicken to a bowl again, leaving the sauce in the pan, and cover with foil to keep warm. Remove the yolks from the eggs and roughly chop the whites. Mash the egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually mix in a couple of tbsp of the sauce. Bring the remaining sauce to the boil to reduce a bit (you want it to just coat the chicken), then turn the heat down. Remove the bay and cinnamon stick. Add the egg yolks and cook for a few mins until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the almond mixture that you made earlier (this will thicken the sauce, too). Put the chicken back in the pan and heat it for about 3 mins, spooning the sauce over it. Season to taste. step 5 Scatter over the extra parsley, the almonds pieces and the chopped egg whites (if you’re going to use them). You can serve this straight from the dish with some rice, if you like.
step 1 First, make the curry paste. Use a pestle and mortar to pound together the dried and fresh chillies, shrimp paste, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, lime zest, white pepper, coriander, cumin, nutmeg and peanuts, plus 1 tsp salt. You should have a rough paste. Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a food processor along with 2-3 tbsp of coconut milk and pulse until you have a paste. Store in a lidded jar in the fridge. Will keep for up to two weeks. step 2 Add 2-3 tbsp of the thick part of the coconut milk into a saucepan over a medium-high heat. When the coconut milk starts bubbling, add 1-2 tbsp of the curry paste and stir well for about 1 min, until fragrant. step 3 Stir in the chicken and let it cook for about 3-4 mins until beginning to brown all over. Follow with the French beans and stir well. step 4 Season with the fish sauce and sugar, then add the rest of coconut milk. Mix well, add half the makrut lime leaves and simmer for 3-5 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Taste and add more sugar or fish sauce if necessary – it should be salty and nutty, and the sweetness should come through. Add the Thai basil leaves, give it a quick mix and take off the heat. Serve with steamed jasmine rice, garnished with the sliced chilli and the rest of the makrut lime leaves.
1. Prepare the Potatoes Start by peeling and finely grating the potatoes. To ensure extra crispiness, use a clean kitchen towel to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. 2. Mix the Ingredients In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated potatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, eggs, flour, marjoram, salt, and black pepper. Stir well until the mixture forms a thick, consistent batter. 3. Heat the Oil In a large frying pan, heat a generous amount of oil over medium heat. The oil should be hot but not smoking. 4. Fry the Pancakes Spoon portions of the batter into the pan, flattening each into a thin pancake. Fry until golden brown and crispy on one side, then flip and cook the other side until equally golden and crispy. 5. Drain & Serve Transfer the cooked pancakes onto a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve immediately while hot, with sour cream, garlic dip, or as a side dish.
Squeeze lime over chicken and rub well. Drain off excess lime juice. Combine tomato, scallion, onion, garlic, pepper, thyme, pimento and soy sauce in a large bowl with the chicken pieces. Cover and marinate at least one hour. Heat oil in a dutch pot or large saucepan. Shake off the seasonings as you remove each piece of chicken from the marinade. Reserve the marinade for sauce. Lightly brown the chicken a few pieces at a time in very hot oil. Place browned chicken pieces on a plate to rest while you brown the remaining pieces. Drain off excess oil and return the chicken to the pan. Pour the marinade over the chicken and add the carrots. Stir and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Mix flour and coconut milk and add to stew, stirring constantly. Turn heat down to minimum and cook another 20 minutes or until tender.
Add all the ingredients to a large pan over medium heat and cover with a lid. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and tender. Remove from the heat and remove the stalks of thyme before serving.
step 1 Make 3 slashes on each of the drumsticks. Mix together the soy, honey, oil, tomato purée and mustard. Pour this mixture over the chicken and coat thoroughly. Leave to marinate for 30 mins at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. step 2 Tip the chicken into a shallow roasting tray and cook for 35 mins, turning occasionally, until the chicken is tender and glistening with the marinade.
step 1 Fire up the barbecue or heat a griddle pan to high. Tip chicken, curry paste and coconut milk into a bowl, then mix well until the chicken is evenly coated. Thread vegetables and chicken onto skewers. Cook the skewers on the barbecue or griddle for 5-8 mins, turning every so often, until the chicken is cooked through and charred. Serve with herby rice, salad and a lime half to squeeze over.
step 1 Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and brown the chicken pieces on all sides – you may have to do this in batches. Remove from the dish and put to one side. step 2 Lower the heat, add the onion and pepper, and gently cook for 10 mins until softened. Add the garlic and chorizo, and cook for a further 2 mins until the chorizo has released some of its oils into the dish. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min more. step 3 Return the chicken pieces to the dish along with the thyme, white wine and stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the dish with a tight-fitting lid and lower the heat. Cook for 30 mins. step 4 Tip in the rice and stir everything together. Cover, set over a low heat and cook for a further 15 mins, or until the rice is cooked and has absorbed most of the cooking liquid. Remove from the heat and leave the dish to sit for 10 mins to absorb any remaining liquid. Season to taste and scatter with parsley to serve.
step 1 Soak the beans for at least 4 hrs or overnight in a large bowl with plenty of water to cover. Next day, rinse and drain, then put in a large heavy based pan with the onion, paprika, herb bundle and chicken. Pour over enough water or stock to cover, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 mins. step 2 Remove the chicken to a plate, then add the potatoes and chorizo to the pan. Continue cooking for 30 mins until the beans and potatoes are tender. step 3 Discard the skin and bones from the chicken and tear into large chunks. Return the chicken to the pan with the spinach and simmer for 5 mins.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix water, onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt together in a roasting dish. Add chicken; turn until well coated with mixture. Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Have the chicken joints ready to cook. Heat the butter and 3 tbsp olive oil in a flameproof casserole or large frying pan. Brown the chicken pieces in batches on both sides, seasoning them with salt and pepper as you go. Don't crowd the pan - fry the chicken in small batches, removing the pieces to kitchen paper as they are done. Add a little more olive oil to the casserole and fry the onions over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned. Add the rest of the oil, then the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to ensure it is well coated in the oil. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, bay leaves and chopped thyme. Pour in the stock and wine. When the liquid starts to bubble, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Press the rice down into the liquid if it isn't already submerged and place the chicken on top. Add the lemon wedges and olives around the chicken. Cover and cook in the oven for 50 minutes. The rice should be cooked but still have some bite, and the chicken should have juices that run clear when pierced in the thickest part with a knife. If not, cook for another 5 minutes and check again.
step 1 Using a pair of sharp kitchen scissors, cut each wing at the knuckle into two pieces. Mix the garlic, lemon zest and juice, cumin and oil with plenty of seasoning, then tip into a dish with the chicken wings and toss to coat. Cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hr, or overnight if you have time. step 2 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, or heat an outdoor barbecue. Bake the chicken wings on an oven tray for 45-50 mins until crisp, or barbecue for 20 mins, drizzling over the honey for the final 10 mins of each method. Serve on a platter with plenty of paper napkins. Fill small bowls with olives, pistachios or almonds, dates and pickled chillies and flatbreads to serve alongside, along with the dishes below.