ArchiveJanuary 2025

Don’t we all need comfort food to ease us gently in the New Year?

I’ve been longing for a bubbly cauliflower cheese or a creamy mac and cheese, flecked and golden on top with crispy bits around the edge of the dish. All that’s needed as an accompaniment is a robust green salad. Some shredded Savoy cabbage, watercress sprigs and whatever winter lettuce I can still forage in the garden.

Keep an eye out for hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) or wintercress too, there will be lots of it growing in little rosettes in your flower or vegetable beds.

Don’t dream of spraying it, eat it – it’s delicious added to salads or a starter as soon as the weather warms a little, it will flower and go to seed. It’s abundant and at its best at present and is packed with Vitamin A and C as well as iron and calcium folinate and it’s free. What’s not to like about that with the added bonus of ‘weeding’ your garden. Let 2025 be the year when you start to eat your ‘weeds’, a very high percentage of what we call weeds are edible and super nutritious. So, instead of trotting off to the health food shop or pharmacist, swot up on the wild food around us.

There are many excellent books on foraging but if your budget has run a bit low after Christmas, just do a GOOGLE search for a ton of information. Careful as once you get started, you’ll become obsessed with nature’s medicine cabinet, and you’ll be a nerd in no time.

Back to a gratin of cauliflower and mac and cheese – both of these dishes are dependent on being able to make a silky béchamel sauce, one of the ‘mother sauces’ in culinary jargon, but don’t let that put you off, it’s super easy to make and can be converted into countless, daughter sauces with fancy names by adding another flavour at the end. For example, lots of grated cheese and it becomes Mornay Sauce. Copious amounts of chopped curly parsley added at the end, make Parsley Sauce, the very best accompaniment to bacon or corned beef and cabbage. Sweat a pan of chopped, Irish grown onions until meltingly tender, add to a basic béchamel with a dollop of cream and hey presto, you have Sauce Soubise, one of the very best accompaniments to serve with a roast shoulder of lamb, as well as redcurrant sauce and fresh mint sauce made with the first of the new season’s mint – watch out, spearmint will make an appearance in a sheltered part of your garden before too long.

Béchamel is also an essential component for a fish pie, another of our all-time favourites. Try this riff, a back to front version with a few crunchy buttered crumbs on top, I think it may become a family favourite. But the fish MUST be fresh – easier said than done. First learn how to recognise fresh fish…your challenge for 2025.

Cod, Hake or Haddock with Buttered Crumbs

Cook and eat as soon as possible.

Fresh fish with a crunchy topping in a creamy sauce is always tempting. There is an added bonus with this recipe because one can do many variations, all of which are delicious.

Serves 6-8

1.1kg hake, cod, ling, haddock, grey sea mullet or pollock

salt and freshly ground pepper

15g butter

Mornay Sauce

600ml milk

a few slices of carrot and onion

3 or 4 peppercorns

a sprig of thyme and parsley

50g approx. roux (equal quantities of softened butter and flour, cooked together for 2 minutes)

150-175g grated cheddar cheese or 75g grated Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp mustard preferably Dijon

salt and freshly ground pepper

225g mushrooms

1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley (optional)

15g butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

Buttered Crumbs

25g butter

50g soft, white breadcrumbs

First make the Mornay sauce. Put the cold milk into a saucepan with a few slices of carrot and onion, 3 or 4 peppercorns and a sprig of thyme and parsley. Bring to the boil, simmer for 4-5 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes if you have enough time.

Strain out the vegetables, bring the milk back to the boil and thicken with roux to a coating consistency.  Take off the heat, allow to cool for 1 minute then add the mustard and two thirds of the grated cheese, keep the remainder of the cheese for sprinkling over the top. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary. Add the parsley if using.

Next make the buttered crumbs. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the breadcrumbs. Remove from the heat immediately and allow to cool.

Slice the mushrooms, melt the butter and sauté them on a very hot pan, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, add the chopped parsley and keep aside.

Skin the fish and cut into portions: 175g for a main course, 75g for a starter. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Lightly butter the ovenproof dish, spread a little mornay sauce on the base, lay the fish on top and coat generously with more sauce. Mix the remaining grated cheese with the buttered crumbs and sprinkle over the top. 

Cook in a moderate oven, 180°C/Gas Mark 4, for 25-30 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and the top is golden brown and crispy. If necessary, flash under the grill for a minute or two before you serve, to brown the edges of the potato.

Darina’s Favourite Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is a bit like apple crumble, simple fare but everyone loves it, plus you can add lots of tasty bits to change it up. Macaroni cheese was and still is one of my children’s favourite supper dishes. I often add some cubes of cooked bacon, guanciale, chorizo or ham to the sauce.

Serves 6

225g macaroni or ditalini

50g butter

150g onion, finely chopped

50g plain flour

1 litre boiling whole milk

¼ tsp Dijon or English mustard

1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

225g freshly grated mature Cheddar cheese or a mix of Cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan

25g freshly grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top (optional)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring 3.4 litres water to the boil in a large saucepan and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Sprinkle in the macaroni and stir to make sure it doesn’t stick together. Cook according to the packet instructions until al dente (a very slight bite). Drain well.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over a gentle heat, add the chopped onion, stir to coat, cover and sweat over a gentle heat for 6-8 minutes. Add the flour and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk the milk in gradually, season well with salt and pepper, then return to the boil, stirring constantly. Add the mustard, parsley, if using, and cheese. Add the well-drained macaroni and return to the boil. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Alternatively, turn into a 1.2 litre pie dish and sprinkle the extra grated cheese over the top. Bake at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes.

Good Things with Mac & Cheese

* Smoked Salmon or Smoked Mackerel

Add 225g smoked salmon or smoked mackerel dice to the mac and cheese before serving.

* Chorizo

Add 225g diced chorizo and lots of chopped flat-leaf parsley to the mac and cheese before baking.

Cauliflower Cheese Gratin

Ah, cauliflower cheese, who doesn’t love a big dish of bubbly cauliflower cheese with a layer of golden cheese melting on top? Make more than you need, save the cauliflower cooking water and transform any leftovers into the most delicious soup that will have all the family begging for more. Follow the recipe below but instead of browning in the oven or under the grill, liquidise the lot with any leftover cauliflower cooking water and 850ml light chicken stock to make a nice consistency. Season the soup to taste and serve with croutons, cubes of diced Cheddar cheese and freshly chopped parsley.

Serves 6-8

1 cauliflower with green leaves

pinch of salt

For the Cheese Sauce

600ml whole milk with a dash of cream

½ onion, cut in chunks

1 small carrot, cut in chunks

6 black peppercorns

a sprig of thyme and someparsley stalks

roux (equal quantities of softened butter and plain flour, cooked for 2 minutes)

salt and freshly ground pepper

150g grated cheese, such as Cheddar or better still, a mixture of Gruyére, Parmesan and Cheddar

½ tsp Dijon mustard

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish

freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 8.

Prepare and cook the cauliflower.

Remove the outer leaves and wash both the cauliflower and the leaves well.  Put no more than 2.5cm of water in a saucepan just large enough to take the cauliflower; add a little salt.  Chop the leaves into small pieces and cut the cauliflower in quarters or eighths; place the cauliflower on top of the green leaves in the saucepan, cover with a lid and simmer for 8-10 minutes until cooked. Test by piercing the stalk with a knife – they should be tender right through. 

Meanwhile make the cheese sauce.

Put the cold milk into a saucepan with the onion, carrot, peppercorns and herbs.  Bring to the boil, simmer for 3-4 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

Strain out the vegetables, return the milk to the boil and whisk in the roux until it reaches a light coating consistency. Add most of the grated cheese (save enough to sprinkle over the dish) and mustard. Season to taste. Spoon the sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. The dish may be prepared ahead to this point.

Put into the preheated oven or under the grill to brown. If the cauliflower cheese is allowed to cool completely, it will take 20-25 minutes to reheat in the oven at 180°C/Gas Mark 4.  Serve sprinkled with the coarsely chopped parsley.

For those of us in the food and hospitality industry, it’s a crucially important to keep an eye on the food and drink trends.

My late mother-in-law, Myrtle Allen used to say ‘be aware of trends but don’t follow them slavishly’ – good advice as ever…

So where to start? I’ve been trawling through a myriad of food lists to identify the latest excitement in food and beverage areas – of course TikTok continues to influence trends more than ever before…

Those who live in built up areas, even quite small towns can’t have failed to notice, the ever increasing number of food delivery bikes. They haven’t arrived in Shanagarry yet but are already a feature of some local villages.

Sometimes the information seems contradictory, as we become more aware of the effect of ultra-processed foods on our health, more of us are striving to do more home cooking. We’re also told that steadily increasing numbers are prepared to seek out and invest in organic and chemical-free food rather than shelling out for added supplements to build up the health of the family.

In an increasingly volatile world, food and drink production is being steadily impacted by both climate change and geo-political politics, hence the price of coffee, cacao (chocolate), olive oil…continues to skyrocket.

1. ‘Grab and go’ is increasing even in high end restaurants.

Many pragmatic restaurateurs believe this is the only way to go to survive…

2. Green menu design will be a thing.

3. Depending on who you read, the plant based food ‘meat’ sales are growing exponentially or ‘tanking’ as awareness grows of the ultra-processed nature of many of these foods and their impact on the environment. This is a hugely politicised area in the US, ‘fake’ meat has been used by the far right as an example of how the left threatens citizens’ rights to real meat. Some US politicians, according to Food Navigator, claim that plant based companies are part of a ‘soy globalist conspiracy’ and are determined to make meat illegal. Watch that space…

4. It’s all about protein these days, the protein powder market is on fire.

5. Millennials and Gen Z referred to as the super snacking generation, seem to have an insatiable appetite for snacks. This is an international trend, over one-third, prefer snacks to meals so the snack market will continue to grow with an increasing emphasis on fancy snacks and affordable luxuries. Snack makers are paying close attention to this trend and are cashing in by designing more upmarket, individually packaged indulgent treats to brighten up your day without breaking the bank. Crunch is the texture of the moment.

6. Have you heard of SWICY food, where sweet meets spicy, all the rage and gathering market share.

7. As our basic mass produced food becomes less flavourful, condiments are an essential staple in everyone’s pantry. We can’t seem to get enough of spicy foods. We’re becoming hot sauce connoisseurs, chilli in everything, chilli honey, lattes, coffee, sriracha popcorn…

8. A growing interest and curiosity around plant based aquatic foods as seaweeds have been relabelled.

Duckweed ‘is the new green superfood’ and is becoming the ‘go to’ for health conscious foodies, a brilliantly high source of protein – 33.5%.

Irish moss is also having its moment. Carrageen moss is super cool…(see Examiner column 14^th January 2023).

9. Fermented foods continue to gather momentum and are now mainstream. Expect prebiotic and probiotic foods to become kitchen staples.

Turmeric has not lost its spot.

10. Mushrooms are definitely having their moment, lion’s mane and grilled king oyster mushrooms are becoming menu stars, everyone’s loving their ‘meaty’ flavour. Vegetarians and vegans truly value mushrooms as a protein

11. Jackfruit with its pork like flavour and texture is finding its way into sandwiches and tacos as well as vegetable and vegan stews.

12. Chickpeas are in everything from salads and tagines to creamy sauces. These spiced crunchy chickpeas are one of my must have larder ingredients to slather over salads and roast vegetables.

13. Companies are increasingly being called out on the internet for false claims about ingredients.

AI is fast penetrating restaurants; we will see hyper personalised dining experiences soon – how about asking Chat GBT for dinner ideas? Oh, my goodness, what is the world coming to!

Take out restaurant apps now learn from our previous orders and suggest new dishes we’re likely to enjoy.

Interestingly, zero waste is really becoming a significant buzz word, this isn’t just a trend, it’s a movement and all big food companies are incorporating it into their mission statement.

As it becomes evident that consumers prefer restaurants that focus on sustainability, the movement is set to reshape the entire food industry.

Food manufacturers are being forced to go back to the drawing board, there’s a growing emphasis on real and recognisable ingredients as consumers become more knowledgeable and alarmed about the additives in ultra-processed foods.

Simple labels will be more of a selling point.

At last, there’s a realisation that fresh local food from small production systems is often best, both in flavour and nutrient density. Traditional artisan methods continue to make a comeback. Conversation about climate curious agriculture is gathering momentum.

14. Dumplings are hot, delicious dough pockets filled with savoury fillings, highly versatile. Every type of dumpling from Chinese to Asian to Polish– comfort foods at their best.

We’ll continue our love affair with noodles becoming ever more adventurous.

15. Sourdough isn’t slowing down anytime soon, sourdough, flatbreads, pizzas, crackers, brownies….

16. Offal is no longer awful, it’s back with a vengeance. Americans who wouldn’t allow a scrap of liver, tongue or sweetbreads to cross their lips up to recently are now searching for variety. We see them often with Asian flavours on restaurant menus, some over here and in the UK. Restaurateurs are loving the lower food cost…

17. Tinned fish and fish caviar continue to gain popularity, best sardines, mackerel, tuna….and so convenient. 

18. Are we tired of charcuterie and butter boards, try the Nordic version to ring the changes.

19. Buckwheat will pop up everywhere in 2025, apart from its flavour, nutrient density and versatility, it’s gluten-free and gaining popularity as a cover crop that’s beneficial to soil health.

20. Apparently there’s a gradual shift in society’s attitude to ‘imperfects’ in fruit and veg…’Perfectly imperfect’ is becoming an eco-conscious option as folks realise the phenomenal amount of waste that ensues from the supermarkets’ insistence on standard size and ‘perfection’.

21. Micro restaurants are opening up in LA, a new law allows people to operate mini restaurants out of their homes and the trend of at home cafes, supper clubs, coffee shops and cocktail bars is all over TikTok.

Watch that space…

22. The beverage market, cocktails become more and more exciting, Gen Z are looking for non-alco drinks.

Moderation not abstention seems to be the trend, and bars are providing more creative options than ever before.

The growth in demand for natural wines, biodynamic and organic continues apace as people discover the real cause of their hangovers are the ninety plus chemical additives that can legally be in wine…

Super exciting beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) of all kinds, beers, wines, spirits, this industry is in a hyper creative period and the public are loving it.

Electrolyte drinks and powders to add to your water bottle – a new option.

Matcha and real tea leaves, meticulously sourced is definitely a growing trend among those in the know.

Have fun and Happy New Year.

Debbie Shaw’s Gluten-free Buckwheat and Flaxseed Bread

I love this nutty and nutritious whole grain loaf. It is ideal for sandwiches and great for toasting. It’s a light yeasted dough that doesn’t require any xanthan gum or psyllium husk, a bonus if you have run out! I make it frequently.

Makes 1 loaf

1 tsp of black treacle or honey

120ml tepid milk

15-18g fresh yeast or 10g Doves Farm gluten-free quick yeast

1 large egg

2 egg whites (50g)

50g freshly ground brown flax seeds

100g buckwheat flour, sieved

30g brown rice flour, sieved

½ tsp of salt

110g tapioca starch, sieved, measure into a separate bowl

olive oil for greasing

Add the treacle or honey to the tepid milk, stirring to dissolve it, then sprinkle the fresh or dried yeast on top. Allow to stand somewhere warm for 10 minutes to froth up.

Whisk together the large egg and the egg whites in a large bowl. Stir the milk and yeast mixture into the whisked eggs, then mix in the ground flaxseeds. Set aside to allow the flax seeds to absorb the liquid for 10-15 minutes. The resting time is important, as it helps the mixture to thicken.

Stir in the sieved buckwheat and brown rice flour and the salt and allow to absorb for a further 5 minutes. Add the sieved tapioca starch to the rested dough.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 8.

Oil a 13cm x 20cm (450g) loaf tin very well.

Transfer the dough to the well-oiled loaf tin, cover with a clean tea towel, put it in a warm spot and allow it to rise until it reaches 1cm before the top of the tin, approximately 50-60 minutes, until it reaches 1cm below the top of the tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 200°C/Gas Mark 6 and bake for a further 30-35 minutes, until the bread sounds hollow when you tap the bottom, and the loaf feels light. Remove the loaf from the tin and put it back on the rack of the oven to form a crust for a further 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. This bread keeps well.

Chicken or Duck Hearts with Teriyaki Sauce

Make your own teriyaki sauce or use your favourite brand.

Makes about 12 skewers

450g chicken or duck hearts

230ml teriyaki sauce, divided in half (see recipe)

2.5-5cm fresh ginger, peeled

2 tsp sesame seeds (optional garnish)

scallions or chives, thinly sliced

1 red chilli, sliced at an angle (optional)

watercress or crunchy leaves

Start by preparing the chicken hearts. Trim any veins/arteries and remove any blood clots. Slice each heart lengthwise, cutting three-quarters of the way through to open it up so it lays flat. If you find any blood clots upon slicing, just rinse under cold water.

Put the prepared hearts into a bowl with 115ml teriyaki and allow to marinade for 30-60 minutes.

Light a grill or pan-grill to medium high heat.

Remove the hearts from the marinade. Thread about four hearts onto the skewer. Repeat until all skewers are full.

Put the remaining teriyaki sauce into a small bowl. Use a Microplane or fine grater to grate in the fresh ginger.

Lay each skewer onto the grill, brush with the teriyaki/ginger mix. After 2-3 minutes, flip the skewers and baste them again. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, baste and flip over again.

To Serve

Sprinkle with a few sesame seeds, sliced scallions or chives, red chilli and a few sesame seeds and serve immediately on some watercress sprigs or crunchy leaves.

Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki sauce will keep well for at least a month in the fridge.

200ml mirin

100ml sake

100g caster sugar

200ml soy sauce

1-2 tbsp potato starch (or substitute cornflour)

First put the mirin and sake into a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Simmer for a couple of minutes.  Next add the sugar and allow to dissolve.  When the sugar has dissolved add the soy sauce, keeping back approximately 20ml of the soy to mix with the potato starch (or cornflour).  Mix the required quantity of potato starch, approximately 1-2 tablespoons with the soy and add to the simmering teriyaki sauce.  The starch is used to thicken the sauce and give it a syrup texture.  If you think it’s not thick enough, add some more potato starch.  Take a little of the sauce out of the pan and allow to cool, add the starch and put it back into the saucepan.

Spicy Roast Chickpea Crunch

These chickpeas are seriously addictive – I’ve used freshly ground cumin and coriander here but garam masala, smoked paprika, chilli powder, chopped rosemary or thyme leaves are also delicious.   The chickpeas will get crispier as they cool.  Enjoy as a nibble or sprinkle over salads or roast vegetables. 

Also delicious drizzled with chilli honey (see recipe).

Serves 4-6 as a nibble or add to salads.

Makes 100g roasted weight

400g can chickpeas

1-2 tsp each of cumin and coriander seeds, toasted and ground

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7.

Drain the chickpeas, rinse under cold water and drain again. Lay on kitchen paper, shake and pat gently until dry. Spread the chickpeas out in a single layer on a small baking tray, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and the cumin and coriander seeds (if using). Shake to coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cool, taste, add more salt and spices if necessary. Store in an airtight jar.

Chilli Honey

This delicious, sweet, perky chilli honey is a delicious condiment to drizzle over pizza, bread, toast….

Makes 1 x 360g jar

360g runny honey

2-3 tbsp chilli flakes, depending on how hot you like it

pinch of salt

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Pour the honey into a small saucepan, add the chilli flakes and a generous pinch of salt.  Warm gently on a medium heat, just as soon as it begins to simmer, turn off the heat and stir in the cider vinegar.  Pour into 1 or more sterilized jars.

Store in a cool dark place, no need to refrigerate.

How about a family movie night – a super chilled evening where you all sit down together, feet up around the telly to binge on that box set you’ve been meaning to watch for ages.

Even if you’ve had supper, it’s still good to have some snackable snacks ready to nibble at intervals.

Depending on the theme of the film you could choose to have fun and stay on theme – one way or another, think about some easy to pass around, easy to nibble savoury treats with a few sweeties to round off the evening.

We must have popcorn, right? It’s super easy to make a huge pot of popcorn. If there are kids around, they’ll love to help and then you can keep some plain or do lots of riffs on the original.

How about caramel popcorn, toffee popcorn, sriracha spicy popcorn…(see Edible Christmas Column, 17^th December 2022)

We also love cheese straws; they are a bit more filling than potato crisps but disappear just as fast. We’re loving these cacio e pepe crisps, but one or two dips are also a brilliant standby, a good guacamole with crunchy nachos is hard to beat, that’s if you can get a decent avocado – no easy task nowadays. There are still lots of beetroot around so a beetroot hummus could be good as is a basic silky hummus perked up with cumin.

Sticky, delicious chicken wings are always a winner, provide lots of napkins. If you want to go Asian, cook off a batch of pakoras – spicy vegetable fritters sold by street vendors all across the Indian subcontinent.

Samosas are also irresistible – little peaky pastries stuffed with a savoury filling, mostly though not always vegetarian.

Here is the version Madhur Jaffrey showed me years ago with spiced potatoes, sweet onions and peas but could be fish or chilli mince. They also come in different shapes depending on the region – triangles, cones or crescents…

Cookies or little morsels of brownies hit the sweet spot, particularly if it’s a tearjerker, why not make one of your favourite traybakes? So easy to cut into squares to pass around and so morish.

Here’s a few snacks to play with….

Madhur Jaffrey’s Samosas

Madhur made the pastry from scratch but one could use filo. Make sure the filling goes right into the corners.

Makes 16-24

1 packet of filo pastry

For the Filling

725g potatoes, boiled in their jackets and allowed to cool

4 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium sized onion, peeled and finely chopped

175g shelled peas, fresh or frozen (if frozen, defrost them first)

1 tbsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 fresh hot green chilli, finely chopped

3 tbsp very finely chopped fresh green coriander

3 tbsp water

1 ½ tsp salt – or to taste

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp garam masala, see recipe

1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds

⅓ tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp lemon juice

vegetable oil for deep-frying

Make the stuffing.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 5mm dice. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the onions. Stir and fry them until they begin to turn brown at the edges. Add the peas, ginger, green chilli, fresh coriander, and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover, lower heat and simmer until the peas are cooked. Stir every now and then and add a little more water if the frying pan seems to dry out.

Add the diced potatoes, salt, coriander, garam masala, roasted cumin, cayenne and lemon juice. Stir to mix. Cook on a low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently as you do so. Check the balance of salt and lemon juice. You may want more of both. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Cut a sheet of filo into 10cm strips lengthways.  Put the strips on top of each other.  Brush the top one with melted butter.  Put a heaped dessert spoon of chosen filling at the front edge.  Wrap the pastry around and then fold over and over into a triangle, seal the edge with melted butter.  Repeat with the others until all the filling is used up. 

Heat about 4-5cm of oil for deep-frying over a medium-low flame. You may use a small, deep frying pan for this. When the oil is medium hot, put in as many samosas as the pan will hold in a single layer. Fry slowly, turning the samosas frequently until they are golden brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Cacio e Pepe Crisps

Try this combo for your next movie night.

Cacio e Pepe is one of my absolute favourite pastas, but the flavour combination works on lots of other things – polenta, cauliflower florets…My latest obsession is to have it on crisps.

125g olive oil potato crisps (e.g. Torres)

40g Pecorino, finely grated or Parmesan

1 tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7.

Spread the potato crisps out in a single layer on a baking tray. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the crisps.

Bake until the cheese is melted, and the crisps are just beginning to brown at the edges – 4 minutes approximately.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and freshly cracked pepper. Allow to cool a little before tossing into a serving bowl.

Enjoy.

Indian Spiced Vegetable Pakoras with Mango Relish

These can be cooked ahead and reheated or served warm with mango relish or a relish of your fancy.

Serves 4-6

A selection of vegetables:

1 thin aubergine cut into 5mm slices or into chunks at an angle

1 tsp salt

2 medium courgettes, cut into 2.5cm slices, if they are very large cut into quarters

12 cauliflower florets (walnut size approx.)

6 large field mushrooms, cut in half

spinach leaves

Batter

175g chickpea or all-purpose flour

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 scant tsp salt

2 tsp curry powder

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

175-225ml iced water

vegetable oil for deep frying

Garnish

lemon wedges and coriander or parsley.

Put the aubergine wedges or slices into a colander, sprinkle with the salt, and let drain while preparing the other vegetables.

Blanch and refresh the cauliflower florets separately in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water, and dry well.

Rinse the aubergine slices and pat dry.

Put the flour, coriander, salt and curry powder into a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, lemon juice and water until the batter is the consistency of thick cream.

Heat good quality oil to 180°C in a deep fry.

Lightly whisk the batter and dip the vegetables in batches of 5 or 6.  Slip them individually into the hot oil. 

Fry the pakoras for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning them with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a moderate oven (uncovered) while you cook the remainder. Allow the oil to come back to 180°C between batches.

When all the vegetable fritters are ready, garnish with lemon wedges and fresh or deep-fried coriander or parsley. If you fancy, you could serve alone or with mango relish.

Persian Squares (Lemon, Pistachio and Rose Petal Squares)

Cut these into little squares for lots of irresistible nibbles.

Makes 24 squares

175g soft butter

150g caster sugar

2 eggs, preferably free range

1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 1-2 lemons

175g self-raising flour

Icing

300g icing sugar

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp boiling water

Topping

40g Persian pistachios, chopped

1 tbsp rose petals

30 x 20cm Swiss roll tin, well-greased or lined with parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Put the butter, caster sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, finely grated lemon zest and self-raising flour into a food processor. Whizz for a few seconds to amalgamate. Spread evenly in the well buttered tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes approx. or until golden brown and well risen.

Meanwhile make the icing.

Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl.  Add enough lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon of boiling water if necessary to mix to a malleable icing.  Spread the icing evenly over the cake mixture with a palette knife. 

Sprinkle chopped pistachios and rose petals over the surface. 

When set, cut into squares and enjoy!

Note

In Winter when the butter is harder to cream, we add 2-3 tablespoons of milk to lighten the mixture and texture.