If you can catch yourself in the frame of mind to make things not in advance but for later use, then you will have a lot of very nice things to add to and supplement dishes with – and you will be rewarded with a lot of pleasure.
Time spent making some store cupboard or larder items will add variety to future dishes and you will be so thankful that you put the time aside in the first place.
2 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp cardamom pod seeds
½ tsp black cumin seeds
½ tsp black mustard seeds
3 cloves
½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
Mild Curry Powder Mix
* In a dry frying pan, gently toast the seeds and cloves until they start to become aromatic. Take care not to burn them. Allow to cool and combine with the remaining ingredients in a pestle and mortar and grind to a fine powder. Keep in a sealed jar.
3 cloves
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp black cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp crushed red chillis
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp amchur powder
1½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves
My Aromatic Kofta Spice Mix
* Toast the seeds and peppercorns for 1–2 minutes in a dry frying pan to release the oils and heighten their aroma. Take great care not to burn them. Cool slightly and grind together in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder before adding the remaining spices. Mix well to combine. Store in a sealed jar.
Poor Man’s ‘International’ Cheese
Versatile Flavoured Breadcrumbs for General Use
Use these as directed in several recipes within the book, or even as delicious textural additions to salads.
Greek
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp finely chopped pistachios
Swedish
1 tbsp chopped dill
1 tsp ground black pepper
French
1 clove garlic, finely chopped and baked with the crumbs in the oven
1 tsp herbes de Provence
Italian (or Pangrattato)
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp flat-leaf parsley
pinch of chilli
Spanish (or Migas de Pan)
1 tbsp chopped toasted almonds
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp sweet paprika
* Cut about a quarter off a ciabatta loaf and roughly dice it – pulse it in a blender to form rough crumbs and spread these on a baking tray. Toast in a hot oven (about 200°C/400°F) for 5 minutes until they are golden and dry.
Combine about 4 tbsp with your chosen ingredients accordingly.
Pickled Carrots
These are wonderful simply included in a salad or a sandwich.
1 large sealable glass jar, sterilised
4 carrots
150ml (½ cup) cider vinegar (white wine vinegar is fine)
100ml (1/3 cup) water
3 tbsp sugar
½ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 bay leaf
* Peel and trim the carrots. Halve them and cut them into long matchsticks (juliennes) and place them in the sterilised container you intend to keep them in. In a pan, combine the other ingredients and bring to the boil. Once it reaches the boil, turn the heat off and pour the liquid over the carrots. Ensure all the carrots are submerged and leave to cool before closing and storing in the fridge. Keep for a day or two in order to infuse the flavours well and then use within 2–3 weeks.
These are easy to make, wonderful to use and look impressive on your shelf. When you need to use them, it’s usually only one or two quarters at a time, so they last for a good while.
1 large sealable glass jar, sterilised
unwaxed lemons – the best you can get but not too large (enough to fill your chosen jar)
sea salt
2 tsp whole coriander seeds
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
filtered water
olive oil
* Quarter each lemon from top to bottom to within an inch of its base but not completely through. Stuff the exposed flesh with sea salt, squeeze closed and place inside a large sealable, sterilised jar. Pack them in as close and tight as you can, wedging them together so they don’t rise up when you add the water. Add the coriander seeds and peppercorns and cover everything with the water.
I use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of water when I can as it’s even better, but water works well and is cheaper.
Ensure the lemons are submerged and not breaking through the water at any time. Pour some olive oil on the top, seal closed and store for at least a month before using. Once you start using them, make sure the lemons always remain under the liquid.
I love these pickled cucumbers. It’s the dill and fennel that do it. I have to confess to these being a bit of a ‘fridge-raider’ food.
1 x 500ml (16fl oz) sealable jar, sterilised
200ml (¾ cup) cider vinegar
juice of 1 small lemon
100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp whole tellicherry black peppercorns
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 cucumber
handful of fresh dill, roughly chopped
* Bring all the ingredients, except the cucumber and dill, to the boil in a pan and simmer long enough to fully dissolve the sugar.
Using a peeler, take strips off the cucumber lengthways, leaving a stripped effect on the skin. It’s not utterly necessary, but it does give the pickles a more interesting appearance.
Using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the cucumber widthways at a 45° angle into slices.
Add all the cucumber slices and dill into your sterilised jar and pour over the hot pickling liquid – mix around a little and cover. Once cool, stir through again to mix everything up well. Ensure all the cucumber slices are submerged, seal and store for a day or two before using. Keep in the fridge once and use within 2–3 weeks.
Easy Pickled Beetroot
This is similar to the recipe for my pickled cucumbers – for which I make no apologies on two counts: it simply works extremely well with either, and either is extremely simple to make. I still can’t make up my mind which is my favourite, although given that beetroot does stain fingers, it’s slightly less incriminating to raid the fridge for the cucumbers!
1 x 500ml (16fl oz) sealable jar, sterilised
3 large pre-cooked beetroots
200ml (¾ cup) cider vinegar
juice of 1 small lemon
100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp whole tellicherry black peppercorns
2 tsp fennel seeds
pinch of chilli flakes
handful of fresh dill, roughly chopped
* Using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the beetroot widthways into thin slices. Bring all the ingredients, except the beetroot and dill, to the boil in a pan and simmer long enough to fully dissolve the sugar.
Add all the beetroot slices and dill into your sterilised jar and cover with the hot pickling liquid. Stir through once to mix everything up well. Ensure all the beetroot is submerged, seal and allow to cool fully. Ideally store for a day before using. Keep in the fridge and use within 2–3 weeks.
Chermoula
I think everyone’s chermoula is, and possibly should be, a little different. It seems to me it’s like garam masala – every house has its own blend according to taste. In that respect, use this as a template and by all means adjust to suit your taste.
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp mild paprika
1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
pinch of saffron strands
1 tsp chopped preserved lemon skin
handful of fresh coriander leaves
handful of fresh mint leaves
1 tsp sea salt
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* Combine all the ingredients and blend with a hand blender. Store in an airtight jar, topped with some more olive oil. It will keep well for quite a few days.
I always think of dill as an underused herb, probably because I have come to like it very much over the years and I don’t see it used that often when I eat out, although to be fair that’s hardly conclusive evidence. This dill oil can be used for many things including soups and salads and wouldn’t be out of place drizzled on the Briam dish (page 248), but it stands out particularly well in the Fennel Vichyssoise recipe for which it’s included here.
large handful of fresh dill
small handful of spinach leaves (optional)
160ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil
* Blanch the dill (and spinach if using) in lightly salted boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove and refresh in ice-cold water. Drain and squeeze out the excess water from the dill.
Using a hand blender, blend the oil and dill (and spinach leaves if using) together until well combined. Strain the blended oil through a muslin cloth into a clean jar and keep for a week or so at room temperature.
The spinach leaves will impart an even deeper vibrant green colour but are by no means essential – you could call it a wee chefy trick.
Simple Pizza Sauce
There are endless pizza sauce recipes in the world. Here’s how I make mine, and I think it tastes pretty good – but each to their own!
2 tbsp olive oil
350ml (1½ cups) crushed tomato passata
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp sugar
2 or 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
* Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium setting and add the passata followed by 100ml of water that’s been swirled around in the empty passata bottle. Add the oregano, salt and sugar and stir through. Lay in the sprigs of rosemary and stir through again. Leave to simmer on a gentle heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature while the herbs continue to infuse before removing the rosemary and storing the sauce in the fridge until required. It will keep for 2–3 days or freeze for a month.