From rice and buckwheat pilafs to oven-baked risottos, there’s a dish for every occasion here. I’ve also included some showstoppers in the mix, like my Persian-style baked salmon with fragrant rice and fresh herbs; dinner-party food without the risk!
BAKED BEETROOT & PECORINO RISOTTO WITH CARAWAY & DILL V
Salty pecorino is the perfect partner for sweet and earthy beetroot (beet) in this fuss-free, oven-baked risotto. Cooking a risotto this way means you don’t have to be chained to the hob stirring incessantly, adding stock ladle by ladle. To give this risotto a slightly Eastern European feel, I’ve also added some caraway and dill to the mix.
75g (2½oz) unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
350g (scant 2 cups) arborio risotto rice
150ml (5fl oz/scant ⅔ cup) dry white wine
350g (12oz) peeled and coarsely grated raw beetroot (beet)
1 litre (35fl oz/4½ cups) hot vegetable stock
100g (3½oz) grated pecorino (or vegetarian alternative), plus extra to serve
3 tbsp finely chopped dill
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Melt 50g (1¾oz) of the butter in your deep pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 7 minutes until starting to soften. Leave the remaining 25g (1oz) butter in the fridge, until you need it later. Now add the caraway seeds and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the arborio rice and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring regularly to avoid it sticking. Now add the wine and allow it to reduce in the pot until nearly dry, continuing to stir regularly. Add the grated beetroot (beet) and stir.
Now add the stock, a generous grind of black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Allow the risotto to come to simmering point, stir and then pop the pot in the oven, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir halfway through.
Remove from the oven, stir one more time, cover once again, and leave for 5 minutes. Stir through the remaining chilled 25g (1oz) butter, the grated pecorino (or vegetarian alternative), 2 tbsp of the chopped dill and a healthy grind of black pepper. Taste for seasoning and add a little more salt if it needs it.
Serve in bowls topped with a little more grated pecorino and the remaining dill.
Serves 4
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Deep Pot
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Hob + Oven
BAKED CHORIZO, CHICKEN & PRAWN SPANISH RICE
Spanish rice dishes are traditionally cooked in a shallow wide pan, a paellera, over a wood burning fire. In the absence of an available fire pit or appropriately shaped BBQ, I tend to make these dishes partly on the hob and in the oven, making things much simpler and virtually risk free.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs (about 500g/1lb 2oz), trimmed of excess skin
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red (bell) pepper, quartered lengthways and cut into 5mm (¼in) slices
a pinch of crushed chilli flakes
2 bay leaves
125g (4½oz) cooking chorizo sliced into 5mm (¼in) thick coins
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
a generous pinch of saffron
200g (7oz) canned chopped tomatoes
250g (1½ cups) paella rice
700ml (24fl oz/3 cups) hot chicken stock
juice of ½ lemon
75g (2½oz) frozen peas
8 raw, unshelled prawns (shrimp)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedges and chopped parsley, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
Heat the oil in your wide shallow pot. Season the chicken thighs. Then, over a medium heat, brown the thighs, skin-side down, for 7 minutes until golden and crisp. Don’t be tempted to touch them before the 7 minutes is up; they won’t have had a chance to caramelize and brown, magically detaching themselves from the base of the pot. Once the skin side is done, flip them over and cook for a further 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Now add the onion, red (bell) pepper, chilli and bay leaves to the pot and cook gently for 5 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften. Add the chorizo slices and garlic and continue to cook gently for another 5 minutes until the oils have been released from the chorizo.
Stir in the paprika and saffron and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and allow to cook gently for a further 2 minutes. Add the rice, mixing well. Now add the stock, lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Push the chicken thighs, skin-side up, into the rice, allowing the skin to remain above the surface of the liquid but the majority of the thigh sitting below. Pop the pot in the preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the peas into a sieve and pour over boiling water. Allow to drain.
Remove the pot from the oven and push the prawns (shrimp) slightly into the rice and scatter the peas around. Pop the pot back in the oven for 5–7 minutes or until the prawns are completely pink and cooked; this may take a little longer depending on the size of the prawns.
Once ready, take the pot out of the oven. Cover with a damp tea towel for 5 minutes to allow any remaining liquid to be absorbed by the rice. Add the lemon wedges and sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.
Serves 4
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Shallow Pot
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Hob + Oven
BAKED MACKEREL WITH JOLLOF-STYLE RICE
Flavoursome jollof rice is a staple of West African cuisine; each country has its own unique take on the dish. This oven-baked version, heavy with tomato, red (bell) pepper and ginger is topped with fresh mackerel fillets which, as they cook, anoint the grains below with their delicious savoury juices.
2 tsp ground ginger
1½ tsp each of ground coriander, cumin and turmeric
4 tbsp sunflower oil
4 mackerel fillets
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
½ tbsp grated fresh root ginger
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
1 x 400g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 Scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 red (bell) pepper, finely chopped
300g (1¾ cups) basmati rice
600ml (20fl oz/2½ cups) hot vegetable stock
2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
sriracha chilli sauce, to serve
Mix the ground ginger, coriander, cumin and turmeric together in a small bowl. Transfer 1½ tsp of the spice mixture to a second bowl and mix this with a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of the sunflower oil. Now add 3 tbsp water to the larger quantity of spice mix in the first bowl and stir.
Pat the mackerel dry with some kitchen paper and rub the fillets with the smaller quantity of spice mix blended with oil. Place in the fridge, covered.
Heat the remaining oil in your wide shallow pot over a medium heat. Add the onion together with a pinch of salt and cook for 7–10 minutes until the onions are browning at the edges.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
Now add the garlic, ginger and bay leaves to the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly. Add the tomato purée (paste) and the spice and water mixture. Stir, and cook over a low to medium heat for a further minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, carrot, chilli, thyme, smoked paprika, red (bell) pepper, 1½ tsp salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent anything from sticking.
Add the rice to the pot, stirring to incorporate. Add the stock and mix thoroughly. Allow the pot to come up to a gentle simmer and then pop it into the oven, covered, for 25 minutes. Do not peek or be tempted to stir the rice once it has gone into the oven.
Take the pot from the oven, remove the lid and place the mackerel fillets, skin-side up, on top of the rice. Transfer the pot back to the oven, uncovered, for 7–10 minutes until the mackerel is cooked (larger fillets will take a little longer).
Remove from the oven and, using a fork, fluff up the rice a little and serve sprinkled with the spring onions (scallions) and a drizzle of sriracha chilli sauce for those that want a little more heat.
Tip
If you have time, you can prepare everything a day ahead, until the stock and rice are added.
Serves 4
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Shallow Pot
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Hob + Oven
Without a doubt, there’s an art in creating an authentic biryani from scratch. In this version, I’ve taken away much of the challenge by using pouches of ready cooked rice that’s left very slightly al dente and just what you need. Cooking rice yourself to this exact point is actually quite tricky so the pouches are a great help.
For the marinade
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp finely grated fresh root ginger
1 tbsp finely grated garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
2 tsp salt
6 tbsp plain yogurt
750g (1lb) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, halved
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
a generous pinch of saffron
1 tbsp milk
3 x 250g (9oz) precooked basmati rice pouches
2 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro), plus extra for serving
2 tbsp chopped mint
1–2 pinches of garam masala
15g (½oz) butter or ghee
plain yogurt and chutneys of your choice, to serve
Begin by making the marinade. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl then add the chicken pieces and stir until well coated. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Heat the oil in your deep pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for around 15 minutes until reduced and deeply caramelized. Transfer to a bowl, leaving as much of the oil in the pot as possible.
Reheat the pot over a medium heat and add the chicken and its marinade. Cook for 5 minutes on the stove top. Cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour with a stir halfway through.
Meanwhile, mix the saffron with the milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer half the chicken and sauce to a bowl. Now add the contents of 1½ rice pouches, in a layer, on top of the chicken and sauce that’s remaining in the pot. Use your fingertips to break up the grains of rice as you go. Top the layer of rice with half the browned onions, the chopped herbs and a couple of pinches of garam masala. Now top with the rest of the chicken and sauce, spreading it around evenly. Add the rest of the rice on top, separating the grains as before, followed by the remaining onions. Lastly, drizzle the saffron infused milk over the top and dot the butter or ghee on top. Transfer to the oven with the lid on and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle a little more coriander over the top and dig down into the pot as you serve to make sure everyone gets their fair share of meat! Serve with yogurt and chutneys of your choice.
Serves 4
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Deep Pot
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Hob + Oven
HARISSA BAKED COD WITH GIANT COUSCOUS, BLACK CHICKPEAS, CARROTS, CORIANDER & LEMON
One of my favourite ways to cook carrots is to simply sweat them in a pot, with the lid on, in extra virgin olive oil, cracked coriander seeds and a sprinkling of salt. Once they’re very soft, I mix through a generous amount of fresh coriander (cilantro) and nothing more. And therein lies the inspiration for this recipe!
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 5mm (¼in) rounds
zest and juice of 1 lemon
500ml (17fl oz/2 cups) hot vegetable stock
250g (9oz) giant couscous
100g (3½oz) canned black chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or standard chickpeas, drained
500g (1lb 2oz) skinless cod fillets, cut into 10cm (4in) chunks
2 tbsp harissa paste
3–4 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Heat the oil over a medium heat in your wide shallow pot. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened and starting to brown at the edges. Add the garlic, the spices and the tomato purée (paste) and cook for 1 more minute. Add 1 tbsp water if the pot feels a little dry. Now add the carrots, lemon zest, a pinch of salt and a further 1 tbsp of water. Stir, turn the heat down, pop the lid on and cook for 7–10 minutes until the carrots are just softening. Give them a stir from time to time.
Now mix 1½ tsp salt into the vegetable stock. Add this to the pot and stir. Add the couscous, spreading it across the pot, making sure it’s all submerged in the liquid. Sprinkle the black chickpeas (garbanzo beans) on top. Bring to a gentle simmer, then pop the lid on and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, season the fish and coat the pieces with the harissa paste, to taste.
Take the pot out of the oven and place the harissa-coated fish on top of the couscous, which will now be nearly cooked. Pop the lid back on and return the pot to the oven for a final 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the pot to sit, with the lid on, for a further 5 minutes. Finally, remove the lid, drizzle with the lemon juice and scatter the coriander (cilantro) all over.
Serves 4
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Shallow Pot
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Hob + Oven
KING PRAWN, BULGUR & CHARD PILAF
This Turkish-inspired one-pot is a quick and easy meal. The chilli flakes I recommend, isot pul biber, are crimson red and wonderfully fruity which means they impart a rich colour as well as flavour to the dish. However, feel free to use whichever crushed chilli flakes you can find, but do be a little less generous as the Turkish variety is much milder in heat.
50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red Romano pepper, halved lengthways then finely sliced
1 bunch of chard (about 250g/9oz), leaves and stalks separated, stems finely sliced, leaves roughly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
½ tsp mild Turkish red pepper flakes (isot pul biber) or crushed chilli flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
zest of 1 lemon
750ml (25⅓fl oz/3¼ cups) hot vegetable stock
300g (10½oz) coarse bulgur wheat
250g (9oz) raw, shelled king prawns (jumbo shrimp)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedges, to serve
Melt the butter in your deep pot over a medium heat. Add the onion, Romano pepper, chopped chard stalks and a pinch of salt and cook for 10–12 minutes until the vegetables have softened and reduced in volume.
Add the garlic, isot pul biber or crushed chilli, cumin, paprika and oregano and cook for around 2 minutes, stirring well. Add the tomato purée (paste) and cook for another 2 minutes, continuing to stir a few times. Add the lemon zest, 1 tsp salt and some black pepper.
Now pour in the hot stock, mix everything together, then add the bulgur wheat, stirring to distribute it evenly. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat right down, cover and allow to cook, without peeking, for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and, without any mixing, place the prawns (shrimp) on top of the bulgur and top with the chopped chard leaves. Pop the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.
Turn the heat off and give everything a gentle stir so the prawns become incorporated within the cooked bulgur. Replace the lid and leave for 5 minutes, allowing the steam to finish cooking the dish.
Give everything one final toss and serve with lemon wedges.
Tip
Get ahead by preparing everything a day before, up until the stock and bulgur wheat are added.
Serves 4
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Deep Pot
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Hob
LAMB & BUCKWHEAT PILAF WITH CHERRIES, CHESTNUTS & DILL
Pilafs can be found all over Eastern Europe, central Asia and the Middle East, ranging from the simple to the most complicated depending on the occasion. In this recipe, cherries and chestnuts impart their unmistakeable fruity sweetness on savoury lamb, buckwheat and fresh dill. Cooking the pilaf in the oven avoids any burnt bottoms and, I think, gives a nice crunch to the buckwheat at the surface of the dish.
3 tbsp sunflower oil
500g (1lb 2oz) lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 3cm (1¼in) cubes
2 onions, peeled and finely sliced
50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
a pinch of crushed chilli flakes
75g (2½oz) dried cherries (or cranberries)
2 carrots, coarsely grated
75g (2½oz) cooked peeled chestnuts, broken up slightly
300g (2 cups) toasted buckwheat
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3–4 tbsp chopped fresh dill, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Add the oil to your deep pot. Brown the lamb in 2 batches. Using a slotted spoon, transfer each batch to a bowl, keeping as much of the oil in the pot as possible. Now lower the heat a little and add the onions and butter with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions have reduced and begun to caramelize.
Now add the allspice, cumin, bay leaves and chilli flakes with ½ tsp black pepper. Allow the spices and onions to cook for a couple of minutes before returning the meat and any collected juices to the pot. Add 300ml (10½fl oz/1¼ cups) boiling water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot, pop it in the oven, and cook for 1½ hours, adding the dried cherries (or cranberries) halfway through and giving things a good stir.
The sauce should have reduced and thickened and the meat will be tender. Remove the pot from the oven and increase the temperature to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
Give the lamb a good stir. Add the carrots and chestnuts in a layer on top of the lamb and sauce. Next add the toasted buckwheat on top and push the garlic cloves into the buckwheat. No stirring!
Now dissolve 1 tsp salt in 500ml (17fl oz/2 cups) boiling water and carefully pour this into the pot. Using the back of a spoon, submerge any buckwheat that appears to be floating. Pop the lid on and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, stir gently and allow to sit for 5 minutes with the lid on before serving sprinkled with the fresh dill. Be sure to eat the garlic by squeezing the softened flesh from the skins – it’s delicious!
Tip
You can make the entire base ahead, let it cool and leave until the next day. Simply add the buckwheat and stock just before you want to bake the dish.
Serves 4–6
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Deep Pot
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Hob + Oven
OVEN-BAKED SPELT RISOTTO WITH MUSHROOMS, STILTON & RED CHICORY V
There’s something deeply autumnal about this comforting recipe. I love the nutty flavour of spelt and when combined with tangy Stilton, woody mushrooms and slightly bitter red chicory, you’ve got a match made in heaven.
3 heads of red chicory
25g (¾oz) unsalted butter
3 tbsp light olive oil
1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
2 red onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 tbsp finely sliced sage
250g (9oz) pearled spelt
150ml (5fl oz/scant ⅔ cup) red wine
250g (9oz) portobello mushrooms, roughly sliced
900ml (31⅔fl oz/4 cups) hot vegetable stock
60g (2oz) baby kale or baby spinach
100g (3½oz) Stilton, crumbled
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
Slightly trim the base of the chicory heads and remove any browning outer leaves. Slice the heads lengthways into quarters and set them aside on a plate, cut-side up.
Heat the butter and olive oil in your wide shallow pot. When the butter has melted, brush the cut sides of the chicory with a little of the hot fat and then sprinkle them with the caster (superfine) sugar. Set aside.
Add the red onion wedges to the pot and cook over a medium heat for 5–7 minutes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon until they are soft and slightly browning at the edges. Add the garlic and sage and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the spelt and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring regularly to toast the grains slightly. Now add the red wine and allow it to sizzle and bubble. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, until the pot becomes quite dry. Now add the stock with 1 tsp salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven and arrange the chicory, cut-side up, on the spelt. Allow it to sit on top of the grains and mushrooms. Return the pot to the oven, this time uncovered, and cook for another 15 minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven. The chicory should have caramelized slightly. Gently mix through the kale or spinach until it begins to wilt, then sprinkle over the Stilton, allowing it to melt a little before serving.
Serves 4
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Shallow Pot
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Hob + Oven
PERSIAN-STYLE BAKED SALMON WITH FRAGRANT RICE & FRESH HERBS
I love the stews and rice dishes of Iranian cuisine, famous for their layered flavours and textures and generous use of fresh herbs and spices. In this nod to Persian cooking, currants, saffron and orange blossom water add slightly sweet notes that balance the rich and savoury salmon.
75g (2½oz) unsalted butter
2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
a pinch of saffron
2 tbsp orange blossom water (optional)
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp each of ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground cardamom
6 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and finely sliced
20g (¾oz) roughly chopped coriander (cilantro), plus 4 tbsp to serve
10g (¼oz) roughly chopped dill
50g (1¾oz) currants
1 tbsp light olive oil
3 x 250g (9oz) precooked rice pouches
1 x 500g (1lb 2oz) skinless piece of salmon or 4 smaller fillets
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Melt the butter in your deep pot. Add the onions and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the saffron with the orange blossom water (or 2 tbsp plain water).
Once the onion has softened and begun to turn golden at the edges, add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Now add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and cardamom and cook for a further minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes. Keep the pot for later (there’s no need to wash it).
Add the spring onions (scallions), coriander (cilantro), dill, currants, 1½ tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper to the softened onions. Mix well.
Add the oil to the pot used to cook the onions, swirling to cover the base. Empty the contents of one of the rice packets into the pot, separating the grains as much as possible with your fingers. Now add the salmon on top of the first layer of rice. Cover the salmon with half of the onion, herb and spice mixture. Top with another packet of rice, once again separating the grains. Now add the remaining onion and herb mixture and finally top with the last pack of rice, separating the grains as before. Sprinkle the saffron infused orange blossom water all over the top.
Pop the lid on and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using a large spoon, dig down to slightly break up the fish and distribute it gently among the other ingredients. Top with the extra chopped coriander (cilantro) and serve.
Tip
You can prepare everything ahead so you only need to pop the pot in the oven before serving. However, if you prepare so far in advance that you need to refrigerate before baking, you’ll need to increase the baking time by up to 15 minutes – or until the fish is cooked at the centre and the rice piping hot to account for the cooler starting temperature.
Serves 4
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Deep Pot
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Hob + Oven
SAUSAGE, LENTIL & FENNEL STEW WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE & DIJON MUSTARD
There are few things more comforting than a bowl of lentils and sausages. Cooking the stew for the most part in the oven means you get lovely caramelized sausages as well as the occasional carrot or lentil tinged golden brown and crunchy from the all-round fierce heat of the oven.
If you’re counting the calories, you can use low-fat crème fraîche (or none at all), but I love how, when mixed with the mustard, it adds a silky indulgence with a bit of oomph to the dish!
2 tbsp light olive oil
25g (1oz) unsalted butter
8 pork sausages
80g (3oz) smoked lardons
1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 fennel bulb, finely diced
3 bay leaves
1 large sprig of thyme
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
150ml (5fl oz/scant ⅔ cup) dry vermouth or white wine
750ml (25⅓fl oz/3¼ cups) hot chicken stock
250g (1¼ cups) puy lentils, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp crème fraîche
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Heat the oil and butter in your wide shallow pot over a medium heat. Add the sausages and cook for 6–7 minutes, until browned on a couple of sides, turning them once during this time. Using tongs, transfer the browned sausages to a plate and set aside.
Add the lardons and fennel seeds to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until beginning to brown. Add the onion, carrot and fennel along with the bay leaves and thyme. Cook for around 7 minutes until the onion is softening. Stir regularly, scraping up any caramelized bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot, allowing them to melt into the vegetables.
Add the garlic and tomato purée (paste) and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the vermouth, or white wine, and cook until it is almost all evaporated. Now add the stock followed by the lentils, 1 tsp salt and some black pepper. Bring to the boil and then place the sausages evenly on top with some of the meat sitting above the surface level of the liquid, like sausage icebergs!
Place the pot, uncovered, in the preheated oven and cook, undisturbed, for 40 minutes, by which time the lentils will be cooked, the liquid reduced and the sausages and some of the vegetables browned on top.
Meanwhile, mix the crème fraîche with the mustard in a small bowl.
Remove the stew from the oven, dot with the blended crème fraîche and mustard and sprinkle the chopped parsley all over. Serve.
Serves 4
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Shallow Pot
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Hob + Oven
SPICED COURGETTE, GREEN LEAF & HERB PILAF WITH BAKED EGGS V
In this recipe, I’ve been inspired by the fragrant pilafs of central Asia where sweet and savoury flavours are combined so successfully. For me, the tanginess that creamy yogurt brings to the dish is essential here, acting as a flavour bridge between the sweet raisins and savoury herbs.
80g (3oz) mix of watercress, spinach and rocket, roughly chopped
1 green chilli, finely sliced, seeds left in
2 courgettes (zucchini), coarsely grated
3 tbsp roughly chopped dill, plus a handful extra for serving
3 tbsp roughly chopped coriander (cilantro), plus a handful extra for serving
50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter
1 tbsp light olive oil
1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), trimmed and finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp nigella seeds
3 tbsp raisins
300g (1¼ cups) basmati rice
650ml (23fl oz/2¾ cups) hot vegetable stock
4 eggs
10g (¼oz) flaked almonds
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp Greek yogurt, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Add your mixed leaves to a large bowl with the chilli, courgette (zucchini) and fresh herbs and set aside.
Melt the butter with the oil over a medium heat in your wide shallow pot. Add the spring onions (scallions) and cook for 2 minutes until the onions start to soften. Now add the garlic and cook for another minute before adding the spices and nigella seeds. Cook for one more minute, stirring frequently.
Now add the bowl of vegetables and herbs to the pot along with the raisins, a generous pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Cook over a medium heat for 6–7 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables have reduced in volume and are beginning to dry out slightly.
Now add the rice, stirring to incorporate it thoroughly. Finally add the stock with 1 tsp salt. Pop the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Resist the temptation to peek!
Remove the pot from the oven, fluff the rice up gently with a fork and then, using a wooden spoon, create four wells in the rice. Crack an egg into each well and sprinkle them with a little salt and black pepper. Scatter the flaked almonds on the rice, around the eggs, and then pop the pot back in the oven, uncovered, for 9–12 minutes depending on how soft you like your eggs.
Serve sprinkled with some more fresh herbs and the Greek yogurt on the side.
Serves 4
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Shallow Pot
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Hob + Oven
