There’s something so satisfying about building a dish in just one pot that is then left in the oven, more or less, to its own devices. These recipes are influenced by flavours from around the world, from an Indonesian-inspired vegan tempeh dish through to oven-roast gnocchi with Mediterranean vegetables and Korean-style roast salmon.
KOREAN-STYLE ROAST SALMON, SWEET AND SPICY POTATOES & TENDERSTEM BROCCOLI
This dish really delivers on flavour considering how quick and easy it is to prepare! The honey and gochujang caramelize into a spicy, sweet and salty crust around the potatoes, which go into the oven first. Then, when the salmon steaks and broccoli go on top, the juices from the fish mix with the caramelized bits, creating a delicious self-saucing dish that you’ll come back to again and again!
3 tbsp gochujang chilli paste
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vegetable oil
600g (1lb 5oz) new potatoes, halved
200g (7oz) Tenderstem broccoli
4 x 125g (4½oz) salmon fillets
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1½ tsp black sesame seeds (or white, or a mix)
2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced sea salt
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Crumple a roughly 35cm (14in) square piece of non-stick baking parchment into a ball. Open it out and use it to line your wide shallow pot.
In a small bowl, mix together the gochujang, soy sauce, honey and vegetable oil to create a marinade. Pour all but 2 tbsp into a large bowl and add the potatoes, tossing them in the sauce to ensure they are all evenly covered. Now transfer the potatoes to the lined pot. Pop it in the oven and cook for 45 minutes, giving them a mix once or twice during that time.
Meanwhile, use the same large bowl and toss in the broccoli and the remaining marinade. Coat well and set to one side.
Just before the potatoes are ready, rub the salmon fillets with the toasted sesame oil and sprinkle them with salt. Once the potatoes have been cooking for 45 minutes, take the pot out of the oven. Nestle the broccoli among the potatoes and rest the salmon fillets on top of the other ingredients, flesh-side up. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Pop back in the oven for 10–12 minutes or until the salmon is cooked to your liking.
Sprinkle with the spring onions (scallions) and serve.
Serves 4
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LEMON-SCENTED PORK MEATBALLS WITH FENNEL & WHITE WINE
Meatballs weren’t regularly on the family table while I was growing up so a lot of research went into this recipe and there were a few tantrums during the process! Fennel, oregano, lemon and Parmesan are a perfect quartet of flavours. Bring white wine and crème fraîche to the party and you’ve got a pot of delicious, feel-good food.
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed slightly, root left intact, cut into 8 wedges
550g (1lb 3oz) new potatoes, halved
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
200g (7oz) chantenay carrots, scrubbed clean and halved if large
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tbsp honey
2½ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
50g (generous 1 cup) panko breadcrumbs
75ml (2½fl oz/¾ cup) milk
500g (1lb 2oz) lean pork mince
1 tsp dried oregano
zest of 1 lemon
25g (1oz/2 tbsp) finely grated Parmesan
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 egg
150ml (5fl oz/scant ⅔ cup) dry white wine
3 tbsp crème fraîche
4 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Add the fennel, potatoes, red onion and carrots to your wide shallow pot. Pour over the olive oil, honey, 1 tsp of the fennel seeds, ½ tsp salt and a grind of black pepper. Give everything a good mix with your hands. Pop in the oven for 45 minutes, giving it a shake or two during this time.
While the vegetables roast, prepare the meatballs. First mix the panko breadcrumbs with the milk and leave to one side for a few minutes allowing the bread to absorb the milk and turn slightly pasty.
Meanwhile, add the pork mince, remaining fennel seeds, oregano, lemon zest, Parmesan, garlic, egg, ½ tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper to a large bowl. Add the soaked breadcrumbs and give everything a good mix (it’s easiest to do this with your hands). Now, wet your hands slightly (this makes shaping the balls easier) and roll the mixture into sixteen 4cm (1½in) balls, transferring them to a large plate as you go. Drizzle them with a little olive oil and turn over to coat each one. Cover the meatballs and put them in the fridge to firm up while the vegetables finish cooking.
After the vegetables have been roasting for 45 minutes, take the pot out of the oven and give everything a good toss. Place the meatballs on top of the vegetables, spacing them evenly. Pop the pot back in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and, using two spoons, turn the meatballs over, allowing them to fall wherever they land. Pour the wine into the pot and then pop it all back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the wine has reduced (but not completely disappeared!) and the meatballs have started to brown.
Meanwhile, mix the crème fraîche with 1 tsp water to loosen it slightly. Once the meatballs are ready, take the pot out of the oven, drizzle the crème fraîche over, and sprinkle over 3 tbsp of the parsley. Using two large spoons, toss everything gently together until the cream and parsley are fully incorporated with the juices at the bottom of the pot. Finally, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.
Serves 4
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OVEN-ROAST GNOCCHI WITH MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLES, GOAT’S CHEESE & BASIL V
I only recently discovered that store-bought gnocchi can be roasted straight from the packet and doesn’t need to be boiled first. This makes for an extremely simple and comforting dinner any night of the week.
Please don’t be alarmed if some of the vegetables become quite dark during the roasting process here. This is perfectly normal and gives great flavour! Don’t be tempted to mix things around more than I suggest otherwise you’ll end up with steamed rather than roasted vegetables.
1 medium aubergine (eggplant) (about 250g/9oz), cut into 1cm (½in) pieces
1 red (bell) pepper, roughly chopped
1 courgette (zucchini), cut into 1cm (½in) dice
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges, broken up slightly
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10g (¼oz) basil leaves
600g (1lb 5oz) store-bought gnocchi
200g (7oz) cherry tomatoes
125g (4½oz) soft goat’s cheese (or vegetarian alternative)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), to serve
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Crumple a roughly 35cm (14in) square piece of non-stick baking parchment into a ball. Open it out and use it to line your wide shallow pot.
Add the chopped aubergine (eggplant), red (bell) pepper, courgette (zucchini) and red onion to the pot and toss with 3 tbsp of the oil, a good few pinches of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Pop in the oven for 30 minutes, then give things a good mix. Cook for another 15 minutes and give everything another toss. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.
While the veg are cooking, using a mortar and pestle, crush the basil leaves with a pinch of salt. Add the remaining oil and continue grinding until you have a fragrant, slightly lumpy, green basil oil.
Once the vegetables are cooked, remove the pot from the oven. Remove the paper; it should just slip out from under the vegetables. Ensure any precious cooking juices are allowed to drain back into the pot.
Add the gnocchi and cherry tomatoes to the pot and give everything a toss so they are mixed through the roasted vegetables. Pop the pot back in the oven for 15 minutes without any further stirring.
Remove from the oven and dot the goat’s cheese (or vegetarian alternative) and basil oil all over and gently mix through to encourage the cheese to melt a little.
Serve straight from the pot at the table with plenty of Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative) and freshly ground black pepper.
Serves 4
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PIEDMONT ROASTED PEPPERS WITH ROSEMARY POTATOES, MACKEREL & BASIL GREMOLATA
The foundations for this dish lie in the famous, and delicious, Elizabeth David recipe for roast red (bell) peppers from A Book of Mediterranean Food. I’ve built on this super simple recipe to create a complete one-pot meal thanks to the addition of some potatoes and fresh mackerel added towards the end. This is a lovely, light and summery dish that’s perfect served straight from the oven or at room temperature.
600g (1lb 5oz) new potatoes, halved
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
2 red (bell) peppers halved and deseeded
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
4 anchovies
4 fresh mackerel fillets
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the gremolata
15g (½oz) basil leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Add the potatoes to your wide shallow pot with 1 tbsp of the olive oil, the rosemary, some salt and black pepper. Give everything a good toss with your hands.
Now add the halved peppers, cut-side up, to the pot, nestling them among the potatoes. Place 2 tomato quarters in each pepper half, followed by the sliced garlic. Then, using scissors, snip an anchovy into pieces into each pepper. Drizzle the remaining oil into the pepper halves and give them a good grind of black pepper. Pop in the oven and roast for 1 hour.
After 30 minutes, remove the pot from the oven and give the potatoes a little nudge with a wooden spoon, being careful not to allow the juices from within the peppers to escape. Return to the oven for the remaining time.
Meanwhile, mix the gremolata ingredients together in a small bowl.
Once the pot has been in the oven for the hour, remove it and increase the temperature to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Rub the mackerel fillets with olive oil and season.
Once the oven has heated up, top the potatoes and peppers with the mackerel fillets, skin-side up, using them to cover up any more charred bits of pepper or browner pieces of potato. Roast for 7–10 minutes until the fillets are just cooked (this will depend on how large your fillets are). Remove from the oven and scatter with the gremolata just before serving.
Serves 4
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ROAST CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD, MARMALADE, PARSNIPS & ORANGE
Teaming chicken with orange makes for a classic combination. And, being fond of the slight bitterness in marmalade, I love using it in chicken dishes. Here you’re rewarded with wonderfully dark, caramelized chicken skin with parsnips just beginning to turn jammy at the edges. Any bits that get stuck to the pot are delicious, so make sure you get in quick before your friends or family do!
2 tbsp marmalade
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for rubbing
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tbsp clear honey
500g (1lb 2oz) new potatoes, halved
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 6–8 pieces
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1 orange, cut into 8 wedges
2 sprigs of rosemary
8 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs (about 1kg/2lb 4oz), trimmed of excess skin
150g (5oz) green beans
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the marmalade, mustard, oil, vinegar, garlic and honey with a good pinch of salt and some black pepper.
Add the potatoes, parsnip, onion and orange wedges to your wide shallow pot. Pour over half of the marmalade mixture and, using your hands, mix everything together. Pop in the oven for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the chicken to the bowl with the remaining marinade and coat the thighs well.
Take the pot out of the oven and give it a good shake. Push the rosemary sprigs in among the vegetables and orange and then place the chicken thighs, skin-side up, on top. Sprinkle a little more salt onto the chicken and return the pot to the oven. Roast for 40 minutes until the chicken thighs turn a deep golden colour.
Rub the beans with a little olive oil. Take the pot out of the oven, scatter the beans across the surface of the pot and return to the oven for a final 10 minutes to cook the beans through.
Remove from the oven and serve.
Serves 4
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SATAY-STYLE ROAST TEMPEH & VEGETABLES WITH COCONUT GREMOLATA VE
I love the nuttiness and texture of tempeh which, in my opinion, is much more interesting than tofu. Tempeh also feels more versatile, working well in stews as well as turning crisp when roasted, as in this recipe.
2 tsp mild curry powder
3–4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 banana shallots, peeled and halved lengthways
1 medium sweet potato (about 250g/9oz), cut into 2cm (¾in) chunks
3 small turnips (about 150g/5oz), quartered
300g (10½oz) tempeh, cubed
8 small broccoli florets (about 150g/5oz)
1 red chilli, finely sliced
sea salt
200g (scant 1 cup) coconut yogurt, to serve
For the satay sauce
80g (3oz) peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp curry powder
1 tbsp agave syrup (or honey)
1 garlic clove, finely grated
½ tsp finely grated fresh root ginger
a pinch of chilli powder
For the gremolata
25g (⅓ cup) unsweetened desiccated (dried) coconut
juice of ½ lime
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Crumple a roughly 35cm (14in) square piece of non-stick baking parchment into a ball. Open it out and use it to line your wide shallow pot.
In a large bowl, mix the curry powder with 3 tbsp vegetable oil, the soy sauce and a generous pinch of salt. Add the shallots, sweet potato, turnips and tempeh and toss well to coat. Transfer to the lined pot, leaving any residual marinade behind, and bake for 40 minutes.
Add the broccoli florets to the bowl. Give them a toss in the residual marinade and add a little more oil if it feels very dry. Set to one side.
Now make the satay sauce. Mix the ingredients together in a medium bowl, then gradually add 4–5 tbsp water to create a thick sauce. The water will take some time to be fully incorporated but persevere, it will all come together.
For the gremolata, mix the desiccated coconut with 2 tbsp water and the lime juice in a small bowl. Allow the liquid to absorb for a minute or two before mixing in the coriander (cilantro) as well as a generous pinch of salt (to balance the acidity in the lime).
Once the vegetables and tempeh have been cooking for 40 minutes, remove from the oven and distribute the broccoli florets evenly over the other ingredients. Drizzle 4 tbsp of the satay sauce all over the vegetables and tempeh. Pop back into the oven for a final 12–15 minutes until the broccoli is charring slightly and the sauce darkened in colour.
Remove from the oven and drizzle over a little more of the satay sauce, sprinkle with half of the gremolata and top with the red chilli. Serve with the remaining satay sauce and gremolata and the coconut yogurt to the side.
Serves 4
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SOY & MISO ROAST CHICKEN WITH CABBAGE, TURNIPS & SPRING ONIONS
This Japanese-inspired recipe produces a deliciously light, umami-rich gravy that works wonders with the savoy cabbage, permeating the gaps between the leaves, braising them perfectly as the chicken browns and caramelizes on top.
3 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp vegetable oil
8 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs (about 1kg/2lb 4oz), trimmed of excess skin
2 medium turnips, each cut into 8 wedges
½ medium savoy cabbage, cut into 4 wedges, root intact
8 spring onions (scallions), outer leaves removed and halved
cooked rice, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Crumple a roughly 35cm (14in) square piece of non-stick baking parchment into a ball. Open it out and use it to line your wide shallow pot.
Mix the miso, soy sauce, mirin and oil together in a large bowl. Remove about ½ tbsp and keep for later. Now toss in the chicken thighs and turnip wedges and coat well with the marinade. Using your hands, scrape some of the excess marinade from the chicken and use it to coat the cabbage wedges.
Place the cabbage in the pot and then top with the chicken thighs, skin-side up, around and on top of the cabbage. Tuck the turnip wedges in between, allowing some to be buried a bit deeper than others.
Pop the pot in the oven for 40 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, rub the spring onions (scallions) with the remaining marinade.
Once the cooking time is up, the chicken should be well browned in places and the marinade caramelizing. Take the pot out of the oven, and baste all the ingredients with the juices that will have collected at the bottom of the pot. Now tuck the spring onions in between all the other ingredients. Return the pot to the oven for a further 20 minutes, basting halfway through.
Remove from the oven and serve with some plain rice.
Serves 4
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SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH FETA, POMEGRANATE & FRESH HERBS V
This recipe is as delicious as it is beautiful and, surprisingly, only a few of the ingredients ever get close to the oven! If you want to bulk the dish out, simply add some well drained chickpeas (garbanzo beans) when the non-stick paper is removed from the roasted vegetables. The chickpeas take on some of the residual heat of the veg, so don’t need reheating themselves.
a good pinch of ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 large butternut squash (about 1kg/2lb 4oz) cut lengthways into 8 wedges
2 red onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
150g (5oz) feta
150g (¾ cup) Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1½ tbsp milk
50g (1¾oz) walnut halves, broken into pieces
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 tbsp chopped parsley
3 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Crumple a roughly 35cm (14in) square piece of non-stick baking parchment into a ball. Open it out and use it to line your wide shallow pot.
Mix the cinnamon, turmeric and cumin with the oil and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Add the butternut squash and onions to the pot and pour over the spice mix. Give everything a good mix with your hands, ensuring the vegetables are evenly covered. Roast for 1 hour until the edges of the vegetables are slightly charred. Halfway through, give everything a gentle shake so nothing sticks.
Meanwhile, using a fork, crumble the feta in a bowl and combine with the yogurt, garlic and milk.
After the vegetables have been roasting for an hour, add the walnuts to the pot and cook for 10 more minutes.
Once the vegetables are ready, remove from the oven and let the pot cool very slightly. Using the non-stick paper to help you, shuffle the vegetables and walnuts around a little to cover them with any fragrant oils that may have collected. Then slip the paper out and discard. Distribute the roasted ingredients as evenly as you can in the pot.
Now add spoonfuls of the yogurt and feta mix across the vegetables and nuts. Drizzle the pomegranate molasses over the top followed by the fresh herbs, some more extra virgin olive oil and the pomegranate seeds, and serve.
Serves 4
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ZUNI CAFÉ-INSPIRED ROAST CHICKEN & BREAD SALAD
A trip to San Francisco wouldn’t be complete without a meal at Zuni Café to sample their roast chicken and bread salad. The famous salad delivers tender juicy pieces of chicken sitting on a bed of roasted chunks of bread, soaked with pan juices, a delicious dressing punctuated with currants and pine nuts with bitter, peppery salad leaves to boot. Although simple, the bread salad is something quite special and this is my version of a true classic.
8 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs (about 1kg/2lb 4oz), trimmed of excess skin
2 onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2–3 sprigs of thyme
6½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium ripe tomato, halved
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp currants
250g (9oz) country-style white bread, crusts removed and torn into bite-size chunks
2 tbsp pine nuts
160g (5½oz) bitter or peppery leaves (such as rocket, watercress, escarole or curly endive)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Add the chicken thighs, onion wedges, garlic and thyme to your wide shallow pot. Drizzle over about 1½ tbsp olive oil and rub it all over the ingredients. Sprinkle everything liberally with salt and a good grind of black pepper. Pop in the oven for 50–55 minutes until the chicken skin is golden and crisp and the onions are turning dark at the edges. Give things a shake halfway through and move any onions that might be browning too quickly.
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Push the cut-side of each tomato half against the coarse side of a box grater and grate the tomato into a bowl until all the pulp is removed, leaving you with just the skin in your hand, which can be discarded. Add the vinegar and the currants to the tomato flesh, and set aside.
Once the chicken is cooked, transfer the thighs to a large plate, allowing them to rest and cool while you finish the dish. Toss the torn pieces of bread into the pot containing the onions, garlic, thyme and chicken cooking juices. Give everything a good mix and place back in the oven for 10–15 minutes or until the bread is starting to brown at the edges and toast. Give it a gentle toss halfway through.
Sprinkle over the pine nuts and pop back in the oven for a final 5 minutes. If any pieces of bread look like they’re turning brown too quickly, turn them over. The aim here is to get some pieces of bread nice and crunchy, while others stay slightly soggy in that lovely comforting way! Meanwhile, add the remaining 5 tbsp olive oil to the tomato mixture and season well.
Once the bread is toasted, remove from the oven. Add the green leaves to a large serving dish with the toasted bread, roasted garlic and onions from the pot. Drizzle over the dressing and, using your hands, toss well. Nestle the chicken in among the salad and serve.
Serves 4
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