Tag: #NigellaLawson

Asian Flavored Short Ribs

This stew is remarkable in its ease for entertaining and its fullness of flavor. Serve with short grain brown rice and a green veg.

5 1/2 lbs. beef short ribs, cut into 2″ squares
1 cup hoisin sauce
2 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Chinese rice wine
2 tbs. Chinese 5 spice powder
1 tbs. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbs. Asian sesame oil
4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced
1 fresh red chili, deseeded and finely chopped, to serve
2-3 tbs. fresh coriander, chopped, to serve
3-4 lime wedges, to serve

Heat the oven to 300°F. Clatter the short ribs into a large pan that has a lid. Mix together the hoisin sauce, water, soy sauce, wine, 5 spice powder, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and garlic, then pour over the ribs. Cover everything with a layer of parchment paper, tucking it in around the ribs, then cover with the lid. Roast for 4 – 4 1/2 hours until the meat is tender and coming away from the bone. Allow to cool for a bit.

Transfer the ribs into a bowl and gently remove the bones. Cover and chill for at least 1 day or up to 3 days.

Before reheating the ribs, remove the hard layer of fat that will have formed on the top and discard. Transfer the meat to a oven-proof dish, cover with a lid or foil and reheat at 400°F for 1 hour or until piping hot.

Scatter the red chili, and coriander over the top and serve with lime wedges.

Serves 6 – 8

Tagliatelle with Chicken from the Venetian Ghetto

The title is classic Nigella (a little cheeky) and the taste is just as fabulous. Use a rotisserie chicken if time is an issue and we are instructed, “No cheese, please.”

3 lb. chicken
2 tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
1 tbs. finely chopped rosemary leaves, 2-3 sprigs
50g sultanas (soaked in warm water for 30 minutes) (1/3 cup)
100g toasted pinenuts (3/4 cup)
1 lb. tagliatelle
2 tbs. freshly chopped parsley

Heat the oven to 350°F. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting tin and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours until well browned and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced. Take the chicken out of the oven and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Take the meat off the bone, keeping the skin, and cut or tear into pieces.

Put a large pot on to boil.

Pour all the juices from the roasting tin into a saucepan. Add the rosemary, sultanas and pine nuts, then simmer gently while you cook the pasta. Salt the boiling water well and cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes. Drain and toss with the chicken and sauce. Serve in a large bowl topped with chopped parsley.

Serves 6

 

Fresh Tagliatelle

Dust off that old pasta maker from the 90’s and try this easy, fun and delicious tagliatelle.

400g OO flour (2 2/3 cup)
1 fat pinch of salt
4 large eggs

Either put the flour and salt in a bowl or on a clean work surface. Form it into a mound and crack in the eggs into the mound. Work with your hands or a spoon until the mixture comes together in a claggy mess. Knead for a few minutes until smooth and satiny. Form it into a ball, cover with a tea towel and leave for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Have more OO flour at the ready and begin to roll out the pasta.  Cut the ball into strips and feed through the pasta maker as directed. Nigella recommends repeating the no. 1 setting several times, folding the dough in half each time. Pass it through up to no. 5, then put through the tagliatelle cutter. Toss immediately with OO flour and leave to dry a bit.

Cook in plenty of boiling, salted water for just 1-2 minutes, or until tender. Toss with your favorite sauce.

 

Courgette Fritters

These are special due to the addition of feta cheese and the use of both fresh and dried mint. The perfect side dish or veggie main course.

4 medium courgettes
6 scallions, chopped
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
small bunch fresh mint, chopped
small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. dried mint
1 tsp. paprika
1 cup flour
3 eggs, beaten
olive oil, to fry

Coarsely grate the courgettes and wrap the gratings in a tea towel for 20 minutes to reduce the moisture. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients except the olive oil. Season well.

Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat, then brush on some olive oil. Drop small mounds of the courgette mixture onto the pan and cook until browned on the bottom. Flip over and brown on the other side. Serve warm.

Serves 4

Mussels with Pasta and Tomatoes

These marvelous moules are a jot to make and a delight to eat. By the time it takes to cook pasta, supper is sorted. Place the pan in the middle of the table and serve this family style in large bowls.

Mussels with Pasta and Tomatoes

2 lbs. mussels
8 oz. short, stubby pasta such as macaroni or ditalini
2 tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatos, cut across the equator
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. chili flakes
80ml red vermouth
4 tbs. chopped fresh parsely

Clean the beards from the mussels and rub off any debris from their shells. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes, then discard any that are still open.

Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large, wide pan that has a lid. Tumble in the tomatoes and cook until softened over a medium heat, 2-3 minutes. Tip in the garlic, chili flakes and salt. Stir often until the tomatoes start to melt down and make a juice, 3-4 minutes. Pour in the vermouth and let it bubble up.

Add the mussels to the pan and cover. Cook, shaking the pan a few times, for 3-4 minutes, or until the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that have stayed closed. Add the pasta, cover and leave for a minute or two off the heat. Uncover, stir in most of the parsley and serve with the remaining parsley sprinkled on top.

Serves 4

Tequila and Lime Chicken

This lovely little chicken dish is packed with citrus flavor and can be roasted in the oven or cooked out on the grill. As with anything marinated, the longer the marinating time, the better!

1 medium chicken, cut into 8 pieces
5 tbs. tequila blanco
zest and juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tbs. regular olive oil
extra lime wedges and cilantro, to serve

Put the chicken pieces in a resealable bag or large bowl. Mix together the tequila, lime zest and juice, red pepper flakes, salt and oil. Add to the bag or bowl and squelch everything together. Chill for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days. (If you are really short on time, marinate at room temperature for 40 minutes.)

When you are ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge and leave for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange the chicken in a single layer in a roasting tin. Pour over half the marinade and cook for 25 minutes. Pour over the remaining marinade and cook a further 25 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Add a little boiling water to the roasting tin to deglaze the pan. Pour this over the chicken and serve with extra lime wedges and cilantro.

Alternatively, cook the chicken for 20 minutes on a medium-hot grill. Basting with the marinade and turning often.

Serves 4, generously

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

Paired with New Orleans Cole Slaw, this is THE PERFECT picnic!

12 chicken drumsticks and/or bone-in, skin-on thighs
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, skins removed and bruised
1 tbs. crushed peppercorns
1 tbs. kosher salt
1 ts. maple syrup
1 tsp. ground cumin

Place the chicken in a large freezer bag and add the remaining ingredients except for the 2 tbs. of oil. Squish it all together and marinade for at least 30 minutes. However, chilled overnight is better.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Shake the marinade off the chicken and place in a foil-lined roasting tin. Drizzle with the remaining oil. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and cooked through. Alternatively, you can BBQ them over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes per side.

Serves 6

 

New Orleans Cole Slaw

This is the accompaniment of choice for Buttermilk Roasted Chicken.

1 head white or savoy cabbage, about 2 lbs. before trimmed
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tbs. maple syrup
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup toasted and chopped pecans

Trim and shred the baggage. Place in a large bowl and add the carrots, scallions and celery. Whisk together the mayonnaise, maple syrup and vinegar. Toss with the cabbage mixture and season. Toss in the pecans to serve.

Serves 6

African Drumsticks

The secret ingredient in this dandy little recipe is apricot jam for flavor and sweetness. The drumsticks can also be grilled, basted the with marinade as you go.

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp. English mustard
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tbs. apricot jam
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
8 chicken drumsticks

1 tsp. garlic-infused olive oil

Heat the oven to 400°F. Combine the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, ginger, jam and onion in a bowl and mix well. Toss in the chicken making sure everything gets a good coating. (Leave in the fridge overnight for more flavor.)

Brush the oil over the bottom of a roasting tin that the chicken will fit snugly in. Arrange the chicken in a single layer and tip over the marinade. Cook for 45 minute to 1 hour, basting once or twice.

Serves 4

The combination of ingredients for the marinade is fabulous. Serve with chutney, if you happen to have any about.

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tsp. English mustard

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tbs. apricot jam

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

8 chicken drumsticks

1 tbs. garlic-infused olive oil

Heat the oven to 400°F. Mix the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, ginger, jam and onion in a shallow dish. Dunk the drumsticks in this marinade to coat them all over. (It can be left overnight in the fridge.) Put them snuggly in a small roasting tin or baking dish and pour over any marinade.

Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting once or twice. The deeper the dish or tin, the longer the chicken will take to color and cook through.

Serves 4-6