1202 REBMEVON O
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warming
November 2021 UK £5.25
cook discover unwind
spices
Get your FREE* Belazu Harissa Pesto and cook the cover *Worth £3.65 (see p74 for details)
Nourishing meals in 15 minutes Cook something new • Singapore chilli crab • Diwali party pakoras • Tamarind and ginger lamb curry
effortless! Genius Friday night shortcuts PEANUT BUTTER AND DATE FLAPJACKS
Kitchens to covet Create a bright and sociable space
hris metbals wth fet swrl
05.41$ SUA 99.21$ SU 99.31$ NAC
moc.enizagamO
cake with black treacle icing • Leek carbonara • Ezme beans on toast AUTUMN INSPIRATION Apple Beef goulash • Sticky toffee banana pudding • Pumpkin, pine nut and pesto tart
O
PODCAST – VEGAN SERIES
Listen to our new vegan series where, over four episodes, we’ll be exploring recipes for vegan celebrations, how to perfect your plant-based baking, recreating some favourite takeaways, vegan-style, and what you can and can’t drink on a vegan diet!
bringing you the best
Maunika Gowardhan
The chef and food writer shares three simple, authentic curries to try at home (p52).
Celeste Wong
Top tips on the best beans to buy and more from our new coffee expert (p82).
welcom
If you’ve never sat at a counter in a restaurant, make that your restaurant resolution this month. This is where you’ll understand what it takes to be a chef and become, as Tony Naylor says, one of ‘the gang’. From sushi perfection at Maru and a deeply intimate experience at Evelyn’s Table to sharing plates at Eleanore you can watch with fascination, appreciate the skill being shown and, most importantly, chat with the pro making dinner (p83). The comfort of eating familiar food keeps us going through the winter months. So this issue we’ve reinvented some of our favourites using the best of November’s produce (p18). Carbonara is lifted with silky leeks, cubes of celeriac soak up the flavours in a curry sauce, and Rosie Birkett has amped up cauli cheese (p104) with a scattering of crisp fried onions. Her secret ingredient? Rice flour. That kind of smart is the mainstay of our new effortless! recipe strand – on page 46 we’re making Friday night food for friends with a genius shortcut ingredient. Each dish looks fantastic, tastes fabulous and can be assembled in 30 minutes or less while you and your guests enjoy a chat and a drink. Finally, this is a special issue, as we’ve partnered with Belazu, a brand you’ll always find in the test kitchen at O to help add a spoonful of drama. Throughout the magazine, you’ll find plenty of inspiration to make dinner livelier without the hassle. Our cover star harissa lamb meatball recipe (p34) is a great place to start.
Stevie Parle
Be inspired by the chef’s colourful, open-plan kitchen in Kent, set in a nature reserve (p98).
On the cover
Recipe Anna Glover Photograph James Lee Styling Agathé Gits Food styling Libby Fennell
4 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Lulu Grimes, managing editor @Omagazine @lulugrimes
tlistning his month i’m. .rading Richard Godwin’s Friday cocktail mail-outs, complete with a recipe to make and a playlist to enjoy with your drink. Sign up at thespirits.substack.com.
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake (£10.99, Vintage) I’m learning all about fungi by dipping in and out of this book. Fungi can farm, network and figure out a route to a food supply that doesn’t waste time and energy – I’ll never look at a mushroom in the same way again.
ating
Swiss Golden Blond Chocolate Florentines, M&S Disastrously moreish and I’m sure they’re not meant to be eaten by the pack...
Enjoy a little bit of luxury with Mature Blue Stilton. Made to a traditional recipe at the Long Clawson dairy in the Vale of Belvoir, this Blue Stilton has a rich, creamy flavour.
£2.50
MATURE BLUE STILTON 200g
Visit
event in store & online now.
Morrisons.com
FOR YOUR NEAREST MORRISONS STORE PLEASE VISIT WWW.MORRISONS.COM OR TELEPHONE 0345 611 6111
October 2021
Available in majority of stores. Subject to availability. Offers/prices may vary online and at Morrisons Daily. Morrisons the Best Mature Blue Stilton, 200g, £2.50, £12.50/kg. Found in the speciality cheese aisle. the Best event and prices shown are live 4th - 17th October 2021. Serving suggestion.
november contents
inspiration
48
9 What’s new for November
Celebrate the month by trying out new ingredients and shopping smart
20
Warm up colder evenings with our comforting recipes, all ideal for entertaining
Everyday healthy Effortless entertaining Fantastic Friday night recipes for friends Soothing spice Three simple curries from Maunika Gowardhan Divine Diwali Modern takes on traditional festival food 3 ways with black treacle Sweet and savoury recipes using the dark syrup Cook a classic A hearty beef goulash with tender beef shin On test Find out which oat milk brands we rated highly Index Nutritious 15-minute mains for midweek
Find the recipe you’ve been looking for
98 Kitchens to covet
Chef Stevie Parle combines bold colours and wood tones in his off-grid Kent home
discover
104 At home with Rosie Birkett The joy of winter recipes and home projects 106 Seaside supper
70 Eat in, eat out
Transport yourself to Greece with four recipes from London’s Kalimera
76 e measure Cocktails and liqueurs for autumn 79 Wine Explore our pick of winter reds 80 Pro vs punter
A critic and an O reader test Sargasso, the Margate restaurant serving coastal food
82 Overnight coffee expert
Learn about grinders, tasting notes and how to get the best from your beans with advice from coffee genius Celeste Wong
83 Counter intelligence Our top counter dining options in the UK 88 Cook like a local: Malaysia
Explore the flavours of this Southeast Asian country, including a recipe for prawn sambal
90 10 things I love about Singapore
Chef Edoardo Pellicano shares his highlights of the city’s food scene
110 114 116 122
A three-course menu from The Hut on the Isle of Wight
Bolthole: Beaverbrook Escape to a foodie Surrey hotel Kitchen therapy Our guide to a get-ahead Christmas cake On the O podcast Romy Gill talks regional Indian foods Love your leovers
Polish off the last of your roast beef dinner
& don’t miss 26 Subscribe today
Get your first five issues for only £5!
Reader offers 68 A free chopping board with Stellar kitchen knives 96 Save 25% on a range of marble kitchen accessories 95 Coming next month A sneak peek at our bumper Christmas issue
Your brand-new O – our promise to you
O is brought to you by the same team as BBC Good Food, Britain’s leading food media brand. As you’ll see from Our Commitment on page 120, we’re committed to improving diversity and inclusivity, and work with a wide range of contributors to drive authentic change. There’s so much more to explore beyond the pages of your magazine, including recipes, award-winning podcasts and videos showcasing cooking skills and techniques on Omagazine.com. Here’s what you can expect from us.
6 November 2021 Omagazine.com
our recipes work
All our recipes are developed and thoroughly tested by experts, so you know they’ll work every time.
sustainability
It’s at the heart of everything we do. We try to help you cut down on food waste by suggesting ideas for using up any leftovers, and by
98
celebrating and keeping you informed about green initiatives.
nourish
Our recipes are analysed by a BANT-registered nutritionist, so you can be informed when you choose what to eat. For more health advice and recipes, see Omagazine.com.
expert advice
Our writers are food experts, so when we make a restaurant recommendation or review a destination or product, you can trust our opinion.
TNIRP OT GNIOG FO EMIT EHT TA TCERROC SAW ENIZAGAM SIHT NI NOITAMROFNI EHT LLA
18 Cook with the season How to use the best of this month’s produce 29 Winter warmers
59
unwind
36
cook 40 46 52 58 62 65 66 121
O magazine inside your
Enjoy a little bit of luxury with wines. Discover your favourite, with hundreds of award winning wines to choose from.
£5.50 AWARD WINNING WINES FROM
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FOR YOUR NEAREST MORRISONS STORE PLEASE VISIT WWW.MORRISONS.COM OR TELEPHONE 0345 611 6111
October 2021
Available in majority of stores. Subject to availability. Offers/prices may vary online and at Morrisons Daily. the Best Soave Classico 75cl, , £5.50, International Wine Challenge 2021 - Bronze award; the Best English Sparkling Brut 75cl, £18, Good Housekeeping Institute Taste Approved 2021 and Gold Decanter World Wine Awards 2021; the Best Fleurie 75cl, £8.50, International Wine Challenge 2021 - Bronze award - offers end 12th October 2021. Morrisons the Best Côtes du Rhône Villages 75cl, £7, the Best Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. 75cl, £7, Good Housekeeping Institute Taste Approved 2021; the Best Crémant de Limoux Sparkling Wine 75cl, £10, International Wine Challenge 2021 - Silver award; the Best Pinot Grigio Rosé 75cl, International Wine Challenge 2021 - Bronze award - offers end 19th October 2021. the Best event in store & online runs 4th - 17th October 2021.
Charlie is always fishing for compliments
So he only cooks with the freshest ingredients and would never add anything else. All Charlie Bigham’s dishes are cooked like you’d cook at home and leave to be delivered to your local supermarket on the same day. Yes… the same day. Discover Charlie Bigham’s
november inspiration Ingredient to try
Colatura di alici
Turn to page 10 to find out how to use it to make these deeply savoury lamb cutlets with tarragon and celeriac slaw
NAGILLUM EIILE :GNILYTS DOOF .STIG ÉHTAGA :GNILYTS .AILAK ANIBAS AMEH :HPARGOTOHP
This month’s essential buys and restaurant reservations, positive stories from the world of food, plus where to pick up next-level scotch eggs November 2021 Omagazine.com 9
gurde ’ s discovries
colatura di alici Trends expert Gurdeep Loyal
experiments with an intense fermented anchovy condiment from Italy Recipe GURDEEP LOYAL
What is it? An Italian condiment made from fermented salted anchovies. It comes from the ancient Roman tradition of ageing pungent fish (garums) in wooden barrels (terzigni), and a little really does go a long way! How to use it? Just a few drops in pasta or dressings gives deep, rounded savouriness. Where to find it? Buy online at souschef.co.uk
Lamb cutlets, colatura di alici and tarragon and celeriac slaw 30 MINUTES | SERVES 2 | EASY carrot 1 large, peeled and sliced into matchsticks celeriac ¼, peeled and sliced into matchsticks lemon 1, zested and juiced (you’ll need 1 tsp of zest and 2 tbsp of juice) mayonnaise 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 50ml, plus extra for drizzling garlic 1 clove, finely minced flat-leaf parsley 15g, finely chopped tarragon 10g, leaves picked and finely chopped colatura di alici 1½ tsp, plus a few drops lamb cutlets 4 small (about 275g each) 1 For the celeriac slaw, mix together the carrots, celeriac, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and a good pinch each of salt and black pepper. Toss well, let it sit for 1 minute, then mix through the mayonnaise. Set aside. 2 For the tarragon dressing, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, remaining lemon juice, the lemon zest, parsley, tarragon and ½ tsp of colatura di alici. Let it stand for 10 minutes for the flavours to mingle, then whisk again just before serving. 3 Brush the remaining colatura di alici all over the lamb cutlets, then let them stand for 10 minutes to allow it to season the meat. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then cook in a griddle pan over a high heat for 2-3 minutes each side, depending on your preferred doneness. 4 Serve the lamb cutlets on a bed of the celeriac slaw, topped with a drizzle of the tarragon dressing and a few more drops of colatura di alici.
foce fo go
Gurdeep Loyal is a food and drink trends specialist who built his career working at Harrods Food Halls, Innocent Drinks and M&S Food. He’s also a food writer and curator of online platform Mother Tongue, with his first recipe book set for release in spring 2022.
PER SERVING 746 kcals | fat 66.8G saturates 19G | carbs 6.4G | sugars 5.2G fibre 5.8G | protein 27G | salt 0.7G
Social enterprise meets supper club
Sisterwoman is many things – a vegan supper club, reading group, recipe resource – but most notably, it’s a social enterprise for BAME communities. Founded by self-taught cook Safiya Robinson, she explains why there’s a need for a black-centred food community: “Most businesses are white-centred and it misses nuance, particularly in a country where black people are disproportionately affected by food-related illnesses. I’m of black American, Jamaican and English heritage, and I draw from all of these culinary traditions. There’s no distinct food scene that accurately depicts what it means to grow up black in Britain. My supper club serves mac ’n’ cheese, ital curry and plantain, plus more elevated dishes, such as jerkbraised aubergine or brown stew mushroom tortellini.” Safiya launched a 12-week Wellness Through Food programme in April, offering free workshops on nutrition and food hygiene, plus cooking classes. “After a year of lockdowns, I knew that people were starving for connection,” she says. “It’s designed to end with a food event, co-created by the participants. In July, we hosted a fundraiser for Brixton People’s Kitchen and cooked a nutritious meal that was free to the community. I want people to cook for themselves, their loved ones and their communities.” sisterwomanvegan.com
10 November 2021 Omagazine.com
shoping kitchen shelf
inspiration
This month’s must-try goodies
Unearthed Pork Rillettes As demonstrated by our new effortless! series (p46), taking a few shortcuts isn’t a bad thing. This pork rillette is an instant starter with toast and a few cornichons. £2.69 (110g), Waitrose & Partners
Farmison & Co Rich & Full-Bodied Ragu Some dishes require slow cooking to ensure depth of flavour. This ragu is great with polenta or pappardelle – simply warm it through. £7.95 (500g), farmison.com
Spoon Granola Happy Gut Packed with 11 different grains, nuts, seeds and fruit, this high-fibre granola makes for a great breakfast with greek yogurt and poached fruit, or use it to make flapjacks. £3.99 (350g), Waitrose & Partners
Selfridges Food Hall It’s a foodie’s happy place. New products include Tom Kerridge’s Black Garlic Ketchup (£7.49), which works in casseroles and gravy, too. The new natural wine selection is also bang on trend.
Blanco Niño Tortilla Chips The ingredients for these authentic white and blue corn tortilla chips are sourced directly from Mexican farmers. We think the chilli and lime variety is a must. £3.50 (170g), ocado.com
Cornish Sea Salt Co Super Seed Topper Food writer Elly Curshen teamed with Cornish Sea Salt Co to create this blend of seeds, dried onion and garlic, and smoked sea salt. £2.99 (155g), Waitrose & Partners
Bold Bean Co Queen Butter Beans These Spanish butter beans are the cream of the crop. Add to sausage stews, mash and serve with sea bass or stir through veggie broths. £4.50 (660g), boldbeanco.com
Rempapa Spice Co Balinese Spiced Tamarind Paste Made in small batches in north London, this spice paste is bold in flavour with a fruity sharpness. Use as a base for roasted aubergine curries. £5.90 (180g), farmdrop.com
Buns From Home The Notting Hill neighbourhood bakery Buns From Home now offers nationwide delivery on its pillowy soft, sweet buns. Choose from classic cinnamon or its weekly specials, or opt for a mixture that includes fragrant cardamom, cinnamon and chocolatehazelnut. £18 (box of six), bunsfromhomenationwide.com
67 Pall Mall taste-along packs Vinous members club 67 Pall Mall has launched tasting kits and a live or on-demand TV service, so you can try the world’s most exciting, top-class wines at home with winemakers and experts joining in virtually. Check the schedule online and order samples for speedy delivery within the UK. From around £80 for six leading wines, tvguide.67pallmall.tv November 2021 Omagazine.com 11
com etition
Why not make and share our cover recipe? Make our harissa meatballs with feta swirl
(on page 34) then send us a photo of your dish to win a Le Creuset Essential Cake Baking Set worth £125. It includes a 20cm springform round tin, 23-cup bun tin tray, 23cm square tart tin and rectangular baking sheet – ideal for festive bakes.
To enter, share your photos on social media with #Ocookcover or email oliveweb@immediate.co.uk with the subject-line ‘Cook the cover’ by 28 October. We’ll feature the winner in an upcoming issue. Last month’s winner, Janine Alexique, says: “Cooking the butternut, chard and leek cannelloni was one of the most joyful moments I spent in my kitchen. When lockdown was on us and we couldn’t travel abroad, the best way to connect with the Mediterranean was through this recipe.” From the judges: “The composition of the shot has been done very well by centring the dish to be the focus, and using props to bring in a dash of colour – and the lighting is beautiful. The food styling looks similar to the cover and we loved the glossy highlights from the sauce.” Want to sharpen up your photography skills? Gillian McNeill, O’s art director, shares her top tips: 1 Choose your angle Show off the food’s most interesting features. While chicken looks lovely from overhead, something else, like a burger, will look stronger from the side. 2 Lighting Bright and sunny? Moody and dark? Make sure your light source matches the mood. Daylight is great but, if you have to shoot indoors, consider using an out-of-shot table lamp. 3 Props Keep it simple – go for pale woods and neutral ceramics. TERMS & CONDITIONS COMPETITION OPEN TO ENTRIES FROM RESIDENTS IN THE UK, ENTRANTS UNDER 18 MUST HAVE A PARENT OR GUARDIAN’S PERMISSION. SEND US YOUR ENTRIES BY 23.59PM ON 28 OCTOBER. FOR FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS, VISIT OMAGAZINE.COM/COOKTHECOVER.
12 November 2021 Omagazine.com
ake a reservt i on 3 must-visit restaurants Our pick of November’s top dining spots
Just opened: The Palmerston, Edinburgh James Snowdon (The Harwood Arms) and Lloyd Morse (Spring, Primeur) have opened the “ultimate neighbourhood restaurant” in Edinburgh’s West End. The duo work with Scottish farmers to sustainably butcher local breeds and prepare nose-to-tail dishes such as Hebridean hogget with slow-cooked fennel and chard; grilled mackerel with white beans and Pernod; and porchetta, wild garlic and fennel sandwiches alongside Obadiah coffee. thepalmerstonedinburgh.co.uk Revisiting: Osip, Bruton Head to Merlin Labron-Johnson’s low-food mileage restaurant in an old ironmonger shop in rural Somerset, and bookend your lunch at the chef’s newly opened, all-day wine bar and épicerie, The Old Pharmacy. Merlin grows produce on his own veg plot Dreamers Farm that customers can enjoy in pretty small plates and toasties or to take home, along with treats such as Tamworth charcuterie and Osip’s home-fermented cider. osiprestaurant.com Coming soon: Carmel, London Josh and Paul Katz of Berber & Q and Shawarma Bar bring Levant-inspired dishes to Queen’s Park later this month. Shakshuka and challah french toast are served for breakfast, with other highlights including harissa prawns and slow-grilled chicken with curry-pickled radicchio and apricot glaze. Plus, there’s a 60-strong low-intervention wine list to browse on the terrace at this venue, which is slick but, at the same time, relaxed. carmelrestaurant.co.uk
sustainablity
inspiration
Compostable plastic
Discover how scientists are working to improve biodegradable packaging
One of the trickiest parts of inventing a whole new type of plastic is persuading people that it isn’t just like the old one, because it often looks and behaves in the same way. Biodegradable plastics, for example – put these in your recycling and they contaminate it, possibly lasting as long in the environment as ordinary plastic. Putting them in your home compost doesn’t work either – they generally have to go into an industrial composter. There’s also the problem of microplastics that are a by-product of the breaking down process – the plastic doesn’t degrade entirely. Better labelling,
preferably in large print, so it’s easy to see, would be helpful for home sorting. Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have worked out a way to embed certain enzymes into some types of plastic, which then ‘eat’ it when exposed to heat or water, ultimately turning it into something more soil-friendly that doesn’t produce microplastics. Solutions for disposal are becoming a priority, especially when it comes to plastic from food packaging (as food safety regulations demand its use in some cases). One day, hopefully, it can all go in the compost bin.
what yo’re coking listen u ! O favourites
The recipes that our readers are talking about on their social channels
What’s new on the O magazine podcast
Listen to part two of our special vegan series where, over four episodes, we’ll be exploring recipes for vegan celebrations, how to perfect your plant-based baking, recreating some favourite takeaways, vegan-style, and what you can and cannot drink on a vegan diet – all episodes are live now!
Chocolate courgette cake “I loved this recipe as it was great for using up mum’s glut of courgettes, and the result was surprisingly light for a vegetable cake. It was pretty easy and I took it up a notch by splitting the mix to make two layers, and finishing the whole thing with a glossy ganache. Definitely making it again next summer!” @kirstycooks
Courgette risotto “I’m a huge fan of risotto and this has definitely been my favourite that I’ve made so far! It was a totally new way of using courgettes for me. The lemon was the perfect complement to the sweet and saltiness of the stock.” @blurredlimes
Cheesy garlic knotted loaf “This cheesy garlic knotted loaf has been such a hit with the family that I’ve made it twice in the same week! It’s super-simple to make and I love how versatile the recipe is as you can experiment with different fillings. This is definitely a bake that has become a staple.” @thebibliophilbakes
Find the O magazine podcast on Acast, iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.
Find these recipes at Omagazine.com and share your favourites on #Omagazine November 2021 Omagazine.com 13
object s of desire Bonfire Night
inspiration
Gather together and enjoy the crisp evening with kitchen kit that will make your bonfire even more special YETI Rambler 3.8-litre jug £129.99, uk.yeti.com Lukewarm mulled cider is sure to put a damper on festivities but this handsome flask will keep drinks piping hot and flowing long after the fireworks have gone off.
A zero-waste shop on wheels How Ella’s eco truck is helping to fight the war on plastic
Ella Shone set up the Topup Truck in 2020 – a mobile zero-waste shop that travels the streets of east and north London selling plastic-free refills of anything from pasta to shampoo – after being put on furlough from her job in hospitality. “I used all my savings to buy a milk float, then set up a Crowdfunder account to raise money so I could convert the float into a proper zero-waste shop. We got so much support – we received more than double our target, raising £15,000 in just a month. Within the first year of operation, the Topup Truck has prevented more than 25,000 pieces of plastic from being used.” The truck has been such a success that Ella hopes to bring it to other areas of the UK. “We’d love to expand to other areas of London and even to other cities. Ultimately, it’s all about making waste-free shopping accessible to everyone – we’re hopeful we can turn that vision into a reality.” topuptruck.com
14 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Set of two stainless steel BBQ forks £20, gardentrading.co.uk
American-style s’mores are becoming a perennial favourite for old and young alike. Jumbo marshmallows can be easily (and safely) toasted to gooey perfection on these lengthy forks.
must-try trends
Next-level scotch eggs
What we’ve spotted Posh pub snacks are all the rage, and scotch eggs are top of the list. Whether it’s a classic oozy yolk with sausagemeat or a prawn-toast-inspired twist, restaurants and pubs across the country are putting new spins on the old-school recipe. Where to find them Try the venison scotch egg at London’s Michelin-starred pub The Harwood Arms; the rare-breed pork and white pudding version at Holborn Dining Room; or the prawn toast scotch egg served with banana ketchup at Jikoni in Marylebone. Elsewhere, try a Cornish Tamworth and sage scotch egg at The Mariners Public House (Rock, Cornwall) or the haggis scotch egg at Adam Handling’s The Loch & The Tyne in Windsor.
ELYOV ENNAIRAM ,EFFILCTAR ENINAJ ,SEMIRG ULUL ,NAMROF ANOIF ,SDRAWDE EILLE ,SITRUC NEB ,YELSSORC XELA ,TSEB EISSAC :SDROW
su ot smal
Set of four 12cm enamel bowls £44, falconenamelware.com These deep, stout bowls are great for serving hot soup or dessert, such as our sticky toffee banana pudding (p36). They’re hardwearing, too, so will stand up to the elements while you’re enjoying the fun in the garden.
IT’S TEA TIME.
WITH EXTRA FLAVOUR.
THE HOUSE by Clarence Court
Each freshly laid Clarence Court egg is unique. These colourful treasures are patiently laid by traditional breed birds originating from rare breed ancestors. Their heritage gives them a unique hue and flavour reminiscent of a bygone era. For eggs how they should be, simply look for the crown.
Apple cake with black treacle icing (recipe on p63)
cook
Warm up with inviting winter one-pots, spend just 15 minutes conjuring up nourishing midweek meals, and work wonders with November’s finest ingredients November 2021 Omagazine.com 17
cok with the season Make the most of November’s seasonal ingredients
Recipes ADAM BUSH Photographs MIKE ENGLISH
Curried celeriac
in season this month
aples celerac celery cobnuts dates duc pears les pump wtercres
Celeriac works really well in this curry – the roasted cubes soak up the flavours of the spices. 1 HOUR | SERVES 4 | EASY |
LC GF
celeriac 1 large, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes vegetable oil 3 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp black mustard seeds 1 tbsp coriander seeds 2 tsp, lightly crushed ground turmeric 2 tsp black peppercorns ground to make 2 tsp onion 1, chopped garlic 4 cloves, chopped ginger thumb-sized piece, peeled and chopped green chilli 1, chopped coriander a bunch, stalks chopped, leaves picked and torn to serve coconut milk 400g tin lime 1/2, juiced steamed rice to serve 1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tip the celeriac into a large bowl with 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil and some seasoning. Toss to combine. Add the cumin, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric and pepper, and toss again until the celeriac is well coated. Spread out the celeriac and all the spices on a large baking tray, and roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the celeriac is lightly caramelised and cooked through. 2 Meanwhile, put the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, coriander stalks and 2 tbsp of water in a small food processor and blitz to a smooth purée. 3 Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the purée with a pinch of salt for 20 minutes, stirring often until darkened and fragrant. Tip in the roasted celeriac and all of the spices from the tray, followed by the coconut milk. Simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season, then squeeze in the lime juice. Scatter with the coriander leaves and serve alongside some steamed rice. PER SERVING 322 kcals | fat 27.3G saturates 15.3G | carbs 9.9G | sugars 6.6G fibre 8.3G | protein 5G | salt 0.3G
18 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook seasonal
celeriac
Derived from wild celery, celeriac is a large, bulbous root with thick skin. It also sometimes comes with a bunch of wild celery still attached (you can use this as you would celery). Its crunchy, nutty, creamy flesh makes it extremely versatile – use in curries, slaws, salads and soups. November 2021 Omagazine.com 19
Sticky hoisin duck with duck fat fried rice The secret to good fried rice is using cooked, cold rice. Fridge-cold rice gets crispy and fluffy without the worry of it overcooking, breaking down and becoming mushy. 25 MINUTES | SERVES 2 | EASY | GF duck breasts 2, skin-on hoisin sauce 3 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp FRIED RICE ginger thumb-sized piece, peeled and cut into matchsticks garlic 3 cloves, thinly sliced red chilli 1, thinly sliced celery 3 sticks, thinly sliced left-over cooked rice 250g frozen peas 100g 1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and heat a non-stick, ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Lightly score the skins of the duck breasts in a cross-hatched pattern and season well. Put the duck breasts in the hot pan, skin-side down, and sizzle for 5-6 minutes or until the skin is really crisp and most of the fat has rendered and turned crisp. While holding both duck breasts with tongs, carefully pour any fat off into a heatproof jug or bowl, then transfer the pan with the duck breasts to the oven for 3 minutes. 2 Whisk the hoisin with the vinegar. Remove the pan from the oven, drain off any remaining fat and pour the hoisin mixture over the duck, turning the breasts to coat. Return to the oven for 3 minutes, then remove the duck breasts to a plate, pouring over any left-over sauce from the pan. Rest for 5-10 minutes, then thinly slice. 3 Heat a large frying pan or wok over a medium heat and add the reserved duck fat followed by the ginger, garlic and chilli. Cook for a few minutes until really fragrant. Scoop half of the mixture out onto a small plate, then tip the celery and rice into the pan, and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cook for 10 minutes, tossing the pan every now and then until the rice is piping hot and crisp in places. Stir through the frozen peas and cook for another minute to defrost. 4 Divide the rice between two plates, then top with the sliced duck, some of the sauce and the reserved garlic, ginger and chilli. PER SERVING 667 kcals | fat 37.5G saturates 11G | carbs 53.9G | sugars 16.7G fibre 4.4G | protein 26.2G | salt 1.8G
20 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook seasonal
duck
With a rich, gamey flavour, duck can handle being paired with strong, punchy flavours. It has a thick layer of fat covering it that needs to be rendered, but this makes for delicious meat. The breast is best eaten medium or blushing pink inside; the legs should be slow-cooked or confited, as they do in France. November 2021 Omagazine.com 21
Peanut butter and date flapjacks effortless!
Turn a handful of storecupboard ingredients into an easy bake. Mixed seeds and a peanut butter drizzle make these flapjacks look impressive but they only need 10 minutes hands-on time. 35 MINUTES + COOLING | CUTS INTO 12 | EASY unsalted butter 100g, plus extra for the tin golden syrup 100g crunchy peanut butter 250g rolled oats 200g mixed seeds 50g Medjool dates 75g, pitted and chopped 1 Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 20cm square baking tin and line with baking paper. Melt together the butter, golden syrup and 200g of the peanut butter in a small pan until smooth and evenly combined. Tip into a large bowl with the oats, seeds and dates. Mix well. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top using a rubber spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden on top. 2 Whisk the remaining 50g of peanut butter with 2-3 tbsp of hot water from the tap until it is a drizzling consistency. Leave the flapjacks to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then drizzle with the peanut butter and cut into 12 rectangles using a cutlery knife. Leave to cool completely, then serve. PER FLAPJACK 331 kcals | fat 21.3G saturates 6.8G | carbs 23.8G | sugars 11.4G fibre 3.8G | protein 9.1G | salt 0.4G
dates
Dates are the fruit of date palms, which originate in the Middle East. The fruit grows in clusters at the top of the palms, more than 50 feet off the ground. They have an intense sweetness and mild fruitiness, making them great to use in both savoury and sweet dishes.
22 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook seasonal
November 2021 Omagazine.com 23
Leek carbonara The oniony kick of leeks adds an richness to classic carbonara. Freeze any left-over egg whites in a small sealed container – they defrost quickly and are handy for making a pavlova or swiss meringue buttercream. 30 MINUTES | SERVES 2 | EASY cubed pancetta or guanciale 77g unsalted butter a knob leeks 2, washed, halved lengthways and thinly sliced spaghetti 200g egg yolks 3 parmesan 75g black peppercorns ground to make 2 tsp 1 Cook the pancetta in a cold non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes or until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crisp. Scoop out onto a plate using a slotted spoon. 2 Add the butter and leeks to the pan with a pinch of salt, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook gently for 15-20 minutes or until the leeks are very tender. Stir the pancetta back into the pan. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water following pack instructions. 3 Whisk together the egg yolks, parmesan and black pepper. When the pasta is nearly done, spoon 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water into the egg mixture and whisk again. 4 Use a pair of tongs to transfer the spaghetti straight from the water to the leek pan, then reduce the heat to very low. Immediately scrape in the egg mixture and use the tongs to gently toss everything together. Add another splash of the pasta cooking water, if needed to loosen. Continue to toss for 3-4 minutes – the sauce should thicken and cling to the spaghetti, which means the egg yolks are cooked. Divide the carbonara between two bowls and serve. PER SERVING 806 kcals | fat 34.5G saturates 14.7G | carbs 79.5G | sugars 6.3G fibre 9.6G | protein 39.6G | salt 1.8G
leks
From the same family as onions and garlic but with a sweeter flavour. Choose small or medium leeks, as larger ones tend to be a bit woody. Leeks are incredibly versatile and can be used in place of onions in most recipes – just remember to cook them well, as they can be raw-tasting and stringy if undercooked.
24 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook seasonal
Caramelised baby leeks with balsamic
Leek fritters
30 MINUTES | SERVES 4-6 | EASY |
V LC
unsalted butter 2 tbsp, plus a knob leeks 2, washed, halved lengthways and thinly sliced eggs 3 self-raising flour 200g mature cheddar 100g, grated wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp whole milk 75ml SALAD shallot 1 long, finely chopped red wine vinegar 2 tbsp dijon mustard 1 extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp watercress 90g flat-leaf parsley a small bunch, leaves torn
The balsamic vinegar adds sweet and sour notes to the savoury, oniony depth of the baby leeks. Serve these alongside a simple roast chicken or fish. 25 MINUTES | SERVES 4 AS A SIDE | EASY |
GF
baby leeks 270g olive oil 1 tbsp Belazu Balsamic Vinegar of Modena 4 tbsp
NAGILLUM EILLE :GNILYTS DOOF .EGDIRDLE AIROTCIV :GNILYTS
1 Fill a large pan with lightly salted water, bring to a simmer and cook the baby leeks for 4-5 minutes or until just starting to soften. Drain well. Spread out on a tray in a single layer to cool slightly. 2 Use a sharp knife to cut the baby leeks in half lengthways, then brush the cut sides of each with a little of the olive oil. 3 Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the baby leeks, cut-side down, for 3-4 minutes or until deeply 1 Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan over a low-medium heat caramelised (do this in batches if needed). Transfer to a serving and gently fry the onions with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until platter, then drizzle with the Belazu Balsamic Vinegar and serve. softened. Tip into a large bowl and cool. Whisk in the eggs, flour, cheddar, mustard and plenty of seasoning, then gradually stir in PER SERVING 51 kcals | fat 3.2G the milk until you have a thick batter. 0.5G | carbs 4.1G | sugars 3.4G 2 To make the salad, whisk together the shallot, vinegar, mustard, saturates fibre 1.3G | protein 0.9G | salt 0G oil and a little seasoning in a separate bowl. 3 Heat a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan and drop in 2-3 heaped tbsp of batter. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden, then flip and repeat. Put the cooked fritters on a baking tray and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest (you should get about 12). 4 Add the watercress and parsley to the dressing just before serving, and toss well. Divide the leek fritters between plates and serve alongside the salad. PER SERVING (6) 334 kcals | fat 17.9G saturates 8G | carbs 28G | sugars 2.5G fibre 3.9G | protein 13.2G | salt 1.1G November 2021 Omagazine.com 25
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November 2021 Omagazine.com 27
warmers
Winter Bring comfort to the family or your friends with these seasonal dishes that are ideal for entertaining Recipes ANNA GLOVER Photographs JAMES LEE
cook comfort
Harissa meatballs with feta swirl (recipe on p34)
November 2021 Omagazine.com 29
Maple and miso celeriac soup (recipe on p32)
30 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook comfort
LOVE THIS LOOK? Turn to page 38 to find this and other tableware
Venison, mushroom and red wine pie (recipe on p36) November 2021 Omagazine.com 31
maple celeriacandsopmiso
(pictured on p30) Make the most of this underused root vegetable with a rich soup. White miso adds extra umami and balances the earthy celeriac and sweet maple syrup. Swap the double cream for a plant-based cream to make this vegan. 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES | SERVES 4-6 | EASY |
V LC
celeriac 1 large olive oil 3 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp thyme a few sprigs, plus extra to serve garlic 3 cloves, unpeeled onion 1, finely chopped white miso 3 tbsp vegetable stock 1 litre double cream 200ml, plus extra to serve 1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Peel the celeriac and cut into 2cm cubes, then tip onto a baking tray and drizzle over 2 tbsp of the oil and the maple syrup. Season, scatter over the thyme sprigs and whole garlic cloves, and toss well. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until the celeriac is tender throughout and lightly caramelised around the edges. 2 Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil in a stock pot over a medium heat and fry the onion for 10 minutes until tender but not golden. Add the roasted celeriac, scraping in any roasting juices from the tray. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins into the pot but discard the thyme sprigs. Add the miso and stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Blitz the mixture with a hand blender until very smooth – strain through a sieve into a clean pan to ensure it’s completely smooth, if you like. 3 Add the cream and return to a gentle simmer to warm through. Season and serve in mugs, drizzled with a little more cream and scattered with more thyme leaves. PER SERVING (6) 291 kcals | fat 24.5G saturates 11.9G | carbs 11.9G | sugars 8.4G fibre 5G | protein 3.3G | salt 1.3G
pumpkin, chili pestopinetartnut and
Use chilli pesto to add a lovely warming kick to this tart. It’s great served warm as a light snack – and better yet, it’s sturdy enough to eat without a plate. Make the tart ahead, warm in a low oven and add the rocket salad just before serving, if you like. 40 MINUTES | SERVES 6 | EASY |
V LC
puff pastry 500g block plain flour for dusting ricotta 100g chilli pesto 4 tbsp pumpkin 1 small round, peeled, seeds removed, thinly sliced olive oil 2 tbsp pine nuts 1 tbsp, toasted rocket or baby kale 50g red chilli 1, cut into thin strips parmesan (or vegetarian alternative) 20g, shaved into long strips using a vegetable peeler 1 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured worksurface to the thickness of a £1 coin – it should be about 40cm x 40cm. Cut out a circle using a large plate or lid as a template (or keep it square, if you like), then carefully transfer to a sheet of baking paper and chill until needed. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 4 with a large baking sheet inside to heat up. 2 Mix together the ricotta, half the chilli pesto and some seasoning in a small bowl. Score a 1cm border around the edge of the chilled pastry using a knife, then prick the middle all over a few times with a fork. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the middle, gently spreading it to the scored border. Toss the pumpkin in a bowl with 1 tbsp of the oil and some seasoning, then arrange in a spiral over the ricotta, slightly overlapping the slices as you go. Carefully slide the tart, on its baking paper, to the hot baking tray and bake for 40 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and the pastry cooked underneath (check by carefully lifting up one side using a spatula). 3 Mix together the remaining oil, pine nuts and pesto. Toss the rocket with the chilli and parmesan, and pile this in the middle of the tart, then drizzle over the pesto dressing. PER SERVING 469 kcals | fat 33.7G saturates 13.4G | carbs 30.7G | sugars 3.3G fibre 2.9G | protein 9.1G | salt 1.3G
32 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook comfort
November 2021 Omagazine.com 33
harisa meatbls wth feta swrl
Sweet and spiced, these meatballs are inspired by classic Middle Eastern flavours, with harissa, pomegranate molasses, dried apricots and fragrant spices. Serve with flatbreads or spoon over buttered couscous for a warming hug in a bowl. 1 HOUR + CHILLING | SERVES 4 | EASY lamb mince 500g dried apricots 5, finely chopped pine nuts 40g, toasted, plus extra to serve soft breadcrumbs 50g egg 1, beaten ground cumin 1 tsp coriander ½ a small bunch, leaves picked and finely chopped onion 1 large, finely chopped Belazu Rose Harissa Pesto 4 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped chilli flakes ¼-½ tsp (optional) chopped tomatoes 400g tin chickpeas 400g tin, drained and rinsed pomegranate molasses 1 tbsp feta 50g, crumbled yogurt and buttered couscous to serve
1 Tip the lamb, apricots, pine nuts, breadcrumbs, egg, cumin, half the coriander, half the onion and half the Belazu Rose Harissa Pesto into a large bowl with some seasoning. Mix well, using clean hands, and roll into 28-30 meatballs, transfer to a plate or tray and chill for 10 minutes. 2 Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, deep frying pan and fry the meatballs until golden brown all over. Scoop out onto a plate when browned using a slotted spoon – you may need to do this in batches. 3 Heat the remaining oil in the pan and fry the remaining onion for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes, if using, and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant. Tip in the tomatoes, half a can of water, the remaining Belazu Rose Harissa Pesto, the chickpeas and pomegranate molasses. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until thickened and saucy. Nestle in the meatballs and pour in any resting juices, then return to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. 4 Scatter over the feta and a few more pine nuts, then top with a swirl of yogurt and the rest of the coriander. Serve with some buttered couscous on the side. PER SERVING 647 kcals | fat 39.7G saturates 11.8G | carbs 31G | sugars 14.2G fibre 7.6G | protein 37.5G | salt 1.5G
Belazu Rose Harissa Pesto IN ASSOCIATION WITH BELAZU
34 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Made with sun-dried tomatoes for sweetness, Belazu Rose Harissa Pesto gets its kick from Belazu’s signature rose harissa paste. Get a jar free with our cover offer (see p74) – use any left-over pesto on pasta or roast chicken.
cook comfort
COVER RECIPE
November 2021 Omagazine.com 35
veniso, rd wnmushro pi nd (pictured on p31)
Instead of buying diced venison, look for one piece of meat and cut it yourself so you have more control over the size and consistency – haunch or shoulder are good for slow-cooked pie fillings. Prepared venison is often a mixture of cuts, which require different cooking times. Suet pastry makes the crispiest, most comforting topping. 2 HOURS | SERVES 6 | EASY vegetable oil 2 tbsp stewing venison 1kg, cut into chunks onion 1, finely chopped plain flour 3 tbsp, plus extra for dusting bay leaf 1 juniper berries 4 red wine 400ml chicken or vegetable stock 200ml, plus extra if needed chestnut mushrooms 200g baby shallots or pearl onions 200g, peeled redcurrant jelly 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp PASTRY shredded vegetable suet 150g self-raising flour 250g baking powder ½ tsp thyme leaves picked to make 2 tbsp fine sea salt ½ tsp egg 1, beaten to glaze
PER SERVING 660 kcals | fat 24.4G saturates 10.2G | carbs 50.5G | sugars 3.7G fibre 3.7G | protein 45.3G | salt 1.3G
36 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Banana bread meets sticky toffee in this self-saucing pud, and it’s a winner. Serve with ice cream or cream and a shot of spiced rum alongside for an extra hit of warmth. 1 HOUR + SOAKING | SERVES 8 | EASY Medjool dates 150g, pitted and chopped salted butter 100g softened, plus extra for the dish light muscovado sugar 300g bananas 3 ripe, peeled eggs 3 vanilla extract 1 tsp self-raising flour 250g double cream 200ml chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans work well) 50g vanilla ice cream to serve 1 Tip the dates into a heatproof bowl and pour over 150ml of just-boiled water. Cover and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Once cool, blitz with a hand blender until smooth, or transfer to a blender. Butter a 2-litre baking dish. 2 Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Beat together the butter and 100g of the sugar using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Mash two of the bananas in a separate bowl and whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Add the banana mixture into the butter and sugar, then fold in the date purée and flour to make a batter. 3 Heat the double cream in a medium pan with the rest of the sugar and 200ml of water until the sugar has dissolved. 4 Tip the batter into the prepared baking dish. Halve the remaining banana lengthways and arrange it on top, cut-side up. Scatter over the nuts and pour over the cream mixture, then bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and risen. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes before scooping into bowls and serving with ice cream. PER SERVING 633 kcals | fat 30.3G saturates 16G | carbs 80.5G | sugars 55.7G fibre 3.2G | protein 7.8G | salt 0.6G
Omagazine.com
• Head to Omagazine.com for our Bonfire Night food ideas, including toffee apples, beef chilli and a showstopping s’mores cake.
LENNEF YTREBIL :GNILYTS DOOF .STIG ÉHTAGA :GNILYTS
1 Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in large pan over a medium-high heat and brown the meat in batches until golden brown. Remove to a plate or bowl using a slotted spoon. Heat a little of the remaining oil in the pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes until lightly golden. Stir the meat back in, along with any resting juices, then sprinkle over the flour and mix well. Add the bay, juniper and wine. Bring to a simmer and scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Pour in the stock so the meat is covered, then cover with a lid and cook for 2 hours over a low heat until the meat is tender. Remove the lid for the final 10 minutes to thicken the sauce, if needed – it should be quite a thick gravy that coats the meat. Top up with more stock during cooking if needed. 2 When the filling is ready, heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the mushrooms and shallots for 15 minutes, shaking the pan often, until the veg is golden and caramelised, and the shallots are tender throughout (make sure they’re soft as they won’t soften in the pie). Stir these through the pie filling along with the redcurrant jelly, balsamic and some seasoning. Cool. It will keep in the fridge for up to two days. 3 Mix together all the pastry ingredients except the egg, add 150-175ml of ice-cold water and mix in with a cutlery knife until it comes together. Roll into a ball, wrap and chill for 30 minutes. 4 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tip the pie filling into a 22cm lipped pie dish. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured worksurface until large enough to cover the dish. Brush some of the beaten egg around the rim, then top with the pastry, crimping the edges and trimming any excess. Brush with the rest of the beaten egg and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and crisp.
sticky banntoffee puding
cook comfort
November 2021 Omagazine.com 37
cook comfort 4 5 6
3
get the lok
7
Inspired by our tableware? Here’s where to buy it
1 Habitat Another Eden large ceramic rectangular roaster, £12, habitat.co.uk 2 Home Gifts Garden large rustic wooden bowl, £46.50, homegiftsgarden.com 3 Södahl set of six 100% cotton mixed tea towels in indigo, £29, made.com 4 H&M Home tumbler in dark grey, £2.99, hm.com 5 Staub 32cm black oval roasting dish, £99, boroughkitchen.com 6 Kinto wide 400ml mug in brown, £25, kinto-europe.com 7 Opinel No 118 multipurpose chef’s knife, £30.49, trouva.com 8 M&S set of two linen napkins in ochre, £9.50, marksandspencer.com 9 The Conran Shop speckle mug, £15, conranshop.co.uk 10 Eaziglide Neverstick2 26cm aluminium non-stick pie dish, £20, johnlewis.com
2
8
9
1
38 November 2021 Omagazine.com
10
Everyday healthy 15-minute recipes for speedy, nourishing midweek meals
Recipes NADINE BROWN Photographs DANIELLE WOOD
Look out for high fibre high protein low cal low fat low salt low sugar nourish
Quick paneer and chickpea curry (recipe on p42)
40 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Craving something nutritious? Look out for the new Nourish tag on our healthy recipes. We’ll also spotlight high fibre, high protein, low cal, low fat, low salt, and low sugar. For more information, go to Omagazine.com/ olive-nourish (ingredients listed as serving suggestions are not included in the nutritional analysis).
cook healthy Creamy miso tofu soup with a jammy egg (recipe on p42)
November 2021 Omagazine.com 41
Quick paneer and chickpea curry (pictured on p40) effortless!
This traybake curry is a quick, healthy and easy midweek meal made in minutes. Using a tikka paste takes any effort out of dinner but still adds lots of flavour – it’s a great fridge-raider to have on hand. Use up any veg you may have looking a little unloved in your fridge, or try adding prawns, chunks of chicken, or tofu for a different version of this cheat’s curry. 15 MINUTES | SERVES 2 | EASY |
V
tikka masala paste 1 tbsp natural yogurt 125g paneer 70g, cut into 1cm cubes rapeseed oil 1/2 tbsp red onion 1 large, thinly sliced red pepper 1, deseeded and thinly sliced chickpeas 400g tin, drained and rinsed coriander leaves 5g, finely chopped mint leaves 10g, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish lemon ½, juiced, plus wedges to serve ground cumin ¼ tsp wholewheat chapatis 2
Creamy miso tofu soup with a jammy egg (pictured on p41)
Silken tofu helps make this miso-rich broth smooth and creamy without the addition of dairy. 15 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY |
V LC
eggs (we used Clarence Court Burford Browns) 4 vegetable stock 600ml white miso paste 35g rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce 2 tsp silken tofu 350g block, drained sugar snap peas or edamame 320g spinach 320g wholegrain rice vermicelli 100g spring onions 100g, trimmed and finely chopped chinese chilli oil 4 tsp 1 Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the eggs into the water. Cook for 7 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water and leave for 2 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, pour the stock into a large pan and bring to a gentle boil. Combine a little of the stock with the miso paste in a small bowl and then scrape back into the pan along with the rice wine vinegar and soy. Add the tofu to the pan and then, using a stick blender, blitz everything together until smooth. Strain the soup to remove any foam, then strain back into the pan, season to taste, and add the sugar snaps and spinach. Cover and keep warm. 3 Put the noodles in a large bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Leave for 3 minutes. Gently peel the eggs and halve them. Drain the noodles and divide between four bowls. Pour over the misotofu broth and top with the eggs, onions and a drizzle of the chilli oil to serve.
1 Combine the curry paste and 2 tbsp of the yogurt in a bowl. Add the paneer and stir to coat. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Cook the onion and pepper, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until softened. Add the paneer and chickpeas, and cook for 1 minute. Add 50ml of water, bring to a boil, then simmer for a further 2 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, combine the remaining yogurt with the herbs, lemon juice and cumin, then season. Divide the curry between two bowls and serve with the chapatis, mint leaves and lemon wedges to PER SERVING 311 kcals | fat 11.4G squeeze over. saturates 2.3G | carbs 28.7G | sugars 5.7G fibre 5.2G | protein 20.9G | salt 1.9G PER SERVING 600 kcals | fat 22.7G saturates 8.9G | carbs 64.1G | sugars 18G high protein | low cal | low fat | nourish fibre 13.2G | protein 28.3G | salt 1.4G
low salt | nourish
Omagazine.com
• Try more healthy curries packed with nourishing ingredients on Omagazine.com
42 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Beetroot, orange and feta winter salad
cook healthy
Earthy beetroot and sweet orange pair up beautifully in this simple salad that pops all the more with a salty olive vinaigrette and chunks of creamy feta. 15 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY |
V LC GF
oranges 2 white wine vinegar 1 tbsp garlic 1 clove, crushed green olives 8 pitted, very finely chopped tarragon finely chopped to make 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 50ml cooked beetroots 320g, cut into slim wedges baby spinach 320g feta 100g, crumbled 1 Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the oranges and cut into segments, catching any juice in a bowl. Whisk together 2 tbsp of the juice with the vinegar, garlic, olives and tarragon. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking continuously, until emulsified. 2 Toss the beetroots and orange with a little of the dressing. Arrange the spinach on a platter and pile on the beetroots and orange. Top with the feta and drizzle over the rest of the dressing to serve PER SERVING 271 kcals | fat 19.1G saturates 5.4G | carbs 14.2G | sugars 13.4G fibre 4G | protein 8.6G | salt 1.1G
low cal | nourish
November 2021 Omagazine.com 43
Ezme beans on toast
Ezme is a condiment flavour bomb – juicy tomatoes, sweet peppers, chilli heat and tangy pomegranate molasses, with the freshness of herbs, too. Perfect dolloped into dips, added to salads or, in this case, stirred into pulses for baked beans with a twist. 15 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY |
V LC
chopped tomatoes 400g tin tomato purée 1 tbsp Belazu Ezme Paste 40g ground cumin ½ tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp runny honey 1 tsp worcestershire sauce (or vegetarian alternative) 1 tsp butter beans 2 x 400g tins, drained lemon ½, zested wholemeal sourdough toast 4 slices greek yogurt 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley chopped, to garnish 1 Combine the tomatoes, tomato purée, Belazu Ezme Paste, cumin, paprika, honey and worcestershire sauce in a large pan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened and reduced. 2 Add the beans and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the beans are heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Season to taste. 3 Serve the beans with the toast and a dollop of yogurt, garnishing with the parsley. PER SERVING 374 kcals | fat 9.9G saturates 3.8G | carbs 47.5G | sugars 11.3G
high fibre | low cal | low salt | nourish
IN ASSOCIATION WITH BELAZU
44 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Ezme is a sweet and sour mixture of tomatoes, peppers and pomegranate molasses, perfect for stirring into tomato sauces, or simply slathered on bread and topped with herbs and feta. It brings lots of flavour to dishes without adding extra fat or salt.
NNAMREBLIS YBBIL :GNILYTS DOOF .TTERREM BOR :GNILYTS
Belazu Ezme Paste
cook healthy
Crab and ginger fried rice
2 Add another tsp of the oil and stir-fry the ginger, chilli and garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the rice back in, along with the peas and sweetcorn, and stir everything together. 3 Push the rice to the side of the wok and add the last tsp of oil. Tip the eggs into the oil and season with a little salt. Use a spatula to scramble the egg then mix in the rice while the egg is still a bit runny, tossing both together. 4 Toss through the crab meat and spring onions to combine and cook for 1 minute until the crab is heated through and the spring onions are just softened. Drizzle over the sesame oil and fish sauce, and toss together. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over and extra slices of chilli.
It doesn’t get quicker than a fried rice when you need something filling, fast. I’ve ramped it up with the addition of sweet, juicy crab. 15 MINUTES | SERVES 2 | EASY | LC
GF
rapeseed oil 3 tsp cooked brown basmati rice 250g fresh ginger 20g, grated green chilli 1, deseeded and finely diced, plus extra to garnish garlic 2 cloves, minced frozen peas 160g, defrosted frozen sweetcorn 160g, defrosted eggs 2, lightly beaten fresh crab meat 200g spring onions a bunch, trimmed and finely sliced fish sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp coriander leaves 10g, roughly chopped lime wedges to serve
PER SERVING 514 kcals | fat 18.7G saturates 3.3G | carbs 42.4G | sugars 7.7G fibre 11.7G | protein 38G | salt 1.8G
high protein | nourish
1 Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large wok over a high heat. Stir-fry the rice for 2-3 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until toasted and a little chewy. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Nadine Brown is a recipe writer and food editor who has written healthy recipes for the likes of Tesco, Weight Watchers and Vitality magazine. Find her on Instagram at @n0sh.17.
Fridge Free
Vegetarian
DISCOVER THE BIOGLAN DIFFERENCE Available at:
Bioglan.co.uk
effortless! Recipes ANNA GLOVER Photographs MIKE ENGLISH
Broccoli hollandaise tart (recipe on p48)
46 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook effortless Pulled chicken tacos (recipe on p48)
November 2021 Omagazine.com 47
Broccoli hollandaise tart (pictured on p46)
Pulled chicken tacos (pictured on p47)
effortless!
effortless!
Ready-made hollandaise makes a great base for tarts – add smoked salmon or ham once it comes out of the oven, or scatter over a few bacon lardons before baking, if you like. Served topped with a poached egg makes for an impressive brunch but this tart is also the perfect Friday night treat with friends.
Using a precooked chicken is a great step towards easy entertaining – these tacos are just as good as their slowcooked counterpart but use a few quick shortcuts. Serve with all the fixings in the middle of the table and let everyone build their own, family-style.
30 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY |
V LC
ready-made hollandaise 100g chives finely chopped to make 1 tbsp ready-rolled puff pastry 320g sheet long-stemmed broccoli 175g, trimmed olive oil ½ tbsp flaked almonds 2 tbsp, toasted lemon 1/2, zested, plus 1 tsp juice (optional) 1 Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Put a baking tray in the middle of the oven to heat up. 2 Taste the hollandaise and add the lemon juice if it needs a little acidity boost, season if needed, and stir in most of the chives. Unravel the puff pastry onto the baking paper it comes with, and lightly score a 1cm border around the edge with a knife. Spoon the hollandaise into the middle, spreading out to the border. 3 Put the broccoli into a bowl, add the olive oil and toss well with some seasoning until well coated. Add to the tart on top of the hollandaise. Transfer to the hot tray, on the baking paper, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden, and the broccoli is tender. Scatter with the toasted almonds, lemon zest and remaining chives. PER SERVING 475 kcals | fat 35.3G saturates 14.5G | carbs 28.5G | sugars 2.4G fibre 4.1G | protein 8.7G | salt 0.9G
20 MINUTES | SERVES 6 | EASY vegetable oil 1 tbsp onion 1, finely chopped garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped ground cumin 2 tsp passata 500ml chipotle paste 1-2 tbsp Belazu Hot Oak Smoked Paprika 1 tsp rotisserie chicken 1, pulled into chunks, skin and bones removed corn tortillas 12-18, warmed FIXINGS limes 2, juiced, plus wedges to serve red onion 1, finely chopped red chilli 1, finely chopped coriander a small bunch, finely chopped vine tomatoes 350g ripe, finely chopped avocados 2 ripe, chopped shredded iceberg lettuce, pickled jalapeños, soured cream, hot sauce and feta to serve 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan, and fry the onion with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until golden and soft. Still in the garlic and cumin, fry for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the passata with a splash of water, chipotle (depending on how spicy you like it) and Belazu Hot Oak Smoked Paprika, and bring to a simmer. Season and add a pinch of sugar. 2 Stir in the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken has heated through. Season well and add a squeeze of lime juice. 3 Mix the red onion, chilli, most of the coriander, tomatoes (and any juice on the chopping board) with the remaining lime juice, and season well. Mash the avocado with some seasoning, then fold through 3 tbsp of the tomato salsa. 4 Serve the salsa, guacamole and other toppings in small bowls alongside the pulled chicken and warmed tortillas, wrapped in foil and kept under a tea towel to keep them warm.
Quick pud
Cheat’s cocktail
Try adding a few dashes of orange bitters to your gin and tonic, and garnish with an orange slice and a few cloves for a winter twist on a classic cocktail.
48 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Heat 100ml of double cream until steaming, whisk in 50g of finely chopped dark chocolate off the heat until smooth, then add a splash of your favourite booze – rum, amaretto or brandy work well. Layer up scoops of vanilla ice cream, soft chewy cookies and drizzle with the hot chocolate sauce.
NAGILLUM EILLE :GNILYTS DOOF .EGDIRDLE AIROTCIV :GNILYTS
PER SERVING 627 kcals | fat 25.8G saturates 5.4G | carbs 55.3G | sugars 13.5G fibre 7.8G | protein 39.5G | salt 1.8G
cook effortless
Spicy pork biang biang-style noodles effortless!
Fresh pasta is a great cheat’s replacement for hand-pulled noodles with minimal effort. Chiu chow chilli oil is the magic ingredient here, converting the sauce to a sweet, spicy, savoury sensation that coats the noodles. 20 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY fresh egg tagliatelle, pappardelle or lasagne sheets 400g vegetable oil 2 tbsp pork mince 400g garlic 4 cloves, crushed ginger 50g, finely grated spring onions a small bunch, finely sliced chilli flakes ½-1 tsp szechuan peppercorns ¼ tsp, crushed pak choi 3-4, leaves separated light soy sauce 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar or black rice vinegar (chinkiang) 3 tbsp chiu chow chilli oil 2 tsp, plus extra to serve sesame oil 2 tsp 1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cut the lasagne sheets, if using, into thick strips. 2 Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan over a high heat and add the mince. Break up with a spatula and cook for 6-8 minutes or until golden and crisp. Add the garlic, ginger, spring onions, chilli flakes and peppercorns, and fry for another 3-4 minutes. 3 Cook the pasta for 4-6 minutes or until tender. Add the pak choi for the final minute. Drain well. 4 Stir the soy and vinegar into the pork, then toss in the drained pasta, greens and chilli and sesame oil. Toss everything together to coat in the sauce before serving. PER SERVING 588 kcals | fat 21.1G saturates 5.2G | carbs 62.6G | sugars 6.2G fibre 6.4G | protein 33.8G | salt 2.5G
Next month: effortless! Storecupboard shortcuts for festive desserts November 2021 Omagazine.com 49
YO U C A N TA S TE W H E N IT’S M A D E I N A C LAY TA N DOOR
Waitrose Tandoori Naan. Selected stores. Subject to availability. Minimum online spend applies.
YO U C A N TA S TE W H E N IT’S WA ITROS E
S H O P I N S TO R E O R AT WA ITRO S E .CO M
Soothing spice Warm up with these three simple, authentic curries that are a breeze to make at home Recipes MAUNIKA GOWARDHAN Photographs SAM A HARRIS
Home-style chicken curry (recipe on p54)
52 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook simple curries
Tamarind and ginger lamb chop curry (recipe on p54) November 2021 Omagazine.com 53
cook simple curries
Home-style chicken curry (Tariwalla murgh) (pictured on p52)
This recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients and is a favourite on days when I miss home. The key is to blend the onions separately from the garlic and ginger – the temptation is to blend them together but the cooking times vary for each. 1 HOUR | SERVES 4 | EASY | LC
GF
white onions 180g, roughly chopped garlic 6 cloves, roughly chopped ginger 21/2 cm, roughly chopped tomatoes 120g, roughly chopped tomato purée 1 heaped tbsp vegetable oil 3 tbsp green cardamom pods 5 cinnamon stick 21/2 cm dried bay leaves 2 ground turmeric 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp whole chicken thighs and drumsticks 850g, skinned potatoes 230g, peeled and diced coriander chopped to garnish lemon juice 1 tbsp roti or pulao to serve salad to serve
Tamarind and ginger lamb chop curry (Andhra chintakaya chaap) (pictured on p53)
Sometimes it’s the simpler dishes that bring out the very best flavours in Indian cooking, and perhaps also help bust the myth that you always need a long list of ingredients to get the right flavour. This Andhra recipe for lamb chop curry is cooked with chilli and sliced potato. For me this is a true representation of Andhra cooking and, once again, shows a varied style from the region beyond fiery hot curries. Tamarind paste varies in strength, so adjust the quantity to get the required tart, sour flavour in the curry. 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES + MARINATING | SERVES 4 | EASY | GF lamb chops or cutlets 10-12 ginger root 5cm, blended to a paste vegetable oil 4 tbsp white onions 450g, thinly sliced english mustard powder 1 tsp mild chilli powder 1/2 tsp potatoes 125g, sliced tamarind paste 1 heaped tsp or to taste coriander chopped, to garnish rotis or parathas to serve kachumber (chopped salad) to serve
1 Put the chops in a large bowl with the ginger paste and marinate for a few hours or overnight. When you are ready to cook, heat the oil in a large, wide, heavy1 Blitz the onions in a blender to a smooth paste, then remove and 2based pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions for 35-40 minutes set aside. In the same blender, blitz the garlic and ginger, then or until they caramelise and turn light brown. Stir well, making remove and set aside. sure you scrape up anything that sticks to the bottom of the pan. 2 Now add the tomatoes and tomato purée to the blender and 3 Add the chops and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the mustard and blitz to a smooth paste, then set aside. chilli powder, and mix well, then fry for 5 minutes. Add 50ml of 3 Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based, non-stick pan over a water, then season to taste. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Add the whole spices and, when they sizzle, add a low heat. the onion paste and fry for 9-10 minutes, stirring well. Add the potatoes, tamarind paste and 100ml of water, and 4 Add the garlic and ginger paste, and fry for 1 minute to cook out 4cook minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. the raw flavours. Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes until Add aforlittle12-14 more water if needed – you want a very light sauce for it begins to thicken. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, cumin and the dish. Garnish with coriander and serve with rotis or parathas, ground coriander, and fry for 3 minutes, stirring well. and kachumber. 5 Add the chicken and mix to coat with all the spices, frying for 7-8 minutes to seal on all sides. Season to taste, then add 270ml of water. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. PER SERVING 633 kcals | fat 48.8G 6 Add the potatoes and continue cooking, with the lid on, for saturates 18.9G | carbs 14.5G | sugars 6.9G 15-17 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and the fibre 3.1G | protein 32.5G | salt 0.3G chicken is cooked through. Garnish with the coriander and lemon juice. Serve with roti or pulao and a salad. PER SERVING 355 kcals | fat 18.8G saturates 3.3G | carbs 15.2G | sugars 4.9G fibre 3.7G | protein 29.4G | salt 0.2G
Maunika Gowardhan is an Indian chef, food writer and author of Indian Kitchen: Secrets of Indian Home Cooking. Follow her on Instagram @cookinacurry.
54 November 2021 Omagazine.com
i i i i ,
i y i y i
.
That’s why we’re all about super convenient, seriously tasty veg-based meals that give you more time to live the good life. Each one is packed with flavoursome vegetables and absolutely no artificial nasties. Just grab a box from the freezer and enjoy a speedy midweek meal you’ll love in 30 minutes or less.
vi
i y
i
cook simple curries
Butter bean curry with carom seeds, jaggery and tamarind paste (Gujarati Rangoon na vaal) effortless!
A speedy curry made with tinned beans and fragrant spices – using asafoetida gives allium notes to the curry without even chopping an onion. Minimal prep but full-on flavour makes this a great midweek speedy curry. 30 MINUTES | SERVES 4 EASY | LC GF vegetable oil 3 tbsp carom (ajwain) seeds 1 tsp asafoetida a pinch kashmiri chilli powder or mild chilli powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp butter beans 470g from a tin or jar jaggery or soft dark brown sugar 1 tbsp tamarind paste 2 tsp coriander chopped, to garnish 1 Heat the oil in a heavy-based, non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add the carom seeds and asafoetida and, when they sizzle, add the chilli and ground turmeric. Add the beans and stir well for 2-3 minutes. Add 400ml of water and the jaggery, and season to taste. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through until the beans begin to soften. 2 Add the tamarind paste and stir. Crush some of the beans with the back of the spoon to thicken the curry slightly. Mix well and garnish with coriander. PER SERVING 160 kcals | fat 8.9G | saturates 0.7G | carbs 13.7G sugars 6.4G | fibre 4.2G | protein 4G | salt 0.1G
56 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Recipes adapted from Thali: A Joyful Celebration of Indian Home Cooking by Maunika Gowardhan (£22, Hardie Grant). Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us.
Divine Diwali O’s trend expert Gurdeep Loyal shares his modern updates on traditional festival food Recipes GURDEEP LOYAL Photographs HEMA SABINA KALIA
diwali
The Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, falls on 4 November this year. The five-day celebration features different ceremonies each day, with prayers, firework displays and delicious food on the third day – the main event. Diwali celebrates hope, positivity and happiness, and the lighting of lamps signifies the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil within many South Asian communities. Find out more about Diwali at Omagazine.com.
58 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook Diwali
Party pakoras with tamarind dipping sauce
In an Indian household, pakoras and parties go hand in hand – you can’t have one without the other. They can range from simple, one-ingredient onion bhajis to bread pakoras, which are essentially paneer and chutney sandwich triangles that are battered and fried. These party pakoras are an Indian-Mexican remix – the mellow paneer contrasts against tangy jalapeños. Once you’ve mastered the method, the combinations are endless. Try butternut squash, sage leaves, spring onions and potatoes; halloumi, preserved lemon, baby spinach and shallots; or prawns, lemongrass, carrots and mint. 45 MINUTES | MAKES 10-12 | EASY |
V
TAMARIND DIPPING SAUCE lime 1, zested and juiced (you’ll need 1 tsp of zest and 3 tbsp of juice) mint leaves 10g, chopped soft dark brown sugar 2 tbsp fine sea salt ½ tsp tamarind pulp or paste 4 tbsp tomato ketchup 4 tbsp PAKORAS sweetcorn 2 x 198g tins, drained jalapeños in brine 50g, chopped paneer 125g, cut into 1cm cubes coriander 30g, chopped red onion 1 large, sliced into thin rings chilli powder or chaat masala a pinch, plus extra for seasoning BATTER gram flour 160g amchoor 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp, crushed fine sea salt 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ¾ tsp ginger finely grated to make 1 tsp sunflower oil for deep-frying 1 For the dipping sauce, blitz the lime zest and juice, mint, sugar and salt with 75ml of water in a small food processor or blender until you have a paste. Tip into a jug, then whisk in the tamarind pulp and ketchup, and chill for 30 minutes. Mix together the sweetcorn, jalapeños, paneer, coriander and red onion until evenly combined, then set aside. 2 For the batter, tip the gram flour, amchoor, garam masala, turmeric, cumin seeds, salt and bicarb into a large bowl, then whisk together to combine. Add 140-160ml of water, whisking until you have a thick batter. Whisk in the ginger, then rest for 5 minutes. Tip the pakora mixture into the batter and mix to coat. 3 Fill a deep pan no more than a third full of sunflower oil and heat to 165C or until a cube of bread browns in 45 seconds. Use your hands to squeeze together a golf-ball-sized piece of the battered pakora mixture, then repeat with the rest of the mixture. Carefully drop the pakoras, in batches, into the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. If they start to fall apart in the oil, add a little extra flour to the mixture. 4 Drain on kitchen paper, then sprinkle with a pinch of chilli powder. Serve hot with the dipping sauce on the side. PER SERVING (12) 188 kcals | fat 7.3G | saturates 2.2G carbs 22.2G | sugars 8.9G | fibre 2.9G | protein 7.1G | salt 1.1G
Mandarin and pistachio kaju burfi
Cashew burfi, or kaju katli, is recognisable by its signature diamond shape and silver leaf. This twist on the classic is flavoured with mandarin zest and orange, a pinch of saffron and roasted pistachios. It’s also vegan, so is sure to be a hit with all your Diwali guests. 35 MINUTES + COOLING | MAKES 12-14 | EASY | cashews 250g fine sea salt ½ tsp caster sugar 200g orange extract ¼ tsp saffron 15-20 strands coconut oil 2 tsp mandarin or clementine 1, zested (you’ll need 1 tbsp of zest) roasted pistachios 30g, roughly chopped, plus extra to decorate edible silver leaf 3-4 sheets, to decorate (optional) 1 Chill the cashews in the freezer for 20 minutes to solidify the oils, then pulse to a powder in a food processor. Sift into a bowl (pulse any larger chunks again), then whisk in the salt. 2 Tip the sugar, orange extract and saffron into a medium pan with 85ml of water. Heat for 4-5 minutes or until the sugar has melted and the mixture starts to boil, then take off the heat and stir in the cashew mixture and coconut oil, mixing very thoroughly. 3 Return to a medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken, then stir in the mandarin zest and pistachios. Cook for 4-6 minutes more, stirring constantly, until thick and coming away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and cool for 20-30 minutes or until cool to the touch. 4 Tip out onto a sheet of baking paper and knead for 1 minute until smooth. Put another sheet of baking paper on top and roll out into a 16cm x 16cm square that’s 11/2cm thick. Chill for 1 hour to set, then slice into diamonds. Garnish with the silver leaf, if you like, and more pistachios. Arrange into a Diwali star and enjoy. PER SERVING (14) 180 kcals | fat 9.5G saturates 1.9G | carbs 19.5G | sugars 15.7G fibre 0.8G | protein 3.7G | salt 0.6G November 2021 Omagazine.com 59
cook Diwali
Salted chocolate besan ladoos
Besan burfi is a labour of love that’s worth every slowstirred minute. It’s made using gram flour that’s cooked long and slow in melted ghee until it becomes golden and nutty. The end result is a crumbly, biscuity Indian fudge that can be shaped into perfect cubes or rounded ladoos. This salted chocolate version makes for a decadently moreish finish to any Diwali feast. 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES + CHILLING MAKES 15-18 | A LITTLE EFFORT ghee 160g gram flour 275g, sifted cocoa powder 165g sea salt flakes 1½ tsp, plus extra to serve coarse semolina 25g green cardamom 10 pods, seeds crushed to a powder toasted flaked almonds 50g, roughly chopped icing sugar 175g dark chocolate 100g edible gold leaf 4-5 sheets, to decorate (optional)
PER SERVING (18) 262 kcals | fat 15.2G saturates 7.8G | carbs 22.7G sugars 12.1G | fibre 3.5G protein 6.8G | salt 0.4G
60 November 2021 Omagazine.com
NAGILLUM EILLE :GNILYTS DOOF .STIG ÉHTAGA :GNILYTS
1 Melt the ghee in a large pan, then add the gram flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring continuously. The mixture will go through a few stages: first, it will feel like a hard clump (keep mixing, pressing into the bottom of the pan, then folding over so it doesn’t burn on the bottom); after 15 minutes, it will start to soften; and after 20 minutes the ghee will start separating, giving you a velvety, thick, custard-like mixture. Keep cooking and stirring for a further 10 minutes. Eventually, it will darken in colour, turn a little grainy and smell nutty. This will take 30-35 minutes. 2 Very carefully scrape the hot, grainy mixture into a large bowl, then stir through the cocoa, salt, semolina, cardamom and almonds. Cool for 25 minutes, then mix in the sugar, ensuring it’s fully incorporated. 3 Use your hands to squeeze together golf-ball-sized pieces of the mixture, then arrange on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and chill for 30 minutes. 4 Remove from the fridge and reshape any that have softened back into balls. Tip the dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt in short bursts in the microwave or over a pan of gently simmering water. Dip the bottoms of the ladoos into the melted chocolate, then return to the lined baking sheet and chill for another 30 minutes until set. Garnish with gold leaf, if using, and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes.
FLUFFY, LIGHT & FULL OF
delight
Feeling fruity? Go decadent and delicate with a Chocolate, Blackberry & Caramel Pavlova they’ll be head over heels for.
Find recipes that are a joy to bake and share at Oetker.co.uk
3black waystreacle with
Make the most of this dark, bitter-sweet syrup Recipes ADAM BUSH Photographs HEMA SABINA KALIA
Black treacle glazed gammon steaks, crisp potato wedges and pineapple chutney
Cutting the steak a few times around the edge helps to stop the gammon from curling as it cooks in the pan. When using treacle, put a spoon into a mug filled with just-boiled water for a minute, then use it to scoop the treacle from its jar. It will slide right off the hot spoon. 40 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY | LC
GF
baking potatoes 1-2 large, cut into wedges olive oil 3 tbsp pineapple 200g, peeled and cut into 1cm dice Belazu Urfa Chilli Paste 1 tbsp lime 1, juiced coriander a handful, chopped unsmoked gammon steaks 2 black treacle 1 tbsp chinese five-spice ½ tsp 1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cook the potato wedges in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water for 6 minutes, then drain well. 2 Drizzle 2 tbsp of the oil over a large baking tray, add the wedges and toss in the oil. Season and bake for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway, until really crisp. Make a pineapple salsa by mixing the pineapple with the Belazu Urfa Chilli Paste, lime juice and chopped coriander. 3 Heat the remaining olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the gammon steaks for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the black treacle with 1 tbsp of just-boiled water and the five-spice. Flip the steaks and cook for 1 minute more, then remove from the heat and pour in the treacle mixture. Flip the steaks and shake the pan slightly so the steaks are completely coated in the treacle mixture. 4 Serve the wedges with the gammon steaks, any left-over glaze and the pineapple salsa. PER SERVING 338 kcals | fat 15.3G saturates 3.4G | carbs 27G | sugars 8.9G fibre 3.4G | protein 21.5G | salt 2G
62 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Belazu Urfa Chilli Paste IN ASSOCIATION WITH BELAZU
This sweet and smoky chilli paste is made with dried urfa chillies, balsamic vinegar, red pepper paste, garlic and cumin for a warming chilli kick, perfect for salsas to add heat and depth. Drizzle onto veg or fish, or stir into yogurt for a quick dip, too.
cook 3 ways with
Apple cake with black treacle icing 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES + COOLING | SERVES 10-12 | EASY unsalted butter 200g, softened, plus extra for the tin soft dark brown sugar 200g black treacle 50g eggs 4 apples 3 (about 300g), cored and grated pecans 50g, chopped self-raising flour 225g bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp fine sea salt ½ tsp ICING butter 150g, softened icing sugar 300g black treacle 2 tbsp, plus extra to drizzle
Soy and treacle cured salmon
The sweet, salty and bitter mixture creates a lovely black ring all the way around the salmon. You’ll need to begin curing the salmon a day or two before you want to serve it. 15 MINUTES + CURING | SERVES 15 | EASY salmon 1 side (about 1kg), skin-on and pin-boned black treacle 200g coarse sea salt 200g soy sauce 150ml ginger 100g, peeled and finely grated limes 3, zested coriander seeds 2 tbsp, toasted and crushed
NAGILLUM EILLE :GNILYTS DOOF .STIG ÉHTAGA :GNILYTS
1 Put the salmon in a container or roasting tin large enough that the salmon can lay flat but can still fit in your fridge. Line the tin with a piece of baking paper large enough to be able to fold over and completely encase the salmon. 2 Scoop the treacle into the bowl of a blender with the salt, soy, ginger, lime zest and coriander seeds, and blitz to combine. Pour half of the mixture into the container, then lay the salmon, skin-side up, on top. Push the salmon flat to ensure the whole surface is in contact with the mixture. Pour the remaining cure over the salmon, then bring the baking paper up and around the salmon to encase it. Chill for 36-48 hours, depending on thickness of your fillet. 3 Unwrap the salmon and gently rinse under cold running water to wash off the excess cure. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Thinly slice and serve as sushi, over a poke bowl, as part of a buffet or on a bagel with soft cheese mixed with lime juice and coriander leaves.
1 Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a deep 24cm springform cake tin and line with baking paper. Tip the butter into a bowl with the sugar and treacle, and beat with an electric whisk until really light and fluffy. Crack in the eggs, one at a time, whisking well in between each addition. 2 Fold in the grated apple, pecans, flour, bicarb, spices and salt, then scrape into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when poked into the middle. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool fully. 3 To make the icing, beat the butter with an electric whisk until really soft. Add the icing sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, whisking in between each addition until you have a light, fluffy icing. Whisk in the treacle until fully incorporated. 4 Put the cooled cake on a cake plate or stand and spoon the SERVING 150 kcals | fat 10G treacle icing over the top, gently spreading it to the edges with the PER saturates 1.8G | carbs 1.1G | sugars 1G back of the spoon. Drizzle with a little extra black treacle, if you fibre 0.2G | protein 13.7G | salt 1.4G like. Cut into slices and serve. PER SERVING (12) 536 kcals | fat 28.9G saturates 16G | carbs 63.2G | sugars 48.8G fibre 1.4G | protein 5G | salt 1G
November 2021 Omagazine.com 63
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THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ANY FOODIE
Choose from more than 30 chapters of best-ever recipes from O’s sister title, BBC Good Food, hand-picked by the team, then complete it with a personalised cover. Whether you’re looking for family favourites, inspiring healthy lunches or BBC Good Food’s best bakes, we’ve got you covered from just £20.
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64 November 2021 Omagazine.com
cook classic
cook a classic
Beef goulash
A deeply satisfying Hungarian stew loaded up with smoky paprika and melting beef shin Recipe ADAM BUSH Photograph MIKE ENGLISH
Beef goulash 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY olive oil 2 tbsp shin of beef 750g, cut into chunky pieces onions 2, thinly sliced garlic 4 cloves, finely chopped tomato purée 2 tbsp paprika 1 tbsp Belazu Sweet Oak Smoked Paprika 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns ground to make 1 tsp white wine 200ml plum tomatoes 400g tin beef stock 500ml red peppers 3, sliced flat-leaf parsley a handful, chopped soured cream 150ml pasta or rice to serve
NAGILLUM EILLE :GNILYTS DOOF .EGDIRDLE AIROTCIV :GNILYTS
1 Heat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 3. Heat the oil in a casserole and season the beef generously. Fry in batches until well browned all over, then scoop out onto a plate. Add the onions to the pan with a big pinch of salt and cook gently for 20 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the tomato purée, the paprika, Belazu Sweet Oak Smoked Paprika and pepper. Cook for another minute. Pour in the wine and bubble for a minute more, then tip in the tomatoes and stock. Return the beef to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. 2 Remove the lid and stir in the peppers. Return to the oven, uncovered, for another 1 hour 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced and the meat is meltingly tender. 3 Spoon the goulash into bowls and top with a sprinkle of the parsley and a spoonful of the soured cream, then serve with rice or pasta. PER SERVING 458 kcals | fat 19.1G saturates 7.2G | carbs 17.8G | sugars 16.2G fibre 7G | protein 42.4G | salt 0.5G
November 2021 Omagazine.com 65
cook on test
theO taste test
Oat milk We put branded products to the test
so you know which ones to look out for. This month we tried different types of oat milk to see which came out on top
WHAT IS OAT MILK?
Soaked porridge oats are blended with filtered water (and often a dash of sea salt and oil) to make a dairy-free alternative to milk that’s ideal for use in vegan baking, eating with cereal or drinking. Oat milk is also sometimes fortified with extra vitamins and minerals, and comes in different varieties: whole, semi (think of this like semi-skimmed cow’s milk), barista-style (good for foaming with a coffee machine) or UHT. With ever-increasing competition on the shelves in this area, we tried more than 20 oat milks to find the best.
HOW WE TESTED
We tried the oat milks on their own and in a cup of coffee, looking for colour, consistency and creaminess.
Minor Figures Barista Oat
£1.20/1 litre Very pale white in comparison to the others, with a very milky smell. This would be great in a classic cup of coffee or to drink on its own.
£1.60/1 litre Quite watery but with a nice, smooth finish and no chemical aftertaste. Tastes like good-quality oats with a refreshingly lovely nutty flavour – a good alternative to skimmed cow’s milk if you prefer a lighter, less creamy milk for adding to teas or coffees.
6/10
66 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Jörd Nordic Oat Drink
MOMA Oat Original
£1.50/1 litre £1.80/1 litre £1.50/1 litre A no-nonsense oat One of the thickest Slightly more watery milk with no oil (the milks in consistency, than the others but this only one from our taste this is very creamy has a definite smooth, test to not contain oil), and there’s a dash creamy oat flavour with so it’s slightly more of sweetness in the a milky aftertaste. Great watery in consistency aftertaste. We could as an alternative to but it makes up for imagine having this semi-skimmed cow’s that in flavour. Fairly with cereal or drinking milk in a cuppa. transparent in a glass on its own. but great for smoothies or cereal. No artificial sweetness or chemical aftertaste, which we found in a few during tasting.
7/10
8/10
8/10
Oatly Oat Drink Whole
£1.80/1 litre Creamy, smooth consistency with a really rich dairy milk flavour and no powdery aftertaste. A hint of savoury saltiness was perfect in coffee or added to desserts such as rice pudding. This was the best-tasting oat milk, with a superior flavour and versatility. We’d happily drink it on its own and in coffee – it adds great creaminess.
wi9/10ner
YTTEG/16DNETSEW :HPARGOTOHP
6/10
Provamel Plenish Organic Organic-Bio Oat Oat Unsweetened
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High-quality kitchen knives at a great price Save 20% on this fabulous Stellar Sabatier knifeblock – plus receive a free chopping board worth £27
(RRP £120)
Every kitchen and home cook needs a good set of knives, especially if you enjoy creating meals from scratch. Using these well-balanced, comfortable Stellar Sabatier knives will make everyday kitchen tasks so much easier. With the renowned Sabatier and Stellar brands combined, you will be assured of owning some of the best-quality knives available. This five-piece set contains all the essential knives needed for everyday cooking. From slicing and dicing to carving, this premium Stellar Sabatier wooden knife block set will deliver years of service and is supported by the Stellar lifetime guarantee. The full-tang, razor-sharp blades are made from carbon chromemolybdenum, with tried and tested, balanced handles. These features make the knives a pleasure to use for every food preparation task. As a special offer for O readers you will also receive a Stellar beech chopping board worth £27. Made from natural beech hardwood, the board is reversible, has a drain channel, hanging loop for storage and rounded sides.
Exclusive offer for O readers You’ll save 20% on the RRP and receive a FREE beech chopping board worth £27!
HOW TO ORDER
Don’t miss out on this limited-time premium offer. To order, visit horwood.co.uk, search for ‘IS61’, add to the basket and use the code OLIVESHARP20 at checkout for your 20% discount. Chopping board will be added to your basket automatically. TERMS AND CONDITIONS Offer closes 30 November 2021 and is subject to availability. Prices and discount correct at time of going to print. Delivery within three working days to UK mainland only, some exclusions may apply. If not completely satisfied with your order, please return goods in mint condition and sealed original packaging for a refund within 14 days of receiving your order (postage costs will not be refunded unless faulty). Your contract for supply of goods is with Horwood.
68 November 2021 Omagazine.com
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Recreate a modern Greek menu from street-food restaurant Kalimera, find out why restaurant counter dining is all the rage, and explore the diverse cuisines of Malaysia and Singapore November 2021 Omagazine.com 69
eat in, eat out Explore modern Greek cooking with recipes from this north London restaurant
Kalimera
Recipes CHARLOTTE DROULERS, STEPHEN PARKINS-KNIGHT and SOTIRIS SAKKAS Photographs DAVID COTSWORTH
menu decoer
•Yogurt Greek yogurt is milk that is fermented to make it
thick and sour. Greek yogurt slightly differs in that the finished product is hung in muslin to remove excess whey, making it thicker and creamier.
•A Kefalotyri hard, salty cheese made from either
sheep’s or goat’s milk, or sometimes both.
•Originally Harissafrom North Africa, but eaten
across the Eastern Mediterranean, too, harissa is a hot chilli paste that often includes roasted red peppers, garlic and spices.
•Meaning Filo pastry ‘leaf’ in Greek, filo pastry is very
thin sheets of unleavened flour and water pastry that is often brushed with oil or butter, and then layered and baked.
70 November 2021 Omagazine.com
discover eat in, eat out
Télémaque Argyriou has been sharing his modern Greek cooking from a food truck since 2015 but this year sees the first permanent site in Crouch End, a cosy space with fresh white tiles and accents of sunshine yellow. The menu is concise, divided into small and large plates. Feta comes in a filo pastry shell, fried until crisp then finished with honey and pistachios with creamy, crunchy, sweet and salty contrasts, and a punchy baba ganoush on the side. Prawn saganaki – fat prawns cooked in a fennel and tomato sauce – has a metsovone cheese and spicy zhoug topping. Large plates are generous and might include house moussaka with rich lamb and beef ragu layered with potatoes and aubergine, topped with béchamel and given a little extra kick from harissa. Or try the lamb kleftiko, a slow-cooked whole shank that falls apart onto a bed of crisp potatoes and peppers. For dessert, mastic ice cream is dense, creamy and sticky, topped with crunchy kataifi pastry and sour cherry sauce. To drink, try the Very Dirty Martini, infused with thyme and served with Kalamata olives. The wine list is Greek-focussed with some great bottles, such as Dafnios Vidiano, a crisp white with peach and pear accents. kalimera.london
Avocado tzatziki
This is a twist on the traditional Greek tzatziki – great as a snack with warm Greek pitta. 25 MINUTES | SERVES 6 AS A STARTER | EASY |
V GF
cucumber ½, diced into ½cm cubes olive oil 20ml garlic 1 clove, crushed lemon juice 2 tbsp greek yogurt 150g chilli powder 1/3 tsp black pepper a pinch avocado 1, cut into ½ cm cubes mint 3 sprigs, leaves removed and chopped pitta breads warm, to serve 1 Put the cucumber in a large colander and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt. Leave to drain for 20 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients – except the avocado, cucumber and mint – plus 1/4 tsp of salt. Stir the ingredients well to combine. 3 Add the avocado and drained cucumber. Mix well, gently squashing the avocado into the mixture. Add the mint and mix again. This avocado tzatziki can be prepared a day ahead and eaten chilled with grilled pitta breads. PER SERVING 118 kcals | fat 10.8G saturates 3.2G | carbs 2.1G | sugars 1.6G fibre 1.4G | protein 2.3G | salt 0.5G
• The information in this article was in line with the government’s Covid-19 restrictions when we went to press but please check with restaurants before visiting.
November 2021 Omagazine.com 71
Moussaka
A classic moussaka with potatoes, aubergines and a rich beef and lamb ragu finished with a creamy white sauce and grated kefalotyri. 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES + STANDING | SERVES 6 | EASY | LC olive oil 2 tbsp waxy potatoes 500g, peeled and cut into 2cm slices aubergines 4 (about 1kg), peeled and cut into 21/2cm slices kefalotyri or pecorino 50g, grated nutmeg grated green salad to serve MEAT RAGU lamb mince 125g beef mince 125g olive oil 1 tbsp onions 50g, finely chopped garlic 2 cloves, minced ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp tomato purée 1½ tbsp harissa 1 tsp red wine 100ml passata 100g beef stock (or water) 90ml WHITE SAUCE unsalted butter 25g plain flour 25g whole milk 350ml nutmeg a pinch of grated kefalotyri or pecorino 25g, grated 1 Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Brush one large or two small oven trays with olive oil and arrange over the sliced potatoes, then season. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the trays from the oven and turn the potatoes over. Cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are just cooked. Cool. 2 Brush two large oven trays with more olive oil and arrange the sliced aubergines over each, then brush each one with a little more olive oil and season. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway, until tender, then cool. 3 For the meat ragu, mix together the lamb and beef mince. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a low heat and cook the onions for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, cook for a further minute then add the ground spices and the vinegar. Cook until the vinegar evaporates then turn the heat to high and add half of the minced lamb and beef, and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the remaining mince. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes before adding the tomato purée, harissa and red wine. Add the passata and stock, and bring to the boil. Season then reduce the heat and simmer slowly for 20 minutes.
72 November 2021 Omagazine.com
4 For the white sauce, melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, then gently cook the flour without colouring for 4-5 minutes. Add the milk and bring slowly to the boil without stirring, then whisk to form a smooth, silky sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg and some seasoning followed by the cheese, then whisk to incorporate. Remove the pan from the heat to cool for 10 minutes. Cover the surface with baking paper to prevent a skin forming, and cool. 5 Lightly brush a 30cm x 22cm roasting tray with olive oil and arrange the cooked potatoes on the bottom. Cover the potatoes with half of the aubergines and then half of the ragu. Repeat the layer of aubergines and ragu again. Then finally add the white sauce, sprinkle over the grated kefalotyri and some nutmeg. 6 Gently tap the tray to level the contents and bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling around the edges and golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad. PER SERVING 390 kcals | fat 21.3G saturates 9.5G | carbs 24.9G | sugars 8.5G fibre 7.2G | protein 17.9G | salt 0.5G
discover eat in, eat out
Portokalopita
Very Dirty Kalimera Martini
caster sugar 150g cinnamon 1 stick oranges 2, halved and juiced CAKE butter for the tin filo pastry 200g (about 6 sheets) plain flour for dusting oranges 2, zested and juiced (you will need 150ml) greek yogurt 300g olive oil 100ml caster sugar 80g baking powder 1 tbsp eggs 6, beaten until foamy greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream to serve
5 MINUTES | SERVES 1 | EASY
Portokalopita is usually very sweet and spongy but we have This recipe was created by our friend and incredibly reduced the sugar and used more eggs than the traditional talented bartender Sotiris Sakkas, and was born from recipe to make it more custardy. the idea of making a drink with the Kalamata olives from Télémaque’s family olive grove in Laconia, Greece. 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES + OVERNIGHT COOLING | SERVES 8 | EASY We emphasise the Greek flavours by infusing roasted Florina pepper and thyme into the drink. SYRUP
1 Heat the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1. To make the syrup, slowly heat all the ingredients in a pan to dissolve the sugar, then boil briefly to make a thin syrup. Strain and cool. It is important that the syrup is made ahead and poured cold onto the hot cake. 2 Butter a 23cm springform cake tin and dust with flour. Dry the filo sheets in the oven for 20 minutes, cool on a wire rack, then crumble. 3 Turn up the oven to 210C/fan 190C/gas 7. Mix the rest of the cake ingredients plus a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk well, then add the broken filo sheets. Pour into the tin, put into the bottom of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean. 4 Prick holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer and immediately pour over the cold syrup. Cover the cake to ensure it keeps warm and absorbs the syrup quickly. Cool, then chill overnight. Serve chilled with greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream.
roasted Florina pepper or roasted red pepper 1 slice Kalamata olives pitted and sliced to make 1 tsp, plus 2 whole stone-in olives thyme 2 sprigs vodka 50ml Lillet Blanc 25ml 1 Put the pepper, olives and one sprig of thyme in a shaker, muddle the ingredients and add the vodka and Lillet Blanc. Shake, then fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously twice, then fine strain and pour into a martini glass. 2 Put the whole Kalamata olives on a cocktail stick and use to garnish the drink along with the remaining sprig of thyme.
PER SERVING 397 kcals | fat 17.9G | saturates 3.6G carbs 48.9G | sugars 34.7G | fibre 1.1G | protein 9.6G | salt 1G November 2021 Omagazine.com 73
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something
That little something A favourite with professional chefs and passionate home cooks, add drama to every bite with Belazu’s delicious range of ingredients It’s been 30 years since George Bennell visited his mum in Provence, France, and began his Belazu journey. He had a van full of the freshest, juiciest olives and a hope of revolutionising the UK’s Mediterranean food scene when he came home – and it’s fair to say a lot has changed since then. Fast forward to the present day, and Belazu has become a trusted and much-loved pioneer for an array of delectable Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients. Along with its lip-smacking olives, you’ll find a tempting selection of pestos, pastes, antipasti, olive oils, vinegars, nuts and other store cupboard essentials – each one lovingly crafted to help you live your life in full flavour. Fuelled by a passion for food, Belazu works tirelessly with its longstanding suppliers, customers and chef friends to bring restaurantquality fare to homes across the UK. Indeed, every product offers uncompromised taste, and comes with a back story about the land it comes from, its producers and its creation.
74 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Here are just some of the beautiful ingredients you’ll find in the Belazu range, as well as some top tips on how best to use them. Oh, and don’t miss your chance to claim £3.65 off your next Belazu shop! [See the box, right, and visit bit.ly/discoverbelazu for more details]
More than food
As well as producing and sourcing authentic ingredients, Belazu founded its corporate social responsibility programme, The Journey Matters, in 2015. The initiative is based on three core pillars: Product, Planet and People, and promotes positive change through sustainability and social engagement. It also donates 3% of its profits to its registered charity, The Belazu Foundation, every year. Through the foundation, the team works with communities in the local area and through its supply chain to promote education and healthy eating to inspire future generations.
Cook the cover recipe!
Tempted to make the tantalising harissa meatballs on the front of this magazine? Belazu can help with that. The team is giving away 20,000 vouchers, each worth £3.65, so you can pick up the key ingredient – a jar of Belazu Rose Harissa Pesto – for free! Simply visit bit.ly/discover-belazu, enter your details and claim your voucher. But hurry, numbers are limited, so once they’re gone, they’re gone!
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Belazu Traditional Genovese Pesto
Belazu Rose Harissa
Belazu Black Olive Tapenade
Delicious ways to use it: ï Drizzle over your steamed greens ï Add to a tomato and mozzarella salad dressing ï Stir into pea and spinach gnocchi ï Spread over a fillet of salmon before roasting ï Use as a chicken marinade
Delicious ways to use it: ï Dollop on your eggs or avocado toast ï Mix with yogurt to create a tasty marinade ï Add some into your burger mix ï Use on its own to marinade meat, fish and vegetables
Delicious ways to use it: ï Add a spoonful to a tuna and green bean salad ï Stuff under the skin of a roast chicken ï Stir into a tomato sauce for a rich umami flavour ï Dollop some on top of your pizzas ï Spread onto a cheese and tomato toastie
This delectable Italian pesto recipe is a classic for a reason. A stalwart of the store cupboard, it’s made with only essential, premium ingredients, including Parmigiano Reggiano, pine kernels and basil from Veneto – pesto never tasted so good!
Belazu’s signature Rose Harissa is a blend of 13 spices and offers a distinctly floral character and balanced heat. Developed from a secret recipe back in 1995, it’s a versatile little paste that can be dolloped into your cooking in large quantities for an instant hit of flavour, while a small amount will add a subtle kick.
A rich blend of naturally ripened Moroccan Beldi olives, capers, garlic and sundried tomatoes, this robust paste is seriously moreish. Did you know that while olives are, of course, the primary ingredient, the term tapenade comes from the Provençal name for caper buds, tapeno?
To find out more about Belazu, and how these ingredients can transform your cooking, visit belazu.com November 2021 Omagazine.com 75
discover drinks
The Measure Fall into autumn with silky liqueurs, Irish whiskies and sour cocktails Words HANNAH GUINNESS @hannahguinness
drinkssoursdecoer
coktail recipe Vieux carré
First invented in New Orleans in the 1930s, fans of manhattans, old fashioneds and sazeracs will love this layered and complex cocktail, perfect for sipping slowly on chilly evenings.
5 MINUTES | SERVES 1 | EASY rye whiskey 25ml cognac 25ml sweet vermouth 25ml Bénédictine 1 tsp Peychaud’s Bitters 2 dashes Angostura Bitters 2 dashes maraschino cherry to garnish
A sour is a cocktail that features a spirit, citrus juice and a sweetener. This includes whisky and pisco sours, and other classics such as daiquiris, margaritas and sidecars. If you don’t have a recipe to hand, follow a 2:1:1 ratio of spirit, citrus and sweetener shaken together with ice and strained into a glass. Most spirits work in sours but certain ones pair particularly well with citrus fruits. Lime matches nicely with rum and tequila, while lemon shines with whisky and brandy. You can also shake the drink with egg white for a creamy texture to the cocktail. The sweetener is often sugar syrup but many liqueurs also suit. Cointreau is classic in a margarita, for example, but cherry or elderflower liqueurs are also delicious. For more inspiration and recipes, check out our cocktail sours collection on Omagazine.com.
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76 November 2021 Omagazine.com
SNILLOC NANOR :SDROW LANOITIDDA .NNAMREBLIS YBBIL :TSILYTS DOOF .TTERREM BOR :TSILYTS .DOOW ELLEINAD :HPARGOTOHP
1 Put all of the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir gently until the outside of the glass is cold. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
3 to try..
spirit of the month
Liqueurs
Irish whiskey
The past few years have seen a renaissance in Irish whiskey, with distilleries expanding from just four to more than 30 and counting in the space of 10 years, producing some of the world’s best spirits.
The lowdown
Parafante Fig Leaf Liqueur
£20.45 (50cl), The Whisky Exchange Made with Calabrian fig leaves, this has ripe figginess and delicious notes of white chocolate, coconut and cinnamon.
Sky Wave Spiced Apple Gin Liqueur
£30 (50cl), amazon.co.uk £28 (70cl), Locally grown apples go portobelloroadgin.com into this Oxfordshire liqueur. A nice balance of tart and With balanced sweetness sweet, this gets interesting and warming spice, try woody depth from being mixing with ginger ale. rested in ex-whisky barrels.
Perfect host Coupette glasses
Portobello Road Sloeberry and Blackcurrant
£44 (set of two), untitled-drinks.com Untitled Drinks – owner of Bar Termini, Untitled Bar and 69 Colebrooke Row in London – has released a range of handmade glassware designed to enhance the cocktail you’re drinking. We’re coveting its rose-hued negroni glasses and these delicate coupettes, designed to ensure your martini is as cold and crisp as possible.
hoe bar hcks bitters
Think of bitters as the seasoning to a cocktail, ramping up the flavours. There are hundreds of varieties but good ones to start with include aromatic bitters such as Angostura – perfect for adding spicy depth to dark rum and whisky cocktails – and orange bitters for martinis and bourbon drinks. Later, you may want to branch out. Floral bitters work well for G&Ts and other gin cocktails, and chilli bitters are magic with agave spirits.
All Irish whiskey must be aged for a minimum of three years in wooden casks (such as oak) on the island of Ireland. There are currently four categories in Irish whiskey: Single malt: made by one distillery, distilling 100% malted barley in a pot still. Typically giving notes of toasted oak, biscuits and malt chocolate. Single grain: made by one distillery, distilling no more than 30% malted barley with the majority unmalted cereals (usually corn, wheat or barley) and distilled in a column still. This style gives light floral notes of sweet grain and honey. Single pot still: made by one distillery, distilled from a minimum of 30% malted barley and a minimum of 30% unmalted barley with up to 5% cereals added. This is classed as the most traditional style of Irish whiskey. It’s classically a heavier style with flavours that can range from baking spices and vanilla to rich Christmas cake. Blended: a combination of two or more styles of Irish whiskey blended together. A very exciting classification of whiskey which allows brands space to create stunning blends. Another point to remember is that, while a lot of brands triple distil their whiskey, it is not a legal requirement, and is instead a style that adds to the adventurous nature of the category. Not sure where to start? Try Teeling Single Grain Whiskey (£41.75 (70cl), The Whiskey Exchange). A corn-heavy tripledistilled Irish whiskey aged in French oak ex-cabernet sauvignon casks from California, expect sweet marmalade flavours and a dry red wine finish. For more on Irish whiskey, visit Omagazine.com.
November 2021 Omagazine.com 77
CHICKEN ARRABBIATA
For this and many more authentic recipes visit napolina.com
discover wine
Find your new comfort zone Adventurous reds to curl up with on a chilly winter evening The gloom of winter has all us seeking comfort, whether it’s a favourite jumper, a snug scarf or familiar food to soothe us. It’s the same when it comes to wine – most of us reach for names we recognise and know that we like. Malbec, merlot, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon are the UK’s favourite reds, and are among the dozen or so grapes known as ‘international varieties’ because, although most originate from France, they are now grown in most wine-producing countries and account for the vast majority of the wine we drink. Yet there are more than 1,300 grape varieties used to make wine across the world, and there is a growing trend to revive the fortunes of the less well known, and those indigenous to where they’re grown. Many of these are very niche and can be hard to find. Supermarkets and large retailers are wary of giving shelf space to wines their customers find unfamiliar, but this is slowly changing as adventurous drinkers
seek wines with more distinctive personalities that reflect the places where they are made. Hats off to M&S which this year launched its ‘Found’ range of wines, championing native grapes from around the world and bringing them to shoppers at affordable prices, and others are following suit. Look to central European countries such as Georgia, Hungary and Romania for reds made from ancient varieties that have names that may be tricky to pronounce but often offer fantastic value for money. Portugal is also a very good bet, where different native grapes are grown in the same vineyard and vinified together to make wines that are known as field blends; while these days Greece and Sicily are producing really exciting and distinctive wines from grapes that have been grown there for thousands of years. There’s always a place for favourite and familiar wines but it’s very rewarding to sometimes step out of our comfort zone and discover something new to love.
Kate Hawkings is a writer and wine consultant. Her debut book, Aperitif, was published in 2018. Follow her on Twitter @katehawkings.
Omagazine.com
• Check out our best bargain supermarket buys with meal pairings at Omagazine.com/ supermarket-wine-awards
my five favourit rds t try
Orovela Saperavi 2014 £16.99, Waitrose
The saperavi grape is native to Georgia, where wine has been made for 8,000 years. This is intensely dark, rich with blackberry fruit and a whiff of autumnal bonfires. Try it instead of a cabernet sauvignon with the beef goulash on p65.
M&S Found País £9, M&S
Santa Tresa Rina Russa Frappato
The país grape was brought £8.95, thewinesociety.com to Chile by the Spanish but If you’re partial to a light pinot was usurped by international noir, you’ll love this frappato varieties in the 20th century. from one of Sicily’s best Now it’s being championed organic wineries. Bursting once more and this is a fine with bright red fruits, it’s a example, fresh and crunchy breezy match with the with a touch of spice, that beetroot, orange and feta would sit well with the winter salad on p43. pulled chicken tacos on p48.
Curious Parallel Fatească Neagră
Fitapreta Touriga Vai Nua 2020
Native to Romania, fatească neagră sits in a similar register to malbec with its soft dark fruit and gentle tannins. Drink it with comforting dishes such as the venison, mushroom and red wine pie on p36.
Made by Antonio Macanita, one of Portugal’s most acclaimed winemakers, a wonderfully perfumed but robust field blend, floral with a lick of liquorice, that’s best served slightly chilled. Try with the sticky hoisin duck with fried rice on p20.
£9.99, virginwines.co.uk
£17.50, swig.co.uk
November 2021 Omagazine.com 79
pro vs punter
Sargasso
Our pro says
Eileen Twum is a restaurant critic and start-up executive who’s part of Black Book, a platform for black and non-white people working in hospitality and food media. Follow her on Instagram @eix.leen.
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There’s nothing better than a picture-perfect day by the English seaside. Scratch that: there’s nothing better than a perfect day by the seaside with your best dining pal that includes a gloriously random celebrity encounter and gorgeous food eaten in a stunning location. Picture-perfect is everything we got and more during our dinner at Sargasso. We sat on the terrace to take in the sea, bay, sand and beautiful mishmash of quintessentially English architecture, all enjoyed along with a lovely glass of lambrusco and a killer negroni. There wasn’t a bad dish on this menu but we did end up with some firm favourites, like the flirty, fun parmesan fritters – a light, crisp exterior gave way to creamy, mousse-like, cheesy deliciousness on the inside. The sprats came out like a summer romance – an attractive, light-hearted dish of small, fried fish, delicately dusted with salt, parsley and paprika – making you sad when it was over but leaving you with wonderful memories. A flashback to a recent Greek escape came from the completely moreish dish of smoked cod’s roe, served with a soft-boiled egg and some glorious beetroot.
Critic Eileen Twum and O reader Rachel Anandappa give their verdicts on this Margate restaurant focussed on coastal cooking Carlingford Lough oysters were dressed with cider mignonette, which gave a stunning lift to the meaty, silky sea morsels. Next came the clams (my dining pal’s review was, “Oh my god, the clams!”). They were swimming in a light garlic, coriander and white wine broth, with naughty bits of chilli running through. The lobster spaghetti was special for the simple fact that Kevin Castro had caught it, Margate’s last remaining fisherman. But the star pasta dish award has to go to the cavatelli alla norma, which gave delicious ‘caponata light’ vibes with its sauce, and ‘I wish I had room for a second portion’ vibes as a whole. We finished with two lots of tiramisu because the coffee and ladyfinger classic was expertly executed. My dining pal, Ben Johnson, a beloved and kind father of two, sadly passed away suddenly a couple of days after this meal. This review is in loving memory of him and our perfect dinner by the sea.
Bill for two, including service: £276 Atmosphere: 10 Service: 9 Food: 9 Total: 28/30
discover restaurant review Sargasso, recently re-opened on Margate Harbour, is a new collaboration from Ed Wilson and Josie Stead of London favourite Brawn, in partnership with Sargasso founder and owner Matthew Herbert. The kitchen is headed up by Marcelo Rodrigues (formerly of Brawn and Rubedo) and the concise menu takes inspiration from European coastal cooking, with a focus on seafood and seasonal veg. It’s made up of snacks, plus small and large plates, such as salt cod and Friggitelli peppers; sea bass, coco beans and spinach; and tomatoes, Ligurian basil and Tropea onions. The mostly French and Italian wine list (including five orange wines) starts at £5 a glass. Music is a key feature, too, with Sargasso Sundays seeing guest DJs playing from the afternoon into the evening. sargasso.bar
• The information in this article was in line with the government’s Covid-19 restrictions when we went to press but please check with restaurants before visiting.
Our punter says
Rachel Anandappa is a risk management specialist from Kent who likes to eat out two or three times a month. She loves Italian, Indian, Sri Lankan and Chinese food, and her best eating out experience was at Angela Hartnett’s Murano.
Sargasso is situated on Margate’s Harbour Arm. Recently re-opened and offering a cosy setting, you dine overlooking the harbour while watching the chefs work their magic. Outdoor seating options are available during the warmer summer months. The atmosphere was buzzy for a weekday evening but the music a little too loud at times to clearly hear my dining companion. Sargasso’s drinks menu is inviting and extensive – we opted for the orange Sicilian wine, a light, fruity introduction to a new variety for us. The Mediterranean-influenced menu is small but offers something for everyone. We started with the parmesan fritters, which were warm, cheesy pillows of naughtiness, popping as you bit into them. Next up, we had the tomatoes and mussels. The tomatoes were zingy, with crunchy onions, fragrant basil and a tang of vinegar, while the mussels were cooked in a beautiful, subtle cider and leek sauce accompanied by crispbreads spread liberally with a punchy aïoli. For mains, we opted for the skate wing and onglet. The skate was surprisingly meaty, a delicate taste that was complemented by the sweet piperade
with salty capers. The onglet was medium-rare, with undertones of garlic and an anchovy sauce that balanced a moreish dish. To finish, we ordered a light and fluffy tiramisu, with its distinctive marsala and coffee notes, and a delightfully smooth fig leaf panna cotta with plums and uva fragola. Service was friendly and the staff knew the dishes and flavours well. A downside is that the food comes out when ready (something the waiters clearly state when you place your order), which means running the risk of eating while your table stares longingly at your plate. With that said, we really enjoyed the food and look forward to visiting again.
Bill for two, including service: £100 Atmosphere: 8 Service: 8 Food: 9 Total: 25/30 November 2021 Omagazine.com 81
Overnight coffee expert
discover coffee
Become an accomplished home barista with insider tips from O’s new coffee expert, Celeste Wong Photographs CELESTE WONG and JEFF NEWTON
Celeste Wong is here to boost your coffee know-how, offering advice and guides on everything from the best coffee beans to boosting your home barista skills. Celeste has a stellar reputation in the coffee industry, regularly speaking at events, presenting her own show and reviewing coffee gadgets. Born in New Zealand, she has worked at leading artisan cafés all over the world for well over a decade. Since migrating to the UK (via Melbourne), she has been listed as one of London’s top five baristas in The Financial Times and hosted many events, including the recent Coffee Masters at The London Coffee Festival 2021.
Six tips to get you started
Keep your beans fresh It’s better to grind fresh, so keeping your coffee stored as whole beans is best and will help them to last longer. I always say to think of coffee beans like potatoes – store them in a dark, cool place. For the same reason, it’s best to get a regular, smaller coffee bean supply rather than bulk buying. Arabica or Robusta? Generally Robusta is poorer quality as it’s grown at lower altitudes, which means that the beans mature faster and don’t have as much time as Arabica beans to develop unique flavours. You are more likely to find Arabica beans in a speciality coffee shop, so look for that on the bag or ask your local barista and choose Arabica wherever possible. Invest in a grinder The most important piece of kit! Having a good, consistent grind will release your coffee’s full potential, whatever the serve. I prefer burr to blade grinders. If you are going through a lot of coffee, get an electric grinder, or a good hand grinder is practical and convenient. Use a gooseneck kettle It’s essential to mastering the pour-over coffee technique! This allows for precision and control to make sure you cover the beans at the right speed. There’s something meditative about it, too. Become familiar with tasting notes I often really gravitate to Guatemalan coffees or naturally processed coffees. There’s something about those light and floral notes that get me! For me, the most obvious ‘fruity’ coffee to try is Ethiopian because it often has notes of blueberry. Try as a filter coffee and see if you can taste it.
Scan this code to learn more about coffee with Celeste, including how to perfect various methods at home, the best reusable coffee pods to buy and the most useful equipment, or visit Omagazine.com.
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Buy accurate scales If you want to make precise coffee at home, get yourself some accurate scales that are able to weigh both your coffee dose and a higher volume of coffee as you pour water through and make it.
Counter intelligence
discover restaurants
Chat to the chefs while enjoying their food – off-the-pass action is the new way to eat out Words TONY NAYLOR
For true food aficionados, there’s nothing better than booking seats at a restaurant kitchen counter where you can chat with the chefs, watch them work and eat their food straight off the pass. For one night, you’re part of the gang, sharing tasters and pro cooking tips while eating delicious food. Are you feeling that, too? Then let O introduce you to some of Britain’s hottest counter dining options. November 2021 Omagazine.com 83
“part of the theatre of itarond is wtching us dance each oer” SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Evelyn’s Table, London
Fan as he is, chef Luke Selby is conscious that “counter restaurants can become overly cheffy”. Located in a former beer cellar at Soho’s The Blue Posts pub and run by Luke and his chef-brothers, Theo and Nat, the 10-cover Evelyn’s Table is deliberately “laid-back but high-quality. We play music we curate together – you’ve the atmosphere from the whole venue and everyone involved is engaging. We want people to ask questions”. Each service is a performance of sorts, as the trio present ingredients to guests, demonstrate processes or dress dishes in their snug galley kitchen: “Part of the theatre of it is watching us dance around each other. We’ve good synergy.” Crucially, because Evelyn’s serves so few guests face to face, its five-course menu (think seasonal UK produce and Japanese influences such as variations on Kentish strawberries with sake-dressed savarin cake) can utilise small amounts of incredible, delicate ingredients sourced directly from producers and served at their absolute peak. Evelyn’s has previously offered a sashimi of hand-dived Devon scallops harvested less than 12 hours earlier. “Having something of that quality would be almost impossible in a bigger operation,” says Luke. “And it’s not waiting on the pass – we serve it straightaway.” £75 pp; theblueposts.co.uk
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PURSUING PERFECTION
FUN-FORWARD FOOD
“If I’m sick we cannot open,” laughs Taiji Maruyama, creative architect behind this incredibly personal experience. The Fukushimaborn chef creates Maru’s flower arrangements, made its crockery and, like an elite athlete pursuing marginal gains, is constantly interrogating every detail of how he feeds six people per sitting at this luxurious counter venue. “Maybe 0.01 becomes 0.1,” says Taiji. “In fine dining, 0.1 is important.” Temperature, explains Taiji, son of several generations of sushi chefs, is key to a 20-course omakase or ‘chef’s choice’ menu, and his utilises exceptional UK seafood in various nigiri and temaki, or dishes such as Cornish king crab in a jelly of crab and kabosu citrus fruit. Sat at a maple counter flanked by custom-made fish-ageing cabinets, guests are sometimes invited to eat seafood using their hands: “With chopsticks, you cannot feel the temperature. From the hand, you have a better understanding of taste.” Counter dining is common in Japan but where its high-end venues can be quiet, sober environments (“Japanese people judge by taste, they don’t need much entertainment”), Taiji makes Maru chatty and convivial. “I explain everything or email guests recipes later. It’s like theatre. They see almost everything cooked in front of them.” £170 pp; marulondon.com
Originally, the four counter seats at Edinburgh’s The Little Chartroom (TLC) were a practical solution. Chef-owner Roberta Hall-McCarron needed to create a separate cold starter and dessert prep area, and, in such a small restaurant, seating people at it was a no-brainer. She was initially nervous (“Chefs are awkward creatures. We don’t know how to speak to people,” she laughs) but came to “love” the “amazing feedback” and how those counter diners defined the restaurant’s feel: “You get fantastic people who’re quick to have a good time, and chefs who love cooking. It creates a different, clubby, neighbourhood vibe.” Consequently, this month, as this Leith Walk venue re-emerges as Eleanore (TLC has since moved to new premises), it will do so with high tables and the counter at the forefront, with long-term plans for a fully open kitchen. Chefs Hamish McNeil and Moray Lamb, who ran TLC’s Portobello Promenade takeaway, will deliver a menu of sharing plates (oysters with fermented cucumber, pickled apple and horseradish oil; barbecued pork neck with chicory and quince; wild mushroom tacos with salted egg yolks) accompanied by exciting wines. “A buzzy, busy atmosphere,” says Roberta. “That’s the aim.” Plates £5-£20; eleanore.uk
Maru, London
Eleanore, Edinburgh
YHPARGOTOHP.FEETAL@ ,YRRET SIRHC ,NWORB OLIM ,AIDUALC AILEMA ,DDUR AIGROEG :SHPARGOTOHP
clockwise from far left Brother chefs Luke, Theo and Nat at Evelyn’s Table in London’s Soho; chef Taiji Maruyama takes a personal approach to counter dining; the Namayasai Farm garden salad at Maru; chef Roberta Hall-McCarron of Eleanore and The Little Chartroom fame; Eleanore’s spread of sharing plates; courgette flowers at Evelyn’s Table
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“it tht was thefundmentl kitchen wold b pen”
FARM-TO-FORK STORIES Kitchen Table, London
James Knappett has worked in the world’s best restaurants, often without ever meeting the Vanderlyle, Cambridge diners or witnessing their reaction to his food: “I felt that last connection was missing.” When Vanderlyle opened in 2019, chef Alex Therefore, in 212, when James and his wife Rushmer had spent his career hidden “in hot, Sandia Chang opened Kitchen Table (it recently pressured kitchens”. He and fellow chef-owner, Lawrence Butler, were done with it. They relaunched after a swanky refurb), he designed wanted to interact with their guests: “It was a a horseshoe-counter kitchen for 18 guests where fundamental that the kitchen would be open the chefs are able to enthuse about the cooking skills on display, their foraging or fastidious and people would be able to sit at the pass, sourcing (for instance, of rare Cornish blue watching what was going on.” lobsters served with vanilla brown butter and Today, at each 26-cover service, four guests do just that. They enjoy not just 11 courses of pickled beach roses). “We wanted to put across finely tuned, highly creative, plant-focussed the work that goes into the food,” says James. cooking – ranging from a playful smoked celeriac “Some people won’t ask another question. Some want to know everything. We can talk “hot dog” to savoury variations on Cambridge about it for days.” burnt cream – but the chance to talk recipes, techniques and restaurants with the chefs. Our The 2-course menu changes daily and has tip: ask about “the matrix”, hieroglyph-like charts bagged Kitchen Table two Michelin stars. It’s written on the tiles by the pass that control the a unique environment, one of instantaneous creativity and constant scrutiny that only suits order of service. certain chefs. “I’ve had chefs move on because This all requires Vanderlyle’s chefs to work a certain way: “Our food has always been they can’t deal with being in front of guests. They prep-heavy, service-light. The kitchen needs to have to have elegance, an aura of finesse. Banter, noise, banging pots: there’s none of that with us.” look calm and organised. At 6pm, the curtain goes up and we’ve got to perform. But it’s good £250 pp; kitchentablelondon.co.uk fun. I love that extra element. It’s not just food. It’s about the whole experience the kitchen can provide.” £65 pp; vanderlyle-restaurant.com
KEEN TO CONNECT
COUNTER CULTURE
Dos and don’ts at the counter
Chefs try to shrug off the minority of guests who, glued to their phones and refusing to speak, seem to have missed the counter dining memo. “It’s their money. We never take it personally. It does baffle me, though,” says Kitchen Table’s James Knappett. There’s no point booking a counter experience unless you’re ready to talk, question and share the kitchen’s enthusiasm. It’s not for everyone. Arrive hungry and stay curious. “It’s awkward when people sit and don’t speak to each other or you,” says Eleanore’s Roberta Hall-McCarron. “You’ve got to give us something.”
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• The information in this article was in line with the government’s Covid-19 restrictions when we went to press, but please check with restaurants before visiting.
discover restaurants COUNTER INTUITIVE
More hot off-the-pass action La Mesa at Barrio Comida, Durham Bag one of four counter seats at this hip new Mexican. £55; lamesadurham.com The Counter at Sabor, London Balearic bangers from Nieves Barragán. from £6.50; saborrestaurants.co.uk Chef’s Table at Crockers, Tring Up close with Scott Barnard’s modish fine dining. Dinner £115 pp; crockersuk.com Cin Cin, Hove David Toscano’s island kitchen Italian is a counter classic. Mains from £15; cincin.co.uk Holm, South Petherton New all-day Somerset spin-off from London’s Salon and Levan team, with a six-seater dining counter. Mains from £16; holmsomerset.co.uk Mei Mei, London Unique hawker-style Borough Market 12-seater, where Elizabeth Haigh offers her Singaporean menu. Mains from £12; meimei.uk Skosh, York An open-kitchen seat at Skosh is arguably the most fun you can have in York. Mains £8-£17; skoshyork.co.uk counter-clockwise from top left The horseshoe counter at Kitchen Table; The Counter’s presa iberica 5 jotas; Mei Mei’s chicken satay; The Counter at Sabor, serving Balearic dishes in London; Vanderlyle’s kohlrabi salad; four guests get the chance to talk recipes and techniques during each service at Vanderlyle
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cook like a local
Malaysia
A balance of sweet, sour, salty and bitter defines the full-on flavours of this Southeast Asian country Words and recipes MANDY YIN Photographs LOUISE HAGGER
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Prawn sambal
My mum made this dish often for our dinners. It’s redolent with shrimp paste, lime leaf and lemongrass – it’s a very Peranakan dish. The sauce is stupendous and pairs incredibly well with the hard-boiled eggs served on the side. Ideally, make the base sauce at least an hour before you want to eat it, as it improves dramatically once it has been allowed to cool down. 40 MINUTES + SOAKING +COOLING | SERVES 4 | EASY | GF
The food of Malaysia is the result of the merging over centuries of indigenous ingredients and cooking methods with external influences, adapting ingredients and techniques from countries such as China, India, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and Britain. Then there are also influences from Thailand and Indonesia. Malaysian dishes are food for the soul and offer full-on, in-your-face, satisfying flavours. Many dishes delicately balance sweetness, sourness and saltiness, often marrying chilli heat and a hint of bitterness. Key ingredients include coconut milk, chillies, pandan leaves, belacan (fermented shrimp paste), tamarind, lemongrass and makrut lime leaf. Malaysians are a nation of avid snackers – it is normal to eat five or six times a day. At any get-together it is normal to see a variety of stir-fries, curries and stews served with a large cooker full of rice, kuih muih (sweet and savoury snacks, cakes and fried titbits), fried or braised noodles contrasted with refreshing salads, pickles and sambals, all served at once. National dishes include nasi lemak (coconut rice with accompaniments), roti canai (a flaky flatbread served with a curry), satay, rendang, Hainanese chicken rice, popiah (spring rolls) and noodle dishes such as curry laksa, assam laksa, char kway teow (fried flat rice noodles), wonton mee (springy noodles with dumplings) and prawn noodle soup.
“malaysian dishes are fofl-o, fo thein-your-face, soul and or satisfying flavurs”
ground turmeric 1 tbsp ground coriander 1½ tsp ground cumin ¾ tsp flavourless oil 3 tbsp ginger 5cm, finely chopped sambal tumis 285g (recipe below) tomato ketchup 3 tbsp coconut milk 200ml lemongrass 2 stalks, halved and bruised makrut lime leaves 4 ground white pepper 1/8 tsp raw peeled king prawns 400g lemon ½ hard-boiled eggs 4 tomatoes 1-2, thinly sliced cucumber ½, thinly sliced SAMBAL TUMIS dried red chillies 10 or dried chilli flakes 2 tbsp onions 200g, roughly chopped garlic 2 cloves red chillies 8, roughly chopped flavourless oil 200ml lemongrass 1 stalk, halved and bruised soft dark brown sugar 1 tbsp tamarind paste 1 tbsp shrimp paste 1 tbsp 1 To make the sambal, soak the dried red chillies or chilli flakes in just enough just-boiled water to cover. Leave for 15 minutes then drain. Blitz the onions, garlic, chillies and rehydrated dried chillies to a smooth paste. Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over a medium heat. Stir-fry the onion mixture and lemongrass for 10 minutes, stirring often – make sure your windows are open as the chillies will start to smoke! 2 Add the sugar, tamarind and shrimp paste. Continue stir-frying for 5 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates. Remove the lemongrass and it is ready for use. To make the prawns, mix the ground spices with 2 tbsp of water. In a medium pan, warm the oil over a medium heat then stir-fry the ginger and ground spices for 1 minute. Add 200ml of water, 1 tsp of salt, the sambal tumis, ketchup, coconut milk, lemongrass, lime leaves and white pepper, and bring to the boil over a low-medium heat. Turn off the heat as soon as it comes to the boil and leave for at least 1 hour for the flavours to fully develop. 3 Just before you want to eat, reheat the sauce and, once it starts to steam and bubbles appear at the sides, add the prawns and stir-fry over a medium heat for 3 minutes before tipping out into a large serving bowl. Squeeze over the lemon juice before serving with the egg halves, tomatoes and cucumber slices around the dish. PER SERVING 611 kcals | fat 50.1G saturates 11.4G | carbs 16.2G | sugars 12.4G fibre 3.3G | protein 22G | salt 2.9G November 2021 Omagazine.com 89
Spicy herbal salad
Kerabu is an umbrella term in Malay denoting a vibrant salad of vegetables and herbs, dressed with a fiery sambal, shrimp paste and lime to bring everything together. The dressing is spicy, sharp and smells wonderful from all the herbs. It is a good a way to use up both raw and cooked left-over ingredients. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients while keeping the powerful dressing the same. Just replace the shrimp paste with salt to make it vegan.
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30 MINUTES | SERVES 4 | EASY | LC
GF
cucumber 1 fresh pineapple 200g, cut into 1cm chunks red onions 150g, finely sliced mint leaves 80g, roughly chopped laksa leaves 40g, roughly chopped DRESSING red chillies 3, finely chopped makrut lime leaves 3, stems removed and leaves finely chopped shrimp paste 20g, dry-toasted in a pan lime juice 40ml (about 2 limes) soft light brown sugar 2 tbsp tamarind paste ½ tsp
1 Cut the cucumbers in half straight through the middle, and then in half again lengthways. Use a teaspoon to deseed them, then cut into 1cm chunks. 2 Mix together the cucumber, pineapple, red onions and herbs. 3 Combine the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the prepared salad at least 15 minutes (but no longer than 30 minutes) before serving. Stir to combine. Season with a touch more salt to taste, if you like. PER SERVING 122 kcals | fat 1G saturates 0G | carbs 23.7G | sugars 20.9G fibre 2.4G | protein 3.2G | salt 0.3G
Fried rice vermicelli
discover cook like a local
This fried mee hoon rice vermicelli is a popular addition to any meal, and from a busy parent’s perspective a godsend as it provides a quick, no-fuss, one-pot meal. You will find this at many hawker stalls, available at all times of the day, in Malaysia. It is also a perfect dish for any potluck or dinner parties, as it can be scaled up and cooked a day or so in advance, and simply warmed up in a microwave before tucking in. 20 MINUTES | SERVES 2 | EASY flavourless oil 3 tbsp garlic 3 cloves, finely chopped skinless chicken thighs or breasts finely sliced (or you can use any other meat, small raw prawns or, to make it vegan, use fried tofu puffs or robust vegetables such as carrots or green beans) rice vermicelli 200g, soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes, then drained bean sprouts a large handful spring onions 2, finely sliced SEASONING light soy sauce 3 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tbsp (or replace with ½ tsp salt to make it vegan) white sugar 1 tsp ground white pepper ½ tsp fried egg or omelette to serve (optional) fresh chillies in soy sauce to serve (optional) sambal to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat for at least 1 minute before adding the garlic. Stir-fry quickly and then add the chicken, cooking for 1 minute, stirring frequently. 2 Add the vermicelli and seasoning with 1 tbsp of water. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes depending on how dry you like your noodles. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions. Stir-fry for another minute to incorporate everything. 3 This works well served with a fried egg or thinly sliced omelette, as well as any sambal (recipe on page 89) or finely cut chillies in a light soy sauce. PER SERVING 733 kcals | fat 24.2G saturates 3.2G | carbs 91G | sugars 6.3G fibre 2G | protein 36.2G | salt 4.2G
Recipes adapted from Sambal Shiok: The Malaysian Cookbook by Mandy Yin (£25, Quadrille). Recipes are sent by the publisher and not retested by us. November 2021 Omagazine.com 91
singapore
10 things I love about
Edoardo Pellicano grew up surrounded by the food of his Italian restaurant-owning father and Chinese-Singaporean mother. He’s currently executive chef of Mãos, a unique dining experience at the Blue Mountain School in London
The menu at Mãos draws on Edoardo’s memories and trips overseas, showcasing Asian flavours and techniques, including fermentation (a process that originated in ancient China), preserving and ageing proteins. Singapore is formed of three main cultures – Chinese, Malay and Indian – and Edoardo’s suggestions encompass them all to help you enjoy this eclectic food culture. bluemountain.school/maos
1 Hawker centres
Singapore’s hawker centres (large food courts housing street food stalls) are part of the fabric of Singapore life. Hugely popular and well respected, they house eight of Asia’s ‘50 best restaurants’. When visiting with my family, I’m always torn over what to eat as there is so much to try.
2 Chwee kueh
One of my favourite breakfasts is ‘chwee kueh’ (literally ‘water cake’) made from rice flour, steamed to a firm, smooth texture. Each brilliant white cake is topped with chopped preserved radish and a splash of the restaurant’s homemade, fiery chilli paste. The cakes are served simply on brown paper, with bamboo skewers.
3 Kopi
Breakfast isn’t complete without a kopi. Kopi is a traditional coffee originating from Malaysia and Singapore. It’s always served piping hot with sugar and condensed milk to contrast the rich flavour. It’s highly caffeinated and delicious. It can found easily in local coffee shops and hawker centres.
4 Hainanese chicken rice
My comfort food after too much spice or a late night out is Hainanese chicken rice. This dish of poached chicken and rice cooked in chicken broth and chicken fat is an uncomplicated, down-to-earth staple. It remains synonymous with Singaporean food and is always on a visitor’s checklist, for good reason.
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discover singapore
from above, clockwise Hokkien noodles; bak kut teh or pork rib tea; a cup of kopi; chwee kueh, rice flour cakes topped with preserved radish; a hawker centre; Singapore’s skyline; lemak laksa
OTOHP KCOTS YMALA/YDDER NOMIS ,SULP SEGAMI YTTEG/KCOTSI ,YTTEG/TNEMOM/NAHILLAC NOTAES NHOJ ,GNEM IAW NAHC NIVLAC :SHPARGOTOHP
5 Chilli crab
9 Hokkien noodles
6 Bak kut teh
10 Dempsey Hill
I love a Singapore staple simply called ‘chilli crab’. This dish of fresh or Dungeness crab is fried in a sweet and spicy sauce. Egg thickens the broth and tomato ketchup adds to the vibrant orange colour of the cooked crabs. Be sure to have some bread at hand so you can mop up every last bit (see recipe, overleaf).
My grandma has been a huge influence on my food habits. Her passion for seeking out delicious food has never waned in 93 years and, whenever I visit, we dine at our favourite Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh Eating House. Bak kut teh is ‘pork rib tea’ in the Chiuchow dialect – melt-off-the-bone spare ribs in a peppery, pork bone broth. This is eaten with either rice or wheat vermicelli, and a slew of side dishes, including pig offal, seaweed and bean curd, all served in the same soup.
7 Laksa
One of my top stir-fried meals is hokkien noodles with prawns, slices of chicken or pork, squid and fish cake, seasoned with soy sauce, vinegar and chilli. Each serving comes with sambal sauce and a lime wedge, to balance the bold flavours. The Singaporean version uses thick, flat egg noodles.
Dempsey Hill is surrounded by some great restaurants. It’s very close to where my family lives so I go there quite often to eat at some of my favourite places housed in restored barracks from the colonial era. You’ll find everything from Peranakan (Baba-Nyonya or Chinese-India-Malay) food, to dishes from Singapore’s established Indian community, such as fish head curry and dry chicken masala.
There are many different versions of the classic laksa but my favourite is ‘lemak laksa’. This spicy iteration of the dish has a coconut milk soup base. I love to have it with lots of king prawns, fresh, crunchy bean sprouts and fish balls.
8 Char kway teow
Another fantastic dish is char kway teow. It’s a stir-fried rice noodle dish with garlic, dark soy sauce, chilli paste, belachan (fermented shrimp paste), cockles and slices of delicious lap cheong (Chinese sausage). November 2021 Omagazine.com 93
discover singapore
Chilli crab
Ask your fishmonger to cook the crabs for you, or buy them ready-cooked, then you can remove the legs and body, discard the dead man’s fingers (gills) and chop the shell and body into quarters 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES | SERVES 4-6 EASY | LC GF RUMPAH (CHILLI PASTE) dried chillies 150g, soaked in warm water until soft candlenuts or macadamias 3 ginger 2cm piece, chopped garlic 6 cloves, chopped galangal 2cm piece, chopped lemongrass 2 stalks, chopped shallots 200g long, chopped belachan (shrimp paste) 1 tbsp sugar to taste CHILLI CRAB neutral oil for frying rumpah 6 tbsp (see above) tomato ketchup 300ml whole brown crabs 2 (about 1kg each), cooked and chopped into pieces sugar 2-3 tbsp eggs 2, beaten cornflour 1 tbsp
1 To make the rumpah, put all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until completely smooth. Tip into a large non-stick frying pan and cook gently for 1 hour, stirring regularly, until darkened. Cool and chill until needed – this will keep for a couple of days in the fridge, or you can divide it into portions and freeze. 2 To make the chilli crab, heat a wok with a little oil, then fry the rumpah for 5 minutes. Add half the ketchup and fry for a few more minutes. Add the crab, along with a good splash of water, then fry for 2 minutes, turning to coat in the sauce. Put on a lid and simmer for 5 minutes until the crab has warmed through. Season to taste with the sugar and salt. Add the remaining ketchup and a splash of water to make it saucy. 3 Add the eggs and fry everything together. Mix the cornflour with a little water to make a thin paste. Add half of the cornflour paste and simmer until thickened, adding more of the cornflour and cooking it in the same way if needed. Season to taste before serving. PER SERVING (6) 229 kcals | fat 5.2G saturates 0.9G | carbs 28.3G | sugars 24.2G fibre 2.2G | protein 16.4G | salt 2G
• Head to Omagazine.com for more recipes from Singapore, Malaysia and beyond.
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NNAMREBLIS YBBIL :GNILYTS DOOF .TTERREM BOR :GNILYTS .DOOW ELLEINAD :HPARGOTOHP
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E
2 8 O NO c t o b er LAS
dreaming of a GREEN coming next month...
CHRISTMAS! Your indispensable guide to a lower-waste festive season • Alternative roasts • Skin-on roasties • Whole veg sides
KRALC REHTSE :GNILYTS DOOF .EGDIRDLE AIROTCIV :GNILYTS .NOSGERG NAHTANOJ :HPARGOTOHP
Creative ways with leftovers
Sprout kraut, roastie rostis, and carrot and parsnip dahl
Effortless desserts,
20 best restaurants
O’s Christmas Taste Awards 2021
for the food lovers in your life
stunning results
to party – or relax
Sustainable gifts November 2021 Omagazine.com 95
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process, making light work of any spice blend. The smooth marble surface is intrinsically non-stick and quick to cool, making it the ideal material for rolling pastry, presenting party platters or blending temperamental ingredients. Combining natural beauty with skilled craftsmanship and a solidly hardworking core, the Judge marble collection is sure to provide you with years of good service or even a timeless gift for foodie friends and family.
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As beautiful as it is functional, this marble collection from kitchenware brand Judge brings classic style to your kitchen and table. Crafted from 100% natural, polished marble, this range is not only attractive and durable, but also free from chemical coatings, making it perfect for preparing and serving food in style. For fans of cheese, choose the marble cheese board with matching knife for the special price of £20.25. Or pick the classic 19cm cheese board with dome (also £20.25) which helps to prevent cheeses from drying out – this is also perfect for cakes! The Judge marble collection includes a variety of platters in different shapes and sizes, as well a rolling pin and mortars and pestles – the heavy duty mortars have rough interiors to increase grip in the grinding
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unwind
Feel welcome in chef Stevie Parle’s bright kitchen, catch up with Rosie Birkett as she makes plans for a cosy winter, and bring some early festive cheer to your home by getting ahead with your Christmas cake November 2021 Omagazine.com 97
s ace
kitchens to covet
I live in Kent, in a nature reserve just outside Canterbury. I have an off-grid, old charcoalmaker’s house and live there with my wife, Nicky, and our three boys, Sam, Rafe and Ira, two dogs, a cat and a revolving collection of bees, chickens and pigs. It’s an open-plan space with a lot of connection to the outdoors. I like it messy. I like to see all my stuff and be able to get cooking whenever I want. We have a wood burner stove that we use for heat and cooking, and a larder off the kitchen in a deep Yves Klein blue. Colour is super important to me.
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Chef, restaurateur and author Stevie Parle – formerly chef-owner of Rotorino and Sardine, and currently heading Pastaio and JOY – shows us round his bright, colourful, open-plan Kent kitchen Photographs JEMMA WATTS
“the garden and wo s utside arethatrealy imptant. keping cecti and filing theplantsspaceis wa tkeyh lifefs” and
unwind kitchen style
Our kitchen was made bit by bit. Different woods used for different cabinets and surfaces, colours added slowly. It’s not a designed space, it just kind of happened, and it isn’t finished yet. I think the garden and woods outside are really important to the house. Keeping that connection and filling the space with life and plants is a key focus. In terms of the materials – the wood is warm, the stone floor functional, it has amazing light and it’s connected directly to both living and dining spaces. There are so many memories from this kitchen – we’ve only been here for five years but we have three kids and we’re making memories all the time. November 2021 Omagazine.com 99
“Iandlikeb abeit mesy. to se al Imywnt” stuff to get coI likeing whenevr
this page, clockwise from top left Stevie lives off-grid in an old charcoalmaker’s house, and cooks and heats the kitchen using an old wood burner stove; the larder, painted in a rich, saturated shade of blue, reflects the importance of colour in Stevie’s kitchen
• Do you have a beautiful kitchen that you’d like to see featured in O? Email a few images of your space and a paragraph about yourself to Oweb@immediate.co.uk, and if it’s right for the magazine we’ll be in touch to arrange a photoshoot!
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unwind kitchen style
Essential kitchen kit? Good tongs, a sharp peeler, good sharp knives, heavy chopping boards. What’s always in your fridge? Bottarga, yogurt, leftovers. Is there a family dish you cook again and again? Chicken curry. Give us a recipe in a sentence – maybe something you eat when you’re on your own? Late summer fruit, a perfect piece of cheese, a little ham, some pickles. Favourite cookbook? Hard to say. At the moment, I like Food52 Genius Desserts. Favourite restaurant? The Sportsman. It’s often named best pub in the country, and luckily for me it’s almost my local. Favourite travel destination? India. This year’s best food discovery? New varieties to grow from Row 7 Seed Company. What do you cook when you want to unwind? I hand-roll pasta. Or make bread. Something slow.
Turn the page to discover the O recipe Stevie loves to unwind with, plus how to get his look in your kitchen November 2021 Omagazine.com 101
The O recipe I unwind with
Vanilla custard tart and smoked butter caramel
Custard tart is a firm favourite in my family, and the smoked butter caramel here adds an extra something. Although the tart is great by itself, too. 3 HOURS + RESTING + CHILLING | SERVES 6 | A LITTLE EFFORT PÂTÉ SUCRÉE plain flour 200g buckwheat flour 35g unsalted butter 100g, very cold and cut into small cubes icing sugar 65g egg yolks 85g (4-5 yolks), whisked, plus extra to glaze VANILLA CUSTARD double cream 500ml vanilla pods 1, sliced in half, seeds scraped egg yolks 160g (8-10 yolks) maple syrup 75g SMOKED BUTTER CARAMEL caster sugar 100g double cream 50g smoked or regular butter 50g, diced dark chocolate 10g, chopped smoked sea salt flakes or sea salt flakes if using smoked butter
1 Heat the oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9 and put the flours onto a baking tray. Cook the flours (without the fan setting, if possible) for 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway, or until dark brown. Leave to cool. 2 Put the cooled flour into a food processor with the butter, icing sugar and 1/2 tsp salt, and pulse until the mixture resembles sand. Drizzle in the egg yolks, while pulsing, until all of the yolks are incorporated. Bring together into a dough, wrap and chill for at least an hour. 3 Roll the dough out to a 5mm-thick, 30cm-diameter circle. Use this to line an approximately 15cm diameter, 6cm-deep tart tin or loose-bottomed cake tin, cutting away any excess pastry. The pastry may be very short but will patch back together easily when excess is pushed into any cracks. Chill for 20 minutes. Line the tart with a layer of baking paper, then fill with baking beans. 4 Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and blind bake the pastry shell for 20 minutes. Remove the baking paper and beans, turn up the oven to 190C/ fan 170C/gas 5 and bake the tart for a further 10-15 minutes or until golden. Brush the bottom and sides with egg yolk to seal, then cool. 5 Pour the double cream into a pan with the vanilla seeds and slowly bring to the boil, then strain. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and maple syrup until smooth. Gradually pour over the hot cream, while whisking, then strain again into a jug and skim off any bubbles from the surface. 6 Heat the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1. Put the tart onto a baking tray and into the oven, then pour in as much custard as possible. Turn down the oven to 120C/fan 100C/gas ½ and bake for 2 hours, until it has a firm wobble in the middle. Remove from the oven, cool, then chill in the fridge for 2 hours. 7 For the butter caramel, put the sugar into a pan and heat gently, swirling until the sugar is fully dissolved. Turn the heat up and cook until dark golden brown, then carefully pour in the double cream to stop the cooking. Stir well, then allow to cool until warm. Add the butter and chocolate, and continue to stir until fully emulsified. Keep warm. 8 To serve, blowtorch the top of the tart, if you like, then remove from the tin. Cut the tart into six and plate, then serve with a spoonful of the caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes or smoked sea salt. PER SERVING 1,077 kcals | fat 83.9G saturates 47.8G | carbs 66.9G | sugars 37G fibre 2.1G | protein 12.5G | salt 0.7G
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unwind kitchen style 4
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get the lok
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Inspired by Stevie’s beautiful kitchen? Here’s how to create a similar look at home
1 HAY colour crate, from £6, wearemaven.co.uk 2 Japanese enamel kettle, £90, labourandwait.co.uk 3 Anthropologie Gabriella dishcloths £26 (set of six), anthropologie.com 4 Esse Warmheart wood-burning cook stove, £1,875, directstoves.com 5 Crafted Chronicles x Tobias George pebble and tongue board, £35, tobiasgeorge.com 6 Mathieu Challières La Volière two-tier pendant lamp, £645, conranshop.co.uk 7 IKEA Kungsfors stainless steel wall grid, £15, ikea.com 8 Le Creuset cast iron 20cm saucepan, £185, johnlewis.com 9 Ladelle fresco utensil holder, £15, onlinekitchenware.co.uk 10 Amica retro fridge, £499.98, comwales.com 11 Cane log basket, £65, roseandgrey.co.uk
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atRosie home witBirkett h
Our columnist shares her kitchen, garden and home projects – this month, the joy of winter and comfort foods Words and recipe ROSIE BIRKETT Photograph DANIELLE WOOD
This month’s projects
Interiors updates I’m finally having my new kitchen installed by Woodchester Cabinet Makers (woodchestercabinetmakers. co.uk), an independent company that makes bespoke cabinets. I’m so excited to have sturdy new ones that will last, as well as marble worktops and zellige tile splashbacks. We wanted to save space by removing the radiator, so we’ve invested in electric underfloor heating to go under our marble chequerboard floor from Floors of Stone. I’m excited about padding around in bare feet – I know our dog, Cyril, is going to be in heaven, too.
104 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Follow Rosie on Instagram @homeandgardenbythesea and @rosiefoodie.
HTROWSTOC DIVAD :TIARTROP .NNAMREBLIS YBBIL :GNILYTS DOOF .TTERREM BOR :GNILYTS
Plotting some wintry culture days I’m planning a day trip to London to ensconce myself in a cultural adventure away from the elements. I’ll probably go to Tate Modern and The National Gallery before having lunch somewhere cosy and cavernous like Noble Rot, or the glittering and atmospheric Brasserie Zédel. Closer to home, I’ll be hitting Turner Contemporary in Margate. I may even pop into Scott’s Furniture Mart for a rummage among the antiques. Then, dinner at Barletta, the lovely restaurant by Natalia Ribbe and Jackson Berg (previously of Bistrotheque).
I’ve become one of those people who is perpetually preoccupied by the weather. When I lived in London, it was just ‘the weather’ – sometimes an inconvenience, sometimes a bonus and sometimes a massive bore. I was tuned into its rhythms as much as the next city dweller with vaguely bucolic tendencies – hitting the pub garden and local pool as soon as it was sunny, taking Turkish takeaways and cold cans of cornershop beer to the park on balmy summer evenings, or struggling to get an Uber when the heavens opened unexpectedly on the way home from a night out. But since moving out of London to a house with a garden, the daily changing weather fronts have come to mean so much more, as my life centres around being outside, tending our garden and veg patch, walking by the sea or running errands locally. There came a point this autumn when the northerly winds were blowing their chilly gusts over every outdoor activity I attempted, when I surrendered to the prospect of winter and started getting excited about it. Now it’s here, I’m revelling in the art of getting cosy at home. For the first time in my adult life I own a wood-burning stove and we have a stash of solid, sustainably sourced, seasoned wood in our wood store ready to warm the house and our cockles when it’s really bitter. It’s the small, daily rituals that make winter a magical time of year – stretching into your favourite soft woollen jumper and dusting down your best boots for a crisp walk. I love spending more time in the kitchen, cooking the comforting, warming meals the body craves at this time of year. I’m all about soups, gratins and braises at the moment, and savour the making of these dishes almost as much as eating them. Popping on a podcast or favourite playlist, pouring from a fresh pot of coffee or, better still, bottle of wine, and batch-cooking as the windows fog up against the cold is one of my favourite wintry activities. The ultimate cauliflower cheese, opposite, is one such dish. Packed full of nutritious cauliflower, rich with bubbling melted cheese and crunchy thanks to crispy shallots, it’s the perfect winter all-rounder. Eat it on its own straight from the roasting tin, serve as a side to roasted meats or enjoy as a veggie centrepiece with some hearty roast veg and grain salads.
unwind at home
My ultimate cauliflower cheese
1 HOUR + INFUSING | SERVES 6 | EASY |
V LC
whole milk 600ml bay leaf 1 white onion 1 small, halved cauliflower 2 small or 1 large (750g), broken into florets plain flour 4 tbsp salted butter 50g nutmeg for grating cayenne pepper a pinch white pepper freshly ground, for seasoning dijon mustard 1 tbsp parmesan (or vegetarian alternative) 30g, finely grated, plus a little extra for topping mature cheddar, gruyère or comté 100g, grated, plus extra for the topping CRISPY SHALLOTS rice flour 1 tbsp shallots 2 long, peeled and finely sliced neutral oil for frying and the tin 1 Pour the milk into a large pan set over a medium heat with the bay leaf and onion halves. Heat to just below boiling, then remove from the heat and steep while you prepare the other ingredients. For the crispy shallots, put the rice flour in a small bowl and tip in the sliced shallots, tossing to coat. Heat a 21/2cm depth of neutral oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat, carefully lower in the coated shallot slices and fry for 1-2 minutes or until crisp and golden but not too dark. Scoop out onto a plate lined with kitchen paper using a spider or slotted spoon and leave to drain. Season with a little sea salt. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. 2 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower florets for 3 minutes, then drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Oil a roasting tin or ovenproof dish and tip in the florets. Strain the infused milk, discarding the aromatics, and reheat until just warm. Whisk in the flour and butter, and cook for 5-8 minutes or until smooth and thickened. Season well with nutmeg, a pinch of cayenne and some white pepper, then stir in the mustard, parmesan and cheddar until it has completely melted. Taste for seasoning, adding more nutmeg, cayenne or pepper, or a little salt, as needed. 3 Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower in the tin and bake for 25 minutes, then scatter over the crispy shallots and sprinkle over more parmesan and cheddar. Bake for 10 minutes more until the topping is golden and crisp. PER SERVING 345 kcals | fat 21G saturates 11.7G | carbs 23G | sugars 9.1G fibre 3.8G | protein 14.1G | salt 1G
Next month: I’ll be tackling crackers for my Christmas cheeseboard November 2021 Omagazine.com 105
seaside su er Bring chilled coastal vibes to your home with these three courses from The Hut on the Isle of Wight Recipes IAN DAW Photographs MARIA BELL
Bream with green tomato salsa (recipe on 108)
106 November 2021 Omagazine.com
unwind weekend menu Tiger prawns with garlic, chilli and charred lemon (recipe on p108)
November 2021 Omagazine.com 107
Bream with green tomato salsa (pictured on p106)
Tiger prawns with garlic, chilli and charred lemon (pictured on p107)
30 MINUTES + MARINATING | SERVES 2 | EASY | GF
Buying really good, shell-on tiger prawns makes an impressive starter that can be whipped up at the last minute with no fuss and minimal prep. They look restaurant-worthy served with chilli, garlic and lemon for classic Mediterranean flavours – get your guest to shell them themselves and serve with finger bowls for after.
This recipe gives you hits of flavour yet with a light touch. Bream can be purchased from most places these days but, if you can’t get hold of it, you can substitute for sea bass. Ask the fishmonger to remove all the bones, leaving the head and tail on. Put the marinade inside the fish and all over the outside the day before cooking for the best result.
sea bream 2 (about 400g each) MARINADE lemongrass 2 stalks, finely chopped ginger 50g, peeled and grated (or use ginger paste) coriander 100g lime leaves 3 olive oil 120ml SALSA green tomatoes 3, grated spring onions 2, finely chopped coriander 60g, chopped lime leaves 2, sliced fish sauce 20ml sugar a pinch
effortless!
15 MINUTES | SERVES 2 AS A STARTER | EASY olive oil 50ml, plus a drizzle tiger prawns 4 large, unpeeled garlic 2 cloves, finely sliced red chilli ½, sliced flat-leaf parsley chopped to make 1 tbsp sourdough or baguette 1-2 slices, cut at an angle lemon ½ 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and cook the prawns for 1 minute 30 seconds on one side, then flip over. Add the garlic and chilli, and cook for another 1 minute 30 seconds. 2 Remove the pan from the heat, season with salt and add the parsley. Toast the bread with a little oil in a separate frying pan. Add the lemon half to the pan, cut-side down, and cook until the bread is deeply golden and the lemon slightly charred. Squeeze the charred lemon over the prawns and serve.
1 Blend the marinade ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Rub the marinade all over the insides and outsides of the fish, then marinate at room temperature for a few hours. 2 For the salsa, mix together all of the ingredients with a pinch of salt and leave at room temperature while the fish marinates. 3 Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Put the marinated bream PER SERVING 459 kcals | fat 26.7G saturates 3.9G | carbs 32.3G | sugars 1.8G on a baking tray and roast for 12-14 minutes, lifting the belly up fibre 2.3G | protein 21.3G | salt 1.5G gently using a small knife to check the fish is cooked through. Top the fish with the salsa just before serving. PER SERVING 807 kcals | fat 69.2G | saturates 11.7G carbs 7.7G | sugars 4.6G | fibre 3.9G | protein 36.3G | salt 3.1G
With more than two decades of experience working in Michelin-starred restaurants (including The Ned in London), Ian Daw is now turning his hand to The Hut’s fresh menu, serving seafood dishes such as fruits de mer and daily catch fish tacos. The casual waterfront spot also offers a signature cocktail menu that makes use of Devon’s Salcombe Distilling Co’s spirits, alongside an extensive wine list. thehutcolwell.co.uk
108 November 2021 Omagazine.com
unwind weekend menu
Caramelised pineapple and mint Who doesn’t like a piña colada? This cocktail-inspired dessert is a fun end to your meal. At The Hut, this is served with a mint gel, but this is a simplified version. 20 MINUTES + COOLING | SERVES 2 EASY | GF pineapple 1 medium, ripe demerara sugar 250g, plus extra for sprinkling dark rum 50ml (optional) lime leaf 1 red chilli 1, sliced mint 2 sprigs, leaves picked coconut ice cream to serve
2 Tip the pineapple rings into a frying pan over a medium heat and pour in just enough water to cover (about 500ml). Add the sugar, rum (if using), lime leaf and most of the chilli slices. 3 Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the pineapple is cooked but still holding its shape. Remove from the heat, leave to cool completely and chill the pineapple until cold. 4 Lift the cold pineapple rings from the syrup (reserve this for later), sprinkle with more sugar and torch with a kitchen blowtorch or put under a hot grill until caramelised and slightly charred in spots. 5 Put on plates and scatter with mint leaves and the remaining chilli slices. Serve with the ice cream and drizzle over any left-over poaching syrup.
1 Trim and peel the pineapple, removing PER SERVING 424 kcals | fat 0.4G the eyes with a small knife, then cut into saturates 0G | carbs 102.8G | sugars 102.6G 21/2cm-thick rounds. Use a small round fibre 2.6G | protein 1.2G | salt 0G cutter or knife to remove the core.
November 2021 Omagazine.com 109
bolthle
Beaverbrook
A curiously brilliant mix of traditional British and modern Japanese makes this character-packed Surrey hotel a playground for food lovers
“each of the luxurios bdro m s in the ain naedaproriately” o its ilustrios guestshoseandaredecoated
110 November 2021 Omagazine.com
unwind UK breaks What makes Beaverbrook unique? Once the home of Winston Churchill’s Minister of Aircraft Production, newspaper magnate Lord Beaverbrook, the hotel’s aviation theme is evident at once, from the Spitfire at the entrance, to vintage photos and artworks throughout the house. Food also takes centre stage, with a kitchen garden supplying both its charming The Garden House restaurant and smart Japanese Grill in the main house. Nearby Albury Vineyard produces the house English sparkling wine, which is best enjoyed on the terrace overlooking the formal gardens and Surrey Hills countryside. On the menu Japanese Grill serves exquisite sushi, sashimi and Josper-grilled specialities, including charcoaled wagyu. The eight-course tasting menu includes popcorn shrimp with ponzu mayo, scallop ceviche, nigiri topped with Kentish ants (which add a wonderful citrussy kick and crunch), black cod and beef tenderloin, and a cute chocolate flower pot with nasturtium – a nod to Beaverbrook’s commitment to growing its own. The more elaborate kaiseki menu features lobster and lemon sole. The estate’s relaxed The Garden House restaurant is a short stroll from the main house, reached via the kitchen garden, where chefs harvest leaves, veg and herbs. The menu here is British with Italian influences, such as pici with Cornish crab and crispy polenta squid, plus English sirloin with bone marrow and horseradish hollandaise. Back at the house, Sir Frank’s Bar offers superior bar snacks, such as tuna nori tacos and homegrown crudités, which are served alongside signature cocktails, such as Churchill’s Charge (champagne, gin and cognac syrup). In the deli next to the spa – with a spectacular stained glass ceiling – you’ll find cakes, seasonal salads and wood-fired flatbreads. Highlights As a refreshing alternative to a full English, start your day with a Japanese breakfast of red bream, miso, koshihikari rice, cured egg yolk, tofu, nori and natto. (Though there are waffles, scrambled eggs, local bacon and sausages, too.) In summer, Beaverbrook plans fun initiatives, like this year’s dramatic pink-and-red hot air balloon ‘pop-up’ restaurant on the grounds, and, at Christmastime, enjoy cosy open fires and bracing walks before warming up with afternoon tea or something stronger in Frank’s Bar. What you’ll want to recreate at home Each of the luxurious bedrooms in the main house are named for Beaverbrook’s illustrious guests – Churchill, the Kennedys and Liz Taylor, to name a few – and decorated in an appropriate style, from muted masculine tones and bold stripes and graphic tiling, to delicate floral fabrics and wallpaper. While the many works of art and dramatic light fittings work with the grand scale of this English country house, there are more transferable ideas in The Garden House, where wicker and wood provide a neutral backdrop for bright glasses and cruet sets, and the botanical prints and patterned plates that line the walls. Myriad pots of flowers, plants and herbs bring the outside in. From £570 per room per night; beaverbrook.co.uk
November 2021 Omagazine.com 111
unwind UK breaks
Mushrooms and shiso 1 HOUR | SERVES 6 AS A STARTER A LITTLE EFFORT | V GF
pomace oil 100ml sage 50g, leaves picked portobello mushrooms 6 oyster mushrooms 250g, sliced spring onions 2, thinly sliced, to serve PICKLED FENNEL white wine vinegar 150g caster sugar 150g fennel 2 heads, thinly sliced SUNFLOWER MUSTARD sunflower seeds 30g sugar ½ tsp sea salt flakes ½ tsp dijon mustard 100g pomace oil 2 tbsp lemon juice a squeeze SHISO EMULSION moscatel vinegar 150g sugar 150g shiso 70g ginger 30g, peeled cinnamon sticks 2 spring onions 2, finely chopped cornflour 15g cultured or unsalted butter 250g, cubed limes 2, juiced 1 For the pickled fennel, put the vinegar, sugar and 150ml of water in a small pan. Bring to a simmer. Put the fennel in a heatproof bowl and pour over the hot liquid. Leave to cool, then chill. 2 Heat a little of the pomace oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the sage leaves for 3-4 minutes or until really crisp. Set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
112 November 2021 Omagazine.com
3 For the sunflower mustard, heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the sunflower seeds on a baking tray and roast for 12 minutes. Tip into a blender with the sugar and salt, and whizz until smooth. Add the mustard and 1-2 tbsp of water, then blend, slowly drizzling in the oil until combined. Add the lemon juice and season. 4 For the shiso emulsion, put the vinegar, 150ml of water and the sugar in a small pan and bring to a simmer over a low heat. Add the shiso, ginger, cinnamon and spring onions, and simmer for 15 minutes to infuse. Strain the liquid into another pan, then bring back to a simmer. Put the cornflour in a small bowl and stir in 4 tbsp of water. Whisk this into the shiso infusion, then whisk in the butter, a cube at a time, until completely combined. Add the lime juice and some salt to taste, then keep warm. This will make more emulsion than you’ll need, but will keep in the fridge for a week. 5 Heat a griddle or BBQ over a high heat until very hot. Toss the mushrooms in the remaining oil with plenty of seasoning, then griddle for 6-8 minutes, brushing with the shiso emulsion and flipping from time to time, until sticky and glazed. Top the grilled mushrooms with 3 tbsp of the sunflower mustard, then a generous spoon of the pickled fennel, some of the sliced spring onions and crispy sage leaves. PER SERVING 516 kcals | fat 42.1G saturates 17.2G | carbs 26.9G | sugars 23G fibre 2.7G | protein 6G | salt 2.3G
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unwind relax and learn
Fill your kitchen with festive smells, and take your time to make a wish as you stir up a makeahead Christmas cake with a spiced, boozy twist Recipe ANNA GLOVER Photograph HEMA SABINA KALIA
secrets to share • Preparing the tin
Double-lining the tin with baking paper ensures that the outside of the cake doesn’t cook too quickly and dry out before the middle is done. Check the cake after 1 hour – if the top is browning too much, cover the top with a circle of baking paper, too.
• Make it your own
We’ve gone for spiced rum and traditional festive flavours, including ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, but feel free to swap out the spices for ground cardamom, mixed spice, mace (or add these to the mixture). You could also use different nuts, if you like.
• Final flourish
3 HOURS + OVERNIGHT SOAKING SERVES 12 | EASY sultanas or raisins (or use a mixture) 700g glacé cherries 50g, quartered mixed peel 50g chopped dates 100g spiced or golden rum 250ml, plus 2 tbsp and additional rum for feeding salted butter 250g, softened, plus extra for the tin soft light muscovado sugar 200g eggs 4 vanilla bean paste 2 tsp plain flour 200g ground almonds 75g baking powder ½ tsp orange 1, zested ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg a good grating blanched almonds 50g, chopped blanched hazelnuts 50g, chopped
1 Tip the sultanas or raisins, cherries, mixed peel, dates and 250ml of the rum into a large bowl, cover and leave to soak overnight. (You can speed up this process by tipping the mixture into a heatproof bowl and gently warming in the microwave or in a pan over a low heat. Cool before continuing as below.) 2 Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter a deep 20cm round cake tin and line with two layers of baking paper. Whisk together the butter and sugar using a stand mixer or an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition and adding a spoonful of the flour if the mixture starts to look curdled. Whisk in the vanilla. 3 Add the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, orange zest and spices, and slowly fold in until just incorporated. Fold in the blanched almonds and hazelnuts, and the soaked fruit along with any soaking liquid from the bowl. Mix briefly until combined, then scrape into the prepared tin. 4 Bake the cake on the middle shelf of the oven for 2 hours-2 hours 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and pour over 2 tbsp of rum. Cool completely in the tin. 5 Once cool, remove from the tin and wrap well in fresh baking paper, then foil. Store in an airtight container for up to two months and feed with 2 tbsp of rum every two weeks. PER SERVING 673 kcals | fat 27.7G saturates 12.1G | carbs 81.3G | sugars 63.8G fibre 3.4G | protein 9.3G | salt 0.6G
Omagazine.com
• Not a fan of fruit cake? Find alternative bakes, including a white velvet Christmas cake, at Omagazine.com
114 November 2021 Omagazine.com
NAGILLUM EILLE :GNILYTS DOOF .EGDIRDLE AIROTCIV :GNILYTS
This fruit cake is delicious eaten as it is but it can also be decorated with marzipan and fondant. Follow our easy guide using the classic Christmas cake recipe on Omagazine.com.
Rum and raisin Christmas cake
stir slowy
Traditionally, the whole household would make a wish as you’d stir up the Christmas cake. Bring back a bit of that nostalgia and get the family involved in the baking.
feling festiv Getting ahead for Christmas is a great way of taking any unnecessary stress out of the holiday period. Take your time making the Christmas cake now, and it will be perfectly moist, rich and boozy by late December.
low and slow
Fruit cakes are classic low and slow bakes that are densely packed with dried fruits and gentle spicing. The moderate heat ensures the cake bakes through evenly without the top and sides drying out. It also means you’ll fill your kitchen with the smells of Christmas for an afternoon. Grab a cuppa and embrace the festivities in your kitchen as the cake bakes – Christmas playlist optional, of course. November 2021 Omagazine.com 115
unwind relax and listen Find Romy’s recipes on Omagazine.com Whole roasted pineapple with spiced caramel (pictured right) Chilli pairs brilliantly with sweet caramel. Roasted whole, pineapple is an impressive pud.
Saffron and cardamom rice pudding This is a delicately spiced creamy rice pudding that makes a great gluten-free option for dessert.
Samosas with kachumber salad A Bengali-style crisp samosa filled with spiced potatoes and peas, served with mint chutney and zingy kachumber salad.
india’s ower lants
on the O podcast Romy Gill on regional and vegan Indian food
Early days
Pineapple chaat Fruit chaat is a popular street food in India. Here, chunks of pineapple are dusted with chaat masala (a blend of mango powder, cumin, coriander, ginger and salt) and chilli flakes.
To listen to the podcast, scan the QR code above, or find it via Omagazine.com, Acast, iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.
116 November 2021 Omagazine.com
Regional variations
India is a country where the food differs depending on the different climates. So, much of southern India is near the oceans and coastal. They are focussed on coconuts, the fishing industry and there are a lot of rice-growing areas. Whereas in Punjab, a lot of people are farmers and they grow rice and wheat, so it’s very
Romy Gill MBE is a chef, author and broadcaster. Listen to the whole of episode 187 at Omagazine.com.
Indian food and veganism
My book Zaika is based on vegan recipes, as that was mainly what I grew up eating. It was important in our household that meat was not a necessity. We ate meat maybe once a month, but wholesome, good food on the table was more important. The book was a homage to my mum and it was very much about the food of my childhood. When I came to the UK, I started using seasonal produce. That’s why I call myself a BritishIndian chef, because I use produce from here and bring my background as a self-taught chef and the way I ate. Indian food is very vegan-friendly. People think it’s very ghee-based but it depends on where you are. Creating vegan recipes is easy for me – it’s not a trend in India, it’s the way we eat at home.
SULP SEGAMI YTTEG/KCOTSI :SHPARGOTOHP
I was born and brought up in Bengal. My dad worked in a steel plant and the food I grew up eating was not just specific regional food from there – it was from all over India, because people came from different states to work in the steel plant. My early experience of food was a balance of different flavours from across India.
wheat-heavy and you’ll find a lot of paratha, naan and chapati. Depending on the climate and what’s grown in that region, that will reflect in the food.
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This No.1 bestselling WHATEVER PAN locks-in flavours and flows-away fat for healthy, delicious restaurant-style cuisine served at your very own table
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MANAGING DIRECTOR, FOOD Alex White
GROUP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Christine Hayes
CONTENT
GROUP MAGAZINES EDITOR Keith Kendrick GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Lulu Grimes DEPUTY MAGAZINES EDITOR Janine Ratcliffe FOOD DIRECTOR Cassie Best FOOD EDITOR, VIDEO Anna Glover SKILLS & SHOWS EDITOR Barney Desmazery PROJECTS EDITOR Miriam Nice DEPUTY FOOD EDITORS Adam Bush, Esther Clark RECIPE DEVELOPER Liberty Mendez GROUP DIGITAL EDITOR Lily Barclay EDITOR, BBCGOODFOOD.COM Amanda Nicolas (maternity cover), Natalie Hardwick EDITOR,OMAGAZINE.COM Alex Crossley HEALTH EDITOR Tracey Raye DIGITAL FOOD EDITOR Georgina Kiely REVIEWS & ECOMMERCE EDITOR Lucy Roxburgh AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE Alice Johnston DIGITAL ASSISTANTS Emily Lambe, Helen Salter WITH THANKS TO Rose Clark, Owen Connolly, Charly Morgan
DESIGN
GROUP CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ben Curtis ART DIRECTORS Gillian McNeill, Sarah Snelling, Rachel Bayly DESIGN HUB MANAGER Gabby Harrington SENIOR MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER Cloe-Rose Mann MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER Freddie Stewart JUNIOR MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER Emma Winchester VIDEO PRODUCER Hetty Ashiagbor VIDEO EDITORS Andre Moore, Laure Komoe
SUBS
GROUP CONTENT & PRODUCTION MANAGER Stella Papamichael DEPUTY CONTENT & PRODUCTION MANAGER Fiona Forman CHIEF SUB & PRODUCTION EDITOR Dominic Martin SENIOR SUB-EDITOR Marianne Voyle SUB-EDITOR Sarah Nittinger SUB-EDITOR & DRINKS WRITER Hannah Guinness
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, DIGITAL Gareth Mugford
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COMMERCIAL
DIGITAL PUBLISHER Anna Priest HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS Marc Humby
INNOVATION
SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER Mariana Bettio PROJECTS COORDINATOR Sarah Lienard
INTERNATIONAL
DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL LICENSING & SYNDICATION Tim Hudson SYNDICATION MANAGER Richard Bentley INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS MANAGER Molly Hope-Seton
ADVERTISING
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AD SERVICES
AD SERVICES DIRECTOR Sharon Thompson DISPLAY AD SERVICES MANAGER John Szilady AD SERVICES MANAGER Eleanor Parkman-Eason SENIOR AD SERVICES CO-ORDINATOR, DISPLAY Cherine Araman AD SERVICES CO-ORDINATOR, CLASSIFIED Hugo Wheatley AD SERVICES CO-ORDINATOR, INSERTS Sandra Da-Costa For all advertising enquiries please email: imfood@immediate.co.uk
MARKETING & SUBSCRIPTIONS
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IMMEDIATE MEDIA
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OUR COMMITMENT At Immediate we respect
and value differences. We understand that when people from different backgrounds and with different points of view work together, we can create the most value – for our readers and customers, our people and society. We always strive to be inclusive but we need to do better. We have been taking the time to listen and understand how we can make positive changes and how we can better support and increase diversity across all our brands. We have begun work on a comprehensive plan to create and drive authentic change.
trust O
Tested recipes All of our recipes are thoroughly tested by our
team so they work every time. Please note: book extract recipes are supplied by the publisher and not tested by us. Healthy eating 80% healthy, 20% indulgent is the way we like to eat, but we add nutritional info to the end of our recipes so you can make up your own mind. Ethical In our test kitchen, where possible we use humanely reared meat, eggs and chicken, sustainably caught fish, unrefined sugar and fairly traded ingredients. International savvy British is good, but we also like to cook dishes inspired by travel: some ingredients only grow in tropical conditions and can’t be had without air/sea miles – it’s your choice whether to use them. Reviews We carry out our taste tests, product and gadget reviews fairly and rigorously. Our restaurants and travel destinations have all been tried by one of the team or a commissioned writer.
O is owned and published by Immediate Media Company London Limited, Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT. ISSN 1742/115. Printed by Wyndeham Roche Ltd. Copyright Immediate Media Company London Limited 2021. Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without permission. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in advertisements, articles, photographs or illustrations. All prices correct at time of going to press. Full UK subscription price for 13 issues: £68.25; Europe and Republic of Ireland: €95; rest of the world: $131; USA and Canada: US$168.87; Australia and New Zealand: A$155.
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reci e index 22
Starters, snacks, drinks and sides V GF 71 Avocado tzatziki 25 Caramelised baby leeks with balsamic GF 112 Mushrooms and shiso V GF 59 Party pakoras with tamarind dipping sauce V 63 Soy and treacle cured salmon 108 Tiger prawns with garlic, chilli and charred lemon 73 Very Dirty Kalimera Martini 76 Vieux carré
Mains Birds
91 Fried rice vermicelli 54 Home-style chicken curry (Tariwalla murgh) LC GF ✱ 48 Pulled chicken tacos ✱ 20 Sticky hoisin duck with duck fat fried rice GF
Meat
122 Beef and horseradish loaded potato skins LC 65 Beef goulash ✱ 62 Black treacle glazed gammon steaks, crisp potato wedges and pineapple chutney LC GF 34 Harissa meatballs with feta swirl ✱ 10 Lamb cutlets, colatura di alici and tarragon and celeriac slaw 72 Moussaka LC ✱ 49 Spicy pork biang biang-style noodles 54 Tamarind and ginger lamb chop curry (Andhra chintakaya chaap) GF 36 Venison, mushroom and red wine pie ✱
105
Fish & seafood
108 Bream with green tomato salsa GF 94 Chilli crab LC GF 45 Crab and ginger fried rice LC GF 89 Prawn sambal GF
Vegetables
43 Beetroot, orange and feta winter salad V LC GF 48 Broccoli hollandaise tart V LC 56 Butter bean curry with carom seeds. jaggery and tamarind paste (Gujarati Rangoon na vaal) LC GF ✱ 42 Creamy miso tofu soup with a jammy egg V LC 18 Curried celeriac LC GF ✱ 44 Ezme beans on toast V LC 24 Leek carbonara 25 Leek fritters V LC ✱ 32 Maple and miso celeriac soup V LC ✱ 105 My ultimate cauliflower cheese V LC 32 Pumpkin, pine nut and chilli pesto tart V LC 42 Quick paneer and chickpea curry V 90 Spicy herbal salad LC GF
Breakfast, brunch, baking and puddings 63 Apple cake with black treacle icing 109 Caramelised pineapple and mint GF 59 Mandarin and pistachio kaju burfi 22 Peanut butter and date flapjacks ✱ 73 Portokalopita 114 Rum and raisin Christmas cake ✱ 60 Salted chocolate besan ladoos 36 Sticky toffee banana pudding 102 Vanilla custard tart and smoked butter caramel
vegan V vegetarian LC low calorie* GF gluten-free** ✱ freezable
drinks
* LOW-CAL = UNDER 550 CALORIES. FOR MORE HEALTHY IDEAS HEAD TO P40 ** RECIPES ARE GLUTEN-FREE ACCORDING TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS
November 2021 Omagazine.com 121
use it up leftovers
Love your leftovers
Use the last of your Sunday roast in a new way Recipe ANNA GLOVER Photographs MIKE ENGLISH
Beef and horseradish loaded potato skins 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES + COOLING | MAKES 4 | EASY | LC baking potatoes 2 medium olive oil 1/2 tbsp horseradish sauce 1-2 tbsp, plus extra to serve soured cream or crème fraîche 2 tbsp chives ½ a small bunch, finely chopped stilton or other blue cheese 25g, crumbled left-over roast beef 150g, finely sliced radishes 4, finely sliced 1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Prick the potatoes all over with a sharp knife or a fork, then rub with the oil and some seasoning, and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hour until golden, crisp-skinned and tender throughout. Cool until just warm enough to handle. 2 Cut the potatoes in half lengthways, then scoop out most of the flesh into a bowl using a spoon, leaving a 5mm-thick layer of potato attached to the skins. Mash the potato flesh with the horseradish sauce, soured cream, most of the chives and most of the cheese. Season and mix well to combine. 3 Arrange the potato skins on a baking tray, then fill with the mash mixture. Scatter over the remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes until the skins are crisp and the filling is bubbling and golden in spots. The cheese should be completely melted. 4 While the potato skins bake, tip the left-over beef onto a sheet of foil, enclose like a parcel and put in the oven alongside the potato skins for 5-8 minutes to heat through. Top the loaded skins with the beef, a little extra horseradish sauce, the radish slices and remaining chives.
DON’T MISS THE CHRISTMAS ISSUE OF O FOR EXTRA-SPECIAL BAKES, A LUXURIOUS FESTIVE MENU AND THREE CLEVER WAYS WITH LEFT-OVER CHEESE – ON SALE 28 OCTOBER.
122 November 2021 Omagazine.com
NAGILLUM EILLE :GNILYTS DOOF .EGDIRDLE AIROTCIV :GNILYTS
PER SERVING 251 kcals fat 10.8G | saturates 5G carbs 20.6G | sugars 2.3G fibre 2.6G | protein 16.6G salt 0.3G
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