Ottolenghi Simple
Page 14
Spiced “shepherd’s pie” with lima bean crust
If Lamb siniyah (see this page) is a Middle Eastern take on the shepherd’s pie, then this is my North African take, with a lima bean mash standing in for the potatoes. It’s rich, comforting, and hearty, needing little more than a green salad or roasted carrots alongside. Make this up to 2 days in advance, to the point where it goes in the oven. If baked straight from the fridge it will need an extra 5–10 minutes. Without the mash, it can be frozen for 1 month.
Serves six
6 tbsp/90ml olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 lb 5 oz/600g ground lamb
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ground allspice
2 lemons, finely zested
salt
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp rose harissa (or 50 percent more or less, depending on variety; see this page)
3½ oz/100g dried apricots, quartered
1 cup plus 3 tbsp/280ml chicken stock
¾ cup plus 3 tbsp/220ml white wine
⅔ cup/80g pitted green olives, halved
4 cups/670g cooked lima beans (three 15.5 oz/440g cans, drained, or 2½ cups/400g uncooked beans, soaked overnight and cooked)
¼ cup/70g tahini
3 tbsp water
black pepper
Put 3 tbsp of oil into a large heavy-bottom pan with a lid and place over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and golden. Increase the heat to high and add the lamb, cumin, allspice, half the lemon zest, and ½ tsp salt. Fry for 5 minutes, until browned, stirring every now and then, then add the tomato paste, harissa, and apricots. Fry for another 2 minutes, then pour in the stock and wine. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Once cooked, set aside to cool, then add the olives. Spoon into a 8 x 10-inch/20 x 25cm ovenproof high-sided dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will firm up the meat, making it easier to spread the mash on top.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
To make the mash, mix the lima beans in a bowl with the remaining lemon zest, 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the tahini, water, ¾ tsp salt, and a grind of black pepper. Use a potato masher to mash the beans; they don’t need to be completely smooth, just spreadable. Spread the mash over the lamb, then use a spoon to make a few shallow divots. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and bake for 30 minutes, until nicely colored and bubbly. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Arnold’s roast chicken with caraway and cranberry stuffing
Arnold Rogow was a family friend of Ixta Belfrage, who tested a lot of the Ottolenghi SIMPLE recipes with Esme. Ixta has a habit of giving all the credit to others, including the inspiration behind this dish, but I’ve no doubt Arnold would have been calling this Ixta’s roast chicken. Make the stuffing and prep the chicken up to 1 day ahead, then just keep in the fridge and bring to room temperature before roasting.
Serves 4
5 tbsp/70g unsalted butter
5 tsp caraway seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
7 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
salt
1 whole chicken (about 3 lb/1.4kg)
5–6 large celery stalks, cut into ½-inch/1cm dice (3 cups/300g)
1 onion, cut into ½-inch/1cm dice (scant 1 cup/140g)
3½ oz/100g dried cranberries
3½ oz/100g ready-cooked and peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
4–5 slices mixed rye and wheat sourdough bread, crusts removed, lightly toasted, then roughly torn into ¾-inch/2cm pieces (3⅓ cups/100g)
¾ cup/15g parsley, roughly chopped
½ cup/120ml chicken stock
black pepper
To make the marinade, melt 2 tbsp/30g of butter and stir in 3 tsp of the caraway seeds, 2 of the garlic cloves, the sugar, and ½ tsp salt. Place the chicken in a large bowl, rub the marinade all over it, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
To make the stuffing, put the remaining 3 tbsp/40g butter into a large nonstick pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tsp of caraway seeds and fry for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the remaining 5 garlic cloves, the celery, onion, cranberries, chestnuts, and 1 tsp salt. Fry for 12–13 minutes, stirring often, until golden and softened. Tip into a medium bowl and stir in the bread, parsley, and stock.
Transfer the chicken to a small roasting pan. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and a grind of pepper and fill the cavity with the stuffing. Place any leftover stuffing in an ovenproof dish and put it into the oven 30–35 minutes after the chicken goes into the oven.
Roast the chicken for 70–75 minutes, basting every 20 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crisp and the juices run clear when a knife is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Beef meatballs with lemon and celery root
Pictured on this page, left
I often say that my favorite food is the sort that can, at once, comfort, surprise, and delight. This dish (as is often the case with meatballs) does all these things for me. The meatballs have all the comfort of a home-cooked meal, with the lemon and celery root providing the surprise and delight. These are lovely as they are, served with some couscous or rice to soak up the juices, or with a little bit of Greek-style yogurt on the side. The dish can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge. Reheat before serving.
Serves four
14 oz/400g ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped (scant 1 cup/140g)
3 cups/120g fresh white breadcrumbs (from about 4 slices, crusts removed)
1 cup/20g parsley, chopped, plus extra to garnish
1 large egg, beaten
¾ tsp ground allspice
salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium celery root, peeled, quartered, then each quarter cut crosswise into ½-inch/1cm slices (4 cups/400g)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 cups/500ml chicken stock
3½ tbsp lemon juice
Put the beef, onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, allspice, ½ tsp salt, and some black pepper into a large bowl. Using your hands, mix well, then form into about 20 balls. Each ball should weigh about 1½ oz/40g.
Put the oil into a large sauté pan with a lid and place over high heat. Add the meatballs and sear for about 5 minutes, turning so that all sides are golden brown. Transfer the meatballs to a separate plate and add the celery root, garlic, turmeric, fennel, and paprika to the pan. Cook over high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the garlic has taken on a bit of color and the spices smell aromatic. Return the meatballs to the pan and add the stock, lemon juice, ½ tsp salt, and some black pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently over medium-low heat, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and leave to bubble away for about 10 minutes, for the sauce to thicken up.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit for 5 or 10 minutes. Serve, along with a final sprinkle of parsley.
Ricotta and oregano meatballs
Pictured on this page, right
Using ricotta makes the meatballs super light and fluffy. The dish can be made a day in advance, kept in the fridge, and then reheated.
Serves four
¼ cup/60ml olive oil
2 large onions, chopped (2⅓ cups/330g)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup/20g oregano leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve
1 (14.5 oz/400g) can chopped tomatoes
2 cups/500ml chicken stock
salt and black pepper
1 lb 2 oz/500g ground beef
2 cups/100g fresh white breadcrumbs (from 3–4 slices, crusts removed)
9 oz/250g ricotta
2¼ oz/60g Parmesan, grated
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup/20g parsley, chopped
First make the tomato sauce. Put 2 tbsp of the oil into a sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. Add half the onions, half the garlic, and half the oregano and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring until the onions have softened without taking on color. Add the tomatoes and their juice, half the stock, ½ tsp salt, and some black pepper. Decrease the temperature to medium and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring from time to time, to thicken the sauce.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs. Place the remaining onion, garlic, and oregano in a large bowl along with the beef, breadcrumbs, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, parsley, ¾ tsp salt, and some black pepper. Using your hands, mix everything together and shape into 12–14 balls.
Put 1 tbsp of the oil into a large frying pan and, when hot, add the meatballs (you will need to do this in two batches, adding another tbsp of oil to the pan for the next batch). Sear for 8 minutes, turning throughout, then transfer to a separate plate.
Gently lower the meatballs into the sauce and pour over enough of the remaining stock so that the meatballs are almost covered. Add a little water, if needed, to make up the liquid. Place over medium-low heat and simmer very gently, covered, for 30 minutes. To thicken the sauce—it should have the consistency of a thick pasta sauce—remove the lid toward the end of cooking and increase the temperature a little. Remove from the heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Add extra oregano and serve.
Harissa beef sirloin with pepper and lemon sauce
This is a great dish to feed friends if you like knowing that all the work that needs doing is done well before anyone arrives. The pepper sauce can be made 1 day ahead. You can also marinate the meat for 1 day and it can be seared in advance too. Keep separate in the fridge, bring everything back to room temperature before serving or cooking, and the meal can be on the table 15 minutes after the stove is turned on. This works well with the Oven fries with oregano and feta (this page) and a crisp green salad.
Serves four
2 large top sirloin steaks, trimmed (1 lb 5 oz/600g)
1½ tbsp rose harissa (or 50 percent more or less, depending on variety; see this page)
flaked sea salt and black pepper
2 large red or yellow bell peppers (14 oz/400g)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 (14.5 oz/400g) can of chopped tomatoes
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp paprika
½ small preserved lemon, seeds discarded, skin and flesh roughly chopped (2 tbsp)
½ cup/10g parsley, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
1 lemon, quartered, for serving
Place the beef in a bowl and add the harissa, ½ tsp salt, and some black pepper. Brush or rub the harissa into the meat, then leave to marinate for at least 1 hour (or in the fridge if you are marinating overnight). If leaving in the fridge, be sure to bring the meat back to room temperature before cooking.
To make the sauce, preheat the broiler and cook the peppers for 20–25 minutes, turning twice, until charred all over. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then, once cool enough to handle, remove the pepper skins and cut the flesh into long, thin strips. Discard the skin and seeds.
Put the oil into a medium frying pan and place over medium heat. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute or so, then add the tomatoes and their juice, pepper flakes, paprika, ½ tsp salt, and some black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cook for 7 minutes, then add the bell pepper, preserved lemon, and parsley. Cook for another 7 minutes, or until the sauce thickens but is still easy to pour. Set aside to come to room temperature.
Place a frying pan over high heat. Once smoking hot, add the steaks and cook for 4–5 minutes, turning after 2 minutes, until caramelized on both sides. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with a good pinch of salt, and rest for 10 minutes.
Serve the meat warm or at room temperature, sliced into ½-inch/1cm strips, with the sauce spooned on top or alongside. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a wedge of lemon alongside.
Spring roast chicken with preserved lemon
I’m not the first to combine lemon, garlic, and chicken—and I won’t be the last—but sometimes it’s good to be reminded that the classics are classics for a reason. Roasting a chicken is the ultimate simple dish. It’s easy, quick, fills the house with delicious smells, and everyone loves the result. You can prep the chicken 4–5 hours in advance if you like, and then just place in the oven when ready to cook.
Serves four
5 tbsp/70g unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp thyme leaves
3 garlic cloves, crushed
½ small preserved lemon, seeds discarded, flesh and skin roughly chopped (2½ tbsp)
1 lemon: finely zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1½ tbsp
salt and black pepper
1 whole chicken (3⅓ lb/1.5kg)
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place the butter, thyme, garlic, preserved lemon, lemon zest, ¼ tsp salt, and a generous grind of pepper in a food processor. Blitz to combine.
With the chicken’s legs pointing toward you, use your hands to loosen the skin away from the breasts and spread most of the butter mixture evenly under the skin and over the breasts. Spread the remaining butter over the legs.
Place the chicken in a medium high-sided baking pan, drizzle with the lemon juice, and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and plenty of pepper. Roast for roughly 70 minutes, basting every 20 minutes or so, until the skin is golden brown and crisp and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a small knife.
Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Chicken Marbella
This is a dish I regularly cook for friends. All the work is done in advance—you can marinate it for up to 2 days in the fridge—and then it’s just into the baking pan and into the oven when you’re ready. The chicken loves the long marination but it can also be cooked straightaway, if you don’t have the time. If you’re going to do this, just season the chicken with the 1 tsp of salt and pepper (which would otherwise go into the marinade), rubbing it thoroughly into the skin before combining it with the rest of the marinade ingredients (no more salt required) and bake according to the recipe. I like to use chicken legs but others prefer chicken supremes (chicken breasts with the wing bone attached), which also work very well. Thanks to Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins’s The Silver Palate, whose recipe for Chicken Marbella inspired this recipe.
Serves four generously
8 chicken legs (skin on and bone in) skin scored a few times (3 lb/1.4g)
5 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup/15g fresh oregano leaves, plus extra to serve
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup/100g pitted green olives
6 tbsp/60g capers, plus 2 tbsp of their brine
4¼ oz/120g Medjool dates, pitted and quartered lengthwise
2 bay leaves
salt and black pepper
½ cup/120ml dry white wine
1 tbsp date molasses (or standard molasses)
Place the chicken in a large nonreactive bowl and add the garlic, oregano, vinegar, oil, olives, capers, dates, and bay leaves, along with 1 tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl, and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1–2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
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bsp; Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Spread out the chicken legs on a medium high-sided baking pan, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, basting two or three times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle with some oregano, and serve.
Chicken with miso, ginger, and lime
Pictured on this page, left
This dish is lovely either warm from the oven—served with sticky or basmati rice—or at room temperature. If you want to get ahead, and are cooking it the day before, keep it in the fridge overnight and take it out a half hour before serving; you don’t want it fridge-cold.
Serves six
8 chicken legs (skin on and bone in), skin scored a few times (3 lb/1.4kg)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
salt
2½ tbsp mirin
2½ tbsp maple syrup
2½ tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup/80g white miso
2½-inch/6cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (3 tbsp)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lime: peel shaved into fine strips, then juiced