Thursday 30 April 2015

Pan fried harissa hake with a chorizo hash

Ingredients for 4

Hake fillet (4)
4 tsp harissa
1/2 large chorizo ring
2 leeks (or 1 onion)
1/2 cabbage
4 large potatoes
Small bunch of chives
1 pickled beetroot
Olive oil, salt and pepper

Method

1) Cut the leeks, potatoes (I leave the skins on) and chorizo into 1 cm dice and sweat in 1 tbsp of olive oil, in a  large lidded pan. Season as and taste as you go.

2) Once the potatoes are soft (usually 15-20 minutes) shred the cabbage and add, and cook for another 5 minutes.

3) Whilst the hash is cooking season and coat the hake with olive oil all over and spread the flesh side with a thin coating of harissa.

4) In a medium hot frying pan, cook the hake skin side down until opaque 3/4 of the way through and then flip and allow to rest in the hot pan on the flesh side.

5) Serve a pile of hash and then place the hake fillet on top, garnish with cubes of pickled beetroot and chopped chives.


Thursday 9 April 2015

'Moroccan style' casseroled whole chicken


An easy recipe taking the flavours of a classic tagine and putting them into a simple casserole. Great for a last minute dinner party when you're short on time!


Ingredients (to feed 4-6)

1 free range chicken (the best quality that you can afford)
2 onions
2 preserved lemons (available in most supermarkets but if you have the time and inclination you can slit unwaxed lemons, salt them, cover them in juice and store for at least 3 months to make your own)
2 tsp dried ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
Handful of pitted green olives
Handful of finely chopped parsley
Salt, pepper, olive oil.

Method

1) In a large heavy based casserole heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and carefully brown the chicken on all sides before removing from the pan.

2) Thinly slice the onions and sweat until soft and translucent in the olive oil, add the ginger, coriander and the preserved lemons (cut into fine dice) and cook out for 1 minute.

3) Return the chicken to the casserole, add a small glass of water (around 100ml) and season, baring in mind that the preserved lemons can be very salty.  Add the chicken giblets if you're lucky enough to have them.

4) Put a tight fitting lid on the casserole and cook for 1 hour at 150C before adding the olives and parsley (add more water at this stage if the dish appears dry) and cook for a further 1 hour at 120C.

I serve this dish simply with bread but it also works well with rice or couscous.