Chicken and preserved lemon pie
Before you accuse me of veering off the “easy” brief with this glorious pie, all the work – and there isn’t that much – can be done in advance: cook the chicken, combine with the filling, top with pastry and it’s ready to go in the oven when you need it. Ras el hanout is a North African spice mix that’s widely available. Serves six.
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, peeled and cut into 2cm-wide wedges
750g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-3cm pieces
Salt
500g small new potatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp ras el hanout
60g pitted green olives, torn in half
2½ tbsp plain flour
200ml dry white wine
500ml vegetable stock
25g coriander, roughly chopped
1 small preserved lemon (30g), skin and flesh roughly chopped
320g all-butter puff pastry, pre-rolled or rolled out into a 34cm x 24cm rectangle
1 egg, beaten
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6. Heat the oil in a large saute pan on a high flame, then fry the onion for eight minutes, stirring, until golden-brown and almost charred. Transfer to a bowl and keep the pan on the heat. Fry the chicken with a half-teaspoon of salt for 10-12 minutes, stirring, until golden-brown all over, then transfer to the onion bowl with a slotted spoon.
Fry the potatoes for three to four minutes, until they start to brown; if there’s not much oil left in the pan, add an extra tablespoon. Stir in the garlic and ras el hanout for 30 seconds, then add the chicken and onions, olives, flour and a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the wine and stock. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the chicken tender. Stir in the coriander and preserved lemon, then tip into a high-sided 20cm x 30cm ceramic dish.
Lay the pastry on top of the filling – you should have 1cm to spare all the way round – and press against the edges of the dish to seal; cut a few holes in the centre, for steam to escape.
To cook the pie, brush the pastry all over with beaten egg, and bake for 25 minutes, until risen and gone golden-brown. Leave to rest for five minutes, and serve hot.
Beef tagliata salad
Use radishes of different colours, if at all possible: the clash of white, red, pink, purple and yellow looks gorgeous. If you prefer, serve the beef separately, with the salad element on the side. Serves two.
200g bavette (aka skirt steak), in one piece
¾ tsp celery seeds, lightly crushed
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
40g rocket
30g parmesan, shaved
150g radishes, trimmed and sliced 1-2mm thick (use a mandoline, if you have one)
2 celery sticks, sliced 1-2mm thick
15g basil leaves, roughly shredded
Put the joint of beef in a medium bowl with the celery seeds, a third of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Using your hands, rub in the seasoning and set aside for 30 minutes.
Heat a medium frying pan on a high flame, then sear the meat for one to two minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until nicely charred but still pink in the centre. Remove the steak from the pan and leave to rest for 10 minutes, then cut it against the grain into just under 0.5cm-thick slices.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper.
Put the rocket, parmesan, radishes, celery, basil and sliced steak in a bowl or on a serving platter, pour over the dressing, toss gently and serve.
Lamb and bulgur meatballs
These couldn’t be easier; you don’t even need to saute the onions – just mix everything, shape into balls and cook. Chop the onions nice and fine, though, so the meatballs stay compact once they’re in the pan. If you wish, you can prep and roll the meatballs well in advance; that way, you can have them on the table within 15 minutes later in the day. Serves four.
80g bulgur wheat
500g minced lamb
½ onion, peeled and very finely chopped
15g parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp dried mint
1½ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Salt and black pepper
100g feta, crumbled into 0.5cm pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
200g Greek yoghurt
5g mint leaves, roughly chopped
4 tsp lemon juice
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6. Half-fill a small saucepan with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook the bulgur for three minutes. Drain in a sieve or colander and set aside until dry: you should end up with about 200g of cooked bulgur.
Tip the bulgur into a large bowl and add the lamb, onion, parsley, dried mint, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Mix well to combine, then gently fold in the feta. Divide the mix into 16 balls, weighing about 55g each, then gently but firmly press together, so they hold their shape later.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high flame, then fry the meatballs, turning them regularly, for eight to 10 minutes, until golden-brown all over (fry them in batches, if need be).
Transfer the browned meatballs to a small baking tray and bake for five minutes, to finish off cooking. Serve four balls a person with some yoghurt spooned alongside, a sprinkle of mint on top and a drizzle of lemon juice.
Chicken drumsticks with pomegranate and oregano
Honey and soy is a classic combination for chicken drumsticks, but I like the extra depth of sweet flavour that pomegranate molasses bring to the party. Serves four.
2 tbsp olive oil
8 chicken drumsticks
Flaky sea salt
500g banana shallots, peeled and trimmed
1 garlic head, cloves separated and peeled
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
10g oregano sprigs, plus 1 tsp finely chopped leaves, to serve
Seeds from ½ small pomegranate
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high flame, then lay the drumsticks in the pan, sprinkle over half a teaspoon of salt and fry, turning regularly, for 10 minutes, until golden-brown all over. Transfer to a large bowl and leave the pan on the heat.
Fry the shallots for four minutes, shaking the pan a few times. Add the garlic, fry for another minute, until golden-brown, add to the chicken bowl, then combine with the molasses, soy sauce, maple syrup, ginger, oregano sprigs and 50ml water.
Pour the contents of the bowl into a 26cm x 36cm oven dish or tray and cover tightly with aluminium foil. Roast for 20 minutes, then take off the foil, stir everything together and roast for 10 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through and the shallots and garlic are soft. Remove from the oven, stir in the chopped oregano leaves and pomegranate seeds, and serve.
