Staple2

Roasted chicken with kale and almond pestoone x one kilo and 600 grams chicken four cloves garlic, crushed half a cup dry sherry or white wine two tablespoons olive oil, plus extra, for drizzling eight sprigs oregano sea salt and cracked black pepperKale and Almond Pestofifty five grams blanched almonds  two long red chillies three cloves garlic, unpeeled hundred and fifty grams kale leaves, stems removed and blanched one cup flat-leaf parsley leaves two tablespoons oregano leaves  one tablespoon lemon juice half a cup olive oil, plus extra, for drizzling twenty grams finely grated manchego or parmesanone// Preheat oven to two hundred degrees. Place the chicken, garlic, sherry/wine, oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Place in the fridge for one hour to marinate.  two// To make the kale and almond pesto, place the almonds, chillies and garlic on a small baking tray and drizzle with oil. Roast for eight-ten minutes or until almonds are golden brown. Squeeze the garlic from their skins and deseed the chillies. three// Place the almonds, chillies and garlic in a food processor with the kale, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper and one quarter cup olive oil and process until roughly chopped. Stir through the remaining oil and cheese and set aside.  four// Secure the chicken legs with kitchen string and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for one hour and five minutes or until golden and cooked through. Allow to rest for ten minutes. Spoon over the kale and almond pesto to serve. Serves four.  
Jul 17

Roasted chicken with kale and almond pesto


one x one kilo and 600 grams chicken

four cloves garlic, crushed

half a cup dry sherry or white wine

two tablespoons olive oil, plus extra, for drizzling

eight sprigs oregano

sea salt and cracked black pepper

Kale and Almond Pesto

fifty five grams blanched almonds 

two long red chillies

three cloves garlic, unpeeled

hundred and fifty grams kale leaves, stems removed and blanched

one cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

two tablespoons oregano leaves 

one tablespoon lemon juice

half a cup olive oil, plus extra, for drizzling

twenty grams finely grated manchego or parmesan

one// Preheat oven to two hundred degrees. Place the chicken, garlic, sherry/wine, oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Place in the fridge for one hour to marinate. 

two// To make the kale and almond pesto, place the almonds, chillies and garlic on a small baking tray and drizzle with oil. Roast for eight-ten minutes or until almonds are golden brown. Squeeze the garlic from their skins and deseed the chillies.

three// Place the almonds, chillies and garlic in a food processor with the kale, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper and one quarter cup olive oil and process until roughly chopped. Stir through the remaining oil and cheese and set aside. 

four// Secure the chicken legs with kitchen string and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for one hour and five minutes or until golden and cooked through. Allow to rest for ten minutes. Spoon over the kale and almond pesto to serve.

Serves four.





 

Salmon wrapped in prosciutto with pesto and roast pumpkinone kilo butternut pumpkin one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to brush two garlic cloves, chopped one tablespoon rosemary leaves four skinless salmon fillets, pin-boned four slices prosciutto good quality store-bought pestoone// Preheat the oven to two hundred degrees and line a roasting pan with baking paper. Mix the pumpkin, oil, garlic and rosemary together and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Place in the roasting pan and roast for thirty- forty minutes until golden and tender. two// Preheat a grill to medium. Season salmon lighlty with oil and grill for three-four minutes each side until cooked on the outside but still a little pink in the centre. Rest, loosely covered with foil, for two minutes. three// Divide the salmon and pumkin among four serving plates and top with the pesto. Serves four. 
Jul 21

Salmon wrapped in prosciutto with pesto and roast pumpkin

one kilo butternut pumpkin

one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to brush

two garlic cloves, chopped

one tablespoon rosemary leaves

four skinless salmon fillets, pin-boned

four slices prosciutto

good quality store-bought pesto

one// Preheat the oven to two hundred degrees and line a roasting pan with baking paper. Mix the pumpkin, oil, garlic and rosemary together and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Place in the roasting pan and roast for thirty- forty minutes until golden and tender.

two// Preheat a grill to medium. Season salmon lighlty with oil and grill for three-four minutes each side until cooked on the outside but still a little pink in the centre. Rest, loosely covered with foil, for two minutes.

three// Divide the salmon and pumkin among four serving plates and top with the pesto. 
Serves four. 

Pan-fried Blue spot Emperor with broccoli pestosix hundred grams broccoli, cut into florets one third cup whole almonds three quarters cup finely grated parmesan one garlic clove, crushed one cup flat-leaf parsley leaves finely grated zest and juice of one lemon, plus wedges to serve halve a cup olive oil eight skinless blue spot emperor fillets ( or other white firm fish like whiting) half a cup cornflour, seasoned one// Cook broccoli in boiling, salted water for two-three minutes until just tender, then drain and refresh in cold water. Finely chop broccoli and almonds in a food processor. Add cheese, garlic, parsley, zest, juice and hundred milliliter olive oil. Pulse to a coarse pesto, then season and set aside. two// Coat emperor in seasoned cornflour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium-heat. Add fish and cook, turning, for four-five minutes until golden. Serve the fish with the broccoli pesto and lemon wedges. Serves four.
Sep 30

Pan-fried Blue spot Emperor with broccoli pesto

six hundred grams broccoli, cut into florets

one third cup whole almonds

three quarters cup finely grated parmesan

one garlic clove, crushed

one cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

finely grated zest and juice of one lemon, plus wedges to serve

halve a cup olive oil

eight skinless blue spot emperor fillets ( or other white firm fish like whiting)

half a cup cornflour, seasoned 

one// Cook broccoli in boiling, salted water for two-three minutes until just tender, then drain and refresh in cold water. Finely chop broccoli and almonds in a food processor. Add cheese, garlic, parsley, zest, juice and hundred milliliter olive oil. Pulse to a coarse pesto, then season and set aside.

two// Coat emperor in seasoned cornflour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium-heat. Add fish and cook, turning, for four-five minutes until golden. Serve the fish with the broccoli pesto and lemon wedges.

Serves four.

Green tea noodle salad with baked salmon and wasabi pestoone cup edamame beans, blanched (only the beans, not the skin) one teaspoon wasabi paste half a teaspoon sea salt flakes one quarter cup rice wine vinegar (mirin) four x two hundred grams salmon fillets two hundred grams green tea noodlesone// Place the edamame beans, wasabi paste, sea salt flakes and rice wine vinegar in a small food processor and process until roughly chopped. Set aside. Cook the green tea noodles for six minutes in salted, boiling water. Refresh noodles under cold water. two// Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Brush the salmon fillets with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for four minutes, turn and cook for further two minutes. three// Divide the green tea noodles over four bowls, top each one with a salmon fillet and serve with the wasabi pesto.  Serves four. 
Oct 18

Green tea noodle salad with baked salmon and wasabi pesto

one cup edamame beans, blanched (only the beans, not the skin)

one teaspoon wasabi paste

half a teaspoon sea salt flakes

one quarter cup rice wine vinegar (mirin)

four x two hundred grams salmon fillets

two hundred grams green tea noodles

one// Place the edamame beans, wasabi paste, sea salt flakes and rice wine vinegar in a small food processor and process until roughly chopped. Set aside. Cook the green tea noodles for six minutes in salted, boiling water. Refresh noodles under cold water.

two// Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Brush the salmon fillets with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for four minutes, turn and cook for further two minutes.

three// Divide the green tea noodles over four bowls, top each one with a salmon fillet and serve with the wasabi pesto. 

Serves four. 

Quinoa with salmon and mint pestoone cup quinoa one and a half cup vegetable stock one bunch mint, leaves picked thirty grams parmesan, finely grated quarter cup extra virgin olive oil one cup frozen peas, blanched, refreshed, drained two garlic cloves, crushed finely grated zest of one lemon, plus the juice of half a lemon four skinless salmon fillets one zucchini, finely choppedone// Place quinoa and stock in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for fifteen minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, cover and set aside. two// Place mint, parmesan and two tablespoons of olive oil  in a foodprocessor, then whiz until a coarse paste. Add the peas, garlic and lemon zest and juice, then whiz until combined. Season and set aside. three// Heat remaining one tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Season salmon and cook for three minutes each side until cooked through but still a little rare in the centre. Rest for five minutes, then flake.  four// Combine quinoa with pesto, then stir in zucchini and serve with salmon. Serves four.
Nov 16

Quinoa with salmon and mint pesto

one cup quinoa

one and a half cup vegetable stock

one bunch mint, leaves picked

thirty grams parmesan, finely grated

quarter cup extra virgin olive oil

one cup frozen peas, blanched, refreshed, drained

two garlic cloves, crushed

finely grated zest of one lemon, plus the juice of half a lemon

four skinless salmon fillets

one zucchini, finely chopped

one// Place quinoa and stock in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for fifteen minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

two// Place mint, parmesan and two tablespoons of olive oil  in a foodprocessor, then whiz until a coarse paste. Add the peas, garlic and lemon zest and juice, then whiz until combined. Season and set aside.

three// Heat remaining one tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Season salmon and cook for three minutes each side until cooked through but still a little rare in the centre. Rest for five minutes, then flake. 

four// Combine quinoa with pesto, then stir in zucchini and serve with salmon.

Serves four.

Zucchetti with pestosix large zucchinis  half a cup good-quality basil pesto two teaspoons finely grated lemon zest two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle one third cup pine nuts, toasted half a cup finely grated parmesan Basil leaves, to serveone// Cut the zucchini  into long thin ribbons (a mandolin is ideal), then use a sharp knife to cut the ribbon into thin strips. Place the zucchini in a colander set in the sink and toss with one tablespoon of sea salt. Allow to drain for thirty minutes, then rinse well and pat dry with paper towel. two// Toss zucchini with pesto, lemon zest, oil and pine nuts, then season. Pile onto plates and sprinkle with the parmesan and drizzle with a little extra oil. Garnish with a few basil leaves and serve.  Serves six. 
Mar 24

Zucchetti with pesto

six large zucchinis 

half a cup good-quality basil pesto

two teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

one third cup pine nuts, toasted

half a cup finely grated parmesan

Basil leaves, to serve

one// Cut the zucchini  into long thin ribbons (a mandolin is ideal), then use a sharp knife to cut the ribbon into thin strips. Place the zucchini in a colander set in the sink and toss with one tablespoon of sea salt. Allow to drain for thirty minutes, then rinse well and pat dry with paper towel.

two// Toss zucchini with pesto, lemon zest, oil and pine nuts, then season. Pile onto plates and sprinkle with the parmesan and drizzle with a little extra oil. Garnish with a few basil leaves and serve. 

Serves six.