Ottolenghi Archives - Retro Food For Modern Times

Tag: Ottolenghi

15
Apr
2020

Bridget Jones’s Salmon

Hello friends! I made Bridget Jones’s Salmon as a nod to our latest film club event. We are continuing to meet through iso. Only now we meet via Zoom. It is a nice way to catch up and see each other. And I am running out of things to watch so having a film club choice is always good!!! Last meeting was my choice and the random category I drew was Rom-Com. Now I am not a big fan of said genre so it actually threw me into a bit of a panic!

My first and initially only choice was Two Days in Paris, which is a film I absolutely love! Plus I thought, by having a couple that are together at the start, it subverts the whole boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl which is one of the things I find so formulaic and boring in most rom-coms. Plus, you know…

Paris 😍

And Adam Goldberg 😍😍

And Julie Delpy 😍😍😍

Have you seen it? It hits so many of the things I love I feel like the makers tapped deep within my psyche to find all that was good. And then turned it into a movie!

Turns out though that 2DIP is not currently available on any of the streaming services or for rental on the Googs, or YouTube. And of course, my fine upstanding friends and I would never stoop to illegally downloading films (🙄) so as a choice it was null and void. Which left me here…

Until I remembered Bridget Jones! I loved the book and the film! I was a bit worried though because I thought at half of film club would hate it. But, even though parts of it have dated horribly, everyone really enjoyed it. There is something about living in iso that I think makes people crave the familiar and watching Bridge was like wrapping myself in a warm and comforting blanket!

If you are looking for entertainment, I can heartily endorse you watching Bridget Jones Diary. It was the perfect antidote to the bad news and gloom of the daily news.

I can also heartily recommend Yotam Ottolenghi’s Bridget Jones’s Salmon!

In the spirit of not going out to buy items I did not have and not wasting ingredients I do have I made two substitutions to the original recipe in my version:

I had no celery so I left it out altogether
I had no currants so I subbed in some barberries I found in the back of the cupboard. And yes, I am the weirdo that has barberries in the back of their cupboard. I am actually very sad because the little shop I used to buy them from has closed. I am treating the ones I have left like gold until I can find somewhere else that sells them!

When Life Give You Lemons…

So, in response to the virus and a big drop in revenue, my work has cut hours for most people. So as of now, I am working four days a week. I feel absolutely no rancour in relation to this decision which I honestly think was done to save jobs. It sucks because I am one of those lucky people who actually love what they do, and I was actually had more work to do in response to the changing conditions.

But my loss sweet readers is your gain because I have been wanting to post more on here for ages. Having that one extra day where I am not working means I will have more time to spend doing this. I also am in the process of making list of all those things I said I would do “if only I had the time” and I am going to get cracking on that. I fully intend to make my additional day off a blessing and not a curse!

Stay safe, stay indoors and take care. And let me know what Rom-com you would have chosen!

13
Oct
2019

Use By: Roast Vegetable Bubble and Squeak

categories: England, Great Name, Leftovers, Roast Vegetables, Use By

What can you do with a load of leftover roast veggies? Make one of the best-named dishes ever – Bubble and Squeak! Bubble and Squeak is a British recipe which is traditionally made from the leftovers from the traditional Sunday roast. It is supposedly called Bubble and Squeak due to the noises made during the cooking process. I think this last bit may be apocryphal. My Bubble and Squeak neither bubbled or squeaked. It was totally delicious though!

So what’s it all about Alfie? Given the Britishness of this dish, feel free to use your best Michael Caine cockney voice as you read that too!

Well, get your leftovers – I had some Ottlolenghi Harissa Potatoes and some Brussels Sprouts. You can use pretty much whatever veg you have as long as you have one that can be mashed up. Mashed potato will also work a treat in this.

Mash up your veggies and add a beaten egg. The rest is up to you. Add some of your chopped up leftover roast if you like, throw in some herbs or some cheese. Add some chill or a dollop of mustard. Be as fancy or as simple as you like. I kept these pretty simple, just the veggies and egg because the potatoes already had some harissa and spice seasoning.

When you are ready, pan fry your Bubble and Squeaks to make delicious patties. These are delicious as a side dish, make a great vegetarian burger patty or are good just by themselves.

Topped Bubble and Squeak

My favourite way to eat Bubble and Squeak is to pan-fry the little cakes until they are all crispy and brown on the outside and then top them with all sorts of delish things. These are one of my go-to’s for lunch (or breakfast) when I am working from home.

Breakfast Bubbles

No, I’m not talking about champagne although, having just come back from Europe where a glass of sparkling is de rigueur with your brekkie I’m totally on board with bubbles in the AM. Hmm…if you had some sparkling wine with your breakfast Bubble and Sqeak I guess that’s double bubble!

Bubble and Squeak with an egg makes a for a super breakfast. You could pan fry some bacon as you heat the bubble and squeak if you wanted to have some meat but I like to have mine just with egg. Grilled cheese on top of your B&S is another delicious breakfast option.

Lunchtime Squeaks

Come lunchtime, I like to top my Bubble and Squeak with some chilli labneh and pickled red cabbage or hummus and tomato salsa as per the top picture.

I love the combination of the crispy roast veggies, the creaminess of the yoghurt and the bite of pickle!

Bubble and Squeak can become quite addictive and now I routinely cook extra veg just so I can have them over the next few days!

Here’s a recipe but feel free to experiment as you wish with herbs, condiments etc. My version does not include cheese in the mix but, if you were going to add it, you could play around with different types. Having said that, now I desperately want to have Bubble and Squeak with some blue cheese crumbled through it!!!

Tell me, what is your favourite way of using up roasted veg?

Have a great week!

07
Jan
2019

Use By: Oven Fries with Marinated Feta and Rosemary

categories: Potato, Simple, Use By

One of my goals for the new year, inspired by Jenny over at Silver Screen Suppers is to cut down on my food waste. To that end, I spent a day or so over the break adding every item of food and drink in my house – of which I apparently have 530+ – ranging from Agnostura Bitters to Zulu Spice Mix into a spreadsheet.

Zulu Spice Mix? WTF? I don’t even know why I have Zulu spice mix. I also don’t know why I have 3 unopened boxes of cream of tartar (or even exactly it does) or two unopened jars of Char Sui Paste… But all of that stuff could wait. In the dairy shelf of my fridge (another Jenny inspiration), there was some very delicious (and also very expensive) marinated feta that absolutely positively could not go to waste.

So, then to my “Recipe Schedule” spreadsheet to see where I can use some marinated feta. Wow..I’m giving you all my spreadsheets!

Don’t even get me started on my spreadsheets. Because this will then become a blog about where and how to use a multi embedded what if scenario and not at all about food. On the other hand, if, like me, you are all about the spready, head over to my other blog www.tarynisexcellent.com* for all your spreadsheet needs, wants and desires. (*Not a real blog. Unless you want it to be…)

Back to my marinated feta and the concept of the “Use By” post. In each post, I will use up an ingredient that would have otherwise had to be thrown out. And will try to use that ingredient in a manner that does not entail buying several more items which will then have to be logged and “used by”…..

Yotam Ottolenghi’s latest book, Simple contains a recipe for fries with feta and oregano. I had feta, I had potatoes. I didn’t have dried oregano but I had fresh rosemary and I love rosemary flavoured roast potatoes so I subbed in the rosemary for the oregano.

Let me tell you, these fries are GENIUS!

That drizzle of garlic oil over the top takes them to next level. Add the feta and we’re talking eleven.

Being a philistine I also tried to add ketchup and vinegar to these fries Because normally, fries without them are useless.

These were fine without!

These are possibly the best home fries I have ever eaten!

And a super recipe for using up any leftover feta cheese you may have!

18
Dec
2018

Semolina, Coconut and Marmalade Cake

categories: Cake

I’ve been reflecting on the comment I made in the post on the Stuffed Monkey about how I don’t like the taste of orange peel and, to be honest, I feel it made me sound like a big baby. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I actually don’t like the taste of dried orange peel but….and it’s a big but…(not a big butt, I’m no Sir Mix A Lot) I thought that in the general spirit of pushing myself out of my comfort zone that is this blog, I should try things before dismissing them. And my last recollection of dried orange peel comes from Hot Cross Buns from back in the days when I was kissing tv screens. Which is all a very long way of saying that I made Yotam Ottolenghi’s Semolina, Coconut and Marmalade Cake.

And it was delicious.

Who knew marmalade was actually quite nice? I bought one that was full of peel too! They don’t call me a dare devil for nothing! Yes, you’ll lfind me and my newly found tolerance for slightly bitter jam living right over there on the edge!

The recipe for this cake came from Yotam Ottolenghi’s book Jerusalem. The recipe can be found here:

Semolina, Coconut and Marmalade Cake

I should mention here that this is a syrup cake. Which means that once the cake is baked you add some sort of syrup to it. In this case it is an orange blossom water flavoured syrup. HHowever,one thing that was very different in this cakes to other syrup cakes I have made is the technique off applying the syrup. In previous recipes that I have made you usually stab the cake all over with a skewer and pour the syrup over. In the Ottolenghi version you kind of paint the syrup into the cake.

This seemed daunting at first. There was a lot of syrup. And initially ,I thought it was going to take forever. And you know, I have things to do! In the end ,the slow painting of syrup onto cake became quite meditative.

This is a good cake to make if you need time to ponder an issue…like does God exist? Should I buy those shoes? And what exactly is semolina anyway?

So, fear of marmalade conquered. I have a bit left in the jar, maybe in the not too distant future, I will tackle my dislike of bourbon enough to make these babies!

Bourbon and Marmalade Glazed Drumsticks

Although, come to think of it, I’m not that fond of drumsticks either.

In the meantime though, I feel like I have earned the title Lady Marmalade. Except that song was about a hooker so I may have to rethink that title!

Have a great week!

26
Nov
2018

Spinach and Gorgonzola Stuffed Jacket Potatoes

categories: Blue Cheese, Potato, Spinach

Doh! thought I posted this a couple of weeks ago!!!! I found it in drafts today so I guess not!

I had an idea about how to do these World Food posts. I’ll do a recipe from Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery from 1972, then I’ll do a modern recipe from the same country or somewhat related to the first post. It’s going to be a kind of retro/modern vibe. So, given that last time I featured Potato Maraska, a potato recipe from 1970’s Israel, today, I am showcasing a potato recipe from an Israeli chef, Yotam Ottolenghi. This is actually my second Ottolenghi recipe on here, the first being his Crespeou from way back in 2015. No “70’s style retro picnic bling” today but after the blandness of the Potato Maraska, these Spinach and Gorgonzola stuffed jacket potatoes bring all the flavour to the yard!

If you are one of those people who hate blue cheese, you could use cheddar or whatever cheese you like instead…but the gorgonzola, spinach and walnut combo is particularly nice.

The hardest part of this is scooping out the cooked potato flesh evenly and not putting a hole in the skin. Maximum taste for minimum effort. Vegetarian. And gluten-free for those who care about such things.

Potato skins or stuffed jacket potatoes or whatever you want to call them are fun food! And these have spinach so they’re also kind of healthy!

There’s not much more to say about these! They were simple to make and delicious! And they look just like the picture from the book!

This recipe comes from Yotam Ottolenghi’s latest book, Simple. This was our latest Tasty Reads book club selection and was, with one exception, liked by all. I love it and can see it becoming a favourite that I turn to regularly for simple, delicious food:

Highlights for me, apart from the potatoes above, have been so far:

Chicken Marbella
Bridget Jones Pan Fried Salmon with Pine Nut Salsa
Blueberry, Almond and Lemon Cake

Here’s the Spinach and Gorgonzola Stuffed Jacket Potatoes Recipe:

And here’s the book:

I love that cover. It’s so bright and cheerful and well…Simple!

Have a wonderful week!

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