November 2023

I particularly love winter food so although I’m a lover of the sun, the food that I cook in my kitchen over the winter months makes winter more palatable! We’ve been rather spoilt this year as the summer weather lasted well into our autumn days, therefore I’ve been a bit slow in embracing ‘winter-warming’ recipes but with the advent of November and the chill it will no doubt be bringing that is about to change!..

…I’d like to think I’ve chosen recipes to suit almost everyone this month. There’s pork chops for the meat lovers, a tasty cod and chorizo recipe for fish lovers and finally an ‘almost’ vegetarian recipe (there’s a touch of anchovy in it!) for those of us who are trying to be good. They’re all recipes with a robust, tasty edge so they’re rather warming. Menu One is a real ‘crowd pleaser’ from Diana Henry’s cook book, ‘Pure Simple Cooking’; as the name of the book promises, this recipe is effortless but with plenty of flavour! Menu Two is ‘Roast Cod with White Bean & Chorizo Mash’, it’s one of those recipes which sings with flavour despite being a quick- throw-together recipe. I particularly like the idea of mashed cannellini beans rather than traditional potato as it’s so much quicker to prepare, and, with the chorizo is super tasty. Finally, Menu Three, ‘Penne with Braised Courgette, Broccoli & Cauliflower’ is simply a combination of braised vegetables with anchovies, garlic and chillies, however, by slow-cooking the vegetables you create a wonderfully rich sauce. Unfortunately the vegetables do lose their lovely fresh green colour through cooking but all is forgiven when you taste the sauce!..

Enjoy!.. See you next Tuesday for my ‘sweet treat’!..

Menu One

Pork Chops with Plum and Chinese Spices (Serves 4)

This is a real ‘crowd pleaser’ from Diana Henry’s cook book, ‘Pure Simple Cooking’; as the name of the book promises, this recipe is effortless but with plenty of flavour. All you need to accompany it is some rice and greens – I particularly like a watercress salad or tenderstem broccoli.

450g (about 8) plums, preferably crimson-fleshed ones

4 pork chops, bone in and partly trimmed of fat

5 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 teaspoon ginger

1 medium fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

Juice of ½ orange

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

1. Halve and pit the plums and if they are quite large cut them into quarters. Lay the chops in a shallow ovenproof dish and tuck the plums in around them where they can lie in a single layer without overlapping.
2. Mix together the honey, five-spice powder, ginger, chilli, garlic, orange juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over the chops, turning everything to make sure they are well coated. Bake for 45 minutes in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, until cooked through.

Menu Two

Roast Cod with White Bean & Chorizo Mash (Serves 4)

This is one of those recipes which sings with flavour despite being a quick- throw-together recipe. I particularly like the idea of mashed cannellini beans rather than traditional potato as it’s so much quicker to prepare, and, with the chorizo is super tasty.

4 x 175g thick cod fillets with skin (or another white meaty fish)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to oil the fish

Salt and black pepper

2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, strained (retain the liquid)

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped

125g chorizo, quartered lengthways and sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 tablespoons white wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs to serve

1. Rub the cod with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan warm the olive oil, then add the rosemary, chorizo and garlic and cook gently until softened but not browned.
3. Mash the beans and season, add the white wine or sherry and a few tablespoons of the reserved liquid from the tins to create a soft mash.
4. Pour off some of the chorizo oil and reserve then add the contents of the chorizo pan and the parsley to the mash, mix and gently heat through.
5. Meanwhile cook the cod skin side up on a hot (almost smoking) ovenproof frying pan until golden underneath, then turn the fish over and place the pan in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for 4-8minutes until just cooked through.
6. Place a dollop of the bean mash on a plate, top with a piece of cod and drizzle with the reserved chorizo oil. Serve with a leafy green salad.

Menu Three

Penne with Braised Courgette, Broccoli & Cauliflower (Serves 4)

This sauce is simply a combination of braised vegetables with anchovies, garlic and chillies, however, by slow-cooking the vegetables you create a wonderfully rich sauce. Unfortunately the vegetables do lose their lovely fresh green colour through cooking but all is forgiven when you taste the sauce!..

400g penne pasta (gluten free if required)

4 large courgettes

100ml olive oil, plus extra

12 anchovies

5 garlic cloves, sliced

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

200g tenderstem broccoli, cut into 3cm lengths

125g small cauliflower florets

Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Grate the courgette and reserve.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the anchovies, garlic, chilli flakes and a pinch of sea salt. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until the anchovies start to melt into the oil. Add the courgette, broccoli and cauliflower and a dash more oil. Cover the pan and braise the vegetables slowly for about 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are well cooked and soft.
3. Meanwhile cook the penne until al dente, according to the packet instructions. Drain and toss the pasta through the sauce and cook for a further minute. Serve with lots of Parmesan grated over the top.