Mediterranean fregola & mushrooms

For ➋

200 g fregola sarda

300 g bite size chopped cremini, baby bella or fresh porcini mushrooms or a mix

1 medium sized shallot

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

5 cl olive oil

5 cl balsamic vinegar

1 tbs  marjoram (of thyme or oregano.)

2 tbs unsalted cold butter (or plant-based)

To cook  the fregola, the trick is to have enough water for the fregola to boil freely to avoid sticking, so salt and bring 0,5 - 0,75 cl of water to a gentle boil.

Cook Fregola as you would pasta for about 13-15 m and taste for firmness. You want it to be al dente.

Scoop a cup of water and set aside to water down the mushroom sauce.

Strain and keep fregola warm in the pan off the fire.


Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Washing them under water can make them turn slimey.

Heat a large skillet or frying pan on a low flame. Cut the mushrooms to small bite size pieces without or without the stems.  If you do decide on using the stems, cut off the bottom third. It is usually drier and more fibrous than the rest of the stem.
 Finely chop the shallot.
Add olive oil, shallots and mushrooms to the pan and increase to medium heat and cook for 5-7 m stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are still crunchy but not raw.
 Add the chopped garlic and sauté for 1 m.

Add the balsamic vinegar, mix well and simmer the vinegar liquid until it is nearly gone. The idea here is cook off the tangyness of the vinegar until it is sweet. 
Stir in the half cup of the water from the boiling pasta, add half the marjoram and give a little stir.

On a very low fire finish off the mushrooms by quickly blending in cold butter 1 tbs at a time. You do this by using the tip of fork to gentle stir the butter through the mushrooms. You are not cooking but gently emulsifying the butter with the liquid.
 Salt to taste.


Add the cooked fregola, increase heat to medium and cook for a couple of minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the liquid and butter. If too dry add a little more pasta water.
 Garnish with rest of herbs and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

♥︎Spicy Moroccan carrots

For ➍-➏
500 g carrots

marinade:

juice of ½ lemon (2 tbs)

3 large garlic cloves

¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped

4 tb olive oil

1 ts honey

1 ts sweet paprika

½ ts hot paprika

½ ts ground cumin

½ ts salt

Peel carrots. Cut into 1.5cm slices. Cover with hot salted water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15m. Drain and steam.

Crush garlic with salt to a paste. Thoroughly mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl.

Add warm carrots to marinade. Toss gently to coat

Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 h, stirring occasionally.

Winter tabouleh with roasted vegetables

For ➍

1 cauliflower

½ pumpkin

4 handfuls of rocket

200 g cooked chickpeas

200 g wheat semolina

120 g feta* or 20 falafels

4 tbs olive oil

4 ts ground garlic, paprika, cumin

sauce*:

3 tbs olive oil

1 tbs honey

1 tbs mustard

1 lemon, juiced

1 clove crushed garlic

finishing:

pomegranate

coriander

Preheat the oven to 200°C

In the meantime, cut the cauliflower and pumpkin into pieces of about 2 cm. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.

Divide the cauliflower and pumpkin pieces on a plate and brush them with half of the herbs and olive oil.

Do the same with the chickpeas on a second plate.

[Or spread everything out on a large baking tray].

Bake everything for 40 m.

Cook the wheat semolina with boiling water.

Prepare the sauce. Mix the olive oil, honey, mustard, lemon juice and the crushed garlic clove in a bowl.

Prepare the winter tabouleh by combining the rocket, semolina and roasted vegetables. Drizzle with the sauce, sprinkle with crumbled feta or add the falafels and mix again. If desired, finish with fresh pomegranate and coriander. Serve warm.

The tabouleh salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

*Double the quantity of sauce for more taste.

♥︎Grilled tuna with green beans, lemon, garlic & eggs

For ➍

1 tbs olive oil*

300 g green beans

4 tuna steaks, 220 g each & 3 cm thick

1 tbs extra virgin oil

2-3 eggs

2 cloves of garlic

lemon (finely chopped zest of a lemon)

Hard boil the eggs in 10 m, peel them and rub them through a sieve.

Clean the beans and cook them until al dente.

Shock them in ice water and then drain them well.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic in it.

Add the beans and heat well.

Season with the lemon zest, pepper and salt and carefully mix in the finely ground eggs.

Keep warm.

Rub the tuna steaks with extra virgin olive oil and grill them for about 5 m.

Season with pepper and salt afterwards.

Serve with the beans and southern sauce of your choice.

*or vegetable fat

♥︎Kikerage & enoki with udon noodles

For ➋

25 g dried kikerage (black fungus)

1 tbs sunflower oil

1 tbs mirin

100-150 g udon noodles

100 g fresh enoki, without feet, in 2 portions

5 g plant butter

3 scallions, cut in rounds

2 garlic cloves, chopped or crushed

1 tbs furikake

Pour warm water over the kikerage and let it soak for 15 m to 1 h. Drain it, and use as a base to cook the udon. If necessary, add some water. Heat and dissolve 1 tbs miso in it. Cook the miso as directed.

Meanwhile, fry the kikerage for 5-7 m in 1 tbs sunflower oil. Add a dash of mirin and let evaporate. Set the kikerage aside in another container. Stew the onion and garlic for 2 m in the same pan, with a little oil.

In the meantime, cook the enoki with a few small lumps of plant butter in 2 packets 1 m in the microwave.

Mix the kikerage with the onion and garlic.

Let the udon drip. Place on plate. Mix the kikerage and onion over it. Sprinkle with furikake.

Place the enoki on the plate.  Serve.

Kikerage is an edible mushroom and is a popular condiment in Japanese ramen noodles. It is also commonly known as wood ear mushroom, black fungus, jelly ear, jew’s ear, and mu-er in Chinese. It is known for its nutritious value.The edible mushroom gets its name from resembling the shape of an ear. Kikurage has a smooth surface on both sides and is dark brown in colour. Raw wood ear mushrooms carry a light woody fragrance. Once cooked, the mushroom is gelatinous and easily absorbs the flavours in the dish. To rehydrate wood ear mushroom, soak the desired amount in cold water for 1 to 2 h. The wild mushrooms can expand 3-4 times in size. For faster results, soak the dried kikurage in warm water for 20 m. However, the mushrooms will not expand as much and will be less crunchy. Once rehydrated, store in the fridge and consume within 1-2 days.

♥︎Thai whitefish with lemongrass & fish sauce

For ➍

1 stalk of lemongrass

500 g white fish fillets (e.g. cod)

2 tbs sunflower or other vegetable oil

1.5 tbs fish sauce

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 red chilli pepper, without seeds & chopped

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

freshly ground black pepper

pak choi*

rice

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Remove the outer hard leaves from the lemongrass. Chop the white part and discard the rest.

Place the fish, skin side down, in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan. Mix 1 tbs of the oil with the fish sauce, the shallot, the chilli and the lemongrass, season with pepper and pour evenly over the fish, so that it gets a nice layer of sauce. Bake the fish in the oven for 15 to 20-25 m, or until done.

Just before the fish is ready, heat the rest of the oil in a small frying pan. Add the garlic and fry slowly and at a lower temperature/4-5/ golden brown without burning. If necessary, add some water or cooking liquid from the pak choi.

Pour the hot oil with garlic over the cooked fish and serve immediately.

Serve the fish with rice and green vegetables, such as spinach or pak choy.

*Cut the pak choi into green and white pieces. Wok the white, harder, pieces for 3-5 m. Add the green parts and wok for another 1-3 m.

Easy miso sauce for noodles

For ➍ 

1 heaping tbs white miso paste 

1 tbs plain peanut butter or Chinese sesame paste 

1 tbs toasted sesame oil 

½ tbs chili garlic sauce, adjust according to desired spice 

½ tb soy sauce 

1 ts dark soy sauce, optional for colour 

½ tbs maple syrup or other sweetener like mirin

½ tbs rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar 

1 ts minced garlic 

1 scallion chopped 

Mix everything together. Add to the boiled and drained noodles.

Salmon & miso butter & spinach

For ➍
25 g butter, at room temperature
25 g miso paste
1 ts finely grated lemon zest
1 ts lemon juice
250 g spinach
2 shallots
1 clove of garlic
4 tbs oil
salt
4 salmon fillets (150 g each)

Mix the soft butter with the miso paste, the finely grated lemon zest and the lemon juice into a smooth paste. [Put in the center of a piece of cling film. Roll up the foil tightly to form a roll, and twist the sides like with a toffee.]* Cool in the refrigerator.
Clean the spinach, wash the leaves and drain in a colander.
Peel and chop the shallots and garlic clove. Heat 1 tbs of oil in a large saucepan and sauté the shallot and garlic until translucent. Add the spinach. Sprinkle with salt and spoon the spinach leaves until shrunk. Add a little more salt if necessary.  Keep the spinach warm.
Grill the salmon fillet strips over hot coals or fry them in a non-stick pan in 3 tbs of oil.  Allow 3 to 4 m per side**.  Season the grilled or fried salmon with salt and put miso butter on top.
Serve the salmon on a bed of spinach. Serve with glass noodles or soba noodles. ***

*Optional
**The salmon will be glassy inside. If preferred, cook it for 1-2 m longer. 

Alternatively, marinate the salmon in a mix from miso paste, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, fresh garlic, ginger powder & honey. In a cast iron skillet fry the salmon with the non-skin part facing down for 1 m. Then flip salmon over and bring the cast iron into the oven and bake for 8-11 m (depending on thickness of salmon)Send salmon into the oven directly and bake for 11-15 minutes (depending on thickness of salmon). Or bake salmon in the oven directly bake for 11-15 minutes (depending on thickness of salmon). You can mix half of the marinate with 1or 2 tbs of water, boil for a m, and glaze the salmon with it, instead of using the miso butter. 

***Add some sauce to the noodles to spice them up.

Couscous with halloumi & fried red pepper

For ➍

4 red peppers, cut into strips

335 g whole grain couscous

40 g raisins

40 g almonds, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped

20 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

2 limes

250 g halloumi, cut into 1-2 cm cubes

125 g fat yogurt

70 cl vegetable stock

3 tbs olive oil

4 tbs extra virgin olive oil

pepper & salt

Grate the zest of the lime. Squeeze the lime.

In a salad bowl, mix the couscous and raisins with the stock and allow to soak, covered, for 10 m. Then stir with a fork.

Heat ½ of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the pepper strips 7 - 9 m. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in another frying pan over medium heat and fry the lime zest and garlic for 30 s.

Add the cubes of halloumi, fry for 3 - 4 m until crispy. Then remove them from the pan.

Fry the soaked couscous 1 - 2 m in the same pan in the lime-garlic oil.

Mix the coriander with the couscous and season with the extra virgin olive oil, pepper and salt.

Divide the couscous over the plates and scoop the bell pepper strips on the side. Drizzle the couscous with the lime juice and garnish with the halloumi and almonds. Serve the yogurt separately, so that everyone can add it to their own taste.

Za'atar chicken pilav with pistachios & pomegranate

For ➍

4 chicken legs

2 cloves garlic

1 tbs lemon juice

3 tbs za'atar

70 g pomegranate seeds

1 bunch flat leaf parsley

1 bunch of dill

4 tbs olive oil

50 g butter

2 large yellow onions

250 g basmati rice

40 cl poultry fond

75 g green pistachios

1 ts pilipili

1 bunch coriander

Peel the garlic and finely chop.

Cut the chicken thighs in half at the joint and place in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1 tbs salt and the garlic snippets. Toss together and refrigerate for min. 2 h.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Bake the chicken ± 7 m with the skin side down golden brown and crispy in a roasting pan.

Arrange in a baking dish, sprinkle the skin side with za'atar and roast for another 10 m.

Deglaze the casserole with poultry stock and heat.

Peel the onions and cut into fine half rings. Coarsely chop the pistachios.

Rinse the rice under running water until the rinse water is clear. Preheat the butter and oil in a shallow wide cast iron pot. Add the onion rings, sprinkle with salt and fry for 15 m until caramelised. Stir in the rice, pistachios, pilipili and warm poultry stock. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken on top of the rice. Pour the juices from the baking dish over.

Place in the oven for 45 m until the rice is soft. Cover the pan and let rest for 5 m.

Finely chop the parsley leaves, coarsely chop the coriander and dill and sprinkle over the chicken together with the pomegranate seeds. Serve.

Easy pistou

For ➍

80 g pine nuts

40 g basil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

10-12.5 cl olive oil

Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until they are nicely browned. 

Set aside 12 basil leaves. 

Place the rest of the basil leaves, garlic and half the pine nuts in the bowl of the food processor and pulse a few times. While the machine is running, pour in as much oil as needed for a runny sauce in a trickle. Taste and season the pistou with salt and pepper.

♥︎Tray bake of giant beans with ratatouille vegetables & pistou

For ➍

2 cans giant white beans (400 g each), rinsed & drained

2 red onions, peeled, cut into 8 wedges each

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 eggplant, in pieces

1 zucchini, in pieces

4 small tomatoes on the vine, each cut in 4 wedges

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tbs rosemary needles, coarsely chopped

1 red chilli pepper, in rings

pinch chilli flakes

salt pepper

4 tbs olive oil

For the pistou*:

80 g pine nuts

40 g basil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

10-12.5 cl olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200 °C.

Put the beans, all the vegetables, the garlic, rosemary, chilli pepper and chilli flakes, four tablespoons of olive oil, a good pinch of coarse salt and a pinch of pepper in a bowl and toss. Divide the mixture over two baking trays lined with parchment paper.

Slide the baking trays into the oven and roast for 45-60m, until the vegetables are tender and the beans are just a little crunchy. Switch the baking plates halfway through, so that they both receive the same amount of top and bottom heat.

For the pistou, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until they are nicely browned. Set aside 12 basil leaves. Place the rest of the basil leaves, garlic and half the pine nuts in the bowl of the food processor and pulse a few times. Then, while the machine is running, pour in as much oil as needed for a runny sauce in a trickle. Taste and season the pistou with salt and pepper.

Transfer the beans and vegetables to a serving platter. Sprinkle over the rest of the pine nuts and the reserved basil leaves. 

Serve the pistou separately.

*Pistou is the Provencal version of Italian pesto. It's basically the same sauce without Parmigiano.

♥︎Vegan tajine of sweet potato, fennel & olives

For ➍

4 tbs olive oil

3 fennel bulbs, each in 8 wedges & keep the greens

juice & pulp of 2 oranges

juice & pulp of 1 lemon

2 red onions, in half moons

3 garlic cloves, sliced

3-5 sprigs of thyme

25 cl boiling water

1-2 tbs harissa

750 g orange sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped

100 g  black olives

Heat the olive oil in a heavy casserole or tagine. Add the fennel pieces and a pinch of salt and fry the vegetables for 8-10 m. Use tongs to turn the pieces so that they brown on all sides. Remove the fennel pieces from the pan and keep apart.

Put the onion in the pan and let it fry for 2 to 3 m. Add the garlic and thyme and fry for 1 m.

Fill a measuring jug with 25 cl of boiling water and dissolve the harissa in it. Add the orange and lemon juice and, if desired, a pinch of salt and pour this broth into the pan with the onions.

Add the sweet potato pieces and the fried fennel, toss gently and bring to the boil. Put a lid on the pan and turn the heat to low. Let simmer gently for 15 m.

Remove the lid from the pan and add the olives. Carefully toss again and let everything simmer for another 15 m without a lid, or until the sweet potato is cooked through.

Finely chop the fennel greens and sprinkle over the tajine before serving.

*Serve this dish with a whole grain of your choice, such as whole grain couscous, pearl barley, buckwheat, whole grain rice or quinoa. The last three are gluten-free. 

**Serve with a green salad.

Chicken & pak choi

For ➋
75 g boneless & skinless chicken breast, cut into thin pieces
2 tbs oil
200 g pak choi, sliced into pieces
2.5 cm piece ginger, peeled & sliced into pieces
marinade:
½ tbs soy sauce
½ tbs cornstarch
sauce:
½ tbs oyster sauce
2 tb water
¼ ts sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper
1 ts wine
½ ts sugar

Marinate the chicken with the ingredients in marinade for 10 m. Combine all the ingredients in the sauce in a small bowl, stir to blend well.
Heat ½ tbs oil in a wok until the oil becomes hot. Add the chicken and quickly stir-fry until the surface of the chicken turn opaque or white. Dish out and set aside. This step seals in the juice in the chicken so the texture is tender and velvety smooth.
Heat up the remaining oil in the wok until hot. Add the ginger into the wok and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the chicken back into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Add in the pak choi and stir to combine well. Transfer the sauce into the wok and continue to stir-fry until the pak choi is cooked but remain crisp. Do not overcook.
Dish out & serve immediately with steamed white rice.

Seared tuna on spicy risotto

For ➋

1  garlic clove, peeled & crushed

2 tbs olive oil

2 x 200 g tuna steaks

2 tbs olive oil

300 g risotto rice

5 spring onions, chopped

6 chestnut mushrooms, chopped

2 pinches chilli flakes

2 pinches  curry powder

20 cl white wine

80 cl fish fumet or chicken stock

sea salt & pepper, freshly ground

10  cherry tomatoes

2 tbs olive oil

1 lime, quartered

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the tuna and turn over several times to coat in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until required.

For the risotto heat the oil in a wok until it is smoking, add the risotto rice, spring onions and mushrooms and fry for 4-5 m. Add the chilli flakes, curry powder and wine and bring to the boil, when the wine has been absorbed slowly add the stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer and gradually add the fumet or stock continuously stirring for 18-20 m until the rice is creamy and tender.

In the meantime, place the tomatoes into a roasting tin, drizzle over the oil and season. Roast in the oven for 6-8 m.

Sear the marinated tuna in a hot chargrill pan for 1 m on each side or until browned all over and pink in the middle. Remove from the pan to rest.

To serve, spoon the spicy risotto into a shallow bowl and place the tuna steak on top. Arrange the roasted tomatoes over the tuna and garnish with half a lime.

Eggplant with feta, mint rice & tomato sauce

For ➍ 

3 garlic cloves

5 tbs mild olive oil

10 cl balsamico

4 eggplants

1 tbs dried oregano

300 g three-color rice or nut rice

1 shallot

400 g polpa with basilic

½ tbs brown sugar

16 caper apples

200 g feta 43+ or vegan alternative

40 g fresh mint

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Squeeze ⅔ of the garlic into a small bowl and mix with ⅘ of the oil and balsamic vinegar. Halve the eggplants lengthwise, leaving the stem on. Cut the eggplants on the cut side crosswise every centimeter and place them cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with half of the balsamic mixture and sprinkle with the oregano. Season with pepper and possibly salt. Bake for 35 m until soft and cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.

Chop the shallot and finely chop the rest of the garlic. Heat the rest of the oil in a small pan and fry the shallot and garlic for 2 m over medium heat. Add the finely chopped canned tomatoes, season with pepper and the brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over low heat for 15-20 m.

Cut the capers in half. Crumble the feta. Remove the leaves from the mint sprigs and roughly chop. Set aside 1 tbs mint (per 4 people) and mix the rest of the mint with the rice. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Sprinkle with the rest of the balsamic mixture and the caper apple halves. 

Serve with the mint rice and the tomato sauce and garnish with the feta, the reserved mint and some pepper.

Straccetti di pollo e finocchi al limone (chicken strips & lemon & fennel)

For ➋

2 chicken breasts
1 fennel
1 clove of garlic
1 lemon, juice
1 lemon, grated peel
1 ts grated fresh ginger
salt & pepper
extra virgin olive oil as needed

Cut the chicken breasts into strips with a sharp knife or scissors, following the grain of the meat.
Put the chicken in a bowl to marinate with the garlic clove, oil, salt, pepper, juice and grated lemon peel and grated fresh ginger.
Clean the fennel by removing the tops and the leathery outer part. Cut it into very thin strips and add it to the marinade. Use the mandolin for best results.
Turn well and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 m (if you want even more, remix every 30 m).*
Heat a large non-stick pan. When it is hot, add the chicken and fennel with the whole marinade (discard the garlic, if you want).

Cook the chicken on a moderate heat for 10 m, turning it occasionally or roasting it. After 10 m the sauce will be reduced and will be more creamy, the chicken will have become more golden.  Cook for 10-15 m.

Serve hot.

*Adjust taste with some mirin, or white balsamico for a sweeter bite. Add some sumak for a touch of sweet sourness.

Spicy & bright Brussels sprouts pasta

For ➋-➌

fine sea salt

200-300 g Brussels sprouts 

5 garlic cloves 

1 shallot (optional) 

200 g orecchiette pasta 

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil 

1 tbs butter 

zest of 1 lemon 

½ ts crushed red pepper flakes 

80-90 g grated Romano cheese 

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, chop the Brussels sprouts into ribbons. Transfer the shredded sprouts to a bowl and set aside. Slice the garlic and the shallot, if using, into half-moons. When the pasta water is boiling, add the orecchiette and cook according to the package instructions until the pasta is al dente. 

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil and melt the butter. Add the garlic and shallot and sauté until fragrant, about 1 m. Add the Brussels sprouts and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Cover memove the lid and stir the vegetables—you should see some browning and the Brussels sprouts should be bright green and just tender. Reduce the heat to low, add the lemon zest and red pepper flakes, stir and cook until the pasta is done, about 4 m more. When the pasta is done, use a strainer or slotted spoon to transfer it directly into the pan with the vegetables. (Reserve the pasta water.) 

Stir to combine, then add 40-45 g of the grated Romano and 12 cl or so of the pasta cooking water. Stir briskly, adding more of the Romano and loosening with more pasta water as needed, up to 16 cl, until the pasta is loose and saucy. 

Taste and adjust the seasoning with more lemon zest, red pepper flakes or Romano. 

Top with a bit more Romano before serving.

Ossobuco di agnello (Italian lamb shanks)

For ➋* 

2 (about 800 g total) lamb shanks 

extra-virgin olive oil 

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper** 

1 large sweet onion, sliced 

10 cl red wine 

1 head (10 to 12 whole cloves) garlic, separated & peeled 

1 (700 g) can chopped tomatoes 

10 cl water (or more) chopped parsley for garnish

 

Pat meat dry. Rub lamb shanks with olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.** Heat a heavy casserole. When hot, drizzle a thin layer of olive oil to coat the bottom. Sear the lamb shanks until browned and remove from the pot. To the same pot, add 1 ts of olive oil and the sliced sweet onions. Toss to coat with the pan drippings. Reduce heat and cover. Sweat the onions until limp but not browned, stirring often. When they are limp, add the wine and cook for 2 m, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add garlic cloves, tomatoes, and 10 cl of water. Stir to combine, then return the lamb shanks to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer, turning lamb shanks occasionally, for 1-1½ h or until tender. Add additional water if the sauce becomes too thick. Serve braised lamb shanks with cooked pasta, rice, mashed potatoes or polenta. Sprinkle with parsley.

*double quantities for ➍ 

** to give it a more authentic Italian flavour, add ½ bunch fresh thyme, ½ bunch fresh rosemary picked clean and chopped; flour to lightly coat the shanks

Seared tuna on risotto with samphire & tomatoes

For ➋

tuna:

1 lime (juice only) 

1 garlic clove (peeled & crushed)  

2 tbs olive oil      

sea salt & pepper (freshly ground) 

2 x 200 g tuna steaks

risotto:  

2 tbs olive oil 

200 g risotto rice

50 g leek, chopped  

20 cl white wine  

80 c fish fumet    

sea salt & pepper (freshly ground) 

10 cherry tomatoes  

150 g samphire 

1 tbs Parmigiano

1 lime (quartered)

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the tuna and turn over several times to coat in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until required.

Heat the fish fumet.

Heat some olive oil. Add the leek. Cover and cook mildly on moderate heat for 10-15 m. 

Add the rice until coated in the oil.

Slowly add the wine, and stir it through the rice.

Add most of the fumet. Cover and cook on moderate heat for 10-15 m, depending on the rice. Add some more fumet if needed.

Meanwhile, half the cherry tomatoes, and bake them in some oil.

Bring some of the fumet to boil and cook the samphire for 2-3 m.

When the risotto is soft and creamy, add 1 tbs Parmigiano. Add the tomatoes and samphire. Cover and let stand for 1 m. Spoon the risotto on plates

Bake or grill the tuna for 1 m on each side. Cut the tuna in nice slices and add to the plates. Serve immediately with quartered lime.