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.

Coniglio al Vesuvio (Vesuvius rabbit stew)

For ➍
300 g boneless rabbit
37,5 cl red wine
50 g plain flour, seasoned with salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, thickly sliced
4 celery stalks, thickly sliced
2 large carrots, cut into chunks
½ fresh chili pepper, finely chopped
200 g tinned green lentils
400 g Italian tinned plum tomatoes
50 g finely chopped parsley
25 cl water
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Place the rabbit in a bowl, cover with the red wine. Leave to marinate for 12 h.
Remove the rabbit from the marinade and pat dry. Dredge in seasoned flour and set aside.
Heat a large frying pan, add the olive oil and gently fry the onion, celery and carrots. Stir in the chili. Add the rabbit pieces and fry for 10 m, until golden brown. Add the lentils, tomatoes and parsley and season to taste. Add 2 glasses of water and simmer for 2 h until the sauce has reduced and thickened, adding a little more water if necessary.
Serve with the accompanying pea risotto.

Quick Japanese marinated salmon

For ➋
2 salmon fillets 150 g each
1 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs mirin
1 tbs sake
½ tbs oil

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a ziplock bag, remove as much air as possible and marinate overnight (or minimum 3 h).
Heat ½ tbs oil in a non stick pan over medium heat*.
Add salmon skin side down, cook for 2 to 3 m until crispy. Check the skin to ensure it isn't cooking too quickly - if it is, then turn down the heat and/or remove the pan from the stove briefly to allow the temperature to decrease.
Drizzle over remaining marinade in the ziplock bag over the flesh side. Flip and cook the flesh side for 2 m, or to your liking. I like salmon medium rare so the inside is very moist and just cooked.
Rest for a couple of minutes, remembering that the salmon will continue to cook while resting, then serve.

*Be careful to ensure you cook it over medium heat and no higher - because of the sugar in the mirin, if you cook it on too high a heat the sugar will burn before the inside has been cooked.
**Other method: to broil/grill, preheat the broiler/grill on high. Use the oil to grease a tray, then place the salmon on it and place under the broiler/grill (about 5 inches / 15 cm from the heat source) until cooked to your liking. The general rule of thumb is 10 m per 2.5 cm thickness of the fillet (measure the thickest part of the fish).

Niwatori shijutsu wa sarada (Japanese cucumber & chicken salad)

For ➍
2 cucumbers, julienned
2 chicken breasts
2-3 slices fresh ginger root
1 tbs sake*
½ ts salt
dressing:
4 tbs ground white sesame seeds
2 ts rice vinegar**
2 ts sugar***
2 ts soy sauce
1 tbs mayonnaise

Place cucumber strips in a bowl. Sprinkle ½ ts of salt over them. Lightly knead by hands. Set aside for a few m. Squeeze cucumber to remove the liquid.
Boil water in a medium pan. Add ginger, sake, and salt in the pan. Boil chicken breasts until cooked.
Drain chicken breasts.**** Tear into thin strips.
Mix all the ingredients for dressing in a bowl.
Put chicken and cucumber in the bowl and mix well.
Serve chilled.

*Use dry sherry.
**Use white balsamico.
***Use mirin.
****Or: put chicken in an open parcel. Add sake, salt and ginger slices. Marinate for 30 m. Add a few drops of oil. Close the parcel to a paillotte . Cook in the 180°C preheated oven for 20-25 m. Or use a microwave, cooking times depending on weight(about 2 m / 100 g).

Spiced lamb with pomegranate salad

For ➋
1 garlic clove
a pinch coarse sea salt
1 ts black peppercorns
1 ts coriander seeds
1 ts smoked paprika
a drizzle of olive oil
2 lamb steaks
pomegranate salad

Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar. Add the black peppercorns, coriander seeds and paprika. Add 2 tbs of olive oil, till you have a rough, loose paste. Baste the lamb steaks with the spice mix then set aside for at least 15 m, longer if you can.
Lay the steaks on a hot barbecue to ensure a charred crust and leave to cook for approximately 10 m, turning them occasionally.
When the lamb is cooked, season generously with some coarse sea salt and serve with the  pomegranate & cucumber salad.

*Or try a slow cooking recipe.

Teriyaki sauce & glace

For ➍
18 cl soy sauce
18 cl mirin (rice wine)
100 g sugar (white or brown)*
1 ts finely minced garlic (optional)
1 ts finely minced ginger (optional)

In a small saucepan bring soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic (if using) and ginger (if using) to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10 m. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Use with salmon or chicken, or rice bowl. Use to marinate** or as a glace.
To make a glaze: mix ½ tbs cornstarch with 1 tbs water. Heat sauce on medium high heat and add cornstarch water mixture. Simmer until thickened about 1 m.

*Classic teriyaki sauce is made of equal parts sake, mirin and soy sauce. It can be adjusted with some sugar, if needed.
**Most Japanese recipes, s.a. for salmon, don't marinate the fish, just brush it.

Roast chicken with dates, olives & capers

For ➍
8 chicken legs, drumstick & thigh attached, skin on (2 kg net)
5 garlic cloves, crushed
15 g fresh oregano, torn, plus extra for garnish
3 tbs red wine vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
100 g green olives, pitted
60 g capers, plus 2 tbs of their juices
70 g Medjoul dates, pitted & quartered lengthways
2 bay leaves
12 cl dry white wine
1 tbs date syrup or treacle
salt & black pepper

Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 m (or up to 70 m, depending on the meat pieces' size), basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

This Ottolenghi favourite was inspired by the 1980's recipe for Chicken Marbella, a popular dish on Jewish pass over meals. Created in NYC, it blended influences from North Africa and Spain, as well as the mixing of poultry and fruit from Persia and the Middle East.

Ginger salmon

For ➋
250 g daikon radish
15 g (½ tbs) ginger, grated
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
2 ts sugar
¼ ts salt
450 g salmon
1 tbs potato starch
½ tbs toasted sesame seeds
sprouts, for garnish

Grate the daikon into a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the grated daikon to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Set the daikon aside.
To make the dressing, whisk together the ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and salt.
Bring a pot a pot filled with about 3 quarts of water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water.
Remove the skin and any bones from the salmon and cut into bite-size pieces.
Put the salmon in a tray in a single layer and then add half the potato starch into a small fine mesh sieve (such as a tea strainer). Tap to dust the salmon evenly with potato starch. Flip the salmon over and repeat with the remaining starch.
When the water comes to a boil, add the salmon all at once and then give it a quick stir. Boil for 20 s and then turn off the heat. Let the salmon poach for about 2 m or until it flakes easily.
Transfer the salmon to the ice water using a slotted spoon and chill.
When the salmon has chilled transfer the salmon to a wire rack lined with a few sheets of paper towels.
Add the salmon to the dressing along with the sesame seeds. Toss to coat evenly.
Plate the salmon and then add the grated daikon to the remaining dressing in the bowl and stir to evenly combine. Mound the seasoned daikon atop the salmon and then garnish with chopped scallions or fresh sprouts, like broccoli sprouts, and some extra toasted sesame seeds.

Grilled fennel with lemon oil

For ➍
500 g (baby) fennel
extra virgin olive oil
lemon olive oil (or lemon juice & zest)
sea salt
fresh Italian parsley, chopped

When using baby fennel, cut off the green stems and the very bottom of the root (but not so much that the layers have nothing to attach to). Cut the fennel in half lengthwise, and then again into 4-6 bite-sized wedges.
When using a large fennel bulb simply trim off the stems, slice off the bottom and cut the bulb in half lengthwise. Cut each half into even-sized wedges, about 1.5 cm thick.
For an outdoor grill, simply brush your fennel wedges with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and grill until soft and tender, turning occasionally.
For a grill pan, heat the pan on medium high heat for 3-5 m. Lightly coat fennel in olive oil and sea salt (use a bowl and stir)*. When the pan is hot, add 1-2 tbs olive oil and gently swirl it in the pan to coat the surface. Place fennel in a single layer on the hot grill, lower the heat to medium and cook until translucent, tender and slightly browned, turning occasionally, about 10 m.
The fennel should have grill marks and be caramelized in places. Remove the fastest cooking fennel pieces from the grill when they are done and place them in a bowl.
When all the fennel is finished cooking, drizzle it lightly with lemon oil (or juice and zest) and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley. Adjust salt and zest if necessary.
Serve it as a salad or with grilled chicken or salmon.

*Or make a marinade of 1½ ts olive oil, 1 tbs balsamic vinegar (or ½ lemon juiced), 1 tbs Dijon mustard (coarse if you have it) and 1 tbs minced garlic. Brush the fennel slices with the marinade before grilling.

Agnello alla menta con insalata calda (Italian lamb casserole with warm salad)

For ➍
4 lamb steaks weighing about 400 g in total, cut into 2 cm cubes
4 tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 tbs finely chopped fresh mint
3 tbs white wine vinegar
3 tbs honey
salt & freshly ground black pepper
5 tbs Italian olive oil
2 large onions, cut into 2 cm cubes
100 g white mushrooms
3 celery sticks, cut into 2 cm cubes
2 large white potatoes, peeled & cut into 2 cm cubes
1 glass dry red wine
1 glass water
Italian warm salad

In a bowl, marinate the lamb steaks with the rosemary, mint, vinegar, honey, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 4 h.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and fry the onions, mushrooms, celery and potatoes for 5 m.
Add the marinated lamb with any juices from the marinade, mix well and cook for further 2 m. Add the wine and the water, allowing the wine to evaporate for 2-3 m. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover the pot with the lid and leave to cook on a low heat for about 90 m, stirring occasionally.
Divide the warm salad between plates, creating a nest in the centre. Serve the lamb in the centre of the vegetables.

Medaillons de porc aux pommes (pork tenderloin with apples)

For ➍
500 g pork tenderloin, fat trimmed
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
¾ ts rubbed sage (or dried thyme or rosemary)
½ ts salt
¼ ts ground black pepper
1 tbs butter
1 tbs light olive oil
1 large onion, cut into medium strips
2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into wedges
pinch of ground cloves

Slice the pork crosswise into 4 medallions. Place the pork medallions in a small dish and pour the apple cider vinegar over the meat. Allow the pork to marinate in the vinegar for 10 m, turning the meat over halfway through the marinating time.
Pat the pork dry on both sides and sprinkle all the surfaces with the sage, salt and black pepper. Heat the butter and oil together in a large skillet set over high heat. Add the medallions to the pan and allow them to cook, without moving them at all, for 4 m. Carefully flip them over, and allow them to cook, without moving them, for an additional 4 m.
Check the pork medallions for doneness, and continue cooking them for an additional 1 to 2 m if they appear too pink in the center. Remove the cooked pork medallions to a plate and cover them loosely with foil to keep them warm.
Add the onions to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 5 m, until they begin to brown. Add the apples and cloves to the skillet and continue cooking the mixture, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 m, until the apples have just turned tender.
Arrange the onions and apples on serving plates, slice the pork, if desired, and arrange the pork over the caramelized onions and apples. Serve immediately.

Solomillo de cerdo ibérico con salsa de naranja al Pedro Ximénez (Ibérico pork sirloin in orange sauce)

For ➍
2 (Iberico) pork sirloins
2 tbs oil
10 cl Pedro Ximénez*
marinade:
2 tbs oil
juice of 2 oranges
zest of 1 (untreated) orange
2 tbs soy sauce
2 ts vinegar
salt & cayenne pepper
caramelized onion:
2 onions
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs oil

Mix the ingredients of the marinade together. Season the meat. Marinate the meat for 12 h in the mixture in the refrigerator.

Remove the sirloins from the marinade. Drain. Put aside until they have reached room temperature.

Slice the onion into rings.

Heat the oil and brown the meat on both sides.

Remove from pan, cover on a plate.

Add marinade to cooking juices. Reduce for 10 m over a hot flame. Add the Pedro Ximénez and bring to a boil, mixing in all the pan juices.

Meanwhile, gently fry the sliced onions with the oil and sugar, until caramelized.

Cut the pork into slices and serve with the sauce and caramelized onion.

*Or sweet sherry or Malaga wine.

The cerdo Ibérico is the famous 'black pig' living in the hills of Andalusia and Extremadura, and fed with acorns. It is also used to produce pata negra, taking full advantage of the fat streaks.
The grape variety Pedro Ximenez grows mainly in the Montilla Moriles region, around Cordoba. It is also the name of an almost black, sweet noir des blancs wine. In the past, it has been the base for sherry varieties (a-montilla-do...) and Malaga wines, but is now gaining a place for itself, replacing Banyuls with dark chocolate or blue cheese.

Boeuf en daube (French beef stew)

For ➋
350 g beef chuck roast, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
for the marinade
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small stalk celery, finely chopped
5 peppercorns
1 sprig fresh thyme, bruised in hands
1 sprig fresh rosemary, bruised in hands
20 cl strong red wine
1 ts red wine vinegar
2 strips orange rind
1 ts salt
for the daube
50 g salt pork, cut into strips
10 cl beef stock
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper to taste

Combine marinade ingredients in a large zippered storage bag. Add beef. Marinate for 8 to 48 h in the refrigerator, turning bag over to redistribute marinade every 4 to 6 h.
Pour marinade through a strainer into bowl and set aside, discarding everything except the meat.
Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat oven to 150°C.
Place a dutch oven or closed pan over medium heat. Add the salt pork and oil. Cook until fat is rendered and pork is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
Increase heat to medium high. Brown beef in 3 or 4 four batches (to avoid over-crowding) and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium low and cook onions stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown.
Return beef and salt pork to pot and add reserved marinade, beef stock, and bay leaf. Increase heat to high, bring just to a boil, then immediately cover and place pot in the oven and cook for 2 - 2½ h. The liquid should not quite cover the meat.
Serve with boiled potatoes or polenta.

A lighter version of a daube.
Try other slow-cooking recipes: roast beef & yoghurt or lamb & pomegranate salad.

.

Brussels sprouts & shrimps @ wok

For ➋ (➍ as a starter)
220 g shrimps, peeled & deveined
1 ts rice wine
pinch of white pepper
2 tbs oil
25 grams ginger root, peeled & julienned
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
7 Brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
1 ts (Thai) fish sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
3 spring onions, cut into 3 cm chunks

Add salt and pepper to the rice wine. Marinate the shrimps in it, for 5-10 m.
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until it begins to color.*
Add the prawns and stir-fry half cooked, add the sprouts and stir-fry until the sprouts are just tender.
Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and onions to mix well.
Serve with rice.

*Read tip on using ginger/ garlic in wok.

Coq au vin (chicken & red wine)

For ➍
1 chicken, in pieces* (or boneless thighs)
200 g mushrooms, sliced
100 g smoked bacon
3 onions, diced
1 laurel leaf**
1 sprig thyme**
1 bottle strong red wine***
½ tbs flour
1 tbs butter
salt & pepper

Heat the butter in a frying pan. Brown the chicken. Sprinkle the pieces with a little flour.
Pour the wine on the chicken. Reduce the heat, add thyme and laurel, cover and let simmer for 20 m.
Meanwhile brown the bacon. In another pan, heat the onions in some butter, until translucent. Add the mushrooms.
Add onions and mushrooms to the chicken, cover and let simmer for another 5 m. Add the bacon.
Add salt & pepper and serve.

*With skin if possible. Remove skin before serving.
**Remove before serving.
***Strong red wines of South Western France are well suited to this dish. Try to find some Négrette-based wines.

This is a quick version of a traditional French dish, made with with strong-headed wines and old roosters, done with crowing. Recipes vary depending on the region. When an old rooster is used, marinate it overnight in a mix of wine, sliced carrot, thyme and laurel, and some chopped garlic. Then, add a small glass of cognac, cover and let simmer for about 2 h.
The Négrette wine grape, named after a rather full-bodied black female, is grown primarily in South West France in the region between Albi and Toulouse. It is a descendant of the mavro variety, meaning black in Greek, on Cyprus, but is also found in Irak. It is believed to have been carried to France by the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem in the 12th century during the Crusades, though some sources seem to suggest that it was already growing in the South West in the 6th century.
The principal appellation using this variety is the Côtes du Frontonnais (red and rosé), requiring that 50% to 70% of the blend be comprised of the Négrette grape, augmented by cabernet franc and cabernet-sauvignon, or syrah, cinsaut, gamay, mauzac and merille. Other blends are sold as (some of the) Fronton and (some) Côtes de Gascogne. In California the vine is known as Pinot St-George.
For a white wine version, read coq au Riesling.
Read the chicken cooking tip.

Sicilian broccoli

For ➋
500 g broccoli, sliced in long portions from stem to floret
3 cloves garlic, sliced
¼ ts hot red pepper
¼ ts salt
5 tbs olive oil or enough to coat

Steam broccoli in a steamer until bright green. Or cook for 10 m in microwave oven.
Remove from heat.
Transfer to shallow dish. Cover with olive oil. Add garlic, pepper and salt to taste.
Marinate in refrigerator overnight.
Serve as a cold side-dish or at room temperature with cold chicken or cold white fish.*

*Marinate chicken pieces in mix of lemon juice and single-flower honey. Bake in oven or in microwave. Eat cool or lukewarm.

A battlefield for centuries, between Greeks and Romans, between Christendom and Islam, between Christian emperors from Normans to Bourbons, Sicily stayed the poor island it always was, with peasants and fishermen turning to the local Mafia for dearly paid help to keep some of their produce as own food. The invaders brought vegetables and fruit, never before grown in Europe, and influenced the simple cooking. Broccoli seemed to have arrived on Sicily with the Romans.
Read more Sicilian recipes: an almost Sicilian salad, tartar of shrimps & artichokes, Sicilian swordfish, Sicilian olive sauce, spaghetti with tomatoes, capers & mint.

Coq au Riesling (chicken & Riesling)

For ➍
1½ tbs garlic oil
100 g bacon, cubed
1 leek, finely sliced
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 fresh bay leaves
200 g oyster mushrooms, torn into strips
30 cl Riesling wine
salt & freshly ground black pepper
dash double cream*
2 tbs chopped fresh dill

Heat the oil in a large wide pan. Fry the bacon cubes until crisp.

Add the sliced leeks and fry for 1-2 m, until softened.

Add the chicken, bay leaves, mushrooms and wine. Season with salt (omit when using salted bacon) & freshly ground black pepper and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. (Check after 20 m, to avoid overcooking the fowl). Stir in the double cream for the last few m.*

Sprinkle with dill.

Serve with buttered noodles and a glass of good Riesling.

*Optional.

Almost every wine region in France has cultivated its own sign-mark concoction of coq au vin. Mostly cooked with strong red wines, mushrooms, and roosters, they take a night to marinate, and at least another hour simmering away. This is a quick version, as is coq au vin recipe, with a Riesling white wine, from the Alsace region. Almost the same recipe can be found in Germany and Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Riesling is cultivated all over the world with differing balances between a little sharpness and spicy mineral taste. Try as dry as possible.
Read the chicken cooking tip.

Tori no karaage (Japanese fried chicken)

For ➋
500 g chicken thighs boneless, skin-on, cut into bites
1 tbs ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
2 tbs soy sauce or tamari
1 tbs sake
2 ts granulated sugar
5 tbs potato starch
vegetable oil for frying
lemon

Add the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sake and sugar to a bowl and whisk to combine.

Add the chicken, then stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 h.

Add 2 cm of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed pot and heat until the oil reaches 180°C. Line a wire rack with 2 sheets of paper towels and get your tongs out. Put the potato starch in a bowl.

Add a handful of chicken to the potato starch and toss to coat each piece evenly.

Fry the chicken in batches until the exterior is a medium brown and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the fried chicken to the paper towel lined rack. If you want the chicken to stay crispy longer, you can fry the chicken a second time, until it's a darker color after it's cooled off once.

Serve with lemon wedges. Or with rice balls as a light lunch.

'Karaage' was derived from the Chinese technique of deep frying small pieces of marinated and coated meat or fish. Similar recipes were developed over Eastern Asia, from Malaysia to Thailand. They are popular as starters, light lunches or crunchy appetizer at Japanese izakaya bars. It is also suitable for bento lunch boxes.
Try another izakaya favourite, asparagus bacon rolls.

Shahi ghost korma (braised lamb with yogurt)

For ➋
400 g lamb shoulder piece, boned & cubed
10-15 cl yogurt
1 ts cumin
1 ts coriander
1 ts red pepper
pinch of pepper
2 ts almond powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 cardamom seeds
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
10-20 cl of fresh cream
saffron
olive oil

Place the lamb in a bowl with the yogurt, cumin, coriander, red pepper, pepper and almonds. Mix well and refrigerate for about 1 h.

Once the meat is marinated, pour a little oil in a saucepan and add onion, cloves and cardamom. Fry everything.

Then add meat and marinade. Then add the cinnamon and garlic.

Cover and cook for 1 h.

Once the meat is cooked, add cream and saffron.

Reduce the sauce, uncovered, till thick.

Serve with basmati rice with some sliced almonds. Sprinkle korma with some sliced almonds.

'Korma' means 'braising' in Hindi and Urdu. The technique was developed in the 16th century with the introduction of Mughlai kitchen, close to Persian and Turkish cuisines, in the Mughal empires in Northern India. Despite the varying flavouring of different korma, it should always be made with with yogurt of some sort. Today, in Europe or UK, it is sometimes reduced to a creamy version of a curry, with chicken korma as the signature dish.
Yogurt, fermented milk, has been used since 3000 BC, and has been a main staple of Arab, Turkish and Central Asian cuisine. Use stirred yogurt for cooking. Or strained 'Greek' yogurt.
This is a quick and easy version of Indian korma. Traditionally, it would be made with ghee instead of oil.

Peperoni alla Piemontese (Piedmont roasted peppers)

For ➍ or ➑*
4 large (Italian) red peppers**
6 medium tomatoes
8 tinned anchovy fillets, drained***
2 cloves garlic
8 ts Italian extra virgin olive oil****
freshly milled black pepper
small bunch fresh basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds. Leave the stalks intact, so they keep the peppers in shape.

Put the pepper halves in a lightly oiled shallow roasting tray.

Put the tomatoes in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave for 1 m, drain them and slip the skins off. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place 3 quarters in each pepper half.

Snip 1 anchovy fillet per pepper half into rough pieces and add to the tomatoes. Peel the garlic cloves, slice them thinly and divide the slices equally among the tomatoes and anchovies.

Spoon 1 ts of olive oil*** into each pepper, season with freshly milled pepper.

Place the tray on a high shelf in the oven for the peppers to roast for 40 m, or put in a 180°C preheated oven for 20-25 m. If necessary, cover the edges with metal foil after 10 m to prevent burning.

Serve the peppers with all the juices poured over. Garnish with a sprig of basil leaves.

Serve warm or slightly cooled to room temperature. Serve with good Italian bread like lukewarm focaccia.

*Larger or smaller starter.
**Italian peppers (peperocini) taste richer than normal bell peppers.
***Or use marinated achovies to add a mild sour taste accent.
****Or, as Elizabeth David noted in her great 'Italian Food', some olive oil and a small knob of butter.

Read more Elizabeth David recipes: lettuce & almond salad, chicken & rice salad, fish parcel, poaching an egg.