♥︎Fregola, cucumber & orange

For ➋ 

2 small cucumbers about 150 g* 

1 tbs caster sugar 

1 ts sea salt 

1 ts coriander seeds 

5 tbs white wine vinegar 

2 tbs dill, finely chopped

150 g fregola Sarda** 

2 tbs olive oil 

1 large orange

2 spring onions, finely chopped 

a handful of watercress 

To make the pickle, thinly slice 1 cucumber and put in a small mixing bowl. Mix the sugar, sea salt, coriander seeds, vinegar and dill and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the cucumber, cover and place somewhere cool for at least 1 hour. The cucumber will darken a little in colour and soften slightly, but should retain its crunch. 

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, salt it lightly, then tip in the fregola. Simmer for about 10 m, testing regularly for tenderness. Drain thoroughly, tip into a bowl then sprinkle a few drops of olive oil over it and toss to coat evenly. This will stop the beads sticking together as they cool. 

Peel the second cucumber, halve it lengthways and cut it into 1cm chunks. Peel the orange with a kitchen knife, taking care to remove the white pith, then cut into thin slices. Warm the oil in a shallow pan, add the raw cucumber pieces and continue to fry them gently. 

Add the spring onion to the pan with the drained fregola. Season with salt and black pepper. Fold the pickled cucumber and its liquid into the ingredients, add the watercress then stir briefly. 

Divide between plates and place the orange slices at its side. 

*When using larger cucumber, cut the slices in half. 

**Use Sardinian roasted fregola. Or plain pearl couscous

Veal piccata

For ➍

600 g veal steaks

½ cup flour

50 g butter

3 dl olive oil

1.5 dl dry white wine

3 dl chicken stock

2 lemons*

30 g capers

flat leaf parsley

fresh pasta

parmigiano

arugula salad

sun dried tomatoes

white wine vinegar

Ask your butcher to flatten your veal steaks. Or place the pieces between plastic wrap that you have slightly moistened, and then gently flatten the meat with a large flat object such as a pan. .

Season the veal steaks to taste with salt and pepper and then roll them in the flour. Gently knock off the excess flour. 

Heat some butter and olive oil in a pan and fry the veal steaks for about one and a half to two minutes on both sides over a medium heat. Do not bake all the veal steaks at the same time, because then they will not have enough space and you will cook them rather than bake them. Remove the steaks when they are baked, cover them with aluminum foil, add butter and olive oil and fry the rest of the veal steaks.

Once the veal steaks are cooked, add the white wine and gently stir all the browning bits off. Let the wine reduce for a few minutes. Then add the chicken stock. Cut 1 of the lemons into thin slices, them  and let everything reduce by 7-8 m.*

Add 20 g of soft butter, some lemon juice, the finely chopped parsley and the capers and season with salt and pepper. Allow the butter to completely dissolve into the sauce over a low heat. 

Place the veal steaks in the sauce, make sure they are nicely covered, and let them warm up a bit over a low heat.

Serve with fresh pasta, with some olive oil and Parmigiano. Delicious with a rucola salad with some semi-sun-dried tomatoes with pepper, salt, some olive oil and a dash of white wine vinegar. Sprinkle some Parmigiano flakes on the salad.

*or replace lemon slices with lemon zest and add at the end

Herring salad with beetroot & potatoes

For ➋

200 g maatjes herring*

4 small or 2 large beetroots

500 g small potatoes

1 small red onion

1 tbs (grain) mustard

½ lemon, the juice

2 tbs olive oil + 1 extra dash

1 tbs wine vinegar**

1 bunch of dill

salt & black pepper from the mill

First roast the beetroot in the oven at 180 °C. Place the unpeeled beets on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with a dash of olive oil, 1 tbs wine vinegar**, a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap the foil so that no moisture can leak out and roast 40 to 60 m in the oven. The beetroot is done when a potato knife slides through it easily.

Meanwhile, peel the red onion, cut into fine half rings and place in a small bowl. Mix in the juice of ½ lemon, 1 tbs mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside until use and stir whenever you remember. Boil the potatoes in water with a good pinch of salt (no need to peel).

Remove the beetroot from the oven. Let cool, peel and cut into wedges. Cut the drained potatoes in half. Cut the herring into pieces and finely chop the dill.

Mix 2 tbs olive oil under the marinated red onion. Place in a large bowl and mix in the beetroot, potatoes and most of the dill. Finish with the herring and the rest of the dill. Give everything a few extra turns of the pepper mill and a pinch of salt. 

Serve the salad preferably lukewarm.

* Or 200 g herring fillets in vinegar

**Or 1 tbs brine vinegar from the herring

Caponata

For ➍
2 eggplants
½ celery
2 medium onions
2 tbs pine nuts
6 tbs traditional olive oil
400 g canned tomatoes
200 g green olives stuffed with lemon
5 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs granulated sugar
2 tbs raisins
2 tbs capers
15 g fresh basil

Cut the aubergine into 1½ cm pieces and sprinkle with salt. Leave standing for 5 m. Pat dry with kitchen paper. 
Meanwhile, cut the green celery and chop finely. Cut the stems into thin arcs. Slice the onion in thin rings. Heat a frying pan without oil or butter and roast the pine nuts 3 m golden brown. Let cool on a plate. 
Heat half of the oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry half of the eggplant golden brown . Remove from pan and repeat with rest of oil and eggplant. Put all the eggplant together in the pan, mix with the onion and celery and bake for4 m. Add the diced tomatoes, olives, vinegar and sugar. 
Stew with the lid diagonally on the pan over low heat for 30 m until done. 
After 15 m, add the pine nuts, raisins and capers. 
To prevent sticking, toss from time to time. Season with pepper and salt if desired.
Remove from heat and toss in the basil leaves and celery greens.

* Delicious with grilled fish, or / and couscous or ciabatta.
** You can also eat this dish as a starter.
*** You can eat the salad warm, lukewarm or cold.
**** You can make this dish two days in advance, but don't add the basil until just before serving. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

Grilled aubergine with pomegranate & pistachio

For ➍
3 eggplants
¼ ts turmeric
1 tbs garam masala
peanut oil
3 tbs pistachios
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint
1 pomegranate
2 shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tbs sugar cubes*
3 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp pilipili

Peel the garlic and shallots. Chop finely.
Chop the coriander and mint leaves until you have 1 tbs of each.
Remove the seeds from the pomegranate.
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots, garlic, sugar, vinegar, pilipili and 3 tbs water.
Boil for 1 m, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stir in the chopped coriander, mint and 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds.
Rinse the salt from the aubergines and pat them dry.
Mix 3 tbs oil with the garam masala and turmeric into a paste and brush the aubergine slices with it.
Heat the grill pan and fry them on both sides in beautiful, black lines.
Arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with oil and continue cooking until the aubergines are soft.
Arrange the slices on a serving dish and spoon the dressing over it.
Garnish with the rest of the pomegranate seeds, mint leaves and coriander.
Sprinkle with pistachios and serve.
Serve as an opener or as a side dish at e.g. grilled lamb crown.

* Replace if necessary by honey. Or replace the wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar for a sweeter taste.

Peri peri sauce

For ➍
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic chopped
1-2 bird's-eye peri peri peppers, chopped
2 tbs sweet, smoked paprika powder
4 tbs white wine vinegar
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
grated zest plus the juice of 2 lemons
pinch salt & pepper
small bunch basil

Mix the ingredients. Add a little water and chop finely.
You can then let the chicken marinate in the sauce for a while, before you roast it in the oven. If you use chicken thighs, you can first grill them in a grill pan and then bake them in a large baking dish together with the marinade in a hot oven at 200°C for 10 m.

Serve with chicken f.i.

Asparagus with orange & coriander dressing

For ➍
8 green asparagus
8 white asparagus
½ bunch coriander
1 orange
4 slices raw ham
2 tbs white wine vinegar
4 tbs olive oil
pepper & salt

Rinse the asparagus. Just peel the white. Remove the hard end. Blanch them separately al dente in salted boiling water*. Drain.
Cut (very thinly) a slice of the orange and divide it into strips. Squeeze out the orange. Cut the coriander (keep it a little bit different for garnishing).
Beat the oil with the vinegar and 4 tbs orange juice into a dressing. Add the chopped coriander and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the asparagus and the ham on the plates. Pour over the dressing. Finish with orange peel and coriander.

*Use microwave to steam the asparagus: add 1 tbs of water, cook 3-4 m/250 g, slightly less for green asparagus.

Great green goddess salad

For ➍
1 clove garlic
1 small anchovy*
½ handful lightly packed fresh parsley
2 medium scallions, white & green parts separated
½ ts dried tarragon
6 cl plain Greek yogurt
2 tbs mayonnaise
1 tbs white wine vinegar
½ ts salt
2 tbs olive oil
125 g baby spinach, washed & dried
1 medium cucumber, peeled & sliced
1 medium avocado, sliced

In the food processor, combine the garlic, anchovy (if using), parsley and the white parts of the scallions. Process to mince very finely. Scrape down and process again. Add the tarragon, yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar and salt and process until smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until well mixed. Transfer to a pouring cup or jar; keeps for 4 days, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.
Spread the spinach on a platter or 4 small dinner plates. Cover with cucumber and avocado, and drizzle with dressing, then chop and sprinkle the scallion greens over the salads. Serve immediately. Top with cooked chicken or ham for a main course salad, or serve alongside grilled shrimp.

*The classic green goddess dressing has a hint of anchovy for umami, but if you want to leave it out, you can. Double the amounts in the dressing ingredients to make extra for salads throughout the week.

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.

Steamed fish with ginger & scallions

For ➋-➍
600-800 g fish [porgy, black sea bass, Boston mackerel, or trout], scaled & gutted*
5-6 scallions, divided
4 cm knob ginger**
[optional alternatives: coriander or chilli]**
salt & pepper, for seasoning
1 ts Shaoxing wine or sherry
1 lime, juice & zest, divided
3 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs fine mild red wine vinegar
1 tbs sesame seeds
4 tbs sesame oil
[optional green: sautéed pak choi]
[optional aromatics for steaming water:
star anise
knob of ginger, roughly sliced
Szechuan peppercorn
scallions or green garlic]

Rinse the fish with cold water inside and out and pat dry. Score a couple of gashes in the flesh on either side of the fish.
Slice 4 of the scallions and the knob ginger into a fine julienne and set aside. Save the scraps for stuffing the fish belly. Season the fish belly with salt and pepper and the ts of wine or sherry.
Stuff the fish with the scallion and ginger scraps and the lime zest.
Take a large stock pot and put about 8 cm of water in it and bring to a boil.
Inside the pot, place an inverted cake pan or some other such thing so that you can rest a large plate with the fish on it inside the pot and out of direct contact with the water. (The fish will be on a plate that is resting on another object that is in direct contact with the bottom of the pot.)
Chop the final scallion into 3 pieces and rest it on the plate. Season the fish with salt and pepper on the outside with and place the fish on the plate.
Place the plate on the object in the pot, cover the pot, and steam over high heat for 10 to 12 m (more for a larger fish), until done.
While the fish is steaming, mix the soy sauce with the vinegar and lime juice.
Remove the fish carefully and place on a serving plate. Place the julienned ginger and scallions across the top of the fish and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Heat the sesame oil in a small pan until just before smoking, then pour over the fish.
Finally, pour the soy sauce mixture onto the plate and serve. This fish is also quite tasty still served at room temperature.
Serve with rice or some sautéed greens like pak choi.

*This can be made with fish filets, but fish in the bone comes out much more moist and flavorful, as well as being a beautiful presentation.
**Add coriander or chilli to the ginger, or make a mix.

Yogurt vinaigrette dressing

For ➍
1.5 dl (full) natural yogurt
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs honey
 saved grapefruit juice
 pepper &  salt

Put yogurt in a jar. Add the saved grapefruit juice from the salad.
Add some honey and wine vinegar, freshly ground pepper and a little salt.
Mix the yogurt vinaigrette.
Add to a fennel & quinoa salad.

London smoked eel sandwich

For ➊
1 slice of sourdough bread
butter
30-40 g fillet of smoked eel*
1 heaped ts of horseradish cream
Dijon mustard
¼ small red onion, peeled & thinly sliced
2 tbs white wine vinegar
a good pinch of sugar

Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Steep the sliced onion in the pickle and let stand for 1 h.
Warm a grilling pan over a gentle heat. Lay the sour dough on the grill and brown nicely.
Cut the eel fillet into 3 largish pieces.
Butter the toasted side of the sour dough. Cut this in half and spread with Dijon mustard.
Lay on the eel and then the horseradish cream. Lay on the other piece of toast and return to the grill.
Allow the sandwich to brown, then flip and cook similarly on the other side.
Put on a plate and heap the drained pickle alongside.
Serve immediately.

*Replace with smoked trout or mackerel fillet. Or even smoked halibut.

Veneto sweet & sour shrimps

For ➍
4 tbs olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
10 cl dry white wine
250 g of prawns, thawed
40 g sultanas
5 cl white wine vinegar
40 g pine nuts

Heat 2 tbs oil in a frying pan. Fry the onion for 3 m on low heat. Add the wine. Gently cook the onion over very low heat for 30 ms with the lid on the pan. Stir frequently. Add some extra water or wine if the mixture is too dry .
Meanwhile, peel the shrimps with a sharp knife and remove the intestinal tract but leave the tail down. Pat dry and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the shrimps for 5 m.
Put the raisins in the onion mix and cook for 2 m. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Put in a bowl and let cool for 10 m. Mix with the shrimps. Season with pepper and salt. Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least 1 h.
Heat a frying pan without oil or butter and toast the pine nuts in 3 m until golden brown.
Add the shrimps' mixture.
Serve with salad or as a snack on toasted bread. Serve with a glass of prosecco.