FOR THE ZA’ATAR
2 tbsp sesame seeds
4 tsp cumin seeds
4 tsp ground sumac
1 tsp sea salt
Good handful of oregano leaves, chopped
Soak the couscous in twice its volume of boiling water and cover with a plate. It’s ready when it has soaked up all the water.
For the za’atar, toast the sesame and cumin seeds in a dry pan with an ovenproof handle placed over a medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until they are golden. Place the toasted seeds in a pestle and mortar with the sumac, salt and oregano and bash until you have a fine, fragrant and slightly moist powder.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4. Sprinkle the pork fillets with half the za’atar powder and press it into the flesh.
Place the frying pan back over a high heat and add a little oil. Sear the meat for a few minutes until it turns golden brown on all sides. Add a few tablespoons of water and place the pan in the oven to cook for 15 minutes until the pork is cooked through.
While the meat is in the oven, fluff up the couscous with a fork and stir in the oil, herbs, chickpeas, pomegranate juice and seeds and the lemon juice and zest. Squeeze over plenty of lemon juice and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Remove the pork from the oven and slice in 1cm thick rounds. Serve on top of the couscous with a generous sprinkling of the remaining za’atar powder.
LIME & COCONUT CHICKEN
There is something altogether soothing about this recipe. The usual heat you’d expect from an Asian-inspired recipe bows out to make way for the more aromatic and fragrant coriander, lime zest and lemongrass, which is wrapped together by a creamy coconut broth. You could replace the chicken with prawns or sturdy vegetables like sweet potato.
SERVES 4
2 limes, zest grated and the fruit cut in half
Good handful of coriander leaves and stalks, roughly chopped
2 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 × 400ml tin of light coconut milk
2 large chicken breasts, finely sliced
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Rice, to serve
Lime wedges, to serve
Good handful of coriander leaves, torn, to serve
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced, to serve
1 spring onion, finely sliced, to serve
Blitz the lime zest, coriander stalks and lemongrass in a small hand blender until you have a smooth paste.
Heat the sunflower oil in a large wok over a high heat. Add the paste and fry for 1–2 minutes until it is aromatic. Add the coconut milk and mix through, then stir in the chicken strips and allow to cook on a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Add the fish and soy sauces and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Squeeze over plenty of lime juice and mix through with the sesame oil.
Serve with rice, lime wedges and scatter over the coriander leaves, chilli and spring onions.
MARGARITA CHICKEN WITH SMOKY AVOCADO CORN SALSA
This recipe is all about big bold flavours and is one of my absolute favourite summer dishes. It’s perfect for the BBQ, but if the weather doesn’t hold up, a griddle pan will do just fine. This is lovely on a plate, but if you wanted, you could toast up some tortilla wraps in the pan and then serve slices of the chicken with the salsa and a generous dollop of sour cream.
SERVES 4
4 chicken breasts
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 lime, zest grated and the fruit cut in half
Sea salt and ground black pepper
1 tbsp sunflower oil
3 tbsp tequila
FOR THE SMOKY AVOCADO CORN SALSA
2 large corn on the cob
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 large avocados, stoned and quartered
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp smoky Tabasco sauce
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
Good handful of coriander leaves
Lime wedges, to serve
Place the chicken on a sheet of baking parchment and spread each one with the garlic. Sprinkle over the cumin, chilli flakes, dried oregano and lime zest and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Cover with another sheet of baking parchment and, using a rolling pin, bash the breasts until they are about 2cm thick.
Place the breasts on a plate and pour over the sunflower oil, tequila and a good squeeze of lime juice. Turn to coat and then allow to marinate while you prepare the salsa. If you have time, place the breasts in a resealable bag with the sunflower oil, tequila and lime juice and leave them to sit for an hour in the fridge.
Prepare the salsa by boiling the corn in a pan of water for 8–10 minutes until tender. Heat a large griddle pan over a high heat, brush the corn cobs with a little olive oil and place them on the griddle, turning when well charred. Then griddle the avocado quarters until you get nice char marks.
While the corn and avocado cook, combine the olive oil, vinegar, Tabasco sauce, garlic and red onion in a bowl. Using a knife, slice the cooked corn kernels off the cobs and then toss in the bowl with the onion and dressing. Add the coriander and season with sea salt and ground black pepper.
Brush the griddle pan with a little olive oil and add the chicken breasts along with the marinade. Cook for about 4 minutes on either side until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with a generous helping of the avocado and corn salsa and some lime wedges.
GRIDDLED BEEF & MINT SALAD WITH TOASTED RICE AND PEANUTS
On my first visit to Bangkok, it was a hot and sticky night when we arrived and this was the dish we tucked into after wandering the streets. The rather interesting addition, to what would otherwise be an ordinary beef dish, is the toasted ground rice, which adds both texture and a surprisingly smoky, nutty flavour. The original dish doesn’t feature the extra leaves, but I think it makes a wonderful healthy salad.
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