2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon: finely zest to get ½ tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and roughly crushed
salt
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Place the potatoes on a small baking sheet and bake for 50–55 minutes, until soft all the way through. Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, cut in half, scoop out the flesh (don’t scrape clean—you want there to be a bit of flesh attached), and set aside for another recipe (see above).
Tear the potato skins into 2–2½-inch/5–6cm pieces and place in a medium bowl with the harissa, oil, and ¼ tsp of salt. Mix well, then spread out evenly on a wire rack placed inside a large baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are dark golden brown and turning crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool and continue to crisp up. Place in a large bowl with the lettuce wedges and tarragon.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing with ¼ tsp of salt and pour over the salad. Mix well and serve.
New potatoes with peas and cilantro
Pictured on this page, right
This is a lovely side to have with lamb or all sorts of other spring things. If it is spring and you see some sorrel leaves, then add them here, roughly chopped, for an extra burst of flavor. A few chopped anchovies also work well.
This dish can be made a few hours in advance—just warm through before serving.
Serves four as a side
2½ cups/300g peas, fresh or frozen
2 green chiles, finely chopped
1 small preserved lemon, seeds discarded (¾ oz/20g)
¾ cup/15g cilantro, roughly chopped, plus an extra ¼ cup/5g leaves to garnish
¼ cup/60ml olive oil
1 small lemon: finely zest ½ to get ½ tsp, then juice to get 1 tsp
salt and black pepper
1 lb 10 oz/750g new potatoes, sliced in half if large
Fill a small saucepan with plenty of water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then add the peas and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and set a third of the peas aside. Place the remaining peas in a food processor with the chiles, preserved lemon, ¾ cup of the cilantro, olive oil, lemon zest, a rounded ¼ tsp of salt, and plenty of pepper. Blitz to form a rough paste and set aside.
Place a large saucepan filled with plenty of salted water over high heat. Once boiling, add the potatoes and boil for 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain and set aside in a large bowl. Roughly crush—you want at least a third of them left whole. Add the peas—both the blitzed and the whole ones—to the potatoes along with the lemon juice and ¼ cup/5g cilantro leaves. Gently stir and serve warm.
Pizza bianca with potato, anchovy, and sage
Making your own pizza dough is easy, rolling it out is fun, and it’s a great thing to get kids involved with in the kitchen. Make the dough up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate. The potatoes and mascarpone topping can be made the day before.
Makes two pizzas, to serve two as a main with a salad or four as a snack
DOUGH
1 cup plus 6 tbsp/200g bread flour, plus extra for dusting the worktop
1 tsp fast-acting instant dried yeast
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
salt
½ cup/120ml lukewarm water
TOPPING
6⅓ oz/180g new potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced on a mandoline
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
¾ cup plus 1½ tbsp/200g mascarpone
1½ oz/40g pecorino romano, finely grated
4 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
2 lemons: finely zest to get 2 tsp
5 green onions, thinly sliced at an angle (rounded ¾ cup/50g)
Put the flour and yeast in a large bowl with the oil and ½ tsp salt. Stir to combine, then pour in the water, using a spatula to bring together. Transfer to a lightly oiled surface, then, with lightly oiled hands, knead the dough for 5 minutes until soft and elastic. Add more oil if it starts to stick. Divide the dough in half and transfer to a large parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced well apart. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, to double in size.
Preheat the oven to 475°F or as high as it goes.
While the dough is rising, make the topping. In a small bowl, combine the potatoes with 1 tbsp of oil, ⅛ tsp of salt, and a good grind of pepper. Transfer the potato slices to a parchment-lined baking sheet, big enough that the slices can lie flat and be spaced apart. Roast for 7 minutes, until golden brown, then set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone, pecorino, anchovies, sage, and lemon zest with a good grind of pepper and set aside.
Grease two large baking sheets with olive oil. Lightly flour your work surface. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into a rectangle that’s 12 x 8 inches/30 x 20cm. Carefully transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with the second ball of dough. Spread the mascarpone mixture evenly over both dough bases, leaving a ¾ inch/2cm uncovered border around the edge. Sprinkle the green onions on top, then layer on the potatoes. Drizzle each pizza with about 1 tbsp of oil and bake for 9 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden. Serve warm with a good grind of black pepper.
Buckwheat and haricots verts salad
This is either lovely as it is or served with some pan-fried salmon. It’s quick to make—less than half an hour if you get the various elements all cooking at the same time—but can also be prepared in advance, if you like. All the elements can be made 1 day ahead and kept separately in the fridge, ready for the dish to be assembled before serving.
Serves four
2 small red onions, peeled and cut into ¾-inch/2cm wedges (3 cups/300g)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
½ cup/90g buckwheat groats
12¼ oz/350g haricots verts, trimmed and cut in half
¼ cup/5g mint leaves, roughly chopped
¼ cup/5g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp Urfa chile flakes (or ½ tsp other crushed red pepper flakes), to serve
SAUCE
6 tbsp/100g Greek-style yogurt
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp dried mint
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Mix the onions in a large bowl with 1 tbsp of oil and ⅛ tsp of salt. Spread out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 18–20 minutes, until cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Bring a medium saucepan with slightly salted water to a boil. Add the buckwheat and cook for 8 minutes. Add the green beans and cook for 5 minutes, until both the green beans and buckwheat are al dente. Drain, refresh under cold water, and then set aside to dry well.
Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce with ⅛ tsp of salt in a bowl and set aside.
When ready to serve, mix the onions, buckwheat, green beans, mint, and tarragon with the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and ½ tsp of salt. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve the sauce on the side or swirl the sauce through the salad before transferring it to the serving bowl. Sprinkle with the chile flakes and serve.
Couscous, cherry tomato, and herb salad
This salad is perfect at a summer barbecue, great alongside all sorts of grilled meats and grilled vegetables. Make the couscous, onion, and raisin mix 1 day in advance, if you like, and keep separately in the fridge—just bring back to room temperature before serving.
Serves four
1½ cups/250g couscous
6 tbsp/90ml olive oil
salt and black pepper
1⅔ cups/400ml boiling water
10 oz/300g cherry tomatoes
2 onions, sliced paper-thin (3 cups/300g)
¼ cup/30g golden raisins
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
⅓ cup/50g roasted and salted almonds, roughly chopped
¾ cup/15g cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
¾ cup/15g mint leaves, roughly torn
1 lemon: finely zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp
Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp of ras el hanout, ¾ tsp of salt, and plenty of pepper, then pour in the boiling water. Stir, cover the bowl tightly with foil and set aside for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, fluff the couscous with a fork, and set aside to cool.
Put 1 tbsp of oil into a large frying pan and place over high heat. Once hot, add the tomatoes and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring a few times, until they start to brown and split open. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and set aside with any juices.
Wipe the pan clean, then add the remaining 3 tbsp of oil and return to medium-high heat. Add the onions, the remaining 1 tsp of ras el hanout, and ⅛ tsp salt and fry for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until dark golden brown and soft. Remove from the heat, stir in the raisins, and set aside to cool.
Once the couscous has cooled slightly, transfer it to a large bowl. Add the onion and raisin mix and stir. Add the cumin, almonds, cilantro, mint, lemon zest, lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, and a generous grind of pepper and mix gently.
Transfer to a serving platter, top with the tomatoes, and serve.
Puy lentil and eggplant stew
Few things bring me more pleasure in the kitchen than taking a set of familiar ingredients and seeing them in a new light. It’s happened here with this stew and the Puy lentil and eggplant dish on this page. The two ingredient lists are very similar—the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and oregano. Both dishes, though equally delicious, are completely different from one another. It’s one of the many reasons I love eggplants—they’re so versatile and can be cooked in such different ways to yield such different results.
Serve the stew either as a hearty starter or a side, or else as a main, served with any grain you like. The stew can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge—just warm through and add the crème fraîche, oil, chile flakes, and oregano before serving.
Serves four as a starter or two as a main
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large red onion, finely chopped (1 cup/160g)
1½ tsp thyme leaves
salt
2 small eggplants, cut into chunks, about 2 x ¾ inch/5 x 2cm (6 cups/420g)
7 oz/200g cherry tomatoes
black pepper
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp/180g Puy lentils
2 cups/500ml vegetable stock
⅓ cup/80ml dry white wine
1¾ cups/450ml water
6 tbsp/100g crème fraîche
1 tsp Urfa chile flakes (or ½ tsp other crushed red pepper flakes)
2 tsp oregano leaves
Put 2 tbsp of oil into a large high-sided sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme, and ¼ tsp salt and fry for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. Tip into a bowl, leaving the oil behind. Set aside.
Place the eggplant and tomatoes in a bowl and season with ¼ tsp of salt and plenty of pepper. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the same pan (don’t worry about wiping it clean) and, once very hot, add the eggplant and tomatoes. Fry for 10 minutes, over medium-high, turning them often until the eggplant is soft and golden brown and the tomatoes are beginning to blacken. Return the garlic and onion to the pan, then add the lentils, stock, wine, water, and ¾ tsp salt. Bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still retain a bite.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with dollops of crème fraîche, a drizzle of oil, and chile flakes and oregano on top.
Bulgur with tomato, eggplant, and lemon yogurt
You can make just the bulgur and tomato, if you like (without the eggplant and preserved lemon yogurt) and serve it as a side. With the eggplant and yogurt, though, it makes a satisfying vegetarian main. You can make all the elements up to 1 day ahead—just keep separate in the fridge, warm through and assemble before serving.
Serves four as a main or eight as a side
2 small eggplants, cut into 1¼-inch/3cm chunks (6 cups/500g)
7 tbsp plus 1 tsp/105ml olive oil
salt and black pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced (3 cups/320g)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground allspice
14 oz/400g cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1⅔ cups/400ml water
1½ cups/250g bulgur wheat
⅔ cup/200g Greek-style yogurt
1 small preserved lemon, seeds discarded, skin and flesh finely chopped (2 tbsp/25g)
½ cup/10g mint leaves, finely shredded
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the eggplant in a large bowl with 4 tbsp of the oil, ½ tsp salt, and a good grind of pepper. Mix well and then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 35–40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the eggplant is caramelized and soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Add the remaining 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp of oil to a large sauté pan with a lid and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and fry for 8 minutes, stirring a few times, until caramelized and soft. Add the garlic and allspice and fry for 1 minute, stirring continuously, until the garlic is aromatic and starting to brown. Add the cherry tomatoes, mashing them with a potato masher to break them up. Stir in the tomato paste, water, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Add the bulgur, stir so that it is completely coated, and then remove from the heat. Set aside for 20 minutes, for the bulgur to absorb all the liquid.
In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt with the preserved lemon, half the mint, and ⅛ tsp salt.
Divide the bulgur among four plates. Serve with the yogurt and eggplant on top and a sprinkle of the remaining mint.
Bulgur with mushrooms and feta
This works as both a side and a main, with some wilted greens alongside. Get as diverse a mix of mushrooms as you can and like. Thanks to food writer Limor Laniado Tiroche, writing in Haaretz, who inspired this dish.
Serves four as a side or two as a main
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp/150g bulgur wheat
salt and black pepper
1 cup plus 1 tbsp/250ml boiling water
¼ cup plus 1 tsp/65ml olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 large onion, thinly sliced (1⅔ cups/170g)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 lb 2 oz/500g mixed mushrooms, thinly sliced (or torn apart if wild)
2 tbsp thyme leaves
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ cup/10g dill, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
2¼ oz/60g feta, broken into ½–¾ inch/1–2cm pieces
1 tsp Urfa chile flakes (or ½ tsp other crushed red pepper flakes)
Rinse the bulgur and place in a large bowl. Stir in ¼ tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper, then pour in the boiling water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed and the bulgur is soft. Drain, if there is any liquid left, and set aside.
Meanwhile, put 2 tbsp of oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the onion
and fry for 7–8 minutes, until soft and caramelized. Add ½ tsp of the cumin and continue to fry for 1–2 minutes, until dark golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp of oil to the same pan and increase the heat to high. Mix in the mushrooms and ½ tsp of salt and fry for 6–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have browned and softened. Add the remaining ½ tsp of cumin and the thyme and continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for about 30 seconds—it should reduce to practically nothing. Stir in the bulgur, onion, dill, feta, and chile flakes, until warmed through, then remove from the heat.
Spoon the bulgur and mushrooms onto a large platter or two individual plates. Sprinkle some extra dill over the top, drizzle with oil, and serve.
Puy lentils with eggplant, tomatoes, and yogurt
For the sake of ease, I’ve roasted the eggplant here in a hot oven. If you want to really get a smoky taste into the flesh of the eggplant, though, it’s best to put it directly on the open flame on your stove. I line my stove top with foil when doing this (making holes for the flames to come through), then use long tongs to help turn the eggplant so that all sides get burnt. This method can be a bit messy, but the upside is that it takes just 15–20 minutes, rather than 1 hour, and the resulting smoky taste is more intense.
Ottolenghi Simple Page 10
