Time to Eat

by Nadiya Hussain

  Take out and drizzle with sriracha, then fill with rocket or lettuce and close the rolls up.

  If you have any filling left over it can be frozen, then thawed and used again in the same way. Or, for a traditional corned beef hash breakfast, add a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce when reheating, stir in some chopped parsley and serve with a fried egg on top.

  CLOUD BREAD WITH CREAMY MACKEREL TOPPING

  MAKES: 8–10 ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR

  These cloud breads are so light it’s like eating air, but delicious air. I like making them but I also like topping them – they are great carriers of strong flavours. Without the topping, the breads can be used as carb-free pizza bases or burger buns, or can be toasted and eaten with butter and jam. The fish mix also makes a great filling for an omelette – or into a showstopping tart.

  For the bread

  cooking oil spray

  4 large eggs, separated

  50g full-fat cream cheese

  ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

  For the topping

  100g cream cheese

  3 tablespoons whole milk

  1 teaspoon nigella seeds

  2 spring onions, finely chopped

  a squeeze of lemon juice

  salt, to taste

  250g hot smoked mackerel fillets, flaked

  Preheat the oven to 150°C/fan 130°C. Grease and line two baking trays.

  Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Using the same whisk, in a different bowl whisk the yolks with the cream cheese and cream of tartar. Add the whisked egg whites a little at a time until the mixture is well incorporated. There will be lumps, but that is normal.

  Take large spoonfuls of the mixture and make 4 or 5 rounds per tray, making sure they are not touching. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. While that’s happening, make the topping by mixing the cream cheese with the milk, nigella seeds, spring onions, lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt. Stir in the flakes of mackerel.

  As soon as the first batch comes out of the oven, they are ready to be lightly topped with the creamy fish mixture. Take them off the tray and leave to cool completely.

  Make the rest of the cloud bread in the same way. If the remaining mixture separates while the first batch is baking, just give it a stir to bring it back together.

  CREAMY MACKEREL TART

  You can add 2 eggs and 3 tablespoons of double cream to the fish mix and use it as a tart filling. Line an 18cm tart tin with 300g of shortcrust pastry, then add a sheet of baking paper and some baking beads. Bake in the oven at 180°C/fan 160°C for 20 minutes, then remove the beads and bake for another 5 minutes. Spoon in the filling, then reduce the temperature to 160°C/fan 140°C and bake for a further 25 minutes.

  SWEET POTATO AND GOAT’S CHEESE TART

  SERVES: 6 ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR AND 30 MINUTES

  I love a tart – they are simple to make, feel impressive and the flavour possibilities are endless. The filling for this is so good that I’ve come up with some other ways you can use it. Double the ingredients in green if you want to make a curry or a soup at the same time – see here.

  For the pastry

  300g plain flour

  a pinch of salt

  150g cold butter, cubed

  3–4 tablespoons cold water

  For the filling

  2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  2 cloves of garlic, crushed

  1 large sprig of fresh thyme

  2 small red onions, sliced

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes (about 300g)

  100g goat’s cheese

  3 medium eggs

  200g crème fraîche

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon paprika

  For the dressing

  85g watercress

  1 lemon, zest and juice

  100g pine nuts

  5 tablespoons olive oil

  a pinch of salt

  Start by making the pastry. Put the flour and salt into a bowl, then add the butter and rub it into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes together.

  Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the pastry until it is large enough to cover the base and sides of a deep 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin and leave a 1cm overhang. Prick the base a few times, then pop the tart shell into the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C.

  Now make the filling. Heat the oil in a pan, then add the garlic and cook until golden – this should only take a few minutes. Add the thyme sprig, along with the onions and salt, and cook until the onions are soft. Stir in the sweet potatoes, then pop the pan on a low to medium heat and cover to allow the potatoes to soften. This should take about 10 minutes.

  Take the tart shell out of the freezer. Put a piece of baking paper inside, with some baking beads, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

  The sweet potatoes should be cooked by now, so take them off the heat and leave to cool a little. Discard the thyme sprig, but leave the little leaves in there.

  Make the dressing by whizzing together the watercress, lemon zest and juice, pine nuts, oil and salt.

  Take the tart shell out of the oven, remove the paper and beads, and bake for another 5 minutes. Take it out, and reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/fan 160°C.

  Spoon the potato mixture into the tart shell and scatter the chunks of goat’s cheese all over.

  Put the eggs, crème fraîche, salt and paprika into a bowl and mix until well combined. Pour into the tart shell, dot a few teaspoons of the dressing over the top, and bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes.

  Use the rest of the dressing to toss through a simple green salad mixed with tomatoes, or as a dressing for Hasselback Squash (see p. 180).

  Leave the tart in the tin for 10 minutes, then trim the edges. Leave it in the tin for another 30 minutes before taking it out. Serve the tart warm or chilled.

  Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 days or frozen.

  SWEET POTATO AND GOAT’S CHEESE CURRY

  You can also make a great curry by adding a few extra ingredients. Add a large glug of vegetable oil to a large pan and heat over a medium heat. Add two red onions, chopped into large chunks. As soon as the onions are soft, add 4 generous tablespoons of curry paste (see p. 240) and heat through. Add two large sweet potatoes (peeled and diced) to the pan and give everything a good mix. Add 500ml hot water and leave to simmer over a low to medium heat, with the lid on, for 25 minutes, making sure to check and stir occasionally. As soon as the potatoes are tender, take off the heat and stir some chopped watercress through. Sprinkle over some pine nuts and serve with a dollop of yoghurt and some naan on the side.

  SWEET POTATO AND GOAT’S CHEESE SOUP

  The filling works great as a soup, and for that I double the first 7 filling ingredients and blend them with 500ml of vegetable stock. This makes 4 servings and can be frozen or stored in the fridge for 3 days. Garnish with your choice of herbs. I use thyme, watercress, some paprika and a splash of olive oil. You can also add some of the leftover dressing, some extra pine nuts and a crumbling of goat’s cheese.

  SWEET POTATO AND GOAT’S CHEESE TART

  The filling for the Goat’s Cheese Tart works great as both a soup and as the base of a curry. By adding a few extra ingredients you have two delicious alternatives, perfect if friends pop around, or to store away in the freezer.

  FISH PIE BURGER

  SERVES: 8 ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

  Fish burgers are our favourite thing to eat – they’re warming and comforting. Imagine all your favourite foods in burger form! Well, that’s a challenge if ever I heard one. These fish pie patties are all nuzzled inside a soft white bap squished with a pea tartare! Yum. I tend to make my own bread for this recipe, but there’s nothing wrong with shop bought if you need to save a little more time. I like to serve them with oven chips alongside.

/>   8 white baps (see p. 244 if you’d like to make your own)

  For the fish pie patty

  700g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and diced

  3 eggs

  2 x 340g packets of fish pie mix

  300ml water

  2 cloves of garlic, grated

  1 lemon, zest only (keep juice for the pea tartare)

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon onion salt

  1 teaspoon black pepper

  a small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

  ½ a bunch of fresh chives, chopped

  For the pea tartare

  200g frozen peas, thawed and drained

  5 heaped tablespoons mayonnaise

  1 teaspoon mustard powder

  1 small onion, finely chopped

  a squeeze of lemon juice

  a small handful of fresh parsley, chopped

  a sprinkling of salt

  For the coating

  200g plain flour

  3 eggs, beaten

  175g plain breadcrumbs

  Put the potatoes into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil, putting the eggs into the pan at the same time. Boil until the potatoes are tender and falling off a knife when tested. Drain, then tip the potatoes into a large bowl and leave the colander in the sink for the fish.

  Peel the eggs. Mash the potatoes and leave to cool (I open a window so that the breeze cools them in no time). Grate the eggs straight into the bowl of potatoes.

  Pop the fish into a pan with the water, bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for just 5 minutes. Drain the fish in the same colander you used for the potatoes. Once the fish is cool enough to handle, flake it into the bowl of egg and potato.

  To shape the fish patties, have a large baking tray ready. Add the garlic, lemon zest, salt, onion salt, pepper, parsley and chives to the bowl of fish and potato, then get your hands in and give it a good mix. Divide the mixture into 8 and shape into patties (you may need to wet your hands to make sure it doesn’t all stick to your fingers). Place on the tray and pop into the fridge while you prepare the pea tartare.

  Put the peas into a bowl of boiling water and leave for a few minutes to defrost, then drain them and pop them into a bowl. Using the back of a fork, just mush them lightly. Stir in the mayo, mustard, onion, lemon juice, parsley and a sprinkling of salt and put to one side.

  Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs on to separate plates. Take the fish patties out of the fridge and dip each one first into the flour, then into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs and put them back on the tray.

  If you are making oven chips to go with the fish pie burgers, now’s the time to get them in.

  Place a medium-sized non-stick frying pan on a medium heat and add 1cm of oil. Have a tray lined with kitchen paper ready. Fry 2 patties at a time, for 2 minutes on each side. Once they are fried, pop them on to the tray while you finish frying the rest.

  To make up your burgers, slice the baps across the middle. Add a patty to each one, then a spoonful of the pea tartare, and put the tops of the rolls back on.

  If you are only eating a few burgers and want to save some, they can be cooled, wrapped in foil minus the pea tartare, and frozen.

  BLACK PEPPER POKE SALMON BOWL

  SERVES: 4 ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

  I’ve seen these poke bowls popping up all over the place, especially when I’m in and around London. I’ve seen a few at festivals too – it’s like they’re trying to say, ‘Make way, sushi.’ These have all the deliciousness of sushi but in a bowl, which means there is more of it. With a sticky rice base, they can be topped with fresh ingredients, or leftovers from the fridge – make it colourful, make it delicious, make it yours. The sauce also makes a great marinade for chicken wings – double the ingredients in green and see below for how to use it.

  For the rice

  500g sushi rice/sticky rice

  2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  1 teaspoon salt

  2 teaspoons sugar

  For the sauce

  25g mayonnaise

  3 teaspoons soy sauce

  1 teaspoon sesame oil

  ½ teaspoon fish sauce

  1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

  1 lemon, juice only

  1 teaspoon black pepper

  To finish

  2 really fresh skinless salmon fillets (200g), cut into cubes

  2 small or 1 large avocado, sliced (with a squeeze of lemon to prevent browning)

  4 tablespoons pickled red cabbage

  1 large carrot, peeled and grated

  a large handful of salted peanuts, roughly chopped

  2 spring onions, sliced

  sesame seeds

  nori sheets, snipped into strips

  a sprinkling of black pepper

  Start with the rice: place it in a saucepan and wash it until the water runs clear. Add just enough water to come 1cm above the rice. Stirring all the time, place on a high heat (stirring will ensure that the rice doesn’t settle on the base). Once it comes to the boil, let it simmer on a medium heat until all the water has evaporated. Pop the lid on and leave on the lowest setting to steam (about 10 minutes).

  Meanwhile gather together everything you need to finish off this bowl.

  Make the sauce by mixing together the mayo, soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, sriracha, lemon juice and black pepper. Put the salmon into a bowl, then pour over the sauce (half, if you’re making chicken wings as well) and mix thoroughly.

  Once the rice has steamed, mix the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small bowl, then pour over the rice and stir through.

  Divide the rice between two bowls and start adding all the different finishing ingredients. The salmon first, then the avocado, red cabbage, carrot and peanuts. Sprinkle with the spring onions, sesame and nori, add a sprinkling of black pepper, and you’re ready to eat.

  MARINATED CHICKEN WINGS

  Pour the remaining half of the sauce over 1kg chicken wings and mix well to coat. Pop the wings into a freezer bag and leave for another day. To use, defrost fully and bake at 220°C/fan 200°C for 40 minutes, turning half way.

  BLACK PEPPER POKE SALMON BOWL

  CORNED BEEF BOMBAY PIE

  SERVES: 4–6 ACTIVE TIME: 40 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS

  Does ‘plate pie’ mean it’s my plate and all the pie is mine too? This pie is covered in butter pastry and filled with Bombay-style potatoes and corned beef. Not something I was used to eating, but I’m happy to admit I love the stuff now! I always make two of these, one to eat and one to freeze, so double up all the ingredients if you fancy doing that. You can also prepare this in advance and cook it from frozen if you want to save even more time.

  For the pastry

  450g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

  a pinch of salt

  200g unsalted butter, cubed

  a few tablespoons of cold water

  1 egg, beaten, for sealing and glaze

  For the filling

  2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  1 teaspoon Bengali Spice Mix (Panch Phoran – see p. 237)

  3 cloves of garlic, crushed

  1 medium onion, finely chopped

  1 celery stick, finely diced

  1 teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

  1 teaspoon paprika

  1 large potato, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes

  1 carrot, peeled and sliced into 5mm coins

  1 small red pepper, cut into 1cm dice

  100ml water

  3 teaspoons tamarind paste

  340g corned beef, cut into 2.5cm cubes

  a small handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

  Start with the pastry. Put the flour into a bowl with the salt and rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water a little at a time to bring the dough together, and as soon as you have done that, cut off one third of the dough. Wrap both pieces and put into the fridge to chill.

  Now to
the filling. Put the oil into a medium non-stick pan and add the spice mix. As soon as the seeds start to pop, add the garlic, onion, celery and salt. Cook on a high heat until the onions are soft, then lower the heat, add the turmeric and paprika and cook for another minute. Add the potatoes, carrots, red pepper, water and tamarind and cook for about 20 minutes on a medium heat with the lid on, until the potatoes are cooked. Take off the lid to dry out any extra moisture. Take off the heat, stir in the corned beef and coriander, then transfer to a plate to cool.

  Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C and place a baking tray in it.

  Roll out the larger bit of pastry to the thickness of a pound coin, and big enough to cover the base and sides of a 23cm ovenproof plate with a slight overhang. I like to use an enamel plate. Roll out the other piece so it fits the top with a small overhang. Spoon the filling over the pastry, then brush the edges with beaten egg and top with the smaller piece of pastry. Cut off the overhang, crimp the edges and brush the top with egg. Cut a slit in the top to allow steam out, and bake for 30–35 minutes.

  When it’s ready, leave it to rest for 20 minutes before eating.

  If you are preparing this in advance, to be baked at a later date, do everything but the egg wash and place in the freezer. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C, pop your egg wash over the frozen pastry then bake from frozen for 45–50 minutes until piping hot all the way through.

  WATERCRESS QUINOA KEDGEREE

  SERVES: 4 ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR

  A kedgeree to me is a mash-up of flavours in a staple such as rice, topped off with some eggs. I used to have this all the time as a child, because we always had leftover rice. But why not mix things up? The big bold colours in this just make me want to eat it with my eyes before any other sense. You will probably have enough here to freeze some for another day, too.