Weekly new recipe thread

[SarahJessicaParkin]

I've decided to try out a brand new recipe every week this year. I seem to make the same things on rotation all the time, so hope this will drag me out of my recipe rut and improve my not great cooking skills!

Would anyone like to join me?

Plaice with yellow & green tomatoes, Ixta Belfrage, Mezcla
A really beautiful mid-week meal, fresh and simple and full of flavour. This will be making a regular appearance during warmer weather.

Asparagus with labneh, brown butter and burnt lemon, OTK Extra Good Things
I added potatoes to make this a sort of warm potato salad. I really enjoyed it, a great accompaniment for a barbecue, it’s a side dish that stands by itself, but also works well with many other stronger flavours. The burnt lemon powder was a really unique and interesting ingredient.

Banana self-saucing pudding, Nicola Lamb
I found this when looking for a simple Sunday pud for two. Fabulous and exactly what it says on the tin. I really recommend.

Pad see ew - Ethan Chlebowski
Tasted great (not that that was surprise!), and came together quickly - though I vastly underestimated my noodle’s soaking time. One to add to the quick meal repertoire.

Esquites (Mexican street corn salad) - Cookie & Kate
Delicious and low effort side dish. I’m definitely in a bit of a corn phase at the moment, and this was fresh, a bit spicy, creamy. Leftovers were also delicious with tortilla chips. Will definitely make this again.

Garlic Bread from Bread Everyday, Bake with Jack

I'm in my bread era. I made Jack's Cheddar Loaves last week, have made these before, and would recommend! This week it was garlic bread and it's easily one of my favourites to date from this book, that said I'm yet to make something that disappoints.

The garlic bread is really simple to pull together and incredibly satisfying with a great crust - I've made it twice this week. I've put one cooked loaf in the freezer and will report back on how well it defrosts. In the book the recipe says half or one clove (can't remember), I did 20...

I hadn't spotted this YouTube video but it looks like a great tutorial.

Thanks to @SummaLuvin tonight I made the Gem and Herb salad with maple, lime and sesame dressing from Mezcla. Served with simple roast chicken thighs and roasted potato slices. Salad was a banger and we loved it!

Last night I made Wild Garlic and Mushroom Lasagne which was (is - as have left overs) delicious! The recipe says 45g of wild garlic but I threw in the full 70g from my shop. Blitzing the garlic leaves and milk gave the most vibrant green sauce which I loved in taste and presentation!

I was intending to make Ixta's sticky rice stuffed aubergines this week but I messed up on time capacity so will pivot to the glorious cheesy aubergines with salsa roja and try the sticky rice one weekend.

Sweetcorn dutch baby with salsa roja and curtido - Yotam Ottolenghi, OTK: Extra Good Things
Still firmly in my sweetcorn era and this was great. I didn’t ferment the curtido because even though I know how healthy it is, it’s really not my thing. The salsa took much longer to thicken for me. I cooked mine for about double the time, and it was still thinner than the picture. It works really well as a dish, with the sweetness of the corn, the heat from the salsa, and the acidity and crunch from the cabbage.

Burnt Aubergine Dip (moutabel), Alexina Anatole, Bitter
4 aubergines for 2 people seems like a lot (and it is) but I love aubergine and I love a challenge. I could prep the aubergines in the morning, cover and forget about them, so the dip came together very quickly later on. I liked it a lot, next time I might halve the tahini as I felt the flavour was a bit overpowering. But thinking back to gomae dishes I have made I felt the sesame is too strong there, so maybe it's me.

Spring vegetable noodle broth with miso-ginger drizzle - Melissa Hemsley, Feel Good
Fresh and delicious noodle soup. I wasn’t wild about the texture of the black sesame seeds, so would probably skip those next time. I also skipped the vinegar in the drizzle, because I was worried it would overpower everyone, and the dish didn’t feel lacking for it.

Apple butter cinnamon buns - Nicola Lamb
Maybe a bit autumnal for this time of year but I loved these. I wasn’t convinced the dough would roll after chilling in the fridge overnight, because my dough in the rubard looked much wetter, but miraculously it it did. The apple flavour really sung, and the glaze was perfect. They also held really well overnight.

radicchio, ricotta + pancetta rigatoni, Alexina Anatole, Bitter
Solid weekday meal, little slicing and few ingredients. Interesting, easy, and balanced.

Fish poached in tomato and turmeric curry with udon noodles , Ixta Belfrage, Mezcla
Thoroughly enjoyed this. It actually felt a little wintery with the warming spices and richness of the sauce - appropriate given how relentlessly miserable this spring has been. Similar to the pasta above, little prep, big flavour, arrives to the table quickly.

Chicken Chow Mein, Marion’s Kitchen
Very adaptable, probably the best chow mein I have made.

Pistachio, Orange & Ricotta Cake, Benjamina Ebuehi
Benjaminas cake recipes are just so lovely. The orange and pistachio flavours really came through and the crumb was so soft.

Spicy ginger, tomato and sesame dip, Ixta Belfrage, Mezcla
Ixta is the dip queen! I have loved all the I tried from this book.

celery pisco sour, Alexina Anatole, Bitter
I’m not a celery fan so was pretty sceptical about this, but I had some celery and egg whites so why not? It was actually really good, new use for unloved celery.

Such excitement as I received my copy of Sift by Nicola Lamb, not only is it beautifully written but there are so so many recipes I want to make - now! Thursday I made Secret Chocolate Cake. It’s so delicious, my mousse element is softer than I think it should be but maybe (?) it will set if it is longer in the fridge. I’m sure I’ll be posting more from her book over the next few weeks.
I also made Meatballs with Orzo, this was a really tasty midweek meal that went down so well. I did grate some extra Parmesan and left that in the table to sprinkle on the top.
i do love spicy food and this didn’t disappoint, you could easily substitute the chicken for cauliflower and/or paneer. Personally, I found this spiced chicken and potato traybake by Nigella Lawson Indian Spiced Traybake full of flavour and very versatile.
Finally, I made Biscoff Brownies, I did love these. Although, according to my DD’s the best brownie recipe is one by Fern Britton, so easy and using store cupboard ingredients - they find it hard to understand why I try other recipes!!!
Enjoy the BH weekend

I've been doing a re-connect with Ed Smith's "Crave" (btw has anyone seen/bought his new book all about eggs?)

unfortunatley, not many of his recipes are online but if anyones interested I'll send over photos of the recipes

taleggio and rosemary portobello mushrooms with polenta
Delicious and very easy to do - fry mushrooms to add colour and then cover bake with rosemary/garlic and splash of water, then after 25mins add taleggio, which I didn't have so used gorgonzola. Serve on bed of polenta.
OODLES of butter and cheese so whats not to love!

Now I'm fully invested in the Tart and Sour section of the book so made

Sweet and Sour Vegetable Puff Tart
Ed describes this as borrowing from "god tier level" caponata.
Roasted aubergines are smushed up to form a sort of vinegar infused tapenade paste on the puff pastry, then topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, and then raw but marinated in vinegar, oregano, olives, tomatoes and courgettes. Served with feta sprikled on top and balsamic and basil.

This was great - the sour/tartness really came out and was good for lunch the next day

Buttermilk chicken with sour watermelon salad
Loved this! Buttermilk chicken was luscious and tender and was baked rather than fried with roasted panko giving an orangey hue to the chicken. Am not sure the sourness was as pronounced as it could have been but I think was down to me getting proportions slightly off balance and Sainsburys sumac not being as tart as other options. That said, I loved the sweet and sour tang of the watermelon salad.

raw kale + grapefruit salad, Alexina Anatole, Bitter
I resent massaging a salad, but it was actually worth it as it was really tasty.

Stanley Tucci’s Favourite Sandwich
A few weeks ago someone made a whole thread about how disappointing this sandwich was, but I thought it sounded really good and wanted to make my own judgement. Both DH and I loved it.

Butternut squash and sage lasagne gratin, Ixta Belfrage, Mezcla
This jumped off the page for a casual dinner with veggie friends. It was absolutely delicious, I could prepare it in advance for easy hosting, it looked really pretty when cooked too.

Milky tea tres leches, Benjamina Ebuehi, I’ll Bring Dessert
Hong Kong milk tea and tres leches clearly belong together as Nicola Lamb has a recipe with the exact same combo. Nice easy recipe, and I love that the recommended rest overnight means I can get ahead when entertaining. So so good, I tried the soak and was concerned by how strong the tea favour was, but it was perfectly subtle-yet-present in the end cake. I'm always shocked at how light a tres leches feels considering how much liquid is soaked in.

Bean, caper and olive dip - Sidonie Wilson
A last minute impulse after being sent the recipe and I loved it. Switched the canellini beans for butter beans and parsley for coriander because that’s what I had in. Everything worked so well together. A worthy accompaniment for my Lidl brand Pringles.

Cannelloni Enchiladas - Ixta Belfrage, Mezcla
I’m not the first one to make these, but they are delicious. The richness from the béchamel was cut through perfectly with the salsa fresca (which I didn’t halve like I did the rest of the recipe). I replaced the chicken with sautéed mushrooms which was I loved and din’t feel like the dish was lacking. A cracker and can be made in advance, so would be good for guests.

Today I made Classic Lasagne with Salsa Verde by Ottolenghi, unfortunately I’m unable to find a link to it. I copied and pasted the recipe into Notes. It was absolutely delicious, very rich (as a good lasagne should be) and full of flavour. I made the ragu yesterday which I think helped develop those flavours. It also meant a fairly straightforward assembly today - only having to make the bechamel. This recipe could feed six easily, particularly if it’s served with some focaccia and salad. An absolute winner. Should anyone want the recipe let me know.

@myrtleWilson meant to say, I'd be interested in the sweet and sour vegetable puff tart recipe please, if you're willing to share. I love caponata and involve pastry, so sounds like it will be a winner for me.

@toastofthetown of course - here you go! Apologies for phone shadow!

Tonight, I made a slow roast duck recipe I found on Olive - it was titled "Duck like a pig" and involved a stuffing of fennel, sage, rosemary and pancetta.

The duck itself was good but the presence of the Italian-esqe/porchetta -esque flavours were non existent. Plus, not usually a stuffer of birds, I was anxious about the stuffing impacting on cooking times etc etc.

I was just after a different roast whole duck recipe - have e hdone peking style and I think I've done a plum one too and an ancient nigel slater version but if anyone has any duck hits do share

Fesenjan Ba Ordak ~ Duck with pomegranate and walnuts

Despite saying 'stew' it uses a whole duck. I garnish it with pomegranate seeds.

Thanks @AnnieKenney - I made a fesenjan a couple of years ago following a Sabrina Ghayour recipe (can't recall what meat it was!) but wouldn't have thought of doing that with duck - will put it on my list!

Funfetti Cookies - Jane's Patisserie
My head wasn't screwed on when I was making these as I kept misreading the recipe - that said they turned out great! Gave them as a birthday gift.

Malted Milk and Cookie Tiffin - Frances Quinn
Delicious but a little underwhelming, it didn't feel like there was enough mix to make it stick. The amount of sugar in this is insane, one for those with a sweet tooth!

Fruity Marshmallows - SIFT, Nicola Lamb
I also got SIFT this week, I love Nicola's recipes. I have never made marshmallows before and this was incredibly easy. I went for blackberry flavour, in hindsight I should have done something in season but it's an excuse to try them again.

Chickpea, Charred Corn & Roasted Pepper Salad - Mob
Very unassuming and full of flavour. This would make an ideal BBQ side. We're having this week for lunches alongside a frittata.

Cheesy Oven Baked Risotto with a whole Boursin in it. I really loved this dish, but I think I slightly overdid the amount of thyme. I actually made this quite difficult for myself by halving the recipe and doing it in the air fryer (with foil over it), but it was still delicious.

Jamie Oliver's Air Fryer Chicken in a Bag was a bit disappointing really and my chicken took a lot longer than 20 minutes. It ended up being more faffing about than if I had done it in the oven or stir fried it.

Finally, this one was also really tasty Mushroom & Tarragon Strudels and involves a fuck ton of mushrooms. I halved this recipe and there is still loads left. I did substitute the madeira for sherry.

Crunchy halloumi salad with tamarind and miso dressing recipe - Sabrina Ghayour, Bazaar
I’m trying to reconnect with this cookbook. I’ve had it for years, always enjoy it when I cook from it but it’s been sitting on my shelf for a while. I really enjoyed this. I forgot to halve the lemon juice so found the dressing a bit too sharp for my taste, but I’ll make this again. I only used white cabbage, because with only two of us, having two part used cabbages on the go is a bit overwhelming, and I don’t think it really affected the taste, but the red would have made it so pretty.

Chickpea, paneer, spinach and preserved lemon stew - Sabrina Ghayour, Bazaar
So quick, and with mostly store cupboard ingredients. I was worried it might be thin and watery, but the stew thickened really well.

Gem and herb salad with maple, lime and sesame dressing - Ixta Belfrage, Mezcla
I’d never noticed this in Mezcla, but reading about it on the thread gave me FOMO and I loved it. Served as a side for a barbecue, it came together quickly, was crunchy, fresh and delicious.

Feta, pul biber and oregano macaroni bake - Sabrina Ghayour, Bazaar
Really nice take on macaroni cheese (though I did miss a melty cheese grated through the sauce). Served with more of the gem salad and they worked perfectly together.

I made Half and half cottage pie with cheesy parsnip mash from Feel Good by Melissa Helmsley. For various reasons I’ve not used this book in a while and I’ll definitely keep it up front as I do love her recipes. This was a great mid week winner, usually my DH makes cottage pie in our house but he really loved this recipe. I couldn’t get parsnips so used swede for the mash, though that was good I’m in no doubt the parsnips would really add a lovely nutty flavour.

As a weekend treat I made 3:00pm Chocolate and Oat Biscuits from Sift by Nicola Lamb. This is only the second thing I’ve made and can’t wait to experiment more with this fabulous book as there are so many tempting recipes. These biscuits are totally delicious, next time I could be tempted to vary the different types of chocolate. I can honestly see this book as a staple in my house.

Roasted, pickled and fried onions (AKA onion party) - Ixta Belfrage, Mezcla
Finally made this and loved it. Not surprising, I love onions in almost any form. It all balanced perfectly.

Garlic yogurt with crispy herbs - Ixta Belfrage, Mezcla
Nice, but not a knockout. My herbs didn’t get as crispy as I’d hoped in the oven.

Walnut Double-Thick Chocolate-Chip Cookies- Nicola Lamb, Sift
I’ve made these two weekend in a row now and I’m totally obsessed with them. I’ve halved the dough per cookie each time, and tbh can’t see myself making then full amount as that would be MASSIVE.

This weekend I made Ottolenghis Green Herb Salad - this was totally delicious and perfect for the hot weather we’ve recently been having. I served it with cold home made Huntsman Pie. The salad stayed good for a couple of days in the fridge.

i also made another dish from Feel Good by Melissa Helmsley- Filipino Chicken with Tomato and Mango Salsa. Whilst I enjoyed the chicken the standout element was the salsa - this really was fabulous. Fresh, clean and really good. It would be a welcome addition with any grilled or barbecued dish. It’s worth having a try now as I believe we’re in Mango season!!!

Miso Walnut Double-Thick Chocolate-Chip Cookies, Nicola Lamb, Sift
SNAP toast!!! Joining the Sift fan club, I can tell I am going to have fun with this book as well as push my skills, viennoiserie… 🤓. Starting with an accessible recipe made up of kitchen stapes. I loved these. When I saw what 180g of dough looked like I choose the half them, the only change I would make to these.