Portobello Burger with Tomatoes and Rosemary Aïoli

Vegetarian.  Serves 4.

Best on a sunny summer's day, or when you want to be reminded of one.

Ingredients

For the burger:

4 portobello (big) mushrooms, stems trimmed
2 to 4 tbsp olive oil
2 beefsteak (big) tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices
4 burger buns (or pitta breads, flat breads, etc.)
optional
toppings 		½ red onion
rocket or other salad leaves
thinly sliced cheese
bacon or Parma ham

For the aïoli:

1 fat garlic clove, chopped
½ tsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
½ tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp mayonnaise
freshly squeezed lemon juice

Technique

Make the Aïoli:  Mash the garlic with the salt to form a paste.  Mash in the chopped rosemary and then mix in the oil, beat in the mayonnaise and add the lemon juice to taste.

Make the burgers:  Heat a heavy frying pan.  Brush the mushrooms liberally all over with the olive oil then rub with salt and pepper.  Add to the pan and then cook over a high heat until tender.  (You may need to add more oil if the mushrooms are particularly absorbent.)

Remove from the pan and keep the mushrooms warm.  Add the tomato slices to the hot pan and sear briefly for about 30 seconds on each side.

Assemble:  Split the buns and spread with butter.  Add onion rings, mushrooms, tomatoes, aïoli, bacon/ham, cheese and salad leaves.  Close the buns and serve.

Roast Summer Vegetables

Ingredients

1 garlic bulb separated into cloves and skinned
2 lemons cut into small wedges
4 tbsp olive oil
3 large red peppers deseeded and cut into chunks
3 small red onions cut into wedges
4 large courgettes cut into wedges
200 g packet feta cheese crumbled into chunks
400 g can chickpeas drained
crusty bread to serve

Method

  1. Toss the whole cloves, peppers, onions and courgettes into the olive oil, and put into a roasting tray.
  2. Roast in the oven for an hour at 200℃.
  3. Add the feta, chickpeas and lemon wedges to the roasted veg and cook for 10-15 mins, to warm through in the oven.

Serve with crusty bread to soak up any juices.

Roast Vegetables

You will Need

root vegetables potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beetroot, onions, etc.
peeled and cut into similar sized pieces
2 tbsp lard or Trex
2 tbsp olive oil
Optional
ingredients 		lemon juice
vinegar

Method

Put the lard and oil onto a large shallow baking tray, and put to heat in the oven at 200°C.  The oil gives good flavour, but the lard or Trex gets it hotter and helps them crisp up.  If you intend to use a tablespoon or two of the lemon juice or vinegar, add this at the same time.

Peel and part cook the vegetables.  (Strictly speaking you don’t need to part-cook the veg, but it speeds up the cooking and makes them crunchier.)  You can part-cook either in the microwave or by boiling the veg (not onions) for a short period.  In either case make sure that you toss the part cooked veg to “fluff” the edges - this is what will make it crispier.

Tip the veg into the hot oil and make sure it is coated, then put back in the oven.  Cook for a further 45 mins, turning the veg within the fat halfway through.

Salmon Broccoli Ring

Ingredients

some onion
some red pepper
some broccoli
some cooked salmon
some Gruyère cheese
1 handful dill
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1 small jar mayonnaise
1 pack flaky pastry

Method

  1. Finely chop/grate all the vegetables and salmon into a large bowl.
  2. Add the dill and mayonnaise and stir thoroughly.
  3. Roll out the pastry thinly and cut into long thin triangles (approx. 3 cm x 20 cm).
  4. Place the pastry triangles overlapping in a circle on a pizza stone in a circle. Roll them together where they overlap.
  5. Place the mixture in a circle on the pastry and bring the points of the triangle over to make a ring.
  6. Cook in the oven for 30 mins, or until the pastry is golden.
  7. Serve hot or cold with new potatoes and a salad.

Salmon and Herby Potato Coulibiacs

Coulibiac: A Russian style fish pie.

Ingredients (makes 2 pies)

600 g potatoes, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
100 ml double cream
100 ml crème fraiche
4 tbsp freshly chopped dill
4 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
zest of one lemon
2 packs all-butter puff pastry
flour (for dusting)
650 g side of salmon, skinned and boned, cut crossways into 3 cm slices then in half to make fingers
1 egg, beaten

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180℃.
  2. Par boil the potato slices for 2-3 mins, drain and set aside in a large bowl.
  3. Gently fry the onion in the oil for 10 mins until golden. Allow to cool slightly.
  4. Stir in the cream, crème fraiche, herbs, zest and plenty of seasonings. Pour over the potatoes and mix gently.
  5. Roll out one of the packs of pastry, to about 35cm x 35cm. Lay on a large baking sheet.
  6. Pack a quarter of the potato mix down one side of the pastry, leaving a 5cm border.
  7. Arrange half the salmon on top, then cover with another quarter of the potato mix.
  8. Brush the pastry all round with beaten egg and fold over the pastry. Trim the edges and crimp with your fingers, or seal with a fork. Make or mark a decorative fish on the top.
  9. Do the same with the other pastry and remaining ingredients.
  10. Chill for 30 minutes then brush the pastries all over with beaten egg.
  11. Bake for 40 minutes.
Leave to rest for 10 mins if serving hot or can serve cold.