Seasons Eatings 2018 - Festive Nuts

bloomsbury cooks Seasons Eatings

festive Nuts Add some crunch to your Christmas with these nutty recipes

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Contents GarrapiĂąada Almendras

Recipe from Masterchef Street Food of the World by Genevieve Taylor

Fried Cashews with Dried Miso, Lime and Chilli Recipe from Junk Food Japan by Scott Hallsworth

Runner Beans with Bacon and Walnuts Recipe from On the Side by Ed Smith

Nutty Gratin of Greens and Leeks Recipe from River Cottage Much More Veg by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall

Vinha D’Alhos-style Vegetables Recipe from Lisboeta by Nuno Mendes

Maple and Pecan Roast Squash Recipe from On the Side by Ed Smith

Drunken Figs with Pistachios and Cream Recipe from Lisboeta by Nuno Mendes

Caramel Walnut Mousse

Recipe from Lisboeta by Nuno Mendes

Garrapiñada are delicious caramelised nuts made in large shallow copper pans by street vendors of Argentina and Uruguay. They are usually piled into cellophane cones to serve and make a great little edible gift. They are often made with peanuts instead of almonds – just make sure you use unsalted nuts with the skins on, as the caramel doesn’t stick well to skinless nuts.

Garrapiñada almendras SERVES 8, AS A TREAT 400g almonds or unsalted peanuts (skin on) 400g caster sugar 400ml water 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan set over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until the sugar syrup has thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally. Once the liquid has nearly gone, the sugar will start to crystallise.

Continue to cook over a medium-low heat for a further 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the nuts are nicely coated with crystallised sugar. Keep a very close eye on the pan towards the end of the cooking time as the molten sugar turns crystalline in a flash; the cooking time will vary a little depending on the surface area of your chosen pan.

Tip on to a sheet of baking parchment and spread out in a single layer to cool.

Once cold, pack into cellophane bags or cones, or store in an airtight jar. They will keep for several weeks in an airtight container.

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MASTERCHEF STREET FOOD

THE AMERICAS

Recipe from Masterchef Street Food of the World by Genevieve Taylor, photography by David Loftus

FRIED CASHEWS WITH DRIED MISO, LIME AND CHILLI SERVES 2 16g miso powder (see method for how to make this from miso paste) 1 litre rapeseed oil, for deep-frying 50g cashews 80g demerara sugar 1 dried red chilli, roughly crumbled 1 lime

I say this about most spicy, moreish snacks, but these are the best ever! I have a long list of ‘best ever’ bar snacks – nuts are the most obvious or most basic, but done well, as you’ll all probably know, they are pure addiction. I’ve tossed this version in a Japanese syrup called kuromitsu. It’s basically a black sugar syrup, most often used for pouring over vanilla ice cream (it’s so damn good).

I boost the umami factor by making some dried miso powder. It’s also great for sprinkling over salads or sashimi, or to use as a replacement for salt.

Preheat the oven to its lowest setting, or around 110°C/90°C fan/Gas Mark ¼. Spread some miso paste thinly onto a silicon mat or baking sheet and allow to dry in your

oven. (Alternatively, your best bet is to use a dehydrator if you have one.) When dried thoroughly, grind until you have a fine powder and set aside until ready to use.

Heat the oil in a fryer or large pan to 180°/350°F, and deep-fry the cashews until golden, around 2 minutes. Remove with a perforated spoon and drain well on kitchen paper.

Line a tray with baking paper or have ready a silicon mat. Heat the sugar in a pan over

a medium-high heat, until it turns to liquid and colours slightly as it comes up to the boil.

Toss in the fried cashews, dried chilli, zest and juice of half a lime. Cook for 20 seconds

and tip onto the silicon mat or baking paper-lined tray. Sprinkle evenly with the dried miso and allow to cool, and then break up into pieces.

Serve with half a lime on the side – it might seem odd to serve lime on nuts, but it helps counteract the heat from the chilli. Eat now! (Or store in an airtight container.)

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JFJ_v16.indd 20-21

JUNK FOOD JAPAN

SNACK

21

11/01/2017 08:39

Recipe from Junk Food Japan by Scott Hallsworth, photography by David Loftus

Runner beans with bacon and walnuts P Re PA RAT I On: T IM e n e e ded :

on a hob less than 15 minutes

I wonder if runner beans appear a little unapproachable to some, with their hard, almost crocodile-like scaly flat sides, and remarkable length. As it happens, very little needs to be done to turn them into an excellent side: just top and tail and peel the stringy edges, then cut into fork-sized pieces; steam or briefly boil, and serve with butter or oil, salt and pepper.

But perhaps a little more could be done to draw in any remaining doubters. Here, they’re sliced finely and accompanied by the fat, salt and smoke of good lardons, and the tang of a hot cider vinegar dressing. It’s a versatile side, although pork, veal and fish such as hake, skate or cod are particularly good matches.

Serves 4–6 300–400g runner beans 150g smoked lardons 1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1 banana shallot, finely diced 1 tablespoon cider vinegar leaves from 6–8 stems flat-leaf parsley 50g walnut halves, roughly chopped Freshly ground black pepper Run a vegetable peeler down the edges of the runner beans, then cut them lengthways into 2–3 long thin strips per bean, like spaghetti.

Cut these into 4–5cm lengths and bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the beans in the boiling water for 3–4 minutes, or until just starting to flop, but still bright green and with bite. Drain and return them to the pan.

Meanwhile, put the lardons in a large heavybottomed frying pan with the oil and cook over a medium heat (starting from cold helps render the fat). As the lardons begin to turn golden, add the shallot and cook for 3–4 minutes.

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Greens, leaves & herbs

Remove the frying pan from the heat and pour in the cider vinegar. Stir to combine the fats and the vinegar, then scrape and pour the pan’s contents over the drained beans. Add the parsley and walnuts and a generous grind of black pepper (the lardons will provide enough salt). Toss well to ensure the beans, bacon and other bits are thoroughly mixed.

Serve immediately.

AlOn G SIde : Grilled green tomatoes with oregano and chilli (page 102); Creamed sweetcorn with feta (page 122); Boulangère potatoes (page 168); Anchoïade mashed potatoes (page 180); Carrotjuice carrots (page 218)

Recipe from On the Side by Ed Smith, photography by Joe Woodhouse

Nutty gratin of greensand leeks Serves 4 20g whole raw buckwheat (buckwheat ‘groats’) 20g flaked almonds

A creamy-textured, savoury sauce – made by blitzing cashews with mustard and sweated-down onions – ensures this is as good as any dairy-laden gratin. Serve it hot and bubbling for a really comforting meal. (Don’t forget to put your cashews to soak a few hours ahead.)

20g jumbo oats 2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5.

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

Combine the buckwheat, almonds and oats in a bowl and set aside.

1 large leek (about 300g), trimmed and cut into 5mm rounds

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cover the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or so, to encourage the onion to soften and sweat, then remove the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes or so until very soft and golden.

1 head of spring greens (about 250g), shredded into 1–2cm ribbons 75g cashew nuts, soaked in cold water for at least 3 hours 350ml hot veg stock (see page 00 for home-made) 1 tsp English mustard Sea salt and black pepper

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the leek and greens and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the leek is tender but not soft. (Alternatively, you can cook them in a steamer). Drain thoroughly.

Drain the soaked cashews and put them into a blender. Add the hot stock and blitz until you have a smooth, thin liquid. Add the soft onions and mustard and blitz again to get a thin, savoury ‘cream’. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the greens and leek mix in a shallow oven dish (about 1.5 litre capacity), season with salt and pepper and pour on the cashew cream.

Scatter the buckwheat mix over the top and transfer the dish to the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve straight away, with mash or seaweed chips (page 000).

Swaps

Greens Replace the spring greens with other leafy veg, according to what is in season: try curly kale or savoy cabbage.

24

FEASTS

Recipe from River Cottage Much More Veg by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, photography by Simon Wheeler

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Vinha d’alhos-style vegetables Legumes com vinha d’alhos Serves 2 as a main course

Sadly, vegetables are often a bit of an afterthought in

or 4 as a side dish

Portuguese gastronomy. They’re often overcooked or added to stews that will be long simmered. Here, I’ve chosen to

3 red onions, cut into thick rings 400g parsnips, halved lengthways 500g heirloom carrots, halved lengthways 50g walnuts 3 slices day-old bread, such as ciabatta or sourdough 2 tablespoons olive oil Finely grated zest of 1 orange Finely grated zest of 1 lemon A small handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve Sea salt flakes, ground white pepper and cracked black pepper

use vegetables that we know and love, giving them the vinha d’alhos (wine and garlic) treatment and resisting the temptation to add lots of meat. The result is this delicious roasted dish that can easily sit at the centre of the table and hold its own.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Put the glaze ingredients in a pan and cook over a medium heat until the honey dissolves. Be careful not to reduce the glaze too much at this stage, as it will reduce further while cooking. Set aside.

Put the onions in a baking dish large enough to allow the vegetables plenty of room to roast, rather than steam (we want them to roast for flavour and colour). Sit the parsnips and carrots on top of the onions and season with salt and white pepper.

For the glaze 150ml red wine, ideally a light to medium-bodied red wine such as a pinot noir 50ml red wine vinegar, plus a little extra (optional) 50ml freshly squeezed orange juice 3 garlic cloves, smashed ½ teaspoon toasted cumin seeds, gently crushed 50g honey 1 cinnamon stick

Pour the glaze over and mix well. Roast for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown. After 15 minutes, you can remove the cinnamon stick if you like (I prefer to leave it in).

Baste the vegetables with the glaze 2 or 3 times while cooking.

I also like to add an extra splash of red wine vinegar halfway through for an acidic kick.

Put the walnuts on a separate baking tray and bake for a few minutes until lightly toasted. Roughly chop them once cooled.

Make the croutons by tearing the bread into rough bite-sized pieces. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the bread and toast for 5 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.

Put the croutons in a bowl and mix in the orange and lemon zest and parsley. Season with salt and white pepper.

Once the vegetables are cooked, if the glaze seems too liquid you can simmer it in a pan to reduce, then spoon it back over the vegetables. Sprinkle the walnuts and croutons over the vegetables and add a generous glug of extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper.

Dinner

229

Recipe from Lisboeta by Nuno Mendes, photography by Andrew Montgomery

Maple and pecan roast squash P Re PA RAT I On: T IM e n e e ded :

in the oven 30 minutes to an hour

Squash, maple and pecan are natural bedfellows, and when roasted together are one of my favourite low-hassle side dishes. You should serve this with rich, savoury meat dishes, or things involving a creamy or cheesy sauce; if your meal is already a little sweet, or you’re contemplating other sweet side dishes, consider the Rosemary and chilli roast squash on page 184 instead.

This is best with winter squash or pumpkin such as kabocha (delica), acorn and red kuri (onion) squash, whose nutty, earthy flavours suit the maple and pecan well. The more ubiquitous butternut verges on being too sweet to be matched with maple (for my palate anyway), but do use it if you can’t find the others.

Serves 4–6 1kg winter squash or pumpkin 4 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil 2 tablespoons maple syrup leaves from 10–15 sprigs thyme 25g pecan nuts, lightly crushed Sea salt Preheat the oven to 210˚C/Fan 190˚C/Gas 6½.

Wipe the squash or pumpkin with a damp cloth to remove any dirt. Use a large sharp knife to cut it in half and scoop the seeds out with a spoon. Place each one flat-side down and cut it into 6–8 slices around 2–3cm thick (leave the skin on unless it’s really too thick).

Put the oil and syrup in a large bowl and mix well. Add the thyme leaves and then the squash wedges. Get your hands in there and ensure each of the wedges is well glossed.

You may need to do this in batches. Put the squash in a roasting tin (you need one that’s large enough to fit the squash in one layer; otherwise you’ll end up with steamed and soft, rather than nicely coloured and crisp-edged, squash). Drizzle with any remaining syrup and oil and roast on the top shelf for 20 minutes.

Carefully flip the squash over and sprinkle with the pecan nuts. Roast for 10 minutes 186

Roots, squash & potatoes

more, or until the edges are charring a little and the flesh is soft but not soggy. Season with a generous pinch of salt.

AlOn G SIde : Cavolo nero with garlic, chilli and orange (page 24); Cauliflower cheese (page 132); Anise-braised spring onions (page 148); Portobello mushrooms baked with oregano (page 152); Roman rosemary polenta (page 240)

Recipe from On the Side by Ed Smith, photography by Joe Woodhouse

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Desserts

263

Drunken figs with pistachios and cream Figos bêbados com pistachios e natas Serves 4

In Portugal we like to poach fruit in port, and figs are at the top of my list for this treatment. They have been grown

280ml ruby port 60g caster sugar 12 fresh figs 3 strips orange zest 1 cinnamon stick 50g pistachios, shelled 100ml double cream 100g crème fraîche 1 teaspoon brandy, plus more to taste Sea salt flakes (optional)

in Portugal for centuries, as have pistachios. Use roasted green pistachios for this recipe if you can find them – they’re my favourite.

Put the port in a large pan with the sugar and bring to the boil.

Turn down the heat and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Add the figs, orange zest and cinnamon, cover and remove the pan from the heat. Leave to sit for 5–10 minutes, depending on how soft you want the figs to be.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Put the pistachios on a baking tray and bake until lightly toasted. Once cooled, roughly chop them.

Whisk the cream to soft peaks and fold in the crème fraîche. Stir in the brandy. Don’t stir it too much at this stage or it may split.

I like to add a little sea salt to the cream for a savoury note.

Slice some of the figs in half and arrange these and the whole figs on a serving plate. Simmer the poaching liquid for a few minutes to reduce it to a glaze. Serve the figs with some of the glaze poured on top and a sprinkling of pistachios, with the brandy cream alongside.

Recipe from Lisboeta by Nuno Mendes, photography by Andrew Montgomery

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Desserts

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Caramel walnut mousse Baba de camelo Serves 4–6

The name of this dish literally means ‘camel’s drool’, which is weird, I know – it evokes something that you wouldn’t really

1 x 397g tin condensed milk or condensed milk caramel 4 eggs, separated A pinch of sea salt 100g digestive biscuits, crushed 50g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

associate with desserts, or indeed with food in general. It’s a great example of the Portuguese genius with condensed milk, and our ability to transform a humble and practical ingredient into a simple but utterly delicious dessert.

If you need to caramelise the condensed milk, put the tin in a pan of warm water and bring to the boil over a medium heat.

It is important that the tin is fully submerged. When the water comes to the boil, turn it down to simmer. Simmer for 2 hours, rotating the tin frequently; if you prefer a darker caramel, simmer it for 3 hours. Carefully remove the tin and leave to cool before opening. (If you bought condensed milk caramel you don’t need to do this.)

In a large, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. In a separate large bowl, mix the condensed milk caramel with the egg yolks, whisking vigorously to incorporate them. To keep a nice airy texture, start by stirring in 1 tablespoon of the egg whites into the caramel to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites. Be careful not to over-mix or you will knock out the air. If you like, chill the mousse in the fridge for a few hours before assembling and serving (this helps tone down the sweetness a little bit).

Transfer to a serving bowl or individual glasses. Start with a layer of biscuits and walnuts, then pour in the mousse, and top with more biscuits and walnuts. If you want more texture you can roughly chop the walnuts and biscuits, or you can blitz them to a fine crumb in a food processor. I like the biscuits to be quite fine and the walnuts chunky.

Recipe from Lisboeta by Nuno Mendes, photography by Andrew Montgomery

cookBooks Recipes taken from our delicious range of cookbooks Browse online at bloomsbury.com/uk to find the perfect Christmas gifts for your foodie family and friends.

On the Side Ed Smith £20

Masterchef Street Food of the world Genevieve Taylor £26

River Cottage Much More Veg Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall £26

Lisboeta

Junk Food Japan

Nuno Mendes £26

Scott Hallsworth £26