T OMATOES 46 These are a midweek staple in our house, as I tend to always have some sort of mince stashed away in the freezer. They’re inspired by the amazing Turkish eateries I used to go to after work in the Green Lanes area of North London; often family-run restaurants who greet you with plates of warm flatbread, hummus, tzatziki and roughy chopped salad before you’ve even thought about what you’ll order for main. Here I’ve used lamb, but of course use minced beef, chicken or pork if that’s what is to hand. ✱ First, add the cumin seeds (and fennel seeds if using) to a large non- stick frying pan (skillet) over a high heat then dry-fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a pestle and mortar or cutting board to roughly crush. ✱ Return the pan to a high heat, then add the oil and the lamb; fry for 3–4 minutes until crispy and gaining some nice dark colour. Stir in the crushed spices, salt, cinnamon and chilli flakes until fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes, then simmer on high for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until reduced and sticky. ✱ To make the yoghurt mixture, stir together the cucumber, mint, salt, garlic and yoghurt. Warm the flatbreads in a toaster – or carefully using tongs directly over the gas flame for 20 seconds each side until slightly charred. To assemble Spoon the mince over a flatbread then add a dollop of the yoghurt. Tear over the mint, a pinch of the sumac, then zest over the lemon to finish. SPICED LAMB AND TOMATO FLATBREADS with Mint and Cucumber Yoghurt SERVES 2 25 minutes 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional) 1 tablespoon rapeseed (canola), vegetable or light olive oil 250 g (9 oz) minced (ground) lamb 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon chilli (hot pepper) flakes 1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin of chopped tomatoes 2 khobez or pitta flatbreads Mint and Cucumber Yoghurt ½ cucumber, deseeded and finely diced 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes 1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced 5 heaped tablespoons strained yoghurt (ideally full-fat) To Serve handful of mint leaves 1 teaspoon sumac 1 lemon SUBSTITUTES Minced lamb minced (ground) beef, chicken or pork Cucumber spring onions (scallions) Chilli flakes cayenne pepper, paprikaT OMATOES 46 These are a midweek staple in our house, as I tend to always have some sort of mince stashed away in the freezer. They’re inspired by the amazing Turkish eateries I used to go to after work in the Green Lanes area of North London; often family-run restaurants who greet you with plates of warm flatbread, hummus, tzatziki and roughy chopped salad before you’ve even thought about what you’ll order for main. Here I’ve used lamb, but of course use minced beef, chicken or pork if that’s what is to hand. ✱ First, add the cumin seeds (and fennel seeds if using) to a large non- stick frying pan (skillet) over a high heat then dry-fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a pestle and mortar or cutting board to roughly crush. ✱ Return the pan to a high heat, then add the oil and the lamb; fry for 3–4 minutes until crispy and gaining some nice dark colour. Stir in the crushed spices, salt, cinnamon and chilli flakes until fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes, then simmer on high for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until reduced and sticky. ✱ To make the yoghurt mixture, stir together the cucumber, mint, salt, garlic and yoghurt. Warm the flatbreads in a toaster – or carefully using tongs directly over the gas flame for 20 seconds each side until slightly charred. To assemble Spoon the mince over a flatbread then add a dollop of the yoghurt. Tear over the mint, a pinch of the sumac, then zest over the lemon to finish. SPICED LAMB AND TOMATO FLATBREADS with Mint and Cucumber Yoghurt SERVES 2 25 minutes 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional) 1 tablespoon rapeseed (canola), vegetable or light olive oil 250 g (9 oz) minced (ground) lamb 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon chilli (hot pepper) flakes 1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin of chopped tomatoes 2 khobez or pitta flatbreads Mint and Cucumber Yoghurt ½ cucumber, deseeded and finely diced 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes 1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced 5 heaped tablespoons strained yoghurt (ideally full-fat) To Serve handful of mint leaves 1 teaspoon sumac 1 lemon SUBSTITUTES Minced lamb minced (ground) beef, chicken or pork Cucumber spring onions (scallions) Chilli flakes cayenne pepper, paprikaA NCHOVIES 6869 A NCHOVIES This simple yet beautiful combination is inspired by the dainty anchovy and Parmesan toasts they used to serve at Rawduck in London Fields: just the kind of thing you want to snack on with a good glass of natural wine. Here, I’ve turned their snack into a complete meal that you can have on the table in just a few minutes – and it’s one that will transport you to the Mediterranean sunshine. I have a growing collection of tinned anchovies in retro packaging from little trips abroad we’ve made, so when I’m making this at home, I bring the tin to the table along with the grated (shredded) Parmesan, lemon and lettuce, then friends and I can build our own toasts, making the whole meal feel more sociable. ✱ First, lightly coat the little gem quarters in 2 tablespoons of oil. With your gas burner on high, carefully use tongs to hold a few little gem quarters directly over the flame until blistered and charred (take care as it might sizzle and spit slightly). Transfer to a plate and repeat until completed. If you don’t have a gas burner, a smoking hot frying pan, griddle pan or hot oven will give the same results – see page 101 for guidance. ✱ Next, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan (skillet) on high. Add the thyme, then fry for 1–2 minutes until crispy and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside. To assemble Toast the sourdough slices (you could also hold these over a flame for charred, crispy edges). Taking care, rub each slice a few times with the garlic clove, then layer up with the anchovies and fried thyme. Using a Microplane zester or the fine side of a box grater, grate over the Parmesan, then a few zestings of the lemon. Serve with the charred lettuce and a lemon half each for squeezing over juice to taste. PARMESAN, ANCHOVY AND THYME TOASTS with Charred Little Gem Lettuce SERVES 2 15 minutes 2 little gem lettuces (bibb lettuces), bases trimmed and quartered lengthways through the core 3 tablespoons rapeseed (canola) or extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only 2 slices of sourdough 1 garlic clove, peeled 1 x 50 g (2 oz) tin of anchovies in olive oil, drained of most of their oil 4 tablespoons Parmesan 1 lemon SUBSTITUTES Parmesan pecorino, salted ricotta, feta Thyme chopped rosemary, sage Little gem chicory (endive), radicchio A NCHOVIES 6869 A NCHOVIES This simple yet beautiful combination is inspired by the dainty anchovy and Parmesan toasts they used to serve at Rawduck in London Fields: just the kind of thing you want to snack on with a good glass of natural wine. Here, I’ve turned their snack into a complete meal that you can have on the table in just a few minutes – and it’s one that will transport you to the Mediterranean sunshine. I have a growing collection of tinned anchovies in retro packaging from little trips abroad we’ve made, so when I’m making this at home, I bring the tin to the table along with the grated (shredded) Parmesan, lemon and lettuce, then friends and I can build our own toasts, making the whole meal feel more sociable. ✱ First, lightly coat the little gem quarters in 2 tablespoons of oil. With your gas burner on high, carefully use tongs to hold a few little gem quarters directly over the flame until blistered and charred (take care as it might sizzle and spit slightly). Transfer to a plate and repeat until completed. If you don’t have a gas burner, a smoking hot frying pan, griddle pan or hot oven will give the same results – see page 101 for guidance. ✱ Next, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan (skillet) on high. Add the thyme, then fry for 1–2 minutes until crispy and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside. To assemble Toast the sourdough slices (you could also hold these over a flame for charred, crispy edges). Taking care, rub each slice a few times with the garlic clove, then layer up with the anchovies and fried thyme. Using a Microplane zester or the fine side of a box grater, grate over the Parmesan, then a few zestings of the lemon. Serve with the charred lettuce and a lemon half each for squeezing over juice to taste. PARMESAN, ANCHOVY AND THYME TOASTS with Charred Little Gem Lettuce SERVES 2 15 minutes 2 little gem lettuces (bibb lettuces), bases trimmed and quartered lengthways through the core 3 tablespoons rapeseed (canola) or extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only 2 slices of sourdough 1 garlic clove, peeled 1 x 50 g (2 oz) tin of anchovies in olive oil, drained of most of their oil 4 tablespoons Parmesan 1 lemon SUBSTITUTES Parmesan pecorino, salted ricotta, feta Thyme chopped rosemary, sage Little gem chicory (endive), radicchio C HERRIES 134 After turning on the coffee machine, my first job at 27 Elliott’s early each morning is to roll out the day’s galette. We keep a big batch of almond or hazelnut (filbert) frangipane in the refrigerator then just top spoonfuls over the rolled out pastry, along with whichever fruit we have to hand. Here I’ve given you guidance for tinned cherries from the back of the cupboard, but you could easily use apples, pears, rhubarb or soft berries to make an impressive galette. The brilliant thing about this pastry is that you don’t need to be precious or have the daintiest patisserie skills; in fact, the rougher your shape, the more rustic and inviting it ends up looking! A slice of this galette on its own is a fine thing, but if you’re going all out, some clotted cream or ice cream takes it to the next level. ✱ To make the pastry, rub the flour, salt, sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl, using your index and middle fingers and thumbs, until you’ve got large, rough flakes. (Don’t worry if some of your butter is still quite chunky.) Stir in a few splashes of cold water until the mixture is combined to a dough, then wrap in cling film (plastic wrap) and pop in the refrigerator for 1 hour. ✱ Meanwhile, to make the hazelnut frangipane, blitz the hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter, sugar, egg yolk, salt and cream until combined, then set aside. ✱ Once the pasty has chilled for 1 hour, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Lightly flour your workbench, then, using a rolling pin or a bottle, roll out the pastry to a circle, roughly 28 cm (11 in) in diameter. Don’t worry about it being perfectly round or neat at the edges. Spoon blobs of half the frangipane mixture over the pastry, then scatter over the cherries, followed by remaining blobs of the frangipane. Roughly fold in a 2 cm (¾ in) border, pinch slightly to create a crust, then brush the edges with milk. ✱ Using a large fish slice, transfer the galette to a baking (cookie) sheet lined with baking parchment. Bake in the oven for 40–50 minutes, or until golden and crisp at the edges. ✱ Allow to cool slightly before slicing into six (as you would a pizza). Best eaten on the day it’s baked. HAZELNUT FRANGIPANE CHERRY GALETTE SERVES 6 30 minutes, plus 1 hour for chilling and 40 minutes for baking Pastry 150 g (5 oz/1¼cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling out ¼ teaspoon fine salt ½ teaspoon sugar, ideally caster (superfine) or soft brown 85 g (3 oz) cold butter (salted or unsalted), cut into rough cubes 1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin of pitted cherries in syrup, drained (save the syrup to make the Cherry and Tarragon Soda on page 138) 1 tablespoon milk, for brushing clotted cream or good quality vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional) Hazelnut Frangipane 50 g (2 oz/scant ½ cup) whole shelled hazelnuts (filberts) 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted) 70 g (2¼ oz/¹⁄³ cup) sugar, ideally caster (superfine) 1 egg yolk ¼ teaspoon fine salt 2 tablespoons double (heavy) cream or full-fat milk SUBSTITUTES Sugar honey Hazelnuts almonds, pistachiosC HERRIES 134 After turning on the coffee machine, my first job at 27 Elliott’s early each morning is to roll out the day’s galette. We keep a big batch of almond or hazelnut (filbert) frangipane in the refrigerator then just top spoonfuls over the rolled out pastry, along with whichever fruit we have to hand. Here I’ve given you guidance for tinned cherries from the back of the cupboard, but you could easily use apples, pears, rhubarb or soft berries to make an impressive galette. The brilliant thing about this pastry is that you don’t need to be precious or have the daintiest patisserie skills; in fact, the rougher your shape, the more rustic and inviting it ends up looking! A slice of this galette on its own is a fine thing, but if you’re going all out, some clotted cream or ice cream takes it to the next level. ✱ To make the pastry, rub the flour, salt, sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl, using your index and middle fingers and thumbs, until you’ve got large, rough flakes. (Don’t worry if some of your butter is still quite chunky.) Stir in a few splashes of cold water until the mixture is combined to a dough, then wrap in cling film (plastic wrap) and pop in the refrigerator for 1 hour. ✱ Meanwhile, to make the hazelnut frangipane, blitz the hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter, sugar, egg yolk, salt and cream until combined, then set aside. ✱ Once the pasty has chilled for 1 hour, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Lightly flour your workbench, then, using a rolling pin or a bottle, roll out the pastry to a circle, roughly 28 cm (11 in) in diameter. Don’t worry about it being perfectly round or neat at the edges. Spoon blobs of half the frangipane mixture over the pastry, then scatter over the cherries, followed by remaining blobs of the frangipane. Roughly fold in a 2 cm (¾ in) border, pinch slightly to create a crust, then brush the edges with milk. ✱ Using a large fish slice, transfer the galette to a baking (cookie) sheet lined with baking parchment. Bake in the oven for 40–50 minutes, or until golden and crisp at the edges. ✱ Allow to cool slightly before slicing into six (as you would a pizza). Best eaten on the day it’s baked. HAZELNUT FRANGIPANE CHERRY GALETTE SERVES 6 30 minutes, plus 1 hour for chilling and 40 minutes for baking Pastry 150 g (5 oz/1¼cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling out ¼ teaspoon fine salt ½ teaspoon sugar, ideally caster (superfine) or soft brown 85 g (3 oz) cold butter (salted or unsalted), cut into rough cubes 1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin of pitted cherries in syrup, drained (save the syrup to make the Cherry and Tarragon Soda on page 138) 1 tablespoon milk, for brushing clotted cream or good quality vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional) Hazelnut Frangipane 50 g (2 oz/scant ½ cup) whole shelled hazelnuts (filberts) 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted) 70 g (2¼ oz/¹⁄³ cup) sugar, ideally caster (superfine) 1 egg yolk ¼ teaspoon fine salt 2 tablespoons double (heavy) cream or full-fat milk SUBSTITUTES Sugar honey Hazelnuts almonds, pistachiosNext >