Do you like recipes that you can knock out in 20 minutes after work? Me too. This is not one of those recipes. The flavours here are complimentary to many things but particularly food with a Mediterranean angle. Great on chicken, great on fish… and of course you can vary it according to what’s knocking about threatening to go off.
Lemon, olive and herb rub:
A couple of handfuls of olives
Peel of 1 lemon
Peel of 1 orange
Large handful of rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
Preheat the oven to 100°C. Lay everything out on a baking tray in one layer and pop it in.
You’re waiting for everything to turn paper dry – between 1½ – 2 hours. Put everything aside to cool.
Blitz to a fine powder and store in an airtight tub.
Gor blimey I luv a sarnie. And the Americans really know how to do it. This Scooby snack of a sandwich is a New Orleans specialty, supposed to be a big enormous circular loaf that lasts a working man all day. The olive mix is the base of this, the rest is essentially a deli in a bun. As you sink your teeth through the bread you get all sorts of wonderful flavours popping through, pickled veg, smoked cheese, salty ham, sweet tomato… a real treat. The recipe listed below is a suggestion, nothing more. Add or delete as your cupboard and deli provide.
I first saw this sandwich back in 1998, back on the inspiring and pornographic Nigel Slater’s Real Food, where calm Kiwi cook Peter Gordon pressed layer upon layer of ingredient on to this bap. I salivated over it at the time then promptly never made it. Fastforward 11 years, I finally get round to it. If you want to see it, as with much of Channel 4’s content, it can now be seen on Youtube.
Muffuletta:
1 large round loaf, about 30cm across (focaccia works well)
Mixed olives
Sundried tomatoes
Sliced fresh tomato
Sliced artichoke
Parsley, chopped
Spring onions, sliced
Pancetta, grilled
Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
Slice the loaf horizontally and drizzle olive oil on both sides.
Layer the ingredients as generously as you can. Season the fresh tomatoes when you get there. It’s also a good idea to dribble a little extra oil near the top layers to allow the flavours to be drawn down.
Put the lid back on, cover with clingfilm and press down with tins and other heavy things. Leave for a couple of hours if possible.
An open confession: I arrived home to this hearty treat as a dish prepared by Mrs Roast Potato and eldest New Potato (is that metaphor too tortured?). Regardless, I present it here on their behalf. A real punchy mediterranean pasta blowout.
Roasted squash rigatoni:
1 butternut squash, skinned and diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
250g rigatoni
Handful of mixed olives
Handful of basil leaves
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Pop the squash, tomatoes and garlic in a baking dish in the oven for 30 mins.
Meanwhile cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
Combine the pasta with the vegetables, toss with olive oil and seasoning.
