the times Saturday December 4 202112 Food + Drink
One-pot lamb
orzo with olives
and feta
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g lamb rump steaks, trimmed of
fat and cut into chunks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
for drizzling
½ lemon, for squeezing
1½ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 small cinnamon stick
2 tsp tomato puree
½ tsp chilli flakes
400g tin of cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp runny honey
1 large rosemary sprig
550ml chicken stock
250g orzo
100g baby spinach leaves
60g black olives, pitted and halved
80g feta, crumbled
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt and black pepperMethod
1 Place the lamb in a large bowl with
a good drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze
of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the
allspice, ½ a teaspoon of the oregano
and half the garlic. Season with salt
and pepper and mix well. Cover and
leave to marinate for at least 30 min.
2 Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.
3 Heat the oil in a flameproof
casserole over a medium-high heat
and add the lamb. Cook for 3-4 min to
sear the meat.
4 Remove the meat from the pan
with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5 In the same pan add the onion,
lower the heat to medium and cook
for 4-6 min until softened but not
coloured. Add the cinnamon,
remaining garlic, allspice and
oregano and cook for 30 seconds.
6 Add the tomato puree and chilli
flakes and stir before adding the
tomatoes, honey, rosemary and stock.
Season with a little salt and a
generous grind of pepper.
7 Return the lamb to the pan, bring to
the boil, then reduce the heat, cover
and gently simmer for 5 min.
8 Add the orzo and give everything
a good stir. Transfer the casserole,
uncovered, to the oven. Bake for
20-25 min, until the orzo is tender but
still has bite.
9 Remove from the oven, take out the
cinnamon stick and stir through the
spinach. Cover and allow to rest for
5 min before stirring in the olives.
Serve scattered with the feta and
chopped parsley.Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for
drizzling
½ red onion, chopped
150g button mushrooms,
roughly chopped
1 tsp Italian mixed herbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
400g tin mixed pulses in
water, or kidney beans,
drained, rinsed
60g jumbo rolled oats
1 tbsp tomato puree
½ tsp sea salt½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp pine nuts, lightly
bashed
For the tomato sauce
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium-hot red chilli,
deseeded and finely
chopped (optional)
500g passata
150ml vegetable stock
½ tsp sugar
½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
8-10 basil leaves, shredded,
plus extra to serve
Sea salt and freshly ground
black pepperMethod
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Lightly oil a non-stick
baking tray.
2 Heat the oil in a non-stick
frying pan over a medium
heat and add the onion
and mushrooms. Cook for
4-6 min, until soft. Add the
herbs and garlic and cook
for another 30 seconds. Set
aside to cool.
3 Put the pulses, oats and
tomato puree in a food
processor and blitz until
well combined. Add the
onion mixture, salt and
pepper and blitz again. Add
the pine nuts and pulse a
couple of times to combine.
4 With slightly damp hands,
form the mixture into golf
ball or walnut-sized balls(you should get 12-16 balls).
5 Place the beanballs on the
oiled baking tray and drizzle
with a little more oil. Bake in
the oven for 18-20 min,
turning once.
6 Meanwhile, make the
tomato sauce. Heat the oil
in a sauté or deep-sidedfrying pan over a medium
heat. Add the onion and
cook for 4-6 min, until
softened but not coloured.
Add the garlic and chilli
(if using) and cook for
30 seconds, until fragrant.
7 Add the passata, stock
and sugar. Season with salt
and black pepper, stir and
bring to the boil. Reduce the
heat and simmer gently for
10 min. Stir in the balsamic
vinegar and basil.
8 Remove the beanballs
from the oven and drop
them into the tomato sauce.
Simmer for 3-4 min, turning
once in the sauce. Scatter
with basil and serve with
spaghetti, rice or couscous.Mushroom
beanballs in
tomato sauce
(youshouldget 1216 bll)Spicy three
bean and
pepper chilli
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 large red onion, finely
chopped
2 peppers (red and
yellow) chopped
1 celery stick, trimmed and
finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium-hot red chilli,
deseeded and diced
½-1 tsp hot chilli powderor cayenne, to taste
1 tsp sweet smoked
paprika
½ tsp ground allspice
A large handful of
coriander, stalks and
leaves separated,
chopped, plus extra
leaves to serve
1 tsp dried oregano
450-500ml vegetable
stock, hot
400g tin of chopped
tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp maple syrup
3 x 400g tins beans
(kidney, cannellini, pinto),
drained and rinsed1 small cinnamon stick
1 lime, for squeezing
25g dark chocolate
(70 per cent), chopped
Sea salt
To serve
Thick plain yoghurt or
soured cream, chopped
avocado, tortilla chipsMethod
1 Heat the oil in a
large, heavy-based
saucepan or flameproof
casserole over a medium
heat and add the onion,
peppers and celery.
Cook for 4-6 min, stirring
often, until softened.2 Add the garlic and chilli
and stir for 30 seconds,
then stir in the ground
spices, coriander stalks
and oregano and cook for
1-2 min, adding a splash of
stock if needed.
3 Add the chopped
tomatoes, tomato puree
and maple syrup, and
give everything a good
stir, scraping the bottom of
the pan.
4 Add the beans, cinnamon
and 450ml of the stock
and season with salt.
Bring to the boil, cover
with a lid, reduce the heat
and simmer for 10 min.5 Remove the lid and gently
simmer, uncovered, for
another 20-25 min, until
thickened, stirring
occasionally and adding a
splash more stock to loosen
if needed.
6 Stir in the coriander
leaves, squeeze in
some lime juice to taste
and check the seasoning.
7 Stir in the chocolate,
allowing it to melt.
Spoon into warm bowls,
top with a spoonful of
yoghurt and chopped
avocado, and scatter with
coriander leaves. Serve
with tortilla chips.How to make the easiest supper —
Tagines and chilli
are perfect for now
(and there’s less
washing up), says
Ainsley Harriott
Lamb orzo with fetaSpicy three bean chilli