delicious UK – April 2018

My approach to eating well, without

havingtoomanycarbs,istobumpup

protein,toincludefatsandtoavoid

processed foods and added sugars.

Akeytrendofthelow-carbdietisto

replacerefinedgrainssuchaspasta,

whitebreadandricewithnon-starchy

carbssuchasgreenveg,aubergines,

mushroomsandceleriac,andthereis

alottorecommendit.Eatingthisway

is about as good as it gets. ANNIE BELL

ANNIE BELL

trained as

achefbefore

changing

career to

food writer

–andhas

since upped

her health

credentials,

completing

an MSc in

Human

Nutrition.

She’s written

numerous

cookbooks,

of which

Low-Carb

Expressis

her most

recent.

PORTRAIT: NASSIMA ROTHACKER

eat well for life.

Watercress and

pistachio soup

SERVES 6. HANDS-ON TIME 10 MIN,

COOKING TIME 15 MIN

Pistachios give this soup a

soothing homespun texture,

thickandfaintlymealy.Their

scentafteraquickspellinhot

butter works a treat with the

watercress, while the

pomegranatechallengesits

slightbitterness.It’sasoupthat

suggeststhatalliswellwiththe

world. You might like to crumble

alittlegoat’scheeseoverthe

soup for added pleasure.

MAKE

AHEAD

Makethesoupupto48

hoursinadvanceandkeep

inasealedcontainerinthe

fridge. Or freeze for up to 1 month.

FOOD

TEAM’S

TIPS

Youcouldalsouseastick

blender or a food processor.

Remember when whizzing

hotliquidinablendertoremovethe

cap and cover with a folded tea towel.

•1.1litresvegetablestock(ifyou’re

not cooking for vegetarians you

canusechickenstock)

•50gunsaltedbutter

• 50g pistachio kernels, coarsely
  chopped, plus a few extra to serve


• 250g watercress


• 300g celeriac, peeled, cut into
  5-7cmchunksandfinelysliced


• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 Bringthestocktotheboilina

small saucepan. Melt the butter

in a large saucepan over a medium

heat, add the nuts and fry for

30-60secondsuntilniceand

buttery, stirring constantly. Add the

watercress and stir until it wilts. Add

the celeriac and cook for a minute

longer, stirring occasionally, then

pourintheboilingstockandadd

some seasoning. Simmer for

6minutes,thenwhizzit,inbatches,

inablenderuntilsmooth(seetips).

2 Gently reheat if necessary and

serveinwarmbowlswithathread

(1 tsp) of pomegranate molasses

andafewextrapistachios.

PER SERVING185 kcals, 12.3g fat

(5.1gsaturated), 4.2g protein,

11.2g carbs (9.9g sugars), 1.4g salt,

3.4gfibre.

Roast asparagus and red

onion with farro

SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN,

OVEN TIME 25 MIN

This accommodating little

dish is ideal for when you’re not

completelysureaboutwhenyou

might sit down to eat: served hot,

ambientorcoolitwillstillbe

great.And,shouldyoubefeeling

particularlyhungry,itwelcomes

alightlypoachedeggorsome

griddledandslicedchicken.

Mostfarrosoldtodayisquick-

cook and takes less than 15

minutes – a boon for a grain.

MAKE

AHEAD

Leftoverswillkeepin

the fridge for 2-3 days,

covered.

•1tbsplemonjuice

•1garlicclove,crushedtoapaste

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  
  
  • 350-400g fine asparagus, halved
    lengthways
  
  
  • 2 red onions, halved and thinly
    sliced into half moons
    •50gfarro
  
  
  • 1 tbsp small capers, rinsed
  
  
  • Handful coarsely chopped
    flatleafparsley
  
  
  • Chia seeds to scatter (optional)
  
  
  • Lemon wedges to serve
  
  
  
  

1 Heat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/

gas6½. Combine the lemon juice

and garlic with 2 tbsp of the olive oil

in a large bowl. Add the asparagus

andtosstocoat,thenseasonwell

and spread over the base of a large

roasting tin.

2 Spread the onion over a baking

sheet, separating out the slices,

drizzleovertheremainingoiland

toss to coat. Roast the asparagus for

about20minutesuntillightlygolden

and, at the same time, roast the →

Asoupwithadded

pistachio power

deliciousmagazine.co.uk 97