Main meals

My fridge looks pretty bare right now, but being a little broke and a little lazy (it’s raining) I was adamant to create something delicious and nutritious from what I had at home. And I think I might have just done that. Heck, even if no one else is on board, I think I’ve just created my new favourite lunch.

It ticks a lot of boxes this recipe: unrefined carbs, protein, veg, packed with flavour and I feel virtuous eating it. I love satay style foods, with gado gado being one of my favourite things ever. However with peanut allergic husband its no-go in this house, so I am always looking for ways to create that ‘nutty’ texture, without using nuts. Tahini is great for this, as is my new favourite thing, seed butters. There is a lady at our local food market who sells a range of nut and seed butters and at the moment I have a tub of pumpkin seed butter on the go. It makes a great snack, keeps well and as I have also found out, is a dream in salad dressings. Also its pretty darn good for you.

Mushroom and spinach noodles with lime and ginger dressing — Mushroom and spinach noodles with ginger and lime dressing

MUSHROOM AND SPINACH NOODLES WITH GINGER AND LIME DRESSING

Serves 1 (multiply as needed…)

2 teaspoons pumpkin seed butter (available at most health shops) or use peanut butter if you like
3 teaspoons coconut oil or other unflavoured oil (avocado oil would be good too)
2 teaspoons low salt soy sauce
2cm piece of ginger, peeled
1/4 red chilli (tip: I freeze red chillies, makes them easier to use and finely grate)
Half a juicy lime
1 teaspoon runny honey
a few springs of coriander and mint, leaves picked
50g brown rice noodles (or use normal rice noodle is you can’t get brown rice ones)
5 closed cup mushrooms, wiped
Large clove of garlic, peeled
2 balls of frozen spinach (you can used fresh if you like. A large handful of washed baby spinach, chopped would work)
1 large free range egg (omit to make vegan, or if you just don’t fancy it)

Start by finely slicing the garlic, and slicing the mushrooms. Put 2 teaspoons of your chosen oil in a small non-stick pan, and place on a medium-low heat. Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for 6 – 8 minutes until golden, and any water has evaporated.

Whilst the mushrooms are frying cook your rice noodles according to packet instructions and leave to one side, in cold water until needed.

Soon as the mushrooms look a little golden add the frozen spinach and turn the heat down to low. Stir occasionally to soften, they should take 3-4 minutes to cook down.

Meanwhile make the dressing by mixing together the pumpkin seed butter, remaining oil, honey, lime juice and soy and finely grate in the ginger and most of the chilli. If you chilli isn’t frozen and won’t grate, then just finely chop it. Chop the coriander and mint leaves and stir most of them into the dressing.

Once the spinach and mushrooms are cooked, crack your egg into a small bowl and whisk. Add to the pan and ripple into the veg until it is just cooked through. If you aren’t adding egg just skip that bit and add the drained noodles straight to the pan. Toss everything together well, then remove from the heat and stir in the dressing. Mix together and plate up. Garnish with the remaining chopped herbs and a little more grated/ chopped chilli. Heavenly.

I adore this recipe. I can’t remember when I first had it, but all variations are winner with me (skate often being paired with a burnt butter and caper sauce) – this being my all time favourite though. It isn’t difficult but you’ll need to focus at the job at hand, as the sauce doesn’t sit particularly well.

ROAST SKATE WITH SHERRY SAUCE AND CRISPY CAPERS (Raya con salsa de jerez)

From Casa Moro: The Second Cookbook by Sam and Sam Clark

Serves 4

4 portion sized skate wings, about 250g each
7 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
200ml fino sherry
1 banana shallot or 2 normal shallots, finely chopped
a sprig of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
5 tablespoons sherry vinegar plus 1 extra teaspoon
10 black peppercorns
200g good quality unsalted butter, cold, cubed
80g capers in salt or vinegar
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 lemon, quartered

Prepare and fry the capers in advance: Wash the capers in a sieve for 1 minute under running water and then leave in a bowl of cold water for an hour, changing the water a few times. Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat and when hot add the drained capers. Fry, stirring occasionally until they are slightly browned and crisp. Remove from the heat and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.

To make the sauce, place the fino, shallots, thyme, bay leaves, 5 tablespoons vinegar and the peppercorns in a small saucepan and simmer over a low to medium heat until you are left with roughly 5 tablespoons of liquid. Strain out the thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns. Over a very low heat, stirring constantly, add the cubes of butter, a couple at a time. Add more when the butter has melted into the sauce and continue to do so until all the butter has been used and a light emulsion has formed. Add the remaining teaspoon of vinegar and a little salt and taste. Keep warm over the stove or in a bain-marie while you cook the fish, but do not allow to bubble.

Preheat the oven to 220/ 425/ Gas 7. When you are ready to cook the skate heat a large metal roasting tin on the hob until very hot. Season the skate with salt and pepper on both sides, drizzle the olive oil into the pan to cover the bottom and gently ease each wing into it, shaking the pan as you do so to prevent the skate from sticking. Place in the oven for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the wing, or until cooked through. Remove and serve immediately with the warm sauce spooned over the fish, the capers and chopped parsley sprinkled all over, and lemon wedges on the side. Delicious with braised spinach or chard and new season’s boiled potatoes.

Roast skate with homemade bread to mop up the sauce and a radish and rocket salad — Roast skate with homemade bread to mop up the sauce and a radish, rocket and watercress salad

My new favourite lunch

Roasted skate with sherry sauce and crispy capers