Georgina Hayden

Feeding since 1982

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Thai spiced mackerel pâté

04.27.2015 by georgie // Leave a Comment

Hello Monday. What a joy to start the week with some good food and a blog post and a spot of crochet on the bus!

There are some really exciting things in the pipeline which are keeping me busy right now, one of which is a supper club, my first! We’re holding it the week before Archie’s birthday in May to raise money for Sands and Tommy’s, two amazing charities. I’ve wanted to do some fundraising for a long time and I’m so excited about hosting a proper supper club and cooking for so many people, it feels like a great personal challenge whilst also doing something positive in memory of our baby. I’m just working on finalising the menu at the moment and placing orders – watch this space.

I also recently did an interview with fashion and lifestyle website Secret Sales, and got to talk about my job as a Food Stylist and why I love it. I’m really chuffed as I love what I do and where I work, so it was a lovely opportunity to talk about it. You can read the interview here.

Thai spiced mackerel pate

And even though all these things are exciting and fun, today has been a really lovely calm day, I got a chance to thoughtfully cook myself lunch (and shoot it) before leaving the house and Skype my best mate in Spain – I miss her bad. It feels so good to actually take the time to think about what I need, and want.  I’ve been trying hard to make sure we regularly eat fish for some time now as it is such a quick and nutritious source of energy and omega 3’s – proper brain food. However being a Monday fresh fish isn’t really an option, so I went for the smoked kind instead, which is a brilliant fridge staple. Read more…

Categories // Fish, Light meals, Preserving, Starters & sides Tags // Fertility, Gluten-free, Mackerel, Nutrition, Pate, Snack, Starter, Thai, Wheat-free

Dal Makhani

11.24.2014 by georgie // 20 Comments

India is my total happy place. If I could jump on a plane right now and go anywhere, it would be India – it is beautiful, colourful, fascinating and most of all delicious. (Also with Christmas looming I could really do with not being in this country for a bit). It is the only country in the world I have spent a significant amount of time in and not got bored of the cuisine. Curry for breakfast, lunch AND dinner? Yes. Please.

Rewind a few years and I was lucky enough to go to the opening week of a trendy new London eatery – Dishoom.  A dear friend of mine is the brains behind the incredible menu, and invited us along. It blew us away. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times we have been back since, but if there were a loyalty card system I would be platinum by now. There are so many delicious treats on the menu it is unreal. I try and mix it up every time we go but there is one constant and that is the black dal. Black dal and if I am feeling really naught a side of cheesy naan. Washed down with chai, lots of chai.

I’ve cooked various versions of this recipe, however today I have finally settled on a worthy Dishoom substitute. I know the Dishoom dal is cooked for a whole day, so in comparison my 6 hour version is a quick cook meal! And it is totally delicious. This is what I would consider real healing food –  in the cooking sense and the meal itself. It is wholesome, warming and meditative. For long lazy days at home and bowls of deliciousness.

Dal Makhani
Dal Makhani

 

DAL MAKHANI

Serves 8 – 10 (you can easily halve this recipe but for the time and effort it is definitely worth making a larger batch and then freezing any extra dal for a rainy day)

  • 500g urad dal
  • 50g butter
  • 2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
  • 12 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • A large thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 heaped teaspoon mild chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • A heaped tablespoon of tomato puree
  • A tin of good quality plum tomatoes
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 500ml organic whole milk
  • Double cream or Greek yoghurt, to serve (optional)

Soak the urad dal in plenty of water the night before you want to cook it.

The next day place the soaked dal in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 40 minutes until the dal is soft (scooping off any scum that comes to the surface). While the dal is cooking saute the veg. Melt the butter in a large non stick saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and soften for 10 – 15 minutes so it is cooked down and soft but not coloured: you want gorgeous sticky onions. Add the cumin and chilli powder to the pan and cook for a couple more minutes before adding the tomato puree. Cook for a few more minutes and then add the tinned tomatoes. Gently crush the tomatoes, breaking them down and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes and season generously.

When the dal is cooked, drain and add to the pan with the veg. Pour in the milk and top with enough water to just cover the dal. Bring the mixture to the boil, giving everything a good stir and then reduce the heat to low, so it is gently simmering away. This is where you need time. You could cook this for 1 – 2 hours and it would be ok. But don’t settle for that, you want crazy delicious dal and for that you need to cook it for at least 4 hours. 5 if you can. 6 would be amazing. You could keep going…

Leave the dal ticking away uncovered, giving it a stir every now and then. If it looks like it is getting too dry top it up with a bit more milk, or a bit more water, alternating the two. After a few hours you’ll notice it start to darken, this is great, let it get darker and thicker (try not to drown it in too much liquid) and keep stirring.

Check the seasoning, it is a vast amount of dal so don’t be surprised if it needs more salt and pepper. And serve with poppadoms, rice, naan, chutney, a swirl of cream or yoghurt, or however you fancy. I just like it straight up, it is that good.

Categories // Light meals, Main meals, Vegan and Vegetarian Tags // Fertility, Gluten-free, Indian, Lentils, Mains, Nutrition, Pregnancy, Snack, Vegetarian, Wheat-free

Chicken Caesar on rye

11.07.2014 by georgie // 1 Comment

I love leftovers, they make my life so much easier at the moment. I am still at home a lot of the time, and as much as I am trying to look after myself and cook nice things I can’t always muster up the energy. Some days I can’t get out of bed or off the sofa. Not often, but it happens. Thats when the soup comes out, or something from the freezer that my Yiayia has made. Or, if I am really lucky, there are leftovers.

So last Sunday Pete and I treated ourselves to a homemade roast. Lemony thyme roast chicken, roast potatoes, honey glazed carrots, kale, cauliflower cheese, homemade cider gravy… the lot. Afterwards I took a lot of pride in packing up the leftovers and making stock with the chicken carcass. Normally I’d just turn the meat into a salad or broth the next day, but I’d also made a loaf of rye bread on the weekend and wanted to use that too: cue the chicken Caesar open sandwich. I had forgotten how much I loved chicken sandwiches! With shredded organic roast chicken, a delicious creamy dressing, some sort of crunchy element, what is not too like? I’d forgot the beauty of chicken Caesar too, a result of many bad pub meals with fake dressing I am sure…

So here you go, a perfect leftover lunch for one. Not too naughty and tonnes of flavour.

Open chicken caesar on rye
Open chicken caesar on rye

 

CHICKEN CAESAR ON RYE

This dressing could definitely take a fine grating of garlic, if thats your cup of tea.

Serves 1

  • A thick slice of rye, sourdough or gluten free bread
  • 80g shredded cooked chicken, preferably free range or organic
  • An anchovy
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon English mustard
  • Parmesan
  • A heaped tablespoon of Greek yoghurt
  • Half a lemon
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • A spring onion, finely sliced
  • A few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cucumber

Using a vegetable peeler, shred the cucumber into ribbons. Place in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice (keeping some for the chicken) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss together and leave to one side.

If your bread is fresh simply lay on a plate and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. If it is a few days old, toast it first – you could even rub the toast with the cut side of a clove of garlic for a little added flavour.

Place the anchovy in a pestle and mortar and bash to a paste with a little pinch of salt and pepper (not too much salt though as the anchovy and parmesan are already very salty). Add the mustard and yoghurt and mix together well. Then squeeze in the rest of the lemon juice and finely grate in a little parmesan (just a few gratings, you won’t need lots) and stir. Spoon the dressing over the chicken, mix it all together and then pile on top of you bread or toast. Finish with the sliced spring onion and parsley, and serve.

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Categories // Light meals, Main meals Tags // Chicken, Fertility, Gluten, Gluten-free, Mains, Pregnancy, Snack, Wheat-free

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Georgina is an award winning food writer, cook and presenter from North London.
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