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Monday 26 December 2011

Yotam Ottolenghi's warm halloumi and chicory with pomegranate and walnut recipe



(Serves two to four)

Ingredients

75g pomegranate seeds (ie, what you'll get from 1 pomegranate)
25g walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
1 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1,5 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
1 tsp caster sugar
Salt and black pepper
10g fresh coriander
125g halloumi, cut into 1cm slices
2 heads of chicory

Method
  1. Start by making the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the pomegranate seeds, walnuts, garlic, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, half the olive oil, half the sugar and some salt and pepper. Pick a few coriander leaves and set them aside to use as a garnish later, finely chop the remaining leaves and stems, and stir into the dressing. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary.
  2. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and fry the halloumi slices for a minute on each side, until they're a nice golden-brown colour. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
  3. Cut each chicory into quarters lengthways, so the stem holds the leaves together. Fry the chicory in two batches in the same pan as the halloumi, adding the remaining sugar and plenty of salt and pepper. Toss as you cook each batch for about a minute, just to colour a little on the outside. You may need to add a little bit of oil. Arrange the warm halloumi and chicory on a serving plate and spoon over the dressing.
  4. Shred the reserved coriander leaves and sprinkle on top.

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Roasted beet salad with yoghurt and preserved lemon


(serves four)

Ingredients

1kg beetroot
2 tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp cumin seeds
1 small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
20g preserved lemon skin, roughly chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
30g dill, roughly shredded
Salt and black pepper
3 tsp tahini paste
200g Greek yoghurt
1 chicory, cut widthways into 0.5cm slices

Method
  • Heat the oven to 220C. Wrap the beetroots individually in tin foil, place on a baking tray and roast for 30-60 minutes, depending on size and quality – check that they're done by inserting a knife: it should go in smoothly. When cool enough to handle, peel, cut into 0.5cm-thick slices and transfer to a mixing bowl to cool down.
  • Heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the cumin seeds. Cook for three minutes, until they start to pop, then pour the seeds and oil over the beetroot. Add the onion, preserved lemon, lemon juice, half the dill, a teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Mix well.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl. Stir the tahini into the yoghurt and add to the salad, along with the chicory. Give it a minimal stir, so the yoghurt and chicory mix in only slightly and there is still some clear distinction between the red and the white, with some pink ripple. Sprinkle over the remaining dill and serve

Harissa-marinated beef with preserved lemon sauce


(serves four)

Ingredients

1½ tbsp harissa
2 x 300g beef sirloin steaks, trimmed
Salt and black pepper
2 large yellow peppers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
400g tin chopped Italian tomatoes
½ tsp flaked chilli
¼ tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp preserved lemon skin, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish

Method
  1. Brush the harissa into the meat, season with a quarter-teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, and leave to marinade for at least an hour (or in the fridge overnight).
  2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Cook the peppers under a hot grill for 20-25 minutes, turning twice, until charred all over. Place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm until cool, then peel them and cut into long, thin strips. Discard the skin and seeds.
  3. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Fry the garlic for 30 seconds on medium heat, add the tomatoes, chilli, paprika, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, bring to a simmer and cook for seven minutes. Add the pepper strips, preserved lemon skin and parsley, and cook for seven minutes, until the sauce thickens but is still easy to pour. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
  4. Preheat the oven to 190C. Place a ridged griddle pan on a high heat and, when smoking hot, add the steaks and cook for a minute a side. Transfer to a baking tray and cook for eight minutes, until done to medium. Serve warm or at room temperature, sliced into thin strips, with sauce spooned on top and sprinkled with parsley, if you like.

Thursday 1 September 2011

Southern Indian vegetable curry with curry leaves

(serves two)

Ingredients

1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 fresh green chilli, deseeded and chopped
a small bunch of curry leaves
1 onion, peeled and shredded
½ teaspoon ground coriander
a pinch of ground cumin seeds
½ teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon chilli powder
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 potatoes, peeled and cubed
small aubergine, cubed
50ml coconut milk
a small handful of French beans
a small handful of peas
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the mustard seeds for 2 to 3 minutes or until they start to pop.
  2. Add the chillies, curry leaves, onions, coriander, cumin seeds, garam masala, turmeric, and chilli powder. Stir and cook over a medium heat until the onion is soft. Stir in the chopped tomatoes.
  3. Add your potatoes and aubergine to the sauce. Pour in the coconut milk and cook until the potato is soft and cooked through.
  4. Throw in the beans and peas. Season and cook for a few more minutes until tender, then serve with some nice fluffy rice.

Curry Laksa


If you can't get tofu puffs, cut firm tofu into big chunks, coat generously in cornflour and deep-fry. Thai basil and mint would make a welcome addition at the end.

(serves two, generously)

Ingredients

50g peeled baby shallots
4 garlic cloves
12,5g peeled ginger, sliced
12,5g lemongrass (soft white stem only), sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
1,5 large dried red chillies
1 tbsp sambal oelek (or other savoury chilli paste)
roots and steam from the fresh coriander

2 tbsp vegetable oil
25g fresh coriander
0,5 litres vegetable stock
1 1/5 branches curry leaves, or both
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp caster sugar
200ml coconut milk
50g rice vermicelli noodles
150g bean sprouts
75g french beans, trimmed and halved
125g fried tofu puffs (optional)
2 limes, halved

  1. Put the first seven ingredients in a small food processor bowl. Add half the oil, and the roots and stems of the fresh coriander, and process to a semi-smooth paste.
  2. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and fry the spice paste on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring all the time – you want to cook it slowly without burning.
  3. Add the stock, curry branches, curry powder, salt, sugar and coconut milk, simmer gently for 30 minutes, then taste and add more salt if necessary.
  4. Once the broth is done, steep the rice noodles in boiling water for three minutes and drain. Throw the bean sprouts into a pan of boiling water, drain at once and refresh. Cook the beans in boiling water for three minutes, drain and refresh.
  5. Just before serving, remove and discard the curry branches (the leaves can stay in the soup).
  6. Add the beans, noodles and half the sprouts, ladle into large bowls and top with the remaining sprouts, tofu puffs and shredded coriander leaves. Squeeze lime juice on top and throw one half of squeezed lime into each bowl.

Monday 29 August 2011

Aubergine and green bean curry

I've made twice as much of the curry paste as you need for this gorgeously rich curry – partly because it's easier to blend that way, but also because it's useful to have a second batch to hand for this or another veg curry. Keep it in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it. Serves 3-4.

For the curry paste

3 shallots (or 1 onion), peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 thumb-sized pieces ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed, finely sliced
3 green chillies (medium-hot), deseeded and roughly chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
0,5 tsp ground turmeric

For the curry

2 large aubergines
About 3 tbsp sunflower oil
150ml passata, or sieved roasted tomatoes
200ml tin coconut milk
150g french beans
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 handful chopped coriander leaves
40g cashews or almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
Lime wedges, to serve

Put all the curry paste ingredients in a blender with a tablespoon of water; whizz to a coarse paste. If necessary, stop the motor a few times so you can scrape down the sides.

Cut each aubergine in half lengthways, cut each half into three lengthways, then halve each piece, so you end up with 12 wedges from each aubergine.

Heat two or three tablespoons of oil over a medium-high heat in a large, nonstick frying pan. Sauté the aubergine wedges in batches, until lightly browned, adding more oil as needed. As you remove each cooked batch from the pan, lay the wedges on kitchen paper to drain.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large, deep saucepan and add half the curry paste (refrigerate the rest for another use). Fry over medium heat, stirring constantly, for three to four minutes, then add the aubergines and stir for a minute or two until coated with the spice mixture. Add the passata and coconut milk, and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Add the french beans and simmer until tender – about five minutes.

Season generously, then stir in the chopped coriander. If using the nuts, scatter them over the top. Serve with lime wedges and rice.

Mexican tomato and bean soup

This fresh, piquant soup combines many of the ingredients you might find in a feisty salsa, but in this case they're all "souped up". Add more chillies if you like it hot; a handful of fresh sweetcorn kernels, sliced straight from the cob, is a good addition, too. Serves four to six.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 medium-hot fresh green chillies, such as jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
600ml vegetable stock
200ml tomato passata, or sieved, roasted tomatoes
400g ripe tomatoes, cored, deseeded and finely chopped
400g tin black beans or black-eyed beans, drained and rinsed
1 handful fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped
Pinch of sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1 small handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

To finish

4-6 tbsp soured cream (optional)
1 small handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat and sauté most of the onion (reserve a little for garnish at the end), stirring from time to time, for about five minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, chillies and cumin, and stir for a minute. Add the stock, passata, fresh tomatoes, beans, oregano and sugar, season and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, remove from the heat and add the lime juice and coriander. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Serve topped with dollops of soured cream, if you like, and scattered with more coriander and freshly ground pepper.

Chillies/bell peppers stuffed with beans

I use fat, mildly piquant poblano chillies for this (buy them from peppersbypost.biz). If you can't get large, stuffable chillies, use small red or yellow bell peppers. Serves six as a starter, two to three as a main course.

6 large, fresh poblano, Beaver Dam or Hungarian hot wax chillies
1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
2-3 shallots (or 1 medium onion), peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
150g-200g tomatoes
400g tin beans (butter, borlotti or pinto), drained and rinsed
1 small bunch coriander, leaves picked and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
Sea salt and ground black pepper

For the garlicky yoghurt (optional)
6 tbsp full-fat plain yoghurt, or soured cream
½ clove garlic, crushed

Heat the grill to high. Put the chillies on a baking tray and grill, turning from time to time, until the skin begins to char. Leave until cool enough to handle, then peel off the skin, taking care to keep the chillies whole. Cut around and remove the stalks and a flap of flesh to form a "lid". Scrape out the seeds and membranes from inside the chillies and lids, and tip out any juice.

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, then gently sauté the shallots and garlic until soft – about 10 minutes. Cut the tomatoes in half and grate their flesh straight into the pan, holding back the skin. Simmer for a minute or two to reduce slightly, then remove from the heat.

Add the drained beans to the pan and roughly mash some of them with a fork so they break up a little – don't overdo it, you want plenty of them to stay whole. Add coriander, cumin and paprika, mix and season. Stuff the mixture carefully into the chillies and top with the "lids". Place in a lightly oiled oven dish and bake for 20 minutes.

While the chillies are baking, combine the yoghurt with the crushed garlic, season and set aside.

Serve hot, with garlicky yoghurt and some crisp, green salad.

Monday 15 August 2011

Chickpea stew with harissa and preserved lemons

Serves 4 generously, as a main course

tomatoes, stalks removed 800g
red peppers approximately 250g
olive oil 110ml
red wine vinegar 3 tbsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
chickpeas 2 x 400g cans
preserved lemons 60g
harissa paste 1 tsp
a handful of basil leaves

To serve:
soft, Middle Eastern-style bread

  1. Set the oven at 200C.
  2. Cut each tomato into six and put into a baking dish.
  3. Cut the peppers in half, tear out their stalks and seeds, cut the flesh into short chunks then add to the tomatoes.
  4. Add 75ml of the oil, plus the vinegar, cumin and a grinding of black pepper and sea salt. Roast for 50 minutes to an hour until the pepper is soft and the tomatoes are soft and juicy.
  5. Transfer the tomatoes and peppers from the roasting tin to a saucepan.
  6. Drain the chickpeas of their canning liquid and rinse them under the cold tap. Mix the drained chickpeas with the tomatoes and peppers.
  7. Chop the preserved lemon, discarding the soft inner pulp. Stir the harissa, chopped lemon and remaining olive oil into the chickpeas, place the pan over a moderate heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes or till it is thoroughly hot and juicy.
  8. Season with salt and coarse black pepper.
  9. Fold the basil leaves into the tomatoes, letting them wilt in the heat. When the chickpeas are hot, transfer to a serving dish and serve with warm bread.

A quick flatbread

Makes 6 small flatbreads
strong, white, plain flour 450g
sea salt ½ tsp
caster sugar a good pinch
dried yeast a 7g sachet
warm water 300ml

Put the flour into the bowl of a food mixer then add the salt and sugar. Empty the yeast into a bowl, pour on enough water to make a thin paste, then stir in the rest. Pour on to the flour and mix until it forms a soft ball. Tip the dough out on to a floured board and knead, until it feels springy and elastic. Set aside in a bowl covered with a tea towel.

If you prefer to do this by hand, add the yeast and water to the flour and salt, mixing with your hands. Mix in the sugar then turn the lot on to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 9–10 minutes, folding the far edge of the dough towards you and pushing it back into the dough. It should feel soft, springy and alive. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for an hour or so.

Set the oven to 250C. When your dough is about four times the size it was, break it into six pieces and push each into a slipper shape. Dust with flour and put them on a baking sheet. Bake at 250C for 5 minutes then turn the oven down to 220C. Continue baking for a further 5 minutes until the underside sounds hollow when you tap it.

Saturday 9 April 2011

Hot-smoked salmon, lentil & pomegranate salad

(serves 2)

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice ½ lemon
1 garlic clove , finely chopped
2 tbsp roughly chopped tarragon
1 tsp clear honey
1 small red onion , thinly sliced
400g can Puy lentils , rinsed and drained
140g hot-smoked salmon
20g pack flat-leaf parsley , leaves picked
1 pomegranate , seeds removed
toasted pitta bread , to serve


  1. Combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, tarragon and honey in a large bowl and season.
  2. Toss in the red onion and lentils and set aside to marinate for 10 mins.
  3. Break the salmon into large flakes and fold into the salad with the parsley and pomegranate.
  4. Serve with toasted pitta.

Make it meaty Make the salad as before, leaving out the salmon and swapping the tarragon for mint. Mix 2 tsp harissa with 2 tbsp yogurt and use to marinate 2 slashed, skinless chicken breasts for 10 mins. Grill the chicken.

Sunday 3 April 2011

Salmon in ginger and lemongrass broth

Ingredients

(Serves 2)

1 tbsp of sesame oil
1/2 tsp of garlic, chopped
1 tsp ginger, chopped
1 red onions, chopped
1 lemongrass stalks, cut in half and crushed with the back of a knife
2,5 dl cold water
A shake of Tabasco sauce
1 tsp of soy sauce
2,5 tsp fish sauce
2 x 100g salmon fillets (skin removed)
2 spring onions, chopped
1 handful of spring greens
2 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 nest of dried noodles
Juice of 1/2 lime and rind of 4
1 tbsp of chopped coriander

Method

Lightly heat the sesame oil in a large pan. Add the garlic, ginger, onions and lemongrass (to crush the lemongrass, use the back of a knife and bash the stalk so it splits). Saute for two minutes without browning. Add 500ml of cold water and bring to the boil. Then add the Tabasco, soy sauce and fish sauce. Gently lower the salmon fillets into the broth and turn down the heat. Simmer for four minutes until the salmon is cooked.

Remove the salmon and leave to one side. Add the vegetables and the noodles, and bring the broth back to the boil. Simmer until the noodles are cooked as per the packet instructions (normally about four minutes).

Finally, add the lime juice and the grated rind. Place the salmon in bowls and pour the broth and noodles over each dish. Finish with freshly chopped coriander.

I am fortunate enough to live in an area of London that has great Asian food. Viet Grill and Cay Tre, in the east of the city, are two of my favourite restaurants. Mark Hix introduced me to them and I have been a convert ever since. The meals are always so full of flavour. I would not be foolish enough to say that this dish is as good as any of theirs, but it's a start.

One of the pleasures of this particular dish is its adaptability. You can make it more spicy by adding chilli, replace the noodles with additional vegetables or meat, or substitute the salmon for tofu.

You don't need to live in London to source ingredients for Asian recipes easily. Most are now readily available in all large supermarkets.

Spring greens are in season and readily available, but you can use pak choi or spinach if you prefer. If you do opt for spinach, make sure you add it right at the end as it wilts within seconds.

The key is not to overcook this. A little bit of chopping, a quick bit of frying – it should be ready within 15 minutes.

Stir fry sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp clear rice vinegar or cider vinegar

Friday 11 March 2011

Kisir



200 g bulgurvehnää
1 iso sipuli hienonnettuna
0,5 dl oliiviöljyä (paistamiseen ja salaatin viimeistelyyn)
1 rkl tomaattipyrettä
2 tomaatti kaltattuna ja kuutioina
1 tl granaattiomena siirappia (pomegranate molasses)
1 rkl sitruunamehua
3 rkl hienonnettua sileälehtistä persiljaa
2 kevätsipulia ohuina viipaleina
1 vihreä chili ilman siemeniä ja hienonnettuna
1 valkosipulinkynsi hienonnettuna
0,5 tl jauhettua juustokuminaa
Suolaa ja mustapippuria
Puolikkaan granaattiomenan siemenet
Mintun lehtiä (osa silputtuna, osa kokonaisina)
Fetaa murusteltuna (voi jättää pois)

  • Liota tai keitä bulgur kypsäksi (ks. ohje paketista)
  • Kuullota sipuli pannussa oliiviöljyssä.
  • Lisää tomaattipyre ja jatka kypsentämistä keskilämmöllä parin minuutin ajan sekoittaen koko ajan.
  • Lisää tuoreet tomaatit ja anna hautua hetken.
  • Nosta pannu lämmöltä ja lisää joukkoon kypsä bulgur. Sekoita.
  • Lisää siirappi, sitruunanmehu, persilja, kevätsipuli, chili, valkosipuli ja kumina. Mausta ja sekoita.
  • Anna jäähtyä huoneenlämpöiseksi.
  • Maista ja tarkista että suolaa, mustapippuria ja sitruunanmehua on tarpeeksi. Sekoita joukkoon myös silputtua minttua.
  • Annostele lautasilla ja lisää päälle loppu oliiviöljy, granaattiomenan siemenet, mintun lehdet sekä murusteltu feta.

Maa-artisokkokeitto ja kylmäsavuporoa



500 g maa-artisokkia
200 g perunaa (jauhoinen)
1-2 salottisipulia
1 valkosipulinkynsi
50 g voita
6 dl hyvää kanalientä
1 dl valkoviiniä
2 dl kuohukermaa
Suolaa, mustapippuria
Kylmäsavuporoa

  • Kuori ja leikkaa maa-artisokat ja perunat lohkoiksi. Laita lohkot sitruunalla maustettuun veteen tummumisen ehkäisemiseksi.
  • Hienonna salottisipuli ja valkosipuli.
  • Kuumenna kattila, lisää voi ja sipulit. Kuullota kunnes pehmeitä.
  • Lisää juurekset, sekoita ja lisää valkoviini ja kanaliemi.
  • Anna kiehua hiljalleen kannen alla, kunnes juurekset ovat kypsiä (noin 20 minuuttia).
  • Soseuta keitto sauvasekoittimella ja siivilöi, jotta saat rakenteesta silkkisen pehmeää.
  • Lisää joukkoon kuohukerma, suola ja pippuri ja anna keiton kuumentua.
  • Tarjoile lämmitetyiltä keittolautasilta tai kulhoista ja lisää pinnalle hienonnettua kylmäsavuporoa.

Sunday 23 January 2011

Lihan sisälämpötila ja kypsyysasteet

Medium | Kypsä:

Karitsan filee 52-55 °C | 62 °C
Vasikan filee 54-56 °C | 63 °C
Naudan filee 52-54 °C | 64 °C
Hirven filee 52-54 °C | 64 °C
Poron filee 54-56 °C | 63 °C
Porsaan filee 68-72 °C
Kanan filee 68-72 °C

Uunin tai grillin lämpötila kannattaa pitää matalana, jolloin saadaan mehukkaampi lopputulos. Noin 150°C on pienille fileille ja paisteille sopiva, isoille taas 120–130 °C. Liian kuuma uuni tai grilli saattaa kuivattaa lihan ja lopputulos ei ole mehukas.

Muista aina kypsennyksen jälkeen antaa lihan levähtää folion ja pyyhkeen sisässä 10-15 min. Mitä korkeampi paistolämpö ja mitä isompi paisti sitä pidempi lepoaika.

Karitsan paahtopaisti

Nopean pintarusketuksen jälkeen paistit laitettiin 200-asteiseen uuniin ja päästettiin pois vasta kun sisälämpötila oli noussut 55 asteeseen. Aikaa tähän kului reilu vartti. Loppulämpötila/paistoaika kannattaa säätää sen mukaan, millaisesta lihasta pidät. 55 C jättää lihan aavistuksen punertavaksi. Erittäin punakasta mediumista pitävän kannattaa pysäyttää paistotoimi jo 52 asteessa, kun taas kypsemmän ystävä voi ajella paistia vielä pari astetta ylemmäksi. Kovin pitkään ei kuitenkaan kannata paistella, koska tällainen vähärasvainen paistityyppinen liha on kuivuessaan sitkasta ja muutenkin mehukkaan vastakohta.

Wednesday 5 January 2011

Banaani-passionhedelmäkohokas

1 banaani
1 rkl hunajaa
2 passiohedelmää
0,5 dl valkuaisia (= vajaa kaksi)
1,5 rkl sokeria
vuokien voiteluun margariinia ja sokeria

  1. Voitele kaksi annosvuokaa rasvalla ja sokeroi.
  2. Pilko banaani, halkaise passiohedelmät ja purista niistä mehu siivilän läpi. Soseuta banaanit, passiomehu ja hunaja.
  3. Vatkaa valkuaiset ja sokeri vaahdoksi.
  4. Sekoita valkuaisvaahto varovasti hedelmäsoseeseen.
  5. Pane kohokasmassa vuokiin, ja tasoita pinta lastalla. Reunojen tulisi olla puhtaat, jotta kohokas nousee tasaisesti.
  6. Paista 200-asteisessa uunissa 10 minuuttia.
  7. Tarjoile välittömästi vaniljakastikkeen tai jäätelön kanssa.

Sunday 2 January 2011

Spagetti ja punajuuripesto

(neljälle)

Punajuuripesto

2 punajuurta
1 keltasipuli
1 valkosipulinkynsi
30 g pinjansiemeniä
1/2 ruukkua basilikaa
1 dl oliiviöljyä
2 rkl punaviinietikkaa
1 tl suolaa
1/2 tl mustapippuria

Lisäksi

400 g spagettia
n. 2 rkl oliiviöljyä
2 mozzarellajuustopalloa (n. 300 g, mieluiten puhvelinmaidosta tehtyä mozzarella di bufalaa)
2–3 rkl pinjansiemeniä

Tee ensin punajuuripesto. Kuori ja kuutioi punajuuret ja sipuli. Kuori ja paloittele valkosipulinkynsi.

Laita punajuuret, sipulit ja valkosipuli kattilaan ja mittaa kattilaan sen verran vettä, että ainekset peittyvät. Keitä punajuuret kypsiksi, noin 15 minuuttia. Valuta vesi kattilasta.

Lisää pinjansiemenet, basilika, öljy, viinietikka, suola ja pippuri kypsien kasvisten joukkoon. Soseuta ainekset tasaiseksi sauvasekoittimella.

Keitä spagetti runsaassa, suolalla maustetussa vedessä pakkauksen ohjeen mukaan. Valuta spagetti siivilässä ja anna sen jäähtyä. Lisää hieman öljyä spagetin joukkoon.

Annostele punajuuripesto ja n. 2 rkl öljyä vokkipannuun tai kattilaan. Kuumenna pesto-öljyseosta ja lisää spagetti. Anna lämmetä muutama minuutti.

Paloittele mozzarellapallot. Annostele punajuuripasta lautasille ja viimeistele mozzarellalla ja pinjansiemenillä.

Vinkki! Voit valmistaa punajuuri-peston myös etukäteen. Se säilyy jääkaapissa reilun viikon.

Juomasuositus

Peston ja mozzarellan makuun yhdistyvät miellyttävästi kevyet valkoviinit, joissa on vain vähän tai ei ollenkaan tammea. Kuivan ja raikkaan italialaisen Villa Canlungo Pinot Grigion, 12,71 e, kevyt yrttisyys sopii hyvin punajuuripestolle. Hieman yrttinen on myös Bucci Verdicchio Classico Superiore, 14,88 e, jonka pähkinäisyys korostaa pinjansiementen makua.

Ohje: Marko Riihelä
Juomasuositus: Terhi Oksanen-Alén