The Granary Recipes

Author: andrewcwells

  • Whole baked sea bass with lemongrass, lime, brown jasmine rice and Thai-style greens

    Ingredients

    • 1 whole sea bass, about 800g–1kg, scaled, gutted and trimmed
    • 180g brown jasmine rice
    • 250g tenderstem broccoli
    • 2 pak choi, roughly chopped
    • 1 bunch spring onions, cut into 4–5cm lengths
    • 2 lemongrass stalks
    • 30g fresh ginger
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 2 limes
    • 1 red chilli, finely sliced
    • 30g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
    • 20g fresh mint, leaves picked and roughly torn
    • 40g unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
    • 3 tbsp fish sauce
    • 1 tsp honey
    • 2 tbsp rapeseed or extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
    • black pepper

    Method

    Rinse the brown jasmine rice under cold water. Put it in a saucepan with 400ml cold water, bring to the boil, cover and reduce to a very low simmer. Cook for about 25–30 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

    Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C fan.

    Line a large baking dish with foil. Make 3 or 4 shallow slashes on each side of the sea bass. Bash the lemongrass with the side of a knife and cut into short lengths. Thinly slice half the ginger and 2 garlic cloves.

    Put the lemongrass, sliced ginger, garlic and a few coriander stalks inside the fish. Put the sea bass in a roasting dish, rub with 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp fish sauce, and squeeze over the juice of half a lime.

    Bake for about 20–25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until the flesh comes cleanly away from the bone at the thickest point.

    While the fish cooks, finely chop the remaining ginger and garlic.

    Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan or wok over a high heat. Add the broccoli with a splash of water and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.

    Add the pak choi, spring onions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes, so the vegetables are cooked but still retain some bite.

    Mix the remaining 2 tbsp fish sauce, juice of 1 lime, honey and sesame oil. Pour over the vegetables and toss briefly over the heat.

    Remove the sea bass from the oven. Mix the remaining lime juice with the juices in the roasting dish and spoon them back over the fish.

    Scatter the fish and vegetables generously with the chilli, coriander, mint and chopped peanuts.

    Serve the whole sea bass at the table with the brown jasmine rice and stir-fried greens alongside.

  • Whole roasted brill with crab, leeks and peas

    Ingredients

    • 1 whole brill, gutted and trimmed
    • 2 dressed crabs, white and brown meat separated
    • 4 leeks, finely sliced
    • 300g petit pois
    • 2 lemons
    • 225ml dry white wine
    • 125g butter
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • sea salt
    • black pepper

    Method

    Heat the oven to 180°C fan. Put the brill in a large roasting tin, season with salt and pepper and dot with 25g butter. Pour 75ml white wine around the fish.

    Roast for about 20–25 minutes, depending on its size and thickness, basting once or twice with the buttery wine from the roasting tin. The fish is ready when the flesh comes easily away from the bone at the thickest part.

    While the brill cooks, heat the olive oil and 50g butter in a large frying pan or wide saucepan. Add the leeks and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until soft but not browned.

    Add the remaining 150ml white wine and simmer for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the brown crab meat and petit pois and cook for another 2–3 minutes.

    Reduce the heat and gently fold through the white crab meat, remaining 50g butter, the finely grated zest of 1 lemon and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Warm through without boiling and season with black pepper and a little salt if needed.

    Remove the brill from the oven and spoon over some of its buttery roasting juices. Serve whole at the table with the warm crab, leek and pea mixture spooned around or alongside it, with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

  • Monkfish soup

    Ingredients

    • 3 monkfish tails, about 350g each (approximately 1.05kg total),
    • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
    • 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
    • 325g fresh fish stock
    • 150g chicken stock1 large onion, diced
    • 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
    • 125ml dry white wine1 lemon
    • 100g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
    • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 25g butter
    • generous pinch saffron
    • 2 bay leaves
    • black pepper

    Method

    Heat half the olive oil in a large casserole or saucepan. Brown the monkfish over a medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes on each side, working in batches if necessary, then remove and set aside.

    Add the remaining olive oil and onion and cook for about 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saffron and cook for another minute.

    Pour in the white wine and cook for 1–2 minutes, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pan.

    Add the chopped tomatoes, fish stock, chicken stock, cannellini beans and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

    Return the monkfish to the pan and simmer gently for about 5–7 minutes, until just cooked through.

    Remove the bay leaves and stir through the butter and most of the parsley. Add plenty of black pepper.

    Scatter over the remaining parsley and serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

  • Paella

    Ingredients

    • 180g paella rice or 180g short-grain brown rice
    • 160g boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets (about half a standard 320g pack), cut into small pieces
    • 165g raw peeled king prawns (1 pack)
    • 250g skinless, boneless hake fillets (1 pack), cut into roughly 3cm pieces. Monkfish tail or mussels better if available.
    • 325g fresh fish bone broth
    • 220g chicken stock
    • 150ml boiling water if using brown rice
    • 1 red pepper, finely chopped into half rings
    • 200g green beans (1 pack), cut into short lengths or 200g frozen peas
    • 1 × 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
    • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
    • small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
    • 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 tsp sweet Spanish paprika
    • generous pinch saffron threads
    • 1 small rosemary sprig
    • freshly ground black pepper

    Method

    1. Brown the chicken

    Heat the olive oil in a wide frying or paella pan over medium-high heat.

    Brown the chicken for about 4 minutes.

    White rice: leave the chicken in the pan.
    Brown rice: remove the chicken to a plate for now.

    2. Cook the rice

    For WHITE paella rice: add the pepper and green beans and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, paprika, saffron, rosemary and black pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and butter beans, then add the fish broth and chicken stock.

    For BROWN rice: add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice, saffron, rosemary, fish broth, chicken stock and 150ml boiling water. Cook for about 20 minutes, then add the browned chicken, pepper, green beans, tomatoes, paprika and butter beans.

    For either version, stir once after adding the liquid, bring to a simmer and then do not stir again.

    Continue cooking uncovered until the rice is nearly tender:

    • White rice: roughly another 12 minutes
    • Brown rice: roughly another 10–15 minutes after adding the chicken and vegetables; add a splash more boiling water if necessary

    3. Add the seafood

    When the rice is about 5–6 minutes from being ready, arrange the hake and prawns over the top and press them lightly into the rice.

    Continue cooking without stirring until the rice is tender with a little bite, the seafood and chicken are cooked through, and virtually all the liquid has been absorbed.

    4. Finish

    For a little socarrat, increase the heat for the final 30–60 seconds, until the rice gently crackles underneath.

    Remove from the heat and rest for 3–5 minutes.

    Scatter with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

  • Vegan orange and almond cake

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 210 g self-raising flour
    • 50 g ground almonds
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
    • 65 g golden caster sugar
    • Finely grated zest of 3 oranges
    • Approximately 220–250 g courgette, enough to give 170 g after squeezing
    • 70 g thick, unsweetened soya yoghurt
    • 60 ml light olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

    Orange drizzle

    • 40 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
    • 15 g caster sugar

    Method

    1. Prepare the oven and tin

    Heat the oven to 170°C fan.

    Lightly grease a 20 cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.

    2. Prepare the courgette

    Coarsely grate approximately 220–250 g courgette.

    Put it into a clean tea towel and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove the excess water.

    Weigh the squeezed courgette.

    You need exactly 170 g.

    Set it aside.

    3. Mix the dry ingredients

    Put the following into a large mixing bowl:

    • 210 g self-raising flour
    • 50 g ground almonds
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Stir together thoroughly with a whisk or fork.

    4. Prepare the orange mixture

    Put the 65 g sugar into another large bowl.

    Finely grate the zest of all 3 oranges directly into the sugar, avoiding the white pith.

    Rub the zest and sugar together with your fingertips for about 30 seconds, until the sugar smells strongly of orange.

    Add:

    • 70 g soya yoghurt
    • 60 ml light olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

    Whisk until evenly combined.

    5. Make the batter

    Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

    Fold gently until most of the flour has disappeared.

    Add the 170 g squeezed courgette.

    Fold again just until everything is evenly mixed and there are no patches of dry flour.

    Do not beat the mixture or continue mixing once it is combined.

    The batter should be thick and spoonable rather than runny.

    6. Bake

    Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

    Bake on the middle shelf for 45 minutes without opening the oven.

    After 45 minutes, put a thin skewer into the exact centre.

    The cake is ready if the skewer comes out clean or with a few separate soft crumbs.

    If there is wet or sticky batter on the skewer, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.

    If necessary, continue baking in 3-minute intervals.

    The cake will normally take about 45–52 minutes.

    If the top becomes too dark, loosely place a sheet of foil over it.

    7. Make the orange drizzle

    While the cake is baking, put:

    • 40 ml orange juice
    • 15 g caster sugar

    into a small saucepan.

    Warm gently, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves.

    Remove from the heat.

    8. Drizzle the cake

    Leave the cooked cake in its tin.

    Prick the surface several times with a thin skewer.

    Spoon one-third of the orange drizzle over the cake.

    Wait 1 minute, add another third, wait another minute, then add the remainder.

    9. Cool

    Leave the cake in the tin for 25 minutes.

    Transfer it carefully to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before cutting.

    10. Storage

    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

    If refrigerated, bring the cake back to room temperature before eating.

  • Vegan courgette, orange and pistachio cake

    Tin: 20 cm round cake tin
    Oven: 170°C fan
    Makes: 10–12 modest slices

    Ingredients

    For the cake

    • 25 g shelled, unsalted pistachios
    • 1 medium eating apple, enough to make 50 g apple purée
    • Approximately 220–250 g courgette, enough to give 170 g after squeezing
    • 180 g white self-raising flour
    • 30 g wholemeal spelt flour
    • 25 g ground almonds
    • 1½teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
    • 65 g golden caster sugar
    • Finely grated zest of 3 oranges
    • 30 g thick, unsweetened oat yoghurt
    • 30 g thick, unsweetened soya yoghurt
    • 45 ml light olive oil
    • 20 g refined coconut oil
    • 20 ml unsweetened soya milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
    • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

    For the orange drizzle

    • 40 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
    • 15 g caster sugar

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven and prepare the tin

    Heat the oven to 170°C fan.

    Lightly grease a 20 cm round cake tin with oil.

    Line the base with baking paper. Cut a strip of baking paper to line the sides, allowing it to rise slightly above the top of the tin.

    Set the prepared tin aside.

    2. Grind the pistachios

    Make sure the blender is completely clean and dry.

    Put the 25 g pistachios into the blender.

    Take 1 tablespoon from the measured self-raising flour and add it to the pistachios. This helps the nuts grind evenly instead of turning into a paste.

    Pulse the blender in short bursts until the pistachios resemble fine breadcrumbs.

    Do not run the blender continuously. Stop as soon as they are finely ground, before they become oily.

    Tip the ground pistachios into a large mixing bowl.

    There is no need to wash the blender yet.

    3. Make the apple purée

    Peel the apple, remove the core and chop the flesh into small pieces.

    Put the apple pieces into a microwave-safe bowl with 1 tablespoon of water.

    Cover loosely and microwave on high for 3 minutes.

    Stir, then microwave for another 1–3 minutes, until the apple is completely soft.

    Alternatively, cook the apple in a small covered saucepan with 1 tablespoon of water for approximately 8–10 minutes.

    Put the softened apple and any remaining cooking liquid into the same blender used for the pistachios.

    Blend until completely smooth.

    Weigh out exactly 50 g apple purée and set it aside to cool.

    Any leftover purée can be refrigerated and added to yoghurt or porridge.

    4. Prepare and weigh the courgette

    Coarsely grate approximately 220–250 g courgette.

    Put the grated courgette into a clean tea towel.

    Gather up the towel and squeeze the courgette firmly over the sink to remove the excess water.

    The courgette should still feel damp and fluffy, but liquid should not drip out when it is lightly pressed.

    Put the squeezed courgette on the scales and weigh out exactly 170 g.

    Discard any excess or save it for another dish.

    Set the weighed courgette aside.

    5. Mix the dry ingredients

    Add the following to the large bowl containing the ground pistachios:

    • The remaining self-raising flour
    • 30 g wholemeal spelt flour
    • 25 g ground almonds
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Mix thoroughly with a whisk or fork, breaking up any lumps.

    Set the bowl aside.

    6. Prepare the orange sugar

    Put the 65 g golden caster sugar into a second large mixing bowl.

    Finely grate the zest of all 3 oranges directly over the sugar.

    Grate only the bright orange skin, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.

    Rub the zest into the sugar with clean fingertips for approximately 30 seconds, until the sugar feels slightly damp and smells strongly of orange.

    7. Melt the coconut oil

    Put the 20 g refined coconut oil into a small microwave-safe bowl.

    Microwave for approximately 10–20 seconds, just until melted.

    Leave it to stand briefly so that it remains liquid but is not hot.

    8. Mix the wet ingredients

    Add the following to the bowl containing the orange sugar:

    • 50 g cooled apple purée
    • 30 g oat yoghurt
    • 30 g soya yoghurt
    • 45 ml light olive oil
    • 20 g melted coconut oil
    • 20 ml soya milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
    • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

    Whisk until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.

    9. Make the cake batter

    Pour the wet mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients.

    Fold gently with a spatula or large metal spoon until the flour is almost incorporated.

    Add the 170 g squeezed courgette.

    Continue folding gently until the courgette is evenly distributed and no patches of dry flour remain.

    Stop mixing as soon as the batter is even. Do not beat it, as overmixing can make the cake dense or rubbery.

    The batter should be thick and spoonable, rather than runny.

    10. Fill the tin

    Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin.

    Spread it evenly and smooth the surface gently with the back of a spoon.

    Place the tin on the middle shelf of the preheated oven.

    11. Bake the cake

    Bake for 45 minutes without opening the oven.

    After 45 minutes, insert a thin skewer into the exact centre of the cake.

    The cake is ready when the skewer comes out with:

    • no crumbs; or
    • a few separate, soft crumbs.

    The cake is not ready if the skewer has:

    • wet batter;
    • shiny paste; or
    • sticky streaks.

    If it is not ready, return it to the oven for 5 minutes, then check again.

    If necessary, continue baking in further 3-minute intervals until the centre is properly cooked.

    The total baking time will usually be approximately 45–52 minutes.

    If the top becomes too dark after 35–40 minutes, lay a loose sheet of foil over the top. Do not wrap the foil tightly around the tin.

    12. Make the orange drizzle

    While the cake is baking, put the following into a small saucepan:

    • 40 ml orange juice
    • 15 g caster sugar

    Heat gently, stirring, just until the sugar has dissolved.

    Do not boil it for a long time or allow it to reduce into a thick syrup.

    Remove it from the heat and set it aside.

    13. Drizzle the hot cake

    When the cake comes out of the oven, leave it in the tin.

    Use a thin skewer to make small holes evenly over the surface. Do not make the holes excessively wide or deep.

    Spoon one-third of the orange drizzle evenly over the cake.

    Wait for approximately 1 minute, then spoon over another third.

    Wait another minute, then add the remainder.

    Adding the drizzle gradually helps it soak in evenly without creating wet patches.

    14. Cool the cake

    Leave the cake in the tin for 25 minutes.

    Carefully remove it from the tin and transfer it to a cooling rack.

    Allow it to cool completely before cutting.

    Do not cut the cake while it is warm. A correctly cooked vegan courgette cake can still seem soft or damp before it has fully cooled and set.

    Storage and serving

    The cake can be eaten on the day it is made, but the texture and orange flavour may be even better the following day.

    Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Bring refrigerated cake back to room temperature before serving. The coconut oil firms when chilled, so the cake will taste softer and more butter-like at room temperature.

  • Vegan banana bread

    Ingredients

    • 250g plain flour (or self-raising flour, minus the baking powder)
    • 100g light brown sugar
    • 2.5 tsps baking powder
    • 1/5 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 125g rapeseed oil
    • 4 thoroughly mashed bananas
    • 150g blueberries
    • Optional topping (blended coconut oil, pecans, sugar and cinnamon)

    Method

    Preheat oven (on fan setting) to 180 degrees celsius.

    Grease loaf tin with coconut butter and cut a rectangle of baking paper that will neatly line the two longest sides and base. Stick baking paper into tin using the coconut butter to stick this in place).

    Thoroughly mix the banana, oil, sugar in one large bowl, and the flour, cinnamon and baking powder in another.

    Mix the two sets of ingredients together and stir in the blueberries.

    Pour batter into lined loaf tin. Sprinkle the topping lightly over the top, and add to oven.

    Bake for 60 minutes then insert skewer to see if it comes it clean. If it doesn’t continue to cook, testing every 5-10 minutes depending on how clean each skewer looks.

    Turn out onto cooling rack once cooked, and remove baking paper once cool enough to touch.

  • Smoked mackerel arrabiata

    Ingredients

    • 100g edamame/wholegrain fusili
    • 10 cherry tomatoes (halved) or 3 large tomatoes (with the stalk cut out, and cut into 8 pieces)
    • 1 clove of garlic, crushed and finely chopped
    • 1 red onion, halved and very finely sliced (into half rings)
    • 2-3 fillets of smoked mackerel
    • desert spoon of chopped olives
    • teaspoon of chopped capers
    • chilli flakes
    • olive oil
    • basil leaves

    Quantities are per person.

    Method

    Half-fill a large saucepan of water, sprinkle salt, and put on the hob to boil.

    While the water heats up, Wash and prepare the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olives and capers.

    Peel the skin from the mackerel fillets.

    Heat a second pan on 8 until hot, then add a generous amount of olive oil, along with the chill flakes and fry the flakes for a moment. The oil should shimmer slightly and the chilli flakes should buble slightly, but should not start to blacken, smoke or burn.

    Add pasta to first saucepan and set timer.

    Add the onion and garlic, and stir regularly to ensure the pan doesn’t burn. Once the onion is very soft and starting to turn brown and caramelise, add the tomatoes and capers. Stir regularly until tomato has broken down.

    Add mackerel and olives to second saucepan and stir in (so mackerel starts to break down).

    Once pasta is cooked, drain and leave in saucepan. Mackerel is warmed through in sauce, add sauce to pasta and stir in.

  • Lebanese mezze recipes

    Recipes are set out below for:

    • Baharat roast lamb rump
    • Sumac roasted cauliflower, chickpeas & vegetables
    • Herby tabbouleh
    • Quick pickled cucumber & radish salad

    Also serve with shop-bought houmous, tsatziki, olives.

    Baharat Roast Lamb Rump

    Ingredients

    • 900 g lamb rump

    Marinade:

    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 3 garlic cloves, grated
    • 2 tsp baharat
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • zest of 1 lemon
    • salt
    • black pepper

    Roast beside the meatballs for 25–30 minutes until 54–56°C internally (for adults only) or 61°C (if children will be eating).

    Rest for 15 minutes before slicing thinly. Present on a large plate surrounded by houmous (drizzled with harissa for extra interest) and beds of finely chopped little gem lettuce, and sprinkle with:

    • parsley
    • mint
    • sumac
    • pomegranate seeds
    • toasted pistachios
    • feta

    Pickled cucumber and radish salad

    Ingredients

    • 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
    • 16 radishes, sliced
    • 150 ml apple cider vinegar
    • 100 ml water
    • 1 tbsp honey
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • handful chopped dill

    Mix everything together and leave for at least 30 minutes.

    Tabbouleh

    Ingredients

    • 250 g bulgur wheat
    • 250 ml boiling water
    • 3 tomatoes, diced
    • ½ cucumber, diced
    • 4 spring onions, sliced
    • 60 g parsley, chopped
    • 20 g mint, chopped
    • zest and juice of 1 lemon
    • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

    Cover the bulgur with boiling water for about 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork and mix through the remaining ingredients.

    Sumac Roasted Cauliflower, Vegetables & Chickpeas

    Ingredients

    • 1 large cauliflower, chopped into florets
    • 2 × 400 g tins chickpeas, drained
    • 2 aubergines, cubed
    • 2 red peppers, sliced
    • 3 courgettes
    • 1 red onion, wedges
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp sumac
    • salt and pepper

    Roast at 220°C fan for 30–35 minutes, turning once.

    Finish with:

    • parsley
    • lemon juice
    • toasted almonds

  • Italian chicken traybake

    Ingredients

    • Chicken legs or thighs
    • 3 tins Mutti polpa
    • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
    • 2 red onions, diced
    • 3 courgettes, cut into long fingers
    • 2 peppers, coarsely chopped.
    • 2 tins butter beans
    • Spinach
    • Ricotta
    • Smoked paprika
    • Thyme
    • Oregano
    • Rosemary
    • Fennel seeds
    • Fresh basil

    Method

    Preheat oven to 180 degrees on fan setting.

    Brown chicken and put to one side in the Le Creuset casserole dish with plenty of olive oil on 7.

    Fry the onions in the Le Creuset casserole dish with plenty of olive oil on 7, then add garlic and fennel seeds and fry for another minute.

    Add tomato, courgette, peppers, butter beans and remaining spices and mix. Once sauce is simmering, add chicken and blobs of ricotta. Sprinkle black pepper over dish, add lid, and put in oven.

    Cook for 40 minutes.