EAT WELL, LIVE WELL
Making good food choices can help us to stay well without having to cut out flavour or variety, says Hugh Fearnley-whittingstall. His latest recipes are nutritious, nourishing and as delicious as ever
From mussel soup to chocolate tiffin: new and nourishing recipes from Hugh Fearnley-whittingstall
MUSSEL SOUP WITH LEEK AND POTATO
Mussels are rich in nutrients (including omega-3 fats) and a great example of a sustainable seafood. They’re also simple to cook, as this hearty soup demonstrates. I like to leave a few mussels in their shells or ‘in the half-shell’. They look great, and it’s fun to pick them out of the soup to eat with your fingers as you go.
Preparation 30 minutes Cooking about 15 minutes Serves 2
1KG LIVE MUSSELS
200G NEW OR WAXY POTATOES
2 LARGE OR 3 MEDIUM LEEKS, TRIMMED
1 TBSP OLIVE OR VEGETABLE OIL, OR BUTTER
100ML DRY WHITE WINE OR DRY CIDER
1-2 GARLIC CLOVES, SLICED
400ML HOT VEG STOCK
1 TSP ENGLISH MUSTARD
1 TBSP CRÈME FRAÎCHE
CHOPPED PARSLEY, TO FINISH (OPTIONAL)
1 Put the mussels into a colander and give them a good rinse, shaking them about a bit, under cold running water. If the shells have any ‘beards’ (little clumps of wiry fibres), pull them off. Discard any mussels with broken shells, and any that are open and do not close when you give them a sharp tap (these ones may be dead).
2 Cut the potatoes into slices, the thickness of a £1 coin, and the leeks into 5mm-thick slices. Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the oil or butter, then the potatoes and leeks and a few twists of black pepper. Turn the heat down, cover the pan and let the veg sweat for about 5 minutes, so it starts to soften, then take off the heat while you sort the mussels.
3 In a second large pan (with a tight-fitting lid), heat the wine or cider until boiling, then add the garlic and mussels. Put the lid on and cook for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice. Lift the lid. Almost all of the mussels should be open; if not, cover the pan and give them another minute. Tip the mussels into a sieve over a bowl to catch the juices. (Discard any that still aren’t open at this stage.)
4 Add the hot stock to the veg pan, return to the heat and let it come to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, start taking the cooked mussels out of their shells, dropping them back into the sieve and making sure any juices go into the bowl. Leave a dozen or so mussels in their shells, or ‘in the half-shell’ if you like.
5 When the veg is tender, tip all the mussels (shelled and in shell) into the soup. Carefully pour in the mussel-y, cidery juice from the bowl, too, except for the last bit, which may be slightly gritty. Stir well and take off the heat. Taste the broth and add more pepper if needed. Stir in the mustard and crème fraîche. Ladle into warm bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley if you like.
Curried variation
Sweat the leeks and spuds with 2 tsp curry powder or paste. Finish the soup with 2 tbsp coconut milk and a squeeze of lemon or lime, instead of mustard and cream.
White bean variation
Swap the potatoes for a 400g tin cannellini or haricot beans, drained and rinsed; these only need to be heated through. (This works with the curried variation, too.)
RED CABBAGE, CARROT & CLEMENTINES
With its amazing colours, this is a stunning dish: a lovely mingling of crisp raw veg, juicy citrus, sweet raisins and slightly bitter walnuts. It’s a perfect choice for winter days –a light, refreshing alternative to heavy, stodgy fare.
Preparation 25 minutes, plus standing Serves 4
250G-300G RED CABBAGE (½ SMALL CABBAGE OR ¼ LARGE ONE)
75G RAISINS
2 TBSP RAW CIDER VINEGAR
4 CLEMENTINES (OR ‘EASY-PEELERS’)
3 MEDIUM CARROTS (200G-250G IN TOTAL)
100G WALNUTS, BROKEN INTO PIECES OR VERY ROUGHLY CHOPPED
SEA SALT
EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, TO FINISH (OPTIONAL) 1 Remove the core from the piece of cabbage, then use a very sharp knife or a food processor to shred the cabbage as thinly as possible. Place it in a large bowl.
2 Add the raisins and cider vinegar to the cabbage. Squeeze in the juice of one of the clementines and add a pinch of salt and a twist of pepper. Tumble everything together and leave to stand for 15-20 minutes to slightly soften the cabbage and plump up the raisins.
3 Grate the carrots coarsely and scatter them over a large serving platter. Give the cabbage and raisins a good stir, pile on top of the carrots, and pour over any juice left in the bowl.
4 Peel the remaining 3 clementines and use a very sharp knife to slice them into 1cm-thick rounds (don’t worry if some of the rounds fall apart). Lay the fruit over the top of the cabbage. Scatter over the chopped walnuts. Finish, if you like, with a trickle of extra-virgin olive oil and serve.
Veg/seed/nut variations
Some obvious and easy swaps here would be white cabbage for red, celeriac or beetroot for carrots, and pumpkin seeds or almonds for the walnuts.
CHUNKY CHILLI BEEF
I’ve dialled down the meat for this big panful of warming chilli, and more than matched it with lots of veg. It tastes even better the day after it’s made, so leftovers are a treat. Instead of serving it with a baked spud or white rice, I suggest a green salad. If you do serve it with brown rice (or another whole grain), the quantities will stretch to feed eight.
Preparation 25 minutes Cooking 2 hours 40 minutes Serves 6-8
OLIVE OR VEGETABLE OIL, FOR FRYING
ABOUT 200G FREE-RANGE PORK BELLY
(RIND ON OR OFF), CUBED
800G CHUCK OR STEWING STEAK, CUBED
SEA SALT
150ML RED WINE (OPTIONAL)
2 MEDIUM ONIONS, HALVED AND THINLY SLICED
4 MEDIUM CARROTS, HALVED AND THICKLY SLICED
4 GARLIC CLOVES, SLICED
1 TSP DRIED CHILLI FLAKES
2 TSP EACH CUMIN AND CORIANDER SEEDS, CRUSHED (OR 1 TSP EACH GROUND)
1 TSP SMOKED PAPRIKA
1 STAR ANISE (OPTIONAL)
½-1 FRESH RED CHILLI, SLICED (OPTIONAL)
A FEW STRIPS OF PARED ORANGE ZEST
3-4 SPRIGS OF THYME (OPTIONAL)
400G TIN TOMATOES
ABOUT 1 LITRE HOT BEEF STOCK OR VEG OR CHICKEN STOCK
1 LARGE SWEET POTATO (300G-400G), PEELED AND CUBED (OR YOU CAN USE SQUASH)
2 X 400G TINS BEANS (CANNELLINI, KIDNEY OR BUTTER BEANS), DRAINED AND RINSED
1 Set a large frying pan over a high heat and add a dash of oil. When hot, add the pork with some salt and a twist of black pepper. Cook for several minutes, turning the meat from time to time, until browned. Transfer to a large flameproof casserole dish. Repeat the browning process with the beef, doing it in two batches so as not to crowd the pan. Season as you go and add a dash more oil to the pan if necessary.
2 When all the meat is browned and transferred to the casserole, reduce the heat to low and pour in the red wine (or 150ml hot stock). It will bubble and hiss. Stir the liquid, scraping the pan with a spatula to release the caramelised bits. Bring to a simmer, then set aside.
3 Meanwhile, add the onions, carrots, garlic, spices, chilli if using, orange zest, a pinch of salt and a twist of pepper, plus the thyme if using, to the casserole with the browned meat. Cook over a medium heat, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes to soften the veg.
4 Tip the liquid from the frying pan over the meat. Add the tomatoes and hot stock; if the liquor isn’t enough to cover everything, add a little more stock or boiling water. Bring to a low simmer and cook very gently for 1½ hours or until the meat is becoming tender. Add the sweet potato and beans (with more stock or water if needed) and cook for a further 30-45 minutes. Check the meat and veg is tender, tweak the seasoning and the chilli is ready to serve.
NUTTY BEANY BEETROOT CURRY
This is a fantastic way to eat beetroot – perfect for anyone who isn’t usually a fan of this amazing vegetable! The carby beetroot, pulsey beans and nutty cashews make it pretty substantial, so you don’t really need rice or bread. A spoonful of plain, creamy yogurt on the side is a nice addition, or bashed avocado works well for a vegan meal.
Preparation 25 minutes Cooking 35 minutes Serves 4
1-1.2KG BEETROOT (IDEALLY WITH LEAVES, OR YOU COULD USE A FEW SPINACH LEAVES)
2 TBSP OLIVE OR VEGETABLE OIL
1 LARGE ONION, CHOPPED
A THUMB-SIZED PIECE OF FRESH GINGER, GRATED
4 GARLIC CLOVES, GRATED
2 TBSP CURRY PASTE OR POWDER
150G CASHEW NUTS
500ML TOMATO PASSATA
500ML HOT VEG STOCK
400G TIN KIDNEY OR CANNELLINI BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED
SEA SALT
NATURAL YOGURT, TO SERVE
1 Peel the beetroot and cut into 2cm-3cm chunks; you can wash and reserve any leaves if they are in good nick.
2 Set a large saucepan or a small stockpot over a medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add the onion. Once it is sizzling, lower the heat and fry gently for 8-10 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and curry paste or powder and fry, stirring, for another 2-3 minutes.
3 Add the beetroot and cashews and stir them into the spicy mix. Add the passata and stock and bring up to a brisk simmer. Lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, until the beetroot is tender, stirring now and again. It should be cooked in around 20 minutes, but can take a bit longer, depending on the beetroot. As the sauce simmers, it will reduce down and thicken. If you think it’s reduced too much, add a splash of boiling water.
4 Stir the beans in for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. If using beetroot or spinach, shred into strips and stir in at the same time.
5 Add salt or a twist of black pepper if needed, then spoon into warm dishes. Top with a dollop of yogurt and a grinding of pepper.
Veg/pulse variations
Try replacing the beetroot with cubed squash, or a mix of squash and parsnips. In place of beet tops, stir in some shredded chard, kale, spring greens or spinach. Chickpeas can go in instead of the beans.
The combination of sweet caramelised beetroot and onion, bitter radicchio, tomatoes and kidney beans is remarkably tasty – and colourful to boot.
Preparation 15 minutes Cooking 1 hour 10 minutes Serves 2
1 LARGE OR 2 SMALL-MEDIUM RED ONIONS, CUT INTO WEDGES
2-3 MEDIUM BEETROOT (ABOUT 300G IN TOTAL), SCRUBBED AND CUT INTO WEDGES
2 TBSP OLIVE OR VEGETABLE OIL
SEA SALT
6-8 MEDIUM TOMATOES, QUARTERED,
OR 300G WHOLE CHERRY TOMATOES
1 HEAD OF RADICCHIO, CUT INTO THICK WEDGES, OR 2 RED CHICORY BULBS, QUARTERED LENGTHWAYS
400G TIN KIDNEY BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED ½ ORANGE
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan oven) gas mark 5.
2 Put the onion and beetroot wedges into a large roasting tray. Add the oil, a pinch of salt and a twist of black pepper and toss together lightly. Roast for about 45 minutes, taking the tray out and stirring a couple of times, until the beetroot is tender.
3 Add the tomatoes and the radicchio or chicory and toss lightly. Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the radicchio is wilted and the tomatoes are soft and juicy.
4 Throw in the kidney beans and return to the oven for 5 minutes to heat them through. Squeeze over the juice of the orange and serve straightaway.
Veg/pulse variations
You can replace the beetroot with other root veg, such as carrots, celeriac or parsnips, and the kidney beans with white beans or chickpeas.
Finishing options
Any of the above can be served with a spoonful of natural yogurt or a crumbling of feta or goat’s cheese, if you fancy.
OATY NUTTY CHOCOLATE ‘TIFFIN’
A virtuous way to enjoy chocolate (or a chocolatey way to enjoy virtue).
Preparation 20 minutes Cooking 8 minutes Makes 15-18
75G JUMBO OATS
50G SKINNED WHOLE ALMONDS, ROUGHLY BASHED OR CHOPPED
50G PUMPKIN SEEDS
25G SUNFLOWER SEEDS
150G DARK CHOCOLATE (AT LEAST 70% COCOA SOLIDS), BROKEN INTO CHUNKS
50G COCONUT OIL
100G RAISINS OR CHOPPED DRIED APRICOTS
2 (HALF-THUMB-SIZED) PIECES OF PRESERVED GINGER, EXCESS SYRUP DRAINED OFF, FINELY CHOPPED
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6. Line a baking tin or dish, about 20cm x 15cm, with baking parchment or foil.
2 Spread the oats, almonds and seeds on a large baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes, checking, until the oats are crispy and the nuts are browned. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool.
3 Put the chocolate chunks and coconut oil into a bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in a small saucepan over a very low heat, to melt very gently. Just before the chocolate is fully melted, remove from the heat and stir in the toasted oats, nuts and seeds (it’s okay if they’re still a bit warm, but they shouldn’t be oven-hot). Add the raisins or chopped apricots and the ginger.
4 Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared tin and leave to set in the fridge. Cut into squares when completely cold.
Trail mix variation
The lovely tiffin squares are quite ‘melty’ on a warm day. For a more portable version, omit the coconut oil and ginger. Once the toasted oats, nuts and seeds are cold, mix them with 100g each chopped chocolate and raisins. You can carry a tablespoonful or two in a small snack box or tiffin tin.