Zique’s unique selling point 3 Best wines from the High Street

Takeaway hits sweet spot between indulgence and healthy eating With Brian Elliott

There is a fundamental flaw with most takeaway food. At the very times when we need it most – when we are tired, grumpy, stressed and generally feeling rubbish – it is the last thing we need.

We may fancy a pizza with mozzarella that pulls apart like extruded plastic, or a burger so huge our jaw can’t stretch around it. But nobody feels great after greasy carbohydrates. They are the nutritional equivalents of toxic friends, depleting our energy and keeping us slumped on the sofa in an evil mood.

The menu at Ziques, the restaurant in Glasgow’s Hyndland Street that used to be Cafezique, gets round this very cleverly. Back when we were allowed to sit in its picture windows it was a brunch hotspot, jammed with west enders drinking coffee and eating eggs benedict.

Owner Mhairi Taylor was in the middle of changing it up when the last lockdown forced her to close the doors again. Now it’s back doing takeaways and deliveries, with a taste of what might be on the menu when customers can come through the door again.

It’s an interesting, mildly bonkers selection of food based on what Mhairi has been cooking at home during lockdown. Her sons, Nicky and Johnny, both chefs, have translated the kitchen table favourites into a takeaway menu unlike anywhere in the city.

The first section is all about parathas, naughty Indian flatbreads that are a cross between a chapati and a circle of puff pastry. Here they are repurposed as the vehicle for a range of toppings that can span any meal of the day. Egg and avocado is an obvious riff on the bougie breakfast classic while the lamb one is a mini Indian meal repurposed as a sandwich.

For two people, I reckoned the purple paratha made a kind of starter. I like wild-coloured food so pink hummus with beetroot wedges and pickled red cabbage was an obvious choice. The

2017 Vina del Cura Rioja Crianza (£6.75 at Tesco)

Its two years ageing (at least one of them in oak) means Rioja’s Crianzas are seldom cheap but this one is particularly good value. Soft yet rounded, it delivers herbal, raspberry and red plum flavours supported by good acidity and firm tannin with suggestions of aniseed, chocolate and clove.

2019 Pomerols Picpoul De Pinet (£6 – instead of £8 until March 16 – at Morrisons)

Picpoul has a great story of wine reinventing itself. The grape was once the mainstay of Noilly Prat aperitifs but, when vermouth went out of fashion, it was transformed into a rival for muscadet as THE shellfish wine. Versions from 2019 were especially good as this helpfully discounted option illustrates. It contains impressive, rich, apple, pear and peach flavours, lively grapefruit acidity, pithy texture, and gentle saline touches.

2019 Pecorino Terre di Chieti (£5.49 at Lidl):

As well as a cheese, pecorino is also Italian white wine, and one that was only revived relatively recently. Floral and delicate, this great value example provides textured apple and lemon flavours accompanied by good acidity, hints of sweetness but suggestions of parsley, green pepper and savoury spice too.

ON-WINE SHOPPING 2020 Percheron Shiraz Mourvedre (£7.50 at www.slurp.co.uk):

South Africa’s Covid restrictions and export ban have created a massive wine lake there leaving only limited capacity for the (almost due) 2021 harvest. So, let’s buy some to “help out”, starting perhaps with this aromatic Western Cape red. It has rounded but slightly tarry plum and mulberry flavours accompanied by good acidity and mineral hints wrapped in a ripe cinnamon and cocoa depth, yet contains only minimal tannin.

Brian Elliott is a wine writer, judge and founder of www.midweekwine.co.uk. Promotions can change at short notice, so shoppers should enquire if prices differ.

1 Mix the chicken, one beaten egg, 1 tsp onion powder and garlic salt, so they are well mixed. Divide and make into 20 balls slightly smaller than a golf ball. 2 In a separate bowl, mix the soft cheese, butter, black pepper and 10 crushed cloves of garlic. 3 Take each of the balls and use your thumb to make and indent so they look like mini high-sided bowls. Take enough of the butter rolled into a little ball and place inside the ball, then form the meat around it, rolling it in your palms to form a tight ball. 4 Dip each one in beaten egg, then the polenta flour, back into the egg and finally into panko breadcrumbs. Set aside on a tray until all are ready, then drizzle with oil and place in the preheated oven at 180C for 25 mins. 5 In a separate pan drizzle a good heavy glug of olive oil (it will help the smoothness of the finished dish) along with the last two crushed cloves of garlic for 30 seconds then add the shelled butter beans and the other 1 tsp of onion powder. Heat on a low temperature and stir until warmed and mixed with the garlic oil.

Using a stick blender, blend the beans into a smooth paste, adding the warmed milk to your preferred consistency. I like it slightly wetter than mash, like a smooth polenta. Before serving, season to taste with salt and black pepper. 6 To serve just spoon on the mash mix, nestle a few mini Kiev’s on-top and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with a crisp side salad or some warm al dente runner beans.