greek lamb with feta and mint

 

one of the most obvious types of warming food is stew, so stew is what we chose to eat as we watched the winter sun melt the final bits of snow.

as usual a traditional british dish wasn’t going to be nearly interesting enough (for me!) so i decided to take inspiration from greece. the addition of little pasta pieces at the end is typically greek (and make this an easy one-pot meal), and the final flourish of feta and mint is a great way to freshen up the rich flavours.

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tapas brindisa, se1

 

tapas brindisa makes me wish i earned more. it’s not that it’s horrifically expensive but so much of the fabulous charcuterie, cured fish and cheeses that they serve are presented so simply i struggle to justify the cost. c’mon, £12.50 for a plate of ham? cheese and toast for £10.25?

ok, it’s a plate of hand carved jabugo iberico ham. or a selection of regional spanish cheeses served with that toast. i know all about the importance of impeccable ingredients and i’m sure they are delicious. but that’s the point, i don’t know! i just can’t persuade myself to order those dishes no matter how much i fancy them!

so, i end up sticking to the food where they apply their skill in creating and cooking something rather than just plating it up.

things like chickpea and chorizo stew (with a satisfyingly smokey undertone), spinach tortilla, padron peppers (i’ve yet to get a really hot one but love the russian-roulette nature of the dish) or marinated anchovie and piquillo pepper salad with walnut and cabernet sauvignon dressing (a superbly balanced combination of flavours, if only it was larger so i wouldn’t mind sharing quite so much!).

it’s not ideal but that’s the way it is. unless a pay rise is forthcoming and carries me over the hesitation-hurdle!

there is however, one item on the menu that will always keep me coming back to tapas brindisa, regardless of my bank balance - their large gordal olives with olive oil and orange. i first tried these almost a year ago and they instantly became an “oh my god i’ve never eaten anything so fabulous” food. and they remain so in my memory.

sadly, on my last visit to they didn’t have any so i had to make do with stocking up on gordal olives (which are brine-cured and have a very distinctive flavour) at the brindisa stall at borough market and attempt to make my own.

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chicken tagine with green olives and preserved lemon

 

something that i often have in the freezer is packs of chicken thighs and i’m always thinking about different ways to cook them. this week the winning choice involved north african flavours and the development of a dish that i’ll definitely be making again.

the gentle richness of the chicken contrasted with the fresh piquancy of the preserved lemons and it is definitely worth using them.

preserved lemons last for ages so don’t be put off from making or buying them. if you want to buy them i like the belazu brand. and while you’re looking at their lemons, their rose harissa and smoked chilli jelly are great too. the chilli jelly is particularly lovely with strong cheddar and oat biscuits!

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