Dutch-Oven on charalambous.uk

Afelia

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Afelia

Cypriot pork in red wine and coriander, marinate then braise, serves 6

Ingredients

The marinade
pork shoulder 1kg, in bite-size pieces
red wine 500ml
coriander seeds 2 tbsp, crushed
cumin 1/2 tsp
bay leaves 2
black pepper plenty

To cook
olive oil 80ml
water 120ml
salt 1 tbsp
mushrooms 300g, sliced (optional)

Coriander seed is the whole point of afelia. Crush it coarsely, do not grind it to powder, so you get little bursts of it.
Pork neck or shoulder. The wine both flavours and tenderises, so give it overnight if you can.
The mushrooms are optional and not traditional, but they soak up the sauce well.

Baked Cod

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Baked Cod

serves 4, 25 min, Le Creuset casserole

Ingredients

cod fillets 4 (about 150g each), skinless
butter 3 tbsp, softened
olive oil 1 tbsp
garlic 3 cloves, minced
parsley 2 tbsp, chopped
paprika 1/2 tsp
lemon 1, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to season

Chives or thyme work in place of the parsley. Pat the fillets bone dry first, a dry surface bakes and browns, a wet one steams and goes watery.

Beef Shin Stew

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Beef Shin Stew

Beef shin braised in red wine, one pot, 3.5 hr, serves 6

Ingredients

The stew
beef shin 1kg, in big chunks
onions 2, chopped
carrots 3, in thick chunks
celery 2 sticks, chopped
garlic 4 cloves, sliced
red wine 300ml
beef stock 500ml
tomato puree 2 tbsp
olive oil 2 tbsp

The aromatics
bay leaves 2
thyme few sprigs
salt and pepper to season

To finish
potatoes 800g, halved, optional

Ask for shin by name. Supermarkets often label it braising steak or stewing beef, and the packaged stewing beef is lean and cut unevenly.
Chuck is the easiest swap. Around £9 to £11 a kilo at a butcher.
Keep the bones if you get it bone in. The marrow goes into the sauce.

Boule

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Boule

76% hydration, 50 min bake, 210°C, makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

Makes 1 loaf

flour 420g
water 320ml
salt 9g
yeast 2g

Use strong white bread flour. It makes a difference.

Braised Short Ribs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Braised Short Ribs

3 hr 30 min, Dutch oven, serves 4

Ingredients

Short ribs
beef short ribs 1.5kg
olive oil for searing
salt and pepper to season

Braise
onion 1
carrots 2
celery 2 sticks
garlic 4 cloves
tomato puree 2 tbsp
red wine 400ml
beef stock 500ml
bay leaves 2
fresh thyme few sprigs
fresh rosemary 1 sprig

Use a red wine good enough to drink. Cheap and harsh shows in the sauce.
Serve over mashed potato to catch the sauce.

Butter Chicken

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Butter Chicken

Murgh makhani, 45 min, serves 4

Ingredients

The marinade
chicken thighs 800g, boneless, in chunks
yoghurt 150g
garlic 6 cloves, crushed
ginger thumb, grated
garam masala 2 tsp
ground turmeric 1 tsp
kashmiri chilli 2 tsp
lemon 1/2, juice
salt 1 tsp

The sauce
tinned tomatoes 2 tins, good ones
cashews 75g
butter 100g
ginger thumb, grated
garlic 4 cloves
green cardamom 4 pods
kashmiri chilli 1 tsp
double cream 150ml
kasoori methi 1 tbsp
garam masala 1 tsp
honey 1 tsp

Kasoori methi is dried fenugreek leaves and there is no substitute. It is the thing that makes it taste like a restaurant rather than a creamy tomato sauce. Any Asian supermarket, about £1.50 for a bag that lasts a year.
The cashews are not optional either. They are what makes it silky. Cream alone gives you a thinner, sharper sauce.
No onion. The original Delhi makhani is tomato, butter, cream and cashew, and the cashews do the job onion would. Plenty of good modern recipes do add it, so it is a choice rather than a rule.

Cari Poulet

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Cari Poulet

Mauritian chicken curry, 1 hr, Dutch oven, serves 4

Ingredients

Serves 4

chicken thighs 1kg
potatoes 500g
onion 1
garlic 4 cloves
ginger 1 inch
tomato 1
curry powder 3 tbsp
ground turmeric 1 tsp
fresh thyme 1 sprig
curry leaves 8
red chillies 2
fresh coriander handful
oil for frying
water 400ml
salt to taste

Mauritian roasted curry powder is the real thing, sold online. A good Madras curry powder works in a pinch.
Thyme and curry leaves are the Mauritian signature. Don’t leave them out.
The potatoes go fondant in the sauce. Serve with farata to scoop it up.

Carnitas

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Carnitas

3 hr 30 min, Dutch oven, serves 6

Chicken Alfredo

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Chicken Alfredo

30 min, Dutch oven, serves 4

Ingredients

Chicken
chicken breast 2
olive oil drizzle
paprika to taste
garlic powder to taste
onion powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce
butter 50g
garlic 4 cloves
double cream 300ml
parmesan 100g
italian seasoning 1 tsp
chilli flakes pinch
salt and pepper to season

Pasta
fettuccine 400g
parsley handful

Grate your own parmesan, ready grated won’t melt smoothly.
Double cream only, single cream and milk split when boiled.
A pinch of nutmeg in the sauce is the classic touch.

Chicken and Chorizo Rice

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Chicken and Chorizo Rice

One pot, oven, 50 min, 180°C, serves 4

Ingredients

chicken thighs 8, bone in skin on
chorizo 200g, sliced
long grain rice 300g
onion 1, chopped
garlic 4 cloves, sliced
red pepper 1, sliced
smoked paprika 2 tsp
tomato puree 2 tbsp
chicken stock 700ml, hot
olive oil 2 tbsp

Everything goes in raw except the stock, which needs to be hot or the rice cooks unevenly.

Chicken and Orzo

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Chicken and Orzo

One pot, 45 min, 180°C, serves 4

Ingredients

chicken thighs 8, bone in skin on
orzo 300g
onion 1, chopped
garlic 4 cloves, sliced
tinned tomatoes 1 tin
chicken stock 600ml, hot
dried oregano 1 tsp
ground cinnamon pinch
feta 100g, to finish
olive oil 2 tbsp

Close cousin of giouvetsi. This is the fast weeknight version with chicken instead of beef.

Chicken Tagine

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Chicken Tagine

with preserved lemon and olives, 1 hr 30 min, Dutch oven, serves 4

Ingredients

Chicken
chicken thighs 8
olive oil for browning
salt and pepper to season

Base
onion 2
garlic 4 cloves
ginger 1 inch
ground cumin 2 tsp
paprika 1 tsp
ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp
ground turmeric 1 tsp
saffron pinch, optional
chicken stock 300ml

To finish
preserved lemon 1
green olives 100g
fresh coriander handful

Bone-in thighs give the most flavour, skin on or off. No tagine needed, the Dutch oven does the same job.
The preserved lemon goes in near the end so it perfumes the sauce without falling apart. It is salty, so go easy on added salt.
A teaspoon of ras el hanout can stand in for the individual spices.

French Onion Soup

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

French Onion Soup

1 hr 15 min, Dutch oven, serves 4

Ingredients

Soup
onions 1kg
butter 50g
olive oil 1 tbsp
garlic 3 cloves
plain flour 1 tbsp
white wine 150ml
beef stock 1.2L
bay leaves 2
fresh thyme few sprigs
salt and pepper to taste

Topping
baguette 1/2
gruyère 150g

The caramelising is the whole dish, it takes patience not skill. Don’t rush it or the soup will be pale and thin.
A pinch of sugar with the onions speeds up the caramelising, cutting it to about 25 minutes.
Gruyère is a Swiss cheese. Any Swiss cheese works in a pinch. A splash of brandy with the wine adds depth.

Gigantes Plaki

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Gigantes Plaki

Greek baked butter beans, vegan, one pot, 50 min, 170°C, serves 4

Giouvetsi

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Giouvetsi

Greek beef and orzo bake, one pot, 2 hr, serves 6

Ingredients

The stew
diced beef 1kg, shoulder or shin
red onions 2, finely chopped
carrots 2, sliced
chopped tomatoes 1 x 400g tin
tomato puree 2 tbsp
red wine 150ml
cinnamon stick 1
caster sugar 1 tsp
olive oil 4 tbsp
salt and pepper to season

The pasta
orzo 500g
hot stock about 1 litre
kefalotyri 100g, grated (or feta)

Orzo (kritharaki) is a rice shaped pasta. It cooks right in the sauce at the end, soaking up the flavour, so do not boil it separately.
Keep an eye on the liquid once the orzo goes in. It wants to be just covered and a little soupy, as it firms up as it sits.
Kefalotyri is the classic grating cheese. Feta crumbled over, or even halloumi, does the job.

Halloumi Kleftiko

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Halloumi Kleftiko

Cypriot halloumi and potato bake, one pot, 1.5 hr, serves 4

Jollof Rice

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Jollof Rice

Nigerian party jollof, 1 hr, Dutch oven, serves 6

Ingredients

Pepper base
plum tomatoes 400g tin
red peppers 2
onion 1
garlic 3 cloves, optional
ginger 1 inch, optional
scotch bonnet 1

Rice
parboiled rice 500g
onion 1
tomato puree 3 tbsp
vegetable oil 100ml
thyme 1 tsp
curry powder 1 tsp
bay leaves 2
stock cubes 2
water 400ml
salt to taste

Use long grain parboiled rice. It holds its shape, normal rice goes mushy.
The scotch bonnet brings the heat. Deseed it or use half for a milder result.
Maggi or Knorr cubes are the authentic seasoning.

Kleftiko

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Kleftiko

Cypriot slow roast lamb, one pot, 3 hr, serves 6-8

Ingredients

Lamb
lamb shoulder 2.5kg, bone in
garlic 1 bulb, halved

Marinade
olive oil 4 tbsp
lemon 1, juice and zest
dried oregano 1 tbsp
ground cinnamon 1 tsp
dijon mustard 1 tbsp
salt and pepper to season

In the pot
potatoes 2kg
onions 2, in wedges
tomatoes 2, quartered
halloumi 1 block, thick slices
bay leaves 3
white wine 250ml

To finish
lemon 1/2, to squeeze
dried mint to scatter

Bone in stays juiciest. Boneless is easier to carve but cooks faster and can dry, so check it earlier.
Swap the wine for chicken or veg stock, or water. A squeeze of lemon with the stock adds the acidity the wine gives.

Lazy Boule

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Lazy Boule

65% hydration, stand mixer, makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

strong white flour 500g
water 325g
salt 10g
instant yeast 7g

Recipe

1. Put in the stand mixer bowl:

Mushroom Bourguignon

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Mushroom Bourguignon

Vegan, one pot, 1 hr, serves 4

Oven Pilaf

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Oven Pilaf

One pot, 40 min, 170°C, serves 4

Ingredients

basmati rice 300g
onion 1, chopped
butter 50g
chicken stock 600ml, boiling
bay leaf 1
salt to season

Long grain only. Arborio and other short grains are a different starch and head for porridge no matter what you do.
Ordinary long grain drinks more than basmati, go to 650ml.
Eight minutes of this is hands on, the rest is the oven.

Pasta with Tiny Meatballs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Pasta with Tiny Meatballs

Pallottine, 30 min, serves 4

Ingredients

sausagemeat 400g
parmesan 40g, grated
tinned tomatoes 2 tins
garlic 3 cloves, sliced
olive oil 2 tbsp
spaghetti 400g

No egg, no breadcrumbs, no salt in the meatballs. Sausagemeat already has the binder and the seasoning in it.
Squeezing good sausages out of their skins beats a supermarket tub, which is mostly trimmings and fat ground to a paste. Slit them lengthways, about 3 minutes for 8.
A pinch of fennel seeds and chilli flakes pushes it towards Italian salsiccia.

Pot Roast Chicken

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Pot Roast Chicken

One pot, 1 hr 20, 180°C, serves 4 with leftovers

Ingredients

chicken 1.6kg, whole
potatoes 1kg, halved
carrots 4, in thick chunks
onions 2, in wedges
garlic 1 bulb, cloves separated, skins on
lemon 1, halved
thyme few sprigs
olive oil 3 tbsp
salt and pepper to season

Cut the veg bigger than feels right. Small pieces dissolve before the bird is done.
Parsnips, shallots and squash all work. Green veg doesn’t, it turns to sludge over an hour. Do that on the side.
Day one of three. The leftovers and the carcass are two more dinners.

Pot-Roast Chicken Thighs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Pot-Roast Chicken Thighs

one pot, hands off, 200°C, serves 4

Ingredients

chicken thighs 8
onion 2
garlic 6 cloves
lemon 1
thyme few sprigs
stock or wine 150ml
oil 1 tbsp
salt and pepper to taste

Bone in, skin on thighs. More forgiving and tastier than breast, and no carving.
Serve straight from the pot with the juices, and bread or potatoes to mop up.

Ribollita

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ribollita

Tuscan bean, veg and bread stew, one pot, 1.5 hr, serves 6

Rice

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Rice

Dutch oven, 25 min, serves 4

Ingredients

Serves 4

long grain rice 300g
water 450ml
salt 1/2 tsp
butter knob

The ratio is the whole trick: 1.5 parts water to 1 part rice for basmati or long grain. Brown rice needs more water and longer.

Sausage and Butter Bean Casserole

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sausage and Butter Bean Casserole

One pot, no browning, 50 min, 180°C, serves 4

Ingredients

sausages 8, good ones
butter beans 2 tins, drained
tinned tomatoes 1 tin
onion 1, sliced
garlic 3 cloves
red pepper 1, sliced
smoked paprika 2 tsp
chicken stock 200ml
olive oil 2 tbsp
salt and pepper to season

The laziest thing in the book. Everything goes in raw.
Swap the butter beans for cannellini or haricot. Chorizo alongside the sausages if you want it smokier.

Sausage Ragu

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sausage Ragu

40 min, serves 4

Ingredients

sausagemeat 500g, or 8 sausages
onion 1, chopped
garlic 3 cloves, sliced
fennel seeds 1 tsp
chilli flakes pinch
tinned tomatoes 2 tins
whole milk 100ml
olive oil 2 tbsp
rigatoni 400g
parmesan to serve

The tiny meatballs with the effort taken out. Same ingredients, no rolling.
Rigatoni or another tube. The chunks lodge inside them.
Throw in a parmesan rind while it simmers if you have one.

Scotch Eggs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Scotch Eggs

makes 6, 30 min, 170°C fry, make ahead

Ingredients

eggs 6, plus 2 to coat
sausagemeat 500g
breadcrumbs 150g
plain flour to dust
english mustard 1 tsp
thyme or sage small handful
salt and pepper to taste
oil to fry

One pack of sausagemeat does all six, or use 6 sausages with the skins removed.
Panko breadcrumbs give the crispest shell. Older eggs peel more easily.

Sourdough

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sourdough

75% hydration, 24 hr process, 50 min bake, 210°C, makes 1 loaf

You need an active sourdough starter before making this.

Ingredients

Makes 1 loaf

strong white flour 500g
filtered water 375g
starter 100g
salt 10g

High enough for an open crumb, manageable enough to shape.
Use filtered or bottled water. Chlorine in tap water can slow fermentation.
The starter should be active and bubbly, fed 4/8 hours before you begin.

Stifado

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Stifado

Greek beef and shallot stew, 3 hr braise, serves 6

Ingredients

The stew
stewing beef 1kg, in large chunks
baby onions 600g, peeled, left whole
garlic 4 cloves, sliced
chopped tomatoes 1 x 400g tin
beef stock 400ml
red wine 250ml
red wine vinegar 2 tbsp
tomato puree 1 tbsp
olive oil 2 tbsp

The spice
cinnamon stick 1
bay leaves 4
dried oregano 1 tbsp
ground allspice 1 pinch
ground cloves 1 pinch
caster sugar 1 pinch
salt and pepper to season

Shin or chuck. A cut with some fat and collagen goes meltingly tender over the long braise, where lean cuts stay tough.
Peeling that many small onions is the only faff. Cover them in just boiled water for a minute and the skins slip off.
Better the next day, once the spice settles and the sauce thickens, so a good one to make ahead.

Tahdig

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Tahdig

Persian rice with a crisp crust, 1 hr, serves 4

Ingredients

basmati rice 400g
butter 75g
oil 3 tbsp
yoghurt 3 tbsp
saffron pinch, in 3 tbsp hot water
salt to season

The Le Creuset does this better than anything else. Heavy even base, no hot spots.
Tahdig means bottom of the pot. The crust is the dish, the fluffy rice above it is the side.

Tavas

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Tavas

Cypriot pork and potato bake, one pot, 1.5 hr, serves 4

Ingredients

Meat and veg
pork shoulder 500g, diced
potatoes 4, peeled and cubed
carrots 4, peeled and sliced
onions 4, roughly chopped

The rice
long grain rice 200g
chopped tomatoes 1 x 400g tin
water 400ml, one tin
tomato puree 1 tbsp

To season
dried oregano 4 tsp
salt 1 tsp
olive oil to drizzle

Pork shoulder over loin. It stays tender through the long bake, where loin can dry out.
The rice cooks in the middle of the pot in the tomato and pork juices, so give it a stir halfway so it cooks evenly and does not catch.
Good hot, and Cypriots happily eat the leftovers cold the next day.

Tomato Soup

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Tomato Soup

50 min, Dutch oven, serves 4

Ingredients

tinned tomatoes 1.6kg
butter 115g
onion 1
garlic 4 cloves
salt to taste

San Marzano if you can get them, otherwise good plum tomatoes. For a blended soup like this, 1 tin San Marzano and 3 of good plum is plenty.