3 hours ago
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I always keep a stash of nuts in my kitchen cupboard. I scatter them, roughly chopped, over my morning yoghurt and fruit bowl, and when I feel an attack of the munchies coming on, I try (although I often fail) to reach for a handful of them in place of something sugary. These nutrient-dense superstars are high on the list of nutritionists’ favourite anti-inflammatory foods, and while all their health benefits are obviously terrific, I love them simply because they bring rich, buttery flavour, interest, and delightful texture to my cooking.
Almond crusted chicken schnitzel (pictured top)
Traditionally, schnitzels are coated in crisp breadcrumbs, but this delicious version using almonds and cornflour makes this nuttily delicious and suitable for anyone avoiding gluten.
Prep 5 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
50g parmesan, roughly chopped
250g blanched almonds
Zest of 1 lemon
50g cornflour
Sea salt and black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp dijon mustard
Lemon wedges, to serve
Put a chicken breast between two sheets of baking paper, then use a rolling pin to beat the chicken until it’s about 1.5cm thick all over. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
Put the parmesan in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Add the almonds and blitz again until you have a coarse crumb. Transfer to a shallow bowl and stir in the lemon zest.
Place the cornflour in a separate shallow bowl and season generously. Combine the eggs, mustard, and a tablespoon of water in a shallow bowl and whisk to combine. Dust the chicken evenly in cornflour, shake off any excess, then dip into the egg mixture and press into the almond mixture, coating evenly. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
To cook the schnitzels, put a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, then pour in 1cm oil. When the oil is hot, fry two schnitzels for five or six minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining schnitzels, using a little more oil if needed. Serve with lemon wedges, salad, some potatoes or a side of pickles.
Harissa baked hake with olives and walnut salsa
Baked fish is so light that the addition of chopped nuts in the salsa gives it some heft. The walnuts are interchangeable for whichever nuts you prefer – pistachios, for example, would make an excellent alternative.
Prep 5 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4
40g harissa
Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus 6 slices, very thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
4 skinless hake fillets (about 175g each)
Sea salt and black pepper
75g green olives
For the walnut salsa
150g walnut halves
50g finely chopped coriander
1 preserved lemon, rind finely chopped (flesh reserved for another use)
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp sumac
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Tip the walnuts on to a baking tray and roast for five minutes, until toasty. Leave to cool, then roughly chop and mix with all the other salsa ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk the harissa, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Season the fish fillets with sea salt and black pepper, put them on a baking tray, the spread the harissa mixture evenly over each fillet. Scatter over the olives and lemon slices, then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked and flaking apart. Spoon the walnut salsa over the top and serve.
Ricotta, hazelnut and kale lasagne
The hazelnuts bring a toasty flavour to this cosy family favourite.
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr 10 min
Serves 6
For the tomato sauce
Olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 tsp caster sugar
Sea salt and black pepper
For the kale and ricotta filling
300g curly kale
200g cavolo nero
75g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
500g ricotta
250g mascarpone
40g parmesan, grated
4 egg yolks
Zest of 1 lemon
1 good grating of nutmeg
For the lasagne
250g fresh lasagne sheets
100g parmesan, grated
125g buffalo mozzarella
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. To make the tomato sauce, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pan over a low heat, then add the garlic and fry for a minute. Add the chilli flakes and oregano, and pour in the tomatoes. Add the sugar, season with sea salt and black pepper, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened.
Bring a large pan of well-salted water to a boil, then add the kale and cavolo nero, and simmer for five minutes, until the greens are tender. Scoop everything out into a colander and run under cold water to cool. Squeeze out as much water as possible, then put in a food processor with the hazelnuts and process until roughly chopped. Mix with the remaining filling ingredients.
Spread a quarter of the ricotta mix in the base of a two-litre baking pan. Cover with slightly overlapping lasagne sheets, then pour over a third of the tomato sauce. Build another layer with another quarter of the ricotta mix, sprinkle over a little parmesan and pour over another third of the tomato sauce. Cover with a second layer of lasagne sheets and top with another layer of ricotta, a third of the parmesan and the remaining tomato sauce.
Top with a third layer of lasagne sheets, then spread over the remaining ricotta. Scatter over the remaining parmesan and tear over the mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
