Hello people, are you ready to rock ‘n’ roll? Yes, it’s that time again…

With the agony of England’s shambolic attempt at winning the World Cup behind us, and the faint sound of Sepp Blatter choking on his own pride as he scrambles to make a gargantuan u-turn on goal line technology, I thought it was time for another post to hopefully brighten up your day. Let’s get off that couch and back into the kitchen with some more delightful food recipes.

Having just returned from an incredible extended weekend at Glastonbury, I thought it was only fair to use this unbelievably special place as my inspiration for this post. When you think of Glastonbury, a haven of music, hippies, farm fields and copious amounts of mud comes to mind, but Glastonbury is much more; it is a mixing pot of cultures, traditions and people, and this is reflected in the wide variety of food available at the festival.

I have been to other festivals, but none compare to Glastonbury in overall ambiance, atmosphere or variety of food. I was pleasantly surprised at the choice of food available. Sure, there were bog-standard, cheap, festival-friendly burger stalls; however, if you looked a little harder, nestled amongst the trashy, greasy spoons were some absolute gems. By delving deeper, I found these stands dazzled everyone with their good food or ethical produce. From adopted hippy favourites, falafels and Goan curries, to good old-fashioned British sausages, via barbequed jerk chicken and more smoothies stalls than you could shake a stick at, Glastonbury had it all.

To pay homage to a fantastic time, I have rustled together a collection of odds and sods recipes inspired by our epic experience at the world’s greatest festival, Glastonbury!

Jerk Chicken

An absolute Caribbean classic, I remember having jerk chicken for the first time a few years ago in London and since that first tantalising mouthful I have been hooked. This is my recipe, which I have tweaked to my taste; it may not be ‘mama’s’ jerk recipe, but the results are still lip-smackingly good. I promise you will be making this a barbecue regular. I have also included a barbecue jerk sauce recipe that can be quickly knocked up from the left over marinade. Do not just stop at chicken, why not try fish or even lamb as I have below? Go on…

Recipe (Serves 4)

Basic Marinade:

1 tbsp allspice, ground
Small handful of thyme or lemon thyme, stalk and all roughly chopped
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp black pepper, ground
½ tsp nutmeg, ground
½ tsp cinnamon
Large thumb-sized piece of ginger, chopped
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
4 spring onions, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1-2 scotch bonnet pepper(s) or any fresh chilli, to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp brown sugar
30 ml soy sauce
30 ml white vinegar
30 ml dark rum (optional)

Meat:

2 kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin-on
or 1.2kg boneless lamb leg, butterflied (ask your butcher to do this)
or a mix of both, 1 kg chicken and 600g lamb

Put the marinade ingredients into a blender and mix until you have a paste. Stab the meat all over with a sharp knife then massage the paste into the meat, leave to marinade overnight or as long as possible.

Light the barbecue and allow the coals to reach the right temperature. Place the coals in a circle around the outside of the barbecue then place a metal tray in the middle. This is going to act like an oven when the lid is on, as you will not be cooking over direct heat. Alternatively, you can easily cook the meat in a baking tray wrapped with foil for 40 to 50 minutes at 170°C then finish on the barbecue or under a hot grill.

Remove most of the marinade from the meat and place above the tray, then put the lid on with the vent open (otherwise you will choke the fire and it will go out). Cook the meat for 30 to 40 minutes turning frequently until piping hot and cooked through. If the meat is not nicely charred, finish over the hot coals around the edge of the barbeque, with the lid off. (For lamb, wrap the meat in foil and allow it to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes). Serve with rice and peas, my easy jerk barbecue sauce and some coleslaw.

Easy Jerk Barbecue Sauce

This sauce is really simple to make and goes fantastically well as a dipping sauce for any barbecued or grilled meats.

Recipe (Makes about 400ml)

Reserved marinade
400g tin chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp clear vinegar
2 tbsp dark rum (optional)

Pour the marinade into a small pan, bring to the boil. Add the tomatoes and bring back to the boil. Add the remaining ingredient with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Lower the heat and reduce for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then blitz in a blender or with a stick blender until smooth. Check the seasoning and serve in a bowl. This will last for a few days in the fridge.

Rice and Peas

Another Caribbean classic and a dish that is so simple to make, you will be making it time and time again. It is equally delicious served hot or at room temperature with all barbecued meats.

Recipe (Serves 4)

2 cups basmati or long grain rice (use a regular tea or coffee mug)
2 white onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Few springs of thyme, tied together with some string
½ tsp nutmeg grated or ground (optional)
400 ml tin coconut milk
400g tinned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Chicken or vegetable stock
2 spring onions, finely sliced
Small handful coriander, roughly chopped

The key to cooking rice is a 3:2 ratio of liquid to rice. If you use this ratio, you will have perfectly steamed rice every time.

Wash the rice until the water runs clear then allow to soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the onions and garlic with the nutmeg in a little oil until soft and translucent. Add the rice and kidneys beans, gently mix everything together with a large pinch of salt.

Remembering the 3:2 ratio, use all the coconut milk and top it up with hot stock until you have 3 cups of liquid, add to the pan and bring to the boil. Put the lid on then turn the heat right down and leave to cook for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave to stand with the lid on for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning, then stir through the spring onions and coriander just before serving.

Refreshing Coleslaw

This is great with any barbecue and goes particularly well with my Cheats Finger Linkin’ Ribs recipe from my previous post. By using yogurt instead of mayonnaise, the ‘slaw becomes a light and refreshing side dish.

Recipe (Serves 4)

1 small red or white cabbage, finely sliced
3 carrots, grated
4-5 tbsp plain yogurt
Large squeeze of lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl with a generous amount of salt and pepper, toss everything together until well mixed. Serve in a bowl.

British Hotdogs

This is an American concept but using the best of British. Instead of a horrid frankfurter, I am using a classic Great British sausage alongside American condiments. This recipe is all about the sausages, so try and get yourself the best sausages you can find. If you can find rare breed pork sausages such as Gloucestershire Old Spot or Berkshire than all the better.

Recipe (Serves 4-6)

12 good quality pork sausages
12 fresh finger rolls (Hotdog rolls), cut lengthways
2 large red onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed and finely chopped
1.5 tsp maple syrup or 1 tsp sugar
1 small pinch of chilli flakes or powder (optional)
6 large pickled gherkins, quartered lengthways
Tomato Ketchup
American style mustard

In a large frying pan, fry the sausages in a little olive oil until golden brown and cooked through or on a barbecue. Transfer to a plate and leave in a warm place.

Fry the garlic, onion, maple syrup or sugar along with the chilli in small glug of olive oil for a few minutes until the onions are soft and golden.

To serve, cut open a finger roll, place some fried onions on the bottom, top with a sausage, place 2 gherkin pieces along the side, finish with a line of ketchup and a line of mustard. Serve with a mixed salad and my crispy Jersey Royals.

My Crispy Jersey Royals

Jersey Royals are another best of British ingredient. This recipe is a great alternative to fries or chips and makes a great side dish to most BBQ or roasted meats.

Recipe (Serves 4)

800g Jersey Royals or new potatoes of your choice
4-5 sprigs of thyme or lemon thyme, leaves stripped off
½ tsp dried oregano
Small pinch chilli flakes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Large pinch of sea salt and generous amount of cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put the potatoes in a pan with a pinch of salt and cover with some water. Bring to the boil and simmer the potatoes for 8-10 minutes then drain and place in a baking tray. Using a potato masher or the bottom of a pan gently squash the potatoes so that the skins slightly crack.

Add the thyme, chilli, oil, salt, pepper and toss everything together until well coated. Place in the oven and roast for 45-60 minutes, tossing the potatoes from time to time. When cooked, the potatoes should be crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle.

Falafel

A classic street food dish from the Middle East that is now synonymous with hippy vegetarian food. Utterly delicious, simple to make and a good dish for when/if you decide to have a meat-free day! This recipe is based around my Iraqi friend’s recipe, so thank you Nadine.

Recipe (Serves 4)

2 x 400g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 medium-sized onions, roughly chopped
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Large handful of parsley, chopped
Large handful of coriander, chopped
1 tbsp cumin, ground
1 tbsp curry powder or 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
1 tbsp plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

To serve:

8 pita bread or tortilla wrap
Houmous
Mint yogurt: mix 5 tbsp thick yogurt with 1 tbsp chopped mint, a pinch of salt and sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice
Finely sliced red cabbage
Finely sliced lettuce

Place the chickpeas, onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse until everything is roughly chopped. Add the remaining ingredients with a generous amount of salt. Pulse again until a finely chopped mixture is achieved, do not over blitz otherwise you will be left with a paste. Tip into a large mixing bowl and briefly kneed until everything is mixed and compacted.

Shape the mixture into small balls about 3-4 cm in diameter, gently squash the balls between your hands until slightly flattened into fattish discs.

To cook, heat a couple of inches of oil in a wok or frying pan until hot (to test, use a piece of potato, place in the oil and when it turns golden, crispy and floats, Bob’s your uncle!) then fry for a few minutes until golden brown. The falafel should be crisp and crunchy on the outside with a soft moist centre.

To serve, lightly toast the pita or tortilla under a grill, spread generously with houmous, stuff with lettuce, cabbage, a few crispy falafels and a good dollop of mint yogurt.

Houmous

Recipe (Makes approximately 400ml)

400g tinned chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
4-5 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tbsp tahini paste (sesame seed paste)
Large pinch salt and generous crack of black pepper
50-150 ml water

Add all the ingredients other than the water and blitz in a food processor until you have a smooth paste. Depending on how loose/firm you like your houmous, gradually add the water while blitzing until you have your desired consistency. Check the seasoning and adjust the flavours to your liking. Serve in a bowl with a pinch of paprika or chilli powder on top and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Coriander Curry

My nod to a Goan style curry. Unlike many curries it is quick and easy to make. This is not a spicy curry; instead, it is more aromatic from the use of lots of fresh coriander. Any curry that uses coconut milk is a winner in my book, hopefully you will agree.

Recipe (Serves 2)

4 skinless chicken thighs or 2 fillets sustainably-caught firm white fish (e.g., Haddock or Cod) chopped into largish chunks
2 large handfuls of fresh coriander leaves
5 cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
½ medium-sized green chilli, roughly chopped
2 spring onions
Squeeze of lemon juice
2 white onions, skinned and roughly chopped
2 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp ground cumin powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp ground almonds
250 ml coconut milk or water

To begin, you need to marinate the chicken or fish – this can be done the day before and left in the fridge, but a minimum of 20 minutes will work well.

To make the marinade, put the fresh coriander, ginger, garlic, chilli and the spring onion in a blender or coffee grinder and blitz to make a paste. Place the chicken and the coriander paste into a mixing bowl, add the lemon juice then mix thoroughly. Leave to marinate.

To make the curry, blitz the onion to make a paste. Heat a wok or frying pan over a high heat with 1.5 tbsp of oil. When hot, add the onion paste with the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, ground almonds, a large pinch of salt and fry until the oil begins to separate (should take a few minutes).

If using chicken, add the chicken and all the marinade to the pan and fry for another 2 minutes, making sure to stir constantly. Add the coconut milk or water, bring back to the boil, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick add a little more water. When cooked, the chicken should be soft and the sauce a medium-thick consistency.

If using fish, only add the marinade to the pan and fry for another 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk or water, bring back to the boil, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water. Add the fish to the sauce, bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes until cooked.

Check the seasoning, sprinkle over some more freshly chopped coriander, then serve with naan bread or plain steamed rice.

Naan Bread

Making naan at home is simple, but achieving the same texture of a restaurant naan is hard, as it is hard to replicate the conditions of a tandoori oven. Do not let that put you off as they are still delicious if not authentic.

Recipe (Makes 8 medium-sized naan)

400g plain flour
7g sachet dried yeast
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
Large pinch of black onion seeds (optional)
2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
4 tbsp plain yogurt
4 tbsp milk
50g melted butter
Large handful coriander, finely chopped (optional)
4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped (optional)

Put all the ingredients, other than the coriander and garlic, in a mixing bowl. Using a spoon, mix everything together then turn out onto a clean work surface and knead for 10 minutes until soft (if the mixture is to dry or wet then adjust accordingly with water or flour).

Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill and warm a baking tray under it. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll out on a floured surface until roundish and 0.5 cm thick. Brush the butter over the top of the naan and sprinkle with garlic and coriander.

Lightly grease the baking tray with some oil, place the naan on the hot tray and place under the grill for a few minutes until nicely browned (you may have to do two batches). Brush with a little more butter and serve.

More recipes coming soon…