Eye for a Recipe

This potato salad from Nigella Lawson is a nice change from the mayo-based version. Steam small potatoes and make the dressing. Slice the cooled potatoes in half and toss with the dressing. Add pickles, capers and herbs and toss again. Serve topped with more fresh herbs.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Sunshine Farms organic dill pickles, Unico capers, Allen’s cider vinegar and President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon mustard. All are free of additives.

Nigella's favourite potato salad

Ingredients:

2 lbs (900 g) small potatoes

3 1/3 tbsp (50 ml) canola oil

4 tbsp (60 ml) sliced dill pickles, plus 2 teaspoons (10 ml) liquid from the jar

3 tablespoons (45 ml) capers, plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) liquid from the jar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) mustard

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons (30 ml) roughly chopped fronds of dill, plus some more little fronds left whole

2 tablespoons (30 ml) chives (finely chopped)

Preparation:

Steam the potatoes for about 45 minutes, or until soft when pierced with a small fork. Tip the water away and sit the cooked potatoes over the still-hot pan beneath, without a lid on top of them, to dry out for 5-10 minutes, though you can easily leave them there for longer.

While the potatoes are steaming, get on with the dressing by pouring the oil, the liquid from the jars of pickles and capers, the vinegar and mustard into an empty jar and shaking together. Do whisk together in a bowl if you prefer.

Get out a large mixing bowl and transfer the cooked potatoes to it, cutting them in half lengthways as you do so. Then grind pepper very generously on top. Give your dressing a good final shake before you pour it over the potatoes and then toss gently to mix and leave the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, until just about warm but certainly not hot.

Add the sliced pickles and capers, plus most of the chopped dill and chives and toss again. Taste for seasoning. Add more vinegar, pickle or caper liquid if you want more sharpness.

Turn out into a serving bowl and scatter the rest of the dill and chives on top. Serves 6.

From Nigella Lawson

This recipe from Nigella Lawson is a one-pan meal that delivers delicious, Indian-spiced roast chicken and potatoes. Toss peeled and chopped potatoes with spices, lime zest and juice, garlic, salt and water. Add the chicken and toss to combine. Drizzle with oil and salt and roast for about an hour, until chicken is cooked through.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Combine potatoes, chicken and spices

Roast for about an hour, until chicken is done

Garnish with cilantro and serve

Ingredients:

3 lbs (1½ kg) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes

2 teaspoons (10 ml) cumin seeds

2 teaspoons (10 ml) fennel seeds

2 teaspoons (10 ml) yellow mustard seeds

2 teaspoons (10 ml) nigella seeds

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground turmeric

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes

4 cloves of garlic (peeled and minced)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) sea salt flakes plus more for sprinkling

4 tbsp (60 ml) cold water

12 chicken thighs with skin on and bone in

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

Fresh coriander for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Put the cut potatoes into a large, shallow roasting pan (15 x 14 in/37 x 34 cm) and sprinkle with the spices, followed by the lime zest and juice, garlic, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of salt and the water.

Tumble the chicken into the pan and toss everything well together, then turn the chicken skin-side up on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the skin with the oil and sprinkle over a little salt, then cook in the oven for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken cooked through, its skin golden and crisp. Serve scattered with chopped coriander. Serves 6.

From Nigella Lawson

This soothing soup from Nigella Lawson’s Kitchen is true comfort food. While you quickly marinate pork strips, cook the noodles and drain them. Saute green onions and ginger, add the pork and then hot stock. Once the pork is cooked, add the bean sprouts and bok choy and simmer until the bok choy softens a bit. Then ladle it into your bowl, garnish with chopped hot pepper and enjoy. Cook’s note: I used udon noodles instead of ramen noodles and they worked very well.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use fresh lime juice and tamari instead of soy sauce. Use a fish sauce that does not include MSG or sodium benzoate; I use Cock brand. Check to make sure the paprika doesn’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Imagine organic chicken stock is additive-free.

Marinate and cook the pork

Add the stock and bring to a boil

Add the bok choy

Vietnamese pork noodle soup

Ingredients:

10 oz (280 g) pork tenderloin, cut into thin discs and then fine strips

2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice

2 tbsp (30 ml)  soy sauce

½ (2.5 ml) teaspoon paprika

2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce

8 oz (250 g) ramen noodles

1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic oil

6 thin or 3 fat green onions, finely sliced

1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh ginger

1 quart (1 litre) chicken stock

10 oz (280 g) bean sprouts

2 small baby bok choy, torn into pieces

2 teaspoons (10 ml) chopped red or green chili pepper

Preparation:

Put the strips of pork fillet into a bowl and add the lime juice, soy sauce, paprika and fish sauce, but don’t let this stand for more than 15 minutes.

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions and then refresh in cold water.

Heat a wok or a deep, heavy-based frying pan, then add the garlic oil and fry the spring onions and ginger for a minute or so. Add the pork and its liquid to the wok, stirring as you go.

Cook the meat in the pan for another 2 minutes, then make up the chicken stock with boiling water, add the hot stock to the pan and bring to the boil.

Check the pork is cooked through, then add the bean sprouts and baby bok choy. Add water if the soupy base has evaporated too much – about ½ cup (125 ml) of freshly boiled water should do the trick, but you may not need it.

Arrange the drained noodles equally in two large or four small warmed bowls, ladle over them the pork and vegetables, and finally the soupy stock. Scatter the chopped chili on top and serve. Serves 4.

From Kitchen by Nigella Lawson