Spatch-cock Quail and Kusheri

Delicious spiced quail with Egyptian kosheri (rice with lentils), another classic Ottolenghi recipe perfect for summer. Char the skin quickly on a griddle pan or barbeque to make them extra crispy while the meat stays moist inside. Perfectly paired with a cold Riesling.

Ingredients

for the quails

2 Quails, spatchcocked

1 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/2 tbsp ground Cumin

3 green Cardamom pods

1 Allspice berry

1/4 tsp Paprika

1 clove of Garlic, peeled

1 inch piece of Ginger, grated

1/2 tbsp Honey

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

for the kusheri

1/2 cup green Lentils
1/2 cup of Rice
2 tbsp Butter
small handful of vermicelli Noodles broken into pieces
2 cups of chicken Stock
1/2 tsp grated Nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Recipe

Put all spices and a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar and grind to a fine powder. Add garlic and ginger and work to a paste. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the oil and honey, mix well. Add your quails and massage the marinade into the meat. Put in a small covered container for at least four hours, preferably overnight.

To cook the quail, place a griddle pan over a medium heat and leave for a few minutes until it's hot. Lay quails onto the pan and grill for 10-15 minutes turning them over halfway through. If the birds darken before they cook through, place them into a hot oven. 

For the kusheri the first thing you need to do is fry the onions and noodles in oil until translucent and starting to brown on the edges. Set this to one side. Pour the lentils, rice, stock, cinnamon and nutmeg into a saucepan on high heat until the stock starts to boil. When the stock is boiling, turn the heat down and put a lid on. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. When the rice and lentils are ready, season and add the onions, noodles and butter. Give it a good mix and then serve with the quails on top.

Vanilla and Coconut Pork

A recipe from Spice it Up by Levi Roots that combines unusual flavours. Don't think this is a tame dish with its smooth coconut and sweet vanilla, it packs a punch with a scotch bonnet chilli and fragrant ginger. Perfect for a quick summer week-night treat with a big bowl of salad to accompany, and a glass of Pinot Grigio.

Ingredients
2 Pork steaks or chops
2 Onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of Garlic, finely sliced
1 Scotch Bonnet, cut in half
2 dried red Chillis, sliced
2cm piece of Ginger, grated
1/2 can of Coconut milk
1 tsp brown Sugar
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 Vanilla pod
handful of fresh Coriander
1 stick of Celery, chopped
1/2 cup Rice
1 cob of fresh Corn, kernels removed/ small can of sweetcorn
1 cup of vegetable Stock
cooking Oil
Salt & Pepper

Recipe
Start by cooking the rice to accompany the dish first. Heat some oil in a small saucepan, fry half of the onions, and half of the garlic until the onions have become translucent. Put the heat up and add the dried chilli and one half of the scotch bonnet. Add sweetcorn and rice and mix well. Pour in the stock and turn the heat up until boiling. Reduce the heat to low and leave to bubble away for 10 minutes. Once most of the water has gone, put a lid until all the water has evaporated. Put to one side with the lid on.

For the pork, heat some oil in a large frying pan. Season the pork meat with salt and pepper and then fry them for 2-3 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Transfer onto a plate and put to one side.

Turn the heat down to add the remaining onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic, scotch bonnet and ginger and cook until everything is soft and fragrant. Add coconut milk, sugar and half the lime juice. Slice the vanilla pod lengthways to scrape the seeds out. Add the seeds and pod to the coconut milk and cook on a low heat to avoid splitting the coconut cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the steaks and their juices back to the pan, and depending on the thickness of your streaks, cook for a further 20 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the steaks every so often to keep them moist. Once cooked, add the lime zest and remaining lime. Serve over the sweetcorn rice with a scattering of coriander seeds and enjoy. :)