Cooking in the summer means one of two things to me: either not cooking – who needs to when you can eat Greek salad three times a day? – or cooking a lot. – or else, when you do, to go all out. It’s all about transporting yourself to the beach with a special plate of fish, conjuring an atmosphere with tropical fruit, and packing as much color as possible into the dish.
Pork chops marinated in coffee and served with white bean mash and kiwi salsa.
Ask your butcher for bone-in chops with a rich layer of fat that crisp up beautifully in the pan. If you wish to plan, marinade the chops and prepare the mashed potatoes the day before.
Prep 20 min
Marinate 1 hr +
Cook 20 min
Serves 4, as a main
3 thick-cut pork chops (about 350g each), bone-in
1 tsp olive oil
For the dry marinade
2 tbsp freshly ground coffee
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tbsp fennel seeds
½ tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Fine sea salt and flaked sea salt
For the white bean mash
2 tins of cannellini beans (400g each), rinsed and drained (480g)
60ml sour cream
1 tbsp olive oil
2 limes: finely grated, to get 1 tsp zest, and juiced, to get 1 tsp
For the kiwi salsa
4 kiwi (about 320g), peeled and coarsely grated
5g ginger, peeled and grated
15g coriander, roughly chopped
1 red chili (10g), stem removed, finely chopped (deseeded if you prefer less heat)
Start by marinating the pork. Combine all the marinade ingredients plus a teaspoon of salt in a spice grinder and ground until fine. Take one tablespoon of this mixture and combine it with the zest and one teaspoon of flaked salt in a small bowl. Crush the mixture with your fingers to create a spiced salt.
Crush the mixture with your fingertips to produce the seasoning salt. Apply the remaining mixture to the chops equally. Marinate at room temperature for at least one hour or, if planning, refrigerate for up to twenty-four hours. Just ensure that the ingredients are at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 degrees Celsius. Add all of the ingredients for the mash, along with two tablespoons of water and a half teaspoon of salt, to a food processor. Transfer the mixture to a bowl after pulverizing for 30 seconds until nearly smooth. Cover and set aside for later.
The chops are seasoned with three-quarters of a teaspoon of fine salt. Place them fat-side down in a big, chilly cast-iron skillet containing a half teaspoon of oil. Turn the heat to medium-high and fry the fat for two to four minutes, until it is rendered and crisp.
Add a half teaspoon of oil, sear the chops on each side for 45 seconds, and repeat twice (if your pan is too small, cook the chops individually on a tray to the side). Placing the chops with the skin facing down, place the pan in the oven. Remove the food from the oven after nine minutes and let it sit for five minutes. When squeezed in the center, the chops should spring back slightly.
Put all the ingredients for the kiwi salsa into a medium-sized bowl and stir thoroughly.
Place the chops on a cutting board and cut along the bone to remove the meat from the bone, then cut the meat diagonally into 12-centimeter strips.
Place the bean mash on each plate, followed by the pork slices. Serve with salsa on the side and generously sprinkled with seasoned salt.
Masala sea bream with coriander salsa and ribbon salad
This recipe is perfect for summer because most of its components may be prepared in advance. Make the masala and marinate the fish the day before, if desired. Serve with an abundance of rice or Rotis.
Prep 25 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 2
1 ½ tsp chickpea flour
90ml olive oil, plus ½ tsp extra
½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
2 whole sea bream, head on, scaled, and gutted (about 250g each)
2 limes, zest finely grated, to get 1 tsp, then juiced, to get 3 tsp
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped (10g)
For the salad
1 medium carrot, skin removed and discarded, peeled into ribbons (80g)
½ cucumber, cut into ribbons with a peeler (80g)
¼ red onion, peeled and very thinly cut (20g)
For the masala
2 tbsp madras curry powder
15g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
40g coriander, top leaves and stems twisted off and bottom stems kept aside
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 large lime leaves, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
1 plum tomato, roughly chopped (160g)
¼ tsp caster sugar
Sea salt and black pepper
Create the masala first. In the small bowl of a blender, combine the curry powder, ginger, garlic, coriander stems, tomato paste, lime leaves, tomato, sugar, 60ml water, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides as necessary with a spatula.
Toast the chickpea flour for two to three minutes over medium heat, until it smells nutty and is golden brown. Pour into a bowl, wipe out the pan, and place it back over medium-high heat with two tablespoons of oil.
Add the masala and simmer for five minutes, stirring often, until the majority of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the caraway seeds and 200 ml of water, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and become glossy. Mix in the chickpea flour then removes from heat and chill.
The oven should be heated to 240C (220C fan)/465F/gas 9 Make three to four 3cm wide cuts on both sides of the fish from the collar to the tail using a sharp knife. Ensure that the cuts are deep, reaching the bone.
Rub one tablespoon of the oil and a quarter teaspoon of salt all over each fish using your hands. Then, divide the masala evenly between the two fish and press it into the cuts, belly, and skin to create a thin coating.
Place the fish on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, or until the masala is dry and darkened in spots. Take the dish out of the oven and let it rest for five minutes.
In the interim, make the salsa. In a small food processor, combine the coriander leaves with the remaining three tablespoons of oil, lime zest, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Blend until nearly smooth, then place in a basin. Stir in the chili and lime juice, then set aside.
To prepare the salad, combine the carrot, cucumber, and onion with a half teaspoon of oil, the remaining teaspoon of lime juice, and an eighth teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Combine and set aside.
Carefully transfer the fish to a large serving plate and dollop the salsa on top. The ribbon salad should be served on the side.
Beetroot and tahini dip with coconut salsa macha
Summer is when sweet and earthy beetroots are at their strongest and most adaptable. We adore them as a dip, whipped with a bit of spice and acid. Salsa Macha is a spicy, oily sauce from Mexico that will last a week in the refrigerator; if you like, you can double the recipe and serve it with fried eggs.
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr 40 min
Serves 4, as a starter or part of a meze
500g beetroot (about 3-4) washed and scrubbed thoroughly
Sea salt and black pepper
50g tahini
50ml pomegranate molasses
1 lime, finely grated to get ½ tsp zest, and juiced to get 1 tbsp
For the salsa macha
1 ½ tsp desiccated coconut, toasted
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted
⅛ tsp ground allspice, lightly toasted until fragrant
¼ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes
¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or sweet paprika)
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
75ml olive oil
For the coconut and coriander topping
10g raw coconut chips
10g coriander
Begin by cooking the beetroot. They should be placed in a big pot, covered with ample salted water, and brought to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 90 minutes, or until fully cooked (a knife should go through easily).
Drain in a colander and set aside to cool to the point where they can be handled and peeled. Throw away the skin. Roughly cut the beetroot and place half of it in the large bowl of a food processor. Pulse the beetroot a few times until it is chunky. Add these to a big bowl for mixing. Add the remaining beetroot puree along with the tahini, molasses, lime juice, and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Blend for 30 seconds. Combine thoroughly and set aside.
In the interim, prepare the salsa macha. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Combine and set aside.
Mix the lime zest, coconut chips, and coriander in a small bowl and put aside for the topping.
Spoon the beetroot mash onto a large dish with a lip, creating swirls and dips with the spoon. The salsa should be splattered over the chips, and the coconut chip mixture should be sprinkled on top.
