Have you ever accidentally added the wrong ingredient to a dish and it turned out to be an improvement? This happened to me when I was making shepherd’s pie this week. Not really focusing as I’ve made it so often I squeezed a tube of what I thought was tomato paste into the pot only to realize it was harissa. It brought all the flavors together and added a gentle heat that elevated it from good to great. Please don’t be put off by the anchovy paste – I add it to most slow cooked dishes as it gives a salty richness that’s not in the slightest bit fishy. If you don’t like lamb, simply substitute for beef and call it cottage pie. Either way, it’s the perfect comfort food whether you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or not. 

Shepherd’s Pie 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 lbs minced lamb (or beef)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 carrots, peeled and finely diced

2 celery sticks, finely diced

1 tablespoon harissa

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

14oz can of tomatoes

1/2 cup chicken stock

For the topping:

2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into similar size pieces

3 medium leeks, trimmed, sliced lengthwise, then into 1/2″ slices and washed thoroughly

8 tablespoons butter, divided

2 oz mature cheddar cheese, grated

Fresh thyme

Method:

1. In a large casserole dish or frying pan, heat the olive oil and fry the onions for approximately 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook for a further 5 minutes.

2. Add the lamb (or beef) and increase the heat, stirring frequently until all the meat is nicely browned. About 5 minutes.

3. Add the harissa, tomato paste, anchovy paste, tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer and then reduce to a low heat and cook for about an hour. Check for seasoning. 

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the potatoes. Cook until very tender, drain and return to the pot with 6 tablespoons of butter and a generous sprinkling of salt. Mash well.

5. In a frying pan, heat the remaining two tablespoons of butter and gently fry the leeks for 5 minutes. 

6. In either a large baking dish or 4 individual baking dishes, divide the meat mixture evenly. Top with mashed potatoes, then leeks, then grated cheddar and finally a sprinkling of fresh thyme.

7. Bake in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes until nicely browned. Serve warm.

Cooking through the three sauces in One Culture Foods line was a true pleasure. It is very rare to find a bottled simmer sauce that vastly improves a meal, gives authentic flavor and is truly as simple to use as the label indicates. One Culture Foods has three of these sauces. Earthy Spicy Tingly was our last sauce to cook with and it paired perfectly with lamb. This recipe was one of Hansen’s inspirations and we were thrilled with how easily it came together and how the sauce married itself so perfectly to the ingredients. The bite of the peppercorns, crunch of the charred green beans and flavorful seared lamb all blend wonderfully with a sauce that matches each component of its name: earthy, spicy, tingly.

Sichuan Peppercorn Lamb and Green Bean Stir Fry
Serves 2 large portions

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons high smoke point oil (grapeseed, safflower, avocado), divided
3/4 lb green beans, cleaned and cut into 1 – 1 1/4 inch pieces
Sea salt
1/4 white onion, sliced thinly (1/2 cup)
1 lb lean lamb sirloin, fat removed and sliced on a bias (1 1/4 inch long 1/4 inch wide)
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
Fresh cracked black pepper
5 tablespoons of Earthy Spicy Tingly
White rice for serving

Method:
1. In a large frying pan on high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of oil for 3-5 minutes until green beans sizzle when added to the pan. You can test with a green bean or two. Beans should be hissing and popping. Once the oil is heated, add all the green beans and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring once or twice. The goal is to get nice char spots on the outside without overcooking the inside. Season with salt and set beans aside in a small bowl.

2. Add the onions to the heated pan and cook 1-2 minutes. You just want them getting some color and softening slightly. Set aside in a separate bowl.

3. Add remaining oil then add the lamb to the pan. Make sure every piece is making contact with the bottom. Sear 1-2 minutes then flip and cook till both sides are nicely browned (about 3-4 minutes total). Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

4. Lower the heat to medium and add back in the onions. Add in Earthy Spicy Tingly and cook about 2 minutes, tossing and allowing the sauce to thicken.

5. Add the green beans and start stirring/tossing vigorously. The goal is to get the sauce to cling to the beans. Cook for 1-2 minutes more until the sauce is mixed in with the ingredients.

6. Transfer to a plate and garnish with cilantro. Serve with white rice and eat immediately.

I don’t think it was until I moved to America from London that I realized all my favorite Chinese dishes weren’t actually Chinese but an Anglicized version. And I don’t think it was until I finally visited China that I realized that dishes found in most American Chinese restaurants weren’t authentic either. In fact, they weren’t just inauthentic but didn’t even exist; the best example being the ubiquitous General Tso’s Chicken and fortune cookies which are both entirely absent in China yet found in an estimated 50,000 restaurants across America.

A couple of weeks ago, in the name of “work”, I decided to go to a morning viewing of the new documentary “The Search for General Tso”. It was an absolutely brilliant film which not only solves a mystery but gives a fascinating history of the evolution of Chinese food in America. The film finished at just about lunchtime and it will be no surprise what my gurgling stomach was screaming out for. The exact opposite of subliminal advertising, I had been hypnotized by images of that sticky, sweet dish and nothing else would do!

As usual though, after the initial gratification, came the slightly sick feeling and desperate thirst that comes with takeout. I wanted to see if I could make a version at home that would satisfy my next craving. It was shockingly easy to put together and you can adjust the sweetness and spiciness to your own taste. So just in time for Chinese New Year, here’s my version of General Tso’s Chicken using Brooklyn Wok Shop’s addictive Chili Oil.

General Tso’s Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 large egg, separated

1/4 cup of cornstarch

1 or 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces

Canola, peanut or vegetable oil for frying

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon canola, peanut or vegetable oil

1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1 strip of orange peel

1 teaspoon Brooklyn Wok Shop’s Chili Oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

A few dried chile de arbol, cut in halves (optional)

For serving:

Steamed rice, steamed broccoli and thinly sliced scallions

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix sesame oil, soy sauce, egg white, corn starch and 1 tablespoon of orange juice. The consistency should be thicker than pancake batter – add another tablespoon of orange juice if too thick.

2. Add chicken pieces to “batter”, stir and leave to sit for about 20 mins.

3. For the sauce, add the tablespoon of oil to a saucepan on medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir constantly for about 1 minute.

4. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the pan and keep stirring until the sauce begins to reduce and thicken. About 10 minutes. It should coat the back of the spoon. Cover and keep on a low heat to keep warm.

5. Time to fry the chicken! Heat 1/2″ of oil in a large heavy non stick or cast iron frying pan. When the oil is shimmering, begin adding the chicken and make sure not to overcrowd the pan. Turn after 2 or 3 minutes when brown and crispy. Be sure to use a splatter guard and be careful of spitting oil.

6. Transfer the chicken pieces as they are ready to a plate lined with paper towel and continue until you’ve used up all the chicken.

7. Add all the chicken pieces to the sauce and coat to cover before serving with steamed rice, steamed broccoli and cover with sliced scallion. You can spoon more sauce from the pan over the dish as well.

This week we heard that One Culture Foods’ Chinese Fermented Black Bean sauce is a finalist for the 2016 Good Food Awards. I couldn’t be happier for Hansen or less surprised. When you’ve had a crazy day and can’t quite think about what to make, Hansen’s sauces are a god send. I can pick up a protein and a vegetable and have dinner ready 10 minutes after getting home. As with the shrimp stir fry we posted a few weeks ago, I’m almost embarrassed to write this recipe out. It’s that easy.

The ease and versatility of this sauce aside, it is the distinct taste that is garnering these well deserved accolades. Complexly balanced Chinese-inspired flavors and well sourced natural ingredients come together to reveal the genius of its name. Sweetness from pineapple and brown sugar, Savory from fermented black beans and spicy from green jalapeño. It’s just a phenomenal sauce.

Chicken with Broccolini and Black Bean Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

1 lb broccolini, cut into bite sized pieces (stalks included)

3/4 cup Chinese Fermented Black Bean

Method:

1. Boil some water in a saucepan and add the broccolini. Cook for 3 minutes, then drain.

2. While the broccolini are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes on high, stirring regularly.

3. Add the broccolini and Chinese Fermented Black Bean sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

On a recent trip to London I had a taste of this pie that was so utterly delicious as well as completely original, I begged its creator, Louise for the recipe. The minced lamb filling is full of spices and the crispy phyllo is brushed with honey and sumac giving it that wonderful sweet and savory flavor that reminded me of a Moroccan B’stilla. A whole new take on a meat pie and one that I will be making again and again.

Savory Lamb Baklava

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb minced lamb
2 large onions, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 sticks of celery, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 can whole peeled plum tomatoes (14 oz)
3 tablespoons tomato puree
2 tablespoons chopped mint
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon honey, softened for brushing
1 tablespoon sumac
8 sheets phyllo pastry, divided
4 tablespoons melted butter for brushing

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large frying pan on medium high heat, cook lamb until brown (about 5 minutes). Add in onion, diced carrots, chopped celery and garlic and cook until onion has softened (8-10 minutes). Increase heat to high and add spices, pepper, tomatoes and tomato puree. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. The filling should be moist but not too wet. Leave to cool for 15 minutes.

Take a 10 inch square baking tin (I used a 8×12″ baking dish) and brush with a thin layer of butter and then place a sheet of phyllo in the bottom. Brush the sheet with more butter and place another sheet on top and brush with butter (you can cut or fold the pastry to fit the tin if necessary).

Stir the chopped mint and parsley into the cooked lamb mixture, then spoon the mixture into the baking tin lined with phyllo. Layer six sheets of filo pastry on top, brushing each layer with butter. Brush the top layer with warmed honey and sprinkle with sumac. Using a knife cut through the layers to form diamond or square shapes. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp.