Stevie Parle & Le Creuset’s Taste of the City Recipes

CHICKEN PILAF

This is a brilliantly versatile one-pot recipe that is ready in no time and perfect for trying in your Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Round Casserole dish. Great for sharing with friends and family, take this dish straight from the oven to the table and allow everyone to tuck in.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 30 – 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 40g (1oz) salted butter
• A splash of olive oil
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon allspice berries, finely crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 organic and free-range chicken legs
• 2 teaspoons sumac or ½ lemon
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
• A handful of sultanas
• A large handful of walnuts, roughly chopped
• 250g (½lb) basmati rice, soaked for an hour
• A handful each of parsley, dill and mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons Greek-style yogurt, to serve
• 1 pomegranate, seeded to garnish
• 20g pistachios, crushed to garnish

Method

1. Place the Signature Cast Iron 24cm Casserole on a low heat and melt the butter with a splash of oil in the pan.
2. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and sprinkle in the allspice and cinnamon.
3. Fry the onions over a low heat for 5 minutes until soft.
4. Season the chicken legs with salt and generously cover with the sumac (or rub with the ½ a lemon) and chilli flakes.
5. Turn the heat up to medium and add the chicken to the onions. Fry the chicken legs on both sides for about 8 minutes until they begin to colour, being careful not to let the onions burn.
6. Stir in the sultanas and walnuts and drain the rice before adding it to the pan.
7. Season with salt, then pour over boiling water from a kettle so that the water comes 2cm above the rice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, before turning the heat down to low and cooking for another 5 minutes.
8. Leave to rest off the heat for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and check that the chicken is cooked. If not, return to the heat or put into a hot oven for a few minutes.
9. Fork-up the rice to separate the grains and stir through the chopped herbs.
10. To serve top with the Greek yogurt and a scattering of pomegranate seeds and pistachios.

Cook’s notes

This is a brilliantly versatile recipe that goes particularly well in this pan. You can make it without chicken, with cauliflower, or nuts or spring vegetables – the technique is the same.

Clams with Chorizo and Cannellini Beans

The antidote to a long, hard day at the office or the best way to start the weekend, this dish exudes incredible flavour and is ready in little over half an hour. Take it straight from the hob to the table in Le Creuset’s beautiful 3-play Stainless Steel Shallow Casserole and serve up with some delicious smoky sourdough toast.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 10ml olive oil
• Approx. 140g fresh chorizo sausage, cut into large chunks
• 750g clams, in their shells, rinsed thoroughly. Discard any that are open before cooking and any that remain closed after cooking.
• 200ml Albariño white wine
• 300g cooked/tinned white beans, preferably cannellini
• A handful of fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

To serve

• 4 large slices sourdough toast rubbed with cut garlic and drizzled with oil
• A pinch of smoked paprika

Method

1. Add the oil to the pan and heat gently over a low to medium heat.
2. Gently fry the chorizo until it begins to colour and release its lovely oils. Add the clams, stir once, gently, then add the wine.
3. Place the lid on top and leave to cook for three minutes before adding the beans and cooking for a further minute or until they are heated through.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and discard any unopened clams.
5. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley, paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. Either serve directly from the Shallow Casserole at the table or transfer to individual serving bowls. Serve with the garlic sourdough toast.

Cook’s Notes

• Use palourde clams, if available.
• This is what in Italy they might call “vongole in padella”. “In padella” means “in the pan”.
• You can add whatever you like to this recipe; swap the chorizo for pancetta, pasta instead of beans, dried mushrooms, fresh peas – it can all go in the ‘padella’.
• Albarino wine can be substituted for any other good quality dry white wine if preferred.

Brunch

Chickpea, Tomato and Saffron Baked Eggs

A spicy, warming and satisfying dish perfect for brunch, lunch or a light supper, this dish is delicious served with warmed, crusty bread to soak up all the tasty juices. This is packed with fragrant flavour and is ready in little over 25 minutes including prep leaving plenty of time to get out for a fresh Sunday morning stroll.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• Small pinch of saffron strands
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 small sweet red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 large pinch of cumin
• 2 tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 eggs
• Small bunch fresh coriander, chopped
• Pinch of Turkish chilli flakes
• Pinch of sumac
• 150g mix of heritage tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

 Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6

1. Infuse the saffron strands in a cup of warm water.
2. Add the olive oil to the frying pan and heat gently on a low to medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and cumin to the pan and fry gently until the onions are soft but not browned.
3. Add the chickpeas and saffron-infused water to the pan, stir gently to combine the ingredients and then simmer on a medium heat to create a stew-like consistency. Add a little more water if the mixture is too thick.
4. Check the seasoning and add a little salt and black pepper, to taste, if desired.
5. With the back of a large spoon, make 4 small wells in the mixture then break an egg into each. Put the frying pan into the pre-heated oven and bake until the eggs are cooked but the yolks are still a little runny (5-10 minutes).
6. Sprinkle with the coriander, chilli and sumac and add the sliced tomatoes. Finish with a drizzle of yoghurt on top.

Dutch Baby Pancake

A golden-brown popover that’s German in origin, the Dutch Baby makes the perfect statement breakfast or dessert. This beautifully puffed pancake takes only minutes to prepare and is easily baked in the oven. Serve up in one of Le Creuset’s beautifully colour skillets to save on washing up and keep your pancake warm from the first mouthful to the last.

Serves: 1

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 20g unsalted butter
• 100g plain flour
• 50g einkorn flour
• 120ml whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 30g caster sugar
• ¼ nutmeg, grated
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

To serve

• 4 tablespoons crème fraiche
• 1 punnet fresh raspberries
• 4 teaspoons pistachios, crushed
• 2 tablespoons honey

Method

Pre-heat the oven to: 200°C/ Fan 180°C/ Gas Mark 5

1. Grease the inside of the Signature Cast Iron 23cm Skillet with all of the butter and place into the oven to pre-heat and melt the butter. Do not allow the butter to burn.
2. Sift the flours into a mixing bowl. Blend the flour, milk, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper together until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the pre-heated skillet. Place the skillet back into the oven to bake for 20 minutes or until puffed up and golden brown.
4. To serve, spoon in the crème fraiche and scatter with the raspberries, crushed pistachios and honey. Serve immediately.

Cook’s Notes

• Einkorn is an ancient variety of wheat that has a great nutty taste, you can experiment with other flavourful flours like rye or Khorasan. Of course, the puff pan cake tastes great with any other fruit.

FOUR TOASTS

Four delicious toast toppings inspired by four lively European cites; Athens, Copenhagen, London and Paris. Use an open, bubbly, crusty sourdough bread and top with your favourite flavouring.

Preparation time: 10 minutes for each toast topping

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 slices of crusty sourdough bread

Asparagus and Marmite Hollandaise

• 6 asparagus spears, woody ends removed
• 1 tablespoon white wine
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 egg yolk
• 125g butter, cut into dice size cubes
• 1 teaspoon Marmite
• 1 teaspoon salmon roe
• A pinch of chopped chives

Steak Tartare

• 50g lean aged rare breed beef
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• ½ teaspoon capers
• ¼ teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 quail egg yolk
• A few sprigs of parsley
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

Smoked Salmon, Boiled Egg and Caper Sauce

• A knob of butter
• 1 egg, boiled for 4 minutes
• 50g smoked salmon, sliced
• ½ teaspoon capers, roughly chopped
• A few sprigs of parsley

Ricotta and Minted Figs

• 2 tablespoons ricotta
• A drizzle of olive oil
• 1 fresh ripe fig, torn
• 1 teaspoon honey
• A few mint leaves

Method

For the toast

1. Pre-heat the Signature Cast Iron 26cm Grillit® dry (without any fat) on a low to medium heat. Test the temperature of the pan before adding the slice of sourdough – see Cook’s notes- Once hot enough place the slice sourdough onto the Grillit® and grill both sides until golden char lines appear and the bread is crunchy on both sides.

Asparagus and Marmite Hollandaise

1. Place a 3-ply Stainless Steel 14cm Saucepan onto a low to medium heat and add the white wine vinegar, white wine and Marmite to the pan. Reduce the ingredients down by half to form a thick sauce.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg yolk, whisking thoroughly to combine.
3. Place the pan back onto a very low heat and slowly add all the butter, piece by piece whisking all the time, ensuring there are no lumps.
4. Once the hollandaise is ready, top the toast with the asparagus and pour over the sauce. Garnish with a little salmon roe and the chopped chives.

Steak Tartare

1. Finely chop the beef with a sharp knife.
2. Season the beef well with salt and pepper and mix with the olive oil, capers, mustard and vinegar in a small bowl.
3. Top the toast with the seasoned meat mix, and then place the egg yolk, a few sprigs of parsley and a slice or two of shallot on top.

Smoked Salmon, Boiled Egg and Caper Sauce

1. Begin by buttering the toast with lashings of butter.
2. Top toast with the sliced salmon and smash the soft-boiled egg on top.
3. To garnish sprinkle over the chopped capers and fresh parsley.

Ricotta and Minted Figs

1. Spread a slice of the sourdough toast with the ricotta.
2. Drizzle with the olive oil and top with the torn fig.
3. Spoon over the honey and sprinkle with mint leaves to serve.

Cook’s Notes

• To check if the Grillit® is hot enough add a few drops of cold water to the hot surface. If it sizzles and the water evaporates almost immediately, it is hot enough and ready for use. If the water produces steam and has no sizzle, heat the pan for a little longer and repeat the test again.
• The Signature Cast Iron 26cm Grillit® is the best thing for making a rustic, tasty piece of toast and these toppings are of course just suggestions or ideas. I often start a meal with little toasts, a perfect brunch or a late night solo meal. Toast gets me through the week. Be sure to use the best crusty sourdough you can find, one with big bubbles and great flavour.