Delicious seasonal recipes from Denby

Writer and expert2 years ago

With sunnier days on the way, we are starting to move away from heavy wholesome food to fresh, light, easy-to-cook options. Teaming up with the experts from Denby, here are some simple recipes to refresh your home menu. Starting with deliciously spiced chicken, perfect for the BBQ and tasty pasta dishes that are lighter for the warmer weather...

#1 Spiced BBQ chicken with hasselback potatoes

by @thecornerplot using Denby Studio Blue

Serves 4

ingredients:

8 chicken thighs (free range), deboned, skinned and quartered (or 4 chicken breasts)⁠
4 metal skewers or bamboo sticks (soaked in water for 20 mins)⁠
4 flatbreads or pitta bread⁠
Pack of baby lettuce leaves ⁠

marinade:

60 g Greek-style yoghurt ⁠
1 tbsp lemon juice⁠
2 tbsp olive oil⁠
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed⁠
2 tbsp olive oil⁠
1½ tsp ground cumin⁠
1½ tsp ground coriander⁠
¾ tsp sweet smoked paprika⁠
½ tsp chipotle chilli flakes (or ¼ tsp chilli flakes)⁠
1 tsp sea salt⁠
½ tsp black pepper⁠

method:

Mix together the marinade ingredients, add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and leave to marinate for a couple of hours, ideally overnight, in the fridge.⁠
Skewer the chicken pieces, leaving a little space between each to allow them to cook through. ⁠
Heat up the barbecue, carefully oil the racks, and add the chicken. Leave to cook for about 6 mins, until charred. Don't be tempted to move them while they cook. Turn over, and cook for another 6 mins, until cooked through (juices should run clear, not pink).⁠
Place on a serving plate, cover with tin foil, and leave to relax for a few minutes while you heat the pitta bread on the barbecue. ⁠

Quick pickled red onion

200 ml apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp sea salt
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 small dried chilli
5 peppercorns
1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Heat the vinegar, sugar, salt in a saucepan, until dissolved, then add the spices and leave to cool.
Add the onion and leave overnight or longer for the flavours to develop.

Rose harissa yoghurt

140 g Greek-style yoghurt
1 tbsp rose hariss

Mix together and place in a serving bowl.

Hasselback potatoes

12 Cyprus or Charlotte potatoes
Olive oil
Flaked sea salt

Place a potato between the handles of two wooden spoons on a cutting board and hold firm. Using a sharp knife, cut down every 2 mm to create thin, even slices (the handles prevent you from cutting through to the base, which you want to avoid).
Place the potatoes in a baking tray, drizzle over olive oil and add a few crystals of crunchy sea salt. Cook for 50 mins at 200 degrees / 180 degrees fan, basting occasionally with the oil.
The slices of potato will gradually open up, so pour the oil over the top to crisp. They are delicious on their own, or with the rose harissa yoghurt

#2 Slow-cooked chicken in creamy sauce

Serves 5

ingredients:

1tbs olive oil
10 chicken thigh fillets, boneless but with skin on
1-2tbs butter
2 leeks, washed and sliced
300g (approx) chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
100ml dry white wine
1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
150ml boiling water
freshly ground black pepper
150ml single cream
large handful mixed fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme and sage), chopped

to serve:

Buttery mashed potatoes
Steamed green vegetables

method:

Heat the oil in the Denby Shallow Cast Iron dish and add the chicken pieces skin side down. Fry for a few minutes until golden then turn and seal the other side. Turn down the heat and cook for a further 5-10 minutes depending on size, until just cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside. Alternatively, seal in the pan then transfer to the oven for 10-15 minutes until cooked.
Meanwhile make up the stock with approx 100ml boiling water
Add the butter to the dish and fry the leeks and mushrooms for a few minutes until lightly golden then add the garlic and fry for another minute.
Pour in the white wine and bubble for a minute then add the stock.
Return the chicken pieces to the pan, season well with black pepper and allow to heat through. Pour over the cream and herbs and bubble gently for a few minutes until slightly thickened
Garnish with a few extra chopped herbs scattered over the top and serve with mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes and steamed green vegetables.

#3 Coconut Pancakes

Coconut Crepes using Studio Blue (Dinner Plate)

Makes 6

ingredients:

100g plain flour or gluten-free option
1 teaspoon coconut sugar or caster sugar
230ml coconut milk or semi-skimmed milk
1 egg

toppings:

coconut yoghurt
dried coconut
raspberries
pistachios
honey

method:

Mix the flour and sugar together
Next, add in the milk and egg and whisk well
Add oil or butter into your frying pan on a medium heat
Pour the crepe mixture into the pan ensuring it covers the full surface
Cook for around 2-3 minutes checking until the crepe becomes a light brown colour, then flip over
Repeat until you’ve used up the mixture
Finish with your favourite toppings, we used coconut yoghurt, dried coconut, fresh raspberries, chopped pistachios and a drizzle of honey!

#4 Spring Risotto

Featuring Azure Haze Pasta Bowls

ingredients:

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
125g asparagus tips, trimmed
100g fine green beans, trimmed
150g sugar snap peas or mangetout
100g fresh or frozen peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
25g butter 2 onions, finely diced
300g carnaroli risotto rice
A small glass of white wine
A good handful of fresh parsley and chopped mint
50g parmesan, to serve
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

method:

Prepare a litre of vegetable or chicken stock before you start.
In a Denby saucepan, bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the mangetout or sugar snap peas, fine beans and simmer for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and peas and continue to cook for a further couple of minutes.
Refresh the vegetables in a bowl of iced water and set to one side.
Reheat the stock if you prefer and keep it simmering gently in the pan.
Heat the olive oil and 1/2 the butter in a large frying pan on a low heat. Add finely diced onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened, but not browned.
Increase the heat to medium and stir in the rice. Cook for a couple of minutes until the grains become translucent then add a glass of white wine and allow to simmer for a little longer.
Once the wine has been absorbed start to add in the hot stock, one ladle at a time and stir gently until the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat over the next 15 minutes adding more stock when required. Check the rice to see if it’s nearly cooked.
Stir in the vegetables, fresh parsley and mint and cook for a couple more minutes. Add more stock if required to loosen the risotto. The rice will be cooked with a creamy appearance when stirred.
Remove from the heat, add the remaining butter and season to taste.
Serve in Denby pasta bowls with a scattering of herbs and shaved parmesan.

#5 Griddled sourdough with avocado and feta

ingredients:

2 thick slices of sourdough
Drizzle olive oil
1 avocado peeled and halved.
50g feta cheese
100g chickpeas
½ tsp harissa spice
Juice of ½ lemon
Fresh red chilli

method:

Toss the drained chickpeas in the harissa spice and dry fry for 3-4 minutes until they start to brown, add a drizzle of olive oil and remove from the heat.
Warm a griddle pan over a Medium heat. Drizzle both sides of the sourdough with olive oil and cook on the griddle until nicely charred. Place onto serving plates.
Slice the avocado and arrange it over the bread.
Crumble over the feta cheese with a scattering of the chilli and chickpeas.
Drizzle over a little more olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy.

#5 Spring pasta salad with fennel, garden peas and parmesan

Azure Haze Pasta Bowls

Serves 4

ingredients:

1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped
A handful of frozen peas
75g of fresh linguini or spaghetti
A handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
A sprig of fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1 clove of garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons

method:

Heat a little olive oil in a pan, add the sliced fennel and a splash of water and cook for four to five minutes, until softened. Add the peas and cook for another one to two minutes.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook for eight to nine minutes, or until al dente (check the instructions on the packet).
Drain well, add to the fennel and peas and stir thoroughly.
Tear in the mint and parsley leaves and one tablespoon of the Parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and stir thoroughly again.
Serve piled on top of Denby plates with an extra topping of parmesan, fennel fronds and a drizzle of olive oil.

#6 Rosti topped fish pie

ingredients:

300g fillet smoked haddock or cod
300g fresh salmon
500ml milk
1tbs (20g) butter
2tbs (40g) flour
1tsp good quality vegetable stock powder (optional)
75g frozen peas
100ml double cream
few sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
100g coldwater prawns

topping:

1kg potatoes (mix of old potatoes and sweet potatoes)
2tbs butter, melted
pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1tbs grated cheddar cheese (optional)

method:

Peel the potatoes but leave whole. Boil in a pan of water for about 8-10 minutes until almost tender then drain and cool in cold water.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan/190°C conventional/Gas 5.
Meanwhile place the haddock or cod and salmon in a saucepan and just cover with cold water. Heat to a gentle simmer and poach for a few minutes until just cooked. Lift out and cool on a plate. Measure 200ml of the poaching liquid into a jug and discard the rest.
Make the sauce. Pour the poaching liquid and milk into a saucepan and add the butter, flour and stock powder. Bring slowly to the boil, whisking all the time until thickened and smooth then turn off the heat. Add the cream, peas and parsley then stir and place on the lid to keep warm.
Grate the potatoes into a bowl, stir in the melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the pie by dividing the fish and prawns between the Denby small rectangular dishes. Pour over the sauce then spoon on the grated potato topping. Sprinkle over the cheddar cheese, if using and bake for about 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Serve with lemon wedges, steamed green vegetables and roasted baby carrots on the side.

#7 Raspberry, white chocolate and almond loaf cake

Featuring Studio Grey Small Coupe Plate

ingredients:

145g ground almonds
145g margarine/butter
145g caster sugar
145g self-raising flour
2 large eggs
2tsp almond extract
250g fresh raspberries
50g white chocolate chips
1 1/2 tbsp milk
Flaked almonds (for top)
Icing sugar mixed with water to make a thick icing with a little pink food gel
Edible flowers for decoration

method:

Preheat the oven and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor (apart from raspberries) and stir through chocolate chips.
Pour half the mixture into the tin, then top with lines of raspberries.
Top with the remaining cake mix and scatter a few raspberries all over the top.
Scatter flaked almonds over the top.
Bake at 160 fan for 40-50 minutes in the oven or until a skewer comes out clean.
Mix some icing sugar with enough water to make a thick paste, then add a little pink food gel.
Drizzle icing all over the top of the cooled cake and decorate it with edible flowers.

Buyer's Guide

A Buyer's Guide to Denby Pottery

Discover the exceptional ceramics from Denby Pottery, the heritage British brand that has been perfecting the craft of pottery for over two centuries.

1 year agoBy Holly Thompson

Written by Holly Thompson

All imagery provided by @denbypottery

Holly Thompson

Writer and expert