The New English Kitchen: Changing the Way You Shop, Cook and Eat

4 tablespoons sultanas or 4 dried figs, sliced

harissa sauce (available from Middle Eastern shops and

specialist shops)

480g/1lb couscous, cooked (see here (#u46f2a0d5-ffa6-4be2-b2f8-c49746e5e48d))

Put the chickens in one saucepan and the lamb in your largest pan. Throw half the parsley and half the onion into each pan. Grind about half a teaspoon of black pepper into each, then cover with the water or stock. Bring to the boil, skimming away any foam that rises to the surface. Turn down to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, then put half the butter and ground coriander into each pan. Let the chicken simmer for another 20 minutes, then turn off the heat. Continue to cook the lamb for 1

/

hours; it should become very tender.

Put all the vegetables in a steamer, or simply put them on top of the lamb, and cook, covered, for 10–12 minutes, until they are just tender. Bring the chicken back to the boil (if there is no room for all the vegetables in the lamb pan, you could put the rest in with the chicken and cook as for the lamb).

To serve, put the herbs, almonds and sultanas or figs into separate bowls. Lift out the meat and arrange it on a large dish with the vegetables all around. Pour all the stock into a pan, then taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Bring back to the boil. Spoon the heated couscous on to each serving plate, followed by the meat and vegetables, then some of the herbs, nuts and sultanas or figs. Ladle over the stock to moisten, then offer the harissa to those who like a bit of heat in their food.

to make a store of bulgar wheat

Put 240g/8oz bulgar in a pan, cover with water and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 8 minutes, until tender. Drain and either use immediately or cool quickly and put into a sealed container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

bulgar and parsley salad for barbecued meat

The salad to make during a parsley glut – you will need a lot of tender leaves.

Serves 2

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 helpings of cooked bulgar wheat (see here (#ulink_8cef8c43-38d2-5bb3-b437-3d8aacb2b1cc))

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

juice of

/

lemon

a pinch of sea salt

8 sprigs of parsley, very finely chopped

2 spring onions, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper

Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until golden. Add them to the bulgar wheat with all the other ingredients and stir well. Eat with flat breads (see here (#u8e6f119f-8ddb-472c-a3de-c5c0d68f0785)) or grilled meat.

lentils

With lentils you enter the realms of pulses, and the many braised dishes that can be made with them. These are foods that can form a meal in their own right, without meat, fish or eggs, because they contain proteins and fats, but you can also feast on them with those foods. Lentils that have been hulled and split, such as red lentils, are best for soft, sloppy dal-like dishes to eat with hot flat breads (see here (#u8e6f119f-8ddb-472c-a3de-c5c0d68f0785)), while whole lentils belong in stews and salads.

You can make a store of lentils – green ones are good because they will stay firm in a sealed container – eating them once with a big meal, then dipping into them for little dishes of curry, or in salads with semi-soft boiled eggs and herbs.

Puy lentils are the finest. They have blue-grey marbled skins and cost more than standard green lentils, which are over twice the size. Cooked, they have a shiny, almost caviar-like quality and pop pleasingly in your mouth. Both types are easy to overcook, becoming a dry, powdery hash, so keep an eye on them when they are on the go.

to cook puy lentils

Serves about 10

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 white onion, finely chopped

480g/1lb Puy lentils

/

teaspoon dried thyme

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, onion, lentils and thyme. Swish them around in the warm oil for a minute or two, then cover with water (or stock). Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 minutes; when cooked, the lentils should be tender inside, with firm skins. Add more liquid during cooking if you need to.

Remove the pan from the heat and tip the lentils into a large, cold bowl – it is important to stop the cooking process and – if you are storing them – to cool them quickly before putting them in the fridge. Season with salt and pepper. When the lentils are completely cold, cover and place in the fridge, where they will keep for about 5 days.

kitchen note

Use a combination of red wine and water for a rich lentil stew to eat with beef or game.

lentils and eggs

Undeniably pretty to look at, this recipe has become a picnic lunch regular.

Serves 2

8 heaped tablespoons of cooked lentils (see here (#ulink_d1cc4bbe-3f55-5506-81de-c5e6550eb724))

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

3 sprigs of coriander, chopped

4 semi-soft-boiled eggs (see here (#litres_trial_promo)), peeled and halved lengthways