A meze affair

Baked salmon on a bed of puréed white beans is tasty, light and honest - and there's nothing trendy about it.

Food trends are interesting to follow, and I often wonder where and how they start. The current interest in Spanish and Middle Eastern food has led to a rise in the number of restaurants and cafes offering small plates of tapas and meze food, and it seems that every establishment I walk into has “churros con chocolate” on the menu. I have to admit to a fondness for them; there is something decadent about dipping the long, star-shaped doughnuts, sparkling with sugar, into a small pot of warm chocolate sauce. A plate of churros shared among friends is a good way to finish a meal, and although a polite three is my limit, I could probably go four if I thought no one was watching.

Away from the conspicuous trends, my food seems full of colour and light. Winter appears to have left and taken with it the dull shades of brown and the stews and casseroles that seem to have been a feature of my cooking in the past few months. Tight heads of savoy cabbage, bright-green spinach and vibrant silverbeet have taken centre stage, and I can’t wait for asparagus to begin. Lunch during the week was a piece of salmon baked in the oven, its succulent pink flakes covered with fresh-tasting and aromatic herbs. It seemed to bring an essence of the Mediterranean when it was placed on a silky purée of white beans. I served it with a warm salad of cauliflower dressed with red wine vinegar and spiced with a hint of red chilli. Exceptionally tasty, light and honest, this dish has nothing trendy about it.

The white-bean purée is also called “bessarra”. A great dip for tapas or meze-style plates, it is wonderful served with roasted vegetables or grilled lamb chops.

Herbed Salmon, White Bean Purée and Spicy Cauliflower Salad

4 pieces of salmon fillet, about 175g per person

mint

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Rub the salmon pieces lightly with the oil, then season with a generous sprinkling of salt. Place the salmon skin-side down in a baking dish and bake for 8-10 minutes – the cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish. When the salmon has turned a soft pink and the flakes look opaque, the fillet is cooked. Remove from the oven.

For the Purée:

400g can of white beans, drained

salt and black pepper

Purée the beans in a food processor until smooth. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Finely chop the garlic and rosemary leaves, then sauté for 2-3 minutes until the garlic turns golden and the mixture is fragrant. Pour the puréed beans and chicken stock into the frying pan and mix well. Heat until the stock is completely absorbed by the beans and has become smooth and glossy. Add a splash of olive oil and the lemon juice. Taste for salt and add if necessary. You will need to add a little black pepper. Serve straight from the pan, or make several days in advance and keep stored in the refrigerator.

For the Salad:

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Whisk the oil and vine­gar together in a small bowl. Finely chop the capers and gherkins, then add to the bowl. Seed and chop the chilli and finely slice the garlic, then mix both into the dressing. Thinly slice the white part of the spring onions and roughly chop the mint leaves. Cut the cauliflower into small ­florets, add to the boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain well, then put the still-warm cauli­flower into a large serving bowl. Add the dressing, then gently toss the spring onion and mint through the salad. Taste, then add salt and pepper if necessary.

Spoon the purée into the centre of warmed serving plates and top with a piece of salmon. Serve the cauliflower alongside.

Enough for 4.

In Spain and Mexico, churros are normally served for breakfast, accom­panied by a steaming pot of hot chocolate sauce. I find the idea of eating something deep-fried for breakfast a bit offputting, so would serve them as a mid-afternoon ­dessert or snack, instead. The churro recipe is more familiar to us as choux pastry, used to make éclairs and profiteroles, but here they are fried until crunchy.

Churros con Chocolate

vegetable oil for frying

a pinch of cinnamon

Pour 4-5cm of oil into a deep saucepan and heat to 180°C (gauge the temperature with a deep-frying thermo­meter if you have one). Make the base by bringing the water, butter and salt to a simmer. Add the flour, then stir over a low heat until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to beat in the eggs. The mixture will become glossy and smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, then squeeze 10cm-long strips directly into the hot oil. Do this in small batches and don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook until golden brown – about 4 minutes. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon, then place on absorbent kitchen paper. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then roll the hot churros in the mixture. Arrange the churros on a plate with the chocolate sauce alongside. Serve immediately.

Feeds 4-6.

Chocolate sauce:

120g dark chocolate

100g sugar

Roughly chop the chocolate into pieces and place into a small saucepan with the other ingredients. Heat gently until the mixture is smooth and thickened – about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl for dipping.