British chef Rick Stein's new book reflects his passion for regional foods, artisan suppliers and everyday dishes simply made.
I am often asked to name my favourite TV chef. My answer is Rick Stein. With his genuine passion for regional foods and artisan suppliers and his almost shy and gentle nature, Stein is quite possibly the kindest chef on TV. His latest book, Mediterranean Escapes, a collection of over 100 recipes, is a reflection of his passion. Avoiding pretty food, Stein instead focuses on everyday dishes shaped by the simple cooking of simple ingredients. He says, “The older I get as a chef, the more I realise the importance of getting things right. How to make the perfect chip, or roast potato, where to buy the best tomatoes, the correct way of roasting beef or lamb, that sort of thing.”
I became engrossed in this book while waiting for a flight at Auckland airport after attending the Scallop Festival in Whitianga. I’d been thinking how we need more food festivals to celebrate our own regional produce, but as I watched people around me shovelling fast food into their mouths, I was struck by the paradox of my situation. Here I was salivating over a book that dismisses food trends and celebrates the importance of regional cuisine, with dishes like Moroccan chicken with preserved lemons and olives, but I was surrounded by a public eating bland, monocultural, global cuisine.
Stein introduces the book with a frank diary account of the people and places that he encountered while travelling around the islands of the Mediterranean. From there, the chapters are divided by ingredient or type of dish. The first chapter, for example, is all about the small plates of informal dishes known as tapas, meze and antipasti. Next was “Herbs, Weeds, Salad Greens and Other Leaves” – you have to love a cookbook that uses weeds. Each dish also has its own brief but evocative introduction.
I particularly enjoyed the fish chapter, subtitled “Recipes for All Those Mediterranean Fish That I Love”. The book ends with a glossary of ingredients that are the cornerstones of Mediterranean cooking, and suggested substitutes.
Orecchiette, or “little ears”, are the round, fingertip-shaped pasta from Puglia. The dish is pasta with garlic, olive oil, anchovy, a dash of chilli and cavalo nero, also known as black cabbage, but you can substitute spinach, silver beet or broccolini. The idea is to cook the greens with the pasta, then drain both and toss with the oil and anchovy mixture. Add a small ladle of the pasta cooking water and toss together, creating a creamy emulsified sauce.
Orecchiette with Cavalo Nero
salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g cavalo nero, silver beet or spinach
500g dried orecchiette pasta
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ tsp crushed dried chillies
6 anchovy fillets in olive oil
freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese,
to serve
Bring 4.5 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan with 8 teaspoons of salt. Trim any stalks from the green leaves and cut into lengths. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 12 minutes. Four minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the greens and cook until they are tender and the pasta is al dente (“firm to the bite”). Meanwhile, put the oil, garlic and chilli flakes into a large deep frying pan and place over a medium heat. As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, leave it to cook for a few seconds then stir in the anchovy fillets, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until they have melted into the oil. Remove from the heat. Drain the pasta and greens and just before all the water has drained off them, add to the frying pan and toss well. Place over a high heat and shake around for a few seconds until the cooking liquid still clinging to the pasta and leaves has amalgamated with the oil to create a sauce. Divide between warmed bowls and serve sprinkled with the cheese if you wish.
Serves 4.
THIS RECIPE IS A CELEBRATION OF FISH, meat and vegetables in one dish. It’s the sort of dish that most people would put at the top of their list when selecting a first course. I substituted canned chickpeas for dried.
Sautéed Squid and Chorizo Salad with Garlic, Rocket, Tomatoes and Chickpeas
300g medium-size squid or squid tubes
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
100g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1½ tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp olive oil
1 medium-hot red chilli, seeded and thinly
sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
a small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g chorizo sausage, cut into thin slices
small handful of rocket leaves
Cut the squid pouch open along one side and, using the tip of a small sharp knife, score a fine diamond pattern on the inner side. Then cut each pouch lengthways in half, then across into 7.5cm pieces. Stir the tomatoes into the chickpeas with the lemon juice, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, the chilli, garlic, parsley and some salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add half the squid pieces, with the scores facing upwards, and sear for 30 seconds, then turn them over and sear for another 30 seconds until golden brown and caramelised. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the pan. Repeat with the remaining oil and the rest of the squid. Return all the squid to the pan with the chorizo and toss together over a high heat for 1 minute. Briefly toss the rocket leaves through the chickpea salad and spoon onto a large serving platter. Top with the sautéed squid and chorizo and serve.
Serves 4.