S P ICE UP YOUR L I F E BRINGING FLAVOUR TO YOUR FOOD


In June we interviewed food writer and Mark Diacono ahead of his appearance at the Royal Three Counties Show. He talked about his series of cookery books, the third of which Spice is published this month, perfect for home cooks wanting to be a bit more experimental in the kitchen.


Spice is a vibrant exploration of flavour, fragrance and heat that majors on the kitchen, with a celebration of over 50 spices that will fill your kitchen with a wealth of heady aromas and tastes.


Packed with ideas for enjoying and using spices, Spice is much more than your average recipe book. Mark Diacono shares the techniques at the heart of sourcing, blending and using spices well, enabling you to make delicious food that is as rewarding in the process as it is in the end result.


Spice: A Cook's Companion by Mark Diacono (Quadrille, £25)


109


ADV I EH S TUF F ED AUB E RGINE S SERVES 4


INGREDIENTS: n 80g basmati rice n 80g red lentils n 4 aubergines (eggplants), cut in half widthways, flesh scooped out and finely chopped


n 2 tbsp olive oil n 2 onions, coarsely grated n 1 garlic clove, finely chopped n 1 tbsp advieh *


METHOD Preheat the oven to 140°C/280°F/gas mark 1.


Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the rice, lentils and finely chopped aubergine and boil, uncovered, for 7 minutes. Drain well.


Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the onion, garlic and advieh over a low heat for 10–15 minutes, or until soft.


Spoon half this mixture into a bowl, add the drained lentil mixture and put to one side.


Add the passata, tomato purée, raisins and ½ teaspoon of salt to the onion mix in the pan and cook for 5 minutes until thickened.


LIVE24-SEVEN.COM


n 100g tomato passata, or chopped tomatoes n 2 tbsp tomato purée n 50g raisins n 300ml water n 2 tbsp pine nuts or flaked almonds n 25g parsley, finely chopped n Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper * To make advieh – a traditional Persian sweet spice blend - mix 4 tbsp of dried rose petals, 1 tbsp cardamom seeds, 2 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground ginger.


Add the water and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.


Stuff the lentil mixture into the hollowed-out aubergine halves.


Spoon the sauce into a small roasting dish then place the aubergines on top of the sauce.


Cover tightly with foil and cook in the oven for 1½–2 hours until very soft.


Sprinkle with the pine nuts or flaked almonds and parsley and serve, perhaps with yoghurt or raita on the side.


WINING & DINING RECIPE S TO TRY AT HOME


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