Canned E-Book

Theo A. Michaels

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Chef Theo Michaels presents 65 simple and delicious recipes for meals made using canned food plus just a few basic fresh and/or frozen ingredients. Most of the recipes can be pulled together in less than 30 minutes, ingredients lists are short and also allow for last-minute substitutions. Stock your kitchen cupboards with a good selection of canned food and you'll never be short of dinner options, even when getting out to the shops isn't easy! Rustle up tasty dishes for all the household, from soups and simple pasta dishes, to satisfying oven bakes and one-pot casseroles. Theo's recipes make clever use of canned vegetables, fruit, pulses, fish, seafood and even meat and poultry! Try a cannellini bean and artichoke gratin, smoked seafood tagliatelle, chicken and mushroom lasagne bake or a balsamic cherry tarte tatin and more.

Leseprobe

CANNED

CANNED

Quick and easy recipes that get the most out of tinned food

THEO A. MICHAELS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOWIE KAY

Dedicated to my beautiful wife Anna and our kids, Eva, Lex and Luca x

ART DIRECTOR Leslie Harrington

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Julia Charles

SENIOR EDITOR Gillian Haslam

PRODUCTION MANAGER Gordana Simakovic

PUBLISHER Cindy Richards

FOOD STYLIST Kathy Kordalis

PROP STYLIST Polly Webb-Wilson

INDEXER Hilary Bird

Published in 2021

by Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields

London WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St

New York NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

Text © Theo A. Michaels 2021

Design and photographs © Ryland Peters & Small 2021

ISBN: 978-1-78879-362-9

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed and bound in China.

CIP data from the Library of Congress has been applied for. A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

NOTES

• Both British (metric) and American (imperial plus US cups) measurements are included in these recipes; however, it is important to work with one set of measurements and not alternate between the two within a recipe.

• All butter is salted unless specified.

• All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US), unless specified as large, in which case US extra-large should be used. Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. We recommend using an oven thermometer. If using a fan-assisted oven, adjust temperatures according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using.

• Olive oil: extra-virgin olive oil is the highest quality oil. It is unrefined, contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and has a low smoke point and heightened flavour. It is best saved for dressings. Refined olive oil is milder in flavour and contains less health benefits but its higher smoke point makes it more suitable for cooking.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CANNED KNOW-HOW

SMALL BITES & SHARERS

SOUPS & SALADS

SKILLETS & STIR-FRIES

PASTA, NOODLES & RICE

STEWS & CURRIES

OVEN BAKES

SWEET TREATS

INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

The following pages feature a collection of over 65 deliciously clever (though I say so myself) recipes that make canned ingredients the star of the show. Developing recipes for any cookbook always involves plenty of trial and error – long hours spent testing ingredients, experimenting with flavours and textures, and trying out new techniques (and on this occasion, wearing out several can openers!).

Finding my perfect ‘cast’ of cans to work with for these recipes took a fair amount of auditioning. There were, of course, the instant leads that appealed to my Mediterranean roots (delicate sardine fillets in golden olive oil were straight in), closely followed by the established supporting acts that have long had a role in my kitchen productions (i.e. chopped tomatoes and cooked beans). But I also discovered a few newcomers whose potential took me by surprise and have since become firm favourites in our household. There were of course, regretably, some that didn’t make the cut, so you won’t find them on these pages.

So why canned food? Canning food was born out of necessity, as a means of preserving food safely and to ensure, not only a supply out of season, but food that could be transported long distances, initally to troops on the front line during the Napoleonic wars. And of course canned produce also lasts forever. Well okay, almost… In 1974, samples were taken from cans found on a steamboat which sank nearly 100 years earlier, and found to be completely food safe. Of course, you wouldn’t want to eat it. It looked horrible, smelled worse and was void of any nutritional content. But it was edible!

Decades in development, canned food was intially expensive to buy and out of the reach of us ordinary folk, and in more recent times it has become a polarizing subject. For a good number of people it conjures up images of rationing, austerity and ‘making do’ with poor substitutes for more expensive fresh foods. For others, it’s filled with nostalgia and some brands enjoy an almost cult-like adoration worldwide – here’s looking at you Spam! While in Europe, Spain and Italy in particular, canning is a highly acceptable way of preserving gourmet ingredients, from cured fish to ripe tomatoes, bursting with flavour that’s captured at its peak and preferable to their fresh counterpart in some dishes.

Whatever your take, canned food is enjoying a comeback so it’s time to look again. For my money, it is super convenient to have canned food within easy reach, added to which some cans offer shortcuts that reduce cooking times dramatically. It also provides us with the opportunity to discover interesting ingredients from all over the world (from okra to banana blossoms), and, as I have now learnt, can bring a different texture and flavour to what we’ve come to expect from our fresh food, allowing us (with a little ingenuity) to use them in new and different ways. As with my previous books, I celebrate the versatility of ingredients and have created recipes for you to cook, share, enjoy and tailor to suit your own tastes and needs. I hope you will find them all delicious, discover some new favourites, and be inspired to experiment to get the very most of your own stash of cans at home.

CANNED KNOW-HOW

STORE CUPBOARD ITEMS

Canned ingredients play an important part in my family’s food and we always keep a wide selection on standby. You’ll usually find the following in my store cupboard:

Beans, pulses/legumes and lentils

I use virtually every type of these regularly in cooking and the difference between using dried or canned is minimal, especially when they are part of a larger dish. The canned versions are also so much easier to use – simply open the can, drain, rinse and use (no need for overnight soaking and boiling). Baked beans in tomato sauce are also a great standby for a quick meal.

Tomatoes

Where would we be without good-quality canned tomatoes? Cherry tomatoes, passata/sieved/strained tomatoes, chopped tomatoes – these make the base for so many recipes and I couldn’t imagine not having cans of them lined up in the store cupboard!

Vegetables

I keep a good range of canned vegetables, such as sweetcorn/corn kernels, olives, spinach, water chestnuts, broad/fava beans, artichoke hearts, etc. Some vegetables from a can are just as good as fresh (sweetcorn/corn kernels, for example), while others like spinach have a totally different texture to fresh and I prefer to use the canned version in certain dishes, such as my Chana Saag Paneer on page 102. Some fresh vegetables, such as beansprouts, just don’t keep for very long and always teeter on the edge of becoming food waste, so the canned versions are more convenient as a handy addition to a rustled-up meal. I also like to have a stock of chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce) and roasted red (bell) peppers, plus cans of ratatouille.

Fruit

I keep a stock of peaches, cherries, apricots and more (albeit I tend to stay away from the weird fruit salad concoction). Perfect for making a quick fruit crumble (see page 145) or for elevating into a fancier dish, such as the Balsamic Cherry Tarte Tatin on page 150.

Soups

Besides being a great standby meal, using soups as ready-made sauces makes for a great and delicious quick cheat (see my Creamy Tomato & Tuna Pasta Bake on page 84).

Fish and seafood

While some canned foods are a convenient substitute for using fresh, others, like good-quality canned fish/seafood are a delicacy in their own right. Anchovies, mackerel, tuna, sardines, smoked mussels, squid, etc. are all good and need no more than a slice of toast and a squeeze of lemon juice (and a glass of good wine) for a perfect lite bite. Equally, many are an integral ingredient to a broad range recipes.

Meat

Corned beef, good pork luncheon meat (I always use Spam) and chicken breast are always handy to have on standby as they have such a long shelf life. Canned French cassoulet is another ingredient that is useful as the base of a meal.

Milk products

I keep a stash of cans of coconut milk (useful for both sweet and savoury dishes), condensed milk and rice pudding (see the arancini on page 149).

Jars

I know I talk about ‘cans’ in all the recipes, but some store cupboard items tend to only be found in jars, like sundried/sunblush tomatoes, capers, olives, pickled eggs, etc. I’ve also found that certain brands of pulses/legumes in jars tend to be of a higher quality, so I always buy jars of chickpeas and butter beans when I spot them, as well as having cans of the same.

SUBSTITUTIONS

You can substitute canned ingredients in most of my recipes; in fact, I absolutely encourage you to do so! All of my cookbooks are written for you – so if you don’t like a particular ingredient or don’t have it to hand, swap it for something else! Swapping like for like – for example, one type of bean for another or a lentil, or swapping whole cherry tomatoes for passata/strained tomatoes or peaches for apricots – will often not affect the recipe much and if it means you enjoy the finished result more, then I say go for it!

Can sizes do vary from country to country, and from brand to brand, and unlike baking where measurements tend to be quite precise, most of my recipes won’t be affected by a little more of this or a little less of that.

LEFTOVERS

For the most part, if I only use part of a canned item, I usually decant the leftovers into a non-reactive bowl, store it in the fridge and try to use the leftovers in a different recipe within the next day or two.

WHAT TO BUY

Some canned products come in a variety of liquids, such as oil, water, brine, etc. I tend to lean towards olive oil-based products as I’ve found that some of the ones stored in water have lost a little of their flavour.

Finally, not all canned products are created equal, so I encourage you to buy the best you can afford. This is especially true for ingredients you can serve straight from the can (for example, anchovies), so it’s worth spending a little extra if you are able to.

SMALL BITES & SHARERS

ROASTED RED PEPPER & CHICKPEA HUMMUS

This delightfully quick and easy hummus is perfect as it comes, but is even better with a bit of tangy feta cheese crumbled over the top.

50 g/2 oz. roasted red (bell) peppers from a jar or can

400-g/14-oz. can chickpeas, drained (reserve a splash of the liquid)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, lightly crushed

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ fresh red chilli/chile (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

a little crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Makes about 500 g/2 cups

Add all the ingredients to a food processor (including a splash of chickpea liquid) and blitz until you have a smooth paste. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice if preferred. Transfer to a serving bowl. If you wish, sprinkle a little crumbled feta over the top.

Feel free to add any soft green herbs you like to the food processor as another option (fresh basil works very well with the red pepper).

BROAD BEAN ‘GUACAMOLE’

This dip wasn’t meant to be a guacamole recipe! It started life as something entirely different, but the blended beans instantly reminded me of smashed avocado. So if you’re experiencing an avocado shortage, try my totally inauthentic guacamole instead. This is good slathered on toast, topped with a poached egg and a drizzle of hot sauce (see photograph on page 2).

400-g/14-oz. can broad/fava beans (green), drained

½ garlic clove, crushed

60 ml/¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice

½ teaspoon malt vinegar

a pinch of ground cumin

1 spring onion/scallion, finely sliced

a few sprigs of fresh coriander/cilantro, chopped

Makes about 300 g/1¼ cups

Add all the ingredients except the spring onion/scallion and coriander/cilantro to a food processor. Pulse at first, then increase the speed until you have a coarsely puréed consistency. Fold in the spring onion/scallion and coriander/cilantro and taste, adding more salt, lime juice or cumin as preferred. Transfer to a serving bowl.

LEX’S TARAMASALATA

I’ve named this recipe after my son, Lex, as he and I are the only two out of our family of five who can devour an entire baguette with nothing more than a tub of this stuff to keep it company! He was my chief taster when I was developing this recipe.

200-g/7-oz. can cod roe, drained

1 small red onion, grated (about 20 g/2 tablespoons)

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 chunky slice of toasted bread (about 50 g/2 oz.)

50 ml/3½ tablespoons milk

100 ml/7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE

olives

toasted pitta bread

Makes about 500 g/2 cups

Add the drained cod roe to a food processor, breaking it up with the back of a fork, then add the grated onion, cayenne pepper and lemon juice and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Soak the toasted bread in the milk for a minute, then squeeze out the excess liquid and tear the toast into the food processor (discard the leftover milk). Pulse everything in the food processor to begin with, then increase the speed and start drizzling in the olive oil until it has all been added.

Depending on consistency, I usually add a couple of tablespoons of water at the end to smooth the taramasalata. Taste, adding more salt, lemon juice or cayenne as preferred.

Serve in a bowl with a little extra drizzle of olive oil, traditionally with a few olives alongside and some toasted pitta bread for dipping.

SPICY HARISSA FALAFEL

Freshly made falafel are delicious and something I strongly recommend you try making at home. These ones are laced with Moroccan harissa paste, which gives a delicious hint of warming spice, complemented here by the cooling Greek yogurt.

2 x 400-g/14-oz. cans chickpeas, drained

1 small white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin, plus a pinch to garnish

1½ tablespoons coriander seeds, lightly crushed

a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (stalks and leaves)

a small bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro (stalks and leaves), plus a few sprigs to garnish

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

65 g/½ cup plain/all-purpose flour

30 ml/2 tablespoons harissa paste, plus 1 teaspoon to garnish

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

TO SERVE

250 g/1 cup Greek yogurt

a pinch of nigella seeds

Serves 4

Place half the chickpeas and all the onion, garlic, cumin, coriander seeds, fresh parsley and coriander/cilantro, baking powder, salt, flour and harissa paste in a food processor. Blend until just fully incorporated (be careful not to over-blend to a purée). Once fully incorporated, add the remaining chickpeas and pulse until broken down but still quite coarse (this gives your falafel texture).

Roll the mixture into falafel the size of ping-pong balls, then flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan; test whether it is hot enough by dropping a pinch of breadcrumbs into it – they should sizzle immediately but take at least 30 seconds before they turn golden. Deep-fry the falafel in the hot oil for 2–4 minutes until the exterior is crisp (you might need to do this in batches). Remove the cooked falafel using a slotted spoon and leave to drain on paper towels.

Pour the Greek yogurt onto a large serving dish and swirl a couple of ribbons of harissa paste through the yogurt to create beautiful swirls. Pile the falafel over one side of the yogurt, then dust with a pinch of cumin, nigella seeds and a few torn sprigs of coriander/cilantro.

ANTIPASTI SHARING BOARD