Olive Magazine October 2018

Hands up who complained about the heatwave this summer and was secretly craving cold frosts with blue skies, sausages and mash, and crispy leaves underfoot? I know I wasn’t the only one! Well, friends, the time is now. Embrace autumn for all its wonderful comforts – grab a blanket, hunker down with a brew and get stuck into this issue, because it’s a good ’un. For a start, we’ve got Ballymaloe Cookery School founder Darina Allen (the doyenne of comfort food) sharing her recipes for making the most of this season’s best ingredients – there’s dingle pie and fish pie, roast duck with Bramley apple sauce, creamy mushroom soup, and more. Bristol food writer Claire Thomson has been teaching us how to get slow-cooker smart and, if you’re anything like me,…

TRENDS TRANSLATOR Each month, the Olive team spots a new trend appearing in restaurants, street-food stalls and supper clubs across the UK, and then translates it for you to cook at home. This time it’s all about spicy, savoury XO sauce. » Smacked cucumbers with cheat’s XO sauce 30 MINUTES + DRAINING + CHILLING | SERVES 4 AS A SIDE EASY cucumbers 2sea salt flakes 1 tspvegetable oil 2 tbspprosciutto 3 slices, shreddedshallot 1, finely choppedgarlic 2 cloves, finely choppedginger a thumb-sized piece, finely choppeddried chilli flakes 2 tspshrimp paste ½ tspsoy sauce ½ tbspsoft brown sugar ½ tbsprice vinegar ½ tbsp • Put the whole cucumbers onto a chopping board and hit with a rolling pin so they start to break apart. Cut each cucumber lengthways into long quarters, then into chunky pieces. Put…

XO SAUCE Originating in Hong Kong, XO is a spicy seafood sauce that makes everything taste better. Fact. It can be served on the side, or used within a recipe, and traditionally features dried shellfish (usually shrimp and/or scallops), air-dried ham and plenty of chillies. You won’t yet find it widely available in supermarkets, although savvy shoppers may have spotted it in their local Chinese grocer. But, chefs across the UK have awoken to its umami superpowers this year and are providing plenty of inspiration for how to use it. It can be stirred through rice, bound through noodles, flipped into stir fries, or smothered over meat, fish and veggies. Chef James Cochran is serving line-caught mackerel with XO, cucumber and hazelnut at his new restaurant 1251 in Islington. Chantelle Nicholson,…

What are we listening to? Celebrating the launch of his latest book, Ottolenghi Simple, Yotam Ottolenghi’s new seven-part podcast sees the chef chew the fat with guests – covering subjects ranging from food and travel to music – over dishes from his new cookbook. The guest list is prestigious and includes the likes of Michael Palin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nigella Lawson, Helen Goh, Jessie Ware and Fearne Cotton. Why you should download it The first episode features Yotam and Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain bonding over herb fritters and gnocchi alla romana, with topics ranging from parenting tips to Bangladeshi cuisine and how Nadiya’s mum cooks an impressive eight curries every day. Chatty and relaxed, we reckon this would make perfect Sunday afternoon listening. Available fortnightly on all good podcast apps. Turn…

Selectively working one’s way through a box of Quality Street is a mainstay of the coming festive season, as is the inevitable desultory collection of remnants come January (Coconut Éclair and Orange Cream, we’re looking at you). This year, however, can be different. Until 23 December at selected John Lewis stores you’ll be able to create your own bespoke 1.2kg tin of Quality Street (including a personalised tin) and pick ’n’ mix a minimum of three varieties – so no more fighting over the last Purple One. PHOTOGRAPHS: JONATHAN LOVEKIN, @ALEX_COOKING…

Oatly! vanilla custard It’s hard to believe this ready-made custard (made with oats) is 100% vegan, with the same creamy flavour and texture as the dairy version. £1.20/250ml, Asda Pots & Co hazelnut and chocolate praline These rich pots of praline crème topped with crunchy caramelised hazelnut and crispy feuilletine make for an indulgent after-dinner dessert. £2/85g, Sainsbury’s ChicP herby houmous Made from imperfect vegetables, this earthy dip packed with spinach and parsley is perfect for dunking breadsticks in. £1.99/170g, ocado.com Itsu chilli miso Combining deep savoury flavour with a fiery chilli kick, these miso sachets are great for soups and marinades. £2/3 x 20g, ocado.com Heinz Creationz lentil curry Sweet, smoky, with a slight heat, these handy lentil curry pouches make for a quick and easy lunch. £1.75/250g, Tesco Eat Your Hat dark chocolate These beautifully presented bars of organic…