Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2025 i Olive Magazine

I love these words of wisdom from cooks Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan on their stunning Middle Eastern lamb recipe (page 26): “A stress-free way of making the heart of your feast, spending a little bit of time at the beginning marinating the lamb, cooking the onions and layering flavours, then just leaving it to cook slowly by itself while you get on with the other bits.” It’s exactly the way I like to cook, with no last-minute rushing around and plenty of time to spend with friends. May is bookended by bank holidays so their simple, wow factor dishes are ones to bookmark for those weekend gatherings. Now that the weather has brightened, we’ve hopefully left the seasonal gloom behind us but nutritionist Amy Lanza has some clever ways…

Cherry croissant bread and butter pudding SERVES 4-6 | PREP 20 MINS PLUS SOAKING | COOK 30 MINS | EASY 250ml double cream250ml whole milk3 medium eggs75g caster sugar1 tsp vanilla extract6-7 croissants, split horizontally1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds icing sugar, to dust (optional) vanilla ice cream, to serve CHERRY FILLING caster sugar ALMOND FILLING salted butter 1 To make the cherry filling, put the sugar in a pan with 3 tbsp of water. Heat until the sugar has melted, then bring to a simmer and cook for 5 mins. Stir in the cherries and cook for another 5 mins. Stir in the preserve and almond extract. 2 To make the almond filling, beat together the butter, sugar, ground almonds and almond extract using an electric whisk. 3 Heat the…

Su Scott is an award-winning cook and food writer based in London. Her recipes are influenced by her childhood in Korea as well as her time living in the UK. She is the author of two cookery books, Rice Table and Pocha, and has contributed to numerous publications. Listen to her on the Olive podcast, available on Spotify, Acast and Apple. @suscottfood Pan-fried pork belly with garlic and kimchi SERVES 2 | PREP 5 MINS COOK 20 MINS | EASY | GF 400g skinless pork belly strips sunflower oil, for frying1 garlic bulb, peeled and halved lengthways250g cabbage kimchi (whole or cut) Samgyeopsal (pork belly) is a cut commonly considered soul food to Koreans. And there is no better combination than perfectly cooked meat with kimchi that’s been sizzling in…

Eating for your brain is one of the best things we can do for overall longevity and great long-term health. The food we eat is the fuel on which our brain runs, so nourishing it with high-quality and nutrient-dense foods enables us to feel our best. While there are many brain-boosting foods, we will focus on ingredients seen to increase brain function, improve memory and protect it from stress. In my recipes, you’ll see ingredients crop up time and again, most of which contain high levels of antioxidants, B vitamins, healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Nutritionally, there is a lot of crossover between ingredients that are good for the brain and mood, as our brain is closely linked with our mood. Eating is one of life’s greatest joys and,…

Creamy Tuscan chicken with spinach and sundried tomatoes A simple entertaining one-pot with a light creamy sauce – serve with rice, pasta or mash and a big bowl of salad. SERVES 4 | PREP 10 MINS COOK 25 MINS | EASY 4 skinless chicken breasts1 tsp dried oregano1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil knob of butter1 small onion2 garlic cloves, crushed8 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced200ml chicken stock150g baby spinach, roughly chopped100ml double cream50g parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve 1 Season the chicken well with salt, pepper and the oregano. 2 Heat the oil and butter in a shallow pan. Cook the chicken for 3-4 mins on each side until golden (you are just searing at this point not trying to cook all the way through). Lift…

1 Harissa chicken and rice one-pot This is a Middle Eastern-inspired one-pot that is packed full of flavour. Some yogurt with preserved lemon chopped and stirred through it would go with it nicely. SERVES 4 | PREP 15 MINS COOK 40 MINS | EASY 2½ tbsp olive oil6 chicken thighs1 large red onion, finely sliced2 garlic cloves, grated1 tbsp harissa paste1 tsp cumin seeds1 cinnamon stick200g basmati rice, rinsed650ml chicken stock 10g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped1 lemon, zested and juiced1 tsp sumac 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Put 1 tbsp of oil in a lidded casserole over a medium heat. Season the chicken well, then put them, skin-side down, into the oil. Cook for 6-8 mins or until deeply golden. Remove to a plate, skin-side up –…

FERNERY AT GROVE OF NARBERTH Molleston One of three Welsh Michelin Key hotels, Grove of Narberth’s Fernery restaurant champions local produce. Exec chef Douglas Balish’s seasonal five-course tasting menu includes dishes like Meat Matters, named after the Gower butcher that provides the dairy beef, and Atlantic Edge – turbot fillet with Angle Bay oyster velouté. Paired with expert wine or non-alcoholic selections, it’s an unforgettable fine-dining experience. ferneryrestaurant.co.uk THE OLD POINT HOUSE AND CAFE MÔR Angle Driving across the rocky road to seaweed-strewn East Angle Bay you might wonder if you’ve taken a wrong turn – but this 16th-century inn is worth the journey. Inside, the log burner roars as local band, Barti Waves – named after owner Jonathan Williams’ seaweed-infused Barti Rum – strum their guitars. The seafood-inspired menu…

Malaysian cuisine is vibrant and flavoursome, and has been greatly influenced – in terms of ingredients used, flavour combinations and cooking techniques – by neighbouring countries, Thailand, Indonesia and beyond. Malaysia is made up of a diverse demographic, with just over half of the population being Malay, around a quarter Chinese and many Indian. Immigration, historic trading routes and colonisation have all influenced the variety of ingredients and methods of cooking that make Malaysian cuisine what it is. Street food is an intrinsic part of life for many in Malaysia – whether you want a hot meal, a savoury or sweet snack, or a reviving drink, whatever time of day, there is a huge variety of options available. Roadside street vendors and hawker market stalls sell a mixture of fried,…

SPILL EVERYDAY TEA Spill Tea is on a mission to improve the quality of your daily brew and give the smallholders who produce 70% of the world’s tea output a decent wage, paying 50% more than Fairtrade and direct to the farmer. £6.25, Waitrose and spilltea.co.uk. KALTBACH CREAMY A hard Alpine cheese enhanced with an extra portion of Swiss cream to create a melting texture. It is matured for four months deep within the Kaltbach caves and won a silver medal at the 2024 World Cheese Awards. From £7/200g, available from Waitrose, Ocado and specialist cheesemongers. MALAY PEANUT SAUCE This punchy peanut sauce uses founder Ranie’s grandmother’s recipe and balances sweetness, savoury notes and creaminess with a touch of spice. Serve it with rice, as a vegetable dip or with…

Middle Eastern lamb shanks with almonds and dates This is fantastic to make when you have people coming round – we have made a version of this slow-cooked lamb dish for multiple dinners and events, changing the spicing a little each time. It is a stress-free way of making the heart of your feast, spending a little bit of time at the beginning marinating the lamb, cooking the onions and layering flavours, then just leaving it to cook slowly by itself while you get on with the other bits. SERVES 4 | PREP 15 MINS PLUS MARINATING COOK 3 HRS 15 MINS | EASY | GF 1.25-1.4kg lamb shanks (around 2-3) MARINADE greek yogurt TO COOK olive oil 1 Start by marinating the lamb – overnight is ideal but at…

Solskinnsboller Cinnamon buns are a staple of bakeries all over the country and over the past decade cardamom buns have also grown in popularity as Swedish baking has become more common on our little island. This recipe is inspired by another traditional Scandinavian bun, the solskinnsboller from Norway. Traditionally these buns were baked in northern Norway to celebrate the return of the sun after the darkness of winter, the buns designed to look a little like the sun itself. In my version of the recipe, a soft, butter-rich brioche dough is infused with ground cardamom and then filled with a cinnamon butter and topped with a simple vanilla custard. They might be a tad more involved than your traditional cinnamon bun but the results are so worth the effort. MAKES…

Boca de Agua, Bacalar, Mexico This luxury jungle retreat is set back from the Yucatán Peninsula’s Lagoon of Seven Colours, close to Mexico’s Belize border. Twenty-two treehouse suites, each with private plunge pools and hammocks strung across shaded decks, are nestled within the forest of mango, banana and kapok trees (believed to be sacred in Mayan culture), from which toucans, woodpeckers and spider monkeys provide a tropical soundtrack. Five-star luxuries are catered to – natural Laguna Cyprien toiletries to use in turquoise tiled outdoor rain showers, king-size beds and dark tropical wood cabinets made from recycled materials. The brutalist-style main building gives the air of an abandoned jungle kingdom, with vines creeping up concrete pillars, steps leading to a secluded pool and a man-made cenote. Chef Sergio cooks local specialities…

SERVES 2 | PREP 10 MINS COOK 35 MINS | EASY | V GF 500g baby new potatoes olive oil1 red onion, cut into wedges 200g cherry tomatoes, pierced a few times with a sharp knife 1 block of halloumi, thinly sliced 3 tbsp hot honey (or mix honey with 1 tsp of dried chilli flakes) ½ tbsp white wine vinegar1 avocado, sliced handful of soft herbs such as mint, coriander or chives, chopped 1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Boil the potatoes for 15 mins until just tender. Drain then tip into a baking tray. Use a spatula or the bottom of a glass to flatten them. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of oil and season. 2 Cook for 20 mins then add the onion and tomatoes, and…