'When we made the decision to relocate our family to Somerset, I knew I would like the people and the beautiful landscape, but I wasn't prepared for what a food mecca it is. As a private chef, I was fortunate enough to travel and cook with some incredible ingredients worldwide, but I would pit Somerset produce, particularly meat and dairy, against anything else the world has to offer.
The wet, moderate climate means our apple and pear trees fruit from August to November. I love the way our local yoghurt (Hurdlebrook from my village of Babcary) gets sweeter as you approach the summer months and earthier as you move towards the end of the year. Frying our neighbours' eggs in bright yellow, salty Longman’s butter each morning doesn't seem to get old, and those sausages from The Story Pig keep us going through the cosy winter months.
It's no surprise that so many talented chefs are finding their way here and setting up fabulous restaurants. Inspiration is everywhere I look in South Somerset, and recipes seem to pour onto the page, helped out of my brain by the tastes and sounds of Somerset and maybe a glass or two of cider.'
Pomegranate Salmon with Jewelled Rice
This is a take on a celebratory Iranian dish served at weddings and special occasions. The fruit and nuts create a ‘jewelled’ look for this rice and the fresh pomegranate seeds and glazed salmon are the icing on top. There are a few ingredients in here that are on the more expensive side, pomegranate molasses, pine nuts, apricots etc. so this really is a dish to save for a special occasion. You can swap out the dried fruits for others and the pine nuts for pistachios or sliced almonds if you prefer! The recipe works beautifully for two with ME prepping the ingredients so that YOU can get everything quickly in the pan and cooking.
For the Rice:
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1⁄2 cup (70 g) pine nuts
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 1 cup (180 g) uncooked basmati rice
• 1/3 cup (50 g) raisins
• 1⁄4 cup (50 g) apricots
• 1⁄2 cup (87 g) fresh pomegranate seeds, for serving
For the Salmon:
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice of 1⁄2 lime
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• Two 4-ounce salmon fillets (225 g)
YOU
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the pomegranate molasses, olive oil, lime juice, and salt.
2. Toss the salmon fillets in this mixture, cover, and refrigerate while you make the rice.
3. In a large skillet or pot with a lid over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and carrot from ME and cook until browning, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan.
4. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the pine nuts, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, and star anise from ME and toast for 2 minutes.
5. Add the rice and cook for another minute with the spices. Return the cooked onion and carrot to the skillet. Stir to combine.
6. Add the raisins and chopped apricots from ME.
7. Pour 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) water over the top and fit with a lid. Cook on very low heat for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
ME
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Grate the carrot and thinly slice the onion.
3. Hand these to YOU.
4. Measure out the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, star anise and pine nuts into a bowl and pass to YOU.
5. Chop the apricots. Add these to a bowl with the raisins and hand to YOU.
6. Take the salmon prepared by YOU out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
7. Place it on the prepared baking sheet, reserving the marinade left in the bowl, and bake for 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
8. Pour the remaining marinade from the salmon into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes, or until you have a nice shiny glaze.
US
Uncover the rice and scoop it onto 2 plates. Top with the salmon, spooning the glaze over the top, and sprinkle over with the pomegranate seeds.
Sweet Potato and Cabbage Pad Thai
Some of the best recipes come when I need to use up ingredients in the fridge. This recipe is no exception, but it quickly became a household favourite. If you’re a fan of pad Thai but want to switch things up and add some healthy veggies to the mix, you’re in for a treat. This is the perfect fusion of classic Thai flavours and nutritious ingredients.
The combination of sweet potato and cabbage to replace the traditional noodles adds a delicious crunch to the dish, while the traditional pad Thai sauce brings a balance of salty, sour, and sweet flavours. If you want more protein, you can top this with fish or chicken, but we love it just as it is!
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter or almond butter
2 limes
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon sriracha
1-inch piece of fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves
For the Pad Thai:
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
1 garlic clove
2 chillies
1⁄2 cup raw, lightly salted cashews
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 small or 1⁄2 medium white cabbage
2 scallions or spring onions
YOU
• Juice 3 lime halves from ME.
• Combine the tamari, almond butter, lime juice, sesame oil, honey, and sriracha to make the sauce.
• Add the grated ginger and garlic from ME to the sauce.
• Line a plate with a paper towel.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add the sliced garlic from ME. Fry until bubbles just stop appearing but before the garlic changes colour, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the prepared plate.
• Add the sliced chillies to this same oil and fry for another minute, until the small bubbles stop appearing. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve the oil.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the chilli-garlic oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the sweet potato. Cook for 5 minutes and add the cabbage and 1/4 cup water. Cook until the sweet potato is soft and the cabbage is wilted but hasn’t lost its colour, another 5 minutes.
ME
• Halve the limes and cut one half into segments. Hand these to YOU.
• Grate the ginger and 2 garlic cloves. Hand these to YOU.
• Thinly slice the chillies and remaining 1 garlic clove. Hand these to YOU.
• Peel the sweet potato and grate it on a thick grater.
• Slice the cabbage in half and then slice down each half thinly to create “noodles.”
• Thinly slice 2 scallions.
• In a small pan over medium heat, add the cashews. Toast for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and coarsely chop them
US
• Toss the cooked cabbage and sweet potato with the sauce and garnish with the scallions, cashews, fried chillies, and fried garlic. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
![Chicken Pozole Stew]()
Chicken Pozole Stew (Image: HD Publishing)
Chicken Pozole Stew
Usually made with pork, my pozole – or spicy Mexican hominy stew – is made with chicken thighs. They cook faster, so a typically three-hour dish can come together in half the time here with the same delicious rich flavours as the traditional version. Hominy is a type of corn kernel specific to Mexican cuisine. If you can’t find it at your grocery store, you can buy it canned at Mexican shops or online. Like any braised dish, this will need some cooking time, but the down time is a great opportunity to get the clean-up done and the garnishes prepped. The addition of chicken wings/bones adds a richness to the soup base and should be cheap to buy. Just be sure to discard the bones before serving! Serve the stew with a dollop of yoghurt if it’s a bit too hot for your taste.
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound (500 g) chicken wings or bones
• Salt
• 1 ½ pounds (700 g) bone-in chicken thighs
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 4 to 6 dried guajillo or ancho chillies (depending on your heat preference)
• One 28-ounce (822 g) can white hominy
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
For Serving:
• ¼ small cabbage
• ½ bunch of fresh cilantro/coriander
• 1 handful of red radishes
• 1 avocado
• 1 lime
• 1 cup corn chips (optional)
• Dollop of plain Greek yoghurt (optional)
YOU
1. In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken wings and a large pinch of salt and cook, tossing every so often, until thoroughly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and season generously with salt.
3. Add the chicken thighs to the pan, browning both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and add the onion and chopped garlic from ME along with the cumin and oregano. Cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add the chicken thighs and wings back in and cover with the chicken stock and 1 cup (240 ml) water. Add the bay leaf. Scrape any bits that stick to the bottom of the pan.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken thighs are tender, about 45 minutes. Skim any foam or oil off the surface as it cooks.
7. Drain and rinse the hominy.
ME
1. In a small pan, bring water to a boil. Add the chillies, reduce the heat to low, and cook until soft, 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the chillies.
2. Chop 3 of the garlic cloves and leave the remaining 3 whole. Pass the chopped garlic to YOU.
3. Quarter the yellow onion and pass to YOU.
4. In a blender, add the softened chillies, the whole garlic, and the reserved cooking water. Blend and set aside.
5. Prepare the garnishes: Thinly slice the cabbage and radishes. Chop the cilantro. Pit the avocado. Scoop out the flesh and slice it. Halve the lime.
US
1. Remove all the meat and the onion quarters from the soup, separating out the thighs from the rest. Pull the meat off the thighs.
2. Pour half of the chilli blend into the remaining liquid. Add the hominy and vinegar. Bring to a boil.
3. Taste the broth and if you want more spice, add the remaining chilli mixture.
4. Return the pulled chicken meat to the soup and cook all together for 10 more minutes.
5. Spoon the soup into 2 bowls and garnish liberally with the cabbage, cilantro, radishes, avocado, lime, and corn chips (if using). Add a dollop of yoghurt (if using).
READER OFFER
Cook Together offers an innovative and unique culinary journey, redefining how we cook, dine, and connect. This collection of 30 recipes emphasises balance and wholesomeness, tailored for two people to prepare in the kitchen. The aim? To infuse joy into the kitchen, share responsibilities, and savour nourishing homemade meals. The concept is simple: every recipe holds a role for ME and YOU. YOU takes charge of cooking, while ME assumes the role of prep chef. Begin with the role you feel most comfortable in and switch as you progress through the recipes. Each dish ends with US, where both roles come together, exemplifying teamwork for the finishing touches. You can follow Dorothy on Instragram @healthydot
Somerset Life readers can receive 10% off Cook Together by entering the promo code SOMERSET10 at healthydot.com/cooktogether
