Recipes of the Month

Sautéed Spinach With Raisins & Pine Nuts

This dish is equally good with chicory, so choose whichever of the two greens you prefer or is easier to find.

Ingredients for 4 people

1 kg fresh spinach

1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp plump raisins
2 Tbsp pine nuts
Small nut of butter or a little olive oil

Rinse the spinach well and trim stems. Rinse and trim then simmer in a pan with no additional water. The spinach will release more than enough liquid as you heat it and will need cooking for no more than 5 minutes. (If using chicory, cook in lightly salted water for 5-10 minutes until tender. Drain chicory and squeeze dry.) In a frying pan heat the butter or olive oil and add the chopped garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the drained spinach. Season with salt and pepper then add the raisins and the pine nuts. Toss well and serve hot. 

Chicken With Peppers, Roman style

The flesh of free-range chickens is firmer and meatier than that of battery chickens, and tastier too- definitely worth the extra that they cost

Ingredients for 4 people

1 free-range chicken in pieces
1 glass of white wine
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 chili pepper, finely chopped
Pinch dried marjoram
4 large tomatoes, skinned and chopped
4 large peppers
50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra
Salt
Few leaves of fresh basil

Heat oil in a pan and brown the chicken pieces turning to cook on all sides. When the chicken is golden brown, add the white wine and simmer until wine has evaporated. Add the chopped garlic and chili pepper, the dried marjoram and the chopped tomatoes. Salt to taste and cook over a medium heat, covering the pan with a lid.

Meanwhile, cut the peppers into long strips. In a separate pan, heat a little olive oil and sauté the peppers until almost tender. When the chicken is almost completely cooked add the strips of pepper to the pan and cook a further 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, check seasoning and adjust if necessary, and add the fresh basil. Leave uncovered and wait 5 minutes before serving.