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Inspirational ideas for organic food from Renée Elliott and Eric Treuillé
Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup
Chock-full of beta-carotene, carrots really are good for your eyesight. They also cleanse, alkalise, nourish and stimulate many body systems, while supplying a great-tasting, easy-to-digest dose of vitamins and minerals.
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil or 30g butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
750g carrots, roughly chopped
1 medium potato, roughly chopped
1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp lemon or orange juice
salt, black pepper
- Heat the oil or butter in a heavy-based pot. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cayenne, carrot and potato and cook, stirring occasionally, over a medium-low heat until the vegetables are soft, 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat to medium. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat, partially cover, and simmer gently until the potato is tender, 30 minutes.
- Leave to cool slightly. Purée until smooth with a hand blender or in a food processor. Stir in honey and lemon or orange juice. Thin with water as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and serve hot.
Variation:
Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Ginger
Omit the cumin, coriander and cayenne. Replace half the carrots with 2 chopped medium parsnips. Cook as directed.
Source: Organic Cookbook by Renée Elliott and Eric Treuillé (Dorling Kindersley)
Pan-Roast Chicken with Herbed Goat’s Cheese
You can prepare the chicken breasts up to 1 day in advance. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate. If possible, leave to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.
Serves 4
125g fresh creamy goat’s cheese
2 tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (choose one, or a combination, of parsley, basil, chives, thyme, oregano, tarragon)
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 boneless chicken breasts (with skins)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt, black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
- Combine the goat’s cheese, herbs and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- With one hand on a chicken breast to hold it in place, slice through the middle horizontally to cut almost in half. Open out flat. Spread a quarter of the herbed mixture over the opened out breast. Fold over and secure by threading on a bamboo skewer or toothpick through the cut edges of each breast. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and herbed mixture.
- Heat the oil in a heavy ovenproof frying pan or cast-iron ridged grill pan. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook over a medium heat until lightly golden, 5 minutes. Turn the chicken skin-side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the pan in the oven. Roast the chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot on warmed plates with mashed potatoes combined with finely chopped fresh parsley, and Slow-Roast Tomatoes.
Source: Organic Cookbook by Renée Elliott and Eric Treuillé (Dorling Kindersley).
Slow-Roast Tomatoes
When cooking with fresh tomatoes outside peak season, it is well worth thinking ahead and buying the tomatoes a few days in advance of using. Set them on a tray by the kitchen window, making sure they are not touching. Never store tomatoes in the refrigerator, as refrigeration spoils their texture and aroma.
Serves 4 as a side dish
6 ripe tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for serving
1 handful fresh herbs, chopped, such as parsley, basil, marjoram or a combination
salt, black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/gas mark ½.
- Place the tomatoes on an oven tray, cut side up. Cut garlic cloves in half and cut each half into 3 slivers. Lay a sliver of garlic onto each tomato half. Sprinkle each tomato half with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle over the vinegar and oil. Slow roast until very soft and wilted, 2 hours.
- Serve hot or at room temperature, drizzled with additional olive oil and scattered with fresh herbs.
Source: Organic Cookbook by Renée Elliott and Eric Treuillé (Dorling Kindersley)
Slow-Simmered Beef Daube with Red Wine and Garlic
This recipe is the ultimate in hands-off cooking. You don’t even have to brown the meat and vegetables. Just place everything in the pot and cook very slowly while you get on with something else. Research shows that red wine in moderation may lower the risk of heart disease. Now that’s news to drink to.
Serves 4–6
1kg piece beef suitable for stewing, braising or pot-roasting, such as silverside or brisket
2 tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
4 streaky bacon slices, finely chopped
½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh thyme
4 carrots, cut into 8cm lengths
4 celery stalks, cut into 8cm lengths
8 shallots or 2 onions, root end intact, peeled and quartered
8 whole garlic cloves
12 brown or field mushrooms
8 medium potatoes, halved lengthwise
250ml red wine
2 tbsp cognac or brandy, optional
salt, black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2.
- Sprinkle the beef all over with black pepper. In a heavy-based pot, place the garlic, onion, bacon and thyme. Place the beef on top and surround with the carrots, celery, shallots or onions, garlic, mushrooms and potatoes. Pour over the red wine and cognac, if using. Place the pot over medium heat and bring just to a simmer. Cover and put into the oven to cook slowly until very tender, 3–4 hours, making sure that the liquid does not boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut the beef into thick slices and place on warmed plates. Surround with the vegetables and spoon over the beef juices. Serve hot.
Variation: Slow-Simmered Beef Stew with Red Wine and Garlic
Use stewing beef cut into 4cm cubes in place of the whole piece of beef. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the cooking pot and fry meat a few pieces at a time until browned all over, 3 minutes. Remove from pot and proceed as directed.
Source: Organic Cookbook by Renée Elliott and Eric Treuillé (Dorling Kindersley).
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake
Lemon peel contains more vitamin C than the flesh itself, but non-organic lemons are treated with waxes, fungicides and post-harvest sprays to prolong shelf life and improve eye appeal. These cannot be completely removed by washing. If you can’t find organic lemons to zest, we advise leaving out the grated zest altogether.
Serves 6–8
For the crust
200g ground almonds
3 tbsp sugar
50g butter, melted
pinch salt
For the filling
1kg cream cheese
350g granulated sugar
grated zest 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 eggs, beaten
For the topping
250ml sour cream
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
Essential equipment: 25cm/10in springform cake tin
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
- Combine the almonds, sugar, salt and butter. Press evenly on to the base of the tin. Bake until crisp, 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Place the cream cheese in a bowl with the sugar, lemon zest and juice and beat briefly until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs a quarter at a time until just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Spread the cheesecake mixture over the crust. Set the tin on a baking sheet and bake until the centre wobbles slightly when the tin is tapped, about 45 minutes.
- For the topping, combine the sour cream, sugar and lemon juice. Spread over the baked cheesecake. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Cool completely in the tin on a wire rack. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- To unmould, run a knife around the sides of the cheesecake. Release the springform clip and remove the sides of the tin. Serve chilled, cut into slices.
Variations:
Luscious Lime Cheesecake
Omit lemon zest and juice and replace with the grated zest of 1 ½ limes and 2 tbsp lime juice for the filling, and 1 tbsp lime juice for the topping. Proceed as directed.
Luscious Grapefruit Cheesecake
Omit lemon zest and juice and replace with the grated zest of ½ yellow grapefruit and 2 tbsp yellow grapefruit juice for the filling, and 1 tbsp yellow grapefruit juice for the topping. Proceed as directed.
Source: Organic Cookbook by Renée Elliott and Eric Treuillé (Dorling Kindersley).
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