Lunch @ Cook House - Ouseburn, Newcastle

If you follow us on Instagram or Twitter, you may have seen us raving about a new lunch spot we have discovered in Newcastle. Despite it having been open for over a year, it was only this week that we got round to making the trip, although we are definitely late to the party as the small kitchen is already racking up significant critical acclaim such as being listed as one of the '25 Coolest Restaurants in the UK' by The Times. The restaurant setting is undeniably cool and understated, tucked away in Newcastle's Ouseburn, and comprising of two inter-connecting shipping containers.

 The inside couldn't be a starker contrast from the industrial exterior however, with a cosy chiminea and completely open kitchen instantly making you feel at home. The place is impressively run by Anna Hedworth - not only a brilliant cook but also a food blogger who's recipes you can find on The Grazer. It really did feel like being in her home, and the frequently-changing chalkboard menu was stuffed with a tempting selection of her deliciously simple, fresh and wholesome lunch dishes.

We went for the Smoked Mackerel Pâté and Roast Ham, both served with a lovely simple dressed salad, sourdough toast and homemade pickles. A definite highlight was Zoe's pickled quince which was the perfect sweet/sour accompaniment to her ham, and something we are keen to recreate ourselves! Our dishes were washed down with Anna's homemade cloudy lemonade, and followed by a cup of tea, and slice of her dreamy apple and cinnamon cake.

It's safe to say that we both left feeling very happy and full, and are already planning our next visit! It is so refreshing to see somewhere so different and unique in Newcastle, and with such great food so reasonably priced, we can't recommend it highly enough - get yourself down there!

C & Z x

Cook House. Mon - Sat 8.30 - 3.30. Ouse Street - Newcastle-upon-Tyne. NE1 2PF

http://cookhouse.org

Puy Lentil and Quinoa Sumac Salad

With summer coming to a close, this salad is ideal for the transition into autumn, being fresh and herby yet substantial and filling enough for the colder days to come. Despite containing big bunches of various different herbs, none overpower the dish, and together with the tangy sumac and citrus they manage to uplift the quinoa and Puy lentils - pulses which, lets be honest, can sometimes be lacking in the flavour department. As well as being delicious, this salad is also very nutritious - perfect for those of us who may have over-indulged a little on holiday... The recipe comes from Sabrina Ghayour's debut book Persiana which I found very inspiring and an ideal starting point if you're fairly new to Middle-Eastern cooking. Although it makes a great lunch or light meal by itself, this salad also works well as a side-dish with chicken or fish.

For a large bowl to serve 6-8 you will need…

200g quinoa

250g Puy lentils

500g cherry tomatoes, halved

100g flat leaf parsley, stalks and leaves finely chopped

20g coriander, stalks and leaves finely chopped

40g mint leaves, finely chopped 

1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced

4 tbsp olive oil

Juice of 2 large or 3 small lemons

1 heaped tbsp sumac

Salt & pepper to season

You will need to…

- Cook lentils and quinoa separately as per their packet instructions. Rinse well in cold water then drain and set aside to cool. N.B - When cooking quinoa be sure to toast it in a dry pan before simmering in water, as develops the nutty flavour. See our Quinoa Superfood Salad recipe for more instructions on this.

- Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa and lentils and mix well to endure everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Be sure to taste your salad and adjust seasonings to suit you.

- Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving to allow all the flavours to develop.

 Enjoy! C x

Smoked Mackerel and Quinoa Salad

This is a healthy salad which only takes about 20 minutes to make. The smoked mackerel gives a strong flavour to the quinoa, and no extra salt needs to be added as the mackerel provides a strong salty flavour. This recipe would also work with any other fish of your choice. I used the dressing from our Quinoa Superfood Salad to add a lemony flavour which ties the dish together nicely.

To serve 4 you will need...

- 4 smoked mackerel fillets

-2 red peppers

- 200g cherry tomatoes

-250g quinoa

-1 chicken stock cube

-1/2 a pint of water

-Chopped parsley to garnish

For the dressing...

-1 tsp lemon juice

-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

-1 tsp Dijon mustard

-Seasoning

You will need to...

-Preheat the oven to 180C

- Chop the peppers into strips and half the cherry tomatoes, place in a large baking tray season and drizzle with oil.

- Place the mackerel fillets onto a sheet of tinfoil, squeeze some lemon juice over them, season and wrap in tinfoil, if there is room in the baking tray then place them next to the chopped veg, if not place on a separate baking tray and place in the oven for 10-15 mins.

- Meanwhile place the quinoa in a dry sauce pan and toast on a fairly high heat for a few minutes until golden brown. Keep shaking it around the pan to stop it burning then add 1/2 a pint of chicken stock to the pan.

- Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, then remove from heat and leave to steam with the lid on for approximately 5 minutes. Meanwhile remove the mackerel from the oven and check the peppers and tomatoes and cooked, if not turn up the heat and leave the veg in for 5 minutes longer.

-To make the dressing, combine the mustard, oil and lemon juice - season to taste.

- When the veg is done place quinoa in the middle of your serving dish surround with the roasted tomatoes and peppers, then peel the skin away from the mackerel, this should be easy when the fish is hot. Break the mackerel up removing any bones you come across and mix into the quinoa. Add the dressing and scatter with chopped parsley.

Enjoy! Z x

Butternut Squash, Kale and Chickpea Summer Salad

Last week Catie and I undertook a week of 'clean eating', and this recipe was definitely one of our favourite evening meals. Despite being a fairly simple salad, the roasted butternut squash and chickpeas make this dish suprisingly filling, whilst the pomegranate, lemon and lime add a sharp tanginess. I also think that serving it hot makes it seem like a heartier meal rather than just a lunchtime salad, so despite being extremely good for you, you still feel satisfied and full at the end of a long day. Kale is a well established 'superfood', being rich in Vitamins A, B, C and K as well as being low in calories and virtually fat free - perfect for those getting into shape for summer. You could also add some chicken to the salad if you fancy a non-vegetarian version. A good student trick when using root ginger is to store it in the freezer, and then you can use it whenever needed as it lasts for ages. A more detailed post on our clean eating week will be coming soon with more healthy recipes.

To serve two you will need...

1/2 a butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

200g curly kale

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp of fresh ginger, grated

1 tin of chickpeas, drained

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp lime juice

Seeds from 1/2 a pomegranate
1/4 tsp salt

You will need to...

- Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

- Place the butternut squash cubes on a baking tray, season and drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven for approx 40 mins or until soft.

-Meanwhile in a large saucepan, soften the onion in a little olive oil over a medium heat. Once soft add the garlic and ginger contine to cook for a minute.

-Add the kale to the pan and stir for a minute until it begins to wilt then reduce the heat and cover for 10 mins.

- Add the drained chickpeas, stir and cover for another 5 minutes until they are warmed through.

-Remove from heat, add the roasted squash, pomegranate seeds, salt, lemon and lime juice stir and serve immediately. 

Enjoy, Z and C x

Beetroot and Orzo Salad

A bit of experimentation with beetroots last week resulted in this colourful creation - an Orzo and Beetroot Salad, or risotto if you prefer to eat it hot. It is the perfect student dish - healthy, cheap and you can store it in the fridge for a few days to reheat or eat cold. Although not readily available, I managed to find some fresh beetroots in the supermarket, however to save time cooking it would also work with pre-cooked vacuum packed ones. 

To serve four you will need... 

6-8 fresh or vacuum packed beetroots

One onion

250g orzo

100g spinach

A splash of red wine

-To speed up cooking time, trim peel and chop the beetroots into 1cm thick discs, place on a baking tray in the oven for 1 hour at 180C or until soft.

-If using pre-cooked beetroot cut into small chunks.

-Dice the onion and sweat in a pan for 10 mins.

-Boil a pan of water and add the orzo cook for approx 5 minutes and then drain.

-Once the orzo is cooked add it to the onions along with the beetroot pieces, add a splash of red wine and stir over a low heat until the orzo is a vibrant pink colour then season to taste.

- Add the spinach to the pan at the last minute, or serve with a handful of fresh spinach

Enjoy Z x

Quinoa Superfood Salad

If you have found yourself falling off the January detox bandwagon (or Zoe's Apple Strudel led you astray) then this salad is the ideal tasty-yet-virtuous dish to get you back on the straight and narrow. This is my simplified student-friendly version of Gizzi Erskine's Superfood Salad recipe, and is as packed with colour and flavour as it is with healthy, nutritious goodness. I've seen quinoa recipes popping up all over the place for ages now, and after trying it in this dish I am converted. When cooked properly it is totally delicious, satisfyingly filling, and full of flavour, not bland in the slightest as I have found before. The key is toasting it in a dry pan before simmering in water, as it adds a rich nutty taste that I think is difficult to get with alternatives such as couscous. Great for lunch or as a light supper, this salad can be served solo, or for something a little more substantial top with shredded chicken or some flaked trout or salmon. 

To serve one person you will need...

Dressing

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Seasoning

Salad

60g quinoa

1 strip of lemon peel

A pinch of dried mixed herbs

Salt & pepper

1 large chopped handful kale, blanched for 30 seconds in boiling water (substitute with broccoli if you can't find kale)

1/2 avocado, chopped

1 spring onion, sliced

1 cooked beetroot, (I buy the pre-cooked vacuum packed ones from any supermarket) chopped

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 chicken breast (cooked and shredded) or 1 fillet salmon/trout (cooked, skinned and flaked) 

You will need to...

- Put the quinoa into a small, dry saucepan and toast on a fairly high heat for a few minutes until golden brown. Keep shaking it around the pan to stop it burning.

- Pour over roughly 120ml water, add in your lemon peel, herbs and seasoning and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes, then remove from the heat but keep the lid on and leave to steam for a further five minutes.

- To make the dressing, combine the mustard, oil and lemon juice - season to taste. 

- Drain the blanched kale well with kitchen paper and stir into the cooked quinoa. Stir in the avocado, spring onion, beetroot, radishes and dressing, ensuring everything is well combined and coated with the mustardy dressing. 

- Serve with your chicken or fish ontop.

Enjoy! C x

Vietnamese Turkey & Rice Noodle Salad

The start of a new year calls for a fresh, cleansing recipe, and this salad is just the trick. In our house, we find this is the best way to use up the Christmas turkey, and your insides will thank you for the crunchy veg and zingy dressing after weeks of rich winter stodge. Although the turkey is long-gone, this dish would work just as well with chicken as part of the inevitable ‘New Year Detox’ as a vibrant lunch or delicious yet light supper.

To serve 4-6 you will need…

Dressing

2 garlic cloves (crushed)

2 red chillies  (deseeded and finely diced)

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger

4 tbsp nam pla fish sauce

A couple of drops of rice wine vinegar

Juice of one lime

4 tbsp water

2 tbsp caster sugar

Salad

250g cooked and cooled turkey/chicken cut into strips

175g rice/glass noodles (in the pictures I used the thick rice noodles but I think the thinner ones work better)

125g sugar-snap peas

125g bean sprouts

3 spring onions thinly sliced

2 tsp rapeseed oil

1 tsp sesame oil

A small bunch of coriander/cilantro finely chopped

You will need to…

-       Make the dressing by mixing together all the ingredients. Store in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to a week – if you have any left over it makes a great dressing to jazz up any old salad.

-       Marinate the turkey in 125ml of the dressing.

-       While the turkey is marinating, soak the noodles in freshly boiled water, and once rehydrated refresh them in cold water then drain. (or follow instructions on noodle packet)

  - Put the sugar snaps and beansprouts into a colander and pour over a kettle of freshly boiled water. Rinse them in cold water and drain well.

-       In a large bowl, mix the marinated turkey with the drained noodles, veg and spring onions.

-       Dress with the oils and two tablespoons more of the dressing, though do taste and feel free to add more if you think it needs it.

-       Sprinkle over the chopped coriander and toss everything together before arranging onto a large plate to serve.

Enjoy! C x