The Lunchbox #16, The Valentine's Issue ❤️

Helping you seduce without breaking a sweat

What I’m currently consuming

The card: Frank’s Prints

Does the object of your desire like food? (I hope so, if not, please divest yourself) Then they might be tickled by these cards. Each one features a hand-drawn food-orientated design with an accompanying cheeky pun. The selection above is just the beginning; have a look at the website for the most wonderful array of culinary cleverness. They also sell prints and are happy to do bespoke designs if there’s something you’re particularly looking for.

The App: Delli App

This business is what this section of the newsletter is all about: championing new, small batch food products made by passionate makers. This app serves both sides, so we, the consumer, can purchase these products and the makers can sell them, often from their home kitchen. The range is dizzying, too. Want a jar of Blood orange & Aperol marmalade? Chocolate brownie nut butter? A dozen Irish rock oysters? Or maybe home-made tagliarini and focaccia for two? Scrolling through the app is like strolling through the food shop of your dreams: imaginative, surprising, eye-catching food stuffs from across the world all calling out to be tasted. And you get to support these independent businesses at the beginning of their endeavours. It’s a brilliant place for gifts too, the only problem will be choosing which one. Plus, it’s free delivery this week. Download it here.

The TV episode: The Last of Us, Episode 3

I NEVER thought I’d be watching - not to mention crying through - a TV programme based on a computer game, least of all with a post-apocalyptic/zombie storyline, but here we are. Apparently the The Last Of Us does it to everyone. Have you watched it?

Episode Three, titled ‘Long, Long Time’ offers the viewer a change of tempo and some time out from the fighting. It’s a beautiful portrait of the power of food to bring people together. The two main characters bond over a lunch of braised rabbit and vegetables “A man who knows to pair rabbit with Beaujolais,” Frank remarks, impressed by his first taste of Bill’s cooking. Eating together becomes a ceremony - candles, flowers, a long, carefully-laid table - and becomes integral to their happiness as two souls surviving (and thriving) alone in a world of zombies.

The famous strawberry scene is particularly moving as we witness what would it would be to taste a homegrown strawberry for the first time in 20 years. The moment of shared joy at the beauty of such a simple, natural pleasure, reminds us to stop and mindfully taste - especially in a world where we have access to everything and anything.

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Something to fill you up

Chicken schnitzel with kimchi coleslaw

What am I going to be making my dearest this Tuesday? Without a doubt, MY favourite food, schnitzel. This recipe, taken from my book, Let’s do Lunch (Pavilion), is just the right side of fussy to make it feel like you’re making an effort (when secretly you’re not).

Sam Harris

I absolutely love this way of making schnitzel with fresh bread (thank you, Jamie Oliver!). They crisp up beautifully and give it an amazing, soft-on-the-inside, crisp-on the-outside texture. It’s also slightly less messy than the egg/flour/crumbs technique. The key to success with the chicken is to not rush the cooking in order for the breadcrumbs to turn golden and to make sure there’s enough oil in there. 

The slaw is possibly one of the most addictive things you can put in your mouth and exactly what you want with a schnitzel: perky, vinegary and a little bit spicy. I challenge you not to start putting it on everything.

Serves 2

2 boneless, skinless large chicken thigh fillets or small chicken breasts
150g seeded wholemeal bread slices or other fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Vegetable oil, for frying
Coleslaw
35 g kimchi plus 1 tbsp of its brine
1/2 tsp fish sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp caster sugar
1/4 - 1/2 head of Chinese cabbage or 1 head hispi or white cabbage, finely shredded
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled with julienne peeler (or make thicker strips with a regular peeler)
Sriracha, kimchi and lime wedges, to serve

If using chicken breasts, sit them cut side-up on a chopping board, and slice into them horizontally, about three-quarters of the way through to open them up like a book (skip this step if using thighs). Place them between a folder sheet of greased baking paper. Use a heavy object like a rolling pin or frying pan to bash and evenly flatten the schnitzels to about 0.5 cm/¼ in thick. Try to avoid breaking them but it’s not a disaster if you do.

Tear the bread into pieces and put in a food processor. Blitz until you have fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sesame seeds.

Sit a flattened piece of chicken on one side of the greased baking paper and sprinkle generously with the sesame breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs into the chicken. Cover with the other half of the paper and bash again with the rolling pin to hammer the crumbs into the chicken, then turn it over to coat the other side. Repeat this process until the other schnitzel is nicely covered. Put on a plate in the fridge while you prepare the coleslaw.

Put the kimchi, fish sauce, lime, the oils and the sugar in a small blender and blitz until smooth. Season to taste. Tip the cabbage, spring onions and carrots into a large bowl, pour over the dressing and combine with your hands. Set to one side while you cook the chicken. 

Turn on your oven to low to keep the chicken warm. Set a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and pour in enough oil to come 1 cm/½ in up the sides. Get the oil hot enough to brown a breadcrumb in 10 seconds, and then lower in two schnitzels (depending on your pan size) and cook until golden brown, about 2–3 minutes on each side.

Allow the schnitzels to rest for a minute or so, then transfer to plates.  Pile the coleslaw next to the chicken and serve with a little extra kimchi, if you like.

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Something to finish you off

Rhubarb & Blood Orange Clafoutis

DON’T YOU DARE celebrate Valentine’s day without a dessert!

If you haven’t made one of these before, I suggest you correct that. It’s a dessert, but is no more difficult than making pancake batter. Cook it before you sit down for your meal and it’ll patiently wait for you until you’re ready for it. Just like love, eh?

Adapted from Thomasina Miers

Serves 2

150g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 5cm pieces
25g caster sugar
½  blood orange, juice and zest
For the batter
2 large eggs, at room temperature
50g caster sugar
75ml double cream
50ml whole milk
25g plain flour
25g ground almonds
A pinch salt

Heat the oven to 180C fan/gas 6. Spread out the rhubarb pieces in a single layer in a 15 cm ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the sugar, then cover with the orange zest and juice. Cover in foil, then put in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until it just begins to feel tender, then remove the foil and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, whizz the eggs, sugar, cream and milk with a hand blender or whisk, then fold in the flour and almonds and a small pinch of salt. Pour this batter over the cooled rhubarb, then put in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until it is firm to the touch, but with a slight wobble in the middle.

Eat warm or at room temperature with a little extra cream.

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Eight deceptively easy dishes to impress on Valentine’s day

Prepare for seduction with these recipes that are all made in 20 minutes, but taste like you’ve spent hours slaving away.

1. Schnitzel. See above. Veal or chicken or even pork. Straightforward to make and absolute joy to eat. Add spaghetti with tomato sauce and make it Milanese style. Or shredded cabbage/rice and a tonkatsu sauce (ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, soy sauce) to make tonkatsu. If you’d like a veggie version, here’s my recipe with oyster mushrooms.

2. Chocolate Mousse. I’m always baffled by this one. How can something so simple taste so good? And the fun bit is you can dress it up how you want: broken-up bits of your fave chocolate bar, brandy-soaked prunes, hazelnut praline, toasted nuts, dried chilli or even tequila & orange zest like this recipe I developed for Waitrose.

3. French Onion Soup. It’s proper classy, but doesn’t involve anything more than a bit on onion chopping and frying. I love eating this because you get to eat it with mini cheese on toast.

4. Lemon Posset. In my catering days this was always my secret weapon as it thrilled every mouth it encountered. Simultaneously indulgent and fresh. And only three ingredients! Magic! 300g double cream, 75g caster sugar, zest and juice of 1 lemon. Bring cream and sugar to the boil, then sir in lemon juice and zest. Transfer to glasses/bowls and pop in fridge fridge for 2-3 hrs.

5. Moules Marinières. Mussels are in peak season at the moment and have you heard? Even children can make this dish successfully. Indeed, I think it was one of the first dishes I ever made. Plus the mussels cook in 4 minutes flat so there’ll be no kitchen faffing. PLEASE don’t forget bread to soak up that delicious sauce.

6. Pumpkin Farrotto. A no-stir risotto that basically involves throwing everything in the pan and adding water. It’s perfect for vegans, too. And you can dilute any leftovers to make soup.

7. Chicken Traybake. Chuck it all in a tray, whack it in the oven, pull out to rapturous applause. I like mine with perky tomatoes and bread to absorb the chicken juices. Serve with a green salad for a complete meal (without the washing up).

8. Sausage & Cream Pasta. This is the one recipe I always pull out when I want to dazzle, but don’t have any damn time. It tastes like bolognese (sometimes better, dare I say), but takes a fraction of the time.