Five digital journalists share their favourite go-to recipes

Food for thought

‘”You probably need to eat something,” the baker said. “I hope you’ll eat some of my hot rolls. You have to eat and keep going. Eating is a small, good thing in a time like this”.’

I think of this scene in Raymond Carver’s A Small, Good Thing surprisingly often. Two grieving parents confront a baker who has been calling them to collect a birthday cake for their son, who died after being hit by a car. To comfort them, the baker feeds them dark, rich bread and warm cinnamon buns, fresh out of the oven. And even though the buns are iced, the characters put butter on them, which is a nice touch: all food is improved with butter. Although I think of the buns, the scene is about the act of kindness; the restorative effect of feeding and nourishing through food.

Food is important. As digital journalists, I like to think that what we eat somehow comes out on the page. Whether it’s a complex investigation backed up by a nutrient-rich stew, or a pithy opinion piece bolstered by a spicy curry, the tastes, smells and significance of foods can —I think— emerge in our work. And if this is too speculative for you, there are also the hard facts: it’s harder to come up with ideas if you’re hungry.

Here are five of the best recipes from digital journalists that are easy to whip up after a long day:

ELLEN STEWART – SOBA NOODLES WITH LIME, CARDAMOM AND AVOCADO

Ellen is Senior Social Manager at 4Studio | @EllenRStewart

Ellen says:

“I am absolutely obsessed with this soba noodle dish from Ottolenghi’s Simple cookbook.

Admittedly, I am not the best cook in the world and had absolutely no idea what nigella seeds were before I made this for the first time — but it’s super easy to make, takes no time at all, and is genuinely delicious. I mainly eat it when I feel like I need some brain food… however, I’m having it for dinner tonight and don’t think too much brain power is needed for watching back-to-back movies on the sofa.”

INGREDIENTS

200g buckwheat noodles (substitute green tea soba)

12 green cardamom pods

30g basil leaves, picked, roughly chopped

30g coriander leaves, picked, roughly chopped

70g pistachio kernels, roughly chopped

3 limes: finely grate the zest of 2 to get 1 tsp, then juice 2 to get 1/4 cup (60ml); slice the final lime into 4 wedges to serve

1/4 cup (60ml) groundnut oil (substitute grapeseed oil)

1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/2-cm slices

1/4 tsp nigella seeds or Urfa chilli flakes (optional), to sprinkle

METHOD

1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet (they vary from brand to brand). Once cooked, refresh under cold running water and set aside in a colander to drain well.
2. With the flat side of a knife, crush the cardamom pods to open them up. Scrape the seeds out into a pestle and mortar and discard the outer husks. Crush the seeds – you should get about 1/2 tsp – and place in a large bowl with the noodles. Add the basil, coriander, pistachios, lime zest and juice, oil, chilli, avocado and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix everything together well, then divide among four bowls. Spoon any avocado, nuts and herbs left in the bowl on top. Sprinkle over the nigella seeds or chilli flakes, if using, and serve with a wedge of lime alongside.

Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi, taken from Delicious.

GRACE BRADDOCK – ANCHOVY, CAPER AND OLIVE PASTA

Grace is Audience Development Manager at Metro.co.uk | @gracebraddock

Grace says:

“This is a go-to because it’s super easy, you can just chuck everything in at once and simmer it on a low heat for 15 mins until it thickens, and that’s it. It’s a recipe my mum made before I moved out and it was one of my favourites, so it’s a nice one if I need a pick-me-up after a long day or just if I’m feeling lazy and want something quick.”

INGREDIENTS

Tin of tomatoes

Tin of anchovies

3 tablespoons of olives

2 tablespoons of capers

Handful of fresh basil chopped

Cloves of garlic

Pasta

Parmesan

METHOD

1. Cook all the ingredients except pasta in a large pan on a low heat, until the sauce thickens. This should take around 15 minutes. Season to taste.
2. Meanwhile, boil the pasta separately for 8-10 minutes until al dente.
3. Drain the pasta and serve with the sauce.

DAVID KNOWLES – SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

David is Deputy Head of Social Media at the Telegraph | @djknowles22

David says:

“A favourite is mushrooms (go fancy and get a bag of mixed posh ones) and leeks both cooked (separately) slowly in butter and herbs. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of Riesling!”

INGREDIENTS

1 leek

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (3.5 oz) package brown beech mushrooms

1 (3.5 oz) package maitake mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

METHOD

1. Chop off the green top part of the leek and the root off the bottom. Slice into 1/8-inch slices. Rinse in cold water to remove any soil. Pat dry.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet or sauté pan on medium heat. Next, add in the oil and heat until oil begins to smoke. Lay the slices of leek flat on the skillet and caramelize, about 5 minutes. Then, toss in the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until mushrooms are tender about 10 to 15 minutes. Add in rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Pour onto a plate and dust with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe by Farm Fresh To You, taken from their website.

DINA ABOUGHAZALA – THE GREEN SMOOTHIE

Dina is founder and CEO of Egab, an organisation which connects local journalists across the Middle East and Africa with regional and international news outlets | @DinaAboughazala

Dina says:

“As a journalist and a media entrepreneur with two kids, the pandemic and online school meant I had to do my work at night after the kids went to bed. To keep myself alert, I found myself reaching out to all sorts of fatty snacks, which led to a few extra kgs – like many of us stuck at home, I guess! Realising that if this pattern continues until lockdown is over, none of my clothes will fit, I started experimenting with healthy smoothies and snacks. But the one that keeps me full and gives me enough energy to go through my work at night is the green smoothie. My smoothie must have an avocado in it. Other green ingredients can change depending on what I have available at home. Usually, I end up with two big glasses, so I keep one for breakfast the next morning.”

INGREDIENTS

Any green vegetables you have at home

A pear or an apple

The juice of a lemon

Fresh ginger

Avocado

METHOD

1. Put all ingredients together in a blender and blend!

SOPHIA SMITH GALER – NONNA’S TUNA PASTA

Sophia is a Visual Journalist at the BBC World Service | @sophiasgaler

Sophia says:

“I was raised on my Nonna’s tuna pasta – cheap and always available. It’s an ideal lockdown recipe as it mainly relies on cupboard supplies, so here it is as we’re all limiting ourselves to essential food shopping.

I make it in a batch so that I don’t need to spend too much time cooking lunch if I’m going through a busy period. It’s very much comfort food.”

INGREDIENTS

Tinned tomatoes

Tinned tuna (I’d use 2)

Pasta

Onion – you DO need onion really so I hope you can find one. Good thing about onions is that you can get big ones and chop sparingly and store in fridge

Dried herbs – dried parsley and garlic granules (just as flavoursome as garlic cloves) would be good!

Other bonus ingredients: olives, butter and fish stock.

METHOD

1. Drain your tuna. Because if it’s in sunflower oil/olive oil…
2.  …you fry the onion in it, which will save your general oil supply in your kitchen.
3. Add a knob of butter to onion to enrich sauce and stop any burning.
4. Add tinned tomatoes. You don’t *need* to add fish stock, but if you want to, add that in now too.
5. Let it simmer half an hour, seasoning to taste. I’d add garlic granules here or crush a garlic clove to leave in + remove later. Too acidic? Add sugar to taste.
6. Get that pasta boiling! You might not have a choice but if you do, we’d eat it with fusilli or penne. Don’t be frugal with your salt, life’s too short for under-salted pasta.
7. Add the tuna. You don’t want to cook it too long because it will disintegrate, you only want to heat it through really. Add olives if you’ve got them too and dried parsley – not essential but nice if you have it.
8. Enjoy with a citrusy, crisp white wine – the truly boujee may grate some lemon zest for an Amalfi vibe. If you add parmesan, you are going to Italian Hell because we don’t use parmigiano with fish sauces.

Recipe is taken from Sophia’s Twitter thread.