Midweek meals with wow factor from Ottolenghi's protégé Ixta Belfrage

Ixta Belfrage's brand of Italian, Brazilian, Mexican fusion is exactly the kind of family meal inspiration we need as we head into autumn 

Belfrage cut her teeth at NOPI before moving to the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen, where she worked for Yotam Ottolenghi for five years

Ixta Belfrage’s style of cooking draws inspiration from three countries she grew up travelling to, eating in and obsessing over. Brazil (where her mother is from), Italy (where she lived as a child) and Mexico (where her grandfather lived). 

She cut her teeth at NOPI before moving to the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen, where she worked for Yotam Ottolenghi for five years, contributing to his columns in The Guardian and The New York Times. In 2020 she co-authored the New York Times bestselling FLAVOUR with Yotam Ottolenghi and in 2021 she was named one of the most influential women in food by Code Hospitality.

Mezcla means mix, blend or fusion in Spanish and is the perfect title for a book inspired by Belfrage's unusual ingredient combinations — this book is stuffed with quick dinner ideas that deliver flavour explosions in the best possible way. 

Chicken, pineapple and ’nduja bake

The combination of sweet and savoury makes this meal a winner

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, at room temperature

• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed with the side of a knife

• 1 medium onion, halved and very thinly sliced on a mandolin

• ½ large, extra-ripe pineapple, peeled (300g)

• 4 sweet tangerines (or 2 oranges), squeezed to get 100g juice (see notes)

• 100g chicken bone broth, stock or water

• 2 tbsp double cream

• 5g fresh coriander 1 lime, cut into wedges

• ’Nduja and chipotle paste:

• 50g ’nduja paste/spread

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tsp tomato purée/paste

• ½ tsp chipotle flakes

• ½ tsp paprika

• ¾ tsp fine salt

• about 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C.

2. Put all the ingredients for the paste into a large bowl and mix together.

3. Add the chicken, garlic and three-quarters of the sliced onion and mix well so everything is coated evenly.

4. Tip the onions and garlic into a 28cm ovenproof cast-iron skillet or similar-sized baking dish and spread out. Place the chicken thighs on top, skin side up and spaced apart.

5. Cut the pineapple into 4 rounds, then cut each round into quarters, removing the hard core (you should have about 300g). Add the pineapple to the bowl with the remnants of the paste, mix to coat with whatever's left there, then arrange the pineapple around the chicken.

6. Pour the tangerine juice around the chicken (don’t get the skin wet), then bake for 20 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and pour the stock or water into the pan around the chicken (again, don’t get the skin wet). Return to the oven for another 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is browned and crispy. If you have a blowtorch, use it to char the pineapple a little.

8. Drizzle the cream into the sauce. Toss the coriander and the remaining sliced onions together with a tiny bit of oil and salt and arrange on top. Serve from the pan, with the lime wedges alongside.

Porcini ragù

The concentrated flavour of the dried porcini gives this veggie ragu a meaty taste

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 19 mins

Total Time

 39 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• 40g dried porcini

• 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

• 3 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped (not crushed!)

• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (or less if you prefer)

• 10g fresh parsley (stalks and leaves), finely chopped, plus extra to serve

• 1/3 tsp fine salt

• 1½ tbsp tomato purée/paste

• about 50 twists of freshly ground black pepper 2

• 50g dried tagliatelle nests

• 40g Parmesan, very finely grated, plus extra to serve

• 3 tbsp double cream

Method

1. In a medium bowl, cover the porcini with boiling water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 75g of the soaking liquid. Very finely chop the porcini to mince consistency, then set aside.

2. Put the oil, garlic, chilli flakes, parsley and fine salt into a cold, large sauté pan on a medium-low heat. Very gently fry for 5 minutes until soft and lightly golden, turning the heat down if the garlic starts to brown.

3. Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the chopped porcini, tomato purée/paste and plenty of pepper. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, then set the pan aside while you boil the pasta.

4. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for about 6 minutes, until al dente.

5. Drain, reserving 350g of the pasta water.

6. Return the sauté pan with the porcini to a medium-high heat, then add the 350g of pasta water and the reserved 75g of porcini soaking liquid. Stir, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, leave to bubble away for 3 minutes.

7. Add half the Parmesan to the pan, stirring until it has melted before adding the rest. Lower the heat to medium, then stir in the cream, followed by the drained tagliatelle. Toss over the heat until the pasta and sauce have emulsified – about 1½ minutes.

8. Remove from the heat and serve at once, finished with as much extra oil and Parmesan as your heart desires.

9. Note: You can easily make this vegan by using plant-based cheese and cream.

• Extracted from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage (Ebury Press, £26) All photography by Yuki Sugiura.