From the Archive: Mealplan from Matt Armistead
Get cozy with these delicious recipes!
I have dug deep into the archives to find one of my favorite and coziest mealplans, which we originally created in October 2011, about a year after we launched farm to table home deliveries in SoCal. I first met Matthew Armistead, an English chef, when he was cooking at the Soho House in Hollywood. He was married to Shelley Armistead (they have since divorced alas), who was managing the Soho House and now runs the amazing Gjelina Group — if you know you know.
This connection came about because we had a lovely customer (you have all enjoyed her amazing smile for decades now, in countless movies. OK yes, I don’t normally share this type of info but she was one of our first customers and also invested in Narrative Food: the legendary Julia Roberts). She gifted Matthew with a month’s-worth of our farm box deliveries for his 40th birthday!
This relationship led to our first notable press, in the LA TIMES — when Shelley and Matthew were interviewed, and the author, Mary Macvean included photos of them receiving, opening and enjoying one of our farm boxes. Soon after, I asked Matthew to create a meal plan and recipes for one of our weekly home delivery boxes, and he came up with one of my favorite, and coziest meal plans ever. We ran it in Autumn, but it also works in January! Given most of the country is currently in need of Cozy food, I thought this would be perfect!
HOW TO USE THIS MEAL PLAN: if you like the sound of the whole meal plan, use the below shopping list and you’ll be set for the week! If the whole thing is too ambitious, take your pick and shop for the ingredients for individual recipes (as listed).
WEEKLY MEAL PLAN:
Dahl and Pumpkin Soup
Roasted carrots and beets, avocado, pumpkin seeds & cilantro
Pear, Escarole, Point Reyes Blue, Celery Hearts, & Almond Salad
Shakshuka with Breakfast steak
Cinnamon spiced Lamb shanks with shelling beans
Chicken Cacciatore
Simple Apple Crumble
Matt’s Intro (add 13 years to his bio here! His reference to “Out of the Box” is because we were originally called “Out of the Box Collective” before changing our name to Narrative Food — some readers may remember this!):
My Name is Matthew Armistead; I am from Blackburn in the NorthWest of England. I moved to Los Angeles 3 years ago with my family and work as a chef. I have been a chef for 17 years and started cooking mainly because I love eating. Preparing food and sitting around the table spending time with family and friends has always been the most important and constant part of our daily life, and what bring us together as family, friends and community. I believe people who use Out of the Box will hold these same values and that home cooking, supporting local farmers/producers is crucial to addressing the environmental, health, and social issues that we face in our communities today. The recipes I have put together are all dishes I would cook at home and have also been included on my menus at some time. The recipes aren’t too chefy, but a couple (the lamb and chicken) take a bit of time to cook. I try to have an afternoon when I cook and stock the fridge. There is nothing better than coming home and simply reheating a stew or soup that you have previously made, and are also great for school lunch. You can feel confident your kids have good food - whether they choose to eat it or not is a different story. The theme for the menus is autumn, but as with any menu writing, the starting point is always what is available. With the weather getting slightly cool and the days shorter, it’s comforting to tuck into a stew or a warming soup and the salad leaves go to the hardier winter leaves such as escarole and radicchio. I hope you enjoy the recipes, and can all spend time with your loved ones around the table. Matthew
SHOPPING LIST TO COOK THE ENTIRE MEAL PLAN AS PER RECIPES THAT FOLLOW:
PRODUCE:
Fingerling Potatoes
Garlic
Yellow Onions
Carrots
Beets
Ginger
Brown Beech Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Fennel
Pumpkin or Winter Squash
Turnips
Celery
Radicchio Treviso
Escarole
Peppers
Avocadoes
Apples and/or Pears (buy apples to make the Bonus Recipe crumble!)
Lemon
Bouquet Garni
Syrian Marjoram
Cilantro
Parsley
MEAT / PROTEIN
Chicken Legs
Lamb Shanks
Breakfast Steak (or your favorite steak)
Eggs
Point Reyes Blue Cheese
Chicken Stock (opt)
Lardons (opt)
PANTRY
Honey
Shelling Beans
Almonds
Red Lentils
Balsamic Vinegar
White Cooking Wine
Can of Plum Tomatoes
Olives
Anchovy Fillets (Opt)
Flour (to dust your lamb)
Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper (of course)
SPICES
Turmeric, Cinnamon Quills, Chili, Chili Flakes, Cumin Seeds, Bay Leaves, Thyme, Saffron, Cayenne Pepper, Cinammon Quill, Coriander Seeds, Dried Marjoram or Oregano
Dahl and Pumpkin Soup
Makes 4 good-size bowls
INGREDIENTS:
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
A walnut-sized knob of ginger
8 oz split red lentils (omit if you don’t have any in your pantry)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground chili
9 oz pumpkin (sugar pie), or another winter squash like Kabocha or Butternut
small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
For the onion topping:
2 medium onions
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 small hot chilies (I used chili flakes, not having any fresh chilies on hand)
2 cloves garlic
INSTRUCTIONS
Peel the onion and chop it roughly. Peel and crush the garlic and put it with the onion into a medium-sized, heavy saucepan. Peel the ginger, cut it into thin shreds and stir that in too. Add the lentils and pour in 1 1/2 liters (6 cups) of water. Bring to the boil, and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Stir in the ground turmeric and chili, season and leave to simmer, covered, for twenty minutes.
While the soup is cooking, bring a medium-size pan of water to the boil. Peel the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and fiber, and then cut the flesh into fat chunks. Boil the pumpkin pieces for ten minutes, until they are tender enough to take a skewer without much pressure. Drain them and set aside.
To make the onion topping, peel the onions and cut them into thin rings. Cook them in the oil in a shallow pan until they start to color. Cut the chilies in half, scrape out the seeds and slice the flesh finely. Peel and finely slice the garlic and add it with the chilies to the onions. Continue cooking until the onions are a deep golden brown. Set aside.
Remove the lid from the lentils and turn up the heat, boiling hard for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and then add the drained pumpkin. Put the soup through the blender until smooth, and then pour it into a bowl. Stir in the roughly chopped coriander and check the seasoning. I find this soup likes a more generous than usual amount of salt.
Serve in deep bowls with a spoonful of the spiced onions on top.
Roasted Carrots and Beets, Avocado, Pumpkin Seeds & Cilantro
Quantities are only a guide, as with any salad use however much you need for the amount of people eating.
4 Beets any color (red, gold or stripy)
6-8 carrots
1 avocado
3-4 tomatoes
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1⁄2 cup pumpkin seeds (save them from your pumpkin, clean, and toast!)
Small bunch cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
Cover the beets with water and boil until tender (20-30 mins depending on the size). You should be able to insert a knife and feel very little resistance. When they are cooked leave them to cool in the water. I find they are easier to peel if you do so.
While the beets are cooking pre heat oven 350°F, peel the carrot and chop into rough 1 inch size pieces, cut into irregular sizes. Dress the carrot in olive oil and season with salt and pepper, roast in a hot oven until tender. Add a splash of water or vinegar to the carrots as they cook. It will help them to cook through without getting too much color. Taste for doneness or however you like. You may like to have a bit of crunch still, I prefer them cooked through.
When the beets are cool enough to handle lift them out of the water. The skins should easily come off with just a gentle squeeze. Cut them into the same size pieces as the carrots and while they are still warm dress them with a splash of sherry vinegar. Leave them to marinate for a few minutes.
Now add the carrots and toss the beets and carrots together, season and dress, don’t worry that the beets bleed into the carrot. Finely chop the stems of cilantro and add them, save the picked leaves as garnish.
Cut the avocado and tomato into bite size pieces add them to the carrots and beets and gently mix with a few pumpkin seeds, finish with the cilantro leaf.
Pear, Escarole, Point Reyes Blue, Celery Hearts, & Almond salad
Belgian endive, escarole, and radicchio are all chicories. They are related to lettuces, but have sturdier leaves and a more assertive flavor famous for its bitter edge. They are cool weather crops (heat makes them bolt and turn unpleasantly bitter) typically planted in late summer and harvested in late fall and early winter. Use chicories either in salads or cook them to mellow their flavors. If you have the griddle pan, you could grill the escarole or pear for this salad both would be delicious alternatives; cut into wedges attached at the root, toss with a little oil salt and pepper and put them on to a hot grill. The paler inner leaves of the escarole are better suited to salad as they are less bitter. Use the outer darker leaves to sauté with garlic.
Ingredients:
Inner leaves of the escarole roughly chopped
1 bulb of fennel, sliced thin as possible (use a mandolin or a peeler)
1 pear or apple
Celery heart and leaves
Point Reyes Blue Cheese
lemon & olive oil dressing
Salt and pepper
Instructions
This works best if you think of it as a chopped salad. I find it delicious to have all the flavors and textures in one mouthful. The bitterness of the escarole needs to be balanced by the sweet fruit, salty cheese and the cleanness of fennel and lemon.
Build the salad as you go, chop everything bite size so it can all be eaten with just a fork. I squeeze lemon over then add olive oil to make the dressing, taste and adjust as necessary.
Pomegranate would be a great addition to this salad. The easiest and quickest way to get the seeds out, is to cut the pomegranate in half, hold a half in your hand cut side facing down and bash the flesh with a large spoon . You will get every one out in no time.
Shakshuka with Breakfast Steak
A North African dish, some add preserved lemon, or feta so if you have any in the fridge, put some in. Not usually served with steak but a great combo for brunch with pasture-raised eggs
1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds
190 ml light olive oil or vegetable oil
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
2 red and 2 yellow peppers, cored and cut into 2cm strips
4 tsp muscovado sugar
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme, picked and chopped
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1⁄2 tsp saffron strands
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
Up to 250ml water
8 eggs
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large saucepan, dry-roast the cumin on high heat for two minutes. Add the oil and sauté the onions for two minutes. Add the peppers, sugar, bay leaves, thyme, parsley and two tablespoons of cilantro, and cook on high heat to get a nice colour. Add the tomatoes, saffron, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, adding enough water to keep it the consistency of a pasta sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. It should be potent and flavoursome. You can prepare this mix in advance.
Place four saucepans on medium heat and divide the mixture between them. Break two eggs into each pan, pouring into gaps in the mixture. Sprinkle with salt, cover and cook very gently for 10-12 minutes, until the egg just sets. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with chunky white bread.
Quickly fry or grill the breakfast steak to your temp and serve with the shakshuka.
Cinnamon Spiced Lamb Shanks with Shelling Beans
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 lamb shanks
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cinnamon quill
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 large carrot, quartered and finely sliced
3 sticks of celery, quartered and finely sliced
2 medium/large onions, quartered and finely chopped
Turnips
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
170ml / 6fl oz dry white wine
4 anchovy fillets (if you have any)
2 x14oz tins of plum tomatoes
1 handful of fresh, marjoram or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Season the lamb with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Smash up the coriander seeds and dried chili and mix with the chopped rosemary and dried marjoram. Roll the lamb in this mixture, pressing it in well. Dust the lamb with the flour.
Heat a thick-bottomed casserole pan, add the oil, brown the meat on all sides and then remove from the pan. Add the cinnamon stick, garlic, carrot, celery, onions and a pinch of salt and sweat them until softened. Add the balsamic vinegar and allow it to reduce to syrup. Pour in the white wine and allow simmering for 2 minutes. Add the anchovies (these really seem to intensify the lamb flavor) and then add the tinned tomatoes, kept whole. Shake the pan and return the lamb to it. Bring to the boil, put on the lid and simmer in the oven at 350°F for 1 1/2 hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further 1/2 hour. Skim off any fat and taste for seasoning. Finally stir in a handful of roughly chopped fresh, marjoram or flat-leaf parsley.
Add some turnips half way through cooking, simply clean them and throw them in whole or halved. Check the liquid level, you may need to add a cup of water.
Shelling Beans:
Choose your favorite fresh or dried shelling beans. I get good results from either simmering or baking with a few stock veg or whatever is at hand to help flavor.
Shell the beans and put in an earthen ware container cover with water. Add anything you choose. Tomato, fresh chill pod, whole garlic, herbs, potato, celery sticks, carrot, olive oil. Think of them as aromatics to help flavor, Cover with foil or lid and bake until the beans are soft 30-60ish mins 350°F (depending on the bean( be careful they don’t dry out. When they are cooked remove the veg, drain and dress with vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper.
The beans would go great with the lamb but would also make a great light meal on their own with the Tuscan kale or sautéed escarole. Blanch the kale and squeeze out most of the water not all. Roughly chop, fry some sliced garlic in olive oil and add the kale. I like to smash the beans up a bit with the back of a fork.
Eat the warm beans and kale on grilled toast with lashings of good olive oil. yum
Chicken Cacciatore
Cacciatore means hunter or “catcher”: traditionally the stew would consist of what was caught -- often rabbit, hares or small birds.
INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken legs
4 carrots cut in1-inch pieces
1⁄2 cup olives
1⁄2 cup flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion chopped 1⁄4 inch dice
2 chili pods dried (optional)
2 bay leaves
1⁄4 lb pancetta or smoked bacon cut into lardons (optional)
8oz brown beach mushrooms
2 tablespoons tomato paste
chicken stock
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups white wine
1 can tomato sauce
chopped parsley
salt & pepper
Season chicken with salt & pepper & dredge in flour. Brown the chicken in pan, then remove.
Add pancetta, onion, carrot, and chili cook until soft. Then add mushrooms. Quickly sauté then add tomato paste and sugar into pan, caramelize, add wine, reduce by half.
Add tomato sauce, chicken & chicken stock. Cook @ 350°F until soft and done. Add chopped parsley to finish.
Simple Apple Crumble (bonus recipe)
INGREDIENTS:
For the crumble:
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1⁄4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
For the filling:
1 lb fuji apples, peeled, cored and quartered
3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
Juice and zest of 1⁄2 a lemon
1 tablespoon water
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Peel and core the apples, quarter and cut in to chunks.
Put the apples into a pan with the sugar, water lemon and zest. Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes and place in a small ovenproof dish.
Place the flour, oats and nuts in a bowl and mix well. Cut the butter into small cubes and add this to the oats and flour. Mix with your fingertips until it resembles an even crumb texture. Add the sugar and cinnamon, mix through.
Cover the fruit with the crumble mixture. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the crumble is golden and the apple hot. Eat with vanilla ice cream