Masala bream, a beetroot and tahini dip, and coffee-marinated chops: Yotam Ottolenghi’s summer recipes

Spicy beetroot and tahini dip with salsa macha, and pork chops in a coffee marinade with a creamy white bean mash and kiwi salsa.

Summer cooking means one of two things to me: either not cooking – who needs to when you can eat Greek salad three times a day? – or going all out when you do cook. It’s all about transporting yourself to the beach with a special plate of fish, conjuring an atmosphere with tropical fruit, and packing as much color as possible into the dish.

Ask your butcher for bone-in chops with a thick layer of fat that crisp up beautifully in the pan. If you wish to plan ahead, marinate the chops and prepare the mashed potatoes the day before.

Prep 20 min
Marinate for 1 hour and cook for 20 minutes
Serves 4 as a main course

3 pork chops (approximately 350g each), boned in 1 tsp olive oil

As a dry marinade,
2 tablespoons ground coffee
2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika.
1 tbsp fennel seeds
12 tsp ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Fine sea salt and flaked sea salt

Regarding the white bean mash
2 cans of cannellini beans (each containing 400 grams), rinsed and drained (480g)
60 milliliters of sour cream
1 tbsp olive oil
2 limes, finely grated for 1 tsp zest and juiced for 1 tsp juice.

For the kiwi salsa, you will need four kiwis (about 320 grams), peeled and coarsely grated; five grams of ginger, peeled and grated; fifteen grams of coriander, roughly chopped; and one red chili (10 grams), stem removed and finely chopped (deseeded if you prefer less heat)

Start by marinating the pork. Combine all the marinade ingredients with a teaspoon of salt in a spice grinder and grind until fine. Take one tablespoon of this mixture and combine it with the zest and one teaspoon of flaked salt in a small bowl. Crush the mixture with your fingers to create a spice salt. Crush the mixture with your fingertips to produce the seasoning salt. Apply the remaining mixture to the chops evenly. Marinate at room temperature for at least one hour or, if planning ahead, refrigerate for up to twenty-four hours. Just ensure that the ingredients are at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Read more • theguardian.com