OTTO'S KOJI BUTTER

Cate Gowers, Otto restaurant

During the lockdown at Otto, we created a pop up shop of products called with 'Otto Open Pantry' with the intention of adding flavour and comfort to Berlin's lockdown home cooking. Many of the products were things that the kitchen already made and cooked with in the restaurant but wanted to share so they could be experimented with in other people's kitchens. Most evenings I would come home with a different otto open pantry product to try and they quickly became a constant addition to my cooking. When a customer would ask me at the shop "what would I use it for?" I could excitedly rattle off a dozen dishes that I had tried that were made that little bit more delicious with a splash of this or a generous dollop of that. Koji butter is now a staple in my fridge and here are a few lowkey ways you could try using it:

INGREDIENTS

Eggs: Warm koji butter in a pan and either fry or scramble your eggs in it.

Banana Toast: Spread lavishly on a piece of toast. Add banana (preferably overripe), olive oil, honey and sea salt and put under the grill oven for 10 mins.

Lamb Chops: Marinate your chops with Koji butter, crushed garlic, lemon wheels and rosemary for 45 mins then fry.

Roast Potatoes: Stir through a whole jar of Koji butter and return to the oven until fully crisped. Great with chilli flakes too!

Grilled Cheese: Make a toastie with cheese and nduja. Lather both sides of the sandwich with koji butter before grilling.

Pasta: If you have a more matured jar of Koji butter you can use it as a substitute for (or as well as) parmesan and stir it through whichever pasta you fancy.

LEEKS AND BUTTERBEANS

Elena Silcock, food writer & stylist

So to some people, this looks like a bit of a side dish. And yes, you could serve these beans under a cute little fillet of fish, or alongside a fat shoulder of lamb, and they would be great. BUT I'm here to pitch for a the side chick getting her chance to go alone. She doesn't need anyone willing to snuggle up to some dauphinois whenever he likes, she's honestly better off solo. You may, however, scatter with toasted nuts, breadcrumbs and maybe some feta or parmesan. You can even serve her up with a side dish of her own, a rocket salad maybe, garlic bread definitely.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil

2 large leeks, finely sliced

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 clove garlic

75ml white wine

1 jar of butterbeans (1 ½ cans if you can’t find the jars- using the water from one of the cans only)

1/2 veg stock cube

1/2 lemon

Handful dill (or parsley)

Extra toppings eg. Roasted nuts, feta or parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour the oil into a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the sliced leeks along with a fat pinch of salt and gently fry for 10-15 mins, until totally softened. Whilst they cook, finely slice the garlic.

2. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for a couple more mins, then add the white wine. Turn up the heat to medium high, and bubble away until the wine had reduced by half.

3. Tip the whole jar of butterbeans into the pan- with any liquid from the jar/can as well. Add a big splash of water and the stock cube and bubble for around 5 mins. It should be a soupy consistency. Roughly chop the herbs.

4. Add the juice of half of the lemon, along with most of the herbs. Taste and season, then tip into bowls. Scatter with the remaining herbs, plus any other toppings you might fancy.