Plymouth's Flavour fest returns for its eighth year from Friday 19Th August to Sunday 21st August 2011. This years Flavour fest will attract over 100 food stalls with lots on offer from local food producers!
Flavour fest 2011 will kicks off with an opening ceremony taken by the current Lord Mayor from 09.45 Friday morning. Saturday will see live cooking demos from Celebrity TV cook Ching He Huang who published Chinese Food Made easy and presented the accompanying TV series. Ching is scheduled to cook at 12.45pm and again at 3pm.
Plymouth's very own TV chefs and popular restaurateurs The Tanner Brothers will be cooking live on Friday morning at 10.30am, with Peter Gorton taking the stage at 2pm.
Jacques Marchal former proprietor of Chez Nous, Plymouth's only restaurant to ever be awarded a Michelin star will be demonstrating on Sunday at 10am. Joining the well known on stage will be several of Plymouth and Devon's best loved local Restaurateurs and produce sellers.
You can find Flavour Fest situated within Plymouth city centre in and around the big screen, down to Place De Brest at the beginning of Armada Way
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Saturday, 30 July 2011
el bulli CLOSES
From mini Golf course to worlds best restaurant with three Michelin stars, El bulli tonight served there last paying guests!
The iconic restaurant is closing for three years to reopen as a culinary think tank in 2014.
Ferran Adria and business partner Juli Soler have remained single minded in changing the face of modern cooking, whilst operating at a loss each year. Some say that el bulli put Spain on the culinary radar, is that true? Well it certainly helped, but Spain has a culinary history as long and proud as those two culinary powerhouse neighbours France and Italy, perhaps even without the pretencions.
What was so special about el bulli, well to be honest i wouldn't know i never managed to secure a reservation. With 2 million requests for 8000 places each six month season (el bulli closes for the remaining six months for new dishes to be developed),a lot of people were never going to eat there. It was reported in the Observer food monthly a few years back that Ferran Adria's own mother couldn't even manage to book a table for dinner. El bulli bought the culinary world to attention with his new textures and cooking methods, he introduced the heavily abused FOAM to every Chef with a siphon. Ferran Adria labelled his cusine de-constructivism others labelled it Molecular Gastronomy a term he does not use alongside others like Thomas Kellar. His cuisine is innovative, inquisitive and forward thinking. Dishes were deconstructed - taken apart and reassembled to look and taste different while still keeping the essence of the dish. Not only did Ferran, Juli and his brother Albert, along with a handful of trusted full time staff change the way modern chefs looked at cooking they also changed Restaurant service with multi course menus taking the place of a la carte. Tapas was reborn into 30-40 small courses that mixed the sweet and savoury worlds leading to Avant Garde creativity, they have also played a hand in training some of the most exciting kitchen talent of the 21st century, think Rene Redzepi(NOMA), Jason Atherton(MAZE) and Andoni Aduriz(MUGARITZ) to name but a few. Most of these chefs worked as stagaires for free for the chance to learn from probably the most creative kitchen team in world. All is not lost as el bulli hotel remains open just outside Seville. Ferran Adria's Two Michelin starred La Alqueria restaurant situated within the hotel, serves dishes from season's past menus. Also in the hotel they reportedly serve the worlds best breakfast!
Interestingly on Yahoo's news page there is an article about the closure, with some rather interesting comments, most from people who spend most of there time writing anonymous half assed comments on subjects they know nothing about! Most commenter's had probably never heard of el bulli before tonight's Yahoo headline. Ferran Adria and el bulli were not to every one's taste, and this was well known, but hardly anyone alive can claim to have started a new cuisine and to have pushed the boundaries to new heights with a lot more to come.
The iconic restaurant is closing for three years to reopen as a culinary think tank in 2014.
Ferran Adria and business partner Juli Soler have remained single minded in changing the face of modern cooking, whilst operating at a loss each year. Some say that el bulli put Spain on the culinary radar, is that true? Well it certainly helped, but Spain has a culinary history as long and proud as those two culinary powerhouse neighbours France and Italy, perhaps even without the pretencions.
What was so special about el bulli, well to be honest i wouldn't know i never managed to secure a reservation. With 2 million requests for 8000 places each six month season (el bulli closes for the remaining six months for new dishes to be developed),a lot of people were never going to eat there. It was reported in the Observer food monthly a few years back that Ferran Adria's own mother couldn't even manage to book a table for dinner. El bulli bought the culinary world to attention with his new textures and cooking methods, he introduced the heavily abused FOAM to every Chef with a siphon. Ferran Adria labelled his cusine de-constructivism others labelled it Molecular Gastronomy a term he does not use alongside others like Thomas Kellar. His cuisine is innovative, inquisitive and forward thinking. Dishes were deconstructed - taken apart and reassembled to look and taste different while still keeping the essence of the dish. Not only did Ferran, Juli and his brother Albert, along with a handful of trusted full time staff change the way modern chefs looked at cooking they also changed Restaurant service with multi course menus taking the place of a la carte. Tapas was reborn into 30-40 small courses that mixed the sweet and savoury worlds leading to Avant Garde creativity, they have also played a hand in training some of the most exciting kitchen talent of the 21st century, think Rene Redzepi(NOMA), Jason Atherton(MAZE) and Andoni Aduriz(MUGARITZ) to name but a few. Most of these chefs worked as stagaires for free for the chance to learn from probably the most creative kitchen team in world. All is not lost as el bulli hotel remains open just outside Seville. Ferran Adria's Two Michelin starred La Alqueria restaurant situated within the hotel, serves dishes from season's past menus. Also in the hotel they reportedly serve the worlds best breakfast!
Interestingly on Yahoo's news page there is an article about the closure, with some rather interesting comments, most from people who spend most of there time writing anonymous half assed comments on subjects they know nothing about! Most commenter's had probably never heard of el bulli before tonight's Yahoo headline. Ferran Adria and el bulli were not to every one's taste, and this was well known, but hardly anyone alive can claim to have started a new cuisine and to have pushed the boundaries to new heights with a lot more to come.
Monday, 25 July 2011
INSTANT COFFEE - MILK BEFORE WATER?
The question remains does instant Coffee taste better if you put the Milk in first or the boiling water?
A good friend recently picked up on my pouring the hot water direct onto the Coffee then adding Milk, his rational being that the boiling water scolds the Coffee therefor adding a burnt note? This is a simple dilemma that had never really crossed my mind before that day. I would be interested on some feedback in the comment section if anyone has the time.
Being British and enjoying the odd cup of rosy lee, i am fully aware of some superstition surrounding which way to stir the tea bag, and of which i hold no faith to this simple old house wives tale, but i am rather taken by the dilemma of Milk first! Now i have asked myself countless times if the Coffee does indeed taste better with Milk? I do believe that the Coffee does in fact taste better. For years i have poured on boiling water and put the scolded taste down to the instant Coffee and not a simple process of order!
Obviously a lot of people drink instant at home or in the workplace and some will only be connoisseur's of filter or ground Coffee, unfortunately i am not at liberty to possess a Coffee machine so instant it has to be!
Milk first or boiling Water?
A good friend recently picked up on my pouring the hot water direct onto the Coffee then adding Milk, his rational being that the boiling water scolds the Coffee therefor adding a burnt note? This is a simple dilemma that had never really crossed my mind before that day. I would be interested on some feedback in the comment section if anyone has the time.
Being British and enjoying the odd cup of rosy lee, i am fully aware of some superstition surrounding which way to stir the tea bag, and of which i hold no faith to this simple old house wives tale, but i am rather taken by the dilemma of Milk first! Now i have asked myself countless times if the Coffee does indeed taste better with Milk? I do believe that the Coffee does in fact taste better. For years i have poured on boiling water and put the scolded taste down to the instant Coffee and not a simple process of order!
Obviously a lot of people drink instant at home or in the workplace and some will only be connoisseur's of filter or ground Coffee, unfortunately i am not at liberty to possess a Coffee machine so instant it has to be!
Milk first or boiling Water?
HEALTHY EATING WENT OUT THE WINDOW
Did i really think that the healthy eating fad would last? To be honest NO! I was hoping to be able to write a post saying hey i lost 40lb, not bloody likely. So it is back to the daily grind of eating whatever is available. This is not really a problem as most leftovers in this household are foods that were cooked from scratch, admittedly the first meal is the more refined with the next day or so, something that is thrown together. Surely a lot of great recipes come from leftovers? Well not all, but a good percentage of meals and new recipes that probably stay only in your own household, end up as family standbys.
So lets forget Diets, save the environment and hopefully start writing this bloody blog again!
Hopefully in the coming weeks i will start writing some good recipes, as money has been a bit tight this last couple of months, expect frugality!
So lets forget Diets, save the environment and hopefully start writing this bloody blog again!
Hopefully in the coming weeks i will start writing some good recipes, as money has been a bit tight this last couple of months, expect frugality!
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
CURRIED ROASTED PARSNIP AND APPLE SOUP
Soups do not come much simpler than this! As i said in the previous post we are eating healthy at present, so much of our food at present is not refined or finished with little goodies like butter. Apple is added to the soup to balance out the sweetness of the roasted Parsnip.
1.2 litres of stock(chicken or veg)
500g Parsnips
1 apple(cored,skin on)
1 medium onion
1 tbsp of medium curry powder
1 tsp of turmeric
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Thyme(garnish with fresh thyme)
Peel and quarter the parsnip,season with salt and pepper, add a little olive oil and roast in a hot oven till cooked through and crispy. Chop one onion and saute over a low heat in a little oil. When the onions are soft and translucent, season, add the apple and saute for three minutes, then the curry powder and turmeric, saute for a further two minutes(add a little stock if to dry). Add stock and parsnips bring to the boil, blend either with a stick blender or food processor.
Garnish with Thyme, serve.
This will make just under 2 litres of soup. We also make this soup with a little potato added, sometimes substituting 100g of the Parsnip.
1.2 litres of stock(chicken or veg)
500g Parsnips
1 apple(cored,skin on)
1 medium onion
1 tbsp of medium curry powder
1 tsp of turmeric
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Thyme(garnish with fresh thyme)
Peel and quarter the parsnip,season with salt and pepper, add a little olive oil and roast in a hot oven till cooked through and crispy. Chop one onion and saute over a low heat in a little oil. When the onions are soft and translucent, season, add the apple and saute for three minutes, then the curry powder and turmeric, saute for a further two minutes(add a little stock if to dry). Add stock and parsnips bring to the boil, blend either with a stick blender or food processor.
Garnish with Thyme, serve.
This will make just under 2 litres of soup. We also make this soup with a little potato added, sometimes substituting 100g of the Parsnip.
Sunday, 20 February 2011
HEALTHY EATING - SOUPS
A collection of recipes that hopefully i will update regularly. These recipes are not refined, but honest tasty soup recipes that we are currently trying out. In reality you can soup a whole host of different ingredients and more often than not achieve a tasty soup. Some soups will have a base of water opposed to stock, as we are trying to keep this Healthy as possible, while maintaining taste. However what soups do use water, appropriate stock can be replaced and no doubt we will also replace with stock from time to time. The use of water instead of stock, will also appeal to those who need to take a thrifty approach to feeding large families and with good fresh ingredients can allow principle flavours to shine. Please do not be put off by the wording of Healthy in the title, as it does not apply to bland. Most people have a different preference for texture of soups. Some soups will be chunky, some will be purees. If you do use any of these recipes, soup to your preference, if you feel they are good enough to serve to friends or at a dinner party take appropriate measures to pass through a sieve a couple of times for a little refinement and add garnishes at your whim.
ROASTED SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH FENNEL AND ALMOND (V)
600g sweet potato - peeled and cut into large chunks
4 garlic cloves - skin on
1 medium onion - skin on
1 apple - skin on and cored (do not use a mac,pad or phone)
25g flaked almonds, plus extra for garnish
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika - if smoked not at hand do not add a Benson and hedges, normal paprika is fine.
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
600ml of water for thick soup/ increase in 100ml increments if thinner soup desired
Spices
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
5 peppercorns
1/2 tsp of Maldon or similar sea salt
Pre-heat oven to 200c, peel sweet potato,cutting into thick chunks, place on a roasting tray with garlic and onion,season and drizzle with olive oil. Cook till sweet potato is tender.
While waiting for the roast you have two options either twiddle your thumbs or get on with grounding the spices. You should have chosen option two. If you were clever and chose option two, remove roasted veg from oven, skin garlic and onion, add to a blender alongside cored apple,almonds and smoked paprika. Blend adding water to create your soup. Pour out into a pan and adjust seasoning if desired.
To use as a puree on a fat day, this would go superbly with a nice piece of fatty pork. Of course you do not have to be having a fat day to use as a puree, if using as a puree only add 300ml of water.
ROASTED SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH FENNEL AND ALMOND (V)
600g sweet potato - peeled and cut into large chunks
4 garlic cloves - skin on
1 medium onion - skin on
1 apple - skin on and cored (do not use a mac,pad or phone)
25g flaked almonds, plus extra for garnish
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika - if smoked not at hand do not add a Benson and hedges, normal paprika is fine.
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
600ml of water for thick soup/ increase in 100ml increments if thinner soup desired
Spices
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
5 peppercorns
1/2 tsp of Maldon or similar sea salt
Pre-heat oven to 200c, peel sweet potato,cutting into thick chunks, place on a roasting tray with garlic and onion,season and drizzle with olive oil. Cook till sweet potato is tender.
While waiting for the roast you have two options either twiddle your thumbs or get on with grounding the spices. You should have chosen option two. If you were clever and chose option two, remove roasted veg from oven, skin garlic and onion, add to a blender alongside cored apple,almonds and smoked paprika. Blend adding water to create your soup. Pour out into a pan and adjust seasoning if desired.
To use as a puree on a fat day, this would go superbly with a nice piece of fatty pork. Of course you do not have to be having a fat day to use as a puree, if using as a puree only add 300ml of water.
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Thursday, 2 December 2010
FIVE STOPS THREE COUNTRYS AND A COLONY
Two years, two long bloody years with no foreign travel. Somewhere somehow two years salary disappears bills,mortgage and other mundane aspects of the daily grind which unfortunately we have to pay for.
The two year hiatus is over, a trip is planned - Morocco, Gibraltar, Spain and Portugal.
For fiance it's relaxation time, how she purposed to relax is beyond the scope of this entry or any other entry for that matter. It was her idea you see to go overland
from Marrakesh to Faro - Portugal making the travel plan as we go, using trains, buses, taxis and the odd ship!
For myself however relaxation was never on the agenda, knowing full well and with a dearth of travel behind me, a five stop three country and a colony for good measure was going to be anything but relaxation. What do you do in times like this - think of the food of course!
Morocco had to be the biggest let down of the trip by far! Of course plenty of time was spent immersed amongst the labyrinth like souks which fan in all directions from the Djemaa Al-Fna, but still full from a filling but mundane hotel breakfast we somehow managed to miss the fun of local eating on the first full day. Tajine's were consumed on the trip but not anything like i was hoping for! The problem must lie with the massive influx of tourists? Every Tom,Dick and Abdul was offering Tajine or other local speciality's. Whilst I'm fully aware that some Tajine's go to the community Hammans to be cooked slowly in the residual heat, also being made by expert hands, we on the other hand must have consumed the tourist quota!
The one missing link on our behalf was not trying the market stands that appear on the Djemaa Al-Fla as dusk approaches, we were there but Photography was also very high on the agenda. On reflection this probably would have fulfilled the foodie obligation of seeking authentic good food, so sadly, a missed opportunity but in this day and age only a short hop on a cheap flight we will be sure to sample the Djemaa again.
Of course Morocco isn't all about Tagine's, Brochettes and Shawarma were devoured with gutso and fiance's sweet tooth took a bit of abuse with the vast array of sweet delights and pastries, perhaps a legacy of the French but certainly ingrained in society.
Next stop on the Marrakesh express,- Rabat the capital, a charming leafy city with wide boulevards, tree lined streets, a less bustling Medina and the odd pick pocket.
While only a fleeting visit, miles were walked amongst these charming streets. Food wise most Moroccan staples could be found on offer but whether or not it was the moment or the toast was really that good, what we ate in the cafe on Rue Ghazza was truly memorable. Fresh French bread with butter and local orange marmalade, with good strong coffee!
I have as yet managed to place what part was so special, but i imagine it was the combination of the four. (Cafe is opposite Hotel Splendid Rue Ghazza)
For our second journey on Morocco's limited but excellent rail network we travelled straight through to Tangier just in time for the 1400hrs sailing to Tarifa Andalusia, our end destination to be Gibraltar.
Gibraltar was to be our home away from home for four nights, however i wouldn't recommend turning up looking for a hotel as there is only seven. We were lucky to find a room in the Cheapest hotel on the rock - The Cannon.
A good little hotel with friendly staff. Rooms start at £42 a double with shared bathroom rising to 50+ with own bathroom.
Just round the corner on Main street you will find The Horseshoe pub with the ever entertaining Abdul managing the bar - just don't tell him your age, it could end up a rich topic of conversation!
Restaurants are one a penny throughout the rock, as are pubs serving food but most follow the standard pattern of British pub grub with Spanish staples on the menu! Amusingly most pubs appear to have a serious sachet fetish! You name it they have it in a sachet!
With a start in La Linea across the border we headed up to Seville by bus. Four hours later with a good look at the Andalusian countryside and a stop in every village, Seville greeted us with a downpour and a mist you could set a Stephen king horror to!
Weather aside what a delightful city steeped in culture and the most amazing food.
Seville is one of the homes to Spanish Tapas and what a great time was had bar hopping and grazing. Most tapas are simple and with a very basic grasp of Spanish most bar menus are relatively simple to decipher.
Tapas are not the only delight of Seville with several Bodegas dotted around the city where great sherry from Jerez and neighbouring producers that can be drank alongside small plates of hearty food.
But as always ulterior motives play at least some part in most travel plans and all was revealed on the second day - Jamon Iberico bellota!
As some of the best Ham in the world is produced in Andalusia this had to be the place to sample and buy, but i will leave that for another post along with the authentic Tortilla Espanola i have been trying to perfect!
Last stage was a through bus to Faro - Portugal, which was not without incident!
E U borders are not normally that interesting unless Obama and the rest of NATO are in town.
Before we could even say Portugal we were hauled into a makeshift Immigration post complete with concrete barriers strewn across the four lane motorway. Police,Immigration and several mean looking albeit not long out of diapers GNR officers were all over the bus!
With in minutes we were turned back to Spain due too an American backpacking kid not having his passport. The miserable shit of a driver was going to leave him on the side of the Motorway in the middle of nowhere, but sensed an on board mutiny, so agreed to drop him to a local town!
Back over the border and through the same tedious, mundane fiasco yet again. The GNR kindergarten cops going through every millimeter of every bag en route to Lisbon.
Now interestingly there was only four or five passengers disembarking in Faro, and our bags were left alone. Now if you wanted to disrupt a gathering with heightened security would you take a direct route? I certainly would not. While i realise Portuguese Police might not be the best in the land, the whole fiasco was kind of complete Bullshit. Why check all bags but four? To top off the fiasco some clown from Bomb squad boarded the bus, not sure what he was trying to find but i doubt he could even find the Bunsen burner in second year Chemistry!
Eventually arriving after a two hour delay to our last stop Faro. A bed for three nights at the Residential Dandy, strange name, even stranger place but all the same very quaint with a very helpful and cheerful owner.
A nice place to while away a day or two with plenty of restaurants offering the same fish and seafood dishes at not so cheap prices!
We did most of our eating in a French run place two streets back from The Dandy which was homely with a good little crowd of staff!
An interesting little trip that Spain has managed to put a culinary spark back in this mans life!!
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
BUBBLE AND SQUEAK
Childhood memories of Bubble, still fresh in the mind, crispy fried potatoes with leftover veg, gravy from yesterdays roast, maybe a little meat on the side if we were lucky!
Bubble and squeak is a traditional British dish, very similar to Colcannon the Irish favourite. Surprisingly this dish has a little lore to help it along with it own piece of cockney rhyming slang "BUBBLE AND SQUEAK- GREEK". The term bubble applies to the noise that the mashed potato makes when fried, and if cooked the traditional way as a giant Pattie is does indeed bubble as it cooks as for the squeak it is said that the cabbage makes it own noise, squeaking as it cooks!
Traditionally Cabbage is added or in place Brussels sprouts, in reality recipes evolve over time, i like too add some parsley and chives but this is in no way traditional. All manner of leftover veg can be added, but for now we will stick with good old Cabbage.
RECIPE;
500g floury potatoes
50g butter (unsalted)
200-400g Cabbage- shredded centre stalk removed
1 onion - sliced
20g flat parsley
10g chives
Sea salt
Black pepper
oil(olive,veg,sunflower)3-4 tbsp
Hot milk 1-3 tbsp (optional)
THE MASH
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, mash in the pan with butter,parsley and chives, season to taste with salt and pepper. If the mash is too dense you can add a little hot milk, but you do not want a wall paper paste consistency!
THE SQUEAK
Add half the oil to a heavy based saute pan, fry the onion and cabbage for 3 -4 minutes until softened. Season well with salt and pepper, add the mash.
THE BUBBLE
Press the mash firmly down into the pan and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes. You will find that the mash bubbles, hence the name! You will need at this point, to continue to keep the mash in contact with the base of the pan, a good crisp base is what we are looking for.
After or when satisfied that the base is crispy enough, place a suitable sized plate over the saute pan and invert so that the Pattie is now on the plate. Place the rest of the oil into the saute pan and slide the Pattie back in, uncooked side to the base of the pan, cook for a further 5 minutes or until satisfied with crispness.
Turn out onto a plate and serve immediately!
NOTES
Alternatively form into small Patties and fry until crisp on both sides! Bubble and squeak is great eaten as supper or as a breakfast dish with fried eggs and bacon or even served alone, or with eggs. Traditionally eaten on mondays or the day after a roast.This is a dish of thrift using leftovers, fresh ingredients really shine when paired with mash and fried. Broccoli,kale and sprouts are all good, adjust cooking times accordingly. As kids all manner of veg would appear from cauliflower to carrots.
Sunday, 9 May 2010
CAULIFLOWER CHEESE
Being truthful i was never a fan of cauliflower as a child. Why oh why would i want to eat something that looks cross between an albino brain and a bonsai tree on steroids?
Well there are several reasons really, Honest! Cauliflowers are nutritious, low in calories, cheap and have super food status - Unfortunately when your a child none of these reasons really amount too much! That is until you pour a good cheese sauce over the florets and bake in an oven.
Thankfully as I've matured so has my palette, so i find myself enjoying just cooked cauliflower with a sprinkle of sea salt and a turn of black pepper, with the cheese sauce as a treat occasionally. Cauliflower cheese although often relegated to veggie frozen food fodder, should be a treat. A good cauliflower cheese can stand alone or be served as a side say with roast meats, particularly roast beef!
RECIPE;
Serve 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main.
1 lge head of cauliflower(outer foliage removed)
200g mature Cheddar(grated)
1 small onion
400ml of milk(semi or whole)
75g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
5 black peppercorns(whole)
3 cloves(whole)
1 bay leaf(torn)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
5 tsp double cream(optional)
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese(optional)
Pinch of chilli powder(optional)
Pinch of ground mace(optional)
Nutmeg to taste
Sea salt and ground pepper(Please remember that pepper has already been used and that you may have sufficient salt from the cheese).
METHOD;
Roughly chop the onion and place in a pan with the milk,cloves,black pepper corns and the bay leaf. Bring to the boil, take off heat and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil(1 tsp of salt per a litre of water).Trim Cauliflower of foliage, cut into bite sized florets. Cook for 8-10 minutes,drain and reserve.
Just before the end of the milk infusion time, melt the butter in a saucepan, once melted gradually sieve plain flour into the butter, stirring to form a roux. This is the basis of the white sauce. Once a smooth paste has formed-free of lumps, strain the infused milk into the roux, whilst stirring at all times. Once incorporated gradually add the cheese. Once smooth add Dijon mustard and double cream-if using.
Adjust seasoning if required and add optional mace and/or chilli if desired.
Placed reserved Cauliflower florets into an ovenproof dish and pour on the cheese sauce, place into a preheated oven 190/375f/gas 5 for 15 minutes, remove, add a grating of nutmeg too taste and the Parmesan cheese. Return too the oven and remove when browned.
NOTES;
While not a standard cheese sauce for cauliflower, and probably not the easiest recipe around the effort is worth it, as they say the proof is in the pudding!
All manner of extra ingredients could be used crispy bacon or pancetta could be added along with breadcrumbs for the final browning. Chopped chives,horseradish sauce or English mustard could be used instead. You could add cooked pasta too the recipe for a hybrid of Macaroni cheese. Really, variations could be endless.
Well there are several reasons really, Honest! Cauliflowers are nutritious, low in calories, cheap and have super food status - Unfortunately when your a child none of these reasons really amount too much! That is until you pour a good cheese sauce over the florets and bake in an oven.
Thankfully as I've matured so has my palette, so i find myself enjoying just cooked cauliflower with a sprinkle of sea salt and a turn of black pepper, with the cheese sauce as a treat occasionally. Cauliflower cheese although often relegated to veggie frozen food fodder, should be a treat. A good cauliflower cheese can stand alone or be served as a side say with roast meats, particularly roast beef!
RECIPE;
Serve 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main.
1 lge head of cauliflower(outer foliage removed)
200g mature Cheddar(grated)
1 small onion
400ml of milk(semi or whole)
75g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
5 black peppercorns(whole)
3 cloves(whole)
1 bay leaf(torn)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
5 tsp double cream(optional)
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese(optional)
Pinch of chilli powder(optional)
Pinch of ground mace(optional)
Nutmeg to taste
Sea salt and ground pepper(Please remember that pepper has already been used and that you may have sufficient salt from the cheese).
METHOD;
Roughly chop the onion and place in a pan with the milk,cloves,black pepper corns and the bay leaf. Bring to the boil, take off heat and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil(1 tsp of salt per a litre of water).Trim Cauliflower of foliage, cut into bite sized florets. Cook for 8-10 minutes,drain and reserve.
Just before the end of the milk infusion time, melt the butter in a saucepan, once melted gradually sieve plain flour into the butter, stirring to form a roux. This is the basis of the white sauce. Once a smooth paste has formed-free of lumps, strain the infused milk into the roux, whilst stirring at all times. Once incorporated gradually add the cheese. Once smooth add Dijon mustard and double cream-if using.
Adjust seasoning if required and add optional mace and/or chilli if desired.
Placed reserved Cauliflower florets into an ovenproof dish and pour on the cheese sauce, place into a preheated oven 190/375f/gas 5 for 15 minutes, remove, add a grating of nutmeg too taste and the Parmesan cheese. Return too the oven and remove when browned.
NOTES;
While not a standard cheese sauce for cauliflower, and probably not the easiest recipe around the effort is worth it, as they say the proof is in the pudding!
All manner of extra ingredients could be used crispy bacon or pancetta could be added along with breadcrumbs for the final browning. Chopped chives,horseradish sauce or English mustard could be used instead. You could add cooked pasta too the recipe for a hybrid of Macaroni cheese. Really, variations could be endless.
Sunday, 6 December 2009
CHIANG MAI CURRY PASTE - NAM PRIK GAENG HANGLAY
Another great Thai curry paste, a good paste to start learning with as the ingredient list is not exhaustive.
3 long dried chillies seeds removed and reconstituted in water for 8-12 minutes
1/2 tsp of salt
2 tbsp galangal- skinned and chopped
2 tbsp lemongrass lower 1/3 chopped
2 tbsp purple asian shallots chopped
1 tbsp garlic smashed
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp turmeric skinned and chopped or pwdered if unavailable
METHOD;
Using a pestle and mortar pound all of the ingredients, starting with the hardest first until you form a smooth paste. Alternatively make the paste in a blender/liquidizer with a touch of water if too dry.
Makes 3-4 tbsp
3 long dried chillies seeds removed and reconstituted in water for 8-12 minutes
1/2 tsp of salt
2 tbsp galangal- skinned and chopped
2 tbsp lemongrass lower 1/3 chopped
2 tbsp purple asian shallots chopped
1 tbsp garlic smashed
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp turmeric skinned and chopped or pwdered if unavailable
METHOD;
Using a pestle and mortar pound all of the ingredients, starting with the hardest first until you form a smooth paste. Alternatively make the paste in a blender/liquidizer with a touch of water if too dry.
Makes 3-4 tbsp
YELLOW CURRY PASTE - NAM PRIK GAENG GAREE
Another great paste from Thailand, less ingredients than the previous two, but just as delicious!
1/2 tsp salt
12 big red dried chillies - seeds removed, soaked in water for 8 - 12 minutes, then finely chopped
1 tbsp galangal- skinned and chopped
4 tbsp lemongrass- lower 1/3 finely chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste
METHOD;
Pound in a pestle and mortar, until smooth. Alternatively for an easier but not so good result place in a blender/liquidizer to form a smooth paste, a touch of water may be needed!
Will make 4-5 tbsp
1/2 tsp salt
12 big red dried chillies - seeds removed, soaked in water for 8 - 12 minutes, then finely chopped
1 tbsp galangal- skinned and chopped
4 tbsp lemongrass- lower 1/3 finely chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste
METHOD;
Pound in a pestle and mortar, until smooth. Alternatively for an easier but not so good result place in a blender/liquidizer to form a smooth paste, a touch of water may be needed!
Will make 4-5 tbsp
THAI GREEN CURRY PASTE - NAM PRIK GAENG KHEO WAN
As in most curry pastes a mix of dried and fresh ingredients are used. This is a good and versatile green paste, that is made in the same way as the previous red paste!
INGREDIENTS;
1 tsp coriander seeds - roasted until fragrant and coloured
1/2 tsp cumin seeds -roasted until fragrant and coloured
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp galangal
3 tbsp lemongrass-white lower 1/3- finely chopped
1 tsp kaffir lime peel- chopped or 2 finely shredded lime leaves
2 tbsp coriander root- chopped(see note)
2 tbsp asian shallots(purple)- chopped
1 tbsp garlic - smashed
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp turmeric- skinned and chopped or dried if fresh not available
20 small green chillies
1 good handful of sweet basil leaves
METHOD;
As with the red paste start with the hardest ingredients first, which in this case would naturally be the dried spices. Pound to a powder, then add remaining ingredients, starting with the hardest(lemongrass). Pound until paste is smooth - 10 -15 minutes. Alternatively place in a blender/liquidizer, you may need to moisten with a touch of water.
Makes 4-5 tbsp
NOTES;
If coriander root is unavailable, use the stems from a coriander plant, or nearest to where the root was to be found. Unfortunately most shops and suppliers sell coriander rootless! The logic behind using the roots is that the coriander plant draws its nutrients and flavour through the roots therefor these will provide a superior flavour!
INGREDIENTS;
1 tsp coriander seeds - roasted until fragrant and coloured
1/2 tsp cumin seeds -roasted until fragrant and coloured
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp galangal
3 tbsp lemongrass-white lower 1/3- finely chopped
1 tsp kaffir lime peel- chopped or 2 finely shredded lime leaves
2 tbsp coriander root- chopped(see note)
2 tbsp asian shallots(purple)- chopped
1 tbsp garlic - smashed
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp turmeric- skinned and chopped or dried if fresh not available
20 small green chillies
1 good handful of sweet basil leaves
METHOD;
As with the red paste start with the hardest ingredients first, which in this case would naturally be the dried spices. Pound to a powder, then add remaining ingredients, starting with the hardest(lemongrass). Pound until paste is smooth - 10 -15 minutes. Alternatively place in a blender/liquidizer, you may need to moisten with a touch of water.
Makes 4-5 tbsp
NOTES;
If coriander root is unavailable, use the stems from a coriander plant, or nearest to where the root was to be found. Unfortunately most shops and suppliers sell coriander rootless! The logic behind using the roots is that the coriander plant draws its nutrients and flavour through the roots therefor these will provide a superior flavour!
Sunday, 22 November 2009
THAI RED CURRY PASTE - NAM PRIK GAENG PHED
Who doesn't love Thai curry, this recipe was shown to me by a Thai, so is pretty authentic. The paste is made up of dried and fresh ingredients, and is worth the effort to make, shop bought pastes and sauces will not even come close to this paste. In Thailand cooks learn to judge the balance by smell, but that is best left to Thai's, or David Thompson, that practice is far too advanced for myself or novice paste makers. If you do happen to make this paste, i would not worry first time round about tring to judge the balance as you can correct this at the cooking stage. After a couple of attempts you can taste as you go!
RECIPE;
Dried ingredients;
1 tbsp coriander seeds (roasted until fragrant)
2 cardamon pods (roasted until fragrant)
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon of salt
10 big dried red chillies - seeds removed and pre-soaked in water for 10 minutes, then finely chopped.
5g galangal
5g lemongrass-chopped (white bottom piece)
5g kaffir lime peel - (alternatively use 2 lime leaves center stem removed and finely chopped. Kaffir limes are harder to come by in the west, kaffir lime leaves are easily bought frozen).
10g coriander root - chopped i(f not available use 10g of the stems closest to the roots)
15g shallots -(chopped) small asian shallots with pink skins
15g garlic - crushed
5g shrimp paste
10 small red chillies
METHOD;
Place the dried ingredients into a pestle and mortar,grind to a powder. Add the rest of the ingredients,hardest first and pound to a smooth paste. This can take long time but the result is well worth the effort.
I find that adding an ingredient at a time and pounding is easier to work with, else the mortar is overloaded. Alternatively add all of the ingredients to a blender or spice grinder, and blitz to a smooth paste. You might need to loosen the ingredients with a little water. This method is not as good as the latter but does make a suitable paste.
YIELD;
4-5 TBSP
The paste can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed container and can be frozen, but the flavour will diminish.
RECIPE;
Dried ingredients;
1 tbsp coriander seeds (roasted until fragrant)
2 cardamon pods (roasted until fragrant)
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon of salt
10 big dried red chillies - seeds removed and pre-soaked in water for 10 minutes, then finely chopped.
5g galangal
5g lemongrass-chopped (white bottom piece)
5g kaffir lime peel - (alternatively use 2 lime leaves center stem removed and finely chopped. Kaffir limes are harder to come by in the west, kaffir lime leaves are easily bought frozen).
10g coriander root - chopped i(f not available use 10g of the stems closest to the roots)
15g shallots -(chopped) small asian shallots with pink skins
15g garlic - crushed
5g shrimp paste
10 small red chillies
METHOD;
Place the dried ingredients into a pestle and mortar,grind to a powder. Add the rest of the ingredients,hardest first and pound to a smooth paste. This can take long time but the result is well worth the effort.
I find that adding an ingredient at a time and pounding is easier to work with, else the mortar is overloaded. Alternatively add all of the ingredients to a blender or spice grinder, and blitz to a smooth paste. You might need to loosen the ingredients with a little water. This method is not as good as the latter but does make a suitable paste.
YIELD;
4-5 TBSP
The paste can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed container and can be frozen, but the flavour will diminish.
Monday, 16 November 2009
THAI SWEET CHILLI BURGER WITH CUCUMBER
My fiance has an aversion to chilli and fish sauce yet eats these two wonderful ingredients unknowingly quite often. "why you putting fish sauce in everything?" she said. So i have to go through the monotony yet again of explaining why for one i do not put fish sauce in everything and for two, the use of chilli does not have to mean HEAT! After yet again explaining that the fish sauce has a purpose, and yet again that "no it won't taste fishy", i eventually with some simple explanations manage to make some inkling of sense. You see when i cook food containing Fish sauce or chilli she is normally busying herself elsewhere, so does not see what goes into the dish only the finished meal. Then i go through my usual response and try to remind her that Worcester sauce is in fact made with Anchovies, and this super ingredient she uses quite liberally, in different dishes, with no ill effect.
Anyhow back to the burgers. For a while now i have been wanting to make beef burgers with sweet chilli sauce, and serve them in buns with sliced cucumber! Nothing special, probably bizarre to your average fast food customer, but the result was pleasing and the Fish sauce fiance enjoyed, for me it was just taking ingredients that i enjoy and bringing them together. If you have had the pleasure of eating cucumber in a fish sauce based Thai dipping sauce, then we will more than likely be on the same wavelength!
MAKES 6-8 - DEPENDING ON SIZE
RECIPE;
500g lean mince beef
2 tbsp of Thai sweet chilli sauce(shop bought condiment)
2 tsp of Thai fish sauce
1 small onion (finely chopped)
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Sliced and peeled cucumber
METHOD;
Place the finely chopped onion and mince into a food processor and pulse till it forms a ball. Remove and place into a mixing bowl make a well in the middle and add the chilli and fish sauce, and black pepper to taste. Mix using your hands and form into patties of your desired size , season with salt and pepper. Best cooked on a griddle or griddle pan. Cook to your liking, about 6-8 minutes does the trick! Of course you can cook these under the grill or shallow fry.
TO SERVE;
Rest the burgers for a couple of minutes, meanwhile wipe the griddle of excess fat, then toast your buns or alternatively grill the buns and serve with a little melted strong chedder if desired and sliced cucumber.
Anyhow back to the burgers. For a while now i have been wanting to make beef burgers with sweet chilli sauce, and serve them in buns with sliced cucumber! Nothing special, probably bizarre to your average fast food customer, but the result was pleasing and the Fish sauce fiance enjoyed, for me it was just taking ingredients that i enjoy and bringing them together. If you have had the pleasure of eating cucumber in a fish sauce based Thai dipping sauce, then we will more than likely be on the same wavelength!
MAKES 6-8 - DEPENDING ON SIZE
RECIPE;
500g lean mince beef
2 tbsp of Thai sweet chilli sauce(shop bought condiment)
2 tsp of Thai fish sauce
1 small onion (finely chopped)
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Sliced and peeled cucumber
METHOD;
Place the finely chopped onion and mince into a food processor and pulse till it forms a ball. Remove and place into a mixing bowl make a well in the middle and add the chilli and fish sauce, and black pepper to taste. Mix using your hands and form into patties of your desired size , season with salt and pepper. Best cooked on a griddle or griddle pan. Cook to your liking, about 6-8 minutes does the trick! Of course you can cook these under the grill or shallow fry.
TO SERVE;
Rest the burgers for a couple of minutes, meanwhile wipe the griddle of excess fat, then toast your buns or alternatively grill the buns and serve with a little melted strong chedder if desired and sliced cucumber.
SUPER SIMPLE OVEN CHIPS VERY FLUFFY INSIDE AND WONDERFULLY CRISP
Please excuse the title, but imagine if your regular frozen oven chip was big, i mean big, not the size of some pathetic overweight matchstick but nice and fat, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, you would be over the moon right? Well I'm going to tell you how......................OK, enough of the sales talk but i got your attention with my cheesy 80's sale's pitch eh! Well since our seldom used deep fat fryer was relegated to the recycling plant or maybe even revitalised by one of the ever numerous totters , we have been without chips! Not fries but Chips, big fat humdingers, maybe not Mr Blumenthal quality but definitely bloody good chips. Do not do frozen, so homemade oven chips it is, again lest i bore you - big fat chips! Now too the point , honestly i feel that the key to great homemade oven chips is the size. Size is everything right girls, well and technique some might say, but size is the key here. You need enough surface area for the crisping process and enough inside to benefit from the full fluffy effect, not enough and your not going to notice the creamy fluffiness that melts on your tongue after biting through the crispy exterior! Now debates rage on about potato varieties that are best suited, but personal choice for me is King Edwards, followed by Maris Pipers, but other varieties of floury spuds will do the trick.
RECIPE;
Choose your potatoes, give them a peel, and slice into big chips. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil, whilst waiting, heat the oven to 220C/gas 7/450 F. Find a suitable tray or roasting tin and place a film of sunflower oil or olive oil over the base(3-4 tbsp). Place the tray into the oven. Once the water is boiling place your chips into the water, bring back to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain then place into the hot oil, coat with the oil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper, back into the oven for 35- 40 minutes or until golden brown. Turn occasionally.
RECIPE;
Choose your potatoes, give them a peel, and slice into big chips. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil, whilst waiting, heat the oven to 220C/gas 7/450 F. Find a suitable tray or roasting tin and place a film of sunflower oil or olive oil over the base(3-4 tbsp). Place the tray into the oven. Once the water is boiling place your chips into the water, bring back to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain then place into the hot oil, coat with the oil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper, back into the oven for 35- 40 minutes or until golden brown. Turn occasionally.
Saturday, 24 October 2009
PARSNIP AND LENTIL SOUP WITH FENUGREEK AND ALMONDS
I like to eat this as a soup but allowing to thicken will give a wonderful lentil - curry like texture. The parsnips are added to the pan first to ensure thorough cooking to the point of overcooked. This is the beauty of this dish, the contrast in textures between the lentils, parsnips and blanched almonds, giving an incredible crunch against the softness of the parsnip and slight give in the lentils.
Serves 4- 6
RECIPE;
3 tbsp olive oil
25g unsalted butter (optional)
6 parsnips (cut into bite sized pieces)
300g red split lentils (washed)
1 large onion (finely sliced)
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 tbsp of tomato puree
1 litre of good chicken stock
1 tsp of red wine vinegar
sea salt
whole blanched almonds
fresh coriander to garnish
SPICES;
2 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp of ground coriander seed
1 tsp of ground cumin seed
1 tsp of black peppercorns (finely ground)
1 tsp of fenugreek
1 tsp of turmeric
METHOD;
Saute the parsnips in the olive oil until starting to colour, add onion and garlic, add the butter allow the onion to soften then add all of the spices, stir to combine then add tomato puree. Allow to cook for 1 minute then add stock and lentils. Bring to the boil for ten minutes then turn down to a simmer. Add 1 tsp of red wine vinegar and allow to simmer for 25 - 30 minutes or until lentils are cooked . If a soup consistency is preferred, top up with boiling water. Check for seasoning throughout cooking, be mindful of saltiness if using bought stock.
TO SERVE;
Ladle into bowls or similar receptacles sprinkle fresh chopped coriander and blanched almonds.
Serves 4- 6
RECIPE;
3 tbsp olive oil
25g unsalted butter (optional)
6 parsnips (cut into bite sized pieces)
300g red split lentils (washed)
1 large onion (finely sliced)
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 tbsp of tomato puree
1 litre of good chicken stock
1 tsp of red wine vinegar
sea salt
whole blanched almonds
fresh coriander to garnish
SPICES;
2 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp of ground coriander seed
1 tsp of ground cumin seed
1 tsp of black peppercorns (finely ground)
1 tsp of fenugreek
1 tsp of turmeric
METHOD;
Saute the parsnips in the olive oil until starting to colour, add onion and garlic, add the butter allow the onion to soften then add all of the spices, stir to combine then add tomato puree. Allow to cook for 1 minute then add stock and lentils. Bring to the boil for ten minutes then turn down to a simmer. Add 1 tsp of red wine vinegar and allow to simmer for 25 - 30 minutes or until lentils are cooked . If a soup consistency is preferred, top up with boiling water. Check for seasoning throughout cooking, be mindful of saltiness if using bought stock.
TO SERVE;
Ladle into bowls or similar receptacles sprinkle fresh chopped coriander and blanched almonds.
Monday, 19 October 2009
SPICED RED LENTIL SOUP WITH CARROT
Is it not funny how some ingredients you eat time and time again but never actually cook. This has always been the case with lentils, but boy can i eat them, but never have i cooked them -that is until now! I am not ashamed to admit that i have nearly purchased on many occasions but shy away, probably through fear of a kitchen disaster. So i found myself with a 500g packet of red split lentils, a handful of ideas - but the last of the weeks shopping. Not a problem as i have always prided myself on the ability to make good use of leftovers and sparse ingredients!
THE RECIPE;
SERVES 6;
250g red split lentils (washed and drained)
6 medium carrots (roughly chopped)
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 large onion (sliced)
1 litre of good chicken stock or veg stock
1 tbsp of tomato puree plus 1 teaspoon
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
2 cm piece of fresh ginger (finely chopped)
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp of cumin (freshly ground)
1 tsp of coriander (freshly ground)
10 black peppercorns (freshly ground)
1 tsp of turmeric
Sea salt
METHOD;
Heat a large enough pan with the olive oil, once hot add the onions,garlic and ginger and saute for 5 minutes (do not allow to burn). After 5 minutes add the spices and tomato puree - cook for 1 minute, add the carrots cook for a further minute then add the stock and lentils. Bring to the boil and allow to cook for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat and simmer for a further 35 minutes. You will more than likely have to top up with boiling water during simmering, how much depends on how thick you like your soup. Check for seasoning during cooking, but be aware of salt levels if not using homemade stock.
NOTE;
This is a very economical dish to make, and very healthy, you could cut back on the olive oil to 2 tbsp. You do not have to stop at just the soup. Various garnishes could be added on serving or just eat with Naan or flat bread. A small knob of unsalted butter in each dish is a welcome addition and some crisp fried onions could be added great texture.
THE RECIPE;
SERVES 6;
250g red split lentils (washed and drained)
6 medium carrots (roughly chopped)
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 large onion (sliced)
1 litre of good chicken stock or veg stock
1 tbsp of tomato puree plus 1 teaspoon
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
2 cm piece of fresh ginger (finely chopped)
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp of cumin (freshly ground)
1 tsp of coriander (freshly ground)
10 black peppercorns (freshly ground)
1 tsp of turmeric
Sea salt
METHOD;
Heat a large enough pan with the olive oil, once hot add the onions,garlic and ginger and saute for 5 minutes (do not allow to burn). After 5 minutes add the spices and tomato puree - cook for 1 minute, add the carrots cook for a further minute then add the stock and lentils. Bring to the boil and allow to cook for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat and simmer for a further 35 minutes. You will more than likely have to top up with boiling water during simmering, how much depends on how thick you like your soup. Check for seasoning during cooking, but be aware of salt levels if not using homemade stock.
NOTE;
This is a very economical dish to make, and very healthy, you could cut back on the olive oil to 2 tbsp. You do not have to stop at just the soup. Various garnishes could be added on serving or just eat with Naan or flat bread. A small knob of unsalted butter in each dish is a welcome addition and some crisp fried onions could be added great texture.
Saturday, 17 October 2009
LE CHAMPIGNON SAUVAGE
Birthdays, believe it or not this one time of year that most thirty plus people dread need not be such a time for depressive episodes or those sleepless nights staring into space that even sheep counting cannot pacify, tossing and turning whilst worrying about wrinkles and such. Use this magical time in your life as an excuse to visit a top restaurant, this is exactly what we did recently. The restaurant in question Le Champignon Sauvage just happens to be an all time favourite of ours, so much so that it could possibly leave us in danger of not visiting any other establishments for the foreseeable future. I do not feel for this reason that i can give an unbiased account of our meal this time or on the previous visits but what i can do is tell you about the wonderful experience that Le Champignon Sauvage offers, the beautiful cooking, the warm welcome and great ambiance.
First a little background Le Champignon Sauvage is located in Cheltenham - Gloucestershire, nestling on the edge of the delightful Cotswold's. The restaurant is run by a husband and wife team with a very small brigade in the kitchen and two extra staff front of house. The couple are probably one of the most respected in the restaurant industry, due to there dedication to there restaurant with David never missing a kitchen service since opening. Helen his wife deserves equal credit for the way she runs the front of house. With two Michelin stars , 8/10 in the good food guide, 4 AA stars, Cateys,chef of the year and a list of awards and achievements too long to list, this is a serious restaurant at the top of it's game but without a hint of attitude. As paying customers you are made more than welcome. The meal will start with elegant little Gougeres, lovingly handmade at the restaurant, then a shot glass of soup with a froth or foam on top. Pea and coconut is just one of the few we have had. These two amuses are as much a part of the restaurant as the two michelin stars. Breads are too die for, normally presented in 3 -4 different variety's, and all hand baked on the premises. There is a choice of two menus one priced at £25 for two courses and £30 for three courses, which allows you to substitute a cheese course for dessert or cheese as a separate course for £9 supplement (cheese comes with handmade biscuits and bread ,made on the premises).The second menu is priced at £45 for two courses, £55 for three courses or £64 for three courses and cheese. The second menu naturally makes use of more expensive ingredients such as scallops. Coffee and petit fours are £3 per a person and really showcase the skill that this establishment operates at. Mini rum baba, chocolates and nougat can be found among the offerings. The style of cooking is French with inspiration coming from across the globe. Although the cooking has it's roots in the Terroir modern methods are embraced but not abused, and clever use of wild and foraged foods abound. This restaurant proves that good ingredients, skills and knowledge can produce exceptional food from sometimes humble ingredients. On my last visit to start, i ordered a Thai vegetable broth with lemongrass oil which actually tasted of Thailand rather than a miss matched grouping of south east Asian ingredients, for main course i had lamb with Moroccan spices and a chick pea puree, which had been elevated to new heights.
David Everitt Matthias is perhaps one of the only truly world class chefs that Britain has produced as not many can claim the level of skill, knowledge and expertise across all departments in the kitchen and not forgetting skills in wild foods and butchery. I like to think of David Everitt Matthias as Britain's answer to Thomas Keller, but as the saying goes behind every great man is a women and this truly is the case. What would Le Champignon Sauvage be with only excellent cooking, the whole experience is not just based on food alone. The service from the start to finish is truly great with everyone made to feel a part of the restaurant experience.
But the one question i have and i do know others often ask, is why do they only have two Michelin stars? Is it because thirty staff are not on hand? The cooking is of three star quality and the service can match. It is about time Michelin gave this restaurant the credit that is so deserved.
First a little background Le Champignon Sauvage is located in Cheltenham - Gloucestershire, nestling on the edge of the delightful Cotswold's. The restaurant is run by a husband and wife team with a very small brigade in the kitchen and two extra staff front of house. The couple are probably one of the most respected in the restaurant industry, due to there dedication to there restaurant with David never missing a kitchen service since opening. Helen his wife deserves equal credit for the way she runs the front of house. With two Michelin stars , 8/10 in the good food guide, 4 AA stars, Cateys,chef of the year and a list of awards and achievements too long to list, this is a serious restaurant at the top of it's game but without a hint of attitude. As paying customers you are made more than welcome. The meal will start with elegant little Gougeres, lovingly handmade at the restaurant, then a shot glass of soup with a froth or foam on top. Pea and coconut is just one of the few we have had. These two amuses are as much a part of the restaurant as the two michelin stars. Breads are too die for, normally presented in 3 -4 different variety's, and all hand baked on the premises. There is a choice of two menus one priced at £25 for two courses and £30 for three courses, which allows you to substitute a cheese course for dessert or cheese as a separate course for £9 supplement (cheese comes with handmade biscuits and bread ,made on the premises).The second menu is priced at £45 for two courses, £55 for three courses or £64 for three courses and cheese. The second menu naturally makes use of more expensive ingredients such as scallops. Coffee and petit fours are £3 per a person and really showcase the skill that this establishment operates at. Mini rum baba, chocolates and nougat can be found among the offerings. The style of cooking is French with inspiration coming from across the globe. Although the cooking has it's roots in the Terroir modern methods are embraced but not abused, and clever use of wild and foraged foods abound. This restaurant proves that good ingredients, skills and knowledge can produce exceptional food from sometimes humble ingredients. On my last visit to start, i ordered a Thai vegetable broth with lemongrass oil which actually tasted of Thailand rather than a miss matched grouping of south east Asian ingredients, for main course i had lamb with Moroccan spices and a chick pea puree, which had been elevated to new heights.
David Everitt Matthias is perhaps one of the only truly world class chefs that Britain has produced as not many can claim the level of skill, knowledge and expertise across all departments in the kitchen and not forgetting skills in wild foods and butchery. I like to think of David Everitt Matthias as Britain's answer to Thomas Keller, but as the saying goes behind every great man is a women and this truly is the case. What would Le Champignon Sauvage be with only excellent cooking, the whole experience is not just based on food alone. The service from the start to finish is truly great with everyone made to feel a part of the restaurant experience.
But the one question i have and i do know others often ask, is why do they only have two Michelin stars? Is it because thirty staff are not on hand? The cooking is of three star quality and the service can match. It is about time Michelin gave this restaurant the credit that is so deserved.
24-28 Suffolk Road
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL50 2AQ
- Tel . 01242 573449
Open for lunch and dinner tuesday to saturday.
Monday, 31 August 2009
CASAMIA - RESTAURANT WESTBURY ON TRYM
Finding westbury to the north of Bristol was not in its self a big problem, finding Casamia proved to be a little harder. Set back from the high street behind a wrought iron gate you find a rather quaint alley leading to the entrance door of the restaurant. Casamia is a family run restaurant with Dad front of house and the two sons in the kitchen, originally a main stream Italian but now following the Molecular gastronomy route with ultra modern cooking. Italian influences are still evident amongst the menu which recently helped the restaurant and cooking to achieve a coveted michelin star in the 2009 guide.
With two different menu's on offer this lunch time, we opted for the lunch menu as time was not to our advantage, this menu was then offered at £20 for three courses. On being seated we were presented with a small loaf of bread cut into five slices, apart from the odd number and ensuing argument as there was two of us and five slices, the bread was exceptional , moist, warm and great textured, a real treat, seeing how two of our Michelin 3 starred restaurants buy there bread in!
Although a little slow to start with, the service gradually improved once the wait staff eventually ceased handing out little glasses and showing off with isi syphons, although not a part of the lunch menu some tables were seated after us and received the gas drinks while we were seated empty handed. For first courses my partner had the pigeon and i opted for the beetroot risotto with pickled fennel, pistachios and iced yogurt. The risotto was flavourful if a little pungent, resulting in a good cough on a couple of occasions. The dish was good but the very small portion size, made it a struggle to eat, with all of the accompaniments a deeper beetroot flavour would have been more welcome. Second courses arrived with my partner opting for slow roast pork and salisfy, myself olive oil poached salmon, chicken wing and Jerusalem artichoke puree the salmon had benefited from the olive oil poaching no doubt sous vide leaving a very agreeable moist piece of fish that deserved recognition, as for the inclusion of the chicken wing was it there to make up the numbers we shall never know. My partner's slow roast pork was succulent and a little try of the salisfy was a first for us both, on too dessert i opted for the chocolate tart with beetroot ice cream, it struck as strange in a restaurant cooking at this level to have principle ingredients repeated, although the ice cream had a wonderful texture and good flavour, sadly you needed a magnifying glass to spot the chocolate tart. The chocolate tart was fair showing good technical
skill, but sadly did not pack a big enough punch to warrant it minuscule size. On the other side of the table an angelica ice cream with mango was duly finished and so i am told was rather good.
Not a bad meal but not exceptional either, while far better than any offering in my home town of Plymouth. Following the route of molecular gastronomy is not an easy path. Judgments become clouded, portions become small and sometimes you just want something to eat! This establishment has great potential, and maybe i have lost my patience with Ultra modern cooking, but flashes of brilliance are most definately in the background with the bread and the salmon, while the presentation could hold it's own in any establishment in this country!
We paid approximately £60 for two with two bottled beers and one glass of house wine. At present the lunch pricing is slightly higher starting at £25 per head. Two menus are offered with vegaterian dishes on request.
CASAMIA
38 HIGH STREET
WESTBURY ON TRYM
BRISTOL
BS9 3DZ
ENGLAND
TEL : 0117 959 2884
http://www.casamiarestaurant.co.uk/
With two different menu's on offer this lunch time, we opted for the lunch menu as time was not to our advantage, this menu was then offered at £20 for three courses. On being seated we were presented with a small loaf of bread cut into five slices, apart from the odd number and ensuing argument as there was two of us and five slices, the bread was exceptional , moist, warm and great textured, a real treat, seeing how two of our Michelin 3 starred restaurants buy there bread in!
Although a little slow to start with, the service gradually improved once the wait staff eventually ceased handing out little glasses and showing off with isi syphons, although not a part of the lunch menu some tables were seated after us and received the gas drinks while we were seated empty handed. For first courses my partner had the pigeon and i opted for the beetroot risotto with pickled fennel, pistachios and iced yogurt. The risotto was flavourful if a little pungent, resulting in a good cough on a couple of occasions. The dish was good but the very small portion size, made it a struggle to eat, with all of the accompaniments a deeper beetroot flavour would have been more welcome. Second courses arrived with my partner opting for slow roast pork and salisfy, myself olive oil poached salmon, chicken wing and Jerusalem artichoke puree the salmon had benefited from the olive oil poaching no doubt sous vide leaving a very agreeable moist piece of fish that deserved recognition, as for the inclusion of the chicken wing was it there to make up the numbers we shall never know. My partner's slow roast pork was succulent and a little try of the salisfy was a first for us both, on too dessert i opted for the chocolate tart with beetroot ice cream, it struck as strange in a restaurant cooking at this level to have principle ingredients repeated, although the ice cream had a wonderful texture and good flavour, sadly you needed a magnifying glass to spot the chocolate tart. The chocolate tart was fair showing good technical
skill, but sadly did not pack a big enough punch to warrant it minuscule size. On the other side of the table an angelica ice cream with mango was duly finished and so i am told was rather good.
Not a bad meal but not exceptional either, while far better than any offering in my home town of Plymouth. Following the route of molecular gastronomy is not an easy path. Judgments become clouded, portions become small and sometimes you just want something to eat! This establishment has great potential, and maybe i have lost my patience with Ultra modern cooking, but flashes of brilliance are most definately in the background with the bread and the salmon, while the presentation could hold it's own in any establishment in this country!
We paid approximately £60 for two with two bottled beers and one glass of house wine. At present the lunch pricing is slightly higher starting at £25 per head. Two menus are offered with vegaterian dishes on request.
CASAMIA
38 HIGH STREET
WESTBURY ON TRYM
BRISTOL
BS9 3DZ
ENGLAND
TEL : 0117 959 2884
http://www.casamiarestaurant.co.uk/
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