I have come to the conclusion after a little experimentation with this dish that dried and soaked chick peas give a far superior flavour to hummus than tinned, although tinned still give excellent results. On the downside there is a lengthy wait with overnight soaking and a rather long simmering time, but worth the wait to the patient cook, with the flavour not diminishing quite as fast as when made with tinned chick peas
THE RECIPE;
Serves 4
200g dried chick peas(soaked overnight)
2 tbsp tahini
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp of reserved cooking water
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
METHOD;
Soak the chick peas overnight, then drain and rinse well. Cook according to manufactures instructions or approx 1hour 30 minutes.( place the chick peas in 2lt of cold water with no salt. Bring to the boil, boil for 15 minutes then reduce the heat and simmer until cooked through) Drain and refresh in cold water. Add the drained chick peas to a food processor, then blitz. Add the tahini paste,garlic, paprika, and half of the lemon, then blitz again. At this point use the 2 tbsp of reserved cooking water to loosen the hummus, blitz again and taste. After tasting, adjust seasoning with sea salt and ground pepper and add the other half of the lemon if required. Serve in dish with the remaining extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top!
NOTE;
This dish is at it's best within 4 days, but is not suitable for home freezing. Suitable for veggies and vegans.
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Monday, 23 March 2009
MINT AND YOGHURT DIP
6 tbsp of natural yoghurt
2" piece of cucumber chopped finely and skin peeled
2 tbsp fresh mint
Optional fresh green chilli( 1/4 of a medium chilli is sufficent for flavour)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO MAKE;
Add the yoghurt to a bowl then the finely chopped mint, cucumber and chilli if using. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. This dip improves once the flavours have infused, so if possible make in advance.
A squeeze of lemon can be added for a sour note.
2" piece of cucumber chopped finely and skin peeled
2 tbsp fresh mint
Optional fresh green chilli( 1/4 of a medium chilli is sufficent for flavour)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO MAKE;
Add the yoghurt to a bowl then the finely chopped mint, cucumber and chilli if using. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. This dip improves once the flavours have infused, so if possible make in advance.
A squeeze of lemon can be added for a sour note.
SPICED POTATOES
SPICED POTATOES
Spice mix;
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic
vegetable oil or olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Potatoes
METHOD;
Grind the whole spices, then add the paprika and garlic with a touch of oil to make a paste.
Leave the skins on small to medium sized potatoes, and toss in a little oil, season, then give a thin coating of spice paste. Place into a pre-heated oven 190c/375 F/Gas 5 in a dish covered with tin foil. Cook for approx 1 hour or until a knife will glide through.
TO SERVE;
Cut the potatoes length ways, season with salt and pepper, garnish with fresh coriander leaf and a squeeze of lemon.
NOTE;
As only a small rub of spice paste is required this mixture will coat a large amount of potatoes, so is ideal for large gatherings, and parties where simple,healthy and tasty food is called upon. With little effort!
Spice mix;
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic
vegetable oil or olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Potatoes
METHOD;
Grind the whole spices, then add the paprika and garlic with a touch of oil to make a paste.
Leave the skins on small to medium sized potatoes, and toss in a little oil, season, then give a thin coating of spice paste. Place into a pre-heated oven 190c/375 F/Gas 5 in a dish covered with tin foil. Cook for approx 1 hour or until a knife will glide through.
TO SERVE;
Cut the potatoes length ways, season with salt and pepper, garnish with fresh coriander leaf and a squeeze of lemon.
NOTE;
As only a small rub of spice paste is required this mixture will coat a large amount of potatoes, so is ideal for large gatherings, and parties where simple,healthy and tasty food is called upon. With little effort!
SHEPHERD'S PIE
Although similar in composition to cottage pie, a shepherd's pie is actually made with lamb rather than beef! A quick recipe search on the net earlier turned up an alarming amount of shepherd's pie recipe's that called for the inclusion of beef. Left over meats were traditionally used, with the dish often making an appearance in the preceding days after a roasted joint had been cooked. This is a very simple recipe, that does not call for much skill on the part of the cook!
THE RECIPE;
serves 4
500g lamb mince
1kg of floury potatoes
Butter
Optional milk for mashing
500ml lamb stock or chicken stock
250 ml red wine
3 carrots
2 sticks of celery
2 onions
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp Worcester sauce
1 tbsp of plain flour
1 tbsp of fresh thyme
1 tbsp of rosemary
2 tbsp of olive oil or vegetable oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD;
Finely chop the garlic and dice the vegetable's into small cubes, reserve. Brown the mince in a saute pan, once browned drain the fat and reserve the mince. Add 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and saute the carrot for 2 minutes followed by the onion and celery, once softened add the garlic, and season, then cook for 2 minutes and return the mince to the pan, cook for 2 minutes before adding 1 tbsp of plain flour(sieved). Cook for a further minute and add tomato puree and Worcester sauce, stir to combine, cook for an additional 2 minutes before adding the red wine and stock, add the thyme and rosemary and allow the pan to simmer on the hob for a further 35 minutes, while checking for seasoning from time to time. Peel and boil the potatoes until tender and mash with the butter and milk if desired, and give a good seasoning of salt and pepper.
Transfer the lamb to a suitable oven dish and top with mash potato, forming a pattern with the back of a fork or leaving the potato rough! Transfer to a pre-heated oven (190c/375F/gas 5) and cook for 35-40 minutes and the top is nice and browned.
Good served with seasonal vegetables.
NOTE;
Mashing the potato with olive oil instead of butter will give a lighter and healthier version, and will assist the mash in browning during the oven cooking phase of this dish! The mash can be added with the aid of a piping bag, or spooned over the top the method is a personal choice!
THE RECIPE;
serves 4
500g lamb mince
1kg of floury potatoes
Butter
Optional milk for mashing
500ml lamb stock or chicken stock
250 ml red wine
3 carrots
2 sticks of celery
2 onions
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp Worcester sauce
1 tbsp of plain flour
1 tbsp of fresh thyme
1 tbsp of rosemary
2 tbsp of olive oil or vegetable oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD;
Finely chop the garlic and dice the vegetable's into small cubes, reserve. Brown the mince in a saute pan, once browned drain the fat and reserve the mince. Add 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and saute the carrot for 2 minutes followed by the onion and celery, once softened add the garlic, and season, then cook for 2 minutes and return the mince to the pan, cook for 2 minutes before adding 1 tbsp of plain flour(sieved). Cook for a further minute and add tomato puree and Worcester sauce, stir to combine, cook for an additional 2 minutes before adding the red wine and stock, add the thyme and rosemary and allow the pan to simmer on the hob for a further 35 minutes, while checking for seasoning from time to time. Peel and boil the potatoes until tender and mash with the butter and milk if desired, and give a good seasoning of salt and pepper.
Transfer the lamb to a suitable oven dish and top with mash potato, forming a pattern with the back of a fork or leaving the potato rough! Transfer to a pre-heated oven (190c/375F/gas 5) and cook for 35-40 minutes and the top is nice and browned.
Good served with seasonal vegetables.
NOTE;
Mashing the potato with olive oil instead of butter will give a lighter and healthier version, and will assist the mash in browning during the oven cooking phase of this dish! The mash can be added with the aid of a piping bag, or spooned over the top the method is a personal choice!
Saturday, 21 March 2009
LAMB KEBAB
After the bad press that the local kebab houses have received recently, and having been relegated to post piss up fodder, we at home have been looking at healthy alternatives. Although we would not visit a British kebab shop while sober, and at 2000 Cal's a pop, i would rather eat food that is less greasy and more tasty, but temptation is never far away.
Here we have lamb kebabs made with minced lamb, these are just perfect for the barbecue or as part of a feast with friends. Although not true too one geographic region these kebabs nod towards the middle east, with a little Indian spice included for good measure!
THE RECIPE;
500g lamb mince
2 tbsp fresh mint(optional)
3 cloves garlic(minced with sea salt)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp of black pepper corns
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp mild chilli powder(for a hotter version try a stronger powder, but do not increase amount)
Good pinch of sea salt
THE METHOD:
First grind the coriander,cumin and black pepper corns in a blender, spice mill or pestle and mortar. Place the lamb mince into a bowl with the minced garlic( to mince the garlic crush with back of a knife and add a sprinkle of sea salt, then run the blade of a knife across the garlic to achieve a smooth puree) and chopped mint if using. Add the ground spices to the lamb mince along with the paprika,chilli, turmeric and a large pinch of salt, using your hands(clean) incorporate all of the ingredients until combined and thoroughly mixed.
This amount of mixture will make 6 skewered kebabs at approx 8" in length. If using wood skewers soak for ten minutes before moulding the lamb to form kebabs. If using metal skewers please be aware the the metal will heat during cooking therefor cooking the inside of the kebabs and shortening the final cooking time.
To mould the kebabs onto the skewers place a sixth of the mixture into the palm of your hand and form a cigar shape around the skewers, making sure you have a uniformed thickness.
TO COOK;
Cooking times will vary depending on how thick you make them,the level of doneness you prefer and which method you use!
The kebabs could be placed on a griddle, barbecue or preheated oven. Or alternatively you could form into small patties or burgers.
VARIATIONS;
This method of cooking lamb mince is really open too your own imagination. You could add breadcrumbs to bulk out the mixture, lemon juice will work very well, or a touch of yoghurt in with the mixture.
TO SERVE;
Great served with hummus or mint and yoghurt dip, and home made spicy potatoes. A simple salad of tomato,onion and coriander leaf with a sqeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil, and warm pitta bread.
MINT AND YOGHURT DIP;
6 tbsp of natural yoghurt or greek style yoghurt
2" cucumber chopped finely and skin peeled
2 tbsp of fresh mint
Otional fresh chilli( i like to use a 1/4 of a medium sized green chilli)
Salt and pepper to taste
TO MAKE;
Add the yoghurt to a bowl then the finely chopped mint,cucumber and chilli if using. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. This dip improves once the flavours have infused, so if possible make a couple of hours before.
SPICED POTATOES;
Spice mix;
2 tbsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp paprika
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
Grind the whole spices then add the paprika and garlic with a touch of olive oil to make a paste.
Leaving the skins on small to medium sized potatoes coat in a little olive oil , and season,then give a thin coating of spice paste, place into a pre heated oven 190c/375 F/Gas 5 in a dish covered with foil, cook for one hour or until a knife will glide through, and the potato is cooked. Season with salt and pepper on serving, or cut in half and garnish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon.
NOTE;
As only a small rub of spice paste is required this mixture coat a lot of potatoes, so is ideal for large gatherings, and parties where simple,healthy and tasty food is called for, with little effort!
Here we have lamb kebabs made with minced lamb, these are just perfect for the barbecue or as part of a feast with friends. Although not true too one geographic region these kebabs nod towards the middle east, with a little Indian spice included for good measure!
THE RECIPE;
500g lamb mince
2 tbsp fresh mint(optional)
3 cloves garlic(minced with sea salt)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp of black pepper corns
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp mild chilli powder(for a hotter version try a stronger powder, but do not increase amount)
Good pinch of sea salt
THE METHOD:
First grind the coriander,cumin and black pepper corns in a blender, spice mill or pestle and mortar. Place the lamb mince into a bowl with the minced garlic( to mince the garlic crush with back of a knife and add a sprinkle of sea salt, then run the blade of a knife across the garlic to achieve a smooth puree) and chopped mint if using. Add the ground spices to the lamb mince along with the paprika,chilli, turmeric and a large pinch of salt, using your hands(clean) incorporate all of the ingredients until combined and thoroughly mixed.
This amount of mixture will make 6 skewered kebabs at approx 8" in length. If using wood skewers soak for ten minutes before moulding the lamb to form kebabs. If using metal skewers please be aware the the metal will heat during cooking therefor cooking the inside of the kebabs and shortening the final cooking time.
To mould the kebabs onto the skewers place a sixth of the mixture into the palm of your hand and form a cigar shape around the skewers, making sure you have a uniformed thickness.
TO COOK;
Cooking times will vary depending on how thick you make them,the level of doneness you prefer and which method you use!
The kebabs could be placed on a griddle, barbecue or preheated oven. Or alternatively you could form into small patties or burgers.
VARIATIONS;
This method of cooking lamb mince is really open too your own imagination. You could add breadcrumbs to bulk out the mixture, lemon juice will work very well, or a touch of yoghurt in with the mixture.
TO SERVE;
Great served with hummus or mint and yoghurt dip, and home made spicy potatoes. A simple salad of tomato,onion and coriander leaf with a sqeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil, and warm pitta bread.
MINT AND YOGHURT DIP;
6 tbsp of natural yoghurt or greek style yoghurt
2" cucumber chopped finely and skin peeled
2 tbsp of fresh mint
Otional fresh chilli( i like to use a 1/4 of a medium sized green chilli)
Salt and pepper to taste
TO MAKE;
Add the yoghurt to a bowl then the finely chopped mint,cucumber and chilli if using. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. This dip improves once the flavours have infused, so if possible make a couple of hours before.
SPICED POTATOES;
Spice mix;
2 tbsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp paprika
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
Grind the whole spices then add the paprika and garlic with a touch of olive oil to make a paste.
Leaving the skins on small to medium sized potatoes coat in a little olive oil , and season,then give a thin coating of spice paste, place into a pre heated oven 190c/375 F/Gas 5 in a dish covered with foil, cook for one hour or until a knife will glide through, and the potato is cooked. Season with salt and pepper on serving, or cut in half and garnish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon.
NOTE;
As only a small rub of spice paste is required this mixture coat a lot of potatoes, so is ideal for large gatherings, and parties where simple,healthy and tasty food is called for, with little effort!
Monday, 16 March 2009
HUMMUS(HOUMMUS) RECIPE ONE!
Although middle eastern in origin, Hummus is now widely known throughout the world. It is said that Hummus has been with us since the birth of Delia or more to the point a time span somewhere in the region of 7,000 years - whichever is true you can bet your mother in law that a food would have to be very special to last that amount of time and still evolve. Unfortunately the big stores have added their mucky paws to the evolutionary process, with there own chemical glop being passed off as hummus, and worse still they are selling them at prices, that when added up- probably work out cheaper than making your own.Worrying as it is there is a solution to this travesty. Regain your sense of pride and make your own, the extra little bit of cost will not break the bank. The taste will be far superior to supermarket slop.
This recipe requires the use of tinned chick peas, but is still very good. Hummus recipe 2 will be using dried chick peas that are soaked overnight!
This recipe requires the use of tinned chick peas, but is still very good. Hummus recipe 2 will be using dried chick peas that are soaked overnight!
THE RECIPE;
2 x 400g tins of chick peas
2 x tablespoons of tahini
1 x lemon
1 x clove garlic
1 x tsp paprika
2 x tsp of extra virgin olive oil
Seasalt and Black pepper to taste
METHOD;
Drain the chick peas in a colander and rinse thoroughly, then drain again! Add the clove of garlic to a food processor with the knife blade fitted, and pulse on full power until finely chopped! Now add the chick peas, lemon juice, tahini - plus the salt and process on full power until a paste is formed. Add the paprika and pulse again. Taste and adjust seasoning adding more salt and a little pepper if required then finish with extra virgin olive oil, give this another process, depending on the consistency that you desire! Serve as you wish but especially good with pitta or flat breads.
NOTES;
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Not suitable for home freezing and is at its best during the the first 24 hours, when placed in a refrigerator it will last 3-4 days, but a loss of flavour is to be expected. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, that is common in ethnic grocers and supermarkets. Tahini is liable to seperate during storage, stir well before use.
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
PLYMOUTH FARMERS MARKET : DATES REMAINING 2009
MARCH 14th
MARCH 28th
APRIL 11th
APRIL 25th
MAY 9th
MAY 23rd
JUNE 13th
JUNE 27th
JULY 11th
JULY 25th
AUGUST 8th
AUGUST 22nd
SEPTEMBER 12th
SEPTEMBER 26th
OCTOBER 10th
OCTOBER 24th
NOVEMBER 14th
NOVEMBER 28th
DECEMBER 12th
DECEMBER 19th
Plymouth Farmers Market is hosted on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, opening times are 9am - 4.30pm/16.30. The market is situated around the sundial in the city centre.
A selection of stores are always on show, ranging from small producers of artisan foods to fresh produce.
Thursday, 26 February 2009
FAT MAMMA'S BURGER BAR
Tucked away in a small premises on Drakes circus, with little frontage to do this business justice, walk through the doors of what was once a record shop you may be pleasantly surprised.
"THE WORLDS GREATEST BURGER" as proudly displayed in the small window is serving as the name would suggest- well burgers! The burgers are not the worlds best, but there is no harm in selling your product, you have to survive in this day and age with the bankers living on there fat cat pensions and the rest of us struggling to survive, you can be forgiven for selling and thinking big, it's the only way to go!
What these burgers do have is realism! Yes you heard it here first -real burgers in Plymouth. I witnessed with my own eyes these being made! What a revelation, beefburgers being shaped by the gloved hands of the one guy behind the counter, this is just getting better! Being the only customer at the time, another 4-5 we would have been struggling to sling the proverbial cat, the place is small, but welcoming with the guy behind the counter happy to discarded his disposable gloves to take my order. Now the menu board is up high, very well placed for the Plymouth raiders basketball team or those with good vision, but still manageable for the rest of us, let us not forget space is an issue here! With a choice of burgers all at £3.50 and wraps from £3.95, the menu is more than adequate. I decided on the English burger. A beefburger that is topped with bacon and an egg. Very British indeed with a side of beer battered chips with choice of dips.(Sides from £1.50, Coffee 95p)
As i waited for my order i had a good scan of the premises, it didn't take long but i liked the set up. For those with a liking of nostalgic signs you will be catered for. There are of course other burgers on offer, amongst them i noticed the Swiss, American, lamb and mint and of course the Hawaiian burger topped with the old favourite of the pizza shop the "the pineapple slice".
My order arrived wrapped in white paper and handed over the counter, good to go or if you like make use of the seating, which i did, as time was not of importance on this day
The first bite was good the second better, a nice burger at an acceptable size that screamed well made(i hate massive burgers). The burger being topped with a thick slice of bacon and an egg, plus the usual salad, that hid a lovely little surprise, a wonderful cornichon. Now most of us know this is the secret weapon of the high street burger chains, but it amazes me that hardly anyone else serves these with their burgers. Take the cornichon out of high street fast food burger and what are you left with, a pretty dismal beef pattie that cost next to nothing to make plus a couple of limp pieces of salad and a clump of mayo. If we were to do the cornichon test on the average Burger king or McDonald's customer, most when faced with a cornichon would probably run a mile let alone taste one, yet they don't question the actual taste that makes ,what they eat palatable. This has nothing what so ever to do with the big companies promise of wonderful ingredients, it is a unique secret weapon that i am glad to say has found it's way into the better burgers that can be found at Fat Mamma's. At £3.50 i would much rather spend my money here, and get the real McCoy, than give the big corporations my hard earned cash and grease the palms of the nasty fat cats. My only gripe with Fat Mamma's is that they need a menu placed outside. I have stopped on many occasions and walked on because i couldn't see what was on offer, i am glad that i did venture inside, and i will be back!
FAT MAMMA'S
DRAKES CIRCUS
NORTH HILL
PLYMOUTH
PL4 8AY
TEL: 0781 9615097
"THE WORLDS GREATEST BURGER" as proudly displayed in the small window is serving as the name would suggest- well burgers! The burgers are not the worlds best, but there is no harm in selling your product, you have to survive in this day and age with the bankers living on there fat cat pensions and the rest of us struggling to survive, you can be forgiven for selling and thinking big, it's the only way to go!
What these burgers do have is realism! Yes you heard it here first -real burgers in Plymouth. I witnessed with my own eyes these being made! What a revelation, beefburgers being shaped by the gloved hands of the one guy behind the counter, this is just getting better! Being the only customer at the time, another 4-5 we would have been struggling to sling the proverbial cat, the place is small, but welcoming with the guy behind the counter happy to discarded his disposable gloves to take my order. Now the menu board is up high, very well placed for the Plymouth raiders basketball team or those with good vision, but still manageable for the rest of us, let us not forget space is an issue here! With a choice of burgers all at £3.50 and wraps from £3.95, the menu is more than adequate. I decided on the English burger. A beefburger that is topped with bacon and an egg. Very British indeed with a side of beer battered chips with choice of dips.(Sides from £1.50, Coffee 95p)
As i waited for my order i had a good scan of the premises, it didn't take long but i liked the set up. For those with a liking of nostalgic signs you will be catered for. There are of course other burgers on offer, amongst them i noticed the Swiss, American, lamb and mint and of course the Hawaiian burger topped with the old favourite of the pizza shop the "the pineapple slice".
My order arrived wrapped in white paper and handed over the counter, good to go or if you like make use of the seating, which i did, as time was not of importance on this day
The first bite was good the second better, a nice burger at an acceptable size that screamed well made(i hate massive burgers). The burger being topped with a thick slice of bacon and an egg, plus the usual salad, that hid a lovely little surprise, a wonderful cornichon. Now most of us know this is the secret weapon of the high street burger chains, but it amazes me that hardly anyone else serves these with their burgers. Take the cornichon out of high street fast food burger and what are you left with, a pretty dismal beef pattie that cost next to nothing to make plus a couple of limp pieces of salad and a clump of mayo. If we were to do the cornichon test on the average Burger king or McDonald's customer, most when faced with a cornichon would probably run a mile let alone taste one, yet they don't question the actual taste that makes ,what they eat palatable. This has nothing what so ever to do with the big companies promise of wonderful ingredients, it is a unique secret weapon that i am glad to say has found it's way into the better burgers that can be found at Fat Mamma's. At £3.50 i would much rather spend my money here, and get the real McCoy, than give the big corporations my hard earned cash and grease the palms of the nasty fat cats. My only gripe with Fat Mamma's is that they need a menu placed outside. I have stopped on many occasions and walked on because i couldn't see what was on offer, i am glad that i did venture inside, and i will be back!
FAT MAMMA'S
DRAKES CIRCUS
NORTH HILL
PLYMOUTH
PL4 8AY
TEL: 0781 9615097
BEEF RENDANG- PICTURE SEQENCE
Spices blended with a pestle and mortar. A spice mill or blender attachment can be used in lieu of a decent pestle and mortar.
Onion,garlic and ginger passed through a blender. Blended to the consistency of a puree.
Coconut bought to the boil at the first stage.
Coconut milk with the addition of spices and onion puree. This is the first change of colour to be experienced during the cooking of this rendang.
You will notice the slightly darker colour of the dish at this stage. Do not give up at this stage and serve the dish a little patience is all that is required. Believe me the dish will change to the desired colour.
Towards the end of cooking time you will notice that most of the coconut milk has been reduced and absorbed by the beef. This is the stage that requires a little more attention. You will need to keep a close eye on the beef to prevent the beef from burning and drying out. Believe me at this stage it is possible to lose the dish. When most of the sauce has been absorbed and you are left with a dark mass of beef with a thick coating of sauce. You are ready to serve!
The final product. At the beginning of cooking you will wonder whether the dish is too light in colour, will it ever reduce, be patient the dish will happen!
Onion,garlic and ginger passed through a blender. Blended to the consistency of a puree.
Coconut bought to the boil at the first stage.
Coconut milk with the addition of spices and onion puree. This is the first change of colour to be experienced during the cooking of this rendang.
You will notice the slightly darker colour of the dish at this stage. Do not give up at this stage and serve the dish a little patience is all that is required. Believe me the dish will change to the desired colour.
Towards the end of cooking time you will notice that most of the coconut milk has been reduced and absorbed by the beef. This is the stage that requires a little more attention. You will need to keep a close eye on the beef to prevent the beef from burning and drying out. Believe me at this stage it is possible to lose the dish. When most of the sauce has been absorbed and you are left with a dark mass of beef with a thick coating of sauce. You are ready to serve!
The final product. At the beginning of cooking you will wonder whether the dish is too light in colour, will it ever reduce, be patient the dish will happen!
Monday, 23 February 2009
BEEF RENDANG
This dish is great, but is adaptable in the amount of beef you use. I allow 250g of beef per a person up to 1kg for this recipe. Allowing 250g of beef per a person is really not that much if you consider this dish is not bulked out with other ingredients like most curry dishes. You can cook this with 500g or 750g if desired, as the rest of the ingredients remain the same. Beef Rendang originates from Sumatra in Indonesia, with Malaysia having similar versions. During research for this dish, i did come across many versions with different recipes claiming to be authentic. My recipe is not far off the mark, but this aside it is still very tasty and a dish that is cooked many times in our household. The Rendang method was originally created as a way of preserving meat before the times of refrigeration. This dish does require a lot of time to make but the results are worth the wait. The puree of onion,garlic and ginger that is used to help thicken this dish is very adaptable for other curry dishes, and is a wonderful method of thickening and developing flavour.
THE RECIPE;
The puree;
250g onion
3 cloves of garlic
10g ginger
Small pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp of water or c/milk
The spice mix;
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 black peppercorns
The rest;
1 kg Beef steak(cut into decent chunks)
400ml coconut milk
1 bay leaf
1 stick of lemon grass
1 tbsp fresh lemon
4 chilli peppers(de seeded)- Depending on the amount of heat required seeds can be left!
2 -3 tsp of palm sugar
Optional Garnish;
Fresh tomato
Spring onion
Sliced chilli
Sliced chilli
THE METHOD;
Ground the spices in a pestle and mortar or spice mill to a fine powder, Reserve.
Chop the onion, garlic and ginger and add to a blender to make a puree. You will need to use the water or coconut milk to loosen the mixture and help the puree along. Season with a pinch of sea salt, reserve.
Add the coconut milk to a suitable skillet, and bring to the boil, after a couple of minutes add the spices, cook for 2 minutes before adding the onion puree, cook for a further 2 minutes before adding the chilli,lemongrass and bay leaf. Allow too cook for a further minute then add the Beef. Coat the beef with the coconut then add the lemon and palm sugar.
Over a low to moderate heat allow the dish to cook until all the sauce has been absorbed by the Beef, this will take somewhere between one and one and a half hours. Do not worry during cooking as the sauce will not take on the dark Rendang colour until all of the sauce is absorbed. During the last 10 minutes of cooking more attention is required as the sauce is absorbed to prevent the Rendang from burning.
The finished dish will look like a sticky dark brown mass, lovely and rich. Turn out into bowls and serve with boiled rice.
I like to eat Rendang with a garnish of tomato, spring onion and sliced deseeded chilli.
FOOLPROOF RICE
Not a recipe but a method for long grain rice. Bring 2 lt of salted water to the boil, add 400g of long grain rice(4 x 100g, allowing 100g per a person), stir to ensure the rice does not stick, bring back to the boil. The rice will cook perfectly in approximately 10 minutes. You will need to check for precise cooking by taste. The rice should be firm to the bite but giving a little.
Sunday, 22 February 2009
CHOCOLATE CHILLI PANCAKES WITH HOT CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Pancakes and chocolate sauce with a dusting of chilli, nearly heaven but not quite! The chilli is a good match with the chocolate but if not to your liking you can leave the chilli out. The chilli does add a new dimension to chocolate but a sprinking is all that is required.THE RECIPE;
For the chocolate sauce;
100ml double cream
150g of dark chocolate 55% cocoa
1 tsp of caster sugar
For the Pancakes;
4 pancakes(made from the previous recipe which you can find on this site)
Hot chilli powder
Sugar optional
METHOD;
Heat the cream with the tsp of sugar, once hot but not boiling add the chocolate in little pieces, stir until the chocolate has melted, keep warm until required.
TO PLATE AND FINISH;
You will require 4 pancakes. Spread a little chocolate sauce on each of the pancakes and a sprinkle of sugar if using, then roll into tight cigars, cut each pancake into 4 or 2 if desired, add to a plate with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a sprinkle of hot chilli powder.
PANCAKE FU YOUNG
A vegetarian version of a Fu Young dish. This recipe is using a pancake as a base rather than the traditional egg omelette. The beauty of this dish is that you can use any vegetables you have to hand. The Fu young is really a folded omelette with an assortment of Chinese ingredients.THE RECIPE;
4 pancakes
2 cloves of garlic(finely chopped)
1 chilli- seeds removed and sliced
1" piece of fresh ginger(finely chopped)
8-10 chestnut mushrooms(sliced)
4 spring onions(sliced on the diagonal)
1 medium onion(roughly chopped)
1 red pepper- sliced and seeds removed
4-6 mangetout
4-6 baby corn
A handful of fresh beansprouts
1 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce
Juice of half a lime
1 tsp sesame oil
sweet chilli sauce to taste
sea salt and black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS;
1 tsp of 5 spice
1 tsp of sugar
METHOD;
Stir fry the garlic ,onion,ginger and chilli for 1 minute, add the mangetout and corn and cook for a further minute, then add the bell pepper and mushrooms cook for a further 2-3 minutes then add the soy sauce and lime. Continue to stir fry then check for seasoning, adjust as necessary. Finally add the beansprouts and spring onion and cook for a further minute, then add a tsp of sesame oil before serving.
TO SERVE;
Place a 1/4 of the stir fry on each pancake and roll into a cigar shape, cut in half and plate with a garnish of sweet chilli sauce and a drizzle of the pan juices.
PANCAKE WITH PANCETTA LEEK AND PARMESAN SERVED WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE
A nice thick pancake served with Pancetta cooked with leeks and Parmesan cheese and finished with a drizzle of lemon vinaigrette. This recipe could serve 2 big portions but due to the richness of the dish and the dish itself being very filling, i would recommend a serving of four. Basically this is a tarted up version of a ham and cheese pancake, but all the better for it!THE RECIPE;
4 pancakes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp of unsalted butter
6 slices Pancetta
50g leek(white and light green part)
25g onion
20g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3g flat leaf parsley
4 tbsp of double cream
1 clove garlic
A splash of dry vermouth/ noilly prat
1/4 tsp of lemon vinaigrette
GARNISH;
Leaf salad
Lemon vinaigrette
TO MAKE LEMON VINAIGRETTE;
Place 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice into a shaker or squeeze bottle, add a small pinch of sea salt and shake to dissolve. Now add 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, shake again and add a pinch of sugar.
Taste and if required adjust seasoning. A pinch of freshly ground black pepper can be added if desired.
METHOD;
Add the olive oil and butter to a pan once hot add the onion and leek cook for 1 minute add the garlic cook for a further 30 seconds, then add the Pancetta. As the Pancetta starts to cook add a splash of dry vermouth, once the pancetta has crisped a little add the cream and 1/4 of a tsp of lemon vinaigrette, cook for a further minute then add the Parmesan and chopped parsley. Cook for a further 2 minutes and take off the heat.
TO FINISH;
Fold a pancake in half and spoon a 1/4 of the Pancetta filling into the middle, now fold again so that it looks like a little horn, place onto a plate. Dress the salad leaf with lemon vinaigrette and place alongside the pancake and drizzle some vinaigrette around the plate.
PANCAKES - SHROVE TUESDAY
For century's throughout the world, Christian community's have been celebrating the Tuesday before lent. In the Catholic communities of the Americas Mardi Gras is one such festival, closer to home it is called shrove Tuesday but more commonly known to us as pancake day. Traditionally pancakes were served with a meat based stew on the day before lent, now days you are more likely to find the sweet and sour combination of lemon juice and sugar. Possibilities for fillings are endless as pancakes can brace the worlds of sweet and savoury. Here is my Pancake recipe, which incidentally is a good time to get tossing, that is pancakes of course!THE RECIPE;
Makes 4 thick or 6 thin pancakes.
150g plain flour(sieved)
350ml whole milk
1 large egg(preferably free range)
pinch of salt
1 tsp of oil
METHOD;
Sieve the flour and add the milk. whisk to combine and break in the egg, whisk again until all ingredients are nice and smooth and the consistency of thick cream. Season with a pinch of salt.Heat a non stick pan/skillet with the teaspoon of oil, swirl this around the pan. Once hot pour a quarter of the batter into the pan and make sure that it covers the whole of the base, after a minute loosen the edges with a spatula, give the pan a shake. If you are a tosser it makes life a little easier at this point as a good flick of the wrist will turn the pancake. If you are not a tosser, you will have to find away of turning the pancake over, if this fails you could place the pan under a hot grill till slightly coloured. Once the pancake is slightly brown it is cooked.Turn each pancake onto a plate, if desired serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of sugar, or alternatively serve with a nice fruit jam.
NOTES;
If you desire less oil, place 1 tsp of oil , once hot give the pan a very light wipe with a kitchen towel, but please be careful of your fingers.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
MOORISH CUSTARD TART
Who doesn't like the odd tart. Well i am sure I'm not alone in the pursuit of happiness, a well made tart certainly delivers in the happiness stakes. But unfortunately only temporary happiness can be achieved with this comforting Moorish custard tart, reason being it will not stay in the fridge for long, it will be gone before you finish the oohs and ahhs of moorish delight.
THE RECIPE;
1 quantity of pine nut pastry- this recipe makes three batches!
2 cups/10oz pine nuts
1/3 cup of sugar(approx 75g)
3 cups of plain flour
8oz/250g unsalted butter(room temp)
1 large egg
1 tsp of vanilla extract/essence
Extra butter and flour for greasing the tin.
METHOD;
Pulse the pine nuts in a food processor, add the sugar and flour then pulse again until the nuts are finely ground and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Place this mixture into a mixing bowl, add the softened butter,egg and vanilla extract/essence. Mix to combine(a ball of dough should form at this point), and divide into three equal parts. Wrap each dough mixture in cling film. Place one quantity of dough into the fridge and freeze the other two if not using within 24 hours. You will require a 9" tart tin/sandwich tin with a removable bottom. Grease the tin with butter and give a light dusting of flour, now place into the fridge for ten minutes. Pre heat an oven to 180 c, take out the tart tin after the 10 minutes and mould the pastry into the tin with your fingers, making sure that a uniform thickness is achieved throughout. Place in the centre of the pre-heated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the tin 180 degrees after the first ten minutes to allow for even cooking. Remove from the oven after 20 minutes, and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
THE CUSTARD;
1 pint double cream
8 lge egg yolks
80g vanilla sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Nutmeg to taste(grated)
METHOD;
Seperate the eggs and place the yolks into a bowl with the vanilla sugar. Warm the cream in a pan, once warmed through but before boiling pour onto the whisked eggs and sugar and whisk again to combine. Add the custard to the tart shell and bake for 45 minutes at 120 c/ 250 f/ gas 1/2. After the 45 minutes baking remove from the oven and allow to cool, once cool place in the fridge and allow to chill for 2 hours or until set.
CURRIED NOODLES WITH CHICKEN AND PRAWN
In reality this dish is more about the addition of curry powder to noodles than what ingredients are actually used. This recipe is similar to a dish called singapore noodles, although the origin of singapore noodles is unknown to myself. On undertaking a little research, my findings have lead me to believe that singapore noodles are a north american adaption, with the name singapore referring to the use of heat or the blending of oriental cuisine with that of the indian use of spice. This dish can be made with other meats or poultry.
Serves 4-large portions
RECIPE;
100g chicken thigh or breast(sliced into small pieces)
250g cooked noodles
1 small onion(roughly chopped)
2 cloves garlic(finely chopped)
8-10 chestnut mushrooms(sliced into 1/4)
1 tbsp of fresh ginger(finely chopped)
1 red bell pepper(roughly chopped)
2 chillies(de-seeded and finely chopped)
1 tbsp mild curry powder( if using hot curry powder omit one of the chillies)
1/2 teaspoon of five spice
1 handful of beansprouts
1 lge pak choi(cut on the diagonal)
1 tbsp of light soy
3 tbsp of veg oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL GARNISH;
Shredded scallions/spring onion
Fresh coriander(finely chopped)
METHOD;
Add the oil to a wok or suitable saute pan and heat to hot, add the garlic,ginger,onion and chilli and stir fry for 1 minute, add the pak choi,mushrooms and peppers, then stir fry for a further minute. Now add the chicken and cook for a further minute, before adding the beansprouts and prawns, cook for 1 minute, add the curry powder, keep the ingredients moving in the wok and season with 5 spice and soy sauce, now add the cooked noodles then stir to combine. Check for salt and pepper then turn out into bowls and garnish with shredded spring onion and fresh coriander.
NOTES;
For a wetter version please use your imagination, the addition of 100ml of appropriate stock or a small amount of coconut milk will provide the desired wetness. Unfortunately myself, i am rather fond of dry noodle dishes, although i would never say no to a noodle soup- That would be rude!
Sunday, 15 February 2009
BEEF CHOW MEIN
Fried noodles(chow mein) can be served with most forms of protein, a favourite of mine is beef.
In this recipe i am using rump as the beef is seared in a wok first, then cut across and tossed with the noodles when ready to serve. My version of beef chow mein is rather dry, but by increasing the soy,oyster and rice wine too 2 tbsp each you will achieve a moister chow mein, if that is your preference.
RECIPE;
serves 2
150g egg noodles
175g rump steak(APPROX)
2 tbps groundnut oil or vegetable oil
1 tbsp light soy
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp of rice wine(shaoshing)
1 large clove garlic
1 pak choi(sliced on the diagonal)
6 chestnut mushrooms
pinch of sugar
beansprouts(1 handful)
sesame oil
salt(to taste)
pepper(to taste)
METHOD;
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, meanwhile add a tbsp of oil to a wok or saute pan and cook the beef for 2 minutes a side, then set aside. Reserve the cooking juices in the wok. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the manufacturers instructions. Now reheat the wok and add the other tbsp of oil and stirfry the garlic then add the mushrooms,pak choi and the bean sprouts, cook for 2 minutes. Then add the oyster and soy sauce, stirfry and add the rice wine and a pinch of sugar. Drain the noodles and add to the wok, toss to combine then add the sliced beef,toss again then adjust the seasoning if required and turn out onto a plate with a drizzle of sesame oil to taste.
Friday, 13 February 2009
NOODLES - PRAWN WITH CHILLI AND GINGER
A simple meal for one that can be increased in quantity. Egg noodles cooked with chilli and ginger with a garnish of fresh coriander and spring onion. A lovely combination that is simplicity in itself.
RECIPE;
6 prawn/shrimp(cooked)
2 tbsp groundnut oil or veg oil
1 chilli( deseed, if required)
5 g root ginger
1 clove of garlic
3 spring onions
125g egg noodles
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine(shaohsing)
1 tbsp fresh coriander
Pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
METHOD;
First cook the noodles according to manufacturers instructions. While noodles are boiling, finely chop 5g ginger, 1 chilli, 1 clove of garlic. Reserve the white part of one of spring onions for garnish and cut the rest of the spring onions on the diagonal(green leafy part as well). Heat a wok or saute pan on a high heat add the oil, once hot add the garlic, ginger and chilli cook for one minute add the spring onion and prawns cook for further minute then add the noodles. Toss all of the ingredients to combine now add 1 tbsp of light soy and 1 tbsp of rice wine. Cook for a further 2 minutes while keeping the ingredients moving! Add a turn of black pepper and check for salt. Turn onto a plate and garnish with 1 tbsp of fresh coriander and shredded spring onion.
Note; When checking for salt bear in mind that soy sauce is salty! You might not need as much as you think.
Monday, 9 February 2009
VANILLA ICE CREAM
A great classic that can stand alone or become part of a more elaborate preparation. Unfortunately due to commercial preparations, real vanilla ice cream is rarely eaten or understood. By omitting the vanilla you have the base for many different ice creams and flavour combinations. Once you have tried this you will understand what ice cream is all about.
RECIPE;
600ml whole milk
600ml double cream
100g vanilla sugar
12 lge egg yolks
2 vanilla pods
Makes just over 2 pints of ice cream
The beginning of the preparation is the same as for creme anglaise, at the end stage when the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, you will need to allow your custard to cool. Once cool add the custard mixture to an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturers instructions. Place the firm mixture into a seal able container and place into the freezer until set firm(2-3 hours).
If an ice cream machine is not to hand, place cool/chilled mixture into a seal able container place into the freezer and remove every 2 hours and whisk or beat with a fork to break down ice crystals.
Note;
Make sure that the ice cream is covered in the freezer to ensure that odours from other foods do not find there way into the flavour.
RECIPE;
600ml whole milk
600ml double cream
100g vanilla sugar
12 lge egg yolks
2 vanilla pods
Makes just over 2 pints of ice cream
The beginning of the preparation is the same as for creme anglaise, at the end stage when the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, you will need to allow your custard to cool. Once cool add the custard mixture to an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturers instructions. Place the firm mixture into a seal able container and place into the freezer until set firm(2-3 hours).
If an ice cream machine is not to hand, place cool/chilled mixture into a seal able container place into the freezer and remove every 2 hours and whisk or beat with a fork to break down ice crystals.
Note;
Make sure that the ice cream is covered in the freezer to ensure that odours from other foods do not find there way into the flavour.
Saturday, 7 February 2009
APPLE CRUMBLE
What is the key to a good crumble? Well apart from the obvious a crumble in my mind should have at least an equal balance of fruit to crumble. Too much fruit, stewed for too long you just as well eat baby food, too much crumble you just as well have a giant biscuit! A crumble should be buttery,rich and well- crumbly. The dish itself can be forgiving and lends itself to many different seasonal fruits. Here we are using apples, but many combinations are known and have become classics in there own right.
Recipe;
CRUMBLE TOPPING;
150 g plain flour
100g sugar
100g porridge oats
100g unsalted butter - softened and cut into cubes
small pinch of sea salt
grating of nutmeg optional( half a grated nutmeg used in my recipe)
FILLING;
500 g apples- this recipe uses braeburn
100g vanilla sugar or caster sugar
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
Method;
Add the oats to a food processor and blitz a couple of times, add the flour and blitz again, now add the softened butter,sugar and optional nutmeg, and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Peel and core the apples, cut into bite size pieces and place into a mixing bowl, mix with 100g of vanilla sugar/caster sugar - add 1 tsp of cinnamon and combine until all of the apples are coated in sugar and cinnamon, now place into a suitable oven dish that will hold all of the ingredients.
Cover with the crumble topping and pat down with the back of a spoon. Place in a pre-heated oven at 180c/gas 4 and cook for 35-40 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or creme anglaise
Recipe;
CRUMBLE TOPPING;
150 g plain flour
100g sugar
100g porridge oats
100g unsalted butter - softened and cut into cubes
small pinch of sea salt
grating of nutmeg optional( half a grated nutmeg used in my recipe)
FILLING;
500 g apples- this recipe uses braeburn
100g vanilla sugar or caster sugar
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
Method;
Add the oats to a food processor and blitz a couple of times, add the flour and blitz again, now add the softened butter,sugar and optional nutmeg, and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Peel and core the apples, cut into bite size pieces and place into a mixing bowl, mix with 100g of vanilla sugar/caster sugar - add 1 tsp of cinnamon and combine until all of the apples are coated in sugar and cinnamon, now place into a suitable oven dish that will hold all of the ingredients.
Cover with the crumble topping and pat down with the back of a spoon. Place in a pre-heated oven at 180c/gas 4 and cook for 35-40 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or creme anglaise
Sunday, 25 January 2009
LAMB AND KIDNEY HOTPOT
Comfort food at its best. This dish is a treat and not so far from a lancashire hot pot as one would think. There are so many recipes for lancashire hot pot, that one would become confused and muddled just trying to find an authentic version. This is my version that can serve as a complete meal or part of a larger meal with vegetables or even pickled cabbage.
Recipe;900g lamb
4-6 lamb kidneys(cleaned)
600 ml lamb stock
1 lge onion(roughly chopped)
1.2 kg potatoes -Maris piper preferably
2 bay leafs
1 tbsp of tomato puree
3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp of fresh thyme
1 tbsp of fresh rosemary
small glass of port
olive oil
unsalted butter
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
plain flour
1 medium carrot
4" piece of celery
1/3 of a leek(white)
Method;
First prepare the carrot,leek and celery. Chop as finely as possible and reserve. Peel the potatoes and reserve in clean water.
Clean the kidneys and cut, along with the lamb into bite sized pieces. Coat in seasoned flour, heat a large skillet or saute pan with a little olive oil, brown the lamb and kidneys then remove and reserve till needed. Add a dash of oil to the pan and saute the onion and garlic(being careful not too let the garlic brown) then add the carrot,celery and leek cook for a further 2
minutes, pour on a glass of port and deglaze the pan. Once deglazed return the lamb and kidneys, add the tomato puree and combine. Pour on the stock and add the finely chopped herbs and bay leaf.
In a suitable oven proof dish grease the bottom with a little butter and line with potatoes that have been cut into thin rounds. Now add the lamb and kidney filling adjust the seasoning and top with the rest of the potatoes. Brush the potatoes with melted butter and place in a pre-heated oven 200c/gas6 for approximately 1 hour.
Note; Frequent brushing of the potatoes during cooking will give a better crisp finish,but will prolong the cooking time.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
CREME ANGLAISE- POURING CUSTARD
Given a french name this still oozes Britain, British to the core me old son!
I can not really think of many dishes or preparations from the sweet world that i absolutely adore, but a well made custard has to be there right at the top, combine this with a treacle tart or lovely homemade crumble and you experience the kind of sensation that chocolate lovers so fondly describe- heaven!
The recipe;
For roughly 1 pint of custard,
300 ml whole milk
300 ml double cream
6 eggs yolks
1 vanilla pod
50g vanilla sugar
The method;
Cut the vanilla pod length ways and remove the seeds with the tip of a small knife(flattening the pod first with the back of a knife will loosen the seeds).
Add the milk,cream and vanilla(seeds and pod)to a decent saucepan and bring to the boil!
Mean while separate the eggs and whisk with 50g vanilla sugar to a creamy texture has been achieved and a slight change of colour(2 Min's).
As the liquid comes to the boil pour half onto the eggs and sugar and whisk then add the other half and whisk again.
Return this to the pan on a very low heat. Continue to stir until the custard thickens, but be very careful of the temperature as the eggs are liable to curdle!!!!!!!
As soon as the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon and leaves an impression, if a clean finger is drawn through - the custard is ready.
Strain through a sieve into a clean bowl, allow to cool and refrigerate. Once chilled enjoy!
Notes;
Plain caster sugar can be used and will give an exceptional custard, adding vanilla sugar is my own twist on a great classic. This custard can be made successfully with 5 eggs, and quantities can be doubled.
Once the custard has been sieved you can discard the vanilla pod but better still, dry with a kitchen towel and add to a pot of caster sugar.
I can not really think of many dishes or preparations from the sweet world that i absolutely adore, but a well made custard has to be there right at the top, combine this with a treacle tart or lovely homemade crumble and you experience the kind of sensation that chocolate lovers so fondly describe- heaven!
The recipe;
For roughly 1 pint of custard,
300 ml whole milk
300 ml double cream
6 eggs yolks
1 vanilla pod
50g vanilla sugar
The method;
Cut the vanilla pod length ways and remove the seeds with the tip of a small knife(flattening the pod first with the back of a knife will loosen the seeds).
Add the milk,cream and vanilla(seeds and pod)to a decent saucepan and bring to the boil!
Mean while separate the eggs and whisk with 50g vanilla sugar to a creamy texture has been achieved and a slight change of colour(2 Min's).
As the liquid comes to the boil pour half onto the eggs and sugar and whisk then add the other half and whisk again.
Return this to the pan on a very low heat. Continue to stir until the custard thickens, but be very careful of the temperature as the eggs are liable to curdle!!!!!!!
As soon as the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon and leaves an impression, if a clean finger is drawn through - the custard is ready.
Strain through a sieve into a clean bowl, allow to cool and refrigerate. Once chilled enjoy!
Notes;
Plain caster sugar can be used and will give an exceptional custard, adding vanilla sugar is my own twist on a great classic. This custard can be made successfully with 5 eggs, and quantities can be doubled.
Once the custard has been sieved you can discard the vanilla pod but better still, dry with a kitchen towel and add to a pot of caster sugar.
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
ESSENCE- RECIPES FROM LE CHAMPIGNON SAUVAGE BY DAVID EVERITT MATTHIAS
- Biased about this book - no chance. What is there to be biased about i've only eaten there 4 times, bought the book from the restaurant, went to school down the road , had the book signed from the chef, got invited into the kitchen to make bread which i declined, silly now but fear was the reason. So of course I'm biased, this is the best damn restaurant in the world in my eyes.
It was on our first visit to this establishment that i saw the book for sale. Not only was it amazing to be eating in our first 2 Michelin starred restaurant, but a chance to purchase the man's book was somewhat exciting, making the whole experience that little more special.
When Essence was first published it was widely claimed to be the English equivalent of The French Laundry Cookbook, and rightly so. David Everitt Matthias is not a celebrity chef, although very well known and respected in culinary circles, David is a chef who has not missed a service for 17 years in his restaurant, a distinction not many could surpass. The food he produces is excellent while his wife Helen runs a faultless front of house. Why the Michelin guide still has them down at two stars is beyond many, and belief.
With the authors cooking firmly rooted to the terroir(land), this shows throughout the book with recipes using foraged wild foods and a quirky little section at the back devoted to identification.
One of the strong points of this book is the break down of each recipe enabling the user to adapt parts to other ingredients. The author explains throughout that most preparations can and will work with other related ingredient parings, which in turn makes this a very user friendly cookbook at the high end of the market!
Another surprise is the authors love of cheaper cuts and little used fish. This shows the authors great understanding of cooking and ingredients, and how with the right skills the cheaper fresh ingredients can be turned into the sublime. A section at the front describes some of the pre-starters such as crispy pigs ears,gougeres, and a lovely vichysoisse of alexanders. All of this is supported by good photography and wonderful recipes.
Retailing at £25/$40 - a book that is honest and sincere and lives up to it's title Essence!
191 pages
isbn- 1-9045735-2-5
http://www.absolutepress.co.uk/
Le Champignon Sauvage
24-28 suffolk Road
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL 50 2 AQ
TEL (44) 01242 573449
http://www.lechampignonsauvage.co.uk
MAZE- THE COOKBOOK BY JASON ATHERTON
Not another cookbook from a Michelin starred chef! Well yes in fact! A little different than your average chef cookbook with recipes actually having three variations rather than the impossible to achieve one recipe!
Having been a keen follower of Jason Atherton's cooking and impeccable credentials, i was rather pleased to find this book amongst the shelves of the local bookstore.
Jason Atherton has worked in some of the finest kitchens in the world el Bulli and Gordon Ramsay being just two of the many. His creativity and genius in the kitchen are quick to shine through in numerous recipes that adorn the pages of this beautiful book.
Mr Atherton is not afraid to say how he chanced upon some of his recipes from mistakes , this alone lets you know that this guy is human and not a culinary machine. A trait that is unfortunately evident in many high end cookbooks. Mistakes lead to excellent discoveries as in the perfect scrambled eggs page 69. Innovative recipes stand along side classics that have been adjusted to suit the modern times with a little science showing from time to time, but most recipe's relying on the skill and intuition of the chef.
A great touch within this book is the three variants of the principle ingredient. Although the recipes do not necessarily become easier, while you may feel that certain recipes are served in the restaurant while other's are for the table at home they are not impossible to achieve with a little skill. With outstanding photography from Ditte Isager this alone places the book in the 5 star category while complimenting the recipes to provide an excellent cookbook.
If you like innovative cuisine and like the idea of black olive caramel with your strawberry's or chilled pea soup with Parmesan ice cream, this is the book for you. The book has 254 pages with a foreword by the man himself and an introduction by Ferran Adria. With a small section on cocktails at the back of book followed by a comprehensive section on the basics you can't go far wrong! Retailing at £ 25 it is a little on the expensive side but worth every penny.
Having been a keen follower of Jason Atherton's cooking and impeccable credentials, i was rather pleased to find this book amongst the shelves of the local bookstore.
Jason Atherton has worked in some of the finest kitchens in the world el Bulli and Gordon Ramsay being just two of the many. His creativity and genius in the kitchen are quick to shine through in numerous recipes that adorn the pages of this beautiful book.
Mr Atherton is not afraid to say how he chanced upon some of his recipes from mistakes , this alone lets you know that this guy is human and not a culinary machine. A trait that is unfortunately evident in many high end cookbooks. Mistakes lead to excellent discoveries as in the perfect scrambled eggs page 69. Innovative recipes stand along side classics that have been adjusted to suit the modern times with a little science showing from time to time, but most recipe's relying on the skill and intuition of the chef.
A great touch within this book is the three variants of the principle ingredient. Although the recipes do not necessarily become easier, while you may feel that certain recipes are served in the restaurant while other's are for the table at home they are not impossible to achieve with a little skill. With outstanding photography from Ditte Isager this alone places the book in the 5 star category while complimenting the recipes to provide an excellent cookbook.
If you like innovative cuisine and like the idea of black olive caramel with your strawberry's or chilled pea soup with Parmesan ice cream, this is the book for you. The book has 254 pages with a foreword by the man himself and an introduction by Ferran Adria. With a small section on cocktails at the back of book followed by a comprehensive section on the basics you can't go far wrong! Retailing at £ 25 it is a little on the expensive side but worth every penny.
Isbn 978-184-00-597-0
Sunday, 11 January 2009
CHOCOLATE TART WITH PINE NUT PASTRY
Ahh chocolate, Ohh chocolate or just chocolate, you decide! For a long time now I've been contemplating making a tart! A chocolate tart! You see the thing being, i just love to cook with chocolate, i like the mess- i like messy things, not just any old mess but gooey, sticky high calorie mess, the kind of mess that only chocolate can provide! But the problem being, i don't really like eating chocolate i don't know why but I'm more of a savoury kind of guy. All is not lost though as i seem to be surrounded by an ever increasing supply of chocolate testers, always at the ready with spoons and open mouths.
Admittedly my chocolate making skills are put to good use around valentines day. When brownie points are needed for the coming year to secure the much coveted Beer tokens for the coming months- but beer tokens aside this is really a special tart! With Febuary around the corner i might be making this again! After my small slice i was tempted to pilfer the rest and stash it somewhere safe, somewhere only i knew! Now that is unusal for a savoury toothed guy.
Now the good part i am going to tell you how to make this! But first a little on the pastry, the pastry recipe is from The french laundry cook book, a recipe i have used on several occasions when the need to impress arises. The dessert that this wonderful pastry hails from is a Lemon Sabayon tart with pine nut crust, another of Thomas Keller's delightful treats. Having cooked the lemon tart last week, and with two batches of excess pastry in need of use, a chocolate tart seemed the right choice! An excellent marriage between nutty pastry and dark chocolate, rich with a biscuit base that softens and cuts through the richness - kind of like eating a giant chocolate digestive. THE RECIPE;
Pine nut pastry;
2 cups 10 oz pine nuts
1/3 cup of sugar(approx 75g)
3 cups of plain flour
8 oz/250g of unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Butter and flour for greasing the tin
Pulse the pine nuts in a food processor, then add the sugar and flour, Pulse again until the nuts are finely ground. Place this mixture into a mixing bowl, add the softened butter, egg and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate all ingredients. Divide the pastry into three parts and wrap in cling film. Place one quantity of pastry into the refrigerator and freeze the other two for future use, if not using within the next 24 hours. Using a 9" tart tin with a removable bottom, grease with butter and a light dusting of plain flour then place in the fridge until needed(approximately 10 minutes). Pre-heat the oven to 180c, when the oven is ready remove the pastry and the tin from the fridge. Mould the pastry into the tart tin with your fingers making a uniform thickness throughout, trim the pastry from the edges with a knife and place into the oven for 20 minutes. After 10 minutes turn the tart tin 180 degrees to allow for uniform cooking. Remove after allotted cooking time and allow to cool while you make the chocolate filling. Turn the oven down to 100c.
THE CHOCOLATE;
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
55g vanilla sugar(caster sugar is fine to use)
250g dark chocolate(55% cocoa solids is used in my recipe)
200g unsalted butter
Melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl over a saucepan of boiling water(take care not let the bowl touch the water), once melted reserve. Starting again with cold water, place a large heatproof bowl over the saucepan and add the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla sugar and whisk till light and fluffy(approx 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and pour the egg mixture into the melted chocolate and butter. Fold this mixture in from the edges to return to a deep brown colour. Once the mixture is completely folded into itself, pour into the reserved tart tin and return to the oven for ten minutes. Remove and allow to cool, once cool place into the refrigerator until fully set. Eat and Enjoy, without trying to think about the coronary inducing amounts of butter!
WHAT BETTER TIME TO INDULGE IN AN IRRESISTIBLY CHOCOLATY TARTY ! JUST SAY NO, " OH GO ON JUST ONE SLICE" NO NO NO! I SHALL NOT SUCCUMB TO TEMPTATION, OH JUST ONE SMALL SLICE THEN"
VANILLA SUGAR
A method rather than a recipe. Place caster sugar into a kilner jar or screw top jar, and add Vanilla pods after using, rather than throw them away. Over time the sugar will infuse with a Vanilla flavour which is great to use in desserts. The jar will keep for ever and only needs to be topped up when running low on sugar. You can also keep adding Vanilla pods, when ever available. This is a great method to use, as Vanilla pods are not cheap. I have even used this instead of normal caster suger and omitted Vanilla essence, when essence was called for with good results.
Friday, 9 January 2009
AMERICAN CUP MEASURES
- 1 cup of flour = 5 oz = 150g
- 1 cup sugar(caster/granu) = 8 oz = 225g
- 1 cup brown sugar = 6 oz = 175g
- 1 cup butter/marg/lard/dripping = 8 oz = 225g
- 1 cup ground almonds = 4 oz = 110g
- 1 cup currants = 5 oz = 150g
- 1 cup sultanas/raisins = 7 oz =200g
- 1 cup uncooked rice = 7oz = 200g
- 1 cup grated cheese = 4 oz = 110g
- 1 cup syrup = 12 oz = 350g
- 1 stick butter = 4 oz = 110g
CONVERSIONS - LENGTH
METRIC IMPERIAL
3mm 1/8 in
5mm 1/4 in
1 cm 1/2 in
2 cm 3/4 in
2.5 cm 1 in
3 cm 1 1/4 in
4 cm 1 1/2 in
4.5 cm 1 3/4 in
5 cm 2 in
6 cm 2 1/2 in
7.5 cm 3 in
9 cm 3 1/2 in
10 cm 4 in
13 cm 5 in
15 cm 6 in
18 cm 7 in
20 cm 8 in
3mm 1/8 in
5mm 1/4 in
1 cm 1/2 in
2 cm 3/4 in
2.5 cm 1 in
3 cm 1 1/4 in
4 cm 1 1/2 in
4.5 cm 1 3/4 in
5 cm 2 in
6 cm 2 1/2 in
7.5 cm 3 in
9 cm 3 1/2 in
10 cm 4 in
13 cm 5 in
15 cm 6 in
18 cm 7 in
20 cm 8 in
CONVERSIONS DRY MEASURES - PART 2
METRIC IMPERIAL
550G 1 1/4 lb
750G 1 1/2 lb
1 KG 2 1/4 lb
1.25 KG 2 1/2 lb
1.5 KG 3 lb
1.75 KG 4 lb
2 KG 4 1/2 lb
2.25 KG 5 lb
2.5 KG 5 1/2 lb
2.75 KG 6 lb
3 KG 7 lb
3.5 KG 8 lb
4 kg 9 lb
4.5 kg 10 lb
5 kg 11 lb
5.5 kg 12 lb
6 kg 13 lb
6.5 kg 14lb
6.75 kg 15 lb
550G 1 1/4 lb
750G 1 1/2 lb
1 KG 2 1/4 lb
1.25 KG 2 1/2 lb
1.5 KG 3 lb
1.75 KG 4 lb
2 KG 4 1/2 lb
2.25 KG 5 lb
2.5 KG 5 1/2 lb
2.75 KG 6 lb
3 KG 7 lb
3.5 KG 8 lb
4 kg 9 lb
4.5 kg 10 lb
5 kg 11 lb
5.5 kg 12 lb
6 kg 13 lb
6.5 kg 14lb
6.75 kg 15 lb
CONVERSIONS- DRY MEASURES - PART 1
METRIC IMPERIAL
5g 1/8 oz
10g 1/4 oz
15g 1/2 oz
20g 3/4 oz
25g 1 oz
40g 1 1/2 oz
50g 2 oz
65g 2 1/2 oz
75g 3 oz
90g 3 1/2 oz
100g 1/4 lb (4 oz)
120g 4 1/2 oz
135g 4 3/4 oz
150g 5 oz
165g 5 1/2 oz
5g 1/8 oz
10g 1/4 oz
15g 1/2 oz
20g 3/4 oz
25g 1 oz
40g 1 1/2 oz
50g 2 oz
65g 2 1/2 oz
75g 3 oz
90g 3 1/2 oz
100g 1/4 lb (4 oz)
120g 4 1/2 oz
135g 4 3/4 oz
150g 5 oz
165g 5 1/2 oz
175g 6 oz
185g 6 1/2 oz
200g 7 oz
215g 7 1/2 oz
225g 1/2 lb (8 oz)
250g 9 oz
275g 10 oz
300g 11 oz
350g 12 oz
375g 13 oz
400g 14 oz
425g 15 oz
450g 1 lb (16oz)
Thursday, 8 January 2009
ROOT VEGETABLE BROTH
A very simple yet tasty root vegetable broth. It is amazing how a dish so simple and cheap can be so Delicious. Very rustic in appearance, almost a stew, but more a soup with chunky veg.
Recipe;
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 onion
1000ml good vegetable stock or decent stock cube
120g leek(white)
1 tbsp of fresh Thyme
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Root vegetables;
200g swede/turnip
1 large parsnip
2 medium potatoes
5 carrots
1 medium sweet potato
METHOD;
Peel and cut your root veg into bite size chunks. Roughly chop the onion and leek, and finely chop the garlic. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saute or sauce pan(large enough to hold all of the ingredients comfortably), add the onion and leek and cook until soft, now add the garlic, and cook for a further minute without browning. Lightly season with sea salt and pepper, and add the bay and thyme. Now add the carrot and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the other root vegetables, pour on stock and simmer untill all veg are cooked to your liking. Adjust seasoning whilst cooking. This will serve 4.
Recipe;
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 onion
1000ml good vegetable stock or decent stock cube
120g leek(white)
1 tbsp of fresh Thyme
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Root vegetables;
200g swede/turnip
1 large parsnip
2 medium potatoes
5 carrots
1 medium sweet potato
METHOD;
Peel and cut your root veg into bite size chunks. Roughly chop the onion and leek, and finely chop the garlic. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saute or sauce pan(large enough to hold all of the ingredients comfortably), add the onion and leek and cook until soft, now add the garlic, and cook for a further minute without browning. Lightly season with sea salt and pepper, and add the bay and thyme. Now add the carrot and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the other root vegetables, pour on stock and simmer untill all veg are cooked to your liking. Adjust seasoning whilst cooking. This will serve 4.
Monday, 5 January 2009
LIQUID MEASURES
METRIC / IMPERIAL
15ml 1/2 fl oz
20ml 3/4 fl oz
25ml 1 fl oz
35ml 1 1/4 fl oz
40ml 1 1/2 fl oz
50ml 2 fl oz
60ml 2 1/4 fl oz
65ml 2 1/2 fl oz
85ml 3 fl oz
100ml 3 1/2 fl oz
120ml 4 fl oz
150ml 5 fl oz(1/4 pint/1 gill)
175ml 6 fl oz
200ml 7 fl oz(1/3 pint)
250ml 8 fl oz
275ml 9 fl oz
300ml 10 fl oz(1/2 pint)
325ml 11 fl oz
350ml 12 fl oz
375ml 13 fl oz
400ml 14 fl oz
450ml 15 fl oz(3/4 pint)
500ml 17 fl oz
600ml 20 fl oz(1 pint) approx
750ml 1 1/4 pints
900ml 1 1/2 pints
1000ml 1 3/4 pints(1 litre)
1.2 litres 2 pints
1.25 litres 2 1/4 pints
1.5 litres 2 1/2 pints
1.75 litres 3 pints
2 litres 3 1/2 pints
2.75 litres 5 pints
5 litres 9 pints
1x1.25ml spoon = 1/4 teaspoon(roughly a pinch) tsp - teaspoon
1x 2.5ml spoon = 1/2 teaspoon
1x5ml spoon = 1 teaspoon
2x5ml spoon = 2 teaspoons
1 x15ml spoon = 1 tablespoon tbsp- tablespoon
15ml 1/2 fl oz
20ml 3/4 fl oz
25ml 1 fl oz
35ml 1 1/4 fl oz
40ml 1 1/2 fl oz
50ml 2 fl oz
60ml 2 1/4 fl oz
65ml 2 1/2 fl oz
85ml 3 fl oz
100ml 3 1/2 fl oz
120ml 4 fl oz
150ml 5 fl oz(1/4 pint/1 gill)
175ml 6 fl oz
200ml 7 fl oz(1/3 pint)
250ml 8 fl oz
275ml 9 fl oz
300ml 10 fl oz(1/2 pint)
325ml 11 fl oz
350ml 12 fl oz
375ml 13 fl oz
400ml 14 fl oz
450ml 15 fl oz(3/4 pint)
500ml 17 fl oz
600ml 20 fl oz(1 pint) approx
750ml 1 1/4 pints
900ml 1 1/2 pints
1000ml 1 3/4 pints(1 litre)
1.2 litres 2 pints
1.25 litres 2 1/4 pints
1.5 litres 2 1/2 pints
1.75 litres 3 pints
2 litres 3 1/2 pints
2.75 litres 5 pints
5 litres 9 pints
1x1.25ml spoon = 1/4 teaspoon(roughly a pinch) tsp - teaspoon
1x 2.5ml spoon = 1/2 teaspoon
1x5ml spoon = 1 teaspoon
2x5ml spoon = 2 teaspoons
1 x15ml spoon = 1 tablespoon tbsp- tablespoon
OVEN TEMPERATURES
OVEN TEMPERATURES
These are only a guide for conventional ovens;
- VERY LOW 120 C =250 F =GAS MARK 1/2
- LOW 150 C-275/300 F = GAS MARK 1-2
- MODERATELY LOW 170 C = 325 F =GAS MARK 3
- MODERATE 180 C = 350/375 F = GAS MARK 4-5
- MODERATELY HOT 200 C = 400 F = GAS MARK 6
- HOT 220 C = 425/450 F = GAS MARK 7-8
- VERY HOT 240 C = 475 F = GAS MARK 9
For Fan-assisted ovens check the manufacturer's manual.
Sunday, 4 January 2009
VINAIGRETTE
Vinegar-Oh what a wonderful ingredient. Versatile yet on it's own sharp, mix with other ingredients you can balance the taste to suit your needs, add oil you have a vinaigrette. A dressing that is wonderful with all manner of foods, and a lot more healthy than shop brought dressings that harbour all sorts of unsavoury ingredients. Most recipes for vinaigrette will have quite substantial volumes of oil and vinegar, which is not really practical in the domestic kitchen. With these recipes you can cut down on the amount and still achieve a wonderful dressing that is at home with a salad as it is used as a sauce.
HOUSE VINAIGRETTE;
This is our standard vinaigrette we use during the summer months, which is made every couple of days!
3 tbsp of extra virgin oil
1 tbsp of white/red wine vinegar(best you can afford)
Half teaspoon of Dijon mustard
pinch of salt
pepper optional
Method;
Put the vinegar into a dish,shaker or squeeze bottle and add the salt(salt dissolves quicker in vinegar than oil). Dissolve the salt, then add the oil, whisk or shake to make an emulsion, then add the Dijon mustard shake again. Vinaigrette will last for at least 1 week maybe longer if refrigerated. The emulsion will split when stored, but not to worry, a quick shake and the dressing will emulsify again.
HOUSE VINAIGRETTE;
This is our standard vinaigrette we use during the summer months, which is made every couple of days!
3 tbsp of extra virgin oil
1 tbsp of white/red wine vinegar(best you can afford)
Half teaspoon of Dijon mustard
pinch of salt
pepper optional
Method;
Put the vinegar into a dish,shaker or squeeze bottle and add the salt(salt dissolves quicker in vinegar than oil). Dissolve the salt, then add the oil, whisk or shake to make an emulsion, then add the Dijon mustard shake again. Vinaigrette will last for at least 1 week maybe longer if refrigerated. The emulsion will split when stored, but not to worry, a quick shake and the dressing will emulsify again.
LEMON VINAIGRETTE;
2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
season to taste with salt,pepper and a pinch of sugar
Optional ingredients mint,Dijon mustard.
HORSERADISH VINAIGRETTE;
1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
Half a tsp of Dijon mustard
1/3 tsp horseradish sauce/cream
Sea Salt
Method;
As for house vinaigrette above, but add horseradish at the same time as the Dijon mustard.
BALSAMIC AND OLIVE OIL DRESSING;
1 tbsp of Balsamic vinegar
t tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
Incorporate to form an emulsion and season if desired.
A simple salad using Balsamic dressing;
Rocket leaves
Shaved Parmesan
Sea salt(small pinch)
Balsamic dressing
Very simple, not even a recipe. Season the rocket leaves with salt, add shaved Parmesan and toss, then dress with Balsamic dressing. Serve!
A standard vinaigrette has many possibilities with the addition of garlic and fresh herbs. Different oils can be used, flavoured vinegars with the exception being malt vinegar which we would not use. They can be changed according to what you cook and prepare. The key to good dressings start with the ingredients, good ingredients = good dressings!
PLYMOUTH AND THE CHINESE BUFFET
Now let me tell you a bit about my home town, being situated at the start of a peninsula and being the last city of any size, although small, by most standards, we are the last big population of the south of England. Due to our geographic location we always seem to be the last place that branded businesses set up shop. With this in mind we also seem to be the last or at least a few years behind other cities in culinary concepts.
If i remember rightly it took a long time for the fast food chains to set up shop, first one then lots throughout the city. We only got Starbucks 2 years ago, now we have two maybe three along with the other coffee brands. Now we come to the point of the post- The Chinese buffet.
Back in 2005 we had a small Chinese buffet in a dank basement in the student area of the city, although the food was certainly not of any note, it was a new concept in Chinese dining at the time, a chance for people to taste the different dishes on offer with out breaking the wallet. This place was eventually superseded by another small buffet in Cornwall street which appeared for a time to have the monopoly on buffet dining, until 2008 when two super size buffets opened within the city - Water dragon and Buffet city.
Water dragon easily has the edge of the two but is certainly not serving much in the way of great food.
What is the point of the Chinese buffet i ask? Is it so that you can try lots of dishes of a different cuisine or a chance to be a glutton of mammoth proportions.
Seeing how the Chinese food that we eat in this country, or should i say the food that is cooked for the westerner, bears little resemblance to the food of china or the depth of skill that Chinese cooks reach. Then why are these places full, is it so that people feel they are receiving a bargain or is that we have gone the way of most of the western world and need to eat as much food as possible in one sitting. Quantity over quality appears to be the order of the day.
Plymouth has always had it's share of Chinese restaurants, some not so good, and others serving slightly better, but this not London or any of the other size able cities,but a small city with a reasonable Chinese population. It would be nice to see a Chinese open one day that went a little more authentic than dishes that all taste the same with liberal use of MSG. If the buffet restaurants are making a claim what hope is there for that special little Chinese restaurant to open where you have to actually pay a reasonable amount for good quality well cooked food with a little imagination behind the stove and plate.
For those that have tasted high end Chinese it is in a completely different league to what is served as the normal British Chinese restaurant fare. Maybe it's me or maybe I'm wrong, but the chance to go out in this city and eat real Chinese food would be as welcome as a big win on the lottery. Chances are neither will happen!
Note;
This is in no way intended to offend or upset anyone, it is just an honest account of how i see things at the moment! If and when things change you can bet i will be the first comment!
If i remember rightly it took a long time for the fast food chains to set up shop, first one then lots throughout the city. We only got Starbucks 2 years ago, now we have two maybe three along with the other coffee brands. Now we come to the point of the post- The Chinese buffet.
Back in 2005 we had a small Chinese buffet in a dank basement in the student area of the city, although the food was certainly not of any note, it was a new concept in Chinese dining at the time, a chance for people to taste the different dishes on offer with out breaking the wallet. This place was eventually superseded by another small buffet in Cornwall street which appeared for a time to have the monopoly on buffet dining, until 2008 when two super size buffets opened within the city - Water dragon and Buffet city.
Water dragon easily has the edge of the two but is certainly not serving much in the way of great food.
What is the point of the Chinese buffet i ask? Is it so that you can try lots of dishes of a different cuisine or a chance to be a glutton of mammoth proportions.
Seeing how the Chinese food that we eat in this country, or should i say the food that is cooked for the westerner, bears little resemblance to the food of china or the depth of skill that Chinese cooks reach. Then why are these places full, is it so that people feel they are receiving a bargain or is that we have gone the way of most of the western world and need to eat as much food as possible in one sitting. Quantity over quality appears to be the order of the day.
Plymouth has always had it's share of Chinese restaurants, some not so good, and others serving slightly better, but this not London or any of the other size able cities,but a small city with a reasonable Chinese population. It would be nice to see a Chinese open one day that went a little more authentic than dishes that all taste the same with liberal use of MSG. If the buffet restaurants are making a claim what hope is there for that special little Chinese restaurant to open where you have to actually pay a reasonable amount for good quality well cooked food with a little imagination behind the stove and plate.
For those that have tasted high end Chinese it is in a completely different league to what is served as the normal British Chinese restaurant fare. Maybe it's me or maybe I'm wrong, but the chance to go out in this city and eat real Chinese food would be as welcome as a big win on the lottery. Chances are neither will happen!
Note;
This is in no way intended to offend or upset anyone, it is just an honest account of how i see things at the moment! If and when things change you can bet i will be the first comment!
CORRIANDER OIL
Flavoured oils are a delight, not only visually, they can also lift a dish beyond the norm.
CORIANDER OIL;
100ml extra virgin olive oil
20g fresh coriander
Grain or two of sea salt
METHOD;
Blanch the fresh coriander in rapidly boiling water for 30 seconds then refresh in an iced water bath to stop the cooking and preserve the colour. Pat dry with a cloth or paper towel.
Add coriander to the liquidiser with a little of the oil. Liquidise till smooth, then gradually add the rest of the oil, into the mixture is smooth,lump free and a vibrant green colour.
Refrigerate till needed. This oil will only keep for 2-3 days maximum.
BASIL,PARSLEY AND MINT OIL
Method;
As above but reduce the blanching time to 15 seconds.
CORIANDER OIL;
100ml extra virgin olive oil
20g fresh coriander
Grain or two of sea salt
METHOD;
Blanch the fresh coriander in rapidly boiling water for 30 seconds then refresh in an iced water bath to stop the cooking and preserve the colour. Pat dry with a cloth or paper towel.
Add coriander to the liquidiser with a little of the oil. Liquidise till smooth, then gradually add the rest of the oil, into the mixture is smooth,lump free and a vibrant green colour.
Refrigerate till needed. This oil will only keep for 2-3 days maximum.
BASIL,PARSLEY AND MINT OIL
Method;
As above but reduce the blanching time to 15 seconds.
RISSOLES
Rissoles a comfort food not so far from the beef Pattie to be alien, but somewhat different. The beauty of the rissole is that, it can take many forms with ingredients you have to hand or more elaborate preparations. Rissoles are known the world over. Here is a standard from my kitchen.
Cracked potato Rissole
Recipe;
400g beef mince
350g waxy potatoes
1/2 medium onion finely chopped
15g unsalted butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp of sweet pickle
1 tsp lemon
Half a large chilli de-seeded and finely chopped
Dash of Worcester sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil for frying
Method;
Peel and dice the potatoes into 5cm cubes.Bring a lightly salted pan of water to the boil and cook the potatoes until just cooked but holding there shape, drain and reserve.
Brown the mince with the finely chopped onion and add the butter to the pan, once the onions have softened season with a pinch of salt and a turn of pepper, now add the lemon, parsley and chilli cook for a further minute and add the Worcester sauce. Cook for a further 2 minutes and transfer to a dish large enough to hold all the mixture. Combine with the potatoes and sweet pickle and form into small patties.
Heat a skillet with your choice of oil and fry the patties for 2 minutes a side or till golden brown.
These rissoles are wonderful as a stand alone dish, or could be used as part of a meal or even made into tiny patties they could become part of a buffet.
Cracked potato Rissole
Recipe;
400g beef mince
350g waxy potatoes
1/2 medium onion finely chopped
15g unsalted butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp of sweet pickle
1 tsp lemon
Half a large chilli de-seeded and finely chopped
Dash of Worcester sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil for frying
Method;
Peel and dice the potatoes into 5cm cubes.Bring a lightly salted pan of water to the boil and cook the potatoes until just cooked but holding there shape, drain and reserve.
Brown the mince with the finely chopped onion and add the butter to the pan, once the onions have softened season with a pinch of salt and a turn of pepper, now add the lemon, parsley and chilli cook for a further minute and add the Worcester sauce. Cook for a further 2 minutes and transfer to a dish large enough to hold all the mixture. Combine with the potatoes and sweet pickle and form into small patties.
Heat a skillet with your choice of oil and fry the patties for 2 minutes a side or till golden brown.
These rissoles are wonderful as a stand alone dish, or could be used as part of a meal or even made into tiny patties they could become part of a buffet.
Saturday, 3 January 2009
COOKING THE BOOKS-PART 2
Is this the year i hunt for old copies in charity shops, it certainly will be, but before we head for the old books, several new purchases have been made. In all honesty i headed for the sales armed with my christmas book tokens. Smugness and guilt aside i could buy happily in the knowledge that what i was spending was gifts from people close to myself. So i headed for the sales on the hunt for half price books. Half price books i found,but i was looking for specifics. I harbour a certain fondness for asia, mainly the orient with the food of south east asia and china being my greatest passion with the culture of the far east a close second. Although i cook asian food at least once a week i have never had the inclination to post my recipes,photos and mishaps.There are some wonderful Asian food blogs around written by people in the know, people who have lived or live in Asia, or from Asian descent. How could i compete with these people with my limited knowledge of asian cuisine. Back to the book tokens, with Asian in mind the hunt began with my first purchase being Balance and Harmony by Neil Perry. A wonderful book that shouts passion and knowledge of this wonderful cuisine, second purchase was non Asian but French - Ripailles by stephane reynaud. Third purchase was back to Asian with Sri Owens Indonesian Food. A delight to read with good insight into the food of Indonesia,a food that is often overlooked by the western world in favour of the well known south east Asian nations or china. Next up was a basic chinese cookbook that accompanied a Tv series here in the UK, at half price Chings- chinese made easy, fitted the the bill just perfect. There were other books i wanted, but maximum paper for minimum money was the order of the day.
So why Asian cookbooks? Well i want to take my knowledge to the next level, while using the Wok at home is not without it's problems, there is a lot more to oriental cooking than meets the eye, complex flavours and balance among many. In effect i am starting from scratch with oriental cuisine with a view to develop an in depth knowledge of skills,techniques and tastes. Most people purchase a wok and stir fry till there heart is content, but they are using a technique, rather than a style of cooking, but to many this technique is often abused, ingredients are thrown in the wok, soy sauce is dumped on top then emptied onto the plate only for the clueless eater to pour salt by the tablespoon in the hope of eating a meal that is edible. In my last cooking the books post i followed a recipe, although in the first post i said i look for inspiration rather than a recipe, i feel to achieve an acceptable level of knowledge as a non asian i need to cook the books.
Thursday, 18 December 2008
COOKING THE BOOKS - PART ONE
Okay so this does not relate to Stockbrokers,Bankers or Bernie Maddof, this is a food blog for Christ sake not a hedge fund conspiracy. We are talking greed in a way, but forces that are darker and far worse are at play- Obsession, lust, betrayal and porn! What the hell am i talking about the latest blockbuster thriller or the darkest of Evil,or is it just one mans obsession with cookbooks!
It's a bad pre-occupation you know-just got have it the latest release,sometimes even before they are published- thank god for the net! Haven't tried therapy yet, and the other half is worried, no not about me, but space for Christ sake, where are we gonna store them!
OK an average month will see at least a couple of new editions but the last 2 1/2 months have seen a mini bookstore sprout up like a bean stalk, new shelves have been built and they are now full. During October my pre-orders arrived The Big Fat Duck Cookbook,Alinea and Under Pressure by Thomas Keller, along with November/December releases- A Day At el Bulli, Rick steins latest creation Coast to Coast and Indian made easy by Anjum Anand. You see i have no loyalty, this is the betrayal part I buy what i like, ok there is some writers i don't buy, maybe they are too girly and i'm too alpha, but truth be known i like restaurant cookbooks, expensive one's that are hard to purchase, that is the porn part in case you were worrying!
Just last week on a pre Christmas visit to my sister and family i managed to buy no less than 6 books, 5 of them on cooking, the 6th on photography(this will be used to hopefully take better food pictures).
But why, most of these books i will not use, for reasons other than skill levels, i do not possess the time or the equipment. Take under pressure(Keller) all the recipes use a sous vide water bath and require a vacuum packer. I do not have this equipment, and i knew what the book was about,before i bought it. Hestons latest book, his life in print, will it go to the kitchen -fuck no, it will stay on the shelf, and only come out for reference or too marvel at the culinary genius of this man.
I can't honestly remember the last time i cooked from a recipe, but i do use the books for inspiration, so we now come to the lust part. Yes there are books i lust after a couple more el Bulli books would be welcome, oud sluis from the restaurant, i want along with many others, but this will take time and money, luckily we still have the obsession part. Books old and new grace my shelves to be plucked from obscurity to find that somewhat lacking inspiration that creeps in from time to time. This coming year i have decided to collect old cookbooks, not antique but as old as i can afford, i will stalk the charity and thrift shops looking for the unwanted, and build shelves all over the house, ok the last part about the shelves is fiction, but i'm sure my collection will grow. I have read somewhere that Gordon Ramsay has over 3,500 cook books that's a serious amount of paper and serious cash. I'm not going for that amount but.......................
It's a bad pre-occupation you know-just got have it the latest release,sometimes even before they are published- thank god for the net! Haven't tried therapy yet, and the other half is worried, no not about me, but space for Christ sake, where are we gonna store them!
OK an average month will see at least a couple of new editions but the last 2 1/2 months have seen a mini bookstore sprout up like a bean stalk, new shelves have been built and they are now full. During October my pre-orders arrived The Big Fat Duck Cookbook,Alinea and Under Pressure by Thomas Keller, along with November/December releases- A Day At el Bulli, Rick steins latest creation Coast to Coast and Indian made easy by Anjum Anand. You see i have no loyalty, this is the betrayal part I buy what i like, ok there is some writers i don't buy, maybe they are too girly and i'm too alpha, but truth be known i like restaurant cookbooks, expensive one's that are hard to purchase, that is the porn part in case you were worrying!
Just last week on a pre Christmas visit to my sister and family i managed to buy no less than 6 books, 5 of them on cooking, the 6th on photography(this will be used to hopefully take better food pictures).
But why, most of these books i will not use, for reasons other than skill levels, i do not possess the time or the equipment. Take under pressure(Keller) all the recipes use a sous vide water bath and require a vacuum packer. I do not have this equipment, and i knew what the book was about,before i bought it. Hestons latest book, his life in print, will it go to the kitchen -fuck no, it will stay on the shelf, and only come out for reference or too marvel at the culinary genius of this man.
I can't honestly remember the last time i cooked from a recipe, but i do use the books for inspiration, so we now come to the lust part. Yes there are books i lust after a couple more el Bulli books would be welcome, oud sluis from the restaurant, i want along with many others, but this will take time and money, luckily we still have the obsession part. Books old and new grace my shelves to be plucked from obscurity to find that somewhat lacking inspiration that creeps in from time to time. This coming year i have decided to collect old cookbooks, not antique but as old as i can afford, i will stalk the charity and thrift shops looking for the unwanted, and build shelves all over the house, ok the last part about the shelves is fiction, but i'm sure my collection will grow. I have read somewhere that Gordon Ramsay has over 3,500 cook books that's a serious amount of paper and serious cash. I'm not going for that amount but.......................
MOOR & MORE BEER SHOP
At long last a shop for the serious consumers of that wonderful drink from the gods, you know the one i mean - no not champagne or wine, you still guessing, well it's the one and only BEER.
Moor&More Beer
11 Frankfort gate
Plymouth city centre
01752 2222oo
Check out the website from the shop for more information and useful links to all things Beer!
Thursday, 4 December 2008
BEER LAO - THE NATIONAL BREW
When a country does not produce much apart from rice,opium and graceful women, it yearns for some sort of identity. Having Earned the accolade of the most heavily bombed place on the face of the earth courtesy of uncle Sam, the country and population have always needed something more stable , a product that identifies the plight of the people and reaches further than the eye will ever see, straight to the heart of the nation . A product that can play with the big boys of the brewing world and rightly so. Without a doubt the boys at beer Lao who first initiated the idea of a national drink probably did not envision the success that this brew would achieve or the pride of place that the nation would hold there national brew. 
Established in 1971 with production starting in1973.Brasseries et glaci e res du Laos(BGL) was formed as a joint venture between a French investor and locals, following political change in 1975 the Laos government bought back all foreign shares and established a state enterprise which has grown considerably over the ensuing years. Joint ventures were undertaken at later stages of the companies growth, but 1993 saw two investors pull the plug, and a return to Laos government ownership in 2002, immediately Carlsberg Asia and a Thai company TCC a business partner of Carlsberg Asia bought 25% each leaving the Laos government with the remaining 50%.
Beer Laos is made with local jasmine rice that has been polished, with malt being imported from Franceand Belgium which are used along side quality German hops and yeast. Luckily Beer Laos take quality control seriously and it shows in the final product, with regular tests from the HACCP(Hazard critical control point), and CILAS(Carlsberg inter laboratory analsysis). Thank god for those tests the finished product is far superior to the competition over the border, with a sensible strength beer coming home at 5%. The drink itself is clean tasting and does not feel syrupy and thick on the palate, a great beer.
Beer Lao original can be bought in 330ml bottles/cans and super size 640ml bottles which are unique to south east Asia these cost $1/70p for a small bottle and $1-40/92p for a large 640ml size, these prices are pretty standard for bars as well. Beer Lao also market a lite version at 2.9% alcohol, plus a Beer Lao dark at 6.5% both these come in a standard 330ml bottle. Draught beer called Bia Sot(fresh beer) can also be purchased in bars, plus there own brand of drinking water tiger head. If in Lao you could always try the local rice wines ,but believe me Beer Lao is easier on the head. If your not in South East Asia beer Lao can be purchased globally -You have no excuse to not try this excellent smooth brew. Beer Lao is available in Plymouth, England from Moor&More Beer down at Frankfort gate- no 11. http://www.moorandmorebeer.co.uk/, retailing around £1.70 a bottle(330ml).
Beer Lao websites;
- http://www.beer-lao.com/
- http://www.beerlao.co.uk/
- http://www.beerlao-usa.com/
- http://www.beerlao.nl/
- http://www.beerlao.co.th/
- http://www.beerlao.com.hk/
- http://www.beerlao.ch/
ENJOY ALCOHOL SENSIBLY - TRY NOT TO SPILL ANY!
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