The Urban Foodie

Gazetteer: Mercado de San Miguel, Madrid

2010-06-04T09:31:00.004+01:00

Mercado de San Miguel is a real foodie haven in the middle of Madrid, and was a real find. A historic Art Nouveau covered market that dates back from 1911, the Mercado is now teeming with sellers, purveyors and food stalls selling hot squid ink and salt cod croquettas, oysters from the Atlantic coast and a dizzying array of delicious pintxos served with glasses of bubbling Cava. There are also specialist stores selling Jamon, Bread and pastries, wine fruits and vegetables (including Cacao pods) and a fishmonger selling the famous Percebes from Galicia, as well as all sorts of sea urchins, crustacea and flat fish.
Well worth checking out if you are in Madrid, it gets very busy at the weekend and at lunchtimes.

Blogspotting and falling behind

2010-06-03T01:58:00.000+01:00

For those of you that follow my erratic blogging, I have to apologise for not updating the stream of colour and food porn voyeurism that I so love to engage myself with. I'm conscious it's been a while, but work demands and a birthday that has come and gone have kept me way from writing and posting up photos. I have added a few posts from a trip to Madrid, and have more to come. And not just travel stuff, recipes too...
I hope you like what I post, or continue to post.. feel free to say hi!
Steven

Thomas Schutte at Museo Reina Sofia

2010-06-03T01:11:00.002+01:00

Tapas at La Casa del Abuelo

2010-06-03T01:04:00.003+01:00

Tapas at La Casa del Abuelo

2010-06-02T20:13:00.004+01:00

I found this place near to my hotel in Madrid, it was around 10.30pm and my friend Sebastian and I decided to stop, take a look inside and have tapas here. It was packed, and we waited ages for a table - pressed tantalisingly against the counter, watching plate after plate of delicious morsels be assembled, and waft past our eyes. After a long wait we sat hungry and light-headed from the Rose wine, and greedily ordered lots of dishes from the menu.
From peering over the counter, I could see so many delicious treats, all lined up in dishes ready to be eaten: plump prawns in their raincoats, fresh seasonal asparagus, crab claws, oily chorizo, pink prawns from the Mediterranean, squid, Iberico ham, and plates of crisply fried Patatas Bravas.

CaixaForum - Madrid

2010-06-02T19:43:00.003+01:00

This is the stunning CaixaForum building in Madrid, built by the architects Herzog & DeMeuron.

Chiquita goes bananas!

2010-04-26T14:26:00.005+01:00

Brooklyn, NYC

2010-04-23T02:16:00.004+01:00

Edible Manhattan - food publishing cool

2010-04-23T02:02:00.003+01:00

I came across this magazine a year or two ago, and have to say it is right up there in front, as the arbiter of food culture and food cool in Manhattan. I love the articles, unpretentious writing and fashion-cum-rock 'n' roll photography. The covers are awesome (they remind me of Face magazine somehow), and I feel they truly capture the spirit of the Manhattan food scene, without the pretentious foodie bullshit that is rife in other food publications.

If anyone at Edible wants a London voice - do get in touch...

(An Ode to Hannah) Lavender Shortbread

2010-04-23T01:47:00.002+01:00

Well this isn't a poem, nor a recipe really (well technically it is, but I don't remember it), but it's simply a shortbread made with lavender flowers. I am galloping ahead to summer here - but until the lavender flowers are abundant, you can use dried lavender from Provence if you are fortunate enough to get your hands on some. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not much of a baker, I have to say, I made these (whilst channeling some of Hannah's style), and couldn't get over how easy, but how exquisite these perfumed biscuits really are. Delicious for a fancy afternoon tea, or perfect as a present - if you want to go that bit further and wrap them in a bit of silly paper. Unfortunately mine got scoffed before I had even contemplated sharing them.

Union Square Farmer's Market, New York City

2010-04-23T01:37:00.002+01:00

Gramercy Park, New York City

2010-04-23T01:18:00.004+01:00

Gramercy Park really is where I think I belong (well if I had a spare few million dollars or 10). It oozes a serious amount of salubriousness, and 1920's panache. It is framed by exquisite architecture, and the park itself is home to a few languid sculptures.

I had the fortune of resting up at the Gramercy Park Hotel - which I have to admit I rather enjoyed, particular the Rose Bar, resplendent with a Picasso (surely it's a fake), and sawfish body parts masquerading as objet d'art.

Best of all, I got to hang out with a great friend, Luc, who is perhaps the most sartorially gifted man in Manhattan. Good times.

Gramercy, I miss you.

Union Square Farmer's Market, New York City

2010-04-23T01:04:00.002+01:00

On a recent business trip to New York, I found myself jet-lagged and in need of early morning cultural stimulation. Well the Farmer's Market on Union Square didn't disappoint. I was bowled over by the riot of colours, and crate after crate of jewel coloured carrots, exuberant lettuces and barrels of luscious peaches.

I've never seen such beautiful produce - most of it, if not all of it grown on farms in New York State or Connecticut, and it's certainly worth getting up that bit earlier to watch the vendors unpack and set up their stalls for the day. Check out the link for more details.

http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket

Spring Courgette & Flowers Quiche

2010-04-23T00:29:00.003+01:00

As I guess Spring is finally here, this is the time of the year when I start to take confidence in my nascent baking/pastry making skills. I love a good homemade Quiche, and I don't mean one of those heavy bacon and cheese Lorraine jobbies - I think Quiche can be light, crumbly on the outside and still-warm and deliciously eggy in the middle.

I know it's still early in the season to be bantering on about courgette flowers (ok, I admit, this photo was taken last summer - and yes, the courgettes, their flowers, the Spring onions and mint were all pulled fresh from the garden) but for me they are the essence of Spring, when it comes to flavours.

I can't really remember the pastry bit of the recipe (but I did freeze the butter and grated it into the flour) but it made all the difference to the crumbliness of the pastry base. Once blind baked, I sauteed in a little butter the courgettes, Spring onions, and followed with mint, chives and the flowers and seasoning. I left the mixture to cool off and then whisked free range eggs with a good dollop of Creme Fraiche (which was courtesy of the very lovely Rachel's Organic), poured this over the sauteed courgettes and baked it until set.

I served it warm, with a salad of baby beetroot leaves and chive flowers drizzled with a lemon oil vinaigrette.

Chargrilled Cuttlefish with Chilli and Blood Orange Aioli

2010-04-20T00:07:00.004+01:00

This weekend's sunshine had me craving one thing in particular - squid. For me, warm weekends are all about the smell of crustaceans and squid on a barbeque, the sweet flesh and smoky, ozonic smell of charred shells gets me crazy. I was a bit disorganised with my fish purchasing, so ended up snaffling the last cuttlefish at Shellseekers - as one of Jamie's Fifteen chefs had just bagged the last of the squid and crabs for the restaurant. I have to admit, I haven't cooked cuttlefish that many times (squid seems so much more manageable for some reason), and like squid, you either cook it in a flash on a very hot griddle, or long, low and slow in a braising pot. I had the cuttlefish cleaned (a very messy job - and can ruin your distressed antique french oak surfaces with its ink), and then set to work slicing it and scoring the flesh finely in a criss-cross pattern. I then decided to marinate it with a wild combination of ingredients I had purchased earlier at the market; mint, fresh garlic and blood orange seemed like a good trinity, and a nice combination of flavours for the cuttlefish to play with.

Once marinated for a few hours, the cuttlefish was cooked on a searingly hot cast iron griddle pan, until the ends charred and the flesh soft and creamy.

I served this with a simple aioli; two egg yolks and a squeeze of lemon juice beaten until pale. I then drizzled in a sunflower oil (Rapeseed works really well too), until I had a thick, viscous mayonnaise. I flavoured it with finely chopped red chilli, blood orange juice and zest, and seasoning. This is a great dish with a well chilled bottle of Prosecco or Cava.

Courgette Flowers with Smoked Anchovy Vinaigrette, Red Onion, Tarragon and Lemon Salad

2010-04-19T23:30:00.005+01:00

I really adore courgette flowers. It probably has a lot to do with their lightness of flavour, that delicate courgette green-ness, and their saffron coloured petals that make me think they are food of the gods. I often will cook these as a tempura, doused in flour and then into a batter and deep fried until crisp and golden. I have also stuffed them with mint and Goat's cheese, and also with beaten egg whites and brown shrimps. This time I decided to cook these nude in a little olive oil, until al dente and the petals just caramelised. I finished these with a smoked anchovy and blood orange (my ingredient of the week it seems) vinaigrette, and a fresh, pungent salad of red onion, tarragon and lemon.

Ingredients

Courgette Flowers

Smoked Anchovies

Juice and zest of half a Blood Orange

Olive Oil

Capers

Pinch of Sugar

Red Onion

Tarragon

Lemon zest and juice

Salad of Cabrales Blue Cheese, Chicory, Radish & Sourdough Croutons

2010-04-19T23:09:00.006+01:00

Of the 'tapas' dishes I created, this was very simple and constructed around a beautiful piece of Cabrales Cheese bought at Brindisa in Borough Market. Cabrales is a rich blue cheese from Northern Spain, that is matured in limestone caves for 2 to 5 months. To balance the intensity of the cheese, I paired it with bitter chicory, slices of radish, salty capers and pan toasted sourdough croutons. It was finished with a drizzle of Dauro Extra Virgin Olive Oil and chervil leaves.

Ingredients

250g Cabrales Cheese

1 head of Chicory

1 Tablespoon of salted Capers

1 bunch of Radishes

A few slices of Sourdough Bread

Chervil

Dauro Olive Oil to finish

Alubias Blancas con Chorizo, White Beans with Chorizo

2010-04-19T22:38:00.003+01:00

Of the five dishes that I created last weekend, the White Beans with Chorizo is in essence a typically Spanish dish, full of robust flavours of spicy Chorizo, a background smokiness of Paprika and teamed in a stew with tomatoes and creamy white beans. The addition of Wild Mountain Oregano adds a herbal edge to this dish. This can be cooked in advance and improves wonderfully, given a day or two to allow the flavours to develop.

Ingredients:

1 White Onion

1 Chorizo

1 bulb wet Garlic

1 Red Pepper (chargrilled on an open flame and deseeded)

1 Tin of Italian Cherry Tomatoes

1 Tin large White Beans

1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

Fresh Thyme

Dried Wild Oregano

- Caramelise in olive oil the Onion and fresh Garlic. Add the sliced Chorizo and fresh Thyme leaves. Cook until the Chorizo renders some of its oils.

- Add the tin of Cherry Tomatoes and the chopped, chargrilled Red Pepper, and Smoked Paprika. Cover and simmer until a sauce starts to materialise within the pot, yet the tomatoes still hold some of their shape. Add the beans and warm through on a low heat for a further 15 to 20 minutes. Finish with dried Oregano.

Champagne Rhubarb & Blood Orange Syllabub with Black Pepper Honeycomb

2010-04-19T22:17:00.003+01:00

The posting order is a bit back to front, but this dish is the culmination of what had been a wonderful cooking day at my friend's apartment in Southwark. Having spotted these exquisite Champagne Rhubarb stems at Tony Booth's, I had the idea of pairing it with Blood Orange, to create a tangy and luscious pudding. Not being one for fancy desserts, I figured a low maintenance syllabub would do the trick. I added whipped double cream and Greek yoghurt to the cooked fruit, and topped with an easy and fun to make honeycomb.

Ingredients (serves 4 approx)

4 Stems of Champagne Rhubarb

1 Blood Orange

200ml Double Cream

100 ml Greek Yoghurt

50g Caster Sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Essence

75g Caster Sugar

50ml Honey

1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda

- Slice Rhubarb stem into pieces, place into a glass baking dish, add 50g Caster Sugar, the zest and juice of half a blood orange. Cover with kartouche of greaseproof paper and bake in a medium oven for 30 mins until the Rhubarb is cooked. Allow to cool.

- Whip the double cream into soft peaks, add the Greek yoghurt, flavour with vanilla paste. Fold through the warm Rhubarb compote and serve into glasses. Allow to chill.

- To make the honeycomb, melt Caster sugar and honey until the grains have dissolved and bubbles well. Add the Bicarbonate, mix and allow to foam up. Empty onto a non stick surface and allow to chill. Grind Black Pepper over the hot honeycomb. Crunch the cooled honeycomb over the syllabub.

Gazetteer : Wright Brothers, Borough Market, London SE1

2010-04-19T20:27:00.002+01:00

Having found myself at Borough Market this weekend, amongst the crowds and Spring sunshine, I happened to bump into a good friend, who duly treated us to Malden oysters, fried whitebait and a delicious pint of prawns from Wright Brothers, as we caught up.

This is the perfect place to perch, nestled away from the market crowds, where you can drink good wine and devour deliciously fresh Native and Rock oysters.

Wright Brothers

11 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AD.

I AM LOVE

2010-04-19T20:08:00.004+01:00

I saw this at the weekend, and just needed to write about it.

This film is utterly beautiful, erudite and seductive. Perhaps one the best films I have seen in years, the story gravitates around the film's central character, Emma who is played by Tilda Swinton. I can still 'taste' some of the food references from the film, as well as smell the air of the locations, and be dazzled by the Raf Simons for Jil Sander costumes.

I am love is an incredible piece of cinematic art, that is so well conceived and executed, I was left thinking how on earth could something be created that is so sublime. An inspirational film.

Dim Sum at Joy King Lau

2010-04-19T19:22:00.002+01:00

I don't think there is a food experience for me that is more satisfying than to sit at a table with wonderful friends and enjoy the performance art that is Dim Sum. I found myself grounded in London this weekend by the cloud of volcanic ash courtesy of an Icelandic volcano with a name can neither spell nor pronounce. The perfect antidote to my disappointment of not being able to travel took shape as an impromptu plan to have Dim Sum with one of my very best friends, Kamlan. We were reminiscing over the fact that our friendship is now 20 years old, when we were both a similar age and embarking on foundation courses at different art colleges. Kamlan and her family introduced me to Dim Sum, a ritual of family and friends coming together over a table to enjoy plate after plate of delicious morsels.

I love the randomness of each dish; the different flavours, textures, some steamed, others fried, the excitement of lifting the lid on a bamboo steamer to reveal jewel-like, glistening and juicy dumplings, that end up dunked in soy or chilli oil and popped whole into the mouth. I also love the fact that sweet, juicy prawns and scallops lend themselves so well to steamed dim sum, especially when teamed with chives - which I have to confess is a herb I cannot live without. I also love the crunchiness of prawn dumplings served with salad cream, squid cake, grilled chive cake and a soft, luscious turnip cake. Chueng Fun is another favourite, the glutinous rice pasta enveloping sweet prawns or scallop, and doused with a sweet, rich soy dressing. This of course is all washed down with cups of Jasmine tea. I could rattle on about more their Dim Sum, but I can only really say you should go and try it for yourself.

So, if you crave authentic Dim Sum (I love the Royal China in Bayswater and Yauatcha), the Joy King Lau is unbeatable for the excellent quality and value.

Joy King Lau,

3 Leicester Street, London

WC2H 7BL

Where I am now...

2010-04-08T14:35:00.002+01:00

Firstly I just want to say a huge congratulations to the 2010 Masterchef winner - well done Dhruv, you are an incredible cook! Secondly, I thought this would be a good opportunity to discuss some of the great projects I've been involved in, since winning Masterchef back in 2007. A great deal of the experience I have gained and the projects I have worked on don't get publicised, as many of them have been works in progress, or subject to confidentiality. As I was omitted from the opening credits on last night's Masterchef show, I thought this would be an opportune time to talk about some of the great work I have accomplished over the past three years.
Following my win in 2007, I was offered an estage at the prestigious 3 Michelin starred Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire in Paris. There I was taught focus, attention to detail, timing, patience and the art of flavour pairing. I had my eyes opened to a level of creativity I had not thought possible by food alone, and learnt how to balance sublime flavours, colours and textures within a dish. I was also very fortunate to have worked with some very talented chefs, and learnt how to work with some of the most exquisite ingredients I have ever seen pass through a kitchen's doors.
On my return to London, I was asked to be a Sous Chef on BBC's Great British Menu - and worked with many chefs with whose cooking I hold in very high esteem. These include Angela Hartnett, Tom Kitchin, and Sat Bains. Working with Angela was incredible; it was great to witness her speed, tenacity and effortless elegance that oozed from every dish she created. Being Tom's Sous when he created his English Breakfast starter was an experience I'll never forget - that dish was pure genius, and I learnt that you can create a silk purse from a pig's ear. Sat Bains I will remember for introducing me to the joys of the water bath, a missing bit of suckling piglet and chicken popcorn. Need I say more.
Post that hubris, I approached Shaun Hill who had just opened the Walnut Tree, and worked with him at his restaurant in Abergavenny. I love how Shaun cooks, and conceives such remarkable dishes, always with savoir faire. Shaun still is a mentor to me, and having met him recently at Fortnum and Mason, begged me never to stop cooking.
Other projects have included consulting to Sainsbury's on food trends, created menus for Jumeirah Hotels in Knightsbridge, been a brand ambassador for The Cooperative (and spent a summer on the road, cooking at 10 county shows across the UK out of a juggernaut-cum-demo kitchen), and developed recipes for Abel & Cole and Rachel's Organic. I have also been working with Slow Food London and the Southbank Centre, demonstrating and promoting fair and slow food ethics. I am also looking to collaborate with the Southbank this summer with a food and art project, celebrating Brazilian culture.
I spent the best part of last year traveling through Central America, gathering ideas and inspiration for food and life. This year I have started by focusing on my consultancy skills and am working as a as a flavour consultant - establishing savoury flavour trends for a global flavours and fragrance agency. I also partner with two holiday companies, providing gastronomy workshops, tours and holidays. These are www.frui.co.uk (chocolate workshops, tours to Borough and Billingsgate Market and forthcoming food trips to Barcelona and Brussels), and Tell Tale Holidays, www.telltaletravel.co.uk, where I will be the guide and escort on their forthcoming Tamarind and Spice tour across Thailand in November. I can't get enough of traveling it seems.
Most recently, I have been approached to work with the homeless charity Shelter, where I hope that my humble cooking can help raise awareness to the plight of London's homeless population. My final bit of news is that I have just been signed up as a consultant creative strategist at FutureBrand, where I work with a wonderful team of people who let me unleash my creativity to co-create products and ideas for some of the world's biggest brands. www.futurebrand.com
So, I haven't exactly fulfilled the Masterchef dream of opening a restaurant, but I have certainly made mine come true. I have had the pleasure of working with some incredible people over the past three years. I have no plans to open a restaurant at the moment, but I know I would like to at some point in the future, once I have got the traveling bug out of my system and have decided in which country I decide to settle.
So thank you Masterchef for all the incredible opportunities that you've opened up to me, and to all my wonderful friends, followers and supporters who have loved me no matter what.

Steven

Steven Wallis teams up with Tell Tale Travel, on their Tamarind and Spice Tour across Thailand, 20th November - 4th December 2010

2010-04-06T10:48:00.009+01:00

For all of you adventurous foodies out there, come and join me on Tell Tale Travel's Tamarind & Spice Tour across Thailand in November and December. Tell Tale Travel specialise in offering truly authentic holidays, that focus on real inside experiences that offer the opportunity to access the peoples and culture of each of their destinations. I am very excited to be acting as the escort on this 15 day trip, guiding and participating with the group (no bigger than 10) as we take in the culinary and sensory delights of Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chang Mai and Krabi.
You'll be taught by local cookery experts who will share their personal recipes and techniques, and of course I'll be on hand throughout the entire trip as we explore food markets, street food vendors and take in the incredible cultural richness of four contrasting regions of Thailand.

Tamarind & Spice Itinerary as follows:

Day 1: Direct flight from London Heathrow to Bangkok with Thai Airways or Eva Air. (If you are from the United States, email us about your flight options)

Day 2: Pick up Bangkok airport and transfer in air-conditioned private minibus to centrally-located boutique inn. Time to relax then a stroll through the local area for a welcome dinner.

Day 3: Morning lie-in/brunch. Afternoon cookery lesson at the Blue Elephant Cookery School. Evening trip to Suan Lum night market and Sky Bar.

Day 4: Morning, boat trip along the Chao Phraya Rivera and visit the magnificent Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha with an expert guide. After lunch, 1-1.5 hour drive to a sleepy village in the Central Plains. Settle in and followed by sunset boat trip. Dinner, lesson on Thai desserts and overnight stay at the village headman's elegant but simple teak house.

Day 5: Early morning at the local market with the headman's wife followed by a cookery lesson and lunch. Optional bike ride around the paddy fields and along the canal in the afternoon, transfer to nearby Ayutthaya, relaxing evening.

Day 6: Bike ride with guide (with minibus support) around the spectacular remains of Ayutthaya, one-time capital of Thailand, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Time to shower and change before overnight sleeper train north to Chiang Mai.

Day 7: Early morning arrival in Chiang Mai and minibus transfer to luxury private home. Welcome breakfast, settle in, then enjoy the swimming pool. In the afternoon, a guided walk around the village is followed by more relaxation and Thai massage. Minibus will drive to Chiang Mai for dinner and browsing the night market.

Day 8: Pick your own at an organic farm to pick ingredients for a northern Thai cookery lesson.

Day 9: A day's sightseeing in Chiang Mai with a local guide. Time to relax before dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 10: Cookery lesson in the jungle for some essential cookery survival tips. Learn how to make a makeshift kitchen of bamboo and banana leaves and cook over an open fire.

Day 11: Vegetarian cookery demonstration and lunch. Then fly to Krabi (via a quick change in Bangkok). Short transfer to mini-resort. Evening tour and dinner at Krabi night market.

Day 12: Morning at leisure by the pool. Afternoon at cookery school to learn sizzling Southern-style dishes.

Day 13: Island hopping around the Hong archipelago; a series of uninhabited islands with pristine white beaches and hidden lagoons that are considered to be the most beautiful in the region. Snorkelling amid tropical fish on the coral reef and picnic lunch.

Evening back on shore, with a visit to a local village and dinner with the Deputy Headman's family. Then a lesson in making Thai desserts.

Day 14: Free day, but optional minibus tour stops at a local village with good handicrafts, spectacular waterfalls and Tubkaak beach. Farewell dinner.

Day 15: End of your cookery holiday! Transfer to Krabi airport for a short internal flight to Bangkok, connecting with international flight home. Arrive at London Heathrow approximately 7pm UK time (same day).

Tell Tale Travel are offering a £50 discount to anyone who books the trip and quotes 'The Urban Foodie', if you are interested in joining us for a magical 15 days of gastronomic food heaven, get in touch with Tell Tale on tel. 0800 011 2571
Opening hours: 9am-9pm, 7 days, First Floor, 25a Kensington Church Street, London, W8 4LL United Kingdom, or at www.telltaletravel.co.uk or leave a comment and I'll forward any enquiries.

Steven

Wishing you a very happy Christmas!

2009-12-24T11:03:00.003Z

Well I thought I'd break my blogging sabbatical with a post to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! It's been a tough year all round, and I have taken this year to think quite hard about my future and what I do going forward. I took four months off this year to travel through Central America, which was the best decision of the year, as well as being the perfect way to recharge my creative spirit. So, I will endeavour to restart blogging with a vengeance next year (I no longer have my Leica camera that helped me take such great photos for my blog - so hoping to replace it and get shooting great photos again), and get back into blogging and photographing food and my love of cooking.
So, for those of you who have been loyally following the sporadic prose of 'theurbanfoodie', posting such awesome posts on here and firing my imagination further, I wish you a wonderful holiday and much merriment and festive feasting.
Merry Christmas!
Steven X

Colours and flavours of the rainbow

2009-06-09T01:16:00.002+01:00

A shameful practice - the plundering of Marine Turtle eggs

2009-06-08T23:11:00.010+01:00

Towards the end my market excursion, I was horrified to spot these turtle eggs on sale, covered with a grubby piece of sackcloth and paraded shamelessly by a so-called 'fishmonger'. This despicable trade only pushes marine turtles of various species even closer to extinction, and further upsets the fragile marine ecosystems with which they co-exist. Riled by what I saw, my initial reaction was to protest and question the vendor, but as I was alone at the time, it felt safer and perhaps more appropriate to write about and spread awareness, however futile that may seem, or faint the message.
Turtle eggs are considered a delicacy in Central America, and particularly by men who have for many years consumed them raw as an aphrodisiac. ( I have included an advertising campaign commissioned by the Mexican government aimed at the men who eat the eggs, a message intended to dissuade turtle egg consumption by a beautiful young woman who decrees that the men in her life don't really need them). I'm not sure if this ad's rampant sexism and sexual objectification will solve this problem, but at some level I have to conclude that it is better than nothing. Witnessing the sale of such things saddens me to the core, as I feel that young turtles have a hard enough time surviving the oceans and marauding prey, to then have their chances of survival cut even further by pillaging human opportunists. Even adult turtles who can survive well into their seventies aren't safe from the nets of industrial trawlers that themselves damage marine ecosystems beyond comprehension.
Like any country or place you fall in love with, there are always dark sides that disturb us and make us want to ignore the fact of their very existence, things we prefer to turn a blind eye to. I feel this is something the Environmental Office of the Guatemalan Government should be policing, and harshly to stop this senseless trade - and I feel should perhaps wake up somewhat to the beauty and fragility of their awesome natural resources, as these riches are neither infinite nor expendable. The marine turtles native to Guatemala including the Olive Ridley Turtle that is now on The World Conservation Union's Endangered species list need all the help they can get, and deserve to be left well alone. There is a link to this post to the World Wildlife's webpage on turtles, should you wish to read more. I don't climb up onto my soapbox often enough, but I will be emailing a local office of the WWF to see if they have any influence in helping to stop this very damaging and foolish practice.

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/marineturtles/marineturtles.html

Market curiosities

2009-06-05T16:25:00.011+01:00

Two weeks have passed since I was last at the market in Guatemala City, so I decided to pay another visit to nose around and perhaps spot things I might have missed on my first outing. My enthusiasm was curbed this time by a minor bout of sickness, which made me sensitive to the crowds and smells, which were at times pretty unforgiving.
So despite the assault on my senses, I still found some gems amongst the market glistening like jewels in the morning sun. First up were tomatoes the size of pearls, so decorative and pretty, pretty enough even to grace the slate platters of the world's three Michelen starred restaurants so perfect they were in form and flavour. Next were a type of Chilli Pepper, similar to the Scotch Bonnet and equally as fiery. Then I saw Tamarillo, which you seldom find in the UK - but something I have acquired a taste for. Lastly were Sapote, something again I have never seen before and native to Guatemala, and as luck would have it, my bravery for trying out these new delicacies was significantly diminished, so notes on flavours to be published later.

The colourific Maya

2009-06-03T04:31:00.005+01:00

Wheels of colour in Antigua

2009-06-02T22:14:00.003+01:00

Chuchito solo

2009-06-02T00:59:00.003+01:00

Chuchitos bonitos!

2009-06-01T23:57:00.005+01:00

Like Pepian and Pacaya, Chuchitos are wholeheartedly Guatemalan, and seem to capture the vibrancy and conviviality of its people and way of life. Like all great recipes that yield deliciously awesome results, you need bags of time set aside. The making of Chuchitos is no exception. These 'little dogs' are made in stages and take the best part of a day to prepare and cook.
The first thing to be made is the 'salsa', a rich tomato sauce that is made all the better for having had a day to develop and the acidity to soften and give way to a luxurious tomatoey spiciness. Two different types of tomatoes, pimentos and onions are blanched, then pureed. The strained puree has pork fat added, and then is allowed to simmer, along with chilli Guace, chilli Passa and good pinches of seasoning and more dried chilli flakes.
The tortillas are made with maize flour, water and seasoning. These are then formed into luscious little rounds by hand. The petals are stripped from the Flor de Isote, lightly washed and spun till dizzy in a salad spinner.
Once each tortilla has been made, a pinch of petals are added, along with a chunk of pork fillet (I'm sure beef would work equally as well here - as would quail breasts come to think of it..!) Then the salsa is draped over, after which the Chuchito is made by folding the two sides together, Cornish Pasty like, and the ends pinched to seal the edges and keep all the delicious ingredients neatly encapsulated. The bit I love best about Chuchitos is how they are then prepared for cooking; corn husks are steamed for a few minutes, and their papery skins are then used as jackets for the little dogs, which are then placed in a pan and steamed for 40 minutes or so until the tortillas are soft and the meat inside is cooked through and tender.
The hot Chuchitos are served in their skins, to be opened at the table, with spoonfuls of salsa and Chiltepé as accompaniments. Buen Provecho!

Flor de Izote - Yucca Flowers

2009-06-01T23:42:00.005+01:00

As my wonderful trip to the market with Marie was coming to a close, and both of us weary and laden with exquisite spoils from the market, Marie dived off into the crowds to return with these beautiful flowers. I had seen them before, but was quite unsure of their origin and what they would be used for. I figured they would adorn the dinner table later that night, or perhaps fragrance the house with their scent. On closer inspection, these had only a light fragrance, like Jasmine, but not enough to be noticed.
Once home I soon found out that these are in fact food, and a not a beauty accessory as I had initially thought. The flowers are dissected, and it is in fact the petals that are then eaten.
In this instance, it is part of the dish known fondly here as Chuchitos (little dogs), that are parcels of meat, sauce and petals held together in a corn tortilla, wrapped in maize husks and steamed. I guess this takes me smoothly to my next post.....

Colour everywhere.

2009-06-01T23:20:00.003+01:00

I couldn't decide with the last lot of colours, so have decided to show whatever felt most exciting and interesting.

Colours Red

2009-06-01T23:05:00.004+01:00

Colours red; Strawberries, glistening fish of some description, lobster and sweet pimento

Colours Orange

2009-06-01T21:46:00.002+01:00

Colours orange are; sweet Alphonso mangoes, mandarins, highly fragrant papaya and lychees, carrots and more intensely hued papaya.

Colours Green at the Mercado

2009-06-01T20:20:00.006+01:00

The central mercardo is a fortnightly event that happens in Guatemala City, and seems to take over acres of the city with myriad explosions of colour, sights, sounds and alluring smells. My first trip there had my heart racing; I've always been partial to a market or two, be it fish, fauna or flea, markets are always somewhere I want to be as they never cease to inspire me with their rich soups of activity and cultural diversity, however mundane or exciting the location.
This market has to be in my top ten of markets I have ever visited - because of the sheer multitude of beautiful things to admire and ponder over, but also for the fascinating cultural richness that was also on show, played out on pavements and under awnings. All of the beautifully fresh ingredients are laid out temptingly by the largely Mayan vendors - the produce is organic by default, and grown up in the cooler mountainous regions of the country. The indigenous Mayan women travel in from all parts of the country, their wares bundled in coloured cloth and displayed lovingly the morning sun.
As you have probably gathered from my blog by now, I am a bit obsessed with colour, so in the spirit of trying to be creative with what I post, I have decided to post up these photos in colour groups; green, orange, red and blue.
Here's to green; cactus leaves and various fresh herbs, luscious avocados, spinach greens, palm flowers and fragrant bananas, green to vivid yellow.

NoLIta, New York City

2009-05-28T20:04:00.003+01:00

Chinatown, New York City.

2009-05-28T19:37:00.003+01:00

So, I think this is almost it now from New York for a while. Most of my images were taken during various business trips, so my food experiences were in fact quite limited as I was often pushed for time to really seek out the true culinary gems the city had to offer, and were pre-Masterchef too, so at the time I was more focused on graffiti and other random urban art forms.
At some point I will post up some incredible pictures from Tokyo, and blog about the Tsukiji fish market - which was not only one the most incredible things I have ever seen, but is also home to some of the freshest and most delicious sushi in the world. So, one more post from NYC, then back (after a brief hiatus) to Guatemala. Hope you've enjoyed the diversion.

Meatpacking District, New York City

2009-05-27T21:11:00.002+01:00

Images of New York City

2009-05-27T00:31:00.003+01:00

I know there is a bit of blog globe-trotting going on, but I simply had to post these photos I took in New York. I promise I will get back to Guatemala, however please be prepared for a few other diversions, including Tokyo, South of France and Northey Island.

The 'Miss Havisham' wedding cake

2009-05-26T20:45:00.010+01:00

I have to admit that even though I am a fairly good cook, and was lucky enough to win Masterchef, but baking and me aren't the easiest of friends. I know every good cook should be able to bake well, but I think it's either a knack you have, or you don't, and I certainly belong to the latter. Now Hannah on the other hand, who was with me on the show http://hannahscountrykitchen.blogspot.com is an ace and a genius. Her cakes are really out of this world. So with this scepticism about my baking abilities in my head, I was asked by a friend to create a cake for a very cool vintage store in London's Queen's Park. The brief was 'Miss Havisham' the Dickens character who lived in opulent decay, the doyenne of faded glamour. The cake was for a vintage shop called Merchant Archive in Queen's Park, who were having a party and needed a cake and various canapes. I have to admit it was fun to do, especially as I had full artistic license to go crazy with dyes, gold paint and fresh (but fading) flowers. Here's the result....

Commissions upon request.

Gazetteer; Bonnie Slotnik's Cookbooks, New York City.

2009-05-26T02:52:00.007+01:00

In the process of writing up so many new, exciting tales from Guatemala, I am also at the same time unearthing lots of photos of places I have been and experiences I have had whilst I was on my blogging hiatus. One such place I stumbled across on a gloomy January afternoon was Bonnie Slotnick's Cookbook Shop, in the West Village, whilst on a business trip to New York.
I remember making a double take, and realising that there was a gem of a shop right in front of my eyes. It the ground floor of a townhouse, a cosy place that was crammed full of beautiful cookbooks of every leaning and desire. Many were wonderful; the kind that are passed down from generation to generation, and woefully out of print. Others were obscure, fascinating, kitsch and others just the kind of cookbooks that warmed you with their warming recipes and home-making spirit.
Bonnie's had a small congregation of local friends who had popped in to chat, and seemed to linger for hours. It was a place where I could have idled away many hours had I had the chance, and come away with all sorts of riches.
If you happen to be in New York and love food (which I assume you do), go visit Bonnie and her treasures, and as it happens it isn't too far from Magnolia Bakery either.

Bonnie Slotnik's Cookbooks,
163 W10th Street,
New York.

Pacaya - Palm Flower Fritters

2009-05-25T22:05:00.005+01:00

I'm sort of jumping the gun a bit here, but I was so excited not only to spy these at the market, but then stand witness as these flowers were bought home and cooked in such an unusual way that I've decided to post this up before anything else. The dish is known locally as 'pacaya', which are in fact the flowers of a species of palm tree.
On closer inspection, these flora are exquisite - a plume of fronds, each with beautifully textured skins. Marie, (my friend Jose's housekeeper and cook) set to work explaining to me the process of how these curiosities are cooked. First they are hulled of their green sheaths, and the flowers are blanched in boiling water for a few minutes which is said to reduce their bitterness and kill any bugs lurking amongst the stamens. Eggs whites are then beaten until stiff, to which maize flour is added along with salt and a smattering of chilli powder, which combine to create a luscious batter. The palm flowers are then draped in the batter and shallow fried until crisp and golden, and the flowers inside are just cooked, to a nice 'al dente' bite.
Marie served these with a delicious tomato salsa - made with blanched tomatoes and white onion that were pureed and seasoned to create the perfect sauce. The pacaya have a flavour all of their own; at times they tasted liked the nouvelle baby sweetcorn, a further mouthful and they tasted more like a bitter courgette or gourd. The eggy crust and Tomato sauce pulled whole dish together in a funny way, that took me back to childhood lunches of omelette with tomato ketchup, with a few greens on the side of the plate, put there because my Mother had grown them and saw fit that I therefore ate them.
My nostalgia for omelette and home grown greens aside, it was delicious and an unusually tasting pit stop on this culinary road trip.

The local 'Mercardo's' exotica

2009-05-25T20:40:00.005+01:00

I'm posting these photos up as passionate reminder that even a quick visit to the local 'store' here in Guatemala is a foray into a kaleidoscope of colours, sights and smells. Some of the produce here may be musky and a little rough around the edges, but it is all as nature intended - ripe, delicious and full of flavour. It beats the plastic shrouded corpses that are jet-lagged and unripened that arrive in supermarkets in the UK, desperately trying to please but failing miserably on every level. Of course I miss the incredible British produce that I have become accustomed to cooking and eating with seasonal glee, and really I cannot compare but only contrast that with the local produce here. I guess I have become intoxicated by what's on offer - it's like tasting food on a higher octave or wavelength, a sensory attunement. If only you could smell and taste too, you would understand what all the fuss is all about.

Irrefutable colours

2009-05-22T04:58:00.004+01:00

Monterrico

2009-05-21T15:48:00.001+01:00

Guatemalan Fish Soup & Ceviche

2009-05-21T00:17:00.004+01:00

One of the must-do food experiences of Central America, and more typically South America is Ceviche. I love the delicate saltiness and sharp acidity that accompanies the sweet flesh of locally caught fish and shrimps, and I have often enjoyed it, albeit decadently in several good restaurants in London, notably at Pied à Terre; a Ceviche of Mackerel with Carrot and a myriad of citrus notes that lingered in my mouth for ages. My first experience of this dish in Central America on the other head was far more rustic, and the flavours packing a far more aggressive punch.

The restaurant is a famous pit-stop for hungry townies heading south to the sultry, volcanic beaches of Monterrico on the Guatemalan Pacific coast. Served up with a bowl of lime halves, Gallo Beer (the national beer of choice), a 'mixed' ceviche appeared featuring clam, conch, shrimps, a white fish (similar to Dorado), crab meat and two rather unpalatable ingredients which were discovered half way through eating - bovine spinal cord and bull's testicles! Yikes. With one raw and jelly-like, and the other staring malevolently at me, daring to be eaten, my appetite quickly diminished as my thoughts turned from succulent seafood to squeamishness. Steamed herb Tomales took the edge off, as did a delicious fish and shellfish soup that we shared that was full of meaty fishyness and lightly spiced with chillies and a sweet tomato broth. In the end the soup was the star turn, and yielded tasty morsels of fish that were poached perfectly, along with mussels, giant shrimps and a tasty little crab that really saved the day.

Mayan Pepian

2009-05-20T15:54:00.008+01:00

The creation of this incredible dish was observed one morning last week, as Marie - my host's housekeeper and cook set about making what is one of Guatemala's favourite dishes. I was told that the roots of this dish come from the Mayan people of Guatemala, who reside in the volcanic regions that cut a swathe across the country. This is one of those dishes that has been made with love for years, by women, each family recipe and way of cooking passing from generation to generation.

What makes this dish so exciting is not just the ingredients and the combinations of such, but treatment these are then given to create such a rich and deeply flavoursome meal. The key piece of cooking kit is the Comale, an iron pan or skillet used for cooking tortillas - in a similar fashion to how chapattis or pancakes are cooked. This is used to toast, burnish and blacken each of the ingredients in stages. First a whole bunch of fresh coriander, resplendent with roots and pretty green leaves is left
to crisp to a golden hue. It felt slightly uncomfortable seeing luscious herbs frazzling on hot iron, but the smells had me fixed, trance like as Marie added more ingredients. Next came sticks of cinnamon, and in a small frying pan pumpkin and sesame seeds were also toasted until they popped excitedly. Then there were dried chilli peppers of all sorts; the black, raisin-like Chille Passa, the hot and spicy Chille Guaque and sweet red peppers. The charring ingredients filled the house with an intoxicating smoke, the kind that smelt of ancient cooking fires and had with it a faint whiff of alchemy.

Next were the tomatoes (both large red ones and small green ones), onions, garlic and flour that once toasted would thicken the luscious sauce. All of the toasted ingredients would then be blitzed in a food processor with a small cup of hot water, and would end up resembling what I can only describe as a Mayan Curry sauce, full of aromatic richness and an almost cloying piquancy. The sauce is added to chicken pieces that had been poached, along with onions, carrots and a Guatemalan squash-like vegetable called guisquil. The flavour of the finished dish was unbelievable; layers upon layers of sweet smokiness that gave way to nuttiness and bitter spiciness. This was definitely a meal I will always remember and my first real taste of true Guatemala.

Viva Piñata!

2009-05-18T22:58:00.004+01:00

Chapin Breakfast

2009-05-18T22:10:00.004+01:00

My first stop, and first meal in Central America was a traditional Guatemalan breakfast of huevos (scrambled eggs), frijoles (black beans) and plantain chips. This is usually served with chilmol (tomato salsa). The combination is delicious and filling, and best served of course with a cafe con leche.

Off to pastures new...

2009-05-18T21:47:00.005+01:00

The start of this year had a distinct air of change about it. I figured it was time to spread my wings and see a bit more of the world, and to put into context the amazing events of the past few years. The doom and gloom and daily grind of London started to nag away, along with anxieties about my next steps as a chef, writer, consultant or whatever. So I have decided to put my life in London on hold and head out in search of all sorts of experiences that I'm sure will colour my life and imagination.
My first stop is Central America, then onto South America and New Zealand. From here on I will endeavour to capture my thoughts and observations as I travel, with a bias on food - but I'll also post up other random nonsense too, just for the hell of it.
Happy reading.

Paella

2009-05-18T20:51:00.006+01:00

Winning Masterchef and being on the telly has had so many positive implications over the past couple of years (a few negatives too I hasten to add), but one of the best things has been the array of amazing people people I have met, and old friends with whom I have become reacquainted. One such gathering was a fundraiser for a group of 16 people who paid hard cash in return for my cooking skills, with all proceeds and profits going to the charity Teach a Man to Fish (once the ingredients had been bought). So with 16 hungry mouths to feed, and the prospect of a humble dinner transforming into a bit of a night to remember, I knew that I had to pull off a show-stopper of a dinner.
A Paella was the perfect choice; joyous ingredients - with lots of delicious shellfish, colourful, flavoursome and of course great for everyone to share - the consummate party food. For the best bargains, I headed to Billingsgate Market to procure excellent quality shellfish. Langoustines really added that extra 'glamour' to the dish, and made a great talking point too. The Paella pan and rice were purchased at Brindisa, along with a Torta de Santiago which made light work of dessert, I served slices of the almondy tart with Strawberries and sliced Figs in a Jerez Sherry syrup.

Recipe wise, I have foolishly forgotten quantities, please change accordingly.
For 16

1 Box (3kgs) Langoustines
2 bundles (1.5 kgs) Razor Clams
3 kg Venus Clams
2 kg Mussels
1.5/2 kg Callaspara White Paella Rice
500ml Vermouth
1 Btl White Wine to flambe the Langoustines
1.5/2 L Chicken Stock
2 Fennel Bulbs
6 Pimentos/Sweet Red Peppers
10 Banana Shallots
6 Fat cloves of Garlic
1 kg Shelled fresh Peas
5g Box of Saffron
Parsley/Tarragon to garnish

To prepare, the shallots, garlic, and fennel are slowly sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes in good olive oil. Intermittent splashes of Vermouth are then added, along with the saffron strands. This base is cooked for a further 10 minutes to allow the full flavour of the saffron to permeate the shallot base. In the mean time, the clams and mussels are cleaned and thoroughly washed. The razor clams are steamed open for a minute or two in white wine and chicken stock, the resulting juices strained and saved for the Pealla. The Razor Clam meats are then removed and keep warm. The shells saved for decoration.
Then the red pepper is then added to the shallot mix, along with the rice which is coated in the richly fragrant saffron/shallot base. The stock is added, along with the clam juices, seasoning and the fresh peas. The whole dish is covered with foil and left for 5 mins. After 5 mins the clams and mussels are placed into the swelling rice, hinges down and recovered and left to cook for 25 minutes until the rice is cooked and the clams and mussels have opened. The dish was finished with an army of Langoustines, that were flash cooked in a little butter, olive oil and white wine, then roasted in a hot oven for 10 minutes. All the luscious juices were kept and drizzled over the paella. The Langoustines were then draped over the dish for effect.
Buen Provecho!

R is for a return to blogging

2009-05-18T17:43:00.003+01:00

Well it's about bloody time I know! I have spent the past year or so on an extended blogging sabbatical, as life and career have been both demanding and eventful. I decided not to blog as I had needed a bit of breathing space from being online; where before my blogging was dictating to some degree what I would cook or photograph, I now have let my imagination take the front seat and have stopped worrying about creating an online gastronomic beauty parade. Don't get me wrong, I still love and adore beautiful, luscious and delicious looking food, but through it I hope to string together more of a personal narrative about my passion for food, colour and life itself. Happy reading!

Recipe : Warm Saffron Chickpeas with Clams, Scallop and Pomegranate, Mandarin Oil

2008-07-16T09:51:00.004+01:00

This cute little starter recipe is one I conceived for a recent dinner party I catered for. All the dishes nodded towards the flavours and aromas of North Africa, as I thought it fitting for a summer dinner party - wholesome foods, with rich but delicate flavours.
At the base of this dish are chickpeas which add substance and rich nuttiness. These are simmered very gently in a fragrant broth of vegetable stock, spring onions and saffron. I was careful not to overheat them as I wanted a subtle contrast of the warm legumes with cool, juicy pomegranate and fine shreds of red onion. To add extra flavour, steamed clams were mixed through - and the dish topped with a juicy seared (diver-caught) scallop. A few peashoots added a flourish of green to the dish.

For 2
2 large (diver-caught) Scallops
300g Palourde or Venus Clams
1 Pomegranate
1/2 Red Onion
1 300g tin of Chick Peas
3/4 Spring Onions
Good pinch of Saffron
500ml Vegetable Stock
Splash of white wine for steaming open the clams
Peashoots to decorate

Firstly set to work on the broth to simmer the chick peas in - lightly saute the chopped spring onions until translucent, add the saffron and the vegetable stock - bring to a gentle simmer. Drain the chick peas and add to the broth, remaining on a gentle simmer until they become plump and absorb the flavours of the broth. Finely slice the onion and set aside, and remove the juicy seeds from the pomegranate, keep these cool until serving. Steam open the clams with the white wine - discarding any that refuse to open. Season the scallop and sear for a few minutes on each side in a little butter, until caramelised and juicy. To serve add the clams to the warm chickpeas, along with a spoonful or the strained cooking liquor. Divide between bowls, and scatter with the red onion and the chilled beads of pomegranate. Finish with the seared scallop and peashoots and a drizzle with a Mandarin infused olive oil (I use Colonna).

Back again after a long absence...

2008-07-15T12:12:00.002+01:00

Hello again! Yes, I know it's been an inordinate amount of time since my last post (almost 7 months!), but I have been busying myself with all sorts of opportunities that have come my way. Since I now have a bit of spare time on my hands, I intend to blog as much as possible - posting up all of the great things I have been up to. I must admit I have missed my blogging so will now set to work over the next few weeks posting like crazy. Thought I'd update my profile photo too!
Looking forward to comments and getting in touch with you all soon,
Best,
Steven X

Simple Suppers: Tagliatelle with Confit Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil

2008-01-29T20:27:00.000Z

Now that my cooking hours have sharply increased this year (more about that when I can talk about it..), I tend to find myself cooking projects at the weekend, particularly things that require patience and slow, sustained cooking. Confit is one such method, and is one that is particularly in vogue with countless chefs. I figured that this method would work well with tomatoes that I had shamelessly bought out of season - but would yield a delicious bounty that would grace some perfectly cooked pasta and a torn ball of Buffalo Mozzarella. You need many hours for this, so it's a perfect job that you can start in the morning and enjoy the fruits of your labour in the evening.
To prepare the tomatoes (I used plump vine tomatoes for maximum flavour) they were first blanched in hot water and refreshed in iced water to remove their skins. The seeds and ribs were removed and the tomato flesh cut into quarters and laid flat on a shallow baking tray. These were then anointed with slivers of garlic and a few thyme leaves, some good extra virgin olive oil and Maldon or Halen Mon sea salt.
The tray is then put into a low oven (80 degrees) and left for at least three to four hours until the tomatoes are softly cooked and silky.
These became the perfect base for a light pasta sauce with a hint of garlic and tumbled through some Tagliatelle. Torn Mozzarella and basil leaves finished the dish off, along with a final drizzle of good olive oil.

Prawn to be wild... Langoustines in a White Wine, Garlic & Parsley Butter

2008-01-29T16:32:00.000Z

It was my best friend’s birthday recently and as a treat I had decided to cook her one of her favourite foods, Langoustine. I absolutely adore these creatures, even if they do cost a small fortune – but are worth every penny for their succulent, sweet meat and imposing rosy armour. I picked up a kilo of these beauties alive from Billingsgate Fish Market (which I must confess is a great place to buy speciality fish of all persuasions, if of course you can deal with a 4am alarm call and schlep to East London). These Scottish Langoustine were loving transported back to my fridge where they lay under a wet tea towel until they were swiftly dispensed with.

My kilo and a bit bought me 20 juicy crustacea - which deserved the very simplest of treatment and complimentary flavouring. The pairing of garlic and white wine seemed the most delicious and obvious choice, their flavours melding well with butter, a twist of half a lemon and parsley to create rich winey, garlicky juices that are perfect mopped up with crusty white bread.

20 Live Langoustines (Scottish ones are best)
1/2 bottle of White Wine (Sauvignon Blanc is a good choice)
2 Cloves of Garlic
50g Butter
Handful of Parsley
Zest and juice of 1/2 Unwaxed Lemon

Firstly pull the meats off from the heads and set aside. Keep the heads as these will be used for the sauce. Remove the intestinal tract from the Langoustine (by pulling the middle section of the tail out - the intestines will be pulled out too). Shell the body meats, leaving the tail section as decoration. Cover in cling flim and keep cool.
Put the heads in roasting pan and place in a hot oven and cook for 15/20 mins until the shells start to sear. Transfer heads and any juices to a saucepan on a high heat and add the wine. Cook down to burn off the alcohol, and smash the heads with a rolling pin to release as much flavour as possible from the Langoustine heads. Strain the juices through a fine sieve, reduce by half and set aside.
In a non stick shallow pan, melt the butter until it foams and add the garlic - cooking it until it's aroma is released, but doesn't burn. Add the Langoustine and cook for a minute or two on one side. Turn the Langoustine, then pour in the winey stock and turn the heat down to a simmer, coating the meats constantly. Cook for a minute or two and turn off the heat.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon, seasoning and some chopped parsley. Serve a peppery salad, and hunks of crusty bread on the side.

Clams with Sea Kale in a Miso Broth

2008-01-06T10:15:00.000Z

After what has been such a splendid Christmas and New Year I am most certainly feeling the effects of my excesses. Not that I have gone crazy, but I wish to reinstate a wider balance of foods that feel alive, vital and fresh - and to cut right down on saturated fat content, whilst upping intake of Omega 3s and 6s. There are many cuisines that naturally lend themselves to this eating ideology; Japanese being the foremost in my mind (Thai, Vietnamese, Malayasian also other great examples), as the Japanese diet as we all know includes a great deal of fish, vegetables, soya protein, green tea and many delicious broths.

As I was in Borough yesterday to wish some suppliers a Happy New Year, I happened across a box of sea kale at Tony Booth's. I have to admit I hadn't really cooked sea kale before, and was intruiged to both cook it and taste it properly, as it had been some time since I had eaten it. I decided to create a dish around the sea kale - a dish that was light, with the essence of the sea. Naturally I needed some seafood, and a few handfuls of Palourde clams seemed like a perfect compliment to the delicate flavours of the sea kale. Keeping in a Japanese flavour tradition - the base of the dish would be a miso broth, given extra depth of flavour with an added piece of Kombu seaweed. The dish was finished with some very finely chopped spring onions and a sprinkling of Arame seaweed.

For 2:
400g Palourde or Venus Clams
6/8 stalks of Sea Kale
A good splash of Sake to steam open the clams (I used Vermouth..you can use white wine)
1 packet of Miso broth or a generous teaspoon of Miso paste mixed with 300ml of Dashi
1 piece of Kombu seaweed
3 Spring Onions
Zest and the a squeeze of half a Lemon
Arame seaweed to garnish

Firstly blanched the sea kale in salted water for three to four minutes until tender. Refresh in ice cold water to keep the green and pat dry on kitchen paper. Make the miso soup - I used a packet (not the best I know), but a fresh miso broth is best made with miso paste, mixed with Dashi and Wakame. To my miso I added the dried Kombu and let it steep for 5/6 minutes before removing. Keep the broth warm - but don't let it boil and check the seasoning, adding some good soy if need be. Next steam open the clams with the Sake or Vermouth and the lemon zest in a hot pan, clamping down the lid until they are all open. Discard any that haven't opened. Sieve the liquor from the clams into the miso broth and plunge the kale into it too, to warm it through. To serve, layer the sea kale in a deep bowl and pile over the clams. Pour over the broth and garnish with the spring onions, arame and a light squeeze of lemon juice to add a sparkle to the flavours. To make this a little more substantial, I would add some beautiful cubes of fresh tofu that are one of the best sources of protein and iron, (as well as also being low in calories).

Gazetteer : Fifteen, Watergate Bay, Cornwall

2008-01-04T11:31:00.000Z

One of the excursions out of Penzance I made during my stay was to Jamie Oliver's Fifteen at Watergate Bay, Newquay. As I was flying back to London that afternoon, I figured it would be a great place check out as I am already a fan of Fifteen in London. The restaurant is flanked by the most awesome views of the the beach (which had huge waves crashing onto it that day), as well as feeling smart and very buzzy, even for a wet post-Christmas lunchtime. With my usual head for timing (ie. not great) I had not figured in enough time to finish lunch, as I had a mad dash to the airport with my friends Katie and Nic, needless to say what I did have was fabulous, fresh and very delicious. We ordered a an appetiser platter for three; brimming with the vivid colours of smoky chorizo, salami, roasted crown prince squash, unctuous mozzarella and deliciously cooked broccoli spears with chilli. I love plates of food that can be grazed and picked at; this was definitely one of the best I have had in a long time and came with fresh Italian breads and a bowl of luscious extra virgin olive oil. Based on that one dish alone, I will certainly be going back there on my return as it is well worth a visit if ever you are in Cornwall.

http://www.fifteencornwall.co.uk/

'Grey Gardens' in Cornwall - The Scarecrows of Mousehole

2008-01-02T00:09:00.000Z

The random beauty of Newlyn

2008-01-01T16:02:00.000Z

Christmas Lunch is served!

2008-01-01T15:45:00.000Z

Christmas Lunch as enjoyed by John, Dean, Nikki, Bela, Katie, Nic, Becky, Steady & Steven.
Three Bird Roast with two Stuffings and trimmings,
Cranberry Sauce & Bread Sauce
Roast Potatoes in Goose fat
Brussel Sprouts with caramalised Chestnuts
Roast Parsnips, steamed Carrots
Spiced Red Cabbage
Port Gravy

The burnished bird and the trimmings

2008-01-01T15:18:00.000Z

This was the last stage of a marathon morning of cooking - getting all the trimmings cooked and ready to serve with the bird. I had opted for a fetching lattice work with bacon, that gave the bird roast a very Victorian feel. I had some left over Quails which were roasted along with chipolata sausages and prunes that went soft and beautifully sticky. Two solid days and weeks of planning later and I was nearly there; about to serve up Christmas lunch, Stevie Wallis style.

Christmas drinks at the Navy Inn

2008-01-01T14:31:00.000Z

With Christmas breakfast out of the way, the bird in the oven and everything else peeled, prepped and ready, it was decided that we all take a stroll on the beach and take in a Christmas drink at the Navy Inn in Penzance. The Navy Inn is really great pub that not only is a great place to hang out and read the paper, but also is a great place to try local Cornish Ales and eat their fabulous food which utilises locally caught fish and shellfish. Here are some us in all our Christmas finery.

Russian inspired 'Tzar's Christmas Breakfast'

2008-01-01T14:14:00.000Z

So with the salmon beautifully cured, I got on with creating a 'Tzar's' breakfast, don't ask me why - but it was an idea that I had, which included me extravagantly rolling a soft boiled egg in gold leaf and scattering the plate with 'jewels' of beetroot. If ever there is a time when silliness and extravagance prevails, Christmas morning is it. So there we have it - a breakfast fit for a Tzar (or Maharajah!).

Christmas Breakfast - Salmon cured two ways: Beetroot and Fennel & Juniper

2008-01-01T13:30:00.000Z

There's something obligatory about having Smoked Salmon for breakfast on Christmas morning with scrambled eggs and a glass of Bucks Fizz (sounds very suburban - and it really is, in fact it is teetering on naff...). But I do love it anyways, although I must admit that with a colossal lunch ahead all I really fancy is a soft boiled egg and some granary toast, especially if you have a few hours of cooking and slugging Champagne ahead of you. This year I had bigger plans and set to curing my very own salmon in two ways, not only to impart some extra flavour, but in the case of the beetroot I wanted the salmon to be stained with the deep crimson of this lovely root. This incidentally works rather well on Smoked Salmon - which helps cut through the fattiness of the usual packs sold in most supermarkets.
For the first piece I salted the fish liberally, then finely sliced a bulb of fennel (I used a mandolin) with which I covered the fish with. To this I added a marinade of
100ml of Gin, a pinch of caster sugar, the zest and juice of a lime and some crushed juniper berries. Pour over the salmon, cover with cling film and leave for an hour. The beetroot version is more simple but visually very pretty when served. For this I just boiled a smallish beetroot for 20 minutes or so, which I peeled and sliced into thin slices, again layering over the salted fish. I left this for a bit longer as there wasn't as much acid present to 'cure' the fish. Both pieces were then cleaned of their marinades and sliced finely ready for breakfast.

Happy New Year 2008 everyone!

2007-12-31T18:32:00.000Z

Meringues with Chestnut & Kahlua Cream

2007-12-31T14:26:00.000Z

Having dealt with the awesome Lemon Tart, it was now time to deal with the pool of egg whites that were left over. As John and I had practically been cooking for most of the day (whilst the rest of our throng were kicking back down at the pub), it was time to think of a use for the whites. "I know - I'll make meringues!" I spurted, now feeling the effects of the second bottle of Champagne that both John and I had decided were for the cooks use only! So I set to, and left them to cook away in the oven over night.
In the morning I was blessed with these billowing clouds that were gilded with gold leaf and then filled with a sweet chestnut cream laced with Kahlua. I served them with a hot chocolate sauce - like the one I made on Masterchef, but without the bijou copper skillet.

The River Cafe's Torta di Limone, as made by John

2007-12-31T13:56:00.000Z

Luckily I was spared the responsibility of making pudding for Christmas lunch, as my good friend John had already decided that he would make a rather magnificent looking Torta di Limone from the River Cafe Cookbook. I must confess to having a weakness for Lemon Tart, but an even bigger one for Lemon Meringue Pie which was something my Mother used to make on Sunday afternoons. This tart used an extraordinary amount of eggs; 18 to be precise, and the skilled hand to make a fine, crisp pastry for the base. I admit that making pastry isn't really my forte as it is something I really have to work quite hard at to get right (I think that might apply to baking too to some degree - you are either fabulous at it and gifted like Hannah, or text book and clumsy like me). John set to work on the pastry as I looked on, but I did get a bit involved with the beautiful egg filling that frightened us both with its unnatural amounts of egg, butter and fresh lemon juice that threatened to split at any minute.
Grabbing the bull by the horns, we soldiered on the create the most sublime lemon custard that would grace the very fine pastry base. It was back into the oven to burnish the tart, and that was it - et voila!, a tart worthy of any fine dinner table, and a delicious way to finish a meal.

Here's another Rive Cafe Lemon Tart recipe using Marscapone:
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/food/story/0,,1687696,00.html

J & D's collection of found objects

2007-12-31T13:44:00.000Z

Assembling the Three Bird Roast

2007-12-31T12:54:00.000Z

As you can see this was quite a long and drawn out excercise - the kind which is perfect for Christmas Eve, with lots of things to nibble at hand, big glass of champagne and of course something silly on the telly to watch. When it comes to boning, I am fairly self taught - but I have figured a way to carve out the carcass before moving on to removing the wing bones and the thigh and leg bones. My method is simple; I cut down through the breastbone, cutting away the breasts to expose the ribcage, then running my knife under the backbone to remove it all. I admit it is a rather fiddly business, which took me the best part of two hours to complete all of the birds. I started on the quails first, which despite being small - were the easiest to do. I then built up confidence to tackle the chicken, leaving in the wings and legs intact to maintain a bird-like shape. Once all the birds were boned it was a case of layering; the chicken was laid flat and seasoned, with a generous layer of the sausagemeat stuffing applied. Next I laid the guinea fowl, this time with a layer of the fennel and date stuffing. Lastly I laid two quails and placed a small bundle of chives in the centre (purely for decorative purposes and to see where the middle of the bird would be when cooked). The whole thing was then drawn together, and tied tightly with twine to maintain the shape throughout cooking, then put back into the fridge to rest overnight and let the flavours in the stuffing permeate through the birds.

The Exotic Stuffing - Caramalised Fennel with Dates and Saffron

2007-12-31T12:00:00.000Z

As the major stuffing had been finished, I needed a second stuffing that would permeate the inside layers of the bird and provide a contrast in flavours to the richer sausagemeat stuffing. I had opted for something vaguely Middle Eastern, which was my little nod to Bethlehem. I had bought the fresh dates with me from London, with the very purpose of using them in a stuffing. The base for this was fennel; slowly cooked with fronds of saffron until it caramalised, along with a juicy red onion. The chopped dates were folded in, along with some sourdough bread crumbs to bind it and the zest of an orange and a lemon to add some citrus bite. I lastly added some fresh parsley, which would add some astringency to the richly aromatic fennel, saffron and date combination.
With this done it was on with the birds and the boning!

The Classic stuffing - Sausagemeat, Chestnut, Thyme and Apple

2007-12-31T11:48:00.000Z

As everyone had decreed that stuffing is their favourite bit of Christmas lunch (I too count myself in there..), I made sure that there was plenty of it, but also kept it traditional in flavours. The base for the stuffing was shallots and a leek, sweated down till silky and translucent. To the same pan I then added some diced russet apples, and cooked them until lightly golden. I let the aromatics cool and added them to sausagemeat, along with chopped chestnuts, nutmeg, seasoning and plenty of fresh thyme.
The mixture was left to cool before layering inside the bird roast.

Preparing the Christmas Three Bird Roast, the Quail, the Guinea Fowl and the Chicken

2007-12-31T10:20:00.000Z

This Christmas was always destined to become an event that I would remember for years and years to come, with fondness and huge amounts of affection purely because of the wonderful friends I shared it all with. With so much love in the air I figured we needed a ceremonious bird (well it turns out to be birds) to carve up at the Christmas lunch table. I have always been quite intruiged by age old recipes for lavish multi-bird roasts, which seem to conjure all that is representative of Christmas plenty. I did however figure that 5, 7, or 10 birds stuffed into one another seemed a little excessive, so I opted for a modest three bird ensemble. I am not a huge fan of turkey, nor are many of my friends, so we quickly established that it wouldn't be a feature on our table this year. We had pondered Goose too - but I feel that a Goose is too magnificent a bird to be played with, and demands to have its own one man show at Christmas. Quails I have always loved and were already on my list. Guinea Fowl was a good compliment to the Quail, without being excessively gamey. So the last bird had to be weighty, delicious and awesome - so we opted for a beautiful free range organic Chicken that had obviously lived a very fine life indeed on a farm in Devon. The birds were bought whole, which meant that I had the challenge of boning them ready for layers of stuffing, followed by trussing with yards of twine to transform them back to a bird like shape again.

Christmas Eve preparations - the early morning panic to collect the vegetables from Tregenza's, Penzance

2007-12-31T09:22:00.000Z

Christmas Eve morning was met with the teensiest of hangovers, which soon gave way to panic and fear that the vegetables needed collecting from the greengrocers. Tregenza's, Penzance is one of those hard to find establishments that not only stocks local, fresh produce (some organic - some not), but also a whole array of spices and other larder ingredients.
For Christmas lunch I had ordered all the essentials; fine local potatoes to roast in goose fat, shiny bunches of carrots, parsnips, and handsome stalks of brussel sprouts with a bouquet of squeaky leaves that went on to make the most delicious bubble & squeak (a Boxing Day tradition). Other items included fennel, celery, leeks, chesnuts (these were French and in a jar), beetroot for curing some salmon and banana shallots. As I had left things a bit late (the stampede had already happened at 6.30am), I was left with a scant choice of fresh herbs to take home with me. Luckily I managed to grab the last few bundles of thyme and bay which I knew would do the trick nicely. So it was homeward bound and back to deal with the birds.

Origami, antiquity and taxidermy - fashioning Christmas decorations

2007-12-29T17:58:00.001Z

With always the eye for an original concept, my host's Christmas decorations were just so inspired. A whole bunch of us sat for hours neatly folding japanese origami paper into cranes and what looked like paper pigeons. Along with these were strung antique paper lanterns, with a rather arch looking Christmas magpie finishing off the look. Very de riguer.

http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-crane.html

Christmas lights at Angarrack

2007-12-29T17:45:00.000Z

The Christmas lights at Angarrack are something of a local institution, with hoards of people in cars and coaches (yes, coaches!) flooding into this tiny Cornish village that is lit with enough Christmas lights and tchostche to be seen from outer space. It was indeed quite a spectacle, particularly as there were traffic queues for hours on end. There was this great pub that we all ended up in which served some lovely Cornish ales which we sat and drank by a crackling fire and felt duly festive.

Rhubarb & Ginger Pavlova

2007-12-29T16:59:00.000Z

This is one of those desserts I always end up making when I've had to use excessive amounts of egg yolks and get left with a bowl full of whites. I know that meringue is not the most original thing create with these, but when feeding friends it always becomes a popular choice, especially where dessert is concerned.
I had bought some rhubarb earlier in the day with the specific intention of using it instead of the jetlagged and flavourless berries that were on offer.
I have learnt from Delia the magic quantities of egg white to sugar ratio to create a billowing meringue (3 egg whites to 6oz caster sugar), and also that a hand held whisker is far better and less exhausting than doing it by hand. (John's Grannie's hand whisker came in very handy here!). The other trick is to make the meringue the night before, allowing time to let it dry out over night.
The rhubarb was lightly stewed in it's own juices with golden caster sugar, vanilla pods, orange zest and some finely grated ginger root. Once softly stewed I then add some very finely chopped candied ginger (or ginger conserve), and some of the syrup.
I prefer to serve rhubarb just slightly warm, which combined nicely with a cold creme fraiche that also topped the meringue.

Obscurity and beauty in Penzance harbour

2007-12-29T16:37:00.000Z

Crab bake feasting

2007-12-29T16:02:00.000Z

After our drenching on the beach it was back to the house and quickly back to cooking these delicious creatures. A searing hot wok was the perfect vessel for the mighty claws, which did need a bit of hacking at the joints to make them more manageable. (I do have a whopping great dent in one of my best Global knives, as I stupidly and impatiently set to work cracking these beauties open). The scallops were put under a hot grill, with aroma of the meat, the pesto and hot shell filling them room with the most delicious aroma. The mussels hadn't as yet been cooked, so the contents of the parcel were put in a saucepan and the mussels steamed open. Once cooked, everything was piled high and the scallops were served with a salad of local Landcress - which has a pepperyness not dissimilar to rocket. Plenty of lemon wedges were cut and then everyone just helped themselves, along with thick slices of granary bread to mop up the beautiful juices. The most amazing flavours were had from the fire smoky, but sweet crab meat which was got at with all manner of blunt tools and picks. I think this has to be food at it's sexiest, where you can pick and smash to only be rewarded with delicious, succulent morsels. Nothing really beats the fresh, sweet flavours and the utter simplicity of the accompaniments. Not a foam in sight thank god.

Crab bake on Marazion Beach

2007-12-29T15:22:00.000Z

Having got so enthused with the glorious bounty from Newlyn, I figured the best way to retain some of this glorious crab's freshness was to cook it out on the beach, amongst the elements and a cold sea crashing around us. The idea was to dig a large hole on the beach and cover it with large stones. On top of this a large fire was lit, with the white hot embers and searing hot rocks becoming an oven to bake and steam the claws and mussels, with help of course of a few seasonings and some aluminum foil. I had a trusty team of eager fire lighters John, Dean, Nic, Alex, and Katie) who did a sterling job of lighting a magnificent fire, which sadly and eventually became dampened by a downpour.
The claws I had chosen to cook whole on the fire, all smoky and sweet. I had made a delicious tarragon aioli to accompany the crab, along with a parcel of steamed local organic potatoes. The scallops got a different treatment - which after they had been cleaned of grit and frills, were left in their beautiful shells and anointed with a spoonful of a homemade pesto (large bunch of basil, handfull of pinenuts, fat clove of garlic, lemon zest, a good few glugs of extra virgin olive oil and sea salt - as it's fish I omitted the Parmesan cheese as I wanted to concentrate on the herbiness with the scallop) - these were then placed on the embers to cook and sizzle for a few minutes. Lastly the debearded mussels were bundled into a foil parcel with shards of fennel and a good slosh of Noilly Pratt. These too were destined for the fire.
Needless to say that the rain did put out the fire, and freezing cold we decided to salvage our feast and continue the cooking back at the house...

Gazetteer - W. Stevenson & Sons, Newlyn, Cornwall

2007-12-29T14:07:00.000Z

One Cornwall's best assets is its majestic seas and stunning coastline, and within it a bounty of some of the best seafood to be found in the world. Being in Cornwall at any time of the year is such a treat - the fresh air, the landscapes and beautiful beaches, the friendly and warm people, but the it's the freshly caught fish, lobsters and crabs that really get me excited. These are fished in local waters and are sold glistening and supremely fresh, or in the crab's case, alive and pinching.
Newlyn is a small port close to Penzance that sees most of its catch head up to Billingsgate Market, and ultimately many of the fine restaurants in London and across Britain.
The Stevenson family have been fishing since the early 1800s, and now how several retail outlets in Cornwall, as well as a fleet of trawlers and an export business. They will also send up a mixed box of fish on an overnight courier from as little as £40.00, which will include some the the freshest fish you could possibly lay your hands on (contact the store for further details).
I visited their shop on the harbour in Newlyn intent on buying crabs for a crab bake on the beach that evening, as I had heard that the local Newlyn crab are some of the best in the country. The store had a very fine array of beautifully fresh fish; Pollack, Turbot, Hake, Bream, and fine Megrim Sole among others. As I was in the business of buying crab, I was rewarded with a large container full of big, meaty claws which once belonged to some very handsome crabs indeed. I had initially intended to buy live crabs and dispense with and dress them myself (which I must admit I am rather squeamish about - it's the underside I can't stand..) however I was saved by the convenience of these menacing claws that were packed full of sweet, white meat. I also bought a dozen live scallops (diver caught and not dregded from the sea bed) - a bargain at £6.00 per dozen, and a kilo of fat, shiny mussels. These were packed in a polysterene box and were taken home lovingly to be cleaned and prepared for cooking on the beach.

W. Stevenson & Sons,
Newlyn, Cornwall.
01736 362998

http://www.wstevensonandsons.co.uk/index.html

Merry Christmas from Cornwall!!!

2007-12-23T21:18:00.000Z

I just wanted to add a quick post from deepest, darkest Cornwall to wish everyone a really fantastic Christmas. This year I am spending Christmas with friends in a beautiful house by the sea, and am taking a well earned rest from London. So far, I have been taking advantage of the abundance of supremely fresh Cornish seafood (particularly crab), and other fine produce. Tomorrow being Christmas Eve I will be busy preparing all sorts of wonderful dishes for Christmas lunch that I intend to share with you as soon as I am back in London and with internet connection.
In the mean time I just want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday, and also a heartfelt thankyou for many of your words of encouragement, wisdom and wit that have made writing this blog such a joy over the past few months.
Merry Christmas everyone!!
Steven X

Paris, and the poetic genius of Pierre Gagnaire

2007-12-12T13:22:00.000Z

I've had a couple of mad weeks that have included working on a very interesting production for the BBC, as well as writing, sourcing ingredients and seeing friends in the run up to Christmas. Unfortunately this past weekend I have become quite ill, and have found out that I have succumbed to a nasty bout of Tonsilitis, the less said about that the better.
So in light of my self imposed quarantine, I thought it an ideal time to share some of my experiences during my two week estagier at Pierre Gagnaire that I completed back in September. I will write about it in much richer detail throughout the week, after which I will of course focus upon my plans for Christmas and foods I love to cook. As I'll be in Cornwall this year it I will be using lots of locally caught fish and crabs, which I will be to cooked on the beach New England Clambake Style.
So, more to follow on Pierre Gagnaire tomorrow...
Steven.

Gazetteer - Neal's Yard Dairy

2007-11-29T11:11:00.000Z

I have to confess that I'm not much of a cheese lover, although there are times when I do enjoy having really great cheese at home, especially for after a dinner party - or as a lunch or evening supper with good bread and a leaf salad. My best friend in Paris, Xavier has tried hard to convert me with French cheeses, and has even disclosed one of his most guarded secrets which happens to be one of Paris's best cheese shops (I will include this shop and it's cheeses in a later post). There are several great cheese shops in London, my favourites being La Fromagerie, and Neal's Yard Dairy. Ben, my fellow finalist on Masterchef also has a rather fine Cheese shop in Cheltenham called The Cheese Works - well worth a visit if you live in the South West.
As I was in Borough shopping for the Thanksgiving dinner, I figured that a cheese course was in order, complete with figs and luscious black grapes. The Dairy has been going since 1979, and sells some of the best cheeses from across the UK and Ireland.
Being the cheese novice that I am, I not going to rattle on about cheese, but instead say that of the cheeses we had, they were all delicious and quite remarkable in flavour and texture. The cheeses we had were an Irish Crozier Blue, an intense Ogleshield,a Burland Green cow's milk cheese and a wonderfully grassy, tangy Kirkham's Lancashire. The staff are great at helping taste your way through various cheeses, helping you choose from such a wide variety of such wonderful artisan produce. They also stock butter, yoghurt and milk, as well as savoury biscuits and an eclectic range of chutneys and pickles.

Neals Yard Dairy

6 Park Street, Borough Market,
London SE1 9AB
Tel+44 (0)20 7645 3554
retail@nealsyarddairy.co.uk
Mon-Fri 9am to 6pm
Sat 8am to 5pm

The Cheeseworks, Cheltenham
http://www.thecheeseworks.co.uk/

Noella's Pumpkin Pie (recipe supplied by Dr.Nicole..) with a Hazelnut honey and Maple Semifreddo

2007-11-28T22:42:00.000Z

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without Pumpkin Pie. This pie is in fact a tart (I am going on the assumption that a pie by definition has a pastry lid), with a sweet filling of pumpkin and various spices. As I had busied myself with the bird, Noel made this rather gorgeous pie that was the perfect Thanksgiving pudding.
To compliment the pie's velvety richness, I made a semifreddo (an Italian frozen cream that is half set - hence semifreddo), with hazelnuts steeped in honey, maple syrup & candied clementines.

some of the trimmimgs...

2007-11-28T13:13:00.000Z

A good festive bird always needs plenty of trimmings. However, rather than opting on too many, I decided to focus on a few key ones, which meant (shock horror!) not serving potatoes. I admit that a good roast is never the same without crispy roast potatoes (especially fabulous when cooked in goose fat), but I figured as there is a whole dinner to contend with, the potatoes would do good to be left off the menu to allow precious room for other courses. As this was a festive feast, I decided to cook a pot of red cabbage with juniper berries and port - all dark and aromatic, steamed carrots with tarragon butter, and for the starch lovers among us, roasted parsnips finished off with a drizzle of Italian chestnut honey. Another key component was cranberry sauce - made with fresh cranberries and cooked with the zest and juice of half an orange to add some extra tang.

For the Braised Red Cabbage:
1 large Red Cabbage
12/15 Juniper berries
1 Banana Shallot
500ml Chicken Stock
250 ml Port
15ml aged Balsamic Vinegar

Sweat the shallot in a little olive oil until translucent, adding the crushed juniper berries after 15 minutes or so. Allow them to release their flavour for a few minutes then added the shredded cabbage. Stir the cabbage until it is well coated then add the chicken stock, season well. Place the lid on the pan and allow to cook down on a simmer for 20 mins, until the cabbage starts to soften. At this point, turn up the heat then add the port. Allow the most of the alcohol to burn off, then replace the lid and simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occaissionally. Once the red cabbage is soft and silky, reduce its cooking liquor and add the balsamic vinegar, cooking until it is deep and aromatic. This is fabulous with game birds, and also rather good with the additions of apple, chilli flakes and orange zest and juice...

Table Tchotschke

2007-11-28T12:41:00.000Z

The word 'tchotschke' is definately in my word hall of fame. As I have an utter fondness for crap, in particular silly objects (that happen to litter most of my home) that I collect from markets or mad places from around the world - so, as you can imagine I was thrilled to find out that this 'stuff' has a proper name. As it also happens to be one of those words that sounds funny even if you don't know what it means, I was instantly inspired to drop it into conversation whenever I could. So, our table tchotschke for this Thanksgiving was going to be on the theme of black and white. I know, not the most novel, and a bit 1980's - but nonetheless a theme very close to my heart. The candles were black and white, as were the flowers (well sort of..) - and at each place setting were black(ish) beetroots, and pale butternut squash, each skewered with a rather stunning porcupine quill, with name place cards from Smythson. I wouldn't go as far as having black and white food, but it's certainly worth having a play to make the table look a million. Here's our attempt..

Thanksgiving Turkey Lurkey

2007-11-28T10:18:00.000Z

Well as promised (and by popular demand..) here are my posts on last weekend's Thanksgiving dinner. I have gained a tradition of co-hosting Thanksgiving dinners with my friend Noel, which started with a lavish affair in her apartment in Athens. This year was a smaller gathering of close friends, and being the quality freaks we both are, we both pulled out all the stops to make this Thanksgiving one to remember.
Firstly there was the bird; not just any old fowl here, but an organic free range beauty that got some rather special treatment. This was supplied by my butcher, Paul at Wyndham House who prides himself on the fantastic meat and game that he sells, all free range and organically reared.
Having got the bird home, my first job was to set about making a chicken stock that would not only be the base for the gravy, but also becomes a wonderful soup base to make Asian inspired broths (where you can use up left over Turkey..) complete with lime juice, ginger, spring onions, chillies, shredded cabbage greens, coriander and a healthy splosh of nam plah. Once I had the stock, I next got to work on the stuffing - two kinds here (one to fill the neck of the bird, the second cooked seperately in a dish), the first being composed of sourdough bread crumbs, dried cranberries, a finely chopped and caramalised bulb of fennel and two banana shallots, the zest and juice of an orange, tarragon and a good pinch of saffron. I added some good olive oil to these ingredients and plenty of seasoning, then mixed this into a firm, sticky mass with my hands. The second stuffing was much more traditional in flavour and theme and included sausagemeat, caramalised apple and shallots, chopped chesnuts, fresh thyme and sage leaves and a good grating of nutmeg. With this done, the bird was ready to be stuffed and adorned with various aromatics. Rather than following tradition, I decided to jazz things up a bit and create a festive scented bird with the help of quince, cinnamon, star anise and bay leaves. These would infuse a gentle flavour rather than overpower the bird, and as the bird is sat upon slices of quince and the aromatics - these then become aromatic, soft and sticky with juices, the prefect compliment to the rich turkey meat, particularly the dark meat of the thighs and legs. The cavity was part filled with a few quince slices, slices of orange, as well as bay, parsley and thyme sprigs loosely bundled into a bouquet garni. The final anointing came in the form of liquid (which helps the bird to steam cook, and creates luscious, moist flesh) which was 100ml of chicken stock and 50ml of Noilly Prat or Vermouth. The bird was the covered in foil and cooked (initially breast side down for for the best part of two hours, then turned back up for a further hour - we had a 5 Kilo bird to contend with), with the last 45 minutes reserved for burnishing the skin by removing the foil and basting constantly. Once cooked, the bird was allowed to rest (covered in a foil jacket) for 30 minutes before carving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T09:09:00.000Z

I just want to wish those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving, a very happy Thanksgiving!
My best friend Noel and me are hosting our own Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday evening, which will be a great prelude to Christmas and all of it's shenanigans. As Noel is American, we will have all of the trimmings and table tchotsche that one would expect of an authentic Thanksgiving dinner. I will of course cook the bird, Noel is making a pumpkin pie and our guests will just come to eat and drink. Photos and musings to follow - wishing you a great holiday! Steven.

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.
Johannes A. Gaertner

Purple reign...

2007-11-20T12:14:00.000Z

I couldn't help but notice this weekend the abundance of colour, in particular purple. It's one of the colours in food I can't help but get drawn to, along with red - (which like birds they are more acutely sensitive to the purples and reds of berries and fruits in the wild). It's not just blanket colour too - purple is featuring as streaks, patterns and mottling on a whole host of seasonal vegetables. My favourites are pictured, as they are so vivid and interesting. Part of me wants to paint a still life and admire them for their intensely hued beauty, the other part wants to cook them and layer those colours with flavours and textures.

The tale of 'Imbianchimento' and the curious Spider Treviso

2007-11-20T11:11:00.000Z

This weekend involved a trip to Borough with a good friend, where along with bumping into the brilliant chef Peter Gordon (one of my chef heros), I came across this rather magnificent specimen, the Spider Treviso. Of Italian origin, it is of the Radicchio family with it's winey red, bitter leaves.
First cultivated by the ancient Egyptians and then Italian monks in the 1400s who had to vary their sparse vegetarian diets, this curious plant has gone through quite a transformation over the years. The Belgian agronomist Francesco Van den Borre, already famous for applying techniques to endive to whiten the leaves, set to work on these radicchio that grew in the Treviso region.
The Imbianchimento process involves a lot of work, with the plants harvested in the autumn, trimmed, and packed into wire baskets. These are then placed in darkened sheds for a few days, with their roots bathed in circulating springwater. This bathing process and light deprivation makes the leaves take on the deep purple pigment, which when deeper in colour means the more bitter the taste, which makes these leaves so prized as a leaf by gourmets around the world.
With my history lesson in mind, I figured these would make the most delicious winter salad with one of my other favourite ingredients, pear.
This makes a fabulous starter or an end to a meal where a cheese course would take precedence. The beautiful leaves are made glossy with walnut oil, and combined with the pear (that I poached in a mulled wine - orange peel, caraway seeds, cloves, cinnamon and cardomon until soft and juicy), which once mulled adds additional purple to the dish. Over this crumble some delicious Scottish blue cheese (mine was from Neal's Yard Diary) and roughly chopped walnuts. This was finished with a quick vinagrette of 3 parts walnut oil to 1 part of the cooled mulled wine, salt, pepper and a final grating of orange zest to lift all of the flavours.

Win a dinner cooked by me! Stella Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph

2007-11-18T17:19:00.000Z

I am currently being offered up as a prize on the Stella loves page in this Sunday's Stella Magazine in The Sunday Telegraph. I have offered to cook the winner a dinner in their home, for themselves and three guests. The competition closes on the 24th November. Please see the magazine or link for further details...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/main.jhtml?xml=/fashion/2007/11/18/st_stellalovescompetition18.xml

Lunch at Petersham Nurseries

2007-11-18T16:15:00.000Z

Yesterday my friend Beth and me decided to visit one of my favourite restaurants in London, Petersham Nurseries. Nestled in Petersham (near Richmond) in Surrey, this fantastic venue is such an antidote to the London hustle and bustle, with it's cafe and restaurant housed in sheds and old glass houses. All around are plants and objet d'art for sale too, but the biggest attraction for me is the exquisite cooking of Skye Gyngell - the head chef at Petersham Nurseries. Her palette is remarkable, as is all of the food that is cooked there. The produce is the very best, and has a integrity of flavour that requires little fussing or over complicating - Skye's method is to tease and combine flavours together that simply and very elegantly, work.
Well we were certainly wowed by our dishes; to start Crispy duck with bak choi, tamari soy and ginger and a dish of sourdough toast with juicy clams, prawns and chilli rouille - each dish was delicious and left us wanting more or their richly balanced flavours.
For a main course we chose gratinee of endive, which was heavy going, but comforting and deeply satisfying. The star of the show however was a dish of pickled pumpkin with roasted tomatoes and mozzarella, with drizzles of an aged balsamic and a scattering of gremolata. It's most definately a dish that will remain in my memory for some time to come as the flavours and textures were so surprising and utterly delicious.
If ever there has been a cooking inspiration, this is it - flavoursome, exquisite food cooked with the most incredible consideration to balance of flavours, colours and textures. Skye's food is well worth crossing London for - anyday of the week!

The final flourish - Lavender & Strawberry Pavlova with White Chocolate shards

2007-11-15T14:09:00.000Z

I decided to finish the meal with a bit of a spectacular flourish - and felt that only one dessert is possibly big and blousey enough to carry it off in true diva fashion is of course the Pavlova. Created (so they say) for a Russian Prima Ballerina and diva (by the sounds of things), the Pavlova is more of a fashion statement than food. To be honest I love the combination of meringue, cream and berries, it is definately decadent in the most ostentatious way. With ostentation in mind, I set about making this a true queen of pavs - so infused the meringue with lavender flowers, and made a lavender syrup that then I folded into the cream (I prefer to use creme fraiche mixed with double cream as the subtle sourness works well with the sweet meringue) that sandwiched the two pieces together. I chose to decorate it with red berries, with redcurrants draped about it like Bulgari jewels. The final flourish came with ultra thin slithers of white chocolate that had been infused with green peppercorns, projecting from the roof of this pudding at uncomfortable angles, much like a Zaha Hadid building, well at least in my imagination it did.

Tiger tomato, Radish & Cress Salad with a Horseradish Vinaigrette

2007-11-15T13:36:00.000Z

I know this salad hardly warrants a mention as this really is a case of throwing a few very good ingredients together, however I am going to ramble on about it as in its simplicity lies its magic. Because beef was the star of the show, it required an accompaniment worthy enough to stand up to its big, rich flavours. Enter the tiger tomato, painted with stripes of green with a deep, tart acidity. Next radish, peppery hot, crisp and crunchy, palate cleansing stuff. Lastly a vinaigrette with horseradish grated in, to add that intense fieriness and a little sweetness from a drizzle of thyme honey to accentuate the tomatoes. Finally, a scattering of mustard cress, again adding heat but on a different level, and pretty too into the bargain.

Fillet of Beef with Wild herbs, Roasted Shallots with Thyme

2007-11-15T12:32:00.001Z

Laden with so much fresh bounty from the market, I had decided whilst at the market what to cook for the planned dinner party. Having bought a delicious looking piece of beef fillet I decided to utilise the bundles of different herbs that I purchased.
The beef was served with shallots that I roasted whole in their skins with thyme, their soft innards easily got at by squishing with a the back of a fork. I love to cook fillet of beef rare, or even blue. The added crust of herbs adds a contrasting flavour, and works well served with a homemade aioli, flavoured with smoked garlic or saffron.

Fillet of beef rolled in wild herbs:
Serves 6

1kg of Beef Fillet (expensive but definately worth it)
Large bunch of mixed fresh herbs:
Chervil
Tarragon
Parsley
Sage
Thyme
Chives
25 ml Olive Oil

Firstly chop the bundles of herbs finely, without bruising them too much. Roll the beef in olive oil to coat, then roll in the chopped herbs until the meat has a wonderful green coating. Season well and sear the fillet in a hot baking tray on all sides, taking care not to burn the herbs. Once seared on all sides, transfer to a hot oven (220c) and cook for 20 mins. Take the meat out of the oven and let it rest for a further ten minutes. Serve with the roasted shallots and homemade aioli.

Apple Pie at Winkel Cafe

2007-11-15T11:58:00.000Z

After the sensual feast that was the Noordmarket, it seemed fitting to complete a busy morning's shopping and browsing with some coffee and the best apple cake the city has to offer. Winkel Cafe is a bit of an institution, despite the comedy name, and is a great place to sit and people watch, as it seems to be quite a cool hangout and free from marauding tourists. The apple pie by the way is fabulous, and definately memorable - however I could have done without the squirty cream or at least could have traded it for something thicker and far more luscious.

More from the Noordmarkt

2007-11-15T10:24:00.000Z

Other things that got my attention at the market were Ijs Kruid or Ice Plant, a very curious leafy succulent that was studded with what looked like ice droplets all over its leaves. It has a intruiging flavour, a cross between watermelon, fennel and celery, and had a interesting natural saltyness that lingered on the palatte. Next were was a stall totally devoted to herbs - where alongside bundles of conventional herbs were also chamomile, lavender and roses, for use in salads or for use as infusions. Also they were clever bundles of herbs for soups, fish or salads that had a bit of everything in them, even spring onions which were tied in upside down, showing off their beautiful roots. I hadn't seen herbs look so artistic until now, or so creatively presented.

Also in the market there were stalls stacked high with balls of Gouda, and other continental cheeses - there were two that caught my attention, a hard cows milk cheese that had caraway seeds, and another that was coated in raisins that had been soaked in a curious liquor. Lastly, there were plenty of wild mushrooms on sale, arrange in kitsch little hand baskets, as if Goldilocks herself had picked them and dropped them off on her way to visit the three bears. There was most definately an air of bohemian celebration and pride in all the produce that was sold, and deservedly so I do think it's one of the best food markets I have seen in Europe, with some of the freshest produce any cook or chef would desire.