Summer Travels - Amsterdam

This has been one of those posts that has been lurking around, too big to write and publish quickly, but too good a memory for me not to. I was in Amsterdam for a weekend in June after meeting my friend Sam at Colombia Road Flower Market. Needless to say we instantly hit it off, and before long there were exchanges of all sorts and for me an invitation to come over to Amsterdam. Curiously enough, Amsterdam had never been on my cultural radar - but I knew I had make the effort to visit it, as it, like most European cities is always well worth a visit.
To say that I fell in love with Amsterdam, is an understatement - of all the cities in Europe I could live in, Amsterdam (besides London & Paris) is it. So, rather than me rattle on about the city, it's relaxed and slightly louche lifestyle, the canals, the boats or the hashish, I will stay focused on the food, in particular a rather fabulous meal that made for Sam and her friends, and the wonderful organic food market where we spent the day gathering produce.

Working with Shaun Hill at his new restaurant, The Walnut Tree, Abergavenny

At last I have some news that I can blurt out!, as from next month I will be working alongside the Michelen starred chef Shaun Hill at his new restaurant, The Walnut Tree.
I first met Shaun at Taste of London, where he was representing British Airways and the menus he has created for them, where over a few glasses of champagne we waxed lyrically about the food and restaurant industries. We have since been meeting up at Fortnum's (where he has developed all of the menus for their restaurants) and he has agreed to take me on a 3 month basis as a trainee Chef. I am so excited to be working with him, not only because Shaun is one of the most talented and revered chefs in this country, (his signature style is parred back simplicity - creating sparse, elegant dishes that use the very best of local British produce), but also because I get to leave London for some time and focus on becoming a part of the mechanics of the kitchen, living and breathing it day to day. Shaun is also famous for the Michellen starred Merchant House In Ludlow, and the Glasshouse in Worcester. His new restaurant at the eponymous Walnut Tree in Abergavenny will open on December 9th, so I'll be posting more news as this happens. In the mean time I have linked one of Shaun's recipes of Scallops and lentil Sauce, adapted by Delia Smith.


The Walnut Tree, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire.
http://www.thewalnuttreeinn.com/

Gazetteer - Verde, Spitalfields

Tucked away in Shoreditch is one of my favourite foodie emporiums, Verde. Sat opposite Spitalfield Market and owned by the writer Jeanette Winterson, Verde is a Dickensian gem selling fabulous handmade chocolates, artisan pantry supplies, spices, teas and homemade cakes and pastries, as well as pretty much anything you desire to order. In the winter this bijou store sometimes has a crackling fire, and when possible you can squeeze in and sit and have tea and macaroons. I always have to go in and have a poke about whenever I'm in East London, where you can get lost amongst so many of the wonderful things for sale.


Verde, 40 Brushfield Street, London E1.

Constant craving... the Greek Salad (xor'jatiki)

There is no doubt that there are days when nothing seems to appeal, apart from foods that were eaten at a particular time or place in the year. Yep, you guessed it - I'm hankering after a greek salad. But this isn't any old salad rustled up with finds from a supermarket, I'm craving the entire experience of Greece, the hot sun, tomatoes that are busting with rich flavour, salty olives, fresh creamy feta, the sprinkle of dried herbs and the vinegar oil combination that is just adds perfect balance to all the ingredients. With that I need the bustle of people around me, smells of the sea (well I was in Mykonos at the time...), and seeing as I'm in a demanding mood I would like along with the salad a fresh plate of Tzatziki with plenty of garlic bite, an ice cold beer (has to be Mythos beer to be truly authentic) and the knowledge that a plate piled high with tangles of calamari is about to land on the table...

Wet and wild - the wild food vegetable box

Inspired by Thommi's great book and TV show on Wild food I have decided that a I am in desperate need of an excuse to escape the city and spend some quality time foraging and learning about many of the UK's wild foods, florals and herbals.
As I grew up in a rural environment (Windsor Great Park), I feel the need to reconnect and reaquaint myself with nature's larder.
I have decided to book myself onto a day's foraging with Andrew Sartain who takes small groups of foragers over shoreland, woodland, pasture, meadow and wasteland, that then culminate in a lunch or dinner using the ingredients foraged that day. For those lucky enough to live in the Bristol area, Andrew and his team deliver wild food vegetable boxes that are filled with gems such as sea purslane, marsh samphire, wild celery, wild cherry, wood blewits and orache. He is also accompanied by Phoebe, a rather gorgeous Jack Russell Terrier (pictured)... definately a day I'm looking forward to.
I have linked Andrew's website - check it out for further details...
Images courtesy of www.gourmetfunghi.co.uk

Pork, Sausage & Borlotti bean Stew with Greek yoghurt and Gremolata

This dish came about after a gander around Broadway Farmer's Market in Hackney. This is definately one of my favourite markets to shop at in London as it is a great source of locally grown produce that doesn't make it as far as the higher priced and more popular Borough Market. Even if it is a fair few miles from where I live, this market is well worth a visit. This dish became supper for four, having bought some organic free range pork belly, equally delicious Toulouse style sausages and a few tins of Borlotti beans.

Ingredients:
1kg Pork Belly
A few pork ribs
I large bulb of Fennel
6/8 Shallots
300ml Vermouth
Bay leaves
Rosemary sprigs
4 fat Toulouse Sausages
6 Garlic cloves
2 tins of Italian Plum Tomatoes
2 Tins of Borlotti Beans
Saffron

This dish requires a bit of patience, but takes minimum effort and fuss, as it is essentially a stew with various slow cooked components. First cook the pork belly; creating a bed of sliced fennel, shallots and pork ribs, to which the pork belly is layered over. Nestle bay leaves and sprigs of rosemary and douse everything with the vermouth and a good drizzle of olive oil. Season well and cover your roasting dish with foil. Place into an oven at 180C and cook for two hours until the meat is soft and succulent. Let the meat rest then remove the skin and any layer of fat that is left. (The skin can be roasted separately with plenty of salt and pummeled herbs to create a fabulous crackling). Drain the juices, skimming off most of the fat and discard the ribs. Set aside the cooking liquor.
In a deep frying pan drizzle some good olive oil and slowly cook the sausages with the garlic cloves and bay leaves, making sure the sausages caramelise nicely without the garlic burning. After 10/12 minutes remove the sausages and set aside and then add the tins of tomatoes to the lovely garlicky, sausagey oil. Season, add also a pinch of sugar and the saffron fronds. Turn the heat down and reduce for 40 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have broken down to a soft sauce. Add the pork belly (now in lovely, thick chunks) sausages, and drained beans and toss through the sauce. Pour in the cooking liquor that was reserved earlier and transfer it all to a deep roasting dish and cook for a further 30/40 minutes on a moderate oven until the sauce has deepened in flavour and texture, and the sausages and beans are plump and juicy.
Serve hot with generous spoon of greek yoghurt and a gremolata (a finely chopped garlic clove, the zest of half an unwaxed lemon and a good bunch of parsley - all finely chopped together to create a clean, zesty topping), and a drizzle of your best olive oil.

Full of Middle Eastern promise...

On a recent scoot across London to visit a good friend in Westbourne Grove, I happened across this fabulous food emporium. Initially drawn in by the colourful array of fruits of vegetables on display, I then lingered on the heaving terracotta pots filled to the brim, and little pots of pomegranate. Inside were jars of delicious vine leaves, olives, preserved lemons, sumac, fresh dates and an array of scented waters. I was immediately transported to the climes and smells of Beirut, Marrakech, Istanbul...
It is precisely these stores full of incredible produce that make living in London a constant culinary adventure.

Sara Foods, Hereford Road, London W2.

Brassicas and Fractals - The Romanesco

I know that so many people before me have wondered in awe about the Romanesco Cauliflower, the nutty brassical flavour and the mathematical genius that is its structure (likening these curious vegetables to fractal paintings, in particular Hokusai's great wave and the mastery of Fibonacci's sequence) - I can't help but find its beauty so fascinating. With this is mind, I offer no cooking instruction, but prefer to gawp open mouthed at it splendor.

Oven baked Caponata

With Winter fast approaching, my oven is starting to become the cooking medium of choice when making dishes. The thing that is so great about oven cooked foods over stove cooked ones is that the house becomes filled with generous, lingering aromas, and the food itself gets cooked with a heat that intensifies all the flavour, whilst caramalising at the same time - this works especially well sauces, and of course stews and other braised dishes. I haven't made a good oven cooked tomato sauce in ages, (which incidentally creates the most perfect, aromatic sauce for pasta) so I decided that this method would work well for a Caponata.
The Caponata is a Sicilian dish, often used as an antipasti - which uses aubergine, peppers and aliums. There are so many variations on this theme - and I am particularly fond of those that call for the inclusion of olives and capers that add a bitter, astringent edge to the softly sweet tomatoes and aubergine. Not only is this delicious on it's own - or preferably warm, served with some crusty wholemeal bread, but is delicious served with chicken breast that has been poached in stock, or meaty flat fish like plaice or halibut that have been roasted on the bone.

Ingredients:
1 large Aubergine (eggplant)
2 Courgettes (zucchini)
3 Red Onions
4 fat cloves of Garlic
1 tin Organic Italian Plum Tomatoes
Sprigs of Thyme
Basil leaves to finish
50ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Basil leaves

The great thing about this dish is the ease with which this can be cooked, with such delicious results. Peel and slice the onions and cover the base of a ceramic roasting dish. Wash and halve the aubergines, and courgettes, and nestle the garlic cloves in amongst them. Douse with a good extra virgin olive oil (it is worth using the good stuff here as it really adds to the falvour of the dish) and scatter the thyme leaves. Bake on 180C for 35 minutes until the aubergines are cooked and caramalised on their cut edges. Remove the vegetables and some of the red onions and transfer to a smaller dish and return to the bottom of the oven to keep warm. You'll be left with the oil and half of the red onions and softly cooked garlic cloves. Crush these with the back of a fork, then add a tin of chopped Italian tomatoes and their juices. Season well and return to the oven to cook for a further 30 minutes until you have a thick tomato sauce. Chop the vegetables into pieces and mix in the the tomato sauce. Tear in Basil leaves and cook for a further 20 minutes to let the juices combine and cook together. If you like the addition of olives and capers, add them now. Either serve straight away, or when warm. But in all honesty this dish really requires a day to to sit and develop, if you can wait that long!

Salmon Ceviche with Mandarin & Grapefruit

Seeing as I'm feeling nostalgic about Summer today, here's another post about what has to be one of the easiest things to make, that is a joy to eat. Ceviche is a great starter for substantial meal ahead, the almost creamy fish cooked in fresh, astringent juices of citrus fruits. Salmon is an obvious choice of fish, as is tuna, but more delicate white fish like Bass, Sole, and Snapper work equally well. The Japanese sweet shrimp are also rather good too and are delicious either eaten raw or with this method of preparation. Ceviche always calls for crunch and herbal notes to go with it, salads of cucumber, mooli, various micro herbs and cress, fancy leaves and flowers are always great last minute additions to the plate. To add extra flavour I also used a Mandarin balsamic, and a Mandarin infused olive oil with the juice of half a yellow grapefruit.
Having thinly sliced the fish, I mixed the juice, Mandarin balsamic and oil, salt and seasonings, then poured over the fish. Leave for 10 minutes and dress with leaves.
For a more substantial meal serve with steamed rice and finely chopped nori sheets and mixed sesame seeds.

Memories of our scant Summer - Lemon Sole with wild Asparagus, roasted tomatoes and a Lemon Verbena butter

I know this isn't a seasonal dish, but as we are now hurtling towards the long, dark nights here in Blighty I feel the need for light, bright foods and flavours of the Summer. This probably has a lot to do with the lack of sun we had this year and my constant craving for warmer climes. This dish I cooked for Tess and Russell, who being the great friends they are, sat patiently in the garden drinking wine as I played in the kitchen. This dish came about from my stumbling across Lemon Verbena, a herb that I have always loved because of it's incredible grassy, lemony fragrance which for me evokes memories of wildly grown kitchen gardens.
Having the herb in hand, I figured that a light, delicate fish would work well with this, as would wild asparagus that was in season at the time. Early vine tomatoes, slowly roasted with fine shards of garlic added colour and a sweet sharpness and contrast to the fish and the subtlely fragranced, lemony butter sauce.

Boney Mmmmmmmmm

Last Sunday was a bit of an event, as I went to see my family in Windsor. As I hadn't been down in some months, it was nice to escape London and spend time getting licked, but then ignored by Arnie, the Jack Russell. It was a beautiful, crisp Autumn day, which called for a Sunday roast of the kind that is eaten and enjoyed over the course of an afternoon. I love meals that become focal points for the day, when literally hours are spent at the table amongst family and friends, where afternoons become evenings and different delicious foods and wines make an appearance at the table.
Nothing beats a good traditional roast lunch, made with superior ingredients, lightly teased and cajouled with aromatics and herbs and cooked to perfection. Up there is Roast Rib of Beef, on the bone, all succulent and juicy. My butcher Paul, at Wyndham House sorted me out a beautiful cut, to which I added minimal seasoning and sprigs of thyme and bay leaves tucked here and there. Seared, then roasted until pink on a bed of shallots - this is food of the gods. I served mine with a horseradish creme fraiche, saffron roasted potatoes and heaps of steamed spring greens with a deep, red wine gravy made with the pan juices. Any leftovers are fabulous with homemade mayonnaise (I add smoked garlic to mine), or slatherings of english mustard in a sandwich.

Chromatose..

I know this is hardly big news (..I do promise to update you all on all my latest activities), but every time I go trotting off to my local farmer's market I can't help but get transfixed by the array of colours on show. I think that is one of the things I love so much about cooking; the rich colours that are there to be played with, explored, transformed and mixed together - with flavours and textures adding and intensifying the food experience. Sorry to be rattling on in artistic mode, but I just can't seem to get enough of it all, especially as Autumn is now in full swing and the countryside is awash with incredible colour. Here are just a few examples, with the prize for most colourful going to the very flashy Rainbow Chard, the Missoni of the vegetable world.

Smoking fetish...

I have to admit that I have got quite a thing for smoked foods. For the past year or two I can't seem to get enough of smoked foods and their layers of flavour. Smoking in my eyes should be about adding nuance and subtle flavour to foods, from duck, quails, fish, shellfish (smoked scallops and eels are food of the gods!), as well as vegetables like tomatoes, aubergines, potatoes and even apple, peaches and pears. One of most fabulous store cupboard ingredients I have come across is Halen Mon's smoked salt which is so amazing with something as comforting as a soft boiled egg and soldiers, but equally good with carpaccio of beef and a velvety saffron aioli.
During the Summer I found a stall at Broadway Market in Hackney selling smoked mussels that were quickly partnered with grilled, garlic rubbed crostini and lemony Greek yoghurt. Flowers and flourishes are optional - but I served these with a good bottle of Pinot Gris.

Last weekend's finds at Borough Market

One of my first pitstops in Borough Market is Tony Booth's. Once I'd had what are probably the best cappuccinos in London (from Monmouth Coffee Shop), I always head over to see Tony or Harry (pictured looking resplendent in orange) to see what's in season. Those boys always have such fantastic produce, both locally sourced and exotic. The fruit and veg are always amazing and are such a visual feast - just being amongst them gets me fired up and wanting to cook. As well as these, they are also renowned for their excellent array of wild mushrooms which when in season as they are now, never disappoint - last Saturday there were ceps, girolles, black trompettes and
the white, ethereal puffball mushrooms. Other gems were lusciously ripe muscat grapes, sweet and full of heady perfumed juice. Rainbow chard also ended up in my bag, as I couldn't resist those colours and the fresh, squeaky leaves. As my fridge was heaving with goodies from the market, I over the course of the weekend cooked up lots of dishes including the following:
A Saturday night supper of Casarecci pasta with the sauteed swiss chard, pine nuts and shavings of Pecorino. Sunday Brunch starred a thick slice of the puffball, cooked in a little bacon fat rendered from a few rashers of bacon, served on some griddled sourdough toast and topped with a fried egg. Lastly the muscat grapes played a perfect role in Monday's supper - (I got inspired and followed the black theme here) and made a beetroot rosti, topped with seared chicken livers and sweet sour warm chutney of the grapes, shallots and toasted coriander seeds. For contrast I just added a scant sprinkle of capers tossed in a little olive oil and orange zest.

Supper with Harriet Jenkins

Having first met Harriet during the semis of Masterchef, I knew we would become great mates as I am so fond of her love of all things gamey, and her fabulous sense of style and wry wit. Needless to say I never need much of an excuse to cook for my mates, and Harriet is no exception. As we are both often running around like blue-arsed flies, it was great to get together to eat, drink and catch up on life's events. I decided to treat Harry to something remotely gamey, and of course quails (one of my all time favourite foods) sprang to mind. I stuffed the boned quails with chicken livers seared with a good slosh of armagnac, thyme leaves and seasoning. These were held together with a cocktail stick, then browned in a pan and roasted in an oven for 10/12 mins until beautifully pink and juicy. I served the quails with puy lentils cooked with a base of fine mirepoix and chicken stock. I finished the dish with a pear and spinach puree which added a light, minerally freshness to counter the richness of he quail and livers. Being the foodies we are, no meal would be complete without a pud - so I made a luscious Tarte Tatin for Harry and me, simple and unadulterated, it's caramelised apple stickiness balanced with spoonfulls of soured creme fraiche which melted slowly with the still warm tarte. Foodie heaven I'd say!!

Crab apple jelly with Spruce

As Autumn is in full swing, I am taking particular comfort in finding all sorts of 'wild' seasonal fruits making an appearance at my local farmers market. Crab apples used to be the missile of choice when I was a naughty kid, flung at great speed from the end of a willow branch. Now of course I am marginally more respectable in my old age, so have better uses for these brightly coloured litle bombs of sourness. The obvious choice is a jelly, but flavoured with Spruce needles, used in a similar way to rosemary. What are also quite delicious are rowanberries, either as a subsitute or addition to the sour, fragrant, balsamic jelly. Once made, the jelly is particularly good accompaniment with game - pheasant and venison are good choices - (both on the side or used to glaze a suace or gravy), but is also delicious with mackerel, used as a glaze before roasting or grilling.

Junior Masterchef at Kimbolton School (continued)

Here are some of the other pupils dishes, and as Hannah, Clare and myself couldn't decide who should win, we awarded the joint title to Mary and Nick, who both excelled and stunned us with their attention to detail and truly delicious food, Mary cooked (and gutted very confidently by the way) Mackerel pan roasted with Oatmeal and a beetroot relish, with Pecan shortbreads to finish. Nick cooked a breast of duck with perfect confit pototoes and pureed squash (that was stuffed with aromatics as it roasted), finished off with a Tart Tatin. Apart from probably eating too much that day, both Hannah and me were just thrilled to have had such a great time with everyone, so a massive thankyou again to Clare and your wonderful students for such delicious and very enlightening day.
Here are the winning dishes and the talented cooks themselves...

Junior Masterchef at Kimbolton School

Nearly three weekends ago, Hannah and I were invited to judge the pupils at Kimbolton School's Junior Masterchef competition, ran by their fabulous Home Economics tutor, Clare Bennett. Meeting Clare for the first time took me back to my own Home Ec classes, and with her limitless enthusiasm and patience I had wished I was back at school and in her class. The room was stuffed with great books and kitchen paraphernalia, and all the walls were covered with articles on food from every cultural dimension. However, the real stars that day were the wonderful pupils who cooked and stunned Hannah and me with their mix of calm confidence and cheekiness, each of which were just such exceptionally good cooks. The competition took place during the school's open day which added even more pressure to the competition as parents and prospective pupils were also milling about whilst their dishes were being prepared. What was brilliant was the level of passion and expertise each pupil displayed through creating their menus. Some of them included apple snow, pan fried mackerel with toasted oatmeal and a very fine rack of lamb. To Hannah's delight there were many delicious desserts made, including some delicious shortbread with raspberries and clotted cream and a lemon cheesecake. The youngest competitor was 11, with the eldest being 15, here's what they cooked:

A quick Coriander and Coconut Chutney

This chutney is literally a case of throwing some ingredients into a food processor. This chutney is great with breads and particularly good with marinated tikka or tandoori meats (particularly trout and quail).
I like the sweet and hot combination of coconut and green chilli, but you can play with these as you see fit.
To make it I add a handful of fresh coconut, a bunch of coriander (including the stalks) - mint is also really good in this as well, 2 green chillies, 2 tbspns coconut milk, juice of half a lime, and seasoning. Blitz until smooth. If you prefer a looser mix, just add a spoonful of yoghurt or two until you get your desired consistency.

Channa Tarka Dhal

I love dhals, which have to be the ultimate comfort food. These are a culinary staple in Pakistan where they (along with many vegetable dishes) add a break from meat eating during the week and on the run up to festivals. There are so many lentils that you can use for this dish, I have chosen the channa dhal as they are richly nutty when cooked. Another favourite of mine is the red split pea which cooks very quickly, making it a great dish to cook after work. This dish is cooked 'tarka' style, which means the sizzling oil and some of the spices are added at the very end, instantly thickening and flavouring the dhal.
To make a got pot full you need:
300g Yellow split peas
1 tomato
1 Onion
3 cloves of Garlic
4 Green chillies
1 tspn Tumeric
2 tspn Garam Masala
1 tbspn Ghee or melted Butter
1 tspn Fenugreek
1 tspn Curry leaves
1 tspn Black Mustard Seeds
Simply chop the onion, tomato and two green chillies and add to 500ml of water. Bring to the boil and add the lentils, tumeric, garam masala, fenugreek and a good pinch of salt. Place the lid on and cook for 20/25 minutes until the lentils are soft and creamy. To finish, heat the butter or ghee in a pan with the garlic, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Fry until the mustard seeds start popping and tip straight into the hot lentils. Mix and serve immediately.

Lamb and Okra Curry with Chapattis

scatter


Curries have to be one of my favourite foods, not just because of my Pakistani heritage - but because I love the rich, complex heat of a good curry, and the combination of delicious flavours that go into a single dish. For me curries shouldn't be swimming with oil (like those from a take-away), but should be fresh and deeply aromatic. There are always key ingredients I use to make the base 'masala', to which I the meat, fish or vegetables. This Lamb one needs time, and slow cooking to ensure you end up with thick, meaty juices and soft, melty Lamb. I add the sliced Okra towards the end that thickens the sauce and adds a extra dimension to the gravy. You can easily substitute the Okra for spinach or potatoes.
Ingredients for 4:
2 large Onions
6 Green chillies
10 cloves of garlic
50g fresh ginger
400g fresh tomatoes
2 tsps Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Tumeric
2 tsps Garam Masala
2 tsps Chilli powder
2/3 Cloves
8/10 Black Peppercorns
800g/1kg of cubed Lamb pieces
300g Okra
Coriander leaves to garnish

Firstly slice the onions and sweat in 1 tablespoon of light oil or ghee if you prefer a more authentic flavour, with a good pinch of salt for at least 20 minutes on a medium heat until the onions are translucent and starting to caramalise. Add the garlic and cook down for a further 5 minutes. Add the chopped ginger and chillies and repeat the process until you have a lovely caramalised, aromatic base. In a dry pan toast the cumin, coriander, black peppercorns and cloves until they start releasing their flavours. Crush in a mortar and pestle and add to the base mixture. Add the other spices and cook through. Add a splash of water and stir constantly. Repeat the process for a further 10/15 mins until all the spices have cooked through.
Add the meat pieces and coat with the spicy masala base. Add enough water to cover the meat (approx 1 pint). Set to simmer, cover and leave for at least an hour until the meat has cooked and all of the flavours have melded together. Check the seasoning and adjust according to your taste. Turn the heat up and remove the lid to reduce the gravy. Add the Okra and cook through for a further 10 mins until soft, but slightly crunchy. (Do not overcook the Okra or they become slimy). The curry is ready when the sauce is at your desired thickness and the Okra are cooked. Remove from the heat and scatter the chopped coriander leaves. Serve with Chappatis, Naan or a Pilau rice to soak up the rich gravy.

Weekend at Hannah's

This weekend was my first opportunity in ages to see Hannah. We had such a lot of fun and not only did I cook for her, but we both judged a "Junior Masterchef" at Kimbolton School. It was just just great to see the look on everyone's face when we were announced as the judges. I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed with the beautiful food the students cooked, more to follow on other posts.