I trust cows more than chemists

The Wapping Project

2012-01-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

A pleasant Saturday stroll around Wappingbrought us to the grand The Wapping Project. An old hydraulic power stationbuilt in the late 1800s, it now houses an arts centre and a restaurant(Wapping Food.)

The restaurant still retains an abundanceof the industrial machinery from its time as a power station. Cavernous andwith impressive acoustics, it’s an unusual restaurant space. Welcoming staff seatedus immediately with no booking, and brought unasked, a lovely plate of Wappingbreads and oils. Service was slightly laidback, but friendly, with the menu ofthe day brought on simple printed paper.

The bread was fresh, crisp and tasty – sowe were rather pleased when a refill plate was brought. We opted for theSpanish charcuterie with marinated olives and caper berries. A selection ofcured meats – bresaola, chorizo, salami served with attractive pots of largecaper berries and a mix of several olive types. The meat was excellent – smokyand flavourful and the caper berries a great accompaniment, the tart, brineyberry cutting through the oily meat. Asa side order, the kohlrabi with chervil and capers was a refreshingsalad - thin slivers of the vegetable, in a light dressing with tinycapers and a dash of herbs. (Isubsequently learnt from my dining partner J, that the caper is the edibleflower bud, and caper berries the fruit of the same plant.)

The building hosts art exhibitionsfrequently, in a large space found through a door at the back ofthe restaurant. Currently showing Edgar Martin, ‘This Is Not a House’ is aphotography exhibition inspired by the sub-prime housing crisis in the US. Makesure to take a look outside at the glasshouse bookshop in the grounds, and the artinstallation in the tree outside.

A unique and exciting food experience inthe East End.

WappingHydraulic Power Station, Wapping Wall, London E1W 3SG

Campania Gastronomia

2011-12-09T13:35:00.001-08:00

I fell in love with Columbia Road a decadeago. It’s by far my favourite market in London: the hustle and bustle of themarket traders, the stunning colours and smells of the flowers and the amazingchoice of shops. Over the past five years the market continues to evolve, andevery corner I turn I find a new food stall, a new pop up and a new experience.

Last week’s trip took me to Campania Gastronomia at 95 Columbia Road, both a deli and a restaurant. The café was opened by an Italian couple from Campania, and the place seeps with idyllic European charm. Wooden tables, hams from the ceiling, antipasti on display and a busy open kitchen. A little hole in the wall outside also serves as a take away coffee window – great use of space.

The menu was simple but inviting, focused around a core set of ingredients – eggs, spinach and ham. I chose Uova e Spinaci – poached eggs spinach and anchovy, but was equally tempted by Uova e Prosciutto (eggs, parma ham and rocket) and Strappazato (scrambled egg, fresh chilli, onion and rocket). The eggs were beautifully cooked and presented, splurging bright orange-hued yolk as you sliced through. The spinach was a delight – heavy on the garlic, and also on the chilli - it woke up your mouth but was softened by the yolk. The anchovy added a great dimension in terms of texture and contrast. Simple ingredients, transformed with powerful seasoning and flavours. Wonderful.

Coffee was, as I would expect from theItalians, lovely. Nice and strong, well whipped and aromatic. Service was unfortunately a bit slow, despitethere being numerous staff and only a few tables. If they can turn that around,they are absolutely onto a winner.

If you're in the area, make sure you also dothe following:

- get some bread from S Jones

- buy all your kids presents atthe innovative Bob and Blossom

- have a sniff in Angela Flandersfor expert scents

95 Columbia Road, E2 7RG

Poppies Fish and Chips

2011-11-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

Poppies Fish and Chips

I like to keep my ear to the ground for new restaurants in Whitechapel and the surrounding area, even if it is just a new chippy. The Fish Plaice in Cambridge Heath Road has always served us well, it smells and looks like the chip shops I used to frequent with my granddad when I was small, with one of those old fashioned cash registers that still make that reassuring ting. I'm told the same couple have run the place since 1973 and it’s a great traditional chippy.

From 1973 to 2011 and Poppies is a fish and chip shop for the new generation who are obsessed with the old generation. The interior is faux fifties: juke box - check, fifties style uniforms - check, black and white photos on the walls - check.

I really rather liked it, but I’m a sucker for this kind of thing, I’m happily transported to any era for the sake of theatre – and food theatre is as good as any. We went for the take away option, although I would happily have eaten in.

Traditional cod, rock and haddock sit alongside some more fancy fishes - halibut, lemon sole, dover sole, cod roe and skate and prices vary accordingly, a regular cod will set you back £6.00 whereas a Dover Sole, £15.90. You can get the classic chippy fare - pies, saveloy, 1/2 chicken and chips, and the familiar accompaniments - mushy peas, beans, pickled onion etc.

Packaging is old fashioned with a twist, the chip bag is your seaside favourite, but the box your fish is served in is a newspaper designed cardboard, an homage to vinegar-soaked-copies-of-The-Sun days.

The chips were lovely - hand cut, chunky and soggy with vinegar - just how I like them. I went for the haddock, and it was fresh and great quality - it should be, I'm told the owner sources from Billingsgate each day. Mushy peas were a delight, homemade, plentiful and well seasoned. Batter was unfortunately a bit on the soggy side, however I'm definitely willing to give it another go and try some of the more adventurous fish varieties.

A good new addition to the area, and one that I imagine will be very popular with the Shoreditch set and their longstanding search for all that's vintage and 'quirky.'

Poppies Fish and Chips.

6-8 Hanbury Street London E1 6QR

Mildreds

2011-10-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

My noncarnivorous chum L. has frequently extolled the vegetarian haunt Mildreds in Lexington Street and I’ve read some quite pleasant reviews from others.

Quite unassuming from the outside, Mildreds stretches out back into a high ceilinged airy dining room, with flashes of bright colour and cosy intimate tables just close enough for you to sniff and ogle your fellow diners' dins. A large blackboard gives the specials–a burger of the day is served with crunchy organic trimmings.

In a rush to get to our next destination, we had to skip starters, but the selection looked wonderful – beetroot tarts, gyoza dumplings and artichoke crostini to name but a few. The menu helpfully advises which are vegan, vegetarian, and those, which are gluten and wheat free.

I went for the baby aubergine, chickpea and olive tagine served with pomegranate yoghurt, apricot and pistachio cous cous and flat bread. The dish was beautifully presented, a mound of pistachio flecked cous cous, a triangular charred piece of flatbread, a deep red tagine and a small pot of pomegranate yoghurt - very aesthetically pleasing. The cous cous was well seasoned, small chunks of apricot and pistachio created good texture. The tagine was rich and well bodied, it tasted slow stewed with love and care, but the aubergine and chickpea still retained their texture and taste. Flatbread was chewy, with a nice chargrilled finish and the pomegranate seeds in the yoghurt gave a bittersweet tang.

L went for the mint, pea, leek and Stilton risotto cake served with wilted spinach, which looked wonderful, (I wish now I had tried for a forkful.)

Dessert was a fruit crumble, a mixture of stewed fruit with a light crumble crust and a small bowl of cream. Certainly enough to feed two, it was chewy and sticky and gooey and everything a good crumble should be. L went for the pistachio cheesecake which was a bit dense and heavy, but all in all a wonderful dinner

The food is really very reasonable at Mildreds, ten pounds or under for a main, and everything around the six pound mark for dessert. For the quality of ingredients, the expert cooking and presentation, I would have paid much more!

45 Lexington Street, London , W1F 9AN

http://www.mildreds.co.uk/

St Augustine

2011-10-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of visiting St Augustine in Florida this summer and spent a considerable amount of time eating crustacean or cow. Being my third visit, we have now whittled down the restaurants to what I consider to be the top ones in the area, and I’ll throw in a fish market recommendation if you want to cook your own!

The first port of call whenever we arrive in St Augustine is always a cheeky trip to Applebee’s for some riblets – it doesn’t make the top 4, but always an incredibly friendly first stop and always soft and tender piles of riblets and bottomless fountain sodas.

The first real treat is a night out at Saltwater Cowboy’s, one of my favourite restaurants of all time.Not far from the beach, and seemingly suspended on swamp land, it has an atmospheric exterior, almost like an undiscovered shack – right down the end of a darkly lit avenue protected by stray cats.

The welcome is always warm and this visit being out of season, not much of a queue for the table. The inside of the restaurant is a mix of booths and tables, with stuffed bobcats, gators and snakes suspended above you. Plants hang from the ceiling and walls of glass windows look out at the swampland and the beautiful pink and mauve sunsets behind.

It’s all about seafood and ribs here. Starters aren’t really required, as you are immediately served homemade cheese bread – a crunchy garlicky baguette, just perfect to nibble on while you decide.

The Saltwater staff kindly allowed us to order Florida rock shrimp as a starter to share - these wonderful little beasts taste like tiny morsels of lobster, simply steamed and served with butter. Mains first time round (yes, there was repeat custom in the 2 week break), was snow crab for my partner, and a blackened red snapper for me. Saltwater, as do many other restaurants in America bring the salad as an interim dish to the main. Saltwater have their own unique salad style and dressing – apple, walnut and a creamy vinaigrette sauce. J’s crab was plentiful, plain

steamed with butter, and I suspect a bit of Old Bay. snapper was wonderful, served with a blackened spice mix – salty, with hints of Cajun and beautifully fresh. Trip two, we both went down the rib route – and opted for the ‘Pig Out.’ Three racks of ribs marinated in special barbeque sauce and cooked on an open pit. Such intensity of flavour, meat soft and tender and fantastic punchy sauce. Restaurant No.1.

Restaurant No.2, the Outback, puts our chain restaurants in the UK to shame. Such care and consideration is taken over the sourcing of the meat, the seasoning and the expert cooking which produces a consistent, succulent steak, cooked as requested with melt in the mouth meat. I’ve never had a porterhouse before, viewing it somewhat of an indulgent and extravagant choice, but you only live once. Granted, I couldn’t move for the rest of the evening, but it was absolutely worth it. The strip and filet together giving the best of both worlds, no side orders required, but I would heartily recommend it. The porterhouse was from their new wood fire grill, and the blackened strips on the exterior have a smoky, earthy undertone.

Next stop was the Mikato, a Japanese hibachi grill (and sushi bar). There’s something so fabulous about having your food cooked for you in front of your eyes, especially when the grillers at Mikato seem to really enjoy what they are doing and deliver with humour, confidence and a smile. There’s the introductory theatre, dousing the grill in alcohol and setting it alight, cooking and flicking a shrimp into a fellow diner’s mouth. Menu selection is quite simple, select your meat – pork, chicken, filet or a crustacean – prawn or lobster, or go crazy and combine the two for your own Japanese surf and turf. No prizes for guessing what we went for. The hibachi griller starts by cooking up the fried rice, a beautiful process to watch - onions, seasoning, soy, vinegar, slicing and integrating egg, and all in no time at all.

Meat and lobster is then seasoned with salt, pepper, and a selection of soys, vinegars and cooked to your instructions. Food theatrics at its best. The quality of produce here is also perfect. Soft, tender meat and fresh, succulent lobster. Having had a similar teppanyaki experience in the UK, I can confidently say that often the quality of the food is second fiddle to the experience, but Mikato manages to get both right.

A new, speedy fast food treat was discovered in Sonny’s Real Pit BBQ. What a reasonable, tasty and fun find. Packed to the rafters at a lunch time, service is swift and friendly. I went for the BBQ chicken lunch (you are asked if you would prefer dark of white meat, which is a pleasant novelty), whilst my partner had the pulled pork. The side of beans was outstanding - home made, slow-cooked beans stewed with pulled pork burnt ends. The meats tasted like they had been slow smoked on an open pit, but marinated to within an inch of their life. Wonderful. All of this for just over twenty dollars!

The final plug is for a newly discovered lobster shop, Hot Lobster Seafood Co. A couple have recently opened a shop in St. Augustine and stock plump, happy-looking Maine lobsters, swimming in a giant tank with ample room. The greatest news about this little place, just on A1A south, is that you can order and collect steamed lobster. Give them a quick call ½ hour before you want your lobster and they will kill it, steam it and wrap it for you fresh out the steamer. What a treat.

Applebee’s

http://www.applebees.com/

Saltwater Cowboys

http://www.saltwatercowboys.com/

Outback Steakhouse

http://www.outback.com/

Mikato

http://www.mymikato.com/

Sonnys Real Pit BBQ

http://www.sonnysbbq.com/

Hot Lobster Seafood Company

4171 A1a S

Saint Augustine, FL 32080-4922

(904) 471-4430

Round Courgette with Feta, Mint and Chilli

2011-08-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

It has been a while, but there has been some wonderful food in that time: the birthday dinner at Hakkasan with satay roast chicken and black cod, the fun times had in Istanbul with the Tavuc Sis and Turkish delights and the cheese fest that was Montmorillon and the culinary delights afforded by my wonderful host. Many words to come, when I get a second!

In the meantime, a simple supper of round courgette - a gift from a fabulous friend of mine who has created a fruitful and abundant allotment from scratch. I’ve been giving growing a whirl myself, but I can’t seem to reach the rotundness of my friend E’s courgettes, mine are dying off at the marble size – damn the lack of a south facing garden.

However the Whitechapel terrace is supplying me with plenty of herbs, which meant that tonight’s supper was in the majority home grown. E’s round courgette, sliced thickly and with a splurge of olive oil and sea salt, fresh mint from the herb garden and chillies from the burgeoning tree. The feta – yes, that’s just a Sainsbury’s own, but I’m 90% homegrown!

Very easy to make, the salt from the feta brilliantly cuts through the soft sweet taste of the cooked courgette. The mint added a lovely light freshness to the cooked dish and the chilli adding a nice kick to round the flavours off.

Very simple, very tasty

Round Courgette with Feta, Mint and Chilli.

Ingredients

1 x Round Courgette –sliced into wedges

1 x standard packet of supermarket Feta – cut into cubes

½ red chilli, deseeded and sliced thinly

Handful of fresh mint, sliced thinly

Direction

Slice the courgette into thick wedges and add two tablespoons of olive oil, covering the flesh. Add a healthy serving of Maldon Sea Salt and some cracked black pepper. Cook for 30 minutes, at 200 degrees. Take out and add the Feta on top of the courgettes and scatter over the chilli. Cook for another 10 minutes. Finish with the mint and serve.

Counter Café

2011-06-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

I imagine local residents are slightly miffed at Time Out putting Counter Café on the map by listing it in last week's piece on best brunches in East London. It isn’t exactly easy to find, not somewhere that you would just happen upon. The location is fantastic, right on the river, overlooking the Olympic stadium. There is a little outside space, with a small wooden boat where you can drink your coffee and watch the rowers go by.

Counter Café is housed in an art space in Hackney Wick, a mixture of wooden tables, cinema seats and benches downstairs and a larger space upstairs with better views of the stadium. Ordering is at the bar, and then table service.

There is a good brunch menu selection, I went for a fresh orange juice, flat white and the poached eggs with smoked salmon and potato cakes. The counter is adorned with plenty of appetizing looking cakes, Anzac biscuits and muffins. Orange juice was freshly squeezed and tart, flat white was expertly prepared and at perfect strength. And then we waited. And then we waited a bit more. Fortunately we had come armed with papers, (not that it was necessary, I spotted seven spare Guardians!) but the waiting time really did exceed patience.

Fortunately the food was really rather special, and when it arrived the air of frustration quickly dissipated. My potato cake was wonderful, well seasoned with slivers of onion and fresh herbs through it. A great base for the done-to-perfection poached eggs, marigold orange yolks splitting and spilling all over the smoky salmon. All dishes are served with their homemade tomato relish, which was an excellent spicy accompaniment.

My other half J went for the full English. Good quality sausages and bacon, a potato cake, two poached eggs and some homemade baked beans. He was really rather pleased with it, enjoying the freshly made beans, the good quality meat and the novelty of a potato cake. Everything tasted like it had been well sourced, cooked and seasoned, with care and attention taken to presentation.

The place itself is very relaxed, pleasant music humming in the background, a buzzing atmosphere and interesting selection of wall photography and art to admire. Staff are trendy and friendly, but the service was sluggish –the people next to us left because their food didn’t arrive - so they just need to pick up the service a bit, and it will be nigh on perfect.

Always happy to find a new little breakfast place in the East End, and this one is a treat and a treasure. I bet next time I go I won’t be able to get a table.

Counter Café - 4a Roach Road, London E3 2PA

www.thecountercafe.co.uk

The Grapes, Limehouse

2011-05-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

The Grapes is one of those small little gems in London that you are worried to blog about, for fear that it will suddenly become the Taayabs of the year, you know – can’t get a table, find yourself salivating outside in the queue watching the lamp chops go by. The Grapes is tiny, but perfectly so, located at the further end of Narrow Street it doesn’t seem big enough from the outside to house a restaurant. The interior is wonderfully old fashioned, looks like it hasn’t been touched for about 50 years. It also has a wonderful little space for two or three people to sit outside looking out onto the river with a pint. The pub is steeped in history; around as an inn since the 16^th century, Dickens himself has been here.

The restaurant, located upstairs is unique. An excellent view out onto the river, old photographs of the inn line the walls, everything is wood panels and steeped in history. Marvellous. The service was polite, attentive, and friendly, you immediately feel at home here and also that you have been transported somewhere special.

It’s all about the fish here, as it should be, Billingsgate’s a stone’s throw away and there is nothing better than eating fresh fish looking out on water. For starter, I had a healthy mound of whitebait. It had just the right amount of Cayenne to give the much-needed kick and a light batter, which still allowed the fish to be the star. My date, J went for the shellfish bisque with caviar foam, his slurping silence assured me he was content.

Mains are simple fare, grilled plaice fillets, soft and creamy fish - didn’t need anything else but a slice of lemon. Well matched with savoy cabbage and bacon and a few sneaked fat chips from the other half. J went for the scampi – which although exactly what it said on the tin, elicited a bit of food envy as ever with scampi the batter outshone the crustacean.

Desserts were a real highlight, plonked down in plain white bowls like my Nan used to own, swimming in cream, the appearance didn’t do them justice – my apple crumble was tremendous, well spiced apple, chewy and butter crumble, a great end to the meal. J went for the homemade bread and butter pudding, with custard, a delightfully dense and chewy affair with great fat raisins.

All in all, mightily impressed, feel like I have discovered a local gem, can’t wait to take the friends and family. An intimate little hidey-hole, serving up simple fresh fish and cracking desserts whilst watching the boats go by. Lovely.

The Grapes, Limehouse

76 Narrow Street
Limehouse
London E14 8BP

http://www.grapeslondon.co.uk/

Rasa N16 - a triumph for Keralan cuisine

2011-04-25T14:29:00.000-07:00

I occasionally think that I may bore people with my love of food, which is part of the reason I took to blog, where I can muse about my mastications without riposte. Therefore it is to my great delight that my dinner date L, previously not one to indulge in excessive attention to dining has had a recent change of heart. Not one to miss an opportunity to try somewhere new with an interested party, we headed to a much recommended vegetarian restaurant in Stoke Newington – Rasa N16, specialising in Keralan cuisine.

It’s a small, bright and friendly place – a bit heavy on the incense – but tables towards the back are intimate and joss stick free. The menu is rather lovely, with an explanation of Keralan cuisine, festivities and how you would traditionally eat this cuisine – out of banana leaves and by hand.

I opted for a Cheera Parippu Curry – toor dahl and spinach in a garlic, tomato and green pepper sauce adorned with fresh curry leaves. It has the consistency of a thick dahl and the flavour was lovely. An excellent blend of spices, hints of cumin, ginger and cardamom, with a gentle heat. This worked really well with the Uzhunappam, fragrant rice flour bread, made with roasted coconut, cumin seeds and shallots. Soft in the centre, crispy on the outside, really expertly made.

My lovely vegetarian dinner date L is always a bit overwhelmed with a vegetarian menu - normally she can only have one or two things on a menu, but in Rasa the world is her Quorn oyster. Her Nadan Paripu was a lentil curry of mung bean and split yellow lentils with tomato, chilli and garlic. It was very tasty, with lovely warmth coming through from the ginger and chilli. Smiling faces all round. The only disappointment was a Kerala salad – described as an unusual salad with guava, avocado and shallots – seemed to be just a large plate of iceberg lettuce, but we’ll forgive them that one dish.

Our side dish of black-eyed beans was also top notch – stir fried with mustard seeds, chillies, curry leaves – with a freshness coming through from the coconut.

They have a strong dessert selection, as well as the traditional kulfi, the Keralan cuisine has payasam - a dough/pancake type base made of milk, coconut, sugar, nuts and a starch such as semolina, wheat or rice. We confused the waiting staff by asking if desserts were hot or cold – in fact Keralan desserts specialise in the hot/cold combination – Kesari was a base of semolina, mango, cashew nuts and raisons, served with mango sorbet – a lovely balance of sweet and sharp with an unusual but moreish texture, L went for the Mango Halwa, slightly denser base but still very tasty.

One more delight to come was the bill. Considering we had two main curry dishes, a salad, mung bean side, a large Indian bread and a large bottle of sparkling water, it was a treat to have change from £30.

I would highly recommend this, not just for vegetarians, but for all food lovers. It was really a lovely little find - passionate and friendly people delivering top quality dishes.

Rasa N16

5 Stoke Newington Church Street,

London

http://www.rasarestaurants.com

Guardian recommends some top East End places

2011-03-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

A great piece on the top ten budget East End eateries, heartily agree with them, and makes me want to visit all the others!

St John - couldn't agree more, a fabulous place, didn't know they did a reasonable bacon sarnie - must investigate!
Beigel Bake- such a great beigel place, late Saturday night there is a stall next door where you can get the Sunday papers. The black bread from there is wonderful.
The Gun Docklands - good little find in Coldharbour, great views of the Thames, wonderfully sourced and cooked food.
Taayabs - not so secret super budget Indian in Whitechapel - legendary lamb chops.
Pavillon Cafe - you need to get there early on a weekend to get a seat outside for lunch, but if you can it is well worth it, watching the ducks and the world go by. Great breakfasts, beautiful coffees.

Frizzante, Hackney Pearl, Cay Tre, Albion and Mangal - all on the list to visit!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/mar/25/east-london-cheap-eats-restaurants

Keens Chophouse

2011-03-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

There was something very traditional and fancy about Keens Chop House in NYC. Rather unassuming from the outside, this prime rib steak restaurant deserves its reputation. Lauded by many as the best steak place in Manhattan, I feel privileged to have walked through the door, and grateful that my close friend J had actually taken note of my developing obsession with Anthony Bourdain, and reckoned if the great man himself thought this place was top notch “You really can’t do it any better or more authentic than Keens” then I might think so too.

The restaurant itself is wonderfully old fashioned, lot of wood, red and dim ambient lighting. It used to be an old inn, where people would check their pipes in, and now the entire ceiling of the restaurant is lined with the churchwarden pipes. Service was classic and efficient, well-dressed waiters made you feel welcomed and special.

Now, let’s talk about the food. Having already pounded through some fried chicken at Sylvia’s in Harlem earlier that day, we opted for main course only, a wise, wise choice. I haven’t ever seen a steak that was larger than my face.

I ordered the aged prime T bone steak, an absolutely beautifully cooked piece of meat, chargrilled on the outside, soft and tender, succulent and juicy throughout. The quality of the meat was beyond description, so full of flavour it outshone the best of the Argentinian steak places I have harped on about in the past. Not that I ate a great deal of them, but the French fries were great – salty and crunchy – I also rather enjoyed the choice of potato –hash brown, baby boiled, mashed Yukon, baked Idaho, hash browns, I’ll have to go again soon.

This was one of, if not the best steaks I have ever tasted, and I go out of my way to find a good steak place. I hear great things about the mutton chop too, but I need to make my way through the steak cuts first. Now about those flights to New York….

Keens Chophouse

72 West 36 Street, New York

NY 10018

St John Bread & Wine – A Suckling Pig Supper

2011-02-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

I have lovely friends. They recently all came together at the wonderful St John Bread and Wine in Spitafields to indulge my long lived desire to have a suckling pig on the table, and what a treat it was. This isn’t a la carte, there had to be some preparation involved in securing the piggy, however the staff at St John were incredibly accommodating, informative and welcoming to my large party request. Having pre-selected a variety of dishes to be served, my party didn’t have to concern themselves on menu selection. We were warmly greeted and served some of their famous bread – the bakery opened at this branch in November of last year- a gloriously chewy sourdough and a light rye and raisin - difficult to resist wolfing down the lot, but I was conscious that there was pig to come. The starters were beyond wonderful – Jerusalem artichoke, rocket and red onion was full of flavor, the artichokes having an almost stewed flavor, chewy and creamy, well matched with the bitter rocket. The mallard, bittercress and chestnuts was a treat for the eyes, rare cooked duck with flecks of shaved white chestnuts and a few mixed leaves. The meat was unsurprisingly expertly cooked, seasoned to perfection and the soft texture matched with the crunch of the chestnut excellently.

After a short break to properly drive anticipation and fervor in my hungry party, the pig arrived at the end of the table. It looked splendid. The whole table were captivated by the magic piggy, waiting to see what happened next. Being the birthday girl, I was in for a treat. Off came the head, expertly carved at the table, and presented to me on a plate. It was unexpected - I was caught off guard, but exhilarated nonetheless.

The kitchen staff carved the meat and divided it between the table, served with a bread, onion and herb stuffing, new potatoes and a salad. The crackling was superb, thin and crunchy, salty and mouth watering. The meat was so soft and so tender – oozing with flavour, moist and moreish. We devoured a lot of it. Towards the end, my at first polite and restrained dinner chums were passing around the head – out of desire to ensure that we had eaten the best bits, including the cheeks, but also from curiosity. Most of us had never been so close to the reality of what we were eating - a pork chop packaged from a supermarket is one thing, staring into the eyes of your dinner, with its nose, teeth and ears still intact is another. I felt proud though, proud that we enjoyed all of the animal. That beast was well and truly eaten and appreciated. Even the ears went to a chum’s dog for an after dinner treat.

On the theme of after dinner treats, the dinner was finished with a home made apple pie, brought out whole in its cooking dish, with custard and a plate of cheese with raisin bread and some thin crackers. I’ll be honest, there wasn’t a lot of space left, but the apples were well spiced and tender and the cheese appropriately stinky.

Service was great and the restaurant is simple and elegant. This was a one of a kind experience, but a feasting treat I would heartily recommend to others for a special occasion. There was something rather quaint about sharing a whole pig with your friends, but also so warming that we could all enjoy the same meal together, all salivate over the best crunchy bits of crackling, and fight over who got the pigs cheeks. One of those special meals that I will always remember.

St John Bread and Wine - Spitafields.

http://www.stjohnbreadandwine.com/

Brawn - an unsatisfactory tuck story

2011-02-06T13:43:00.000-08:00

I've been castigated for only talking about good food experiences. It's a fair comment, up until now I've been sharing where I have loved to eat, and great places I want people to experience. However rightly so, I should also be talking about those, which didn't come up to scratch, alerting my few foodie friends of places that I don't think are worth a diversion. So, here we go. Last week my dining friend and I ventured to Brawn, sister restaurant Time Out's number 1 placed Terroirs, in the recent London's 50 best restaurants. If Columbia Road market was a daily affair, I'd say great location, but without the beautiful backdrop of the flower market, the restaurant looks a little bit lost. The staff looked confused when I arrived, even though I had booked, and I didn't feel particularly welcomed. It was packed, which is a great sign for a Monday, however the restaurant itself had an air of the unfinished, it almost felt like a pop up which would soon move on. Onto the menu - part of the new foodie fad of 'small plates' - i.e. tapas, but not exclusively Spanish, it was broken in Taste Ticklers, Pig, Plancha, Raw and Slow cooked. There's no real introduction either from the staff or the menu as to how to order - the waiter looked a bit baffled when I asked if I just ordered everything at once, 'why of course' was his response, as if I should already know this. We went for a selection of menu items starting with Jesus du Pays Basque - which was a wonderful wooden platter of cured meat. It tasted like an excellent blend of the best salami and the best chorizo, and was devoured in minutes.

Good start I thought, although to be fair, there is no cooking involved in this, but the sourcing is to be admired. Next up was Shetland Mussels - with leeks and bacon - this was a great dish, such a delicious sauce that we asked for more bread to dunk in. That however is where the good dishes ended.

The prawns with chilli and gremolata were average, but at £8 for four should have been overwhelmingly excellent. The dish from the raw section - hand chopped Tuscan style beef, was essentially tartare, minus the Worcestershire kick served with bread. The only taste coming through was of olive oil, it looked wonderful, but it was lacklustre. Nothing to write home about.

The duck confit, with puy lentils, savoy cabbage and bacon from the slow cook section was another disappointing dish.

The duck was overcooked, and didn't ooze flavor, it oozed oil, the bed of puy was under seasoned, the cabbage and bacon quite nondescript. Overall, I couldn't see how the menu had come together - mussels in creamy sauce, followed by raw tartare, mixed up with a slow cooked duck - it all seemed quite haphazard and without any unifying theme. Desserts were also a mixed fare, treacle tart delivered on taste and culinary perfection, but Chocolate Mousse, was so overwhelmingly rich that a it left you with a sickly rich aftertaste.

I left feeling dissatisfied, and with a considerably lighter wallet. So, not one I would recommend, but I would happily hear from others who had a different experience. So there we have it, my first negative review. Doesn’t feel as good as writing about great food – so just an excuse for me to find another good new restaurant quick sharp!

The Gun in Crossharbour

2011-01-03T06:19:00.000-08:00

At first look there doesn't seem to be too much going on in Crossharbour, Canary Wharf looms in on the horizon and it all seems rather quiet and unassuming. However take a detour down one of the side roads, Coldharbour and you are faced with a beautiful old cobbled street, a little snowy when we visited and incredibly charming. At the end, you will find The Gun. This is a beautiful gastro pub, set on the banks of the river Thames. A stroll through to the back room will take you to an outside table area (host to the A Grehla in summer, an al fresco barbeque area serving grills with Portuguese influences,) where you can look out across the O2 and take part in the loveliness of the Thames at night. The service, welcome and appearance of this gastro pub are all top notch. Waiting staff are knowledgable, friendly and enthusiastic. I have been here for Sunday lunch, pre blogging era and the roasts were beautiful, think Longhorn beef and Yorkshire hen, served with buttery vegetables and unctuous gravy.

This time round we went for an evening meal, I started with lightly poached Cornish mackerel, served with fennel, chicory and orange. The fish was cooked to perfection, never have I known mackerel so soft and tender, perfectly matched with crunchy aniseed fennel and the acidic touch of orange.

Going with the fish theme, I opted for the Atlantic Cod, served with pearl barley, braised savoy cabbage and bacon. A wonderful trio of flavours, and again well cooked and seasoned fish. My dining partner J, went for the 35 day air dried Black Angus rib eye, served on the bone - what a fantastic hunk of meat that was. Tender and full of flavour, bloody and soft with a chargrilled exterior (I sneaked a bite.)

Dessert did not disappoint, a deconstructed cheesecake looked a picture, the special of the day, and oozed butter sweetness, offset by tangy apple droplets and pear sorbet.

J went for the rice pudding, often a let down in restaurants, but on this occasion was up there with the best, Armagnac soaked prunes and creamy rice, a real winner. I am looking forward to returning, I think I might wait until the menu changes to take advantage of the restaurants dedication to seasonality - or maybe that might be too long, Sunday roast anyone?

The Gun

27 Coldharbour, Docklands, London E14 9NS

http://www.thegundocklands.com

Cinnamon Danish

2011-01-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

I don't normally excel at confectionary baking. I find the precise instructions a bit too restrictive and whenever I have attempted to 'throw something together' in the sweet department, it invariably doesn't work. Thus I normally stick to savoury, I feel safe with savoury - there are always ways to counteract an excess of one flavour - too much chilli, add some yoghurt, too much sweet, add some lime, but with a cake, once it is baked, that's it, no last minute alterations there. So it is with a smile in which I share my own Cinnamon Danish recipe, this is about the 4th attempt of mine and it finally tastes the way I want it too. This isn't baking rocket science, I'm not going to start making my own pastry anytime soon, but I do feel a sense of achievement for the day!

Cinnamon Danish

- 1 packet of Puff Pastry, shop bought.

- 125g soft unsalted butter

- 1 large tablespoon of Cinnamon

- 4 large tablespoons of Natural Molasses sugar

- 3 tablespoons of currants.

Instructions are all rather simple, preheat the oven to 200, lay out the sheet of puff pastry on a floured chopping board or side. Mix together the butter, sugar and cinnamon. Spread over the puff pastry evenly, and then sprinkle over the currants. Roll into a sausage shape and cut into six. Turn each one on its side and squash down to make a circle shape. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, leave to cool and serve with a nice cup of tea!

Time for some veg...

2010-12-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

It is time for a spot of veg. I'm not going all out raw salad, I'm not ready to move away from the glorious abundance of gastronomic treats which Christmas affords, but I have to confess that the stomach is craving something green. As much as I love Christmas fodder, bar the illustrious brussel sprout, there isn't much in the way of a green crunch. I am craving the crisp bite of a fine bean and the soothing taste of a tenderstem broccoli which has sucked up a little light dressing. I'm lucky enough to have a leftover ham, having graced the Christmas table with a slow cooked 12 hour number on Boxing day, however I am sure any leftover meat would work just as well with this recipe. It's a light but pungent salad, easy on the stomach, light (ish) on the calories and heavy on the flavour

Leftover Salad with crunchy green veg

1 x pack of tenderstem fine beans and broccoli

4 slices/chunks of leftover Christmas meat - ham, turkey, beef

2 tablespoons of chilli oil

1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard

Juice of half a lemon

Handful of parsley

Pinch of salt and pepper

Simply steam the vegetables for a few minutes until they are cooked to the point of crunch. This salad really works better with an al dente touch as opposed to a cooked through vegetable. Put them straight away in a bowl of cold water or run cold water over them. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, with the meat, and serve immediately with a generous handful of parsley.

Chilli Mince Pies

2010-12-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

The inspiration for this comes from the dessert at London’s Bombay Cafe, Dishoom. They served delectable small chilli mince pies at the end of the meal, with a jaggery (palm sap sugar) custard. It sounds like it shouldn’t work – spicy mince pies, but it does. It took me a couple of attempts to recreate this, as there is a fine balance in the amount of chilli you add, to ensure that it is both noticeable, but not too hot that it outshouts the flavour of the mincemeat and leaves you with a burning tongue. Advice came to me from Twitterers @MincePieMonitor, @john_cant and @Capiscana who suggested using Bhut Jolokia. Bhut Jolokia grows in North East India and the Guiness Book of Records 2006 named it the world’s hottest chilli, reaching 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). For comparison a birds eye chilli reaches, 50,000-100,000 SHU’s and a Jalapeno between 2,500-8,000 SHU’s. Therefore one had to navigate the chilli amount with care and attention. My house guest J, thought that he could test the power by sampling one small dried chilli flake on his tongue, I don’t advise this. The result was a red face, polydipsia and watery eyes – at least however, it gave me a good indication of the strength! To make 12 mince pies, I used a third of a teaspoon and have achieved a perfect balance. The heat of the chilli seems to accentuate the flavour of the mince, bringing out the sweetness of the currants and the warmth of the muscovado sugar. I still serve with a large dollop of extra thick cream, which wonderfully offsets the heat, think raitha to your bhuna, but sweet not savoury

The mince pie recipe itself was an adaptation of Delia Smith’s, http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/christmas-easy-home-made-christmas-mincemeat.html with the following additions:

For 12 mince pies:

Additional 1 teaspoon of ginger

Additional 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/3 teaspoon of Bhut Jolokia dried chilli.

Bhut Jolokia can be found at http://www.capsicana.co.uk/ a wonderfully friendly Chilli company who deliver prompt and well packaged chilli parcels to your door.

Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts if you try it!

Market Coffee House – Spitafields

2010-12-16T06:41:00.000-08:00

Made a sparkly new discovery post listening to some classical music at the Spitafields Winter festival this week – the Market Coffee House. I have been here before, but just for coffee, not realising that the place has just extended into the evening. The interior is wonderful, worn wood, ambient lighting, cafe style tables.

The menu is fabulous, I opted for the Duo of Salmon, Salmon Rillettes wrapped in smoked salmon with lemon, capers and shallot dressing. The quality was outstanding, beautifully creamy rillettes contrasted with the sharpness of the capers worked a treat. My date, S, allowed me a spoon of her Parsnip and Apple soup, brilliantly spiced, warming and served with hunks of brown sourdough bread. They also have a bar menu for smaller, quick snacks and I have read great things about the breakfasts. One of the great finishing touches, was the Edith Piaff-esque singer and piano player who serenaded the whole experience, bringing a touch of the Gallic to the whole affair. If you are in the area, it is one of the nicer dining experience – more reasonable than St John, and more quirky and individual than the chain restaurants in the main area of Spitafields. I’ll also say it again, if you are by that way, don’t forget to find Androuet, the great cheese shop!

Market coffee house, 50/52 Brushfield street, Spitalfields, London E1 6AG

Saf – botanical fine dining in Shoreditch

2010-12-14T03:20:00.000-08:00

This post isn’t going to float the boat of all and sundry. I know many a carnivore that would balk at the idea of spending an evening chowing down on a meal focused on a ‘plant based botanical concept.’ However, it is a truly wonderful experience, a veritable celebration of all things vegetable and an ode to the benefits of how cooking at a maximum temperature of 48 degrees allows for the utmost flavour and nutrition from the food.

The place itself is spacious whilst still retaining an intimate air. The staff were incredibly welcoming, and didn’t bat an eyelid at our traffic-induced lateness for our 10pm table. I have always been a fan of open kitchens, bringing the chefs into the room and allowing for a snoopy-minded blogger to get a sneak peak at the preparation and kitchen banter.

Being it late, we opted for a small sharing starter of edamame beans, well seasoned and fresh flavoured with Shaoxing wine.

For main, I opted for the Market plate. A nut roast, with a vanilla bean gravy, served with roasted vine tomatoes, kale and roasted potatoes. It was my first try of a nut roast and it was glorious. Not overly nutty, with a firm texture it had wonderful flavour and paired with the vanilla bean gravy was really moreish.

They clearly know what they are talking about with regard to cooking temperature, the kale was al dente and tasty and the slow roasted tomatoes full of flavour. I enjoyed every last bit. My date went for the Laksa, served with brown rice. She kindly let me try, and it was a treat. Crunchy vegetables in a very well executed sauce, strong ginger flavouring and a perfect blend of coconut. My date’s only slight aspersion was the presence of lychee in her Laksa, which she, believing fruit has no place in savoury food, handed over to my waiting fork. I rather liked it, their natural spongy consistency soaking up the Laksa and provided a refreshing sweet to the savoury of the dish.

I’m sure if you are of vegetarian or vegan ilk, this will be more of a treat for you. L, a vegetarian, confirmed that picking a dish was a more arduous (but enjoyable) task than normal as she could eat everything on the menu. There are definitely a few things I would like to go back and try, Chilli Rellenos – Jalapeno cashew cheese stuffed peppers, sea vegetable salad – arame, wakame, beetroot, daikon et al and Maki rolls to name a few. I think there is an expectation that vegetarian or vegan food should be priced lower due to the lack of meat victuals, however Saf doesn’t abide to this rule. Mocktails were a pricey £5, and the meal for two came in at just under £50. I am fine with this, the expert nature of the cooking, the expertise taken in sourcing and populating the menu with such diverse and elegant dishes deserves the pricing. I’ll be going again, and I didn’t miss meat for a second.

Saf

152-154

Curtain Road

Shoreditch

London

EC2A 3AT

The Luxe – a consistently good tuckery in Spitafields.

2010-11-23T02:33:00.000-08:00

I’ve been to John Torode’s The Luxe a few times now, and never been disappointed. The location is great, just on the corner of Spitafields market, and whilst I do mourn the loss of Spitz for the great music venue that it was, the food here makes up for the loss somewhat. It is quite a vaste building, a bright and vibrant cafe on the ground floor, with tables outside, am open kitchen, a well run bar and swift waiting service. The first floor also offers a dining room with open kitchen, the top floor can be hired out and there is an opulent and classy bar in the basement, which is host to a variety of live music. On to the food... it is a mixture of healthy or indulgent breakfasts – think waffle/full English to fruit/porridge, sandwiches, fresh salads and nicely coined ‘Big Stuff.’ My party seemed to conveniently for me cover off most of the menu: N had a Steak sandwich, expertly cooked to order medium rare in the middle, P a superfood salad with the addition of grilled chicken and myself, the less healthy option of Mac and Cheese, with Smoked Haddock and a poached egg. The superfood salad was beautifully plated, elevating the oft dull quinoa with a yoghurt mint dressing, fresh rocket, chickpeas and pumpkin seeds.
My mac and cheese was beautiful, sticky and comforting, with a perfectly poached egg spilling out yolky goodness onto a well cooked and seasoned piece of haddock. A crunchy breadcrumb topping brought the dish together, couldn’t be faulted.

Drinks are well executed and well presented – spicy bloody mary’s, not to be messed with Polish mojitos and freshly brewed pungent coffees. Service is one thing that could be improved upon, you can’t book at the Luxe and front of house is slightly accusatory and impatient, but the waiting staff were pleasant and knowledgable. I’m definitely going back for breakfast next time, having caught food envy from one of the LUXE big breakfast plates that wafted past me. If you are out Spitafields way, it is definitely worth a trip, and for dessert, head round the corner to the Androuet Cheese shop and grab yourself a Mont D’or cheese (only available October to March.)

Singapore Chilli Crab

2010-11-22T03:26:00.000-08:00

Singapore Chilli Crab
So wonderful a recipe that it has to be shared. I first tried this when on holiday in Singapore, a huge great bowl of crab legs served with baby kai-lan, a type of Chinese broccoli at the East Coast Seafood Centre. I think this has to be one of my most favourite things to eat, it is also the messiest. There is no way to eat it elegantly, expect slurping and licking of fingers, bits of crab and sauce scattered on the table and a pleasant warmth on the lips coming from the heat of the chillis. I couldn’t guarantee you that each time I make this it tastes exactly the same, I think there is something wonderful in being able to spice it up according to your taste, or sweeten it, make it more ‘tomatoey.’ So here are the basics, this will make enough for 8 large crab claws. I would suggest serving with steamed rice and a green vegetable, this time I went for asparagus with toasted sesame seeds and soy, but Chinese cabbage would work just as well.

6 red chillies (seeds removed if you don’t like it too spicy)
6 white onions
6 cloves of garlic
1 thumbnail of ginger
Juice of one Lime
2 tablespoons of tomatoe puree
1 carton of chopped tomatoes
1 carton amount of stock (use the empty tomato carton to get all the leftover bits out)
1 tablespoon of Sweet Chilli Sauce
2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of Tamarind juice
8 raw crab claws

Blend together with a tablespoon of flavourless oil – rapeseed or groundnut – the first four ingredients into a smooth paste. Cook the paste on a medium heat for ten minutes, nothing should be browned, you are just heating through and releasing the flavours. Next add in the tomato puree, tomatoes, stock, sweet chilli, lime, sugar, soy and tamarind, and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and cook on a medium heat for ten minutes, now taste. Depending on the strength of the chillis you will need to adjust at this stage – too sour: add more sweet chilli, too watery: continue to heat through and reduce the sauce, too chilli: add more tomatoes. Add in the crab, ensuring that it is all submerged and covered in sauce, cook until the shell turns read, on a medium heat, this should take about 10 minutes. Serve. I’d bring a finger washing bowl to the table, and a roll of kitchen roll, maybe a bib....

A novel way with the pea.

2010-11-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

I enjoy a pea me. I don’t get to partake often as the other half has a pea aversion, unless they are ‘in stuff.’ I’ve served this as an accompaniment vegetable with many a meal – shepherds pie, chicken in white wine and cream, lamb cutlets etc. It is remarkably easy and it only takes a few additional ingredients to make a charming pea accompaniment.
Petit pois à la francaise
Ingredients to serve four
3 shallots finely diced
1 clove of garlic finely diced
¼ of an iceberg lettuce shredded
½ glass of white wine
½ glass of chicken stock, fresh or from a cube
500g peas, frozen are better.

Cook the shallot and onion in a heavy based pan with a small knob of butter on a low heat until translucent, be careful not to brown or burn as this will make it rather bitter. Add in the shredded lettuce and cook for about 4 minutes on a medium heat until wilted. Add in the peas, cup of stock and the white wine and bring to the boil, once boiling, turn down the heat and simmer. Cook this through for five minutes, making sure to stir. Season with salt and pepper and taste! It should have an aroma and hint of wine, but if it tastes too strongly of the alcohol, then cook for a little longer. There are few ways to kick it up a notch – add in some pancetta, bacon, throw in a few herbs such as tarragon or parsley. Enjoy!

Ibiza Food Market

2010-10-20T03:45:00.001-07:00

Not the normal fodder you would find in reviews of Ibiza, but if you like the quieter side of the Island, in Eivissa town, this market is definitely worth a visit. Open from early doors, so for the most part full of locals, this is an expansive fruit, meat and vegetable market. The market has everything you would need to plan a wonderful meal on the island. Fresh boquerones (anchovies) at bargain prices, just 3 euros for enough fresh fish to feed three, squid, sepia, mussels and locally sourced fish all laid out in piled displays for your perusal. The season for Razor Fish has just opened, and these wonderfully delicate fish are a tasty alternative to the normal bream and dourada. The quality of the meat is fabulous, both cured and fresh. There are large hams hanging from the market stalls, and a great selection of chorizo’s and salamis. The vegetable section is also a treat, huge bunches of pungent dill and parsley and the kind of tomatoes you dream of, bright red, not uniform but bursting with juice and flavour. The best part was the small cafe in the far corner of the market, fresh coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice and tostada (toasted bread with fresh tomatoes) can be had for under 5 euros. Buzzing with traders and local restaurant owners, it has an amazing atmosphere. As I stood watching the vibrancy of the market with the waiter preparing my orange juice, I noticed the incredible array of alcohol lined up behind the bar – strange I thought for a market cafe. That was until one of the traders bustled past me and took his place on the bar, without even a word, a large tostada was placed in front of him, followed by some steaming coffee, and then, the waiter confidently placed a large brandy bottle in front of him. He sipped his coffee, poured his brandy, ate his breakfast, part of his daily routine. A local restaurant owner was next, in to get some local prawns for his tapas bar. Again, coffee, tostada, this time a large glass of Can Rich, the locally produced Ibicencan wine was placed in front of him. It was only 09.15am! It was wonderful to watch and be part of the routine, albeit I couldn’t face the brandy that early, and see how the Ibicencans run their daily food life. If you get a chance, and you are not too tired from the wilder side of the island, or want to see what the local food is all about, it is defiantly worth a trip.

Located in the old town in Ibiza
Map available here: http://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/maps/ibiza_food_market.htm
Monday-Saturday 09.00am-2pm.

Soho Japan, where the spinach is divine.

2010-10-08T03:49:00.000-07:00

Tucked away on Wells street in London, is one of the best Japanese restaurants I have been to in a long time. The spinach dish is not to be missed. Cold spinach doesn’t sound like the most enticing starter, but I assure you, it is worth a go. Served in elegant small dishes, it is expertly seasoned, with a strong hint of sesame, a creamy consistency and a moreish flavour. My lunch partner normally orders two for herself, one just isn’t enough. This is a buzzy and vibrant joint, service is swift and efficient, more of a quick eat than a languorous meal. I went for the Bento box, and at £15 it is incredibly good value. A selection of chargrilled meat and fish, sashimi, pungent crab and avocado salad and some fried tofu, topped off with a bowl of steaming rice and a great Miso soup. My lunch partners went for the Katsu curry, and the house beef special, and all plates were clean. A real find, I want to head back their soon to devour more of the menu, I’ve got my eye on the sashimi lunch selection.

Soho Japan
52 Wells Street
London

Tried and Tested Yorkie Puds.

2010-09-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

I’ve tried many a recipe for Yorkie Puds. Different types of flour, adding bicarbonate of soda, adding salt, not adding salt. I have now found the one that works every time, the one that delivers a puffed up beauty of a pud, crunchy on the outside, flavoursome and consistent. There’s no surprise in that it is a Delia. She knows how to do a pud. I have doubled her recipe to make about 16, and it works just as well. The greatness comes from the cooking fat/oil you use. If you can, try to use beef dripping/chicken dripping from the roasted meats. This gives the outside a stupendous flavour and also colours the pud in an attractive fashion.

150g plain flour
2 eggs, the fresher the better
150ml full fat milk
110 ml water
Salt and pepper.

Add together: Whizz with a hand held blender or food processor. Heat the dripping on the top level of the oven for at least 5 minutes until sizzling, pour in the pud mixture to about ¾ full and put in a hot oven, 200 degrees for 25 minutes. Do not open the oven. It isn’t an old wives tales, the puds do de-puff if you let the air in.

On a final note – am I the only one who takes great pleasure in filling up a Yorkshire pud with gravy, letting it soak all the way in and eating with my hands? Probably am. How uncouth of me.

Some Cookery tips from Mark Hix

2010-09-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

I recently went to a cookery demonstration and book signing by Mark Hix for the launch of his new book – Oyster and Chop house. He spent an hour pre the book signing cooking up some beautiful grouse dishes, and handed out some good snippets of cooking information that I thought it would be good to share.

Don’t resign yourself to using cucumber as a salad vegetable. It is very flexible, and can be cooked in the same way as a courgette. He cooked up a shallot and cucumber salad to accompany some roasted lamb. I have located the recipe online, courtesy of the Independent. I sneaked a mouthful at the end of the session, and it was a lovely fresh pairing with the strong lamb flavours. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/part-one-of-mark-hixs-classic-recipes-the-chef-recreates-popular-dishes-from-his-oyster-amp-chop-house-2015066.html

Roger Phillips is the author to look out for, for anything about wild food and wild mushrooms.

Don’t wash wild mushrooms – just wipe them with kitchen towel. Adding water will make them soggy.

Rapeseed oil is a great alternative to Olive Oil, and more importantly you can buy British.

Floyd ate grouse and oysters at Mark Hix’s restaurant in Lyme Regis the day that he died.

There are great ‘scruffy East End’ Vietnamese restaurants which serve wonderfully fresh food at reasonable prices. Viet Grill and Que Viet were his recommendations.

Meat should be cooked on the bone. It tastes better.

Maedah Grill – A Great Turkish Restaurant in Whitechapel

2010-08-25T09:01:00.001-07:00

On returning from America, following a surfeit of seafood, crab and ribs, the kebab craving got me. Not wanting the traditional greasy slop often served up at high street kebab shops we opted for some fresh Turkish goodies from Maedah Grill, on Greenfield Road, just a short walk from the ever so good Tayaabs. The quality of the food here is outstanding. If you eat in the restaurant, you will see the big open charcoal grill in the middle of the restaurant which cooks fresh the great quality meat. I can strongly recommend the Turkish Pizza, (Pide) a light crunchy dough, covered with lamb mince, herbs, mint and garlicky sauce is wonderful. The starter menu is extensive – a maedah mezze will provide you with Houmous, Cacik (yoghurt, garlic and cucumber dip), Kisir (similar to tabbouleh,) Patlican Soslu (aubergine and peppers) and Ispanakli, a wonderful yoghurt spinach with a strong punch of garlic. Hot starters are also a delight, the Sigar Boregi (think Turkish Spanakopita) is light and moreish. The meat is the star here though, big lumps of expertly cooked chicken in the kebab rolls or lamb skewers or shwarma on the Maedah Grill. Everything is served with a fresh salad, well seasoned and light. The chilli sauce also packs a punch, and is a great accompaniment to the meat. Service, whether you eat in or as a take away is swift and efficient. Eating in is strictly no alcohol, but as the service is fast and the food so good, you won’t notice. A great find, we will definitely be returning again to tick off more items from the menu!

http://www.maedahgrill.net/

Viajante - a wonderful find in Bethnal Green

2010-07-30T07:20:00.000-07:00

After having read a plethora of gushing reviews about Viajante in Bethnal Green, I have finally been able to make it there and judge for myself. Only having enough gold for the lunch menu, we opted for the three course lunch menu at £25 a head. Some people would have been concerned by the lack of a menu – I find it more exhilarating, I love the idea of not knowing what is coming next, especially when the design of the restaurant is so that you can watch the magic happen. It is quite a plain and contemporary restaurant, light and airy in feel but with good enough service to not feel too clinical.

To start we were given an array of amouse-bouches – A delightful crostini with Jerez (a fortified wine,) olives, romesco and almonds – beautifully presented. The next was an amazing broad bean pod, on slate filled with plump broad beans and a creamy pea puree, carefully offset with a Sao Jorge cheese. Following that was some ‘just cooked’ baguettes, the brown butter (with crispy chicken skin) was a little bland, but the bread welcomed and crunchy.
We opted for the paired wine offering, at £15 for pairing with the three courses. The first course was beetroot cooked in a variety of ways – pickled, puree and raw, draped with succulent king crab, goats curd with a punchy apple mousse on the side. This was phenomenal, such a well balanced plate with excellent flavours. Naturally expecting a wine pairing, I was delighted to be served, with dramatic explanation a Belgium beer, dark and gutsy it was the perfect partner to the beetroot and the crab.

Next up was a glass of full bodied white wine, accompanying a lemon sole, with confit egg, asparagus and a green coconut flavoured tapioca. Wow. Simply delicious, every individual flavour worked so well together, I have never eaten a confit egg before, but I feel like I must create this somehow. Wonderful textures, expertly cooked and seasoned fish. Can’t compliment this dish enough.

After a tasty basil and lemon sorbet cleansing my happy palate, the final course was a dark chocolate desert – smooth brownie, dark chocolate ice cream and a chocolate water granita. Light enough to compliment the meal in total but chocolately enough to sate those with a sweet tooth. This was matched with a light dessert wine, not too alcoholic and perfectly blended with the chocolate. As if that wasn’t enough, this was finished off by a Crema catalana, Catalan version of Creme Brulee and some petit fours, all beautiful, bar the mushroom flavoured chocolate, which was a step too far for me.

The style and beauty of the cooking, combined with the superb flavours makes for a really excellent lunch. £40 a head, for food and paired wine is incredible value for money, and well worth a trip out that way.

Simple Sardine BBQ Supper

2010-07-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

I love a grilled sardine me. The smokey grilled fish smell always reminds me of Spain. I always take great pleasure in a meal I can eat with my fingers, with no guilt, pulling away the tender charred fish from the bone, licking my fingers, savouring the salty, lemon taste.

They are also so incredibly simple to cook. They need very little preparation (assuming you buy yours gutted, but even if not, they are very simple to gut), they take on simple flavours well such as parsley, garlic and they are relatively good for you. Having sought out a UK supplier of Pimientos de Padron, (blog followers will know my tendency to get over-excited about these tiny peppers)put some roughly chopped potatoes with olive oli and salt in the oven (chefs would probably admonish me for the lack of par-boil, however the end result was a tasty crisp potato nugget) I was ready to do some mild Sardine preparation. In a small bowl, I mixed together a crushed garlic clove, a large handful of flat leaf parsley, half a zested lemon and its juice and a good glug of a high quality olive oil. Cover the sardines with the mixture, ensuring that a healthy teaspoon goes inside the fish also, you just leave for 30minutes to marinate. That’s it. They take about 3-4 minutes each side on a BBQ, you can tell they are done as the skin will turn a silvery/light brown colour, and they eyes of the fish translucent. Don’t use a fork, use your paws. Much more fun. Should you be interested in the pimientos, you can purchase a small packet from this website, http://www.dryriverchillies.co.uk/fresh.html, for £2.95. They need nothing more than char-grilling or BBQing for a couple of minutes each side, and then a healthy sprinkling of salt, thick crystals like Maldon work well.

Taayabs – almost everything a perfect curry house should be.

2010-07-15T02:27:00.000-07:00

Reviews for Taayabs proliferated since a pretty hearty Time Out review a while back, so I will try to veer away from old ground. A quick recap- always packed, always a queue running around the corner, consistently excellent food with a service focused on getting you in and out swiftly and efficiently. The lamb chops they serve as a starter are well known as their signature dish. Spicy, juicy, and I defy people not to suck and chew the bone! I will move onto less lauded other areas of the menu which are well worth a comment. I didn’t think much could be done to papadum, or at least UK curry houses don’t seem to, but Taayabs takes them one step further, infusing the snack with fiery peppercorns, which when doused with the fresh yoghurt sauce were punchy and a great start. The Karahi main dishes are all worthy of acclaim– the King Prawns are tender, large in size and come with a beautifully piquant sauce. The chicken version is also incredibly well brought together – large and tender pieces of good quality chicken, not guilty of dryness which is oft the case in UK curry houses, and swimming in a pungent and aromatic tomato based sauce. I am reliably informed that the Saag Meat is well worth a try. Garlic and peshwari naan were both soft and gooey inside, with a crunch and excellently seasoned. All in all, the food can’t be faulted. The BYO policy is a great way of keeping (already low) prices down, word of advice there aren’t many off licenses in the surrounding area – so be prepared. The only fault is that the management pay too much diligence to efficacy and turnaround times as opposed to focusing on allowing customers to savour and enjoy the food. I understand the business sense in filling the tables, but have often felt that JUST as I finished a dish, it is whipped away for cleaning, and, let’s be honest, we all like to finish up by wiping the remaining crumbs of naan around the outsides of the kahari dish, just to make sure we don’t leave a drop!

Dishoom – a new Bombay Cafe

2010-07-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

Just ate a preview luncheon at a new restaurant opening in Upper St Martins Lane, and will definitely be returning with my own money. We were encouraged to order with sharing in mind, and went with their recommendations on starters or small plates, a strong and spicy chilli cheese on toast being the highlight. The main dishes were cooked to perfection. Chicken and vegetable biryani came served in small black pots, sealed together with an (purposefully inedible) bread mixture which is used to build flavour. Fluffy well spiced rice with generous chunks of chicken, excellent use of flavours meant each mouthful was a delight. Chicken from the grill came with an mouth watering blackened exterior, soft and colourful. Care and attention paid to the Naans, which were crispy not doughy, perfect for mopping up sauces and a punchy raitha, with both cucumber and thinly sliced red onion. The star of the show for me was the Black Dahl, more a terracotta in colour it was a thick lentil type stew with masses of flavour and depth. The atmosphere is really rather lovely, open kitchen, incredibly enthusiastic staff, really well designed and swift service. Apparently inspired by the many Bombay Cafe’s of the past, it is a modern take on an Indian restaurant and the kitchen certainly knows what they are doing on flavours and bringing out key spices and aromatics within the food. Leaving you with a fact for the day - Dishoom is a reference to the sound effect used in Bollywood films when someone punched someone!

Rosa’s - A great little Thai place off Brick Lane

2010-06-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

Brick Lane is best known for the plethora of Curry houses, each and every one somehow boasting ‘Curry house of the year' but I have discovered a great little Thai place in Hanbury Street, off Brick Lane. Booking is essential, we have tried a couple of off the cuff attempts and it is always full. The staff are efficient and friendly, the interior is quite basic with long wooden benches. It is more of a functional restaurant than a romantic one, but the food is worth the venture. Having been there a few times, I can thoroughly recommend the following dishes: Poo Nim, the soft shell crab is wonderful, very aromatic, with a crispy exterior and a fabulous spattering of fresh chilli and herbs over the top, Rib Eye Yang is a succulent portion of chargrilled beef, with a tangy, sour and spicy accompanying sauce, Hoy Shell Pad Pak is a favourite dish, a stir fried plate of scallops with yellow bean paste, expertly cooked scallops, soft inside, crunchy outside with a spicy aromatic sauce. The dish which puts this restaurant above all other Thai’s is the aubergine – Pad Makhuea. A stir fried aubergine dish, cooked with yellow bean, chilli and sweet Thai basil. The texture is beyond fabulous, it seems to dissolve on the tongue, incredibly aromatic and succulent. I would go there for this alone. I think many London Thai restaurants get it wrong in over-doing the oil content of dishes,over use of the deep fat fryer and clouding dipping sauces with gelatinous generic sauce. Rosa’s does none of these things. Attention is paid to each dish that comes to you, each one expertly flavoured with fresh sauces, excellent use of aromatics and well cooked meat. Tasty.

A Vegan Bustaurant

2010-06-18T05:55:00.000-07:00

Sounds strange, tasted good. I recently had dinner on the old Route-Master bus, ‘Rootmaster,’ located in Ely’s yard, part of the Old Truman Brewery area of Brick Lane. We sat outside, in the candlelight in the awning of the bus, in view of the bustling kitchen which is located on the ground floor of the bus. Jars of pulses, olives, lentils and other treats are in the window and there was a real vibrancy to the place. We started with an organic vegan twist on Vietnamese summer rolls, organic noodles and vegetables, wrapped in rice paper with a punchy chilli dipping sauce. For main, I went for the Spinach and Tofu tartlet, which was delicious. Swimming in a warm mustard sauce, with char grilled asparagus - it was filling, full of flavour and empirically pleasing. My date had a Teryaki stir fry, which I sneaked a forkful of and was again full of great flavour with interesting seasoning and great use of herbs. Meat eaters always ask how a vegetarian meal can be satisfying without the slab of viande, but I must assure you that there was nothing lacking in this meal. Every mouthful was a delight, and the organic house wine we had to accompany it was also great value and great flavour. Strong ‘Like’ to this place, the link below gives some more detail. http://www.root-master.co.uk/

Foraging for Wild Garlic

2010-06-02T08:24:00.001-07:00

I recently went to Charmouth, a beautiful little town in Dorset for some fresh air and walking through the English countryside. I have recently become more interested in what we can forage for in our woodlands and wetlands. I confess that at the moment, I couldn’t tell a poisonous mushroom from a tasty one, but hopefully I can learn. As we ambled through the coastal paths of Lyme Regis, I was caught by the intoxicating aroma of garlic. Not your vampire-deterrent type strong waft, but a subtle, sweet smell rising from the floor. I’ve read a lot recently about how prevalent Wild Garlic is in our countryside, so I decided to give foraging a go. I will admit that I was not armed with the appropriate tools, and spent a fair amount of time trying to extract the roots! I managed to get a few, which I have since planted in my courtyard, with a hopeful eye on them growing into strong Wild Garlic plants at some time in the near future. I did collect an ample amount of the leaves. Once home, I stir fried these up, with some olive oil, salt and pepper and the taste was wonderful. Similar to spinach, with an extra bite, and a subtle garlic aroma and taste. I would thoroughly recommend a foray into foraging, it did in the words of Blur, leave me with ‘an enormous sense of wellbeing.’

Early start at Billingsgate

2010-05-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

I love Billingsgate market. I love the hustle and bustle. I love watching the fishermen eagerly watching the clock to strike 5am so they can start trading. I love how they call me ‘sweetheart’ with an East End twang and a cockney smile. I enjoy doing the first walk round and eyeing up the morsels I want to buy. You have to watch your back and keep your eyes peeled, the traders will give you a quick heads up of ‘watch your legs’ as they wheel the fish trolleys through, but they won’t stop for you. This is their market. The choice is flabbergasting. Smoked fish, prawns of all shapes and sizes, crabs, live and dressed, lobsters live and crawling, king fish, tuna, giant whole salmons for a tenner, tuna, marlin, monkfish tails, sprats, anchovies, mussels. You name it they have it. The value for money is outstanding. We stock up our freezer for a good few months on a £50 budget. Offers such as 6 fresh gilted seabream for £10, at £1.60 a fish they make a great buy, your local supermarket may sell them, but they will be ¾ the size and £4 a pop. Some advice: cash is mandatory, these guys don’t take switch or card. Bring your own bags, they might give you one, but a good holdall or freezer box is a good idea. Get there early on a Saturday, we normally arrive at 4.45am, and get one of the last parking spaces. You might have to hang around a while to get a spot, but you will get one in the end. They won’t make it pretty for you, you need to be prepared to gut and ready your fish for eating. The majority of the fresh fish is whole, so the art of filleting will be required. Finally, enjoy – it is an amazing visual treat to watch this market spring to life, and great to see so many different varieties of fish and crustaceans in one place. I defy you not to come out smiling, all your money gone, but a fantastic bag of fresh value for money fish for the next few months.

A Tasty Butternut Squash Risotto

2010-05-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

I was looking for an alternative to rice or potatoes to serve with some Sea Bream this week, and located a forgotten butternut squash in the back of the fridge. Digging around some more, I came across some crème fraiche, some mint and the idea factory began. I started by using the food processor to chop the butternut squash into thumb size pieces, and then put it in the oven, at 200 degrees, with two garlic cloves, skin on, smashed slightly, a slug of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Leaving that alone for a while, I then started frying up some chopped red onions, and garlic clove. As they started to turn translucent, I added in 150g or risotto rice, and stirred until covered in the oil. I added in about a glass of red wine, to deglaze the pan and let that come to a boil. I then started the loving process of cooking a risotto. Not one you can leave alone. Not one you can do on the quick. I used fish stock to compliment the Bream, and brought that to an al dente consistency, about 20 minutes. I then retrieved the butternut squash, gently squeezed the roasted garlic from its jacket and added that to the rice. On a low heat, I stirred this for 5 minutes, finishing off with two large tablespoons of crème fraiche, and some chopped mint and parsley. It was amazing how quickly the butternut had disintegrated, added a lovely warm orange colour and a charming flavour. The mouths I fed were happy, and it was a nice alternative. Give it a go!

The Snail

2010-05-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

I did it. After 29 years of resisting the small creatures I have given them a go. What a wonderful surprise, excellent texture, great flavour, thoroughly satisfying. A small plate of snails is visually very pleasing, and aromatically appealing. I would recommend. The version I had was traditional, escargots, from a French Bistro, with garlic parsley butter. The only thing that unsettled me slightly is that the little ones are forced to fast for three days prior, then only allowed flour and water for a week, so I may have to mull over the ethics of it, but on a taste level, up there with my love of mussels!

The Chilli Con Carne debate

2010-05-11T05:09:00.000-07:00

I recently asked for some feedback from fellow cookers about what their magic ingredient to add to an old fashioned Chilli Con Carne was, and I had some very interesting and novel new ingredients suggested, which I thought I would share. I adore the fact that we have an International Chili Appreciation society, and that people feel so strongly about what is essentially a meat stew and get so fired up about what can and cannot form a Chilli. The big controversy surrounds whether you can or cannot add beans, and whether tomatoes have a role. I for one, opt for the glory that is the kidney bean, as I think it adds a depth of colour and texture to the final product.

Suggestions from fellow Chilli-addicts
Cinnamon Stick - this one seems a great addition, endorsed by Ramsay and Oliver, adding a good kick.
Chocolate - said to give a depth of flavour and richness.
Marmite - one I adhere to, adding a colour and taste over and above a stock cube
HP Sauce - am yet to try this, I can see the logic, molasses and tomato adding colour and flavour, mustard adding a kick.

My Creation:
Ingredients
750g lean mince steak
3 large red onions - finely chopped
1 bulb of garlic - finely chopped
1 small packet of chestnut mushrooms - finely chopped
1 can of red kidney beans, with the water they come with
2 red chilli peppers, seed in if you like it spicy
1 tbs Cumin, 1 tbs Paprika, 2 tbs dried oregano
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
4 tbs of Tomato Puree
3 bay leaves
1 tsp marmite
1 Oxo cube
1 small cinnamon stick
1 dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 cup of warm water
Directions
Pour in a glug of olive oil and gently fry off the onions, chilli pepper and garlic until softened, this should take about five minutes. Add the beef to this and brown off, stirring frequently. Stir in the spices, cumin, paprika and oregano and let that cook on a medium heat for a few minutes. Now add in the tomatoes, mushrooms, kidney beans (including water they are in), bay leaves, marmite and tomato puree. Crumble in the Oxo cube, and stir until mixed through. Place the cinnamon stick in the middle of the Chilli and bring to the boil. (You will need to remember to take this out after an hour, or the flavour of cinnamon will be too strong.) At this point you will need to add some of the warm water to cover, and then use this as and when necessary if the mixture reduces too much. The next bit is up to you, I like to leave a Chilli for at least two hours, on a very low heat, stirring occasionally and tasting along the way, I would suggest a minimum of 1 hour, and a maximum of 4. I season with a few twists of the pepper mill, but due to the marmite and the stock cube find that no salt is needed. Just before serving, I dash in some Worcestershire sauce, have a taste check and then serve on a bed of white rice, with some sour cream and fresh parsley on top.
N.B
- I like garlic, I make no excuse for the quantity, I think the length of cooking time really brings out the flavour, and makes it hearty and gutsy.
- Mushrooms are a good way to increase the vegetable content for those of us who live with people who like to avoid the five a day, they also work well as a texture

I would welcome any other new ingredients from Chilli experts!

If you ever find yourself in Cork...

2010-05-06T08:51:00.000-07:00

Make sure you take the time to have a look at the indoor food market there, called The English Market. There is an amazing selection of breads, cheeses, fish and locally sourced products. It has a wonderful atmosphere, with the vendors all passionate about their wares.

A word on Pimientos de Padrón

2010-05-06T06:19:00.001-07:00

Little tiny morsels of greatness. I have had the pleasure of these in both Barcelona and Madrid, where they frequent all good tapas menus. Small green chilli peppers, 'Peppers of Padron', a small place in the Province of A Coruña, Galicia. The great thing about these tasty treats is, they are in the majority a mild tasting pepper, however, normally one or two in a batch will be fiery hot, you just never know! Best when served fried in a good olive oil, and covered in crushed salt. Yum.

A good pizza find in Wapping

2010-05-06T06:14:00.000-07:00

I will admit, I’m not a huge fan of pizza. More often than not it is too doughy, too flabby, too cheesy, too oily and post-pizza I am left feeling inflated and deflated from the experience. However, I have found a place which does pizza justice. Il Bordello in Wapping. Always busy, always bustling, the service is prompt and energetic and the atmosphere convivial and vibrant. One thing to say, the portions are gargantuan. The menu is extensive, offering pizza, pasta and traditional Italian carne, they also have a good selection of fish on the specials board. Good idea to book, as every time I have been there, weekday or weekend, it is always full to the brim. The garlic bread is a great little starter, and enough for three to share!

A hearty recommendation for steak in Paris

2010-05-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

I recently went to Paris with some friends, and land upon a fantastic restaurant, Le Relais de L'Entrecote, in rue Saint-Benoit. I can't recommend this place enough. You can't book, but the queue is so worth the wait. We got there before 7, and queued for about half an hour, by the time we left, the queue was heading round the corner. There is no menu, just an understanding that there will be steak, and it will be good.
You are started off with a light salad, with crunchy walnuts and a lovely creamy dressing, and then asked, how you want your steak. I opted for rare, and in a short time the wonderful waitress, dressed in traditional black and white delivered it to my plate, accompanied by a huge pile of the best chips I have ever tasted and covered in The Sauce.

The Sauce. So much to say. The Sauce is a secret, The Sauce ingredients shall never be revealed, The Sauce is exquisite. My palate tells me there is tarragon, there is mustard, there is some sticky beef pan juices, but there was definately something else, that I can't put my finger on.

Just as you finish up with the steak, succulent and expertly cooked, you start to think how you could maybe, just maybe find room for a little more, and as you do, the waitress appears again with second dinner. Another hearty portion of steak, another dollup of crunchy frites and some more of The Sauce. What more could you want?

So go there, eat good food, enjoy the Parisien atmosphere and savour The Sauce. If you can stomach it, the deserts were pretty spectacular too!

A trusty Moules Mariniere

2010-05-06T04:48:00.000-07:00

I recently watched John Torode and Greg Wallace give a strict telling off to the contestants on Masterchef for adding cream to their Moules Mariniere. I have to admit, it tastes much better with the cream in. Getting to the bottom of the bowl and slurping up that creamy broth at the bottom with a large hunk of bread is the best bit.

Moules Mariniere
1 large bag of mussels
1 small pot of single cream
1 large glass of dry white wine
1 bunch of parsley
3 shallots
3 large cloves of garlic
Teaspoon of butter

How we do it:
Finely chop the shallots and the garlic
Fry these on a high heat for a few minutes in the butter until softened
Pour in the white wine and boil until reduced by half
Pour in half the pot of cream and heat through
Topple in the mussels, having de-bearded them and discarded any which are already open
Swirl round in the sauce and then put a lit on for them to steam for 5 minutes or until all are open
Finally throw in chopped parsley and season with sea salt and pepper

Serve in big bowls, with a big spoon to slurp the sauce in the bottom, a big hunk of crusty white bread to dunk, and some chips on the side.