Buckwheat Blinis

Ingredients for 18 blinis:

1. 40 gr buckwheat flour;
2. 125 gr strong plain white flour;
3. ¾ tsp salt;
4. 5 gr easy blend yeast;
5. 150 ml crème fraiche;
6. 175 ml whole milk;
7. 2 eggs separated;
8. 25 gr butter;

Directions:

1. Sift together 1 – 4;
2. Warm 5 & 6 until lukewarm then whisk in the egg yolks;
3. Mix milk into flour and whisk until you a think batter. Cover with a clean dish cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour;
4. Beat egg white to stiff peaks;
5. Fold egg white into batter;
6. Melt a pinch of butter in a blinie pan and fry about a table spoon of batter for 30 sec a side.

Added a tablespoon of honey (miel de Thyme).

Osso Bucco

Ingredients (for 4):

1.  4 veal shanks;
2. Seasoned flour to coat the veal;
3. 100 gr diced pancetta;
4. Chopped onion;
5. Chopped carrot;
6.  Chopped stalk celery;
7. 2 large cloves garlic finely chopped;
8. Zest of one large lemmon;
9. 500 ml white wine;
10. 500 ml chicken stock;
11. 750 ml crushed tomatoes;
12. 2 bay leaves;
13. Large sprig rosemary;
14. Handful Thyme;
15. S&P.

For the Gremolata (make this at least 2 hrs beforehand):

1. 100 gr finely chopped parsley;
2. Zest of one large lemon;
3. 2 finely chopped cloves garlic;
4. Handful of toasted peanuts;
5. EVOO to moisten;
6. Mix and let stand to infuse.

Directions:

1. Dredge veal in seasoned flour (shake off any excess):
2. Fry pancetta in a large heavy bottomed and oven proof pan, set aside when browned, keep the grease;
3. Brown veal on medium heat, set aside;
4. Add more oil and sauté onion, carrots, celery, garlic and zest on medium heat until tender;
5. Add veal and pancetta back into the pan;
6. Deglaze pan, add wine and boil off most of the alcohol;
7.  Add stock and tomatoes, bring to simmer;
8. Add herbs;
9. Cover and transfer to 180 degrees C oven;
10. Cook for 1 – 1.5 hrs or until veal is falling of the bone (may need to top up liquid).

Serve with  risotto alla milanese topped with the Gremolata;

Romesco Sauce

Made the Barrafina recipe romesco over the weekend. I played with the recipe by adding hotter cillis and by using fresh roasted Romano peppers instead of choricero peppers. Came out absolutely brilliantly. 

Makes enough for 6-8 generous portions (about 650g)

1. 1 dried red chilli, soaked in warm water for 2 hours (any chilli will do but naturally the better the chilli you use the better the result. I used Guajillo (relatively mild but with a strong finish, Chipotle meco (a smoked jalapeno) and a habanero for the intense strength.)
2. 4 dried choricero peppers, soaked in warm water for 2 hours (this is the pepper used to make paprika, you’ll get it in Brindisa or one of the speciality food stores. I could not find any in Chiswick so I used 4 fresh romano peppers that I roasted in the oven)
3. 4 large ripe plum tomatoes
4. 100ml olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
5. salt and freshly ground black pepper
6. 1 whole head of garlic, halved horizontally
7. 100 gr blanched almonds
8. 20 gr roasted almonds
9. 1 slice of good-quality white bread, about 2cm thick (actually used Japanese panco, works just as well)
10. 50ml sherry vinegar

Heat the oven to 180°C. Drain the soaked chilli and choricero peppers, then remove the seeds and set aside. Put the tomatoes into a roasting dish. Drizzle them with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the two halves of garlic in foil and add to the roasting dish. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. When cool enough, pop the garlic cloves out of their skins and set aside. Meanwhile, in a separate smaller roasting dish, toast the almonds in the same oven for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Be careful – they burn fast! Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small frying pan and fry the bread on both sides until golden brown. Put the chillies, choriceros, roasted tomatoes, garlic, blanched almonds, bread and vinegar into a blender or food processor. Add 100ml of olive oil and blitz until smooth. Season with plenty of salt and pepper and keep in the fridge until needed.

When serving sprinkle some of the roasted almonds over the meat.

Anticucho

Posting this here so that I don't have to bother David every time I want to make Anticucho sauce:

Red Anticucho Sauce

1. 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (crushed to powder)
2. 1/2 teaspoon salt
3. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4. 1 1/2 teaspoons grated garlic
5. 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
6. 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon aji panca paste
7. 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
8. 1 tablespoon sake
9. 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

Combine in the order listed

Yellow Anticucho Sauce

1. 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon aji amarilllo paste
2. 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3. 2 teaspoons soy sauce
4. 1 teaspoons lemon juice
5. 1 teaspoons yuzu juice
6. 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

Combine in the order listed

Chilli Con Carne

My CCC never tastes the same twice in a row mainly because I never use a recipe. Rather every time I want to make an CCC I start reading recipes. The final result depends very much on where I get my inspiration. Sometimes I will read Heston’s CCC recipe from in search of perfection and be inspired to make something unbelievably complicated or I’ll go with Jamie Oliver’s very simple chili.

I made a particularly good CCC today so I’ve decided to post it here as a reminder and so that poor Jules can be confident that her food tastes as expected.

Ingredients:

1. 1 tsp crushed dried chili;
2. 2 tsp crushed cumin seeds;
3. 1 tsp oregano (ideally wild);
4. 2 tsp smoked paprika;
5. 2 star anise;
6. 500 gr minced meat ideally not the low fat version;
7. 1 large carrot chopped fine;
8. 1 stalk celery chopped fine;
9. 2 large onions chopped fine;
10.  4 cloves garlic roughly chopped;
11.  2 finely chopped jalapeno peppers;
12.  2 red peppers cut into 1 cm thick strips;
13. 1 liter beef stock;
14.  A double espresso;
15. 2 400 gr tins chopped tomatoes;
16.  400 gr kidney beans;
17.  S&P;

Preparation:

1. Dry roast ingredients 1 -4;
2. Brown the meat in a very hot pan;
3. Soften the onion & celery in the same pan;
4. Add carrot and red pepper and let soften a bit;
5. Add all the spices, garlic and jalapeno let fry for a minute or so;
6. Add the beef and tomato, blend thoroughly;
7. Add the espresso and stir it in;
8. Add the stock, season to taste;
9.  Let simmer for up to 2 hours;
10. Add beans and let simmer until beans are ready.
11. Serve with Crème fraise and grated cheese.

Additional ideas:

1.  Chives;
2.  Couple of squares of bitter 70% chocolate;
3. Add the red pepper when there is ½ hour left of the cooking time so that they retain some texture;
4. Chilli Mix (replaces the dry chilli and Jalapeno above):
1. Chipotle Morita - 3/5 hot, a smoke-dried jalapeño; 
2. Habaneros - 5/5 hot, this is the source of the spicy background heat; 
3. Guajillo - 2/5 hot, slightly sweet out in front taste;
4. Mulato - 1/5, chocolaty, licoricy taste;
5. Ancho (poblano) Chilli - 1/5, Similar to Mulato not sure I really need both;
6. Cascabel - 2/5, toasty, nutty flavour. 

Tapas Menu Saturday 14th of July 2012

1. Smoked Salmon on Blinie (Thvera Salmon from 2011, best creme fraise, twist of black pepper, chives and lemmon rind on top of salmon)
2. Beetroot and goats curd salad (thinly sliced salt baked beetroot, walnut dressing, crushed walnuts, rocket salad, crumbled goats curds)
3. Teriyaki Squid (squid flash fried on very hot pan, finished with juice of 3 vermouth (did not have sake), 2 mirin, 1 sugar, 5 lemmon juice, lemon rind and 1.5 soy sauce. Left to boil until juice is syrupy served on a handful of Samphire and chopped grass onion on top.)
4. Chorizo & Prawn on fondant potatoes (1 cm thick potatoes fried in paprika flavoured butter – fondant in chicken stock, flash fried chorizo and prawn on top, topped with chilly jam and homemade aioly and handful of watercress)
5. Truffled pasta (Jules had to have something she fancied)
6. Milk braised loin of pork with broad bean purre (loin of pork braised in full fat milk flavoured with cinnamon stick, bay leaves and thyme for 3 hrs at 140 C, lightly boiled broad beans in mixer with garlic, EVOO, rocket leaves, S&P until a fine paste, retained one grated baked beetroot to decorate the pork)
7. Ari’s Eton Mess (mixed berries marinated in best balsamic, honey, and chopped mint, mixed with whipped cream and meringue)

Wine:

• Orballo – Albarino 2011
• Txomin Texaniz – Txakoli 2011
• Allende Rioja 2005
• Arzuage – Rebera Del Duero 2004
• Gran Feudo Gran Reserva – Navarra 2005 Tempranillo, Cap Sauv, Merlot (that may have been one wine to many!)

Ox tongue with lentils and green sauce

Recipe stolen from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and put here to remind me where it come from....

For the brine

1. 500g demerara or light muscovado sugar
2. 1.5kg coarse sea salt
3. 1 tsp black peppercorns
4. 1 tsp juniper berries
5. 5 cloves
6. 4 bay leaves
7. 1 sprig thyme

For the tongue

1. 1 whole ox tongue
2. 1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 4 parsley stalks, 2 sprigs thyme)
3. 1 carrot, chopped
4. 1 onion, chopped
5. 1 celery stick, chopped
6. 1 leek, chopped
7. 1 clove garlic

For the green sauce

1. 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
2. 1 large bunch mint, marjoram or basil (or a combination thereof)
3. 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
4. 8 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
5. 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
6. 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
7. Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8. 2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
9. Extra-virgin olive oil

To finish

1. 300g Puy lentils
2. 1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 4 parsley stalks, 2 thyme sprigs)
3. Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the brine ingredients in a large pan, add five litres of water and, over low heat, stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Bring to a boil, bubble for a few minutes, remove from the heat to cool, then refrigerate until cold.

Put the tongue in a non-metallic container. Cover with the brine, weighting it down, if necessary, to keep it submerged, and leave in a cool place or fridge for four to five days.

Remove the tongue from the brine and soak in fresh, cold water for 24 hours, changing the water at least once more. Put the tongue in a pan with the bouquet garni, vegetables and garlic, cover with fresh water and bring to a gentle simmer. Poach very gently for two and a half to three hours, until tender and yielding. Lift out the tongue, cool and peel off the coarse outer skin.

To make the sauce, finely chop the herbs and put in a bowl with the capers, anchovies and garlic. Add the mustard, seasoning and vinegar, toss, then add enough oil to loosen the mix to a spoonable consistency.

Cook the lentils as per the packet instructions (though adding a bouquet garni to the cooking water), then dress with oil and season. When the tongue is completely cold, cut into 1 cm slices and serve with the lentils and green sauce.

Miramar in Llanca

Tasting Menu 2011

Tequila, salt and lime
Crystalized nuts
Red clam, apple and celery
Quail's egg in tempura
"Chicharrones"
Tomato and olive oil caviar
Mushrooms, truffle and foie gras tartlet
Carbonara " Frigo"
Soy
Vietnamese cappuccino
Fish and chips
Cherry with kirsch
Chrysalis
Ceasarsalad
Fresh almonds and summer truffle
Clam soup
King prawn with its juice and tangerine
Our small brain
Baby squid and fisherman' soup
Dim sum of Dublin Bay prawn and beef feet
Cream of corn, foie gras and duck sauce
Sticky rice of chanterelles and iberian secret
Grouper, its juice and croutons
Lemon and meringue cake
Pinecone, pine nuts, pine and chocolate

I don't think there is much to add... one of the best meals I have ever had....

Creamy Butternut Squash Fish Soup

I wanted to make a simple clean tasting fish soup. The motivation was my desire to have a fish soup and J's refusal to contemplate eating such. Basically the idea here is to make a vaguely oriental soup based on butternut squash and then add the fishy element afterwards.

Ingredients:

1. One cubed butternut squash;
2. 1 large chopped shallot;
3. 250 ml tin of coco nut milk;
4. 3 stems of lemongrass;
5. 1/2 tbls of fennel seeds
6. 5 kefir lime leaves;
7. 500 ml vegetable or fish stock (or just water);

For added fishiness:

1. Thai fish sauce to taste;
2. 250 gr prawn;
3. 250 gr monkfish cut into large bite sized chunks.

Soften shallot in a little bit of vegetable oil in a soup pot at medium heat. Add spices and let them roast for about a minute. Add butternut squash and stock and let simmer until the squash is completely soft about 15 min. Remove the lemongrass and whizz the soup up in a food processor or using one of these very clever magic wand things.

Bring soup back up to simmer and slowly add the coco nut milk. Do not add the full tin as that may make the soup too rich (not all butternut squashes are the same size after all) add until you like the consistency and taste of the soup. Let the soup simmer until the milk is fully settled into the soup. At this point what you have is beautiful vegetable soup which I would have happily had as such after adding salt.

The point however was a fish soup. At this point start adding fish sauce one tablespoon at a time. It is important to give the soup a couple of minutes of simmering before adding more fish sauce as it is very potent and salty and you really won't know if you have added enough until it has had time to settle. Continue until the soup is slightly fishy but not salty to the taste.

Add fish, bring back to simmer until fish is ready. Serve with a few leaves of coriander and a line of best EVOO.

(a variation on this theme would be to replace the lime leaves with coriander root)

Spanish Meat Balls

Spanish Meat balls (Albondigas)

1. 250 g each minced beef and pork (Spanish would use lamb but I can't);
2. 1 large shallot very finely chopped;
3. 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped;
4. Big handful very finely chopped flat leave parsley;
5. 1 egg;
6. 1 tbsp olive oil
7. 200 ml red vine (a couple of tbsp dry sherry won't hurt);
8. 250 g tin of chopped tomatoes
9. 1 tbs pimento picante (Spanish spicy paprika)
10. pinch of sugar
11. salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the mince in a bowl with the shallot, garlic, parsley, egg, salt and pepper. Mix well then shape the mixture into 12 small, firm meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the meatballs for 5 minutes, turning frequently until evenly browned. Add the tomatoes, wine, pimento and sugar, with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil cover with a tight lid and transfer to 150 degrees owen for 45 - 60 min.

Bistro Ari & David

Christmas 2010 ♦ Tasting Menu

Belsize Park

♦❖♦

Scallop Sashimi & Yuzu Buttermilk

Smoked Icelandic Salmon & Braised Beets

Cured Duck & Celeri Remoulade

Double Smoked Lamb w/Ricotta & Chilli Jam

Octopussy Yeah Baby

Vitello Tonnato To Go

♦❖♦

Eel, Pickled Carrot & Horseradish

Truffled Eggs & Soldiers

Salsify, Trompettes & Polenta

Foie Gras, Pear, Prosciutto Powder

Snails, Girolles & Mash

Risotto & Roe deer

Cotechino, Lentils & Mostarda

♦❖♦

Sgroppino Venezia

♦❖♦

Hake & Aniseed Beurre Blanc

Deconstructed Boeuf Bourgignon

♦❖♦

Vacherin & Herb Salad

♦❖♦

Affogato

♦❖♦

Occasional Notes on the wines I drink.

Apsley Gorge Vineyard

Pinot Noir 2006

£24 from Philglas & Swiggot

(found it for 16 at Justerini and Brook)

This is quite possibly the most Burgundy like wine I've had that did not actually come from Burgundy. Earthy but perfectly integrated, clean and has a texture exactly like Northen Burgundies like Gevrey Chambertin where the winemaker Brian Franklin worked before starting Apsley Gorge.

Occasional Notes on the wines I drink.

John's Blend by John Glaetzer, No29 Langhorn Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon 2002.

£23.99 from Philglas & Swiggot

I am not usually a fan of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon which I usually find to be overripe and unstructured. This is not one of those... At 8 years of age it has had the time to mature and turn into a very fine rich Bordeaux style wine. I can't help wonder what it would be like with the addition of a bit of cabernet franc.

Occasional Notes on the wines I drink.

Kooyong - Estate Pinot Noir 2007, Mornington Peninsula.

£25.25 from Philglas & Swiggot

The best Australian Pinot Noir I have had, would compete very favourably with the best Kiwi Pinot Noirs. Very well structured and complex palate the growers own notes claim a note of rhubarb which I'm not too sure about.

Anne Sophie Pic's, Valence, August 14, 2010

This is one of the most accomplished meals I have ever had. Literally everything from the reception to the coffee at the end of the meal was genuinely three star. Inventive without being unnecessarily fancy, this was food at the very highest level possible. The worst I can say about the experience is that he Tourteau was not as good as the rest of the food.

The Amuse Bouche was a foie gras creme brule with grapefruit mousseline. This is normally a dish I find quite boring so I was very disappointed to see it put in front of me in a restaurant that I have very high hopes for but this was the finest example of the kind I have ever had. Partially this was due to the fg creme brule being made with an exceptionally light touch but more importantly the mousseline was an inspired accompaniment. Mousseline just means light mousse, however, combined with an ever so slight taste of grapefruit it completely cut trough the fattiness of the fg for a melt in the mouth combination.

The anchovies where a very feminine dish that relied completely on all the ingredients complementing each other perfectly. Individually, the ingredients would not have impressed but put together they where perfection. Strong anchovies, soft fresh cucumber, tiny bit of fat from the colonnata and just a bit of taste from the tomato and beurre blanc based sauce. Very difficult to describe but incredibly sophisticated.

The Saint Pierre or John Dory was also incredibly accomplished. In theory a simple dish of some steamed John Dory and anis flavored beurre blanc but in fact the dish was absolute perfection. The fish had been prepared in sous vide at 50 degrees for over one hour which left it cooked but pink and not flaky at all. I am not sure I have ever had braised or slow cooked fish before but that is what it was and the result was very surprising. The combination with the anis flavor and richness of the beurre blanc was perfection.

I was very scared of taking a 24 year old Croze Hermitage as that is usually a bit beyond their tolerance but the solid producer and the strong recommendation of the sommelier made me take the plunge. Although the wine does not have many years left in it I was rewarded with an excellent and highly complex drink.

Foie Gras Three Ways/Foie Gras Suzhi

I was in Gaillac for a few days. That always means raw foie gras... this time I decided to make three small dishes that were inspired by a visit to Dinings a few weeks ago. No rice though.

Two of the dishes require a glazing or a reduction that I made with a combination of apple juice, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and a little bit of sugar.

Glazing:

1. 100 ml best quality apple juice;
2. 100 ml medium quality balsamic vinegar (no point in using the £15 stuff);
3. 50 ml light soy sauce;
4. 2 - 3 tsp sugar.

Reduce all the ingredients under low heat until you have a thick syrupy substance. It needs to be runny but no so runny that it runs of the fg when applied.

To try: cider vinegar instead of balsamic.

Foie Gras in broth:

1. 100 ml home made chicken broth per person;
2. 3 3x2 cm cubes of foie gras per person;
3. 1 tsp roast spices (I roasted and then crushed cardamom seeds, cumen and turmeric in about equal measure with a very small amount of salt & pepper).

Heat the broth with the spice mixture and let simmer until the spices are cooked and the taste settled.

On a very hot skillet sear the fg until slightly caramelized. Put the fg cubes on the bottom of a small soup bowl and cover with the broth. Serve immediately with a little bit of finely chopped parsley (or another herb) as garnish.

To try: coating the fg with balsamic before searing.

Seared Foie Gras on pear:

1. 2 ½ cm thick slices pear per person;
2. 1 thinly slices brioche toast per person;
3. 1 1 cm thick slice raw fg;

On a very hot skillet sear the fg until slightly caramelized. Assemble the brioche, pear and fg and coat the fg with the glazing. Serve immediately.

To try: caramelizing the pear in butter and use Asian pear.

Seared Foie Gras on fig and parma ham:

1. 1 ripe fig per person;
2. 1 15x4 cm slice of parma ham per person;
3. 1 1 cm thick slice of raw fg.

On a very hot skillet sear the fg until slightly caramelized. Assemble the ham, fig and fg and coat the fg with the glazing. Serve immediately.

To try: caramelizing the fig in the glazing and add some kind of blue cheese to the dish.

Braised lamb shoulder with olives and Artichokes

Ingredients:

1. 2.5 kg Lamb shoulder bone in for about 6 - 8 people;
2. 250 gr tin of pitted black olives;
3. 4 Artichokes with stem cut off and cut into half;
4. 4 tbsp sea salt;
5. 2 tbsp black pepper;
6. 3 cloves garlic;
7. 2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves;
8. 2 tbsp finely chopped thyme leaves;
9. 1 tbsp honey (ideally scented with either rosemary or thyme);
10. 2 tbsp EVOO;
11. Juice of one lemon;
12. 1 large coarsely cut onion;
13. 2 finely chopped parsnips (finely chopped as they are meant to completely break apart during the cooking and serve to thicken the sauce);
14. 4 - 5 sprigs of Rosemary and Thyme;
15. 1 bottle either red or white wine;

Preparation:

1. Make a paste of the salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, honey and EVOO. Rub paste all over the lamp and let sit for at least 30 min but several hours would be better.
2. Brown the lamb and set aside.
3. Soften the onion and parsnips, add the artichokes flat side down.
4. Load the meat on top of the artichokes, add the rest of the ingredients, and 125 ml of the wine;
5. Braise in a 160 degrees oven for at least 3 hours adding 125 ml of the wine every 30 min or so (pour the wine over the meat) baste every 30 min when the whole bottle of wine is in.
6. If serving potatoes add them to the pan with the meat about 45 minutes before serving.
7. Let rest for 15 min;
8. Cut the heart out of the artichoke and serve with the meat;
9. Make sauce by reducing the cooking liquid and adding more wine/stock as needed.

Serve with Muhummra and Deep fried chick peas.

Deep fried chick peas

Ingredients:

1. Tin of chick peas in water rinsed and dried;
2. 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds;
3. 1 tsp chilli flakes;
4. 1 tsp Spanish sweet paprika;
5. 1 tsp salt
6. 1 tsp black pepper;
7. 500 ml vegetable oil (one with a high tolerance for heat).

Preparation:

1. Pound the spices in a mortar until quite fine;
2. Combine spices and peas in a bowl and toss to cover the peas with the herb mixture;
3. heat the oil to high heat (180 degrees) in a wide pan;
4. Fry the chick peas in the oil for about 30 seconds.