Asian Pork Chops with Seared Lettuce

We have begun getting a box of organic fruits and vegetables delivered here each week. The good thing is that it comes from local producers and the contents of each week's box consists of only items that are in season. We're trying to work with produce that is fresh and at its peak, seasonally.

Last night it was these two heads of lettuce with some great pork chops from our butcher (who, incidentally, has won a ton of national awards). The recipe appears in Marcus Wareing's cookbook "One Perfect Ingredient". The dish was simple to compose, and the flavors were just a nice harmony. I deviated from his recipe by taking the cooking juice left in the baking dish and the juices left behind by the pork after resting, straining them, and reducing them down over high heat (as the pork was resting) into a jus.

40 g ginger, fresh, peeled and finely grated
2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil, toasted, if available
4 pork chops
olive oil
2 sprigs thyme, fresh
2 lettuce, heads, Romaine or Cos, halved lengthways
2 bay leaf
2 sprigs rosemary
300 milliliters chicken stock, hot

Mix all the marinade ingredients (ginger through sesame oil) and spread evenly over both sides of the chops. Place in a dish, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 180C.

Warm a little olive oil in a large frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the chops with a few thyme sprigs and sear until they are well-colored on both sides. Remove and set aside.

Heat a dry griddle pan over medium to high heat until hot. Brush the cut sides of the lettuces with oil, then place, cut-side down, in the pan and sear until golden brown. Transfer the lettuce, seared-side up, to a large baking dish. Sprinkle with the bay leaves and rosemary. Place the chops on top. Spread them with any marinade left in the dish and pour over the stock.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and baste the chops with the juices in the dish, then continue cooking uncovered for about 10 minutes. At the end of the cooking, the chops should be tender with pierced with a fork in their thickest part. Leave to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes before serving.

Haitian Coleslaw

I attended a cookout for work last week and forgot to post this, what, with the whirlwind to get ready for the Paris trip. This is another quick one to throw together and it tastes great. If you have to bring a side dish to a barbecue, this one is virtually no hassle and it tastes great. Nice spicy kick to it, as well.

¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon sugar
2 small serrano chilies, seeded, minced (about 2 1/2 teaspoons)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon celery seeds
2 cups carrots, shredded
8 cups cabbage, shredded

Whisk mayonnaise, olive oil, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard, chopped dill, sugar, chilies, garlic and celery seeds in medium bowl to blend.

Toss cabbage and carrots in large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

(Coleslaw can be prepared ahead. Let stand at room temperature up to 1 hour or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.) Serve cold or at room temperature.

Sorbetto di Mora (Blackberry Sorbet)

This was absolutely BURSTING with flavor. You don't need an ice cream machine (though it helps) to make these ice creams and sorbets. After you make it into a puree, put it into a freezerproof container and keep coming back to stir through it every hour or so to prevent large crystal formation. Eventually, it will freeze together and will be just fine.

Berries are starting to come into season and this is a great way to eat them.

125 g sugar
225 milliliters water
250 g blackberries
25 g liquid glucose
juice of one lime

Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat gently to allow the sugar to dissolve, about 4 minutes. Swirl the liquid around the pan to dislodge any crystals still on the bottom, then transfer to a bowl to cool.

Put the blackberries and glucose in a blender with the cooled syrup and the lime juice and process until it is a smooth puree. Pour the puree into a strainer set over a bowl and push the solids through in a circular motion with the back of a ladle. Discard what is left behind in the sieve. Leave the mixture to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Churn using an ice-cream machine. Transfer to a freezerproof container, cover and freeze for 1 hour.

If it is frozen longer and becomes hard, remove lid and transfer to the refrigerator to soften 20 minutes before serving.

Chicken Tajine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

Don't let the long list of ingredients fool you... this isn't that hard. Most of the stuff gets chucked in together. This is a Moroccan dish we've been wanting to try for awhile; something that has preserved lemons in it. This was a surprising dish in that we didn't know what the flavors would taste like together. Well, we weren't disappointed. This was good in a surprising way.

For the marinade:
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon paprika, sweet (Hungarian)
1 teaspoon ginger, fresh chopped
½ teaspoon saffron
2 onion, diced
2 bay leaf
1 tablespoon cumin
2 garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, fresh, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
½ preserved lemon
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed from one lemon

1.2 kg chicken, free-range
½ cup charmoula marinade, (see below)
4 tablespoons peanut oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon saffron
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon ginger
1 cinnamon stick
4 garlic, crushed
2 small onions, halved and finely sliced
1 tomato , peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, (UK=coriander) chopped
2 potatoes, large, cut into wedges
2 cups water
150 g green olives
1 preserved lemon, cut into 6 segments
cilantro, to garnish

First make the charmoula marinade, combine the first 13 ingredients (red pepper flakes through fresh lemon juice) in a bowl. Stir to combine and leave aside for 30 minutes. This yields three cups. (NOTE: You only need 1/2 cup of this marinade for the recipe. Save and freeze the rest. It is a great marinade for poultry or fish)

Wash and dry the chicken and cut into quarters. Rub all over with the 1/2 cup of marinade (I put then together into a Ziploc plastic bag and gave it a good shake) and refrigerate overnight (unless using free-range chicken, then only marinade for 30 minutes).

In a large heavy-based saucepan or flameproof casserole dish, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Add the salt, saffron, pepper, cumin, ginger, cinnamon stick, garlic and onion and cook for 10 minutes, turning the chicken over occasionally.

Add the tomato parsley, coriander (cilantro), potatoes and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pot and place into a tajine or serving dish. Reduce the stock for 5 minutes then add the olives and preserved lemon segments. To serve, place the potatoes around the chicken, cover with the sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Pan-Seared Tuna with Grilled Asparaus and a Sun-Dried Tomato and Roasted Garlic Salsa

We're back from our anniversary trip to Paris. Good times were had by all.

Happy to be back in the kitchen, though, and here's some lunch I whipped up using some sun-dried tomatoes were bought from a Sicilian guy in Paris. Also, as I may have mentioned, asparagus is in season right now and tasting REALLY good. The flavors really went well together and this is actually quite healthy.

600 g tuna steaks, 2 steaks
olive oil, to drizzle
salt and pepper

16 asparagus, stalks peeled, trimmed
olive oil, to drizzle
salt and pepper

For the salsa:
8 sun-dried tomatoes, scooped out of jar with some of the oil
3 garlic, roasted, peeled, ends chopped off
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin, good quality
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Get a medium saucepan with water to the boil on high heat. You will be blanching asparagus in this.

Meanwhile, take the tuna steaks and rinse them off. Pat them dry and put them on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Set aside.

While waiting for the water to boil, make the salsa. Take the sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic (you could use regular garlic if you had to, but the roasted garlic really does add something extra), capers, shallot, vinegar, parsley and some salt and pepper and whiz up in a small blender. Add the olive oil and give it a few extra pulses to combine. You want it to stay a little chunky. (NOTE: If you don't have a small blender, you'll have to do the cutting up of ingredients yourself. Cut the tomatoes, garlic, capers, shallot and parsley up rather small and put them in a bowl. When you add the vinegar and olive oil, beat them around pretty good with a spoon or a whisk to achieve a similar texture as though you had used the small blender.) Set aside.

When the water is boiling, add a good little handful of salt. Add the asparagus and leave to cook for 30-45 seconds. You want it to maintain its vibrant, green color. Remove from the heat and drain in a colander. Immediately plunge into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. After a minute or so (stirring them around to cool them off), drain them off again, rinse in cold water, then pat dry and set aside.

Get a small grill or saute pan and an additional large non-stick pan ready under medium-high heat. When they are hot (a drop of water will sizzle and evaporate immediately when dropped in the pan), put the asparagus, some olive oil and some salt and pepper into the grill/saute pan and toss to coat. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until parts have browned and they are crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, place the tuna in the non-stick pan. If it does not make a sizzling sound right away, take them out and wait for the pan to get hotter. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Watch the color of the tuna change as it cooks from the bottom. When the tuna has browned almost halfway up the side, turn them over. Cook on that side until the tuna has browned until the whole side has JUST (or will just about) go totally brown with only little patches of pink left. Remove from the pan and set aside.

TO FINISH: Place the asparagus on a plate and the tuna on top of it. Place some salsa on top of the tuna, then drizzle the whole dish with good-quality extra-virgin olive oil (lemon-infused if you have it) and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve hot.

Grilled Squid and Melon Salad

The Good News: The taste was great.

The Bad News: It barely made any.

This had a lot of great Thai flavors running through it. The recipe advertised four starter-sized portions. It turned out it was barely two starter-sized portions. We had to go across the way and get a pizza afterward. Loved the way it tasted...needed to eat twice as much to be satisfied. They say good food leaves you wanting more...this certainly did that. I bought one squid at 330g. After I took all the guts and stuff out, I'm sure it was much less. You'll want to go with at least 500g of pre-gutted weight here to make this enough food.

225 g squid, cleaned
¼ honeydew melon, peeled and cut into thin wedges
1 tablespoon mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon coriander, roughly chopped
100 milliliters olive oil
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 garlic
lime juice, from one lime
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
1 green chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon brown sugar
4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

Slit the squid bodies open, cut them into large rectangles and score the inside in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife. This will make them curl attractively when cooked. Leave the tentacles in large pieces. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl, add the squid and melon and leave to marinate at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Heat a grill pan to high. Remove the squid and melon from the marinade, place on the grill pan and grill for 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle over the herbs.

Put all the ingredients for the dressing into a pan and heat gently. Pour the dressing over the squid and melon. Leave to cool to room temperature before serving.

Stir-Fried Duck in Lettuce Cups

This was a quick, healthy lunch to throw together. Again, another recipe out of Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetites. I threw in a little red pepper flakes to kick the spice up a bit, other than that, I left this one pretty much alone. It had been a while since we had duck, so that worked out. This was really good... fresh veggies were crisp and clean and tasty. Nothing bad I can say about this and it's too easy NOT to try.

8 leaves lettuce, chinese leaf, if available
4 duck breast, skinless, about 175g each
¼ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon five-spice
pinch sea salt
olive oil, to drizzle
1 cucumber
2 scallion, trimmed
5 tablespoons hoisin sauce
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, to sprinkle

For the lettuce cups, remove the layers from the lettuce until you get to 4-6 flat whole leaves (8 if using Chinese leaf lettuce) Trim around each leaf with scissors to neaten the edges, so that they resemble cups. Place one on each serving plate. (NOTE: the Chinese leaf lettuce leaves are quite long, but you don't want the lower half which has the firm stalky part. Cut that off and use two leaves per person)

Remove the skin from the duck (if not skinless), then slice the flesh into thin strips. Put the peppercorns, five-spice powder and sea salt into a mortar (or spice grinder) and grind to a powder. Sprinkle this over the duck slices, drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat evenly.

Halve the cucumber and scoop out the seeds, then cut the flesh into finger-length strips. Slice the scallions very thinly on the bias (diagonally).

Heat a non-stick wide frying pan until hot over high heat and you can feel the heat rising from the pan. Add the duck and stir-fry for two minutes. Add the spring onions and hoisin sauce and toss well to coat. Stir-fry another minute until the duck has just cooked through. Toss with a handful of cucumber strips.

Divide the stir-fry between the lettuce cups. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and scatter the remaining cucumber strips around each plate. Spoon over any remaining sauce from the pan. Serve immediately.

Chilli-Chocolate Sorbet

If you have never tried chocolate infused with chillies before, you MUST try it soon. I hadn't really had it prior to coming to the UK, but I really came to love the sweetness and hint of spiciness together. This recipe was as easy as breathing, but the payoff....wow. We used Lindt chocolate (got it at Waitrose). Sweet chocolate flavor up front and just a hint of spice on the finish. Delicious!

125 g chocolate, chili flavored, dark
75 g dark chocolate, plain
450 milliliters water
100 g sugar

Break the chocolate into a saucepan and add 350ml of the water. Melt the chocolate over a low heat, then stir well and add the sugar. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Increase heat a little to allow the mixture to bubble gently for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom.

When the mixture is syrupy pour into a bowl, then float that bowl in a larger bowl of cold water (an ice bath) and leave to stand for 25 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 100ml of cold water and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Churn in an ice cream machine until frozen. Transfer to a freezerproof container, cover and freeze for 1 hour before serving. If it is frozen for longer and becomes too hard, remove lid and transfer to the fridge for 15 minutes to soften before serving.

Chilled Spinach and Watercress Soup

If you've been checking in with us over the past few weeks, you'd know that we've been trying to stick with seasonal produce in some way. This is no exception as British watercress is in season and this soup features it heavily.

The soup is crisp, clean and healthy. It also appears in Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetites. I thought it was OK, though it was a bit much. I could see serving it as a smallish first course of soup, vice a main (like we had it). In any case, it featured ingredients at their peak, which is important. Give it a go if you are craving some fresh greens and a clean, cool soup.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
150 g potato , peeled and diced
300 g watercress, washed and thicker stalks removed
100 g spinach, baby leaves
800 milliliters chicken stock
salt and pepper
lemon juice
4 tablespoons creme fraiche

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and potato. Saute gently, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not brown.

Add the watercress and spinach and pour enough stock to cover the vegetables. Bring to the boil and season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. As soon as the spinach and watercress have wilted, remove the pan from the heat.

Puree the soup in two batches using a blender (in batches) or a stick-blender (puree in the pan). Pour into a wide bowl and leave to cool completely. Cover with clingfilm and chill for a few hours or overnight.

To serve, pass the soup through a sieve, using the back of a ladle to stir it around and pass the liquid through. Pour the soup into chilled soup bowls and garnish with a few baby spinach leaves. Add a small dollop of creme fraiche if you wish and grind over some pepper. Serves 4.

Mussels and Chorizo in Saffron-Garlic Broth

We love mussels. Living by the sea makes them as easy as buying milk or bread around here. We have had this one other time and it was about time we made it back around to it. Don't even try this without some crusty bread to dip in... you would

1) be wasting your time
2) be an idiot

This is pretty garlic-y and chorizo spicy, so don't plan on cozying up to anyone unless they've had some too. It's great and comes from the Dean and Deluca Cookbook (fine food purveyors of NYC). The broth left behind is fantastic.

If you can work it out, drink a good, spicy red Portuguese Duoro or Spanish Rioja along with this and it will bring it to a whole new level.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, medium, finely minced
6 garlic, coarsley chopped
1 pinch saffron , crumbled
¼ lb. chorizo picante, cut crosswise into thin slices
1 cup water
½ cup tomato puree, as in passata
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 lb. mussels, debearded, scrubbed, rinsed
2 tablespoons coriander, (cilantro) chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over moderately low heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, garlic and saffron, and cook 5 minutes, stirring until onion is softened but not browned. Stir in the chorizo and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring.

Add the water and tomato puree and bring to the boil. Add the red pepper flakes to taste. Add the mussels and cover the pot tightly. Cook over high heat, shaking the pot once or twice during the cooking to move the mussels around (or quickly stirring them around with a big spoon) for 4-5 minutes, or until the mussels have opened. (Discard any that have not opened.)

Spoon the mussel mixture into deep soup bowls, top with fresh chopped coriander (US=cilantro) and serve hot with crusty bread.

Hot and Sour Rhubarb and Crispy Pork with Noodles

Rhubarb is in season, so we're trying to put it into as many things as possible while it is at its peak. We took this recipe out of Jamie at Home, which is a really good cookbook in terms of being arranged according to season and associated foods. Rhubarb in an Asian dish was intriguing so we went for it.

The dish really has it all - sour, sweet, salty, spicy. The more I ate, the more I wanted.

1 kg pork belly, boned, rind removed, cut into 1-1/2" cubes
salt and pepper
groundnut oil , or vegetable oil
375 g egg noodles, medium-sized

4 scallion, trimmed and finely sliced
1 red chili, deseeded, finely sliced
2 bunches watercress
1 bunch coriander, (US=cilantro)
2 limes

The Marinade:
400 g rhubarb
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 garlic, peeled
2 red chili, halved, deseeded
1 teaspoon five-spice, heaping teaspoon
1 ginger, thumb-sized piece, peeled and chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

Place the pork pieces in a roasting tray and put to one side. Chuck all the marinade ingredients into a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth paste, then pour this all over the pork, adding a large wineglass of water. Mix it all up, then tightly cover the tray with tinfoil and place in the preheated oven for about an hour and 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender, but not colored.

Pick the pieces of pork out of the pan and put to one side. The sauce left in the pan will be deliciously tasty and pretty much perfect. However, if you feel it needs to be thickened slightly, simmer on a gentle heat for a bit until reduced to the consistency of ketchup. Season nicely to taste, add a little extra soy sauce if need be, then remove from the heat and put to one side.

Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Get yourself a large pan or wok on the heat and pour in a good drizzle of groundnut (US=peanut) oil or vegetable oil. Add your pieces of the pork to the wok and fry until crisp and golden (you may need to do this in batches). At the same time, drop your noodles in the boiling water and cook for a few minutes, then drain most of the water away. Divide the noodles into warmed bowls immediately, while they are still moist.

To finish, spoon over a good amount of the rhubarb sauce. Divide your crispy pork on top, and add a good sprinkling of scallions, chile, cresses and coriander. Serve with half a lime each.

Pan-Roasted Sweetbreads with Minted Pea Puree, Thyme and Garlic Sauteed Mushrooms and Brown Butter Foam

Well...this was my first experience with sweetbreads. Vanessa had them when she was growing up, and she has been badgering me for awhile to give them a shot. Here we are.

They are amazing. I hate to say it, but they DO taste like chicken. Anyways, this is another one of my originals and I am really happy with the combination of the minty peas, thyme-y mushrooms, yummy and crispy sweetbreads... all with a nice hit of buttery goodness to tie it together. I am really pleased whenever I eat something with distinct components that compliment one another. I am pretty proud of this one. Sweetbread are dirt cheap, too. Give this one a shot of you're not a big baby and like good-tasting food.

For the Peas:
300 g peas
20 mint leaves
½ cup chicken stock
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter

For the Mushrooms:
olive oil, for cooking
1 sprig thyme
1 garlic, peeled, crushed
5 mushrooms, medium-sized caps, sliced
salt and pepper
¼ cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter

For the Foam:
25 g butter
100 milliliters milk
salt and pepper

For the Sweetbreads:
250 g sweetbreads, soaked overnight
salt and pepper
½ cup flour
1 tablespoon groundnut oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 sprig thyme

Preheat the oven to 50C/120F.

Prep the Sweetbreads: Soak the sweetbreads overnight. Drain them and rinse them in cold water. Place them in a medium saucepan and cover them with salted water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Place on a plate and chill for about an hour. After the hour is up, you can remove as much of the outer membrane as you can without damaging the meat. Before then (while it is chilling for an hour) you can get everything else together.

For the Peas: Blanch the peas in a pot of boiling salted water for about 3 minutes. Remove, drain then plunge into an ice bath. Next, blanch the mint in the boiling salted water for about 30 seconds. Drain, rinse and plunge into the ice bath. Drain the peas and mint and place them into a blender. Add the chicken stock and some salt and pepper and the butter. Whiz up in the blender until nice and smooth, but still a good thickness. You don't want it runny. If it is too thick, add a bit of stock and whiz to combine. Place into the oven to keep warm.

For the Mushrooms: Heat the oil, garlic and thyme in a fry pan over medium heat. When the garlic starts to sizzle, put the mushrooms in there along with the salt and pepper and toss to combine. If the pan gets too dry as you cook them, add a little more oil. Cook the mushrooms for about 7-9 minutes, until reduced a bit. Pour the white wine in, add the butter, and cook until almost evaporated. Remove and discard the garlic and thyme. Place just the mushrooms (none of any liquid left behind) in a small bowl and put in the oven to keep warm.

For the Foam: Put the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and let it cook until it starts to go brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Pour in the milk and cook until it starts to boil. Turn the heat off and remove from the heat. Set aside.

Finish the Sweetbreads: After you remove the outer membranes from the sweetbreads, coat them in flour, salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large non-stick fry pan over medium heat until the oil moves freely in the pan. Add the sweetbreads and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn them over and turn the heat down to medium-low. Continue cooking for another 7 minutes, cooking and turning them to brown them on all sides as you go. Spoon off the fat as you go.

Add the butter and thyme and cook the sweetbreads, turning them occasionally and basting frequently with the butter, until they are crisp, nicely browned, and slightly firm, about 10 minutes more. While this is going, bring the milk/butter mixture to heat.

Plate: Put some pea puree down on the plate. Place some sweetbreads and mushrooms in alternating fashion across the plate. Take a stick blender and whiz the milk/butter mixture up until it foams. Skim the foam off the top and drizzle over the top. Serve.

Egg White Frittata with Merguez, Thyme and Garlic Roasted Potato and Parsley

I love merguez sausage. If you've never had it before, I would highly recommend giving it a try. It's a north African sausage, sometimes made with lamb, which is spiced with paprika and cinnamon and other spices from the region which can make for a spicy-sweet combination which I love. Our local butcher makes it fresh, without a lot of filler crap in it, and they are wonderful. We bought some yesterday and I put it to use this morning.

1 tablespoon butter
olive oil, to drizzle
1 sprigs thyme, leaves only
1 garlic, minced
1 mergeuz sausage, meat removed, roughly chopped
2 small Charlotte potatoes, or other waxy potato, peeled, diced
salt and pepper
6 egg white
2 tablespoons milk
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon parsley, fresh, chopped roughly

Heat the broiler (UK=grill) to high.

Heat a medium-sized, OVEN SAFE non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When hot, add the thyme and garlic and let cook for 20 seconds or so. Add the potatoes and sausage pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the potatoes are starting to go golden brown and the sausage is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg whites, milk and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. When the potato and sausage mixture are ready, pour in the egg mixture and immediately turn the heat to low. Cook for a minute or two, until you can see the eggs are getting cooked around the edges and the bottom is cooking as well. You can tell by taking a rubber spatula and getting underneath the edge and running the spatula around the side. If the eggs hold together, you're pretty much there.

Once there is just a bit of runny egg on top (but not really around the edges), put the pan under the grill (broiler) and cook for about 2 minutes, just until the top is cooked and has puffed up a bit.

Pull the pan out of the oven and place a large plate inverted over the top. With one hand on the pan and the other holding the inverted plate over the top, flip the pan over so that the frittata will drop onto the plate. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Pan-Seared Curried Scallops with Carrot-Ginger Puree and Asparagus "Fettuccine"

OK. The weekend is usually when I have some time to get a little creative in the kitchen. Some of you who know me know that I burnt up a few months putting together this database which essentially cross-references a bunch of ingredients. Well, asparagus is in season here in England. My search started there, and here's what came out of it. I wanted to do a mint foam with it but that did not turn out, so I skipped it. The rest of it was really good. I hope you can try this original recipe!

FOR THE CARROTS:
15 g butter
2 tablespoons ginger, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
salt and pepper
50 milliliters milk

FOR THE ASPARAGUS "FETTUCCINE" AND TIPS
8 asparagus, spears, peeled into strips with a vegetable peeler, tips cut off and reserved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper

FOR THE SCALLOPS:
8 scallops, large, roe removed
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder, or garam masala
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons watercress, small, micro-greens (for garnish)
olive oil, good quality extra-virgin

Preheat the oven to 50C/130F.

THE CARROTS:
Blanch the carrots in a pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Drain and place into ice-water to arrest the cooking. Drain and rinse.

In a skillet or fry pan, heat the butter over medium heat. When hot, add the ginger and let it sizzle away for 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. Add the carrots, salt and pepper (to taste) and toss to coat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 20-25 minutes until somewhat tender.

Place the carrots in a blender and blend until you have a smooth puree. Add a little milk at a time, if you need to, to smooth the consistency out. Pass through a sieve to work the lumps out. Set aside.

THE ASPARAGUS:
Blanch the asparagus slices and tips in a pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Drain and place into ice-water to arrest the cooking. Drain and rinse.

THE SCALLOPS:
Rinse and pat the scallops dry. Season one side with salt, pepper and curry powder (or garam masala).

TO FINISH: Heat a non-stick, smallish fry pan to medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. When heated, add the carrot puree and heat through. Check the seasoning and place in the oven just to keep warm.

Heat another small fry pan with a drizzle of olive oil and the butter over medium heat. When the butter has foamed and subsided. Add the asparagus strips and tips, some salt and pepper and toss to combine. Cook until heated, tossing through occasionally for a few minutes. Place in the warm oven.

Heat a medium non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the olive oil in. When the pan is starting to smoke, add the scallops in (in a clock pattern starting at 12 o'clock), seasoned side down. Quickly season the other side of the scallops with more salt, pepper and garam masala. Let cook for 45 seconds, then quickly flip the scallops over (starting with the 12 o'clock scallop - the first one you put in) and cook them for another 45 seconds, adding the butter. The butter will melt almost immediately; tip the pan so the melted butter pools to one side. Take a spoon and rapidly baste the scallops with this butter during this 45 seconds of cooking. Remove from the pan and place on some paper towel to drain.

ASSEMBLE: Place a big dollop of carrot puree on the plate and, using a spoon, drag it across the plate. In the middle of the puree, place four small piles of your asparagus "pasta" in a row on each plate. Place a scallop on top of each asparagus pile and then an asparagus tip on each scallop. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and sprinkle the plate with microgreens. Serve hot.

Seared Tuna with Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette and Fennel Salad

I roasted these tomatoes off the other day and hung onto them, knowing I would use them tonight. We were not disappointed. I have made A LOT of things with tuna in my day, but Vanessa (who loves tuna) said that this is her favorite out of them all. You could use these roasted tomatoes (and the garlic that gets roasted with them) in just about anything, which is what makes them so great.

Roasted Tomatoes:
3 plum tomato, stems and cores removed
5 garlic, unpeeled
olive oil, to drizzle
salt and pepper
3 thyme, fresh sprigs

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil, extra-virgin

The Herb and Fennel Salad:
1 small fennel bulb, cored, very thinly sliced
½ cup mixed herb leaves, such as tarragon, basil, chervil, dill and parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil, extra-virgin
salt and pepper

The Tuna:
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
675 g tuna steaks, cut into 4 1" thick steaks
salt and pepper

For the Roasted Tomatoes: Heat the oven to 350F/170C. Cut the tomatoes in half across the equator, then place the tomatoes, garlic and drizzle some olive oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix gently. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the tomato halves, cut-side down, and then pour the contents of the mixing bowl over them. Put the garlic and thyme along with them and bake until the tomato skins loosen, about 20 minutes.

Remove and discard the tomato skins. Pour any juices that have accumulated into a bowl and reserve. Return the tomatoes to the oven and reduce the temperature to 275F/135C. Continue roasting, periodically pouring off and reserving the juices, until the tomatoes are slightly shrunken and appear cooked and concentrated but not yet dry, 3 to 4 hours more. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets. Discard the thyme and transfer the tomatoes and garlic to separate containers. Store the tomatoes, garlic, and reserved tomato juice for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

For the Vinaigrette: Combine two of the roasted tomato halves, 1/4 cup of reserved tomato juice from roasting, vinegar, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and puree. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until emulsified, then set aside.

For the Salad: Combine the fennel and herbs in a small bowl. Dress with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well.

For the Tuna: Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper and sear (about two minutes per side for rare). Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and slice thin across the grain. To serve, arrange the four remaining roasted tomato halves on plates. Place the tuna slices over the tomatoes, top with the fennel salad, and drizzle with tomato vinaigrette.

Mango Yoghurt Sorbet

Vanessa put on the chef's apron while I was at work and churned out (literally!) this FANTASTIC frozen treat. It is another quick, delicious and healthy recipes from the new Gordon Ramsay cookbook, Healthy Appetites. You could probably substitute creme fraiche for the fromage frias here if you wanted to. The fruity wonderfulness counteracts perfectly with the fromage frais. This is seriously worth a try.
350 milliliters water
225 g sugar
3 tablespoons liquid glucose
300 milliliters yoghurt, natural, such as greek-style
100 milliliters fromage frais
1 mango, 1/2 pureed, 1/2 chopped
Pour the water into a heavy pan, add the sugar and liquid glucose and place over low heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and boil for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

Beat the yoghurt and fromage frais together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Mix in the cooled syrup.

Pour the mixture into an ice-cream machine and churn until almost firm, adding the mango chunks halfway through. Scoop the sorbet into a suitable container and fold in the mango puree. Freeze for several hours until firm.

If you do not have an ice cream machine, freeze the mixture in a shallow container and beat with a fork several times during freezing.

Oh Truffle...We Hardly Knew Ye

Well, that does it for the truffle I bought last week. I decided to use it in a dish which showcases the truffle and had little else to stand in it's way. A little drizzle of truffle-infused oil at the end really brought the whole thing together. You can get jarred truffles at Sainsbury's and Waitrose, but nothing is better than a fresh one. I got mine at London Fine Foods, an online shop. Give it a go and you won't be disappointed!

(NOTE: If you have a whole truffle to burn on this dish, I would recommend shaving off five or six whole pieces and heating them up with the butter and oil in the beginning. Take another 3 or 4 slices and chop them up somewhat finely and add them in about halfway through the cooking. Shave however much you like at the end to top it off. The truffle-infused oil REALLY ties this one together.)

Risotto with Truffles and White Wine

2 cups beef broth
3 cups water
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup shallots, minced
1 cup arborio rice, or Carnaroli
½ cup white wine, or Champagne
salt and pepper
1 truffle, fresh, white or black (2 if using jarred truffle)

In a saucepan combine the stock and water, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low to keep warm.

In a deep wide saucepan or skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened but not browned.

Add the rice and stir for one minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring until most of the liquid has absorbed. Ad 1/2 cup of the broth and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue cooking, add the broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring until absorbed, for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is al dente, tender yet firm to the bite. If you are using jarred truffle, add the liquid from the jar to the rice. About halfway through the cooking time, ad the salt and pepper to taste. The rice should be moist and creamy. Add more liquid if necessary; if you run out of broth, use water.

Take off the heat and stir in the remaining butter. If using jarred, chop it fine and stir into the risotto. Spoon the risotto onto plates. If using a fresh truffle, then with a truffle shaver or vegetable peeler, shave the truffle over the risotto.

Drizzle with some good extra-virgin olive oil, or truffle-infused olive oil (if you have some).

Chicken Cacciatore

I love free-range chicken. You CAN taste the difference as well as it being a better method of raising animals. I made this in the early afternoon, cooked through the 40 minutes, then put it in a 50C oven to just keep it warm for the next 2 hours. The effect on the chicken was unbelievable. It simply fell off the bone and was moist and spectacular. Healthy, too!

2-½ pounds chicken, thighs and drumsticks, skinned
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, large, diced
2 garlic, peeled and minced
1 large portabello mushroom, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons tomato puree, (US=tomato paste)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
¾ cup white wine
1 can chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons parsley, fresh, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only, chopped
2 sprigs oregano, leaves only, chopped
salt and pepper

Skin the chicken, then rinse the pieces and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When just starting to smoke, add the chicken pieces in a single layer and fry off until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Do this in batches if your pot isn't big enough. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Drain off all but about a tablespoon of fat from the pan.

Return the pan to the stove and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and garlic together and saute for 3 or 4 minutes until they start to go soft. Add the mushroom pieces and continue to saute for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the mushrooms start to cook down some.

Add the tomato puree and red pepper flakes and stir through completely, cooking until the veggies start to smell a little sweet and the puree has darkened a bit, about a minute. Turn the heat up to medium-high and pour in the wine. As the wine starts to bubble, scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by about half, 3-5 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes. Mix the herbs together in a small bowl and take a big pinch out of there and add it to the pot and stir through, allowing it to come to a boil. (Keep the herb bowl handy as you check the seasoning later on, add more if you find the herby-ness lacking).

Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken pieces and any juices left behind in the bowl you left them in. Spoon over some sauce then cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is tender and done. Serve hot.

Poached Snapper and Blackberry-Buttermilk Sherbet

The summery weather just keeps coming over here, and we couldn't be happier. We've been wanting to poach a whole fish for awhile now so we decided to give it a go on some really fresh Brazilian snapper that we bought down the street. The recipe we had appeared to have some shortcomings so I changed it into something completely different. The sherbet was something Vanessa looked up in one of our food magazines. Both worked out great and were great warm weather food.

Poached Snapper with Fresh Tomato Sauce
800 g snapper, whole, scaled, fins removed, gutted and rinsed
4 tomatoes, roma, fresh, skinned and deseeded, roughly chopped
1 onion, large, finely chopped
4 scallion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, fresh, chopped
2 garlic, peeled, cut into a few pieces
60 g butter
½ cup white wine
olive oil, for drizzling
salt and pepper
2 cups fish stock
1 tablespoon flour

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.

Prepare the fish as stated. Combine the tomatoes, onions and scallions in a large bowl.

Grease the bottom of a baking dish with butter. Spoon half of the veggie mixture into the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic pieces and a bit of olive oil. Put the fish on top of that, then the rest of the veggie mixture on top of that. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper. Add the stock, wine, a bit more olive oil and half of the parsley. Dot with half of the butter. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Carefully lift the fish out and put on a serving dish, putting foil over to keep it warm. Empty the contents of the dish into a saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or so, until the liquid has reduced by 25%.

Make a paste with the remaining butter and the flour in a small bowl. Gradually add to the pan and simmer, whisking until the sauce has thickened. Check the seasoning and pour over the fish. Sprinkle the remaining parsley over and serve.

Blackberry-Buttermilk Sherbet
2-½ cups blackberries
½ cup sugar
1-¼ cups buttermilk

Combine blackberries and sugar in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Strain blackberry mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Stir in buttermilk.

Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon sherbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 4 hours or until firm.

Caprese Salad

A lot of people think that good food must be complicated. Not so. Good food relies upon good ingredients (at their peak, if possible) properly prepared. The best example of this that I can think of is the Caprese salad from Italy. Tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. Salt and pepper. Drizzle some really good olive oil and really good balsamic vinegar and you are finished. It is SO simple yet SO amazing with top-quality ingredients. Great for the warm weather. Give it a go!

3-Star Insanity

I recently came into a little cash by way of a bonus from the Navy. Naturally, the first thing I thought to buy was some ridiculously expensive food with which to cook. I went after some ingredients that I had always wanted to work with, namely Wagyu beef, fresh truffles and good oscietra caviar. Here they are:

The thing with the beef is that you can only call it Wagyu beef if the cattle is raised in a certain part of Japan where they feed the cattle lots of beer and sake and stop to massage them every night and so on. With all of these techniques they use to raise them, they produce hat is widely regarded as the best beef in the world. The delicate marbling of fat running through it just makes the stuff melt in your mouth. Here's a close-up of what it looks like sliced through:


Anyhow, I decided the only way to really showcase these ingredients that I was lucky enough to have, was to go for some recipes by 3 Michelin-star winning chefs. I went for some recipes out of Gordon Ramsay's 3-Star Chef and Thomas Keller's French Laundry Cookbook. I normally don't like to go on and on about food (well, I guess I do) but....

WOW. These were good. It just goes to show what happens when you get good ingredients and put them to use in the right way. Enough from me, here's how it all went down.

Starter: Tartare of Beef with Oscietra Caviar and Marinated Red and Yellow Peppers
(appears in Gordon Ramsay's 3-Star Chef)


600 g beef fillet (in this case, Wagyu!)
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
1 banana shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped
sea salt and pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 garlic, peeled and sliced
2 thyme, sprigs
olive oil, to drizzle
4 tablespoons oscietra caviar
8 asparagus tips, blanched in boiling salted water
1 yellow pepper, roasted and cut into neat squares
1 or 2 black truffles, cut into neat squares
capers, handful, rinsed and drained
olive oil, to drizzle

Prepare the Marinated Peppers: Heat the grill (US=broiler) to high. Quarter the peppers and remove the core and seeds. Place skin side up on a baking sheet and grill for about 5 minutes until the skins have become blackened and blistered. Tip into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside for a few minutes (the steam will help lift the skins). Uncover and peel off the skins, then finely chop the peppers and place in a bowl. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Toss well then cover and leave to marinate in a warm place for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

For the Tartare: Trim the fillet of any fat or sinew, then cut into thin slices. Cut each slice into strips, then gather the strips together a few at a time and cut across into very fine dice. Place in a bowl and add the capers, shallot, spring onion and some salt and pepper. Mix through until evenly combined, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

To Shape the Tartare: Place a metal cutter on each serving plate and divide the beef tartare between them. Press down on the back of a spoon to level the meat, then tightly wrap each plate (with the metal ring still on top) in cling film. Chill in the fridge.

To Serve: Remove the cling film from the beef. Cover one half of the tartare with the caviar and the other half with the marinated peppers, then remove the metal cutters. Arrange the asparagus tips on top. Garnish the edge of the plates with the yellow peppers, truffle and capers. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve.

Main Course: Butter-Poached Lobster with Leeks, Pommes Maxim and a Red Beet Essence
(appears in Thomas Keller's The French Laundry Cookbook)


350 g potato , waxy variety (Yukon Gold, Maris Piper, Charlotte)
½ cup butter, clarified
kosher salt
450 g red beets, peeled, or one cup pure beet juice
3 tablespoons butter, prepared as beurre monte
½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
lemon juice, a few drops
6 lb. lobsters, 3 live lobsters, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each
1-½ cup butter, prepared as beurre monte
1-½ cup leeks, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts only, blanched until tender, chilled in ice water, drained
2 tablespoons tomato diamonds
2 teaspoons chives, chopped
1 tablespoon brunoise, (combination of finely chopped carrot, celery, turnip and leek greens in equal parts)
¼ cup butter, prepared as beurre monte plus and additional tablespoon
salt and pepper

Make the Beurre Monte: Bring one tablespoon of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and begin whisking chunks of butter into the water, bit by bit, to emulsify. Once the emulsion is established, you can keep adding butter a little at a time and whisking it in, never adding more water. This recipe works for however much beurre monte you need to make (for this recipe, you'll need 2 cups plus one tablespoon). Make the beurre monte close to the time you'll be needing it and keep it in a warm place.

For the Clarified Butter: Place the butter in a 1-quart (liter) saucepan and melt it over low heat, without stirring. Once the butter has melted, it will have separated into three layers. Skim off and discard the foamy layer of milk solids floating on top. The clear yellow butter beneath it is the clarified butter. Carefully pour it off into a container, leaving the milky liquid behind. Keep covered and refrigerated. (If you have extra, you can freeze it and use it some other time.)

For the Pommes Maxim: Preheat the oven to 300F/150C. Peel the potato and slice it into paper-thin rounds on a mandoline. Toss the rounds with the clarified butter (not the beurre monte); they should be well-coated. Arrange them on a Silpat-lined baking sheet, overlapping the slices by half to form a solid sheet of potatoes, or lay them in overlapping circles in a large heavy ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake the potatoes for 45 to 50 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden brown. They may not hold together completely. These can be made several hours ahead and left at room temperature.

For the Red Beet Essence: If using fresh beets, juice the beets (you should have a generous cup). Reduce the beet juices slowly in a small saucepan to 2 to 3 tablespoons of glaze.

LOBSTER PREP:

Steep the Lobsters: Place the lobsters in a tight-fitting, heat-proof container. Cover with cold water. Drain off the water , measure it, and place it in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and add a 1/2 cup of white vinegar for every 8 quarts (8 liters) of water. Pour the boiling water over the lobsters (in the heat-proof container) and let them steep for 2 minutes (if using 1 1/2 pound lobsters) and steep 3 minutes (for 2 pound lobsters). Remove the lobsters from the water, saving the water.

One at a time, with a glove or kitchen towel, hold the hot lobster, grab the tail and twist and pull to detach it. Twist and pull off the claws and return them to the hot water for 5 minutes. Reserve the bodies.

For the Tails: Hold each tail flat and twist the tail fan to one side; pull off and discard. Use your fingers to gently push the meat through the tail end and pull the meat through the large opening at the other side. Discard the shell. Lay the tail meat on it's back and cut lengthwise in half through the middle. Remove the vein running through the top of the meat. Lay the meat on a paper towel-lined plate or platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

For the Claws: After 5 minutes, remove the claws from the hot water. Twist off each knuckle to remove it. Hold the claw in your hand and pull down on the lower pincer. Push to either side to crack it and pull it straight off. Ideally, the cartilage from inside the claw should be attached to the pincer and the claw meat should remain intact.

Still holding the claw, crack the top of the shell with the heel of a knife, about 3/4 inch from the joint where the knuckle was attached. You want to go through the shell but not damage the meat. Wiggle your knife to loosen and crack the shell. If the shell does not pop off, it may be necessary to turn the claw over and repeat the procedure. Shake the claw to remove the meat (if it doesn't fall out, cut off the very tip of the shell and blow through the hole to release the meat).

TO COMPLETE: Preheat oven to 300F/150C. Bring the lobster pieces to room temperature. Place them in one layer in a large saucepan and add 1 1/2 cups of beurre monte. They should be almost covered. Place the pan on low heat and slowly poach the lobster in the butter for 5 to 6 minutes, just to heat through.

Meanwhile for the leeks, warm the leek rounds in a saucepan. Add the tomato diamonds, chives, brunoise and 1/4 cup (plus one tablespoon) of beurre monte. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Reheat the pommes Maxim in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes.

Bring the beet glaze to a simmer and whisk in the 3 tablespoons of beurre monte, red wine vinegar and lemon juice.

Place a small spoonful of the beet essence on each plate. Top with a generous tablespoon of the leek mixture, a lobster tail and a claw. Break off a piece of the pommes Maxim and place it on top of the lobster. Serve to happy guests who probably have no idea what you went through to make this.

Dessert: Raspberry Compote with Tarragon Cream
(appears in Gordon Ramsay 3-Star Chef)


250 g raspberries
50 g sugar
200 milliliters double cream
200 milliliters whole milk
20 g tarragon, leaves only, roughly chopped
75 g sugar, plus an extra teaspoon
7 egg yolks
cocoa powder

FOR THE COMPOTE: Put the raspberries and sugar in a non-stick pan and cook over high heat for a few minutes, shaking the pan, until the fruit has broken down and the juices are reduced and syrupy. Top into a bowl and leave to cool completely.

Spoon a thin layer of raspberry compote into 6 to 8 small serving glasses, reserving about 2 tablespoons for serving. Cover the glasses with clingfilm and chill.

FOR THE TARRAGON CREAM: Heat the cream, milk, chopped tarragon in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of sugar. As soon as the liquid starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and set aside to infuse for 15-20 minutes.

Beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until light and creamy, then pour in the strained cream mixture, stirring until smooth.

Pour the creamy mixture into a large, heavy-based saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the custard is thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Strain the tarragon cream into a clean bowl and discard the tarragon. Leave to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the surface. Cover with clingfilm and chill for a few hours or overnight to allow the custard to firm up slightly.

TO SERVE: Spoon the tarragon cream into the serving glasses to form a thick layer over the raspberry compote. Dust the surface with cocoa powder, then carefully drop a scant teaspoonful of the reserved raspberry compote on top. Serve immediately.

Honey-Wheat Bread

Nothing beats the smell of freshly baked bread, except maybe the taste. I have been making two loaves at a time of this bread for a long time; long enough that I can't remember the last loaf of bread that I bought in a supermarket. I mean, the ingredients are cheap, it requires little actual hands-on cooking and the result is superior. Remember, bread companies are using the cheapest ingredients they can find, and usually lack heavily in nutrition. Give these a try and fill up your whole house with the smell of fresh-baked goodness.

3 cups strong white bread flour
2 cups strong wholemeal bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 packet instant yeast
⅓ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup honey
2 cups milk, heated for 2 minutes in microwave
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk

Combine the flours, salt, yeast, oil, honey and milk in the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment (you COULD do this by hand, but it would take a long time). Mix on low speed for two minutes, just to combine everything, then kick the speed up to medium-low or medium for a further 4 minutes. When it's ready, the dough should have pulled away from the sides and formed a nice ball around the dough hook.

Lightly oil a clean countertop surface and rub the remaining oil on your hands. With your oily hands, take the dough out of the mixing bowl and put it onto the oiled surface. Knead it a few times, then shape it into a ball. Lightly oil a large bowl and put the dough in it. Cover with clingfilm and allow to rise for an hour or so, until double in size.

Lightly dust a flat surface with flour. Turn the dough ball out onto the surface and lightly dust with flour. Fold the dough over itself and press down to expel the air trapped in side (you should hear the air escape). Divide the dough into two equal sized portions and shape them into balls. Let them rest for twenty minutes under the clingfilm.

Spray (or coat with a thin layer of oil) two loaf tins. Working with one dough ball at a time, flatten the dough with your hands and sort of stretch and shape it into a flat rectangle measuring about 12 x 8 inches, with the long side facing you. Fold the sides in about an inch and then begin rolling from the edge furthest away from you towards yourself until it forms a log. Roll it a few times (not applying much pressure) and place in the loaf tin. Repeat with the other loaf.

Combine the egg and milk in a bowl and whisk to combine. Brush the egg wash over the top of both loaves. Preheat the oven to 180C. Let the dough sit for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough has risen to fill 3/4 or the loaf tin. Egg wash again and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The outside should be a rich golden brown.

Remove from the oven and turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack. LET THEM COOL COMPLETELY, NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT SMELLS.

Sweet Potato Frittata with Tomato Salsa

Gordon Ramsay is huge in the UK. He has a TV series here called 'The F Word' (the F is for Food). Anyhow, each season of The F Word usually sees a book which corresponds to the season. And each season has a theme that he is crusading for/against. This coming season he is attacking Britain's expanding waistlines and his cookbook for this season is called Healthy Appetites.

I picked the book up the other day (it was just released this weekend) and gave it a quick page-through. Lots of great stuff in there, like his other two F Word series books, Fast Food and Sunday Lunch. Anyhow, this looked like a promising breakfast and it was. The only thing I would change is to either use cherry tomatoes or dice the vine-ripened tomatoes smaller to make them a bit easier to eat. Other than that, the flavors were great. AND IT'S GOOD FOR YOU.

200 g sweet potato, 1 large, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
salt and pepper
4 eggs, large
2 tablespoons chives, finely snipped

For the Salsa:
250 g plum tomatoes, vine-ripened
2 scallion, finely sliced on the diagnoal
3 tablespoons coriander, fresh, chopped
1-½ teaspoon lemon juice, from half a lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
1 tablespoon sesame oil
dash Tabasco
pinch sugar

Make the Salsa: Quarter the tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add the other salsa ingredients and mix well, seasoning with salt and pepper, and a pinch of sugar if you like.

For the Frittata: Heat the broiler (UK = grill) to it's highest setting. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into 1/2" cubes. Heat a non-stick omelete or frying pan (suitable for use under the broiler/grill) and add the olive oil. When hot, toss in the potato and shallot, and season well with salt and pepper. Cook over a medium heat, turning occasionally, for about 4-5 minutes until the potatoes are just tender and lightly golden around the edges.

Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl, add the chives and pour over the sweet potatoes. Shake the pan gently to distribute the ingredients and cook over a low heat, without stirring, for a few minutes until the eggs are beginning to set at the bottom and around the sides.

Place the pan under the hot broiler/grill briefly until the top of the frittata has set. Try not to overcook the eggs or they will go rubbery. Leave to stand a minute, then run a heatproof plastic spatula around the sides of the pan and invert the frittata onto a large plate. Spoon the tomato salsa into a neat pile on top and serve immediately.

Andulusian Stuffed Chicken and Banana Creme Pie

These two were delicious. The chicken is from the book '1080 Recipes' wich is a popular cookbook in Spain. The kitchen still smells like the stuffing and the sherry-enriched juices. The pie was Vanessa's affair and was also delicious, creamy and banana-y.

The only thing I would do differently for the chicken is to reduce the pan juices down to a gravy. We'll try that next time, and there WILL be a next time for this one.

6 tablespoons olive oil
500 g tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and chopped
150 g serrano ham, diced
40 g pine nuts
1 tablespoon parsley, fresh, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
350 milliliters sherry, preferably Amontillado
50 milliliters Pernod
1.5 kg chicken
50 g lard, or 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 onion, large, cut into 2-3 pieces
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the apples and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes. Add the ham, pine nuts, parsley and cloves, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Pour in half the sherry and Pernod, stir well, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Stuff the chicken with the mixture, reserving any cooking liquid. Sew up the chicken cavity or secure with skewers. Spread the lard of brush the oil all over the bird and place it in a roasting tray. Pour the reserved apple cooking liquid around the chicken. Season with salt and put the onions on either side of the chicken. Roast, turning occasionally for 20 minutes, then pour the remaining sherry over the chicken. (If the tips of the legs start to brown, cover them with foil.)

Return the chicken to the oven and roast, basting occasionally, for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through. To check doneness, piece the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer; if the juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink, the chicken is cooked.

Allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes on a cutting board or other non-hot surface. Carve the chicken and spoon out the stuffing onto a warm serving dish. Serve immediately with the sauce.

Banana Creme Pie
Cooking spray
12 graham cracker squares (6 full sheets) (Here in England we used a tube of digestive biscuits)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons boiling water
1/3 cup, plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sliced banana (3 medium bananas)
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. In a food processor, process graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter and 1 tablespoon of water, and process until the crumb clumps together. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pie plate and about 1/2-inch up the sides. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then let cool.

In the meantime, make the filling. Put the gelatin in a small bowl; add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/3 cup of sugar and the flour. In a medium bowl lightly beat the milk and eggs together. Add the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and whisk so the flour and sugar dissolve. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract and gelatin. Set aside to cool slightly.

Arrange the sliced bananas on the graham cracker crust and pour the pudding on top. Place in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours.

Whip the cream with an electric beater. When it is about halfway done, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, then continue whipping until fully whipped. Put the whipped cream in a plastic bag, concentrating it in 1 corner of the bag. Snip that corner off the bag and squeeze the whipped cream out of the bag in a decorative pattern around the pie.

Dan Dan Noodles

I am reading a book by the author of this recipe, Fuschia Dunlop, where she chronicles her experiences as the first Westerner allowed in the Sichuanese Culinary Academy in China. She describes this recipe specifically in the book and it made me want to try it. The story is that there was this street food vendor/restauranteur nearby that made the best dan dan noodles. She developed a kinship with him and over the course of many months, she picked up a bit here and a bit there of the recipe. Finally, she was able to piece the whole thing together.

We were not disappointed. The thing with traditional Sichuan food is that it is supposed to be 'hot and numbing'. The Sichuan peppers leave a pleasant warmth/numbness on the lips and the food is a little spicy, but not crazy hot like Hunan. I loved this as much as her other stuff we've cooked. Give it a whirl if you want a quick, spicy lunch or dinner for two.

(NOTE: There's lots of noodles out there. Egg. Rice. Wheat, and so on. You want flour and water noodles here. In the Asian markets look for 'mein' or 'mian' noodles.)

200 g chinese mein noodles
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 sichuanese chilies, cut in half, seeds discarded
½ teaspoon whole sichuan pepper
25 g sichuanese preserved vegetables
100 g beef sirloin, minced
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
salt

For the Sauce:
½ teaspoon sichuan pepper, ground, roasted
2 tablespoons sesame paste
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons chili oil, with sediment

Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut (groundnut) oil in a wok over moderate flame. When the oil is hot but not yet smoking, add the chillies and Sichuan pepper and stir-fry briefly until the oil is spicy and fragrant. Take care not to burn the spices. Add the preserved vegetables and continue to stir-fry until hot and fragrant. Add the meat, splash in the soy sauce and stir-fry until the meat is brown and a little crisp, but not too dry. Season with salt to taste. When the meat is cooked, remove the mixture from the wok and set aside.

Divide the sauce ingredients among the serving bowls and mix together.

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions. Drain them and add a portion to the sauce in each serving bowl. Sprinkle each bowl with meat mixture and serve immediately.

Before eating, give the noodles a good stir until the sauce and meat are evenly distributed.

Roman Spring Lamb

Hey, it's spring so that means it's lamb season. This is a really quick stew that doesn't take a lot of prep time and really delivers good, homey, stewy flavors. This comes from a book called the Silver Spoon which alleges that they have been the best-selling cookbook in Italy for the past 50 years. In any case, the book is MASSIVE and has simple recipes featuring every imaginable ingredient.

The gravy produced by the meat juices working with the flour and herbs is really quite something. Photos of stews never look like much, but this tasted really good.

1 kg lamb neck fillet, cut into chunks
flour, for dusting
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 rosemary sprigs, fresh
4 sage leaves, fresh, chopped
1 garlic, crushed
175 milliliters white wine
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 potatoes, peeled and sliced
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Dust the pieces of lamb with flour. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan or roasting tray over high heat. When hot, add the lamb and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, browning the lamb on all sides.

Season with salt and pepper and add the rosemary, sage and garlic. Stir thoroughly to work the herby flavor in. Mix the wine and vinegar together and add to the pan (scrape up any brown bits in the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon) and cook until it has almost completely evaporated.

Add 150ml of boiling water and the potatoes, stir through carefully, cover, and roast for 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Scoop into bowls and serve hot.

Veal Escalope in Lemon with Cider-Braised Endive and Apple

I took the veal recipe from the Silver Spoon cookbook, which is a popular cookbook in Italy. The cover claims that it has been the best-selling cookbook in Italy for the last 50 years. I can say it has recipes which feature virtually every ingredient you can think of, and the book is THICK.

I wanted something springy and light to complement the veal, so the endive and apple part is my own. It turned out well-balanced with the lemony-tart sauce, meaty veal, sweet apples and slight bitterness of the endive. All of the flavors were covered here and it wasn't tough to make. Hope you give it a try.

For the Veal:
500 g veal escalopes, pounded flat
flour, for dusting
80 g butter
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon parsley

For the Endive:
2 endive heads, cored and cut lengthwise into quarters
1 apple, peeled, cored, quartered and cut into thin slices
½ cup cider
15 g butter (a small pat)
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

For the Veal: Pound the escalopes lightly with a meat mallet and dust with a little flour. Melt 65g of the butter in a frying pan, add the escalopes and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes, turning several times, then season with salt. Mix the juice of one lemon with 4 tablespoons of water, pour the mixture into the pan and let it reduce slightly. Add the parsley and remaining butter, then remove from the heat when the butter has melted. Check the seasoning.

(NOTE: 1. My pan wasn't big enough to handle all of the veal at once, so I had to do them in batches. A good cooking tip is to always have the oven preheated to 50C/120F, in case you need to keep anything warm. When all of the veal is done, keep it and the sauce in the warm oven until the endive is finished.
2. The sauce is supposed to be lemony and a bit tart, but not too tart. A little more butter, salt and pepper will cut through the tartness. You want some of the acidic lemony hit in there to balance the bitterness of the endive and the sweetness of the apple)

For the Endive: Combine the endive, butter, sugar, salt and pepper in a saucepan with a wide enough base to hold the endive in one layer. Heat the liquid to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the endive in one layer and cover the pan. Cook for ten minutes, turning them over at the halfway point. Then, remove the lid and increase the heat to high. Add the apples and gently mix through. Reduce the liquid all the way down until it is gone, having coated the endive and apple in sort of a glaze. Cook for a few more minutes to get some caramelization going on the endive and apple, stirring through to brown them evenly a bit.

(NOTE: I did have to play with the sugar levels here to really bring out the apple flavors. Add a bit then taste it. Repeat as necessary.)

Plate the endive with the veal on top. Pour the lemony sauce over the top and serve.