Dinner by Heston @ Mandarin Oriental Hotel

11 Aug

There has been a lot of hype over ‘Dinner’ since it opened in early 2011, Heston Blumenthal’s latest endeavour in collaboration with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Shooting straight to number 9 as a new entry to the league tables of The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants and praised by the most discerning of food critiques, I was chuffed to bits when my friend made a lucky last minute reservation as a treat for my birthday.

A world away from the alchemy that The Fat Duck brings, Dinner is a much more modest affair. Its ‘USP’ is a menu inspired by British gastronomy of times gone by, elevated to the present era through contemporary cooking techniques. As you browse the menu, the approximate date of each dish is noted, and a brief blurb on the reverse reveals the inspiration behind each one. Little cards were placed on the table with random facts, however these read more like an excerpt from an encyclopaedia and were a bit lost on me…

Located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and backing onto Hyde Park, the ambience is what you would expect of a high end hotel in prime location London. Decor was subdued, dark wood dining furniture and low hung, slightly medieval looking chandeliers with candle-like lights. The visual stimuli really came from the glass chamber of chefs located to one side of the dining room, and we were delighted to bag a top spot with tranquil views of Hyde Park to one side and the hustle and bustle of the kitchen to the other. We weren’t lucky enough to have Heston on site on the day, but had plenty of opportunity to catch Head Chef Ashley Palmer-Watt as he commanded the service of his rather calm brigadier of chefs.

Suitably seated and pondering which of the lovely cocktails we were about to order, we were greeted by the sommelier who persuaded us to go for the “very, very, very good” champagne instead of the cocktail. The champagne was nice, but on reflection felt as though he was a little pushy in his recommendation, and can only assume he did this as pouring two glasses of champagne is much easier than making two different cocktails. The wine menu was extensive, but expensive! The cheapest bottle of red was about £35 and £40 for white.

So for the starters. Tempted as we were to go for the now legendary Meat Fruit (chicken liver parfait cleverly disguised as a glossy tangerine), we wanted to sample some of the other dishes on offer. My friend chose the Hay Smoked Mackerel c.1730 (with Lemon Salad, Gentlemen’s Relish & Olive Oil) at £14.50. Pretty as a picture, I didn’t try any but was assured that it was light, well balanced and tasted good.

I opted for the Roast Scallops c.1820 (with Cucumber Ketchup and Borage) at £16.50. The scallops were juicy and well cooked, as you’d expect from a Michelin Star restaurant. The cucumber relish was tasty, slightly sweet and acidic. I particularly liked the cooked cucumber chunks, something I’ve never tried before. Overall it was really accomplished, but I think it could’ve done with another variation in texture as everything on the plate was soft and wet.

For main course, my friend chose the Black Foot Pork Chop (with Hispi Cabbage, Lardo, Ham Hock and Robert Sauce) at £30.  So called ‘black foot’ aka ‘pata negra’ from the Iberico Hams typical of the Basque country. The chop was generous is size and the mouthful I tried was juicy and flavoursome. A quick search on Wiki reveals that Robert sauce is one of the oldest compound sauces on record, a version of which is cited in Le Cuisinier Francois (1620) by one of Henry IV cooks. Lucky Henry, the sauce was very good indeed.

I chose the Veal Sweetbreads with Morels and Asparagus.  This was one of the specials for the day and I didn’t manage to catch the date of origin. Very happy with my choice, the sweetbreads were lightly crumbed and perfectly cooked.

In contrast to the starters and desserts, the mains seemed far less complex.  More along the lines of ‘meat and two veg’ (although by the sounds of the feast that Henry IV had on his Coronation in 1399 it’s no small wonder!). Not that good food needs to be complicated, but after comparing the pictures of the mains with the other courses, you’d be forgiven for thinking they were from different restaurants.

The first dessert was Brown Bread Ice Cream c.1830 (with Salted Butter Caramel & Malted Yeast Syrup) at £9.50. Creamy, sweet, salty and malty with a bit of crunch and refreshing cubes of melon to cut through the richness.

A must for the chocoholics, we also ordered the Chocolate Bar c.1730 (with Passion Fruit Jam & Ginger Ice Cream) at £9.50. The chocolate bar with a layer of very sweet passion fruit jam was insanely rich, a little too rich for me. I loved the ginger ice cream but don’t think it quite stood up to the intensity of the bitter sweet chocolate.

To finish the meal, we were given complimentary Chocolate Ganache.  A nice touch, but had we known this was coming we’d have gone for something other than the Chocolate Bar for dessert. Definitely a case of chocolate overload!

The final verdict? I think those reviewers that have marked Dinner down for a lack of “WOW’ factor and theatrics have missed the point. If you go with expectations of iPods in shells and dry ice you’ll be sorely disappointed.  If you go with expectations of “What you see is what you get” then you should be pleased.  Each dish was a fine example of what it claimed to be – cooked using modern techniques and delivered in a no fuss or frills way.  More typically “British”, you could say.

Pricewise – there’s definitely others out their serving food of a similar standard at a fraction of the price.  The excessively expensive wine menu is also a deterrent. A three course meal for two with wine will leave you little change from £200.

The service was meticulous but pushy at times, I don’t have a problem with my glass being topped up every 5 minutes but I do take note of the sommelier pushing the champagne aperitif.

Would I go again? Hmmm…the jury is out on this one.  The problem is I can almost taste the other dishes already – precisely because what you see is what you get, no hidden tricks or surprises. Might just wait for some of the hype to die down and for a few more of the dishes on the menu to change before I venture back. We were very lucky with the last minute reservation and location of the table, I would book far in advance for this as the experience wouldn’t have been the same in some of the tucked away spots with restricted views.

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Discovering Filipino Cuisine with the London Foodie

18 Jun

I recently had the pleasure of spending a rather gluttonous day discovering the essence of Filipino cuisine at a Cooking Club held by Luiz Hara. The concept of the cooking club is simple – Luiz selects a particular type of cuisine or foodie theme, and a bunch of blog readers descend on his beautiful home in north london to cook their selected dish, talk, eat, drink, talk, eat, drink and so on…till some hours later when we leave with a belly full of food and wine and a head full of inspiration.

Each event is co-hosted by an expert in the cuisine, in our case, Tina P, a native Filipino with a wealth of experience in Filipino culture and food. Tina prepared an extensive menu, which was emailed to us beforehand so we could each select a dish to serve on the day. Luiz does make clear that the event is indeed a cooking ‘club’, and not a ‘course’. Whilst an expert is there to offer a helping hand, you are ultimately responsible for preparing the finished dish and so some degree of culinary competence helps!

Appetizer
Kinilaw na Tuna – Vinegar-cured Tuna
Pork Barbecue – Grilled Skewered Pork
Lumpiang Shanghai – Fried Spring Rolls with pineapple sweet and sour sauce
Soup
Pancit Molo – Pork Dumpling Soup
Vegetable
Adobong Kangkong – Braised Water Spinach
Main
Lechon Kawali – Deep Fried Pork Belly
Guinataang Sugpo – Prawns in Coconut Milk and Vinegar
Kare Kare – Ox Tail Stewed in Peanut Sauce
Chicken Adobo – Stewed Chicken in Vinegar and Soy Sauce
Dessert
Turron – Crisp Banana Rolls
Leche Flan – Milk Custard
(and heaps of wine!)
 

I confess to knowing very little about Filipino food.  As I scanned the menu none of the dishes sounded familiar to me by name. Not wanting to be flustered by cooking on the day, I (rather naively) opted for the Oxtail Kare Kare dish which needed to be cooked in advance.  I had never even heard of the dish before and was a little nervous not knowing what to aim for in terms of taste and texture.  Several days later I discovered that Kare Kare is often the centrepiece at family feasts and special occasions, such as weddings and baptisms.  Gulp…no pressure then!

Alas, I needn’t have worried, as all the dishes turned out just great.  The menu took us through a journey of Filipino food, strongly influenced by flavours and techniques brought over by the Chinese, Malaysians and Spanish (to name but a few). Ingredients such as coconut and vinegar featured heavily on the menu, with all dishes having a more subtle flavour in comparison to the intensity and heat that often comes with neighbouring Vietnamese or Thai food.

I was glad to be one of the first to arrive as I was given the opportunity to get my fill of Luiz’ ridiculously adorable litter of Shih Tzu puppies. If my pockets had been a little larger they would have come home with me!

Once all the guests arrived, Luiz and Tina kicked off proceedings with a little introduction and explanation of the chosen menu.  We then tucked into the appetiser courses, with Tiffany’s Kinilaw na Tuna first up.

‘Kinilaw’ means to cook, or cure in vinegar. I later learnt that this method came about from the need to preserve fish or meat. The raw tuna was marinated in vinegar, coconut milk, shallots, ginger and chilli and served with crunchy slithers of red pepper and spring onion.

BBQ Pork Skewers next up, a mixture or pork belly and shoulder marinated overnight in garlic, sugar, soy, ginger, chilli and Sprite (you heard me, Sprite), skewered and then grilled till charred and yummy.

The last of the appetisers was Lumpiang Shanghai – no prizes for guessing the origins of this dish! Crispy rolls filled with pork, glass noodles and shiitake mushrooms (amongst other things), served with a sweet and sour pineapple dipping sauce.

We then migrated to the gorgeous dining room (major house envy) for the remainder of the day. Inbetween the appetisers, a few of us helped out May (of Malaysian by May) in preparing the wonton dumplings for the Pancit Molo soup – a mixture of pork, onion, garlic, soy, ginger and carrots. Always a fan of a good dumpling!

Luiz then brought forth the triple cooked, Yes, TRIPLE COOKED pork belly. I don’t need to garnish the description any more, you KNOW it tasted good.

With our appetites sufficiently wetted, the main courses ensued. Adobong Kangkong – braised spinach with red onion, soy, vinegar and sugar, was served alongside Guinataang Sugpo - prawns with coconut, ginger, garlic, vinegar and chilli. I adore spinach and have never cooked it with vinegar before, but was surprised at how tasty it was.

Cue drum roll…time for Oxtail Kare Kare. Thankfully Mae (Pepe’s Kitchen) helped me out with serving the finished dish which was served with steamed rice and the all important Bagoong, a paste made from fermented shrimp and salt. The paste really lends a savoury kick to the stew, which by contrast is subtle in flavour. The oxtail is slow cooked with onions, celery and peppercorns, before the addition of ground toasted rice, peanut butter, lime, garlic, onion, baby aubergine, long beans and pak choi.

The last main of the day was Chicken Adobo, thigh meat stewed with coconut, vinegar, soy, chilli, garlic and bay leaves, prepared by Frederico (looking very proud below!).

Adobo is widely regarded as the national Filipino dish, with the word Adobo deriving from marinade or sauce in Spanish. A very fitting way to complete a savoury Filipino banquet!

And finally onto the desserts – we had some very morish Turon, or Crisp Banana Rolls…

And beautiful Leche Flans, with a sugar syrup surface so perfect I could see my own reflection…

I had an amazing time at the Cooking Club. Got to learn heaps about Filipino food, met a really interesting bunch of people and played with puppies to my heart’s content. Not to mention eating a whole lotta food and slurping a whole lotta wine. I forgot to add, unlike a Supper Club, the event is free. You pay your way by bringing a bottle and buying the ingredients needed for your selected dish. Luiz was a most gracious and welcoming host, and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday. My eyes will be peeled for future cooking club events for sure.

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New addiction alert: Smoked Bacon & Scallop Sandwich

14 Jun

Bacon and Scallops have always been good friends, a tried and tested combination I’m sure many of you have tried before.  Only this time, try it in a sandwich. Salty, smoky, chewy bacon meets sweet, succulent scallop, wedged in doorstep slices of the softest white loaf.  This will make you raise your eyebrows I’m sure – that was my reaction when I first heard of it. But trust me, it’s good.  Better than good.  It’s ‘Up There’ with the All Time Top Weekend Breakfasts.

Don’t mess around with crap bacon for this. It’s got to be good quality and thick cut. I had some of my favourite smoked molasses bacon from Brixton Village Market, and some very fine hand dived scallops from Moxon’s Fishmonger, roe still intact.

The choice of bread is also important – you want a super soft white loaf – cut thick enough to hold everything in place as you munch away.  After frying the bacon, I quickly seared the scallops and roe in the same pan, adding a little butter.  Once cooked I let the scallops rest, and wiped the pan clean with one slice of the sandwich bread before assembling the tastiest sandwich ever. Enough said.

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Fiery BBQ Pork Ribs with Holy F! Sauce

28 May

With London weather as good as this, it seems a sin to cook in the kitchen instead of firing up the BBQ nestled in my uber small garden. I feel for the neighbours upstairs as they slam their windows shut to stop the smoke from billowing in, but I just can’t help myself. The unmistakable taste of charred meat on raw flame is too big a temptation to resist.

Last nights offering was slow cooked Pork Ribs, basted in the deliciously fiery but flavoursome Holy F@*k sauce. Not for the faint hearted, these ribs will leave you tingling for hours.

For those of you not already acquainted with Holy F@*k Sauce, this kick ass hot sauce is the creation of The Rib Man - a street food god hailed as serving up some of the best ribs and rib rolls in London.  The sauce is made with Scotch Bonnet and Naga Bhut Jolokia chills - the hottest in the world….reach for the milk!

The Rib Man has gained himself a bit of a cult following of late, and his special brew sauce is being put to the test in all manner of dishes, from French Toast to Burgers to Pizza. My tribute to the cause are these ribs – slow cooked in the oven with a few aromatics for a couple of hours and then smothered in the fiery sauce before finishing on the flame.

This is the way to do ribs – they were MEAN – meat falling off the bone, with a charred, sticky, fiery hot coating. The perfect distraction for all this summer sunshine if there ever was one.

Simply done – I cooked the whole rib in the oven on a low temperature for 2 hours – with 1 roughly chopped leak underneath, 8 peppercorns, 5 cloves, a couple of star anise and a good glug of water (covered tightly in foil).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little, then pour any of the baking tray juices into a saucepan and reduce until you have thicker syrupy sauce.  Add some Holy Fuck Sauce (how much is up to your discretion) and a squeeze of ketchup and cook out for a further minute or so.  Baste the ribs generously, and place on the BBQ. Turn the ribs and rebaste every couple of minutes to guarantee a deliciously sticky and charred rib.

My only advice is to do more than you think as they’ll be gone before you know it!

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Black Truffle Linguine

28 May

An indulgent splurge on the man’s birthday left me with no choice but to smother butter coated Linguine with generous shavings of Black Truffle. A very simple recipe, no fuss allowed.

Boil the Linguine in salted water till al dente, saving a little of the starchy water back when draining.  Add a generous knob of  unsalted butter to a frying pan and allow to bubbly way till nutty and brown but not burnt.

Add the drained pasta to the frying pan and coat the Linguine with the butter, adding a little of the starchy water to loosen and provide a little more moisture. Season generously with salt, and transfer to a plate immediately. Top generously with shavings of freshly grated black truffle (or as generously as the wallet allows) and devour!

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Tamago-Yaki, it’s Sunshine on a Plate!

28 May

Tamago-yaki is a perfect way to ease in to a lazy sunday morning, and seems especially good when the sun is shining!  The name translates literally as “grilled” or “fried” egg, created by rolling thin layers of egg mixture flavoured with soy and sake, and sweetened with sugar and mirin. A special rectangular Tamago pan is often used, which helps create the neat sides of the finished omelette, although I’m sure a regular pan would still give good results.

Until fairly recently, I think my experience of Tamago-yaki has mainly been of the mass made, factory variety – almost toxic yellow in colour, processed texture and not fresh at all (used in the majority of sushi chains around London and even many restaurants). Freshly made home cooked Tamagoyaki, on the contrary is totally delicious and so quick to make.

Substantial enough to eat on its own or cooked plain for a topping to sushi rice, I’ve been trying lots of variations recently (to feed my slight addiction). My first attempt was guided by Reiko Hashimoto’s recipe in Hashi Cooking and contained good quality smoked ham and english chives (recipe below). However I’ve also had them plain, or with minced prawns and chinese chives, shiitake mushrooms, shredded nori, sliced spring onions etc. etc. – the options are endless and can be based on whatever you have left in the fridge. Serve with some grated daikon seasoned with a little soy, or cucumber if you can’t get hold of daikon for a little freshness. I sometimes top this with a dollop of salmon roe, another very tasty addition!

Here’s the recipe from Hashi Cooking….let the good times roll.

Ingredients (makes 2 rolls, serves 4)
6 Large eggs
3 tbsp finely chopped chives
60g finely chopped smoked ham
1 tspn instant dashi powder
1 tbsp mirin
2 tspn caster sugar
1 tspn soy sauce
pinch salt
veg oil for cooking
Garnish – grated daikon, shiso leaves, few drops of soy
 
Method

Mix all the ingredients for the omelette in a large bowl or jug and stir well.

Heat the Tamago Pan over a medium heat and brush a little vegetable oil on the base and sides of the pan, coating evenly.

Pour about 10% of the egg mixture into the pan and tilt the pan to coat the base evenly. When the egg starts to set, lift up the edge on one side and roll upwards using chopsticks or a spatula – make sure you roll while the surface of the egg is still wet so the layers stick together. I found it helped to keep the heat very low on my first few attempts, buying more time to roll before the egg sets as it can be a bit fiddly the first couple of times.

Grease the empty part of the pan again, keeping the rolled omelette at the side of the pan furthest from you.  Then quickly pour another 10% of the mixture, tilting to cover the empty side of the pan, and lifting the roll up to allow the egg to run underneath. When it looks half set, roll the omelette backwards until you get to the other side.

And keep going – until you have used up about half the mixture.  Once it’s rolled, I let the outside colour just a little, then remove from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes.  Make the second omelette with the remaining egg mix.

Once the omelette has rested for 5 minutes, slice into 2.5cm thick slices (or thinner if using as a sushi topping), and serve with the grated daikon and chopped shiso leaves, and a few drops of soy.

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U-don think it’s easy to make Udon?

16 Apr Hashi Cooking Fresh Noodle Class

My latest cookery course endeavour was a fresh noodle making class with Reiko Hashimoto, possibly the first of its kind in London, for I’ve yet to come across anything remotely similar.  I’ve been to Reiko’s Gourmet course and left with nothing but praise for the standard of expertise in Japanese cuisine that Reiko offers, relaxed and informal surroundings and above all, damn tasty food that you CAN recreate at home (whilst wowing your friends as they marvel at your culinary skills!).

My assumption has always been that it’s pretty tough to make noodles and I was so surprised to see how so few ingredients and a little hard graft result in fresh noodles ready for the pot in less than 20 minuntes (or a little longer for feebles like me with wimpy arms).

We made Udon noodles – equal quantities of strong white flour and plain flour, and Reiko explained how to make Soba noodles – a combination of buckwheat flour and plain flour.  Nothing else needed, just a little cold water to bring the mixture together.  The soba noodles were made before the class began to allow for resting.

This is a very hands-on class, and no doubt the messiest one for Reiko’s kitchen, although aprons were thoughtfully provided for all of us. Everyone has their own Udon mix to knead and after about 15 minutes of taking out the days aggressions on the dough, it is miraculously transformed into a springy ball ready for rolling and cutting.

The noodles are hand cut, which all adds to the ‘feel-good’ factor when making something very tactile like this, and you get a much better idea of how thin the dough should be rolled and cut than if it were to be pressed through a machine.

We also rolled and cut the Soba, which were more tricky to work with as the dough was drier and less elastic, and the strands should be cut much thinner than for Udon.

Some of the noodles came out fat, some thin…and some with a rogue hair in them (whoops!).  For me, this was all part of the enjoyment and I’m sure we all left learning from our mishaps.

At the beginning of the class, Reiko started by preparing a traditional Dashi stock with Kombu and Bonito flakes and we revisit the pot at several stages throughout the class. Of course when you’re in a rush it’s ok to use instant dashi stock, but you really can taste the difference if the stock is made from scratch.

We went through a variety of accompaniments for the noodles – Soy & Honey Glazed Smoked Mackeral or Saba and Deep Fried Tofu or Kitsune for the udon, and a sweet soy based Zaru dressing for the Soba noodles which are traditionally eaten cold with a little wasabi and chopped spring onion. We also had some sliced Japanese fish cake to serve with the udon. Needless to say, this then led to the inevitable slurping of the noodles, with a refreshing glass of wine or beer.  I dare say we deserved it for all that kneading!

The Udon and amazing dashi stock were especially good – when freshly made they have a certain spring to them that you don’t get with dried or frozen udon. This is something I will definitely try at home, I really was amazed at how simple they were to make, with no specialist equipment or ingredients needed.

All in the evening costs £65 and it’s one of a kind. Reiko’s classes always attract a nice mix of attendees from all kinds of backgrounds, and the ice is broken quickly with such a hands on class where everyone rolls up their sleeves and mucks in. Another triumph from Reiko which I wholeheartedly recommend!

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Wonton Dumplings (Sui Kow)

9 Apr

Sui Kow is a type of Chinese Dumpling, typically filled with minced pork, prawns or shrimp and some form of vegetable for additional flavour and crunch.  Here I added water chestnuts, bamboo and chinese chives, but they’re also great with chinese cabbage (pickled or fresh), dried shitake mushrooms and black fungus. They’re delicious on their own in a vegetable or chicken broth, or with fine egg noodles for a heartier meal.

Feel free to play around with the quantities of pork to prawn and balance of vegetables according to taste. You can substitute the vegetables I’ve used with carrot, green beans or even peas.  It’s one of those recipes you can be inventive with – the important thing is to achieve a bit of variation in texture and taste.

They take a bit of time but are easy to do with a little practice.  I use ready made wonton skins, best fresh rather than frozen if you can get hold of them (from chinese supermarkets) as the skin is a bit more elastic and less prone to tearing. They freeze well, so I always make a batch ready to take from the freezer and add to a simmering soup broth as the urge takes me.  No need to defrost before using.

Ingredients
(makes about 30 dumplings)
200g lean, good quality minced pork
80g raw prawns, roughly chopped
25g water chestnuts, finely cubed
20g bamboo, finely cubed
3 tbsp chives, finely chopped
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
1 tsp cornflour
1/2 egg white (small egg)
pinch white pepper
30 dumpling skins
 
Method

Remove the veins from the raw prawns first by running a knife on the top side of the prawn and pulling out the dark intestinal tract.  It helps if you have a bowl of water on the side so you can dip your hands in as you go, as the vein has a habit of sticking to your fingers! Roughly chop the prawns, keeping some larger chunks for texture.

Add the prawns to a bowl with the minced pork, water chestnuts, chives and bamboo and roughly mix.  Then add all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Get ready to make the dumplings – have a finger bowl of cold water on the side and lightly dust a chopping board or tray with cornflour (this is to place the dumplings on once made – the cornflour will stop them from sticking).

Take a wonton skin and place on your palm.  Add a teaspoon of the mix to the centre of the skin, being careful not to over fill. With your other hand, dab the edge of the skin with a little water to help the edges stick together. Then fold over one side to make a triangle, pressing lightly at the edge to seal the dumpling and squeeze out any excess air.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The next bit is more fiddly and takes a little practice – using your fore fingers and thumbs, crimp and pinch together the edge to make little folds.  Work inwards from the outer edge.  The skins are quite forgiving but if you happen to tear one just empty out the filling and start again with a fresh skin. Once crimped all the way to the other edge, place on the dusted tray…and keep going till all the mix is gone!

If you want to want to cook them straight away, you can plunge into simmering soup broth for about 6-8 minutes, or steam in a bamboo steamer for about 8 minutes (place a slice of carrot or cucumber under each dumpling to stop them from sticking).

To cook from frozen, they’ll take 10-12 minutes to boil, or 12-14 to steam.

To freeze them, I put the whole tray of dumplings into the freezer for a couple of hours. Once they have hardened, I then place them in a tuppaware box or freezer bag.  If you put them straight into a tuppaware box or bag when soft, they’ll stick together and deform and will be tricky to separate when you just want to grab a few.

Serve alone in a soup or with fine egg noodles, add some chinese leaf in the final minute of cooking and sprinkle liberally with spring onions and a few drops of sesame oil.

Delicious!

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French and Grace (and a bit of Jay Rayner)

9 Apr

The tables were turning in more ways than one when I popped in to get my fill of Jay Rayner at French and Grace (Brixton Village) this Easter. This all came about from a challenge given to Jay by the editor of The Observer Magazine – the challenge was to make as much profit as possible from a mere £100. What with being a food critique and fan of Brixton Village himself, the natural conclusion of course was to devise, cook and serve a cheap but tasty Special to the ogling public (that includes me). Was this kind or crazy for the girls at French and Grace to accept?!?

Jay’s dish du jour was announced a few days before to “a bunch of people on Twitter who are so desperate for a distraction from their jobs that they will read anything” (again, that includes me) – Slow cooked Pork Belly with White Beans – sounds good to me.

Donned in chef whites and a Marco Pierre White-esque bandaner, Jay didn’t look 100% himself in the cosy kitchen, and understandably so for the service was a busy one and the punters were keen to converse. The kitchen is on full display and we were sat close enough to hear the chopping of knife on board and fat sizzling away in the pan.  I’m no stranger to the sensation after working in a french chalet with an open plan kitchen for 6 months, trying to juggle 6 pans, chit chat and children tugging at my apron strings. Alas, nothing that Rosie and Ellie (the founders of French and Grace) don’t have to contend with on a daily basis!

And so the food arrives. I went for the Pork Belly Special and my man chose the Uber Wrap, a Middle Eastern inspired dish with Lamb Merguez (spiced lamb sausage), Halloumi, Hummus and Salad in a flatbread.

The Pork Belly I have to say was really well cooked – gloriously tender meat, no knife needed here, with just the right amount of juicy fat. It was nicely caramelised so full of flavour, and the jus which was flavoured with thyme, oozed into the beans and brought the whole dish together.  Every bean on that plate was squashed to mop up the meaty pork sauce! A simple, no frills dish that was well executed.

I had a mouthful of the the mans Uber Wrap which was equally tasty.  The combination of lamb and halloumi is always a crowd pleaser and I thought the Merguez had a decent amount of spice.  The typical menu at French and Grace has a strong Middle Eastern theme with Mezze platters, Flatbread Wraps and other specials that change frequently.  I’m keen to return and sample more.

Big thanks to the team at French and Grace for a lovely lunch – I hope you enjoyed your post service drink!  Well deserved indeed.

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Squid-Inky Orzo

8 Apr

Perhaps not the most aesthetically appealing dish in the world to some, this Squid Ink Orzo may look like Orc food, but it certainly doesn’t taste like it.  Combining two of my favourite ingredients, orzo and squid ink, the result is a silky, bouncy grain engulfed in a slick of glossy, briny ink and subtle hints of the sea.

An intensely morish dish, I had to put my spoon down a few times and remind myself to savour the taste before wolfing it down. The sautéed squid really is secondary to this dish – of course it adds contrast in both texture and colour, but is by no means the star of the show.

Orzo is a type of pasta shaped like a grain of rice, also known as Risoni.  I use it as a substitute to arborio or carnaroli rice in risottos more and more these days.  The flavour is more delicate, and not heavy or creamy like risotto rice. It’s ideal for a dish like this where you want to show off a particular ingredient such as squid ink, and need something to ‘carry’ it and absorb the flavour without giving off too much creamy starch.

Squid ink is fairly easy to get hold of these days from good fishmongers or even online. I picked up 4 sachets from Borough Market for just 2 squid quid, so it’s pretty inexpensive too. It keeps in the fridge for months, so you don’t need to worry about having to use it within a few days should you come across it.

Ingredients
1 sachet squid ink
2 whole squid, or tubes (medium size)
250g Orzo
3 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
50g unsalted butter
dash olive oil
1 glass of white wine
500ml light chicken or fish stock (approx – you may need to add more water during cooking)
black pepper
wedge of lemon
grated parmesan
 
Method

Score the squid (outer side) in a diagonal about half a cm width apart, then score on the other diagonal to give a criss cross.  Cut into strips and put to the side.

Heat up the stock in a separate saucepan so it’s ready to add to the Orzo as needed.

Add a little olive oil and half of the butter to a saucepan, add the shallots and fry on a medium heat for a few minutes to soften, without browning.  Add the garlic, and fry for a further minute or two.  Then add the Orzo grains, stirring for a couple of minutes to coat each grain.  Pour in the wine and stir until it has reduced, then add one ladle of the hot stock at a time.  Stir frequently as the orzo will stick to the bottom of the pan otherwise.  Continue adding and reducing the stock, adding a little water if you need to.

The Orzo will take about 12-15 minutes to cook – it should be soft but slightly al dente, as with any other type of pasta or risotto.  A few minutes before it’s done, stir in the squid ink straight from the sachet.

Meanwhile, season the squid with salt and pepper.  Then fry in a separate saucepan in a little butter and olive oil on a high heat for no longer than a minute. Turn off the heat and squeeze the lemon juice over the squid.  Add the last knob of butter and some grated parmesan to the Orzo and give a final whip to melt it in.

Serve immediately with the sautéed squid on top.

 

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