Xochitl cooks

A Few Of My Favourite Things...

2011-03-15T17:15:00.004Z

I'd like to think I'm not alone but sometimes I get so fixated on something that it becomes a freakish obsession. There is no rhyme or reason. It might be a particular dish, like spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and parmesean which I ate three times a week for a month straight. Other times it's a spice, like the time when I put Montreal Steak Seasoning on anything I roasted. It doesn't have to be healthy- for example, I HAD to have a salami sandwich and one Twix finger everyday at lunch (and only at lunch) for the first six weeks after I had my son; it can even be a restaurant. My long running stalker like obsession with Royal China dim sum hasn't ceased after ten years.

Which brings me to my current tasty delight and an introduction to a new feature on this blog. On the right hand side of the screen you will be able to check back and see what I currently cannot get enough of. There'll be a link to this posting where I'll keep track of all my fave flavours.

So what am I all over as I type you ask? Rosebud Preserves Piccalilli. L-O-V-E IT!

I was never a huge fan of piccalilli. For someone who has half a fridge of condiments (along with ones I hide in the cupboard from The Boy), that's saying a lot. For anyone not familiar with it, it's a pickle made up of various vegetables chunks in a tangy mustard and tumeric sauce.

Perhaps not so bizarrely, when I was pregnant, one of my few cravings was for a toasted, always toasted, ham and cheese sandwich with extra piccalilli from Fernandez and Wells in Soho.

Not so much as a second thought had been given to piccalilli in months. Not until last week when I went to Mortimer and Bennett to have a browse. Mortimer and Bennett's is a great little shop if you're ever in Chiswick. At the back of the tiny store, an array of jarred delights. Jams, chutneys, pickles- it's like a condiment circus back there. Yum I thought, I do fancy me some condiments on a sandwich. So I paid my £3.50 for my picalilli and made myself a ham and cheese sandwich for old times sake.

Five days later the jar was empty. I am now on my second jar.

It's not English mustard spicy like the other versions I've had. It's much more a sweet and sour style of relish with good chunks of veg for a slight crunch. There's a sharp vinegar tang which is what I think I love the most. I've put it in sandwiches, on top of cheese and crackers, and licked the odd spoon clean. Surely there must be other things I can spoon it over...

The Plight of the Single Diner

2011-02-10T10:14:00.009Z

In the first of my 'making up' posts, here's a little something I wrote last year on a tasty lunch date with myself.

This is the time of year that I end up on my own most weekends. The boy has his annual audit so I get some 'me' time whether I want it or not. Many times I love it since I get time girlie primping and watching lame tv but there are some things I don't do on my own. Movies and public dining.

This weekend though dining alone was a good thing as I wanted to hit an exhibition at the British Museum. It also meant I would need to feed myself since I wouldn't make it back home with no lunch in my belly. One of the reasons I generally don't like to ask for a table for one is that it means that this one is doing the paying. But I consoled myself with the thought of going to Abeno near the museum that I'd meant to eat at for ages that I knew wouldn't be on the boy's list of must tries.

So I looked around to see if anyone saw this loner going in and when the coast was clear I held up one finger and squeaked out the three words I thought would never pass my lips- table for one. I have to start by saying that I almost walked out after 15 minutes. I was sat by the door so even though I was constantly being passed by the wait staff it took 15 minutes to get a menu an another ten to get my order taken. I was on the verge of bolting but pregnancy hunger and having to walk to somewhere else compelled me to stay and wait it out. Hell what else was I going to do go home and watch Wipeout USA (which I'm not afraid to admit a liking to)?

Abeno is not what we expect of Japanese restaurants. They specialise in okonomiyaki. Basically it's an omelette. But a crazy ass Japanese one at that. They do noodles and a few other options but if you come here it's for the okonomiyaki. Being a table of one I couldn't go crazy and order
lots of things to taste and with an increasingly loud growl in my stomach I needed to chow down now.

I love dumplings in just about any format so I had to go for the tofu and avocado gyoza as the combo was intriguing. This gyoza on the menu was fried rather than the usual griddled. Four pieces arrived with a few salad greens and the usual gyoza sipping sauce. I wondered how the
mix of avo and tofu would be in general and how frying would affect the taste and texture. The outside was a perfectly golden fried parcel of crunchy fun. Inside were tiny diced pieces of tofu and avocado obviously warm from the frying but they held their shape. While I couldn't really taste the tofu (can you ever really when it's plain?) I found it a bit nursery like. This is a compliment. The taste took me back to my childhood love of avocado heated in a flour tortilla. It
was creamy with a nice salty hit from the dipping sauce. Needless to say I was so hungry that I couldn't pause to take a photo.

Picking a main ingredient for my okonomiyaki from the list was tough but I've been having kimchi cravings so the moment my eyes glanced down the menu and saw pork and kimchi there was no other option. (On a side note why do some Japanese restaurants put kimchi on the menu and some don't? I know that kimchi is Korean but some Japanese places I go to put it on the menu which is good times but the ones that don't get pissed if you ask for it. Last weekend I was ill and the boy went to our local Japanese robata place and I said to him if you see kimchi on the menu get me some. So when he didn't see it, and aiming to make a sickly pregnant wife happy, he asked if they had kimchi and was treated to a snappy "this is Japanese restaurant NOT Korean". By the number of Japanese restaurants that I've seem kimchi on the menu I'd hazard a guess and say the Japanese must have a penchant for the stuff but why get mad if you ask for it? Ok rant over.)

So once the waiter realised the speed in which the gyoza disappeared off my plate, he rocked up with a tray that looked to be the start of my lunch. The plate had several strips of what I at first thought was bacon but remembered that I hadn't given in to the bacon option so it was most likely thinly sliced pork belly. Then there was the mystery bowl.

In it lie the makings of my funky omelette. As the waiter stirred it into a frenzy I could make out the cabbage, the wet- which was eggs, the kimchi was evident by that pink red hue you get with traditional kimchi, beyond that it looked like a lot of mush in a bowl. Once waiter was happy with the mix, he drizzled just a touch of oil on the griddle built into the middle of my table. The mush was poured onto it and shaped into a round flatish mound; this was followed by my bacony pork belly bits being flash grilled and then placed on top of my mound o' mush. Then a dome cover was placed on top and I waited for the magic to happen. A few minutes later he came back, raised the cover, flipped it over and covered it back up. The next time he returned he came bearing gifts in the shape of condiments. It was as if he knew me.

I am a self confessed condi-mental. With my pork and kimchee combo he recommended soy sauce and chili but I could also choose from Mayo, BBQ, seaweed and bonito flakes. So I said yes. To all of it. Make mine a 50/50 then.

I have to say that I loved it. It was fluffy, not too heavy, with the odd chunk of crunchy spicy kimchee and the odd bit of pork. In the next bite the taste would be more eggy or cabbagey or with a crunch of tempura bits. The soy and chili really worked and while I preferred it but for sheer gluttony go whole hog and get the Mayo and BBQ option.

Once I'd decided that as I was ignored at the beginning I was going to eat slower than usual and I'd worked my way through my meal, I was sure that I didn't want dessert. But I always love to look at the options and got suckered into the homemade matcha green tea ice cream. I love ice cream and if I see the words home and made than there is no other choice in my book. I'm rarely bowled over matcha flavoured sweets but boy was I surprised. My scoop of it arrived with a side spoonful of sweet red adzuki beans which usually just remind me of odd sweet frijoles but I ate them hoping that it had some sort of nutritional value being a bean and all. The ice cream however was delicious. Creamy but not too rich, sweet but with a slightly savoury balance from the green tea. Tops.

So the damage for three courses with a juice- £20.90. Which for a long leisurely lunch that filled me up on a cold day without wanting to send me straight for a nap, was not too bad. So my verdict on lunch at Abeno- lunch for one at Abeno can be done with a portion size that is enough for the single diner. It was tasty but the downside is that you will be so tempted to order a lot because the options are numerous. I've been back as a table for two and sharing the fun of table grilling made the meal more enjoyable and less gluttonous. But whether I go alone or as a plus one, I will be back.

Maple Bar None!

2011-02-10T09:47:00.006Z

I loves me some donuts. A nice glass of ice cold milk or strong black coffee and a maple bar. That oh so healthy sugar high that makes you so hyper that you spout utter nonsense that only another person in the same state can comprehend. It's the sort of thing that if you've ever had to keep a food diary you omit lest the wrath of the nutritionist fall upon you. But deep down you smile because it was moment of bliss. I don't do donuts often but when I do it's always the same. Maple Bar (but I've been known to dabble in the realm of the apple fritter from time to time). But if I'm going to send my blood sugar sky high I want a great donut. Not too greasy, not too sugary (like the Krispy Kreme version that has the glaze with a sort of maple smock on top). It needs the right balance of dough to maple glaze.

Since I have yet to find such a specimen in London- and I've looked for ten years- when I went to Portland, Oregon to see my sister I was determined to indulge. She wanted to go to Voodoo Donuts for a Maple Bacon Bar. It sounded disgusting but found it ok. If you love salty sweet combos then it's king. But I'm a purist when it comes to my donuts. Traditional reigns supreme. A good raised yeast dough plus a not too thick layer of maple glaze equals perfection. I happened to stumble across an article on donuts in Portland that rated the maple bar at Annie's Donuts tops.

I had to go. Stat.

It's a totally unassuming donut shop that if you didn't know better you might pass by. As soon as you walk it the sweet sweet smell of donuts high fives your face. I placed my order and sat down.

Oh. My. Goodness. D-I-V-I-N-E. It was just what I missed about donuts. Fluffy soft dough. The perfect amount of glaze that had the sort glossy sheen to it that's normally reserved for shampoo ads. I think I actually cried a tear of joy. I had to stop myself from eating a third one it was that good. So the moral of the story? When in Portland get thee to Annie's. And eat a second maple bar for me.
Annie's Donuts, 3449 Northeast 72nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97213-5817
Telephone - (503) 284-2752

P.S. If anyone has scouted other top donut shops, please pass the details along.

Where in the world is Xochitlcooks?

2010-01-30T16:01:00.007Z

Yes it really is me. It's been a while yes, but I swear I didn't forget about you little blog. Life and work and all that other stuff just got in the way. All the time. Seriously. Ok so maybe two years is a bit much but the last year especially was such a whirlwind of a year that I am constantly amazed by where the time went.

Although I wasn't writing, I was still definitely into food. My love of cooking and baking never waned but there has been a big phase of going out. There was the angel on one shoulder saying "You know, you really should be making notes on this. It would be a great post.". While the little devil on the other side whispered, "If you pick up a pen, you'll miss out on that last tasty morsel of dessert because The Boy will swoop in there and take it." Needless to say, that little devil won a lot of those battles. Especially when I was a ravenous eight months pregnant woman. No one was going to get between me and delicious goodness.

So that was one recent distraction that has taken up the last year. The Boy and I became three. Mr D (as I refer to him has) made his long awaited appearance last summer and is definitely a handful. But what culinary adventures have I had over the last two years? What's managed to keep me away from you? There has been some travelling. Portland, San Francisco, Barcelona, San Sebastien,the South of France- all filled with fantastic eats that I will try my hardest to remember the fine details of to pass along.

More recently though, cooking has become fun again. I have managed to start a new year with some time on my hands (a baby is not so much time on my hands but it is thanks to the joys of maternity leave) and hungry friends to feed. Although I went on hiatus, the ideas never stopped and the food memories I wanted to share never ceased. As I embark on this new balancing act in my life, the importance of making and sharing good food with those I love is reinforced. So, in a medium sized nutshell, there you have it.

It wasn't a break up. It was just a trial separation. It wasn't you; it was me. But boy did I miss you and I'm going to try to make it up to you.

Egg McXochitl

2008-04-29T16:03:00.006+01:00

As I slowly inch my way back into the kitchen after a four month hiatus (seriously- my kitchen has never been so clean) and slowly get my life back, you know the one that involves me cooking and writing about it, a long scheduled dinner with Johanna, Jeanne and Jenni offered me an easy way back in the guise of this month's Waiter, there's something in my...Breakfast.

I'm more a brunch person rather than a breakfast person so whenever I go back to San Diego I hit my favourite brunch spot, Parkhouse Eatery, at least twice a visit. I have blogged about pancakes in the past but wanted to do something different (and relatively easy). Something I use to keep any visiting kidlets and husbands happy. Plus it's great for those sorts of hangovers where you want a 'dirty' meal to soothe the self-inflicted pain, the kind of food from places that you know you shouldn't really eat at but in a weary state they seem like a good idea. This is my version of a certain breakfast sandwich you get from a certain red haired, big shoed frontman for a fast food joint but it's more chic, more polished and a hell of a lot tastier.

You can tailor it how ever you want. This time I poshed it up a bit and used Manchego and Jamon Serrano; in the past bacon, cheddar and the odd slice of processed cheese have made an appearance. So the easiest way to describe this post is to say that I've set up the basics and it's yours for the taking.

Enjoy.

Egg plus whatever Breakfast Sandwich

Makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 muffin (English muffin in the States), split
2 slices of jamon serrano, cooked in a frying pan to crisp it up
1 slice of cheese, optional

Equipment:
1 cooking ring (the kind used for that pro chef touch or, if like me, you need to cut out scones)

Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat.

Grease the cooking ring with butter. Put the cooking ring in the pan and crack the egg into the ring; prick the yolk. Turn the heat down low. You should see the egg white changing colour.

While the egg cooks, put the muffin in the toaster and toast to your preferred taste.

When the egg is nearly white, turn the ring over to cook it on the other side. The ring will be hot so be careful when flipping it over. Because the rings I have are deep, I find it easiest to use a spatula and a pair of tongs to flip it over. Once flipped over, if the egg sticks, run a knife along the edge to unstick it.

Remove the ring and cook another minute more.

If using cheese, place on the egg to gently melt it. The jamon serrano/ other meat product can be reheated in the pan as well.

Place the egg on the bottom half of the muffin. Top with the bacon and the other muffin half.

Menu for Hope 2007

2007-12-18T18:06:00.000Z

Around this time of year, every year, while most of us (myself included) are busy thinking about our Christmas shopping lists, Pim of Chez Pim reigns over the fundraising raffle that is Menu for Hope. 2007 marks for fourth year that food bloggers (and others) the world over donate items for an online raffle. Most of the gifts are food related but the odd non foodie gift makes it's way in. However, this isn;t a raffle just for the sake of it. Money spent on tickets goes to the World Food Programme (WFP); last year's raffle raised over $60,000 for the WFP. This year we've been allowed to earmark the money for a specific programme, a school feeding program in Lesotho.

Lesotho has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the world and the U.N. describes 40% of the population as 'ultra poor' and cannot afford basic supplies. The country has had its worst drought in nearly 30 years and the WFP estimates that 410,00- out of a population of only 1.9 million- will face basic food shortages. It is estimated that malnutrition in Lesotho claim the lives of one in 12 children before they reach the age of five. 56% of the population live on less then $2 per day. The school feeding programme provides a nutritious meal to almost 150,000 children every day.

This year, children from Lesotho schools will be photo-blogging alongside us and bringing their stories to an international audience.

So, why am I bringing this up on my blog? Well in addition to wanting to support a good cause, Johanna and Jeanne (the UK hosts) have asked me to participate. I had wanted to take part last year but was about to go on holiday so I jumped at the chance to do some good during the season of giving.

I've teamed up with my buddy Clare (formerly of Lemon Soul but I'm working on bringing her back!) to bring a couple of prizes to the fold that you will want to purchase a raffle ticket for.

Behind door number one-
A Taste of Mexico - Bring out your inner Mexican with this spicy little care package. This will bring a smile to anyone missing home or that lovely holiday you had in Mexico. It included a selection of Mexican treats from my personal box of Mexican tricks that I replenish when I go home. Included in this package are a collection of dried chiles, dried Mexican Oregano, a tin of tomatillos (great for salsa), a tin of chipotle peppers (so many uses, so little time), some El Pato sauce (a back up enchilada sauce in many a home) and I will also throw in half a dozen corn tortillas (the real deal- I don't share these with just anyone!) plus to drink you get Abuelita hot chocolate and dried hibiscus flower used to make the drink Jamaica. Suggestion recipes for all the ingredients will be included too. This prize is for the UK and Europe only.

And behind door number two-
Tea for Two - Are you a homesick Brit? Do you miss Marmite on toast or a cup of proper tea and a good ol' Chocolate Hob Nob? Then this is for you. Clare and I have started a collection of a few British favourites and we will give you another £20 to spend in the shops so you can add HP sauce, Colman's english mustard or a few bars of Dairy Milk t(or Sherbert Dib Dab to take you back) to the shopping list that YOU give us. Please bear in mind that they need to be items that we can legally ship into your country and please remember that we will also have to cover the cost of shipping so not too many glass bottles!

Hopefully this little treasure trove of delights has whetted your appetite and made you eager to buy a raffle ticket. The ticket office CLOSES on DEC 21st. A link for all the prizes and to the donating site is here.

Remember that this is for a good cause, the $10 you spend will go to feed a child. And don't forget- your giving may well get you some receiving!

If you have any questions, leave a note and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Happy Holidays!

Xochitl xx

My new obsession-smoked oatcakes

2007-12-16T17:21:00.000Z

Yesterday I nipped into my local Waitrose to pick up a few bits to get myself through yet another Post-Christmas party hangover (this one had the best food yet so it was well worth it). One of the hosts is Irish and on our cheese plate was a wedge of Cashel Blue- an Irish blue cheese. I had seen it in the shops before but I'm so enamoured with French blues that I get sidetracked and forgo most British blue cheeses. The exception being glorious Stilton that each Christmas I sneak a wedge from Neal's Yard to my Father-in-law who is barred from having in the fridge. His eyes light up when we sneak into a corner, drinks in hand to devour it without getting caught.

So after completely enjoying the Cashel Blue, I was having withdrawals and went to buy some and nipped down the cracker aisle to get some Carr's Water Biscuits when something caught my eye. Ditty's Irish Smoked Oatcakes. So I gave them a try and now I'm hooked. The package says it's 'handmade with rolled oats from County Armagh and smoked by Frank Hederman at the Belvelly Smoke House, County Cork.' The oatcake triangles are thicker that other ones on the market and at the initial bite are slightly sweeter that other ones I've had. You get a soft hit of smoke at the start but it's the after taste where you get the deeper hit of smokiness.

It went well with my Cashel Blue (I have yet to try it with a slice of cheddar) as it adds another dimension to your plain ol' cheese and biscuits and I find myself eating them plain too. If you see it at a shop near you- try it.

Summer of Food Part 1

2007-11-02T12:57:00.000Z

The summer, by which I mean the summer months as there was a distinct lack of sun here this summer, has flown by. A lot of my summer has been spent eating my way round London, Europe and California. So in place of a post with a recipe, I'll summarise my summer adventures and recommendations if you plan on hitting any of these places soon.

While on a long weekend in Italy on Lake Garda, we took a ferry ride to a quaint town on the southern half of the lake called Salo. We got there just as places we shutting up after lunch but we managed to find one little place that was still open. I didn't have a notepad on my so I can't remember exactly what we had but I do remember fantastic pasta with duck ragu that The Boy had and while I had a perfect rack of lamb.

Osteria dell' Orologio, Via Butturini 26/A, 25087 Salo, Italy
Tel: (+39) 0365 290158

In need of sun, we headed off to France. Not in the mood to deal with airports, we decided to road trip it down to the Languedoc region. Yes it is a long drive but we broke it up. It is a beautiful drive as you start to realise how diverse the French countryside is with it's changing scenery from the North to the South. The first rest stop was in the town of Tournus in Burgundy which lies along the river Saone. I found a reasonably priced (60-70 euros a night) basic hotel through Logis de France. It was a French friend who suggested the site and explained it as decent, reasonably priced hotels where you'll be able to get a good meal. We stayed at Aux Terrasses which had an adequate room and the kind of restaurant where you wonder if it will be good but when you realise that it's full of more locals than hotel guests you know you're in good hands. It was traditional French fare with flourishes of haute cuisine. Let's just say that the restaurant bill was twice the price of our room but we ate well, were able to linger and drink some fab Burgundy wines by the half bottle.

Aux Terrasses, 18 Avenue du 23 janvier, 71700 Tournus, France
Tel: (+33) 03 85 51 01 74

The next pitstop was Villneuve-les-Beziers, a small town of 3000, in Languedoc. When I mentioned to Johanna (aka The Passionate Cook) that I was going to that region, she immediately gave me a recommendation of a place to stay. She was adamant that at the very least we had to go for a meal. All I can say is THANK YOU JOHANNA! We loved La Chamberte. When you pull up, you don't really know what to expect. Once you get inside, the first sight is a courtyard garden with a couple of loungers and the odd cat lounging in the sun.

A converted wine storehouse, you walk into a large dining room and realise that they mean business when it comes to eating as the place only sleeps ten. Before I wax lyrical about the food, I should cover the rooms. Ours was a generous sized (comfy) double bed, there was air-conditioning (divine when it's 35-40C heat). It's the kind of place to head for when you need to get away from it all- the only TV is tucked away int he communal living room up stairs so there's no distractions and you can read peacefully in the sun for hours or you can pet one of the three cats that rule over the joint (or you can go for stroll to the Canal du Midi and hire a boat and cruise up and down).

I was excited to learn that it was a one menu kinda place. I had forgotten where I was and that it was a Friday when the lovely waiter told us what was on the menu. Fish, fish and fish. The Boy was happy as Larry but as someone who's not super keen on fish, I was gutted (no pun intended). As there was really nothing else in the kitchen, when in Rome and all that, I gave in. Starter was home cured salmon and blinis faites maison (homemade blinis) served with peppered creme fraiche and a simple green salad. The salmon wasn't too fishy, with an almost hammy, meaty texture. The saltiness was well balanced by the creme fraiche and the salad. The main dish was a fish tagine- a white fish (I can't remember what it was) served with couscous (they were large and reminded me almost of farro or barley). There was a choice of equally delicious desserts. Plus you've got to love a place that if you can't decide if you want red or white, you'll more than likely be given a bottle of each. Bruno, one of the owners, goes table to table halfway through the meal to make sure that everything is ok and to chat.

We loved it so much that we went back for dinner another night as it was near the house we rented (you don't have to be staying there to eat in the restaurant). Bruno and the waiter remembered us and greeted us as if we were regulars and sat us at our same table on the terrace. We're trying to figure out when we can go back for a weekend getaway.

La Chamberte, Rue de la source, 34420 Villeneuve-les-Beziers, France
Tel: (+33) 04 67 39 84 83

More on France, California and London to follow.

The best biscuits in the world? Quite possibly yes.

2007-07-10T10:26:00.000+01:00

It was The Boy's birthday and keeping with the tradition of "I book, he buys" (he doesn't have the patience to wait on hold after a dozen calls, whereas I am more inclined to do just about anything to not have to buy my dinner when the choice is between me or him to pay), I scored a table at one of our favourite restaurants, Locanda Locatelli.

Ever since our first meal there, I have been obsessed with the amaretti biscuits that are served with coffee. When I say obsessed I don't mean in a "Mmm that was tasty maybe I'll have them again one day", I mean in a "I rushed home looked up the recipe in the Made in Italy cookbook and when I rang up before my next reservation asked if I could buy some" kind of way (The restaurant very kindly had prewrapped some and brought them out when we left. Needless to say we got some confused looks from people.). I majorly crave them. Part of the obsession came from not being able to find apricot kernels that the recipe calls for- I was determined to find these damn things! Lots of phoning around proved fruitless- no one sold the kernels. I could buy them on the internet but how would I know if they were the right ones since I hadn't the slightest idea what an apricot kernel looks, smells or tastes like.

Me and The Boy's next trip there came and who should be sat next to me but Mrs. Locatelli. That got me thinking. If she was here, where was he? A few minutes later, dressed in his whites was the main man. I (quietly) squealed like a teenage girl. Fortunately, The Boy shared my glee as it meant that perhaps Mr. Locatelli himself has shaved the truffle on his gnocchi (that's what the Italians call it but he and I refer to them as "Pillows of Happiness"). I kept one eye on him all night (the other was glued to every morsel that I ate). All night The Boy ribbed me asking if I was going to ask about the apricot kernels. I hemmed and hawed, did I have the guts to go up and start chatting to him? I'm not usually a star f*cker- I never wander up to celebs and ask for an autograph. It's not my style (although Sven and Nancy Dell Olio were there that night and I really wanted to tell her that she's much prettier in real life and looks nothing like a drag queen).

Another meal came to an end and we decided to have a nightcap. A couple of Bellinis later, I sauntered the two steps to the bar and asked if he could answer a question for me. Looking a bit bemused he said ok. I launched into the amaretti biscuit dilemma. I think he finally realised that I wasn't a stalker. He offered to give me some kernels and I replied that it wasn't necessary, all I wanted to know was where do I get these things.

After a twenty minute discussion on the virtues of said biscuits, he said he would get me a few so I knew what to look for. I nearly shed tears of joys when, the next day while determined to make my own, I realised that he sent me home with the exact amount needed to follow the recipe in the cookbook.

He is a very lovely man that Mr. Locatelli.

P.S. A few extra notes. A) My batch were nearly as perfect. B) He suggested going to Middle Eastern grocers to get the kernels. C) He said that you could still make them without the apricot kernels but they do add that little extra something.

Amaretti Biscuits
from Made In Italy

Makes about 35 amaretti

Ingredients:
25g roasted hazelnuts
125g blanched almonds
100g apricot kernels
500g caster sugar
120g egg whites
icing sugar for dusting

Crush the nuts and apricot kernels finely in a food processor. Add the sugar and egg whites and process until the mixture all comes together. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag

Line 1 or 2 baking trays with waxed paper and pipe the mixture into rounds on them, spacing them out well. Dust liberally with icing sugar. Leave for 12 hours so that the mixture can dry out slightly. After this time, they will have formed a 'skin'. Pinch the biscuits lightly with the fingers to break this and give a knobbly appearance.

A good half hour or so before you are ready to bake the biscuits, preheat the oven to 180C, gas 4, then bake them for 11 minutes until light golden.

Cheat's Ravioli

2007-07-02T20:45:00.000+01:00

The challenge: Dumplings for Waiter there's something in my...
The format: Something made of dough and filled
The methodology: Baked, boiled, steamed, poached but not fried

The possibilities: endless

What to make, what to make?!

There are just too many choices. Dumpling are something I love. I planned on making some Chinese dumplings (which I can eat any time of day)- something along the lines of my beloved Chili Pork Dumplings from Royal China. They have that slightly gummy dumpling dough with a garlicky pork filling with a spicy soy sauce. I mop up every last bit of the sauce with anything I can find. I get mass cravings for the little buggers.

Or should I do gyoza with a chicken and chive filling? Same dough, but with one lightly grilled crunchy side with the other with that lovely dough. Something as tasty as the gyoza I order too often from Ramen Seto in Soho. Or what about making Char Sui Bao- Chinese BBQ pork surrounded by pillowy white dough?

After a week of using Waiter there's something in my... as my excuse to live on Asian style dumplings (and telling Johanna, this month's host that I was making Chinese dumplings) I decided against it.

The other thing I have craved like a fiend lately is filled pasta. Usually I have a love hate relationship- I either never want pasta (The Boy's favourite thing in the world) or I cannot get enough of it. Yesterday was one of those days.

I still had some Chinese fresh dumpling pasta in the fridge and I'd heard that you can use it as a quick dough for ravioli (but I have also thought that it seemed a bit dubious an notion). With a few ingredients stashed in the fridge, it was surprisingly quick and easier and while it's not Locatelli pasta, it still felt good to half make something from scratch. It's easy enough to experiment and change the filling around to something that tempts or to decrease or increase the filling quantity. Mine has an artichoke and sundried tomato filling but get creative and see what works for you. Make some sauce if you like or simply brown some butter and drizzle a little on top.

Cheat's Ravioli

Makes 18+ ravioli

Ingredients:

1 packet fresh Chinese dumpling pasta- the round shaped pieces
150 g fresh ricotta
3 grilled artichoke hearts (the kind in oil found at the deli counter), roughly chopped
A few olives, roughly chopped
A few sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
20 g Grana Padano cheese, finely grated

Equipment:
small bowl of water
fork

Put a pot of water onto boil while you make the ravioli.

Place the artichokes, olives and sundried tomatoes in a food processor and blitz to a coarse paste.

In a bowl, place the ricotta and fluff with a fork. Fold in the artichoke paste and season to taste.

Place one piece of pasta on a cutting board and place a teaspoon of filling in the center.

Wet one finger in the bowl of water a lightly wet one half of the pasta (but don't wet the filling).

Fold the dry half over and line the edges up. Press the two halves together, pressing the dough around the filling so that any air gets pushed out.

Using the tines of a fork, press against the edge of the pasta to seal the ravioli and will also make it look nice.

Continue the process with the remaining pasta sheets.

Once finished, place them in a pot of boiling water and cook until the float to the top- about 3-4 minutes.

Drain and serve however you like.

If you want to see what others deemed dumpling worthy, click here.

A salad to see in spring (even if it's actually wet and gloomy outside)

2007-05-27T16:58:00.000+01:00

Before I start I need to apologise for my long, long absence. Some of you that know me away from this blog will know that I have had a rather difficult start to the year and needed some time to withdraw into my shell. I'll save you all from the miserable details but needless to say, for once in my life, solace wasn't found in the kitchen. In fact I stayed further away than I ever have. However in the last few weeks I have slowly tiptoed back in the kitchen making an omelette here, raspberry fool there and finally going the whole hog. Or rather whole leg of lamb for a dinner for eight. And I loved it. The next day I passed hours catching up on food mags and cookbooks that had collected a light layer of dust. But I'm nearly back to my old self and it feels good. It's where I want to be. So sorry to those of you missing your fill of Xochitlcooks. But I'm back and I plan to make up for lost time. On that note...

Oh yes another wet, grey Bank Holiday weekend. I shouldn't have expected anything other than that but after a few days of London sunshine and a sunny, hot, long weekend in Italy my blood was warmed and ready for summer. I had to settle for a salad to remind me of clear skies instead. I can't complain though since it was lovely and fresh and took a whole 10 minutes to make. Sometimes I think I can trick myself into believing the weather is nicer by wearing shorts and a vest in the house while eating summer fare. Occasionally it works, try it. I highly recommend having a BBQ in February- sure one unlikely sod has to bundle up in his normal winter clothes but the rest of you can make believe it's summer when you tuck into burgers fresh from the grill.

Anyway, enjoy the salad.

Broad Bean, Mozzarella and Rocket Salad

Serves 1 (but add more to feed a crew)

Broad beans, 1-2 handfuls*
Rocket, 1-2 handfuls
Fresh bocconcino (small ball size) mozzarella, 3 , quartered
Olives (black or green), a few to garnish
Fresh mint, small handful of leaves cut into ribbons
Prosciutto, 3 slices
Olive oil

Place the slices of prosciutto on a piece of foil on a baking tray under the oven grill until crisp on both sides which should take about five minutes.

While the prosciutto is cooking, get the salad ready.

On a plate, place the rocket, broad beans and mozzarella. Sprinkle the mint on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Add the olives and prosciutto.

Enjoy.

*A note on broad beans-
Ever since The Boy had these in the mac and cheese at Fog City Diner in San Francisco, these have become a favourite veg in our house. One reason I like them is that I like the idea of working for my supper. Their pods that you have to break into to free them from their furry little cocoons. The key to broad beans is to remove the outer layer of the bean. The milky green outer layer makes the bean taste a little tough. Remove it and you get the best bit.

The easiest way to peel off the outer layer is to blanch them for one minute in boiling water. Rinse them under cold water and when cool enough to handle, sit in front of the TV and peel away (using your nails or a paring knife to cut through the layer if they don't pop out). I give them one last rinse once peeled to wash off and residue. Eat cold in a salad, toss into a pasta, add to a frittata.

Zucchini Nut Bread...

2007-03-11T12:57:00.000Z

Or, How to confuse people with courgettes.

With the sun out this weekend I was finally starting to feel like spring could actually be on its way. This means one thing- SPRING CLEAN! I always start with the best intentions but have a short attention span and wind up doing a Winter Clean or an Autumn Clean rather than having my clear out when everyone else does. I sometimes think I'm a bit of a freak because of that but The Boy reminds me that when it is springtime proper, it's much more enjoyable to be out of doors rather than inside dusting lampshades. Fair point.

So I figured I should get cracking now and see what needs using in the kitchen before I start spending my Sunday afternoons sipping glasses of Rose at my local. Flours, spices, nuts- check. In the fridge there were eggs, sour cream, and courgettes that I'd bought with the intention of adding to a pasta but never got round to (mainly because every time I mentioned that as a dinner option to The Boy I was met with a look that screamed, "Are you serious?").

After a look through some cookbooks I settled on Zucchini Bread. While it's not unheard of in the States, and sells alongside Banana Nut Bread in shops, in the UK it gets me more of the "Are you serious?" looks. The last time I made some and took it into work it remained untouched on the treats table before I made a bet with someone. Within ten minutes it was gone and people didn't believe that it had courgettes.

I forgot which recipe I used last time so settled on one from a fundraising cookbook my mother bought when I was in school. Ultimately the recipe was more of an inspiration as I was missing items and had to improvise and created an entirely new recipe that is exactly like that loaf that I wanted to make.

Don't let the idea of courgettes confuse you- this isn't a savoury bread. It isn't as sweet as some I have tasted but it goes well with an afternoon cuppa and is easy, one bowl baked goods to make. You could frost this if you wanted it to be more cake-like (some sort of cream cheese frosting would be tasty) but I prefer it plain and simple.

Zucchini Nut Bread
Makes two loaves

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. cake flour (the original recipe calls for plain flour- this is what I happen to have)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 pinches of nutmeg
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. olive oil (use one that is like in flavour)
4 eggs
2 courgettes (zucchinis), coarsely grated (you need about 2 cups worth)
1 c. walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 c (or a couple of good size handfuls) dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 175C.

Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, nutmeg, sour cream, oil, eggs and courgettes either by hand or in a stand mixer.

Add the nuts.

Stir in the chocolate by hand.

Pour into two greased and/or lined loaf tins.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes and then remove from tin and finish cooling on a rack.

Reggae Reggae Sauce

2007-03-07T21:25:00.000Z

Ahhh, the power of television. Every now and then you get suckered in by the power of persuasion. A few weeks ago The Boy was watching Dragon's Den when, in a change from the usual cats that pitch ideas for cash, in walks a guitar playing rastafarian. If I remember correctly he was singing, "Put some music in your mouth. It tastes so nice we had to name it twice... hot reggae reggae sauce." Needless to say he won the panel and the public over. If you turned on the radio you'd hear him signing a cheesy jingle that always managed to stick in your head. Always a pushover for a product with a built in theme song, I noticed Reggae Reggae Sauce when I popped into Sainsbury's earlier today (it was also launch day I learned when I turned on the Ten O'Clock news).

Out came the stovetop grill. On went the chicken breasts.

The verdict? It has a sweeter, smokier flavour than I expected. It does have a slight kick from the scotch bonnet peppers but I wonder if it's been toned down to appeal to a wider audience. What I was hoping for was the kick in the ass I get from the sauce on the Jerk Chicken Wings at Mr. Jerk (now known as Jerk City- but it will always be Mr. Jerk in my heart). The label says Jerk/BBQ sauce and it's just that. Would I get it again? Sure. I would pick it over every other nasty commercially produced sugary sweet BBQ sauce that it sits on the shelf with if I need a quick marinade for a barbecue. I hope the product sells well since Levi Roots seems like a genuine, likeable guy who's happy to be bottling his grandma's recipe.

My plan for the rest of my bottle? BBQ ribs. I can't wait.

Waiter, there's something in my...PIE

2007-02-27T19:56:00.000Z

It's my favourite P word. It makes everything taste better. Saying it puts a smile on your face. Yes dear friends I'm talking about P-I-E. Pie. The thought of it makes my mouth water. So how could I not want to partake in this month's Waiter, there's something in my... event. Deciding to take part was easy, deciding on a pie was a whole other story.

Should it be a sweet pie- apple pie, cherry pie, strawberry-rhubarb pie? Or something savoury- steak and ale pie, fish pie? After hemming and hawing, I remembered a recipe I'd been wanting to try in Gordon Ramsay's Secrets cookbook- Claridges chicken pie. I had thought about it for ages but stayed away as it seemed an rich and extravagant pie. In the end I decided that if I halved the recipe it wouldn't go straight to my hips.

How was it? Lush and creamy and oniony and bacony and chickeny. And yes it was very rich so I recommend serving with some undressed salad greens to cut the heaviness of it. Definitely not a chicken pie for everyday but it would be impressive for a wintery dinner party.

Enjoy.

If you want a full pie round up, click here to see who else had pie in their eye.

Claridges chicken pie
from Gordon Ramsay's Secrets

Serves 4 as a main dish

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 120 g each
125 g baby onions
500 ml chicken stock (the book gives a recipe for the homemade stuff but for the sake of time I used a stock cube)
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
200 g pancetta or good smoked bacon, in one piece
100 g butter
250 g shemigi mushrooms, or baby button mushrooms
100 ml dry sherry
200 ml double cream
2 tsp chopped tarragon
1 tbsp chopped parsley
250 g puff pastry (again the book gives a recipe but I used store bought)
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the chicken into 2 cm chunks. Dip the onions in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen the skins, then remove and peel. Bring the stock to a boil in a shallow pan, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon.

Add the chicken, bay leaf and thyme to the stock. Return to a gentle simmer and poach for 5 minutes, then take off the heat and leave to cool in the liquid for a minute or two. Strain the stock into a jug, discard the herbs and season the chicken lightly; set aside.

Cut the pancetta in lardons (2 cm strips). Heat a quarter of the butter in a frying pan or wok and stir-fry the pancetta until crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Wipe out the pan.

Melt the remaining butter in the pan. When it starts to foam, add the mushrooms and and stir-fry for about 7 minutes until softened, seasoning to taste.

Pour in the sherry and bubble until well reduced. Return the bacon and onions to the pan and pour in the reserved stock. Bring to the boil and cook until reduced by half. Add the cream and bubble until reduced by a third. Add the chopped herbs and set aside.

Heat the oven to 200C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out four rounds, using a small saucer as a template. Carefully place the pastry rounds on a large non-stick baking sheet and score the surface in a diamond pattern, using the tip of a small sharp knife.

Brush the pastry with the egg yolk glaze and bake for about 10 minutes until risen and golden. Bake for a further 2 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar, to help crisp the pastry. Remove from the oven and slide on to a wire rack.

Meanwhile, add the mushrooms to the sauce and reheat until bubbling (Is it just me or did we not have to remove the mushrooms to start? Was I having a blond moment and missed something?), then add the chicken. As soon as the chicken is warmed through, check the seasoning and divide between warmed serving plates. Top with a pastry round and serve.

Chorizo and Kale Saute

2007-01-24T20:50:00.000Z

I really love Spanish chorizo, the dry salami looking version, not the Mexican uncooked sausage meat kind (that makes a mean scramble). In a salad, with eggs or on its own, it is very, very moreish. To feel like I'm eating it with something nutritious, I cooked it up with some greens. It's quick, easy and there really are no measurements. You can adjust it to serve more or less, as a main or as a tapa. Just looking at the photo is making me crave chorizo all over again...

Chorizo and Kale Saute

My measurements are approximate- use what you have available in the quantity you have to hand.

100 g Spanish chorizo, sliced and halved (it can be hot or mild although I prefer it with a kick)
1/2 onion, diced
10 cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 tomato diced)
3 handfuls of chopped kale (or other dark, leafy green)
1 handful of sliced mushrooms

Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the chorizo and cook a few minutes until the chorizo is browned and has release oil.

Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the chorizo and put to one side. Leave the oil in the pan to cook the remaining ingredients (it there is an excessive amount, drain some of it).

Add the onion to the pan and cook until translucent.

Add the kale and cook for a few minutes or until the kale begins to wilt.

Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook until softened.

Serve up with pieces of baguette or other crusty bread.

Tea leaves

2007-01-16T21:36:00.000Z

Au Coeur Des Epices spice stall in Vence, France

Happy New Year!

2007-01-04T05:58:00.000Z

Happy New Year to everyone! I swear I have abandoned my blog nor have I forgotten about you. Well if you are nosy like me and are wondering where the hell I've been...here's the last six weeks in a shortish list.

As with many of you no doubt, December was filled with many Christmas parties (which included four in one week at one point), which meant trying to cram four weeks of work into two (with many serious hangovers!), which was followed by a three week break back home in California (during which I managed to fit in a delicious lunch at the Chez Panisse Cafe, make tamales with my father (yes Johanna- I will bring you some when I see you next) and get conned into making Christmas dinner (which entailed making a stuffed and rolled beef roast that seemed to still moo no matter how long it was in the oven).

My immediate return saw me drop of my suitcases which were filled treats from home and have enough time to get back out the door, leaving The Boy at home, to ring in the New Year with a mate at the Kylie concert, which was totally awesome (in spite of my bizarre Mid-Atlantic accent that I've acquired over the years here, I am still a Valley Girl at heart), stumble home for an oh so brief slumber only to wake to be on top form to spend the day with the in-laws, go back to work for a couple of days so I could be inundated with emails and as I write this I am making a mental list of what I need to pack for a wedding I am going to this weekend in the South of France (with a hopefully spectacular dinner at Jacques Maximin).

I woke up jet lagged in the wee hours of this morning longing for a chance to sleep in but knowing that for once jet lag has given me a few hours of solitude to write, I can't complain. Life has been good to me the last few weeks and I intend to enjoy every minute of it before I return to reality, sleep or no sleep.

Xoch

PS- I promise to put fresh photos of my meal at Chez Panisse up soon but I can't seem to find my camera cable! If you are ever in California, the ONLY place to eat a burger is at In-n-Out!

Menu for Hope III

2006-12-11T20:57:00.000Z

For the third year running, food bloggers from every corner of the world are uniting to fight hunger. This year's worthy cause is the United Nations World Food Programme. So many of us are fortunate to be able to eat what we want, when we want. We have access to the freshest, tastiest and most luxurious ingredients for nearly any dish we crave. Sadly, there are too many people in the world that aren't as lucky.

Fortunately food bloggers aren't doing the chugger (charity mugger) thing and accosting you on the street and following you around until you drop some change in the bucket, instead we are tugging at the heartstrings by auctioning off prizes donated by loads of food bloggers- some you'll know and some you may not. Prizes vary from meals out at some of the best restaurants to personalised city tours to tasty homemade treats.

To donate and get your chance to win a prize, here's what you've got to do:

1. Go to Chez Pim for the prize round up and all the nitty gritty on bidding. You can bid for something from your region or if you fancy something exotic, you can go for something from further afield- the donating bloggers have agreed to ship anywhere (unless specified otherwise or if Customs has a problem with it).

2. Make your donation of at least $10 at http://www.firstgiving.com/menuforhopeIII.

Pim will announce the results on January 15th.

Last year over $17,000 was raised, please help to beat that amount. I plan on be donating my fair share...once I can decide what I want to bid on!

A taste of home - the final chapter

2006-12-10T22:14:00.000Z

In my quest to learn more about Mexican cooking (beyond the regional style that I grew up with) I asked for a Mexican cookbook as my Christmas present from The Boy's parents last year. I requested something by Diana Kennedy since I'd liked her books when checking them out at the book store. What I unwrapped on the day was not what I had expected but has ultimately proved to be more valuable. Diana Kennedy's From My Mexican Kitchen, Techniques and Ingredients is the perfect reference book for anyone wanting to educate themselves on Mexican cuisine. It's handy when buying dried chiles and understanding the sometimes subtle differences between the varieties. It covers regional differences of particular dishes like tamales- not all are made with corn masa, some are made with a type of wheat flour; not all are wrapped in dried corn husks- fresh husks, banana leaves and corn stalk leaves can be used. There aren't too many recipes in the book but the ones that are, are worth making.

But back to the London Mexican Day...

I have to admit that I had never had Rajas con queso (pronounced ra-hass con kay-so) before. Or if I have, I just never realised it. Poblano chiles are fresh yet have a meatiness to them that makes it very versatile. This dish is rich so if serving as a main, serve a salad alongside to cut the heaviness of it. It works great as a side dish for something like machaca or a simple meat dish.

Rajas con queso (Chile in creamy sauce)

Ingredients:

8 fresh Poblano chiles
100 ml milk
150 g Philadelphia cream cheese
250 g Lancashire Crumbly (or Queso Fresco, if you can get your hands on some)
salt

Preparation:

Clean the chiles and cut into 3 cm strips, removing all membranes and seeds. Either place under the grill until slightly charred or fry in a pan until browning and soft.Use half of them to blend in a liquidizer (ir with a hand-held blender) with the milk and some salt.Heat some oil in a pan and fry this paste to thicken. Add the cream cheese and cook until dissolved.
Add the remaining chile strips, and, as soon as it’s boiling, crumble over the cheese.

(Recipe Jo Wagner)

This is another staple in the Xochitl Cooks kitchen. It's fairly easy to make and makes great lunch leftovers the next day- it beats a sandwich anyday! You can use machaca (prounouced ma-cha-ka) as a base for many dishes- not just tacos. It can be a burrito filling, a sope topping or it can be stirred into other ingredients like scrambled eggs. Like Tinga de Pollo, Machaca can feed a lot with a small amount of meat.

Machaca (Taco filling with Beef)

Makes 6-8 tacos

Ingredients:
250g flank or skirt steak
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ onion

olive oil

Preparation:

Place the steak in a small stock pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and leave to cook for 30-45 minutes depending on the thickness of the steak.

Remove the steak from the pot and allow to cool. Reserve the liquid.

Once cooled, shred the beef, removing any excess fat or sinewy bits.

Heat a skillet to medium heat and add a little olive oil. Sauté the onions until translucent. Add the beef and a ½ cup of the reserved liquid. When the beef has warmed through add the tomatoes and cook until the liquid has reduced to roughly 2 tablespoons (just enough so the bottom of the pan has a thin coating to keep the meat from drying out and sticking to the pan).

Serve with tortillas.

(Recipe Xochitl Ireland)

Along with tortillas, frijoles (beans) are a staple in every Mexican household. The type of frijoles (pronounced free-ho-less) eaten is usually dependant on where you live. Iliana and I have family in the North so we prefer using pinto beans but Johanna, who lived in Mexico City, prefers black beans. Whatever your preference, the cooking method is the same- soak and simmer. My mother uses a slow cooker, I will get her timings and post it on the site soon. Once the beansare cooked, they can be eaten whole or refried (recipe below).

Frijoles (beans)

Ingredients:
Pinto (or black) beans
water
salt

Preparation:

Rinse beans, cover with water and soak overnight, or do this in the morning before work and let it soak during the day.
Remove any floating beans and bring to a boil and cover, cook over low heat so water does not come out the top. You will cook for 2-3 hours until beans are soft when squeezed between your fingers. About once an hour check water level so it doesn’t dry out.
When done add salt to taste, better to under salt. If you add too much salt peel a potato, add it to the beans and cook for half an hour, remove potato.
Store in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for a week if desired.
When cooking beans, every time you put a spoon in the beans make sure it’s clean or beans will spoil faster.

Refried Beans (Frijoles refritos)

Heat oil in frying pan. Add desired amount of beans and heat through. Mash with a potato masher and let it keep cooking over low heat until you see the beans pulling away from the sides of pan.You can fry some onion first and then add the mashed beans – a favourite topping is queso fresco (use Lancashire crumbly).

(Recipes Xochitl Ireland)

Fish Tacos are a Baja thing. Several places in Baja California and in San Diego claim to be the home of the original fish taco; I don't know which place really started the trend but they have become a seller at Mexican restaurants all over the place. If it seems like an odd combination think of it this way (the way I sold it to The Boy)- it's like fish finger sandwich but with a tortilla instead of bread.

Fish Taco photo courtesy of Cooksister.

Tacos de pescado (Fish tacos - Baja style)

Makes 4 tacos (depending on size of fish and tortillas)

Ingredients:

For the filling:
1 white fish fillet
1 cup beer
1 cup water
pinch of chilli powder
frying oil

To serve:
1 small white cabbage, shredded
sour cream
1 lime, cut into wedges
tortillas

Preparation:
Cut the fish into slices/chunks.

Combine the flour and chilli powder. Add the beer and stir until well mixed (batter will be thick).
In a deep pot/ skillet over medium high heat, heat enough oil so that the fish will be partially submerged (if you happen to have a deep fryer, this is even easier).

While the oil heats, coat each piece of fish in the batter and add to the oil being careful not to overcrowd the pot.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and fish is cooked through.
Place a couple of pieces of fish in each tortilla and top with some cabbage and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with a wedge of lime

(Recipe Xochitl Ireland)

I didn't get any pictures of the other salsas we made or the guacamole so I leave it to your imagination as to what they look like but the recipes are below if you want to give any of them a go. Salsas are quick and easy so no more buying ones in jars! I highly recommend the Chipotle Salsa one- it's spicy and citrussy and can be used as a dip or a sauce.

Chipotle Salsa

Ingredients:

10 chipotle chillies in adobo (deseeded and chopped)
5-6 tomatoes (excess juice drained and tomatoes chopped)
juice of 4-5 limes
1/2 red onion (finely chopped)

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. More of each of the ingredients can be added to tailor the salsa to your liking.

(Recipe Xochitl Ireland)

Salsa Mexicana (Pico de Gallo)

Ingredients:

6 medium tomatoes (diced)
1 medium onion (finely diced)
2 fresh serrano or jalapeño chillies, (seeded and finely chopped)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
Salt to taste
Juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
1 handful fresh coriander (chopped)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients (except the coriander) in a bowl, mix through thoroughly and leave to stand for at least 30 minutes before serving. Stir in coriander just before serving.

(Recipe Jo Wagner)

Guacamole

Ingredients:

2 medium avocados (ripe)
1 shallot (finely chopped or crushed)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
½ - 1 finely chopped green chilli (seed them first if you can't stand the heat!)
1 medium tomato (finely diced)
juice of 1 lime
1 handful coriander leaves (chopped)

Preparation:

Cut through the avocados around the seed, scoop the flesh into a bowl and reserve the seeds for later. Mash the flesh up with a fork, mix with the lime juice and combine with all the other ingredients. Keep the guacamole in the bowl with the avocado stone, to prevent it from going brown.

(Recipe Jo Wagner)

Mexicans have a sweet tooth which could very easily rival that if the Brit. Because of the heat, sweets tend to be fruit or custard based rather than chocolate. Great helados (ice creams) that I remember buying on the beach in the summer in flavours like coconut and tamarind that were homemade, my dad's arroz con leche (rice pudding) that I still make whenever I feel ill and the ultimate dessert- flan. Flan can either be very good or very bad. Luckily, Johanna made a very, very good version that I know I will make again (even if I am the only one in the house who likes flan).

Flan de Fiesta

Ingredients:

230 g and 115 g sugar
6 large eggs
1 can (397 ml) sweetened condensed milk
2 cans (410 ml each) evaporated milk
1 vanilla pod

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 160C. You will need 6 ramekins or other oven-proof dish and a large baking pan to put them in.
Pour 230 g sugar and 100 ml water into a non-stick pan over medium heat. Constantly stir sugar until browns and caramelises. Quickly pour into the dish (or divide between ramekins) tilting it to swirl the caramel around the bottom and the sides.

Beat the eggs together with the remaining sugar. Mix in the two milks, then the scraped vanilla seeds. Blend smooth after each ingredient is added.

Pour custard into caramel-lined dish. Place the dish in a large baking dish and fill with boiling water, at least half-way up the sides of the flan dish. Keep an eye on the water and re-fill if evaporating too quickly.
Bake for 60 minutes in the water bath and check with a knife just to the side of the center. If knife comes out clean, it's ready.

Remove and let cool in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Turn onto a plate, the caramel sauce will flow over the custard.

(Recipe Jo Wagner)

The day was long and labour intensive but it didn’t matter as everyone pitched in to chop, char, peel, bake, shape and gossip. It was a great feeling knowing that everyone who came wanted to learn about a cuisine that the three of us hold so dear. On a non-food, personal note, spending the day chatting to someone else (from the same city as my father) that grew up brown was a nice change (although I will admit that my childhood was a mix of both cultures- turkey at Thanksgiving, tamales at Christmas).When we eventually sat down to our feast it really felt like our love of Mexican food had been passed along and hopefully inspired everyone to go beyond the prepacked stodge that tries to pass itself off as Mexican food.

Sugar High Friday - Chocolate Truffles

2006-11-26T16:50:00.000Z

When Johanna said that she was hosting Sugar High Friday and was choosing truffles as the theme, I was a bit apprehensive about playing along. I'd never made chocolate truffles before and more importantly, I don't go weak in the knees at the thought of being given a box of chocolates. Yes, I like chocolate but I don't LOVE it. I'm not the kind that orders anything as long as it's chocolate on a dessert menu. I do like some truffles but I am a picky bastard when it comes to the ones that The Boy is allowed to bribe me with. Salted Caramel Truffles from L'Artisan du Chocolat, English Creams (especially the violet ones- it makes me feel like a granny) from Rococo, any extra dark chocolate from La Maison du Chocolat - to name a few. The chocolate has to be dark and the filling has to be different.

But what the hell I thought, why not. I usually have a bar or two of dark chocolate stored away in the cupboard for a rainy day so I could use it up before my holiday. The next question was- how do I make chocolate truffles? One rather shitty afternoon earlier this week, I received what must've been a sign that I should do this. Whilst doing errands for work, I saw this month's cover of Bon Appetit- CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES. End of discussion. I was in.

I used the recipe from an article on Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut Chocolat as the base. Once I made a few traditional bittersweet truffles and felt that it wasn't going to go pear shaped, I ventured out into unknown territory creating flavours like chili and lemon-thyme (my combinations and shortcuts follow the recipe).

The recipe uses American measurements; if you don't have U.S. measuring cups, just keep in mind that the chocolate and cream are nearly used in equal measure but there is a dash more cream.

Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles (from Bon Appetit Dec 06)

Makes about 30 truffles

Ingredients:

Truffle Base:
1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream (I used double cream)
9 ounces high quality bittersweet (dark) chocolate (70% cocoa, I used 72%), chopped, divided

Chocolate Coating:
8 ounces high quality bittersweet (dark) chocolate (70% cocoa, I used 72%), chopped

Optional:
Unsweetened cocoa powder for rolling

For truffle base:

Bring cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir 7 ounces of chocolate in metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Remove from heat. Add 2 ounces of chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in cream. Chill truffle base until firm enough to roll, about 3 hours.

Line rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper. Roll 2 teaspoons truffle base between fingertips into ball. Transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining truffle base. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.

For chocolate coating:

Line another baking sheet with waxed paper. Stir chocolate in metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water just until melted. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.

Scoop some of warm (not hot) melted chocolate into palm of hand. Place 1 chilled truffle in hand and roll in palm to coat. Transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining melted chocolate and truffles, rewarming chocolate if necessary.

Roll in cocoa powder if desired.

Chill until firm, about 1 hour.

Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

I used that recipe as the base for my truffles but I deviated and experimented with methods and fillings. To start, I didn’t use two baking sheets I used one and then taped some parchment paper onto the countertop since my kitchen tends to be on the chilly side (a good excuse to bake things). I also used a melon baller to shape the truffles.

The Truffle article does give suggested variations on the truffles- balsamic truffles and mango curry truffles (not too sure on that one) – but the added flavourings need to infuse the cream before being mixed into the chocolate. There were only so many batches of truffle base I could make (which was two) so I rewarmed portions of the base and stirred in the extras. Be careful not to overheat the truffle base. Warm it just enough so that the additions can be mixed in then rechilled and make into balls.

My versions are listed below and all but the last two have had bits stirred into the already prepared base. The last two were made from scratch where the cream was infused with flavouring.

Version 1: Plain dark chocolate rolled in chocolate then coated with chopped salted almonds. (Picture right, middle truffle)

Version 2: Chocolate Raspberry- Two small teaspoons of raspberry jam was stirred into the base and coated with chocolate. (Picture right, far left truffle)

Version 3: Cranberry Kirsch- Two teaspoons of kirsch was stirred in as well as a handful of dried cranberries that I had blitzed into a pulp. The pulp wanted to clump together in the base so next time I would probably finely chop them instead. The balls were then coated chocolate and cocoa and marked with a small X on top. (Top picture)

Version 4: Chile- Half a dried Pasilla chile was finely chopped and stirred into the base. The final ball was coated in chocolate and one side was dipped in a mixture of cocoa and cinnamon. (Picture left, middle truffle)

Version 5: Lemon Thyme- The original recipe gave a recipe for Meyer Lemon and Thyme neither of which I had so I infused the cream with the leaves from a couple of sprigs of lemon thyme for 20 minutes. Afterwards, I squeezed a wedge of lemon and stirred the zest of half a lemon into the cream mix, which was then added to the chocolate. That was then coated in chocolate and sprinkled with some lemon zest on top. (Picture left, far left)

Version 6: Jasmin Fruits Concassees- Ginny sent me a pack of jasmine scented dried fruits and challenged me to experiment with it. The fruits look like a tea so I infused a couple of teaspoons on the cream for 10 minutes before straining it into the chocolate base. The truffles were rolled into chocolate with a couple bits of jasmine fruits on top. (Picture above, far right)

Although the prep and rolling of the truffles is time consuming, it isn’t a difficult item to make and I would make again for my Christmas goody bags. I can imagine that it would be a great rainy day messy activity for kids. For someone who isn’t a chocolate fanatic, I have shed loads of the stuff. I have eaten enough during the process that I’m not sure I want anymore so my mates at work (and The Boy’s work) will end up with chocolate filled bellies. I hope that when Johanna reads this she realises that some of these are going to magically appear in her fridge when I see her next week!

A taste of home - part dos

2006-11-21T13:07:00.000Z

You can never have too much Mexican I say and so I continue my epic entry on our day in a Mexican kitchen. Our helpers in the kitchen were Jenni from Pertelote, Keiko from Nordljus, Shuna from Eggbeater (visiting from the States), Jeanne from Cook Sister and Vanessa who doesn't have a blog...yet.

We chopped, sliced and diced our way through countless onions, too many tomatoes and had tingly fingertips from chiles. The effort paid off as we sat down and chowed on yet more food including Chile Rellenos, Tinga de Pollo, Machaca and Fish Tacos.

Chile Rellenos (pronounced chi-lay ray-enos; picture top and below) are one of my favourites and there is a strong chance that it would be one my last meal ever dishes. It means stuffed chile in Spanish and is usually stuffed with cheese (sometimes it gets a meat filling but that isn't common); it's a great vegetarian dish for those who think that Mexican food is all about meat. When Johanna and I met up to plan the menu, I suggested this and had my fingers crossed hoping that she would agree to it.

Cheese, batter and frying oil don't really make for a healthy meal but it is damn good. The sauce in the recipe below is good but one day I hope to score my Tio Meno's recipe for chile relleno sauce. It's been in the family for years and when my grandmother died she only told one person in the family the recipe- Uncle Meno. If you are ever in San Diego, look him up, order the chile rellenos and marvel at the sauce. Tell him that I sent you.

Chiles rellenos (Stuffed Chiles)

Ingredients:

6 large pasilla, poblanos or Anaheim chiles (fresh)
150 g Mozzarella or other quick-melting cheese, thinly sliced
100 g gouda (grated)
60 g self-raising flour
6 raw eggs, separated
flour for rolling (ca. 100 g)
1/4 tsp salt
250 ml grapeseed oil (for frying)

For the sauce (you can also use Mexican Salsa in a jar, green or red to taste):

500 ml passata (pureed tomato)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
oregano or epazote
chile to taste
50 ml single cream (optional)
oil

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to grill.

Rinse the chiles. Place them in on baking tray and place on the top shelf of your oven under the grill. When the chiles are charring and popping their skins, turn them over to grill in the other side. Pay close attention, as this might not take more than a few minutes, depending on the strength of your grill.

When both sides are fairly evenly charred, remove them from the oven and place straight into a large bowl, covering tightly with clingfilm so the chiles “sweat”. Leave for about 30 minutes, then peel.Cut a slit almost the full length of each chile. Carefully remove all the seeds and membranes, making sure the stem of the chile stays intact. Fill with the cheese.
You can set these aside, for a few minutes or a few hours if you put them in the refrigerator.

To prepare the sauce, fry the onion and garlic in a little oil until starting to brown. Add the chile (if using) and fry for a further minute. Pour in the passata and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and work until smooth. Return to the pan and season with salt, pepper and the herbs. The sauce should be quite runny. Set aside for re-heating later.Heat the oil in a skillet (or a deep-frier) until a drop of water sizzles when dropped into the pan.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks have formed. Beat the egg yolks with one tablespoon flour and salt. Mix the yolks into egg whites and stir until you have a thick paste.Roll the chiles in flour and dip each one in the egg batter. Coat evenly.

Fry, seam side down on both sides until golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain. Meanwhile, re-heat the salsa in a medium saucepan. Stir in the cream (if using) and adjust the seasoning.

Place one or two Rellenos on each plate and pour salsa over them. Serve

(Recipe Jo Wagner: Chiles (not sauce) adapted from a recipe on Mexgrocer.com)

Tinga de pollo (pronounced teen-ga de poy-yo; picture left) is another favourite and makes a very regular appearance in my house. This version has chorizo and potato in it which makes it heartier.

However, there are many variations on this theme; mine has neither chorizo nor potatoes and is quicker to make. The next time I make it I promise to write it up. It is extra work to shred the chicken but it is a great way to make a small amount of meat go further. If buying organic chicken is usually out of your budget, buying chicken thighs and then shredding them means that you get quality meat and a yummy meal.

Tinga de pollo (Chicken with chorizo and potatoes)

Ingredients:

750 g chicken breast
150 g chorizo (finely diced)
4 tomatoes (finely diced)
2 large potatoes (peeled and finely diced)
2 medium onions (1 half set aside, the rest finely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (1 set aside, the other crushed)
2 tbsp chipotle chili in vinegar, finely chopped
1 dash vinegar
2 handful fresh coriander or oregano
oil, salt

To serve: 2 avocados, chopped lettuce, corn tortillas or tostadas

Preparation:

Clean the chicken breast thoroughly. Cook it in boiling water with half of the onion and a garlic cloves. Once cooked, let the meat cool and shred into thin strips with your fingers or two forks.
Cook the potatoes in salt water until soft, but retaining a bite.

Fry the chorizo (no oil required) in a big pan, when it’s browning, lift the sausage out with a slotted spoon and reserve. Fry the chopped onions and garlic clove as well as the shredded chicken in the oil from the chorizo. Add the tomatoes, the potatoes, and the chili.

Put the sausage back in the pan. Add vinegar and herbs and season with salt. Let cook until slightly dry.

Serve with tacos or tostadas, shredded lettuce or avocado.

Recipe adapted from: http://mexico.udg.mx/cocina/cocinamex.html Universidad de Guadalajara

I know this is not the most attractive photo you will ever have seen and I highly doubt that it fills you up with so much excitement that you want to rush out and make it, however, Asado de puerco is good. Asado de puerco (pronounced ah-sah-do de pu-erco) has a lovely and deep smokey flavour. This is be a great weeknight meal with a bit of rice on the side (especially if it is cold out).

Asado de puerco

Ingredients:

1 kg pork (fillet or escalope)
250 g Chile Colorado (cut open and stems and seeds removed)
3 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
oil, salt

Preparation:

Toast the chiles lightly in a pan without burning, then bring to a boil in a pot of water. Remove from the heat and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

When the chiles are soft, chop finely in a magimix or using a hand-held blender – add a little water, if necessary.

Meanwhile, clean the pork and cut into small, bite-sized cubes. Fry it in oil until well browned.

Add the chile sauce and the bay leaves, bring to a boil and season with salt. Set aside until serving, then re-heat.

Serve with tacos or simply with rice, frijoles (black beans) and a salad.

(Recipe Iliana Villareal)

I was slaving away in the kitchen and didn't manage to get a photo of this salad. Nopales (cactus) are not to everyone's liking but if you are in th emood for a culinary adventure give this a go. Ensalada de Nopales (pronounced en-sa-lada de no-pal-ess) is a change from the usual iceberg wedge salad; make it in advance so that the cactus marinates in the dressing.

Ensalada de Nopales (Salad with Cactus Leaves)

Ingredients:

6 tinned cactus leaves (nopales)
100 g Lancashire Crumbly (or other crumbly cheese – like Feta)
2 jalapeno chiles (membranes and seeds removed and finely chopped)
1 shallot (finely chopped)
1 handful fresh coriander (chopped)
half a tbsp of dry oregano
5 tbsp wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Drain the cactus leaves from the tin, wash thoroughly and (if using whole) cut into thin strips. Mix the oil, vinegar, onion and herbs in a small bowl, then pour over the nopales and mix thoroughly, Leave to infuse (you can prepare this well ahead).When ready to serve, toss the salad again and adjust the seasoning. Crumble over the cheese and serve.

(Recipe Iliana Villareal)

That's it for part two of my Mexican Fiesta. Still to come are Fish Tacos, Machaca and, to sweeten things up and prove that Mexican food is not just about spice, Flan. Stay tuned.

T-DAY

2006-11-16T14:46:00.000Z

In the run up to Thanksgiving next week, and while I decide whether or not I can be bothered to cook a turkey for two, I've been reminiscing over last year's gargantuan feast. My mouth waters when I even think about it. ENJOY!

Sorry for the lack of photos- this was one of my first entries and was before I learned how to publish photos!

Better late than never. In need of a feast before the Pre-Christmas fast, I threw a belated Thanksgiving for myself (regular visitors to this blog will no doubt also remember that the Boy’s Xmas party always falls on T-Day- good news though as I can happily report that there was no puking and no incidents of a drunken nature). As the only Yank in the house, I anointed three Brits and four Australians as honorary Americans for the day. After trawling through cookbooks and magazines and after a few calls home I put together what I like to think of as a tasty little menu.

I was attached to the stove for a few days and there were a few mishaps that I managed to fix. The results must have been good since the leftover ratio was low and everyone’s belly stuck out just a little bit more. It was a real compliment that a few people asked for recipes to add to their own Christmas lunches- especially any dish of mine that gets added to the Shah family meal since I imagine it to be an amazing feast. I have decided to put the full menu up so we (in particular Nat and pals) can bask in its glory.

Here is the full she-bang:

Turkey
Mash Potatoes
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Polenta Cornbread Stuffing
Green Beans with Hazelnuts
Sugar Snaps
Cranberry Sauce
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Apple Pie

Turkey

This was the first bump in the road. The Boy works near the main meat market in town and they were actually offering fresh turkeys for Thanksgiving (everywhere else was selling frozen birds). Goody gumdrops! We ordered a 10-12 pounder for pickup on Saturday. The big day comes and we get given 15 pounds of pure turkey. At first we thought that it would be all right, the Australians are a hungry bunch. But alas, the problems were only just beginning. First off, the damn thing barely fit in the fridge- everything had to come out. This also meant that I could not brine it (my preferred method). Not the end of the world. Ah, but try sticking that thing in a roasting pan. I have a fair amount of pans and roasters but that was one hell of a wide load and didn’t fit in anything! In the end I managed to stick it in a pan at a funky angle. The moral of this story kids is that you need to make sure you have a roasting pan that will fit your turkey even if the one you get is bigger than expected.

Since I couldn’t brine the thing, I took a leaf out of the Martha Stewart Living Thanksgiving issue and draped a butter-soaked muslin on the turkey. Basically, you melt a stick of butter, into which you dip a piece of muslin (the size of which when folded into quarters covers the turkey with extra to tuck in along the sides) and squeeze the excess butter from it. Place over the turkey and baste with the remaining butter every half hour. For the last half hour remove the cloth if the bird is not browned. My turkey emerged from the oven such a beautiful golden brown shade that it looked like it should be on a magazine cover.

Mashed Potatoes

Everyone likes mash and everyone likes his or her mash done differently. Some like it with skins still on, some like it lumpy, some like it smooth and some like it creamy. On Sunday I was in the mood for rich and creamy mash. Potatoes were boiled, drained and mashed with the red skin on. I started with a generous dollop of butter and roughly a ½ cup of warmed milk. Mash together and add small amounts of butter and milk until the consistency is smooth and slightly runny and the taste is definitely rich.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Mmmm- my favourite part of Thanksgiving. The dish that reminds me of being a kid and feeling like I’ve struck gold and am getting dessert with my dinner. The dish that grosses any non-American out that is until they taste it. The dish that got the most compliments on Sunday and was the most requested recipe. It is a combination of my mother’s recipe with a glazing method that I saw on telly and a few additions of my own.

Ingredients:

5 Sweet Potatoes
150 g. Brown sugar (if you have light and dark use a mix of both)
125 g. Butter
1 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Dash of nutmeg
Juice of 1 orange
Good size glug of Rum
½ c. Walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
1 can of pineapple in its own juice
1 bag of Mini Marshmallows

Heat oven to 200C.

Boil sweet potatoes until they are cooked but still firm (this time can vary depending on the size of the sweet potatoes but will be about 20 minutes). When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into ½ inch slices. Layer the slices into rows in an ovenproof dish that is deep enough to hold the glaze when it is added.

Drain the pineapple and break it up into chunks. Don’t worry about breaking up into uniform pieces- this is not an attractive looking dish. Sprinkle the walnuts and pineapple over the top.

In a saucepan, place the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, orange and rum and bring to a boil. Pour over the sweet potato mixture and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the marshmallows over the top and cook until the marshmallows are melted with a light brown colour.

Polenta Cornbread Stuffing

This year’s food magazines’ Thanksgiving editions were of a particularly high standard this year. The choice of dishes for all cooking abilities using a plethora of standard and new ingredients was so great that it made it tough to decide what to cook. I wanted to try to use ingredients in the cupboard to keep costs down so this recipe from November’s issue of Gourmet ticked all the right boxes.

Ingredients:

¼ c. Butter
6 ½ c. Water
2 tsp. Salt
2 c. Quick Cooking Polenta (I don’t know if what I had was put you will definitely know when you have cooked it to the right consistency)
1 lb. Italian Sausage, casings removed (I didn’t have it so I used a good quality herby sausage)
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 c. Chicken Broth
1 c. Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
½ c. Finely chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

Butter a shallow baking pan. Bring 6 c. of water with salt to a boil in a heavy pot. Add polenta in a steady stream whilst stirring with a long handled spoon. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Polenta will become very thick. Add 3 tbsp. butter and stir until butter is incorporated. Spread polenta in buttered pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 15 minutes.

While polenta is chilling, cook sausage in 1 tbsp. of olive oil while breaking up lumps. Cook until no longer pink- about 3 minutes- then transfer to a bowl. Add onion to skillet and cook over medium heat until browned. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining ½ cup of water and stir up browned bits from bottom of the skillet, then add onion mixture and chicken broth to sausage.

Preheat grill. Melt 1 tbsp. butter with remaining tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan. Invert polenta onto a large cutting board, and then cut half of it into ½ inch cubes. Toss cubes in the butter mixture in a bowl. Return the cubes to the baking sheet and place 3-4 inches under the grill and broil until there are golden patches. The recipes says to do this for 8-12 minutes, but under my grill it took 15 minutes to get all sides a golden colour.

Preheat oven to 450F. Butter a baking dish.

Coarsely mash remaining half of polenta and add to sausage mixture. Add polenta cubes. ½ c. cheese, parsley and pepper to taste and toss until combined well. Transfer to baking dish. Sprinkle top of stuffing with remaining cheese, cover and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

Remove foil and bake until top is lightly browned, 10-15 minutes more.

Green Beans with Hazelnuts

Trim green beans and blanch 2-3 minutes in boiling water. Drain and immerse in cold water to stop the cooking. Toast a handful or two of roughly chopped hazelnuts in a pan or in the oven. Heat a skillet with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and add green beans. Heat until warmed through. Add hazelnuts and drizzle a little walnut oil over.

Sugar Snaps

Blanch Sugar Snaps. Put ½ tablespoon of olive oil and heat sugar snaps through. Add the juice of 1 orange and reduce by half. Eat up.

Cranberry Sauce

This is another thing that everyone likes in different forms. As a kid I liked the canned jellified version that kept the tin marks even after you took it out of the can. As I got older I’ve gotten a fondness for homemade versions. This year’s consisted of me boiling up the berries, adding a bit of OJ and straining it so it was more jam like than jelly like. To each his own so I will leave you to your own preferred sauce.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This became another mini drama. I always get my recipe from the wrapper of that name brand canned pumpkin that seems to have a monopoly on the canned pumpkin market. My cans didn’t have the recipe so I trolled the internet and lo and behold there are way too many out there. I picked one from the Nestle website.

First off, I fucked up the measurements and wasn’t paying attention and measured the cream cheese in American and measured the pumpkin in British cups. The result was that the first batch tasted more like Pumpkin Pie instead of Pumpkin Cheesecake and I hate Pumpkin Pie. I realised I needed more cream cheese but of course I had no more and had no time to nip out to the shops. Fortunately I had some ricotta in the fridge (that was earmarked for a ravioli filling) and dumped the tub in the pumpkin mixture. The mini cheesecakes were rich tasting yet had a slightly lighter taste than regular cheesecake. I also recommend using ginger snaps instead of graham crackers; it gives the flavour more depth and helps cut the richness of the cheesecake.

Ingredients:

For the crust-
1 ½ c. Ginger Snap crumbs
1/3 c. Butter, melted
¼ c. Caster Sugar

For the filling-
24 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 c. Caster Sugar
¼ c. Brown Sugar, packed
2 eggs
15 oz. Canned Pure Pumpkin
5 fl. Oz. Evaporated Milk
2 tbsp. Cornflower
1 ¼ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp. Ground Nutmeg

For the topping-
16 oz. Sour Cream
1/3 c. Granulated Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine ginger snap crumbs, butter and granulated sugar in medium bowl. Press onto bottom ½ inch thick in each muffin cup. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Put to one side.Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg; beat well. Pour into muffin cups.Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly. While cheesecakes are cooling, combine sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Spread over surface of warm cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Apple Pie

This has got to be one of my all time favourite desserts. I love pretty much any fruit dessert but there is sometime so warming and consoling about a desert with baked apples. It’s like a warm hug in your belly. I found this recipe in Bon Appetit in 1999 and it is the dessert I get asked to make most often. I have used this as a guideline and re-interpreted other apple desserts. Make sure you use baking apples or else they will turn to mush. I made the mistake of not double-checking which apples I bought and got a couple of eating apples and had some applesauce in my pie.

I have not given the piecrust recipe since you either like to make pastry or you are happy to buy ready made shortcrust pastry. Below is only the recipe for the filling.

Ingredients:

5 lbs. Bramley Apples (or other cooking apple) peeled, cored, cut in ½ inch thick slices
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
6 tbsp. butter
1 c. Brown Sugar, packed
2 tbsp. Flour
1 ¼ tsp. Chinese Five Spice
Toss the apples in the lemon juice. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add apples and brown sugar; cook until apples are just tender, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer apples back to bowl. Boil juices until thick, about 15 minutes. Pour juice over apples; cool completely. Mix in flour and five spice. Add filling to pie shell. Bake in oven at 375F.

A taste of home - part uno

2006-11-15T14:44:00.000Z

Food always serves as a reminder of home when we are away from what we are accustomed to. It comforts when you are down and it inspires you when you celebrate. It acts as a quick and simple connection to family when we need it. One of the things I find toughest about being away from home is the lack of Mexican food. The proper, hearty, rustic food I grew up with. Although there has been a recent spate of Mexican restaurant opening in London- Green & Red, Mestizo, Taqueria, Daddy Donkey, Mercado - I find it tough to pay £5 for what should really be a $3 burrito at my uncle’s restaurant in San Diego. I’ve decided to make it my mission in the upcoming months to try these places since Mexican friends have recommended a couple of them.

Which brings me to my point. A couple of months ago Johanna, from The Passionate Cook, asking if I was interested in helping her organise a day of Mexican cuisine. Since the only way I get Mexican food here is to make it myself- how could I resist! So Johanna, myself and Iliana- or how I’ve taken to calling us- decaf (Johanna spent a year in Mexico), half caff (I’m the half breed) and full caff (Iliana was the only 100% Mexican there) put together a superbly authentic feast for the group coming over.

Our table of food was massive so I'm breaking this up into a multiple entry feast!

To nibble on we had jicama (pronounced he-ka-ma; top picture)- one of my favourite snacks. I used to always bring some cut pieces back to London when I first moved here but a couple of years ago when in Chinatown I saw my beloved root snack. Jicama is of course its Mexican name, here it goes by the name yam root. When bought in the shops, it is bulbous shaped with light brown skin and usually a bit of dirt on it. It's eaten raw so to prepare it, cut into half or quarters (depending on size) and peel away the brown skin with a paring knife. Cut into sticks or chunks to serve. You can easily use it in salads for a bit of crunch (similar to a water chestnut) but my favourite way to eat it, and how we ate it on Mexi-day, is to cut it into sticks, squeeze a lime over and sprinkle chili powder on top.

A little research on jicama turned up some intersting facts- jicama can weigh up to 50 pounds and a 3.5 ounce serving has 39 calories and 25% RDA of vitamin C. Not bad for a rather unattractive looking tuber.

We also snacked on sopes (pronounced so-pez). This was the start of our "work for your supper" dishes. Fortunately I had some Maseca back from my last trip home so no one had to hand grind corn to make the corn flour that is used to make sopes (and tortillas). Iliana got the masa (dough) ready after which Jenni and Vanessa made dough balls (picture left). I heated up a frying pan and flattened each ball into a 1/4 inch thick disc and cooked both sides in the pan. The gals then had the task of shaping the cooked patties into their final shape by creating a slight ridge along the edge so that the filling would not fall out.

The finished product on this day (picture below right) was filled with beans, lettuce, cheese and a bit of salsa. In this case the cheese was Crumbly Lancashire which I have found to be the closest I'll get to Queso Fresco. Feta can also be used but I find it a bit too tangy for my taste when used in Mexican food. The salsa was my mother's recipe for Salsa de tomatillo (pronounced to-mah-tee-yo)- the recipe is below as well and its uses are not confined to sopes. It can be used for a dip, for enchiladas, for fish- anywhere we you want a tangy sauce.

Tomatillos look like large, green versions of the Cape Gooseberry (also know as Physalis) and add a tart flavour to many Mexican sauces. They are related to tomatoes and are members of the nightshade family (click here for more info on tomatillos).

Sopes

Ingredients:

500 g masa harina (corn flour) – if your masa is very yellow, you may want to mix this with some regular flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups warm water
Vegetable oil, for frying

Preparation:
Mix flour, baking powder and salt, then add the warm water. You may need a little more warm water to make moist, smooth dough.

Traditional sopes forming method: Make balls the size of a walnut, a few at a time, and keep the dough in a plastic bag to prevent it from drying out. Moisten a cloth napkin or tea towel and spread out on a flat surface. Roll each ball of dough in moistened palm of you hand until smooth, lay on the damp towel, cover with a plastic bag, and press down with your hand.

To shape the patty, flatten again with a small can or flat-bottomed glass into a perfectly smooth circle 2 to 2 1/2 inches (5 – 7.5 cm) in diameter. It should be about 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick. Peel the plastic bag off the top, then lay the tortilla in your hand and peel off the damp cloth. Smooth any rough edges with your fingers and the tortilla is ready to fry.

Topping: frijoles, queso fresco (Lancashire crumbly or mild feta), salsa verde

(recipe Iliana Villareal)

Salsa Verde (Green Sauce)

Ingredients:

500 g Tomatillos (green tomatoes)
1-2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 onion (finely chopped)
1-2 jalapeno chiles (depending on how hot you like it)
1 handful fresh coriander (chopped)

Preparation:
Remove husks from the tomatillos and wash to remove any stickiness.

Boil the tomatillos and garlic in a pot, deep enough to cover them completely, for roughly 15 minutes or until the tomatillos change colour slightly.

Put the tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos and half of the chopped onion in a blender or food processor. Blitz until well blended. A little water can be added if the salsa is too thick for your liking.

Pour into a bowl and stir in the cilantro and remaining onion.

(Recipe Xochitl Ireland)

Another dish that I thought was essential for anyone wanting to know more about Mexican cuisine is Ceviche (pronounced see-vee-chay). Even though I'm not big on fish, I make this for parties and it reminds me of family get togethers when I was a kid.

Ceviche is great on a hot summer day as a starter or a light lunch. The fish can be marinated 5-6 hours or overnight (which will give it a more citrussy flavour). Although finely dicing the vegetables is labour intensive, it can be done ahead of time so that the final dish can be quickly assembled.

One important note on ceviche- I recommend buying a few extra lemons/limes as it is essential that there is enough juice to completely submerge the fish. The juice pickles and 'cooks' the fish; any fish that isn't covered in juice will still be raw. This shouldn't put anyone off making ceviche as it is easy to do if prepared properly.

Ceviche

Serves 4-6 (depending on if eaten as a starter or main)

Ingredients:

For the fish:
1 white fish fillet, cut into small dice
juice of 6-10 lemons and/or limes

To serve:
1 carrot (finely diced)
1 onion (finely diced)
1 cucumber (deseeded and finely diced)
1 green pepper (finely diced)
½ bunch of fresh coriander (finely chopped)
1 jalapeno chile (finely chopped) (optional)
salt
pepper
garlic powder (optional)
salted crackers or unsalted tortilla chips

Preparation:
Place the fish and lemon juice in a glass bowl and leave to marinate for 5-6 hours or overnight in the fridge. There should be enough juice to completely submerge the fish.

About 1 hour before serving, remove the fish from the fridge and break down the chunks of fish using your hands. (Since the fish is served with crackers, the finer the chunks are broken down, the easier it is to serve and eat.) Return to the fridge.

Just before serving, gently stir in all the vegetables. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder (if using) to taste.

Serve with crackers or lightly salted / unsalted tortilla chips.

(Recipe Xochitl Ireland)

I think I'll call it a day for now- this should get you started! The next part will follow shortly and will cover yummy treats like Chiles Rellenos, Tinga de Pollo, Frijoles and Flan.

I'm craving it all again just thinking about it...

EBBP #6

2006-10-20T14:20:00.000+01:00

Oh yes, EBBP (Euro Blogging By Post) seems to happen more and more lately. I'm not going to complain though as it means that I get PRESENTS! This time it was hosted by Johanna at The Passionate Cook who was tasked with sorting everyone out and making sure that everyone got their package and blogged about it.

I am the last one to do so because of my holiday but it is always nice to come home to a package filled with treats. My package for this round came from Ginny at La Petite Chinoise and she sent a bag of Parisian delights.

First up there was a cute little tin of Langues de Chat chocolates. They are milk chocolate and hazelnut and went down well for elevenses at work. Fleur de Sel de Guerande- a hand picked salt from Brittany (France). Fleur de sel is the top layer of the salt marshes and has been handpicked by women since 878AD. In her note, Ginny says that 1 salt marsh yields only 1 kg of Fleur de sel which costs about 20 euros wholesale. It's an amazing salt that should only be used as a finishing or sprinkling salt as cooking with it destroys it's delicate taste. I love this salt and the area it is from- it's an area that is close to my heart as I have spent many a summer there since my teens and have many good friends there. There was also some Maille mustard in girolles, shallot and chervil flavour; again another item I love. Like the French I used mustards for salad dressing, gravies, roast; Ginny said it even gets used in desserts (I wonder what it tastes like). More interesting facts from Ginny on Maille mustard: Mr. Maille invented the antiseptic vinegar in 1720 and later on used it in his mustard. It wasn't until the 1950's when the brand merged with another Dijon brand that the mustard became famous.

There was also a pretty Torchon (tea towel)- I've used it as the background in the photo. She recommends wrapping my bread in it before storage to keep it fresher for longer. She apologised for it not being a very French thing but you can never have too many tea towels! The last item in my delightful package was a sachet of Jasmin Fruit Concassees from Fauchon. It is, as explained on my note, "fruits broken up with jasmin scent. Although I haven't seen it used much, I've had it with baked fish en papillote with rice. So, I'm leaving this up to your imagination and creativity." The smell is great and I will take Ginny up on the offer to get creative with this- any ideas are welcome!

Thanks Johanna for organising this round (for a full round up of what's was zooming around Europe click here) and many, many thanks to Ginny for my package!

If you want to see what I sent and to whom- click here.

Viva Espana!

2006-10-17T22:17:00.000+01:00

I've been away on a much needed break in Spain, the Costa de la Luz to be specific. The weather was fab, the food great and the solitude divine. I owe you many an entry on this blog which I promise to do in the upcoming days (once I manage to unpack all that Jamon de Jabugo I brought back with me...).

Xoch xx

PS- If anyone is in Tarifa and looking for a bit of shelter whist the other half windsurfs, I recommend the Tangana Bar at the Spin Out Surf School. They make a fab bocadillo (sandwich to the rest of us) and a perfect cafe con leche.

New Yauatcha Macaroons

2006-09-25T21:24:00.000+01:00

I'm a sucker for Yauatcha any day of the week. Which is the reason why I force myself to stay in the office on my lunch- if I'm not lured into the super sized Topshop then I'm 'just happening' to stroll past Yauatcha and a bag of macaroons 'just happened' to look at me in a suggestive, come hither, you know you want to sort of glare. Well if it's ain't the macaroons than it's one of the delicious cakes. I know I'm having a crap day if the only thing to put a smile on my face is a macaroon.

I usually get my favourites, so one Friday The Boy presented me with a bag of the latest flavours. How do the new ones rate compared to my usual? Fig Violet (purple) was sweet but had a nice faint taste of violet, Strawberry Tagada (pink) didn't quite have the fresh strawberry taste I was hoping for, Coconut Saffron (light yellow)gave me mixed feelings. One bite would be too sweet for me, but then I'd taste it again and liked the rich saffron taste. My pick of the bunch however was Apricot Ginger (orange). It was fresh, fruity with the occasional bite of stem ginger. A perfect combination.

Fennel and Pear Salad

2006-09-03T18:15:00.000+01:00

In the mood for a quick salad for dinner after a long day at work and desperate to use up random bits about the house namely a pear, some fennel and some feta. It turned out to be a refreshingly light salad that just oozed late summer to me. The saltiness of the feta pairs well with the aniseed taste of the fennel and the honey sweetness of the pear.

One note of caution- it doesn't keep too well. Eat the same day and before the pear turns brown.

Fennel and Pear Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1 pear, thinly sliced
handful of crumbled feta
handful of walnuts, candied or unsalted

walnut oil, to drizzle

Mix the fennel and pear in abowl. Drizzle with a little walnut oil and toss. Add the walnuts and feta and serve immediately.

Mmmmm pancakes

2006-08-27T22:28:00.000+01:00

A major craving (not to mention a raging hangover) has fuelled my recent foray into making American (as opposed to the French) style pancakes from scratch (and without the help of Bisquick). It's surprising easy, you probably already have all the ingredients in the cupboard and they taste pretty damn fine (even when not hungover). Even The Boy has converted and hasn't bitched about been fed pancakes the last three weekends in place of his favourite eggs on toast. Mind you I did bribe him with a side of bacon...

Anyone brought up on pancakes knows that there are many choices when it comes to flavouring these puppies. Mashed up banana was tops as a kid, chocolate chips worked into the mix gives you that extra sugar high- extras can go in the mix or on top it's up to you. In the picture above I topped the stack with summer berries- freshly picked strawberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and raspberries- and since I was put of maple syrup, I drizzled a little of the syrup from a jar of stem ginger. DELISH!

Fluffy American Pancakes

Makes 10 small pancakes

Ingredients:

3 eggs- separated
120 g. plain flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
150 ml. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Mix the yolks and the vanilla. Mix in the milk. Add the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt. Put to one side.

Whisk the egg whites until they reach the soft peak stage. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. You can add a knob of butter if you want a light buttery taste.

Using a tea cup, pour the mix into the skillet so that you have two or three round pancakes.

It's time to flip the pancakes when they form little holes all over the top side of the pancake- it's almost swiss cheese like holes. You'll know when you see it but allow roughly three to four minutes on each side. Don't worry if you think one side has cooked more than the other- you can flip it back over and cook it to your liking.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

2006-08-20T17:20:00.000+01:00

I was feeling very American and was craving BBQ sauce. I'm not a fan of the bottled variety and usually go out to satisfy this kind of craving but I was determined to use up things in the kitchen so I made up my own.

Amazingly it isn't that difficult to make your own sauce and you are smug in the knowledge that you know what is in it. I wanted something smoky with a kick to it- so I added a bit of the pureed chipotle paste I keep in the fridge (just blitz a can of chipotles in adobo and put in a sealable jar).

This is a piece of cake- it's good with steak too.

Xoch's Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce
Enough for 4 drumsticks with plenty leftover to dip in

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. ketchup (to add to your feelings of smugness use an organic version)
2 tbsp. Chipotle paste
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. Worcester sauce

Mix everything together in a bowl until well blended.

EBBP#5

2006-08-13T20:32:00.000+01:00

I love presents. It's therefore only natural that I should love EBBP. EBBP for the unfamiliar stands for Euro Blogging By Post. The easiest way to describe it is like Secret Santa across Europe and with food. It felt like Christmas in July. The way it works is one person (in this case it was Jeanne from Cook Sister) coordinates the names of all the participants and sorts out who each of us have to send a package to. My Asian inspired package went to Petra in Germany.

Once I sent my box off, I eagerly awaited the arrival of my package. Who would be sending it? Where would it be sent from? What would they put in there? A few days later there was a little box in front of my door from Switzerland. Like a kid at Christmas I ripped open the box and was greeted with lovely wrapped collection of goodies. Here's what Pam at Posie's Place sent me:

Polenta with truffles- I hope to make this up this week
Fruit and nut mix- which Pam likes to snack on when sat outside with a glass of wine and which are on my desk at work for my afternoon snack
Tandoori Masala spice mix- with curry recipe included
Home grown and home dried chilis- which I plan to use in a salsa
Fondue- a small pot of fondue that although it's not very summery she was persuaded by a friend to include it as she felt fondue was fab all year long (sorry- it's missing from the picture above)
Zitronen Lackerli- A gingerbready, hazelnutty, lemony biscuit that I love and have hidden away while I debate whether or not to share.
And since it was the national day in her region, Pam sent me a little candle with the Swiss flag on it.

There was a sweet note included as well as a recipe for a curry that I hope to make soon as I am on a curry kick at the moment. I love my package and can't wait to make everything. Thank you Pam- my apologies for not having a chance to write this up sooner. If you're intrigued and wondering what else was sent out, here is Jeanne's round up.

I heart tortillas

2006-08-11T09:18:00.000+01:00

Growing up in my house meant that no meal was complete unless my Mexican father had his tortillas by his side - even if we were eating a Chinese takeaway. There were (and still are) two camps in the house; those that only ate flour tortillas and those who ate the corn version. The children always seem to prefer the comforting softness of the flour ones while the grown ups went for the hearty coarseness of the corn tortillas.

With all the interest in Mexican cooking, there hasn’t been enough praise heaped on the humble tortilla. Yes, it makes a meal when eaten as fajitas or enchiladas, but the possibilities are endless. It is the ultimate midnight munchies fix, it makes a tasty breakfast on the go or, as it was when I was growing up, an after-school snack.

Below are some quick and easy recipes that are staples in my house. Use it as a springboard to try other things in a tortilla. As The Boy likes to say- Everything tastes better in a tortilla! But please promise me that you will warm them- eating a tortilla cold is just wrong.

Avocado Burrito

This was my favourite after school snack as a kid. It is my comfort food as an adult and always hits the spot when nothing else will do.
Serves 1

½ avocado
1 tortilla

Warm the tortilla on both sides. Add slices of avocado. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roll into a burrito.

Breakfast Burrito
Serves 1

1-2 eggs
2 strips of bacon
½ tomato, sliced
2 mushrooms, sliced
1 tortilla

Cook up all the ingredients (except the tortilla) as if making a breakfast fry-up. Put the cooked ingredients in the tortilla and roll into a burrito.

That finishing touch...

2006-08-08T22:20:00.000+01:00

A few years ago I was given my grandmother's cookbook that was started in the 1940s and by looks of some of the pictures and recipes went through to the 60s. Inside is a mix of handwritten recipes and ripped pages from various magazines. Some days I have a look through and toy with the idea of making her Lemon Meringue Pie that was legendary (as was her Cheese Torte), other days I have a look and giggle at some of the moulded and jellified dishes that were the fashion of the day.

Having a look through recently I came across this snippet of garnishing advice that gave me a laugh (especially since it seems that all of last month's magazines had features on plating food or styling for photography). I don't know where it came from or when but it's great nonetheless. Click on the picture for a closer view.

My favourites are "spoon jelly on sliced cold meat" and "tuck a lemon leaf under a sherbet".

Yum.

Spice Rub Grilled Chicken

2006-08-03T22:05:00.000+01:00

It never occurred to me how obsessed I am with grilling things until I started this blog. I love outdoor barbecues, I love indoor grill pans, I love summer barbecues, I love winter barbecues, it doesn't matter if it's chicken, beef or veg, there is something very relaxing about eating grilled food. On this occasion it was about using up some chicken thighs in the fridge. I raided the spice shelf and made up this rub that has a gentle kick and a tasty saltiness about it. It was good right away with a salad (I ate it with my remoulade) but it was great the next day chopped into a green salad.

Spice Rub Chicken

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:

1 tsp of each of the following:

whole cumin seed
ground ginger
ground coriander
crushed chilli flakes
yellow mustard seed

2 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp olive oil

400-500g of chicken (it can be anything- I used chicken thighs)

Grind the cumin seed, chilli flakes and mustard seed in a mortar and pestle so that the spices are lightly crushed. Mix in the remaining spices and the salt and lightly crush some of the sea salt.

Rub the spice mixture on the chicken. Add the olive oil and rub into the spice coating chicken.

Marinate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

The chicken can be grilled, roasted or pan fried; cooking times will vary depending on method and chicken cut used.

Celeriac Remoulade

2006-08-01T21:05:00.000+01:00

Lured in by the thought of getting The Boy to try a new vegetable after reading of a restaurant that puts celeriac in it's mac n'cheese- a trick that convinced him that broad beans weren't evil- I bought myself a bulb/root/ whatever it's called of celeriac. I didn't get round to making the mac n'cheese but I did fancy something to eat with some cold cuts. I whipped up my version of the classic French bistro delight that is celery remoulade (or how I describe it to people who have never had it- French coleslaw). I'm not really big on mayo so my version is light and tangy. Serve as a side for anything ranging from cured meats to leftover roast chicken.

Celery Remoulade
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

400g celeriac
1/2 lemon
100g mayonaise
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
3 cornichons, finely chopped
10 capers, rinsed of salt and finely chopped
large pinch of Herbes de Provence

Wash any dirt off the celeriac and strip away the outer layer using a vegetable peeler. Coarsely grate the celeriac and squeeze the lemon over to prevent the celeriac from turning brown. Put to one side.

In a medium sized bowl mix the mayo, mustard, cornichons, capers and Herbes de Provence.

Add the celeriac and mix until the celeriac has a light coating of dressing on it.

Another summer salad

2006-07-30T16:52:00.000+01:00

Food blogging can be tough in the scorching heat. Apart from not having an appetite, it's unbearably hot in the kitchen so I tend to favour meals that I can prepare most of the ingredients in the living room where I can place myself in the direction of the air conditioner and minimise my time in the kitchen.

Inspired by a dish I had in Barcelona recently, I've created what, for me, has become the salad of the summer. It's one I can't get enough of at the moment. I've created it as sort of a un-recipe- it's one where the quantites can be amended to suit your own taste and number of servings. Try it with different leaves- I had Baby Gem lettuce the first time I made this but it also works with Rocket.

Goat's Cheese and Membrillo Salad

Serves 1

Ingredients:

50g mild goat's cheese, diced or crumbled

30g membrillo (quince paste), diced

1-2 Baby Gem lettuce, washed and chopped

handful of salted almonds, if available use Marcona almonds

olive oil and sherry vinegar

Place the lettuce on a plate and sprinkle the membrillo and goat's cheese on top. Drizzle with olive oil and sherry vinegar. Top with the almonds.

A picnic by the river dahling...

2006-07-22T09:46:00.000+01:00

I'm a few weeks late with my tales of another gorgeous day, another excuse for the London bloggers to get together. Better late than never! This time it was the 2nd annual Henley Regatta dahling! Of course anytime you get a bunch of food lovers together the morsels are gonna be good. This, however, was my first time out with this lot for a public viewing. What a laugh! We commandeered a large strip of grass along the river, next to the footpath. As the crowds walked past you could hear comments like "Wow now that's a picnic.", "Real food- I haven't had that in so long." to my personal favourite, "Salmonella waiting to happen." I don't know if people were more perplexed by the amount of good food we had or the fact that we spent about 20 minutes taking pictures of it all.

We ate, we watched the rowing, we drank many a bottle of Pimms and generally had a good time. My contributions on the day were an easy to make Moroccan Chickpea Salad (recipe below) and some Bakewell Tarts for a bit of a Bakewell Tart Smackdown against Andrew and Jeanne (the link will take you to Jeanne's recap of the event).

For a 'row by row'- cheesy I know but I'm in a cheesy mood today- account of the dishes and the day check out everyone else's blogs:

Andrew - Spittoon Extra
Jeanne - Cook Sister
Johanna - The Passionate Cook
Claire - Lemon Soul
Jenni - Pertelote
June - Bread, Water, Salt, Oil
Shana - Owlfish

Moroccan Chickpea Salad
(Credit this this yummy salad goes to my pal Toral at The Urban Kitchen)
Makes a large bowlfull - serves 6

Ingredients:
For the salad:
1 x 400g can of chickpeas, drained
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and diced
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
15g coriander, finely chopped
15g mint, finely chopped

For the dressing:
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 clove of garlic, crushed
5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. cumin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses

For garnishes:
100g feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
coriander leaves

Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
Add all the dressing ingredients to a small jar and shake to mix thoroughly.
Pour dressing over salad and garnish with crumbled feta cheese.

Barcelona

2006-07-18T19:57:00.000+01:00

Those of you who emailed were right- I was in Barcelona and this photo was taken in La Boqueria market.

I'm back after a week long stay in Barcelona compliments of my dear friend Mardon. What an amazing place- sort of a Paris on the Med but without the Parisians (no offence to Parisians- I have Parisians friends and have lived in Paris).

The architecture is amazing, the people friendly and the food filling. The weather was scorchio- anyone with a dislike for high temperatures should steer clear of the place in the summer.

Above - View from Park Guell

Right - La Pedrera

I'll keep the writing brief and let the photos speak for themselves. Addresses and more photos to follow. I'd like to thank everyone who gave me tips and advice for a first time trip to Barcelona but in particular Amy from Cooking with Amy who gave me an exhaustive list of gourmet shops to hit.

Between her list and my trusty Time Out guide, there wasn't a bad meal or food shop to be had (except for maybe one that wasn't my choice and resulted in my control over all meals for the rest of the stay).

My Barcelona address book:

Restaurants / Tapas-

Cinc Sentits

C/Aribau 58

tel: 93 323 94 90

Metro Passeig de Garcia or Universitat

Rated as one of the best restos in town. It's tough to get a reservation (I know- I couldn't get one) so call early.

Bar Pinotxo

La Boqueria 466-467, La Rambla 89

Metro Liceu

Located near the main entrance to La Boqueria, this little joint is run by an old man whom everyone calls Juanito. It was near my hotel and was where I went for breakfast everyday at a cost of 3 euros.

Taller de Tapas

Placa Sant Josep Oriol 9

tel: 93 301 80 20

Metro Liceu

Excellent tapas. Try the sausage with white beans dish- it was amazing and rustic- and the Membrillo and Rocket salad. Good value.

Ginger

C/Palma de Sant Just 1

tel: 93 310 53 09

Metro Jaume I

Swanky cocktail joint with jazzy/loungey tunes (at least when I went). Great tapas and great drinks. One can easily pass the night away here.

Cerveseria Catalana

C/ Mallorca 236

tel: 93 216 0368

Metro Passeig de Garcia

This was our fave meal of the trip. If you're heading to Sagrada Familia, take a 15 minute stroll instead of the metro. Tasty croquetas, amazing grilled asparagus, perfect jabugo ham. We spent a couple of hours nibbling and drinking and gossiping without realising it. The Roscon de la casa (House cake - see picture) was to die for and worth every calorie. Two of us ate very well for less then 35 euros (and that included wine, coffee and dessert).

Left - figs at La Boqueria

Below - Hot Chocolate at Escriba. We tucked in so quickly that we almost forgot to take a photo. Rich and custardy, it is a meal in itself.

Above left - Cerveseria Catalana, well worth the 10 minute walk from La Sagrada Familia. Great tapas, great atmosphere and a great house dessert.

Above right - It was a sponge soaked in rum with a layer of Crema Catalana with caramel sauce

Left - Ceiling of La Sagrada Familia

Below Right - Pinotxo Bar (at La Boqueria), great coffee and breakfast and home to Juanito whom to whole town seems to know.

Bottom left - looking down the stairwell at La Sagrada Familia

On hiatus...

2006-07-12T14:29:00.000+01:00

I have not deserted my blog- I'm just away for a few days eating my way round a delightful European city. See if you can guess where I am from the picture above. First person to guess correctly gets a high five.

I'll be back soon with tales of my good eats.

Xoch

Long live the Bakewell Tart

2006-07-02T09:37:00.000+01:00

Andrew over at Spittoon issued a challenge, actually it was more like a plea, to hop onboard his Save the Bakewell Tart bus. It looks as if the Bakewell Tart is a dying breed- even a certain Mr. Kipling is having trouble flogging us his disgustingly sweet creation. I have to admit that I have never been a fan of the Bakewell, finding it too sweet, but hell how can I say no to a tart.

I am feeling a bit too lazy this morning to go into the history of the Bakewell Tart but these duelling sites have a thing to say on the matter (click here or here).

Since I've never made one before so I thought it best to seek the advice of professionals and after googling Bakewell Tarts, I settled on this version by Tamsin Day-Lewis from UKTV Food. It looked the part and I was looking forward to giving it a go. Then disaster struck. The washing machine decided to flood the kitchen and take me with it. Fortunately I wasn't badly hurt and once I knew I hadn't fallen onto one of my Globals, I endevoured to get on with it. I must have been more exhausted then I thought because I totally screwed up the recipe. If you look at the Tamsin Day-Lewis version and read my recipe below you may noticed that I added way too many eggs. This gave the top a slightly eggy-custardy taste and a lot of mix. This could easily make two large tarts. I also think I added too much jam. I added more since that was my complaint about them in the past. Perhaps I should have kept it to the original amount. Since there was so much excess filling I was feeling crazy and made one with fig jam but I gave it to Johanna. Hopefully she'll let me know how it was.

It wasn't a complete blowout- it was edible if a bit messy. I took it to Henley for a mini Bakewell Tart showdown but there was stiff competition. Not sure if I want to know how mine rated...

For a full round up (and most likely better versions including Andrew's tasty 'olde worlde' version made without almonds) go to Spittoon Extra.

Something that resembles a Bakewell Tart
Makes a lot- I got a tart and eight tartlets worth

1 shop bought shortcrust pastry case (you can make a second tart or use tartlet cases)

For the filling:
200 g. raspberry jam
110 g. butter
100 g. sugar
110 g. ground almonds
4 egg yolks
3 eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
flaked almonds to decorate

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Spread the jam over the bottom of the pastry case.

Whisk the sugar, ground almonds, almond extract, eggs and extra yolks until well mixed.

Melt the butter and pour into the egg mixture. Whisk until smooth.

Pour the mix over the jam, filling as high as possible.

Bake for 20 minutes at 180C then turn the heat up to 200C and bake for a further 15 minutes. The top should be lightly browned.

Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top 5 minutes before the tart is finished.

Let it cool before serving.

Tomato soup

2006-06-27T14:10:00.000+01:00

Maybe it was growing up slurping up copious amounts of Campbells Cream of Tomato soup or it might be my hankering after a taste of summer, but as soon as the thermometer dips, I crave a cup of tomato soup. It has to be served in a mug- not a bowl. Fortunately I've grown out of the tinned variety, especially when it isn't tough to make some yourself. This is my most recent incarnation of cream of tomato soup which I made on a recent chilly spring day. Put on your jimjams, pour a mug of soup, curl up on the couch and watch some dreadful made for tv movie for the night- pure lazy bliss!

Xochitl's Cream of Tomato Soup
Makes a potful- the number of servings depends on if you want to share

1 onion, diced
1 kilo ripe tomatoes, quartered
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
knob of butter
500 ml stock (vegetable or chicken)
100 ml double cream

Heat the olive oil and the butter in a stock pot over medium heat until the butter foams. Turn the heat down, add the onions and cook until translucent and tender (which will be about 10 minutes or so).

Add the tomatoes, paprika and stock. Bring it to be boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes (the tomatoes should be soft).

Using a hand blender, puree the soup. Stir in the cream and serve.

Taste of London

2006-06-19T21:55:00.000+01:00

To complete my food weekend, I booked myself a ticket to this year's Taste of London in Regent's Park. Taste of London is an annual resto festival with a few demos and food vendor stalls thrown in for good measure. This year there were 40 restaurants taking part including Fifteen, Fino, Pied a Terre and Tom Aikens. This was matched by a nearly equal amount of drinks choices like Leffe, Codorniu (their Rose cava was the drink of choice at the Bloggermeet) and Innocent smoothies (for the non boozers amongst us).

Included on the costs of some tickets were tokens (tokens sounds to Willy Wonka- the truth was that they were photocopied pieces of badly trimmed paper) that were the "currency" at the restaurant stands. I met up with a friend and once we pooled our tokens together- Taste of London was ours for the taking.

First up was the Pressed Tomato Mosiac, Black Olive Tapenade, Balsamic Vinegar dish from Angela Hartnett at the Connaught. It was refreshing and a great summer dish but it was nothing more than tomatoes with tapenade. A surpise hit was the Chicken Tikka from Benares. It wasn't so much a shocker for me as it was for the Toral and her family who are Indian. Another winner came from Inn the Park. The Saltmarsh lamb chop with white beans and a green sauce had the most tender chops with a herby and lemony green sauce that perked up the dish. It was served with simple white beans that rounded it out and turned it into a hearty meal. From Pied a Terre, somewhere I've been wanting to go to, was a cold Pumpkin & Ginger Soup it was good but a bit too sweet for a cold savoury soup for me. Momo satisfied my need for fried goods after a serious bout of wine tasting with Briouts of cheeses with fresh mint. Pearl offered a Salad of smoked duck with baby beetroot, walnuts and pickled shallots with a dessert of coffee yoghurt with lemon foam thrown in. Salad good but the combo of coffee and lemon not so good. From Fifteen we picked a Creamy risotto of smashed peas, broad beans, mint & ricotta salata. Good but something that could be done at home.

My top rated dish of the day was from Roka, a resto I love. Lamb cutlets in a hot pepper paste and sesame was sublime. They had a large barbecue set up and the cutlets were straight form the grill and served by people who looked like they were having a good time there (which could possibly have something to do with the close proximity to the Caipirnha stand). One bite would have a kick of spice only to be cooled in the next from the sesame sauce.

There were butchers, bakers and jam makers. Juice, wine and port tastings were offered. My advice for anyone going next year would be to start eating right away. We were quickly suckered into the shopping and the day went so fast that we made a mad dash in the last 30 minutes to use our tickets to get any dishes that were left.

You're probably wondering what the pictures of cheese have to do with this. There was a hall of cheese in which some cheese tasting competition had been held but also where you could work your way through quite a few. I just loved walking into a cheese hall and needed a photo. It was easier to take a picture of this rather than my dishes because I have no eye-hand coordination and found it tough to take photos with one hand.

A fun day out and worth the expense- mark it in your calendar for next June.

London Bloggers Unite!

2006-06-19T13:27:00.000+01:00

Never before had I had a foodie weekend like the one I just had. On Friday I had to rush from Soho to London Bridge to help Toral with a class and dinner party that after much worry turned out good. It was a super long night so after a lie in on Saturday it was off to a Birthday blogmeet thrown by Johanna (Passionate Cook) and Jeanne (Cook Sister). I will be honest and admit that because I wasn't sure what to expect when meeting up with people I had never met at someone's house that I'd never been to, I needed a wingman as back up and when a foodie friend couldn't make it, I roped in The Boy (much to his bother).

We nibbled on tasty canapes including Baby Potatoes with Wasabi Creme Fraiche and Caviar (considering I'm not a huge fan of caviar, this was a surprise); Proscuito wrapped Figs (something I could nibble on anytime); Mint, Olive, Melon and Feta Skewers (lovely on a hot day) and one of my all time faves, Gazpacho served in tall shot glasses. The grande finale was a chocolate fountain- something I previously found to be an odd novelty and wondered why people didn't just do fondue- but will now admit that once that chocolate gets flowing, it's kinda fun to watch and beats losing your fruit in a fondue pot. I patiently stood and waited for the men in white (The Boy and Andrew from Spittoon) to get chocolate drippings on themselves.

I started the day with some nerves but left happy that I had made to effort to leave my cosy pocket in London and make some new friends. Even The Boy enjoyed it- the ultimate stamp of approval in my book!

If you want to check out the scrumptious photos that Andrew took click here.

If you want to check out the blogs of my fellow canape chomping crew, here's the guest list (I can't remember all the names so I apolgise now):

Hostesses with the mosteses-
Johanna - The Passionate Cook
Jeanne - Cook Sister

Andrew - Spittoon Extra
Pille - Nami Nami
Anna - Baking for Britain
June - Bread,water, salt, oil
Amy - Cooking with Amy
Christina - The Thorngrove Table

Shayna(?) - Owlfish

Xochitl in a bag

2006-06-14T00:16:00.000+01:00

On my last trip home, whilst wandering around Cost Plus wondering how much wicker can one store have, there was a display that caught my eye. Oh yes, I saw XOCHITL tortilla chips. After a lifetime of having the oddest name around, how could I not buy my name in print! Four bucks, a two hour drive to LA and a 10 hour flight later, my chips were home. It took a lot of arguing to convince The Boy that this large bag had to come with me in his carry on luggage but it was worth it.

I made my own salsa to enjoy with my Me chips- homemade salsa is easy to do and tastes miles better than the gloopy jar kind. I was a bit skeptical for some reason but was pleasantly surprised because they tasted like proper Mexican restaurant tortilla chips but just a tad thinner. I totally recommend them.

Beetroot Stacks

2006-06-13T22:28:00.000+01:00

A recent heatwave in London has kept me out of the kitchen (unless it was for a cold beer or a salad for dinner) for the last few days. I had a craving for beetroot and since I couldn't find any fresh ones that I liked the looks of, I bought some prepared ones form M&S. They don't douse it in too much vinegar and alter it into some sort of purple pickle state. I dislike beetroot for years until I decided to roast a freshly picked one from a pick your own. Now I look forward to summer when I can get bunches of the stuff. Sadly it has a bad, undeserved reputation when you think about the vitamins it's packed with.

Quantities will vary depending on the size beets used but can be easily increased or decreased as needed.

Beetroot Stacks

Serves 2 - 4

Beetroot, 3 baby beets or 1 large one per person
Fresh chives, 1/2 bunch finely chopped
Ricotta, 1 tub (if available try Buffalo milk ricotta)
Sour Cream, 1 tbsp

Trim the bottom of the beets so they while stay upright. Slice the beetroot horizontally into three or four slices depending on size of the beetroot.

Mix the chives, ricotta and sour cream until combined.

Place the bottom slice of a beet on a plate and spread a small teaspoon of the ricotta mixture in the middle. Place another slice of beetroot on top and continue to layer until the beet has been put back together.

Serve with a handful of watercress or rocket and drizzle a little olive oil over the salad leaves.

Chicken, Beer and Belgium - Part 2

2006-06-07T13:57:00.000+01:00

Belgians have a great sense of humour. They have kindly given everyday products hilarious names to amuse childish tourists like myself. Take the word whip cream for example. In French, it is chantilly. In Dutch, it’s slagroom. Don’t call them chocolate sprinkles anymore; from now own call it hagelslag. In Oostende, you can enjoy a coffee at the Wiener Caffee or buy some bread at De Cock bakery (or buy a cake called Miserable- it did look really good though). I’m not rude and obnoxious about these things but it does allow me to have a giggle session.

I like Belgium, I really do. I’ve always had a great time there that’s usually filled with a fair amount of chicken, beer and waffles. Oostende is somewhere we go to regularly for a night or two away in which we usually stick to the tried and true. This time however, we ventured out and discovered a whole new world.

Once we dropped off our bags at the hotel, we headed to the Taverne Koekoek (see my previous entry for more details). Half a chicken and two beers later, we strolled around town looking to satisfy my urge for a proper waffle only to be told that waffles were only between 12.00-18.00. I had to make due with another beer and a steel determination to find a waffle as soon as day broke.

When I woke up the next morning, my mission for waffles was still strong. My first stop was Lilly’s, on the promenade along the seafront. It was 10am and waffle making for the day had begun. Our waffles were fresh and hot from the iron with a fairly even amount of caramelising on both sides. I would have preferred a bit more crispiness on some of the edges but it was perfectly acceptable. I also recommend Lilly’s for ice cream. Go for nougat- that has bits of candied fruit- or for my favourite, Speculoos. It tastes just like a Speculoos biscuit- full of cinnamon and bits of cookie. Get it to go and go sit on the beach.

Waffle number two came from Benny’s in the centre of town. Not good. There was caramel on the outside but the inside was cold.

My favourite waffle in Oostende still has to be from the outdoor vendor at Cappuccino’s. The outside has bites of gooey caramelised sugar followed by a bite with crunch but with a soft inside. If a meal is what you want, take a seat inside. On our visit I had a goat’s cheese salad and The Boy had an omelette. Some ladies were snacking on trays of mini cakes with a cup of coffee that looked amazing. I loved that they gave you a scoop of ice cream or maybe it was slagroom when you had a coffee. That’s definitely on my list for next time.

Tea-room Cappuccino, Ooststraat 22 Hoek Kapellestraat, 8400 Oostende

Chicken, Beer and Belgium - Part 1

2006-05-29T11:11:00.000+01:00

As the Bank Holiday weekend drew closer and the weather report grew increasingly grim, The Boy and I came to the conclusion that surely it must be better to be in shit weather away from home than shit weather at home. New philosophy in hand, The Boy wrangled a ferry ticket for under£20 for an overnight trip to the Continent. Where to go, what to do?

For us, a quick overnight excursion usually means a trip to Oostende in Belgium. This started out as his choice of location as he spent a lot of time there in his windsurfing days and so is rather fond of the place. It isn't a very attractive or quaint town; its main redeeming factor, apart from the friendly locals, is a nice sandy beach (I miss sandy beaches- I can't seem to get used to the idea of pebble beaches). At first I wanted to go to see if the legend was true but in time though the place has grown on me and while it isn't a large city I somehow manage to find something new there each time we go.

What's this legend of Oostende you ask? For years before finally going there, The Boy used to talk about the "Best rotisserie chicken in the world" and of a place where the menu consisted of chicken, bread and beer. He swore that the chicken was so good that vegetarian friends used to pull a sort of "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" attitude and turn carnivore before reverting back to their austere veggie ways. We use to humour him and pretend to believe him.

When we finally moved to England and Belgium was no longer a long haul flight away, we finally went one weekend. As we approached the Taverne Koekoek, I chuckled to myself that there was no way that a place in a random location could survive in business serving only chicken and beer. We walked into the smoky den and took our seats. By now the smell of the chicken was strong, my mouth watering in anticipation. I had a look at the menu to verify that chicken really was my only option. I kid you not. The menu was printed on a A4 sheet of paper and the menu took up four or so lines. It really did read- 1/2 chicken and bread, 1/2 chicken to takeaway, ketchup, mayo, mustard and apple sauce and was followed by a list of drink choices that took up 95% of menu. Using his finest limited Dutch, The Boy ordered our feast of chicken and beer. Five minutes later, a basket of sliced bread and two bowls of chicken were thrown down in front of us. No garnish, no fancy presentation and no utensils. This was caveman dining at it's finest (and you don't even have to go to the dreadful Medieval Times for a faux jousting tournament). This didn't stop the place being pack with students, families, drunks and posh old ladies from digging in with both hands.

I looked up at The Boy with a look that must've read "You've got to be fucking with me- we have driven four hours for half a damn chicken to be thrown down at me." With a knowing smile, he asked me to eat before passing judgement. I didn't say another word for 30 minutes; when The Boy tried starting a little dinner conversation, he was greeted with a new look that he knew meant he better shut up now. I did not think I could possibly eat half a chicken and I try to avoid eating the skin in an attempt to be vaguely healthy but it was too good not to eat. The meat was moist and succulent with skin that was thin and crispy with a coating of the restaurant's closely guarded secret seasoning. The bread was a wheat bread that was thinly sliced- nothing fancy but it was perfect for mopping up the juices in the bottom of the bowl.

I looked down at the remains of my chicken carcass and felt like a porker for eating so much meat. That's when it occured to me that it was that good that all restraint had been thrown out the window. As I wiped my fingers with my lemony wet wipe, The Boy looked at me with the smuggest look I have ever seen. That evening I phoned up all the non-believers. I was a chicken and beer convert.

Now I back him up whenever talk of rotisserie comes up. Now I get the occassional craving and proceed to pack up the car for a four hour drive. For chicken. That costs 5 euros.

It isn't glamourous, it ain't pretty but damn it really is the finest rotisserie chicken in the world.

Taverne Koekoek, Langestraat 388-40, 8400 Oostende, Belgium

www.koekoek.biz

Open 24/7 (I've been at 3pm and 3am and it's always good.)
If heading to Belgium it is worth a day trip to taste the stuff. If in Bruges it's only 30 minutes by train.

Summer Chops

2006-05-28T22:00:00.000+01:00

I still had a pack of lamb chops leftover from The Boy's birthday barbecue and since I knew it would be an uphill battle to convince him to eat the same chops three days on the trot I was in need of a new marinade. What I came up with is herby and Mediterranean and would be delicious to have in the early Autumn when you want something to remind you of warmer days as you soak up the last rays before the cold.

Summer Chops

Serves 2-3 (depending on hunger levels and size of chops)

6 lamb chops
1 tbsp. herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp. cumin seed
juice of 1 lemon (keep the lemons)
handful of lemon thyme sprigs
4 tbsp. olive oil

Put the chops in a sealable container or in a Ziploc (or other resealable bag). Add the remaining ingredients in the bag. Marinate overnight in the fridge.

Allow the chops to come to room temperature before grilling. Grill to your preferred liking.

Sprinkle with sea salt for a little crunch before serving.

Casa Moro lamb chops

2006-05-27T08:15:00.000+01:00

Another day, another excuse to barbecue. I feel like every time I blog lately there's grilling involved. This time it was a belated beach do for The Boy's birthday. On the menu were burgers and lamb chops in equally huge quantities even though there were only five of us. There was a fair amount of leftovers and needless to say, I'm off lamb chops for a while.

The chops on the grill were from a recipe from the second Moro cookbook, Casa Moro- a great cookbook I have mentioned before. The recipe is quick, simple and is worth adding to your barbecue repertoire. Beware of over-salting these. It is quite easy to do so.

Try them over this holiday weekend. My picture doesn't do them any justice since they just look like red-orange slabs of meat but I promise you they are delicious.

Lamb Mechoui with Cumin and Paprika Salt
from Casa Moro cookbook

Serves 4

2 tbsp. whole cumin seeds, freshly ground
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. hot paprika
1 tbsp. sea salt, roughly crumbled
12-16 lamb chops, depending on size
40 g. butter, melted

Mix the spices and the salt together in a bowl. Just before you are ready to grill the chops, brush them with the melted butter, sprinkle liberally with half the cumin mixture and grill 5-8 minutes either side for pink. Serve immediately with some of the remaining cumin salt on the side.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

2006-05-14T15:42:00.000+01:00

I was in the mood for cake. Nothing fancy or covered in cream. Just good old fashioned cake to have with a cup of tea. I turned to my, now well worn, copy of Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook for ideas. That Martha, she never fails to come up with something good. Her Brown Sugar Pound Cake hit the spot. To wet it a bit, I poached some plums I had lying around otherwise they would never get eaten since I dislike plums unless they're cooked. I took a loaf to work the next day for our tea break and it went down well with the girls.

It's a heavy cake and a little goes a long way. I was concerned it might be to sweet so I altered the recipe slightly and replaced part of the brown sugar with dark muscovado sugar.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake
from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Makes 2 loafs

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
3 c. sifted plain flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 170C. Butter two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2inch loaf tins; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined.

Add the reserved flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined. Divide the batter between the buttered pans, and smooth with an offset spatula.

Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn out cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Cakes can be kept at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days.

Birthday bites

2006-05-14T13:15:00.000+01:00

What a week for food in Xochitl-land (the term The Boy lovingly uses to describe the home of my random thoughts). After a weekend in the kitchen, I had a week of dining out. Lunch at Leon, meze at Ranoush and the crown jewel in my week o' food? Dinner at Maze. I decided to treat The Boy for his birthday and take him out for a meal that didn't involve me cuttign out a 2 for 1 voucher for a change. However, I should rephrase that. Saying I want to take The Boy out is really code for- I'm going to make a reservation at an expensive restaurant that I want to go to and I'm going to butter you up with compliments about how dashing you like in your suit (as it gets its annual airing out). And slowly, with a cheeky little grin and a twinkle in my eye, I'm going to nudge the bill in your direction when it arrives.

Somehow I managed to score a table at Maze with less than 24 hours notice. The praise has been heaped on the place from the start and although I haven't had a bad time yet at any Gordon Ramsay restaurant, I was worried that the El Bulli inspired dishes would be too freaky for The Boy. There was no need to worry. I can once again bow down to the Temple of Gordon.

We started with a couple of cocktails (Fig Sour for me) and took an eternity to decide our dishes. We decided to go with the tapas size dishes and order a few. I ordered Pressed Foie Gras and smoked duck with spiced pineapple and sweet n sour onions; Salad of violet artichoke with fresh truffle and truffle mayonnaise; Grilled lamb with braised lamb neck, cos lettuce, bacon and onions, ras el hanout and lastly, the BLT. Which was a tomato jelly (jello), a mayonnaise-y cream on top, bacon cubes as garnish with a lettuce puree poured over. My favourite for flavour was the lamb that was cooked perfectly, was the perfect serving size and just melted in your mouth. My fave for shits and giggles has to be the BLT which was quite tasty if a bit too mayonnaise-y for my liking.

The Boy had Carpaccio of tuna and swordfish with lime and cucumber marinade, soya dressing; Jerusalem artichoke veloute with duck ragout; Risotto of carnaroli with peas, broad beans and wood sorrel and Bouillabaisse of red mullet with tapenade, fennel puree and fennel shoots. His favourite was the Carpaccio, which he found refreshing and light.

Four to six were recommended; we went for four each and were stuffed. Even though the dishes are small they are very filling. We couldn't fathom eating more than that unless the plan was to bypass dessert. Not a plan that we recommend. As it was a special occasion, we splurged and had three mini desserts. Mango parfait with orange and anise jelly with sugared coriander; Apple and caramel trifle with cider granite and cinnamon doughnut and the Peanut butter and cherry jam sandwich with salted nuts and cherry sorbet. The mango parfait was refreshing since it wasn't overly sugary sweet and was mainly fresh mango. The Boy loved the cinnamon doughnut (with apple filling) while I preferred the apple jelly (jello) and would have been happy to eat a bowl of just that. It tasted like the juiciest, tartest green apple you have ever had. As for the Peanut Butter sandwich, well we had to get that since it is always written about. This is another dessert to write home about. The PB is in the form of ice cream and tastes like fresh made PB not like a jar of Skippy while the cherry cuts the richness of the ice cream.

Would I go back? Absolutely. Since you can eat at the bar without a reservation, it should be fairly easy to walk in for a quick bite before hitting the shops of Oxford Street.

PS- In case you wondered, I didn't pay.

On your marks, get set, BBQ!

2006-05-01T14:19:00.000+01:00

Ah yes, it's a Bank Holiday weekend. The weather forecast is predictably crap. It must be time for a barbecue. The Boy's childhood pal Jason was throwing a House De-warming party. He figured he better make the most of having a garden and a large barbecue before he was relegated to apartment living like the majority of Londoners. He first mentioned the idea of a Sunday bbq to The Boy a few weeks ago when they went out for a curry. My darling spouse volunteered me to do some salads- mind you that wasn't a problem because I like Jason and would give him a hand anytime- it's just that The Boy only remembered to tell me on Wednesday.

In the end, I settled on three salads. A couscous salad with pomegranate, a Moroccan chickpea salad and Potato Salad. It was a barbecue- there has to be potato salad! I will admit that I am not a fan of potato salad and all the gloopy, mayonnaise-y taste. However, a couple of bottles of Rose later and I can't help sneaking a spoonful to make sure that it is as gross as the last time I sneaking a spoonful. Most people I find don't have the same dislike so I made a potato salad that I could actually eat. I also found a use for the green tops from a bunch of salad onions; however, you could use the whole thing if available.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

My Potato Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 kg Baby New Potatoes (or any waxy potato)

1 bunch of green onion, thinly sliced

for the dressing:

1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tbsp dried tarragon

2 tbsp. plain yogurt

4 tbsp. mayonnaise

Boil the potatoes in a stockpot until cooked through. Once cooked, drain and rinse in cold water until the potatoes are cool.

While the potatoes cool, mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a jar or small bowl. Place to one side.

Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters depending on their size.

Put the potatoes and green onions into a large bowl. Pour half the dressing over, stirring to mix and adding more dressing if needed.

Spring is in the air!

2006-04-23T18:16:00.000+01:00

Spring is slowly finding its way to the UK. For most of the last week the weather was pleasant enough that I wasn't miserable about leaving the sun in California the week before. However, as I write this, it is pretty gross outside. It's isn't raining so much as it is grey. So I decided not to leave the house today and spend it in the kitchen.

One of the nice treats in the shops coming back home was the appearance of this season's Jersey Royal new potatoes. The gorgeous little potatoes have such a great taste and a fab story behind it that I get really excited when I see them in shops or on a restaurant menu this time of year. Jersey Royals are only found in Jersey and were discovered in the late 19th century by a farmer and were first called Jersey Royal Fluke. It is the growing conditions that make this potato. The slope of the island allows extra sunlight to hit the growing fields in season. Locally collected seaweed is used as fertislier and much of it is dug up by hand.

In the end I decided to boil and crush mine with the rosemary and lemon Chiara sent me in EBBP4. I didn't think that The Boy would be very fond of lemons with his potatoes but he gave them a thumbs up. The leftovers will be used in a salad for lunch tomorrow.

Crushed New Potatoes with Lemon and Rosemary

Serves 2-3
Ingredients:

500g Jersey Royal new potatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped

Clean and scrub the potatoes and boil in salted water for 15-20 minutes (or until cooked). Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and put to one side.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and chopped rosemary and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the potatoes and lightly crush with a fork or masher. Add the lemon juice and fry for5 minutes. Don't over stir the pan or the potatoes will crumble; the idea is to get a light crust on the potatoes.

Sprinkle with sea salt for an extra crunch before serving.

EBBP4 - Italian Delights

2006-04-18T21:21:00.000+01:00

You have probably guessed that I like food already. But I also like presents and I like getting post. Combine all that and you get EBBP4 (Euro Blogging By Post). It happens every couple of months - I'm guessing it does as this was my first time taking part- and is "hosted" by someone different each time. This time, the gracious host was Andrew from SpittoonExtra (Check out his blog here.) Andrew had the task of organising myself and 24 other bloggers in an exchange of food filled pressies. How cool is that!

My package went to Cindy of Cindy's Kitchen in Montpellier. I hope she enjoys what I sent and can make some treats from it. While I was sad that my package hadn't arrived before I went on holiday. I have to admit though that it was great to get something happy in the post instead of the usual bills that remind you how much you spent on holiday!

Imagine my joy when a box from Italy appeared. I tore into that box quicker than you can say risotto milanese. I'm happy to report that Chiara from La Cuoca Petulante (oh how I wish I spoke Italian! But check out the site for pretty photography) sent a box filled with (mainly) Italian delights. Inside there was:

1. Lemons and Rosemary - From Chiara's garden on Lake Maggiore near Milan

2. Gianduitti - Creamy chocolate and hazelnut paste candies from Turin. I usually find these too sweet but these are lovely and creamy and not too sugary sweet.

3. Sundried Tomatoes - Homemade. Lovely. I think I may use Chiara's suggestion to put them in a jar with capers, garlic and olive oil for a week and then eat it with bread.

4. Salted Capers - A nice little jar from Pantelleria (a small island near Sicily).

5. Anchovies in hot sauce - One of her favourites; she eats them with bread or in a tomato sauce.

6. Carnaroli Rice - For risotto. Yum.

7. Honey from Provenza

8. Pickled Ginger - She enjoys Japanese food and makes her own pickled ginger. It has a nice fresh taste and is not too sweet.

9. A small notepad - For writing my recipes in.

I have gently calmed myself to sleep the last couple of days with thoughts of the tasty dishes I could make with my ingredients. Should I use the lemon and rosemary with roasted and crushed potatoes? Or in a simple pasta with some of the capers and a bit of Parmigiano? Do I use the tomatoes in a salad or on bruschetta? How about the anchovies- in a spicy arrabiatta sauce? What about the honey? One thing I do know. The Gianduitti won't be around much longer!

Spring Salads

2006-04-12T15:53:00.000+01:00

Xochitlcooks has been on a well needed holiday the last week and as I write this I am warmed by the sun in Southern California. Fortunately my pasty white skin hasn't burned- more importantly nor has The Boy's for that matter. If I were to use food to describe our current skin tones, mine would be vanilla cream- slightly off white with yellow undertones- and The Boy would be something along the lines of a marshmallow. White with a bit of white added and a splash of translucent for good measure. But it has been nice to venture outside sans heavy wool coat. The weather has been like a perfect English summer's day; the problem will be the shock to the system when we leave in a few days.

Staying with the folks means that even though I am on hols, I am still kicking it in the kitchen. Cooking in someone else's kitchen (even though it is the kitchen I grew up with) made me realise how attached you get to your own cooking utensils, pans, knives, oven. This hasn't altered the quality of the dishes, but I look forward to giving my kitchen a big hug when I get home.

No trip back here is complete unless I make lunch for the Lunch Bunch (AKA my mother and her posse of discriminating foodie friends). On this occasion, given the lovely weather, I decided that a trio of salads was in order. Lunch consisted of a Tomato and Mozzarella salad, Tabbouleh and Salade Nicoise. The Salade Nicoise was done specially for my mother in memory of her last trip to London, in which we went to the South of France to visit friends of mine. My mother had never had Salade Nicoise before and in spite of a dislike for tuna, we both enjoyed it. It's a great salad to eat in the middle of summer to refresh and cool down but equally as nice in the winter to remind you of those heady days of summer.

SALADE NICOISE
serves 4

Ingredients:

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1-2 4 1/4 oz tin of tuna in olive oil (if only serving this I would double the amount of tuna)
4 tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cucumber, sliced and halved into 1/2 inch chunks
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
16 black olives, whole
8 anchovy fillets, whole (you can either use tinned ones or get some from the deli counter)

for the dressing:
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. Herbes de Provence

Mix the dressing ingredients together and either shake or whisk until it emulsifies (until the oil and vinegar combine into one liquid). Put to one side.

Put the romaine lettuce in a large bowl. Arrange the remaining ingredients on top. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Serve.

NB: When serving each person should get a quarter of the salad ingredients (meaning 4 pieces of tomato, 4 olives, 4 pieces of egg, etc.).

To keep the salad light, I haven't over dressed it but you can add more dressing if desired.

Veg Fest

2006-04-03T22:23:00.000+01:00

After an absolutely hectic week which saw me help cater a party, teach a couple of cookery classes and find a job, and which was preceded by a few weeks of partying, I needed a detox. Even The Boy was requesting a meal with vegetables! I was in the mood for something with a twist but nothing that would overtake the pureness of the vegetables. I went back and tweaked a recipe for grilled vegetables I devised for a BBQ a few weeks ago (a BBQ in February? It's a great way to beat the winter blues.).

Marinated Grilled Vegetables

Serves 2-4
Ingredients:

1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. crushed chili flakes
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
5 tbsp. olive oil
1 courgette, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
8-10 whole mushrooms
1 fennel bulb, sliced

Put the sliced vegetables in a medium size bowl.

Mix the spices and the olive oil; pour over the vegetables and toss to lightly coat all the veg. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and cook the vegetables to your liking. Personally I like my mushrooms and courgettes well grilled but prefer peppers and fennel with a bit of crunch.

Below is an extra recipe for a quick salad using the grilled fennel. It makes for a light, refreshing lunch and a nice change from a green salad.

Fennel and Orange Salad

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 blood orange, peeled and sliced
1 fennel bulb, sliced and grilled
20g. feta cheese, crumbled

Layer the orange and fennel on a plate and sprinkle the feta on top.

Olive oil can be drizzled on top but I find the salad better without it.

Passion Fruit and Chocolate Slices

2006-03-26T20:36:00.000+01:00

After a bad bout with the flu- the kind where you ache all over and a cup of broth constitutes a hearty meal- I'm back with an appetite. It is amazing how being sick can re-invigorate you; I'm ready to cook with a vengeance. Luckily I got thrown in at the deep end when my friend Toral rang looking for an extra pair of hands in the kitchen.

Toral runs The Urban Kitchen a cookery school with courses in London and in Surrey. Sure this is a shameless plug for a friend but the classes are a great value (food and drink are included and free flowing) and she covers everything from Indian to Dim Sum to Pasta workshops.

Back to the story. Toral needed a hand with her Flavours of the Pacific class last week so I happily obliged. On the menu that night were such delectable dishes as Spaghettini with crab, lime and chili, Sweet and sour fish with spicy green salad and Passion fruit and chocolate slices.

She based the dessert on the Australian treat, Lamingtons, which traditionally are made with coconut. I've never Lamingtons to compare Toral's slices against, although I noticed some at The Grocer on Warwick. The next time I'm there I will have to get one.

Anyways, the Passion fruit and chocolate slices were straightforward to make nad had a proper balance of chocolate richness and passion fruit tang. Fresh from the oven they were moist with a cake like base and a firm custard like filling. I kept my extra pieces in the fridge and prefered them cold from the fridge. The passion fruit filling was former and the base was similar to a chewy cookie. Yum.

Passion Fruit and Chocolate Slices

Makes 20 squares
Ingredients:

For pastry
125g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla essence
125g self raising flour, sifted
pinch of salt

For filling
4 eggs
200g caster sugar
100g dark chocolate
50g plain flour
450ml double cream
8 passion fruits, pulp and juice

Preheat oven to 180C.

To make the pastry, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.

Add the egg and vanilla essence and beat well.

Add the sifted flour and salt. Stir until the mixture forms a sticky dough.

Grease and line a 18x28cm baking tin.

Flour hands and press pastry evenly into base of the lined tin and bake pastry case for 15 minutes.

While the pastry case bakes, prepare the filling by whisking the eggs and the sugar together until pale.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave.

Add the melted chocolate, flour, cream and passion fruit pulp and stir to combine.

Pour filling over the pastry case in the tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin. When cool, slice into squares.

Rhubarb

2006-03-21T21:20:00.000Z

Research on a seasonal food led me to learn a few interesting facts about rhubarb. You never know, this may come in handy at a pub quiz.

Native to China and Tibet and originated over 2000 years ago, rhubarb only began to be eaten for pleasure in the West in the 18th century. In the UK, the outdoor grown variety is available from April to September. What is in shops now is forced rhubarb; which becomes available late in winter and is grown in West Yorkshire in an area dubbed the Rhubarb Triangle.

Forced rhubarb refers to the method used to grow rhubarb out of season. Long low level sheds house the plants in a warm and dark environment. This forces the rhubarb to concentrate on growing sweeter stalks rather than leaves that absorb sunlight. Stalks are picked at night by hand and by candlelight- too much light will halt further growth of a plant. Supposedly- if you’re silent whilst in a shed, you can hear the rhubarb growing.

Rhubarb is a divisive flavour that has enjoyed resurgence again after a post- WWII period of decline when new and exotic offerings arrived. Commonly referred to as a fruit, rhubarb is actually a vegetable rich in vitamin C and fibre. Because of it crisp and tangy taste, rhubarb pairs as well with savoury dishes as it does the sweet dishes we are accustomed to eating. When stewed it makes a tasty compote that pairs well with yogurt for a quick breakfast treat.

Rhubarb and Yogurt Breakfast Cup

Ingredients:
For the rhubarb:
225g / 8oz rhubarb, cut into chunks
45g / 3tbsp sugar
1 piece of stem ginger

To assemble the Breakfast Cup:
Plain yogurt
Muesli

Put the rhubarb, sugar, stem ginger and a spoonful of water in a small saucepan over low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Give the saucepan a shake every now and then so that all the rhubarb cooks.

To assemble the breakfast cups, alternate layers of rhubarb, yogurt and muesli.

Once the rhubarb is cooked, you can either store it to eat over a few days or you can eat it straight away.

A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS...

2006-03-14T19:45:00.000Z

Yauatcha macaroons. Crunchy little morsels of delight. Usually macaroons come in standard (but still delicious) flavours like vanilla, chocolate, coffee and pistachio but Yauatcha takes this classic French treat and gives it an Asian twist. Flavours like vanilla sesame, matcha kalamanzi, kumquat, lychee raspberry, lemon cashew and coffee chocolate (pictured left to right) not pictured are chocolate jasmine and coconut pistachio. Yes, Yauatcha has been open a few years now however, I still can't get enough of the place.

I love going for a meal but when I can't be bothered to reserve a table or don't want a time limit set on my meal, I pick up some macaroons to dish up for dessert. The packaging adds an extra touch making it feel like you're opening a present. These will always go down a treat- they don't come cheap (0.80p each) but they are worth it.

MALOU

2006-03-10T18:35:00.000Z

I was 17 years old when I first went to France. My French pen friend, Nolwenn, had visited the year before and at the end of the summer we realised that we actually liked each other and wanted to meet up again. The following June, armed with my stupidly large suitcase (I've always had the tendency to overpack) and my three years of high school French (which meant that I could just about say "Bonjour"), I boarded my flight filled with both excitement and nervousness.

One flight, one metro ride and one train ride later I found my way to Lorient in Brittany. It was there that I met Malou, Nolwenn's mother. Her parents spoke little English and my French at the time was non existant but somehow we managed to understand each other. Nolwenn was an only child so for that summer I was her younger sister and Malou became my summertime mother.

Malou was possibly the best home cook I have ever met. She introduced my palate to French cuisine and taught me about French cooking. Breakfast for her always consisted on a bowl of strong black coffee, half a sugar, toasted baguette with lashings of salted Breton butter and a cigarette. Afterwards, she would start work on our next meal. Roast chicken, merguez, ratatouille, soupe a l'oignon, mousse au chocolat- everything she touched tasted amazing. Each day there was a new taste sensation. At the end of that summer, I returned to the States a Francophile with a few Frenchy habits as souvenirs.

Their house became my summer haven and when Nolwenn had a summer job, I would spend more time in the kitchen and at the market with Malou. As my French improved, our conversations got more in depth and covered everything from life to far breton. When I lived in Paris, I relished my weekends away in the countryside and often brought friends who were also in need of mothering and a hot meal. Over time she became one of my food heros and from her I learned to take pleasure not just in eating my food but preparing it. Her cooking tips have stayed with me and cover everything from never using the same knife for the cheese and the butter to the secret ingredient to her French Onion Soup- adding a packet of onion soup mix to the soup.

Last week, Malou passed away after a long battle with cancer. I wasn't able to say goodbye or to thank her for her kindness over the last 14 years but I know that each time I sit at the table and trim green beans or dip a toasted baguette coated in Breton butter into my coffee, there is a bit of her food legacy that lives on.

DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS

2006-02-28T21:33:00.000Z

My pal, Aussie Nat (she of immense hunger on Thanksgiving) used to always say she was hungry for a dirty Chinese or a dirty Curry- dirty this or dirty that. One day I finally had to ask her what the hell a dirty meal was. Was she eating at a resto with appalling sanitary conditions? Did she eat her food out of a trough in these establishments? I really liked the reply. A dirty (fill in the blank with any cuisine you fancy) was her slang for a super cheap meal. The restaurant would have to be somewhere not glitzy, the kind of place where the service is non-existent, the kind of place you know you'll get a decent meal but you'd only end up there when either broke or drunk. I knew of a lot of those places so the lingo stuck with me.

On the Tube home last night, The Boy, Claire (she of Soul Lemon fame) and myself somehow got into a deep discussion on our dirty little food secrets. Those things that you snack on late at night when you come home after a few too many cocktails, absolutely famished wondering what there is in the house to eat. Or something you've tried making for dinner but you realise too late and have boiled the pasta that the only other thing in the cupboard was a jar of peanut butter. Or one of those odd food combinations that you will never admit to liking. These are foods that you don't eat often but you may keep in the back of the cupboard for that occasion when nothing else will fill that hole.

Now as much as I profess to prefer fresh and healthy meals, I also love my fair share of junk. I mean, come on, I grew up in the States. Land of the free, home of the Flamin' Hot Cheetos! Which I love by the way. I always bring a bag back with me and I keep it for a rainy day and ration it so it seems never ending.

The list of my dirty food secrets is huge. But after much consideration these three things are ones that I don't eat often- I'd be the size of a house if I did. First is a banana with peanut butter but the p.b. has to have a little saltiness to it. The other, which I became incredibly addicted to while a very, very poor student in Paris, a saltine cracker dipped in Nutella. Another salty-sweet combination. My final, and possibly most horrific, admission is packaged ramen. It's another throwback to my Uni days when I was either too broke to afford anything more or I was so hung-over that it could only be cured by the stodge of the noodles and the copious amount of salt. Fortunately I make more money now so I went years without eating it but after a few major hangovers, I have rediscovered it. I somehow manage to justify it because I now buy a 'classier' and pricier version that has Chinese or Japanese writing on it so it must be much better for me.

Ahh. I feel purged of my food demons. I feel clean and pure but that may have more to do with the much healthier Broccoli Soup I had for dinner. So dear friends, I offer you a dirty food secret amnesty. Expel those nasty food demons that you don't admit you really like. Get it off your chest and share it. I promise I won't laugh; nothing can beat pasta with peanut butter.

PS- The p.b. pasta was The Boy not me. I mean I have standards.

WARM SALSA AND A PARTY FOR TWO

2006-02-26T00:50:00.000Z

There is something about a bowl of fresh salsa that manages to awaken the taste buds and make you think that guests are on their way. Salsa seems to fall into this category of perennial party foods that you pull out (and often from a jar) when people are coming over. Even though I make my own, it only ever occurs to me to whip some up if the girls are coming over. However, there has been a salsa fest happening in the house for the last two weeks and this party train ain't leaving anytime soon either.

It all started when the Boy requested some to eat with his tortilla chips. For those that don't know my darling husband need to be made aware of the fact that this man hates most veg on the planet. And since I usually tell him that potatoes are starchy and don't count, I'll re-phrase that as he hates vegetables. I'm not kidding. I guess it's the result of eating over-boiled vegetables as a kid and being told that he wasn't leaving the table until he ate it. He used to pass a lot of time at that table. I'll put it another way and in the words of my mother-in-law regarding her son's eating habits, "You've managed to succeed where I failed ." For that, I pat myself on the back but it hasn't been pretty. I tend to look at it as a long term investment in that I don't look forward to the day when I am transformed into a one woman army trying to convince the kids that aubergines and broccoli is good for them while The Boy teases them with his veg free meals.

Back to the present and The Boy. Over Christmas while in the States we stopped by my Tio Meno's Mexican restaurant in San Diego and after years of eating there (and aided by a few beers too), he decided to stick a chip into the salsa bowl. It seemed to happen in slow motion but my jaw hit the floor instantly. Two weeks ago out of the blue, he asked how easy it was to make salsa. Needless to say, I raced to make some up. Since then, I've made a batch twice a week. It's quick, it's easy and it's something that you can do some freestyle cooking with. Play around with different chilis, different tomatoes (I used some yellow cherry ones for colour for my last batch) and different textures.

Warm Salsa

Makes 1 bowl

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes, left whole
1 onion, cut into quarters
1-2 whole fresh chilis, depending on size
1 bunch of fresh coriander / cilantro

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 3 of the tomatoes, 3/4 of the onion and the chili(s). Allow them to char in the pan for 5-10 minutes moving them occasionally so that all sides cook a little.

While that cooks, rough chop the remaining tomato, onion and two handfuls of coriander/cilantro and put in a bowl.

Once the ingredients in the pan are done and have cooled slightly, trim the stem of the chili off and place in a blender or hand held processor with the charred tomatoes and onion. Blitz until smooth and pour into the bowl with the chopped ingredients.

Stir the chopped and liquidised ingredients together. Add salt if needed.

APPLE AND MARZIPAN TART

2006-02-19T22:06:00.000Z

The storms that hit the US East Coast have finally worked their way to the UK and crikey is it cold! While it's not like I ever need a reason to hole up in the house and cook, it at least means I can somewhat convince myself that baking pies and tarts is justified. Since it's the middle of winter the selection of reasonably price fruits that are local is rather slim.

Thankfully Bramley apples are available which gave me a few ideas to play around with.

What I settled for in the end was a quick and easy tart that as good fresh out of the oven as it was the cold the next morning. To jazz it up a bit, I added the marzipan that's been in cupboard for ages and that I'd wanted to cook with (I point you in the direction of Memory Lane for more info). Marzipan hasn't been one of my favourite tastes but recently I have been lucky to eat some lovely tasting, non-grainy marzipan. I have therefore come to the conclusion that the cheaper marzipans aren't as nice. The Boy would disagree since he loves marzipan in any shape or form even if that shape is a piggy or some odd animal shape that you find at the bakeries here.

Apple and Marzipan Tart

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Bramley (or other baking) apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
20-25 g. marzipan, grated
Ready made puff pastry, rolled out to measure 18cm x 24cm (approx.)
1 tsp. brown sugar

Optional: lemon juice to squeeze over the apples to prevent them turning brown.

Heat the oven to 210C.

Roll out the pastry onto a baking tray and score a line, while making sure not to cut through the pastry, which is approximately 1-1.5 cm from the edge of the pastry- it should look like a border around the pastry. This will allow the edges to puff around the filling.

Sprinkle the marzipan evenly over the inner square of the pastry.

Layer the apples in tight rows on top of the marzipan. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the apples.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

HANGING IN LONDON'S CHINATOWN

2006-02-19T19:27:00.000Z

Living in a city that’s become home to immigrants from every corner of the planet, you’re bound to pass an ethnic market or two along the way. In theory, having these shops at your doorstep should open a world of food possibilities; the reality is that you don’t always know where to start and what to get. After years of shopping at ethnic grocers, I have decided on two rules. Rule one: be prepared for a bit of trial and error with any purchases. Rule two: go shopping with a healthy sense of adventure. You’ll need it for some of the sights and smells you may encounter.

Chinese food has been a part of our food culture for long enough that it would seem easy to know what to get in Chinese markets. Confronted with rows of noodles, aisles of spices and cartons of chicken feet, it’s doesn’t take much to feel overwhelmed by the array of possibilities. This is my simplified guide to London’s Chinatown- when to shop, what to buy and where to snack.

First off, know when to shop. Having a weekend lie-in means that I usually get to Chinatown in the afternoon when everyone decides to go too. However, on my last visit, I managed to get there by midmorning. What a difference a few hours makes! At 10:30am some of the shops weren’t yet open but it meant there was time for a cuppa at Far East Chinese Bakery. It was the Boy’s first time there so I ordered two Chinese teas, a Chinese doughnut for me and a Pork and Glutinous Rice Crispy Dough for him. My doughnut dough was like a fried cream puff- a high calorie, sugar coated delight. The Boy’s crispy dough tasted like a savoury doughnut with bits of roast pork and green onion. We found it tough to fight the urge to order more when fresh batches of everything were brought out. Another thing I love about this place are the menu posters behind that counter that offer such delicacies as meet and veg dumpling and deep-fried curry beerf bun. Total damage on the wallet- £4.80.

Half an hour or so there will pass enough time until the two main shops open. I recommend starting at New Loon Moon Supermarket (9 Gerrard Street), which offers foodstuffs from all over Asia. Outside the shop is their selection of fresh fruit and veg- mooli, pak choi, persimmon and pear are among the choices. Spices, nuts and noodles are deals at this place. Rice Vermicelli (used for making fresh spring rolls) is a steal at 55p a packet. There is a refrigerated section where you can stock up on char sui buns (those fluffy white buns filled with Chinese barbequed pork), fresh noodles and chicken feet with black bean sauce (if you feel so inclined). You can also pick up Indian curry powders, Korean kimchee and Filipino Nata de Coco too.

Across the way is Loon Fung (42-44 Gerrard Street)- the daddy of the Chinatown markets. Although it mainly sells Chinese items, you will be able to find other Asian goods. Chinese tea drinkers will rejoice at the tea selection; the aisle of loose and bag teas seems endless. Add that to the retro styling of some of the packaging and it makes a great addition to a gift for a foodie. There are also a great selection of alternative flours like rice and potato for those who have allergies to wheat. Dried goods are a feature here with bargains on dried beans and dried mushrooms. Loon Fung has a great selection of frozen goods and has the added benefit of having an in-store meat counter.

If another snack is needed to see you on your way, check out Golden Gate Cake Shop for a pork puff or almond cookie to nibble on or try Oriental Delight located right next door if a packet of crisps is more to your liking. However, if a light meal is more what you’re after stop by Laureate (64 Shaftesbury Avenue) for dim sum. Beat the crowds by arriving when they open. Top picks include Char Sui buns (Chinese BBQ is a recurring theme in my house), beef cheung fun and steamed beef with bamboo shoot dumplings.

Chinatown may feel touristy at times but it shouldn’t be forgotten that at its heart, the focus is still the Chinese community. The markets are vibrant and offer a plethora of new ingredients to experiment with. Whether you choose to stock up on Chinese greens or you decide to play it safe and simply buy a bag of lychees, don’t be afraid to check out Chinatown, you’re sense of adventure (and your wallet) will be rewarded.

If you still feel like you need a starter shopping list, try picking up some of the following to get started:

-Pak choi (or any Chinese green)- steam it and add a dash of soya sauce
-Rice vermicelli - use to make fresh spring rolls
-Char sui buns - yum- little buns of happiness!
-Jasmine tea - just like at the Chinese
-Fresh chilis - can be used in many cuisines
-Lemongrass - give the stalks a bash and add to a bowl of broth
-Galangal - used in Thai curries
-Thai Basil - use this spicy herb in a stir fry
-Soya Sauce - can't beat the bargain prices for basic ingredients like this
-Sesame Oil - another steal to be had in Chinatown
-Pocky Biscuits - these Japanese biscuits sticks are a tasty lunch treat
-Bamboo Steamers - Chinatown has more sizes and better prices!

SWEET TREATS

2006-02-13T07:55:00.000Z

Trying to get into the mood for Valentine’s Day, I decided to give the Coconut Chocolate Bites recipe from this month’s Gourmet a go. It looked good, looked easy and I conveniently had all the ingredients in the cupboard.

I’ll start with the pluses, as there are many. This was a cinch to do; it really did take about 30 minutes to do (and that includes chilling time). The taste was fantastic and loads better than a Mounds or a Bounty bar. Using a dark chocolate- I used a 78% as I really enjoy bitter chocolate- was the perfect foil for what could easily be a sickly sweet treat. The quantity it yields makes it an easy item for a potluck- a little square goes a long way.

Now for the Could be better ifs- I hesitate to use the word minus because I think that overall it is a great recipe. The coconut quantities in the recipe didn’t quite fill my 9-inch square pan but I figured it would be ok since you sandwich it. As I re-read the recipe I realised that in fact I needed an 8-inch pan so that explains a lot. It calls for an offset spatula to press the mixture in the pan but I found it much easier to use my hands and use the spatula at the end to pack the coconut. These were really very minor niggles since it didn’t affect the taste, it just meant that I needed to trim the halves a bit. My biggest bitch about this is that the sandwiched halves kept coming apart even after some gentle squashing to keep it together.

What would I change? The Boy wanted more coconut and well, what the hell do you do with two bags of coconut and half a can of condensed milk left over? So I made batch number two in which I doubled the coconut and condensed milk quantities and found that it did fill the pan better but it would be thicker (especially when sandwiched). When it came time to do the chocolate I decided not to sandwich it and instead to leave it as one layer with chocolate on both sides. If you decide to do it this way, follow the recipe through to step three (where one side get covered with chocolate). Let it chill for 10 minutes, melt the another 4 oz of chocolate, flip the coconut over and pour it on the other side. Let chill another 10 minutes, cut into 1-inch squares and you’re done.

Would I make this again? Absolutely. Everyone at work loved it and it was a nice change for the people allergic to gluten who usually get denied the tasty baked goods that are brought in. I probably won’t be making it too soon as I have quite possibly eaten my weight in coconut bites and have a sudden aversion to coconut!

A KINDA MOROCCAN CHICKEN STEW

2006-02-10T23:09:00.000Z

I'd forgotten how much time this working thing takes up out of your day. Fortunately I still manage to cook half decent meals most nights but it is taking me longer to get it up on the blog. So I apologise now for a short and sweet blurb. It's tough to balance experimenting with dishes and getting dinner on the table too. I'm not complaining though- it's what I signed myself up for in starting this thing. Fortunately I had an early night this week and managed to make a quasi-Moroccan tagine supper. I stewed it for an hour but you could probably do it for less time- as long as the meat is cooked. Serve it with couscous with a handful of pine nuts and raisins thrown in. The leftovers warm up well for lunch the next day.

A quick note on a couple of the ingredients: harissa and pickled lemons. From Tunisia, harissa is a chili paste that traditionally accompanies couscous but can be used to add a kick to anything. It can be found in Middle Eastern markets and increasingly in supermarkets (at least in the UK; I hope the same can be said for the US because it is a great ingredient. If not, try substituting another type of chili paste for an experiment of your own.) The other ingredient is pickled lemons. These lemons have been preserved with a salt/lemon juice mixture. They are used a lot in Moroccan cooking and have a tangy smooth taste. Again I hope that it isn't too difficult to find; there are DIY recipes out there. I recommend Casa Moro cookbook not only for a preserved lemon recipe but also for additional uses for them (and they aren't just for stews). Sorry that the link takes you to Amazon but it was the best link about the book.

Moroccan Style Stew

Serves 4
Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs
1 tsp of each of the following spices: hot paprika, sweet paprika, ground coriander, cumin seeds
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
2 pickled lemons
14 oz tin of tomatoes (I hope I have the right US measurement- you'll need a standard size tin)
1 tsp harissa
2 tbsp olive oil

optional: two handfuls of chopped button mushrooms

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the dry spices and fry for 30 seconds or so (you want the spices to warm through and flavour the oil). Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon and onion. Add the tomatoes, 1/2 a tin of water and the harissa. Stir and bring to a boil.

Turn it down to a simmer, cover and cook for 50 minutes. After this time, remove lid and bring back to a boil for 10 minutes to reduce the sauce.

Serve with couscous.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

2006-02-05T21:04:00.000Z

It was a lazy Sunday where I actually managed to get out of bed before noon. Since I missed all the Saturday Farmer's Markets, I thought I would ask my chauffeur, The Boy, to drive me over to Marylebone for one on Sunday. I really wanted farm fresh, seasonal fruit and veg- a little something to inspire me in the kitchen. I always get a bit frustrated with myself whenever I go to these markets because I can never make up my mind who I should buy produce from. I feel a bit overwhelmed sometimes, especially when there's huge crowds to contend with too (one reason why I try to avoid Borough Market on a Saturday- it's smaller but you can actually move). In the end one of the bits I picked up some leeks. The Boy reminded me that I had some potatoes so why not whip up some soup.

Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

5 medium size potatoes, cut into quarters
2 leeks, washed, trimmed and cut into chunks
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked off
1 bay leaf
5 peppercorns, preferably white
500 ml stock (or bouillon made up to same amount)

In a stockpot, pour enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pot and heat over medium heat. Add a small knob of butter; once it melts and begins to foam, add the vegetables and herbs. Sauté until the leeks cook down- about 5 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft- about 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Puree with a hand blender. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more stock until it is the consistency you prefer.

Add salt and pepper if needed.

DESERT ISLAND DISHES

2006-01-24T16:16:00.000Z

Covering reception can be lonely but it gives me plenty of time to ponder various random thoughts. Here's a little discussion to start amongst yourselves: If stuck on a desert island, what eight ingredients and two dishes would you take with you?

At first I thought it would be an breeze to pick my favourite things but once you start making a list and getting to the last few spots, ten different things will pop into your head putting you back at square one. So here's my list of must have ingredients:

1. Garlic - As most of you know this will jazz up anything and since I assume that on this island I will be alone, I won't have to worry about kissing boys with my garlic breath.

2. Cilantro / coriander - One of my favourite fresh herbs- if not my favourite. I love the flavour, the colour, the taste. It works fresh and cooked and can be paired with so many other ingredients.

3. Lemons - To use it savoury and sweet dishes.

4. Pig - Yes, a pig. One whole pig. I don't like fish (which I would have to get over real quick) but I like pork. Most of the parts of a pig can be eaten that it would be invaluable to get it onto my island. I love bacon so much that I would strap that thing to my back if I had to.

5. Onion - Once more, a basic ingredient that is the starter for so many dishes.

6. Corn - Imagine never having corn tortillas again. It's hell on Earth as it is with the lack of them in the U.K. let alone stuck on an island. Since I would have so much time on my hands I could make them myself. Or I could have fresh corn- yum.

7. Tomatoes - I just could not live without them. I splurge on them in the winter now (even though they aren't as could as they should be) so I feel like it is warmer outside. Salads, soups, salsas, sauces- I could easily come up with tons of uses for this.

8. Chilis - Come on- how many Mexicans do you know that live without chilis?

And my two dishes? It is so difficult to narrow down to two items that you couldn't live without. There are so many things I love depending on my mood. I would hate a lifetime without dim sum from Royal China and Yautcha, what about no In n Out burger or no salad. My conclusion is that it would be real shitty to leave without so many food delights but I am happy with what I narrowed it down to. Because it is cold out they are quite heavy meals maybe if it was Summer I would think differently.

1. Steak and chips with an iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing - The steak would have to be either filet mignon or part of a chateaubriand. I don't need to eat 150 ounces of mediocre quality meat- that is just wrong. I prefer to have a small portion of an amazing steak. The chips have to be thin cut. And since I'm going old school a wedge of iceberg with a blue cheese dressing on the side.

2. Chile Relleno with a side of refried beans - It must be from my Tio Meno's restaurant too and it must have the secret family sauce on top.

Now it's your turn. What couldn't you live without? Post it as a comment and I will compile a list of the top ten ingredients!

CHELSEA COTTAGE PIE - UPDATED

2006-01-22T21:23:00.000Z

**STOP THE PRESS** THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED**

Since I posted earlier this week, it has caused quite a stir in the office and scenes of the next English civil war. Anna the Pedant (or if you prefer Anna I can immortalise you here as Anna Banana?) has brought it to my attention (and to the attention of a few Brits that thought otherwise) that a Shepherds' Pie is made with lamb and a Cottage Pie is made with beef. To further illustrate her point she sent all of us this link- http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/londonfood3.htm

And although I neglected to mention it to her, I did wonder about the difference because I thought the names were interchangeable and The Boy reprimanded me about it (but of course couldn't back it up). So I have gone through and amended this and erased all mention of the S word. But no worries about it- I'd rather have a Chelsea Cottage than a Chelsea Shepherd anyways.

The end of January can be a stressful time for many people but it is even more stressful for anyone who is self-employed and has to send in their tax forms by the 31st. One such person is my dear friend Claire the Hairdresser. She was over for dinner a week ago and was saying that she rang the tax people with some questions was told the answers and forms could be found online. Claire’s reaction? “On line, on line. What the fuck is online? On what line- the washing line? Look I don’t even know how to turn a computer on- let alone doing the damn form online.” I think she hung up after that. It took a few glasses of wine to calm her back down again. Thankfully, my knight in shining tax savvy armour leapt to her defence and offered to help her out.

Fast-forward to Saturday night and Claire came back around. Since the last three times she has been over I have made pasta, I definitely had to not make pasta again (more for my sake than anyone else’s). The Boy’s sole request for dinner- something with mashed potatoes. With some gravy too. Not being in the mood to whip up a roast- woo hoo what a rockin’ Saturday night- but needing to make some sort of comfort meal, I settled on Cottage Pie. This would make Claire very, very happy as it’s her favourite meal (It would have made her happy if it had been SHepherds' Pie but she eat this one anyways). I’ll put it to you this way- when she was taken to The Ivy for lunch she ordered the Shepherds' Pie. Nope, no fancy or luxurious ingredients for her, straight to the Shepherds' Pie (which she reported was delicious). (Obviously this bit now has nothing to do with my tale since I have actually made Cottage Pie but now you know a little something about Claire's eating habits.)

I have neither made nor eaten Shepherds' Pie before (and technically I still haven't). Since I was already at the store when I decided that this was to be dinner, I had to guess at what actually went into it. It finally dawned on The Boy that the reason I was asking questions about this dish is because you don't really get Cottage Pie in the States. I gently reminded that we don't really have shepherds, we have cowboys so it would likely be called Cowboy Pie and would most likely be meatloaf (I kind of have a problem with this idea of meat in loaf form but I'll save that rant for another day).

It was not difficult to do and cooked up quickly. There were lots of leftovers; Claire took some to her boyfriend who was jealous we were eating it (he was hungover and wound up eating it for breakfast) and we get it for lunch tomorrow. Why the name Chelsea Cottage Pie? When I asked the gang of two how did it compare with Cottage Pie / Shepherds' Pies of the past, Claire commented that usually it is a bland dish but my version had lots of herbs and flavour. As she put it, “It’s definitely a posh version. Like a Chelsea Cottage Pie.” However, the best compliment of the night was another classic Claire-ism. As the tiny thing stated how she couldn’t fit into her skinny fit Seven jeans, she reached over and scooped a second helping onto her plate.

Chelsea Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

500g ground beef
2 carrots, diced
1 parsnips, diced
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 red pepper, diced
4-5 potatoes (depending on size)
2 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon plain flour
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
2 twigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
1 tablespoon of Worcester Sauce (Worcestershire Sauce in the US)
1 handful grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 handful grated cheddar

Boil the potatoes in a pot until cooked through.

While the potatoes are cooking, brown the beef in a casserole pot or similar with a dash of oil. Once cooked, drain the excess fat and put the ground beef to one side (in a bowl or on a plate). In the same pot, add a glug of oil and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the carrots, parsnip and garlic and cook until softened. Add the peppers, rosemary, thyme and beef. Stir in the tins of tomatoes, crushing the tomatoes slightly. Add the Worcester sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir in (make sure the flour doesn’t turn clumpy). Simmer over low-medium heat for 20 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half.

While that simmers, make the mash according to personal preference. I mashed mine with a knob of butter, a ¼ cup of milk and left the skins on.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Once the mix has simmered down, pour it into an ovenproof casserole dish. My mash to meat ratio was 50-50 but I suppose it should be 25-75. That probably explains why I have so much leftover. Put the mash evenly on top (you can use a fork to spread the mash and decorate it if you’d like).

Sprinkle the cheese on top and put in the oven for 15 minutes. If the top has not gone golden brown, put under the grill for a few minutes.

Serve with a side of green salad (or baked beans as Claire prefers).

I had to throw this picture in because it looks like a hippo about to chomp down on something- but that might be just me.

AJAY'S CURRY CLUB

2006-01-17T17:24:00.000Z

Finally, the night I had been looking forward to all week had arrived. After a week of sweet dreams of turmeric, coriander and cumin, it was time for Ajay’s Curry Club. Although people compliment my cooking, there are certain styles and cuisines that are totally foreign to me. Sure I can open up a cookbook and make a curry recipe- the same can be done for any recipe in any cuisine. But there is something that bolsters your confidence when taught by someone familiar with that culture and that cuisine. Sunday night was my night. I don’t know why Ajay was nervous- he was a fine teacher and a fine cook (I pity your future wife- she’ll have to be a damn good cook or be able to compensate for it in other ways!!).

Ajay had pre-chopped everything so we were able to get straight to the main event. Armed with pen, paper and camera, I tried to get as much information on Indian cooking as possible. In addition to a fabulous meal, I picked up some useful general tips of which my favourite is to pre-grate ginger and freeze it. Instead of going into a grating frenzy when cooking, you grate up as much ginger as you want, spread it out (the easiest way is probably in a baking sheet) into the thickness of a stock cube, cut into cubes and freeze. When needed, grab a few cubes from the freezer and chuck straight in. The smell and texture of it wasn’t affected like I thought it would be- I was really surprised. The other ‘revelation’ is rather than finely chop all of the fresh ingredients, use the small container of a hand held blender to finely chop everything from the onions to the chiles and save yourself some time. Nothing new but any other time I have made a curry, I painstakingly chop every little bit.

As with any stew-like dish, long and slow cooking is key. If you put the time into it, your efforts are well rewarded. This dish than can easily be doubled or tripled if you have lots of people coming round; in this case, the proportions below will feed 12-16 people. I have written this as we prepared it and in the quantity we prepared. If making this at home and not for a small army I would use a third of the ingredients.

I warn you ahead of time that there was no real exact precision to this recipe. Ajay says that it is a recipe of trial and error- even for him. Measurements are guesstimates- there is a base that you start with but you build the flavours up as it simmers away using smell and taste as your guide but remember that no one flavour should overpower the rest. You should be able to smell elements of all the spices used- they should work together not against one another. Make it a day early if need be- the flavours get better the next day. It is fragrant, it is fresh, it is warming and it is better than anything you could ever get out of a jar. Most of all though, it isn’t as difficult as you would expect.

We also had a side dish of Raita (a cucumber and yogurt condiment) that you can eat between mouthfuls of curry to break up some of the heat and cool the mouth down. The only recipe I don’t have is for the side of Dal (lentils) we ate. That was an amazing dish too. It was leftover from Ajay's brother's wedding a couple of months ago and the extras had been frozen. There are as many Dal recipes as there are kinds of lentils. I really hope that I can find a recipe for it to pass it on to everyone (hint, hint). I guarantee it will convert anyone who thinks they don’t like lentils.

One last thing. Although rice is what you would normally expect to have with this, try it with white bread instead. The Boy and I had the same reaction. Serve it up with a slice or two of plain old sliced white on the side to dip and scoop up sauce with. It works, it really does. When you think about it, it is no different to having naan with a balti or tortillas with carne asada; it is just something to soak up the juices. It just shows what a global staple white bread really is and how it ain’t just for sandwiches.

Ajay’s Chicken Curry

As with any recipe, it is always a good idea to have a read through and ingredients prepped before you start. This is one of those times where it really matters to have everything sliced and diced ahead of time.

Ingredients:

Spices for the sauce-
(Remember that all measurements are approximate)

Oil or butter
Cumin Seeds – 2 tsp.
Black Peppercorns – 20
Cinnamon Stick – 1 (broken into pieces)
Whole Cloves – 10
Green Cardamom Pods – 15 (crush slightly)
Fresh Ginger – 4 frozen cubes (if grating fresh, use 4 heaping teaspoons)
Garlic – 4 heaping teaspoons (finely chopped)
Small Green Chile – 2 tsp (de-seed first if you don’t want a spicy dish)
White Onions – 2 whole ones, finely chopped
3 tins of plum tomatoes – pureed
3 Beefsteak tomatoes – chopped (or use 6 normal size)
Turmeric - 2 tsp
Ground Coriander (Cilantro) – 1/2 tsp
Ground Cumin – 1/2 tsp
Ground Cloves – 1 tsp
Ground Cinnamon – 1 tsp
Lemon – 1 (juiced)
Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) – 1 roughly chopped handful plus an extra handful for garnish
Salt – to taste

For the meat-

3 Whole Chickens, cut into pieces
Oil
Cumin Seeds – 4 pinches
Fresh Ginger – 1 tsp grated (or 1 cube frozen)
Garlic – 1 tsp (finely chopped)

To make the sauce-
Over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large, deep stockpot. To test the heat, drop a couple of cumin seeds in the oil and turn the heat down low when the seeds begin to sizzle.

Add the rest of the cumin seeds as well as the peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods and fry for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally and make sure that the spices do not burn. Add more oil if necessary.

Add the onion and stir to coat in the spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger and chile.

Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally. The onions will be ready when they have cooked down and have a translucent green tint to them (caused by the green chile).

Stir in the pureed plum tomatoes and the beefsteak tomatoes.

Add 1 tsp of the turmeric (more can be added later) as well as the ground clove, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, ground coriander and 1 ½ tsp of salt. Stir. If needed, you can add more garlic, ginger and/or green chile. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

For the chicken-
In a pot deep enough to fit the chicken pieces, heat enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and chicken. Cook for 20 minutes- the goal is to get rid of the excess water in the chicken and to speed up the overall process by partially cooking the meat. The chicken will go from one pot to another to finish cooking as the curry simmers.

Back to the curry-
Add half the lemon juice. After the 20 minutes of cooking the chicken, add the entire contents of pot (chicken, spices and juices) into the curry pot and stir. Add the cilantro. Cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Remove the lid and turn heat to medium-high for 10 minutes to thicken up the sauce.

Add the remaining lemon juice and garnish with fresh cilantro. Add fresh green chile to increase the spiciness. Serve with rice (try adding a pinch of cumin and ½ tsp of turmeric during cooking) or white bread and some raita (recipe below) on the side.

Raita

500g plain yogurt
Pinch of Colman’s Mustard Powder
Pinch of red chile powder
1 small cucumber, diced
2 carrots, diced
Small handful of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
½ tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep chilled until ready to serve.

WHY READING INSTRUCTIONS MATTERS

2006-01-12T12:42:00.000Z

Welcome to my first recipe review. The point of this new section is to attempt and to taste recipes from the latest food monthlies. Are they as easy as the editors say? Does it really only take 20 minutes? Will it really come out looking like the shiny, super edited photo? Or will it only succeed in making me feel useless because I can't drizzle oil on the plate as carefully as them?

Every month I receive or buy a new batch of mags, flip through them, think to myself 'That sounds good', put the mag on my bookcase and then never, ever make it. Usually the magazines sit for a few years until I 'notice' them while dusting and accidentally forget to dust because I am so easily distracted.

This happened recently and low and behold, a whole new stash of recipes was at my disposal. My new habit is to mark the recipes I like with a Post-it and then leave a 20 high stack of magazines on the floor. Yeah, if I was the Boy I would get pretty pissed off too. For my next magic trick I will try photocopying a few recipes at a time and keep them in the kitchen. There isn't a need to keep a whole issue of Martha Stewart out for one recipe. I really don't want her staring up at me from the floor each time I use her glossy face as a beer mat.

Anyways, I have a subscription to Gourmet but you need to have patience because I get mine a couple of weeks late since it has to be sent via snail mail. Hopefully my mother will feel generous enough to get me a subscription to another magazine...
When available I also buy some of the others like Bon Appetit, Martha, Food and Wine, Cooks Illustrated and the list goes on. In the UK, I get Olive, BBC Good Food, Delicious, Waitrose Food Illustrated and once a month I get the delightful Observer Food Monthly (edited by my food writing hero and author of some of my favourite cookbooks, Nigel Slater). I know that you can occasionally get the British mags in the US (for a small investment); sometimes it's worth it to what's cooking in other parts of the world.

Back to the review. (I must preface this with an admission that this will not be my finest review since I am working from memory and am more intent on getting this out while this issue is still in stores.) One freezing winter's day a week and a half ago, I busted open this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living- which I recommend this issue for anyone into baking or who has a cake fetish. There are some fine cakes in there this month along with the usual artsy-craftsy shit. Feeling cold and in the mood for an artery clogging treat (and noticing that I had cardamom in the cupboard- as you do), I attempted to make Cardamom Streusel Coffee Cake.

This was good. Very good. However, and here's where today's title comes from, when the recipe says that it is made in a bundt tin- use one. There is a lot of batter and where the recipe says it bakes for an hour or so, my version (put into a regular ol' square baking dish) took two hours. The middle just did not want to set. Eventually it did but because the pan wasn't deep, the result wasn't fluffy. It was stodgy. It kinda compacted and solidified but it was still moist. It reminded of a heavy bread pudding or something. A small piece is plenty. The crumb topping was delicious and well worth the time of pulverising the spices; using cardamom adds a nice twist to this classic cake.

VERDICT: Would I make this again? Yes, definitely but I will be sure to use the correct baking dish. I would not however, make this unless a crowd of people were coming round. There were a lot of leftovers that were brought to the office. The GI (Gobble It) factor of this? Mmmmm, more please.

IN THE DOGHOUSE

2006-01-07T23:57:00.000Z

I am in the shithouse. Big time. In a classic stupid sitcom moment, I forgot my wedding anniversary. For a whole week. Even then, the Boy tried to give me the benefit of the doubt by asking numerous leading questions. I kept saying that no I hadn’t forgotten anything the week before. Yes, I am a jackass. So I grovelled back into favour by whipping up a lovely three-course meal while he watched the football. So I used the chance to kill two birds with one stone (well, actually three). Tonight’s menu:

‘Chinese Stir-fry’ Broccoli Soup
Chinese Five Spice Duck Breast
Hot Chocolate Souffle

‘CHINESE STIR-FRY' BROCCOLI SOUP

I named this after the tasty broccoli stir-fry you get the Chinese. I had already prepared the duck and needed to do something with the soup that would start the meal off in the same vein as the duck. I usually to Broccoli and Stilton soup but I had no cheese and anyways it wouldn't have gone with the main dish.

Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli
2 cups water
½ a vegetable stock cube (I use a powder so I am guessing at what it would be as a cube)
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8 –10 drops sesame oil
1 tbsp. double cream
dash of soy sauce

Chop up the broccoli. Trim the florets in small pieces as well as the stalk- trim any manky spots first. Put into a medium size stockpot and add the stock cube and water. The water should just about cover the broccoli so if needed add a bit more but remember that it will make a watery soup if you add too much. Bring to a boil and cook until the broccoli is cooked through. Once cooked, stir in the black pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil and allow to cool slightly. Using a hand blender (or regular blender) to puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the double cream- you only need a teaspoon or so.

Serve up and garnish with a drizzle of double cream, a couple of drops of sesame oil and scatter with a few sesame seeds.

CHINESE FIVE SPICE DUCK BREAST

Ingredients:
2 duck breasts (about 175g each)
1 tsp. Chinese Five Spice
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ c. dried cherries
¼ c. Kirsch
¼ c. orange juice
1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick

Put the cherries, kirsch, cinnamon stick and cinnamon stick in a bowl and put it aside.

Heat the oven to 200C. Mix the Five Spice and salt together. Score the skin side of the duck breasts with 3-4 slashes depending on the length of the meat. Rub the salt mixture onto the skin. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat and place the duck, skin side down and brown three minutes on each side. Put the duck onto a plate and drain the excess fat from the pan.

Return the duck to the pan and transfer to the oven (the duck should be skin side up). Roast for 15-20 minutes depending on how well you prefer your duck. (I did it for 20 minutes and it was cooked through. It was perfect for the Boy but I prefer it a bit pink.) Place the duck on a plate, cover with foil and allow to rest. Drain the extra fat from the pan.

Heat the pan over medium heat and add the cherry/Kirsch mixture to deglaze. Add the orange juice and pomegranate molasses. Allow to reduce by half.

Slice each duck breast into thick slices and spoon half the sauce over each piece.

I served this with green beans and roasted sweet potato.

HOT CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

It was ok. My mixer didn’t whip the whites at the bottom of the bowl completely so it wasn’t as tall as it should be. I made the traditional big soufflé but I realise now that I prefer the individual ramekins much more (the Boy agreed). It was edible especially with fresh raspberries on top (so not in season but a splurge for the Boy). I therefore have decided not to give the recipe at this time until I test the recipe I used in smaller dishes. However, I show you exhibit C as proof of my valiant effort.

The meal went down well. We drank a lovely New Zealand Pinot Noir (Rippon 2003) which I would have the Boy buy again. Most importantly, I have redeemed myself. I am no longer an asshole.

2006 - YEAR OF THE BLOG

2006-01-04T12:21:00.000Z

Happy 2006 my dear readers. I hope all of you (by which I mean all three of you) enjoyed a fine food and drink fuelled holiday season. I do apologise for not keeping up over the holidays but my oh my was December a busy month. I will keep it brief but it entailed me working a fair bit (I needed the cash to feed my cooking habit), flying to one side of the States to see the family (and eat), flying to the other side to be in a wedding (and cater), flying home to do my Christmas shopping in a record 2 hrs 20 min before going to the In-laws, driving home to go back to work (and dream about the next dish to make), kick it at home for New Years (and sleep) and finally go back to work (again, I have a hungry mouth to feed).

Yes, I did cook a lot in between but only some dishes would have been deemed worthy enough to blog with. Dishes tended to be old and easy favourites like pasta, quesadillas and soups. Sure at one point I plan to add these but I was pooped by the end of the month. That said I am back on form and eager to cook. I am ready to try new ingredients, attempt new cooking methods but most of all I am ready to fatten up my friends- one person at a time!

Christmas presents rocked this year. There was definitely a foodie theme to all my gifts even by people that hadn’t a clue. Cookbooks, utensils, slicers and grinders- everyone seemed to get it. In addition, I stocked up on all sorts of food mags whilst in the States. This leads me to introduce a new section on this blog where I will road test at least one recipe from a food magazine of that month and report back on the result. No need to fret about some of the other things we got going on (like Around the World in 80 Plates), I am only mixing it up a bit to encourage some reader participation. Another new section will be a Must Try Ingredient List (witty name to come later) where I will pass on any info and details of new ingredients I have seen or tried.

So far January looks to be a stellar month. I have already tried one magazine recipe to review (to follow), there is also an easy pea soup recipe to be added and we all get a special lesson in making a proper Indian curry, compliments of my pal Ajay (so not too much pressure then Ajay!).

So I say ‘See ya’ to Crappy 2005 and I say hello, bonjour, gutentag and buenos días to 2006- BRING IT ON!

A SIMPLE SOUP FOR A COLD NIGHT

2005-12-07T09:38:00.000Z

Tis the week before holiday and all through the house, no one was home not even my spouse. My countdown has begun and even though I don't have to worry about Christmas shopping, life has been more hectic than usual. The Boy has worked late every night this week and has been horribly sick for the last two. Needless to say, all the wheezing and coughing has kept me awake the last two weeks and it is starting to take its toll.

In addition to caring for the invalid and worrying about packing to go away, I have also been working this week and going for job interviews. Oh yeah, and I've cooked too.

Winter is definitely here. The air is freezing but fortunately it hasn't been grey out. Going to the shops now reinforces that it is winter. Hearty fruit and veg are what is available from local sources- everything else is flown in from everywhere else. I try to take the moral high ground and purchase in season and locally grown but every now and then I have to give in and treat myself to some cherry tomatoes when I need a reminder of summer. I only ever get the small varieties and only if they have that vine smell. When possible I make sure they haven't been flown in from too far.

Last night was one of those nights where you get home late, you're cold and hungry but don't want to spend any time in the kitchen. This soup is easy, tastes good and can be a light starter or filling meal that is ready in 10 minutes. There are no precise and exact quantities for this recipe, you can add more or less to suit your taste so use this as a rough guide.

TORTELLINI SOUP

Ingredients:
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, cut into rounds or diced (the smaller the quicker it cooks)
1-2 tomatoes chopped (or use 8-12 cherry tomatoes)
1 package tortellini, any flavour
Pinch of dried chili flakes
Tomato paste
Chicken stock (alternatively use 1-2 bouillon cubes plus water)

Heat a stockpot (that is deep enough to make the soup in) over medium heat. Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil; add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the carrot and saute another minute. Add a pinch of chili flakes and tomatoes. Add 1/2 - 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (more paste will make richer and heavier broth- both ways are good). Add the stock or bouillon (the tortellini will be cooked in this so add the liquid accordingly) and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini (the amount will depend on how many people you are feeding) and cooking as per the instructions on package, which is usually 2-3 minutes. Serve. Fresh basil can be sprinkled on top as garnish once served.

GET 51 ON A TRIPLE WORD SCORE

2005-11-17T15:24:00.000Z

Don't say I never gave you anything. Now you have two uses for quince- you have a use for that 'Q' tile in a Scrabble game and you have a recipe for a tasty little pie. There was a slight delay in getting hold of what seemed to be the elusive quince. My patience was rewarded when they turned up looking big and tasty. The next dilemma was deciding what to do with it. There have been a few articles recently that show numerous dishes to whip up using our lovely little quince but I wasn't in the mood for anything labour intensive. Since it's been chilly all week, something warm and sweet was needed.

I got three lovely little letters for you. P-I-E. Anytime is pie time. So it was decided that my pretty little quince was going into my belly (and unfortunately straight to my hips) in pie form. A little research into cooking with quince concluded with the unanimous decision of one that this bad boy needed to be poached to soften it up. Since everything I read said how unedible quince is in its raw state, I of course had to taste it. It wasn't as nasty as I expected it to be but it was slightly tough to cut up. It was dry tasting but you could taste a floraly appley peary flavour. Definitely a nice change from the usual apple or pie tart that cooked up fairly quickly.

The Boy hasn't tasted it yet as he gorged himself on the lasagne at dinner but I had a small slice last night and have been picking at it all day. A winner.

QUINCE AND PEAR PIE

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
1 Quince cored and cut into eights
1 Pear cored and cut into sixths
225 g. Sugar
1 pt. Water
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Whole Star Anise

For the pastry-
120 g. Butter
200 g. Plain Flour
1 Egg Yolk
2 tbsp. Sugar

Make the pastry first- blend the butter and flour until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and yolk. Roll into a ball, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan that is deep enough to fit the quince. Once the sugar is melted, add the cinnamon stick, star anise and the quince. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the quince is softened but not mushy. Remove from the syrup and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200C.
Take the pastry out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Roll out onto a floured surface and make a disc slightly larger than the pie dish.

In an ovenproof pie dish (or any shape dish- mine was oval shaped), place the pieces of quince and pear in random order. Add a quarter of the syrup. Place the pastry on top and crimp the extra pastry along the dish. Slice a small hole in the middle so the steam can release.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

THIS ONE GOES OUT TO JERI

2005-11-13T22:37:00.000Z

After last week’s 'Mom’s cooking' debacle-which extending beyond the confines of this website dear readers- I used this weekend as an opportunity to kill two birds with one pot. Going back to my Master List (the project formerly known as The Great Kitchen Challenge and formaly known as Around the World in 80 Plates), I have listed biscotti as another item I have never made myself. That is bird number one. Bird number two comes in the shape of a recipe my mother sent me last week for her biscotti. That’s one thing to tick for me and my mother now feels vindicated in the eyes of the world (or rather mine, hers and the three other people that I think actually choose to read this out of their own free will).

I didn’t have the exact ingredients that she called for in her recipe and had to tweak it slightly thereby creating a new flavour. I was feeling very generous when I made this on Friday and took a batch into The Boy’s office for afternoon tea. Needless to say, there were not any leftovers.

I have to agree with Anonymous who posted a note to say that making biscotti was easy (and I agree with you too mother). From start to finish I don’t think I spent more than an hour making these tasty morsels. The recipe can easily be doubled to add to gifts at Christmas or you can do as I did and double the number of biscotti by making them into mini pieces. Where the original recipe called for dried cranberries, I had to substitute have dried cherries and chopped cashews. It created a subtle twist on the usual flavours you get in the shops; in one bite you get the tart of the cherry and in the next the nuttiness of the cashew. This is definitely a recipe that allows you to get creative and develop your own signature flavour so long as you keep the mix-in amount to 1 ½ cups (12 oz.). The next time I make this I plan to try dried mango and chopped macadamia nut for a slightly more exotic taste.

CHERRY AND CASHEW BISCOTTI

Makes about two dozen

Ingredients:
2 ½ c. plain flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
1 ½ c. Sugar
½ c. Butter- softened
2 Eggs
½ tsp. Almond Extract
1 c. Dried Cherries- roughly chopped
½ c. Cashews- roughly chopped
1 egg white

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium size bowl. Cream the butter, eggs, sugar and almond extract in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and cherry cashew mix in alternating batches until it is all evenly worked into the dough. Cut the dough mixture in half.

Using floured hands, shape each piece into a log directly on the baking sheet allowing two to three inches between the logs baking in two batches if necessary. Flatten the top of the log slightly by hand. Whisk the egg white and brush the top and sides of each log.

Bake 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Slice each log into ½ inch slices. Bake the slices for 10 minutes then turn the slices over and bake an additional 5 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

DON'T BEAT ME OVER THE HEAD WITH MY ALL-CLAD

2005-11-11T09:41:00.000Z

Ok people- by which I mean family members. Before anyone else tries to clobber me with a Kitchenaid because of my post about my mother's damn chicken episode, before anyone else tries to come to her defence whinging that she couldn't cook before she got married- wah wah, consider this. This episode did not happen when I was a wee baby and my folks were somewhat newlywed. I was old enough to know exactly what my dad was pissed off about and more importantly, old enough to agree with him. I'm not saying that his reaction was justified but come on people, if you had to eat the same thing day in, day out you would be a little fucked off too.

I was in my early teens when this incident happened. I was old enough to remember being a child, going to the library with my mother so she could copy recipes into her black and white notebook. I remember her making things then. I remember her baking a ham (not necessarily for any holiday either). The same ham that I recently reminded her of when she asked about a Thanksgiving dish from my childhood. I reminded her of exactly what she glazed it with. I remember her making gotlet chicken for us- boy did I love those little pieces of odd shaped chicken. To this day when I see them on the menu I can't order them because my mom's will always seem better. Does this sound like a woman who could only cook oatmeal? I didn't think so.

All I am saying is that I remember a time when she made an effort and I remember a time when she lost her way. It was that effort (and non-effort) as well as my dad's cooking and family celebrations that started me on this cooking journey.

TUNA STEAK SHOWDOWN

2005-11-10T09:13:00.000Z

Being unemployed definitely has its benefits. In addition to not adding to the laundry pile because you can hang out in a bathrobe all day, it means that you can waste lots of time in the kitchen. Last night’s food episode revolved around tuna. Although I am not a fish lover, I did taste it and am pretty chuffed at the end result of this (and anyways, I still have a lot of wild rice to get through). The Boy gave this dish two very happy thumbs up.

The tuna only marinates for an hour or so; the result is that you can taste the different elements of the marinade in each bite. First, you taste the saltiness of the soy sauce, followed by the sweetness of the mirin and ending with the gentle hit of ginger. There is texture in this too. A slightly crunchy sesame seed coating on firm flakes of seared tuna gives way to a softer middle. It is a simple dish that served to guests will always look and taste much more complex that in really is. Simplicity is the key to this so I served it up with plain rice and sugar snap peas (mangetout or bok choy would work too).

The chunk of tuna I bought was for two so The Boy gets leftovers tonight. My idea (this morning at least) is to make some ramen (get your mind out of the gutter, not the 80 for $1 ones but the same kind of noodles in a light broth) with the last bit of tuna on top. Clean, simple and warming. Here is last night's dinner-

TUNA - ASIAN STYLE

Serves 2

Ingredients:
250g. Tuna steak cut in two
¼ c. Soy sauce
¼ c. Mirin
1 tsp. Sesame oil
Knob of ginger, finely grated
Two shakes of Nam Pla fish sauce (optional)
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
2 tbsp. Furiyake Japanese seasoning* (optional)

Mix the sesame seeds and Furiyake seasoning (if being used) and put to one side.

Mix the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, ginger and nam pla (if being used) in a dish that is big enough to fit the tuna. Add the tuna and let marinate in the fridge for 30 – 60 minutes, turning over once halfway through.

When the marinating time is up, take the tuna out and place on a plate. Sprinkle the seed mix on all sides. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a dash of olive oil- just enough to lightly coat the pan. Once the pan is hot, add the tuna and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side (turn down the heat slightly if necessary). Two minutes will give you a medium rare fish; three minutes will be a more well done. Do not turn over the fish until the cooking time for each side is up.

WILD WILD RICE

2005-11-09T18:37:00.000Z

I have been a busy little bee this week but have still managed to knock a couple of things off the list (if you are not familiar with the current hit list, please see the post entitled Memory Lane to get up to speed). Last night I finally used up my box of Wild Rice that’s been in the cupboard pleading to be used. This posed two problems for me. Problem number one- The Boy doesn’t like Wild Rice. Problem number two- nor does he like garlic. I had just used copious amounts of said ingredient on the herb crust I made for a rack of lamb. (Before you ask- it was only ok so no recipe). Essentially I needed to create a dish to distract the boy from the fact he was about to be fed two things he hates.

I cooked up the rice according to the instructions- 250g of wild rice and 900ml of boiling water brought to a boil and simmered for 50 minutes- and bought myself some time to come up with a plan. In the end I decided on what we will call The Early Thanksgiving Guilt Trip. Every year I get royally screwed because the Boy’s Christmas Party is on that most holy of American holidays (I never cease reminding him of this so-called coincidence). This usually entails me hanging out at home waiting for him to come home thinking we will have a late night turkey dinner. The reality is that he comes home late (to his partial defence he does have to mingle with clients at this thing) usually a few sheets to the wind and sick as a dog because he has eaten an egg roll or something that wasn’t supposed to have prawns (which he is allergic to).

Back to dinner. This is where I give you my kind of recipe. To go with my kind of American theme, I diced up half an onion and sautéed it in olive oil with an added knob of butter. I then threw in two handfuls of roughly chopped pecans and let them warm through. I added two handfuls of dried cranberries followed by a couple of scoops of rice and sautéed it a few minutes more. Simple and tasty. Even The Boy ate it.

One final word on wild rice- that 250g bag of wild rice is a lot of rice. The manufacturers say that the cooked rice can be frozen; most of it is now in my minuscule freezer and I will report back on how the frozen rice fares.

Tonight is the Tuna Steak Standoff. Report to follow.

WEAPONS OF MESS + DESTRUCTION

2005-11-07T10:42:00.000Z

Armed with my new weapon of mess and destruction- a shiny, orange Kitchenaid (thank you to Mom, Dad, Beryl, Dave and Mardon)- I am going to tackle several items on The Great Kitchen Challenge (the project formally known as Around the World in 80 Plates) list this week.

First on the hit list is Poppy Seeds; I know it isn't on the list of the first ten items but it will appear in the next batch so I don't feel like I'm cheating. I love Lemon Poppy Seed loaf but always get annoyed because there is never enough lemon tang to it so I eat the frosted top and then eat the not as nice dry half in between gulps of tea to moisten it. So goal number one with this challenge is to make a loaf that is citrusy. Goal Two is make it moist from start to finsh.

Taking the citrus aspect of the bread to another level, I have experimented by combining lemons and oranges which gives this the name St. Clements after a nursery rhyme. To keep it moist I have added an extra yolk. This discovery was entirely by accident but I am convinced that it had something to do with it (well that and the nice amount of butter in the recipe too). I had planned on using 3 eggs but had two double yolks in a row. I decided that rather then risk it being too rich, I only used the white from the last egg. The dash of almond extract hits you with a subtle flavour when you are halfway through eating a slice but does not overpower the citrus notes. Next time I try this I plan to substitute the almond extract with Orange Flower water which will give it a slightly floral smell and taste (if someone tries it before me please let me know).

ST. CLEMENTS POPPY SEED CAKE
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
(For loaf)
225g. Butter
175g. Caster sugar
3 eggs plus 1 extra yolk
350g. Plain flour
3 tsp. Baking powder
Pinch of salt
¼ tsp. Almond extract
Rind and juice of 1 orange and 2 lemons
50g. Poppy Seeds

(For icing)
Juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
Icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a loaf tin. Sift the flour and baking powder together and put aside. Mix the first 8 loaf ingredients listed above until well blended and smooth. Fold in the poppy seeds. Pour mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the top so it is even. Place in the oven and bake 55 minutes; at this point check if it is cooked in the middle. If not, bake for an additional 5 minutes. Once slightly cooled, remove from tin onto cooling rack and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.

While the loaf is cooling, mix about 5 tbsp. of icing sugar with 1 tbsp. of juice (to start). The consistency should be a thick glaze that will not run completely off the loaf. Add more sugar or juice as necessary and to taste. Once the loaf is cooled, drizzle the mixture over the top of the loaf.

MEMORY LANE

2005-11-02T19:26:00.000Z

One food memory from my childhood, that still impacts my cooking philosophy, was the time my father became a chicken discriminator. My mother could be complacent with her cooking at times (sorry Mom) and had a thing for cooking chicken constantly. I vividly remember one evening where, after a week of chicken every night, my mother plated up BBQ chicken for four. My father went a little ballistic and moaned about 'God damn chicken everyday, always chicken' (there were a few other choice words said but just in case any kiddies read these I will leave it to your imagination). He then banned my mother from cooking chicken for a long while.

At the time it made me wonder why she had to cook the same thing all the time. No doubt the reasons were financial but surely there were ways to mix it up a bit. Although the memory stayed with me, I never really thought about the impact that one episode has had on me until a few years ago.

Which leads me to my first kitchen adventure which I have given the cheesy working title- Around The World In 80 Plates. I have drawn up a list of the top 80 dishes and ingredients that I have wanted to work with but for one reason or another never have. The first 10 items to conquer:

1. DUCK - One of my favorite dishes to order at a restaurant but has never made an appearance in my kitchen. (SORTED! Please see In the Doghouse for details.)

2. QUINCE - If apples and pears made babies- it would look like this. Quince has been around since the Romans and is popular in Asia and the Mediterranean. In its raw form it has an astringent, tart flavour and tastes better when cooked. The most common version of this fruit is a membrillo, a firmish pelly eaten with Spanish Manchego cheese but goes well with other cheese too. (SORTED! Please see Get 51 on a Triple Word Score for details.)

3. RICOTTA - A key ingredient in Italian savoury and sweet dishes, this fresh cheese is a tad grainy with a slightly sweet taste.

4. SOUFFLE - Light and airy, savoury or sweet, this is definitely a dish for special occassions and even then it seems like one hell of an effort to make. However, it seems like a good laugh whatever the result. Watch this space...

5. JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES - Not an actual artichoke but a tuber related to the sunflower. Sometimes called Sunchokes in the US, it can be eaten cooked or raw.

6. TUNA - Tuna is a member of the Mackerel family and can be found in canned and fresh forms. For this project, I am interested in cooking fresh tuna. (SORTED! Please see Tuna Steak Showdown for details)

7. BISCOTTI - Crunchy and twice baked Italian biscuits that can be dunked in coffee or dessert wine. It is first baked as a loaf and then sliced and baked again. (SORTED! Please see This One Goes Out To Jeri for details)

8. CHESTNUTS - Available fresh in the Autumn and Winter (bought from street vendors, they are a tasty treat to warm up), these nuts can also be found canned in sweetened and unsweetened forms. I usually buy them fresh and roast them but have never used them in a dish with other ingredients.

9. FRESH PASTA - There are plenty of places where you can get great fresh pasta but maybe I will have greater appreciation for my local pasta man if I give it a go myself.

10. WILD RICE - There is no particular reason why this is on my list other than I like to eat it and I have some in the cupboard that I have never made. (SORTED! Please see Wild Wild Rice for details)

DAY ONE

2005-10-31T23:28:00.000Z

Food, glorious food. In every shape and in every form. From books to gadgets, shops to restaurants, a fair amount of my free thoughts are food related. I like to cook and I like to eat. Sometimes I cook what I eat and sometimes I eat what others cook. I don't profess to being this year's Nigella or a modern day Delia but I do ok. At times better than ok and occassionally I cock it up and order a curry instead.

Either way this is my passion and it is one of the few subjects I can rant nonstop about. I have a firm belief that eating well is only as difficult as you make it. Even the smallest effort can make a difference whether it be buying fruit and veg in season to spending two extra minutes to prepare a homemade vinaigrette. It only takes a bit more effort to make Carrot Soup than it does to pop a ready meal in the oven. The rewards to eating and sharing the food you've created is immense.

For me this blog will be a way of sharing my thoughts, my recipes, my food discoveries and my messes with anyone that will listen. Hopefully some of you can teach me a thing or two along the way.

My happy place is in the kitchen. Welcome to my blog.