It is coming up to the six-month anniversary of the horrific tsunami that hit Japan in March. For days the media seemed to speak of nothing else and then all fell silent. We were left to guess at how the Japanese were coping with the aftermath.
Last week the Embassy of Japan in London hosted the IWC award-winning sake tasting event to support the Kuramotos –the sake brewers- and those affected by the disaster. Ambassador Hayashi spoke movingly about the road to recovery and the support from around the world.
The evening started with a traditional sake ceremony and a toast. Kanpai! One of the producers representing the affected region lost more than 10,000 bottles. The walls of the brewery collapsed and machinery broke down. Amid numerous aftershocks they like many others are rising out of the debris to rebuild their business.
I started by tasting the “champion” sake made by Fukuchiyo Shuzo – Nabeshima Daiginjo a fortified brew, served cold; it was light, yet pleasingly flavourful. I went on to try their Tokubetsu Junmai – a pure rice sake; fresh tasting with underlying richness. Sake is wonderfully savoury and leaves a lingering umami aroma. Some varieties of sake are warmed before consumption but be warned warmed sake produces a mild buzz faster than sake served cold.
Sake is brewed using long grained, starch-rich, sake rice varieties. The rice is milled to a high starch nub. The starch is converted to sugar and then the sugar to alcohol at low temperature over a long period of time; resulting in high alcohol content. The Sake is then heated to kill the bacteria. How it is heated determines the taste. Togi – master brewer – Hitoshi Tsuschiya told me what distinguishes a Sake. “climate, water and the knowledge and expertise of the master brewer. His family had been making premium sake for 120 years.
Shimi saba – pickled mackerel
Sake is served in tiny drinking vessels with food. In Japan fish is served raw, sashimi style but mackerel is always pickled. When you make this recipe why not try a premium, pure rice, junmai Sake.
1 good size mackerel, sea bass, herring or seabream
Use one heaped teaspoon of coarse sea salt to 150 g of filleted mackerel.
1 bottle of mirrin
1 bottle of rice vinegar
fresh ginger root
1 x 250 ml preserving jar, washed in hot soapy water and dried in a warm oven until required.
Ask your fishmonger to fillet the fish for you. Run your fingers over the cut surfaces to check for pin bones and use a tweezers to remove them. Trim any ragged edges from the fish fillets and snip off any fins.
Lay the fillets out on a non metallic tray skin side down and sprinkle with salt, use less salt at the tail end of the fish where the flesh is thinner and more salt where the flesh is thicker. Leave over night.
Rinse the fish fillets and pat dry leaving them for a few minutes in the air to dry.
Cut the fillets slightly on the diagonal creating rhomboids 1- 2 cm long. And pack them into a sterilised glass preserving jar with a seal.
Top up with equal quantities of mirrin and rice vinegar and add a scraping of ginger root, say half a teaspoon. Seal the jar and leave in the fridge for a week.
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Laying something by - green tomato spiced pickle
As we come to the end of the summer it is time to get out the preserving pots, pans and jars to make pickles and chutneys and stock up our cupboards for the winter. Once upon time it would also have been time to start thinking about laying meat down for the winter.
Curing meat at home had become a thing of the past but in recent years there has been a renaissance of interest and small producers of cured foods are popping up all over the country. There is James Swift at Trealy Farm who now makes a huge range of continental type dried cured meat and salamis. I popped over to his new production house in Wales recently and I was bowled over by the sweet scent and the sight of rows and rows of freshly cured meats hanging to dry: something I never imagined I would ever experience in this country. This year we are to hold the first British Charcuterie Festival in London; running from 28 – 30 October at the Festival Hall.
I shall be demonstrating at the festival and also teaching hands on curing at the Chef’s Room in November but I will also be holding monthly Curing classes from September to February at Hart’s Barn in the Forest of Dean featuring preserving, smoking, curing, Xmas gifts, French farmhouse and raw.
Sweet and sour spiced green tomato pickle
This recipe is a gift for anyone who is left with a glut of unripe tomatoes at the end of the season. It is unusual as it is made with slices of tomato that are cooked very gently, so they retain their shape and colour. It looks really nice on the plate and is delicious with cold cooked and cured meats, cheeses, eggs and English breakfast!
4 x 250g glass jars with lid, washed in soapy water, rinsed, drained and heated in a low oven
1 kg green tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 medium sized onions, thinly sliced
50 g fine sea salt
½ teaspoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
½ tablespoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
250 g light cane sugar
250 ml cider vinegar
Layer the sliced tomatoes and onions in a large bowl with salt and leave to stand overnight covered with a clean tea towel.
The following day drain off the salt water and carefully rinse the tomatoes in fresh water and leave to drain well then transfer to a preserving pan. Tie up the spices in a piece of muslin and put that in the pan. Add the vinegar.
Put the pan containing the ingredients on a medium heat and bring gently to simmering point, stirring regularly until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to simmer for 45 – 60 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still intact and the vinegar has become syrupy.
Do not leave the pickle unattended it is essential to stir the pan regularly otherwise the pickle will stick and burn.
Leave to rest, say 20 minutes before potting. Spoon the chutney into warm sterile pots and seal but first cover the surface of the pickle with discs of waxed paper. Leave to cool before labelling. Store in the dark for at least a month before opening!
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Picnic perfect
August is upon us but there is still time and hopefully the weather to enjoy a few picnics. Whether it is at the heart of a simple family outing, devoured on a rug spread on the ground or the crowning glory of an outdoor festival, concert or special occasion, enjoyed in state with table, chairs and candelabra, a picnic is a memorable occasion and the perfect way to celebrate the summer.
A pie is always a favourite! A good quality pork pie with hard boiled eggs, carrot, celery and cucumber sticks, tomatoes, dips, cherries make light work of a picnic. However if you want to make something as a centre piece for a full-on eating al fresco experience try this simple to make but oh-so-impressive, layered salmon, prawn and potato file pie. It can be made in advance served hot, warm or cold.
Layered salmon, prawn and potato filo pie flavoured with tomato and basil serves 6-8
800 g (drained weight) canned tomatoes, drained, deseeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x cm square dried chilli
500 g salmon fillet cut into domino sized pieces (skin discarded) and seasoned with salt and pepper
500 g new potatoes, boiled, cooled and sliced lengthways
100 – 150 g readymade basil pesto
6 large sheets of filo pastry
100 g butter, melted
200g cooked peeled prawns
Salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Springform cake tin, 22 cm
Preheat oven to 200C 400F gas 6
Heat enough olive oil to cover the base of a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the prepared tomatoes, garlic and chilli, reduce the heat to minimum, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir from time to time.. Mash the tomatoes to a pulp and stir in the salmon pieces and cook for a minute or two. Transfer the salmon and tomato sauce to a bowl to cool. Toss the sliced potato in the pesto to coat evenly.
Brush the base and sides of the cake tin with a little of the melted butter. Paint the first sheet of filo with melted butter and lay it across the cake tin to line the base and sides of the tin, leaving any excess hanging over the sides. Paint a second sheet of filo with butter and lay it at right angles to the first, smoothing it down to line the base and sides of the tin. There should now be equal overhang of filo all the way round the tin. Repeat this until all six sheets of pastry have been used up.
Cover the base of the filo lined tin with half the potatoes, then half the salmon in tomato sauce and then half the prawns. Make a second layer of each and then carefully fold the over-hang of filo over the filling. Paint butter over the top of the pie.
Set the tin containing the finished pie on a baking sheet and put it in the preheated oven and cook until golden brown, say 25 minutes.
Allow to cool a little before taking the pie out of the tin. If baking freshly to serve warm on a picnic leave the pie in the tin, wrap in a clean tea towel and a blanket to transport and transfer carefully to a serving plate on arrival. Otherwise leave to cool completely, wrap in foil and refrigerate until required. Don’t forget to take a sharp knife and platter for serving.
A pie is always a favourite! A good quality pork pie with hard boiled eggs, carrot, celery and cucumber sticks, tomatoes, dips, cherries make light work of a picnic. However if you want to make something as a centre piece for a full-on eating al fresco experience try this simple to make but oh-so-impressive, layered salmon, prawn and potato file pie. It can be made in advance served hot, warm or cold.
Layered salmon, prawn and potato filo pie flavoured with tomato and basil serves 6-8
800 g (drained weight) canned tomatoes, drained, deseeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x cm square dried chilli
500 g salmon fillet cut into domino sized pieces (skin discarded) and seasoned with salt and pepper
500 g new potatoes, boiled, cooled and sliced lengthways
100 – 150 g readymade basil pesto
6 large sheets of filo pastry
100 g butter, melted
200g cooked peeled prawns
Salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Springform cake tin, 22 cm
Preheat oven to 200C 400F gas 6
Heat enough olive oil to cover the base of a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the prepared tomatoes, garlic and chilli, reduce the heat to minimum, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir from time to time.. Mash the tomatoes to a pulp and stir in the salmon pieces and cook for a minute or two. Transfer the salmon and tomato sauce to a bowl to cool. Toss the sliced potato in the pesto to coat evenly.
Brush the base and sides of the cake tin with a little of the melted butter. Paint the first sheet of filo with melted butter and lay it across the cake tin to line the base and sides of the tin, leaving any excess hanging over the sides. Paint a second sheet of filo with butter and lay it at right angles to the first, smoothing it down to line the base and sides of the tin. There should now be equal overhang of filo all the way round the tin. Repeat this until all six sheets of pastry have been used up.
Cover the base of the filo lined tin with half the potatoes, then half the salmon in tomato sauce and then half the prawns. Make a second layer of each and then carefully fold the over-hang of filo over the filling. Paint butter over the top of the pie.
Set the tin containing the finished pie on a baking sheet and put it in the preheated oven and cook until golden brown, say 25 minutes.
Allow to cool a little before taking the pie out of the tin. If baking freshly to serve warm on a picnic leave the pie in the tin, wrap in a clean tea towel and a blanket to transport and transfer carefully to a serving plate on arrival. Otherwise leave to cool completely, wrap in foil and refrigerate until required. Don’t forget to take a sharp knife and platter for serving.
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Never bored with broad beans
The broad bean is a funny thing, with its fur lined pod, a rather thick skin and a very distinctive flavour. It has a fairly short season – although having said that I did notice last year that it was around for rather longer than usual. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing because I love broad beans; as long as they are picked while still young and tender; otherwise they go tough. When I lived in Cornwall the pods were often harvested while little more than pea size and the whole thing, pod and baby beans cooked as one, like mange tout.
I like to think of the broad bean as being quintessentially English; it appears in our gardens at just the same moment that wild salmon comes into season and at the same time as the first waxy new potatoes are pulled. Add some rich made mayonnaise or hollandaise and you have a simple seasonal meal that is simply manna from heaven. However the Italians are rather partial to them too. They eat them raw with pecorino cheese (sublime) mix them into pesto and serve with gnocchi or stir them into pasta dishes. The Spanish toss them in fried, chopped, spicy, chorizo and the Turks make a gorgeous, slightly sweet hummus type puree to serve with flatbreads.
Some people like to skin the beans; the bean inside is a beautiful vibrant green colour – but take off that rather flabby dull green skin and the bean loses its character. Yes it is tenderer, yes it is sweeter, but I think the skin gives the bean a distinctive flavour and special texture. Boil in salted water and serve, drained with chopped mint or savory and melted butter or even a light béchamel sauce but best of all to my mind, toss them in olive oil and finely chopped flat leaf parsley, leave to cool a little and serve. Any leftovers can be added to salads.
Quills with broad beans, tomato, pecorino shards and flat leaf parsley
1.5 - 2 kg fresh young broad beans shelled
Bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
400 g whole tinned plum tomatoes, drained deseeded and chopped or fresh skinned ones.
500 g good quality quills
100 g grated pecorino cheese
100g pecorino cheese shavings
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and milled black pepper
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.
Blanch the shelled beans in a small pan of boiling water for 2 or 3 minutes or until tender.
Cover the base of a large wok with extra virgin olive oil and put on medium heat, add the finely chopped spring onion and stir fry for a minute, add the shelled beans, the mustard, salt and pepper and stir fry for another minute. Then add the prepared tomato and half the chopped parsley and cook to allow the flavours to blend – say 2-3 minutes.
When the large pan of water comes to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to the recommended cooking time on the packet. When ready strain into a large bowl.
Add the broad bean and tomato sauce, half the grated pecorino cheese, half the chopped parsley and mix well. Scatter the pecorino shavings and the remaining parsley on top and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil if liked.
Serve at once with extra grated pecorino cheese.
I like to think of the broad bean as being quintessentially English; it appears in our gardens at just the same moment that wild salmon comes into season and at the same time as the first waxy new potatoes are pulled. Add some rich made mayonnaise or hollandaise and you have a simple seasonal meal that is simply manna from heaven. However the Italians are rather partial to them too. They eat them raw with pecorino cheese (sublime) mix them into pesto and serve with gnocchi or stir them into pasta dishes. The Spanish toss them in fried, chopped, spicy, chorizo and the Turks make a gorgeous, slightly sweet hummus type puree to serve with flatbreads.
Some people like to skin the beans; the bean inside is a beautiful vibrant green colour – but take off that rather flabby dull green skin and the bean loses its character. Yes it is tenderer, yes it is sweeter, but I think the skin gives the bean a distinctive flavour and special texture. Boil in salted water and serve, drained with chopped mint or savory and melted butter or even a light béchamel sauce but best of all to my mind, toss them in olive oil and finely chopped flat leaf parsley, leave to cool a little and serve. Any leftovers can be added to salads.
Quills with broad beans, tomato, pecorino shards and flat leaf parsley
1.5 - 2 kg fresh young broad beans shelled
Bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
400 g whole tinned plum tomatoes, drained deseeded and chopped or fresh skinned ones.
500 g good quality quills
100 g grated pecorino cheese
100g pecorino cheese shavings
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and milled black pepper
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.
Blanch the shelled beans in a small pan of boiling water for 2 or 3 minutes or until tender.
Cover the base of a large wok with extra virgin olive oil and put on medium heat, add the finely chopped spring onion and stir fry for a minute, add the shelled beans, the mustard, salt and pepper and stir fry for another minute. Then add the prepared tomato and half the chopped parsley and cook to allow the flavours to blend – say 2-3 minutes.
When the large pan of water comes to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to the recommended cooking time on the packet. When ready strain into a large bowl.
Add the broad bean and tomato sauce, half the grated pecorino cheese, half the chopped parsley and mix well. Scatter the pecorino shavings and the remaining parsley on top and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil if liked.
Serve at once with extra grated pecorino cheese.
Monday, 23 May 2011
win a course at the Chef's Room fish and cookery school
Book a course during and June or July and win a free place on the course of yhour choice later in the year. www.thechefsroom.co.uk
Lamb is not just for Easter - serve it all summer long!
You can pretty much guarantee that the new season’s lamb will be in pride of place on Easter Sunday in the form of a magnificent roast leg or shoulder but then as the year progresses into summer it tends to take a back seat. Lamb is tender; lamb is succulent, easy to cook and if you marinade it first , it won’t take long to cook, even if you like it well done.
Choose cutlets, chops or steaks for the char-grill, barbeque, grill or frying-pan. If time is not an issue slow roast lamb can be a summertime feast in your garden. Chop shoulder into portion-size chunks add some tropical fruit and marinade with Indian spices and roast quickly in the oven. Cut shoulder into smaller pieces and marinade in lemon and fennel seeds, thread onto skewers and grill or simply seal and cook in light tomato sauce with peas.
However you cook your lamb, serve it with lightly cooked new vegetables such as broad beans, peas, artichokes, runner beans, courgettes cabbage and potatoes as they come into season. Serve the vegetables hot, tossed in melted butter with mint or thyme, warm in a French dressing with dill or tarragon or cold in mayonnaise with chives or basil.
Sicilian Style lamb cutlets with lemon and garlic
Some years ago I spent Easter in Palermo with my family and curious to know how the locals spent Easter Sunday I was told they escape to the woods outside the town for a cook out. We had lunch in a beautiful seafood restaurant and then took to the woods. It was amazing – we think we love the countryside but there were families everywhere, people were as thick on the ground as the trees. Smoke wafted everywhere and the woods wer heavy with the fragrant scent of roasting lamb.
1 kg thin cut lamb cutlets
6 cloves garlic
Juice of two 2 lemons
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf – torn
Freshly ground black pepper
To Serve
100 g wild rocker
Coarse sea salt
Lemon wedges
Serves 4 – 6
Put the lamb cutlets in a large plastic freezer bag, and then add the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, bay leaf and plenty of black pepper. Seal tightly and leave to stand for 1 – 24 hours – as time allows, turning from time to time to allow even distribution of the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for short periods of around an hour – otherwise put the bag in the fridge.
When ready to cook, drain the cutlets and reserve the marinade. Put the cutlets on a pre-heated griddle, grill pan or barbeque and cook for 5 – 30. This will depend on three things - how you like your lamb cooked - the thickness or thinness of the cut - how hot your cooking pan is. Turn the lamb as necessary, basting with the reserved marinade.
Spread the rocket onto a large serving platter and arrange the lamb cutlets on top, sprinkle with salt and serve with lemon wedges.
Lamb is not just for Easter - serve it all summer long!
You can pretty much guarantee that the new season’s lamb will be in pride of place on Easter Sunday in the form of a magnificent roast leg or shoulder but then as the year progresses into summer it tends to take a back seat. Lamb is tender; lamb is succulent, easy to cook and if you marinade it first , it won’t take long to cook, even if you like it well done.
Choose cutlets, chops or steaks for the char-grill, barbeque, grill or frying-pan. If time is not an issue slow roast lamb can be a summertime feast in your garden. Chop shoulder into portion-size chunks add some tropical fruit and marinade with Indian spices and roast quickly in the oven. Cut shoulder into smaller pieces and marinade in lemon and fennel seeds, thread onto skewers and grill or simply seal and cook in light tomato sauce with peas.
However you cook your lamb, serve it with lightly cooked new vegetables such as broad beans, peas, artichokes, runner beans, courgettes cabbage and potatoes as they come into season. Serve the vegetables hot, tossed in melted butter with mint or thyme, warm in a French dressing with dill or tarragon or cold in mayonnaise with chives or basil.
Sicilian Style lamb cutlets with lemon and garlic
Some years ago I spent Easter in Palermo with my family and curious to know how the locals spent Easter Sunday I was told they escape to the woods outside the town for a cook out. We had lunch in a beautiful seafood restaurant and then took to the woods. It was amazing – we think we love the countryside but there were families everywhere, people were as thick on the ground as the trees. Smoke wafted everywhere and the woods wer heavy with the fragrant scent of roasting lamb.
1 kg thin cut lamb cutlets
6 cloves garlic
Juice of two 2 lemons
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf – torn
Freshly ground black pepper
To Serve
100 g wild rocker
Coarse sea salt
Lemon wedges
Serves 4 – 6
Put the lamb cutlets in a large plastic freezer bag, and then add the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, bay leaf and plenty of black pepper. Seal tightly and leave to stand for 1 – 24 hours – as time allows, turning from time to time to allow even distribution of the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for short periods of around an hour – otherwise put the bag in the fridge.
When ready to cook, drain the cutlets and reserve the marinade. Put the cutlets on a pre-heated griddle, grill pan or barbeque and cook for 5 – 30. This will depend on three things - how you like your lamb cooked - the thickness or thinness of the cut - how hot your cooking pan is. Turn the lamb as necessary, basting with the reserved marinade.
Spread the rocket onto a large serving platter and arrange the lamb cutlets on top, sprinkle with salt and serve with lemon wedges.
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Lamb is not just for Easter - serve it all summer long!
You can pretty much guarantee that the new season’s lamb will be in pride of place on Easter Sunday in the form of a magnificent roast leg or shoulder but then as the year progresses into summer it tends to take a back seat. Lamb is tender; lamb is succulent, easy to cook and if you marinade it first , it won’t take long to cook, even if you like it well done.
Choose cutlets, chops or steaks for the char-grill, barbeque, grill or frying-pan. If time is not an issue slow roast lamb can be a summertime feast in your garden. Chop shoulder into portion-size chunks add some tropical fruit and marinade with Indian spices and roast quickly in the oven. Cut shoulder into smaller pieces and marinade in lemon and fennel seeds, thread onto skewers and grill or simply seal and cook in light tomato sauce with peas.
However you cook your lamb, serve it with lightly cooked new vegetables such as broad beans, peas, artichokes, runner beans, courgettes cabbage and potatoes as they come into season. Serve the vegetables hot, tossed in melted butter with mint or thyme, warm in a French dressing with dill or tarragon or cold in mayonnaise with chives or basil.
Sicilian Style lamb cutlets with lemon and garlic
Some years ago I spent Easter in Palermo with my family and curious to know how the locals spent Easter Sunday I was told they escape to the woods outside the town for a cook out. We had lunch in a beautiful seafood restaurant and then took to the woods. It was amazing – we think we love the countryside but there were families everywhere, people were as thick on the ground as the trees. Smoke wafted everywhere and the woods wer heavy with the fragrant scent of roasting lamb.
1 kg thin cut lamb cutlets
6 cloves garlic
Juice of two 2 lemons
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf – torn
Freshly ground black pepper
To Serve
100 g wild rocker
Coarse sea salt
Lemon wedges
Serves 4 – 6
Put the lamb cutlets in a large plastic freezer bag, and then add the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, bay leaf and plenty of black pepper. Seal tightly and leave to stand for 1 – 24 hours – as time allows, turning from time to time to allow even distribution of the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for short periods of around an hour – otherwise put the bag in the fridge.
When ready to cook, drain the cutlets and reserve the marinade. Put the cutlets on a pre-heated griddle, grill pan or barbeque and cook for 5 – 30. This will depend on three things - how you like your lamb cooked - the thickness or thinness of the cut - how hot your cooking pan is. Turn the lamb as necessary, basting with the reserved marinade.
Spread the rocket onto a large serving platter and arrange the lamb cutlets on top, sprinkle with salt and serve with lemon wedges.
Choose cutlets, chops or steaks for the char-grill, barbeque, grill or frying-pan. If time is not an issue slow roast lamb can be a summertime feast in your garden. Chop shoulder into portion-size chunks add some tropical fruit and marinade with Indian spices and roast quickly in the oven. Cut shoulder into smaller pieces and marinade in lemon and fennel seeds, thread onto skewers and grill or simply seal and cook in light tomato sauce with peas.
However you cook your lamb, serve it with lightly cooked new vegetables such as broad beans, peas, artichokes, runner beans, courgettes cabbage and potatoes as they come into season. Serve the vegetables hot, tossed in melted butter with mint or thyme, warm in a French dressing with dill or tarragon or cold in mayonnaise with chives or basil.
Sicilian Style lamb cutlets with lemon and garlic
Some years ago I spent Easter in Palermo with my family and curious to know how the locals spent Easter Sunday I was told they escape to the woods outside the town for a cook out. We had lunch in a beautiful seafood restaurant and then took to the woods. It was amazing – we think we love the countryside but there were families everywhere, people were as thick on the ground as the trees. Smoke wafted everywhere and the woods wer heavy with the fragrant scent of roasting lamb.
1 kg thin cut lamb cutlets
6 cloves garlic
Juice of two 2 lemons
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf – torn
Freshly ground black pepper
To Serve
100 g wild rocker
Coarse sea salt
Lemon wedges
Serves 4 – 6
Put the lamb cutlets in a large plastic freezer bag, and then add the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, bay leaf and plenty of black pepper. Seal tightly and leave to stand for 1 – 24 hours – as time allows, turning from time to time to allow even distribution of the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for short periods of around an hour – otherwise put the bag in the fridge.
When ready to cook, drain the cutlets and reserve the marinade. Put the cutlets on a pre-heated griddle, grill pan or barbeque and cook for 5 – 30. This will depend on three things - how you like your lamb cooked - the thickness or thinness of the cut - how hot your cooking pan is. Turn the lamb as necessary, basting with the reserved marinade.
Spread the rocket onto a large serving platter and arrange the lamb cutlets on top, sprinkle with salt and serve with lemon wedges.
April 2011: No apology for asparagus
I offer no apology for waxing lyrical yet again about the new season’s asparagus. But then I would never dream of buying the stuff when it is imported and therefore now is the time it should be welcomed into season by a fanfare of trumpets.
Once of course we had to wait until much later for the magic to begin but with today’s poly tunnel farming that is old hat. A bit of me, the traditional bit, would be quite happy to wait for the true season because forced crops are often disappointing but two weeks ago I walked into Truffles and there before me on the floor was a basket of paper wrapped bunches of asparagus proclaiming “grown by the Chin family in the Wye Valley.” Short stubby straight spears with pert tips and freshly cut stems – expensive yes – but unmistakeably delicious, unmistakably tender. I only had to look at it to know – and this kind of asparagus needs very little cooking and no frills. Simply snap off the ends plunge into simmering water (a frying pan is useful if the spears are long) and cook for a few minutes. Use the prongs of a fork to test for tenderness. Drain carefully and add melted butter, olive oil and Parmesan or grated bottarga or serve with a lightly boiled or poached egg and use the spears as soldiers, alternatively refresh in cold water and wrap in slices of cured ham, dress with vinaigrette or serve in a simple starter salad.
Here in the heart of the Wye Valley we grow the most wonderful asparagus and in Ross, shops such as Truffles and Spar stock it regularly through the season. I know one chef-patron working in Wales who drives here to the farm everyday to pick up his quota for the restaurant because if he buys it from his wholesaler in Wales it goes first to London and then back again before he can get his hands on it. The quality of asparagus depends so much on freshness.
As the season progresses try serving it in a risotto or with pasta. This is a favourite of mine.
500 g ridged pasta quills
250 g asparagus spears
4 eggs
125 ml single cream
3 tablespoons grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
Black pepper
50 g butter
Small bunch of flat leafed parsley finely chopped
Plunge the pasta quills into plenty of boiling salted water and cook until tender (see timing on packet)
Cook the asparagus as above and cut into 2-3 cm lengths.
Put the eggs in a large bowl (big enough to serve the pasta in) and beat lightly, add the cream, the cheese, plenty of black pepper and the butter.
Strain the pasta when cooked al dente and add to the dish containing the egg mixture, add the asparagus pieces and the chopped parsley, stir well and serve at once.
Once of course we had to wait until much later for the magic to begin but with today’s poly tunnel farming that is old hat. A bit of me, the traditional bit, would be quite happy to wait for the true season because forced crops are often disappointing but two weeks ago I walked into Truffles and there before me on the floor was a basket of paper wrapped bunches of asparagus proclaiming “grown by the Chin family in the Wye Valley.” Short stubby straight spears with pert tips and freshly cut stems – expensive yes – but unmistakeably delicious, unmistakably tender. I only had to look at it to know – and this kind of asparagus needs very little cooking and no frills. Simply snap off the ends plunge into simmering water (a frying pan is useful if the spears are long) and cook for a few minutes. Use the prongs of a fork to test for tenderness. Drain carefully and add melted butter, olive oil and Parmesan or grated bottarga or serve with a lightly boiled or poached egg and use the spears as soldiers, alternatively refresh in cold water and wrap in slices of cured ham, dress with vinaigrette or serve in a simple starter salad.
Here in the heart of the Wye Valley we grow the most wonderful asparagus and in Ross, shops such as Truffles and Spar stock it regularly through the season. I know one chef-patron working in Wales who drives here to the farm everyday to pick up his quota for the restaurant because if he buys it from his wholesaler in Wales it goes first to London and then back again before he can get his hands on it. The quality of asparagus depends so much on freshness.
As the season progresses try serving it in a risotto or with pasta. This is a favourite of mine.
500 g ridged pasta quills
250 g asparagus spears
4 eggs
125 ml single cream
3 tablespoons grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
Black pepper
50 g butter
Small bunch of flat leafed parsley finely chopped
Plunge the pasta quills into plenty of boiling salted water and cook until tender (see timing on packet)
Cook the asparagus as above and cut into 2-3 cm lengths.
Put the eggs in a large bowl (big enough to serve the pasta in) and beat lightly, add the cream, the cheese, plenty of black pepper and the butter.
Strain the pasta when cooked al dente and add to the dish containing the egg mixture, add the asparagus pieces and the chopped parsley, stir well and serve at once.
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