The Food Diaries

Chirashi salmon with a mixed green salad and yuzu dressing Cook...

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:23:45 +0000

Chirashi salmon with a mixed green salad and yuzu dressing

Cook 1 cup of brown (or white) sushi rice with 2 cups of water as per your favourite rice cooking method (I use a rice cooker). Note that if you use white rice then you will need to rinse it well in cold water first to remove some of the starch. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together 40ml rice vinegar, 20ml sugar and 1tsp salt till well dissolved. Once the rice is cooked mix in the vinegar till the rice becomes glossy. Divide between two serving bowls.

Take two salmon fillets and cut into small cubes. Place in the centre of the rice and sprinkle with a little nanami togarashi (a Japanese chili/mandarin peel powder). In a separate bowl place 1tbs yuzu juice (a Japanese citrus fruit), 1/2 tsp wasabi powder, 1tbs mirin, 1tbs grapeseed oil and 1tbs shoyu. Mix well with some mixed salad greens (watercress, wild rocket, baby spinach). Place around the salmon.

Serves 2.

Thai crab & corn soup In a large pot place 6 garlic cloves,...

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:30:06 +0000

Thai crab & corn soup

In a large pot place 6 garlic cloves, 1 large shallot, 2 stalks lemon grass (white part only), all finely chopped, and 1tbs grated fresh ginger along with 1tbs oil. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add 1L chicken stock and 250ml coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add 375g (2 1/2 cups) corn kernels, reduce to a simmer and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Add 2 x 170g canned (or fresh) crab meat, 2tbs fresh red chilli, finely chopped, 3tbs fish sauce. 3tbs lime juice and 2tsp palm or brown sugar.

Heat through.

Serves 6.

Scandinavian coleslaw Finely shred a pointed cabbage and place...

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:31:06 +0000

Scandinavian coleslaw

Finely shred a pointed cabbage and place in a mixing bowl, along with a large shallot, finely sliced. Sprinkle with a little salt and 3tbs cider vinegar, mix well and let stand for an hour.

Add 1tbs sugar, 1tbs dijon mustard, 3tbs soured cream, 1tbs olive oil, and 2tbs finely chopped dill. Mix well. Season with pepper and scatter some extra dill overtop.

Goat’s cheese tartine with tomato jam and roasted...

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:03:56 +0000

Goat’s cheese tartine with tomato jam and roasted hazelnuts

Lightly toast a couple slices of Irish soda bread. Top with thin slices of goat’s cheese and place under the grill till it starts to bubble up. Remove from the oven, top with a spoonful of doce de tomate (a Portuguese tomato jam) and sprinkle with roasted, chopped hazelnuts.

Serve immediately.

Brown shrimp fritters with chives and served with a spicy...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:30:05 +0000

Brown shrimp fritters with chives and served with a spicy mayo

In a medium-sized bowl mix together 100g brown shrimp (always buy them peeled!), 3tbs chopped chives, 2tbs flour, sea salt and pepper to taste, and enough water to bind/form into a thick batter.

Drop the batter using a dessert spoon into a medium-hot pan which has been drizzled with a little rapeseed/canola oil. Fry on both sides till golden and crisp.

Serve with a spicy mayo sauce (1tbs mayo, 1tbs, yogurt, 1tsp ketchup, 1tsp French mustard, 1/4 tsp Sriracha and a squeeze of lemon).

Makes 6 fritters and serves 2.

Pear & elderflower martini A lovely and simple...

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:16:41 +0000

Pear & elderflower martini

A lovely and simple three-ingredient cocktail.

In a cocktail shaker 1/3 filled with ice pour in 45ml Absolut Pears Vodka, 60ml St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, a squeeze of lemon. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Serves 1.

New potatoes with alliums (spring onions, chives and garlic) If...

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:09:16 +0000

New potatoes with alliums (spring onions, chives and garlic)

If you are attempting to scare away the germs, this recipe should do the trick with its megadose of alliums.

Boil 500g new potatoes (Roseval or other yellow/waxy, red-skinned variety) in plenty of boiling water till done.

Meanwhile, warm a little olive oil in a pan and add 1 cup finely sliced spring onions (including the green bits), 3 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped, and fry till softened. Add 1/4 cup each of chopped chives, parsley and mint and turn off the heat.

Place the potatoes in a serving dish, slicing the larger ones in half. Add the herb mixture, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, a knob of butter, and season with sea salt and pepper.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted sea bass with chive oil Place 1/4 cup coarsely chopped...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:18:31 +0000

Roasted sea bass with chive oil

Place 1/4 cup coarsely chopped chives in a food processor along with 1/3 cup olive oil and some sea salt and pepper. Process until smooth and strain through a fine sieve. Set aside.

Place 4 sea bass fillets (150-250g each) in a roasting pan drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle more oil over the fillets and season with sea salt and pepper. Place in a hot oven (200c) and cook for around 9 minutes, till the fish is just barely cooked through. You may need to adjust the time depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Transfer the sea bass to serving plates and sprinkle with the chive oil. You can warm the oil slightly before serving.

Serve with some boiled new potatoes.

Serves 4.

Trofie pasta with pesto and aubergine Finely cube a small...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:42:52 +0000

Trofie pasta with pesto and aubergine

Finely cube a small aubergine and place in a hot pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Fry till crisp and golden. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add 180g trofie pasta (or other small pasta shape). Cook according to packet instructions.

Drain the pasta, setting aside a cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the aubergine, add a few heaping tablespoons of good quality fresh pesto, stir in enough of the cooking water to create a thick sauce. Add a good sprinkling of grated parmesan, season with sea salt and pepper and stir.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of little basil leaves.

Serves 2.

Grilled duck breast with Port and cherries Whisk together 125ml...

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:35:48 +0000

Grilled duck breast with Port and cherries

Whisk together 125ml soya sauce with 125ml Sherry. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal cuts at 2cm intervals in the duck skin (avoid cutting the meat) of 4 duck breasts (160g each). Place the duck and marinade in a glass dish and cover (or I prefer to use a Ziploc plastic bag). Refrigerate between 2-6 hours.

In a medium saucepan place a dozen black cherries (fresh, frozen, or canned), 200ml chicken stock, 200ml beef stock, 125ml ruby Port and 1 sprig fresh thyme. Bring to a boil, and then simmer till the liquid has reduced down to a thickish sauce (around 15 minutes).

Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium heat. Remove the duck from the marinade and place skin side down in the skillet. Cook until much of the fat has melted into the pan and the skin is crisp (around 10 minutes). Turn over and continue cooking to desired doneness (no more than 5 minutes for medium rare). Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest a couple minutes while you finish the sauce.

Remove the thyme sprig from the sauce. Add 30ml (2tbs) butter to the sauce and whisk till well incorporated.

Slice the duck breasts on a diagonal and fan out on four plates. Spoon the sauce over the duck and serve. This goes very nicely with Sweet potato crumble.

Chinese-style broccoli stem salad Cut a small bunch of...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:30:05 +0000

Chinese-style broccoli stem salad

Cut a small bunch of tenderstem broccoli stems into bite-sized rounds (around 2 cups). Bring a pot to a boil, drop in the broccoli with a 1/2 tsp baking soda (to keep the stems a vivid green). Drain after 1 minute and rinse under cold water. Drain well and place in a serving dish.

Mix together 4 tsp soy sauce, 3 tsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp brown sugar. Stir till well combined and add to the broccoli.

Serve at room temperature.

Sweet potato crumble Peel and roughly chop 3 large sweet...

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:23:19 +0000

Sweet potato crumble

Peel and roughly chop 3 large sweet potatoes. Cook in simmering water till tender. Drain, return to the pot with 1 tbs butter, some grated nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mash till smooth and spoon into an oven-proof baking dish.

Melt 1 tbs butter in a pan and add 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I like to use Japanese panko) stir till the butter has been absorbed. Add 2 tsp finely chopped parsley and stir.

Top the sweet potatoes with the breadcrumb mixture and bake in a preheated oven at 200c for 20-30 minutes till golden.

Serves four as a side dish.

Classic Margarita In a cocktail shaker 1/3 filled with ice shake...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:34:20 +0000

Classic Margarita

In a cocktail shaker 1/3 filled with ice shake together 45ml tequila, 30ml fresh lime juice and 30ml cointreau. Strain into a Martini glass or serve on the rocks in a tumbler filled with fresh ice.

Marmagnac cocktail In a cocktail shaker mix together 50ml...

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:08:58 +0000

Marmagnac cocktail

In a cocktail shaker mix together 50ml Armagnac with 2tsp marmalade. Add a handful of ice and top with 50ml fresh apple juice and a dash of rhubarb bitters. Shake well and strain into a tumbler filled with ice.

Serves 1.

The Beach House punch Bring 750ml water to a boil. Steep with...

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:32:00 +0000

The Beach House punch

Bring 750ml water to a boil. Steep with bourbon vanilla red tea (or use a combo of rooibos and vanilla-scented tea). Add 125ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, 250ml freshly squeezed orange juice, 125ml passion fruit jam*, and 250ml Maker’s Mark bourbon. Sweeten to taste with agave nectar. Chill and then serve in tumblers filled with ice. Top with soda to taste.

Serves 10.

* Scoop out the pulp of around 10 passion fruits into a small saucepan. Add 150g sugar and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the consistency thickens (think honey).

Grilled salmon with pancetta and radicchio A personal take on a...

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:52:48 +0000

Treviso radicchio

Grilled salmon with pancetta and radicchio

A personal take on a Jamie Oliver recipe, which has the added bonus of taking just minutes to serve up.

Fry up 6 rashers of pancetta till golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. Immediately add the leaves of a radicchio (preferably the large-leaf Treviso variety, see photo above) to the hot pan (don’t drain any of the fat from the pancetta) and stir fry for just under a minute. Remove the radicchio to a large shallow bowl.

Immediately add a handful of baby pinenuts to the pan and stir fry quickly till golden. Remove and add to the bowl. Now at 2 salmon fillets (skinned) to the hot pan and sear on both sides till the centre of the fillets is still a little pink.

Season the radicchio with a glug of olive oil and good quality balsamic vinegar (the Belazu brand is highly recommended). Top with the pancetta (crumbled) and the salmon fillet. Season with sea salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves two.

The Snowflake cocktail Here’s a lovely wintery seasonal...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:06:30 +0000

The Snowflake cocktail

Here’s a lovely wintery seasonal cocktail that is delicately scented by elderflower and apples.

In a cocktail shaker 1/3 filled with ice, add 25ml St Germain, 25ml Briottet apple liqueur, 25ml Bombay Sapphire gin, and 25ml pressed apple juice. Shake well and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprinkle of silver and/or gold leaf.

Serves 1.

Veal scaloppine with lemon and fennel My twist on an Italian...

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:06:27 +0000

Veal scaloppine with lemon and fennel

My twist on an Italian classic balances soft veal escalopes, with the kick of a super-lemony sauce and the added crunch of finely sliced fennel.

Take 250g veal escalopes and pound with a meat tenderiser hammer, or with the side of a rolling pin to flatten a bit. Dredge in 2 tsp flour and shake lightly to remove the excess. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry the veal quickly, around a minute or two on each side, till lightly golden. Season with sea salt and pepper and add 1/3 cup white wine, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1 small head of fennel, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced thinly cross-wise.

Add a knob of butter and reduce the liquid down for a couple more minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and the zest of 1 lemon. Serve immediately.

Serve 2.

Apple, pear and raspberry crumble The addition of raspberries...

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:43:52 +0000

Apple, pear and raspberry crumble

The addition of raspberries gives the apples and pears in this crumbel the same lovely hue as rhubarb.

In a food processor or bowl place 40g flour, 40g ground almonds, 40g oatmeal, a pinch of sea salt, 90g cubed (or grated) cold butter, and mix till it starts to crumble nicely. Add 6tbs brown sugar, 1tsp cinnamon, and 1tsp vanilla. Set aside.

In a shallow, oven-proof dish add 2 apples and 2 pears (peeled, cored and chopped). Mix in 150g whole raspberries. Sprinkle the crumble evenly overtop and bake in an oven at 180c for around 30-35 minutes, till it all starts to bubble up and turn golden. Serve with thick double-cream, custard or ice cream.

Serve 4.

Roasted new potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes Place 2 tbs goose...

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:40:28 +0000

Roasted new potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes

Place 2 tbs goose fat or olive oil in a roasting pan and place in an oven at 200c for a few minutes till nice and hot. Remove from the oven and add 300g new potatoes and 300g Jerusalem artichokes scrubbed and sliced in half lengthwise (they should sizzle as they hit the pan). Sprinkle on some smoked paprika, dried thyme, sea salt and pepper and return to the oven to bake for around 25-30 minutes till nice and golden, flipping over the vegetables once during cooking.