I have been eating out on Saturday and Sunday on Saturday i went to the Dragon Castle in Elephant and Castle for Dim Sum for Letty's Birthday and i must say it was delicious and really interesting with lots to choose from it was my first time eating Dim Sum and i will be going again very soon i really enjoyed "Har Gau" which were prawn dumplings and the "chicken feet" in black bean sauce they were a little bone but some thing i have been wanting to eat for some time. Big thanks to Lettys parents (Chris & Sarah) for lunch! and on the Sunday we had jerk chicken and curried goat from a small place "little Ochi" in Peckham it was pretty good but not blown away it was also my first time eating curried goat and i i think there is definitely better out there i think i could have got better from little ochi it was a Sunday afternoon and he wasn’t really open so i would go there and check it out again!
And the rest of this week Petra my girlfriend has been cooking for me for a change! she is a brilliant cook and i will be getting the recipes from her for you to enjoy!
13 May, 2009
Pan fried Gray Mullet with sage and lemon beurre noisette – 07/05/09
Severs 2
Cooking time 8-10 minutes
Preparation time 15 – mostly for cooking the potatoes
1 whole gray mullet (filleted)
300g new potatoes
1 small pack purple sprouting broccoli
½ lrg bag baby spinach
4 sage leaves (ripped)
1 sprig thyme (picked)
1 clove garlic (finely sliced)
3 ish knobs of butter
3 ish glugs of olive oil
½ lemon
10-12 chive shoots
I got my mullet from a little fishmonger that sits in one of the arches between the two piers on Brighton beach he’s a really nice guy really that enjoys a chat about his fish. He’s not open on Mondays and usually closes at about 3pm depending on how busy he is, so get down there early if you want to get the best of the catch. The fish he has changes daily as to what has been caught that morning from the channel!!! Perfect although you can’t really plan ahead, although I think that puts the fun into the kitchen! Anyway so I went down on my break from work to see what he had in and to my luck he had 4 whole gray mullet as well as some sea bass, Mackerel and some squid. I really like gray mullet its so much cheaper than sea bass and I think just as good if not a little meat this whole fresh filleted fish cost me £3.50 not bad for two portions I think. Most of the rest of the ingredients bar the chives I got from Taj which I will tell you more about another time.
Method
1) Put the new potatoes in to a pan with lightly salted cold water until just soft (put a knife into a potatoes and if it falls off the knife this is generally a sign it is ready but give it a little squeeze on the side just to be sure!) when the potatoes are ready put to one side with the lid on to keep warm until your fish is cooked.
2) Take your filleted fish and lightly score diagonally 3-4 times across the fillet approximately 2 fingers apart from each other (if you lightly pinch the fillet holding the top with your finger and the bottom with your thumb it will make scoring much easier but be careful not to go all the way through the flesh.)
3) Take another pan with 1 part butter (a knob) and 2 parts water and some S&P and your ripped sage and bring to a simmer with the lid on ready for your broccoli
4) Take a pan with a lid large enough to fit all your spinach in and add a couple of spoons of water with the thyme, garlic and S&P place the lid on and place on a med/high heat and cook for 5 mins once cooked strain the liquid out
5) Place your fish pan (non stick frying pan) on a high heat ready to cook your fish
6) Add the broccoli to the pan you prepared at no 3 and place the lid back on. Just give your spinach a quick stir.
7) Roughly mash your new potatoes (trying not to mash them too much!)chop your chives and add them to the potatoes squeeze in the 1/2 lemon juice add some olive oil S&P and just check the seasoning.
8) Add you’re a knob of butter and a good drizzle of olive oil to your fish pan once the butter has browned add your seasoned fish fillets skin side down (if they start to bow just lightly press the flesh until it relaxes) leave to cook until you see the whites of the flesh on the side start to colour once this has coloured about 5-8mm (this should only take a couple of mins) carefully turn the fish over and leave for 30 seconds and remove from the heat the leave the fish in the pan for 30 secs then place on the plate. Place the pan back on the heat for 30 secs with a small knob of butter and 2 ripped sage leaves and squeeze in the other half of the lemon
9) Arrange potatoes spinach and broccoli on the plate with the fish on top and the sage butter from the fish pan around.
Severs 2
Cooking time 8-10 minutes
Preparation time 15 – mostly for cooking the potatoes
1 whole gray mullet (filleted)
300g new potatoes
1 small pack purple sprouting broccoli
½ lrg bag baby spinach
4 sage leaves (ripped)
1 sprig thyme (picked)
1 clove garlic (finely sliced)
3 ish knobs of butter
3 ish glugs of olive oil
½ lemon
10-12 chive shoots
I got my mullet from a little fishmonger that sits in one of the arches between the two piers on Brighton beach he’s a really nice guy really that enjoys a chat about his fish. He’s not open on Mondays and usually closes at about 3pm depending on how busy he is, so get down there early if you want to get the best of the catch. The fish he has changes daily as to what has been caught that morning from the channel!!! Perfect although you can’t really plan ahead, although I think that puts the fun into the kitchen! Anyway so I went down on my break from work to see what he had in and to my luck he had 4 whole gray mullet as well as some sea bass, Mackerel and some squid. I really like gray mullet its so much cheaper than sea bass and I think just as good if not a little meat this whole fresh filleted fish cost me £3.50 not bad for two portions I think. Most of the rest of the ingredients bar the chives I got from Taj which I will tell you more about another time.
Method
1) Put the new potatoes in to a pan with lightly salted cold water until just soft (put a knife into a potatoes and if it falls off the knife this is generally a sign it is ready but give it a little squeeze on the side just to be sure!) when the potatoes are ready put to one side with the lid on to keep warm until your fish is cooked.
2) Take your filleted fish and lightly score diagonally 3-4 times across the fillet approximately 2 fingers apart from each other (if you lightly pinch the fillet holding the top with your finger and the bottom with your thumb it will make scoring much easier but be careful not to go all the way through the flesh.)
3) Take another pan with 1 part butter (a knob) and 2 parts water and some S&P and your ripped sage and bring to a simmer with the lid on ready for your broccoli
4) Take a pan with a lid large enough to fit all your spinach in and add a couple of spoons of water with the thyme, garlic and S&P place the lid on and place on a med/high heat and cook for 5 mins once cooked strain the liquid out
5) Place your fish pan (non stick frying pan) on a high heat ready to cook your fish
6) Add the broccoli to the pan you prepared at no 3 and place the lid back on. Just give your spinach a quick stir.
7) Roughly mash your new potatoes (trying not to mash them too much!)chop your chives and add them to the potatoes squeeze in the 1/2 lemon juice add some olive oil S&P and just check the seasoning.
8) Add you’re a knob of butter and a good drizzle of olive oil to your fish pan once the butter has browned add your seasoned fish fillets skin side down (if they start to bow just lightly press the flesh until it relaxes) leave to cook until you see the whites of the flesh on the side start to colour once this has coloured about 5-8mm (this should only take a couple of mins) carefully turn the fish over and leave for 30 seconds and remove from the heat the leave the fish in the pan for 30 secs then place on the plate. Place the pan back on the heat for 30 secs with a small knob of butter and 2 ripped sage leaves and squeeze in the other half of the lemon
9) Arrange potatoes spinach and broccoli on the plate with the fish on top and the sage butter from the fish pan around.
08 May, 2009
Slow roast silver side of beef with garlic and thyme and red wine sauce – dinner 06/05/09
Serves 3
Perpetration time 45 minutes
Cooking time 2½ hours
500g silverside beef
15g thyme (finely chopped)
4 cloves garlic (3 finely chopped, 1 finely sliced)
300g new potatoes
9- 12 asparagus shoots
3 large field mushrooms (peeled)
2 med sprig rosemary
3 knobs of butter
4-5 tbsp olive oil
2 med banana shallots
1½ sml glasses of red wine
300 ml stock beef / chicken
This dish is a little lengthy, time is need but the results are great sliver side can be expensive I was lucky and found it on the Waitrose meat counter at half price because they were about to close! I love beef with thyme, its is possibly one of my favorite flavors and the asparagus I used in this recipe I bought for a £1 from an old village shop in Glynde on my way back from a day out cider tasting! Most of the herbs I use are from my little window box and when its open I always buy my veg from the open market. If you don’t use your local market for veg you will be so surprised at how much cheaper it is compared to your local super market!
Method
1) Rub some olive oil all over your beef and season with salt & pepper. Take a big enough pan for the meat and your hand to fit in and bring the pan up to full heat and seal (brown) your beef all over once this is done take off the heat and put to one side to rest. Be sure to keep all the juices that come out for your sauce!
2) Take the thyme and 2 garlic cloves with a good pinch of salt (I use Maldon at all times when cooking)give it a good mix together and take a good sheet of tin foil and place your beef on then rub in your salt and herb mix and wrap the foil around and place in the oven for 2 hours at 90 c
3) Whilst the beef is cooking boil your potatoes in lightly salted water until just soft (put a knife into a potatoes and if it falls off the knife this is generally a sign it is ready but give it a little squeeze on the side just to be sure!) when the potatoes are ready drain and put in a roasting tray with your peeled mushrooms.
4) Take your rosemary and a small pinch of salt and pound in a pestal and mortal until a paste comes then add a glug of olive and mix when this is done you should have a sort of rosemary oil. Pour this over the potatoes and mushrooms with a good pinch of black pepper and sprinkle over with the sliced garlic and give it all a good toss ready for when the beef comes out of the oven.
5) Roughly chop your shallots, garlic and a sprig of rosemary for good measure and black pepper. put a pan on a high heat with a little olive oil and add your shallots etc when starting to brown stirring continually, add your red wine and let it reduce by 2/3 then add your beef/chicken stock and the meat juices (and the juices that will come when you take your beef from the oven) bring to the boil then reduce heat to a strong simmer skimming any excess fat that might come to the top.
6) Once the beef is cooked take out the oven and place to on side to rest (the beef should feel a little soft NOT firm as to be sure it is still med rare)and turn the oven upto 215c. When the oven has reached temp add your potatoes and mushrooms and roast for 15 minutes.
7) Whilst this is happening take a pan with a lid, add 2/3 water 1/3 butter (70ml water 20g butter) and s&p put on a med high heat until the butter melts when the butter has melted add the asparagus and put the lid on and give a good shake!
8) The sauce should have reduced by about 2/3 by now and smelling great! Pass your sauce through a sieve (or a fine sieve if u have one)
9) Remove the asparagus from the heat after about4-5 mins, slice your beef potatoes out the oven and serve.
Serves 3
Perpetration time 45 minutes
Cooking time 2½ hours
500g silverside beef
15g thyme (finely chopped)
4 cloves garlic (3 finely chopped, 1 finely sliced)
300g new potatoes
9- 12 asparagus shoots
3 large field mushrooms (peeled)
2 med sprig rosemary
3 knobs of butter
4-5 tbsp olive oil
2 med banana shallots
1½ sml glasses of red wine
300 ml stock beef / chicken
This dish is a little lengthy, time is need but the results are great sliver side can be expensive I was lucky and found it on the Waitrose meat counter at half price because they were about to close! I love beef with thyme, its is possibly one of my favorite flavors and the asparagus I used in this recipe I bought for a £1 from an old village shop in Glynde on my way back from a day out cider tasting! Most of the herbs I use are from my little window box and when its open I always buy my veg from the open market. If you don’t use your local market for veg you will be so surprised at how much cheaper it is compared to your local super market!
Method
1) Rub some olive oil all over your beef and season with salt & pepper. Take a big enough pan for the meat and your hand to fit in and bring the pan up to full heat and seal (brown) your beef all over once this is done take off the heat and put to one side to rest. Be sure to keep all the juices that come out for your sauce!
2) Take the thyme and 2 garlic cloves with a good pinch of salt (I use Maldon at all times when cooking)give it a good mix together and take a good sheet of tin foil and place your beef on then rub in your salt and herb mix and wrap the foil around and place in the oven for 2 hours at 90 c
3) Whilst the beef is cooking boil your potatoes in lightly salted water until just soft (put a knife into a potatoes and if it falls off the knife this is generally a sign it is ready but give it a little squeeze on the side just to be sure!) when the potatoes are ready drain and put in a roasting tray with your peeled mushrooms.
4) Take your rosemary and a small pinch of salt and pound in a pestal and mortal until a paste comes then add a glug of olive and mix when this is done you should have a sort of rosemary oil. Pour this over the potatoes and mushrooms with a good pinch of black pepper and sprinkle over with the sliced garlic and give it all a good toss ready for when the beef comes out of the oven.
5) Roughly chop your shallots, garlic and a sprig of rosemary for good measure and black pepper. put a pan on a high heat with a little olive oil and add your shallots etc when starting to brown stirring continually, add your red wine and let it reduce by 2/3 then add your beef/chicken stock and the meat juices (and the juices that will come when you take your beef from the oven) bring to the boil then reduce heat to a strong simmer skimming any excess fat that might come to the top.
6) Once the beef is cooked take out the oven and place to on side to rest (the beef should feel a little soft NOT firm as to be sure it is still med rare)and turn the oven upto 215c. When the oven has reached temp add your potatoes and mushrooms and roast for 15 minutes.
7) Whilst this is happening take a pan with a lid, add 2/3 water 1/3 butter (70ml water 20g butter) and s&p put on a med high heat until the butter melts when the butter has melted add the asparagus and put the lid on and give a good shake!
8) The sauce should have reduced by about 2/3 by now and smelling great! Pass your sauce through a sieve (or a fine sieve if u have one)
9) Remove the asparagus from the heat after about4-5 mins, slice your beef potatoes out the oven and serve.
Prawn yakisoba – dinner 05/05/09
Serves 2
Preparation time 15minutes
Cooking time 15minutes
12 whole tiger prawns (fresh)
150g Fine cut wheat Udon noodles (most packs of udon come pre portioned so 150g is 2)
1 ½ Carrots (medium size)
1/3 of a whole Savoy cabbage (finely sliced)
1 x Onion (cut in half and finely sliced)
2 cloves garlic (finely sliced)
2/3 thumb of fresh ginger (finely grated)
2 tbsp sesame oil
12g / 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
30g / 2 ½ tbsp rice wine vinegar
30g / 2 ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
1 spring onion (finely sliced for finishing)
This is a really easy dish to make I have been to my local Japanese restaurant a couple of time and really enjoyed this dish and thought I would give it a go. Tiger prawns are quite expensive so if you prefer you could use 400g Pork fillet (1 cm sliced against the grain) I used pork the first time I did this and it was great!!
Method
1) Peel the prawns keeping all the shell and heads!! (these will make an exceptional shellfish stock!)
2) Mix together the sugar, vinegar and the soy sc in a bowl and leave on the side until the end.
3) Put a pan of lightly salted water on to boil, when it comes to the boil add your noodles stirring once or twice they will only take 4-5 minutes to cook. When they are done remove, drain and add cold water to refresh, stop them from sticking and remove extra starch. Leave them to one side until needed.
4) Take a wok or large bottomed pan on the heat on a med/high heat (mark 5) add the oil onions and garlic and stir continually for about 3mins
5) Add the cabbage and the ginger and continue stirring for 2mins then add the peeled prawns/sliced pork cook for 5mins keeping stirring.
6) Add the noodles and the soy mix and stir in continue to stir until the prawns are cooked and the soy mix has thickened slightly
7) Place in a bowl with the spring onions on top and serve.
Serves 2
Preparation time 15minutes
Cooking time 15minutes
12 whole tiger prawns (fresh)
150g Fine cut wheat Udon noodles (most packs of udon come pre portioned so 150g is 2)
1 ½ Carrots (medium size)
1/3 of a whole Savoy cabbage (finely sliced)
1 x Onion (cut in half and finely sliced)
2 cloves garlic (finely sliced)
2/3 thumb of fresh ginger (finely grated)
2 tbsp sesame oil
12g / 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
30g / 2 ½ tbsp rice wine vinegar
30g / 2 ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
1 spring onion (finely sliced for finishing)
This is a really easy dish to make I have been to my local Japanese restaurant a couple of time and really enjoyed this dish and thought I would give it a go. Tiger prawns are quite expensive so if you prefer you could use 400g Pork fillet (1 cm sliced against the grain) I used pork the first time I did this and it was great!!
Method
1) Peel the prawns keeping all the shell and heads!! (these will make an exceptional shellfish stock!)
2) Mix together the sugar, vinegar and the soy sc in a bowl and leave on the side until the end.
3) Put a pan of lightly salted water on to boil, when it comes to the boil add your noodles stirring once or twice they will only take 4-5 minutes to cook. When they are done remove, drain and add cold water to refresh, stop them from sticking and remove extra starch. Leave them to one side until needed.
4) Take a wok or large bottomed pan on the heat on a med/high heat (mark 5) add the oil onions and garlic and stir continually for about 3mins
5) Add the cabbage and the ginger and continue stirring for 2mins then add the peeled prawns/sliced pork cook for 5mins keeping stirring.
6) Add the noodles and the soy mix and stir in continue to stir until the prawns are cooked and the soy mix has thickened slightly
7) Place in a bowl with the spring onions on top and serve.
This is my page on home cooking I have found my self cooking a different meal every evening for myself and my girlfriend Petra with people always wanting to know what I have made, how I have done it and what I am going to do tonight. so I am starting to do this blog to try and inspire you and others with my ideas an hopefully bring out some of the passion and love that everyone should feel when preparing fresh food…and hopefully get some of you who don’t cook to much into the kitchen! I think my food is quick easy and really simple to make, just using fresh produce
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