Mashed Potato Salad

Inspired by that great dish -- Japanese potato salad--mediterranean style. Serve with some nice jambon de Paris.

left over mashed potatoes

capers

chopped cornichons

chopped parsely

EVOO

maldon sea salt

ground pepper

piment de l'espelette

red wine vinegar

1 tsp best commercial mayo

1. put all ingredients in a bowl and fold
2. drizzle more EVOO, piment

HK Chinese Restaurants

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but got to start somewhere. I will add as I learn more. So far these are what I understand to be some of the best Chinese restaurants in town. Open to other suggestions!

• Dim Sum West Villa Restaurant (28 Yan Ping Road): great har gau
• Cantonese Lei Garden (338 Hennessey Road): pork cheek on silky tofu
• The Chairman (18 Kau U Fong Road): pan fried prawn cake
• Luk Yu Tea House (24 Stanley Road): better in the evening for authentic Cantonese
• Shanghainese Crystal Jade (2/F World Trade Center, 280 Gloucester Road): xiao loong bao apparently very popular with the locals
• Spring Deer (42 Mody Road, Kowloon): not aware of any dishes to try, but apparently you need to watch your head on the way in!
• Siu Tim Tim (393 Lockhart Road): Sichuan hot pot
• Shung Hing Chiu Chow Restaurant (29 Queen's Road): salty pickled crab
• Seafood Fook Lam Moon (35 Johnston Road): abalone but only if you have a credit card...

HK Private Kitchens

Compiling my list of private kitchens....

• Liberty Private Works (Wellington St): western
• TBLS (Hollywood Road): western
• Da Ping Hou (Hollywood Road): sichuan

Chinese Food Translations

Here are a few menu items I've seen: "Puck to Fry the Cow River", "The Pig Picks the Noodle Shop", "Black Pepper Idea Powder". Hmm.... here I note a few things to remember.

• Gai Bow Chai: steamed chicken buns
• Cha Siu Bow: steamed pork buns
• Cheong Fan: rice noodles with prawn filling, barbecue pork and beef
• Loh Bak Goh: steamed/fried turnip cake
• Siu Mai: steamed dim sum with pork and prawn filling
• Phong Jau: chicken feet
• Ngau Yuk Siu Mai: beef dim sum
• Law Mai Gai: glutinous rice in lotus leaf
• Jook: congee
• Gai Fan: steam rice with chicken
• Dan Tart: egg tart
  
  

Cha Chaan Teng

Fast food Hong Kong style. These cafes don't offer much on the menu but are a good step up from the street stall dai pai dong, many of which began in the 1950s. These are some that are still going strong.

• Lan Fong Yuen (Central): famous for tea brewed through a silk stocking and Gai pa lo ding a dish of chicken steak on instant noodles.
• Kam Fung Cafe (Wanchai): famous for Gai pai, or chicken pie, and pineapple buns.
• Mido Cafe (Yau Ma Tei): originally catered to fishermen, lots of ambiance here; great coffee but not sure I would have their specialty: fried egg and "luncheon meat" sandwich.
• Nha Trang (Central): great little Vietnamese cafe with lots of atmos.

Gnocchetti, Scallops & Aubergine

A unique combo that I had at Domani, the sister restaurant of Pier Bussetti in Piemonte. I have to make this very soon, maybe tomorrow? Just a guess, but couldn't be more complicated than this. Maybe best to use the less bitter Asian variety of aubergine.

home-made gnocchetti

best quality scallops, cut into same size as gnocchetti

aubergine

EVOO

maldon sea salt

ground pepper

tad of butter

1. make gnocchetti
2. bake aubergine until soft
3. remove flesh and put into blender with EVOO, salt and pepper
4. blend well, pass through a fine sieve
5. re-heat aubergine gently in a large pan, season more if needed adding butter at very end
6. while aubergine is warming, season and gently pan fry the scallops in EVOO without coloring them
7. also while aubergine is warming, boil the gnocchetti in salted water
8. very quickly, drain gnocchetti when done, add to pan with aubergine cream, add scallops at the very last second and serve

Scallops, Daikon & Chilli Jam

Mr. Ottolenghi has come such a long way since the day he graciously lent me a big serving platter for a dish I had put together for Manou's birthday across the street from his shop.

1 green apple, cored & thinly sliced, kept in lemon water

6 thinly-sliced red radishes

30 gr blood chard leaves

EVOO

400 gr king scallops

chilli jam

sunflower oil

3 crushed garlic cloves

2 finely chopped red chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black mustard seeds

400 gr tin chopped tomatoes

40 gr palm sugar

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar

small bunch chopped coriander

pickled daikon

1 300 gr daikon, peeled and cut into thin strips

150 ml rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp pink peppercorns

3 crushed cloves

1 finely chopped red chilli

1. for the daikon, warm 200 ml water and rice wine vinegar in a pan; add 1 tsp sugar, salt, peppercorns, cloves and chilli; once the sugar and salt have dissolved, remove from the heat and cool, add the daikon; chill for a few hours or overnight
2. for the jam, heat 1 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil in a pan and fry the garlic, chilli, cumin seeds and mustard seeds for a couple minutes, taking care not to burn the spices; add the tomatoes, 1/2 tsp salt, palm sugar, turmeric and vinegar and bring to the boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes until thick; stir in the coriander and cool
3. drain the apple and pat dry; put in a bowl with the radish, chard, 1 tbsp EVOO and 80 gr of the daikon; toss and season
4. heat another tblsp EVOO in a pan, lightly season each scallop and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden around the edges; gently toss the ingredients, add the EVOO if needed and divide between four plates
5. top each with some chilli jam

Chilli & Coconut Prawns

A bit of a cliche but life is full of cliches. Serve with cocktail sticks and a San Mig.

vegetable oil

finely chopped garlic to taste

finely chopped lemongrass to taste

finely chopped bird's eye chilli

heaped tsp dessicated coconut

1 tsp grated lime zest

150 gr best quality prawns

lime wedges to serve

1. fry garlic, lemongrass and chilli in oil, stirring for a couple of minutes
2. add the coconut and lime zest
3. cook over gentle heat until garlic colors (don't burn garlic or coconut)
4. remove from pan
5. add prawns to the pan, when they turn pink, tip in the coconut mixture
6. stir well, tip into a bowl

Squid, Funghi & Mash

Had this at Eden Too in Santa Margherita. This is just a guess, pending chef Roberto's reply to my email.

baby squid

maris piper potato

best quality forest mushroom

parsley

chives

maldon sea salt

red wine vinegar

lemon

EVOO

ground black pepper

1. make Robuchon-type mash replacing butter with nutty olive oil, keep warm
2. slice squid very thinly
3. slice mushrooms very thinly
4. saute squid very quickly in EVOO, salt & pepper, keep warm
5. while squid is cooking, flash fry mushrooms with the minimum of oil so that they brown slightly in the pan, season with salt and pepper, chives and parsley
6. to serve, put a tablespoon of potato on a small plate
7. season mushrooms with a tiny bit of vinegar and put a few on the plate
8. add a squeeze of lemon to the squid, scatter a few slices of squid on top and serve

Melon & Elderflower Sorbet

I think I had this at Nopi before leaving London. I love that place. This isn't really a recipe, just a brilliant combo that works.

cantaloupe

elderflower juice

1. mix cantaloup in blender and pass through a sieve
2. add this juice to an ice cream maker with elderflower juice to taste
3. make sorbet according to manufacturer's instructions

Green Dip & Ricotta

Something to have on the table before a casual meal. It's a combo that comes up a lot, but I think the method of combining and presentation make all the difference. Looks nice a black Colombian terra cotta dish.

broad bean

petit pois

EVOO

parmesan

piment d'espelette

maldon sea salt

lemon

basil

ricotta

1. boil broad beans and remove skins
2. boil petit pois, then put in ice water so they retain their vivacious green color
3. season ricotta with some lemon rind, salt, pepper and EVOO
4. reserving a bit of each aside, put in a blender with EVOO, a couple leaves of basil, lemon juice to taste and a few tablespoon of parmesan
5. pulse just until there is a rough--not smooth--blend of the two
6. haphazardly spoon this onto a platter, sprinkling reserved beans and petit pois around
7. spoon the ricotta very roughly into a big mound in the middle of the bean/petit pois mixture
8. drizzle generous amounts of EVOO over the whole lot, with another sprinkling of maldon sea salt and piment to taste

Pomelo & Thai Rub

Pomelo spilling off supermarket shelves in HK. Reminds me of nice afternoon snack served when working in Bangkok circa 1997. As can be expected, ticks all the flavor boxes: sour, spicy, salty, sweet.

pomelo

dried chili

salt

sugar

1. break pomelo up into bite size pieces
2. mix salt and sugar together in equal amounts, plus chili to taste
3. dip pomelo in mixture and snack away

Pineapple, Lychee & Perrier

A great drink, preferably in a big pitcher pool side.

3 parts juiced pineapple

1 part commercial lychee juice (or nectar from can of lychees)

1 part Perrier

ice cubes

1. pour everything into a pitcher filled a third of the way with ice
2. garnish with a lychee & sip with a straw

Sydney Observations

Various watering holes to try next time in Sydney, as noted in the FT.

• The Commons (Darlinghurst): live jazz
• Duke (Surry Hills): waitresses in aprons
• Eau de Vie (Darlinghurst): lots of black leather
• Love Tilly Devine (Darlinghurst): nice wine list
• Low 302 (Surry Hills): bartender's bar
• Sticky Bar (Surry Hills): negronis on hand
• 13B (Darlinghurst): drinks made with care

Tagliatelle al Ragu

There are as many ragu recipes as there are nonas. But this one from Rowley Leigh is interesting in that he suggests sauteing the vegetables separately. He is also adamant about not compacting the meat after it has been put through the mincer. As a result, "the meat does not cake into lumps that have to be broken down during the cooking process". Frying the pancetta until a bit crisp is also unusual, as is the omission of wine I believe. The milk is fairly standard, making the sauce especially smooth. To date, I've not seen many ragus with garlic and especially thyme, so I wonder if this is Mr. Leigh's idea?

250 gr unsmoked pancetta

750 gr lean beef

750 gr belly pork

2 onions

2 large carrots

4 celery stalks

2 cloves garlic

300 gr tomato passata

70 gr tomato puree

400 gr tinned and peeled plum tomatoes

3 bay leaves

a few sprigs of thyme

nutmeg

1 liter milk

1. cut the meat into long strips, mince the pancetta first on the medium blade of the mincer and put to one side; mix the remaining meat and pass that through the machine (if you have one, otherwise chop away)
2. heat a heavy saucepan with a tblsp of EVOO and add the pancetta; let it sweat for 10 minutes until the fat renders out and the meat is fried to a nice friable texture; add the rest of the minced meat and stir well with a wooden spoon; continue to cook on high heat for 20 minutes, stirring regularly; continue cooking on lower heat for another 20 minutes stirring occasionally
3. while the meat cooks, peel and cut the vegetables into a fine dice; in another pan stew them together in two tblsp EVOO until very soft; add all three types of tomato with a dessertspoon of sugar and then add the herbs, a good grating of nutmeg, a tsp of salt and plenty of ground pepper; simmer for a few minutes and then add to the meat after it has been cooking for 40 minutes
4. bring the mix to a gentle simmer and then pour in the milk; stir well and simmer for another two hours on a very gentle heat, stirring now and then; make sure the sauce does not catch on the bottom of the pan
5. drop the tagliatelle in a large pot of salted water; when cooked, lift out with thongs into a saucepan; add ragu to taste (not too much!); add a bit of pasta cooking water and gently fold the sauce through the pasta
6. serve on some heated plates, with freshly grated parmesan all around

Wine & Peach Quencher

This summer's thirst quencher. A crisp and cold bottle of Italian white wine poured over some quartered sweet peaches. Looks lovely in a glass pitcher.

sweet peaches, pitted and quartered

cold white wine, preferably minerally

1. put peaches in fridge for a couple hours
2. put wine in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes
3. put peaches in a pitcher, and fill to top with wine

Grilled Pineapple & Chile

Although one not need tamper with a delicious and sweet pineapple, this idea is a nice departure from the usual. Here you have the traditional combo of pineapple and coconut, interlaced with a bit of sweet and spicy chilli syrup. From Rowley Leigh.

2 red chillies

50 gr light brown caster sugar

1 vanilla pod

1/2 cinnamon stick

4 star anis

10 cloves

1 pineapple

coconut ice cream

400 ml tinned coconut milk

400 ml milk

8 egg yolks

150 gr brown caster sugar

200 ml double cream

1. make coconut ice cream by combining milks and bringing to a simmer; whisk eggs and sugar, then pour the almost boiling milk into the the mixture whisking constantly; pour mixture back into saucepan and return to a gentle heat, stirring with a wooden spatula until custard thickens; pour into clean bowl, allow to cool completely; whisk cream until it forms soft peaks, fold into the coconut custard, then into the ice cream maker according to the manufacture's instructions.
2. de-seed and slice the chile thinly; combine with the sugar and 300 ml of water in a small saucepan and add the vanilla, taking care to split the pod in half and scrape the seeds into the water; bring to a simmer and cook on very gentle heat for 15 minutes; leave to cool
3. cut pineapple across the base and below the stalk; standing on its base, cut down through the center of the pineapple, cleaving it in two; cut again lengthways producing four equal long segments; first slice skin away then the stalks; then cut each segment into four long slices
4. heat a cast iron ridge griddle and grill the pineapple slices; turning them so that they get a criss-cross pattern; shouldn't take more than 5-6 minutes
5. arrange in overlapping slices in a dish and then macerate with the chile syrup
6. to serve gently warm the pineapple in a moderate oven; arrange a few slices with a small a scoop of coconut ice cream

Hemingway Daiquiri

As served at the Connaught, I've lifted this from an FT article on prohibition cocktails. This serves one. Apparently daiquiris were first made using Barcardi rum

45 ml Bacardi rum

5 ml maraschino liquer

35 ml grapefruit juice

10 ml lime juice

1/4 tsp caster sugar

1. fill a shaker with ice, add the ingredients and fine-strain into a martini or champagne coupe glass
2. garnish with a wedge of lime

French Cobb Salad

This came together effortlessly using the idea of an American Cobb Salad (normally consisting of diced ham, chicken, avocado, cheddar cheese etc) but using some leftover French ingredients in the fridge. This actually comes out looking more like a caviar because the chicken and cheese are diced up rather finely.

left-over roasted chicken breast

gruyere

chives

parsley

grain mustard

apple cider vinaigrette

walnut oil

EVOO

ground black pepper

maldon sea salt

1. cut chicken and gruyere into tiny dice
2. chop up herbs, mix in rest of ingredients taste

Tokyo Observations

My favorite city in the world to eat these days.

• Kanda Yabusoba: discovered many things at this institution, a restaurant that has existed on the site for a few hundred years; for starters it was tsukidashi, a miso served with sake or beer; then it was asari sakamusi, the classic little neck clams steamed in sake; then it was the seiro soba, for which the restaurant is renown, with tsuyu (the cold sauce for dipping made with soya, konbu, bonito); finally and most interestingly the soba-yu or the a pot of hot water in which the soba was boiled offered as a remedial last course.
• Maru: a second or third visit with highlight being smoked mackerel, umeboshi sauce and tiny shiso leaves all on top of a bed of finely shredded savoy cabbage dressed in a mirin-based vinaigrette. Two observations: get the contraption that makes wasabi paste from fresh wasabi and when cutting avocados, slice avocado halves thinly with skin on (this holds avocado slices in place before peeling skin off)

Hong Kong Observations

More good stuff on the island.

• Amber: a Pellegrino Top 50, with the main highlight being sea urchin with lobster "jello" and cauliflower; also learned from our friendly Chinese waiter that an 18-month Mimolette is the perfect age as anything older is a bit too sharp. Also recalling the elegant Christofle dish that opened like a fan for the petit fours.
• Zuma: nice for lunch outside; highlights were scallops & umeboshi plum, king prawn with yuzu & pepper; grilled courgettes with condiments including green tea maldon sea salt, tampo and tarragon white miso.
• L'Atelier: a very good outpost of the Robuchon chain; cod in daikon yuzu soup a winner.
• Tim's Kitchen: one of five two-star Cantonese restaurants in HK; ambiance is so-so, more about the food.
• Grissini: perfectly fine Italian food with a Ligurian chef in the Grand Hyatt; spot-on spaghetti bottarga and quality prosciutto; very original focaccia-like grissinis cooked on the spot and served warm.
• The China Club: Cantonese lunch place with fun 30s style brasserie ambiance; feels like a club because it is a club; a good concierge will get you in.
• Isola: great views and lovely bottarga & sea urchin pasta from the Basilicata chef.
• 208: well-designed (Turkish firm Autoban) hang with good Italian food in Sheung Wan; the pork cheek carpaccio could have used a lighter touch with some herbs etc. Chef from Liguria.

Jambon Pesto & Haricots Verts

Perfect for a quick and tasty Monday night dinner. Make sure you get the best French jambon de Paris or prosciutto cotto. The home-made pesto makes the dish (see previous entry).

ham

home-made pesto

EVOO

ground pepper

maldon sea salt

best quality haricot verts

lemon

1. boil green beans to desired tenderness, dress with EVOO, small squeeze of lemon and salt
2. spread pesto over two slices of ham, roll up ham into cylinder
3. place ham on the plate with green beans on the side, ground the pepper over ham only

Iceberg Cleanser

I found a nice head of organic iceberg at La Fromagerie. Crispy and crunchy lettuce is a lot more fun than those mixed leaves. With a few herbs and light dressing, it's the perfect end to a heavy meal.

• iceberg lettuce (preferably the leafier type)
• chopped parsley, coriander, mint
• rice wine vinegar
• sherry vinegar
• EVOO
• maldon sea salt
• ground pepper

1. chop up herbs, best not too excessive
2. dress lettuce with other ingredients & serve

Yuzu & Pepper Jumbo Prawn

Lovely Zuma recipe. London Zuma chef recently moved to HK.

best quality jumbo prawn

yuzu juice

EVOO

chopped garlic

chopped ginger

freshly ground white pepper

lemon wedge

coriander leaves

1. butter fly prawn and broil under hot grill
2. mix ingredients & spoon over prawn, serve immediately with lemon wedge on side
3. sprinkle coriander leaves over the whole lot

Mozzarella, Endive & Cilantro

A simple and unusual combo that works. Try using red endive as it looks prettier.

buffalo mozzarella

cilantro

red endive

EVOO

maldon sea salt

1. cut off root of endive so that leaves are free
2. break up mozzarella by hand and scatter over a serving platter
3. toss endive leaves and cilantro leaves over mozzarella
4. drizzle EVOO & sprinkle salt

Italian Cottage Cheese

Not really a recipe but such a quick and easy way to take cottage cheese to another level.

cottage cheese

EVOO

ground pepper

maldon sea salt

chopped parsley

minced red chile (optional)

tiny squeeze lemon (optional)

1. mix ingredients in a bowl
2. let sit a few minutes for flavors to develop

Bistro on a Plate

One of my favorite things. I was going to call it Hereford Ham Hock to do justice to the chef, but decided that this is literally a bistro on a plate. Hats off to Chef Pemberton.

shredded ham hock

tiny capers

tiny slices of little cornichons

small long radishes sliced lengthways with some stem still on

radish leaves, baby chard

mustard-heavy vinaigrette

chopped parsley and chives

maldon sea salt

ground pepper

1. put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl
2. mix in the vinaigrette, taste for seasoning
3. serve in individual bowls making sure everyone gets the tiny capers and cornichon bits

Bologna Observations

A wonderful time in La Grassa. I'm not sure what the answer is but why isn't Bologna teeming with wonderful classical restaurants serving the best bollito misto in the world? Have I not done my homework? Need to go back and find out!

• Trattoria Bottega: after losing all hope of finding a proper trattoria, I finally struck gold with this little foodie/slow food place on the periphery. Highlights included house-cured salsiccia cruda and culatello di zibello "fatta da noi", a beautifully sourced prosciutto "Lupi stagionatura 36 mesi", a 30 week matured parmigiano "caseificio lame loca 30 mesi", ricotta tortelloni with butter and sage remarkable for the looseness of the ricotta in the pasta, the tortellini in capon broth and the cotolletta di vitella in osso alla Petroniana. Tagliatelle with chicken liver-heavy ragu delicious as well. A beautiful Herter meat slicer on display that I now want....
• Bitone: I'm afraid there's nothing better than a Sunday lunch with friends (in this case Ali, Michelle and Miguel) at a country trattoria. 15 minutes from city center for a classic take on local food. Highlights were baby tortellini in a savory custardy sauce and cotoletta alla bolognese.
• Serghei: quick lunch fix for classic trattoria Bolognese classics such as tortellini in brodo.
• Osteria del Sole (Vicollo Ranocchi): a four hundred year old tavern where a bottle of something never ceases to be poured, all at the lowest prices. Perfect prosecco in the alleyway.

Lime & Mint Soda

What a refreshing drink. This will make a perfect house welcome drink on a hot, muggy summer day.

soda water
lime cordiale
fresh lime juice
mint

1. muddle lime and mint in a tall glass
2. add some crushed ice
3. add lime cordiale, top up with soda water

Braised Spinach & Miso

Obviously having a miso moment. I should be using this as an everyday ingredient. Best quality sturdy spinach and sweet, white spanish onions recommended.

spinach

EVOO

spanish white onion

garlic

organic vegetable broth

white wine

light miso

1. saute roughly chopped garlic and onion cut into two halves in EVOO
2. add wine, let reduce a bit; add broth letting this reduce too
3. add miso to taste, let blend in to other ingredients
4. add spinach, let cook and remove
5. reduce sauce further
6. pour sauce over spinach, include the onions too

Tuna & Soy Mirin

Another interesting option for tuna tartare.

maldon sea salt

ground pepper

coriander, chopped

parsley, chopped

tuna

half cup mirin

half cup soy sauce

3 tblsp rice vinegar

daikon

cucumber

mint

chive oil

1. roll tuna in chopped coriander, parsley and seasoning; pressing ingredients into the flesh
2. sear all sides for 20 seconds on a hot pan
3. put in fridge and let cool for 20 minutes or so
4. slice thinly
5. slice daikon and cucumbers (with skin on) thinly and length-wise; place a mound of this on top of tuna
6. make dressing by combining mirin, soy and vinegar, drizzle over the whole lot
7. drizzle chive oil haphazardly as well (blend chives and rapeseed oil, put through sieve)

Izakaya Shroom Salad

This came out of nowhere. So tasty, it transported me to a cozy little izakaya in Tokyo. I've used King Oyster mushroom, a new favorite. Key is the green yuzu kosho (never leave home without it!).

king oyster mushrooms, sliced

rice wine vinegar

rapeseed oil

maldon sea salt

green yuzu kosho

1. lightly dredge mushrooms with oil
2. saute mushroom slices on high heat until lightly browned on both sides
3. make vinaigrette using oil, rice wine vinegar, kosho, salt

Parsley Salad

I had a lovely cured ocean trout, goat's curd and parsley salad at Bill's in Sydney. A nice staple to have handy when eating smoked or cured fish.

flat leaf parsley

thinly sliced red onion

mandolin-sliced radish

capers

EVOO

lemon juice

1. tear up parsley, better not to cut
2. mix with other ingredients and toss, using as much or little lemon juice as you like

Miso Sauteed Shrooms

This was scribbled on the black board of Bill's in Sydney, highlighting the tasting menu of an upcoming event. Hadn't thought of the combo before but must be good. This is what I imagine it might taste like.

best quality selection of mushrooms

butter

EVOO

white miso

noilly prat

japanese yuzu coriander chili paste

lemon juice

1. heat EVOO, sautee mushrooms, then add butter and paste, let bubble up
2. add vermouth, miso toward the end
3. stir mushrooms in sauce
4. add a tiny squeeze of lemon over mushrooms

Salt Beef, Peas & Remoulade

I think this was my favorite dish of the Aussie trip, from the Four in Hand Dining Room in Sydney's Paddington. Chef finally returned my email with recipe.

fresh peas

home-made chicken broth

butter

EVOO

garlic

white onions

white wine

maldon sea salt

ground pepper

spinach

fresh mint

best quality salt beef

celeri remoulade (previous posting)

feta

micro herbs

1. make celeri remoulade with home-made mayo, tiny capers
2. make pea veloute; sweat off garlic and onion in EVOO and a tad of butter, add a little white wine and chicken stock, bring to boil; add peas and let cook briefly; add spinach and mint at last minute for color; season, blitz and strain; keep some whole peas aside
3. pour veloute into a shallow bowl, just covering the bottom of the bowl; add a chunk of salt beef, scatter reserved peas around
4. sprinkle crumbled feta on top of this (just to season and don't overdo) followed by a small mound of remoulade
5. sprinkle with some micro herbs

Tuna & Wasabi Avocado

Yet another tuna sashimi in a long line of others on this blog. I got this one from Aussie chef Mark Preston.

two ripe avocados

tuna, cut into small cubes

juice of three limes

1.5 tsp wasabi paste

2 tblsp soy sauce

1 tblsp EVOO

1 nori sheet

black sesame seeds

white sesame seeds

chives

micro herbs

1. pulse avocado, juice of lime, wasabi, seasoning
2. make dressing by combining soy sauce, EVOO and lime juice
3. place nori on a plate, spread avocado puree on top
4. pile tuna on top, drizzle dressing on top, scatter other ingredients on top of this

Crudites on Ice

I love this idea. On a hot summer day, what better way to snack than serving a selection of favorite, freshly-cut vegetables over crushed ice? The vegetables retain their crunchiness, are refreshingly cool and ready to dip into your favorite condiment whether a simple olive oil, aioli or tonnato sauce.

1. slice vegetables, for example sweet red peppers, fennel, cucumber, carrots
2. keep types of vegetables separate, clump together and servie on a platter of crushed ice

Baked Olives

From Bondi's Icebergs restaurant. Chef hails from the Marche. Serve with crusty bread!

EVOO

combination of olives

bay leaf

garlic

white wine

maldon sea salt

ground pepper

1. heat oil, add olives, bay leaf, garlic and cook
2. add wine, remove from heat and transfer to a baking tray
3. bake 4-5 minutes
4. season with salt and pepper

Iceberg & Herby Yoghurt

Came across this in an issue of Delicious sitting at Bill's for brunch in Sydney. I forget the chef's name, but I think a familiar face on the local television.

iceberg lettuce

greek yoghurt

preserved lemon, chopped

lemon juice

maldon sea salt

ground black pepper

thyme, chopped

EVOO

fresh mint leaves

de-seeded cucumber with skin on, cubed

crumbled feta

1. make yoghurt dressing by combining the yoghurt, lemon juice, preserved lemon, thyme, EVOO, salt and pepper
2. place iceberg wedge on a plate, scatter mint, cucumber and feta over this, then pour over dressing adding a little more EVOO and seasoning if necesary

Tonight's Dinner

A farewell to Queens Gate Gardens and thank you dinner for the Slawsons. I chose a smattering of current favorite small plates, all of which received good reviews....

• dressed crab & green apple celeri remoulade
• seared scallop, parmesan pea pesto, truffle vinaigrette
• smoked eel, pickled carrots, horseradish creme fraiche
• seared tuna tartare and whipped coriander avocado
• buratta, red onion confit, toasted hazelnuts
• vitello tonnato to go
• haricots vert & shredded ham hock salad
• parmesan & honey-drenched young walnuts
• affogato & bitter chocolate

Brisbane Bitter

The perfect thirst quencher for semi-tropical Brisbane. Local bartender suggested this alcohol-free concoction which I will adopt as my new welcome drink.

3/4 glass lemonade
1/4 glass lime cordiale, or to taste
splash of agostura bitter
squeeze of fresh lime

1. crack some ice, put in a tall glass
2. top up with above ingredients

Sydney Observations

So far, so good in Sydney. In order of preference...

• Four in Hand Dining Room: lime-cured kingfish, avocado, radish & ginger jelly; corned beef, peas, feta & celeriac; roast ocean trout, ham hock, lettuce; braised pigtail, corn and crab salad, lobster chowder.
• Icebergs: kind of a River Cafe on Bondi beach; lovely with a half dozen oysters, a simple John Dory and sauteed spinach.
• Sean's Panorama: cute little no nonsense restaurant with the tastiest sauteed clams ever, using local firm-fleshed pipis and a combination of finger lime, fennel, white wine and toasted fennel seed; an absolute gem of a dish..I think my favorite of the trip; need to write them to get the recipe for their malt bread.
• Longraine: great idea making miang with smoked trout & fish eggs.
• Marque: best chef of 2010, but reminds me of a mini-me version of Habiscus: trying way too hard to be original and falling flat; enough of those gelatins, foams and bursty pearls!

Whipped Cheddar Spaghetti

My cheese sauce has clumped up in the past for this dish. Somehow I managed to emulsify it perfectly tonight, due to the right combo of pasta water, EVOO, butter and cheese. It worked with cheddar but should be replicable for similar cheese. The 1 tblsp of ground black pepper is a minimum quantity for 300 gr spaghetti.

300 gr spaghetti

1 cup white cheddar

2-3 tblsp butter

1 tblsp ground black pepper

EVOO

maldon sea salt

1. make spaghetti (6 minutes cooking)
2. drain, put back in pot retaining about 1/4 cup of pasta water, toss with EVOO
3. put back on low heat, add cheese and butter and stir pasta vigorously for about a minute; pasta should be well coated with cheese, smooth and glossy
4. add more pepper than you think probably necessary, season with salt
5. eat right away...

Bloody Mary Variations

My tolerance for spirits is next to zero but sometimes nothing else will do but a good Bloody Mary. I will collect variations on the theme in this entry, to be updated regularly.

• Amelia Pinsent: in a large jug pour 1 liter of good quality tomato juice over ice; grate 2 tbsp fresh horseradish over the top; pour in a decent glug or two of quality vodka and a healthy splash of Fino or Manzanilla sherry; shake about a tsp of tabasco sauce over the jug, followed by a dessertspoon of Lea & Perrins; grind lots of black pepper on top and a pinch of salt; thinly slice half a lemon and throw in; pour into glasses and garnish each with a stick of cold celery; finally spinkle some finely chopped coriander on top of each glass.

Tonight's Dinner

A successful series of spot-on dishes tonight for Jule's birthday tapas party.

• David's Shroom Salad & Octo Vinaigrette
• Layered Potato Tortilla
• Squid & Chorizo, Spinach Leaves
• Seared Tuna Carpaccio & Coriander Avocado Cream
• Burrata, Sweet Onion Confit, Toasted Hazelnut & Coriander
• Baby Potatoes & Morito Sauce
• Salmon Ceviche & Wood Roasted Beet Tartare
• Rigatoni Nduja Ragu
• Ari's Sensational Meatballs Espanol
• Scallop Sashimi, Truffle Vinaigrette, Pea & Parmesan Puree
• Petits Haricots Verts & Ham Hock Salad

San Daniele Bites

One really shouldn't have to tamper with a fine slice of San Daniele. But I found myself with a little more than I needed today and decided to have some fun with it. Can't wait to include this at my next tapas party. You could of course use regular prosciutto, but I'd insist on buffalo mozzarella.

san daniele prosciutto

buffalo mozzarella

EVOO

unami paste (Laura Santtini's is excellent)

snipped chives (optional)

1. mix 6-7 tblsp of EVOO with 2 tsp unami paste
2. slice mozzarella into thick matchsticks
3. roll pieces of mozzarella up in slices of San Daniele
4. drizzle unami oil into a small rectangular serving dish
5. place San Daniel rolls in dish, drizzle extra unami oil on top (make sure covered and surrounding by the oil)
6. sprinkle chives over the dish, let marinate overnight
7. serve relatively cool

Foie Gras Astrance

Pascal Barbot's staple foie gras appetizer on his menu forever. What's lovely here is that he manages to lighten up this dish with his touches of dressed pedestrian mushrooms so that you almost forget about the foie gras. Very nice balancing of flavors so that not one ingredient dominates.

cep powder

2 tblsp of lemon puree

verjus-marinated foie gras

1 lobe of foie gras

1 liter verjus

20 gr melted butter

4 tsp maple syrup

3 sheets pate a brick

maldon sea salt

ground black pepper

champignons de Paris galette

12 very large white mushrooms (reserve a few)

juice of a lemon

zest of an orange

green apple

hazelnut oil

maldon sea salt

ground black pepper

1. marinate the foie gras in verjus for three hours in the fridge
2. preheat oven to 325 f; combine warm melted butter and maple syrup, brush one sheet of pate a brick with the maple butter, top with another sheet and repeat with another
3. cut a 12 c circle from the sheets of pate a brick and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan; top with a second piece of parchment and a second sheet pan to prevent rising; bake ten minutes until crisp; set aside
4. drain the foie gras; slice and season with maldon sea salt and pepper
5. slice green apples with mandolin, leave skin on
6. for the galette, rub the mushrooms and green apple with lemon juice; using a mandoline, cut the mushrooms into thin slices; toss the remaining mushrooms with lemon juice, orange zest, hazelnut oil, maldon sea salt and pepper
7. to serve, place on layer of seasoned mushrooms on the disc of a pate a brick with a slice of foie gras and green apples; repeat using the remaining seasoned mushrooms and foie gras
8. top the final slice of foie gras with the reserved, unseasoned mushrooms; sprinkle with cep powder; slice the galette into four slices and serve with lemon marmalade

Oubaek Bearnaise

From Oubaek in Copenhagen. The chef made Bearnaise sauce cool again, spawning a steakhouse chain whose claim to fame is this very sauce. But we had it at the source and I think I managed to squeeze its secret ingredients from a nice young lad serving us! Apparently the trick is to make a tarragon essence containing various seasonal vegetables that gives the vinegar going into the sauce a bit more complexity and presence.

tarragon essence

250 gr freshly clarified butter, cooled to tepid

4 egg yolks

2 tblsp snipped chervil

juice of 1/2 lemon

maldon sea salt

10 peppercorns, crushed

tarragon essence

2 tblsp white wine vinegar

3 tblsp snipped tarragon

30 gr chopped shallot

2 tblsp of chopped parsnip, carrots, celery

1. to make the essence, combine the wine vinegar, vegetables, snipped tarragon, the shallot and pepperorns in a small, heavy-based saucepan and reduce by half over a low heat; set aside to cool
2. combine essence, egg yolks and 3 tblsp water; set the pan over a low heat and whisk continuously, making sure that the whisk reaches right down into the bottom of the pan
3. as you whisk, gently increase the heat; the sauce should emulsify slowly and gradually, becoming oil after 8-10 minutes (don't let it get hotter than 65 c)
4. turn off the heat and whisk the clarified butter into the sauce a little at a time
5. season with salt and pepper, pass the sauce through another sieve into another pan; stir in the rest of the tarragon, the chervil and lemon juice
6. check for seasoning and serve at once

Morito Green Sauce

Easily going to become part of my repertoire, having had it for a second time poured over their delicate salt-baked baby potatoes. Needs to be consistency of heavy cream.

1 green banana chile

handful coriander leaves

1/3 garlic clove (mashed with mortar & pestle)

few tblsp of EVOO

maldon sea salt

1-2 tsp muscadet vinegar

1. in a blender, mix chile and EVOO; add coriander, garlic, salt
2. add more EVOO so that sauce develops proper consistency
3. add some vinegar for a little zing

Copenhagen Observations

February in freezing Copenhagen may not be everyone's cup of tea. But if you're inside eating or sipping a local brew, what does it matter?

• Noma: still collecting my thoughts here, much has already been said and not really sure what to add. It did not disappoint.
• Schonneman Restaurant: a very close second to Noma; classic Danish cooking at its best counting Rene Redzepi as a regular (and even naming a smorrebrod after him). The best I had was fried herring sandwich and Michelle a caramel herring sandwich, both washed down with seemingly free-flowing local Akvavit and various snaps including one made from rosehips. The Rene Favorite sandwich consists of smoked halibut with creamed cucumbers, radish and chives served on a caraway bread.
• Formel B: very fine dining indeed with standouts including cream cheese ice cream with blood orange sorbet, turbot and veal tails, caviar with jerusalem artichoke ice cream.
• Oubaek: classy comfort food at this modern and cozy bistrot; chef Rasmus Oubaek has perfected bearnaise sauce, probably the best I've had. Had an excellent local brew called Beer Geek Breakfast.
• Nimb Brasserie: good standby, but best of all is the Nimb hotel bar on the first floor with its black ink murals and grand fire place. Favorite dish was the first one that came with the bread: a cheese spread using Rygeost (smoked cheese).
• Helges cheese shop: you can get Denmark's best cheese of 2010 here, Vesterhavsost.
• Summerbird chocolate shop: you can get their famous chocolate-covered almonds with licorice dust and the best flodeboller.

Creamsicle Revisited

From Formel B in Copenhagen. I was completely taken by this dessert, which reminded me of all those creamsicles I devoured as a kid.

blood orange sorbet
cream cheese ice cream
blood orange pearls
blood orange gelatin

cream cheese ice cream
philadelphia cream cheese
cream
vanilla
sugar
egg

blood orange sorbet
juice of blood orange (or ready-made puree)
sugar
water

1. make cream cheese ice cream using ingredients
2. make blood orange sorbet using ingredients
3. make blood orange pearls and gelatin cubes
4. on a small plate, place a scoop of ice cream and sorbet, with pearls and gelatin cubes scattered about

Gravadlax & Beet Tartare

Just popped into my head now. Beets the heck out of me.

Jean-George's beet tartare

my beet-cured gravadlax

pumpernickel

butter

beet tartare

two beets

half chopped shallot

3-4 chopped cornichons

dozen chopped capers

a couple drops tobasco

chopped parsley

1. make beet tartare by mixing everything in a blender but not too finely, let set overnight
2. serve with gravadlax and buttered pumpernickel

Tuna Tartare Tapa

This is my take on the Barrafina recipe, the main difference being that the tuna is seared and sliced rather than eaten raw and cubed tartare style. This is a more rugged version which would happily find its home at a tapas party.

tuna steak (2 inches thick)

EVOO

maldon sea salt

ground pepper

chopped coriander leaves

chopped chives

sesame oil

sesame seeds

soy sauce

avocado veloute

avocado

EVOO

juice of lime

maldon sea salt

coriander stems

1. make sauce with EVOO, a tad of sesame oil, a tad of soy sauce, maldon sea salt, sesame seeds and chopped coriander leaves/chives
2. place avocado veloute ingredients into a blender and mix until very smooth and velvety so that you can scoop with a spoon
3. lightly coat the tuna steak in EVOO, then ample salt and pepper
4. put pan on high heat, sear on both sides 30 seconds each
5. place in fridge for a couple hours until chilled
6. slice tuna thinly (but not so thin that it falls apart)
7. place tuna on a serving dish, smother with sauce
8. serve on plates, with spoonfuls of the avocado cream on the side
9. instruct guest to squeeze a tad of lime over the whole lot, then dig in

Tokyo Observations

More izakaya notes, not all of which I had the pleasure of going to.

• Horoyoi (Shibuya-ku): red felt tip pen circles mark the specials; simmered bamboo shoots, salt-grilled ayu sweetfish, yellowtail sashimi, raw hotaru ika firefly squid; horse mackerel sashimi straight from the tank; hot potato chips, Japanese-style German potatoes; julienned potatoes with spicy cod roe, foil-baked mushrooms.
• Maru (Shibuya-ku): green beans with sesame sauce, deep-fried tile fish (cooked with scales on).
• Saiki (Shibuya-ku): a Tokyo institution serving crab cream croquettes, squid and celery
• Shinsuke (Bunkyo-ku): working class pub; the only sake served is Ryozeki (sweet style, barrel version); raclette japanese-style; nuta, or mixture of blanched, thick green onions, udo stems, wakame seaweed and tuna cubes; mashed potato salad; tatsuta fried chicken.
• Yamariki Shinkan (Koto-ku): all about guts and stuff but refined dishes too; asparagus and pork tempura rolls, scallop & tomato, grilled whole surume squid.
• Hiro (Meguro-ku): a tiny place under the railway arches in Nakameguro; soy marinated daikon peels, miso-cured tofu; grilled chicken with ume paste, deep fried tofu with mushroom sauce; spaghetti vongole Japanese-style,
• Morimoto (Shibuya-ku): yakitori specialist, grilled eel, chicken sashimi
• Buchi (Shibuya-ku): a tachinomiya, or standing bar, a relative of the izakaya; sea urchin with scrambled eggs, char-grilled jamon iberico, udon noodles with sesame dipping sauce; famous for one-cup format sake, fried whole garlic with miso, tea-glazed walnuts, whitebait nam pla fritters, broccoli rabe and scallops sashimi in mustard dressing, sliced duck breast with ponzu sauce.
  

Feminine Bordeaux

Bordeaux tends not to be my first choice on a wine menu. The idea of feminine Bordeaux is something I really like though. Here is one such example, hopefully to be followed by more either from in or outside of Haut Medoc.

• Chateau Pichon Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande: Pauillac, 2001 (45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Cabernet France, 8% Petit Verdot)
• Chateau Peyrat-Fourthon: Haut Medoc, 2000 (55% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, 5% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot)
• Angelique de Monbousquet

My Best Shroom Salad

I'm still salivating over this. Loving it. Of course what makes the salad is Momofuku's octo vinaigrette and my home-made lime mayo. Best to use a meatier variety of mushrooms but avoid the usual white and chestnut mushrooms. Also avoid slicing the mushrooms, saute them whole because it looks prettier.

combination of mushrooms

2 tblsp chopped chives

1 tblsp chopped parsley

EVOO

maldon sea salt

dijon-based home-made mayo with squeeze of lime

octo vinaigrette

2 tblsp finely chopped garlic

2 tblsp finely chopped peeled ginger

1/4 tsp finely chopped red banana chile

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup light soy sauce

2 tblsp grapeseed/rapeseed oil

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1 1/2 tblsp sugar

freshly ground black pepper

1. prepare vinaigrette, preferably 48 hours in advance so that flavors blend; try to chop the ginger, chile and garlic into similar-sized tiny pieces.
2. prepare mayo on the day
3. toss mushrooms with EVOO and salt in a bowl
4. put pan on medium-high heat
5. saute the mushrooms in batches, do not crowd the pan
6. take mushrooms out, place on paper towels and repeat
7. when done, hopefully when mushrooms are still warm, toss with vinaigrette and herbs
8. serve on a plate with a dollop of mayo on the side

Radicchio Trevisano

Somehow the sherry vinegar and chives make this dish. I think one mustn't cut these beautiful chicory curls. Which probably means that that you should just eat them with your hands and crunch away like you would a raw carrot.

radicchio trevisano

best quality EVOO

maldon sea salt

ground pepper

sherry vinegar

puntarelle shoots

chopped chives

chopped parsley

1. make dressing using only minimal vinegar
2. slice the puntarelle shoots thinly, toss with the treviso, herbs and vinaigrette

Tonight's Dinner

One of those weekday dinners that just came together simply and beautifully.

• celeri remoulade & dressed crab
• egg linguine & cep butter
• radicchio Trevisano salad
• La Fermiere lemon yoghurt

Food & Drink Weaknesses

Things I like to stash away for quick fixes.

• Bendicks chocolate bittermints
• La Fermiere lemon yoghurt
• rice cake, cheddar cheese, green tabasco
• marmite cashews
• small glass bottles of Perrier
• Dr Pepper (1-2x per year)
• fresh-pressed pomegranate juice
• medjool dates
• gruyere with salt and pepper
• persimmons
• Japanese-style cheesecake
• Chinotto
• watermelon
• ginger-lemon tea
• buttered German rye bread and bologna

Santceloni Veal Shank

We had this a few years ago at Santi Santamaria's Santceloni in Madrid. I only recalled it a couple nights ago when I made a simpler recipe from the River Cafe using a whole veal shank. Serve with Robuchon mash.

1 suckling veal shank (about 1.5 kg)

2 onions

2 carrots

2 sprigs of thyme

1 head of garlic

250 ml white wine

3 liters veal stock (preferably home-made)

3 tblsp EVOO

1/2 calf's foot

100 gr butter

S&P

1. tie up the shank, season with S&P, brown in an oiled oven-proof casserole
2. add the chopped onions, carrots, garlic cloves and thyme and let sweat (be careful that the onions do not burn)
3. add the white wine, and once reduced, add 2 liters veal stock
4. cover the casserole and place in an 80 c oven for 7-8 hours, checking occasionally that the liquid has not evaporated
5. while the shank is cooking, slice and brown the calf's foot in the oven; reduce 1 liter of veal stock with the foot; add some thyme (the reduction should be very thick since it will be used to glaze the meat)
6. once the shank is tender, it is done
7. remove the shank from its cooking juice, pat dry and brown in butter and oil
8. place into a 220 c oven so that its color deepens and it becomes crispier; remove the string
9. glaze the shank with the veal stock reduction and return to the oven
10. repeat this process until the shank is nicely glazed
11. strain the cooking liquid from the shank, reduce to the desired consistency, whisk in a little butter and season

British Isles Oysters

A ranking of my favorite oysters from these parts as I can never remember their names! To be updated as I go along.

• Strangford Lough Rocks (Strangford Lough, Ireland): favorite at J Sheekey, and cheapest, well balanced
• Kingdom of Mourne Rocks (Carlingford Lough, Ireland): similar to fines de claire
• West Mersea Natives (Colchester, England): similar to Breton from Cancale

Sheekey Cobb

Inspiration from a J Sheekey Cobb salad. Quite underwhelming there, but confident that I can make major improvements on it with a better vinaigrette, better quality leaves and additional herbs.

quality leaves, on the firmer side

quality cooked peeled prawn, left whole without heads/tails

fried bacon rashers

cubed avocado, relatively large chunks

thinly sliced fennel

chopped parsley

chopped chives

chopped chervil

chopped in tarragon (not too much)

dijon vinaigrette with some creme fraiche and squeeze of lemon

1. make salads individually by assembling ingredients on each plate
2. drizzle vinaigrette

Ham Hock & Haricots Verts

Just made this and thought it was yummy. Since I didn't have much haricots verts, I sliced them into little pieces, providing a nice texture to the salad. Otherwise the best way to go is just best quality petits haricots verts with hamhock and the herbs. Using walnut oil instead of EVOO is also recommended.

cooked, shredded ham hock

mixed salad leaves (radicchio, frisee, mache)

haricots verts

dijon vinaigrette (walnut oil, rice wine & cider vinegar combo)

chopped chives, chervil, parsley

1. make vinaigrette
2. assemble salad with herbs and chopped haricots verts
3. serve salad on individual plate, toss shredded ham hock on top of salad

Espresso Fun

There are so many ways to enjoy espresso Italian style. Here are the ones I know of.

• affogato: gelato and espresso (plain and simple vanilla is best but a chestnut gelato or alcohol-based gelato also nice, i.e., marsala gelato)
• caffe alla nocciola: espresso with egg yolks and hazelnut
• bicerin: hot chocolate with espresso and cream
• caffe allo zabaione: espresso with custard

Bagna Cauda Light 2

Boca di Lupo also does a good bagna cauda, without butter and going the more traditional raw vegetable route. This recipe was provided by Kennedy's sous chef.

7-8 chopped garlic cloves

1-2 cups of whole milk

peel of a lemon

6-8 anchovies

EVOO

truffle oil

suggested vegetables

cardoons

celery

artichoke hearts

red peppers

fennel

puntarella bases

1. cut vegetables into attractive pieces and sizes
2. soak garlic in milk for a couple of hours
3. simmer garlic in milk on low heat in a bain marie for a couple more hours until garlic softens into a mush
4. add anchovies, let melt into sauce
5. slowly add EVOO, stirring in to emulsify; keep stirring otherwise will separate
6. grate the lemon into the sauce before serving
7. to serve, place in a bagna cauda contraption and serve with vegetables

Chestnut & Yam Potage

A great way to use leftover root vegetables. Make sure to include enough chestnuts so that their flavor dominates. Avoiding herbs also lets the chestnut taste shine through. A splash of rice wine vinegar at the very end lifts the flavors.

450 gr vacuum packed chestnuts

1 sweet potato or yam

2 small turnips

2 parsnips

1 celery stalk (inner stalk better)

1 carrot

2 red onions

1 banana shallot

a few garlic cloves

splash of white wine

EVOO

S&P

2 cups home-made broth (or organic cubes)

splash of rice wine (or white balsamic vinegar)

1. saute all the veggies in EVOO, season with S&P
2. let the bottom of the pan caramelize, deglaze with wine
3. add broth and let simmer 20 minutes; put in a blender and mix
4. if veloute desired, pass through a finer mesh sieve
5. season more if necessary, add some vinegar; ladel into heated bowls

Crab Claws & Yuzu Mayo

Luxury Russian king crab claws from the local commissary put to good use. Of course this yuzu mayo can go well with any sort of shell fish. Key to the flavors here is to have the Nobu ceviche sauce handy on the side to drizzle over the shell fish before dipping it into the mayo.

crab claws

best quality egg yolk

dijon mustard

rice vinegar

yuzu juice

maldon sea salt

ceviche sauce

2 tsp aji amarillo paste

1/2 cup (120 ml) lime juice (key lime if possible)

4 tsp yuzu juice (or 2 tsp each of juice from a tangerine and lemon)

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp garlic puree (mash garlic and salt with mortar & pestle)

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp maldon sea salt

3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. boil crab claws 4-5 minutes
2. make yuzu may with listed ingredients
3. for the ceviche sauce, mix ingredients together (best to let infuse a few hours for flavors to build)