Macaroni & Sot-y-Laisse

I saw some sot-y-laisse (chicken oysters) in the market last time in Paris. So I'm going to make this for Boxer Day lunch. From Anthony Demetre, one of the best British chefs for French bistro cuisine. This serves 4 so I must remember to double it.

150 ml double cream
150 ml chicken stock
grated zest and juice of one lemon
2 garlic cloves
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 sprigs of summery savory
200 gr fresh macaroni
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
65 gr butter
20 chicken oysters
150 gr fresh peas, cooked

1. put the cream, stock, lemon zest and juice, garlic and herbs in a pan, simmer the mixture until reduced by half.
2. cook the macaroni in a large pan of salted boiling water until al dente; drain, refresh in cold water and set aside.
3. in a large pan, heat the butter and quickly sauté the chicken oysters until nicely caramelized; add the pasta, cooked peas and the cream mixture, and toss together until well mixed and the pasta is well coated.
4. adjust the seasoning and serve

Beetroot & Roquefort

This looks beautiful on a big white bone china oval platter. The alternative to one below is with balsamic vinegar, hazelnut oil and chopped toasted hazelnuts with chives.

600 gr beetroots
lots of rock salt
chopped tarragon
50 ml EVOO
25 ml Moscatel vinegar
Maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
roquefort (or picos)

1. bake beetroots Ari-style
2. slice with a mandolin
3. dress with above
4. lay out on platter, crumble blue cheese all over
5. top with chopped tarragon

Tonight's Dinner

Dinner from this past weekend with Ito-san, wife and son. The first meal I've ever made for a chef. We've been talking about it for the longest time, and finally we found we made it happen. Ito-san very kindly brought a crisp Prosecco and smooth Barolo.

• French crudités 
• lasagnette pesto
• osso buco & risotto Milanese
• sliced pineapple, molasses & lime zest

Tonight's Dinner

I thought that the Nobles would love a real American meal, so I made them some classic dishes but with a refined twist. It turns out that 3 of my dishes were amongst their favorite to eat…

• shrimp cocktail, fresh horseradish 
• seared tuna tacos, cilantro & avocado
• ribs with El Bulli BBQ sauce
• Japanese potato salad passed off as American potato salad (because it is infinitely better)
• deluxe corn bread
• Waldorf salad
• peanut butter ice cream, chocolate sauce, sliced banana, chopped caramelized salty peanut 

Crab on Toast

A great idea for crab, rather than doing the usual home-made mayo. Light and healthy. Ole! This is for four.

7 tsp EVOO
2 leeks, finely diced
4 shallots, peeled & finely diced
3 fresh bay leaves
3 garlic cloves
100 ml bisque
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp tomato puree
250 gr white crabmeat
150 gr brown crabmeat
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
4 thick slices of sourdough

salad
2 heads of red chicory
7 breakfast radishes
1 bulb of fennel
1 pink lady apple
8 tsp EVOO
4 tsp moscatel vinegar
chopped tarragon

1. heat EVOO, add leeks, shallots, bay leaves and two garlic cloves peeled and sliced lengthways
2. fry until vegetables are translucent, add bisque, cayenne and tomato puree
3. bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer (reduce this by 2/3)
4. stir in crabmeat, season with salt and pepper and cook 2 more minutes
5. remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature
6. cover with clingfilm and put in fridge for 2-3 hours
7. to prepare salad, separate chicory leaves, slice radishes on mandolin, same for fennel and apple
8. make vinaigrette and toss
9. serve with lightly toasted bread, rub with garlic and spoon crab mixture on top
10. serve salad with crab toasts

Mussels & Sherry Vinaigrette

Another Barrafina tapas idea for Christmas. I've always loved this one, has a nice zing.

150 ml EVOO
50 ml sherry vinegar
4 tblsp chopped fresh chives
1/2 green pepper, seeded, extra finely sliced
1/2 red pepper, seeded, extra finely sliced
1 small onion, peeled, extra finely sliced
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
1 kg best quality mussels

1. put 100 ml of EVOO into a large pan with sherry vinegar and chives and heat gently
2. add diced peppers and onion, season
3. heat remaining EVOO in a saute pan, add mussels
4. get rid of any that don't open
5. put them into the pan with sherry vinaigrette
6. once all mussels are cooked, stir them into the vinaigrette and serve

Marinated Anchovies

For this one, I've learned from past mistakes. Never leave the anchovy in the marinade for too long as the vinegar will cook and turn them to a mush!

500 gr fresh anchovies
200 ml EVOO
4 garlic cloves, peel and finely sliced
chopped parsley
4 bay leaves
50 ml manzanilla sherry
100 ml Moscatel vinegar
150 gr tinned or jarred piquillo peppers, finely sliced

salad
EVOO
sherry vinegar
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
1/2 red onion peeled and sliced into thin half moons
mint
parsley
frisee

1. gut & butterfly anchovies, leaving tips of the tails intact
2. put EVOO, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, sherry and Moscatel vinegar into a large bowl and mix well
3. add anchovies to marinade, covering them completely
4. put in fridge for two hours
5. remove anchovies from marinade and arrange on a plate
6. pour marinade through fine sieve on top of the anchovies
7. season, sprinkle piquillo peppers on top
8. to make salad, make vinaigrette and toss with other ingredients
9. serve with anchovies

Tonight's Dinner

A fun holiday meal with Dilip, Devendren, Laure and Cyrille. Spanish theme.

• quartet of crudités (grated carrots, cucumber, celeriac, potato salad)
• buffalo mozzarella with chili oil anchovy
• tata's roasted potatoes with Moro cilantro sauce
• tomato, chorizo & scallion salad
• black paella with squid & monkfish, with side of aioli & green pepper salad
• pan con tomate, lomo
• manchego, quince & grapes
• nougat 

Hake, Fresh Peas & Cecina

A barrafina favorite and something that will be on our Christmas table this year. Cecina is the Spanish bresaola, hoping I can find some.

5 tblsp EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
800 gr of hake, 4x3 cm medallions
2 large shallots, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
200 ml chicken stock
20 gr unsalted butter
8 fresh mint leaves, finely sliced
400 gr fresh peas, shelled and blanched
60 gr cecina, finely sliced
chervil (or other herb)

1. heat 2 tblsp of EVOO in a non-stick pan over medium heat
2. sprinkle salt into pan
3. dry the hake with kitchen paper, add to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side
4. heat 2 tblsp of EVOO in a separate pan, cook shallots and garlic 2-3 minutes
5. add stock, bring to boil (if using frozen peas, add them now and bring to boil again)
6. reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the liquid almost completely disappears
7. add butter, mint, fresh peas
8. season with salt and pepper, cook 2 more minutes
9. put cecina into small pan with remaining EVOO and warm through
10. put peas on plates with hake on top, and cecina on the fish
11. garnish with chervil

The Copenhagen List

There are so many wonderful culinary developments coming out of this City that have gone way beyond Noma. Definitely worth making note of Rene Redzepi's favorite haunts.

• The Coffee Collective: excellent espresso
• Torvehallerne market: best produce
• Meyer's Bakery: best pastries
• Det Vide Hus: or the "wise house", for great breakfast and coffee
• Slagteren ved Kultorvet: great butchers
• Manfreds: veggie restaurant with a cool vibe
• Bror: also a cool vibe, with comfort food
• Ved Stranden: wine bar by the canal
• Mikkeller: great beer bar

Haloumi & Mushroom

An enticing recipe from Rowley Leigh; taking particular note of the mushroom pickle that could go with anything. His recipe suggests breading some mozzarella and frying it up, I've opted for a simpler fried haloumi, perhaps with some Ricard?

250 mushrooms, more interesting sorts

maldon sea salt

1 stick of cinnamon

1 bay leaf

6 cloves

150 ml vinegar

350 ml EVOO

2 heads of little gem lettuce

2 tomatoes

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sherry vinegar

3 tbls EVOO

1. sprinkle mushrooms with salt and leave in a colander for an hour; put the cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, vinegar and EVOO in a pan, bring to a simmer and leave to infuse for 30 minutes; rinse off the mushrooms, drain and add to the ingredients in the pan; bring to a boil then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
2. put tomatoes, salt, pepper, vinegar and EVOO in a blender with some sugar; blend until smooth and put through a sieve.
3. slice up the gem lettuce and dress, distribute the mushrooms on top of this, adding a piece of haloumi,

David's French Reds

To be updated regularly with favorite reds (ex-feminin Bordeaux which have a separate entry).

• Cotes du Jura Enfant Terrible Ganevat 2011

Mozzarella & Anchovy Toast

I couldn't quite finish my buffalo mozzarella, so decided to marinate it in some chili-laced EVOO from my jar of anchovies. What a superb snack, almost like a mini pizza. Love my fish and cheese!

buffalo mozzarella
best quality anchovies in chili oil
baguette

1. slice baguette
2. top with mozzarella and pieces of anchovy
3. drizzle with chili EVOO
4. grill in the stove until bread toasts and cheese melts
5. take out and drizzle over more chili EVOO and serve

Avocado & Cottage Cheese

Was feeling peckish tonight and this hit the spot.

ripe avocado
best quality cottage cheese
EVOO
maldon sea salt
lemon
crushed dried chili

1. mash the avocado flat on a white plate
2. drizzle with EVOO, lemon juice and add salt and chili to taste
3. spoon some clumps of cottage cheese on top of avocado
4. season with a bit more EVOO and salt and serve

Khoo's Winter Salad

Was watching Rachel Khoo in her little Paris kitchen earlier, and simply couldn't pass up making a note of this recipe. Sumptuous, reminding me of a similar salad I had at Three Blue Ducks in Sydney with bits of beets and haloumi, as well as some sort of cheese mousse.

2 parsnips

1 yellow carrot

1 orange carrot

1 purple carrot

1 quartered apple, skin left on

100 gr of Selles-sur-Cher goat cheese (or a blue cheese)

lardons

sunflower oil

cooked red beet root

various colored raw beetroot

simple vinaigrette

maldon sea salt

1. set oven at 200 degrees
2. cut up parsnips into large bite-size pieces; do the same for carrots
3. place vegetables on a tray with some oil, cook 45 minutes
4. to make cheese mousse, break up 200 gr of the cheese and mash with 8 tblsp of milk into a paste
5. make some whipped cream, and add about half of it to the cheese paste first, then the remaining to keep air in the mixture; put in a piping bag
6. fry 100 gr of lardons
7. in a mandolin, slice both raw and cooked beet root
8. on individual plates, assemble all the vegetables in an artful way
9. pipe the cheese mixture into little pockets, place a few lardons here an there
10. drizzle some vinaigrette over the salad, followed by a sprinkling of salt

Corn & Chile Salsa

Thanks to Alice Letondot for introducing me to this delicious salsa from Trader Joe's. It is particularly good because it doesn't taste at all like a commercial product. I thought it was home-made. Looking at the ingredients label, I will try to reproduce myself, but maybe eliminate the guar gum!

best quality corn kernels
sugar
onions
red bell peppers
jalapeno peppers
distilled vinegar
crushed red pepper
black pepper
coriander seed
mustard seed
salt
guar gum

1. buy best quality frozen corn
2. chop the onions, bell and jalapeno peppers
3. heat all the ingredients except for the corn in a pan, sugar to taste
4. when the sauce becomes syrupy, add the corn and heat another couple minutes
5. let sit at room temperature before storing in the fridge

Enoki Bundles

An elegant little amuse bouche to be made very soon.

4 x 100 gr packets of of enoki mushrooms, divided into 8 bunches
8 slices of parma (or san daniele, culatello, speck, maybe even smoked salmon)
4 tblsp EVOO
juice of two limes
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. trim the base of the enoki
2. wrap around each bunch with slice of parma ham and fix with a cocktail stick
3. drizzle with olive oil and lime juice
4. sprinkle with a little salt and lots of pepper

Mushroom Sauce

Also from the Carluccio book as described below. Despite the straightforward title, Carluccio thinks this sauce is "utterly delicious".  Could be used for crostini, as well as pasta, risotto or polenta.  Thinking about using this sauce for lasagnette in place of the usual pesto.

300 gr small fresh ceps
15 gr dried ceps, soaked in warm water
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tblsp EVOO
2 tblsp finely chopped parsley
2 mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tblsp tomato paste
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. clean the fresh ceps, then cut into small cubes; drain the dried ceps after 20 minutes, reserving the water; chop finely
2. fry the garlic in the EVOO until transparent, then add the fresh and soaked dried mushrooms; saute for 10 minutes over medium heat, season to taste
3. add the herbs and paste and 4 tblsp of reserved cep water; warm through and the sauce is ready
4. if using for pasta, sprinkle with parmesan before serving

Dried Morel & Truffle Sauce

From Antonio Carluccio's "The Quiet Hunt", on mushrooms. According to him, this is one of the best sauces to be used either for roasted meat, or game, or to flavor risottos and pasta dishes. Would also be good with lasagnette, in fact he does have a recipe for this and handkerchief pasta. I recall now the confusion when I bought my father this book. He thought I had already paid for it, so out he went with book in hand only to be greeted by a screeching security system and uniformed guards.

60 gr dried morels
55 gr summer truffle
55 gr butter
2 small shallots, finely chopped
400 ml chicken stock
150 ml double cream
10 drops truffle oil
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. soak the morels in warm water 20 minutes; then trim off the base of the stems and chop mushrooms finely
2. clean the summer truffle and, and at the last minute cut into 3 mm slices, then dice
3. melt the butter in dish, add shallots and soften; add the morels to the dish with the stock, cook for 8-10 minutes
4. leave to cool, ten add the cream and season
5. process in a blender then, lastly, add the truffle oil and fresh truffle dice
6. warm before using

Sea Urchin & Burrata

From Son of a Gun in West LA. The food there tasted so good, perhaps because of the mediocrity of my preceding couple of meals. But I do recall murmuring to myself that this was the best dish I had had in a while. I'd make sure that the ingredients are at the same temperature. The chef must have been thinking, what are two deliciously creamy ingredients that I could pair? This recipe serves one.

1 sea urchin

a sliver of burrata

champignons de Paris

yuzu juice

grapeseed oil

maldon sea salt

1. mix yuzu and grapeseed oil so that they emulsify, add maldon sea salt to taste
2. slice mushroom buttons very thinly on a mandolin
3. spoon a piece of burrata about the size of the sea urchin
4. place the burrata on a small white, chilled plate; then the sea urchin neatly on top
5. place the mushroom slivers on the side of the burrata, encircling it like tiles (should only be about three slivers on each side)
6. spoon the yuzu vinaigrette around the burrata/sea urchin and serve immediately

Salt Crust Sea Bass

Thank you Ugo for delivering this seabass to my doorstep. I put it to proper use. One of our all-time favorites, served with some pressed spinach and home-made mayonnaise.

seabass (in this case, was 800 gr)
2 kg rock salt
4 tblsp water
2 eggs
juice an zest of 1 lemon
fennel seed
basil, parsley (any herb you like)
EVOO

1. put oven on max temperature
2. gut fish, remove gills, snip off fins (keep scales on for this recipe, as they help to insulate heat for this method of cooking), clean thoroughly with running water
3. stuff cavity with herbs
4. mix together salt, water, lemon zest, fennel seed
5. in a pan, layer some salt about 1.5 cm thick on bottom of a pan; place fish on top and cover with rest of salt (can leave head and tail exposed for presentation)
6. generally, need 15 minutes of cooking for every 500 gr of fish; in this case we cooked 25 minutes, but 20-22 minutes would have been slightly better.
7. when done cooking, take out of oven and let rest ten minutes
8. tap the salt crust near tail to break; if you're lucky the whole thing should come off neatly
9. wipe the rest of the fish, making sure salt doesn't enter the cavity; remove herbs from cavity
10. butterfly the fish, remove flesh and place prettily on a nice oval white platter
11. serve with condiments on the side: EVOO, lemon, mayonnaise and of course the spinach

Pulpo Gallego

A perfectly delicious octopus prepared tonight. Important to note that it was frozen and defrosted. Weighed 750 grams, simmered for an hour and was wonderfully tender. This is the recipe from my Barrafina cookbook. Serve hot because they don't taste as great lukewarm

double tentacle octopus
onion
bay leaf
EVOO
Spanish paprika
parsley with stems
ground black pepper
maldon sea salt

1. remove beak and ink sack if fishmonger hasn't already
2. bring salted water to boil
3. when boiling dip octopus in water three times, 3 seconds each time
4. simmer for an hour; add a half hour for a bigger guy
5. poke with a knife, you'll be able to tell if tender
6. drain, let cool a bit
7. cut the head off, slice the tentacles into bite-size pieces
8. saute in a pan with EVOO for three minutes at high heat; try to get some caramelization
9. when done, put on paper towel to eliminate excess oil
10. place on a rustic wooden platter, drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then paprika and finally chopped parsley

New York Observations

A few more discoveries from a recent trip, centered on Brooklyn! The more things I sample and see, the more I believe that London's St John will have been the key trend setter for the  noughties.

• Marlow & Sons (Williamsburg): part of the mini empire that also includes Reynard, Diner and Achilles Heel, this is cozy little place serves a half dozen dishes du jour. I had grilled cheese and peach sandwich, followed by lively green bean salad.
• Takashi (West Village): currently or was Anthony Bourdain's favorite NY restaurant. Had to give it a try. All about beef from a fourth generation Korean immigrant born in Osaka. The result is bold Korean flavors with the finesse of Japanese cuisine. The signature dish --which I adored--was a Niku-Uni, or seaweed topped with a shisu leaf, chuck flap with sea urchin and fresh wasabi. Pick it up like a taco and dippity-do in some soy sauce. Sally is your aunt!!

Santceloni Veal Shin

From the great Santi Santceloni. I will always remember this truly special dish that Michelle and I had at his famed Restaurante Santceloni in Madrid circa 2005. The great chef has since passed on, so one only hopes that his family is sustaining its great culinary tradition. This is literally the entire veal shin that is cooked and braised over several hours. So simple yet so terrifyingly good.

1 knuckle (or shin) of suckling veal (1.5 kg)
2 onions
2 carrots
2 sprigs thyme
1 head garlic
250 ml white wine
1 liter veal stock
3 tblsp EVOO
half leg of veal bone
100 gr butter
maldon sea salt
pepper

1. tie the knuckle of veal and season with salt and pepper; brown in an ovenproof dish (creuset perfect)
2. add chopped onions, carrots, garlic and herbs and leave to sweat; prevent the onion from burning
3. pour over the white wine and reduce; add 2 liters of veal stock
4. cover and bake in the oven at 80 degrees centigrade for 7-8 hours, checking that the liquid does not evaporate; remove when the meat is tender
5. cut the leg of veal into pieces and brown in the oven; reduce 1 liter of veal stock with the leg of veal; flavor with thyme. The reduction should end up very thick so that it can be used to glaze the meat.
6. remove the knuckle meat from its cooking juices, dry and brown in oil and butter; place in the oven at 220 degrees centigrade to give it a better color and a crisper texture; remove the string
7. glaze with the reduced veal stock and return to oven; repeat this operation until the veal is well glazed all over
8. strain the cooking juices, reduce to the desired consistency, bind with a little butter and season with salt and pepper 

Los Angeles Observations

Digging deeper into this fun city with every trip. Santa Monica's Viceroy hotel was my choice this time, and recommended heartily. Bikes on tap for rides up and down the coast to Venice and Malibu.

• Son of a Gun (West Hollywood): an offshoot from the people at Animal; my best eating in several months. Again, pure and simple stuff, all about combining the fewest possible ingredients and creating something wonderful.  The dish for me was a small plate of burratta and sea urchin, and the crab, daikon and melon dish. Excellent, home-made sodas also on hand, including a ginger beer.
• Tar & Roses (Santa Monica): a fun casual eatery, food isn't refined but perfectly good and rustic.  
• Trois Mec (Melrose): from Ludovic Lefebvre of Ludotrucks fame. Was on my list, but next time. Just 26 seats. Look for Rafallo's pizza sign in the strip mall behind the gas station on the corner of Highland and Melrose. 

Sydney Observations

Some new casual eating discoveries in sunny Sydney from a trip a few months back. 

• Three Blue Ducks: over in Bronte, had a great summer vibe. The chef is ex-Tetsuya; judging by his innovative and delicious but not OTT dishes, this is a man that yearned to branch out and try something new. Farm to plate is the theme. Lunch is casual, the dinner menu more elaborate, but all good. The beet and haloumi salad for lunch was an explosion of fresh flavors, using not just beets but beet puree as a dressing. 
• Hartsyard: a young Brooklyn chef in Sydney; great American comfort food done with a refined palate. The oyster po' boy on an English muffin comes to mind, washed down with a great local red ale. I didn't have the pulled pork, but it was recommended.
• Bodega: an offshoot of Porteno, doing more modern fare and tapping into the tapas/small plates craze. The steamed milk bun, BBQ tongue and crab was lovely. The pork, octopus and cabbage/green apple salad was as intriguing as it sounds. 
• Pendolino: less casual, and good for a business lunch in the CBD if you're craving Italian food. The very low lighting is a plus for some reason.
• Shady Pines Saloon: there's always a line in front of this place after 10 pm; an earlier arrival means immediate entry. Fun ambiance, loud and quirky music.

Lemon Risotto & Scamorza

An interesting combo indeed, observed on the menu of a restaurant in Santa Margherita.  This is how I'd do it.

risotto rice
zest and juice of a lemon
chopped parsley
maldon sea salt
scamorza
home-made chicken or vegetable stock
butter
EVOO
onions
shallots
garlic
white vermouth
white wine

1. chop onions, shallots and garlic finely and saute in a tad of butter and EVOO
2. add rice, coat it with the chopped onions and shallots
3. add a half cup of white wine to boil off 
4. add broth slowly until rice is al dente
5. near end chopped scamorza
6. add lemon zest and juice, parsley
7. add more butter, then 1 tblsp of vermouth
8. let sit for a minute with cover
9. serve with plenty of ground black pepper

Trofie & Bottarga

This sounds like a great combo, remembering from a restaurant menu I glanced at in the street somewhere in Liguria.  This is my guess on how one might make it.

mullet bottarga
trofie
EVOO
tad of butter
lemon zest
dried red chili
chopped parsley
maldon sea salt

1. boil pasta until al dente
2. add all ingredients to taste, grating bottarga last and stir 
3. serve pasta in warmed bowls

Insalata di Granchio

From a River Cafe menu dated  Wednesday, 24th October, 2012. Heaven.

puntarelle
celeriac
fennel
treviso
crab
bottarga
EVOO
lemon juice
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. shave celeriac into a bowl with puntarelle, thinly sliced and marinated fennel, treviso and dress with EVOO and lemon juice; season
2. dress crab with EVOO and lemon juice, season separately and arrange on the bed of salad
3. grate bottarga over the whole lot

Eel, Horseradish, Beets

Looking at an old St John's menu. A bit of classic, so why don't I make it more often? Dear me.

best quality smoked eel
fresh horseradish
creme fraiche
lemon
lemon zest
chives
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
beets (baked Ari-style)

1. bake beets on bed of salt; let cool to room temperature; cut into bite sizes and dress with EVOO, a tiny and unnoticeable tad of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper 
2. grate horseradish, mix with creme fraiche and lemon juice and some zest, salt, chives
3. serve eel, beets and horseradish sauce on a white plate

Tongue, Lentils & Mostarda

There isn't much else to say. Glancing over an old Anchor & Hope menu, this immediately leapt out. Needs to be made. I know why I'm losing a bit of weight. There's no western restaurant in HK that comes close to making such a tantalizingly appetizing dish like this.

ox tongue
lentils
onion
carrot
celery
thyme
sage
home-made chicken broth
parsley
tomatoes
mostarda

1. prepare the ox tongue (need specific recipe) and slice it on a machine slicer
2. prepare lentils using ingredients listed-easy on the tomatoes, add parsley last
3. serve tongue warm with lentils and mostarda 

The London List

Places to go in London when next in town. Ari, maybe you can sample for me if you haven't already?

• Otto's: Otto Tepasse is apparently the king of the Duck Press. His Canard a la Presse is apparently divine. I want to go and I want a duck press!

Octopus & Truffle

Something Ito-San includes every time I order a plate of sashimi. Easy to replicate and perfect with an apperitivo.

sushi grade cooked octopus
truffle paste

1. cut octopus into bite-size pieces
2. mix with a bit of store-bought black truffle paste

Zurich Observations

What a delightful discovery actually stopping to visit. So many years of passing through on the way to the slopes. The air so fresh and crisp, the river so pure. A great first impression. We didn't do justice to the food scene, hitting some of the old dames this time around.

• Kronenhalle Restaurant: beautiful smoked salmon on a large and flat blini, followed by a veal with cream sauce. The bar next door was nearly perfect, as was the Americano replacing campari with a Swiss equivalent.
• Helvetia: classic, old-style Italian restaurant with table-side service and all.

Scampi Risotto

Another recipe I must research. It comes up frequently along the Ligurian shore. Key is to have access to these little creatures, but I could substitute some good quality prawn. The prawn heads would be crucial for making the broth.

broth
scampi or shrimp heads
leeks, onions, one garlic clove
1 tomato
celery
black peppercorn

scampi (or prawn)
parsley
white wine
butter
EVOO

1. make broth using ingredients and reducing until dark and rich, strain through a fine sieve
2. saute rice in butter and EVOO, deglaze with wine
3. add broth until rice is al dente
4. add a bit more butter and sliced prawn at the very end, cover and let sit for 1-2 minutes before serving 

Gnocchi Romana & Pesto

This is more of a reminder to learn to make these gnocchi well. Perfect for a large dinner party. I broke all rules by eating them with pesto, but I won't tell anyone.

gnocchi romana
home-made pesto

1. bake gnocchi
2. drizzle with pesto 

Octopus & Courgette

The trick here is to know how to make octopus carpaccio, for which there are many recipes. The main thing is to compress the octopus in a tightly-wrapped cellophane and refrigerate. Once cool, the naturally-occurring gelatin will make it easy to slice on a machine slicer. Kind of need to get one!

octopus
best quality courgette
EVOO
dried chile
lemon
maldon sea salt

1. prepare courgette; slice length-wise and quickly blanch; drizzle with EVOO, lemon and salt
2. slice courgette finely on machine slicer, then break up or cut into smaller pieces
3. mix octopus with courgette, season with salt and chili

Veal, Parmesan, Celery

A lovely dish we had take-away for our train ride to the airport. Seems like it was made in the following way...

roast veal
parmesan shavings
celery thinly-sliced at an angle
EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. once veal is at room temperature, slice thinly with a machine
2. lay veal out on a large platter, smother with parmesan, more EVOO
3. sprinkle with celery
4. season

Shanghai Observations

A few notes from a trip last month. The French Concession makes Shanghai special.

• Jesse (Huaihai Lu): good home-cooking, simple and delicious.
• Franck (Hunan Lu): a Frenchman's bistrot with authentic fare, chalkboards and all; must be cozy on a cold winter's night. I asked Franck why he couldn't do the same in HK....
• Mr & Mrs Bund (Bund): honestly don't understand what the hype is all about; food is stuck in an early 2000s time warp. Keep it real, keep it simple, keep it fresh!
• Mercato (Bund): Jean-Georges latest venture in town; he keeps it real, simple and fresh. Enjoyed a couple of perfectly made Americanos at the bar. 
• Goga (Dongping Lu): California diner with an Asian twist; big portions as you would expect. Small and fun; food was fine but need to return as head chef was on vacation. 

Salmon & Red Peppercorn

A simple dish from [ ], my favorite delicatessen in Santa Margherita.

best quality salmon filets, slice lengthways
EVOO to coat fish
1 tblsp red peppercorn
lime juice to taste

1. drizzle lime juice and EVOO into a flat, earthenware dish (preferably white)
2. layer salmon in dish, drizzle more EVOO so that fish is coated, then sprinkle some red peppercorns over the lot

Proper Bellini

I'm so happy to have found this Bellini, from Tortuga in Santa Margherita. Dare I say better than Harry's Bar? Thanks to Ali and Michelle for the discovery. If fresh and ripe white peaches are not on hand, best to wait until they are. Below is for one serving.

best quality white peach
about a tblsp of lemon juice, to taste
about a tblsp of white sugar, to taste
a good prosecco

1. in blender, mix the peach, lemon and sugar and let set a few hours
2. put a few ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, then add about equal quantity of prosecco to the amount of peach puree on hand (the recipe doubles, triples etc)
3. add the peach puree to the prosecco in the shaker and stir with a long spoon
4. poor into some glasses (preferably without stems) as you hold ice back with a bigger spoon--this allow for the foam to enter the glass as well

Cotto & Potato Salad

A dish I've never seen, from between Parma and Mantova, according to the Basilicatan chef. Need to do this asap, love it very much. Oddly, his potato salad was closer to the Japanese mashed variety, but I might make a more traditional variety.

best quality cotto, fairly thickly sliced
potato salad

1. heat plate in a oven broiler
2. take out, lay slices of ham on top, cover with foil for a couple minutes
3. remove foil, serve with potato salad

Fennel, Black Olive, Bottarga

Nice little number from one of my new favorite Italian restaurants in HK, Giando. There's some slice celery in here too, which is clever.

1 bulb fennel
1 stalk celery
some Italian black olives, pitted
parsley and chives
white wine vinegar
EVOO
maldon sea salt
cracked black pepper
bottarga (mullet)

1. slice fennel and celery, dress with EVOO, vinegar, salt and pepper
2. let sit a couple hours
3. add black olives chopped herbs
4. shave bottarga over top and serve

Frisee & Cottage Cheese

A new crudite star is born. This came about accidentally tonight as I wanted to eat the left over frisee and cottage cheese. It is delicious this way.

frisee
tarragon, chives, parsley
dijon vinaigrette
a few tblsp cottage cheese

1. make frisee with herbs and vinaigrette
2. fold in the lumps of cottage cheese, and stir very crudely, making sure cottage cheese doesn't break up too much

Scallop & Truffle

A nice and simple little number. Sheer elegance and takes you 8 seconds to prepare. Nice to serve with a dessert fork and knife, as they are delicate. Make sure the balance of salt is just right; too little and the dish may come off as slightly bland.

sushi-grade scallop, sliced horizontally in half
truffle paste
truffle oil
EVOO
maldon sea salt

1. mix all the ingredients together in a bowl
2. gently mix the scallops with the ingredients
3. arrange a couple on small white plates

Squid, Maitake, Thyme

I had this the other night at one of my favorite HK restos, Ronin. Incredibly simple and for some reason, at least from what I recall, mushroom and squid is not a pairing I've done before. Maybe I loved it because it transported me back to Barcelona. Happily I ran into Matt the chef at the supermarket today, and he happily gave me the recipe.

maitake mushrooms
young squid
butter
maldon sea salt
soy sauce
sake
thyme
minced garlic

1. saute mushrooms with butter, season; press down with spatula so that they brown a bit
2. move mushrooms aside, grill squid
3. add some soy sauce and sake at the end and serve with just a few minced thyme leaves (or tempura thyme)

My Sicily Pesto

Inspired by a recent visit, but also confined to what was in the fridge! Such self-satisfaction using the last bits of leftovers to make something so tasty! Serve with some grated parmesan, if you like.

a bunch of rucola
some parsley
handful of almonds
2-3 walnuts
3-4 anchovies
3 tblsp of capers
sprinkle of chili pepper (or piment de l'espelette)
8-10 sultanas
lemon zest
squeeze of lemon
3/4 clove garlic
maldon sea salt
lots of EVOO

1. put all ingredients in mixer and blitz, adding enough EVOO so that it becomes smooth 
2. boil pasta, reserve some pasta water
3. put pesto in pan on very low heat for a few seconds, add pasta water, then pasta and mix

Bistro Singapore

The cooking event of the year with my brutha Toby Kwan! Lots of fun and sun in Singapore!

• avocado whip & salmon eggs
• sea urchin shooters
• apple salad, bacon & maple labneh
• crab, grapefruit and truffle vinaigrette
• scallop sashimi, yuzu & shiso
• prawn & black tea
• calamari carbonara
• spicy pulled pork, scallion-ginger relish, kimchi sauce
• veal agnoletti & walnut sauce
• sous-vide ribeye, osso buco sauce, garden veg
• blue cheese, lemon zest, amareno cherries, basil
• thai basil and lemongrass sorbet, lime aroma
• chocolat tart, coconut sorbet, brutti ma buoni

Tonight's Dinner

A fun meal from a few weeks ago with the Hoffmans and our surprise guest Hubert.

• buried radish (in herby cottage cheese)
• oven-dried tomatoes & yellow pepper coulis
• beetroot caviar on crisps
• cucumber with cream & tarragon
• grated carrots & mimolette
• celeri remoulade & smoked salmon
• scallops in their shell, Nobu-style
• lasagnette pesto
• black pepper black cod with balsamic reduction
• ricotta & home-made chili jam
• home-made pistachio ice cream & chocolate cookies

Sicilian Wines

A few lovely wines to remember from Sicily, the main discovery being the Burgundy-like Nerello Mascalese wines from Etna.

• Occhipinti Il Frappato (2010): Frappato from Cerasuolo di Vittoria
• Passopiciaro (2008): Nerello Mascalese from Etna
• Tenuta delle Terre Nere (2009): Nerello Mascalese from Etna
• Benanti Pietramarina (2006): Carricante from Etna
• Vivera Salisire (2010): Carricante from Etna

Sicily Observations

Some places to remember and recommend in Sicily.

• Modica: La Locanda del Colonnello for finocchettio selvatico & anchovy spaghetti
• Noto: Trattoria del Crocifisso for modern yet restrained renditions of the classics
• Ragusa: Duomo for higher end dining but the chef's urge to overwork his dishes leaves you craving for simple trattoria fare; a Rusticana was a hole in the wall and I had my doubts given the look of the place, but the vegetable antipasti was my favorite of the trip. 
• Marina de Ragusa: Trattoria Carmelo was probably my favorite of the trip with its simple, beach-side location serving simple seafood platters, a memorable spaghetti ai ricci and some chili, Michelle's spaghetti vongole with bits of anchovy, and crudo di mare including the pairing of swordfish and mint, fresh anchovies and oregano, a wonderful caponata pescatore.
• Marzamemi: La Cialoma was probably my second favorite trattoria of the trip in this little tuna canning town that has become a hipster destination for Siracusans; the mussel pesto was particularly memorable, prepared meticulously by the ginger-haired and tattooed young lady chef.

Crostini Bread

The perfect thin toast for all sorts of canapes. They are light and airy merely serving as a vehicle for the tastier toppings. They should last a few days.

good quality baguette

1. put baguette in freezer until hard
2. take out and let defrost 10-15 minutes
3. cut into super thin slices 
4. toast on both sides

Carbonara Finissimo

I got this idea last month when Toby's help decided to mince my pancetta literally into tiny crumbs. Using spaghettini and super minced parsley creates a finer version of this cucina povera dish.

spaghettini
egg yolk
grated parmesan
pancetta, minced super finely
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper
EVOO
minced parsely

1. mix egg yolk and parmesan, set aside
2. saute pancetta
3. boil pasta 
4. put pasta into pan with pancetta, and heat through
5. take pan off heat, and add egg and parmesan mixture (make sure not to soon after or else you'll end up with an omelette pasta)
6. mix, add seasoning and parsley

Wild Fennel & Anchovy Pasta

This was my favorite pasta of the Sicily trip. Chef was kind enough to walk us through the recipe. The only problem is getting the wild fennel, but maybe replaceable by a combination of fennel tops and dill. The chef recommends Felicetti pasta.

a bunch of wild fennel (finocchietto)
1-2 cloves garlic
half a fresh pepperoncini (dried ok too)
zest of 1 lemon
EVOO
pasta water
anchovies (salted preferred)
pangrattato

1. chop garlic and fry up in pan, add lemon zest 
2. after five minutes, add minced pepperconcini
3. add in anchovies and stir until melted
4. add chopped wild fennel and let cook so that it blends better
5. mix at high speed, adding EVOO and a bit of pasta water until you get a smooth consistency
6. boil and drain pasta, add to pan with sauce
7. serve with pangrattato

Frisee, Anchovy & Cheddar

Using anchovies in a Caesar salad is common, but I need to start throwing a couple in my vinaigrette. Combined with some nice dice of cheddar cheese, I was very happy. Tarragon makes all the difference here too. I love my cheese and fish!

frisee
tarragon
chives
parsley
vinaigrette (Dijon mustard, EVOO, cider vinegar, maldon sea salt, ground black pepper)
piment de l'espelette
2 anchovies
english cheddar diced into tiny pieces

1. make vinaigrette, making sure to chop anchovies into tiny bits
2. chop herbs and mix into dressed salad with diced cheese
3. season with more maldon sea salt and pepper

Piemont Risotto

What a superb embodiment of Piemont in a dish.

2 tblsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup cooked ham cubes
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine
6 cups heated chicken or beef stock
1/4 pound fontina cheese - chopped in 1/4 inch dice to yield 3/4 cup
1/4 cup grated parmesan
meat gravy
white truffle (optional)

1. melt butter in large pot and saute onion til soft
2. add ham cubes, cook until just warmed (about 1 min)
3. add rosemary and rice and stir until butter is absorbed
4. add wine and simmer until it evaporates, then add enough stock to cover the rice and stir
5. keep adding hot stock as it is absorbed into the rice, continuously stirring well with a wooden spoon
6. when rice is about half-cooked (10 min), add fontina cheese and cook another 10 mins, continuing to add stock as needed
7. finally add the parmesan, a few spoons of gravy if desired, and serve; grate white truffle generously over all, if you like

Puntarelle Roman Style

One of the best salads ever. Fortunately I am able to get tons of this in Hong Kong, courtesy  of my friendly internet wholesaler who delivers it to my doorstep live and direct from Italy.

puntarelle, sliced into shreds 

red wine vinegar

best quality, rinsed salted anchovies

lots of ground pepper

EVOO

squeeze of lemon

1. make sure as you slice the puntarelle to put into a bowl of ice water; the shreds will curl up like beautiful ribbons
2. make vinaigrette, crushing the anchovy into bits but do not obliterate
3. add lemon to taste, but black pepper like there's no tomorrow

Agnolotti & Walnut Sauce

I had my fair share of these in Turin, especially with a nice meat stock drizzled over them. These are simple agnolotti, senza plin (pleat), which is reserved for special occasions. This is  a recipe from one of my favorite British (Italian) chefs, Jacob Kennedy. This is how he ate it at his local trattoria in Rome, Marcello on Via dei Campani.

filling
150 gr cabbage or escarole
25 gr butter
400 gr braised veal & pork
4 sage leaves
80 gr parmesan
1 egg
nutmeg

walnut sauce
100 gr shelled walnuts
60 gr bread weighed without crust
4 tblsp milk
1 tblsp picked oregano leaves (or 5 sage leaves)
80 gr parmesan, freshly grated
150 ml EVOO
300 ml water
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

crumbled walnuts
freshly grated parmesan

1. to make the filling, boil the greens in salted water until tender; drain well and leave to steam dry out on a cloth; chop finely and squeeze any extra water out in your hands, then fry gently in butter for a few minutes; leave to cool then combine with other ingredients in a food processor until smooth
2. for the agnolotti, cut the rolled pasta into 5 cm rounds and dab a piece of filling the size of a chickpea in the center of each; agnolotti only need two minutes of boiling
3. make walnut sauce by soaking the bread in milk, then combine with the nuts, oregano and parmesan in a food processor; grind well to achieve a finely textured, creamy sauce; add oil then gradually 300 ml water; season with salt and pepper
4. make pasta dough using this blog's "silky pasta" recipe
5. heat the walnut sauce, adding a touch of water if need be; when cooked the sauce should be as thick as cream
6. to serve, put the pasta in the pan with the walnut sauce
7. cook until well coated, serve with parmesan and crumbled walnuts

Crab & Pink Grapefruit

A Heston recipe, made it for Christmas and just want to make sure I don't forget in case of a repeat! I love the unlikely addition of truffle. I would not use pomelo because it is not as acidic as grapefruit.

300 gr white crab meat
120 gr home-made mayonnaise
chopped chives
tarragon leaves
maldon sea salt
truffle oil
1/2 pink grapefruit
chicory salad
1 avocado

pink grapefruit jelly
180 gr fresh pink grapefruit juice
1 tblsp sugar
1 tsp powdered gelatine

pink grapefruit vinaigrette
1/2 pink grapefruit
10 gr dijon mustard
20 gr white wine vinegar
60 gr grapeseed oil
chives
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. jelly: make the grapefruit jelly by heating the grapefruit juice in a small pan over a medium heat and add the fructose, stirring until it is dissolved; sprinkle the gelatine into the pan and stir over a gentle heat until dissolved; strain the liquid into a clean shallow container and allow to set in the fridge; cut the jelly into 5 mm cubes and keep in the fridge until ready to serve
2. vinaigrette: take a pink grapefruit; peel then break in half, reserving half the segments. Squeeze the other half through a sieve into the bowl.  Mix the juice with mustard, vinegar and whisk together. Begin adding the grapeseed oil in a thin stream while whisking in order to form an emulsion.
3. salad: mix crab eat with mayo; finely chop herbs and add most of the chives and all of the tarragon into the bowl; season with salt; add small drizzle of truffle oil to mixture,
4. separate the reserved half of the pink grapefruit into segments and remove the pith; slice each segment in half lengthways, then each of these into about 8 pcs.
5. when ready to serve, dress the lettuce with the grapefruit vinaigrette and divide half of it between 4-6 glass bowl or glasses; add a layer of crab mixture followed by a layer of grapefruit jelly cubes, before adding another layer of lettuce; garnish with remaining chopped chives and grapefruit pieces to taste.

Blue Cheese & Cherry

From Greg Marchand's cookbook.  Twice I've shown up early for lunch and twice his restaurant--Frenchie-- was closed. Next time in Paris. He is clearly inspired by his old boss Jamie Oliver, but with a French twist. He along with many other young French chefs who have gone abroad and returned have gotten Parisiens very excited about their fresh and modern take on French food, focusing on simple and delicious combinations without too much fuss. This is a perfect example of a beautiful combo.

400 gr bleu des Causses (or any mild variant of Roquefort)
1 pot of Fabbri amarena cherries in syrup
zest of 1 lemon
baby basil leaves

1. take cheese out a couple hours before serving
2. put a chunk of bleu on a rustic wooden platter
3. grate lemon zest over the bleu
4. sprinkle the basil leaves on top 
5. serve with a little bowl of cherries alongside

Sea Urchin Mojito

This sounds divine, from Nobu. A big chain indeed, but that's because he's done some wonderful things.

1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup Hokusetsu sake
2 tblsp white soy sauce
1/4 cup mint-infused syrup
9 large pieces of sea urchin (1.5 per person)
6 large mint leaves, finely chopped
3 shiso leaves, finely chopped
gooseberry (optional)

mint-infused syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup mint leaves

1. make syrup by combining sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil; remove from  heat and add mint leaves; cool to room temperature and strain
2. make the mojito mix; measure out 1/4 cup mint-infused syrup and combine with the rest of the ingredients
3. place sea urchin, mint and shiso into a shot glass
4. barely cover with the mojito mix
5. if you have gooseberries, cut in half and garnish each glass with one

Pork Butt, Kimchi & Oysters

This is straight out of David Chang's cookbook. Something I've been wanting to make, and nothing's stopping me now.

1 8-10 pound pork butt/shoulder
1 cup sugar
1 cup plus 1 tblsp maldon sea salt
7 tblsp light brown sugar
1 dozen oysters
1 cup cabbage kimchi
1 cup pureed cabbage kimchi
1 cup ginger scallion sauce
ssam sauce
a few heads of bibb lettuce, leaves separated
maldon sea salt

ssam sauce
1 tblsp fermented bean and chile paste (ssamjang)
1/2 tblsp chile paste (kochujang)
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1. put the pork into a roasting pan, ideally one that fits it snugly
2. mix sugar and salt together then rub over the meat
3. discard any excess sugar/salt mixture
4. cover the pan with plastic wrap and put into fridge overnight
5. heat the oven to 300 degrees F; remove pork from the fridge, discard any juices
6. put the pork in the oven and cook for 6 hours, basting with fat and rendered juices every hour
7. make ssam sauce by combining all above ingredients, stirring well
8. pork can be eaten right away or mellowed out at room temperature for up to an hour
9. when ready to serve, sauces made, oysters are shucked, lettuce ready, etc., turn oven to 500 degrees F
10. stir remaining salt and brown sugar and rub mixture all over pork, put it in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the sugar has melted into a crisp, sweet crust
11. serve the pork whole and hot, surrounded by accompaniments

Calamari Carbonara

Finally going to make this for the bistro in Singapore next weekend.  From Jean Francois Piege's restaurant in Paris. When I first tried it, I knew I had to make it. Essentially this is a spaghetti carbonara replacing the spaghetti with strands of squid. This is four eight people, hence, one egg per person.

800 gr squid
200 gr Spanish cured pork belly with paprika (or pancetta seasoned with paprika)
8 egg yolks
1 bunch of chives
300 gr parmesan
1 tblsp EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground pepper
1 black pepper corn "reduit en mignonette"

Pork Belly Cream
60 cl single cream
2 slices of very smoked pork belly (50 gr each)
3 cloves of garlic

1. make the pork belly cream by browning the pork belly in a pot, add butter and garlic in their skins; add cream until it boils
2. let simmer until sauce thickens; pass through a sieve
3. slice the squid in 1 mm ribbons like spaghetti
4. chop the chives
5. put egg yolks in separate small glasses for easy use after
6. cut the paprika pork belly/pancetta into small cubes and saute, drain and place on paper towel
7. put squid in baking tray, season with EVOO and salt
8. put squid in the oven and grill for a few minutes
9. when finished, mix the squid, then add cream
10. season with lots of pepper, and chives
11. serve in heated bowls, first the squid, then the pork belly/pancetta
12. put an egg on top of each serving
13. ground some pepper over this, as well as some grated parmesan 

Creamy Pancetta Shells

A robust and rich pasta to serve on a colder day. Tasted very authentic.

pancetta
tinned peeled italian tomatoes
single cream
rosemary
minced garlic
1 dried pepperoncini
EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground pepper
parmesan

• saute pancetta, garlic and rosemary
• once pancetta browning a bit, add tomatoes
• cook 20-25 minutes until sauce reduces
• add cream
• boil pasta, drain and add to sauce
• coat well, sprinkle parmesan on top

Watermelon Jam

From the chef at the Como Shambala in Ubud.

2.5 kg watermelon
600 gr sugar
1 liter water
3 pieces lemon zest
3 tblsp orange juice
4 pieces gelatin leaves

1. cut watermelon into small cubes
2. mix all the above ingredients until it thickens

Scamorza & Lardo Kebabs

Seeing an old scribble that I should try. I like the idea of sticking the scamorza on a rosemary branch.

rosemary sprigs
scamorza
thinly sliced lardo
pepper

1. cut scamorza into 1" x 1" cubes
2. wrap with lardo
3. slide these onto a rosemary sprig with most top needles removed
4. sprinkle with pepper, heat in the oven until the lardo and scamorza begin to take on some color

Mash, Sobrasada & Egg

From chef Oriol Rovira at Els Casals in Catalonia.

4 eggs (goose eggs specified)
1 tblsp EVOO
750 gr potatoes
350 gr butter
maldon sea salt
100 gr sobrasada
4-5 cubes quince paste
chervil
honey

1. peel the potatoes and cut into pieces; boil until soft then drain; season with salt, add butter and beat until they are the right texture
2. heat sobrasada in the oven
3. pour EVOO into a small, deep non-stick pan and heat until it smokes
4. carefully add the egg and fry until just turning brown
5. to serve, arrange the mash on a small plate, with a an indenture to hold the egg
6. place egg in the indenture, add some sobrasada on the side, with the quince and chervil; drizzle a bit of honey near the sobrasada

Fennel Remoulade

What a great idea. From La Lucciola in Bali. From what I recall, this is what the chef told me.

2 fennels

2 tblsp capers

1 tblsp lemon zest

1 tsp minced garlic

3-4 tblsp EVOO

1 tblsp lemon juice

2 tblsp home-made mayo

1. slice fennel on a mandolin
2. make vinaigrette, let set for 15-20 minutes so the garlic can mellow
3. dress the fennel, toss in zest and capers, let marinate a few hours
4. fold in mayo

Bali Observations

Places we liked in Bali recently, for future reference and visitors.

• Mozaic: one of the more upper scale restaurants in town, with a French-American at the stoves.
• Murni's Warung: a bit touristy but that's because it's an institution that serves excellent local food in a casual setting; a table on the big balcony affords a nice view into the forest.
• Naughty Nuris: a rib shack on the road; feels like the Bayou in Bali.
• La Lucciola: a favorite with authentic Italian but also a good location on the beach with a large clipped lawn. Had a delicious fennel remoulade, the first time I've tasted remoulade this way.
• Sardine: French-owned foodie spot focusing on fish; most memorable was a caramelized onion and curry bread served beforehand. 
• Potato Head Beachclub: a bit disappointed in the Seminyak beach clubs, particularly Ku De Ta, but this locally-owned alternative had the right vibe.

Paella Notes

A few reminders that I will update periodically as I improve my paella-making skills.

• 300 gr of rice & 180-190 ml of broth is about the right proportion of starch to liquid, resulting in relatively dry but still moist rice
• season all along the way; for above portions about 3 big pinches of maldon sea salt was just the right seasoning
• if using chorizo, best not to use the overpowering type loaded with paprika
• if using green beans (sliced on the diagonal), best to add 5-6 minutes before end 
• for the squid ink paella, two big pinches of salt works; also, follow directions precisely because by putting the paella in the stove about 4-5 minutes earlier than instructed, it did not develop a crust.

Tonight's Dinner

Actually dinner from this past weekend for the Alizios.

• bresaola bombs 
• parmesan polenta & foie gras
• lasagnette pesto
• osso buco & risotto Milanese, gremolata
• mooli, red radish, celeriac carpaccio, pomegranate & truffle vinaigrette
• eclairs aux chocolats

Tonight's Dinner

A quick dinner tonight for the Alizios before their flight back to San Francisco.

• left-over Nebraska steak & cheese rosemary/garlic-rubbed crostini 
• mini shells with pancetta, tomato & cream sauce
• ham, fontina and truffle toasties
• treviso radicchio & toasted hazelnuts 

David's Italian Reds

To be updated regularly, consisting mainly of lighter Italian reds.

• Tenuta Mazzolino Pinot Nero Oltrepo Pavese Terrazze (Lombardia): from Pavia, a pinot nero that I absolutely love. Right up my ally with nice fruit and smooth.
• Ticino (Lugano): technically a swiss red; delicious Merlot.
• Aglianico (Campagna): a fun fizzy red for pizza from the Naples area
• Cenito (Campagna): Luigi Maffini's top red wine made from low yielding Aglianico, single block of older vines; a big wine that ages well, but doesn't feel full of sun. 

Tagliatelle, Sausage & Porcini

Andrea Fraire from Hong Kong's Grissini gave me this recipe verbally at the table. A couple week's later I see that it is in Crave, highlighted as one of its favorite dishes.

home-made tagliatelle
200 gr fresh porcini mushrooms
150 gr pork sausage
150 gr best quality cherry tomatoes
1 tblsp fond de veau
2 tblsp home-made chicken stock
1 clove garlic
1 sprig rosemary
2 tblsp white wine
grated parmesan
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. peel the skin from porcini stems and wipe clean with a damp towel; cut the porcini into cubes 
2. chop rosemary
3. in a pan, lightly fry the garlic; add porcini and fry some more
4. add white wine and saute for three minutes
5. cut the cherry tomatoes in half and saute with the pork sausage in another pan
6. add the porcini and cook for 3-4 minutes
7. cook the tagliatelle
8. add chicken stock and tagliatelle to pan with sauce and saute one minute
9. add fond de veau, chopped rosemary and parmesan

The Barcelona List

Places to go in Barcelona, soon!

• Dos Palillos: ex-El Bulli Albert Raurich for Asian-Iberian small plates
• Rias de Galicia: higher end food, retro ambiance, but the best Galician seafood; lots of unusual shellfish, Tokyo-style!

The New York List

Places I need to go to in NY. Will keep updated per discoveries made.

• 15 East: modern Japanese, sushi master Shimizu-san apprenticed under Rikio Kugo in Tokyo
• Blue Ribbon Brasserie: been around, but haven't gone
• Benu: Corey Lee from the French Laundry; sounds like a bit too much gels and foams but curious

Scallops, Borlotti & Polenta

Another recipe from Ruth Rogers, who got it (as well as crab & artichoke recipe below) from Tuscan restaurant Da Ivo in Venice. Below portions could be reduced by half.

200 gr dried borlotti beans
3 fresh chillies
2 garlic cloves
16 scallops
4 lemons
250 gr polenta flour
3 tblsp EVOO

1. soak beans overnight; rinse then put them into a pan with one chilli and the garlic
2. bring to a boil, skim and simmer for 45 minutes; drain, season and add EVOO
3. keep beans warm
4. bring 1.2 liters of water and 1 tsp of salt to a boil; reduce to simmer and make polenta; reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes stirring occasionally; stir in EVOO
5. heat frying pan, season scallops and sear; remove and add a tablespoon of EVOO as well as two remaining chillies, sliced
6. squeeze over the juice of one lemon, shake the pan for a minute then add the beans
7. divide the polenta between plates, place scallops, beans and any sauce from the pan on top
8. serve with lemon

Crab & Artichoke

From one of the queens of the restaurant scene, Ruth Rogers. It doesn't get much better than this.

2 medium-sized artichokes, sliced lengthways very finely
200 gr white crabmeat
2 tsp brown crabmeat
2 tblsp chopped parsley
juice of half a lemon
2 tblsp EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. clean and prep artichokes by removing tougher outer leaves, leaving only the pale tender center; trim the tops exposing the choke and remove with a teaspoon if rough or sharp
2. trim the stalks to 4 cm and peel with a potato peeler; rub with lemon to stop artichokes from discoloring
3. combine the white and brown crab with parsley, lemon juice and EVOO and season
4. slice the artichokes as thinly as possible and stir lightly through the crab to combine
5. season again and finish with a drizzle of EVOO

Antipasti Toothpick

Jotting this down before I forget. A great little retro appetizer that will get your palate excited. The fattiness of the mortadella, combined with the smokiness of the cheese, is wiped clean with the brine of the olives.

1/2 inch thick slice of mortadella 

smoked scamorza

best quality pitted green olive

1. cut the mortadella into 1/2 by 1/2 inch cubes
2. do the same with the scamorza
3. prick olive, then scamorza and mortadella with toothpick
4. stand upright on the mortadella cube

Thai Cashews

A quick and easy snack that would go so well with a Pelfort Brune!

300 gr cashews
1 lemongrass stem, tough outer layer removed
1 red chilli
1 tbsp sugar
sea salt

1. preheat oven to 180 C degrees
2. line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, arrange nuts on tray and place in oven for five minutes
3. remove from the oven, turn down to 150 C degrees
4. meanwhile in a pestle and mortar, bash together the lemongrass, chilli and salt until you have a coarse paste
5. transfer to a bowl, then add sugar and generous pinch of salt
6. mix well, then toss in the warm cashews to coat
7. tip the nuts back onto the baking tray and return to oven for five minutes until the coating has hardened slightly
8. leave to cool with an extra sprinkling of salt, if necessary

Cevizli Biber

One of my favorites of all Turkish mezes. A recipe from Stevie Parle who hails from London's Dock restaurant, ex-Moro and ex-River Cafe. Serve with warm pitta or flatbread.

350 gr jarred Spanish red peppers
70 gr walnuts, shelled
1/2 garlic clove
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 red chilli, finely chopped
juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste
70 gr dried breadcrumbs (actually I'd put less)
3 tbsp EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. put all ingredients in a food processor except EVOO
2. blitz, stirring in oil at the end

Torino Observations

A city we've long tried to visit and finally we did. It didn't disappoint, nor did the food. Torino is a gastronomic destination where the Slow Food movement began. It is the home of Lavazza, vermouth, choclate and grand cafes. Barolo and white truffles come from nearby. Eataly, the famous global chain of Italian food and wine, is based here. Below are some highlights over our short 48 hour visit.

• Tre Galline: probably my favorite as this was the closest to a traditional trattoria. Highlights were my bollito misto, a bagna cauda with the usual veggies including cardoons (and interestingly about a tablespoon of beef tartare), and a fresh ricotta decorated with crisp leaves and herbs. I think our agnoletti were probably best here. 
• Dolce Stil Novo: one-star modern Italian in Venaria Reale outside of Torino in a lovely palazzo with garden. Chef Alfredo Russo moved from his two-star restaurant in Aosta a couple years ago to open this new restaurant. Highlights were a Russian Salad which I adored (a decomposed modern version), veal tongue with a bright green, cold herby veloute, rabbit & red cabbage, and a "white pasta" or lasagna of super thin pasta sheets almost like a borek.
• Ristorante Consorzio: a good trattoria with three gamberi from the Gambero Rosso, mainly traditional local dishes with a modern touch and carnivore slant. Sweetbreads with a sweet and sour sauce were particularly good.
• Trattoria Valenza: a very simple place on the other side of the tracks in Borgo Dora spilling over with character, particularly the pork-bellied owner. Agnoletti were very good here, particularly their emulsified meat sauce. Perhaps a bit rough around the edges, but I loved it. 
• Osteria Aniche Sere: unable to go but apparently good.
• Combal.zero: an El Bulli kind of place, had we been here longer we would have tried.

Chanterelles & Shellfish Salad

A tempting combo to make. Would be a great start to any meal. Stolen from Carluccio's mushroom cookbook on pop's bookshelf.

500 gr of chanterelles or other interesting mushroom (hen of the woods)
white wine vinegar
water
small raw prawns
scallops
crabmeat
EVOO
chopped coriander, parsley, dill
lemon
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. cook mushrooms in vinegar, water and salt 2-3 minutes
2. drain and cool
3. shell prawns, cook in water until just pink
4. slice scallops
5. make vinaigrette using EVOO, lemon juice and herbs
6. marinate scallop ten minutes
7. mix mushrooms with prawn and crabmeat
8. add scallops, adjust seasoning and serve at room temperature

New Fennel Salad

This has always been a favorite, kept simple with an olive oil and lemon dressing. Here I've developed the dressing a bit adding white balsamic vinegar. The sweet of the latter and the spicy of the chili contrast very nicely with the fennel. This makes a lot of salad, so if making less best to keep the proportion of fennel to onion intact.

four fennel bulbs, including tops
one small red onion
EVOO
juice of half lemon
juice of a clementine
rice wine vinegar
white balsamic vinegar
chopped chives and parsley
1 tsp of chopped red chili
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. slice fennel and onion with a mandolin
2. chop fennel tops finely
3. mix with other ingredients, including vinegars to taste
4. let marinate six hours before serving