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