Effervescence Dessert

An imaginative but still simple dessert from L'Effervescence last time in Tokyo. Shinobu Namae has worked for some of the best including most recently Michel Bras in Hokkaido but also at the flagship in Laguiole, and the Fat Duck.

full milk
single cream
fresh ginger
Darjeeling tea leaves
ingredients for custard (eggs, milk)
juiced apple
gelatin leaves
lemon preserve

1. make ginger milk mousse; simmer milk and single cream with fresh cut ginger, strain & syphon when ready
2. make Darjeeling tea ice cream; make a custard using best quality Darjeeling tea
3. make apple jelly by using using an envelope of gelatin and best quality apple juice, preferably through  juicer
4. to serve, put a scoop of soft ice cream in a medium-size glass, sprinkle dice of apple jelly on top of this, syphon on top of this some ginger milk mousse, followed by some chopped lemon preserve

Maple & Mustard Walnuts

I am proud of this invention. Be generous with the mustard! Tastes even better the day after you make them.

best quality walnut halves
EVOO
smoked Maldon sea salt
piment d'espelette
Colman's dry mustard
maple syrup
garlic
fresh thyme (optional)

1. saute walnuts in EVOO with garlic
2. add some maple syrup to taste
3. stir until coated, then season with salt, piment and mustard

David's Spanish Reds

To complement my previous entries for French and Italian reds, to be updated regularly.

• Lacima: Ribeira Sacra 2010 Dominio Do Bibei
• Rioja: R Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva 2002

David's Lentils

Maybe because I was very hungry after a spinning class, but this worked a treat. Luckily I had a lot of complementary leftovers in the fridge, that came together nicely.

top quality Spanish ready-cooked lentils (in a jar)
san daniele butt, cubed (or serrano)
steamed green beans, chopped into little cylinders
a few cherry tomatoes, de-seeded and chopped
onion, chopped
garlic clove, chopped
2 basil leaves, teared
a few rosemary needles
parsley, chopped
sherry oloroso
Spanish sweet paprika
ground black pepper
smoked Maldon sea salt
EVOO

1. saute onion, then add garlic and finally ham cubes and rosemary
2. add paprika, then when pan gets sticky add a tsp of sherry
3. add beans, tomatoes and stir
4. add lentils and basil, cook until lentils warmed through
5. season, serve and add a drizzle of EVOO

Michelle's Bday Celebration

The cocktail menu for Michelle's big birthday at Zafferano's Friday night. A very nice time indeed, and even better…. a total surprise! Classic no-nonsense things. Kicked off with blinis all around, followed by a delicious IS Solinas, Carignano-Bovale Argiolas 2009 from Sardinia.

• grana padano 24 months
• san daniele prosciutto
• bresaola roll
• beef carpaccio & french beans
• crab & pesto spoon
• funghi bruschetta
• carasau bread with burrata & anchovies
• tuna tartar
• risotto zafferano
• malloreddusu with spicy sausages
• tiramisu with one candle : )

Next Dinner

This might be a useful way to plan my next dinner. Brainstorming and streamlining as I go, until it looks just right.

• chestnut veloute & shredded canard confit
• morcilla two ways: apple chutney & buffalo mozzarella; and with caramelized red pepper strips & quail egg 
• sardines, mint & garlic
• cuttlefish & squid rice, pan-fried monkish, quince aioli
• crisp & cold green salad 
• pan carasau, buratta & anchovy
• malloreddusu & spicy sausage

Bloody Caesar

Had no idea that this was Canada's unofficial official drink. Rather than use store-bought Clamato I'd try to make it somehow.  I assume there is no inspiration from the Caesar salad whose primary ingredients don't feature in the cocktail.

1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 oz vodka
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp tabasco sauce
Clamato juice (or mixture of two parts clam juice to one part tomato juice)
1/2 lime
celery hearts for garnish

1. combine celery salt and pepper in shallow dish
2. wet the edge of a pint glass and rim in the celery salt mixture
3. fill glass with ice, pour in vodka, worcestershire sauce and tabasco sauce
4. top with Clamato
5. gently squeeze lime wedges into the glass, drop in the juiced pieces and garnish with celery

Stein's Fish Curry

I couldn't resist making note of this curry on our flight back from Europe. Rick Stein has put a lot of research into curries, so I trust that this would be a good starting point from which to dabble in this a bit more.

4 tblsp vegetable oil
1 tblsp yellow mustard seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely crushed
30 fresh curry leaves
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
400 gr chopped tomatoes
100 ml tamarind liquid
2 green chillies, sliced lengthways into 6 pieces
1 tsp salt
700 gr snapper fillets, cut into 5 cm chunks
boiled basmati rice

1.  heat oil over medium heat, when hot add mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds
2. stir in onion and garlic and fry gently for 10 minutes
3. add curry leaves, chilli powder, coriander and turmeric and fry 2 minutes
4. stir in tomatoes, tamarind liquid, green chillies and salt, simmer for 10 minutes or until rich and reduced
5. add the fish, cook for a further 5 minutes or until just cooked through
6. serve with plain rice

Sardines, Garlic & Mint

An easy recipe for a much adored fish.

12 fresh sardines, scaled and gutted
maldon sea salt
EVOO
green garlic (or scallions)
1/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs, toasted
1 tblsp capers
1/3 cup loosely packed mint

1. arrange butterflied sardines on a baking sheet, skin side up
2. season both sides with salt, and brush both sides lightly with EVOO
3. roast sardines, skin side up, for about 5 minutes or until skin starts to sizzle
4. in a small pan, add garlic to EVOO and saute until soft
5. over medium-low heat, replenish pan with a few tblsp EVOO and sprinkle breadcrumbs, saute for 2 minutes or until they crisp up and darken slightly
6. remove from the heat, add garlic, stir in capers and mint and set aside until serving
7. transfer sardines to a serving platter or divide among plates, squeeze some lemon over the top, spoon the garlic mixture over the sardines and drizzle with EVOO

Bucatini & Bottarga

I was intrigued by the combo of oven-dried tomatoes and bottarga.

maldon sea salt
EVOO
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp dried chile flakes
2 cups oven-dried tomatoes, tomatoes cut into thirds
bucatini
bottarga

1. saute garlic and chile in EVOO, stir in tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, taste and add salt if necessary
2. add pasta to boiling water and cook, drain reserving some pasta water
3. put pasta in pan with EVOO and toss
4. serve pasta, grate bottarga over the top to finish

Short Ribs Genovese

According to A16, this is actually a traditional Neapolitan recipe that predates the arrival of tomatoes to the region. No one has been able to explain the connection to Genoa as there is no similar sauce there. "Maybe it was made for visiting Genovese merchants as both Naples and Genoa have long boasted bustling ports." Remember to use the thicker, meatier cuts that come from the chuck end. This dish is even better if cooled down completely, refrigerated and served the following day. 

5 ibs short ribs (about 6 total)

maldon sea salt

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/2 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stock

1 anchovy

2 cloves garlic

5 black peppercorns

4 red onions, thinly sliced

3 tblsp red wine vinegar

1 sprig rosemary

1. trim some of the fat from the ribs, leaving the tough outer sinew and silver skin intact; season the ribs evenly with 2 tblsp salt; cover and refrigerate up to three days (at least overnight)
2. preheat oven 275 degrees f
3. in a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tblsp; working in 2 batches brown the ribs on all sides
4. transfer to a plate and set aside
5. pour out fat and check pot for burnt pieces of meat
6. if the pan looks scorched, deglaze with 1/4 cup water; strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and taste it (if it tastes appealing, reserve and add to braising liquid, if not discard it)
7. in a small pot, reduce wine over medium-high heat to about 1/2 cup, set aside
8. to make sauce, add remaining 2 tblsp EVOO and sweat the carrot and celery then the garlic, anchovy and peppercorns until soft.
9. add onions with a pinch of salt, cook until translucent; stir in the vinegar and the reduced wine and remove from the heat
10. return the short ribs to the pot with the rosemary sprig and cover tightly with aluminum foil + lid
11. braise for about 2.5 hours or until the ribs are tender when pierced with a fork
12. cool in the fridge overnight; before re-heating, scrape off and discard some of the fat that has risen to the surface; to reheat, preheat oven to 400 degrees f, remove the ribs from the braising liquid, bring to room temperature, place on  a rimmed banking sheet and roast in the oven 25 minutes or until the outside sizzles and the inside is heated through
13. heat the sauce, remove the rosemary; place ribs on a serving platter, ladle the sauce on top and finish with a drizzle of EVOO

Tonight's Dinner

A nice dinner for three couples, finishing at 2 am! There were a couple of setbacks, including my tortillas and some bland crab but you can't win them all.

• lardo colonnata & rosemary bruschetta
• blini, soy-mirin salmon eggs, dill creme fraiche
• polenta, home-made pesto, smoked haddock
• bresaola bombs
• dressed crab, grapefruit, grapefruit jelly, truffle vinaigrette
• carottes rapes, smoked eel, horseradish cream, coriander oil
• beet carpachio, hazelnut vinaigrette, roasted hazelnuts
• chestnut veloute & canard confit
• boudin noir, apple chutney, buratta
• celeriac, pomegranate & parmesan, truffle vinaigrette
• cauliflower risotto, anchovy breadcrumbs
• gorgonzola, amareno cherry & lemon zest
• hazelnut ice cream