San Daniele Ham & Apple Salad

Inspired by a recipe from NYC's Babbo restaurant.

best quality San Daniele prosciutto

assortment of good quality apples, preferably tart and crunchy

EVOO

1 tblsp cider vinegar

S&P

1 tsp lemon

bundle of chives

1. cut apples into batons, squeeze lemon juice on apples to prevent coloring
2. make vinaigrette, chop chives and toss with apple batons
3. lay ham out on wooden platter, serve with a bowl of apple salad on the side

Vanilla Yoghurt & Pomegranate Seeds

Not a recipe but sensational! M&S sells pomegranate ready-picked so no need to bother with doing it yourself.

good quality vanilla yoghurt

pomegranate seeds

1. put yoghurt in a glass
2. add a handful or more of pomegranate seeds (equal parts of each fine too!)

Shaved Radish, Celeriac & Pecorino with Pomegranates & Truffle Oil

The Boca di Lupo staple appetizer, on their menu since day one. The very kind chef, ex-Moro Jacob Kenedy, gave me the recipe as I sat at the counter a few months ago. Key ingredient is the black radish--no guarantee that you can even get it at Borough market. Still pretty good without it though.

black radish

red radish

celeriac

pomegranate seeds

flat leaf parsley

pecorino romano

EVOO

white balsamic vinegar

white truffle oil (to taste, couple drops)

S&P

1. slice radishes with mandolin as thinly as possible (taste black radish, if it's too hot soak in ice cold water for 15 mins).
2. slice celeriac very thin as well--best to use a vegetable peeler
3. in a big bowl, toss together all the ingredients and 1/3 of the shaved pecorino, with EVOO, vinegar, S&P
4. assemble on plates, shave more cheese on top, sprinkle more pomegranate seeds

Grilled Puff Balls & Salsa Verde

This got the best review at dinner last night. Seriously tasty and unlike any mushroom we've had before. Had to trek to Borough market to find them, and they're only available during September. I remember riding my bike as a kid in the forests in Germany, and they were everywhere!

puff balls

parsley

one or any combo of basil, tarragon, chives (your taste)

grilled garlic, mashed

capers

red wine vinegar

dijon mustard

EVOO

S&P

1. cut puff balls into half inch slices
2. put in large bowl, douse with EVOO, S&P
3. heat stove top grill very hot
4. make green sauce by chopping up herbs, capers, garlic & mixing in EVOO, vinegar, mustard, S&P
5. grill puff balls on both sides until you see brown grill marks--add S&P as you go
6. serve on a plate, spoon green sauce on top

Tonight's Dinner

A tasty dinner for newlyweds Mark and Gaia, who are off to Singapore.

negroni sbagliato

mozzarella, chili, marjoram, lemon rind & creme fraiche

san daniele ham & apple salad

radish, celeriac, pomegranate, pecorino & truffle oil vinaigrette

grilled puff balls & green sauce

rigatoni a la gricia

oven dried fig, young pecorino, dessert wine

finely sliced raddichio & rucola salad

frozen muscat grapes, artisan du chocolat tablets, dessert wine

Cockley Cley Chicken

Ali Maurin made this comforting dish for us at her family's picture perfect home in Norfolk. A lovely weekend lunch dish in that you can pop it in the oven before your morning errands, ready on your return. Serve with salad and fresh bread.

chicken pieces (thighs and legs for flavor)

flageolet beans

onion

garlic

lemon juice & zest

chicken stock

S&P

fresh thyme

1. brown chicken pieces in oil, transfer to an ovenproof dish
2. soften a chopped onion in the same frying pan and add to dish
3. put pre-cooked or tinned flageolet beans in the dish with the onion and add peeled cloves of garlic, juice of lemon (quantity depending on amount of chicken or to taste) and some zest
4. add some chicken stock
5. sprinkle finely chopped thyme, S&P
6. cover tightly and bake very slowly for 1-2 hours at 160 c

Home-Made Mayo Varieties

Scribbles from a Tyler Florence book a few years back when I was obsessed with making mayo. Still am. Generally speaking the additional ingredients must be blitzed so that they blend in smoothly with mayo.

arugula, orange zest & almond mayo

roasted garlic, anchovy & capers mayo

curry, orange zest, mint & peanuts mayo

sweet pepper, fennel, paprika mayo (saute 1st two with saffron)

lemon & caper mayo