Pesto by Pino

As good as any pesto I've tasted, even in Liguria.  Adding just a little something- in this case some broth, single cream, scallions and an anchovy, the pesto is completely transformed. Not sure a Ligurian would approve, but I'm happy to side with Pino the Puglian on this one!

pesto recipe (see previous entry)
1-2 tblsp of panna (or single cream)
1-2 tblsp of brodo
2-3 scallion tops
1 anchovy

1. add in panna, brodo, scallions and anchovy and blitz
2. put in a pan, place on very low heat
3. add cooked pasta almost immediately, adding a bit of pasta water to loosen up the sauce (keep heat very low otherwise you will end up with a pesto that separates and becomes gooey).

Sugo Pomodoro Pino

Pino from Trulli's is truly (no pun intended) a great Italian cook in the middle of the German countryside. This recipe is the product of a five minute conversation after lunch there today.

450 gr Italian tinned peeled tomatoes
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
handful of basil leaves (no stems)
EVOO
1-2 tsp butter
maldon sea salt
ground pepper
pinch of sugar

1. saute onion and carrot in EVOO until soft
2. add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, saute another 15-20 minutes until cooked
3. add pinch of sugar, cook another 10 minutes
4. blitz with a mixer in the pan
5. in another pan, saute garlic in EVOO and butter, remove garlic
6. add blitzed tomato sauce and warm before adding pasta to pan, perhaps with a bit of pasta water

Gazpacho Trickster

From the affable chef at Amante Beach Club in Ibiza. The brightest gazpacho you've ever seen thanks to the addition of beets. The hint of strawberry also sweetens it up, helping to offset the dominant beet taste. Trick is not to put too much beets, otherwise you'll have a summer borscht on your hands. Chef didn't mention but rasberry vinegar in place of sherry could be interesting, and consistent with the inclusion of the strawberries.

6 best quality tomatoes
3 green onions
half garlic (boil for a minute before use)
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 cucumber
1 small beet
half dozen strawberries
1/3 cup EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground pepper
2-3 tblsp (to taste) sherry vinegar

1. put all ingredients in a blender and mix well
2. put through a sieve to eliminate seeds etc, and taste further for seasoning, adding a combination of EVOO, vinegar, salt and pepper to accommodate your taste preference.

Ibiza Observations

Thanks Michelle for the many excellent quality establishments enjoyed...

• Es Torrent (Porrigg/Es Cubells):  paella pans of sea bass, red snapper and John Dory, adorned by slivers of fried potato and green pepper, and lemon wedges; fat and tasty clams in white wine sauce, boquerones and a fun and simple sauteed strawberries with vanilla ice cream. Wine of choice throughout was a Terras Gauda Albarino, which will forever take us back to this lovely beach spot.  
• Amante Beach Club (Cala Llonga): superb location on a cliff overlooking a smallish bay, with decent food, including a memorable hake with pistachios and beet & strawberry gazpacho. White wine of choice was Valdesil's Montenovo Godello.
• El Chinguritto (Playa Es Cavallet): a buzzing beach club in true Ibiza style; fried anchovies particularly memorable.
• Les Terraces (Santa Eularia): an incredible coucous, which is the theme of the evening one night a week during summer, made even better because of a tasty broth eschewing the meats. 
• La Paloma (San Lorenzo): more of an Italian restaurant, lovely atmos.

Strawberries Es Torrent

From the very accommodating head chef at Es Torrent beach club in Ibiza. Best to use a very vanilla ice cream to offset the peppery taste!

450 gr halved strawberries
2 tsp butter
2 tsp sugar
2 turns of the pepper mill (or pinch dried pepperoncini)
splash of cointreau (or armagnac)

1. take ice cream out of freezer 10 minutes before start
2. melt butter and sugar over medium heat
3. add strawberries and saute 30 seconds
4. add cointreau and let burn off 15 seconds or so
5. as this is burning off, add pepper or peperoncini
6. scoop some ice cream into the middle of a plate, spoon strawberries and sauce all around

Toby's Eel Risotto

Thanks Toby for this classy recipe. And yes I do stir when I make risotto, except at the end once we've added the butter and we put the lid back on the pot to let rest about a minute before serving. Hey Toby, I'm fond of cheese with fish...maybe add some parmesan to this one?

shallots
risotto rice
white wine
finely grated lemon peel
chicken broth
butter
EVOO
smoked eel
scallions
lemon juice
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. saute shallots in EVOO, then add rice until translucent before deglazing with wine
2. stir in lemon peel
3. add broth slowly as rice cooks
4. stir in chopped eel, and finely slice scallions
5. add a few cubes of butter to render the risotto creamy, let sit and put lid on top of pan for about a minute
6. season with salt and pepper, and lemon juice to taste

The Tokyo List

Reminders of places to go in Tokyo....to be updated regularly.

• Sushi Kanesaka (Ginza): from Thom Browne suggestion in The Aesthete
• L'Effervescence (Minato-ku): chef Sinobu Namae from Michel Bras' Toya in Hokkaido, before that The Fat Duck; try his version of kabu (Japanese turnip), foie gras with kombu seaweed puree.
• Robataya (Rappongi): the original grill restaurant
• New York Bar & Grill (Shinkjuku): at the Park Hyatt
• Sushi Sawada (Ginza): Koji Sawada's seven seater two star; served directly on the hinoki wood counter
• Birdland (Ginza): the only 1 star Yakitori in Tokyo
• Sushi Sawada (Ginza): a 2 star sushi much acclaimed by David Chang
• 69 Rock & Roll (Haramachida): chicken-based ramen (no talking aloud!)
• Sushishou (Shinjuku): Edomae sushi, the traditional sushi of Tokyo, i.e., hand-formed nigiri. "Contemporary edomae sushi is sushi that is served at the apotheosis of the aging process, where time, salt and fermentation have weaved their magic". Considered by some to be the gold standard, with an "elusive treatment" of rice.