Parmesan and pear ice cream with a spiced pear confit -by George they´d got it!!!

It is always lovely to be able look back into our past and find something old is new once again.Flavours that were once popular fall out of fashion for centuries, then suddenly make a comeback. Life is full of surprises.I was recently watching a television programme where four modern-day confectioners were given the task of making sweets as they were made in past eras.The episode in particular was centred on the Georgian period and the first revelation for me was that Ice cream was being made in the eighteenth century.an even bigger surprise for me however was when they came to make a traditional recipe for Parmesan Ice cream.No this was nothing to do with some modern Heston Blumenthal trickery, Parmesan was around in the eighteenth century.In hindsight this makes complete sense.Just like wine and people, Parmigiano Reggiano gets better with age.In the centuries before refrigeration, this hard cheese was ideal for storage and transporting over long distances. Parmigiano Reggiano was a favourite on sea voyages, but at the same time being beloved by connoisseurs.Ice cream making has always been the domain of the Italians and since introducing it to Europe in the middle ages, Italy has never relinquished its lead in this field.Over the centuries the manufacture of ice cream has in many countries been the province of Italian emigrés.
 But ice cream and cheese,it has a ring of Peter Kay about it "cheese and cake,you dirty ......" but Heston Blumenthal and Peter Kay aside how could one dismiss it without actually making it.I totally adore pears and parmesan as a combo. And more generically, cheese and fruits.I achieved this pairing by serving the ice cream in a scooped out baby pear. I accentuated the Italian theme by using Mascarpone in place of heavy cream.
Parmesan ice cream
makes 1 litre tub
450ml whole milk
5 large egg yolks
125g caster sugar
250ml greek yoghurt
250g mascarpone
100g parmesan
Heat the milk in a pan till almost boiling.Remove from the heat.In a large deep bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar together till pale and creamy.Slowly pour the warm milk stirring constantly.Return the the mixture to the pan with the parmesan.Stir constantly over a low heat until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon..It must not boil as it will curdle.Remove from the heat and stir in the yoghurt. Pour into a bowl.Sit the bowl within another bowl of iced water and leave to cool.When completely
cool use an electric whisk to beat in the mascarpone.when fully mixed ladle into aone litre plastic tub and put in the freezer for 2 hours.Check the ice cream to ensure no crystals have formed and give it a good stir.Repeat this two more times at hourly interval then leave to freeze completely overnight. 

For the confit of spiced pears
4 large Williams pears
400 g caster sugar
1 piece of lemon peel
1 tonka bean
Peel and cut the pears into small cubes. 
Place in a large bowl, cover with the sugar, add the vanilla bean and leave to rest overnight. 
Transfer to a saucepan, add the lemon peel and bring to a boil over low heat, skimming occasionally. Turn down the heat and continue cooking, skimming regularly, for 35 minutes. (Place a drop of the preserve on a cold plate, if it is cooked, you will be able to draw a line through it with a teaspoon 
Remove the vanilla bean and blitz it with a stick blender.

Serve as above with fresh ripe baby pears.core the pare from the bottom very carefully, then cut the pair crossways in a proportion of 2/3 on the bottom to 1/3 on top.Scoop out some flesh from the bottom half and over fill it with ice cream.Put the top half back on and drizzle the confit over the pear garnish the plate with roasted pistachios scattered around the pear.

The verdict was  that we found it amazingly delicious for having such a dubious ingredient flavouring it. I found it pairs beautifully with pears and pistachios.I highly recommend trying it!

Charabancs mountebanks and chari vari

The Charivari is about to begin.The medieval circus is coming to town once again.All the performers will soon be doing their introductory piece before they take to the streets.We gonna party like its 1499. Charabancs of all those who want to party into their middle ages are imminent.Oh joy,Such fun!!!
Today the promotional packs of medieval sugar arrived for our guests to tear open and sweeten their coffee at the breakfast table."Azucar Medievais" announced the delivery man Thank you my liege, noblesse oblige, we will duly serve and not store the "white gold".
In medieval days sugar was extremely expensive, and was known as “white gold”. Wealthy people actually stored sugar as a form of savings.
One of my favourite stories tells of a bishop who bought sugar from Portuguese merchants for many years and stored it in his chamber. When he died, his possessions were divided between the cloister's monks. These possessions included the sugar. The monks tasted it expectantly, but grimaced in disgust. Instead of being sweet, it had a bitter, unpleasant taste. They didn't know that the sugar had been transported across Egypt by camel. During the journey it had absorbed the camel's sweat, which turned it bitter. Deprived of its sweetness, the sugar was now worthless.

Dias Medievais 2017 Castro Marim Dias 23 -27 Agosto

A vine romance,red alert

O devil diablo does it again.Hellishly hot Heatwave Lucifer maybe carrying "danger" warnings and we maybe wilting and dropping like flies, but this current scorching sun has been just what our vine tomatoes needed.Growing tomatoes and sunshine go hand in hand. Without enough sun, a tomato plant can’t produce fruit.our cherry tomatoes are growing in pots and have just started flowering with abundance.These flowers will be followed by tiny green fruits.You can actually see in the picture above some of the flower heads transforming into  fruit.After a few weeks, those will turn into full-blown cherry tomatoes that we can harvest.if picked every day hopefully we can expect our plants with luck, to continue producing right up until winter comes.
We have got more than enough sun and are going to have a bumper crop and "Ah canny wait".Watch this space and I will be telling you about all the witty ways with a cherry tomato.

Growing tomatoes and sunshine go hand in hand. Without enough sun, a tomato plant can’t produce fruit.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Light Requirements For Tomatoes – How Much Sun Do Tomato Plants Need https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/how-much-sun-do-tomato-plants-need.htm

Growing tomatoes and sunshine go hand in hand. Without enough sun, a tomato plant can’t produce fruit.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Light Requirements For Tomatoes – How Much Sun Do Tomato Plants Need https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/how-much-sun-do-tomato-plants-need.htm

Broccoli the "it" vegetable coming soon to a smoothie parlour near you

Detoxifying green smoothie with broccoli apple and celery  (recipe below)

I recently saw a poster that carried this headline "I love my gut"....my initial reaction was, but how can I when it does what it does to me.On further investigation I discovered it was advertising a product of the same name,another product that might well be something that could improve my wellbeing.Inside the big bad "marketing machine", public relations and marketing companies are hired by growers and supermarkets to influence us, the public, and help them create a market for "superfoods."

As we all know there is no such thing as a "superfood" its just a tag that the media and marketeers have chucked at us in the hope that we are gullible enough to believe it.Kale became a darling of the fruit and vegetable aisle thanks to a viral transformation. Now, publicity firms are helping to create trends around once uncommon produce, touting their nutritional superpowers.Broccoli is now trying to be the new Kale emerging as the star of food blogs and instagram feeds and whatever else is currently trending.I have recently been putting one of these broccoli based products to the test.The bacteria Helicobacter Pylori is present in two third of the world´s population (in many it lies dormant in others like myself it leaves us feeling miserable ).

H.Pylori is the only known bacteria to survive in the highly acidic environment of the stomach.The product in question contains a natural extract found in fresh broccoli, brassicare. The manufacturers claim "that it has been proven to be an effective anti-bacterial agent for H.pylori and can prevent and cure stomach ulcers and other gut problems it causes".They also claim "it has proven antioxidant properties which act as a booster of the detoxifying system (in particular the liver)".This helps the body counter the negative effects of modern life.
There´s hurly there´s burly but Mary Brazzle is always in equilibrium:increased stress,unbalanced diet,alcohol consumption
The current path used by most doctors, mine included, is to prescribe antibiotics, but it has been pretty well proven in my own case and others alike that this tough bacteria is resistant to any antibiotic on the market.So that route will not destroy H.Pylori but also can upset the already delicate balance of friendly flora in the gut actually making the situation worse.Well the good news is surprisingly in this case the manufacturers claims are true. It has worked for me and at the end of a 30 day course of one tablet a day, I have found that it has not been enough to wipe out this nasty bacteria completely but has significantly contributed to a noticeable improvement in my condition.And to think it comes from something as basic as broccoli!!!!being pleased with the result I thought I would put fresh broccoli further to the test......

Detoxifying green smoothie with 
broccoli apple and celery

If the thought of raw broccoli in your smoothie has you running in the opposite direction, wait just a minute. I won’t try to convince you of its mighty healthy powers (that is a bit of a lie,after all we are talking about broccoli,one of nature´s best foods).I am going to share a secret with you,(and dont worry I´m not going to get you tangled up in my insides).You can hide the taste of of your broccoli in your smoothie.Pulverize it to oblivion if you wish,top it with banana,almond milk and honey to sweeten the result,but just add the broccoli.Start with just a bit then gradually increase the amount to 1 cup florets per smoothie. Impressed?-I think you will be.Cooking broccoli will cause valuable vitamins to be lost as they leak into the water.The more you cook it,the more it will leak and lose its powers.Who needs powerless broccoli.Its bad enough that we have to eat it at all, but if it is not doing us any good what is the point of eating it at all.Hide your broccoli in your smoothie because your broccoli itself is hiding a lot of minerals and vitamins within it.Make a habit of it and it will help will help detoxify your body,helping it to be healthy and to fight infection and disease.The vitamin C alone helps repair cells.
1 cup broccoli florets
1 rib of celery
1 apple
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 small banana
12 tsp raw honey
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
add to blender,blend,drink,enjoy and get healthy

Corvina baiana moqueca with farofa

The bright summer colours of a Brazilian Moqueca

Whilst dining out at Aquasul restaurant in Tavira the other night I had a strong premonition confirmed for me.For some time now I have had a feeling that the cuisine of Brazil,South America's largest country is set to be the next big thing.When the waitress came to take our orders she informed us of the specials.We had a choice of lamb shank or a Moqueca.She went on to explain Moqueca .Because of my premonition I already had prior knowledge of the dish.The fact that the chef in this restaurant in mainland Portugal, and more exclusively Tavira, the prettiest town on the East Algarve had chosen to put this dish on his menu was proof of this.This vibrant moqueca, a thick seafood stew, hails from Bahia, the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture in the country's north-east.It definitely has a Latin American Portuguese feel to it.Featuring boneless white firm fish fillets such as hake, corvina ( grouper) and sea bass the result is a fish stew with red and green peppers and hot piri piri, mellowed by coconut milk.To give this dish its true authenticity it should be served with farofa.Farofa, manioc flour fried in butter, is served all over South America with all kinds of dishes.You can serve the moqueca without the farofa, if you prefer, but it helps to sop up the soupy liquid from the stew.Manioc or cassava root is one of the most popular ingredients in Brazilian cuisine. Traditionally food of the poor, cassava is so versatile and healthy that is used in many different ways.In this case it is served as a side dish replacing potato.
Manioc is a fundamental ingredient of Brazil’s indigenous tribes, and is rich in minerals such as calcium, iron and phosphorus, vitamins of the complex B and potassium. Absence of gluten makes it ideal for people suffering from coeliac disease.Farofa is the term for a side dish using toasted farinha de mandioca—in English, manioc flour, which is a dried flour similar in looks and texture to breadcrumbs. The making of farofa as a dish couldn't be easier.Beware, farofa can be extremely dry, since the manioc flour immediately sucks up all the juices from anything it encounters, especially when it's served plain. The trick to making a moist farofa is to use a small amount of manioc flour in proportion to the other components, turning a side dish into a savoury accompaniment that is so tempting, you may even forget there is a main course.

Corvina baiana moqueca with farofa
This recipe would traditionally use Dendê Oil (Azeite-de-dendê)but for two reasons I have not used it see the Note below*.Peanut oil coloured with paprika or annato oil (poor mans saffron) will give the dish the same intense colour but with a healthier result

1kg skinless firm white fish  (such as corvina or grouper), 
pin-boned, cut into 3cm cubes
1/3 cup (80ml) lime juice
1/4 cup (60ml) peanut oil coloured with paprika*
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 green capsicum, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 short red chillies, finely chopped
2 cups (500ml) fish stock
400g can chopped tomatoes
270ml can coconut milk
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
6 large green prawns, peeled (tails intact), deveined
Coriander leaves, to serve
Farofa, to serve  

Place fish in a large ceramic dish and toss with 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Chill for 30 minutes to marinate. Meanwhile, heat peanut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for 10 minutes until really soft.
Add capsicum, garlic and chilli, then cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for a further 25 minutes or until capsicum is softened.
Stir in stock, tomatoes, coconut milk and coconut oil. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 20-25 minutes until slightly reduced.
Add prawns, fish and marinating juices, then cook for a further 8-10 minutes until the seafood is just cooked. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice and season to taste. Serve with farofa.

FOR THE FAROFA

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups manioc flour
Flor de sal and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the manioc flour and toast it to a light golden color, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes. Make sure to stir constantly, otherwise the flour will burn. Set aside. 

*IMPORTANT NOTE- Dendê Oil (Azeite-de-dendê)

Bahian cooking without dendê is unthinkable. It's an almost-omnipresent ingredient there and an essential part of the typical Bahian cuisine.
Dendê oil and its consumption by humans is a controversial topic among botanists and nutritionists. On the positive side, the bright red-orange color of the oil is due to the presence of high levels of carotenes - alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycophene. These phytonutrients are all highly beneficial to humans and have significant anti-oxidant properties. Studies show that dendê has up to 15 times as much beta-carotene as carrots. It is also a source of tocotrienol, part of the vitamin E family.
On the other hand, dendê oil is highly saturated, and the consumption of large quantities of saturated fats has been shown to have deleterious health effects in humans, primarily an increase in cholesterol levels.  Dendê does not contain cholesterol, only animal fats do that, but highly-saturated fats can contribute to increased levels of cholesterol in humans, both LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and HDL ("good" cholesterol). 
The use of palm oil in food products has attracted the concern of environmental activist groups; the high oil yield of the trees has encouraged wider cultivation, leading to the clearing of forests in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia to make space for oil-palm monoculture. This has resulted in significant acreage losses of the natural habitat of the two extant species of orangutan. One species in particular, the Sumatran orangutan, has been listed as critically endangered. In 2004, an industry group called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was formed to work with the palm oil industry to address these concerns. Additionally, in 1992, in response to concerns about deforestation, the Government of Malaysia pledged to limit the expansion of palm oil plantations by retaining a minimum of half the nation's land as forest cover.

It definitely has a Latin American/Portuguese t

Rocky thymes but foraging ahead

Photo copyright jardimbotânico Antonio Crespi

what we foraged

The last few days have been days of learning and discovery and one of the greatest discoveries was on our doorstep.Like Flor de sal, the spread of thyme throughout Europe was thought to be due to the Romans and Phoenicians.We found this growing on the dry cracked ground around the salt pans.On researching what we had foraged we discovered that this attractive herb  was Thymus camphoratus which makes a salty and slightly peppery garnish to salads and fish dishes.

The common thyme (Thymus vulgaris ) that many of us grow and love is a cultivated form of the wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum). If lucky enough,( its about being in the right place with the right thyme ) you can encounter and forage the wild variety growing on Mediterranean hillsides. Having a bit of quality thyme is something we  all strive for and know to be rewarding. My love affair with this more than versatile herb is fairly recent, not that it was absent from my herb garden in London,but it wasn´t until my new life  in the Iberian peninsular that thyme became an essential in the Casa Rosada kitchen.I use both the fresh and dried varieties in marinades,dressings and even to infuse syrup for puddings and it also makes a delicious lemonade. 

another wild thyme Thymus carnosus   Photo copyright jardimbotânico

Thyme is a plant that  tolerates drought well. and therefore wild thyme is found covering large areas of droughty, rocky soils in southern Europe where it can be plentifully foraged.Almost all of these wild thymes are comestible and have many different culinary uses.No kitchen should be without the heady, aromatic flavour of thyme.A delicate looking herb with a penetrating fragrance.Whether used by the pinch or by the bunch, fresh thyme infuses any dish with unparalleled aroma and flavour.Thyme has what I could only describe as a vigorous flavour,almost peppery in character,and is for foods that can carry strong flavours.It is one of the essential ingredients of Herbes de Provence, along with rosemary, bay and savory and is also always included in bouquet garni for stock and soup making.All thyme species are nectar sources,and therefore an important plant for honeybees.Check out Thyme honey.

Thyme is usually cooked with food rather than thrown in at the end.When cooked in stews and casseroles the leaves fall away from the branches infusing the stock and then the branches are removed at the end of cooking.Thyme is used both fresh and dried. The fresh form is more flavourful, but also less convenient; there is no thyme like the present and thyme waits for no one. Its storage life is rarely more than a week.
Here are some recipes if you have the thyme...........
Ginger-thyme Lemonade
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 oz. fresh thyme leaves
2 cups fresh lemon juice
In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar, ginger and thyme over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and remove from heat. Once cool, strain into a clean glass pitcher and add lemon juice. Stir to combine, and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
Another thyme lemonade
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs, additional for garnishing
2 cups fresh lemon juice (I needed about 13 lemons)
Persian cucumber for garnish
In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, thyme and 1 cup water to a boil; stir until sugar is dissolved, about three minutes. Stir in lemon juice and 6 cups cold water, strain into a large pitcher. Refrigerate until cold (will stay for about a week). Serve over ice and garnish with thyme spring a a few thin slices of Persian cucumber.

Green Pea Thyme hummus
It is delicious and pretty, too. 

2 cups peas: fresh, thawed frozen, or canned
1/2 square vegetable bullion  dissolved in 1 Tbsp hot water
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Tbsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp finely grated Pecorino Romano (sheep’s milk cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste
If using fresh peas, steam in a saucepan with a bit of water for 3-5 minutes or until soft. Put peas in medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Blend with a food processor or traditional blender. Serve as a dip with fresh vegetables, crackers and baguette rounds.

Flor de sal, thyme and olive oil crackers
Makes 24
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
115ml water
25ml olive oil,plus extra for brushing
1/2 tsp Flor de sal
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp smoked picante paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
Generous sprinklings of Flor de sal mediterranica 
In a large bowl,mix together all the ingredients except the flor de sal to form a soft dough.You can do this by hand or in a processor fitted with a dough hook Work the dough until you get a firm consistency,then cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 220c/gas mark 7.Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface or board.Have a bowl of flour ready at your side for dusting.Use a large sharp knife to cut  off wanut sized pieces (roughly 15g each) from the dough. Roll out each piece as thinly as possible with arolling pin,dusting with plenty of flour as you go.They should end up looking like long oval tongues,almost paper thin.
Place the crackers on a tray lined with baking parchment.Brush them with plenty of olive oil and sprinkle generously with Flor de sal. Bake for about 6 minutes,until crisp and golden.
Adapted from Ottolenghi ("Ottolenghi the cookbook")

Yesterday´s roasted onions todays salad

A crisp, cool, and delicious answer to the thespians question “what’s for dinner?”. Perfectly grilled steak, balsamic roasted red onions and crumbled goats cheese  atop peppery rocket, grated beetroot, chilli and green lettuce.A loose interpretation of an Ottolenghi salad but with the addition of steak and a different type of dressing.After the excessive feasting of the last few days we were looking for a light "sustainable" supper.Last week was a big lesson in food sustainability.The question often gets asked, “What does sustainable food mean exactly?”Most people seem to agree that when it comes to farming, cooking and eating, sustainable is a good thing. But it also seems to mean something a little different depending on who you ask.It’s important for people to know about the source of the foods they consume; how it’s grown, raised, caught and prepared.Once that knowledge is fully understood consumers can make choices that support sustainable agriculture, humane practices for raising poultry and livestock, and the responsible harvesting of seafood. We need people to buy from those whose conservation practices protect the health of the environment.This meal which packs a flavour and punch answers to all of those and at the same time provides an observant use of leftover food.A beautiful combination of colours and textures,and probably the sexiest thing to be flagged up as an onion salad.Enjoy and keep our world sustainable.

Steak salad with balsamic grilled red salad onion salad
Already half baked red onions from yesterdays barbecue
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
flat leaf parsley
1 red chilli julienned
grated strands of raw beetroot 
50g semi-cured goats cheese grated
torn green lettuce leaves,cos,little gem or regular lettuce
wild rocket
Take the pre-baked onions and cut sides up drizzle them first with olive oil then with balsamic.Roast in a hot oven for 1 hour turning them cut side down half way through.
Finish them under a hot grill until you get a nice char.Set aside to cool.Meanwhile brush the meat on both sides with ketjap manis to give it a resulting glaze.season the meat with flor de sal and pepper.Sear the meat for about 2 minutes each side until it takes some colour and then set aside to cool.When cool cut the steaks al tagliata (thin strips).Toss the salad leaves in a vinaigrette of your choice and assemble the salad with the leaves on the bottom then the grated beetroot and chilli top with the strips of steak and finish with a carpet of grated cheese.

Lovin´ listening and learning with Luciana

Pan fried  sea bass in a pea and leek broth with green bean nibs

We have been honoured this week to have gastronomic royalty in town.Chef/Writer/book author, food and travel journalist, editor, speaker at conferences, consultant, gastronomy lecturer and food researcher,Luciana Bianchi has been staying here at Casa Rosada. She describes herself as "Frequent gourmet traveller,terroir obsessed and serial gastro-twitter.Having met her i think that sounds quite modest.

Luciana´s choice from the market

"She has been here on the invitation of Salmarim and I was lucky enough to have the chance of showing her round the market, showcasing the best producers and selecting items for the dinner I was privileged enough to cook for her that evening.The moment she stepped through the door of Casa RosadaI felt I knew her and we were old friends.She felt the same.The thespian and I were able to catch up on what was happening gastronomically in London since we left and gossip with her about old and new haunts and key figures in the hospitality trade,in particular how Nuno Mendes and Portuguese chefs have been putting Portuguese food on the capitals map.

On her first evening we schlepped her across the bridge to Ayamonte for an aperitif and tapa at Alimentacion Orta and then on to LPA where Fabio  had pulled out all the stops to present us with a creative selection of tapas fit for a queen.On the second night it was up to me to present some of the the best of Casa Rosadas menu offerings.I started the dinner with a ceviche of sea bream followed by a bruschetta of insalata di cannelini bean com pesto gengibre,hortela,basilico e coentros.(ginger mint basil and coriander pesto)
We served pan fried  sea bass in a pea and leek broth,a tribute to the late Santi Santamaria,the first Catalan chef to recieve 3 Michelin stars but who unfortunately died in 2011.Having cooked this dish many times before I realised its development and on this occasion I tweeked it with green bean nibs.

"a modern ceviche"

Bream ceviche with chilli, lime,avocado, 

radishes and foraged thyme

Serves 6

Ingredients

600-g fresh sea bream, filleted, boned, skinned, diced into 1⁄2″ cubes
tsp flor de sal

1clove garlic minced

3 1⁄2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
3 1⁄2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 avocado diced
2 'Fresno’ chilli pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
1Portuguese heirloom tomato, quartered, seeds removed (pictured above)

Thymus camphoratus

2 'Red Lilia’ salad onion, finely sliced
4  radishes, very finely sliced
Handful of foraged wild red thyme heads shredded from its stalks

Place the prepared bream into a bowl. Sprinkle the minced garlic and 1 teaspoon salt over the fish and
leave to stand for 5 minutes. Pour over the lime and lemon juice, mixing gently to ensure all of the fish is evenly coated and covered. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 mins. Remove the fish from the citrus marinade, retaining the juice.Gently mix the avocado chilli, tomato, onion, and radish  in with the fish, season with salt and pepper pour over the reserved marinade and scatter with.Serve^.

A mesa do chef primeiro

Yesterday saw the first chefs table hosted by Salmarim in its new "showcase," armazém. Michelin starred chef Alexandre Silva invited us to experience a slight digression from his usual distinctive cuisine. Inspired by fresh local produce and Salmarim´s artesanal Flor de sal, Silva demonstrated to us his creative flair that is something out of the ordinary in reinterpreting the Portuguese tradition.Yesterday it was the Portuguese tradition of barbecuing.What he brought to the table showed us his pure creativity in adaptation with no sense of having to stick to any guidelines, even Portuguese ones.We were treated to Tuna,Berbigao,conquillas,pink Algarvian prawn from the Bay of Monte Gordo,home made bread,sea bass, sweet potatoes and roasted red salad onions.The food was perfectly complimented by three Soalheiro Alvarinhos.One in particular that was quite unique. We ended the feast with some out of this world local figs grown by João Sol.What shone through was not only Silva´s creative skills but that the Algarve is the land of fresh produce, harvested not only from the land but also from the sea, and Castro Marim is no exception, showing some of the best offerings nature can provide for our dining tables.

Alexandre Silva and Luciana Bianchi.

What a great day we had, and we look forward to the second Mesa do chef.Thank you Alexandre,Soalheiro and Salmarim.

Tuna loin

Pink Algarvian prawns

Berbigao,commonly known as the common cockle

An entirely different Soalheiro.
Made with organically grown grapes of Alvarinho, not subject to filtration

                           

The other two Soalheiro Alvarinhos

the white salt carpet

Pan fried sea bass with a Thai style vichysoisse

Yes, we know it’s hot. It’s July. This is what summer does: It turns up the heat then seals the deal with a blanket of humidity veiled by the warm winds from Morocco. We complain,though we shouldn´t, ignoring the fact that there was ever a cold wet winter with cold north winds and we just headed indoors for cover.Casa rosada does not have air conditioning so I have come to rely on my mother´s cold-soup recipes to do the same for us when temperatures soar. But my search for her well-worn, hand-written vichyssoise recipe took a slight turn last week when my files turned up a different approach: a Thai-style vichyssoise using the distinctive flavours of Southeast Asia to up the flavour quotient.Because we love Asian flavours I have a ton of lemon grass growing in the garden, along with fresh coriander and a freezer stocked with a variety of home made stocks, fish sauce ( Thai nam pla) and unsweetened coconut milk. All that was needed were a few potatoes and leeks.
Pan fried sea bass with a Thai style vichysoisse
4 large stalks lemongrass
4 spring onions
50g coriander stalks
thumb fresh ginger thinly sliced
250g leeks
250g new potatoes quartered
2tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon of green chilli powder (optional)
4 shallots
6 kaffir lime leaves
heaped teaspoon golden caster sugar, extra to taste
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1 tablespoon of Nam Pla (Thai fish sauce) 
300g young peas
1 small cucumber peeled
handful chives for garnish

Trim off the tough outer skin and leafy parts of the lemongrass and put in a large pan with 2 litres of water.Chop the rest of the lemongrass very finely and set aside.Trim the tops off the spring onions and set aside the remaining parts for garnish.Weigh out the coriander stalks. Trim the green tops from leeks saving the white parts for later. Add all these trimmings to the stock pan.Bring to a slow boil and cook  covered for about 1 hour.Drain the stock through a sieve until you have 1 litre of stock.Set aside. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a medium sized pan and sautée the chopped lemongrass and potatoes with the green chilli powder for 10 minutes.Finely slice the white parts of the leeks and rinse them well with hot water in a colander.Finely chop the shallots then add the leeks and shallots to the potato and lemon grass mixture.Cook on a medium heat for a further ten minutes.Add the reserved stock to the vegetables with  the lime leaves,sugar, soya sauce and fish sauce and cook gently for 30 minutes.Blitz 150g of the peas with a scant teaspoon of sugar, a handful of mint leaves and sufficient boiling water to achieve a soft paste.Set aside. Shred the spring onions lengthwise, dice half the cucumber and peel the remaining half with a potato peeler to give you thin slithers.Stop peeling when you reach the seeds, and discard the centre part of the cucumber.
When you are ready to serve heat the broth through with the remaining peas and add the blitzed pea purée, and the diced cucumber. Serve the broth  in large soup dishes with the pan fried sea bass on top.Finish by garnishing the top of the fish with the shredded spring onions and slithers of cucumber.