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.

Thai me up,old school Thai - Tomato lemongrass and chilli soup

summer´s coolest soup

Unless you live in one of the capitals or a big cosmopolitan city,sourcing ingredients to make good Asian food in Europe can still be a bit of a scavenger hunt.
For many people, the major obstacle to preparing this type of cuisine is sourcing the ingredients. 

If one wanted to make Thai food from scratch it can be a bit more difficult to find the necessary ingredients. There are some ingredients in Thai cuisine like coconut cream,coriander,ginger, Thai birds eye chillis, limes and garlic that can be found in most large supermarkets and others that are only available at specialist Thai or Asian stores.
Finding Thai basil for example may be quite difficult if an Asian store is not close by. If you are lucky enough to find it, buy a lot of it and freeze it. The best method to freezing Thai basil is to pulse it in a food processor until it is ‘paste-like’. Then put them in ice cube trays and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer the Thai basil cubes to freezer bags.Likewise kaffir lime leaves,if you find it invest in bags of it.it freezes well and has a long freezer life.With these ingredients I have to travel sixty odd kilometers to a specialist supermarket or pick stuff up when visiting the capital.For those of you who are regular followers of this blog you wil have become aware that I make a lot of my own sauces and pastes-among others Sriracha, ketjap manis, Thai green curry paste.Surprisingly I have also been lucky enough to grow lemongrass and chillis in our garden here at Casa rosada.In the summer, the Portuguese close relative of basil, manjerico is not far distant from Thai basil and can be substituted in Thai dishes.The main physical characteristic is that leaves are much smaller than traditional basil and the fragrance is sweeter.
Last night I cooked a Thai dinner for our guests and started with a chilled tomato lemongrass and chilli soup, my simplified version of Dtom  yam gung in David Thompson´s book "Thai food."My original inspiration came back in the nineties from a soup I ordered at Belair House in Belair Park West Dulwich.I believe this fantastic restaurant is still there.

Tomato lemongrass and chilli soup

This soup serves four
2 sticks of lemongrass
4 whole red chillis
bunch of coriander, leaves and stalks plus extra for garnish
1 large red onion
2 large cloves of garlic
500ml bouillon
600g plum tomatoes chopped 
500ml good quality fish stock for diluting the soup
dash of nam pla,thai fish sauce
60ml good quality tomato puree or passata
Chop the onion,garlic,lemongrass,chillies and coriander( including stalks )
Sweat slowly in 2 tbsp oil until soft.pour int the bouillon and season with salt and pepper.Cook for a further 20 minutes on a simmer.Add the tomatoes.Cook for afurther 15 minutes.The soup will be quite thick and when it has cooled you will need to pass it through a sieve diluting it with the fish stock.Stir through the tomato puree and allow to chill until you are ready to serve it.the soup can be made well in advance and freezes well.

Squids in

Squid, glorious squid!! Squid is a versatile, underused ingredient that makes dishes that are easy to cook, impressive to look at,delicious to taste and it is a fine basis for a quick, easy supper that makes you look like a pro.That is why I´m telling you it´s time for a bit of squid pro quo.Apart from going to the dark side and using squid ink to add dramatic effect to your dishes, the most important thing to remember when cooking squid is that it needs to be cooked either hot-and-fast or low-and-slow to achieve that perfectly tender, springy-but-not-chewy texture—anything in between is going to result in unpleasantly tough meat.Sear it, boil it, braise it, grill it, fry it.And what do you serve it with? I usually consider the simplicity or complexity of my squid preparation when picking a side dish to pair it with. Simple grilled or quick-sautéed squid flavoured only with lemon, chilli and garlic can take a more involved side dish than a braised or stuffed squid. With the latter,something like a braised squid with tomatoes, wine and harissa, I try to keep any accompaniment rather plain, so it doesn’t interfere with the flavours of the main dish.I love the tiny pellet texture of Israeli-style couscous. It’s less fluffy and more like regular pasta than the standard couscous.You could use fregola but I preferred to lightly toast the cous cous for a similar result but different texture. Combine this with Tarator (one of Turkey's finest sauces) a creamy nut and garlic blend, and you have the makings of a fine squid dish.Although the true tarator uses walnuts, local cooks often make it with whatever nut grows in their area.I thought I would put an Algarvian spin on it and make it with smoked almonds.

Griddled Squid with smoky almond tarator and peppers
serves 6 FOR THE PEPPERS AND SQUID
3 red peppers 
olive oil, for brushing 
900g (2lb) squid (cleaned weight) 
juice of ½ lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve 
2 red chillies, deseeded and shredded 
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

FOR THE TARATOR

25g (1oz) coarse country bread, crusts removed
4 tbsp milk
50g (1¾oz) blanched almonds
¾ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves
125ml (4fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil (Greek is good for this)
juice of ¾ lemon, or more to taste

FOR THE PEARL COUS COUS
200g (7oz) Israeli or pearl cous cous,lightly toasted before cooking
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander leaves
juice of 1 lemon
3½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small avocado diced

MOROCCAN SPICED DRESSING
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3tbsp lemon juice
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil   
2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed with tsp flor de sal
Stir the cumin and coriander seeds in small  heavy dry saucepan until toasted and fragrant (about 30 seconds).Remove from the heat and stir in the turmeric and cinnamon.Allow to cool completely.Grind in a pestle and mortar. In asmall bowl combine the spices with the lemon juice,garlic,and olive oil.Whisk to blend well.this dressing can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for a few days.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4. Brush the peppers, deseeded and halved, with olive oil, season and cook in a roasting-tin for 35 to 40 minutes, until tender and slightly blistered. I love the charred skin, but remove it if you prefer. Slice into strips once they are cool.
Make the tarator. Soak the bread in the milk for 15 minutes. Purée in a food processor with the almonds, spices, garlic and seasoning, adding the oil and lemon juice as you go. Add 75ml (2¾fl oz) of water and whizz again. It should be thick but not stiff, so add more water if needed. Check the seasoning. You might need more lemon.
To prepare the couscous, you'll need about 1 1/4 cups of water or bouillon for every 1 cup of dry grain.For a  a bit more flavour, toast the dried pearls for a minute or two in a bit of butter,or olive oil before cooking, just like you would do for making a risotto. Simmer the grains stovetop, covered, for about 10 minutes. The grains fluff up just slightly, and, like barley, they have more an "al dente" mouth feel when done cooking.Cover while you cook the squid.Wash the squid, removing any whitish gunge from inside, and pat dry. If they’re small, leave whole. Otherwise, cut off the wings and put them aside with the tentacles. Cut the bodies down one side to open out. If they are very big, halve lengthwise and score on the inside with a cross-hatch. Put everything in a bowl with olive oil  to moisten.
Heat a griddle pan until really hot. Season the squid and cook in batches, pressing down to pick up the griddle marks. It needs only about 20 seconds on each side to turn opaque and golden. As each batch is ready, remove it to a plate and squeeze lemon juice over it. Add the chillies and coriander once it’s all cooked and toss together.
Toss the rocket with the cous cous in the dressing, top with the squid and peppers and put a dollop of tarator on the side of each plate, serving the rest in a bowl. Serve with wedges of lemon.

With regards to and reverence of the radish-Sorry mum!!!

When I was a small boy my mother used to read "A Tale of Peter Rabbit to me.I sat up in bed enthralled by Peter and Benjamin escaping from the vegetable garden hotly pursued by Mr McGregor,then falling asleep and dreaming that it was actually me in that vegetable garden,Peter Rabbit,the robber.This is how I came to love radishes, but it was not until very recently that I discovered there were many more ways to eat radishes than just with salt and butter.First of all,I always dunk them in iced water to crisp them up.They become so crisp that the sensation is almost like crunching on ice cubes and the soft green leaves, having been refreshed, regain their peppery bite, akin to watercress and rocket.There has always been room for a ruby red radish in my diet.

"First he ate some lettuces and some French beans; and then he ate some radishes.".

But now I have discovered some ravishing radish recipes that cook the little rubies in many ways. Roasted, sautéed, glazed,who would have thought it eh? In the realm of radishes they are all about the pared back style of cooking that lets ingredients shine,radishes reign and should be treated like heroes being allowed to win supremacy in whatever way they are being prepared-here are a few of the radish recipes that have won me over.
Serve radishes with olive oil and dukkah for dipping.Duqqa, du'ah, do'a, or dukkah is to die for. Its an Egyptian condiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts, and spices. It is typically used as a dip with bread or fresh vegetables for an hors d'œuvre.Radishes and anchovies were born to be childhood sweethearts and what can be more delicious at this time of year than a radish confetti with that classic Italian green sauce of herbs, capers and anchovies, salsa verde.
 Try a "Real Simple" idea of a pesto, radish and sea salt crostini.And if you are still attracted by the idea of anchovies, a real simple variation of the crostini idea but use a traditional tapenade in place of the pesto.Another tasty tapa. and one of my faves, is a crostini of smoked cods roe pate and radish.Ruby red radish and ricotta would not go amiss either.
I stumbled upon an "Asian ham and chicken salad"which took me back to my childhood and a summer standby of my mother´s which she so endearingly named "slosh," I suppose because of the way in which she sloshed the dressing around a few times and poured it on the salad.This salad, although having similar flavours, is far more subtle and a lot healthier, using healthy oils and vinegar for the dressing as opposed to my mother´s lashings of mayonnaise.Sorry Mum, you know I draw great inspiration from you but not on this occasion.When raita is called for why not call for some radish.And for another side dish with a difference why not do what Martha does(ie Stewart)and serve up glazed radishes,tossed in butter,sugar and vinegar,yum.But finally my star act I owe to Mr Nigel Slater´s Sauteed radishes and grilled lamb chops.This is not dissimilar to my grilled lamb chops and chilli roasted pumkin salad.I was almost true to his recipe but I embellished it slightly by adding new potatoes to the sautée mix.I have to say in hindsight that his original dish was many degrees more vibrant and colourful in its presentation.The reason being he had different coloured varieties of radish to hand.Anyway thank you Nigel for giving us such a delicious dish.......

Sauteed radishes and grilled lamb
serves 2

radishes 125g
small new potatoes,125g
onions 2, small
shallots,2
butter 30g
vegetable or groundnut oil 3 tbsp
coriander seeds 3 tsp
cumin seeds 2 tsp
lamb cutlets 12
mint leaves 8
Trim the radishes and halve lengthways. Peel the onions, cut them in half then cut each half into 3 or 4 segments.Boil the new potatoes in salted water.Set aside to cool then slice in rounds.
Melt the butter in a shallow casserole, add the oil, then the onions. Cook for 10 minutes over a moderate heat until soft, then add the radishes. Lightly crush the coriander seeds. Season with the cumin, coriander, black pepper and sea salt. Cook for 10 more minutes, partially covered.
Season the lamb cutlets and grill lightly on both sides then finish with the chopped mint and grated zest. Place the radishes on a serving plate with the cutlets on top.

Asian ham and chicken salad
1 cup frozen shelled broad beans
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 soup spoon fish sauce,nam pla
1 heaped teaspoon golden granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed Szechuan  pepper 
1/4 teaspoon crushed ancho chilli
Flor de sal and black pepper
125g ham, chopped (1 cup)
1 roasted chicken breast,torn into strips
 2 cloves garlic crushed
6 radishes, sliced
1 small carrot grated
4 spring onions, sliced
handful chopped fresh coriander and mint
2 tablespoons chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Separately, cook the rice and edamame according to the package directions.
In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oils,fish sauce,sugar,garlic ,pepper, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Add the rice, edamame, ham, radishes, and scallions and toss to combine. Top with the peanuts.

Peixe ensopado - Salmonete Acqua Pazza ( Fish over troubled water )

While we all love a night out at our favourite restaurant, it is equally enjoyable to cook at home. But nowadays it has become so easy to recreate  your favourite  restaurant dishes at home. Eating in is the new dining out.There are now even Bloggers who recreate restaurant dishes for their blogs,one of my favourites is London based blogger sam cooks food. If your memory of a dish fails you, the internet is always there as back up. 
 Start by researching recipes that sound close to your dish and think about differences and similarities. If the recipe calls for cream, for example, do you remember the sauce being creamy or was that perhaps omitted? You'll be surprised what you forget days, even minutes, after tasting a dish and how helpful jotting down a few tasting notes can be. Do you detect a spicy component, for example? Is there a citrus flavour hiding in the background? Sometimes the coriander garnish or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese makes all the difference in recreating that restaurant dish that feel you might forget as soon as you put your fork down. Taking a quick photo at the restaurant helps as well.
 It never hurts to ask the restaurant if they're willing to share their recipe. If they won't go for that, try asking specific ingredient questions like "What is the spicy flavour?" or "What gives the dish the crunch?" If all else fails, ask for a list of the ingredients, perhaps hinting that you have a certain intolerance or food sensitivity so they'll be inclined to include everything (not that I´d advocate fibbing, of course). Many restaurants are used to catering for food allergies and will be able to give a rundown of ingredients. 
The term acqua pazza (pronounced [ˈakkwa ˈpattsa]; literally crazy water in Italian) is used in Italian cuisine to refer to a recipe for poached white fish, or to simply refer to the lightly herbed broth used to poach it.I tend to draw my inspiration from pieces not of just one, but of several similar dishes, before bringing together their best elements to showcase a fine recipe. This particular recipe was  inspired by a dish I saw Massimo Bottura cook on an episode of Masterchef.The recipe was  his interpretation of Triglie (red mullet) alla livornese . This is an Italian fish stew,the sauce being not dissimilar to a bouillabaise. I searched the length and breadth of the internet but could I find his recipe? Could I heck.  So I improvised and "made it my own", a coin of phrase much over used to my annoyance on TV reality shows.
Well I was half way there and had to set out exactly how and what I wanted my final result to look and taste like.I wanted to keep the feel of the Bottura dish.Served on the Livorno sauce, he covered it with a very thin crisp slither of bread dusted with tomato powder, capers and black olives. I needed to put "my" own stamp on it.I decided to serve it as an ensopado de peixe salmonete, ( Portuguese Red Mullet stew ) but I was going to make a tomato acqua pazza and then deconstruct the way the dish was plated up and served.First of all I would place a slice of grilled country bread on the bottom of the dish, place the cooked  fish on top of the bread and then pour the sauce from a jug over each serving once it was on the table.II garnished the fish just before serving with some black olives and capers.

Peixe ensopado - Salmonete com Acqua Pazza
serves 4
4 medium size salmonete (red mullet)cleaned and flleted
600g ripe tomatoes,skinned de-seeded and coarsely chopped
1 small tin anchovies including the oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 stick celery
1 leaf of leek
50 ml olive oil
50ml white wine
few sprigs of manjericão (basil)
salt and pepper to taste

Clean the mullets. Skin and seed the tomatoes,Set aside.
Chop the onion and the garlic.
In a pan heat the olive oil and the oil from the tin of anchovies.Add the onion and garlic and cook until they are soft and golden.Stir in the anchovies until they break up and melt.Add the tomatoes,stick of celery and the leek.Leave to cook until reduced to a thick sauce.Remove the celery stick and leek and strain the sauce through a passe-vite or blend in the pan with a stick blender.In the pan bring back to the heat,season with salt and pepper to your taste.Strain the sauce into a jug and keep warm while you cook the fish.Fry the fish in hot butter skin side down turn and continue cooking until fish is cooked through about a minute.In a large soup plate place a slice of grilled country bread and place two fillets of fish on top.Pour the tomato sauce around the dish and scatter a carpet of parsley powder around the plate for garnish.

The hottest drinks for summer

Its hot hot hot down here in the Algarve and when the heat is on the hot need hooch.The love child of rosé and slushies,"Frosé" took the world by storm last summer but it is still set to hold its own in summer 2017.You see the colour and assume that light,ballerina slipper pink means it’ll be “dry” and that deep magenta “I’d wear that as a lipstick” will be "sweet". So not so.Taste and try before you buy and then make it and see.Yes its pink but more like my accidentally sunburnt nose.In place of the peaches you could use 1 cup of frozen seedless watermelon chunks.

Frosé
6 large or 12 tiny peaches with dark red skins
lemon zest 2 strips made with a potato peeler
vanilla pod ½, split lengthways
cinnamon stick 3cm
750 ml Quinta do Barranco Longo rosé 
caster sugar 175g
Put everything into a saucepan, and add water to just cover the peaches – 500ml or so. Bring it to a simmer, and cook until the peaches are tender and the skins ready to slip off. This may be as little as 3 or 4 minutes if they are ripe, 15-20 if they are firm.

Use a slotted spoon to lift them from the syrup and leave to cool until you can just handle them. Remove all the skin with your fingers and return it to the liquor; put the peeled peaches, covered, in the fridge and save for another occasion.

Allow the syrup to simmer with the skins in it for at least 20 minutes longer (to extract all the colour and flavour), and taste for sweetness. If it's too watery, boil it down a little or add more sugar to taste. Strain the rosy pink liquid, let it cool, then pour it into a deep tray that will fit in your freezer (metal is best). Place it in the freezer and check after half an hour. Once ice crystals start to form, stir every 15 minutes or so with a fork or sturdy balloon whisk until you have a satisfyingly thick slush. If it gets too hard, thaw it a little before serving – it can be stored this way (frozen solid) for weeks.
When ready to serve remove the slush from  freezer and fill the glasses 1/3 full of tonic water. Spoon the slush onto the tonic water and stir it into the tonic until you have filled the glasses almost to the top.

And while I am on the subject of rosé drinks (whose colour is about as beautiful as can be, especially on a sunny day, lets talk about the other drink putting smiles on everyone´s faces this summer - The Rosé-Aperol Spritz

 A colour so vivid it doesn’t need an Instagram filter.

A traditional Aperol spritz is Aperol + Prosecco, splash of soda, orange slice, and that is a thing of beauty and refreshment. The rosé spritz recipe adds passion fruit juice  which is sweet-sour so it doesn’t make the cocktail too sugary. You’ll still need a little sugar to balance out the bitterness of the Aperol, and lime juice for tartness that keeps the cocktail from being monotonous. You can play around with other combos (Mango! Lychee! Guava!) but  it’s hard to top passion fruit.Try and go for tropical juices, but not pineapple (too acidic), and keep an eye on juice colour that's as close to clear as possible or the drink will get cloudy like a summer rainstorm. This recipe calls for sparkling rosé, but get this—if you make this exact recipe as I did with regular, non-sparkling rosé wine and tonic water, it´s even better. No matter what, though, garnish with an orange slice and switch your email to sleep setting or out-of-office automated reply.

Rosé - Aperol Spritz

4–6 servings

¾ cup passion fruit juice, chilled
¼ cup Aperol
¼ cup fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons sugar
750ml bottle sparkling rosé, chilled
33cl  tonic water
Orange wedges (for serving) 

Whisk passion fruit juice, Aperol, lime juice and sugar in a large pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Stir in rosé.Serve spritz in large ice-filled wine glasses. Garnish with an orange wedge.