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^.