Live a Lidl,Love a Lidl.A Lidl goes a long way with a Lidl less snobbery

Beautifully photographed and styled;a recipe from the Lidl "mais" magazine

You used to be able to tell a lot from a shopping bag, but it’s a little harder since plastic  recycling became de rigeur. Is yours a stout plastic number from Waitrose? Or an organic cotton thing, hand-knitted from a Gaelic-speaking vegan co-operative? The weekly shop it seems has become a pointless form of particularity; a concern with food that ignores real issues of sustainability and embraces bespoke snobbery.Class used to be about jobs, accents, fee-paying schools and the house you lived in. Now it appears to be about your lifestyle and whats in your shopping trolley.
In one of Alan Bennett's Talking Heads dramas,I can´t remember which one, someone exposes themselves in a branch of Sainsbury's. "Tesco's you could understand," says an elderly woman tartly. It's a remark that neatly sums up both the British obsession with class and its almost tribal attachment to specific supermarket brands. Tesco, the implication goes, used to be for commoner people who were slightly more likely to drop their trousers in public than Sainsbury's shoppers. Waitrose, on the other hand, is for those more likely to have second homes in the Algarve than the first two.There can be no doubt that Rupert and Fliss or Flick as her Made in Chelsea friends know her, are lured there  by the smart house style and livery, Conran grey with aureolin accents; What about Asda then? Asda is for people who aspire to have a second home anywhere but probably never will; Ahh Iceland, I hear you say,who shops there? People who have never heard of Waitrose perhaps;Budgens is for Huw and Gwenda who affect to have never heard of Aldi and have opted for a more rural lifestyle in very flat Norfolk or sedentary Suffolk.
As for who shops at Aldi or Lidl,that leaves us with a pretty broad demographic.You are just as likely to see as many Audis at Aldi as you are Land Rovers at Lidl.Four- by- Fours might look really dinky on the driveway and ab fab in front of the wine bar,but they will also pull in next to a beat up whatever or camper van outside Lidl.Oh yes, trailer trash even make a temporary home nowadays in a Lidl car park.The transient population is even offered designated camping areas at Lidl.
Wayne and Leanne and Lee and Noreen would normally shop at Morrisons when they are at home in the UK, but when in Portugal escaping the weather and Brexit they can be seen shopping at Lidl a fair bit, as they would at Kwik Save,and Netto back home.They are not however the typical Lidl demographic either.Lidl is no longer about a quest to get your pennyworth, although bargains always abound.
I have written before about the odd phenomenon that is LidlI.Is it just my local branch that’s always a hothouse of weirdness? The bizarre selection of random merchandise (sports bras one week, childrens wigwams /tents the next, and fishing tackle the next) all sitting alongside the food.I really dont feel comfortable doing my foodshop next to a packet of lady leggings or extra large mens pants .So at first glance, it’s possibly not the kind of place where you’d go to pick up the ingredients for a chic dinner.  But… surprisingly, you can find some rather good continental goodies there.Endamame beans, Wasabi peanuts John Dory fillets,Bresaola,Pecorino Romano,Amaretti cookies to name but a few of my favourites.

Already a household name across Europe, from the United kingdom to Portugal to Sweden, Lidl, like Aldi, is not known for its charm—you go there because of the prices. Load up your cart and get out. Bags are an extra charge, you won't recognize a lot of the brands, and the only thing you can really be picky about, if you're going to shop there, is saving money.So what is the main reason for shopping at Lidl? The following is an abridged extract from a newsletter published by the Portugues jornal "Agricultura e mar" in 2016

"Lidl focuses on fresh produce from local producers"

Lidl is a food distribution chain of German origin, which dates back to the 1930s. It is active in more than 29 countries and currently has about 10,000 stores in 26 countries with more than 200,000 employees. For more than 20 years in Portugal, Lidl currently has 241 points of sale and 4 warehouses.Lidl Portugal "increasingly focuses on the quality and freshness of fresh produce with an exclusive distribution system, choice of fruit of the season using local producers.
"The commitment to the freshness and quality of Lidl products and the principle of maximum quality at the lowest price are part of the company's DNA", adds the same source, saying that the company "supports its position in the market through a systematic work, where quality, a fundamental requirement, is worked from the source, from partnerships with suppliers and trading partners, through the distribution system, to the store. ""At all stages of the process are guaranteed maximum quality and freshness that meet the criteria and standards of demand of Lidl customers.Lidl guarantees that it has the daily delivery of fruit and vegetables in all its 241 stores, its distribution seeks to reduce the time from picking to the customer's home to the minimum, and that Lidl Portugal's suppliers "meet strict criteria of certification, as is the case of Global GAP which ensures safe and sustainable production. "The supermarket chain also ensures that it has a purchasing policy that favours the local purchase and whenever possible the local producers. Currently about 70% of the available supply of fruits and vegetables is bought locally. "The use of local producers allows shorter delivery times, causing several products to have a producer / store circuit less than 24 hours after harvesting in the field," the company says.On the other hand, Lidl highlights the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Products, "which guarantees quality and promotes local development. As an example, Lidl Portugal is the distribution chain that most packaged apples from Alcobaça bought and sold during the 2014/2015 marketing year for the fifth consecutive year, according to the Association of Producers of Apple of Alcobaça (APMA) . This year's campaign reached 2.5 million kg of Apple of Alcobaça, equivalent to 20,000,000 apples, almost double the sales of the previous campaign, says Lidl.there is a spirit of partnership and innovation with our commercial partners, where we highlight the specific product lines, such as the apple of Alcobaça and Pêra Rocha in mini format for the youngest. Or the export support of Pêra Rocha do Oeste to Germany, which in less than two years of partnership with Portugal Fresh saw the volume of exports double (2,500 tons in the first year and 5,000 tons in the second), reaching 7 , 5 thousand tons. This volume is equivalent to 54 million units of Pêra Rocha, and makes an average Pêra Rocha to each German home (40 million households in 2014), "adds Lidl.

Muffins de salgados from the Lidl lifestyle magazine "mais"
Makes 18 or 36 mini muffins
2 large eggs
100ml cold milk
125g pot of yoghurt
25ml olive oil
1 teaspoon Flor de sal Salmarim
1Tablespoon piri piri chilli flakes
1 small onion finely chopped
1 handful flat-leaf parsley chopped
150g chouriço corrente ( cooking chouriço)
150g smoked ham, paio de lombo or smoked bacon
275g mixture of grated mozzarella and grated cheddar or flamengo
275g grated courgette
275g plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder.
Pre-heat the oven to180ºC /390F / Gas mark 6. Lightly grease each mould of your muffin tray with vegetable oil.Chop the meats into small cubes and set aside in a bowl.In a large bowl, beat the eggs well with the olive oil, then stir in the milk and yoghurt and beat a little more to combine.Stir in the rest of the ingredients except the flour and baking powder. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold through gently, then spoon
the mixture into the prepared muffin trays almost to the top.bake for about 25 minutes until puffed and golden.
 

Espresso bolo.Afternoon tea with history

More homely than sophisticated and dainty; If push came to shove, most of us would admit to preferring the sort of cakes our grannies might have made (if they had lived in Ambridge), those ones sold on paper plates made from a WI recipe and wrapped messily in clingfilm at the village fete, bring and buy sale or the all new event The Worlds biggest coffee morning; in short, the cakes you imagine the pious Mary Berry probably feasts on for breakfast.
If I had to pick one cake to represent England, it would have to be a Coffee and Walnut Cake. The Fullers Tea Room*  version is mentioned in both Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited and Nancy Mitford's Love in a Cold Climate. That's a good enough pedigree for me! As it turns out the original Fuller's Walnut Cake had two layers with buttercream between them, as did my mothers coffee and walnut cake of my childhood, but having lost my mothers transcript, the recipe I found was for a single layer cake. I'll definitely have to try it again. However, if you want something smaller and simpler than a layer cake, this recipe will work out just fine. It's subtly walnutty,utterly butterly and not too sweet.Delicious with a cup of tea.This is a classic tea room cake as would have been served in the aforementioned Fullers who ran the tearoom for the London Coliseum,

 The London Coliseum Tea Room - From a Postcard in 1904

staffed by ladies in black and white uniform.Another celebrated tea room, Betty´s in Harrogate, the Yorkshire institution, turned 100 this year.

Growing up, this cake was a constant on our kitchen counter. My mum made it practically every week, and I would have a giant slice with a big glass of milk. It was one of the most well worn pages from her cookbook, and it wasn´t till recently that it suddenly came back to light in my head.
Coffee and walnut cake
This is a revised, more contemporary, version of one of the original sponge cakes I remember from my childhood. Now, though, since the advent of mascarpone, the icing is a great improvement. finely chopped walnuts give it amazing texture. A little cream cheese makes it especially smooth and delicious. My version however is topped with an easy espresso-infused buttercream icing. Fie on Nigel Slater or anyone else who advocates the use of instant coffee granules. I have flavoured both cake and frosting with strong homemade espresso

•  Cake:
• 3/4 cup walnuts (divided)
• 1 1/2 cups (7 ounces) all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (4 ounces) butter (softened)
• 1 cup sugar (granulated)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons strong espresso or very strong black coffee
•  
• Frosting:
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese (softened)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons strong espresso or very strong black coffee

Heat the oven to 350 F/180 C/Gas 4. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.With a food processor or food chopper, finely chop 1/2 cup of the walnuts. Set aside.Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; blend thoroughly and set aside.In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the 1/2 cup of softened butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in the vanilla.In a measuring cup, combine the milk with the 3 tablespoons of espresso or coffee.With the mixer on low speed, blend in the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk and espresso mixture. Blend well.Fold in the finely chopped walnuts.Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan.Bake for 25 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely
Frosting

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, blend the confectioners' sugar with the 2 tablespoons of butter and the cream cheese. Beat in the strong espresso or coffee, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable. Add more confectioners' sugar if it becomes too thin.
Coarsely chop the remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts.
Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cooled cake.
Sprinkle the coarsely chopped walnuts over the top of the cake.

  
* Years ago, Fullers Tea Rooms were a familiar sight in many English towns and Fullers cakes, which came surrounded with paper straw and packed in shiny, white boxes, were a nice reminder that bought cakes could be good. Fullers Walnut Cake with its crunchy white icing was legendary. 

Assinatura

Signature pan seared cajun pork with turmeric and Singapore slaw,recipe below

The question “what’s your signature dish?” is one that all us cooks and chefs will face at some point in a culinary career. The older you get,and more people get to recognise your style, the more frequently you will hear this. It’s always a good idea to have a fluid menu that you can adapt and change, but a signature dish provides an essential anchor,and something people will remember you by.
A signature dish can even play a part in helping you to build a brand as it has done here at Casa Rosada.

What makes a signature dish? there seem to be differing views on what a signature dish really is. There’s general agreement that it’s the one dish that is really “you.” Some  feel that a signature dish is the one that you are the most confident in making and displays a balance of impact and ease. Others might say that a signature dish is one that sums up your passions and cooking style – or it’s the most technically difficult dish you do.Food for thought and room for interpretation when developing one.

What makes a signature dish significant? For me its simplicity – The ideal signature dish should be innovative or one´s own interpretation of something classic that you have put your own stamp on,it can be both adventurous and creative – but simple. You know you can prepare it and you know what it’s trying to say.The personal touch is all important – Eggs Benedict is a classic brunch dish but if you add a twist of your own to it then it can become your signature dish. I mutated Eggs Benedict into Eggs Benedict Cumberbatch by adding smoked salmon, avocado and trading the muffin for grilled polenta.  
Perhaps it can be about adding an unexpected flavour to something or an unusual glaze to a pastry.This is innovating the construction of the dish.It is all about showcasing something that others might not otherwise have thought about.I applied this to both a traditional and a savoury version of pannacotta.To the traditional recipe I infused the cream with lemon geranium and for a savoury version I added slow roasted tomatoes and angostura bitters. Another unexpected combination I put together was  Panna cotta de trufa boletus or Porcini mushrooms with bacon marmalade.
That astonishing pair of culinary geniuses The Clarks of Restaurant Moro in London put a very simple twist on something I have always loved,that age old classic rum and raisin ice cream.By soaking the raisins in sherry and pouring some more sherry over the top before serving gave this retro dessert a more modern context.Helado de pasas de Málaga Malaga raisin ice cream with Pedro Ximenez.
Many a signature dish has been built upon fantastic flavour combinations, which makes this a great place to start when your are in the development process. Make a list of the ingredients you love to use and go through a tasting process. Which combinations make sense classically and where could you add a different taste to produce something completely new? My signature pesto for instance is Ginger, mint, basil and coriander ,which when combined with dry roasted peanuts as opposed to pine nuts gives the pesto an excitingly fresh twist. and opens up an avenue of new serving options.
Presentation – if this is the dish that says everything about you as a cook then it should be presented with pride. Great signature dishes usually arrive to an awed intake of breath from the diner.It´s always worth taking the time to factor in plate design and the best way to present the ingredients you’re using so they make the most impact.I recently drew breath when I served a Caesar salad in a giant crouton box.
As a child, I was absolutely revulsed by bread and butter pudding.I even balk at modern interpretations using brioche and fresh grapes or adding citrus tones,but by making it with anchovies, ricotta and parmesan and by substituting olives and capers for the sultanas and raisins, it suddenly transformed into something more than acceptable to a more matured and sophisticated palate.
Anchovy bread and butter pudding

Signature pan seared cajun pork 
with turmeric and Singapore slaw (above)

Cajun seasoning is essential for creating many of the best-known dishes from Louisiana’s legendary food culture. Its blend of familiar, savoury flavours can be used to enhance a variety of dishes from elsewhere as well.
Cajun seasoning blends typically contain onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt
These are not exactly the most exotic ingredients. In other words, it is a relatively simple task to find them and then to blend them all yourself.Its not that difficult either to amp up the formula and arouse the senses a bit more. I omit oregano, paprika,and salt but introduce turmeric and thyme, in addition to the other spices.
I have fine tuned the spices in this rub to make it one of my signature rubs, It works best with pork or any other white meat
to start 1 heaped tsp.good quality cajun spice mix
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
2 1/2 tsp. light brown sugar, divided
2 large boneless pork loin chops (about 600g total)
Working one at a time, place pork chop flat on a work surface. First, butterfly the pork chop so that it’s thinner, which will reduce cooking time and create more surface area for seasoning. Using a sharp knife and starting from an outside edge, slice three-quarters of the way through the centre of chop, as though you’re slicing a bagel in half, then open it up like a book. Place butterflied chop between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or inside a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and pound to 1/4" thin. Repeat with remaining chop. Rub chops with turmeric mixture and let sit 10 minutes.Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high until shimmering. Cook chops one at a time until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Slice into 1/2"-thick strips.  

Singapore slaw
2 cups chinese leaf,green cabbage or 1 small pack of pre-shredded coleslaw mix
1 cup turnip or radish peeled and cut into thin strips
1 sweet orange sectioned (optional)
1 cup green,red and yellow pepper cut into thin strips
1 shallot,thinly sliced into rings
1/4 cup fresh coriander 
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts

DRESSING
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
tsp golden caster sugar
tbsp sesame oil
tsp soya sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
Combine the cabbage,turnip/radish,orange sections if using,peppers,shallot and coriander in a large salad bowl.Cover and chill till ready to serve or up to 4 hours.
For the dressing,combine peanut oil,vinegar,sugar,sesame oil,soy sauce, and dry mustard in a screw-top jar.cover and shake vigorously.(This dressing can be made up to 1 week ahead and kept chilled in the jar.
To serve, toss the slaw with dressing and sprinkle with peanuts.

Middle Eastern Meatballs in tomato pomegranate sauce

How To Put a Syrian Spin on your favourite meatballs recipe.

Middle eastern meatballs made with mince and spices offer endless possibilities for combining flavours and textures.Bread can be replaced with potato,cous cous or bulghur wheat, and many alternative herbs and spices also work.Try playing around till you come up with your favoured combo.
This particular spice mixture is so different from the ones I have become used to in my repertoire and I love eating something new and trying to decipher what is in it.Baharat is a blend that can be sprinkled on anything from devilled eggs to dry rubs for meats and fish. It’s smoky, rich, intoxicating aroma is perfect for grilling too,and meatballs will never be the same once you top them with a bold tomato and pomegranate sauce. A perfect twist on the classic savoury meatballs,that will change your world for the better.The meatballs on this occasion can be cooked up to two days in advance and re-heated in the sauce.The  benefit here is that the flavour of the spices intensify the longer you leave them.
Since discovering this sauce i have become enamoured with it. It’s unapologetic and it is in your face! What I most love is the sweet and astringent taste it carries that seems to transform whatever it is added to. I let these faggotesque dumplings swim in the sauce before serving because they can really take on the flavour of being fresh from the oven.
Have them alone, as a light snack or part of an evening of tapas, or pair them with some couscous, bulghur wheat or lentils for a more substantial meal.No story or anecdote I hear you say."He usually gives us a ripping yarn that sets the mood for the recipe" - well here it is.I had no idea why these meatballs were called dawood basha. There was a nobleman Da’ud Basha in the Ottoman Empire – maybe he liked meatballs?  Well the fact is he did, the story goes that Da’ud Basha loved these meatballs so much, he ate them every day.  I also read online that it is good luck to hide a silver ring in one of the meatballs.  I am not a fan of hiding non-edible choking hazards in my food, so I passed on that one. Nonetheless, dawood basha meatballs. These are fiery, moist meatballs, swimming in a light tomato based sauce flavoured with fruity pomegranate.

Syrian Meatballs "Dawood Basha"

These meatballs are like no other! they are are not like your typical Italian meatballs. This is a classic Syrian dish with rich flavours from simple ingredients. Besides the baharat blend of spices in the meatballs themselves, the pomegranate molasses and tomato gravy set this dish apart from your typical meatball dish.I tried something unusual in this recipe The meatballs,I first boiled in stock before being fried then baked in the sauce.There's a few reasons for utilizing this method: You'll end up with a juicier meatball, as it is cooked in liquid. It'll be rounder and more plump because it was cooked in a liquid,and you'll be 100% sure that it was cooked thoroughly without being burned.
FOR THE BAHARAT SPICE MIX
Serves: 4
2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp sumac
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp allspice ground
1 tsp cardamom ground
1/2 tsp cloves ground
4 3-inch cinnamon sticks, ground
2 tbsp ground sweet paprika
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Toast the black peppercorns, cumin, coriander and cinnamon sticks in a sauté pan. Remove from the heat and add to a spice or coffee grinder to create a powder. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a small bowl, add the paprika, sumac, nutmeg, clove, allspice and cardamom. Whisk in the ground, It will last about 3 months, after that the potency diminishes. Makes about 3/4 cup.

FOR THE MEATBALLS 

1 lb ground beef or lamb
1 medium sized onion 1/3 cup minced the remainder sliced
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 tbsp baharat spice mix (above)
500 ml (2 cups) organic chicken stock
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
Soak the breadcrumbs in milk for 5-10 minutes
Squeeze out the milk from the bread and mix with minced onions, ground beef, salt , pepper and form into 1 inch balls (makes roughly 25 meatballs) 6 per portion.
Bring a pan of water to the boil and drop the meatballs in.Lower the heat and cook for about ten minutes.Drain and dry the meatballs completely, then In 1 tbsp oil sauté the meatballs in deep pan for 3-4 minutes on each side, do not cook all the way through or else they will be dry.Set aside.

In the same pan add 1 tbsp oil and sauté the remaining sliced onions for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock, pomegranate molasses, salt and pepper to taste
Let the flavours cook together for a few minutes.Stir in the lentils. Cover and simmer for 25 mins or until the lentils are almost tender.Return the meatballs to the pan,cover and simmer for a further ten minutes until everything is cooked and all the flavours have melded.

Thou shalt not mix fish and cheese,nonna says.

 A fish-focused pasta with cheese would have many an Italian nonna rising from their graves to deliver a hefty slap on the wrist.

 If the idea of combining seafood and cheese is such a widely-accepted global phenomenon, why is the concept so distasteful to so many Italian home cooks? And, hey, let’s not just point fingers at Italians here. A lot of people all over the world have adopted this notion, if for no other reason than that they’ve heard it from their mothers.
 Italian culinary doctrine – a constitution held up by Italian home matriarchs where infractions can be punishable by no supper or death – is very clear on the subject.Cheese and seafood shall not be mixed. Ever? Yet, if you stumble around France long enough you’re bound to find someone who prepares mussels in an earthy blue cheese broth spiked with white wine and garlic. In Chile, you’ll find both millennials and retirees ordering plates of Machas à La Parmesana, clams baked in wine, butter, and a mild-tasting Chilean version of Parmesan. And who can forget social gatherings in the nineties where no party was without oyster dip packed with enough cream cheese to send a marathon runner into cardiac arrest?

When it comes to eating seafood, people seem to have a lot of stigmas: they won't eat fish with red wine, they won't eat it raw, or they won't eat it at all. They don't like the texture --- it's too rubbery -- or they don't like the smell -- it's too fishy!

Fish and cheese is a no-no, right? Wrong. Seafood can absolutely be eaten with cheese -- in fact, you might be surprised how often the pairing comes ups.

 Pizza bianca with anchovies potatoes and mozzarella

So how come two great Italian incarnations sneaked  through? Caesar salad brings together anchovies and parmesan cheese, and many many pizzas are topped with anchovies, smoked salmon, sometimes tuna and customary mozzarella.I even unearthed a pizza pescatore which incorporated prawns, squid,and mussels along with mozzarella in the topping.

 Prawn risotto with asparagus and parmesan

Parmesan is essential to any risotto regardless of seafood.I also very often stir through mascarpone at the end of cooking.
 A creamy, buttery  seafood mornay would be unthinkable without the inclusion of a cheesy bechamel made with gruyére, emmenthal or any other Swiss cheese.
 There's no official legislation outlawing the presence of fish and cheese on the same plate, but for many Italians — and those of us who would wish to remain in their gastronomic good graces — there is no greater offence. To finish a fish-focused pasta with cheese in the sauce would have many an Italian nonna rising from their graves to deliver a hefty slap on the wrist.Don’t ever disrespect tradition.Nonna knows best. She learned the recipes from her nonna, who learned from her nonna, who learned from her nonna and so on and so forth.
 So where did this commandment originate?

As always,rules are there to be broken. No one is saying that you shouldn’t pair fish and cheese. Rather,we should become enthusiastic advocates for smartly coupling seafood and dairy, and in the hands of a skilled chef, recipes combining the two can raise the roof, elevating both ingredients to new heights. When used correctly, cheese can enhance the flavours of many seafood dishes.It seems old customs like this are falling by the wayside as chefs have become more creative with the blending of flavours.

Don’t believe the stigma- fish and cheese can go together quite well.I for one would like to destroy this stigma once and for all:I feel a Cod and Prawn Lasagne with Ricotta and Mozzarella  coming on.Delicious bubbling layers of fish sauce pasta sheets and creamy spinach filling.

Recipe from Ocado Life magazine

Cod and Prawn Lasagne with Ricotta and Mozzarella

250g lasagne sheets
690g passata 

400g skinless cod fillet, cut into bite-sized chunks
350g large prawns, halved
450g spinach
250g ricotta
200g mozzarella
30g parmesan, finely grated
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped - or 1/2 tbsp dried.
 
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 10 mins, until soft.
Meanwhile, wash the spinach and wilt in a saucepan – press out excess water in a colander afterwards.
Finely chop the spinach and place in a bowl with the ricotta and nutmeg, mix well and season to taste.
Add the oregano to the softened onions, cooking briefly before pouring in the passata. Simmer for 10 mins, until thickened, season and mix in the fish and prawns.
Place a layer of lasagne sheets in a large baking dish (about 34 x 24cm), and top with half the fish sauce.
Cover with lasagne, then all of the spinach mixture and another layer of lasagne.
Top with the rest of the fish and a final layer of pasta. Tear and scatter the mozzarella over the top with the parmesan.
Bake for 30-35 mins, until the top is golden, and serve with a green side salad.

"not a tomato and egg sandwich"

an ode to late summer tomatoes

There is something magical about mayonnaise....when you look at the ingredients before making it:egg yolks,olive oil,lemon juice or wine vinegar,salt and pepper...a little dijon mustard and out of that amalgamation comes on of the greatest cold sauces ever, a flavour without which summer would be incomplete. Purists claim that true mayonnaise must be made by hand in a stone mortar with a wooden spoon.This is time consuming and the mayonnaise is prone to separation during the early stages.True food processor mayonnaise is a poor imitation of the real thing, but mayonnaise made using a hand-held electric whisk or a food mixer is excellent, and I would challenge anybody to tell the difference between one made in minutes using a whisk and one made by hand.I accept that,given the time,there is an almost sensuous pleasure to be had from making mayonnaise the old-fashioned way.It is an elemental process which is deeply satisfying. However I have never had that half an hour needed to indulge myself in this way.
More often than not I make a sandwich for our lunch.But in this hot weather I often feel the call for a simple salad, and sometimes when I want a break from leaf greens, this is the sort of recipe I hanker for,a nearly end of summer but not quite autumn yet dish. It is basically a deconstructed egg mayo and tomato sandwich. I call it  "not a tomato and egg sandwich".All the makings of a sandwich, but just not one.It is missing the sandwich part of the equation and so becomes a salad.Something else that differentiates this tomato salad from all the others  I make is that there is absolutely no olive oil being drizzled. Just big dollops of luscious home made mayonnaise. This salad is all about the  unique texture and taste sensation that happens when you combine tomatoes and egg with home made mayonnaise. Just boil some eggs for six minutes, slice the tomatoes in thick slices, and spoon on dollops of home made mayonnaise.Just to show it was a deconstructed sandwich I served it with bread too.Well after all, that is what we do in Portugal. There is always bread on the table. 
 "not a tomato and egg sandwich"
2 x medium sized eggs
1 tsp flor de sal
1/2 tsp ground pepper
300 ml /1/2 pt sunflower oil
2 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
juice of 1 lemon
300 ml /1/2 pt olive oil
Separate the eggs* and put the yolks into a bowl with the salt and pepper.at full speed,beat the yolks and begin adding the sunflower oil a few drops at a time, until it starts to thicken.Start to pour the oil in a thin stream until all the sunflower oil is incorporated.The mixture will now be very thick,so beat in the mustard and half the lemon juice before adding the olive oil.if it is still too thick,add the rest of the lemon juice and some boiled water, a tablespoon at a time.When you have incorporated all the oil,taste and add more salt and pepper if needed The final mayonnaise should have a dropping consistency.
*for a less rich mayonnaise do not separate the eggs and use the whites also

Dealing with the "F" word

Food in your salad drawer freezing? 

Waste no want not, make freezer burn summer soup.

Can you believe it? I’ve been cursed with freezer burn again.  And it’s all the fault of my stupid fridge instead of my stupid self.You see, we have one of those refrigerators with the freezer on the bottom*, that were tout la rage about 10 years ago.You know … the kind you have to press your face onto the kitchen floor to get the ice cube tray out of.  Yes …. one of those.Well the other problem with having the freezer directly below the fridge is that everything in the salad drawer tends to freeze very easily and without warning.We've all had the misfortune of opening the fridge to find our precious Cos lettuce that we drove all the way to Spain to purchase has been frozen. It could be fruit, vegetables, meat, or even dairy,accidental fridge freezing is not disastrous,but very very annoying.  
I am sure you have heard rumours that once vegetables are freezer burned they are no good and should be thrown out. This is not true. While they may look and taste a little “different”,the FSIS (food safety and inspection site) states that freezer burned vegetables are not dangerous. So, all is not lost! Here is one way to save your freezer burnt salad and eliminate food waste in your kitchen. Using freezer burned vegetables is just like using any frozen vegetables. 
Why is this little oxymoronic food term important? Many of us are eating fresh, sustainable food these days and such foods do not have the shelf life of processed foods. This means that we all need to know how to store “real food” (as opposed to processed food) to retain maximum flavour, texture, and all of those important nutrients. Storage know-how is especially apropos this time of year, when fresh produce is so bountiful that you might be wondering, what the heck do I do with all of these um vegetables?

Freezer burn summer soup
12 oz (350 g) potatoes, peeled and finely diced
4 or 5 spring onions, finely chopped (including the green parts)
1 small lettuce (approx 8 oz, 225 g in weight),, washed, patted dry and shredded
½ medium cucumber, chopped (no need to peel) 
6 oz (175 g) frozen peas
3 oz (75 g) butter
1½ pints (850 ml)chicken or vegetable stock
Approx. 2 tablespoons single cream (optional)
snipped fresh chives, to garnish
salt and freshly milled black pepper

First of all, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter gently, then add the potatoes, spring onions, lettuce and cucumber.Stir everything round in the butter then, keeping the heat very low, put a lid on and let everything sweat for 10 minutes. Now pour in the stock, stir, add some salt and freshly milled black pepper and bring to the boil.Add the frozen peas, then reduce the heat to low, put the lid on and let it simmer gently for another 20 minutes.

Leave the soup to cool a little, then puree the whole lot in a blender. If you need to do this in two batches, it is helpful to have a bowl to hand to put the first batch in.Transfer to a bowl and leave in the refrigerator until completely chilled. Just before serving stir through the cream,if using, until blended.
Garnish with the freshly snipped chives stirred in at the last moment or sprinkle a few into each bowl.
*Refrigerators with top freezers use 10 to 25 percent less energy than ones with bottom freezers.
A top-freezer is the traditional option. It’s also the cheaper option and the more energy-efficient option. The main drawback? It won’t win you any design awards and you’ll have to face the risk of a shower of ice cubes tumbling out and hitting you in the face as you stretch up toopen the ice compartment

Under wraps,wrap party

Homemade Fresh Summer Rolls with Easy Peasy Peanut Dipping Sauce

I think that Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls are one of those things that people love but always assume are just too fiddly or too hard to make. To dispel that myth, let me tell you – I am not into fiddly. That’s why you’ll never see fancy decorated cakes on this blog. I simply don’t have the patience or co-ordination for fiddly dishes – sweet or savoury. Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls are packed with bright, fresh flavours and served with an insanely addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce that takes a minute to make. So let's keep this one under wraps until we've practiced and perfected it sufficiently. These spring rolls are a refreshing change from the usual fried variety. They are great as a cool summertime appetizer, and are delicious dipped in one or both of the sauces. Even the hardest of hard-core carnivores devour these as enthusiastically as they would a rack of ribs.They truly are that good.Vietnamese food is my idea of the ultimate “accidentally healthy” food.There are a handful of deep fried recipes,but generally, most Vietnamese dishes are really fresh, full of bright flavours, pretty colours and loaded with herbs and salads, with just a bit of protein. Dressings and sauces are refreshingly light and devoid of oil, unlike basically every Western dressing.
Oh! And before I forget – THE PEANUT SAUCE! This peanut sauce is essential!! This is a Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce. The 2 key ingredients are peanut butter and hoisin sauce which is thinned out with either milk or water (I used milk for colour, using water, the sauce is darker). Why not try filling them with plump, sweet prawns, avocado and a sprig of purple basil and slithers of fresh mango. Vary the filling combinations according to what’s seasonal or to your personal preferences.These wraps also make ideal summer canapés

 
7 - 14 sheets of 22cm/8.5" round rice paper 
2 cooked chicken breasts,skinned and shredded
2 cups finely shredded chinese cabbage
1 cup grated carrot
172 cup freshly chopped mint leaves
fresh coriander leaves
crispy fried shallots
dry roasted peanuts

DRESSING
2 fresh chillies,seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp nam pla ,fish sauce
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 spring onions finely sliced

Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce
1 tbsp peanut butter, preferably smooth (crunchy is ok too)
2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar (or lime juice)
1/3 cup milk (any fat %) (or water) 1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp crushed chilli, samba oelak or other chilli paste, adjust to taste (optional)

ORIGINAL PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE: The one I have provided in the recipe is more authentic and akin to what you get at Vietnamese restaurants .But here is the original one.

½ cup smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis, it's thick like syrup)
2 small garlic cloves (or 1 large), minced
1 birds eye chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp lime juice
Water

Combine the Peanut Dipping Sauce ingredientsin a saucepan Mix  until smooth. Set aside to cool. Adjust sour with vinegar, salt with salt and spiciness to taste. Thickness can be adjusted with milk or water once cooled.
Fill a large bowl with warm water. The bowl doesn't need to be large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go.
Place rice papers one at a time into the warm water. Note which side is the smooth side - this is supposed to be the outside of the spring roll. Submerge the rice paper into the water for 2 seconds. If your bowl isn't large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go, that's fine, just rotate it and count 2 seconds for each section you submerge into the water.
On the top part of the rice paper, place a spoonful of the filling as you would make a tortilla wrap
Fold the left and right edges of the rice paper in, then starting from the bottom, roll up very tightly. Then keep rolling firmly. The rice paper is sticky, it will seal itself.
Serve immediately with the peanut dipping sauce.

NOTES
Milk doesn't add flavour to the sauce, it just makes it a lighter colour so you know it's a peanut sauce. This is the colour of the sauce at most Vietnamese restaurants. So you can use water if you prefer, but the sauce will be a darker brown.
The secret to success here is not to leave the wrappers in the water bath too long, they will continue to soften after you have dipped them in the water.
STORAGE: Some recipes will tell you that you can make rice paper rolls the day before and you can keep them moist with a damp paper towel. Firstly, I find that the rice paper rolls smelt of towel and secondly, they didn't hold up well at all. My rule of thumb is 6 hours (max 8) - you can make them up to 6 hours ahead, tightly wrap each one in cling wrap as soon as you make them and refrigerate. Don't just put them on a plate and put cling wrap on the plate, you should roll up each on in cling wrap (you should be able to fit 2 per piece of cling wrap - wrap one first, then place another next to it and roll up with the remaining cling wrap).

Midnight at the oasis - Moroccan chicken curry

Fruity and spicy, colourful and traditional...medievalicious

The core elements of meat, fruit and spices, and occasionally nuts, are central to many of the dishes from Morocco.Moroccan cuisine is typically a mix of Berber, Arabic, Andalusian, and Mediterranean cuisines with slight European and sub-Saharan influences, all of which are represented in Castro Marim´s Dias Medievais XX11edição, which kicks off here tonight.

 I therefore feel it has a place to be served here in El al Gharb tonight. Renowned for its tagine,that conical shaped cooking vessel,one does not think about curry as one of Morocco´s dishes.In fact, many Moroccan spices are the same as those commonly used in the Indian kitchen. Spices play an important role in Moroccan cooking. However, for those of us used to the Indian masalas, the cuisine is not spicy at all, though there are many different notes in a single dish. Common herbs are fresh coriander and parsley. In my dreams it transported me to the fragrance of beautiful nights in Marrakech.I have never actually been to Morocco so I hope they do have fragrant nights, otherwise my allusion is somewhat prosaic.But what I produced was big mood, as they say on social media these days.It really rocked the Berber boat.Its midnight at the oasis and you´ve put your camel to bed, so here is a suggestion if you are in the mood for rustling up something for a sultry night. 
A warm Moroccan chicken curry  serves 2

SPICE PASTE
1 preserved lemon
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
dessert spoon runny honey

CURRY
1 medium onion sliced 
1 garlic clove sliced
handful of coriander stalks
1-14½ ounce can diced tomatoes
½ cup water
10g french beans or runner beans
1 small green pepper,cut into thin strips 
1 small chicken breast per person 
1 heaped teaspoon good quality Moroccan curry powder
1/2 tsp ras al hanout


First make the spice paste.Remove the flesh from the lemon and discard.Chop the rest of the lemon and the other four ingredients blitz to a thick paste in a food processor
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and green pepper. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and coriander stalks, stir and cook for 1 minute.Stir in the spice paste,and mix well.
Add curry powder and Ras al Hanout, stir and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add tomatoes, a little water and some lemon juice; bring to a gentle boil. Arrange the chicken in the pan in a single layer, spoon some sauce over the chicken. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 15 more minutes.
Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 2 minutes for young, smaller green beans, 3 minutes for larger green beans. Remove to an ice bath to stop the cooking.
Add blanched green beans around the chicken, spoon some sauce over, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to blend flavors and heat through. Season to taste with more lemon juice, if desired, and salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to large shallow bowl or rimmed platter. Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro. Excellent served with couscous or rice to soak up all the delicious sauce.