Tag: season

Mmmushroom risotto

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I have eaten risotto of many descriptions during my Italian excursions or cooked by my Italian friends. As simple as it seems, it is not as easy to cook this dish well. That was what I was thinking as I devoured a delicious bowl of steaming risotto by my friend Angela.
As it happen, she has just moved out of London, Autumn had just started, the farmers market started selling all shapes and sizes of mushrooms, and I was in despair for some comfort food. So I made my first ever risotto which I am pleased to share with you here.

As usual, I did not follow any specific recipe (except the rice cooking time) and here’s what I used for my first ever risotto. Feeds 4.

1 finely chopped medium shallot onion
1 tbsp of capers, chopped
a handful of finely chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves chopped
1litre of vegetable stock, salt and pepper
a handful of porcini/chanterelle mushrooms
a spring of chives, chopped to garnish
a pinch of salt and pepper

Add a glug of olive oil to a pan and gently sweat onion, garlic, parsley and a good pinch of freshly grounded pepper.
Once ready, pour gently stock and stir. Add risotto rice to simmering mixture and stir again. Cover with a heavy lid and leave to simmer on a low heat for about 20-25 mins. Keep checking last this could take less time depending on your hob. Stir every so often.

When ready, serve in deep bowls, and garnish with chopped chives or like me, cherry tomatoes and freshly ground rainbow pepper.
They go so well with the flavour of this dish!

Razor clams…Flavour sharp!

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One of good things about the weekend is that local fishmongers are very freshly stocked with their “catch of the day”. I love that feeling when standing in front of iced shelves fully covered by sea food and you just simply don’t know what to buy?
Every time when I think I’ve had enough time to make a decision whilst queueing, and I hear “what can I get you, Sir?”, my fishmonger can read from my eyes – I DON’T KNOW! Are you after some fish? Had it last time, I reply back. Scallops? He continues. Not this time. Why don’t you have a bunch of Razor clams? Why don’t I! I reply enthusiastically. Never mind the inpatient clients behind me, waiting to be served.  I just got I didn’t know I wanted! Which makes my weekend a bit more exciting.

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Razor clams are this type of seafood which doesn’t require a lot of preparation; good old salt and pepper plus, shaved shallots, butter and ginger…and they’re ready to go in the oven!
Roast them at 200C for about 10min on greaseproof paper, turning the tray around to ensure that clams cook evenly. Once they open, sprinkle generously freshly grated gruyere cheese and roast for another 5mins until cooked through.
Once they’re ready, serve on a piece of bread or baguette, garnished generously with chopped parsley or chives.

PS. Just make sure the clams are rinsed throughly of sand before seasoning them.

ENJOY !

 

Mmm…ushroom!

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I have a vivid memories of my grandparents taking my brother and I for the weekend trips into the woods. I remember the Autumn ones especially because of the mushrooms about which most of my family was mad about. Well, let me tell you picking up a mushroom has nothing to do with picking up a wild berries or herbs. It takes a skill which to this day I seem to lack. So whilst my grandparents, supported by my helpful brother, were busy adding one mushroom after another into their baskets, I was just wondering what we’ll make out of them. Chanterelles in particular. Their characteristic, slightly spicy aftertaste, reminds me of  autumn and of precious moments spent with family. As I couldn’t compete with my granddad’s mushroom creamy soup and my grans marinated fungi, I created this dish out of what was available in their garden: shallot onions, kale, garlic and pasta. Who would have thought that just a few ingredients could create such tasty meal?

To serve two, you’ll need;

a handful of chanterelle mushrooms
1 medium shallot onion
a bunch of kale
2-3 garlic cloves
one fresh chilli
2 tbsp of butter
cheese to finish

it goes like this:

 Rinse mushrooms out of sand and grass and dry them gently on paper towel.
In a non stick pan melt a table spoon of butter and add the mushroom, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover by lid. Sweat on a low heat for about 10 mins, stirring  occasionally. This will keep them moist rather than fried which wouldn’t be ideal for this particular meal. Meanwhile in another pan, fry shallots with a chunk of butter. Once they soften, add sliced garlic and kale. Stir gently until soft and slightly caramelised. Mix the veggies into the mushroom and add finely chopped chilli.  The spiciness of the chilli will warm up the flavours perfectly.

In a large pan boil your favourite pasta ( I chose fusilli which is just perfect for that meal) Once the pasta is ready, mix all together. If, like myself, you’re a butter  addict , at this stage you can add another bit of butter  before serving.

Grate some parmigiano or gruyere cheese and enjoy your meal!

autumnal Curry

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Oh, October. A month holding the last days of summer with opulent rhapsody of ripe fruit and veg. A month where warming meals are becoming the main staple in or menus. A month bringing us shorter days and more time to cook!

When it comes to cooking, I think it is best to use ingredients not only available in the kitchen, but particularly what’s in season. Japanese autumnal curry is one of the meals I cannot wait to cook when the first days of Indian summers are melting with bygone summer. This curry is easy to make it, and an excellent meal for post holidays blues – allowing you to enjoy something more exotic than your average comfort food.

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What  do you need to prepare this dish:

2 medium carrots
1 onion
1/4 of celeriac
1 parsnip
2-3 bay leaves
a few allspice corns
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
a handful of cashew nuts
1 fresh red chilli chopped
approx. 2 tablespoons of curry paste (I leave the spiciness to your taste)
1 tablespoon of curry powder
pinch of fresh herbs such as oregano, dried garlic leaves
2 cloves of smoked garlic ( although regular will do too)
300-500g of white buckwheat
2 boiled eggs for garnish
500g of lean beef mince

 Start by marinating the mince meat. I try to marinate it the night before  so all the flavours of spices and herbs are mix together wonderfully. I attach the photo to show you the way I marinate the meat then keep it covered in the fridge overnight (cling film cover a bowl will do nicely).
Fry the beef on heavy bottomed pan with a glug of olive oil.
Sprinkle the Worcestershire sauce and add chopped chilli. Then when the meat is semi cooked add grated vegetables, including the onion. These can be grated using the largest sheds on your grater.
Mix all together and sauté, covered by lid. After 5 to 7 mins everything should be ready but not overcooked. Toss everything once again and let it dry a bit, as the idea of this meal is not to be too “juicy” as all the flavours are in the meat mixed with veggies.

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Once the meal is ready to be served, sprinkle the top of the meal by chopped egg and freshly grounded pepper.

Enjoy!

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