yummy – style dispenser

White miso + ginger + baby potato velouté.

Published on March 24, 2019 by wojtekvanportekLeave a comment

To all miso addicts, you might like this. Very much!
You have been warned 🙂

An idea of this creamy deliciousness occurred to me when Mariko, one of my Japanese friends was telling me about sliced potatoes baked under cover of miso dressing – something popular in her hometown.
I didn’t have any large potatoes available, plus I was in the mood for a creamy warmer.
And so it is, creamy, tasty, and comforting meal !

Garnished with roasted onion, ginger and turmeric.

To make a portion for 4, you’ll need:
500 g of baby potatoes
1 litre of vegetable stock
2 tsp of white miso
1 tsp of barley miso
2 medium shallot onions, chopped
1 tbsp of freshly grated ginger
salt, pepper, crème fraiche
1 tbsp of turmeric

The instructions for this soup are uncomplicated;

Fry shallots and grated ginger on a glug of olive oil in heavy bottomed pan until soften, add chopped potatoes and mix it all together. Pour vegetable stock mixed with miso, and simmer covered until all soft, and ready. Season to your taste with salt and pepper.
Using a kitchen blender mix it until smooth.
Serve immediately with a dash of crème fraîche and grounded pistachios.

enjoy !

Duck like no other

Published on September 29, 2018September 30, 2018 by wojtekvanportekLeave a comment

It has been a while since I last had duck in my kitchen. Mostly because I used to enjoy my portion of Duck Confit when travelling to Paris a good few times a year. And from my own experience no one does it as good as in France. So instead of messing with a rather traditional meal, I decided to rebel and roast the duck breasts in a more unusual way – poached with rhubarb and cashew nuts. The result speaks (and tastes) for itself! 😋

Step One:
Season the duck breasts with salt, pepper and rub with thyme .
Marjoram could also work if you prefer a stronger flavour.
Place them skin down on a pre-heated heavy bottomed pan and fry for 7-8 mins. That’s the best way to keep the meat succulent and avoid it drying out. Finish with turning the duck breasts skin side up on a rack in a roasting tin in the middle of the pre-heated oven. Cook for 15-18 minutes, depending how you like your duck cooked.

Step Two:
Place the rhubarb stems in a pot, season it with a sprinkle of thyme, cashews nuts and a few drips of honey. Cook it for 10 mins, keeping a lid on the pan, until softened. If you like it more “al dente” then check it after 7 mins with a fork to see if the stems are firm enough to your liking. I like mine soft and juicy 🙂

Serve on poached rhubarb with nuts caramelised in honey and thyme.

Reinvented chicken sandwich.

Published on August 12, 2018 by wojtekvanportekLeave a comment

This moment when you realise that there is quite a sizeable chunk of chicken after a Sunday roast. What to do with it?
Or rather how to make it tasty in an inspiring way for a hot August?
My Mum used to shred leftover pieces of a roast and season ot with salt and pepper , garnishing with a bit of mustard on top, and serve it on toasted sourdough. So it wasn’t difficult for me to give life to this memory and elevate it with some more seasoning.

Place a tablespoon of butter on the frying pan. Once butter has melted add sprinkle generously with a tbsp of paprika ( smoked paprika if like me you prefer a strong flavour) follow this with a pinch of turmeric. When all blended add a handful of shredded chicken and sprinkle an additional amount of paprika. Then it’s up to you as to how flavoursome you want your chicken – you could opt for an extra tablespoon of paprika rather than pinch. You will see how beautifully coloured the chicken becomes.

At this moment you can turn the heat off and stir gently all together to blend everything evenly.
When ready place the mixture on toasted sourdough and grate parmigiano regiano cheese, and add sliced avocado.
Finish with chopped spring onion to compliment the flavour.

enjoy! x

Not-so Eton mess-y 🍓

Published on August 5, 2018August 5, 2018 by wojtekvanportekLeave a comment

We are having yet another hot weekend here in London, and British strawberries are still in season. Conclusion: a cooling dessert with flavour! What I like about this quintessentially English treat, is that it is not too sweet and the fruit makes it even more pleasant during the hot days. Plus, I made some fresh mousse from the rest of the fruit. Perfect combo.

Wipe the double cream to create the thick and fluffy consistence.
Cut the strawberries into quarter pieces. It is up to you whether you prefer to finish it neatly or, lets say, in a more bohemian way.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the cream.
Add crushed meringue ( the nests I have used here are from Tesco Finest ).
Place it all in the bowls before serving and garnish with the freshly blended mousse.
Finish with mint leafs and icing sugar.

Enjoy! 🍓

Chinese ginger broth 🌶

Published on April 15, 2018 by wojtekvanportekLeave a comment

It is that time of year – no more winter, not yet spring (unless 10C and continuous rain seems like a spring to you). I find Chinese broth just the perfect meal for when the weather is in transition. Plus, cooking in a large quantity, you could use this as a base for other meals!

To cook 4 litres ( full large pot ) of this delicious liquid you’ll need:

2 medium onions,
2 red chillies
bunch of spring onions
4 pearl onions – they’re such great flavour enhancers
1 whole organic chicken
4-5 garlic cloves
100g ot a few generous chunks of fresh ginger
3 tablespoons of cane sugar
a glass/300ml of Chinese cooking wine

Add all the ingredients – except the chicken – into the water and simmer in a large saucepan over high heat. Once boiling, add the whole chicken and depending on the size of the chicken, simmer on a reduced heat for about 30-40 mins.

Allow to cool. Skim any excess fat from the surface and discard the solids if you prefer it clear. Serve over the rice noodles with fresh chilli if you like it 🌶🌶 and garnish with yuzu pepper.