Ingredient of the month- Umami Taste No 5

Well folks, it's been a long time coming, but I finally got my grubby mitts on a tube of Umami Paste! 

Thank goodness for Selfridges Food Court, Birmingham!

All I can say is, Laura Santtini- you're a genius! How can something so simple, not have been done already? It seems stupid that no one's thought about combing these essential flavours (including anchovy and porcini) together in a concentrate before.

How has Classic Italian cuisine survived for so long without this revolutionary paste? 

This essence of 'Umami' or deliciousness, peps up any meal, but be warned, a little goes a long way!

Santtini has created quite a stir in my book with her quirky kitchen 'alchemy' range, adding a touch more of the mad-scientist approach to cooking. I simply wanted to buy all her products, I think I need to pace myself though- I draw the line at a Chilli flavoured Gold spray!

And so with that in mind, I give you my recipe for a simple Umami Seabass with Sauteed Potato.

Umami Seabass with Sauteed Potato

8x Charlotte New Potatoes (cut into chunks)

A good pinch of salt

Boiling water

1x Tin Plum Tomatoes

8x Black (pitted) Olives (plus 2x extra sliced)

A good glug of Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice

1/2 Teaspoon Umami Taste No 5

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil

2x Large Seabass Fillets

A hunk of French Bread

1 Tablespoon Butter

1x Clove of garlic (crushed)

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Parsley

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees
2. Line a tray with greaseproof paper and place the Seabass fillets skinside down
3. Chop the plum tomatoes and add to a blender jug along with the olives, lemon juice, umami paste, a splash of olive oil and the basil. 
4. Blend until ingredients are mixed.
5. Season the fish and arrange the tomato mix on top of the fillets.
6. Arrange the olives on top and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in the oven.
7. Boil the potatoes in a large pan of salted water (until a knife can just about stick into them, then drain)
8. Mix the butter, garlic and parsley together in a bowl
9. Slice the bread into medium size wedges and spread the garlic butter generously on top
10. Place on a baking tray in the bottom of the oven
11. About 10 minutes before serving, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan (until very hot)
12. Add the drained potatoes and continue stirring until an even colour is achieved
13. For a bit more luxury, I added a dash of truffle oil to the potatoes towards the end of their cooking time
14. Season the potatoes and drain on kitchen towel (for extra crispness)
15. Serve with green beans to the one you love (serves 2!)

 

Product of the month- Marmite XO

From its humble beginnings in a small factory (based just two miles from the Bass Brewery) in Burton-on-Trent (circa 1902), we have seen Britain's favourite (or most hated, depending whether you're part of the marmarati or not) spread, grow from a simple, resourceful idea, into a susuccessful and bang up to date product.

Derived from the French word, describing a stock pot or cooking pot (as pictured on the jar), Marmite comes in many limited edition flavours. Tantalising delights such as Guinness and Champagne flew off the shelves, along with all manner of merchandise.

The story begins in the mid 19th Century, when German chemist, Liebig, discovered the base of the sticky black spread, brewers yeast, a discarded by-product of the fermenting industry. With further development, he discovered that it made a good (and completely vegetarian) meat substitute. He spent years researching and studying the substance, and thanks to his works, we now have the OXO Cube as well as Marmite!

And now we come to the next chapter in the Marmite chronicles- Marmite XO. This is only suitable for the most dedicated, hardcore fans. Matured for 28 days, as opposed to the regular seven, the spread is said to be four times stronger than any ordinary Marmite.

All I can say is wow! How can such a bitter, strong flavour be so complex and pleasant at the same time? It's caused quite a kerfuffle in the taste-bud department, and I have to say, I'm loving it a bit more than the original! So to celebrate Marmite XO in all it's glory, I've teamed it with another ace ingredient, Double Gloucester cheese and made some fantastic cheese straws.

Marmite XO Cheese Straws
75g Double Gloucester Cheese
50g Plain Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/3 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Marmite XO (or to taste)
50g Butter
1 Egg yolk

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C
2. Grate the cheese into a large mixing bowl
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and pepper into the cheese
4. Cut the butter into chunks and rub into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs
5. Lightly beat the Marmite XO and the egg yolk in a bowl, add this to the mixture until a stiff dough is formed
6. Place dough onto a floured surface and lightly spread into two rectangles roughly 9x3 inches (I used my hands for this)
7. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 straws and place onto an ungreased baking sheet
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden in colour

These keep for ages in an airtight tin- if you don't end up eating them in one sitting!

Sweet situation!

Good evening everyone!

After a crazy week at work, I thought I'd take a moment to step back for a breather and philosophise (if that's ok?).

The story starts nearly two years ago when I started working at Delifonseca.
My original job was to work in the kitchen (helping out with prep and anything else that needing doing) and the shop (as a knowledgeable sales assistant), as well taking over the role of outside catering manager (which involved me marketing the business, designing menus and answering enquiries) which was all well and good in principle...

After being told my hours would be split down the middle between the shop and the kitchen, I thought, great, variety's always good! But this was not quite the case.... I found my hours in the shop increased as my hours in the kitchen dwindled and I yearned to be back in the warmth of the galley....

Months passed, and I was content to get excited when jobs for canape events came in, as I got to spend time preparing ingredients and garnishes and finishing them onsite. It gave me a sense of pride, something physical and beautiful that I could be proud of... my fortunes were changing.

Sadly in November, our pastry chef decided it was time for to retire, and so the reigns were passed to another member of staff and I, simply slotted into our regular working hours, cranking up the pressure and adding another element to my expanding job title.....

But this hasn't entirely been the case. I have found that because I'm doing so much right now, I'm much more organised, I can bake good quality products for sale in the shop, as I'm calmer and more focused, and I can get inspiration to create something a bit different for the restaurant upstairs.

I finally feel like my creativity is beginning to flourish. I'm working somewhere I love, with something I love and at the end of the day, I go home to my fiance whom I love with all my heart and write about the other massive love of my life.... FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chilli Banana Review

Having spent the afternoon frolicking about at a baby shower, I felt I needed to wind the day down with a good spicy meal to ward off the remnants of this awful cold.

Having been to Chilli Banana before (on my birthday), I knew that this was a place synonymous with good value, great tasting, authentic Thai food. So we sat down amongst the many customers in the bustling environment.

We were promptly given menus and informed of the specials. We opted to share two starters; the Kow Giap Gung (Thai Prawn Crackers) and Tempura Gung (tempura prawns and vegetables with dipping sauces).

The prawn crackers made a nice change from the often polystyrene-like texture of the Chinese counterpart. The hot kick of chilli was complemented by the sweet chilli dipping sauce and added more of the Thai twist to this crunchy cracker.

The tempura batter was crisp, crunchy and not greasy in the slightest! As well as King Prawns, we had aubergine, courgette, carrot and green beans. The aubergine was by far the nicest vegetable tempura. No sogginess, just pure flavour encased in a crispy shell.

For my main course I ordered the Nua Sawan (or 'Heavenly Beef'). But before ordering this dish, I did enquire as to what makes the beef so heavenly.... I was told the beef was marinated in sticky Thai sugar, making for a very tender piece of meat.... and that it was!

When our main courses arrived, the waitress served us two scoops of the fragrant rice and I piled on mounds of my syrupy meat. My partner ordered a sizzling beef dish with mounds of chillies, onions and a very strong aniseed flavour, a lovely aftertaste once the burn of the chilli had subsided. Needless to say, he had to pace himself on this one!

My meal on the other-hand was sumptuous and not overpowering in the slightest. Despite the sugar being the main flavour, the crispy Basil on top was easily recognised on my taste buds. The crunchy texture made a good contrast to the treacle-like consistency of the sauce. 

Some might say I'm a sucker for cute things and I'd probably agree, but the flower carved from a carrot was such a sweet touch to the dish. The chef obviously has talent, as well as creative flair!

My advice, book it! This place gets VERY busy, but it  produces consistently good quality food with professional, un-intrusive service.

 

Goremet- I don't want to find the needle!

Good evening gourmands! I have some more unsavoury delights for your perusal... As usual, it didn't take me long on my quest to select the ultimate in un-delectable design and so I give you:

Kraft's answer to Mayonnaise 'with a kick', Miracle Whip, and their recipe for Almonds in a Haystack.

Now given the fact that this monstrosity resembles a decapitated dulux dog, I think this is one haystack I'd rather leave unexplored.

The mounds of meaty goodness shown in the cross-section of this 'volcano of food' are enough to make ones stomach turn to pure magma, as the mere thought of consuming this 'holiday treat' causes bile to rise in the back of my throat.

I assume the layer of white is the congealed masses of Miracle Whip encasing the pink and green innards. According to the advert: 'Some things can be copied and some things can't' so answer me this question Kraft.... why would anyone copy this example? This freakish mound of cold, mayo covered meat with a fork plunging through it's weird chip-covered outer core....

(Yet another unappetising use of chips... fangs for the undead)

Lead by example Kraft.... you're taking over Cadbury, a British institution, I'm now more concerned for our chocolate than I've ever been!

Seasonal Ingredient of the month- Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a herbaceous plant from the Polygonaceae family. Usually available between the months of February and March, this plant is popularly grown both indoors (in greenhouses) and outdoors too.

As an ingredient, Rhubarb is very versatile. It is also known to have medicinal properties, as it was grown way back in 2700 BC by the Chinese often attributed to the Yan Emperor (its roots were often used as a laxative, but we won't go into that!). However, it wasn't until the 17th Century that it became widely used as a cooking ingredient in the UK, coinciding with the common availability of sugar (because no one likes sour Rhubarb!).

Rhubarb reached it's peak of popularity between the two world wars, but I feel it's an ingredient that's coming back in vogue. We might see less Rhubarb crumble on the menu, but we're seeing a rise in the production of relishes, chutneys, pickles and jams which include the bright, crimson, complexly flavoured stalks.

My recipe below marries two British favourites; the scone and of course, Rhubarb. These scones are easy to make and make a nice change to sultanas or cheese. The apricot sweetens and contrasts with the tart fibrous Rhubarb and the cream adds the finishing touch- enjoy!

Rhubarb and Apricot Scones
400g Plain Flour
50g Golden caster Sugar
2tsp Baking Powder
50g Softened Butter
1tsp Vanilla Essence
125ml Milk (plus a little extra for glaze)
250g Tinned Rhubarb (drained)
Apricot Jam (to serve)
Whipped cream (to serve)
50g Icing Sugar (sifted)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
2. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and butter in a bowl, rub between your fingers until it turns to the consistency of breadcrumbs
   
3. Add the vanilla essence and milk to the bowl, stir until combined
4. Add the drained Rhubarb to the mixture (this will make the mixture very sticky, so you might need to add more flour)
5. Carefully place the mixture onto a floured surface and roll out with a floured rolling pin
6. Gently cut out 20 circular shapes (these will be quite delicate so use a palate knife to scoop them off the floured surface if neccesary)
7. Place on a greased baking tray and brush with a little milk
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden
9. Remove scones from the oven and leave to cool on the tray
10. When cool, smear ten scones with a generous teaspoon of apricot jam, then smear the other ten scones with cream
11. Sandwich the two 'halves' together and dust with a little sifted icing sugar.
    

Product of the month- Brianna's Ginger Mandarin Dressing

After searching the shelves high and low, I sought inspiration in the form of a bottle.

But this bottle didn't contain alcohol, or some other intoxicating liquid, it contained a simply delicious and versatile dressing.

Brianna's Ginger Mandarin Dressing is part of a growing range of dressings, sauces and marinates created in the southern state of Texas. They are adaptable and accessible in that you can use the same product to dress a salad, as well as marinate and cook your meat in!

These are the kind of products I love. They're not attributed to one specific use (apart from being very tasty), which means you can experiment, which is something I very much enjoy in the kitchen.

When I read the label on the back of the bottle some of its ingredients read; soy sauce, ginger and mandarin- which to me simply screams- pork, fresh green veg, noodles and a nice sticky sauce! So I give you my product of the month featured in the simple and easy to prepare dish:

Ginger and Mandarin Pork Chops

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
2x Pork Chops
2x Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
3x Closed Cup Mushrooms (thinly sliced)
1/2 Green pepper (chopped)
1x Small Carrot (peeled and chopped into matchsticks)
4x Spring Onions (chopped)
2x Tablespoons Brianna's Homestyle Ginger Mandarin Dressing
A pinch of salt
Boiling water
Soy Sauce to taste
2x Nests of Egg Noodles

1. Gently heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a moderate heat
2. Place the pork chops in the pan and fry on each side until the meat is sealed and slightly golden
   
3. Remove the pork chops and set aside
4. Place all the vegetables in the pan and fry gently until tender
5. Add the dressing to the pan (along with enough boiling water to make a thinnish sauce)
6. Return the pork chops to the pan reducing the heat to a simmer
   
7. Boil a large pan of salted water and cook the noodles according to the instructions
8. Continue stirring the veg around the meat, turning the chops to ensure they're cooked evenly
9. Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and return them to the pan
10. Drain some of the juice and vegetables into the noodles, stirring to distribute them evenly
11. Pile the noodles on a plate with the pork chop on top and a drizzle of soy sauce and enjoy!

Serves 2