Thai Fish Cakes

Fish cakes are great, in all the many ways they come. These however have to be my favourite. Being small and chewy, a little spicy and aromatic, the most perfect finger food.

I don't really need to go on about them, do I? You know you want some, and I do, too!

Ingredients:

400g White Fish Filet

1 tbs Thai Red Curry Paste

50g Green Beans, sliced into small rounds

5 Kaffir Lime Leafes, shredded thinly

1 Egg

1/2 tsp Palm Sugar

a splash of Fish Sauce

Pulse the Fish in a food processor until finely chopped, but some texture remaining.

Add the Egg, Sugar, Curry Paste and a splash of Fish Sauce and pulse again until everything is combined.

Mix in the green Beans afterwards.

Using wet hands make tiny little fish cakes.

Shallow fry the Fish Cakes in Peanut Oil for 3 minutes on each side until nicely brown and puffed up.

Thai Fish Cakes are best served with a Cucumber Relish. This recipe doesn't have amounts as I just mixed everything together and seasoned to balance the '4S' taste afterwards. ('4S' stands for Savoury, Sweet, Sour, Spicy)

Ingredients:

Rice Vinegar

Diced Cucumber

Chopped Chilli

Chopped red Onion

Sugar

Fish Sauce

Enjoy!

Chimichurri Steak and Potato Wedges

This is Steak and Chips with an Argentinian Twist.

Now that the sun is coming out a bit more often I start thinking about getting the BBQ out on my 'Fire Escape Balcony' and rustling up a few sizzlers again.

This Chimichurri Sauce is fantastic with Steak and BBQ meats, and if you haven't tried it yet, I urge to to make it this summer! I promise you will love it.

Grill your steak the way you like it and spoon over the Chimichurri Sauce, it is that simple, I need not say more. Here is the recipe for the all important Sauce:

Chimichurri Sauce Ingredients:

1 small bunch of Parsley, roughly chopped

1 Garlic Clove, crushed

1 tbs White Wine Vinegar

1 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

a pinch of Sea Salt

a few grinds of Black Pepper

Place all the Ingredients into a food processor and whizz until smooth.

You could also chop everything very finely or use a pestle and mortar.

Use your imagination to elaborate on this sauce.

Chilli flakes, Oregano, Cumin or other things can be added if you fancy.

I was tempted to add Anchovies, but decided to leave it authentic for this recipe.

I love Potato Wedges. They are as good as chips but much healthier and they have their jackets on which are the best bits. 

Cut a Baking Potato into Wedges and season with Sea Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper and fresh Thyme. Drizzle with a little Sunflower Oil and Bake in a 200C oven for 30 minutes, turning every now and then.

Cochinita Pibil (Mayan Roast Pork)

This was my most fabulous discovery in Mexico. 

The ancient way of cooking this dish under hot stones or even buried in the ground underneath a firepit is what makes this so extra special. If only I had a field handy or even just a garden I would give it a go! But my oven will have to do the trick in my case.

Ingredients:

1 Pork Shoulder (skin removed but bone in)

100g Achiote Paste (Annatto seed based)

Juice of 4 small Limes

Juice of 1-2 Oranges

25 ml Tequila

Mix together the achiote paste with the lime, orange and tequila.

Prik the pork with a small knife all over to allow the marinade to seep into the flesh.

Paint the achiote marinade all over the Pork Shoulder.

Line a suitable dish with Banana Leaf and place the Pork inside.

Pour the rest of the marinade all over.

Wrap the pork up in the banana leaves and let it marinade for 24 hours.

The Citrus juices in the marinade will start to tenderise the meat.

To serve with the Cochinita I made a Habanero and red Onion Salsa

1 Red Onion, sliced

1 red Habanero Chilli

Juice of 1 Lime

Juice of 1 Orange

Sea Salt to taste

Mix and leave to mascerate for several hours.

The next day wrap the Pork including the banana leaves up in tinfoil and place on a baking sheet in a 170C oven for 3 - 4 hours.

Low and slow cooking will make the pork fall of the bone.

Shred the meat with 2 forks and garnish with some of the Onion Habanero Salsa.

Warm some Tortillas, by wrapping in tinfoil and placing in the oven for 10 minutes.

Everyone can help themselves and make some Tortilla wraps. Don't forget to add the Onion Salsa.

I have to admit, this is really amazing. Crispy Peking Duck has serious competition here!!!!

Chicken Fricassee

This was one one of my favourite things to eat as a child. Kids love this!

Chicken to me is always comforting and the secret ingredient here are a few drops of Worcester Sauce,  which will  give it the certain je ne sais quoi.

Ingredients:

(serves many)

1 Chicken

2 Onions studded with 4 Cloves

2 Bay Leafes

10 Peppercorns

your finest Water

Worchester Sauce

1 Lemon

70g Butter

70g Flour

300ml Milk

700ml of the Chicken Broth

1 cup frozen Peas

Place the Chicken into a pot that fits it snugly.

Cover with Water and add the Onion, Bayleafes, Peppercorns and a good pinch of Sea Salt.

Bring to simmering point and cook gently for about an hour or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile make a roux with the flour and butter and stir in the Milk. Using a whisk smooth out any lumps. Measure out 700ml of the chicken cooking broth and whisk this into the sauce. Keep stirring until it comes back to a simmer, let it bubble until silky and smooth.

Take the chicken out and leave to cool enough to handle.

Pick all the meat off the Chicken and cut into chunky bits.

Stir the chicken into the Sauce and add the Peas.

Bring the Sauce back to a simmer before serving.

Season with the juice of 1 Lemon and a few drops of Worchester Sauce.

It's great with Rice, but I'm having some buttered new Potatoes with it today.
Enjoy!

Healing Ginger Chicken

This dish is an old Chinese tradition and is meant to have healing properties. Hence the name. Whether it works or not, I leave for you to decide, but it certainly is a very comforting dish to eat when you are feeling a little poorly. The remaining chicken broth is also wonderful to drink or made into soup.

Ingredients:

1 small Free Range Chicken 

1 inch of fresh Ginger, sliced

1 Bayleaf

1 large pinch of Sea Salt

Some of your finest Water

Sesame Oil

Place the Chicken with the Ginger, Salt and Bay Leaf into a large enough Pan to hold it comfortably.

Cover with Water and bring to a simmer.

Simmer for about 20 minutes, skimming any foam off that comes to the top.

Now cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Leave the Chicken to sit in the hot broth for another hour.

This method will leave the Chicken very succulent and tender.

To make the Dipping Sauce, combine 

1 tsp fresh grated Ginger,  

the green part of 5 Spring Onions with 

1 tbs of the Chicken Broth  

and a sprinkle of Sea Salt

Heat 3 tbs Groundnut Oil to shimmering hot (not smoking) and pour this carefully over the mixture, which will make it sizzle and that is a good thing.

To serve, rub the Chicken all over with the Sesame Oil. 

Here comes the tricky part.

Using a heavy Meat Cleaver take the legs off the chicken and cut off the crown, then with sharp decisive movements chop these into thick slices.

Hold the chicken with a Meat fork or something other than your hand, while doing this ;-)

Arrange on a serving Plate and eat with the dipping sauce and maybe with some Rice (cooked in chicken broth).

Enjoy!

Mutton Nihari

When I first came to the United Kingdom, I lived in Abbey Wood, which is in South East London. Not knowing anything much about the UK, I assumed that this was the normal sort of living standard all over the City and I loved living there. There was however a neighbourhood nearby, that is probably famous for being one of the most undesirable places to live. I used to say I would never drive a Ford, because that would be like living in Plumstead. Yes, you guessed it, it is Plumstead, the place where even Kilroy wouldn't want to go.

The other day when I was on one of my lately very favoured visits to London, my friend took me to an Indian Cafe called 'Ambala' in Plumstead High Street. He had told me about it before and praised it for it's authentic and unconventional food.

Well, I'm not gonna lie, I was indeed impressed, not with the restaurant, but with it's food. We had the most amazing sizzling Lamb chops and a dish called Nihari. It contained the most soft and juicy morsels of meat in a delicious rich gravy. We asked what the meat was and it turned out to be Mutton Calf Muscle. A not very appetising sounding part, but when cooked slow and low, one that turns into the most tender cut. So the moral of the story? The best food can often be found in places that you didn't really want to go. I had to recreate this dish! And after a little research I have created my recipe here:

Ingredients:

750g Mutton Meat

3 Marrow Bone Pieces (I used Lambs Feet, you'll be disgusted to know)

1 tbs Ginger Paste

1 tbs Garlic Paste

1 Onion, chopped

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

3 Black Cardamon

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

2 Star Anise

1 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Black Pepper

1tsp Tomato Paste

170g Yoghurt

1 tbs Vegetable Oil

Water

Salt

1tbs Flour mixed with a little water (for thickening the gravy)

Garnishes:

Fresh Coriander Leaves

Fresh Chilli, sliced

Fresh Ginger, cut into thin strips

Grind any whole Spices in a Pestle and Mortar then combine with the ground spices.

Start by browning the meat in a large pot. Remove the meat and keep it aside while frying the 'massala' (the spice mixture). Start with the Onions, once they turned golden add the other spices. Fry fry fry, then add the Garlic and Ginger Paste and Tomato Paste. Fry some more until everything is nice and fragrant. 

Add the Yoghurt and let it bubble with the spices for a minute or two. Return the meat to the pot and add the bones as well. These will give a lovely rich depth to the dish.

Now add enough Water to just cover everything and season with salt to taste.

Bring everything to a simmer, cover and cook on a very low heat for 3 hours.

I spooned off the oily film that has risen to the top, but that's optional. To finish turn up the heat and stir in the Flour slushy to thicken the gravy. Sprinkle in the Garnishes and simmer for another couple of minutes. As always with every dish, check the seasoning before serving and adjust if needed. 

Accompany with Rice or Naan Bread and a Vegetable Side Dish of your choice.

Enjoy!

Moules Mariniere

Normally I like to add and chop and change and make a recipe my own, but sometimes a Classic just has to be done right. Mussels lend themselves to many different ways of cooking and are happy with a variety of sauces in which to cook. Yet sometimes the original is all we want. A straight forward comforting taste that you know and recognise and love.

Here is the Classic Recipe for Moules Mariniere unchanged and no added cream in sight.

Ingredients:

1 kg fresh Mussels, cleaned of beards and barnacles. Discard any that are open and will not close after being tapped or any broken ones.

1 Onion, very finely chopped

125ml good White Wine

1 handful fresh Parsley, finely chopped

20g Butter

Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Heat a large enough pot to hold all the Mussels. Sweat the Onion in the Butter for just a couple of minutes, then add the Wine and let it bubble until the alcohol has evaporated. Add the Parsley and season with Sea Salt and Black Pepper.

Drop in the Mussels, give the pot a little shimmy and cover with a lid. Leave to steam for a couple of minutes, then turn the Mussels over gently and cover again. Steam for a further 2 minutes and they should all have opened by now. Which means they are done!

Spoon the Mussels into warmed deep bowls with some of the liqueur poured over the top and serve with some fresh rustic French Stick. 

The best way to eat them is to break off half of the shell, then scoop some of the liqueur into the other half with the Mussel and eat it like an Oyster out of the shell. :-)