Gaucho steaks & Salmon fish cakes

I’ve had a busy week before the last weekend. Apart from the usual routine at work, I’ve had many thoughts on my mind. Friday’s menu was a Middle Eastern one; a type cuisine that’s clean and healthy. It’s one of my personal favourites. Lots fresh Salad and grilled meats. It was also perfect for my clients’ requirements. And they seemed to love what I offered for lunch.


Rabbit came though the kitchen asked about a non flaming BBQ marinate. I advised him to go for the non oil base, preferably dry spices marinade. If you cannot adjust your BBQ grill and the oil in your marinade often causes the black charring on your steaks, this is how you should do it.

I met up with Filli on Friday night at Punch bowl in Mayfair. She was as lovely as ever and I was totally honoured with her frank conversation with me. I am secretly happy about my new Kitten is an honest Aries. With longish black locks, she will be the cat version of me and Filli’s kind of girlies.

Saturday I spent strolling ups and downs on King’s Road searching for kitten’s accessories. I was also looking for the special local “London” honey but shame it was not anywhere to be seen. However, I did enjoy much of the markets at both Pimlico Road and King’s Road. Many diverse cuisines available just around the corner of the gallery of our kitchen goddess Nigella’s husband. I went to visit Haribo in east end in the late afternoon. My beautiful friend was in the mood for champagne and this was what we had after a brief visit to the local American Burger bar. Love; was never an easy topic. I seemed to spend much time recently listening to the stories of it.

The fun part of it was that I actually prepared to visit her with the ingredients for the chicken soup. Now that I think about it; I probably had better just went along with a bottle of bubbly.

The past weekend was an unusual one: hot to a degree that while I was adventuring to Chelsea neighbourhood- I felt that I was being BBQed on the tree-less street. At this desperate moment I went for Gaucho: The much talked about place at work for their delicious Argentinean beef steaks.

And after I’ve tried their menu: yes, the steaks are great! Tasty and full of the right flavours for a simple piece of beef. The charges on the sauce and side dishes were reasonable- if you think the £20 plus is justifiable- for just the steak and you need to pay extra for the “extras”. The peppercorn sauce I’ve had was bland and the sautéed mixed mushrooms on the side was over sweated in their wet mixtures. As I was unable to finish the whole lots that I’ve ordered; I’ve decided that I will just order the steak next time without the extras. That is after trying all of the restaurants in the area, which I think it will be autumn when I go back to Gaucho. But I have to say: it is a nice place for a casual date location. It’s simple and classy in black. I especially love the part that the receptionist had to ask for your name when you sit down in the table. Perhaps I had reminded her of some far eastern actress with my oriental look. I don’t know, we will see when I go again next time.

Here is the recipe for the salmon fish cake I’ve made this morning:

1 kg salmon trimmings (seriously! A fishmonger is very useful. Ask for the trimmings, they had to trim it off the salmon fillets anyways. You will get them in a very good price.)

4 thai bird’s eye red chilli

The root of 1 bunch coriander

1 thumb size ginger

4 cloves of garlic

1 tsp salt

A few grind of pepper or ½ tsp

A sprinkle of soy sauce

A sprinkle of fish sauce

How to make the fish cake:

1. Take a knife to finely mince the salmon trimmings and ginger, garlic, coriander root and red chilli.

Or

2. Magimix the whole lots

Then

1. Wash your hands thoroughly

Or

2. Put on your disposable cloves

Take a golf ball size mixture in your hands and mould it into a small fish ball.

After you make all the fish balls, cook them with 1 tbsp oil in a hot pan. Cook them for 30 seconds each sides. If you like your fish cake properly cooked through, put all of them in a baking tray. Bake for 7 minutes at 180 degrees. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Vegetarian Kofte (Falafel)!

I was terribly sick in the beginning of the week. I guess that election result didn’t help at all. I’ve stayed up the previous week waiting for it and of course it didn’t happen, not until the next day late morning while I was at work already. It’s nice to know that I wasn’t the only one to go to bed at the after midnight hours worried about the future for Britain.


Had my class on Wednesday evening with Sandra’s help. The class wasn’t fully booked and I was disturbed for months. Exotic Taiwanese cookery class: Britain= not ready! We will stick to the good old dim sum for now.

The street food menu is crazily easy to prepare. I even had time to spare for my good friend Hideko when she surprise-visited me. Well, it was a bit bizarre to prepare the class before someone you know. Not that I am shy or anything like that. It’s just that I’ve always separate my teaching ego from my usual BOBO self and of course the Chef Beverly ego. It feels a bit mixed up when people know me from somewhere else suddenly appears. Anyway I found out that 2 out of 5 students for the night actually were my old students. So I was happily blabbing away as usual in the class.

One thing though if you are going to prepare the whole menu, I found it is very good to add the dry shrimp and dry Chinese mushroom soaking liquid (from the oily rice recipe) to the chicken stock (for the cuttlefish potage). I am not the one to guess how the street market people make the broth so delicious (MSG?) but this was a good tip for the students.

I’ve cooked as usual for the guys at work this week and the guys LOVE my vegetarian Kofte. When I got out of my kitchen everything was gone! A little secret though; this recipe is great for the cooks hate waste. The usual herb roots and vegetable stems are perfect for it. Normally the recipes only ask you to use the leaves and florets. So what are you going to do with the rest? Compose? What a waste! Keep them in a bag in the fridge or freezer and when you have enough of them. You make this yummy veggie balls. Here I will share the recipe with you:

Vegetarian Kofte

For the hungry vegetarians everywhere!

You will need:

A magimix or a sharp knife and a great love for chopping

A pan

A pair of tong

Ingredients:

1 green courgette

1 yellow courgette

1 fennel

Quarter of cabbage

The stem of 1 cauliflower (you can use the florets for something else)

The stem of 1 broccoli (same for cauliflower)

The green part of a leek

1 handful of spring greens or spinach

1stick of carrot, peeled

The middle bit of celery (which you cannot use to make beautiful crudités)

1 handful fresh coriander

1 handful parsley

1 tin of chickpea

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

½ tbsp salt

1 tsp ground white pepper

1 egg

4 pieces of random old toast (or 2 large handful breadcrumbs)

30g flour

Oil for shallow frying

Method:

1. Use your magimix to grate the courgettes or grate them by hands.

2. With your magimix, pulse chop the rest of the vegetables two at a time. You want to have all of them kind of “rice” size in the end. Don’t worry if there are some big bits that just won’t go. You will either pick them out or chop them by hands. And if you don’t have a magimix; grate what you can and chop what you cannot grate. Keep those in a large mixing bowl.

3. Now pulse chop your herbs. Add those into the waiting mixing bowl. Remember don’t over whiz them in the machine into this meaningless green mud.

4. Finally work these chickpeas with the magimix. If you’d prefer, you can whiz these into paste. Personally I like something to bite on in my food so I left my chickpeas rustic. Add these into the mixing bowl with the rest.

5. Blend your old toast to fine breadcrumbs if you don’t have them already.

6. Crack your 1 egg into the mixing bowl. Add the spices, flour, salt and pepper.

7. Wash your hands first or you can use the disposable gloves. Now mix all the ingredients in the mixing bowl with your hands. Really work them through! This is the fun bit! Stress release I call it.

8. In your pan, heat up about 1 cup of oil. While the oil is heating up; make the kofte: take a large tbsp size and roll them into small balls. Keep them on a clean plate.

9. When the oil is hot enough. (not smoking! This would be too hot!) Gently place the balls into the pan. Use the tongs to turn the balls to make sure they are browned evenly.

10. When they are golden browned all over. Take the balls out of the pan and drain the excess oil off on the paper towels.

11. They are good to eat!

12. If you are entertaining, it would be nice to have some sort of dips to go with those little Kofte. I am thinking chopped mint with thick Greek yoghurt or paprika chilli mayo dip.

Well, that’s it! Very simple. I forgot to mention: the guys at work called these balls Falafels. Kind of similar ideas really, I think. I didn’t even object to it.

Taiwanese night market cookery class Dish 6. Ai Yu

Ai yu jelly:

A Special jelly made from the seeds of a type of wild figs (looks like green mangos) they are only to be found in Taiwan. Refreshing and delicious! It floats in the syrup like pieces of yellow jade.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

10g Aiyu seed

2 cups of cold water

Juice of 4 lemons

Honey to sweeten

Method:

1. Place the aiyu seeds in the centre of a piece muslin cloth. Tighten with a string to make a small parcel.

2. Soak in the cold water; gently rub the seeds through the muslin bag until there is no more yellow gel coming out of the muslin bag. (this process is called “washing Aiyu”)

3. Discard the muslin bag and leave the jelly liquid in a cold place or in the fridge.

4. Mix lemon juice with some honey to sweeten.

5. When the jelly is set, take a spoon to portion the aiyu. Slid the pieces into the sweetened lemon juice with some crushed ice.

6. Enjoy!

Taiwanese night market cookery class Dish 5. Bubble Tea

Bubble tea

One of the most famous desserts originated from Taiwan. Who’d thought that some tapioca pearls (balls) work fantastically with the iced milky tea? An acquired taste but a must for the night market fans.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

½ cup of tapioca pearls (balls)

4 normal tea bags

150g condensed milk

Method:

1. Brew 2 litres of tea with boiled water and the 4 tea bags.

2. Mix the condensed milk into the tea. Leave to cool down.

3. In a large pan, cook the tapioca pearls with water until the pearls are floating on the surface of the water.

4. Strain the pearls and cool them down quickly in cold water.

5. Divide the pearls and tea into 4 large cups. Serve with over sized straw to enjoy the pearls.

Taiwanese night market cookery class Dish 4. Cuttlefish potage

Cuttlefish potage:

Chunks of cuttlefish in a thickened broth with Taiwanese BBQ sauce

Serves 4

1 large cuttlefish, rinse properly and cut into small bite size

4 leaves of Chinese cabbage. Cut to bite size. Blanch in some boiled water for 30 seconds. Strain and keep aside.

For the fish paste:

300g fresh white fish trimmings

White of 1 large egg

½ tbsp corn flour

½ tbsp rice wine

1 tsp ground white pepper

1 tsp salt

For the broth:

2 litre chicken stock

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp black Chinese vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp corn flour

2 tbsp water

1 large egg, beaten well

1 tbsp Taiwanese BBQ sauce, “ShaCha” sauce from Bulls head.

Coriander and sesame oil for garnish

Method:

1. Use the food processor; blend the white fish trimmings, egg white, corn flour, rice wine, salt and ground white pepper into a fish paste.

2. Bring the chicken stock to boil. Coat the cuttlefish pieces with the fish paste first then drop them carefully one by one into the boiling water. The cuttlefish chunks are ready when they are floating on the surface of the stock. Remove them from the pan and keep aside for later.

3. Make a paste with 1 tbsp corn flour and 2 tbsp water.

4. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, sugar, the blanched Chinese cabbage and the paste to the stock. Bring it to boil again to thicken the broth then pour the beaten egg into the broth in circle motion.

5. Add the prepared cuttlefish chunks into the broth. Stir in the Taiwanese BBQ sauce.

6. Garnish with some chopped coriander and a few drops of sesame oil. Ready to serve.

A broken heart.

How do you know you've got a broke heart?

NO, YOU DON'T.

Untill someone told you so.

Beautiful thing, your heart is.

I am thinking of catching a falling star? 

And you don't know how.

Food and love.

x.

I had many nightmares last night. I don't know if it was because of the Crozes Hermitage that I've drank or the heart broken story that I've heard. I am thinking to send  away again but am afraid that it's not serious enough for the one who is suffering.

Is time a good healer? Is it such a lame thing to say to a friend in pain?

The nightmares came at every hour all through the night. I guess it had reminded me too much of some past experiences that I had tried to avoid at all costs. 

A bowl of hot chicken soup. Will it help at all?

This is what I would have cooked, if I was there.

1 spring chicken, free range. Cut it up to 6 portions plus carcass.

1 bunch of spring onions

A large handful of shitake mushroom

1 large carrot

A few sticks of celery

1 whole garlic, separate to cloves and crushed

1 thumb size of ginger

A sprig of thyme

2 bird's eye red chilli

2 tbsp Mirin

2 tbsp Taiwanese rice wine

4 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce

A handful of coriander

A few sticks of asparagus

And this is how I would cook it:

Sliced up the spring onions, chilli, shitake mushrooms, ginger, carrot and celery.

In a large pot, heat up 2 tbsp oil. Drop in the chopped vegetables and fry them for 3 minutes before add in the crushed garlic, the spring chicken portions plus carcass and thyme. Toss all of them from time to time for anther 3 minutes.

Fill the pot with enough water to cover the spring chicken. Bring it to boil before adding the seasonings. While it is cooking, slice up the asparagus.

Add the asparagus when the chicken soup has boiled for 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to simmer and leave it for anther minute.

To serve the chicken soup my way. The meat of chicken has to be torn to pieces by hands. With some coriander to garnish.

It is a large hug to the stomach. I hope it would have help at all for the broke heart.

Le bistro Savoir Faire

Thanks to Markie; I started using Toptable's free booking service. This bank holiday's weather wasn't so great and I was sitting again on top of my little kitchen stool looking for a nice place to eat. Looking through those restaurants on offer again and again. I found this little gem in the busy and messy part of London. Savoir Faire. Hence the meaning of this French phrase: The instinctive ability to know how to deal with any situation that arises. I should have known.

Arrived through Tottenham court Rd station and past by many busy shoppers in the late-ish afternoon at 3 pm. I found this unpretentious French restaurant at a little corner of New Oxford St. I loved it as soon as I walked through their well worn door steps. There was a large "tourist like" group just sitting down; a couple who looked "tourist like" in front the small till area waiting to pay their bills. The waitress took a look at me with a smile and shown me where my table is with her hand gesture. Simple!

The tables are not matching, so were the salt and pepper mills on every tables. But it doesn't matter at all. This place has got the it's nature charm. The menu was a simple laminated one. They've got the house wines selling system chalk written on the far end of the wall. Quarter, half or full bottle. I went for the house red quarter and it came in this cute little glass bottle.

God know what this house wine is. Even JD was having both of his hands up in the air while I ordered the wine.

I didn't care about it at all. Yes, it tasted a bit like vinegar. So what? I don't like the Cheval Blanc and I wasn't looking for a quarter of that. I was totally enchanted with the paintings on the wall. Somehow; it reminded me of Bar du Musee (before a certain American gentleman bought it and re-invented the place) in Greenwich; which I used to love.

I went for this delicious little plate for starter: Pan fried (No! we are in a French restaurant: "Sauteed") lamb kidneys with hazelnut and garlic sauce. You see this little crown of balsamic reductions on the right hand side of the plate? It's not just for decoration. It balanced the meaty flavour of the lamb kidneys. JD had Chicken liver pate with (homemade) onion marmalade. (Of course. What do you expect from a Proper French Gent?) I loved both. The kidneys was cooked pink, just how I like it.

Then disaster stroke. I was sitting by the wondow and staring at these 2 ownerless suitcases. Didn't think of anything else. (Shame on me!) All of a sudden (bless those lovely police gentlemen!) there were these uniformed people appeared out of nowhere. And we were told to move our table elsewhere.

I, of course being a chef, was sneaky by nature; asked to have a table downstairs (where I hadn't have a chance of seeing). And I got to see the more intimate area, where shall I say, a perfect place for a private party.

The main courses were decent too. I had a "kind of" Bouillabaisse with green garlic butter on top of a sliced bread. JD had a better success at the menu: Paprika chicken, which looked delicious!

The total came at £9.90 each plus the wines. By the way, they do have a selections of wines sold at quarter and half bottle price. You just have to ask.

I love the fact that the bill came without the annoying service charge. And of course I've shown my appreciations under the little napkin on the table.

It was a lovely decent little restaurant. I will go back again if I am to be in the area.

Taiwanese night market cookery class Dish 3. Oyster or prawn omelette with homemade sweet and spicy sauce.

Taiwanese style Oyster/ prawn omelette with homemade sweet and spicy sauce


It is rather unusual to make an oyster omelette from the western point of view. If the idea of turning fresh oysters into an omelette is too frightening. Fresh shrimps/ prawns work just as well. The night market stand usually serve both oyster and shrimp versions of the same dish in Taiwan.



Serves 4

300g fresh oyster, squeezes dry

Or

300g raw shrimps

2 Baby gem lettuce, washed and broken into small bite size

6 large eggs

2 tbsp groundnut oil

1 cup corn flour

2 cups water

1. Make a paste with corn flour and water, leave aside for later use.

2. In a large pan, heat up the oil. Add half of the fresh oysters (or shrimps) with 3 eggs.

3. Use a spatula to stir the eggs roughly. Add half of the baby gem lettuce to the pan.

4. Pour over half of the paste into the pan. Place the lid onto the pan, simmer for 1 minute.

5. Remove the omelette onto the serving plate. Pour over some sweet and spicy sauce. Ready to serve.

6. Repeat the same process as before with the rest of the ingredients. The second omelette is ready to serve.




Sweet and spicy sauce:



2 tbsp white miso paste

1 tbsp red chilli powder

2 tbsp caster sugar

250g boiled water

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp mirin (Japanese rice wine)

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp Hoisin sauce

½ tsp salt

1.5 tbsp rice flour

3 tbsp water

Method:

1. Mix miso paste, chilli powder, sugar with boiled water till all is dissolved.

2. Stir the rest of the ingredients (apart from rice flour and 3 tbsp water) into the miso mixture. Bring this mixture to simmer in a pan.

3. Make a paste with the rice flour and water. Mix it into the simmering mixture properly. Leave the sauce to simmer until it is thickened. Cool it down before serving it with the omelette.

Taiwanese night market cookery class Dish 2. Oily rice with mushrooms and shrimps.

Oily rice with mushrooms and shrimps


(Savoury steamed glutinous rice cake stuffed with Chinese mushroom and shrimp)

The base of “Tzung tzu”. During Dragon boat festival period, the oily rice base is packed into bamboo leaves in the shape of triangle parcels then steamed. The vegetarian version is by omitting the pork and the addition of chestnut. Lovely with sweet chilli sauce.



Serves 4

1 cup of glutinous rice

50g lardon (streaky bacon)

2 dry Chinese mushroom. Soak in some boiled water for 30 minutes. Squeeze dry.

1tbsp dry shrimps. Soak in some boiled water. Strain.

2 tbsp groundnut oil

3 tbsp soy sauce

½ tsp ground white pepper

2 tbsp deep fried shallot

Coriander for garnish



Method:

1. Wash the glutinous rice with some tap water. Strain and soak in enough water to cover for 1 hour.

2. Strain the rice again. Cook the rice in a rice cooker with a cup of water.

3. Thinly slice the lardon and mushrooms into stripes.

4. In a large pan, heat up 1 tbsp oil. Stir fry lardon, mushrooms and shrimps until fragrant. Add soy sauce and ground white pepper to it. Cook until the mixture looks dry. Remove from the pan and keep aside.

5. In the same pan, heat up 1 tbsp oil. Add the cooked rice and deep fried shallot to the pan. Stir with a spatula until it is mixed well.

6. Add the cooked mince and pork into the same pan. Mix well. Close the lid onto the pan. Let it simmer for a few minutes. The rice is now ready.

7. Place some cooked rice into a small soup bowl and garnish with some chopped coriander. Ready to serve.

Viva la espagnola! Taiwanese night market cookery class dish 1! Deep fried Taiwanese fish cakes.

So it is the bank holiday weekend now. After so much troubles at the work front this past week, I am seriously looking forward to the peaceful long weekend. Great news that I've had some faboulous help from a lovely Spanish lady- Elene! Though I must admit that there were some complications at the  Friday afternoon. We were having a well deserved drink after work and her people told her NOT to come over next week. Panic state there and then. But there is nothing cannot be solved with a piece of cake and the "money man". Crazy it may seemed but it was just one of those surprises that life throws at you in the lap.

Anyways, I am ready to present my new recipes of the night market cookery class in May.

Tian Bu La (deep fried oriental fish cake)


One of the most popular street market dishes in Taiwan. The name “Tian Bu La” literally means “sweet not spicy”. It also works very well if you roll the fish paste into small bite size balls. They are perfect in the soup with seasonal vegetables.


Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 kg fresh white fish trimmings

2 egg whites

½ tbsp salt

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp ground white pepper

½ litre groundnut oil for deep frying

Optional:

A handful chopped coriander, Thai basil or chives

½ tbsp chilli powder



Method:

1. With the food processor, blend the white fish trimmings, egg whites, salt, soy sauce and ground white pepper together.

2. You can stir in the chopped herb and the chilli powder into the fish paste if using.

3. In a large pan, heat up the oil for deep frying.

4. Wash your hands first if not using gloves; take a small handful of fish paste then flatten them into small round disks. Carefully slid them one by one into the oil.

5. The fish cakes are ready when they are golden colour and floating on the surface of the oil. Remove from the pan to some kitchen paper towels to remove the excess oil.

6. Serve them with some sweet chilli sauce. Enjoy!