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Enjoy the last of the sunset cocktails at the Boundary rooftop - such as the lovely Belle Vue Cocktail (vodka, plum jam, cinnamon syrup, lemon juice) which was created especially for this year’s London Cocktail Week. Be quick though. By the end of this week the rooftop bar will close until next Spring…..
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A winning combination: Rib-eye steak sandwich with roasted garlic and wild mushrooms
This recipe has three of my favourite things trapped between two pieces of crusty bread!
Take 1 head of garlic, drizzle with a little rapeseed oil, wrap in aluminium foil and bake in the oven at 200 for about 30 minutes.
Take two handfuls of wild mushrooms (or 1 portabello), slice and stir fry till lightly golden in a little olive oil. Add 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, a good glug of white wine or vermouth and reduce down. Season with sea salt and pepper, and some chopped parsley.
In the meantime, split a ciabatta role lengthwise and grill in the oven till lightly golden.
Take a rib eye steak and place in a hot pan, seasoning with sea salt. Turn over after about 3 minutes. Cook for another 3 minutes (for rare). Place on a board and slice across the grain.
To assemble: Spread a little horseradish cream or dijon mustard on the cut sides of the grilled bread. Squeeze out the garlic cloves from their skins directly onto the bread, and spread evenly. Transfer the mushrooms to the bottom slice of the bread and then layer steak on top. Close with the other slice of bread and cut in two.
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Crunchy fettucine with wild mushrooms
This recipe is a somewhat simplified version of one by Ottolenghi in his new recipe book Plenty.
Put a pot of water to a boil. In the meantime heat up a little olive oil in a large pan and stir fry 250g wild mushrooms (or button mushrooms), sliced, till they start to take on colour. Add 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped and stir. Now add 100ml vermouth (or white wine) and 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, and reduce the liquid to a third. Stir in between 50-150ml thick double cream (depending on how creamy you like your pasta). Season with sea salt and pepper. Keep warm.
In a small pan toast 20g panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs till golden. Take off the heat and add the zest of 1 lemon, grated and 3 tbs chopped parsley.
Cook 250g fettucine or pappardelle till al dente. Drain, keeping some of the cooking liquid and stir into the mushroom sauce. If the sauce seems dry (especially if you have not used the full quantity of cream) then add in some of the cooking liquid.
Transfer to two pasta bowls and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and some grated parmesan and a little olive oil (if you like).
Serves 2.
Optional: for a vegan version substitute soya cream for the regular cream and omit the parmesan.
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When in Switzerland…
Make a point of eating lots of cheese and wild foods (such as mushrooms, cured venison or boar), pay a visit to the ultimate chocolate destination - Sprüngli. and order chanterelles on toast at Veltliner Keller a fabulous little local restaurant tucked in a back-street of central Zurich, which is decorated in traditional and beautiful inlaid wood throughout.
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SPAGHETTI SQUASH QUICHE WITH SWISS CHEESE >
Curried wild rice and chicken soup
This is a great recipe to use with bits of a leftover roast chicken.
Make a stock using the carcass of the roast chicken, whatever bits of meat are leftover (if not, substitute with a couple extra chicken thighs). 1 each of onion, carrot and celery (chopped), cover with water and simmer for about an hour. Meanwhile, simmer 1 cup of wild rice in 4 cups water till the wild rice pops (the white interior will emerge). This will take about 50 minutes.
Strain the stock and In a blender puree together the onion, carrot, celery and the chicken meat (moisten with a little stock). Return to the pot with the rest of the stock and heat through. Now add 1 tbs curry paste, 1 tbs mustard, 1tbs tomato paste, 200ml soy cream or light cream, and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
Serve in soup bowls with a large garnish of the wild rice and roasted flaked almonds.
Optional: For additional crunch and colour you can add a garnish of onion, carrot and celery, finely diced and softened in a little olive oil. You can also add a drizzle of walnut oil.
Spaghetti Squash and Swiss Cheese Quiche
This has to be the fluffiest, crispiest, cheesiest quiche I’ve ever eaten. Who knew a quiche could be so good?! I found it in the lovely rooftop canteen at the Manor department store in the centre of Zurich. The views are not bad either.
I will have to try and recreate this at home. The pastry base is a standard butter-based one, the quiche itself seems to have been made with a combo of eggs (whites whipped separately for a souffle-like lightness), bechamel, swiss cheese and strands of yellow spaghetti squash. It was served just out of the oven, with a crisp and golden shell on the outside.
The Breakfast Club: Kedgeree with a poached egg on top
In a pot place 1 cup brown basmati rice with 2 cups water, bring to a boil and then simmer, covered. Meanwhile, place a 250g fillet of smoked haddock in a pan and just cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan (retain the water for later), remove the skin, and flake. Slowly fry 1 large shallot (or small onion) in a little butter till softened. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tbs curry powder. Stir around briefly and remove from heat. Poach 2-3 eggs(this recipe serves 2-3, so count 1 egg per person). I love these poach pods.
Now add the fish, the shallot, 1/2 cup frozen peas, and the juice of 1 lemon to the rice. You can moisten the mixture with the cooking water from the fish to loosen the rice (it should be quite unctious), and finish with 1 tbs cream and a seasoning of sea salt and pepper.
Serve with the poached egg on top.
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The Breakfast Club: Avocado & scramble egg tortilla
In a small pan wiped with a little cooking oil, break two eggs and add a small handful of grated white cheese. Scramble the eggs on medium heat till they reach the desired consistency. Stir in 4-6 quartered cherry tomatoes. Season with sea salt, pepper and a little chilli sauce. Pile into 3-4 corn tortillas, warmed (either in the microwave or in a dry, covered pan on the hob), add a slice of avocado and a squeeze of lime.
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Roasted yellow beets & Chantenay carrots with walnut dressing
Scrub 1 lb little yellow beets (look for them in farmer’s markets) and 1lb Chantenay carrots (or other baby carrot variety), top and tail them, and cut into chunks (beets in quarters, and carrots in half lengthwise). Place in a roasting dish with a drizzle of olive oil, some fresh or dried thyme leaves and a little sea salt and pepper. Roast @ 200c till golden (around 20-25 minutes).
Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle on a dressing made of 1tsp mustard (I like Tewksbury which has a hint of horesradish in it and is creamier in flavour than dijon), 1tbs sherry vinegar, and 1 tbs walnut oil. Sprinkle a few chopped walnuts and serve.
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ENDIVE, BEET & SOFT GOAT’S CHEESE SALAD >
The Aperitivo Hour 2: Funghi porcini crostini
Notoriously difficult to find outside of Italy, the fresh funghi porcini (as opposed to the dried version which is relatively easy to find - and much cheaper), is a joy. Italians serve it in various forms (with barley in a cold salad, grilled, with tagliatelle or gnocchi, etc.).
My favourite way is keeping it very simple (another 5 minute wonder), by slicing up 1 medium funghi porcini and adding it to a pan with a little olive oil and 1 garlic clove, chopped. Stir fry till the porcini becomes very soft and lightly golden. Serve on grilled Italian bread slices.
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The Aperitivo Hour - Black olive tapenade
I would categorise this in the “under 5 minutes to prepare” section of my repertoire.
In a food processor place 1 garlic clove (peeled), 3 anchovy fillets (I like the white ones), the juice of 1 lemon and 1 tbs capers. Whizz till finely chopped. Now add 1 cup pitted black olives and 1/4 cup olive oil. Whizz again till it has achieved the desired consistency (either finely chopped or creamy).
You can also use a mortar and pestle instead of the food processor.
Other variations include adding 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, replacing the black olives with green olives, omitting the anchovies for a vegan version.
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Bananas Gelateria in the Florentine valley of San Casciano in Val di Pesa.
Being a massive ice cream fan, it is great to see a growing trend towards more artisanal ice cream parlours (especially in places like London). Sadly however, no one seems to be able to do it with such ease and success as the Italians. Bananas, based in the tiny village of San Pancrazio (in the valley south of Florence) is a small, family-run producer, delivering lovely ice creams across the Florentine region. The small gelateria features around 10 seasonally-inspired flavours (such as strawberry, fig and hazelnut).
Closed Mondays and at lunchtime.
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Risotto with saffron from Casole D’Elsa and liquorice powder @ La Suvera, Tuscany
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Buca Di Sant’ Antonio in the centre of old Lucca (a much more relaxed and well-designed city than nearby Florence), is a traditional Osteria dating from the late 18th century. The menu is focused on traditional Lucchesi dishes (such as farro soup with cinnamon), the wine list local Tuscan, and everything is reasonably priced. The definite place for a meal in town.
At the Bigonge Bar in Prato, Italy (just outside of Florence).
