Harissa-marinated Asparagus Slow-roast Duck with Rhubarb, Ginger and Sage, Aubergine Chermoula, Braised Spring Greens Not my finest dinner – some tasty components but it didn’t really hang together. Harissa-marinated Asparagus Harissa-marinated Asparagus is from Sabrina Ghayour’s Persiana. It’s incredibly simple: asparagus marinated for ½-1 hour in a mix of 2 tsp harissa, 2 tbsp honey,…Continue reading Duck but with what? A flavour dilemma
Author: Keith
Asparagus in the Morning
Roast New Potatoes and Asparagus with Baked Eggs Sunday is the day for a decent brunch. Spring is the time for asparagus. Therefore on Sunday mornings in May and June we have asparagus. It stands to reason… OK, so we might not have asparagus every week – if we are having it for Saturday and…Continue reading Asparagus in the Morning
Scallops, Mint-crusted Lamb – Flavours of Spring
A main course to celebrate some better spring weather, with a favourite scallop dish to start. Seared Scallops with Ibérico Ham I have cooked this starter, from Rick Stein’s Seafood Odyssey, many times. There are few recipes that deliver such a sophisticated dish for so little effort! Typically I use a different ham – Ibérico is…Continue reading Scallops, Mint-crusted Lamb – Flavours of Spring
Fera at Claridge’s
Claridge’s will always need to be a treat and this time it was for Tuula’s birthday. Having said that, the lunch menu at Fera at Claridge’s – Simon Rogan’s restaurant – is far better value than you might expect. We really enjoyed our lunch. It was also good to observe that even amid the grandeur…Continue reading Fera at Claridge’s
The Lockhart, London
The Lockhart (no photos, I’m afraid…) describes itself as offering refined Southern US cooking and it does exactly that: a taste of the American South in the West End. It was our first visit and we were impressed. It’s an exceptionally friendly place, with a stripped-back informal charm. This is epitomised by chef Brad McDonald,…Continue reading The Lockhart, London
Season’s First Asparagus, and Red Mullet with Red Pepper Dressing
Oh asparagus, asparagus how we love thee. And so hurrah for the first asparagus of the season. This strange Spring has made us wait a lot longer than in recent years, but it’s here now and we will be eating it several times a week until the sad day in June when it runs out again. And in…Continue reading Season’s First Asparagus, and Red Mullet with Red Pepper Dressing
Coconut chilli prawns and a new way with Korma
An Indian evening, all courtesy of Rick Stein… Coconut Chill Prawns with Cumin Puris We started with Coconut Chilli Prawns and Cumin Puris, a dish I have cooked several times from Rick Stein’s Seafood Odyssey. This book dates from 1999 and my edition shows it. But then I have cooked not far off half the…Continue reading Coconut chilli prawns and a new way with Korma
Juuri, Helsinki
We have been to Juuri three or four times, and we really like it. Juuri’s calling card is its ‘sapas’. A piece on the restaurant website, denies that this word derives from ‘tapas’, but I seem to recall an article at around the time the restaurant was opened saying the opposite. Instead, the website describes…Continue reading Juuri, Helsinki
Habitual, Valencia
Habitual rounded off a good selection of restaurants in Valencia. With the exception of one dish, it easily met our expectations. Habitual is located in the Mercado de Colón, a 100-year old market building that has been turned into a lovely space full of bars and restaurants. Before dinner, we sat in a bar admiring…Continue reading Habitual, Valencia
Restaurante RiFF, Valencia
Sometimes you find a restaurant that makes such an impact, you know that it’s going to be hard to forget. RiFF was such a place. It was extraordinary. RiFF is the Michelin-starred restaurant of Bernd H Knöller, who hails from the Black Forest. He moved around several restaurants in Europe, including in the UK, before…Continue reading Restaurante RiFF, Valencia