Huevos Rancheros – A Beautiful Brunch

Generally, I’m quite critical of my own food, so when I say something is yummy, it means it’s pretty damn good and Huevos Rancheros has to be one of the best brunches I’ve ever created.  Perfect hangover food…or not, I just love its whole being.

Also, I really like saying it repeatedly in a heavy Mexican accent…think Speedy Gonzalez style. It fits perfectly.

I’m not sure the addition of parmesan is “very mexican” but I was on a mission to use lots of left over items so in it went…and the people said nom!

Serves 2 ravenous pigs.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium free-range eggs

1 hot chilli

1/2 tin of plum tomatoes

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 Teaspoon cumin

Juice of 1 lime

4 Soft tortillas

Parmesan for grating

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

- Pre-heat the oven to around 150°C, sprinkle a tiny amount of water in between 4 tortillas to stop them drying out, then wrap in tinfoil and set aside

- Finely chop the garlic and chilli then fry in the olive oil until soft but not golden

- Add the cumin to the pan with the tomatoes, breaking them with a wooden spoon as you go

- Finely chop a small amount of coriander stalks and add them to the pan

- Place the wrapped tortillas in the oven to warm through

- Taste the sauce and add seasoning as required along with a drop of water if it seems to be drying out

- Make four holes in the sauce and crack in the eggs, then pop the pan in the oven for five minutes on the top shelf

- Keep checking the eggs, if you like them runny take them out sooner

- Fold the tortillas onto a plate (2 on each) in some kind of artistic fashion and place the eggs and sauce on top

- Sprinkle over chopped coriander with a squeeze of lime and some grated parmesan

- Serve with some hot black coffee. Double Nom

Sea Bream with Home-made Pesto and Aubergine Slices

First things first, let me get my failures out of the way:

1. I ate meat

2. I drank alcohol

However, ( and here come the excuses) I read an article in Stylist this week about how your brain works and apparently telling yourself you can’t have something, means all you will think about is said off-limits items. Therefore, rather than cutting out things I love altogether, I’m cutting down…much more achievable

In other foodienom news, last weekend, I rustled up a tasty little fish dish…

Now, it’s worth noting, both myself and the OH are fairly greedy, so whilst you’ll notice potatoes in the final photo, you don’t actually need them.  Instead, I would suggest an addition of watercress. However, if you are using potatoes, put them onto boil at the beginning as the rest of the meal doesn’t take long to prepare.

We’re really lucky in Ealing as we have lots of little great little shops, particularly around the Northfields area and Poisson is my favourite place to go for fish. It’s not the cheapest but everything is just so fresh…plus I really like to support local businesses, even if it means paying a bit more.

I love the little wheelbarrow of veg outside, it’s like being in old-fashioned times….

Ingredients:

For the pesto:

Handful of fresh basil

15g Good quality parmesan

15g Pine nuts

2 Cloves of garlic

3 Tablespoons of olive oil

For the rest of the dish:

4 Sea bream fillets

1 Lemon

1 Aubergine

1 Tomato

Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing

Sea salt

Black pepper

A handful of watercress

Method:

- Pre-heat the grill to a moderate level

- Pop all of the pesto ingredients in a blender for about ten seconds, then spoon about half into a bowl and set aside – it should be quite coarse

- Whizz the remaining ingredients until smooth and put it in the fridge for later

- Cut the aubergine slices to around 1/2″ thick, brush generously with olive oil and rub sea salt into both sides. Stick them under the grill until they are just cooked through, turning once throughout

- Spread the coarse pesto onto the aubergine slices and put them back under the grill for about 1 minute, then set aside

- Season and brush the bream fillets with the olive oil and put them under the  grill for about 3 minutes each side

- Whilst the fish is cooking, put the tomato in boiling water for one minute (making it easier to peel), take out the seeds and roughly chop

- Remove the bream from under the grill and place on the plates with the aubergine slices and watercress in some kind of stylish fashion

- Scatter over the tomatoes with a squeeze of lemon and dot the remaining smooth pesto around the plate

- Eat, preferably with a cold glass of dry white. Nom

Fennel and Leek Pasta with Tuna

Day four and I am still officially alcohol free…but wait, I can hear a faint cracking noise…oh right yes, that would be the sound of my will power breaking. I’ve been really good all week but now Friday has arrived, I’m pretty sure I’m going to fall off the wagon….or gently roll myself off.

In other news, I’m doing well with my new meat free way of living and made an excellent pasta dish this week.  As with most sauces, it benefits from being cooked the day before so the flavours have time to blend together.

I always think a good tomato sauce needs 1.5 – 2 hours as a rule, but obviously that’s not always practical when you’re working all day.  Therefore, I’d recommend making the sauce on a weekend and freezing it.  Then, once you’re ready to use it, add the tuna, rocket and cooked pasta to the sauce once you’ve warmed it through.

Serves 2 – Enjoy!

Fennel & Leek Pasta with Tuna

Serves 2

Ingredients:

200g Wholewheat pasta

1 Leek finely chopped

2 Cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 Tin good quality chopped tomatoes

1 Teaspoon of fennel seeds

1 Teaspoon of dried oregano

1 Tablespoon of tomato puree

A handful of rocket leaves

Parmesan for grating

1 Tin of tuna

Sea salt and black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

1 Green chilli (deseed it you don’t like much heat)

Method:

- Heat the oil in a pan with the fennel seeds and oregano.  When they start sizzling, add the leek, chilli and garlic and cook until soft but not brown

- Add the tomatoes with the puree, baslamic and season to taste

- Turn down the heat, pop the lid on and and allow the sauce to cook for about 1.5 hours, adding water if it starts to dry out

- Taste the sauce, it should be sweet and just slightly acidic.  Now add the tuna and more seasoning if you think it needs it

- Add pasta to salted boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions

- When the pasta is ready, drain and add it to the sauce along with the rocket and stir well.

- Serve in slightly warmed bowls with plenty of grated parmesan and a bit of extra pepper for luck.

New Year’s Resolutions and Chilli Oil

Hello and Happy New Year!

I don’t know about you, but I’m glad Christmas is out of the way…there’s just too much food, too much alcohol and not enough sleep.  Not that I didn’t make the most of it you understand, I’ve just had enough now.  I’m looking forward to a healthier, lighter and fractionally wealthier me. And no, I’m not planning on winning the lottery, I’ve just given up drinking for January to give my body chance to recover.  For somebody, who doesn’t EVER make New Year’s Resolutions, I’ve made three this year:

1. Stop eating meat

2. Don’t drink in January

3. Be less of a potty mouth

The latter, is more of an effort, rather than a resolution. I’m not going to stop swearing altogether, but maybe just at people, under my breath…..on public transport. We’ll see…Rome wasn’t built in a day

As I have a whole month ahead of me on the wagon, I shall be occupying my time with food related activities and yesterday, I made my first batch of chilli oil.  It won’t be ready for another six weeks, but look how pretty it looks! I just added twenty dried red chillies to a sterilised bottle (because I like it hot) and topped it up with reasonably good quality extra virgin olive oil.

My next chore shall be to make garlic oil, pickled onions and possibly my own mayonnaise. Exciting times are ahead.

Let me know if you have any infused oil/pickling type ideas for me to have a crack at.

Thanks, Becky

Happy Veggie New Year!

January 2012 is a new chapter in my life, as I am stopping eating meat. Whilst that sounds drastic, it’s actually something I’ve been considering for a really long time but was scared I might feel like I’m missing out. Truth be told, I still am but the way I see it, I either need to stop feeling guilty or stop eating it.

Those who know me, know what a huge animal lover I am and I have a hard time dissociating what’s on my plate with our furry friends in the fields. I mean, come on….look at his little face!

I am however, going to eat fish, so officially I’ll be a pescatarian. I don’t have the same emotional connection with fish….

My cousin, Noo was a vegetarian for many years (until she ate a steak one day) and she recommendeds The Moosewood and Food From The Place Below by Bill Sewell.

Have you got any tips or advice you can share? Either to recommend a cook book or the best way to cook with quorn/tofu etc…

London Restaurant Festival

A citywide celebration of eating out you say? I’m well up for that.  Not just because I love the idea of raising the profile of lesser known, yet amazing restaurants, but because I like to eat. It’s also a really good opportunity to eat somewhere swanky without having to re-mortgage.

On Friday, my sister is coming to stay for the weekend and she’s into food just as much as me.  Neither of us know where we get it from as our parents aren’t foodies.  Maybe it came from eating less than exciting food as children and thinking ‘Is that it? I can do better’. It was in the days where vegetables were cooked to within an inch of their life and you put an oxo cube in everything (they still do that).

This two-week long celebration runs until the 17th October, so make sure you visit at least one restaurant. This weekend, we’ll be eating at Comptoir Gascon in Farringdon on a two courses for £14.50 deal. We’ll also be visiting Le Mercury in Islington (Do you think I like French food?) although I don’t think you can book that through the London Restaurant Festival website.

There are loads of great foodie events happening this week, including the Gourmet Odyseesy bus, which takes you on a whistle-stop tour around some great restaurants for a different course at each.  It’s always a sell out so if you fancy going you’ll have to be quick.

If you’re in the Capital this weekend and are visiting any of the restaurants taking part, let me know. I’d love to hear where you’re going and what you think of it afterwards.

And in the words of Arnie, I’ll be back next week to tell you all about Comptoir Gascon.

À bientôt

Becky

Where to eat in London for under the £90 average.

There was  an article in the Evening Standard this week, which said the cost of dining out in London has now soared to around £90 for two people.  Now, I don’t know if I’ve been living here too long but that doesn’t seem as high as I imagined it would be, particularly if you consider it includes three courses, wine, coffee and service.  Of course, it’s easy to find restaurants where you can pay considerably more than that, but equally there are just as many where you can pay less.  So, in today’s blog, I’d like to share with you a few of  my favourite, more wallet friendly eateries.

La Porchetta, Old Compton Street, Soho

This place is somewhat of a London institution based right in the heart of the West End, at the Shaftesbury Avenue end of Old Compton Street.  Don’t go here thinking you’re going to get a fine dining experience as this place is more like the type of restaurant come cafe you’d find the locals hanging out at in Italy and there are plenty of Italians chowing down here, which speaks for itself really.  The food is largely pasta and risotto where the portions are big and rustic and if pizza is more your thing, they’re happy to tweak the toppings to suit your personal preferences..thin based and wood fired.  Two pizzas with a carafe of wine and a side salad will set you back about £40. Bargenous.

Busaba Ethai, various locations

I’ve literally eaten my body weight in Thai food here on so many occasions, that I actually can’t face going for a while.  The Wardour street branch in Soho is in my view, the original and best, but they also have restaurants at Tottenham Court Road and Westfield amongst others.  You can’t book , so don’t turn up starving (or needing a wee) as you’ll have to queue for a place at one of the large tables, which you’ll share with other diners.  It’s easier to seat two than five, so this place probably isn’t advisable if there’s a big group of you.  My favourites include; Thai Calamari (above photo), the Cod Fillet Stir Fry, Duck Massaman Curry with sticky rice and the Chicken Pandang, which is thigh marinated in herbs and spices then cooked in banana leaf. Nom. Five- ish dishes with wine will set you back around £50.

Wahaca

The brain child of Thomasina Miers, a former Masterchef winner, Wahaca specialises in Mexican street food.  With restaurants in Westfield, Covent Garden and now Soho, this place is always busy.  It’s fantastic for sharing dishes but beware, it’s very easy to over order and if like me, you can’t stand to waste food, you’ll leave here as full as an egg. The pork burritos with pink pickled onions is a personal favourite, along with the fish tacos and generous helpings of guacamole. Wash it down with a couple of Coronas and you’ll have a tasty meal for a drop in the ocean as five to six dishes with beers will cost around £35-40.

 

BKB

Owned by the Soho House group, but open to mere mortals, this is a great place to meet for drinks or dinner, or both.  If you can get a table outside in the summer, it makes for great people watching, but they tend to be reserved and in high demand.  The menu is simple and tasty with a good range of options, but every time I go I have the cheeseburger medium rare, with chips and salad. If you fancy something a little more refined, they also have great steaks and salads as well as good nibbly dishes, such as little sausages or humous.  A word of warning though, don’t go here if you don’t like house music as they’re always pumping out the tunes. It’s a great venue to go to with friends as it’s so bustling and busy, but if you’re after something more romantic head to Andrew Edmunds around the corner.  A one course dinner for two with wine, will cost around £70.

I think what we’ve learned here is a) I hang out in Soho way too much and b) All my nights out revolve around food. 

If you do manage to pop along to any of these places, I’d love to hear what you think or if you’ve got a suggestion of somewhere I might like, please let me know in the comment section below. Thanks!