July 2013 Favourites List

 Summer has finally arrived in grand style! Here in the UK we have been basking in a heatwave. Being British, we did the typical British thing...

Day 1: all the men remove their shirts. Day 2: same men put shirts back on to cover tender sunburn. Day 3: said sunburn begins to peel.

Women dig out wedges, find they're impossible to walk in, and switch to flip flops. 

The Summer dresses, light, bright short sleeved shirts and sunglasses brought cheer to us all at first. Now, as we swelter in temperatures reaching 30degrees C, we find we can't sleep at night and are drinking our own weight in fluids. Naturally, this means complaining that it's just 'too hot'!

Hang on, I hear you say, only a couple of months ago you were all complaining about the cold Spring and were wishing for the Summer! Er... yes. But complaining about the weather is just part of our collective consciousness. We can't help it!

There is an ongoing debate about whether men wearing shorts to work is acceptable.... These people have clearly never been to Bermuda where the eponymous shorts are even worn by lawyers at court in the hottest months!

London is looking so beautiful in the sunshine. She sparkles like a diamond in weather like this, with the Thames glittering and the landmarks glorious. All those tourists who've managed to coincide their trip with this heatwave have lucked out - "But we were told it always rains, we brought our raincoats and umbrellas and haven't needed them!"

Granted, it's like an oven on the underground, but that's a small price to pay for our capital feeling like Barcelona. 

Anyway, here is my monthly collection of things which have diverted me. Hope you like them. This month's pictures are from Cartagena in Columbia from my travels a few months ago.

Enjoy your Summer, readers!

AMAZING WEBSITE:

Food history, development of recipes through the ages, cultural anthropology through food: http://thehistorykitchen.com/

Blogs Worth Following:

Wonderfully informative and entertaining blog all about Indian/Bangladeshi food: http://culinaryadventuresofthespicescribe.wordpress.com/

Interesting recipes and other musings on life: http://hourglassandbloom.com/

Vegetables, vegetarian and vegan recipes: http://www.hefskitchen.com/

Recipes, particularly baking, with a focus on special (eg gluten free) dietary requirements: http://www.azeliaskitchen.net/

Shameless plug for previous blog posts:

I realise some of you may think it is cynical for me to suggest as my 'favourite' things some previous blog posts of mine, but wait before you pass judgement! I am only proposing my posts to raise awareness for Find Your Feet charity's Curry For Change campaign. It's a great cause helping the remotest corners of rural people of India to become self sufficient through self empowerment rather than aid. So please forgive me and have a read of the following:

My account of the Curry For Change Masterclass: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/curry-for-change-indian-cooking.html

Dhruv Baker's Malaba Prawn Curry: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/dhruv-bakers-prawn-malaba-curry-recipe.html

Vivek Singh’s roast saddle of lamb with root vegetables and pickling sauce: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/vivek-singhs-roast-saddle-of-lamb-with.html

Anjum Anand’s Pomegranate soufflé with rose and raspberry cream: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/anjum-anands-pomegranate-souffle-with.html

Cinnamon Kitchen's Lychee Goji Bellini: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/cinnamon-kitchens-lychee-goji-bellini.html

Recipes:

NOT your School dinners overcooked, grey looking nonsense! These are Sprouts as they should be... even I am tempted! http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/2013/06/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-honey-and-peanuts

Recipe for Mexican style rice, one to have with BBQ or grilled meat and fish, perhaps?

http://kamalkitchen.com/spanish-style-rice-or-mexican-rice/

An adult-y weekend-y treat: Melon and Cucumber Sangria. Find it here: http://www.bhg.com/blogs/delish-dish/2013/06/20/cucumber-sangria/

Now that fennel is in season and readily available, I don't mind if I do! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/10059082/Fish-fennel-and-pea-tagine-recipe.html

Homemade toffee popcorn? I just hope I don't explode my microwave making this.... http://pinkrecipebox.com/smores-toffee-popcorn/

Top chef Tom Aikens' recipe for Caesar Salad. Complete with baguette recipe. I'm most interested in the chicken marinade and from-scratch dressing. I might give the baguette a miss. http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/caesar-salad-recipe

Korean style marinaded ribs, finger food delight! http://www.steamykitchen.com/27226-korean-kalbi-baby-back-ribs-recipe-video.html

I'm thinking of this roasted cauliflower dish as an alternative veg for a Sunday roast. Who's with me? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/cumin-seed-roasted-caulif_n_1062589.html

Carrots pickled with horseradish: http://ksolomon.com/wasabi-pickled-carrots-recipe-from-asian-pickles-japan-recipes-for-japanese-sweet-sour-salty-cured-and-fermented-tsukemono

Vegetarian and vegan Quinoa and Zucchini (Courgette) curry: http://www.sophistimom.com/healthier-eating-quinoa-and-zucchini-curry/

Really curious about the Pomegranate molasses in this Tabbouleh recipe from Chloe Scott (as received from her Lebanese delivery chap's wife): http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/15/how-to-make-simple-tabbouleh-for-a-picnic-3880371/

Summertime dinner for sunny days: http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/recipes/recipe-sardines-with-campari-peach-and-fennel

Carrot Halva (Helwa/ Halwa). A classic Indian and Middle Eastern pudding. Yum yum yum! http://kamalkitchen.com/gajar-ka-halwa-recipe/

Articles/Know How:

I'm rubbish at baking. If you'd like to be better at baking, like I do, this might help! http://www.domesticsluttery.com/2013/04/tips-for-becoming-better-baker.html

A guide to places to eat in Soho for the terminally skint... or thrifty! http://melissafoodie.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/round-up-of-soho-lunches-under-10-june.html

Know your sushi the easy way - super diagrams! http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2013/07/09/in-pictures-a-spotters-guide-to-sushi/

What's in season right now: http://marmadukescarlet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/whats-in-season-july.html

A Taste Of France 2013: amazing French Food products

UbiFrance try to help French businesses succeed. Their food and drink people are obsessive about the best of French produce. It's just what they do, and their passion is apparent, whoever you meet from their organisation. I was invited to their Taste Of France exhibition at The Roof Gardens, Kensington, showcasing both new and traditional French food products and found myself surrounded by quite simply wonderful food.

The products featured are largely unknown in the UK, or if sold, are only available in very select stores. This is a shame, since they were of very good quality, made generally by smaller companies who know their "oignons". Many of these products ought to be picked up by the supermarkets for premium ranges or by high quality delis. 

I will focus on the products and producers which had the greatest impact on me or impressed me the most.
 

Chocogil are a small family chocolate producer who have been in business since 1957, using only pure cocoa butter in their products. The product they wanted to showcase is, to my mind, the perfect present for any wine and chocolate lover you might know. The Marc de Champagne Bouchon is their creation, dark chocolate moulded into the shape of a cute little champagne cork, and filled with Marc de Champagne brandy liqueur. During the making process, called the "Mogul" process (nothing to do with the Indian emperors from the time of the Taj Mahal's creator Shah Jahan), the people at Chocogil manage to crystallise sugar on the inside of the chocolate shell, meaning that the brandy is encased and does not come into direct contact with the chocolate. From a practical viewpoint, this means the transportation and storage potential is much increased. But from my point of view as a food lover, you get a lovely slight crunch as you chomp through the chocolate into the thin sugar shell to the brandy beneath. This product is, amazingly, not yet readily available in the UK. I can see myself buying these as presents for food and wine loving friends and relatives. They taste great and look special. Chocogil make 9 varieties of the Bouchon, flavoured with all manner of wonderfulness such as praline, noisette, calvados, and raspberry.

Based in the Lorraine area, Berni have been producing dried and cured meat products since 1954. Their chorizos and saucissons seches are sold all over France, and they are seen as one of the best producers in France. The product Berni were seeking to find suppliers and retailers for are, in my opinion, possibly the ultimate 'meaty treaty', "Les French Stickss", little packets of mini dried meat sausages of roughly the same dimensions as a liquorice stick. The product was lauched in 2010 and is available in 4 flavours; chorizo, saucisson sec, Danish salami and cherry plum flavoured saucisson sec. Les French Stickss won the 2010 Innoval Competition. 

This is a cracking little product; the packets are small enough to be a pleasant snack, the sticks themselves are a tactile and pleasant size, they are skinless for convenient eating and they taste great; meaty and full of flavour. They are chewy in a satisfying way, rather like beef jerky, but without the fibres to get stuck in your teeth! I think this is a product which generally, men will love. It would be perfectly marketed as a treat for a Saturday afternoon of sport and beer. Not that I won't be enjoying some myself! 

The Provencal city of Aix-En-Provence has long been famed for its gastronomy, clear light and beautiful scenery. Its local countryside was the inspiration for a certain Mr Van Gogh. La Confiserie du Roy Rene have, for 3 generations, been making little sweets called "Calissons". Legend has it that King Rene's Queen, some time in the 15th Century, was offered these sweets and loving their taste, asked what their name was. The reply, in the Provencal dialect was "Di Calins souns" (little hugs), from which they then gained their name. 

The Calisson is made from almonds grown in Provence, candied melon and orange peel. These are pressed into a diamond shaped chewy lozenge and topped with royal icing. They are a sophisticated little treat either made in full size, which is a decent bite size and the mini version, which is a tiny but sweet treat. 

Another Provencal company was Jean Martin, a family run business which since 1920 has made typically Provencal food products; bottled soups such as the classic Pistou, Ratatouille, black and green olive Tapenade, tomato and basil sauces and aubergine caviar. All the produce is cultivated in Provence and harvested when in season, to assure the quality of the vegetables used. The products are all free from artificial colours, preservatives, flavouring and starch. In 2011 they started an organic range, which combines the best produce of the Provencal sunshine (famously Provence is the sunniest part of France) with the Martin family's cooking knowhow.  

This is an adorable little crostini we made from the aubergine caviar. Can you imagine this as a cute little canape, topped with a little cube of feta cheese and a basil leaf with a drizzle of olive oil?

Foie Gras is a classic French food product, but one which is controversial in the UK. Many love its taste and texture, but object to the forcefeeding process. In fairness, the forcefeeding of the geese which make the Foie Gras only happens for the last 12 days of the geese's life, the geese having a free range outdoor life for four months prior to that. However, this is something many food fans cannot get past. I was very interested to find that Sarlat based producer Rougie have a cruelty free, non-forcefed product Duck Foie Fin. It is made from unfattened ducks only. Connoisseurs of Foie Gras may taste it and note the texture is not quite as delicately smooth as the 'real thing'. I would challenge the majority of people, foodies included, to tell the difference. It is smooth with subtle creaminess. It was very good on the fresh French bread I tried. This is a product which I think the UK market will embrace, particularly if its cruelty free status is made clear on the packet. 

(Apologies for the incorrect orientation)

Choc'Fleurs, based in Morogues, is an inspiring small producer of quite the most inventive and lovely chocolates. When I say 'small producer' I mean it, it's a husband and wife team! I was able to meet Christian Guilleminot, but not his wife as she was back in France, running the business! 

Monsieur Guilleminot

 The chocolates are 100% organic, made wholly from pure cocoa butter. in the couple's 18th Century house among the trees and flowers. It was not until 2008 that Monsieur Guilleminot had the idea of using the nature around him. Now, these high quality chocolates are hand decorated or flavoured with organic flowers, herbs or spices. Beautifully presented, with quality of taste to match, these chocolates are only available at selected shops in France and online in France. They are truly excellent, particularly the hibiscus and the star anise flavours. There has to be a supplier or retailer out there who wants to sell superb stuff like this!

If you are interested in these companies, here are their contact details:

Chocogil: steve.mange@chocogil.com

Berni: berni.verdun@wanadoo.fr

Confiseur du Roy Rene (Calissons): ventedirecte@calisson.com

Jean Martin: j.albiges@jeanmartin.fr

Rougie: philippe.riazantsev@eiralis.fr

Choc'Fleurs: choc-fleurs-sas@orange.fr

I would like to thank UbiFrance for inviting me to the show, I had an illuminating and enjoyable time. 

Cinnamon Kitchen's Lychee Goji Bellini - A Curry For Change recipe (cocktail recipe)

I have recently been sharing with you a number of recipes I have learned from the Indian cooking Masterclass I attended at Vivek Singh's Cinnamon Kitchen restaurant. I was invited by Find Your Feet, a unique and very special charity which has a firm philosophy of offering assistance for the long term rather than aid for the short term. Find Your Feet were holding this Masterclass, with recipe demonstrations by Indian food luminaries Dhruv Baker, Vivek Singh himself and Anjum Anand to launch their "Curry For Change" initiative; a fundraising campaign where we, the great British public can enjoy and indulge our curry obsessions and help people at the same time. Either by eating at one of the Curry For Change partner restaurants, shopping with a partner company or holding your own Indian food dinner party, you could help raise money for Find Your Feet. The money is then spent on giving poor, remote rural communities much needed education and empowerment to help them look after themselves, their community and increase their farming potential to allow them to feed themselves. 

I previously wrote about the Masterclass here: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/curry-for-change-indian-cooking.html

I have also, with the very kind permission of Find Your Feet, featured the three recipes I was taught at the Masterclass. The starter, Dhruv Baker's Prawn Malaba Curry can be found here: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/dhruv-bakers-prawn-malaba-curry-recipe.html

The main course, Vivek Singh's Roast Saddle of Lamb can be found here: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/vivek-singhs-roast-saddle-of-lamb-with.html

Anjum Anand's Pomegranate Souffle can be found here: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/anjum-anands-pomegranate-souffle-with.html

The Masterclass was a delight, not just because I learned so much from Vivek, Anjum and Dhruv, but also because I got to meet so many food enthusiasts and fellow bloggers. We had a fantastic time chatting and swapping notes. This chat was further assisted by some delectable canapes and glasses Vivek Singh's Cinnamon Kitchen Lychee and Goji Bellini. I am a sucker for a sparkling wine cocktail, they really are one of my very favourite things, and perhaps on the evening I had one Bellini too many. But how was I to resist such fruity perfection?

Chef Vivek Singh and his Cinnamon Kitchen team looked after me superbly at the Masterclass, but their kindness did not end there. They have agreed to share the recipe of the Lychee and Goji Bellini with me and my readers. Thanks to everyone at Cinnamon Kitchen - I really appreciate it, and will be making this on balmy Summer nights.

I hope you will give it a try too!

Lychee & Goji Bellini

This is a modern, summery take on the classic Italian Bellini.

Delicately light and floral, lychee pairs perfectly with the Fair Goji Liqueur which is packed with vibrant red fruit flavours and a depth of richer herbal notes. The elegant, crisp Prosecco is dry enough to balance the drink and prevent it being overly sweet.

The Fair Goji Liqueur is made from goji berries which are organically grown and Fair Trade Certified. They are sourced directly from a co-op of 300 farmers in the Tibet region of the Himalayas. The sugar used in Fair Goji Liqueur is also organic and Fair Trade Certified, coming from a co-op of 800 independent farmers in Malawi.

The drink is sold exclusively at Cinnamon Kitchen for £8.95 a pop.

Lychee & Goji Bellini 

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

20ml fresh lychee juice

10ml sugar syrup

8ml Fair Goji Liqueur

100ml Villa Doral Prosecco

Served in a champagne flute

I would like to thank Cinnamon Kitchen and Chef Vivek Singh for letting me share this recipe with you.

Anjum Anand’s Pomegranate soufflé with rose and raspberry cream: a recipe for Curry For Change

Many people love Indian food, but find it daunting to cook at home. Anjum Anand has been gently coaxing people that Indian cooking can be light, healthy and easy for several successful TV series and books. Her approach has been fresh and contemporary, which is the secret to her success. So I was really excited to learn how to make a dish at the Curry For Change cooking masterclass organised by Find Your Feet with Anjum as my teacher. I wrote about the Masterclass in my recent blog post which you can find here: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/curry-for-change-indian-cooking.html

Anjum Anand's dessert was an Indian inspired souffle, using pomegranate and rose as an eastern twists. Her reinvention of classic British desserts as 'Indianised' version are inspired, and I have heard all about her delicious Indianised Eton Mess in her recent book. 

The souffle is flavoured with a light pomegranate syrup/coulis. You can use any commercially available pomegranate juice, since pomegranates are pretty difficult to juice. Anjum recommends Pomegreat, although I have been able to find small bottles in my local Turkish supermarket. The rose and raspberry cream is prepared separately and poured onto the souffle after serving as a final touch. 

Anjum has assured me (a complete baking-phobe) that these souffles are easy to make and will work. She has made them all over the world, including the humidity of south east Asia, where some baked pudding recipes do not work because of the climate. It was a pleasure to meet her and an honour to be able to learn from her.

I hope that if you decide to hold a Curry For Change fundraising Dinner party (you can request a Curry For Change fundraiser's pack here if you are: http://find-your-feet.org/curryforchange/cook-curry/), you give this dessert a try. It was wonderfully light, delicate and luxurious. 

Anjum Anand’s Pomegranate soufflé with rose and raspberry cream

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

Souffles

250ml pomegranate juice

2 x teaspoons (slightly rounded) corn flour 

30g sugar plus 1½ tablespoons extra for meringue and some to line the ramekins (my ramekins hold 150ml)

2 x egg whites

Soft butter to brush ramekins

Rose and raspberry cream

120g single cream

20g sugar

2 teaspoons of rose water or to taste

150g raspberries, 100g kept whole and the rest mashed and pushed through a sieve to extract all the juices

Method: 

1. Start with the soufflé. Whisk 25ml of the pomegranate juice into the corn flour until well amalgamated. Bring the remaining pomegranate juice to a boil and reduce to 125 ml, around 4 minutes; you will need to pour it back into the measuring jug to check (don’t  worry if it slightly over-reduces). 

2. Add 30g of sugar and once it has dissolved, whisk in the corn flour slurry (it will start to thicken almost immediately). Bring to a boil, whisking all the while; boil for 1-1½ minutes. Scrape into a container you can blend in (I use the same measuring jug and my stick blender). Set aside to cool.  

3. Meanwhile, butter the ramekins well and dust the inside with sugar so it is well coated. Also, this is a good time to make the cream. Take 50g of the berries, mash well and push through a sieve so you have a seed-free juice. Stir into the cream along with the sugar and rose water. Fold in the whole raspberries, taste and adjust sugar and rose water to taste.  

4. Heat the oven to 180C. Whisk the egg whites until they reach soft peaks, sprinkle in the extra 1½ tablespoons of sugar and continue whisking until the meringue is glossy and firm.

5. Blend the jelly so that it is smooth again. Place in a large bowl and whisk in around ¼ of the meringue mix. Then using a large spoon, carefully fold in the rest, trying to keep the lightness as you incorporate all the little lumps but do not over mix. Spoon equally into the ramekins and flatten the tops with a palette knife or other knife. Run the tip of your thumb around the inner rim of the ramekins and place in the oven.

6. Bake on the middle shelf for 8-9 minutes or until well risen and slightly golden on the top. Serve immediately with the rose and raspberry cream.

I would like to thank Find Your Feet for allowing me to share Anjum Anand's recipe with you.