Catford Broadway Supperclub - Mangia

As a proud resident of what I call the "Nation of Catford", I support local businesses and go to eat in local restaurants. Our corner of London, deep in the south east of the city, isn't well known or glitzy. But it has many pluses. It is full of lovely green spaces. We have a diverse population of people who've been here for generations or arrived from all over the world either this generation or the last. We have proud Victorian housing stock which would sell for millions in the more chi-chi neighbourhoods of north and west London. It is great that we have local Turkish, Vietnamese, Caribbean and Sri Lankan grocers in our neighbourhood, making diverse culinary traditions accessible, bringing that taste of home closer for local migrant communities.

I recently hosted a guest post about Catford Broadway Supperclub (you will find it here: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/guest-post-catford-broadway-supperclub.html) and followed that up with a post about some new developments coming our way (which you can read here: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/update-catford-broadway-market-and.html). It was therefore high time that I visited and wrote about the Supperclub itself. So here I am! 

The September Catford Broadway Supperclub followed their recent tradition of Supperclubs; a pop up restaurant in the market space, run by great London supperclub hosts and local caterers. This Supperclub in particular was a joint effort between Capo Caccia and Pastificio Mansi.

Capo Caccia specialise in the food of Sardinia, with cured meats and cheese being their particular passions. Trading at markets in Northcote Road, Tufnell Park, Harringay, Chatsworth Road and Catford Broadway, Capo Caccia want to spread greater awareness of the high quality available from Sardinia. (If you want to know more about them, including their trading dates, do have a look here: http://www.capocaccia.co.uk/. Pastificio Mansi is an Italian home made pasta workshop based in Ladywell, South East London, just up the road from the Nation of Catford. 

This was due to be the last Catford Broadway Supperclub to be held on the Broadway itself. The weather is on the change, and it won't be practical to hold future Supperclubs in a marquee. As the weather gets colder and less reliable, the need for heating and total watertight conditions will only increase. As a result, the Supperclub will, in future be relocated to a nearby shop which will be called the "Catford Canteen". 

Thankfully, we had a pleasant and unseasonally warm evening for this final al fresco Supperclub. I arrived a little bit early and caught the Capo Caccia team preparing the Antipasti platter. 

Here was my place, all made up and ready for me!

We were welcomed with an Aperol spritz, made up of Aperol and prosecco, in the traditional way. It got us ready for the specialities to come, ready to take us on an Italian journey!

Our pre-starter was Pane Carasau with Pecorino cream dip. Pane Carasau is a traditional Sardinian bread, a flatbread made out of durum wheat (the same as used for pasta), which is double baked, making it crisp and crunchy. Made for shepherds to take on their long wanders across the countryside, it keeps for months. The Pane was light and crunchy, and breaking it gave a smile-inducing cracking sound. It went very well with the creamy, thick and highly indulgent dip. One fellow diner remarked that it was "a bit like Dairylea". I would disagree as there was a depth of flavour our more familiar foil trangles don't have; a bit like the umami flavours of Parmesan.

 

 

Here is the Pane Carasau, ready for its close-up.

The Antipasti platter arrived soon after, and it was a mouthwatering selection of Sardinian Mustela, Salami and Coppa with Pecorino cheese and rocket. 

In Sardinia, Mustela is pork fillet flavoured with herbs, and aged. Some varieties are soaked in white wine or vinegar. Capo Caccia's is from the southern flatlands and aged for 2-3 months. The Coppa is made from the neck of the pig, marinaded in the local Malvasia wine, treated with salt, pepper and spice and aged for 4-6 months. The Pecorino is made with sheeps milk and aged for 60-90 days. The salami was studded with cracked black pepper, bringing a kick of heat and flavour to the splendidly aged meat. 

It was then time to hand over to Pastificio Mansi. Their first offering was pumpkin ravioli in sage, butter sauce and shaved Parmesan. The hand made raviolis were delectable little parcels, the pasta being a world away from the supermarket chiller packs we have got so used to. 

Generously filled with pumpkin, the sage and butter complemented it well. Rich buttery flavours tinged with medicinal sage contrasted and highlighted the sweet mushiness of the vibrantly orange pumpkin.

 

Squid ink and bottarga lasagna served with zucchini and king prawns was next. Bottarga is grated grey mullet roe. The lasagna itself was not black pasta, as I had expected. However, I have to confess that I was disappointed by this dish. It didn't skimp on the prawns, and was clearly made with care and skill. However, it was cold! And even though I am a confirmed pasta-demon, cold lasagna isn't something I enjoy. It's a shame, since it wasn't Pastaficio Mansi's fault they were having to bring dishes from the outside kitchen all the way to the Supperclub diner's marquee. If it had been hot, I would have been able to assess it fairly and squarely. Perhaps I will withhold judgment as a result.

We finished with Hazelnut gelato, mature salted Ricotta topped with organic Sardinian honey. The gelato was produced by Gelateria 3BIS of Borough Market, a traditional Italian gelato producer with a branch in Rimini. Made with organic milk, the hazelnut gelato was creamy, and tasted richly of real hazelnuts, not flavouring. The dried ricotta and honey was pleasant, but the ricotta was a little too salty to go with the ice cream. I felt that if it had been served as a half-way house dessert on its own, it would have been thoroughly enjoyable. Dried ricotta is a world away from the somewhat bland tubs of creamy stuff available in UK supermarkets. However, served with the ice cream, the overall effect was a little jarring. The two items just didn't go together for me. So I ate the ricotta first, and then tucked into the ice cream!

The Catford Broadway Supperclub is a great initiative; it brings together local food producers and caterers to the attention of potential customers. And it brings together local people in celebration of good food. I met many food lovers who live less than a stone's throw away from me who in ordinary life I would have walked past and never have spoken to. I also met local food blogger and supperclub host Hungry Larder, who I've been in touch with on twitter for a long while, but never met in real life - the real 'social network'!

Meeting and getting to know people over a meal and drinks is the oldest and most effective way of interacting. These Supperclubs are an opportunity to bring the community together, and to take pride and enjoyment for their locale home. Him Indoors and I had a very enjoyable evening, chatting to other like minded people, and will definitely be joining the action at the new Catford Canteen!

Snigdha and Him Indoors dined as guests of Catford Broadway Supperclub.

Kitchen Nomad: Greek ingredient box

Kitchen Nomads are on a mission; to broaden our horizons on food, country by country, culture by culture, nation by nation. Their idea is simple; each month they send you a box of ingredients to assist you to learn something about the food and cooking of a new nation.

Customers subscribe (although one off orders are possible) and a special Kitchen Nomads box is sent to you. The box will be inspired by a different country's food and ingredients, depending on the month. Previous boxes have featured the ingredients and recipes of the Lebanon and Vietnam. Each box contains 7 to 9 speciality high quality ingredients from which you will make at least 5 authentic dishes from the country in question. The idea is that you can serve up all of the dishes as a single themed dinner, or as separate dishes if you prefer. If you're into dinner parties, it's a great excuse to organise one!

I was provided with the Greek themed box of ingredients. The Kitchen Nomad boxes are priced at £22 per month (or each) plus £3 delivery with a small discount for six month or yearly subscriptions.  It contained the following: Dukkah Spice Mix, from The Real Greek, Iliada brand Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil, an award-winning extra virgin olive oil, Zanae Vine Leaves in Brine, Morphakis brand Greek Capers in brine, Misko brand Orzo Pasta (orzo is the word in Greek for "rice", and this type of pasta is designed be a similar size and shape), Sifonios Kalamata Olives, "Taste" award winning (Gold 2009) organic tomato sauce or "Perasti", Cassia bark (the outside bark of a tree with similar but milder properties to true cinnamon) and dried green figs.

I am fortunate to live in a part of South East London with a rich Turkish-Cypriot influence. We have many shops selling the key ingredients for Greek, Turkish and Cypriot food. So I can report that many of these brands are the choice of the local Turkish-Cypriot community. When trying to source authentic ingredients, I try to take my cue from people in the know. They are always going to go for what is most like the taste of home. Morphakis, Sifonios and Iliada all get the thumbs up!

One very pleasant and helpful touch is that the people from Kitchen Nomads draft in an expert in the cuisine of the given country to put together 5 or 6 recipes which use the ingredients in the box. Obviously, having been sent in the post, the ingredients supplied are of the non-perishable variety, meaning the other ingredients have to be provided yourself. 

The consulting chef for the Greek box was none other than Tonia Buxton. Well known as the presenter and expert on the award winning Discovery Channel Travel & Living show My Greek Kitchen, now into its second series and My Cypriot Kitchen. She has literally just published a Greek Cookery Book, ‘Tonia’s Greek Kitchen’ due for general release in October 2013. I was very impressed that a writer of this calibre has provided the recipes. 

Tonia has provided recipe cards for 5 recipes in the Greek Kitchen Nomads box: Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), Tarta me elies, kapari kai tomata (tart with olives and capers), Garides me feta (prawns and feta), Youvetsi (slow cooked lamb with orzo pasta), and Siko Kai Karithi (fig and walnut bake). The shopping list for each given recipe and the contents of the box required for each recipe is clearly stated on the recipe card. This is convenient and helpful and avoids any confusion. The recipes themselves are clear, precise and well explained. Kitchen Nomads and Tonia Buxton have taken a great deal of care about ensuring home cooks can manage to make the dishes regardless of knowledge or experience. 

I made the Youvetsi, Slow cooked lamb with orzo pasta. 

It's a one pot dish described as 'perfect for gatherings' or 'to cook ahead for the week'. Here's what I used from the box:

Here's what I did:

First I browned the lamb chunks in batches using the olive oil. I bought 500g of lamb, as the maximum amount of 800g was too much. It would be great for a meal for 6 people. I then removed them from my casserole dish.

I then added more olive oil and fried the chopped onions for 10 minutes. Once going golden, I added the garlic.

Next up was the three tins of chopped tomatoes, 4 heaped tablespoons of tomato puree, 4 sticks of cassia bark and seasoning.

Once warmed through, I put the lamb back in the pot. I was using my largest pot, and as you can see it is getting rather full!

As a result, I couldn't add all 4 glasses (800ml) of water. I put in 500ml, which I think was enough.

After cooking for an hour and a quarter, I added the orzo pasta.

This is what the pasta looked like once mixed in thoroughly.

The orzo cooked in 20 minutes, soaking up all of the moisture from the pan. 

I then grated some feta to mix in the stew to add creaminess and salty tang.

Here is the finished dish, which was rich and satisfying. 

The lamb was very tender. As we get into Autumn, this is a comfort dish which might be time consuming, but is very simple to make. It would reheat well in the microwave the next day, so could be used for a dinner the second day, or as a lunch at work where reheating facilities exist.

If you would like to cook Tonia Buxton's Youtvetsi, you will find the recipe here: http://www.kitchennomad.co.uk/youvetsi/4576864982

My overall impressions are that this is an inventive and fun way of learning more about international food and cookery. They have made it easy to familiarise yourself with key ingredients. The recipe cards are excellent. The packaging is mainly very good and tries to be attractive (I like the suitcase printed on the back!), but a little more care needs to be taken with some of the products.My pot of dukkah got crushed in the package because the tub was a little flimsy. Sadly, it would appear that Fiona McLean of London Unattached had the same experience: http://www.london-unattached.com/2013/07/kitchen-nomad-review-and-giveaway/ (see paragraph 2).

Box crushed with most of the dukkah missing. :(

For people who live in very cosmopolitan areas, the ingredients themselves can be sourced elsewhere, and with legwork, a little more competitively. But for people who don't have the luck of having international "ethnic" grocers nearby, this is a godsend. I would be interested in trying their other boxes, but perhaps not on a subscription basis. I would much prefer to check what the "box of the month" is and order if there is a cuisine I fancy. For example, Burmese, Indonesian, Peruvian would all rate highly on my list!

I would like to thank Kitchen Nomad for providing me with their Greek cuisine box to play with!

Cay Tre, Old Street, Hoxton (Vietnamese)

Vietnamese food is unique and delightful. There are some ingredients and influences which echo its neighbours, but it has a tradition all of its own. I love Vietnamese food and attempted to learn how to cook some of the dishes of this marvellous cuisine from cookbook author, writer, filmmaker and supperclub host Uyen Luu. I wrote about my experience here: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/back-to-school-leluus-vietnamese.html Uyen's blog can be found here:http://www.leluu.com/

However, it is not easy. Vietnamese food involves many ingredients which are hard to obtain. Fresh herbs are a cornerstone of Vietnamese dishes, using varieties seldom found in other cuisines. Parilla, Cockscomb and hot mint, saw tooth... these have to be bought in specialist Vietnamese stores, and even then you are not guaranteed to find them all. Then there is specialist equipment required for some dishes; banh beo steamer dishes, banana leaves, clay pots. 

Vietnamese food is becoming increasingly fashionable, and we have all manner of small cafes and restaurants popping up. Many think that popping some chili, salad and marinaded grilled pork into a baguette  immediately equals banh mi. Not so! And the crimes against the national dish, Pho Bo, are ones I don't care to chronicle here other than noting that bland stock and meagre toppings are the rule rather than the exception. 

Cay Tre has a long standing reputation in London as being a great place for Vietnamese food, located in the Vietnamese community in the Pho Mile. They have branched out into a couple of other ventures, Cay Tre Soho, Viet Grill and Keu! (all under the Vietnamese Kitchen label), but Cay Tre Hoxton is the original. 

I visited with some friends for lunch and ordered a variety of dishes across the menu. We had a very pleasant and memorable time. 

Chilli Salt & Pepper Squid £8.50

Perhaps not the most exotic of the starters we ordered, the salt and pepper squid was nevertheless very good indeed. Lightly coated in an uncloying batter, these have been fried quickly and over a high heat to leave them perfectly cooked, crunchy crusted externally but yielding on the inside. 

Chef Vinh's Beef £9.50 "Charcoaled ribeye, lemongrass, ginger sauce."

Beautifully marinaded in an aromatic marinade and grilled until just cooked, this was a real highlight of our meal. A lovely starter. 

Grilled Calamari & Okra £9 "Lemongrass, dill and fermented soy bean."

The calamari and okra were marinaded in the lemongrass, dill and soy bean before being grilled until just cooked. The picture doesn't do the dish any justice as the artificial light masks the translucence of the calamari. I had not come across this combination of ingredients and flavours, which worked well together. The cooks here carefully avoid overcooking the seafood dishes, probably the easiest way of ruining good quality ingredients. 

La Vong Grilled Monkfish (for two) £7.50 per person "Galangal, tumeric, dill, cooked at your table."

The monkfish was prepared in small chunks underneath all the herbs in the small frying pan on top of the portable gas burner. 

I'm a real sucker for any dish which is prepared at the table, be it crepes suzette or something similar. It's part theatre, part wonder. 

Thankfully we were treated to so much more than just spectacle. The dish was flavourful, the monkfish having been marinated in the galangal and turmeric before the tableside cooking and was served with rice vermicelli, a sauce made of shrimp paste softened in water, and herbs. 

Grilled Piggy Aubergine £6.50 "Minced pork, spring onion oil, nuoc cham"

This is a treat of a starter! The aubergine is skinless, and cooked until it is so soft it barely needs chewing. The contrast with the gentle meaty chewiness of the minced pork shows you how much of Vietnamese food is about the combination of texture as it is about flavour. The nouc cham adds a balance of flavours which is characteristically Vietnamese; sweet, sour, salty and bitter, the balance which similarly is the aim of Thai dishes. 

Campfire Hanger Steak £12 "Claypot cooked with oyster sauce, onion"

Cooked in a clay pot with oyster, garlic and copious amounts of fried onion, the closed pot is brought to your table on another plate. This plate has a ring of clear substance around it which is lit at your table. It glows blue, keeping your stewed steak hot whilst you sample the other dishes. The presentation, complete with a flourish as the lid is removed, is pure theatre. 

The beef is tender and slow cooked, the sauce full of umami flavours. Topped with lots of glorious finely diced garlic, the beef in clay pot was a complete delight. Garlic is one of my favourite things in all the world, and thankfully my friends think the same. We tucked in with gusto and enjoyment. 

Mekong Catfish Claypot £9.50 "Braised in caramelised in fish sauce."

Another clay pot dish! We just could NOT resist! This is a traditional Vietnamese dish and my friend who spent time travelling there suggested we order it to get a taste of real Vietnamese food. The dish arrived in similar fashion to the steak, with its parafin halo lit at your table to keep it hot before it is unveiled in all of its splendour! The catfish was sweet, light yet with gentle firmness of texture. The sauce had the caramel flavours of Nouc Mau Due Ben Tre (Vietnamese coconut caramel) cooked in fish sauce and spice. Combined with a little steamed rice, each mouthful was heavenly.

Roasted Spring Chicken Royale £12 "Marinated with honey, five spice & dried herbs."

Tremendously aromatic, this was a dish I would love to be able to make for a Sunday lunch with a difference! The marinade permeates the skin completely, giving it wonderful flavours, and all of the meat is scented with the warming five spice. The only issue which this dish will create is who gets the best bits of the whole chicken!

We had the wokked egg noodles at £6 and some Jasmine rice (£5 for a tub) as an accompaniment. 

 The noodles were rapidly stir fried with a little egg, some onion and beansprouts. In other places, the noodles come out disappointingly greasy, but these were not so. I preferred the dishes we ordered with Jasmine rice, because I actually love rice, but the noodles were a good accompaniment too.

The service was polite and friendly. When we needed explanations of what some of the dishes were, there was no issue, we were given that explanation, and sometimes twice with patience and grace. Our party did not all arrive at once, yet the early arrivers were permitted to take our seats and wait for the others with no fuss or objection. Our monkfish was cooked at our table with the care and skill of a server who wanted us to enjoy our meal. A couple of the staff members are a little quiet and shy, possibly because English is their second (although more likely third or fourth) language, but there was no miscommunication, and they wanted to help us as much as possible. I felt that they genuinely cared about our experience. 

 Cay Tre Hoxton has recently been refurbished. It is still an informal and canteeny style place rather than a fine dining restaurant. Actually, that's how I prefer it. When I come to place like this, I don't want fussy tablecloths and fish knives. I don't want fussing about and my napkin being put across my chair back when I go to the bathroom. I've come to the Pho Mile, and I've come for a down to earth and authentic experience. It is all about sharing good food with good friends. 

Perhaps at dinner time when the place is close to being full, it could be noisy. Most Central London restaurants tend to be. Current dining fashion dictates no soft furnishings; no fabric covered seats or carpets or curtains. No wonder the sound bounces off all the hard shiny surfaces! If you don't like noise have lunch here or go somewhere else. During our visit the place was half full with a pleasant buzz of conversation, energy and the sight of other diners enjoying their food. That's the kind of atmosphere I love.

Unless you've booked your tickets for the Reunification Express anytime soon, what have you got to lose? Come and give Cay Tre a go!

Snigdha and her friends paid honestly earned moolah for their meal.

http://caytre.co.uk/ 
Cay Tre
301 Old Street
London 
EC1V 9LA
(020) 7729 8662

September 2013 Favourites List

For me, September means only one thing: BACK TO SCHOOL! I remember the days when that meant getting a new uniform, or seeing if you could get another year's wear out of last year, and the inevitable new pencil case.   More innocent times!

These days, I'm the one at the front of the classroom. It's a whole different ball game. It's not about just me talking or knowing all the answers. It's about getting students involved. Achieving the task of facilitating understanding. Getting students to work out the answers for themselves. 

It's also about encouraging the students to WANT to know more. To inspire them to care about their own education, their own skills, their own knowledge. 

So what is my role? Lecturer, cheerleader, motivational guru, interviewer, devil's advocate. Occasionally a matron (oo-er!) or policewoman. No wonder I sometimes can't tell whether I'm coming or going!

This week was the first week of the new intake coming to study the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC). It's a hectic and exciting week. So many conflicting emotions. The final sad realisation that the students who were with me last academic year have finished the course and I have to let them go. The joy of meeting a new batch of fresh faces. 

This month's post is dedicated to my students, old and new. Good luck, good fortune, good health and I wish you the greatest success in everything you do.

This month's pictures are from the rain forest in Costa Rica. A beautiful, lush, green country, I would love to explore properly one day.

 

Blogs Worth Following:

Bengali people often refer to themselves as "Bong". This super site will teach you how to cook (and shop) like a Bong! http://bengalicuisine.net/

Nicholas Clee wrote a great book, Don't Sweat The Aubergine, here is his blog full of recipes: http://nicholasclee.blogspot.co.uk/

Blog dedicated to Nyonya food (Peranakean): http://www.feasttotheworld.com/

Recipes:

Love the look of these traditional spud & pea samosas! http://www.thetiffinbox.ca/2013/05/indian-classics-traditional-potato-and-peas-samosas-authentic-recipe.html

How to make burfi: http://www.chaskahouse.com/cooking/deserts/burfi.htm

Introduction to Fudge and a Vanilla Fudge recipe: http://www.london-unattached.com/2012/09/vanilla-fudge/

White Chocolate and Vanilla Fudge: http://www.london-unattached.com/2012/11/white-chocolate-and-vanilla-fudge/

Besan (chickpea) burfi with cardomom flavouring: http://saffronhut.blogspot.co.uk/2006/02/cardamom-queen-of-spices.html

Chicken thighs, leeks and thyme in a perfect midweek supper salad recipe by Angela Hartnett: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/sep/04/angela-hartnett-chicken-thyme-recipe

Celery salad: http://foodilic.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/recipe-foodilic-celery-salad/

Strawberry, vodka and white wine cocktail recipe for 10: http://www.yumsugar.com/Happy-Hour-Redhead-Bed-3075384

Cyrus Todiwala's Pulled pork with cinnamon and clove from The Incredible Spicemen is something I really want to make: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pulled_pork_with_66521

One of my friends made this over the weekend, and said it was a great, delicious Vietnamese recipe. So here is Spicy Vietnamese Beef (Bo Kho) from Nom Nom Paleo (blog devoted to the Caveman diet):
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/5216859841/bo-kho-spicy-vietnamese-beef-stew

Liking the look of the fennel and beetroot coleslaw: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/aug/25/coleslaw-recipes-nigel-slater

How to make a Cantonese style stir fry: http://www.kaveyeats.com/2013/08/dianas-stir-fry-1-2-3.html

Mackerel with beetroot; simple and colourful, by Nigel Slater: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/sep/10/mackerel-beetroot-recipe

Autumnal, gently braised chicken, an Italian classic: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/sep/12/how-to-cook-perfect-chicken-cacciatora

Articles/Know How:

Methi/Fenugreek: a marauding and powerful herb/spice which can take over your whole house. A really useful video on the difference between fresh leaf methi, dried leaf methi and fenugreek seeds and when to use each.

http://youtu.be/6xLyWafOYgs

Some international dishes have difficult names to pronounce. Here is a visual guide to help! http://designtaxi.com/news/360285/An-Illustrated-Guide-To-Pronouncing-Food-Names-From-Various-Cultures/

How flavours are interconnected, an interactive article/map from Scientific American (excellent!): http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=flavor-connection-taste-map-interactive

Interesting collection of cooking tips: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/cooking-advice_n_3861622.html

What is an antioxidant? http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/09/what-is-an-antioxidant-3917047/

Him Indoors doesn't mind me adding cloves to food.... as long as he doesn't end up being the poor person who ends up chomping on it. Here's a tip from Kavey on how to avoid that - DIY tea bags!

http://www.kaveyeats.com/2013/09/a-little-tip-from-kavey-using-diy-tea-bags-for-whole-spices-and-herbs.html

TV:

The Incredible Spice Men (BBC iplayer link to episode 1 available until 23 Sept: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03930tw/The_Incredible_Spice_Men_East_Sussex/) 

Music:

Jagwa Ma - Howling

Maps - Vicissitudes

Justin Currie - Lower Reaches