4foodies in a Fiat 500 - Day 2 (continued), Burriana

The Fiat 500

The hospitality of the Spanish people I always find amazing. They are warm, welcoming, always complimentary. They seem to love bringing you into their homes and treating you as an honoured guest. I couldn't wait to got to P & JM's house for dinner. They are MM's parents and it's always a joy to spend time with them, despite the language barrier there is always a humour and an understanding. So it was a very quick turnaround from our wonderful day in Valencia. Just about time to go to the supermarket to get food for breakfast and wine to take for the meal. Faustino V, can't go wrong!!

On arrival it was beers all round, another 'tradition' that I enjoy in Spain. Beer is for socialising, wine is for food. Which is probably why some of the best food wine in the world is Spanish. JM served a starter of different chorizos, a huge plate of Iberico ham and a salad of leaves with tomatoes, roasted red pepper and bacalao. The salad was amazing, by the end we were fighting over the last few bits of the wonderful fishy salty little white slivers of the bacalao. For the salad JM said she didn't soak the cod but rather just washed and then let the salt season the dressing. I love chorizo but didn't eat a lot as I must confess I think I had half the plate of Iberico, it was so so good, the fat melting on your tongue and the sweet, earthy flavour of the acorns coming through also. I felt rude for eating so much but quickly realised that it really wasn't a problem. Served with a gorgeous rich Ribero del Duero of P's I could have gone home there and then because the starters were a stunning flavoursome meal on their own.

fideuà

The next course however was another favourite of mine, Fideuà. I first tried it in a restaurant by the port in Burriana last year and have made it myself several times since. I'll include the way I cook it below as it's really quite quick and lets the flavours of the ingredients stand on their own. It is essentially a pasta paella, is cooked in a paella and has similar characteristics, but is  lighter so suitable for an evening meal. The fideuà had langoustines and mussels and the tastes of the sea were delicious along with deep tomato and pimenton flavours coming through. It really is a glorious meal and ideal for sharing with friends as you can place the paella in the centre of the table if you want and let people serve themselves.

Flan de Turrón

I didn't think I could possibly eat dessert but dessert duly appeared. A Flan de Turrón which I believe is a flan made similarly to a creme Catalane but set a lot firmer, containing, custard, milk and an almond nougat with a melted caramel over the top. It looked so heavy but in reality was so light and almost airy. There was a beautiful balance of sweetness, milkiness and the nut flavours also. It was a totally new flavour to me and one that I really look forward to trying again and to experimenting with at home.

 With a brandy espresso to finish we said our 'hasta mananas' until lunch the next day when we were meeting in a restaurant for paella cooked on orange wood from the orchards around Burriana. But that's for part 5! For now here is a recipe for Fideuà with allioli, I should point out this is not my recipe but cobbled together from several books, websites and questions to friends, I include it here simply for you to try. Enjoy.

This will serve 4

600g seafood - usually prawns but I like to add scallops too
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
2-3 ripe tomatoes chopped roughly
1tsp paprika smoked gives an earthy slightly heavier flavour, sweet a sweeter
Roughly 800ml fish or seafood stock
400g pasta, I use vermicelli broken up in a bag

Olive oil, salt and pepper

Cook in a paella pan if you have one, if not a frying pan or saute pan. Heat the oil and then add the onion and garlic, soften but don't colour. Add the tomatoes and pimenton and cook down to a paste like consistency. Add in the stock and bring to the boil then add the pasta. It's a bit of trial and error with the amount of stock, logically if too much boil rapidly, if not enough add some more or some water. About half way through cooking (5-7mins) add the seafood and push to submerge but do not stir in any way. When the pasta is tender (15 mins) remove from the heat and serve with allioli. Note: You could cook the seafood on it's own beforehand, it's up to you.

To follow: Day 3, Burriana
Previous: Day 2, Valencia

Marina Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Casablanca Valley, Chile

I do seem to be drinking rather a lot of sauvignon blanc recently, unfortunately this was the last of a six bottle case of this particular vintage which was Chilean sauvignon blanc of the year this year. It is very light gold in colour with a ripe warm climate peaches and cream nose which mellows a little, somewhat like a sunny day with a cool breeze. The palate has upfront peachy fruit flavours, followed by cut grass and gooseberries and a hint of mouthwatering acidity behind the fruit into a long grapefruit finish. This is a wine of huge complexity with a little bit of indescribable spice there too. Naked Wines have had some stunning Sauvignon Blancs recently and this is up there with the best of them.

Ox cheek with stout

My house is a mix of Scots and Irish. Me and the kids are Scottish, my lovely wife is Irish. At least that's the way I like to think of it, that's probably not strictly correct, especially in her eyes. Anyway as we were going to be away for St.Patrick's Day in Spain (see the Spanish series of blogs under 'Travel') I decided the week before to cook her something quite Irish as a celebration, but in a Scottish way and experiment a wee bit with flavours, just a wee bit. Are you following?

Beef and Guinness is pretty classic, but I wanted to give it a bit more special treatment. With a sweeter stout, Glencoe oatmeal stout, a bit of woodland earthiness with mushrooms. Then lift it with a sweeter soft fruit kick at the end once the ox cheek had given up all it's beautiful flavour to the stock during the slow hours of cooking.

This will serve 2

1 ox cheek
1 bottle stout, preferably an oatmeal one
150g chestnut mushrooms roughly chopped
1 shallot finely diced
3/4 sprigs thyme
1 dsp redcurrant jelly
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Soften the shallot a little in a casserole dish in the olive oil. Brown the beef well on both sides. Add the stout, thyme and mushrooms and place in a pre-heated oven at 140C. Then go about your business for 4 hours while the heat does it's thing with the beef. When the cooking time is over the beef will be meltingly tender and you should be left with a good amount of stock. Remove the beef and mushrooms and keep warm. Depending on the quantity of stock left remove half until you have probably 100ml or so. Bring to the boil and add in the redcurrant jelly, stir until melted and then boil to reduce by half until a good thick glossy consistency. Cut the beef in half, this should be two good sized 'steaks' and serve with the jus. I served alongside truffle mash and apple balsamic and juniper braised red cabbage.

4foodies in a Fiat 500 - Day 2 Valencia

After a relatively late night then an early start definitely wasn't the order of the day. Lazy breakfast of bread cheese and meats with a couple of strong cups of coffee on the terrace. What to do next for our first full day of Las Fallas, Burriana or Valencia? I'd never been to Valencia so was happy with the decision that was made. Another 40 minutes to sleep on the train to Valencia.

Valencia Cathedral

For anybody who's never been to Las Fallas you really must go. It's a festival to commemorate Saint Joseph and in true Spanish style is spectacular. Like Guy Fawkes night in Britain but a zillion times better. With fireworks that sound like you're in a war zone culminating in a crescendo which shakes windows and inflicts pain on eardrums. The fallas themselves (pictured above) which are like something from Disney in their creation, and cost circa €100k each. They all represent something topical of the day and then are burnt on 19th March in what can only be described as an amazing feat of pyrotechnics and firemanship to get them lit and then not burn down the neighbourhood. There are parades in local dress with local music, street bars, neckerchiefs and in short it's what the Spanish do best. Celebrate. The other thing there is lots of is food.

Given the late start we arrived at 2pm in time for the daily fireworks, but we also arrived very hungry. So after the fireworks and battling through the crowd we dived into Lizarran on Calle Convento Santa Clara for a jug of beer and some pinchos. Lizarran is one of these chains that is expanding worldwide so don't expect stunning traditional local pinchos but for filling, tasty formula food it worked well and also gave plenty of food for thought. Pinchos, in case you were unaware are traditionally from Northern Spain, especially the Basque country (pintxos). They generally consist of a thin piece of bread with a topping and a small wooden spike, a pincho, holding it in place.

Pinchos on the bar

They are served on plates atop the bar and you help yourself. Whatever you do, don't through the stick away, you hand these in at the end to calculate your bill!! It's a great simple way to taste lots of things and something that I'm looking forward to creating the next time I have a dinner party for more than six. Another popular thing is to have a pincho party where everybody brings a couple along and you compare them and decide a winner. A bit like Come dine with me but with a little more style and finesse possibly.

So on the bar that day was a huge selection including black pudding, deep fried calamari with allioli, jamon croquettas, chicken with cheese, stuffed mussel shells, tortilla, anchovies in vinegar, Spanish sausage, chorizo with egg.... You get the picture, they make a lot, there's a huge turnover, nothing stays on the bar long, there's noise and bustle and it seems perpetually busy. This was a nice wee meal to fill us up for an afternoon of exploring and again there were a few ideas to bring home.

Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències

The rest of the day we wandered around old and new Valencia and drank cortados. I'll fill you in a little bit in case you've never been. Valencia blew me away and I'm not normally one to get excited by architecture. We arrived into the gorgeous estaciò del nord and walked out into beauty with crisp clean buildings interspersed with tiny side streets. The cathedral is hugely impressive mostly out of stone with amazing wall friezes internally. However it was the walk through Turia gardens which impressed me, the old river bed from the Turia River which was diverted in the 1960s. Crossed by ancient and modern bridges, full of joggers, cyclists and those enjoy the sun it goes on forever until you reach what to me is the finest series of buildings I've ever seen., Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències - The City of Arts and Sciences. Designed by Calatrava it is filled with buildings of stunning beauty from constructed from concrete and glass and surrounded by glistening blue water. You have to see it to believe it. I'm still not sure how some of it stays up and the pictures really don't do it justice.


After this was a park train ride back to the station and the journey back before an evening of hospitality from MM's parents as the Spanish adventure just got better.

To follow: Day 2 (continued), Burriana
Previous: Day 1 (continued), Burriana

#7wordwinereviews

2010 Petit Villebois Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp, grassy, flinty, citrussy acidity complex finish

2006 Berberana Méntrida Reserva Privadas:  Black fruit, spice, warm climate, softish tannins

2010 Nelson Classic South Sauvignon Blanc: Grassy, appley, zesty. Loads of fresh acidity.


To understand #7wordwinereview click here

Petit Villebois Sauvignon Blanc 2010

When I first started selling wine in 1997 the grape I was first drawn to was Sauvignon Blanc. I loved the grassiness of the new world wines from Australia and especially New Zealand. They were such a difference from the Chardonnay that almost seemed ubiquitous at the time and that I found overpoweringly oaked in general. Roll on 15 years and I still love the grape but it's the the wines of it's spiritual home, The Loire valley that now excite me just as much. They now seem so much more readily available than previously when it seemed that Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé were all that you could find. Same grape different wine.

This wine from Villebois, a vineyard funded by Naked Angels is one excellent example. A very light straw colour with a greenish tinge the nose is slightly floral, a little closed and doesn't give much away. The palate then appears in complex waves, a bit of acidity then some citrussy, flinty fruit with a little bit of grass which finishes with a huge burst of mouthwatering acidity and granny smith crispness. This is an excellent complex, refreshing sauvignon. Perfect for enjoying on the first day of summer sunshine that we're enjoying today.

From Naked Wines

4Foodies in a Fiat 500 - Day 1 (continued) Burriana

Three hours on a pretty uneventful road is, well, pretty uneventful. With G In the drivers seat I had the chance to relax in the back and catch a few zeds. So what is the first thing you do when you arrive in a Spanish town, even before going to the beach house? You go to the supermarket and stock up on essential provisions. Cava, Rioja, Ribero del Duero, jamon Iberico, chorizo, pan y quesa were all hastily placed into the trolley. For me shopping for food in Spain, as I touched on earlier, is one of the joys of coming to this beautful country. So with provisions gathered we headed for the port of Burriana to meet K and MM at the house and have a glass or two of Campo Viejo Crianza.

Prawn carpaccio

Violet water

Dinner was booked for 9.30 at Pinnochios on Calle Escullera de Ponent. Styled as an Italian restaurant I would have said it was more of a local Valencian but may be totally wrong. Whatever it was it provided some wonderful flavour combinations that were new to me. The series of cold and hot starters included many local ingredients, just the way I love to eat. First up was a prawn carpaccio which was served with a wonderful little vol au vent of violet water. Who'd have thought Parma Violets and prawns would go so well together but the combination of fresh seafood, olive oil and the floral sweetness of the violet was really good. I'm definitely experimenting with violets this summer!! Next up was a foie salad with thinly sliced parfait (I think) alongside pan fried duck liver served on salad leaves with, of all things, strawberries. Well they are interchangeable on the flavour scale with tomatoes. Again the little pot of floral zing was there too like a 70s sweet shop throwback. Isn't it exciting when you discover something new, if this isn't new to you then I apologise for going on and smiling broadly!

Wonderful egg starters

Two hot starters followed. Everyone knows that eggs and cured fish is a heavenly combination, and I've eaten a lot of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs in my time, but scrambled eggs with bacalao was a new on on me. Creamy eggs, salty fish. Simple, clean, perfect. The second one was local 'black pudding' with scrambled eggs and broad beans (one of J's devil foods before this meal!). Again delicious, creamy and salty with a strong hint of iron.

Sizzling steak on hot plate

The main course arrived and there was a problem. It was steak with a warm ragu of mushrooms, onions and broad beans served on bread. This was accompanied by a hot stone for cooking the steak to your liking. The problem being that the first steak was cooked perfectly rare so there wasn't much fun to be had with the hot stone and doing the meat and heat thing caveman style. So we finished this first steak with little interaction with the hot stone for most of us and asked for a raw one to be served. With this the chef came out, I'm not sure if this was to view the slightly tipsy Scotsman who had asked for this (embarrassingly? not sure?) or just because it was nearing the end of the night. Anyway the raw steak was duly served with another hot plate and we had a bit of fun sizzling the delicious beef.

The six of us!

The whole meal was accompanied by Chivite Gran Feudo Rosado 2010. I first tried this wine way back in 1997 when its empty bottle doubled up as a candle holder for this sophisticated new graduate. I loved it then and I love it now, for me it is always a stand out rosé and a wonderful example of why I think the Spanish make the best rosés. It has big strawberry flavours but lots of delicate acidity that make it a perfect partner to the oily foods of Spain as it cuts through the oiliness and marries to the bold flavours beautifully.

After coffees we headed back home. What a wonderful day of food and wine on our first full day. I had learned so many things that I couldn't wait to try in the kitchen back home and I was eager for more. The next day promised more. A visit to the first day of las Fallas in Valencia.

Next: Day 2, Valencia
Previous: Day 1, Barcelona

4Foodies in a Fiat 500 - Day 1 Barcelona

Waking up at 9.30 in a luxury apartment in the trendy Born area of Barcelona was just a dream. After a late night flight in and couple of glasses of local red a good sleep was just what I needed. The next thing needed was a coffee and some breakfast....

This is a little story of a 4 day food and wine adventure in Spain, in all there were six of us, although only four in the Fiat. Obviously. Myself, my wife M, brother in law G and his wife J. Other brother in law K and his wife MM went by train.

Mercat Santa Caterina

So to breakfast. Cortado, some bread, iberico and manchego from the shop. Simple enough, well until you turn the corner to see Mercat Santa Caterina in front of you it was. Breakfast became brunch as myself and J engaged in a shared favourite pastime. Getting a market fix. This place is phenomenal, being typically Catalan housed in a building of stunning architecture and understated elegance. Inside there must be a dozen fish stands, each with their own regular customers standing waiting their turn and chatting politely. Each one had a couple of ladies with infeasibly large knives deftly and delicately gutting and boning everything from the tiniest anchovy to the largest swordfish. Generally without looking! There were Iberico stalls with every quality of ham, sausage stalls, cheese stalls, stalls selling beef, pork, chicken and one that only seemed to sell offal including tripe, trotters, brains, heads. I'm sure if I looked closely enough I'd have found cock and balls. The vegetable stalls were of such a bright and vibrant colour. This is the sort of place where you come just to watch the world go by, to observe and gasp in amazement. Which is exactly what myself and J did for half an hour over dos cortados as the others waited and wondered where breakfast was. The bread, iberico and manchego eventually arrived, along with a little pocketful of saffron to return to Glasgow.

I love Barcelona, it's such a difficult city to explain because it is all at the same time coastal, suburban, affluent, poor, historical, modern. Above all it is passionate and stylish and a wonderful place to eat. G&J had arrived earlier the previous day and had found a little bar they loved. So when we eventually found El Xampanyet, a traditional Barcelona bar fom 1929 on Carrer de Montcada we decided to stop for a coffee. Except by now it was time for the locals to open the cava (or is it xampanyet, I'm unsure?) so myself and M followed suit. Coming in a litre bottle with an old fashioned milk bottle top you could be forgiven for thinking it would be homemade cheap rubbish. In fact it was remarkably stylish, a fine mousse, good acidity and light biscuity, appley fruit. Definitely a lunchtime fizz and sitting surrounded by 1920s tiling, marble bartops drinking from a traditional champagne glass and listening to the chatter of the local Catalan language you could easily sit here all day. The bar covered in tapas of all kinds from plates, tins, jars was equally inviting. Chorizo, olives, peppers, various seafood and cured meats and fish.  

El Xampanyet

And as it was around noon we decided that they would become lunch. Potatoes with allioli of wonderful fresh garlic; bacalao (salt cod) and cured salmon served with a little tapenade; cured sardines, the ubiquitous Catalan bread of toasted bread rubbed with raw garlic and fresh tomatoes. Each of them delicious, with intense fresh flavours of the sea and the land and the sunshine. You have to love the way the waiter pours two glasses when you order dos coppa but leaves the bottle as he knows chances are you'll finish it. This little place was what Spanish food means to me. It was small, bustling, full of chat, informal, full of history, the smells were unbelievable of garlic and seafood and olive oil and the service was quietly brilliant. After a couple of hours here it was time to move on. This was definitely a Catalan appetiser for the five senses, the holiday had begun and the C32 south to Communitat Valenciana and the wonderful port of Burriana beckoned.

Go to Day 1 continued, Burriana

Leftover veal stovies with greens

Leftover meat, it's sometimes a shame you have to wait until the next day to have the meat in a 'leftover' state because it is so fun to cook with. Giorgio Locatelli reckons Italians can make meals out of the leftovers of the leftovers! I think that many of us should learn this simple art that our grandparents took for granted. You bought food and then you ate it, there was no waste as they couldn't afford it and no freezers so leftovers and preserves were a staple. I loved it when my Gran would make us patties for dinner, or potato scones for breakfast or even sweet scones with sour milk.

So this dish was the leftovers from Pot roast rose veal shoulder with wild mushrooms and herbs and  combined some of my current favourite things, rose veal, sprout tops that I couldn't be bothered cooking the night before and lots of leftovers. My wife asked for a kind of bubble and squeak, there was plenty of bubble but not much squeak. There was bags of flavour and a huge amount of comfort though.

For 2 people
Leftover roast veal, maybe 200g but whatever you have, it's not an exact science
2 sprout tops (or any other leafy greens available) roughly chopped
Handful green beans roughly chopped
Leftover boiled potatoes or 2 potatoes boiled and mashed
Leftover wild mushroom gravy or any gravy or stock available

Strain the gravy and reduce to a thickish consistency to intensify the flavours. Blanche the sprout tops and beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Strew the shredded veal in a pan with some oil or butter and the greens. When the sprout tops are starting to brown add in the potatoes and heat through. Add in the reduced gravy, mix through, check for seasoning and serve steaming hot with a big chunk of crusty bread. A big bowl of Sunday night comfort.

Passion fruit and cardamon creme brulee and chilli mango salsa

So after the previous two creme brulee recipes, my friend Katy who was round for dinner pretty much insisted I was doing creme brulee after the veal. In fact pretty much insisted is maybe understating. So here we are, three desserts on this blog and all the same. Kind of. Anyway, this one was a bit different as it was a bit more sunshiney. I think cardamon is an amazing spice, either sweet or savoury and just had a wee inkling it would go with the passion fruit. Passion fruit is another flavour which I find amazing, even the name conjours up exotic thoughts.

But what to have with the creme brulee whch would compliment but also contrast. I frequently make savoury mango salsa in the summer, obviously with red onion and garlic but decided that maybe a sweet version would work. Did all the flavours work together? It was kind of two desserts on one plate to be honest. On its own the creme brulee was wonderful. Rich, sweet, tangy and with just an undersnote of warming spice coming through. The mango salsa also had loads of flavour, the chilli packed a little bit of kick and if two ingredients belong together more than lime and mango then I'm yet to discover them. Well maybe pie and beer but anyway. However I think the salsa would have been better maybe with just a little vanilla cream or rum ice cream. Next time.

For the creme brulee
75g caster sugar, plus extra for topping

350ml double cream

4 egg yolks
8 cardamon pods bashed
1 ripe passion fruit

Heat the oven to 150C. Put the cream, cardamon and passion fruit in a saucepan and bring to boiling point, then lower the heat and simmer for five minutes. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl until pale and creamy. Return the cream to boiling point and remove from the heat. Pour through a sieve to remove spice and seeds into the egg mixture and whisk until it is thickened then pour into a jug as it makes filling ramekins much easier.

Pour the custard into the ramekins until they are about two-thirds full. Put the ramekins in a roasting tray big enough to accommodate all comfortably and fill with hot water until halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Cook in the warm oven for around 45 minutes until set then take out and allow to cool. Sprinkle caster sugar over the top to give a thin layer and then place under a hot grill until the sugar caramelises to golden brown or use a blow torch.

For the mango salsa

2 ripe mangos roughly chopped

1 small mild red chilli finely chopped

2 limes, juice and zest

1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves

 

Basically add everything into a bowl and mix. Preferably a few hours before needed if possible and let the flavours marry.

Lágrima Malbec 2010 - Mendoza, Argentina

I have two favourite red grapes and when they are really good I find it hard to choose between them. The first is Pinot Noir which some say requires an artist to produce great wines and which produces low yield harvests and great elegance. The second is originally a Bordeaux grape but has become synonymous with Argentina. Malbec. When my untrained palate was first introduced I thought it tannic and astringent. But as I've got older I've grown to love it's richness, it's spice, it's ability to be full bodied yet oh so soft at the same time. So when I saw this on offer from Naked Wines I had to go for it.

The colour as it escapes the bottle is a deep dark red, giving a clue to the wonderful flavours which lurk within. The nose is huge, typically Malbec with liquorice, brambles and a hint of spice. But then the palate is so soft, amazingly so with black fruit which then suddenly opens into a big liquorice body. It is maybe still a little young as there is a hint of greenness that may be hiding further fruit but then the finish gives way to minty cassis and hedgerow flavours and suddenly I'm left thinking that it's very drinkable now. I certainly wasn't left disappointed having opened it as it presents a wonderful complexity of flavours married to soft tannins. Malbec, if you've not tried it you really should.

Pot roast rose veal shoulder with wild mushrooms and herbs

Following on from the smokie chowder I needed a main course. So as I said previously, I had gone to Overton Farmers Market for one main reason, to get some beautiful Clyde Valley rose veal. I wasn't sure what cut and eventually plumped for two lovely looking shoulder joints. That should be enough to comfortably feed four people with leftovers for Sunday and further spread the word about rose veal, a wonderful meat whose qualities I have blogged about many times before. The one thing I would always advise with pot roasting is be careful with your timings.

But what to have with it. I wanted an earthy hedgerow quality that would let the sweetness of the meat stand out. Therefore went for porcini mushrooms with fresh oregano and thyme for the pot, and potato and celeriac mash with white truffle oil to accompany. All big and powerful flavours, but each sharing a complex wild earthiness totally different from the star of the plate.

So, to feed 4 with leftovers

For the roast
2 x 750g rose veal shoulder joints
25g porcini mushrooms rehydrated in a little boiling water and chopped
200g chestnut mushrooms sliced
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely sliced
100ml white wine
2 large sprigs thyme
2 large sprigs oregano
300ml reduced beef stock
 
Sweat the onion and garlic until softened in a little oil in a casserole. Brown the veal on all sides then add the chestnut mushrooms. Pour over the reduced stock, white wine and porcini with liquor and add a pinch of sea salt. Add the herbs, bring to a light simmer on the hob then place in the oven at 160C for 45mins - 1 hour depending how you like it.

When the meat is cooked remove it from the pot, cover and allow to rest before carving. Take some of the liquor from the pot and reduce down in a separate pan to form a jus, this should have a slightly unctuous consistency and as you possibly see from the picture I got my timings a bit wrong and it's a wee bit watery!

For the mash

1 celeriac chopped
2 large potatoes chopped
1dsp approx of white truffle olive oil
Splash milk or cream

In separate pans boil the vegetables in salted water until tender. Mash together and then cream with the milk. Add the truffle oil to taste, depending on the quality this may require more or less than advised above, let your tastebuds guide you, it should compliment the celeriac tang, not mask it.

Carve the meat and serve with the mushrooms and onions from the pan, the mash and jus.

Tapa Organic....for breakfast

I have a week worth of blogs piling up, but this one has jumped the queue because with the memory of breakfast so fresh I have to write about it. I first tried Eggs Benedict in The States back in 2000 and instantly fell in love. Muffin, bacon, poached egg and gloopy hollandaise sauce.

This morning's was altogether something different. A chunky slice of Tapa sourdough bread with thick sliced ham, wonderfully meaty in flavour. Topped with soft poached eggs, amazing deep yellow runny yolk and a fantastic rich citrusy Hollandaise sauce. The combination of flavours was sublime and brought this classic dish to a new level for me.

If this had only been accompanied by a glass of water it would have been a beautiful meal. The fact that it was accompanied by two different coffees of equal quality only made it even better. A flat white, rich, velvety with a creamy milkiness which matched the deep roastiness of the coffee making a truly elegant cup as I browsed the menu. Then a long black with my eggs, which had been roasted and brewed to perfection. Breakfast has been raised to a new dimension this morning.

As a subnote to last week's blog, I wrongly called the prints South American. They are actually Tongan and the name Tapa comes from these. Just in case you wanted to know.

Tarelgin Smokie 'chowder'

Isn't it a joy when you find a craftsman at work? I went to the farmers market at Overton Farm to look for some Clyde Valley rose veal for friends coming for dinner. Maybe a wee bit of beef and venison for the freezer and something for starter as my white bean soup had gone horribly wrong. What would be my inspiration to get the flavours and ideas buzzing? As soon as I got out the car I could smell a wonderful smokey smell and wondered if someone had a fire on nearby and envied them the rich aromatic warmth. However I was delighted to find it was the gentleman from Tarelgin Smokehouse (www.tarelgin.com) making smokies. Brined in Dead Sea salt and then hot smoked in an oak whisky barrel they take on the most amazing fresh smoked flavour, intense, sweet and salty. Smokies to me are a joy to behold. I love cold smoked haddock for cooking with, it's mellow flavour so pleasing but smokies are altogether more intense. Not better, just different. So my decision was made. Two smokies please for a fiver!

What first sprung to mind was Cullen skink, but that's normally made with cold smoked haddock and mashed potato. I wanted something a bit different, but still with a milky base that draws the flavour out of smoked fish so well. So I made a kind of half Cullen skink, half chowder type concoction. Whatever you want to call it the flavours were superb, an intense taste of Scotland and one that I would urge you to try.

For 4 people as a starter (or 2 as a main meal)

I'd forgotten parsley and added little croutons!

1 smokie flesh removed and skin and bone saved
1 medium potato chopped
1 small carrot diced
1 celery stick sliced
2 bay leaves
1 clove
250ml milk
200ml (ish) water
Parsley to serve


Parboil the sliced potato for 5 minutes or so. In a small saucepan add the skin and bones from the fish, a bay leaf and the clove. Cover with the water until just covered and bring to the boil, boiling vigorously to extract the flavour and reduce down. In a second saucepan sweat the onion, carrot and celery until softening then add the potato and stir round. Add the milk and the other bay leaf and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the reduced down 'stock' through a fine sieve and continue to simmer gently for a further five minutes. When the potato is tender add the fish, heat through for a minute and then remove from the heat. It is ideal if you can make a bit in advance to let the flavours infuse. Stir through a little parsley and a grinding of black pepper when ready to serve with crusty bread, remembering to remove the bay leaf before a guest finds it!

Funky fruity amuse

I bought Niki Segnit's beautiful book The Flavour Thesaurus and having seen some of the wonderful combinations decided to have a little play on willing friends. I had no idea that strawberry and tomato were so similar in flavour characteristics so thought I'd see what else could marry in this little fruity plate designed to waken all parts of the mouth.

For 4

1 beef tomato
1 ripe avocado
1 ball mozzarella
8 basil leaves
4 strawberries
Drizzle of cassis vinegar
Black pepper

Remember you need everything flat to stand up so keep the 'rounded' bits for a sandwich. Slice the tomato into 2mm thick slices and the avocado similarly. Slice the mozzarella a little thicker and the strawberry into 3 or 4 slices. Stack on the plate in the order tomato, avocado, mozzarella, basil leaves, strawberry. Season with a little fresh ground black pepper and a wee drizzle of the sharp sweet vinegar. I think this would actually have been better as a palate cleanser after the smokey haddock chowder rather than before it. Next time.

Tapa Organic Coffeehouse, Glasgow

Afternoon coffee, hot buttered scone and a walk in Queen's Park in the sunshine. Can you think of a better way to spend a late winter Sunday? Maybe if the coffee is being roasted in front of your eyes with the smell lingering pleasantly and is quite simply intensely stunning. This was my Sunday in Tapa Organic (www.tapabakehouse.com), a family run venture which has the coffee roasterie downstairs in the coffee house on Pollokshaws Road and an artisan bakery in Dennistoun. As it was just around lunchtime the upstairs was busy and buzzing with chatter and the sound of the open kitchen. We decided to go downstairs to find a table and caught the tail end of the roasting process 'as stocks were getting a little low'. Now that is freshness! There I met Robert, one half of the husband and wife team roasting Arabica beans from Finca el Limonar in Guatemala. Despite being busy he was happy to talk to me about the beans, where they're from, their characteristics given the altitude they are farmed at, and about coffee and roasting in general. It was a delightful five minutes to talk to someone who has such passion for their craft, about roasting coffee in a direct flame roaster from 1915 and a little of the history of this 100 year old gem. I can't wait to go back one day when this is running rather than it's modern bigger brother.

However coffee called so I decided on a cafetiere of single estate Peruvian Quebrada which was the roast for the day and a fruit scone. Settling back in my church chair in anticipation I had a period of reminiscence as the eclectic decor was a cross between sitting in my Granny's house with anaglypta, 1970s clocks and mirrors, and a South American safari with floor to ceiling artworks!! But back to the coffee, chocolate roasty notes, fantastic mouthwatering acidity and a little wineyness followed by a long finish with just a hint of roasty bitterness. This was a 'wow' coffee that excited the tastebuds and emotions. The kind of coffee that you want to tell everyone about so they will go along and try it. The toasted scone with melted butter dripping off and lots of jam was pretty sexy too!

Tapa Organic is so much more than a coffee shop or bakehouse. You only have to read the raison d'etre on the website, or go in and speak to the people running it and working in it to understand it's about the quality, the community, the wellness. With organic certification for breads and cakes, and coffee bought direct from co-ops. It's about a passion and a responsibility and I think it's a fantastic ethic to go with the fantastic produce, and after 8 years long may it continue. Next weekend I'm going to take the family for breakfast and more fabulous coffee. I can't wait, Eggs Benedict here we come!!

Nisha Katona's Lemon vegetable dahl

The Scots larder is varied and blessed with many natural ingredients and flavours as I've said before here. However Scotland is not all about haggis, whisky and Aberdeen angus. Modern Scotland is a wonderfully cosmopolitan mix of peoples from many different cultures, heritages and backgrounds. And each of these people have brought, among many other things, something wonderful in terms of flavour to our shores whether it be spices, pulses or methods of cooking. For me this is highlighted perfectly in Glasgow which for many is the curry capital of the UK. Now I love making curry, but apart from Thai, which I was taught, I've frequently struggled with balancing the spices correctly, understanding heat and not making it bitter and acrid. I have to confess that I'll frequently reach for the tub marked 'medium curry powder'. Not much to blog about there. Then I bumped into Nisha Katona (www.nishakatona.com) on Twitter (@nishakatona) and through her online demonstrations I've been totally transformed into a three spice Indian home cooking genius. And she's even let me blog them!!

This will serve four to six people depending on hunger levels!!

400ml red lentils (about 200g)
900ml (ish) water
Tin plum tomatoes
1dsp turmeric
1dsp cumin
2 green chillies chopped or sliced depending if you want seed heat
Selection of chopped green veg (I used broccoli stems, green beans and courgette)
1 lemon (zest and juice)
Fresh chopped coriander is optional
1tsp salt
1dsp sugar
Oil for frying (it should be ghee but I don't have any)


Put the rinsed lentils, water, turmeric and tomatoes in a pan and bring to the boil. Boil for around 20 minutes until you have a thick, yellowish pudding type consistency and the tomatoes have disappeared. In a hot wok (if you have one) add a bit of oil and toast the cumin seeds and chilli. When you get the wonderful aroma of cumin coming out of the ok add in the vegetables and stir fry for a bit until you're happy they have a bit of bite but not too much crunch. Add in the dhal and stir through, correcting for consistency to whichever way you want it. Add in the salt, sugar, lemon zest and juice and coriander if you want. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Berberana Gran Reserva Rioja 2004

Delicious wine with a deep ruby red centre with a browning rim. An intense nose of oak, tobacco box, bramble and spice. With a surprisingly mellow up front palate with mature vanilla wood flavours, soft tannins, good acidity and loads of bramble spiced fruit and dark cherry flavours. Giving way to a long spicy, slightly tannic stewed black fruit finish.

From Majestic Wines

Pan fried haddock with seafood, wild venison chorizo and lemon mash

Another wonderfully simple combination of fresh clean flavours brought to life with a little gamey spice.

This will serve 2 people

1 haddock fillet cut into four
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 medium potatoes
150g queenie scallops
150g clams
50g chilli venison chorizo chopped quite finely
Splash white wine
Handful parsley
Sea salt
Olive oil
Milk for mashing

Put the potatoes on to boil. When ready mash with a little milk, juice and zest of half a lemon and parsley. Season the fish with the other half of the lemon (juice and zest). Five minutes before potatoes ready pan fry the haddock in a warm pan for a couple of minutes on each side until cooked and a little browned. In a separate pan heat the chorizo and a little oil for around 30 seconds. Add in the clams and scallops with a splash of wine, cover and cook until the clams open (around 2 minutes). Serve the fish on top of the mash, surrounded by the seafood, chorizo and liquor from the pan.

Spring salad with wild venison chorizo and goats cheese

I think the marriage of Scottish produce with Spanish flavours is just about as close to perfection as you get. So do the Spanish I imagine, they import enough wonderful seafood from these shores. So when the lovely people at Great Glen Game (www.greatglengame.co.uk) suggested I try their wild venison chilli chorizo and they'd send me some down I got quite excited. And then started to wonder what to cook with it. So this is recipe one of three hopefully as a tiny bit of it brought this fresh salad to celebrate the return of spring to life, bringing all the flavours together.

This will serve four people

50g wild venison chilli chorizo (1mm thick slices)
4 eggs
Two good couple handfuls rocket
One good handful baby spinach
2 vine tomatoes roughly chopped
100g crumbly goats cheese
Handful green beans chopped
5 or 6 one inch slices baguette chopped into cubes
Splash good olive oil
Splash sherry vinegar
Basil oil for croutons (if no basil oil you could add basil leaves to salad)
Salt and pepper to season if desired


Fry the chopped bread with the basil oil until crispy basily croutons are formed, leave them aside for a few moments to cool a bit. Mix the leaves, croutons and tomatoes together with the oil and vinegar then divide between four bowls. Poach the eggs whichever way you like, for me 4 minutes in salted water just below boiling on a low heat for 4 minutes will give you a good runny yoke and soft white. In a separate pot blanch the green beans in boiling water for 3 minutes.

Perfectly runny egg, soft chorizo and crumbly goats cheese

In a frying pan heat a tiny bit of olive oil. Fry the chorizo for around 30 seconds only and then add a tiny splash of sherry vinegar to stop the cooking. I mean tiny, you don't want to over power it. In these thirty seconds you will fill your kitchen with wonderful paprika spice and gamey venison smells which will make you want to carry on cooking but don't, you want the chorizo to be soft and tender, not crispy.

Crumble the goats cheese over the leaves, strew on the beans. Place the perfectly poached eggs on the centre and then dot on the chorizo. It won't look like a lot but it will bring the whole bowl to life, trust me, with it's wonderful depth of flavour. Season if desired, I didn't need to. Serve with a large glass of something suitably refreshing.