The Hackney Butchers Association

This was good!  Still loads to eat. Phew. The recipe is so simple, just sugar, salt & dill. It needs 4 days before opening it up.  It is very worth the wait.  Wow.  It is honestly the best Gravadlax I've ever eaten. There are many quicker methods about, but I can vouch for this one from a lovely book called, Falling Cloudberries.  You don't need any special equipment, just silver foil & a bit of space in the fridge! I got my fish un-gutted from an early morning Billingsgate Market session.  I had never gutted something so big, it was a bit daunting to be honest.  I had my brother in law staying over with his little boy, and I remember them waking up to find me in the kitchen elbow deep in fish guts. I think they were pretty horrified.  But that's what you get for staying the night at the H.B.A.!  My kids are getting quite used to seeing things like that now. FOR METHOD SEE BELOW:

Seaweeds are super-health foods.  They have very low fat and are packed with minerals that they take from the sea.  Some of them taste good too.  Phew. There are three main types of seaweed used in Japanese cooking. Kombu, Wakame & Nori. Kombu are large flat sheets of kelp (Laminaria), usually sold dried. It is mostly used to flavour stocks and is a key ingredient in making dashi. Once the stock is right, the seaweed is then thrown away. It can be eaten though, if simmered for 20mins. In China it is called kunbu. Wakame is also often sold dried & then soaked before using. It is the type added to Miso soups.  Delicious stuff! Nori are the flat sheets of seaweed used in many sushi dishes, california rolls etc.  It's also sometimes shredded and put over noodles.  It comes from a purple/red algae called Porphyra. The Chinese call it zicai.

Dead simple & delicious.  For a slightly Chinesey-vibe.  This came from a Nigel Slater recipe. It serves 4, but would be incredibly easy to scale up for many more. RECIPE BELOW:

This restaurant has been open for a few weeks and will stay open until the end of January.  The food is great!  It's modern Thai.  The curries are authentic, generous & delicious.  The lunch set menu is only £6.50 and includes a beer or glass of wine.  The Pomelo salad was really interesting.  Big chunks of orange, with beautifully cooked prawns in a spicy peanut & holy basil sauce.  It was £4 as a starter.  Easily big enough to share for 2. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun.  The place has been rapidly thrown together with rough wood & lots of style.  It's very cool. Wow.  I'm going to try and get back as often as I can before it's gone. Noodles - Modern Thai 48, Dean Street, London W1D 5BF It's being run by the people that do Rosas off Spitalfields Market: DETAILS HERE

A new Russian supermarket "Russkij Bazaar" has opened up on Cambridge Heath Road, East London  The array of sausages/salamis etc caught my eye, and a i had good look around last night.

This is a Nigel Slater jobbie.  It's very simple, but gives a tiny twist to a mid-week quick dinner. RECIPE BELOW:

RECIPE BELOW:

This morning a few of us did a trip to Billingsgate Fish Market.  It was a 5:30am start. It was great fun. We arrived in the dark and left carrying almost more fish than we could carry.  Greedy people make good shoppers. We got some amazing fish which will provide meals for Christmas and more importantly, some experiments for tomorrow!  One of the buys was a huge box of Octopus.  I'm doing a recipe as a starter for tomorrow's lunch along with a big bundle of razors clams.  Wow.  I can't wait. Pictures of all the exploits to follow...

It's part sweet, part fishy.  Deilicious! This is cheap, easy, and very more-ish. It takes 15mins. RECIPE BELOW:

Very easy & quick & damn tasty too... RECIPE BELOW:

This came from a recipe by Ravinder Bhogal.. It's a bung-it-in-the-oven-job.  Perfect. Dead easy & delicious. This is a great side dish for some simple white fish, a steamed lemon chicken, or just by itself..  It is best served warm or at room temperature, so would be fantastic picnic fodder. Takes 45mins.  (5mins prep, 40mins in oven.) RECIPE BELOW:

This could be a great starter or just a fantastic dish to have alongside pitta bread, salads etc. It takes 20mins to do. RECIPE BELOW:

The most simple glaze is just Balsamic Vinegar brought to the boil & then simmered and reduced in a pan until it coats the back of a spoon.  About 25mins, depending on the amount your making.  It will keep in a covered jar in the fridge for a few weeks. It can used to add richness to meats ( a few drops on a steak is amazing), or a mixed with sweet vegetables like roasted carrots or onions.  Yum.  People often put a little glaze on fresh strawberries. There are lots of variations.  If the balsamic vinegar your using is not great, you can make the glaze better by adding demerara/brown sugar and water before reducing. 250ml Balsamic Vinegar 180ml water 4 tbs demerara sugar If you fancy something a bit different, you can add any herbs or spices you have while simmering.

I came across this nice use for Boudin Noir sausage.  You can obviously use any blood sausage/black pudding. RECIPE BELOW:

Er.. that's it.  To make the 'umble sprout a bit more fancy, boil or steam until just soft, then toss with butter & a good splash of sherry vinegar.  Salt & Pepper. It makes them taste lighter, fresher,and less cabbage-y.  Mighty nice.

Miso pastes can be made from Soya, Rice or Barley. Full info here The main types are: Sweet White Miso (Shiro Miso) is the type usually used with dashi for soups, and for dressings. Light-yelow Miso (Shinsu Miso) The most commonly used one. Red Miso (Awase Miso) is a saltier, stronger paste. There are loads of other variations used in Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Indonesian cooking. Always add the miso towards the end of cooking when making soups or stocks, as over-heating will reduce the flavour. I've been wanting to cook some Miso poached salmon for ages.  I'm going to try out a few different pastes and will post my findings....   I came across this Japanese mail order company, for anywhere in the UK & Europe. http://www.japanesefoodshop.co.uk

Guanciale is salt cured Jowls.  It is the traditional cut used for Carbonara & all'amatriciana.  It has a rich, porky flavour.  Yum. Similar to bacon, this is really easy to do.  Next time I'm at the butchers I'm going to get 1kilo of pork jowl and try it out.  All you need is salt, string and 1 month's patience. I found this great & simple explanation on the Babbo Restaurant (NYC) website .  Gotta love it! For smoked pork jowls CLICK HERE .

It's straightforward stuff, and can be done in under a week.  The end result will last for a week, or can be frozen for 3months. Use Belly for Streaky Bacon. Loin for 'Back Bacon'. I found this good site "The Accidental Smallholder" , that clearly explains the process of both wet-curing and dry-curing.  Another great site The Cottage Smallholder has a really simple way of doing unsmoked bacon.  It only takes 4 days and uses molasses & less salt. When it comes to smoking, use only hard wood chips.  Evergreen woods can give an unpleasant flavour. Wood Characteristics Apple Slightly sweet, fruity smoke that is mild , but capable of flavoring bacon Cherry Slightly sweet, fruity smoke that is mild , but capable of flavoring bacon Hickory Strong hearty taste Oak Strong, earthy smoke for a robust bacon Maple Sweet smoke – good for bacon ...

This mad and noisy shop never ceases to amaze...  I love it. Last night I saw that they now sell, trotters, pig's ears, pig tripe, bags of pork blood etc etc.

This is a warming, filling, spicy treat.  The pork can be replaced with salmon, chicken, beef or soya.  It will be just as fantastic. I used some Rau Ram, Vietnamese Coriander (Cilantro).  It's like a milder version of coriander with a slight lemony taste.  I think normal Coriander gives a more interesting flavour, but thought I'd give the real Mcoy a go this once.  I always use galangal rather than ginger. RECIPE BELOW:

Sweet, garlicky, herbalicious! , these are awesome. HERE'S HOW TO DO IT:

This is a very simple little garlic trick I picked up, to get your tomato sauce tasting like-a-ma-mumma used to make! It adds an amazing deep roasted garlic flavour.  It's very authentic.  When I tried this for the first time I suddenly realised it's what I'd been eating for years in restaurants.  Ok I'm a slow learner... RECIPE BELOW:

This is usually done with smoked haddock, but kippers work well too. I didn't have any pre-made curry powder so I made my own quick blend.  Damn good it was too!  Phew. RECIPE BELOW:

Inspired by the delicious lamb & aubergine stew I had cooked for me the other night (Thanks Ben &Rachel!) I dug out this aubergine recipe I love. This is so easy & really good!  It's from a Nigel Slater book, "The 30 Minute Cook"  I had given to me when I was a student.   It makes a great side dish for fish/meat, or just with some crusty bread & a glass of wine.  As a student it was probably accompanied by rice and a 4-pack of McEwans Export...

I got these great chilis from a brand new deli, "The De Beavoir Deli" opposite the Northgate pub.  Their website isn't built yet, but will be soon be found HERE .  It has only been running for a month (it's Nov 2009), but already has some nice stock.  It's got a lot of potential & worth a trip. The Chipotle are quite spicy.  The Guindillas are less hot, but really smokey.  They can both be ground up and added to pretty much anything.  Yum! They can also be ordered from the SOUTH DEVON CHILLI FARM along with another 98 varieties.  That would make a cool present for a chilli-head like me!

I pan-fried slices of the sausage & apples in some olive-oil, (it should have been butter!) The flavour was great.  The texture is unusual, but I could definitely get used to it. I've got another half a sausage to munch tomorrow.  I've got a couple of ideas brewing...  Broken up, it would add loads of flavour to a ragu.

More fun with sausages... I've just got my hands on this lovely looking Boudin Noir.  It's a French blood sausage.  I'm planning on having it for breakfast/brunch tomorrow to get over the hangover I'm working on tonight. Apparently the french eat 15000tons of it a year!  It's pre-par-boiled so can be eaten straight from the packet.  It's very similar to black pudding though often has breadcrumbs & brandy or calvados added. Traditionally it's eaten on a bed of onions & pork fat. I'm going to fry up slices of mine with apples & pears in a little butter and some toasted bread.  Bloomin' delicious!  I've not tried one like this before and will post the results... ...some time later... I never took photos of the sausage & fried fruit.  Doh. I did have a go at this though..  Leek Mash with Boudin Noir

This is one of many variations of amazing sambal sauces.  It's great with rice dishes and is eaten all over indonesia. I was lucky enough to have another sambal made for me in Sri Lanka. It's called Seeni Sambal. It is an amazing sauce that they have with sticky diamond shaped rice as a traditional festive meal. It is sweet, sticky, spicy, strongly onion/cinammon and very addictive!  I found a recipe for it HERE , but haven't tested it as yet.  I can't wait. RECIPE BELOW:

This is based on a Delia recipe.  She loves it with lots of cloves, it's also great with nutmeg and lots of peppercorns, like below. I've got to remember to cook it more often.  It's good winter food, heart-warming stuff.  Delicious. RECIPE BELOW:

This years' H-Bomb Chilli-Chutney has arrived! Get in touch to get your jar. Due to a bit of tweaking, it's hotter than previous years.  Though still rich, tomatoey, and delicious! I've already boshed half a jar since this morning. Nice work H x

For this you need a Savoy, January King, Cavallo Nero.  That sort of dark, leafy cabbage. Finely shred some cabbage, steam for a few minutes until nearly cooked.  Then toss with butter and a splash of sherry vinegar.  Salt & Pepper it up. That's it....Nice. Or, If you have left over cooked cabbage... Slowly fry some chopped onion with a pinch of salt, until nicely caremalised.  Add a chopped chili & cook through for a couple of minutes.  Then mix with the cabbage & stir through until hot.

I just came across a brilliant food blog.  Very stylish, beautiful photography and interesting recipes.  Inspiring stuff... Cannelle et Vanille

This is a Jamie Oliver number.  I think it's the nicest way to do cauliflower that I've come across.  It's lemony & nutty & very more-ish.  It's genuinely a treat in itself. It was my dinner tonight along with some steamed lemon fish, some roasted squash with cinammon, dried red chili & fennel seeds.  Delicious! If you know of any other un-missable tricks with cauliflower or fancy trying it, please let me know & leave a comment.  Cheers! RECIPE BELOW:

With a cold beer on the side, this is my idea of heaven. MORE BELOW

This is a David Eyre recipe.  So it goes without saying that it's damn good! I have added a bit more olive oil, lots more tomatoes, and turned down the oven (fan-assisted). It takes an hour. RECIPE BELOW:

More smoked bacon antics... Fry up bacon & mushrooms in a little olive oil.. Then add rice and fry for a couple of minutes. Add hot chicken stock one ladle at a time until absorbed.  (The amounts involved depend on how many your feeding and the type of rice.  It will say on the packet.) Then put a lid on and let it rest for 2minutes. Mix in lots of fresh grated  parmesan & a little finely chopped tarragon. Check seasoning & eat. Filling and warming, this is easy winter food.  It takes about 30mins start to finish.

A fantastic book for meat lovers, by the author of "Ripailles" (Feasts).  It has beautifully shot  instructional photos of how to prepare various joints, along with dozens of roasts for beef/veal,  lamb, chicken, rabbits, venison, salmon & more.  There is great looking food on every page.  It's good to open on an indecisive day when you needed a quick idea.  It would make a great christmas present.

Simple meat maths.  Bacon=Good.   2xBacon=Better This soup was my lunch today.  Mmmnn bacon! I ended up using double the amount below & it was doubly-delicious. RECIPE BELOW:

This is the biggest meat market in the UK.  It is open to the trade and the public Tuesday to Friday from 3am. To find the full range of stalls open, arrive by 7am. The nearest tube stations are Farringdon and Barbican. There are lots of food related shops close to the market. Most interestingly, for the sausage obsessed.., some sell natural sausage casings like the 'Ox runners' I'm after!  Hooray.  I'm off there tomorrow & will post the details of the suppliers very soon. The nearest tube is Farringdon, on the Circle Line, Hammersmith & City or Metropolitan Line.. View Larger Map

This is easy, fresh, delicious, kid-friendly and it will keep in the fridge for a few days.  I'm including it because I'm going to make up a batch around Christmas time and don't want to forget about it. RECIPE BELOW:

The Kamlock 20" saw is roughly £46,  Replacement blades are £4.25 each. A big roll of muslin cloth is £5.35 A big roll of general purpose No.4 butches string is £4.66 (There is a thinner string called No.5 available too.) Mail order in the UK is through WESCHENFELDER They also sell a haggis making kit!  Now that is a future project I have to try!  Wow.

They are natural casings used for all traditional sausages, salamis etc.  They come from the intestines of cattle. Pig & sheep casings can also used. There are now meat-free alternatives on the market for veggie sausages, I don't know how they compare. Ox Runners are the smallest, for making peperoni style salamis. Ox Middles are the next size up, 5-10cm when filled, they dry down to about 3-4cm diameter. Ox Bung are the big boys, they are for large salamis and haggis. The mail order company, "The Natural Casing Company" has stopped trading. Instead, I discovered mail order can be got from Weschenfelder .  They despatch within 48hours for all your urgent butcher needs! They have stuffing machines too. Another UK mail order company is http://www.sausage-casings.co.uk For USA I found http://www.sausagemaker.com I live not far from Smithfields so I'll try there first. The main recommended casing for salamis are Ox casings.  These are the ones I...

1 quantity Pâte sucrée (recipe on blog) 300g Golden Syrup 125g Amaretti biscuits (blitzed in a blender) 25g Flaked almonds, lightly crushed 1 egg 1 lemon 4 tbsp Amaretto 60g Blanched almonds Icing Sugar for decorating Preheat oven to 170 °C Roll out the pastry out on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 20 circles with a 7.5cm cutter. Put the rounds into 2 12-hole baking tins. Chill. For the filling, gently heat the syrup to thin it, then add the crushed biscuits, flaked almonds, lemon zest & Amaretto. Stir in the beaten egg & then put the mixture in the pastry. Bake for 10mins. Then sprinkle a few blanched almonds on each tartlet & return to the oven for another 5-10mins. Once cooked leave them in the tins for 15mins before cooling on a wire tray. Sprinkle over icing sugar to decorate. Mmmnn.

This is an unusual and surprisingly subtle soup considering all the garlic! But, be warned, your breath the next day will stop traffic.

James Eliot 96 Essex Rd, London, N1 8LU ‎ - 020 7226 3658 ‎ A great butchers shop in Islington.  Love it.

The Ginger Pig are top of the range butchers. They have shops in Borough Market, Hackney, Marylebone & Waterloo.

This a delicious lager from a micro brewery based in Alloa - Central Scotland.  3.9%, so not too strong.  It's got a great caramel after-taste. They make a lot of different brews.  CHECK THE FULL RANGE HERE So far I've only tried a few.  There's always tomorrow... I didn't get on too well with their 'Premium Red' to be honest.  Then again I don't really like any Red beers.  I find them too vinegary.  There you go. The IPA (India Plae Ale) is also very good and worth looking out for. They sell this one at Odbins.  They also do online ordering , though you have to order 5 cases minimum.  I can think of worse things.

 I've just been recommended this book.  It is a pork-fest.  I like it already. It's now on my Xmas wish list... Anyone?.... It looks pretty cool.  The book's website has a taster of the recipes inside....  CLICK ME!

 I came across this old article from TimeOut London. This has to be tried, definitely my cup of tea...  Ah the possibilities! It will probably horrify my wife... Oh well,for better or worse eh? CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE I just found pretty much the same & a whole lot more on the brilliant River Cottage website.   There's a recipe for Chorizo that only takes 1 week of hanging before you can use it.  Wow.  That I have to try!

Welcome to the visitors from Germany, France & Australia yesterday! Yes, that's right...  The far-reaching Hackney Butchers Association has arrived on mainland Europe and on the shores of Oz. I'll try and get some good international stuff on here soon.  If you have any good ideas, leave a comment. I found some German recipes  HERE .  The Schweinshaxe (Roast Knuckle of Pork) looks good & cheap.  Pork knuckle, juniper berries, bay & paprika. Sounds fat-boy but good. A bientôt !  Bis bald! &  See you this arvo!

The best fish market in the UK & open to the public... It's open Tuesday - Saturday, 5am - 8:30 am I usually get down there at 6:30 and it's thriving. View Larger Map It's a lot cheaper than fish-mongers & supermarkets and a lot more fun! Love it. I'm due a trip very soon as my supplies are running low. Last time I came back with a box of sea bream, an octopus, some razor clams. The octopus & clams were amazing, definitely to be repeated.

1. Give them a good wash under the tap. 2. Cut a cross on one side of the chesnuts with a stanley knife. I do the round side but it really doesn't matter. You can use a sharp kitchen knife but you may blunt it. If you don't do this, they can explode. BANG! Like hardcore popcorn. 3. Roast in a single layer in a preheated 220°C oven for 15-25mins. Basically until they look done... 4. Scrunch them up in a clean tea towel & let them cool a bit. Then peel.  Throw away any really tough ones. 5. Eat.......   or use in a recipe such as   "Roasted Chestnut & Chorizo Soup".    Now we're talking.

It's sweet and it's spicy.  Damn. This is one of the best soups I've ever had. It's amazing. It's extremely rich, warming & filling, a meal in itself. It's something like a stew or cassoulet. Before this I didn't really like chestnuts, now I'm a convert... 1 big red onion, finely sliced 1 carrot, finely diced 1 celery stick, finely sliced 2 cooking chorizo sausages, cut into 1cm chunks 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground fresh thyme 2 dried red chillies 2 tomatoes / 1 can plum tomatoes 500g roasted chestnuts , roughly chopped a pinch of saffron 1 liter just boiled water Drop the saffron into the boiled water and leave to infuse. Fry the onion,carrot, celery, chorizo & a pinch of salt for 20mins, until caramelized. Then add garlic, cumin, thyme, & chilli. Cook for 1 minute, before adding tomato for 2mins, then the chestnuts. Give it a good stir & then add the saffron water. Simmer for 10mins & then mash or pu...

I came across this cool Jane Grigson recipe. I made it last night with my daughter. It's extremely sweet, but really good. 140g plain flour 1 egg, seperated 400ml dry cider 100g caster sugar 4 apples Lemon juice Sunflower oil 1. For the batter, sift the flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Make a well in the middle & then slowly mix in the egg yolk and 100ml cider. Then gradually mix in another 150ml of the cider until it is a smooth batter. It's recommended to leave it to chill for an hour or more if you have time. 2. For the syrup, dissolve the sugar in the remaining 150ml of cider, bring to the boil & simmer for 5mins-10mins until golden. 3. Core the apples, leaving them whole. Then cut each into 5 doughnut shaped rings, about 1cm thick. Toss in some lemon juice to stop them going brown. They look better this way, but it really doesn't matter. Big rustic chunks would be just as tasty. 4. When ready to eat, heat up ...

Award-winning 'Rose Veal', that's the ethical stuff, from a fantastic family-run farm, based in Cornwall. They deliver anywhere in the UK. http://bocaddonfarmveal.com We've just finished our supplies and are getting a load sent up for Christmas.

This is a brilliant little Lebanese place. As I found out last night, you need to book!.. Yalla Yalla 1 Green's Court, London, W1F 0HA Tel: 0207 287 7663 View Larger Map

A delicious Eagle Pub recipe. I love this!... 100ml olive oil 1 chicken, jointed 2 heads of garlic, separated but leave the skins on 3 bay leaves 500ml dry sherry 250ml water 1. Brown the chicken in the oil. 2. Take out the chicken & gently fry the garlic & bay. 3. Add the sherry, water & chicken 4. Simmer for 35mins, stirring regularly. 5. Season with salt & pepper. It's really easy, always works, and even my kids like it. Before you call the social services, the alcohol evaporates... It would work well with pork chops too. Mmmnnn. The Eagle recommend roast spuds with it, but I like mash to soak up the amazing garlicky, bay sauce. I keep making this one, it's great comfort food. In fact, we're having it tonight. No left-overs on this one I'm afraid.

No, really. Brought back from Sweden by my wife as a present. They will make an afternoon snack. Wild Man! They look a bit like peperami, so I might need a beer or two to wash them down. A bit later.... I tried them. They are like smokey peperami. They are not bad actually if you like skanky meat sometimes. I know I do.

This was good! Definitely one to repeat. This would be good to cook for friends. The spuds, cabbage, fish stock can all be pretty much prepared in advance & then finished within 10mins.

Serves 4 For the Fish: 4 fillets of haddock (or any white fish) For the aoili: 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 50g tin of anchovy fillets in olive oil 3 egg yolks 300ml olive oil salt and pepper For the aoili: Blitz the anchovy & garlic in a blender. Then add the eggs one by one until well mixed. Then, with the blender still running, drizzle in the olive oil really slowly until you have a mayonaisse. It will keep in the fridge for a day, so could be made in advance. For the fish: Season & pan fry skin-side down in butter for 2-3mins, then turn over and fry on other side for 2mins.

This is based on a Pru Leith recipe. I upped all the spices, the tomato & the onion. RECIPE BELOW:

I've only just come across this book. It looks fantastic. Here are some excerpts thanks to Google. CLICK HERE There is a garlic soup in there that looks amazing. I'm going to try it out very soon... But tomorrow I've got plans for some pork with an apple, vodka & tarragon sauce.

There's a rumour on the street that this year batch of H-Bomb Chilli Chutney is due for release. Watch this space...

For the cider and apple sauce (makes enough for 4 servings, or 1 really greedy one) 20ml groundnut oil 500g pork bones (ask your butcher), chopped small 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped 1 celery stick, chopped 2 garlic gloves, peeled and crushed 1 bay leaf 1 thyme sprigs 2 sprigs tarragon 1 granny smith apple, chopped 300ml dry cider 400ml chicken stock Method: To prepare the cider sauce. Place a heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat and heat up, and then add the oil. When it is almost smoking, add the pork bones and cook, stirring frequently, until they are deep golden in colour. Add the vegetables, garlic and herbs, lower the heat and cook for 8-10 minutes or until softened and golden. Add the chopped apple and cider. Bring to the boil and simmer to reduce by half, and then add the stock. Bring back to the boil, skim and simmer again for 20-25 minutes. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean pan and simmer to reduce by...

I made this with a little help from my daughter. She's 5 and thought a nice smiley face would make a change. I think she's got a point. It makes me laugh anyway. The seeds were delicious. I simmered them for 10mins in salted water to cook the shells and then toasted them in a hot dry pan with ground cumin, chilli, cinammon. I added a splash of olive oil at the end to help it stick. I may have over-done the chilli though... Don't touch your eyes after eating them! (You get the gunk off the seeds by putting them in sink full of water. The gunk sinks, the seeds float.)

Parsnips are in season from November through to January. A couple of different ideas to go with a roast, or some grilled oily-fish. Mash up some cooked parsnips with a bit of butter or cream & add some ground cumin, chilli seeds & cinammon to taste. Or Peel some parsnips, cut off the thin ends & roast or fry with some spicy paprika/chorizo. Meanwhile, simmer the fatter bits in some water until soft & then puree in a blender with a splash of cream, or milk & butter. Serve the crispy bit on the puree.  It looks and tastes amazing, thanks to the intense colour and flavour of the chorizo. Or Roast up with cumin and smoked paprika.  Not radically different from above I guess...

Once scrubbed or peeled, pop them in water acidulated with some lemon juice to stop them going black. Roast whole, in duck fat for 30-40mins with whole garlic cloves, bay leaves & pancetta. Or, pan-fry thick rounds of jerusalem artichokes for 10mins in olive oil & a little butter until browned. Remove once cooked & add some herbs to the pan (sage, or bay , rosemary, thyme etc.) for a minute. Then add lemon juice to de-glaze the pan and pour over the cooked pieces. Or, steam fat slices for 5mins, drizzle in walnut oil & use in salads

This is a slight variation on an Eagle Pub recipe. I switched some of the stock for red wine and swapped flageolet beans for broad beans as they are out of season. 1 large rabbit 150ml Olive Oil 1 onion 8 garlic cloves 1 red, 1 green pepper, sliced 4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped 2 carrots, finely sliced 1 small handful thyme leaves 3 chorizo sausages 500g arborio rice 1 bay leaf 150g flageolet beans beans 100g peas 500ml rabbit/chicken/vegetable stock 500ml red wine wine 1 tbsp hot paprika 2 lemons, juiced handful parsley, chopped Prep time: 20mins Cooking time: 50mins This makes enough to feed 8 people.(Tonight I'm by myself, so there's a slim chance that I have cooked too much...) Brown the rabbit in the olive oil on a high heat. Cook the vegetables & herbs in the oil for 10mins. Add the chorizo & once they melt a bit, add the rice. Stir around for 2mins to absorb the oil. Add the stock & wine & bring to boil, then simmer fo...

159 Farringdon Road Clerkenwell , London EC1R 3AL Tel: 020 7837 1353 Brilliant food. Bloody hard to get a table. Worth the effort.

I picked up a great looking rabbit last night on the way back from work. I was worried that the rabbit might leak blood all over the clothes in my bike bag, but I got away with it. Phew. Theobalds Butchers (McKanna Meats) 21 Theobald's Road, Holborn London, WC1X 8SL It was a big one, roughly £10. I got it jointed & kept the liver. You can freeze it all within 2 days and it will last for a couple of months. I'm going to eat mine as soon as I can. It should feed 6, though I'm cooking for it one as my wife & kids won't eat rabbit. Apparently they are cute. This is one battle I'm happy to lose as it means I get to eat all the leftovers. Nice. The problem I have is that the first rabbit recipe I ever tried was Jamie Oliver's "Tender-as-you-like rabbit stew" with tarragon dumplings. It's so incredibly tasty that I'm struggling to try any new ways of cooking rabbit. Ok, so not a major life-challenge I know, but those dumpl...

I made a roast pumpkin dish earlier tonight. I bashed up a mix of fennel,coriander, cumin and red chilli seeds, with garlic and a little olive oil. I rubbed it over slices of a small pumpkin and a torn-up red pepper. Then roasted alongside a lemon chicken. It was great. Sweet & really spicy. This is the pumpkin just before roasting for 30mins at 180°C.

I came across this great list of 30 recipes from The Times Online. CLICK HERE... The one shown here is destined for an experiment in couple of days time...

Slice a courgette into finger sized pieces & soak in milk. Season some polenta with salt, pepper and paprika (sweet paprika if for kids). Roll the courgettes in the polenta and fry in olive oil until golden. Great with fish or just by themselves with some aioli. Yum.

Uh oh. Running low... I get these amazing chillis from Broadway Market, East London. I have been totally addicted for about 5 years. They are pretty spicy, but also sweet like grilled peppers. I have them on anything I can get away with, pasta, cold meats, they are great with goats cheese, or even just nice toast. They are from a stockist called Etna Conserve . I've never tried any of their other products, but if these are anything to go by, it's worth checking out.

Mix the best cooked butter beans you can get with : olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, garlic. Season with salt & pepper. Or add finely chopped red-onion, a splash of good balsamic vinegar, very finely chopped rosemary, olive oil & a good pinch of hot paprika. Or Diced cooked chorizo & parsley. I'm getting hungry... Must eat soon...

250g fresh red chillis, halved & de-seeded 5 cloves garlic 100g coriander 100g flat leaf parsley 1 tsp ground cumin a pinch of ground cardamon 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2tbs olive oil Briefly blitz the chillis with the garlic. add the other ingredients & blitz again until you have a textured paste. This keeps for up to a week in a sealed jar in the fridge. You can use it to dip bread into, or to add a bit of zing to grilled meats etc.

1 tin Chickpeas, drained & rinsed 50ml Tahini paste Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste 1 garlic clove, peeled & crushed sea salt Blitz the chickpeas & tahini in a food processor until smooth. Remove and put in a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and garlic & season with sea-salt & pepper. Add a bit of water if it's too thick and already lemony enough. Sprinkle over some sweet paprika & chopped flat-leaf parsley. Delicious!

Salad: 500g raw beetroot, peeled & very thinly sliced 2tsp lemon juice 2tbs olive oil small handful parsley Dressing: 100g shelled pistachio 2tbs finely chopped parsley 1 dsp finely chopped mint 1 dsp lemon juice 1 tsp caster sugar 7 tbs olive oil 1 tsp zemon zest 4tbs water 1 tsp orange blossom water (optional) Serves 4 as part of a mezze. Blitz the dressing ingredients briefly in a food processor, nuts first. Then season to taste. Dress the beetroot & parsley leaves with the lemon juice & olive oil. When ready to eat, spoon over some pistachio dressing. This comes from the mighty Moro's. Everything they make is amazing. I've had a few disasters from their cook books if i'm honest. I probably did something wrong! Their restaurant is still my favorite. I love it!

1 small tenderloin 2 lemongrass stalks (finely sliced) 3 cloves garlic (crushed) 2tbsp Fish Sauce 1 tbsp Sesame oil Sesame seeds to decorate (if you fancy it) Prep: 5mins Marinate: 1 hour Cooking time:2 mins Slice the pork into 1cm thick rings & marinate with all the other ingredients for at least an hour. Drain the pork and fry in a hot non-stick pan for 1 or 2 mins until golden. Spoon over a little sauce as you go. You can use this to add to stir-fried veg & bean sprouts, or add to salad leaves with mint & coriander.

3tbsp Lime Juice 3 tbsp Fish sauce 1 tbsb caster sugar This is good for asian salads, or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls.

Small handful of mint 1/2 lemon (juiced) 1 heaped tbsp Grain mustard 2 egg yolks 4-5 tbsp olive oil Blitz the mint, lemon juice, mustard & egg yolks briefly in a blender. Slowly add the oil until it's just thickened like double-cream. Great with anything barbeued.

1 large Sea Bream or 2 smaller ones( roughly 1.8kg) 1kg waxy potatoes (desiree are good) 1 lemon 1 onion 4 cloves garlic 1 pinch Saffron 7tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tsp salt 6 tbsp olive oil Prep time: 20mins Cooking time: 1hour & 5 mins Slash the fish a few times on both sides & season with salt/pepper & lemon juice inside & out. Thinly slice the onion & potatoes and put in layers into a greased oven proof dish. Bash up 5tbsp of the parsley, saffron, garlic & salt then slowly mix in 4tbsb olive oil & 4tbsb of water. Sread this over the potato & onions. Bake in the oven at 190°C for 40mins until almost cooked. Put the bream on top with 2tbsp olive oil & bake for 25mins if using 1 big fish, or 15mins if using smaller ones. Once just cooked, sprinkle with the zest of the lemon & the rest of the parsley. This is a classic Spanish dish called "Besugo al horno", traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve. You can swa...

This is a marinade for anything you like. 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp corinader seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns 1/2 tsp fennel seeds 1/2 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp sea salt 2 dried chillies 1-2oz fresh red chillies (depending on strength) 3 cloves garlic 1 shallot or 1/2 small red onion 2 tsp tamarind water 1" ginger 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (It makes a jar load & lasts for months.) Grind up the dry spices first in a pestle & mortar, then bash in the rest until you have a smooth paste. I've used it on Octopus (amazing!) and left-over chicken (not-so-amazing...), but it can be used for spicy vegetable curries or anything you fancy. It has a strong spicy/cinamony hit.

A Rick Stein-er. Very simple & good. It looks very flash, but is really easy! Phew. I've served it a few times with Bubble & Squeak. It needs something crispy to soak up the fantastic sauce.  RECIPE

It works with any white fish, I tend to use Sea Bream. I wouldn't use anything too expensive though as the sauce is strong. It's spicy, salty, fishy, sweet & sour, and as good as anything I've had served up in a Thai/Vietnamese restaurant. I got the recipe from Thai Table. It's the only recipe I've tried of theirs, so far. It was so good I've cooked it many times now. In fact I might have to have it for dinner tonight. Mmnnn. The Tamarind I use comes in a block and lasts for months in the fridge. I got it from a local asian store. You soften it in boiling water before use. I know that the big supermarkets now sell Tamarind paste etc, so hopefully shouldn't be too hard to get. It's totally essential to this recipe and worth buying anyway. I improvised a bit last time and used Jamaican bell-peppers, big mistake... I like my spice, but even I had to take my time eating it. My wife cried, we had to open all the windows & even the fr...

I got given this book many years ago (Thanks Mum! x) It took me a while to realize just how good it is. Now I use it all the time. It's splattered in food and probably a health risk... It's one of those books, full of all the classics, that you'll use for life.

This is a Jamie Oliver recipe. It's a dramatic roast. I've done it quite a few times and look forward to doing it again. I'm hungry just thinking about it. The main flavours are paprika, rosemary & red onion. It smells incredible as you cook it. Even my kids love it... I always roast up a load of mixed peppers with it & serve up some irony greens. It's great. HERE IT IS... I make lots and then freeze any left-over beans. They make a great instant meal another time. I made amazing pork scratchings by roasting up all the pork trimmings with chilli seeds and dried mixed herbs. I know it's not exactly health food, but worth it...

This is a Rick Stein number. It is absolutely delicious. Great winter comfort food. It serves 4. You don't need any other side dishes. Definitely one to repeat every winter! http://www.hub-uk.com/foodpages31/1522.htm Pheasant shooting season in the UK is from October 1st until February 1st. The cheapest time to buy is November when they are at their peak. Check out HERE if you want to know about other birds, ie. Mallard, Grouse, Wood Pigeon etc.

Interesting stuff... It's one of the main flavours in Thai soups like Tom Kaa Gai. I get it from a local Vietnamese store on Mare St, East London. It looks very similar to ginger roots. It's also called Siamese Ginger. In Thailand they call it 'Khaa'. I sometimes make stocks for soups/ramens by bunging a couple of inches of chopped galangal, 2 sticks of lemongrass, lots of garlic, a chopped lime & some fresh red chillies into some chicken stock, and simmering for 20mins. It smells and tastes incredible. Strain it, then add noodles, left over meat or fish, bean sprouts & more chillies if you're hardcore... oh and another squeeze of lime juice.. Wow.

15 green chillies 3 tbsp shallot 1 tbsp garlic 50g chopped galangal 1/2 tsp chopped lemongrass 1 tsp ginger 1 tsp shrimp paste (or salt if you can't get it) 1/2 tsp chopped kaffir lime peel 1 tsp chopped coriander root 1 tsp tumeric root 5mins. Use a food processor, whizz it all up together. Done... Keeps for up to 4 months in a sealed jar in the fridge. I've made it using less ingredients when i couldn't get hold of stuff. It still tastes amazing. The one thing i'd never miss out is the kaffir lime. If you can't get fresh, try getting hold of the frozen leaves. You can keep a pack in the freezer for whenever you need them. They last for ages and are good for lifting stir-frys etc. The recipe comes from a booklet from a small cookery school in Thailand, "The Baan Thai Cookery School" . My wife's parents went there & loved it. Nice people & great food!

200g plain flour (sifted) 75g caster sugar 75g unsalted butter (at room temp) 2 medium yolks 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence 2-3 iced water a pinch of salt

5 dried red chilies (soaked in boiling water for 10mins) 3 tbsp chopped shallots 1 tbsp chopped garlic 50g galangal 1/2 tsp shrimp paste (or salt if you can't get it) 1/2 tsp chopped kaffir lime peel 1 tsp coriander root/stem 1 tsp tumeric root You can grind it in a pestle & mortar but it makes a right mess, so i whizz it in a blender. Works fine... phew. This doesn't go deep red (add more tumeric root if you like), but it tastes great... It lasts for up to 4 months in a sealed glass jar in the fridge. For my red curries, I like it spicy. I lightly fry up at least 4 heaped teaspoons of paste in a little oil then add 1 can of coconut milk. If you don't like the heat, use half this amount.

I was going to copy the recipe in but to be honest, it would be better to go to the site... CLICK HERE I've made it a few times and it's great. Serve it on the biggest plate, or serving dish you can find.

Blitz chunks of lamb shoulder with onion, parsley & seasoning in a blender and pan fry. Eat in toasted pitta with lemon juice & a dollop of yoghurt. Yum.

Soy Sauce Mirin Sake Sugar Sesame Oil Mix the Soy sauce, mirin & Sake in equal amounts in a pan. Add a small amount of sugar and sesame oil and boil for a minute to combine. Use the sauce to baste pork, chicken, beef, or veg while you grill it.

a big bunch of parlsey a big bunch of mint Tomatoes Olive Oil Lemon Juice Bulgar Wheat Cook wheat according to packet & number of mouths to feed. Mix a couple of handfuls of chopped parsley & mint, then mix in even more, go on... trust me. Put in lots of the best tomatoes you can get, chopped quite small. Mix in a generous amount of your best olive oil & lemon juice. Oh and season with Sea salt & black pepper. I often use a garlic vinaigrette instead. Sorry to be vague on the amounts, but it doesn't really matter, it's a personal thing... I love it to be as much herb as wheat. I could eat this almost every day. It's healthy & delicious!

I found this site. What helpful people.. thanks! EAT THE SEASONS It's good for the UK, USA & Canada

Fine slice (mandolin if possible) your courgettes. Griddle until nice black stripes appear. Mix with good olive oil & lemon juice and pop on mint, crushed garlic & chopped red chilies. Simple but very moorish! You can obviously do this with lots of other veg. Aubergines,peppers and leeks are all great.

Not really a recipe, I know... Steam beans for 3 mins.  Then toss with a little grated ginger, lemon juice & olive oil.  Delicious with fish! or Steam beans for 3mins then cool briefly in iced water. Toss in a good garlic vinaigrette. Ready to eat, or stick in fridge for later.

The original & still brilliant... The food is cooked in an open kitchen. It's rustic, delicious stuff. 159 Farringdon Rd London, EC1R 3AL 020 7837 1353 Get Directions MAP

Blitz a can of chickpeas with 4tbs yoghurt, lemon juice & mint. Er.. that's it.

10mins cooking 15mins to cool & then mix Grill kipper fillets with a little butter for about 4 mins a side. Let it cool and the flake it up with your fingers, removing any bones as you go. Mix in cream cheese and lots of lemon juice, and ground black pepper. It needs a bit of chilling now. It lasts for a few days & seems to get better & better. Brown bread, ale, eat. MMnnnn kippers.

150ml White wine vinegar 400ml Water 2 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 Onion thinly sliced 1 tbs mixed peppercorns 1 tbs coriander seed 3 bay leaves 4 mackerel fillets Fennel fronds (the herby bit) (10min recipe) Put everything but the mackerel & fennel in a stainless steel pan. Bring to a boil, put in the mackerel & then simmer for 3mins. Let it cool & then chill overnight. Pop the fennel herbs in.

This is so easy & totally delicious! 5 garlic gloves 2 tbsp fennel seeds 3 tbsp chopped parsley 2 teaspoons sea salt olive oil Pork loin 2-3kg on the bone (preferably rib end) 1. (5mins) Finely cut & bash up the PARSLEY, FENNEL SEEDS, GARLIC and SEA SALT. Add just enough nice olive oil to make a paste & rub on any joint of pork. Leave uncovered overnight in the fridge.... Next day cook pork as normal. Serve with roasted spuds etc. It's so damn good.... BIG FLAVOURS & ROUGH EDGES was the Eagle Pub's first book. It's was reprinted in 2009 as The Eagle Cookbook: Recipes from the Original Gastropub.