Food with a View in Algarve, Portugal

Early August, Good Morning Britain on ITV sent me on an adventure to some of Portugal's best destinations to film #FoodwithaView. I’ve always been very fond of the country from holidays as a child with my parents to renting a villas on the coast annually with wife and friends. It has everything that appeals to a traveller like myself. It is a short flight, great value, friendly natives, guaranteed sun, amazing beaches and, of course, THE FOOD! With iconic dishes like salt cod, piri piri chicken, garlic and clams and those famous, custard tarts. There’s not much to dislike about Portugal is there.

For my journey, I was sent to five regions around the country shooting recipes and finding out a little more about what it has to offer.

So the first stop, the Algarve...

We all know the Algarve region right? I certainly do, being born in the late 70’s I was part of the original family package holiday boom and can remember holidays in the sun spent around a hotel pool with my brother jumping off inflatable lylos whilst Mum and Dad sipped Mateus rosé (Portugal's finest ;). We very rarely left the hotel complex back then but nowadays, gulp… over 30 years later, the Algarve has so much more to offer.

Over 7 million tourists visit every year, being situated in the south of the country with guaranteed sunshine and over 140 miles of coastline, unspoilt beaches with crystal clear waters and some of Europe's best golf courses you can see why. Also, there're plenty of theme parks to visit making it perfect for a family holiday. I got involved with this (much to the enjoyment of the crew) with one of my finest pieces to camera by going down a water slide with a go-pro (when in Rome…).

But there's a lot more to the Algarve than tourism, the growing of almonds, fantastic oranges and olive groves are equally as important. If you’ve not tried Portuguese olive oil I urge you, it's some of the finest in the world and it's also home to piri piri chili. Known as peri-peri in Africa and most commonly as the bird's eye chilli, Columbus brought this fiery fruit with him to the continent and has been a staple on the Portuguese tables ever since. In fact so much so, they sailed with it on their travels whilst conquering the world. Nowadays it’s found all over Portugal along with coriander mainly due its versatility when used with poultry, pork, seafood and fish. And from the versatility of this pepper came piri piri sauce. Made as a marinade or seasoning, it differs throughout the country with its main ingredients being a combination of chillies, oil, citrus and herbs. It can even be made including alcohol and meat fat.

I’ve been discovering that Portuguese cuisine unlike their neighbours, they love chillis and are never afraid to spice up a dish. It works perfectly in hot climate served with a cold beverage which is why I’ve chosen a quick and simple take on Piri Piri Chicken. Perfect for a BBQ, especially if you’ve not had time to marinade and want more spice than your usual standard BBQ chicken fare.

Behind the scenes: On a tight schedule we arrived at Olhos De Agua and set up our #todaysoffice on the cliffs overlooking the sea. However as you can see by my last picture, we were totally unprepared for the mist that greeted us coming from the sea, making it totally unfilmable (especially if you're filming a piece based on great summer locations). We regrouped, found a nearby hotel and rescheduled to shoot again first thing in the morning just when the sun was rising. During re-shoot, in the early morning sun, again, we were hit by the mist halfway through. But as they say... the show must go on!  

Quick BBQ Piri Piri Chicken

A Portuguese classic and perfect for a barbecue. This is a very quick and easy take on the dish.

An example of a great tasting and sharing recipe that you can quickly be rustle without the need of marinating due to the resting process. Great served alongside grilled romaine lettuce with a yogurt dressing. Also, an excellent alternative to a roast for the summer or outdoors.

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My Quick BBQ Piri Piri Chicken

serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 free-range chicken, butterflied (back bone taken out) or 4 chicken quarters

FOR THE PIRI PIRI SAUCE:

• 6-10 birds eye chills finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 50ml red wine vinegar
• 100ml olive oil
• 1 tsp flaked salt

to serve:

• fresh or grilled romaine lettuce
• yogurt dressing 

Method

In a bowl, mix all the piri piri sauce ingredients together.

Make incisions with a sharp knife all over the chicken and place over the BBQ to cook 10-12 minutes each side.

With a clean paint brush, brush the chicken with the piri piri sauce and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes each side basting occasionally.

Place the cooked chicken into a bowl or tray and pour remaining sauce over, loosely cover with foil and rest for 30 minutes. This will tenderise the chicken and as its been cut all over with a knife and will absorb any remaining juices giving perfect flavour, juiciness and spice. Cut into pieces and serve with grilled lettuce and yogurt dressing.

1. In a bowl mix all the piri piri ingredients together

2. Make incisions with a sharp knife all over the chicken, Place over the bbq and cook 10-12 minutes each side.

3. With a clean new paint brush, brush the chicken with the piri piri sauce and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes each side basting occasionally.

4. Place the cooked chicken into a bowl/container and pour remaining sauce over, loosely cover with foil and rest for 30 minutes (this will tenderise the chicken and as its been cut all over with a knife will absorb any remaining juices giving perfect flavour, juiciness and spice) cut into pieces and serve with grilled lettuce and dressing.

Smoked Haddock Bhaji Scotch Eggs

For this week's BBC Food and Drink I was sent to Duck and Waffle in the Heron Tower, London to meet Chef Dan Doherty and talk about 'hybrid' food. Dan and his team are doing such great things over at Duck and Waffle and I was lucky enough to be able to try a few of their dishes, one of my personal favourites is their amazing spicy ox cheek doughnuts served with apricot jam. But that is only the beginning so please have a look at their menu to see what other delights you can devour and the views are some of the best in London. 

Dan & Tom from Duck and Waffle 

Back in the kitchen, Dan and I get to do a bit of cooking where we make scotch eggs of all things ;) bhaji scotch eggs to be exact. They reminded me of a dish I used to make on my stalls, the smoked haddock bhaji scotch egg. I used to make onion bhajis & smoked haddock scotch eggs (Buttery curried mash and smoked haddock wrapped around a soft boiled egg) then one morning I decided to use the bhaji mix instead of breadcrumbs around the scotch egg and a new dish was born. I took it to the market and sold about two, a little disgruntled I returned and handed the rest out to grateful friends. But that was 2010 and food trends are constantly changing and over the past few years with new inventive dishes like the conut by Dominique Ansel appearing thus making hybrid foods more popular than ever.

Duck and Waffle's scotch egg

Smoked haddock works so well with curried spices as we've known for a long time with dishes like kedgeree and the soft and runny yolk against the crunch of the bhaji coating is a real treat. You want a firm mash and the trick is to bake the potatoes with the skin on and then scoop out the flesh.

Enjoy and let me know what other 'hybrid' creations you have been making. 

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My Smoked Haddock Bhaji Scotch Eggs

makes 4

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SCOTCH EGG:

• 4 large free range eggs
• 200g mash potato (from 1 large or 2 medium potatoes)
• 200g undyed smoked haddock (skinned & chopped) 
• 100g butter 
• white pepper 

FOR THE ONION BHAJI:

• 2 shallots
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cardamon pods
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• 100g gram flour (chickpea flour)
• water

METHOD

Boil the eggs for 6 minutes on a gentle simmer then place into a container of ice cold water (this will stop the egg cooking) carefully peel and keep in the cold water until needed.

Pre heat the oven 180C and bake the potatoes on a tray for around an hour or until cooked. Cut in half and scoop out the flesh (careful: HOT POTATO!) then mash with the butter till smooth. Add the haddock and season with white pepper (no need for salt as Smoked haddock will provide). Divide into 4 equal balls then flatten out and wrap each portion around your soft boiled eggs encasing and completely covering.

Chill until needed.

For the bhaji mix:

Slice the shallots and place into a bowl and salt lightly then leave for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to bleed. In a pestle and mortar place the cardamom pods and grind, then add the remaining spices. To the shallots add the spices, gram flour, chopped coriander and a dash of water. mix well until you have a dropping (double cream like) consistency.

Preheat a deep fat fryer to 180C.

Remove the eggs from the fridge, dip into the bhaji mix covering all over then carefully place into the fryer and fry for 6 minutes until golden brown.

Rest for 3 minutes, slice in half and serve.

Wild Rabbit, Pancetta & Sage Pie

Wabbit! My latest assignment for BBC Food & Drink, they have taken me to Devon to meet Chef, Hunter, Forager and all round nice guy Tim Maddams. Tim invites me into his idyllic home with a back garden overlooking a lush valley where he cooks me two recipes using wild rabbits that he shot a few days before. The first dish was rabbit leg and chanterelle pasta and the second dish is easy slow cooked rabbit with pancetta and tomatoes. Both extremely tasty and both showing just how versatile wild rabbit can be. We really should be eating more these wild and tasty animals that have some how become to be known as the 'poor man's chicken'. They can be ordered through supermarkets, butchers and even online. They have such great flavour and quality of meat, nutritious, low in fat and full of protein and vitamins. They are also very good value for money, even from a supermarket a wild rabbit costs less than a free-range chicken.

One more bit of advice, just make sure to not grab yourself an old buck which can be a little too strong in taste. The perfect age for a wild rabbit is between 6-8 weeks old and most importantly stay clear of farmed rabbit imported from abroad. 

Here's my 'Wild Rabbit & Pancetta Pie' recipe using ingredients and flavours that I believe Tim would approve of ;) 

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My Wild Rabbit, Pancetta & Sage Pie

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 wild rabbit
• 100g pancetta or smoked bacon lardons
• 2 shallots, peeled & finely chopped
• 2 tbsp of olive oil 
• 150ml white wine
• 150ml chicken stock
• 100ml double cream
• 100g small button mushrooms, each cut in half
• 1 carrot , rough small dice
• 1tbsp whole grain mustard 
• 1/2 bunch sage, roughly chopped 

FOR THE ALL BUTTER RUFF PUFF PASTRY:

• 400g strong plain flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 300g butter, ice cold
• 100-150ml cold water

METHOD

For the filling, divide the rabbit into small portions on the bone and season with salt and pepper. Pour 1 tbsp of olive oil into a large pan, then seal off the rabbit until nicely browned and set aside.

In the same pan, seal off the bacon until caramelised and set aside with the rabbit. Sweat the shallots, carrots and mushrooms in the remaining oil for 5 minutes, then add the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid just covers the vegetables. 

Add the chicken stock, rabbit and bacon and return to a boil for about 20 minutes until reduced. Add the double cream and mustard and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened. Add the roughly chopped sage and set aside to cool. 

Once cooled, take the rabbit out of the stew, take the meat off the bone (discarding the bones) and return the meat back to the stew. Chill until needed. 

Preheat your oven to 180C. 

Follow directions for my all butter ruff puff pastry

Divide the pastry into four and shape over a ramekin or jam jar and then place in a small bowl to retain the shape. Place spoonfuls of the filling into the bowl-shaped pastry and fill halfway. Squeeze the top together and gently push down, being careful not to break the pastry. Cut any excess pastry on the top and brush with egg yolk. Bake for 45 mins, making sure the pinch on the top is fully cooked through.

Whelks @ Crabhouse Café

Whelks… hmmmm. From my childhood all I can say is, YUCK!

I love British seaside food and summers spent on the beaches of Kent and Sussex. For me it's all about fish n’ chips and ice cream! Not chewy, slimey 'things' covered in vinegar, although I can vaguely remember my brother daring/telling/forcing me (probably all of them at the same time) to try one, I was only seven and the blood still runs deep...  No wonder I was a bit scarred when I heard what I was soon to do. 

See the thing is when you mention whelks to people that is exactly what they think of, a snail type thing served in a polystyrene cup with vinegar from the 60’s and 70’s.

But there's more to the whelk than meets the eye. In the UK 20,000 tonnes of them are landed each year and we are not eating them, so where are they going? The answer is... they mostly end up in soy sauce or canned as bar snacks in the far east. So are we missing a trick when it comes to the whelk? I was lucky enough to be sent by BBC Food and Drink to Weymouth to investigate that very question.

On arriving in this great thriving fishing port town we popped over to the beach to sample whelks in their classic British seaside serving (forced to eat by my director, George) but I still was not convinced. They were chewy, covered in black spots and nothing to taste apart from vinegar, I thought I was seven years old again (Director George also commented that my behaviour was very much that of a seven year old ;).

But luckily enough our next stop was Crab House Café where I was introduced to chef owner, Nigel Bloxham. He LOVES whelks or ‘sea snails’ as he calls them, (interestingly I later find out if you put ‘Sea Snails’ on a menu instead of ‘Whelks’ they will sell out) and he wants to encourage us to eat more whelks. Nigel even helped launch the ‘Great British Whelk Revival’.

Nigel explains to me that they are full of nutrients, environmentally-friendly and because they grow naturally at sea it gives them a lovely sweet flavour that works great with strong flavours like chilli and garlic. He cooks me a dish very similar to French snails with garlic butter but with our very own, British whelks. He slices them and suddenly they don’t resemble anything whelk-like, fries them in butter, garlic and parsley, with a squeeze of lemon then serves it with a massive hunk of crusty brown bread. They are sweet, succulent and tasty. I LOVE IT! Thirty years later, I am now converted!

Nigel was kind enough to share his recipe featured below, why not give it a go...

Catch it TODAY on BBC Food & Drink, January 23rd at 8:30 or after on catch-up HERE >>      

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NIGEL'S WHELKS WITH GARLIC & PARSLEY BUTTER

Ingredients

• 2kg whelks (sea snails) with shells on or 500g shelled
• 250g garlic and parsley butter 
• 1 lemon
• salt
• bread (to mop up all those lovely juices)

Method 

Take the whelks out of the shell.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then add the whelks. Keep them just barely simmering for about 10 minutes. This cooks them right through.

Take them out and drain. Slice them up so they don't look like whelks anymore, which is a good trick!

Fry the sliced whelks in a frying pan with a knob of garlic and parsley butter. As soon as the butter has melted, squeeze the juice of the lemon over and serve with bread.

*For more information on Nigel's cookbook visit HERE

Toulouse Sausage and Roasted Garlic Mash

From Fabulous French With Jun Tanaka and John Whaite on the 'Big Eat' on Food Network UK...

This recipe contains my weakness... MASH POTATOS! I just love the stuff! I've opted for a different take on the usual creamy and buttery naughtiness that we all know and love but this time I've added olive oil and roasted garlic.

Roasting the garlic pacifies and sweetens the mash potato whilst the olive oil adds richness and flavour and season with white pepper for the its unique taste but also not to discolour with specks like you would find with the black variety. 

The sausage is your choice, I've gone for Toulouse for the strong garlic and herb taste. And for the gravy, cooking the onions is the key... a good 25 minutes ticking over on the stove until golden and brown. 

Warning: This is one of those dishes that will make your kitchen smell insanely good!

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My Toulouse Sausage and Roasted Garlic Mash

Ingredients

IT'S JUN TANAKA!

• 8 good quality toulouse sausages
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Good splash of brandy
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 200ml red wine
• Whole bulb of garlic
• 1kg peeled fluffy potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edwards
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• Truffle oil (optional)
• Salt
• White pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Wrap the garlic bulb in foil and bake it for 20-25 minutes, until the garlic is soft and squidgy. Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions in an ovenproof pan until soft and golden, this will take a good 10-15 minutes.

Once brown, push to one side of the pan and add the sausages and brown evenly. Then add the brandy and de-glaze the pan. Add the balsamic vinegar, and then put the pan in the oven.

Cook it until the onions are beautifully caramelised and the sausages are cooked through, this will take about 20 minutes.

For the mash, peel and dice the potatoes and put them in a large pan of salted water, bring it to the boil and turn down the heat and simmer it for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Drain the potatoes and leave them to steam for about 5 minutes. Put the potatoes through a ricer and put them back into the pan.

Bring the potato together with a spoon, squeeze the roasted garlic in and season with salt and white pepper. Add the extra virgin olive oil until the mash is rich and glossy.

For an extra bit of luxury, add a drizzle of truffle oil to finish.

Brioche and Seville Orange Marmalade Toasts with Chocolate Dipping Sauce

From Viva España with Jose Pizarro and John Whaite on the 'Big Eat' on Food Network UK...

The idea of this dish comes from my love of churros and a grilled cheese sandwich I once had from a food truck in Florida. The orange marmalade and cream cheese work so well with the chocolate dipping sauce. Serve as an indulgent breakfast, dessert or even better as a late night snack.

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My Brioche and Seville Orange Marmalade Toasts with Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

In the kitchen with Jose Pizarro!

• Brioche loaf
• Seville orange marmalade
• Cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Butter for frying
• Icing sugar for dusting

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 2 – 3 tablespoons golden syrup

For the Caramelised Oranges:

• 2 oranges, with the skin cut off and sliced
• Caster sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons orange liqueur

Method

Slice the brioche loaf and spread on a layer of marmalade on one slice and cream cheese on the other and then bring them together with the filling in the middle.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them. Dip the brioche sandwich into the egg mix to coat well.

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the brioche and fry on one side for 1-2 minutes until golden. Flip it over and cook it on the other side.

Remove it from the pan and slice it into halves.

For the caramelised oranges, make a dry caramel in a frying pan with the sugar by simply putting it on the heat until it melts.

Then add the slices of orange and caramelise on both sides. Add some orange liqueur to deglaze the pan and remove.

For the dipping sauce, gently melt the chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water, then stir through the golden syrup.

Dust the brioche with icing sugar and serve.

Slow-Baked Indian Spiced Brisket

From Incredible Indian With Anjum Anand on the 'Big Eat' on Food Network UK...

The idea of this recipe is a mix of North American cuisine and Indian, two of my favourite cuisines coming to together in this fusion feast. It's basically pulled brisket & slaw, INDIAN STYLE! I have used a simple but tasty beef curry to cook the brisket in and then once cooked, reduce the sauce to a glaze and pass through the 'pulled' beef. The 'riata style' slaw takes the heat from the beef and adds texture as well as freshness. Serve in a wrap or naan for tasty hand held snack.

Chef's Tip: Use a pressure cooker to speed up the cooking time of the brisket.

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my slow-baked indian spice brisket

Ingredients

For the brisket:

• 1kg brisket
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion
• 5 garlic cloves, pureed
• Thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 3 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 500ml beef stock
• Bunch of coriander
• 2 red chillies, finely chopped

For the Indian slaw:

• ½ head of savoy cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 50g raisins
• 50g toasted onions
• 150ml yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• Bunch of chopped mint
• Salt and pepper

 

Method

Heat a saucepan on a medium heat and add the vegetable oil and the onion and sweat for 5 minutes without adding any colour to them. Add the chilli, garlic and ginger and cook for a further 2 minutes, add the spices and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beef stock and the brisket. Bring it to the boil, cover it and allow it to simmer for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Remove the meat from the pan and cover it with foil until needed. Blitz the remaining juices and put them on the heat and reduce it to a sticky glaze.

Pull the meat using two forks and pour it over the beef and garnish it with the fresh coriander and chilli.

For the slaw, add all the ingredients apart from the curry powder to a bowl. Heat the curry powder in a frying pan, until fragrant and add it to the bowl. Mix it all together until it is well combined and serve.

Cuban Mojo Pork with Rice and Avocados

From Caribbean Carnival With Andi Oliver and John Whaite on the 'Big Eat' on Food Network UK...

This for me is perfect no fuss comfort food at its best. Mojo (pronounced Mo-ho) can be translated to sour orange and is a marinade or sauce, sour in taste and often seen in Cuban cuisine and used all over South America and the Caribbean. It origins from the Canary Islands and was thought to be brought over by the Spanish settlers.

Usually cooked with pork 'butt' or shoulder and served with rice and beans or in a Cuban Sandwich, I'm using pork neck as it's a great alternative, as is cheap, slow roasts perfectly and really holds the marinade. The cooking juices provide a rich and extremely tasty gravy.

It takes a bit of planning for perfect results as it needs to marinade overnight.

Cook the pork the day before you plan to eat and all you have to do is reheat in the juices, slice and serve with jasmine rice, avocado and a personal fav, sriracha.

Of course if your in a hurry then all this can be done on the day. Marinade for at least 2-3 hours prior to cooking.

You have been warned, this is seriously good!

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MY CUBAN MOJO PORK WITH RICE AND AVOCADOS

Ingredients

• 1kg pork neck
• 6 garlic cloves
• Handful fresh coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Juice and zest of 2 oranges
• 100ml olive oil
• Salt and pepper

For serving:

• Avocados
• Cooked jasmine rice
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• Hot chilli sauce

Method

In a food processor, add all the marinade ingredients and blitz until smooth and mixed and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

With a small knife, pierce the pork all over with half inch cuts. Place it into a container and pour the marinade all over, rubbing it into the pork. Cover it with cling film and leave it in the fridge overnight.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place the pork in a baking tray with the marinade and roast for 20 minutes.

Cover the baking tray and pork with foil, turn the oven down to 140°C and slow roast it for 2-3 hours, until it’s tender. To serve, slice the pork into thick slices.

For the gravy, spoon the fat off the cooking juices, leaving a dark brown sauce. Reduce it down a bit and then spoon it over the pork. Serve with the rice, sliced avocado, spring onion and chilli sauce.

Fennel, Onion & Blue Cheese Tarte Tatin

From Patisserie Perfection With Eric Lanlard and John Whaite on the 'Big Eat' on Food Network UK...

A great mix of sweet and savoury makes this take on the classic French dish a real winner.

Adding the cheese towards the end stops it melting completely through leaving gooey half melted creamy blue chunks. The pickled walnuts sharpen the dish and the onions and fennel complement each other making this a satisfying side dish or main. 

Easy to make but will impress those your cooking for, pairs perfectly with a glass of port.

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My Fennel, Onion & Blue Cheese Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

• 200g puff pastry
• 3 small brown onions, peeled, trimmed and cut in half
• 2 small fennel, quartered
• 50g butter
• Salt and pepper
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 50g creamy blue cheese
• 25g pickled walnuts, quartered
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

In a heavy based 9-10 inch frying pan with an ovenproof handle make a dry caramel and then add the butter. Add the onions, cut side down, and the fennel, thyme and season. Cook over a medium heat, cook for 10 minutes or until caramelised, then add the thyme and cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes to soften the onions. Allow it to cool.

Roll the pastry to a circle roughly the same size as the pan.

Drape over the pan and gently tuck in the edges around the onions.

Prick it in a couple of place and bake for 20 minutes, until it’s golden and crispy.

Carefully turn it out onto a plate and scatter with the walnuts and cheese and carefully flip it back into the frying pan and return the pan to the hob for a minute, until the cheese has melted.

Turn it out onto your serving plate, garnish with some thyme and serve.

Salt and Pepper Squid

From Seaside Specials With Lesley Waters and John Whaite on the 'Big Eat' on Food Network UK...

If you read my tweets or follow my Instagram you'll know my feelings towards this dish... It would be served as starter for my final meal. I cannot get enough of it and served with a cold beer, it's one of the greatest food and drink combos ever!

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my salt and pepper squid

Ingredients

For the squid:

• 500g baby squid, cleaned and with the tentacles reserved
• 100g cornflour
• 100g plain flour
• 2 tablespoons Szechuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
• ½ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 10 large garlic cloves
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Pepper

For the dipping sauce:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
• Fresh coriander and lime wedges to serve

Method

Heat a wok or deep fat fryer to about 160°C.

While the oil is heating up crush the garlic in a pestle and mortar, don’t over pound it as you want to keep it in good bits and not pureed. Once the oil is ready, cook the garlic until caramelised and crispy, they will float to the top of the hot oil once cooked, remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and drain on some kitchen paper.

Set aside in a warm oven while you fry the squid. Open the body of the squid, take a sharp knife and gently score the inside of the flesh of the squid, be careful not to cut all the way through.

Crush the Szechuan peppercorns and 5 spice in a pestle and mortar, you still want a little texture in the pepper so do not pound to a powder. Add the salt and crush lightly again, put it into a ziplock bag with the two flours and shake well.

Put the prepared squid into the bag of seasoned flour and toss quickly as you don’t want the squid to get over coated in the flour.

The lovely Lesley Waters!

Increase the temperature of the oil to around 185°C. You can check that the oil is up to temperature by dropping a small piece of bread into the oil; this will go golden brown quickly.

Drop the squid into the hot oil, cooking it in 3 or 4 batches, frying to 4 or 5 minutes. As soon as the squid is cooked the bodies will curl up, they will be crispy and a nicely golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain it on some kitchen paper. Keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining squid.

Make the sauce by mixing all the ingredients together, mix well and put into a suitable serving bowl. When all the squid is cooked, toss with the caramelised garlic and sprinkle with coriander leaves.

Serve with lime wedges and the dipping sauce.

Ultimate Potato Dauphinoise

From Culinary Classics with Rosemary Shrager and John Whaite on the 'Big Eat' for Food Network UK...

The first dish I was ever taught to cook in a restaurant at Reads, Kent by my good friend James McLean. You can't rush a dauphinoise and need to make sure every layer is seasoned and placed neatly. It takes time, but when well done... It's totally worth it.  It can be cooked a day in advance, portioned and reheated for your party the next day.

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My ultimate potato dauphinoise

Ingredients

• 1.5kg floury potatoes, such as Maris piper
• 500ml double cream
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 1 small onion, peeled and halved
• 150g Gruyere cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper
• Oil

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 160°C. Peel the potatoes and place them whole into cold water.

Pour the cream into a pan, and then add the garlic, rosemary and the onion. Heat them to a boiling point and simmer for 5 minutes.

Allow them to cool slightly, then strain into a jug or another pan. Slice the potato directly into the warm, flavoured cream. Lightly cover your dish with a thin layer of oil. Once the potatoes and cream are well mixed, begin to layer the potato into your dish, adding some Gruyere cheese and seasoning between each layer.

Once the dish is full and you’ve used all the cheese. Pour a little cream over the top to help the cooking process.

Bake in a bain marie by placing the dish into a larger dish and filling halfway with hot water, then put it into the oven for 1 – 1 ½ hours. Once cooked, rest it for 10 minutes and then serve it.

'The Big Eat' with John Whaite on Food Network UK

Good News! 

Starting this Monday, January 19th. It's the 'The Big Eat' with John Whaite and I on Food Network UK, join us and your favourite celebrity chefs to create the ultimate menu featuring a range of delicious recipes.

More info over the weekend, but til then enjoy this 'small' promo...

Wild Beer Co | Cheddar and Ale Soup

Craft Beer, Craft Beer, Craft Beer!!!

Beer tasting with Andrew & Brett of Wild Beer Co

You'd think that beer has only just been invented in recent times with the explosion of craft beers over the past few years on our shores, but our beers and real ales have always been right up there as some of the best produced in the world and let's face it we pretty much invented I.P.A & pale ale so what's all the fuss about?

My first experience of 'craft beer' was over in America in 2012 while travelling the country filming my second series of Street Feasts for Food Network UK. After filming each day, the crew and I would go to a bar and try what I would describe as cold, fizzy and strong I.P.A. I was hooked straight away, refreshing and with lots of flavour and an unfamiliar taste as I was a premium lager drinker (to my shame). So I asked myself what was so different... Do the hotter summers of the States demand a cooler beverage? If so, I can see why the cold and fizzy-ness would work so well over there but here with our colder climate, is there really a need to follow in their steps when our cask ales work so well? Or is it simply just another way to enjoy beer?

Now back to Britain. It seems so, as we now have over 1,200 independent breweries in the UK producing craft beer and not just the American style but with flavours from all over the world and of course, British Ales. Cynics (and there's no shortage of them) will say its an over hyped machine with people jumping on bandwagons but for me I see nothing but success stories of people setting up small businesses, getting out there and giving it a go (exactly what this country needs) and doing something they are passionate about. Now we love an underdog over here so tell me what is there not to like about these companies?

Which leads me onto the Wild Beer Company, I was lucky enough to be sent down by BBC Food and Drink to spend a day with them at their brewery, finding out what inspires them, how the business is going and of course try a beer or two ;)

Set up in 2012 by Andrew Cooper and Brett Ellis on a mission to "brew beers with a bit of a difference focusing on different ingredients, different yeasts and different barrel ageing techniques."

Both Andrew and Brett have worked in food and drink throughout their careers. Brett from California, a former chef and Andrew (an Englishman) in management and ownership of pubs and bars. They meet working at a brewery and discovered they shared a love for sour and interesting beers. 

Cheddar @ Westcombe Dairy

Brett took me foraging around the Somerset countryside, showing me how they use natural yeasts including berries for their beers. This method really sets them apart from mass produced breweries. Back at base, Andrew took me through a tasting session... What really stood out to me was that these are not beers for downing by the pint but drinks to be slowly enjoyed and importantly matched with food. 

Now onto my recipe...  One thing I learned was that the Wild Beer Co are based directly opposite to Westcombe Dairy, producers of some of finest cheddar in Somerset. This was the opportunity for the crew and I to stack up on a car load of cheese and beer. Gleefully taken, it gave me the perfect excuse to make a Cheddar and Ale soup. I used cheddar from the farm shop and Wild Beer's Scarlet Fever, a red ale with toffee caramel and citrus hops. A perfect combination!

So if you have not guessed it by now... on this week's BBC Two - Food & Drink, I'm talking CRAFT BEER with the Wild Beer Co and I join Melissa Cole at Bristol Beer Week. Tune in this Friday at 8:30 or after on catch-up HERE.

Enjoy, it's a great one!

Filming @ Bristol Beer Week w/the wonderful Melissa Cole

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My Cheddar and Ale Soup

Ingredients

(serves 4)

• 50g butter
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 60g plain flour
• 300ml chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 150ml double cream
• 300ml ale (I used Wild Beer 'Scarlet Fever')
• 200g mature cheddar (grated)
• 1tsp english mustard powder
• good dash of Worcestershire sauce

FOR THE GARNISH:

• 100g diced pancetta lardons
• 1 jalapeño (thinly sliced, keep the seeds if you want it extra spicy)  

Method 

In a saucepan, melt the butter and sweat the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until soft. Add the mustard powder and flour and cook out for 2-3 minutes. Slowly, add the stock and stir continuously with a whisk to avoid lumps, add the beer and bring to a boil. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted, then add the cream and cook gently on a low heat for 10 minutes until it has thickened. Add to a food processor or liquidiser/blender and blitz til smooth, return to a clean pan and keep warm until needed. 

In a frying pan, fry off the pancetta lardons until crispy (or to your liking).

Serve in a bowl with the pancetta and jalapeño sprinkled on top.

*For a vegetarian option, use vegetable stock and omit the pancetta on the garnish. 

(photos by Nathan Valentine)

BBQ Prawns with Roast Chilli Salsa

It's getting closer to kick off here in Salvador. There is a real party vibe from all the football fans. There is no other country that loves their football like they do here in Brazil, and I was just about to watch a live match. I hooked up with Paulo, he's a big supporter of the local street food and the local team Bahia Esporte Clube. I had some amazing street food outside the stadium, but I wanted Paulo to show me around inside the stadium. Paulo explains to me that Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova is brand new built for the 2014 World Cup and then goes on to tell me that he an extra surprise for me, the best seats in the arena! But before, we queued for grilled prawns. Have you ever seen that before, prawns at a football match? And they were amazing!

He was not allowed to tell me all the ingredients, but I will say this is one of the best football snacks I have ever had, and it gives me an idea to do something with prawns. 

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INGREDIENTS

• 24 raw tiger prawns, shells on
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper

FOR THE SALSA:

• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 2 red chillies
• 4 spring onions
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 teaspoon chipotle paste
• Juice of 1 to 2 limes
• Pinch caster sugar
• Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• Lime wedges, to serve

METHOD

Toss the prawns with the garlic, chilli flakes and oil, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight if possible.

Meanwhile, make the salsa. Preheat the barbeque to a high heat, lay the tomatoes, chillies and spring onions on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until charred and starting to soften.

Remove from the grill and transfer to a chopping board. Roughly chop everything together then tip into a liquidiser and add the remaining ingredients. Pulse to a rough purée then season to taste and set aside. Meanwhile remove the prawns from the fridge and bring to room temperature. Lay the prawns on the grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until pink. Transfer to a platter and serve with the salsa and lime wedges.

Perfect Pork and Beans

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon lard
• 500g leftover roast pork belly, cut into large chunks (around 6 centimetres by 3 centimetres)
• 200g thick cut smoked bacon lardons
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic crushed
• 2 tins pink kidney beans, drained
• 500ml chicken stock
• 100g manioc (cassava) flour
• Knob unsalted butter
• 5 eggs, beaten
• Small bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper

FOR THE GARNISH:

• Left over crackling, broken into small pieces
• Bunch spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• Hot pepper sauce

METHOD

Heat the lard in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the pieces of pork and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until caramelised. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Add the lardons to the pan, fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add the onions and garlic to the pan, fry for 5 minutes until soft then add the beans. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through then add the chicken stock, pork and bacon and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until the beans are soft then gradually shake in the flour, stirring continuously until thickened.

Remove from the heat and leave to rest for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy-based pan. Add the eggs and cook gently, stirring constantly until scrambled and just starting to set. Stir the eggs through the pork mixture, add the parsley and season to taste. Top with the pork crackling, spring onions and red chilli and serve with hot pepper sauce.

Brazilian Pies

During my time in the capital of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. 

Minas Gerais has one of the most rural countrysides in Brazil with many farms and plantations but it's the richness of it's interior thats translates into hearty and nutritious foods that locals enjoy in their homes and even better on the streets. I met up with chef Leonardo Paixao, Leonardo is a serious foodie and passionate chef. At just 7 years olds he started cooking with his grandfather and by the time he was 12 he was serving up culinary delights at family gatherings. Despite graduating from medical school, his food obsession won out and he now owns a successful restaurant, but is still very passionate about food served on the streets. He loves the rich history of the food here and how the land dictates it. Leo tells me that he is going to take me to try the best empadas, which is Brazilian for PIES and for me it doesn't get better! Plus it's the dish I am best known for (as some of you might already know ;)

But please don't confuse empada with an empanada. 

I met a brother and sister duo named Sheila and Humberto Abreu. They've been running their family empada stall for more than 25 years. Their stalls are the most recognised in Belo Horizonte and move to a different part of the city daily plus they also have four shops. That alone is proof that they must be doing something right. I tried three different versions of empada; chicken, cheese and prawn (which is their best seller). They were lovely, little parcels of tastiness, just perfect if you ask me! 

It was great to meet someone who makes pies with as much passion as I do and his flavours have inspired me to make my own pie with a Brazilian twist. I'm using a filling based on xim-xim, a popular Afro-Brazilian stew made of chicken and peanuts. 

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My Brazilian Pies 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PASTRY:

• 700g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 100g cold lard, cubed, plus extra for greasing
• 150ml cold water
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

FOR THE FILLING:

• 4 chicken thighs, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• Juice of 1 lime
• Olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• Thumb sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 cups dried shrimps, ground in a food processor
• 1 cup ground roast peanuts
• 2 teaspoons tomato purée
• 250ml hot chicken stock
• 50g creamed coconut, grated
• Small bunch fresh coriander, chopped

METHOD

First make the pastry dough. Rub the flour, salt and lard together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs then make a well in the centre. Whisk together the water, egg, egg white and vinegar. Pour into the well and gradually mix together with a fork. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile make the filling. Combine the chicken thighs, garlic and lime juice in a bowl, cover in clingfilm and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan and add the onions. Fry for 5 minutes until soft, then add the chicken pieces and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spring onions, chilli, ginger and turmeric and fry for a further 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the dried shrimps, peanuts and tomato purée, fry for a minute then add the chicken stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes until then chicken is tender. Add the creamed coconut and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir through the coriander and leave to cool.

Grease two 8 holes muffin tins with a little lard. Pinch off a small ball of pastry and press into the bottom of the tin to form a base. Repeat to make 16 bases then divide the cooled chicken mixture between them. Pinch off a piece of the remaining dough, flatten into a rough circle and press on top of the filling to form a lid. Use a round pastry cutter to trim the edges then repeat with the remaining pastry.

Whisk together the egg yolks and oil and glaze the tops of the pies. Transfer to the fridge to rest for 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Glaze the pies with a little more of the egg yolk and oil mixture then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Rump Steak with Bean Mash & Hazelnut Salsa Verde

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Ingredients

• 2 rump steaks, around 250g each

For the salsa verde:

• 75g roasted hazelnuts
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• 1 bunch mint
• 1 bunch basil
• 4 anchovy fillets, drained
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper

For the bean mash:

• 2 x 400g can of cannelloni beans
• 50g unsalted butter
• 200ml double cream
• Sea salt and white pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lay the nuts on a baking tray and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking occasionally. Set aside to cool.

Blitz the remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth, adding more oil to loosen if necessary. Roughly chop the nuts (do not add to the food processor) and add to the salsa, season to taste and set aside.

Drain the beans and heat in a saucepan with the butter and cream for 5 minutes until the beans are soft. Pour into a food processor and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper then return to the pan and keep warm until needed.

Heat a barbecue or griddle pan to a high heat. Season the steaks with plenty of salt and pepper then cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Transfer to a board to rest for 5 minutes, slice thinly then pour the resting juices into the salsa verde. Serve the steak with the bean mash and salsa verde.

Bean Fritters with Prawn and Mango Ceviche

My search for Brazil's best street food has brought me to it's first ever capital: Salvador de Bahia! 

Claudia's acaraje.

Salvador de Bahia is a city steeped in history and known as one the most spiritual places in Brazil being home to 365 Catholic churches, one for each day of the year. It's also one of the most significant locations for Candomble, a polytheistic religion. Candomble came to Brazil with the arrival of African slaves, and it's a popular religion in Salvador. Specific street foods go hand in hand with the faith as believers think it establishes a connection with the Candomble Gods, known as Orishas. This is so interesting and never thought I would find a religion linked to street food culture. William, my guide in Salvador took me to try acaraje, which is thought to be the oldest street food in Brazil from Claudia. Claudia is famous in these parts, the stall has been in her family for nearly 60 years and the square where she works from has been informally named after her grandmother, Dinha!

Claudia & I. 

So, what is acaraje? It is a bean fritter made of black-eyed peas fried in palm oil then filled with vatapa, a spicy paste made from shrimp, ground cashews, palm oil and a few other ingredients. It's then served with a salad called caruru, made out of green and red tomatoes, fried shrimps and homemade hot pepper sauce. 

William says that they are so popular that the whole of Salvador smells like palm oil because of it. 

Ararajes are a street snack so steeped in tradition, and I will stick with that principle for the fritter but giving the filling my very own fresh, modern twist. 

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CEVICHE:

• 250g raw tiger prawns, deveined
• 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 large mango, peeled, stoned and finely diced
• 1 to 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 ripe tomato, deseeded and finely chopped
• Small bunch coriander, finely chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper

FOR THE FRITTERS:

• 2 tablespoons dried prawn
• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 x 400g cans black-eyed beans, drained
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 3 to 4 tablespoons plain flour
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

FOR THE GARNISH:

• Hot pepper sauce
• Lime wedges

METHOD

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the prawns and blanch for 1 minute. Drain the prawns, roughly chop and combine with the remaining ingredients to make your ceviche. Season to taste and refrigerate until needed. Cover the dried shrimp in boiling water and leave to soak for 15 minutes until softened. Drain, then blitz in a food processor with the onion, garlic and chilli until finely chopped. Add the beans, blitz until smooth and season to taste.

Tip into a bowl and gradually add flour until the mixture forms a stiff dough. Dip two spoons in a little oil and shape the mixture into 10 to 12 rough oval shapes. Heat the oil for deep frying to 160°C and fry in batches for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with sea salt whilst still warm. Split the fritters open, stuff with the ceviche and serve with hot pepper sauce, lime wedges a cold beer.

Brazilian Steak and Chips

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INGREDIENTS

• 4 fillet steaks

FOR THE MARINADE:

• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 green chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 75ml cachaça
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Zest of 1 lime

FOR THE ROAST GARLIC BUTTER:

• 1 bulb garlic
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated horseradish
• 1 bunch tarragon, leaved finely chopped

FOR THE SALSA:

• Olive oil
• 250 grams baby spinach, washed and dried
• 1 banana shallot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and finely diced
• 2 tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• Pinch sugar
• Sea salt and black pepper

FOR THE CASSAVA CHIPS:

• 1 kilogram cassava
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

METHOD

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Pour over the steaks, toss to coat then cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or overnight if possible.

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius or 325 Fahrenheit. Drizzle the bulb of garlic with a little olive oil, wrap in foil and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until soft.

Squeeze the flesh from the garlic bulb and mix with the butter, anchovies, horseradish and tarragon. Season to taste then spoon onto a sheet of clingfilm. Roll into a sausage shape, wrap tightly and refrigerate until needed.

For the salsa, heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the spinach and cook for 20 to 30 seconds until wilted. Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine then remove from the heat. Season to taste and set aside.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Peel the cassava, cut into chips then boil for 8 to 10 minutes until softened but still holding their shape. Drain thoroughly and leave to steam dry for a couple of minutes.

Heat a large, heavy based frying pan or griddle over a medium-high heat. Drizzle the steaks with a little oil and season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side (or until cooked to your liking) then transfer to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.

While the steaks are cooking heat the oil for deep frying to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the chips in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown then drain on kitchen paper. Season with sea salt whilst still warm.

Serve the steaks with the chips, spinach salsa and slices of the garlic butter.