Pinoy Popular Food Culture So far…

So far I haven’t actually had a bad meal in the Philippines yet. I think I have a good balance of eating out and cooking at home. Convenience is key to Pinoys. Most families who can afford it have cooks, family’s and friends dine out on a regular basis, and instant noodles are as common as packets of crisps.  The selection has to be admired though. With noodles from Japan, China, Korea and the Philippines, you are spoilt for choice.

Fast food chains line the main streets of Manila. Popular places to hang out, and expensive even for the common Manileneo. From Inasal (grilled chicken and rice), to Joilibee, Mc Donalds, and Chowking (chineese fast food). To name but a few. It's always interesting to observe to change in menu from one country to another when global fast food chains are concerned. For example Mc Donalds, Burger King, and KFC all have rice combo meals, as pinoys LOVE their rice – “a meal is only a meal once rice is included, otherwise it’s a snack”. A recent meal in Chowking after a whole afternoon of bargaining, proved to be actually very filling, cheap and tasty. 

Even chains like Starbucks have an interesting ambiance and a menu to match. Entering one of the many Starbuck in Manila, you escape the sticky heat and enter into a plush environment, clean, air-conditioned, warmly furnished, jazzy Christmas songs playing the background, and the sweet sweet aromas of coffee fills your nostrils and takes you to a comfy place in you head. Ah, yes… Starbucks, a million clone replicas each the same as the last. No matter which country you are in, you could be any where. The one thing that has to be admired though, is there drink selection as you can imagine has warm drinks and a good selection of frappuccinos…. But one drink stood out for me… Green Tea Latte… yep. I’m a fan of Latte’s and a huge fan of green tea’s, so when I saw them together, I know I had found my drink. Now, I’m not Starbuck’s biggest fan, and I try and stay away at any cost, a “grande Green Tea Latte” has been my after grocery-shopping perk. Defiantly an idea I’ll be taking back with me. 

A rather amusing craze at the moment is Angry Birds. Angry bird t-shirts, hair bands, Shoes, Earings, stationary, Computer game, Angry Bird toys…. Etc etc. IT is literally everywhere, and I’m pretty cure most of these people purchasing these copyright infringed products have never really even played Angry Birds! Anyways, there’s a cake shop near me called Kinky Cakes, and I saw this on display and thought it hilariously funny! I also recommend visiting Kinky Cakes’s website… the name says it all!!!

Fair Trade, Philippines

Many pardons for not having blogged in a long time, but I’ve been a little busy… in the Philippines. I arrived in early October to for fill my duty as an intern-volunteer for the World Fair Trade Organisation Asia. Based in their main office in Quezon City, Manila, I have been given the task of designing them a new website and of finding ways in which the smaller producers can change production methods, improve packaging and improve marketing so they appeal more to the Asian Market. As of now, there is what is called a “South-North” bond which means that most of the Fair Trade products from producing countries tend to end up in the West, due to market demand. But slowly and surely, the wealthier  countries in the East are starting to pick up on the benefits of buying and supporting Fair Trade. These countries are: Hong Kong; Korea; Japan; Singapore; Malaysia and India. 

“WFTO ASIA commits itself towards enabling disadvantaged producers to improve their livelihoods through Fair Trade by linking, promoting, and protecting the integrity of Fair Trade organizations, and speaking out for greater trade justice in world trade”

My task specifically, will be to investigate three of the most consumed Fair Trade products in Asia: Coco and Mascavado Sugar from the Philippines; Tea from Nepal; and Coffee from Timor Leste. It requires visiting the producers and liaising with possible buyers, a lot of talking and researching, investigating new agricultural methods and reading up on standards. 

The Philippines was ranked in the top 10 Countries most effected by climate change, and when visiting food markets and going to the countryside, this is ever evident. Flood fields, houses destroyed by typhoons and earthquakes, and even drought. The Philippines experiences it all. With 70% of the population some how involved in agriculture, this is seen as a major problem which needs resolving. I have a friend who works for the government in the Climate Change department, and she has given me a massive insight into ways the government are helping by suggesting new modern techniques of agriculture. This may be farming new crops, or even suggesting to go organic. As you can imagine, the Philippines is very fertile and dotted with countless Volcanoes making it ideal to grow almost anything. But even with this, small scale farmers are very reluctant to make changes, making it very difficult to convince and persuade. Understandably so, as they are putting their livelihoods at risk.

So this is one of my major problems. I am also having a hard time of getting the producers to supply basic information, as they are ties into contracts with Western buyers, who control the producers a lot more then one would think.

It’s a challenging task, but I’m fully enjoying it so far. It’s taken me to some stunning places, and I have met some lovely people. People who are so helpful and willing to share information about Fair Trade. 

The new website will be under from mid December through to early January 2011, but please visit the WFTO website in the mean while, and visit our new website in the new year. Show your support and buy Fair Trade. It’s fair for the producers, fair for the environment and fair for you. 

Mushroom and Chorizo Risotto

So, it’s been a while since I last cooked risotto. I remember cooking it whilst in halls in Hackney. It was the first proper meal I cooked for myself… and others, and probably the last as our kitchen just got messier and messier. The last time I ate risotto, it was almost bad enough experience to put me off for life. A trip to Jamie’s Italian left me with an overly salty taste in my mouth. The squid ink and crab risotto was so packed full of sodium chloride, either from the squid ink, or from over seasoning. It brought up mucus from the back of my throat, the same thing that happens after a dive in the sea. Even after being offered to have another dish cooked for me, I had to refuse. I put me off for a while….

…Until, by request from my brother who is about to leave for university, I was asked to make my mushroom and Parmesan risotto. When the “R” word was mentioned I shivered a little. I hadn’t cooked it for a while, and even though it may not be that hard, how can I cook something if I don’t have the passion or desire to eat it?

As I made a chorizo salad, it came to me: I needed to add something to the dish, something I find taste bud tantalising, and maybe it will lift and distract from the idea of cooking risotto. I have a pork obsession at the moment, and thought of all the different types of pork I could incorporate into the dish: bacon, pancetta, Parma ham, salami… then it hit me… chorizo, the very thing that gave me the inspiration! Not only does it have a beautiful colour, but it also goes well with mushroom and Parmesan. The flavour is strong enough to distract and not as salty compared to other types of ham.

So here’s a recipe for a beautifully colourful and tasty dish. A dish I enjoyed cooking and enjoyed eating even more. I am back on the risotto, and planning on cooking a bacon and stilton risotto next… watch this space.

Ingredients

2 Shallots thinly sliced
2 Gloves of garlic crushed
Half a dozen mini Portobello Mushrooms, roughly chopped
Half a dozen Porcini Mushrooms, roughly chopped
Glass of a good quality white wine
2 pints vegetable stock
As much chorizo as desired, skinned and roughly chopped
1 cup aborio rice
80 ml of full fat crème fresh
As much Grated Parmesan cheese as desired
Handful of chives
Unsalted butter
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper to season

Method

Heat up a large pan. Pour some oil on the base, and add a knob of butter. Before the butter has completely melted add the shallots and the garlic. Stir constantly till golden brown. Add the mushrooms and allow to realises water and reduces in size slightly.

Add the aborio rice and mix until the rice turns translucent. Add the wine and stir constantly until it is all absorbed. Ladle in the stock, which must be kept simmering at all times. This takes patience. Adding the stock bit by bit, making sure all the liquids have been absorbed before adding the next ladle full, is vitally essential. It is also important that the heat is kept on medium full, as this will ensure evenly cooked rice.

You will know when the rice is done when you push a single grain between your fingers and it gives with ease. Five minuets before you think the risotto is done, add the chorizo to a hot pan with only a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Over cooking the chorizo can make it chewy, we only want to make the outside slightly crispy and to release the oil. Once the rice is done, stir in a few knobs of butter and add the crème fresh, parmesan, chives, and season. Serve and lastly add the chorizo pieces and drizzle with the flavoured oil. The contrast is lovely and it also means there is still some texture to the chorizo. I served with the same white wine I cooked with and a fresh tomato salad.

I took my time over eating it, as I do with most things I enjoy. I even had the left overs for lunch the next day, and simply heated it up in a pan, added a dash of wine and cooked up some chorizo again. It tasted even better the next day ; )

Dr Pepper Ribs with Apple and Red cabbage ‘slaw

It’s surprising what you can do with cheaper cuts of meat. Chicken wings and ribs are sometimes seen as messy eating, and less desired because of the bone to meat ratio. My latest obsession… is ribs. I recall I starting four months ago when I discovered a good value Chinese/Japanese restaurant near me in New Cross. I had been in the studio all day and had been sustaining myself on lucozade and quavers. I needed some protein and some cards, and wasn’t really expecting too much on my tight budget. Maybe it was the hunger, or maybe it was the dark sweet and sticky sauce, but that was the day I feel in love with ribs.

Since that day, if ribs were on the menu, it would be on my plate. Salt and pepper, barbeque, dry rubbed ribs, smoked ribs, cider glazed ribs… and baby back ribs. All YUM! So I had heard of this technique of cooking pork with coke/soda, as it tenderises and sweetens. I’d seen Nigela do it, and I have been to a BBQ where it has also been done. But I wasn’t wholly convinced. Then, two weeks ago, I came across an artiocle/experiment on http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2008/02/dr-pepper-pork.html where belly pork was brined and cooked using Dr Pepper. The idea was genius, not only because Dr Pepper has a fruiter flavour then normal coke, but it also contains more sugar.

So I set about thinking up a recipe for Dr Pepper Ribs, and an acompliment of a sweet, crunchy and fresh apple ‘slaw:

Dr Pepper Ribs:

2 cans Dr Pepper
Rack of ribs (membrane removed)

For dry rub:
3 tbsp Powdered onion
3 tbsp Powdered Garlic
3 tbsp Chilli powder
2 tbsp Cumin Powder
2 tbsp Cayenne Pepper
2 tbsp Paprika
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tbsp Dried Parsley
2 Bay leaves
1 tbsp Black Pepper

Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce:
1 can Dr Pepper
3 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
3 tbsp Lingham Sauce
1 tbsp Mushroom extract
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Cider Vinegar

Method:
Cut ribs into individual rib portions, rub and marinade in the dry rub with a drizzle of olive oil for 6 hrs or even better, over night.

Pre heat oven to 150° Celsius. Move ribs into an oven proof dish and pour ¾ of a can of Dr Pepper into the base of the dish. Cover with tin foil and place on bottom shelf of the oven. Allow to cook for an hour.

Whilst the ribs are in the oven, make a glaze. Pour one can of Dr Pepper into a sauce pan and allow to reduce on a high heat. Add the other ingredients and continue reducing until a sticky glaze consistency is reached.

After the ribs are cooked, there will be quite a bit of liquid at the bottom of the oven dish. Carefully pour into the sauce pan with the glaze, and heat up again. Turn the oven up to 230° Celsius. Glaze the ribs and place on the top shelf. Continue glazing every 4 minuets or so until the ribs are sticky. I served the remainder if the glaze as a dipping sauce.


Apple and Red Cabbage ‘Slaw:

Quarter red cabbage
One green granny smith apple
One Turnip
Juice of half a lemon
Finely Chives
Half tub of Crème Fresh
2 tsp Mustard Powder
Salt & Pepper

Method:
Using the fine blade on the mandolin I grated the cabbage, apple and turnip. I poured the juice of half a lemon over to stop discolouring.

I made a dressing combining the chives, mustard powder, and the salt and pepper in with the crème fresh. I mixed everything up and served after keeping cool in the fridge for about and hour.

Mexican style cheese on toast

I know the Mexican make good dips, but I only found out recently they also make good pickled accompliments. One of which is pickled onion with gloves and lime. I made this the other day by simply slicing 2 large white onions really thin, then pouring the juice of three limes over them and a drizzle of rice wine vinegar over the onions, and adding a handful of gloves to the concoction. I stored it in a jar, and in a couple of days it was good to use.

Delicately spiced, yet acidic in flavour, the onions became soft and almost sweet. I had some sweet, nutty Manchego in the fridge and decided to make a rather special cheese on toast. I toasted a couple of slices of crusty white bread, and liberally spread the grated manchego over. I added the onions, some finely chopped green chilies and corriander, then seasoned and drizzled with olive oil. I placed under the grill and let the sweet, glovey, and fragrant smell fill the kitchen.

The combination isn’t by any means authentic Mexican, but it has good potential if used in a quesadilla instead of Warburtons crusty white bread…

Super Brekkie

Since finishing university, and starting a new job as a waitress, I’ve been fortunate to have a lot more free time on my hand during the day. Lazy mornings are being followed by equally lazy afternoons. And due to super lazy behaviour, I chose to have brunch more often then a breakfast and a lunch. They have to be filling and packed full of energy, as I don’t really get the chance to eat much during work, and my next meal tends to be very late at night, or even very early the next morning when I get back from work.

So I have a few super brekkies that fulfil these requirements. I either chose between something meaty, wholesome and packed full of carbs, like a fry up sub. Or something that is healthy, naturally tasty, and that releases energy slowly, like a Milo and banana porridge.


Buttered baguette, Chipolatas, Bacon, Sunny side fried egg, Fried Portobello mushrooms, Spring Onions.

Heart attack? Maybe… but this is my only meal of the day, and I make the most of it. It does sometimes make me sleepy after having consumed half a baguette’s worth. I tend to make this for me and anyone else who happens to be around, as the guilt is shared, and it feels less like me vs the super sub!


Scottish oat porridge slow cooked in whole fat milk, 1 Banana, 1 tbsp Powdered Milo


I made this when in Ghana one early morning before going out to play golf. An hour after consumption, I had a great boost of energy, and it powered me through for a whole 18 holes!!! It was a definite winner, which is deliciously malty and wholesome.

Food Mile Receipt

I made a food mile receipt, showing where our food comes from and carbon emissions of an average weekly shop, from the supermarket
Supermarkets are the biggest culprits for food miles and waste. This needs to change and they need to take responsibility

Food mile wheel

After the government made it mandatory for supermarkets to show the nutritional value of their products, production of certain products were stopped, as consumers made better choices. I feel the same can be done with products with massive food miles, if the carbon emission was included in the wheel. Above is a rough idea of what it would look like. I included it in the nutrition wheel, as the environment's health is as important as our health.

This would take effect on a larger scale, and in return, the country as a WHOLE will make better choices

Pro-Algae

The EU currently have tight laws around GM farming, which has kept a lot of Monsanto's ugly side out of Britian, but in a world war three situation, these laws may have to be relaxed. I explored the possibility of Monsanto investing in Algae farming in the UK,.
The Celtic sea would be the perfect environment for this as it has a great deal of nutrients for micro organisms to survive quite happily.

What would be the consequences, If Monsanto were to create an algae using genetic engineering: which thrived in cooler water, and less sunlight then usual. An algae high in protein, omega 3 and other nutrients… I gave this aqua crop the name of pro-algae.
Ofcource, pro -algae would be patented like all their other crops. It’d be used in food manufacturing as a nutrient buffer, getting one of the country’s industry reliant on Monsanto… having control over yet another economy.


I designed a few products that could have Pro-Algae in it….
This citrus flavoured algae drink… full of protein, vitamins and minerals. It’s a convenient way of getting essential nutritional requirements.

I wanted this product to question our relationship with food… is it something we indulge in for the pleasure, or a just a basic necessity to live?
Products like this one, would be curtail for lot of people, to keep their wellbeing up, in a time when food is at a shortage.
age.

Seaweed and kelp is part of the algae family, and full of glutamate acid, which is what gives food the umami flavour.

This brought me back to my ‘Who’s U-mami Sauce”. If Monsanto created an algae which was high in Glutamate Acid, it could be used as a flavour enhancer and like MSG, would make Britain dependant on their product.

The catch 22 situation Monsanto put farmers in, made me think back to my ‘sugar coated’ pop-aganda. Monsanto portray themselves as ethical and the future of agriculture, masking the truth behind the matter. This mock pinapple lollypop (made from rhubarb and strawberry, which when combines recreates the taste of pineapple) which is aimed at kids, supports the war, by giving a percentage of profits to war efforts… children buying the lolly pops are instantly playing their part in the war.

I wanted the sauce and the lolly pop to draw parallels with the farmers who get sucked in by buying Monsanto’s seeds, that their lively hoods become dependant on.

These pieces of critical design are more of a insight into a more apocalyptic scenario. Algae is a super food, but because of it's powerful possibilities, it could end up being another one in a long list of super materials that has seen a growth in capitalism, and greater divides in society. Materials like, iron, oil, and patented seeds which has influenced the economic and political world around us.

QR coding: know more about the food you eat

QR coding is everywhere. In newspapers, magazines, on posters, and even on goods we buy from the supermarket. It's fun, easy and very quick. But i feel it has been used as more of a marketing ploy.

As a way of sharing information quicker, i looked at the idea that QR coding could give people more information on what they're eating/purchasing. My idea of eating new protein can be scary and foreign especially when i comes to cooking. I have used the New Protein Farm as an example. …. After weighing and pricing the meat/fish, a label is printed, and stuck on the packaging,It has a QR code on it. When scanned into an android….



… the customer geta taken to the New Protein Blog, where they can get seasonal recipes on meat they’ve just purchased.
In this case, a recipe for my rabbit liver pate comes up, from The New Protein Blog.

The Urban Protein Farm

I scripted and recorded a spoof BBC radio 4 Food Programme interview with an Urban farmer in South East London. A lifestock farmer who, farmers unconventional animals and fish which are better suited for the city environment, using new methods. This is all in the context scenario of WWIII, which would create a forced change in our food culture, and would make us rethink our farming methods...

This piece dated the 8th of May 2018, was to go along side the article in the times newspaper which mentions the relaxation of laws on livestock farming. This audio piece is supposed to be a solution to the problem:

GOATS MILK & ROSE HIP PORRIDGE

Full of vitamin C, rosehip, is easy to preserve as tea, jam, or even as a concentrated syrup. Coupled with an energy food like oats, which are good for lowering cholesterol and packed full of fiber, this porridge is a great start to the day, especially during the colder months. Like a lot of unprocessed grain, oats also contains phytochemicals, a chemical that lowers the chances of cancer. Compared to soya milk and cow’s milk, goats milk is high in essential fats, amino acids and high in protein content. It’s rich and creamy flavour sometimes has a slightly salty undertone that works well in cooking, especially in porridge. Goats are easier and more economical to farm compared to cows. They eat scraps, take up less space, and unlike cows they’re milk doesn’t have to be homogenized.

Ingredients

1 Cup Scottish oats
2 Cups goats’ milk
1 tbsp Rosehip tea, loose
Handful of Dried Rosehip
Honey to taste

Method

In a saucepan bring the goats milk and loose rosehip tea, to a boil. Turn down and allow to simmer for a further minuet. Strain and return the infused milk to the saucepan. Gently heat, adding the oats and the dried rosehip, stirring continuously on a simmer for four to five minuets or until the milk thickens and the oats are cooked. Drizzle with honey, and serve piping hot.

Protein Politics

I really like the idea of looking into the future and seeing what situations we may find our selves in regarding our gluttonous relationship with food. Our over dependance on foreign imports has made me think about how Britain may have to come to compromising terms with this. Again, i have set these spoof newspapers in a scenario of WWIII, as this would be a forced change in our food culture... it's just something to think about really... please click on the newspapers to enlarge and have a read.

SHOES LACE & SARI PROSCIUTTO

I’ve been looking at ways of preserving meat, and curing seems like a simple method that anyone could do at home. A simple thing to start with is duck prosciutto, as long as one has acquired the distinctive taste for duck. I decided to flavour the duck with bay leaves, Szechwan peppers and marjoram. Really simple, but strong flavours to counteract that of the duck. So I bought two mallard duck breasts from the butchers, and salted them over night. I rinsed, and patted dry, then added my herbs and spices. I wrapped them up in my mum’s old sari. Really I should have used gauze, but a sari worked well enough. I tied it up in string (actually a clean, never used before shoe lace). I weighted them and labeled them with their weight. I hung them up in the back of my shed, and surrounded them with cardboard boxes to protect them from any creepy crawlies. My brother kindly weighted them every other day until they went down by 30% in weight. This took around a week and a half.


The final outcome was a ducky and I’m pretty sure the sari gave it a perfumed background flavour. It’s pretty bizarre, but it works. The shoe laces were soft enough compared to string, and I think this may have played a part in the evenness of colour in the fleshy side of the duck.


Shoelaces and saris are not ideal, but this just shows how easy it is to do home charcuterie. I’ve read a few blogs, which get really particular about how home charcuterie should be done, but I believe doing it your own way, results in a more personal tasting cure. As long as the concept is understood and care is taken with hygiene, then there is a world of meat waiting to be salted, cured and hung!

DAMN-SON! BBQ EELS (Damson BBQ eels)

I have been trying to find eels for a while, and found it more difficult then it should be, especially living in South East London. I found out Billingsgate sold fresh eels, but the catch was… they came from New Zealand! Ridiculous. Eventually, after much research, I found a fishmonger near me in Nun-Head, who could find fresh water eels for me, from Ireland. I ordered one at a kilo for £21. Not too bad, it was big enough to feed four people happily. So I have had a BBQ sauce recipe in my head for a while, using only British ingredients. I have been dying to try it out, but on something that could handle the sweet/sour flavour, and eels are perfect for this. They have a rich, but not fishy flavour. They’re rich in omega 3 and have a firm flesh surrounded by a fair bit of fat, and a thick skin, perfect for barbequing.

I served the eels with stir fried broccoli and celeriac chips. Kinda English/Oriental fusion. It was absolutely delicious. I will defiantly be cooking with eel more often. It is difficult to get hold of, but good fishmongers should be able to order it with a bit of notice. It’s worth a try, especially as nutritionally it’s better compared to the more popular edible fishes. One word of warning though, the eel still wriggles about a good 30 minuets after being killed and gutted. Was funny at first, until when having a fry-up, I found my bag of eels had slithered behind me!

Ingredients:

1kg Eel, filleted
½ Cup Damson/Plum Jam
½ Cup Honey
¼ Cup Mushroom Ketchup
3 Cloves Crushed Garlic
Rape Seed Oil
Sesame seeds to garnish

Method:

Add the damson jam, honey, mushrooms and garlic to a saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Allow the garlic to cook off. Rub some oil on the skin of the eel, and place on a hot BBQ or griddle. Once the skin begins to crisp up, add the sauce over the soft flesh. Close the barbeque or place under the grill. Baste the eels with the sauce every 2 minuets. The eel only needs eight minuets to fully cook. Serve with celeriac chips. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for added flavour and texture.



I decided to do an experiment and see how well eel steamed. So I wrapped 1/3 of the eel in tin foil with soy, ginger, fish sauce and sliced red chilli. This was surprising. Almost a like having cooked a whole different fish. The fish sauce gave the fresh water fish a saltiness, and skin just fell off. The fat of the eel ensure the flesh remained tender and flaky. Beautiful.

Ingredients:

1 kg Eel, on the bone
3” Grated Ginger
¼ Cup Soy Sauce
¼ Cup Fish Sauce
2 Large chillies sliced
4 Sliced spring onions to garnish


Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°c. Scored the eel on both sides. Leave gaps of 2inches between each score. Place the fish in a tin-foil bag and place on a baking tray. Mix the ginger, soy, fish sauce and chillies in a bowl and pour over the fish. Close the bag and place in oven for 30 minuets. Once cooked, garnish with spring onions and serve with sticky rice.

AVERAGE MEAT CONSUMPTION...

I found some shocking stats whilst watching Marcel Dicke's talk for ted on why we should be thinking of a different source of protein to the conventional. This stat of how much meat the average person consumes was shocking to compare. I made the information more visual:

FOOD WEEKLY

I design and wrote a spoof front page for a newspaper called Food Weekly. It's a look at what could happen during a future WWIII, regarding food and imports in the UK. Click on the image for a larger version to read...

CHESTNUT AND BACON SOUP

Chestnuts are full of protein and energy. Although they’re only available during the colder months, they are easy to preserve buy peeling, cooking, and vacuum forming into airtight bags. This soup also stores in the fridge for a couple of days, and is a great snack if you’re feeling peckish. It’s filling and very hearty, and best of all, all the ingredients are cheap/easy to grow in an allotment/garden. Bacon lardons are equally cheap from the butchers.

Ingredients:

Bacon lardons
5 sticks of celery
1 large white onion
1 large leek
1 medium sized carrot
Approximately 30 peeled and roasted chestnuts
Sprigs of Thyme
Rapeseed oil

Method

Chop up the vegetables into small chunks. Fry in a small amount of oil, on a high heat till the vegetables turn brown, but do not burn. This requires constant stirring. Add the chestnuts and the thyme leaves, continue stirring for a further 5 minuets. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer on a low heat for 30 minuets. Leave to cool down, before blending. In this time, get on frying the bacon lardons in a very hot pan. There is no need to add oil, as the fat on the lardons should be sufficient. Once crisped up, turn out onto some kitchen towels. Blend the soup in a blender. Return to the pan and heat up again. Serve with the lardons, and optional croutons or bread.

RED ONION, BASIL AND THREE GOATS CHEESE QUICHE

Ingrediants

200g Plain flour
100g salted butter
3 tbsp water

5 red onions, thinly sliced
Hand full, fresh basil
Good quality balsamic vinegar
Olive oil

Three british Goat’s Cheese:
Abergavenny Goats Cheese: full fat soft cheese with a smooth texture
Gevrik Goats Cheese: a soft mould ripened goats' cheese, rich and nutty Cornish goats cheese
Somerset Goats Cheese: a mild creamy soft cheese

1 cup Jersey milk
3 large eggs
Salt and pepper

Method

I started by making the pastry, by simply adding the flour, and butter to a food processer and blitzing till the contents resembled bread crumbs. I slowly added the water through the funnel whilst continuing to blitz. Once the mixture came together, I wrapper it up in cling film, and let set in the fridge. It’s essential, the mixture never gets too warm, as this can cause the dough to loosen up.

An hour later, and I started on lining my quiche tin. I heated the oven to 180°c. I then rolled out my dough, keeping things dry with plenty of flour on my work surface. Once the dough was an even thickness, and large enough to line my tine, I lifted it up with my rolling pin and gently placed over the tin. I carefully pressed in the sides and trimmed the edges. The lined tin was left to set in the fridge for 30minuets. I then blind baked the pastry in the oven for 15 minuets with baking paper and rice. After 15 minuets, I removed the rice and baking paper and allowed further cooking for 5 minuets. Once coloured and cooked, I poked the base with a fork to allow any air to escape when cooking the quiche.

Whilst the pasty was in the oven, I cooked my onions in some olive oil on a low heat, and allowed to reduce to half the size. This requires constant stirring and attention, as to make sure the onions don’t burn. Once just nearly caramelised, I added the basil, roughly torn, and the balsamic vinegar. I continued cooking for a further 5 minuets, until the harshness of the vinegar turned into a gooey sweetness. I seasoned, then added the onions to the base of the quiche. The three cheeses was roughly chopped and also dotted around with the onions.

In a separate bowl, I whisked up the eggs and the creamy jersey milk. I added salt and pepper, and poured the mixture in and around the onions and cheese. I mixed things around with a fork, so some of the onion and cheese came to the surface. I think it’s always nice to have the ingredients of the quiche visible on the surface, instead of sunken at the bottom. I placed the quiche back in the still hot oven at 200°c. After 15 minuets, I turned it down to 160°c for 20 minuets. This ensures a soft, well cooked centre. After 35 minuets of impatience, the quiche came out, to be cooled by an open window on a cooling rack. After it was cool enough to handle I took it out of the tin and sliced it up into generous portions, for all to share and enjoy : )

SWEET ELDERFLOWER AND CARROT HALWA

Carrots have a natural sweetness which when used in sweet dishes means less sugar is needed. Carrot halwa is an Indian dish, which typically has cardamom, a selection of nuts and uses ghee and rich condensed milk. In this recipe, I have used elderflower syrup as a complimenting flavour and sweetener, unsweetened butter, and powdered milk. The flavours are fragrant and delicate. I topped it with a couple of plump, sticky, brandy soaked raisin, from the larder. Best served warm.

Ingredients

1 cup water
4 large carrots peeled and grated
4 tbsp elderflower syrup
25g unsalted butter
2 tbsp powdered milk
Brandy soaked raisins (optional)

Method

In a pan bring the cup of water up to boil. Add the grated carrots and stir for 10 minuets on a low flame. Add the powdered milk and syrup and continue stirring until all the carrots start to soften. Add the butter and stir till melted. Leave to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 minuets or until the liquid has reduced to a rich sticky syrup. Plate, ready to serve, and top with brandy soaked raisins.