Travels for Taste

Tales of travel and food with a touch of spice

Christmas Lunch at River Cottage

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Winter at River Cottage

River Cottage is an experience and after the power-packed day, I spent there last year with Foodies 100, I couldn’t turn down an invitation to go back this year.

River Cottage

Thankfully, my friends and I managed to find rooms at the same gorgeous B&B which we stayed at last year, Millwater House run by Tim and Ruth. This year in addition to maintaining very clean rooms, a stunning reception, and dining area, and a massive back garden complete with a  green-house they also built a makeshift disco in a barn and kept the signage as a memory and a huge rack to grade and store the excess supply of apples from the many fruit-laden trees that dot the driveway.

Last year thanks to Heidi’s husband the very kind Mr. R, we ( Tina, Nayna, and I ) managed to go see the beach at Lyme Regis and explore the beautiful town and even have a fabulous dinner at one of the best sea-food places in town.

This year though we spent our extra day off, window-shopping and shopping for props.

Unlike last year, when we had brilliant sunny weather and had a farm tour, kitchen garden tour, a fabulous baking session in the superb teaching kitchen and not to mention some cracking blogger training sessions, this year gave us an opportunity to really connect with other bloggers. We had a brainstorming session where everyone shared their tips – everything from increasing social media following to scheduling blog posts and collaborating.

River Cottage
Christmas at River Cottage

The main hall at River cottage was decorated with pretty flowers and pumpkins of all shapes and varieties of adorned tables. It could have been a setting for a dreamy country wedding.

Christmas at River Cottage

We were given an insight into brining of meat and vegetables and I managed to learn a few great tricks.

Though I did enjoy spending some time in the huge yurt and loved how toasty and warm it is inside with the fireplace, of course, the best part was the fantastic festive dinner.

Inside the yurt at the River Cottage

We started off by enjoying eating some of the fantastic sharing platters with pork and leek croquettes with tamarind and green tomato chutney, goat’s cheese, beetroot, honey, and fennel on impossibly thin crispbread, mussels served with a scattering of finely chopped red onion and a few other gorgeous dishes.

Inside the yurt at the River Cottage

For starters, we were served celeriac ravioli with wild mushrooms and leaves – what an absolutely satisfying dish this was. I craved an extra portion …alas, it was not to be 😉

Starters at River Cottage

River Cottage brines and cures their own meats of course, as they use natural ingredients versus the nitrates used in commercial varieties. For my main course, I enjoyed some succulent ‘fall off the bone soft’ River Cottage pork, brined in cider served on a bed of carrot puree, fried savoy cabbage, and braised beans. Probably the only time I have felt like asking for helpings of cabbage;)

Mains at River Cottage

The dessert was a perfectly formed honeycomb crème brûlée served with apple puree, the puree had a really sharp taste though. The best part was of the dessert were these divine wafer-thin apple crisps.

Crème brûlée at the River Cottage Christmas Blogger Lunch

I am so glad I wore layers and purchased a fab new pair of warm gloves before we made our way to the farm. It was a very cold evening and a crazy tractor ride to and fro to the farm was just one of the things that made the evening really fun.

I am not entirely certain whether I feel brave enough to cure or brine meat on my own though, but I am certainly hoping I can go back to River Cottage sometime soon to pick up some more kitchen skills.

This wonderful experience also reminded me of the past events organised by Foodies 100 and one such was a Blog Camp at Birmingham. I was only in Birmingham for a day but would love to go back and properly explore the city, especially the food scene there. Meanwhile, my fellow blogger has written an interesting blog post about her visit to Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Centre with her children, do check it out if you need ideas of day trips ideal for families.

Christmas at River Cottage

Looking for Travel Inspiration around London or other parts of the U.K, then have a browse through my travel posts below:

*With thanks to Foodies100 for organising such a Christmas Lunch and the talented team at River Cottage for an unforgettable experience. As always all opinions expressed are as always my own. No incentive was provided for a positive review.

Pickling with Sarsons new speciality blend vinegar

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When life gives you lemons, make a jar of – yes you guessed right – Lemon Pickle! No proper Indian meal is complete without a bit of pickle on the side. Growing up my mum pickled every possible vegetable and fruit that she would get her hands on , whatever was seasonal and also many times what took her fancy. That is why I was curious to experience how pickles are made using Sarsons vinegar, which now I know is a a very different and easy way to create great tasting pickles.

I cannot resist a good mango or lemon pickle – both of which are firm favourites in our family. But pickled chillies, garlic and even fish come a close second and third. As a preservation technique pickling is almost 4000 years old and am proud to say it started in India with cucumbers.

Fresh ingredients are always the best for pickles

U.K’s leading vinegar brand has launched a new speciality blend this year and I spent a happy evening pickling bright coloured peppers . The condiments which lend any pickle their distinctive flavour are already a part of these unique Sarson Vinegar and are a must try for anyone who is remotely interested in making pickles. Not only do Sarsons speciality vinegars have the added benefit of coriander seeds, black peppercorns and pink peppercorns, they also help extend the life of your pickles. For recipe inspiration, hints and tips have a browse through the Sarsons website.

Sarsons speciality vinegar for pickling
Sarsons speicality pickling Vinegar

The beauty of this process of pickling is that all you need to do is chop what vegetable you would like to pickle and add in the beautiful speciality blend. Ensuring that the Kilner jars used are sterilised properly to prevent any illness and also ensuring that only the most fresh produce is used at all times.

Sarsons speciality vinegar for pickling

At the event, Denise Tollyfield was at hand to provide her top tips and guide us through the process of making pickles. My friends Nayna and Heidi bottled cucumber while Vaishali and me worked on the peppers. Must say we were quite the team.

Pickling peppers with Sarsons

Denise recommends boiling the lids of the Kilner Jars separately as they have a rubber ring to ensure the jar shuts tight and prevents leakage – this shouldn’t be oven dried whereas the jars should be sterilised in a pre-heated oven for at least ten minutes. The most important tip she shared is that when pouring the prepared pickle into the sterilised jar – both the glass jar and the pickled mixture should be equally hot. Before sealing the filled jars its best to add enough vingear to cover all the vegetables in the pickle.

Top pickling tips from Denise

I was quite tempted to amp up the heat in our pickled peppers so we added a naughty red chilli sliced into or jars. The garlic pickle looked so good that I was really craving to try some but alas, once the jars were sealed we would have to wait for a a few hours to allow the flavours to mature before enjoying the fruits of our labour. Just remember to label and date each pickle and store them in a cool and ideally dark place,

Garlic pickle with Sarsns Vinegar and Kilner

No better way to spend a chilly winter evening than with friends like Nayna and Heidi doing something we love, working with food and even better when it turns into a chance meeting with another passionate foodie like Vaishali.

Pickling with Sarsons Vinegar

There is a definite joy in working with the best possible ingredients especially fresh produce as it guarantees great results each time.  I cannot wait to create more fun pickles and add mini jars to share with my friends and family in their Diwali and Christmas gift Hampers.

Fresh produce gives great results each time when pickling with Sarsons
Sarsons Pickles in Kilner Jars

Disclaimer:  With thanks to Sarsons for the invite. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post.

Shampan at The Spinning Wheel revisited

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Last time I was at Shampan in Kent it was a very sunny and bright summer afternoon and I remember O.D ‘ing on the cocktails and accompanying papad. This time around we were all wrapped up with the gentle early autumn sunshine playing peek-a-boo with the looming grey clouds hovering above.

This British Curry Award-winning, large and modern flagship outlet is very popular amongst its patrons in the local area and has recently launched a  New A la Carte Menu.  

We managed to make it in the nick of time what with delayed trains on the Southern line. On much insistence from the eager waiting staff I gave in decided to choose a cocktail over a mocktail (Not that I needed much convincing !)

An adaptation of the porn star martini this one packs a punch is in my opinion a great accompaniment to the Basil Scented Tiger Prawns with Desi Honey and Pepper Vinaigrette starter.

Martini - Shampan at the Spinning Wheel
Martini - Shampan at the Spinning Wheel

Encouraged by the brilliant taste of the first cocktail my defences completely crumbled and I had to sample the Lychee martini which was brilliant.

Lychee Martini - Shampan at the Spinning Wheel

 Chef Sadek’s assorted grilled Hor’s d’oeuvres with Paneer, king prawn, chicken, lamb, salad and a relish is ideal for sharing and is a great way to a variety of different meats and vegetables on one platter.  Presented on a slate tray this appetiser was quite popular around the table.

Tiger Prawns starter - Shampan at the Spinning Wheel
Assorted grilled Hor's d’oeuvres at Shampan the Spinning Wheel
Assorted grilled Hor's d’oeuvres at Shampan the Spinning Wheel

The onset of colder weather always makes me crave a flavourful meat curry and the Hyderabadi spiced lamb with pilau rice was really tempting. The Shampan group prides itself on sourcing most of their ingredients locally and this main is made by slow cooking marinated Kentish lamb shank. The meat takes up all the rich flavours of the marinade and is fall of the bone soft, topped with moreish roasted vegetables it tastes great with a comforting side of flavoured pilau rice. I was quite fascinated by the thin slivers of okra used as a garnish which were flavoured with a light masala mix and flash-fried to make them absolutely delicious, crunchy and a far cry from the usual homely version of okra that we are used to.

Hyderabadi spiced lamb shanks & Pilau rice at Shampan the Spinning Wheel

 

Hyderabadi spiced lamb shanks & Pilau rice at Shampan the Spinning Wheel

The mister decided to try the Slow braised leg of kentish lamb ‘salli’ with straw potatoes with biryani rice for his mains because the salli bit reminded us both of grand Parsi meals we have enjoyed over the years especially at Parsi weddings and Navjote ceremonies.

The assembly is very well- thought of with the juicy slow cooked lamb resting on mince and a fried onion surrounded by a thick aromatic gravy with perfectly done basmati rice biryani topped with wafer thin sliver of potatoes deep fried – just the right crunch to garnish a fabulous main.

Slow braised leg of kentish lamb ‘salli’ with straw potatoes and biryani rice at Shampan - the Spinning wheel
Slow braised leg of kentish lamb ‘salli’ with straw potatoes and biryani rice at Shampan - the Spinning wheel

Some of the dishes that the other guests enjoyed were Punjabi red spiced chicken breast served with sautéed spinach, pilau rice and Kerala spiced king prawns tempered with curry leaf and served with a thick coconut milk sauce accompanied with coconut rice.

Mains at Shampan at the Spinning Wheel
Punjabi red spiced chicken breast - Shampan at the Spinning Wheel

The naan platter was fabulous too and the pipping off naans disappeared almost as soon as the basket was set down.

Naan - Shampan at the Spinning wheel

The dessert platter was grand affair with gajar halwa and an ice cream resting on a bed of crushed crunchy biscuit base and a beautifully fresh whole fig on the side.

Dessert trio at Shampan

Executive Chef Sadek Miah has created an truly delightful new menu with exciting and bold combinations with keeping in mind classic Indian recipes. The results are visually stunning, beautifully presented palate pleasing dishes that are sure to become very popular. The venue itself is very charming and a would make a great day out in the “Garden of England” not just for dinning out but as a party or celebration venue. The bar and main dining area at the Tamarind Room offers a spacious dining area done up in muted colours comfortable lattice wood chairs. Perfect for quite, intimate moments  whereas the Caraway overlooks the garden and is bright and airy.

Shampan even caters for private functions with a dedicated space – the Saffron Room – a plush setting with it’s own huge bar and a generously proportioned classy function room.

Don’t leave without a cup of coffee to wash down all those spices, a great way to round off a superb meal.

Coffee at Shampan

*With thanks to Humayun Hussain and Shampan Group for an invite. All opinions expressed are as always my own. No monetary compensation was provided for a positive review.

Norwegian Fjord Trout hits U.K shelves in shoals

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Norway – home to clear, pure, ice-cold, sparkling waters surrounded by majestic mountains with waterfalls and glaciers – also home to the  Norwegian fjord trout fish.  The only saltwater trout in the world that has the benefit of a unique environment,  a mix of seawater and pure glacial water melting into the fjord.

Norwegian Fjord

Norway has a great environment for aquaculture and fish-farming, thanks to their long and vast coastline, deep fjords, and of course clear and pure water. Responsibly farmed, the fjord trout are fed a nutritious diet to help them develop slowly.

Norwegian fjord trout farming

Norwegian fjord trout – Purity on a plate

The vibrant orange coloured flesh has a firm texture and delicate flavour. Perfect for raw dishes like sushi and sashimi. Since all of the fat is stored in the belly this oily fish is very lean the perfect choice for the health-conscious. Naturally high in omega 3 and essential vitamins, it is a great source of healthy protein.

Norwegian fjord trout - bright orange colour

At an event in London, unveiling this beautiful fish to the U.K audience Brand Ambassador Chef Daniel Galmiche. explained exactly why it is that he is so passionate about the fresh taste of fjord trout. He demonstrated simple recipes that allow for the fresh taste of the fjord taste to shine through. He also shared some expert tips on how best to pan fry this fish and add in ingredients that enhance the inherent great taste of this oily fish.

Norwegian fjord trout Brand Ambassador Daniel-Galmiche
Norwegian fjord trout

I sampled some delicious recipe combinations while Chef Galmiche explained the fjord trout is farmed sustainably thanks to centuries of learning and adherence to the world’s best aquaculture practices.

Norwegian fjord trout
Norwegain fjord trout tasters at the U.K launch

To sample the very best of seafood from Norway, one doesn’t need to venture too far, as Tesco will now be stocking this healthy fish at their counters. The beautiful marbled red flesh is suited well for marinating, curing, smoking, and pan-frying.

Norwegian fjord trout - bright orange colour
Norwegian fjord trout U.K lunch event, brand ambassador Chef Daniel Galmiche cooking demonstration

To keep the party going, there was a beautiful bar area set up at the launch event, a refreshing elderflower presse’ made for a great accompaniment to the freshly prepared starters.

Norwegian fjord trout U.K lunch event
Norwegian fjord trout U.K lunch event, silent pool gin

Norwegian Fjords Trout lets you get a Taste of the glaciers straight from the  Cold, Clear and spring Norwegian Fjords onto your plate. Ready in minutes, enjoy the fjord trout grilled to enhance it’s flavours or bake with fragrant herbs and finish with citrus notes or simply serve marinated as a ceviche. Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, celebrate the arrival of this new and healthy oily fish to the U.K by creating some magic in your kitchen.

Where to buy: At select Tesco fish counters at an estimated price of £12.50 per kilo.

*Sponsored Post. All images taken by me unless they appear without the ‘travels for taste’ mark.
Norwegian fjord trout - seafood from Norway
Norwegian fjord trout – Seafood from Norway

Review – Chakra – Indian Fine Dining restaurant unveils new menu at Kensington, London

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Having sampled the food at Chakra over two years ago, I was quite excited to see how the menu had evolved after it’s relaunch at Holland Street in upmarket Kensington.

Accompanied by the usual suspects, Nayna and Heidi, I settled in with a healthy appetite that I had managed to work up by salivating over the menu for almost over a week.

After sipping on fruity mocktails and cocktails with mini poppadums on the side, we got stuck into the starters. The deconstructed version of samosa came in the form of flat mini pastry spheres topped with a sweet potato & pea mixture finished off with swirls of tamarind chutney.

Chakra on Holland Street - Cocktail

Chakra on Holland Street - Open Samosa

We also sampled the tandoori paneer, basil and mint Chutney – a good dish done really well and the soft and perfectly done chicken tikkas served with a  chutney.

The baby spinach Fritters,we agreed unanimously, were the best starter from our selection. Served with a Spinach Galouti ( which was received with mixed emotions) and a dainty little blob of radish and spinach salad – this is definite winner.

Chakra on Holland street - starter pakora

No Indian meal is comeplete without some comforting daal-chaawal so Meloni dhal was a must with some simple steamed basmati – lovely long grains cooked to perfection.

Chakra on Holland Street - Seafood Biryani

Chakra on Holland Street - Purple Potato and ivy gourd

While Heidi savoured seafood biryani with a side of  sweet potato, Nayna relished an unusual but tasty vegetable dish featuring purple potato and ivy gourd. The star on the table though was the fabulous tandoori poussin – a magnificent dish of meat and spices cooked in a hot tandoor until the meat is ready to simpl fall off the bone with a gentle prod with a fork ummm. I also sample a sides okra which was scooped up in greedy portions with the buttery naans.

Chakra on Holland Street - Tandoori Poussin

Never one to say no when presented with a dessert menu, I picked the Gulab Jamun Caviar ( what?! )- with pistachio toast and cardamom cream was undoubtedly the showstopper of the evening. Worthy of winning the title for the best fusion version of a very traditional but extremely loved Indian sweet, this one truly took my breath away.

Chakra on Holland Street - Gulab Jamun Caviar

The Mango Kulfi does a playful twist on the bog standard Indian forzen dessert. Moresih and creamy mango kulfi cubes resembling mini slabs of butter sat atop glass tubes filled with mango juice ( which I found overtly sweet) while freshl mango bits were chilled and served on the side in a generous portion. Like the Gulab jamnun caviar this dish was welcomed to our table with much glee.

Chakra on Holland Street - Mango Kulfi

Head Chef Tai Khan’s new menu takes fusion cuisine and bold combinations to new heights. Amongst the many new items on the menu, the most notable starters are Tandoori tiger prawns,

Mains not be missed out on are : Tandoori Poussin, Tandoori Gressingham Duck Breast, Figs; and Clay Oven Cooked Black Cod, Saffron, Samphire.

But undoubtedly the desserts here ‘take the cake’ with the Gulab jamun caviar taking home the crown for the most tastefully presented and creatively conceived treat for all senses.

Perched on a pretty cobbled street, it’s cosy welcoming interiors done in grey and large framed photos depicting scenes from rural India, this restaurant also has an alfresco dining area.

A renowned and experienced name for over 15 years in bespoke catering and events planning, Chakra Events receives huge catering assignments from a very demanding client base both within the UK and the international circuit.
 
Chakra has won the Best Caterer South Award at the influential British Asian Wedding Awards in 2015 and the catering arm has client spread as far and wide as Italy, France and the Netherlands through to Austria, Greece, India and more. Chakra Events offers varied cuisines like Pan-Asian, Lebanese and North African to European and Mexican apart from flavours derived from North Indian dishes.
 
For MD Arjun Varma, Chakra on Holland Street, is yet another feather in the cap catering to a global clientele who not only appreciate the restaurant but also their much in demand events catering.
Chakra on Holland Street - Gulab Jamun Caviar

*With thanks to Humayun Hussain and Chakra on Holland Street for an invite. All opinions expressed are as always my own. No monetary compensation was provided for a positive review.

Tea time treats – September 2016

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Hello everyone and welcome to September 2016 linky for Tea Time treats. Last month Karen, the host of ‘Tea Time treats’ at her lovely blog  ‘Lavender and Lovage’ bid adieu to her co-host, the very cool Janie who blogs at The Hedgecombers. Jane has decided to step down for now and has passed on the baton now to Jo from Jo’s Kitchen and me.

Tea-Time-Treats-Logosmall

Of course, Jo and I are very excited to be part of this monthly linky which brings out so many creative and wonderful recipes from all over the blogosphere!

The theme for this month is ‘Savoury Treats’. I do have a sweet tooth but my taste buds are partial to savoury flavours. I think of all the varied wonderful savoury fare that is served with steaming hot cups of masala tea and it sends me straight to my days back in India. From the famous ‘Chitale Bakarwadi’ from Pune to the crumbly and delicious ‘Mathri’ from the North of India, there is no limit to the amazing treats that are available to please every palate.

I, for one, cannot wait to see what savoury treats you plan to make and share with us! I am hoping to see a lot of variety from ALL over the world.

Please have a look at the rules and guidelines below and feel free to contact us if you need to know more about this event and how to participate. Grab those aprons then and get cooking!

Tea Time Treats

Tea Time Treats Rules and Guidelines:

Tea Time Treats is a monthly blogging event that showcases treats from our favourite meal of the day: teatime! Hosted alternate months by Karen from Lavender and Lovage,  Jo from Jo’s Kitchen and me; each challenge involves a style of bake or popular teatime ingredient. All teatime treats, whether sweet or savoury, bread, pies, pasties, cakes, tarts, desserts, conserves or biscuits (plus many, many more!) will be featured over the coming months.

Rules:

  • Post your recipe on your blog with a link to Lavender and Lovage, Travels for Taste and Jo’s Kitchen and mention the relevant month’s host and attach the Tea Time Treats logo as shown on the event page.
  • Add Tea Time Treats in your blog post as a label/tag.
  • The recipe can be one of your own or one you’ve seen elsewhere.  You are welcome to republish old recipes/posts but please add the information about this challenge.
  • Please be as creative with the theme as you like.
  • If you put your post on Twitter please mention @KarenBurnsBooth,  @travelsfortaste, @Jos_Kitchen  and #teatimetreats in your message and we will re-tweet all those we see.
  • You do not need to enter every month to join in with the challenge.
  • Your post can be submitted for other blogging challenges, just make sure this complies with the rules of the other challenge.
  • VIP: Add your recipe link to the live linky posted at the bottom of every challenge post.
  • If using a recipe from another person, book, website, chef or blog, you must link back to the original recipe and not reproduce the recipe in full in your post. You must also use your OWN images for the recipe and not the original images, unless you have permission to do so, with appropriate links and any other information requested by the photo’s owner added to the image.

PLEASE join in the baking fun!

(Copy and paste the code below into your Text editor to embed the logo into your blog post)

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/tea-time-treats" title="Tea Time Treats"><img src="https://www.lavenderandlovage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/lavenderandlovage_teatime.png" alt="Tea Time Treats" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
Tea Time Treats
Please add you Afternoon Tea and Tea Time Treats recipe links below!
THANK YOU and have a FAB September filled with brilliant savoury treats!
Karen, Manjiri and Jo
 
 
 

An InLinkz Link-up

Celebrate Caribbean Food Week with Grace Foods

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When it comes to Caribbean flavours in the U.K, Grace Foods have bagged the top stop as the numero uno food and drinks company. They have a wide range of sauces, dips, marinades seasonings and tropical drinks to satisfy all palates.

Grace Foods are celebrating their 5th annual Caribbean Food week – Aug 22nd to Aug 29th’ 2016. To spread the word of their celebrations Grace Foods, sent me a cracking hamper stuffed with an assortment of goodies.

Grace Foods hamper

I wanted to try all the sauces but I was cooking for two so choose the following products:

  • Dunns River Ackee
  • Dunns River beans
  • Dunns River Tropical seasoning
  • Dunns River all-purpose seasoning
Grace Foods Caribbean seasonings

I had never heard of Ackee before and was very curious to try working with this ingredient. Ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica, is consumed in a traditional dish with salt fish. AK is not fond of salt fish though I decided to create a side with vegetables and Dunns River Tropical seasoning. I am so pleased with the results, the dish is truly sunshine in a plate.

Canned ackee

It is always fun to try out new and exotic flavours but mind you this one comes with a warning. The unripe fruit can prove fatal and causes Jamaican vomiting sickness. But the ripe fruit has many nutritional benefits including being a digestive aid, helping to lower blood pressure and is high in unsaturated fats which help to maintain heart health.

Manjiri Chitnis

Ackee and vegetable side

This dishis truly summer in a plate
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
25 minutes
Servings: 4 portions
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Dunn Rivers can of ackee
  • 6 tsp Dunn Rivers Tropical seasoning
  • 1/2 a red onion chopped lengthwise
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 3-4 small sweet peppers
  • 2 tbsp Rapeseed oil

Method
 

  1. Heat oil in a wok
  2. Sauté’ the chopped garlic until they brown
  3. Add the Tropical seasoning and mix well
  4. Add the chopped onions and sauté’ them until they go soft
  5. Then add the green beans and stir fry for about 2 minutes
  6. Then add the peppers and sauté for about a minute
  7. Drain and wash the ackee under running water
  8. Add the ackee and cook on low heat for at least 4 minutes
  9. Ensure the ackee mixes well with the vegetables and spices and serve hot
Ackee and vegetable side

As the ackee cooks, it breaks down like soft gooey scrambled eggs and takes up the flavours in the seasoning very well. Mix the ackee very gently or it will turn into a lump.

I paired this dish with hearty brown rice mixed with peas and beans.

Manjiri Chitnis

Caribbean rice with peas and beans

Delightful mixture of spices add a different dimension of flavour to this simple dish, make it healthier by using brown rice
Print Recipe
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 cup brown rice
  • 1 can of Dunns River peas and Beans
  • 1 small red onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf

Method
 

  1. Chop the onion lengthwise
  2. Rinse and soak the rice in a big vessel
  3. Heat the olive in a medium-sized vessel
  4. Add the bay leaf and then sauté’ the chopped garlic until it browns
  5. Add 2 heaped tbsp of all-purpose seasoning and mix well and sauté for under 30-second stirring continuously so that the seasoning does not bu4n
  6. Drain the water used to wash the rice
  7. Then add the washed rice and sauté it for under a minute stirring continuously
  8. Drain the water from the canned peas and beans and transfer them to a sieve and wash them under running water, to get rid of the salt
  9. Add the peas and beans and add exactly twice the amount of water as the rice and cook on a medium flame with lid on
  10. Garnish with some chopped spring onion
  11. Serve hot
Caribbean brown rice with peas and beans

Ideally, I would cook up a fiery chicken curry to go with this rice but I had some white fish in my freezer and decided to grill them with some jerk seasoning.

Grilled jerk fish
Manjiri Chitnis

Grilled Jerk Fish

Spicy grilledfish is great paired with the brown rice with peas and the ackee and vegetableside
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 fillets of white fish
  • 3 heaped tbsp of Dunns River Jamaican jerk seasoning marinade
  • 2 tsp of olive oil
  • 1/4 th of a lime

Method
 

  1. Wash the fish fillets and coat thoroughly with the marinade
  2. Heat a grill pan and pour the oil
  3. Grill the fish until done
  4. Ensure you do not overcook as the white fish is generally very delicate and will break easily. Overcooking will render it dry and not much fun to eat!
  5. Squeeze the lime and do not be shy with it, the lime will cut through the spice and elevate flavours
Grilled jerk fish

Get creative in your kitchen or just go with the recipe suggestions on the packs, if you need more recipe inspiration head over to the Grace Foods recipe section.

Caribbean street food party

If you are in London join the festivities at Caribbean Food Week Festival at Windrush Square in Brixton.

Caribbean Food Week poster
Caribbean street food party

Disclaimer:  With thanks to Grace Foods for sending me a selection of products to experiment with. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. 

Lamb Tasting Press event, London

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September first week will ring in the second year for British Lamb Week. A campaign that has been launched to popularise the versatile and tasty meat, especially to make it appealing to a younger audience.

Last year I was invited to the launch of this campaign which was hosted at Chef Cyrus Todiwala’s restaurant Cafe’ Spice Namaste’. As the new Lambassador for ‘ Tasty  Easy Lamb’ Cyrus very passionately demonstrated some quick and delicious ways to cook lamb. Lamb is perfect for the summer season as it can be barbecued or grilled and enjoyed al-fresco. Amongst other dishes, we tried a fabulously juicy Blue cheese stuffed lamb burger. The recipe for this by Chef Cyrus is too good not to share with all of you.

BlueCheeseStuffedLambBurger (Copy)

As expected the incredible spice man has incorporated the use of many wonderful spices in this recipe.

Blue cheese stuffed lamb burger recipe by Chef Cyrus Todiwala

Print Recipe
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 675 gms lamb mince
  • 1 finely chopped medium onion
  • 2-3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 x 2inch piece minced fresh ginger
  • 1 slender minced green chilli seeds included
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin powder
  • 1.5 tbsp ground coriander powder
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 3 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala powder
  • 1-2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp crushed black pepper
Forthe Stuffing
  • 150 gms Blue cheese, crumbled
  • 2 Finely chopped green chillies
  • 1 tbsp Finely chopped fresh coriander
  • 2 Finely chopped cloves of Garlic
  • Rolls or bread, to serve

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl gently mix all the burger ingredients together. Divide into 6 evenly sized burgers
  2. In a small bowl blend the stuffing ingredients together and shape into equal-sized balls to stuff the burgers
  3. Make an indentation in the centre of each burger with your thumb and fill with a ball of the cheese. Make sure the cheese is completely encased when you form the burger
  4. Cook on a prepared grill or barbecue for 6-8 minutes on each side or until any meat juices run clear
  5. Serve with your favourite bread or rolls with some sliced tomatoes, onion and lettuce and some relish

We must appreciate that the demand for meat consumption is ever increasing in spite of the many pressures on limited resources of our planet. But as a meat lover myself, I must say, that it is great to know that it is possible to love your planet while continuing to consume meat. One of the ways to do that is to choose to add locally produced lamb to your diet. It is not only easy to cook but also, lamb raised in the English countryside is among the most sustainable in the world.

Sheep and lambs graze on naturally occurring grass which is good for the environment. It helps permanent grasslands to pull in carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil. In addition, it preserves water quality and overall helps farms reduce their energy consumption. Along with being sustainable, sheep farming aids employment thereby building communities and supporting the economy.

Here is an easy kitchen cheat sheet to get you started with which cuts of lamb are best for what you want to cook, with handy tips on freezer storage and cooking techniques.

Lamb_Cheat_Sheet

So won’t you be doing to your bit to help protect the lambscape? The results of your kitchen experiments are bound to be lambtastic! Excuse the puns, I couldn’t resist 😉

Disclaimer:  With thanks to AHDB Beef & Lamb and Cyrus Todiwala for having me as a guest. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. Kitchen cheat sheet chart and images provided by AHDB Beef & Lamb.

Behind the scenes at a free range Happy Eggs Co farm

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Happy Eggs – Behind the scenes at a free-range farm in rural England

Scrambled, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, in an omelette, in a frittata – whichever way you like your eggs, they are an unbeatable source of protein and unsurprisingly, a much-loved way to kick start the day with a power-packed breakfast. I have always loved eggs especially runny scrambled ones like the ones my Baba makes for breakfast. It was hard for me then, to say no to a tempting invitation by Happy Eggs to come visit their farm up in Tring.

Happy Eggs Farm Visit
Happy Eggs Florentine
Happy Egg Co

Travelling to Happy Eggs farm from London

Having read so much, about how Happy Eggs Co like to have their girls roam around freely, this was a chance for me to experience things firsthand. So on a perfectly fine summer afternoon, I set out from London to the Hertfordshire. Arriving from London on the day would have been a nightmare, so I decided to stay one night in the village nearby the farm.

After a rather nightmarish re-routing of my otherwise straightforward journey to Luton, I finally managed to get there only about two hours late, thanks to cancelled and delayed trains. Thankfully, after that bit, it was a just quick drive from Luton station into the picturesque countryside.

No better way to recharge my batteries than a quick getaway out of London city limits. After I checked into the Five Bells Vintage Inn, I met lovely Jane who writes at The Hedgecombers for a quick drink and dinner. It was absolutely fabulous catching up with her after months. Jane is just one of the many amazing bloggers I have met at FBC and over the years we all have become really good friends. While Jane went back to her cute camper van for the night, I settled in early to ensure I got to the farm on time.

120 acres of space at the Bulborne Happy Eggs Co. Farm

Bulborne Happy Egg Farm

Feeling Egg-tastic at the Happy Eggs farm at Bulborne

Breakfast at the B&B with Jane was a quick affair and I even got to ride with her to the farm in that camper van – Woohoo!!! – quite a treat for a city like me! We lost our way a bit and after driving around in circles for a bit we finally made our way to Bulborne farm. We were greeted by a big bunch of bloggers and the Happy Egg co team.

It was a good that we had an early breakfast then, as we missed the morning treats laid out for us. After a quick introduction we all donned fresh blue overalls and sipped into wellies – I have NEVER walked for so many hours in wellies before but it was not as bad as I thought it would be.

Happy Hens at the Happy Eggs Farm

Happy Eggs Farm at Bulborne is an Organic farm spread across 120 acres of open,lush green space

Farmer JP of Bulborne farm is one of the many farmers who work with Noble Foods, the company that owns the Happy Egg brand. Bulborne Farm houses 14,000 girls as the hens are known or VIBS – very important birds in a space spread across 120 acres. This farm is a fully organic farm which means it is audited by bodies such as Organic Food Federation or Organic Farmers & Growers. This is in addition, to being certified and audited by the BEIC Lion Code.

Happy Hens at Happy Egg Co farms

All the Free Range, Barn and Organic farms that Noble Foods works with are also certified and audited by the RSPCA Freedom Food Scheme – a scheme to ensure hen welfare giving them not just wide open spaces to roam around freely but also to ensuring that they have access to dust-baths and specially designed activity kits, exactly like the one you see in my photo below.

Activity Kits for hens at Happy Eggs farm

Specially designed activity kit at Bulforne farm for Hen welfare

The focus on hen welfare and production of free-range eggs is given so much importance that they even sponsor research into work that how to create and maintain a stress free environment for the girls and keep them happy. After all Happy Hens produce Happy eggs!

Happy hens at Bulborne Farm - Happy Eggs

At the hen-house, ( no pun intended!) we saw the hens run outside to enjoy the sunshine, all the while, clucking away very happily. As we stood and took in what Farmer JP told us about a typical day in the life of an egg farmer, the hens roamed around freely around our group, not in the least perturbed by our presence.

Happy Hens at the Happy Eggs Farm

While one part of our group went inside the hen house to look at how it is designed and what facilities are provided to ensure the hens are healthy and happy and feel safe while laying eggs, we took turns holding these handsome birds. The naughty hen I held tried to peck at my hand and escaped from my hands before I could pose for a decent picture – naughty girl!

Happy Hens posing for our cameras - Happy Egg farm at Bulborne

Did you know that a hen lays an egg every 26 hours? Or that hens need dust to keep themselves clean and well-groomed? Hens are very intelligent beings and quite inquisitive by nature. To ensure that they get to satisfy their natural curiosity, each farm ensures that at least 20% of every open area must have trees planted on it.

Space aplenty and lots of trees and foliage at Happy Egg farm in Bulborne

Farmer JP explained that he understands the difference between a happy clucking and would know of his girls were unhappy instantly. One of the indicators as I already mentioned is that the hens are fearless around humans, also the hens at his farm have a very healthy and shiny set of feathers.

Happy Hens at the Happy Eggs Farm

Now that we have established that these eggs truly are free-range, how do we differentiate between the taste of eggs laid by happy hens versus caged hens? Farmer JP told us that the happy state of mind and healthy living conditions of his Happy hens results in tastier eggs. Also, fewer eggs with defects are found. These defects include a thin shell or wrinkled eggshell, which are indicators that the hens are under stress.

Jp explains why Happy Eggs are tastier because they are free range

Ergonomically designed housing for hens at Happy Eggs farm

As I walked into the e hen house, I steeled myself for an assault on my olfactory senses – what with all the pee and poo of hens, but honestly I was quite pleasantly surprised. There was dust flying around, thanks a bunch of excited hens who were jumping around in their dust-bath and cackling loudly as if exchanging some juicy gossip.

JP explained that the feeders, waste management system and egg collection areas are designed to ensure that hens are well-fed, their living space is kept clean, all this also designed to provide privacy for the hens when they want to lay eggs.

Inside a Happy Egg co farm hen house
Happy Hens enjoying a dust bath
Happy Hens have a gossip - cluck cluck!

On being quizzed about an article in the Daily Mail about hens being caged, we were informed that those hens were being treated for an illness and the article was factually incorrect. A claim that was backed by RSPCA. Sadly, as the article was not fact-based, it was followed by an apology later. Unfortunately, bad news spreads like a virus and this affects all the farmers who strive to maintain high standards. I speak from my personal experience of my visit to Bulborne farm which I can assure you, was very clean. To maintain the level of hygiene we witnessed on the day, I am positive that there is a lot of work hard involved backed by careful consideration towards hen welfare. Happy Egg farms at Bulborne contribute to research and have performed better than expected during all their audits, yes, even the ones that happen unannounced and when least expected.

Picking eggs at the Happy Eggs farm

We then picked some of the freshly laid eggs and had a look at the area where the eggs are stored before being shipped out. The stamping of the eggs is a manual process and the unique codes help identify exactly which farm they originate from. The eggs are graded by size and packed into the trademark cheery yellow cartons that are so easily recognisable on supermarket shelves.

Freshly picked Happy Eggs
Happy Eggs of various sizes
Freshly picked Happy Eggs

Famished after all that hard work we headed back to the base where a freshly prepared four course meal awaited. Chefs from Jackson & Rye restaurants in London cooked us a feast of smoked devilled eggs as canapes’ sprinkled with chives and a taste of delicious mayo, creamy avocados and spinach in Eggs Florentine.

Devilled Happy eggs
Happy Eggs Florentine

This was followed by a massive portion of the classic Mexican treat – Huevos Rancheros – loved the perfectly poached eggs on top oozing golden yolk and the fresh tomatoes and guacamole. Dessert was a Pecan tart which I wolfed down at lightening speed.

Huevos Rancheros with Happy Eggs
Huevos Rancheros with Happy Eggs
Pecan Tart at the Happy Eggs Farm

To truly understand the meaning of free range and how gold standards are achieved and maintained one must experience at close quarters how a Happy Egg farm is managed. By no means, an easy task, the passion that the whole team here has towards hen welfare is evident from the love they have for these birds.

Recipe inspiration from my kitchen

While I have you here, can I interest in you in some of my egg-tastic recipes? Have a gander and leave me a comment (or two) if you rustle up any of these dishes :

I was so egg-cited to meet some of my fellow food bloggers who came along for this farm visit. They were egg-cellent company! Alex Ryder writes at The Gingey Bites  Heidi Roberts blogs at Kitchen Talk and travels

Visiting Tring? Have a look at my review of the beautiful Five Bells Vintage Inn here.

Disclaimer:  With thanks to the Happy Eggs co for having me as a guest at Tring and Bulborne Free Range Happy Egg Co Farm. Many Thanks to Farmer JP and his team for a fabulous day out. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. 

Hoppers, SOHO – a review

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To anyone familiar with Sri Lankan cuisine, appams are no stranger. Re-christened as Hoppers in the colonial times, these light dosa like crepe’s also come in a fluffy stringy avatar much like idli in a ‘ramen burger’ form, are traditionally known as ‘idiyappam’ To try the Hoppers and more, served at the much talked about restaurant in SOHO, by the same name, I decided it was finally time to brave the queue’s. Accompanied by Asma, we managed to get  there just in time before the crazy lunch hour rush started. We wanted to have a catch up and conversation always flows better when the ambience is right and the food is good.

Hoppers, SOHO, is another successful venture, conceptualised by the Sethi siblings, who are the minds behind Trishna, Gymkhana, Lyles’s, Bubbledogs and Bao.

While queuing up, I took a peek inside – the wicker thatched roof, wooden furniture, intricately patterned tiles on the floor and tables, yellow lighting – everything reminded me of an old Gymkhana back in India, oozing old world charm and character. Once seated inside you will notice the brightly painted Kathakali masks on a sunny yellow wall facing the bar.

Lovely wicker and wood panels inside Hoppers
Kathakali Masks - Hoppers

The menu features what is known as short eats – basically, smaller portions like the ones served as snacks from road side food shanties. Similar to the greasy but very satisfyingly delicious spicy fried dal fritters served wrapped in newspaper cones or placed on pages torn out of old note-books and dolloped with scoops of spicy green coconut chutney.

Masala butter milk - Hoppers

My lunch companion Asma ( she who runs the fab Darjeeling Express) and I decided on hot buttered devilled prawns, bone marrow varuval and brinjal moju.

Bone Marrow Varuval - Hoppers

The rich, smooth and deliciously spiced gravy in which the bone marrow is served is finger licking good. The generously scattered fresh green curry leaves add that curry flavour to the sauce – we mopped it up with the string hoppers later. One bite into that luscious bone marrow and there is no turning back. In contrast, the prawns are fiery hot and smothered in butter, though not scathing, they are not for the faint-hearted. Asma’s Bengali palate approves of the succulent prawns so I would say give it a go – just have the cooling masala buttermilk at hand to wash down all the spice and grease.

Hot,buttered, devilled prawns
Mains at Hoppers, SOHO

Onto the mains we picked the egg hoppers with fish kari and lamb kari. The Hoppers come with pol sambol, seeni sambol and a coriander chutney.

Pol sambol, seeni sambol and coriander chutney - Hoppers

Pol sambol is delightful relish made with Maldive fish and coconut. I am a great fan of seafood in general and love pickled seafood a lot. The seeni sambol is a Sri Lankan version of caramelised onion chutney. Together these little sides provide a fun adventure for your taste buds as you dip your cripsy hoppers into the kari and mop up the sauces.

Egg Hopper with Lamb kari

The crispy edges of the hopper and the fluffy centre are both satisfying and filling and the fried egg in the center for me was just perfect. Dip the crunchy edges of the hopper or dunk large chunks of string hoppers into the oozing egg yolk and then scoop up some of the lamb kari – you won’t regret it.

Egg Hopper

I love how the hopper is both like a crispy plain dosa and fluffy like a steamed idli and filling like a neer dosa all in one. The egg on top just makes it so much better.

We also tried the Lamb kothu roti and although the lamb is hidden under a majority of veggies and roti it is quite a good dish as a filler. I am not a fan of kothu though, so I won’t miss it too much next time around and would really like to see more lamb in the dish.

Lamb Kothu - Hopper

The masala dosa comes with a very homely sambar and a fabulous sweet potato curry, I only wish there was more of that curry as it is simply amazing. The crisp dosa has a spicy dry chutney called podi scattered inside and a generous amount of perfectly done potato sabzi inside – you cannot fault this dish in any way which.

The Brinjal moju side is very tangy and the strong taste of vinegar is balanced by the spices used with the aubergine. Again this is something I could not get enough of.

Brinjal Moju - Hoppers

The string hoppers come with pol sambol and Kiri hodi which is aSri Lankan coconut milk gravy with Maldive fish and fenugreek. I have mixed feelings about the Kiri hodi but they seem to be leaning towards love rather than hate. Perhaps more trips to Hoppers are required for me to make up my mind. Asma and me hungrily wiped down the remaining sauce from the bone marrow varuval with the string hopper – oh that sauce!

String Hoppers

I would have loved to try the duck heart chukka and durian flavoured ice cream and then probably wash it all down with some string Tamil Nadu Kaapi. Unfortunately, there was no way I couldn’t eat anymore and had to take away a lot of the food. And the head Chef Suresh Pillai spoilt us by sending us generous portions of dishes to sample, that in addition to what we had ordered was more than we could possibly consume.

Hammered copper plates - Hoppers

Over the past few years, AK and I have been to many Sri-Lankan restaurants around London. As expected they are to be found in the suburbs, notably in Tooting and East Ham. Our all – time favourite has got to Jaffna House – a no-fuss cheap and cheerful place where you can eat till you are ready to explode at the seams but still not draw up a bill of more than £20. So to be standing in a queue in SOHO for Sri-Lankan food was not something I was expecting. But am so glad I did and that too with a fab companion like Asma. For once, I didn’t have to apologise for taking photos from all possible weird angels with not just my camera but my phone too – of course – for all those social media channels that need feeding 😉

Sambar at Hoppers

One of the many reasons that puts Hoppers in a class by itself in comparison to the other Sri Lankan restaurants is the entire ambience that they have so thoughtfully managed to create – the wood panelled interiors, framed posters, the gorgeous rustic hammered copper plates, those tiled tables, the efficient service and of course the food!

I most certainly plan to be back, to brave that queue, this time with hubs AK in tow, and no there won’t be any camera in sight. Just us and – the food.

Crab Kari at Hoppers, SOHO
Average bill person  with one starer and one side to share, one main and one non-alcholic drink – £25 approx (without alcholol and dessert)

Don’t miss out on – Bone Marrow Varuval, Crab Kari on the specials menu if available – it is absolutely divine!

Disclaimer:  Unless mentioned that I was invited to review, I foot my own bill when eating out and have written this review purely out of a passion of sharing my love of good food. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. Thanks to Chef Suresh Pillai for treating Asma and me to some complimentary dishes.

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