Archive for July, 2006
Kham & Sen at the Flames. Sen is Pan Frying our Chicken Satay´s (some cheap restaurants actually just Deep Fry them!), we would like to use a Charcoal Grill, but that would just make our kitchen hotter than it is, and at the moment it is really hot…
Kham is preparing the Egg Noddles that will later be plunged in to cold water before being Wok Fried.
Above is Sen´s handiwork. Whole King Prawns are encircled around seasoned minced Chicken, then wrapped in Won Ton Paper before being Deep Fried, served with Soy, Ginger and Sesame Dipping Sauce.
Desserts today included a little Trio of Asiatic delicacies. In the Glass are Tapioca Balls, Water Chestnuts, Grass Jelly, Homemade Lod Chong in Sweetened Coconut Milk, a Spoon of Passion Fruit Cream and Kanom Chun.
Our Mini Sea Bass with Citrus and Sesame Dressing was used as an Amuse Bouche. Thin slices of fresh fish and crunchy red & green peppers are served with a Citrus Sauce with a little added Sesame Oil.
We also have another version using Ginger and Coriander.
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Kham and I went out for lunch yesterday to a Seafood Restaurant.
We have never cooked with Razor Shell Clams (aka Bamboo Clams), but after trying them, we have a few ideas up our sleeves.
I am not fussy when it comes to Crabs and Lobsters, and apart from liking them fried with Spices, I also enjoy them simply boiled.
We managed to get through the set of Razor Clams, 3 Lobsters, 2 plates of Giant Prawns and 2 Crabs….
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Kuchi shows us that he can still do the Robot Dance….
Squid or Cuttlefish is cleaned, cut, scored and skewered, brushed with a mixture of Oyster Sauce, Light Soy Sauce and Garlic Puree, and dusted with Corn Flour before being briefly fried to resemble Lollipops.
As with most foods, overcooking them will make them chewy, make sure that the deep frying oil is clean and at 180º, it only takes a few seconds for them to brown then turn a crunchy golden colour.
We serve them with a sticky Soy and Honey based sauce, which is cooled in the fridge. Hot crunchy Squid Lollipops with Cold Dipping Sauce…lovely…
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For dessert tonight King made some “Kanom Chun” (Layered Dessert) using Coconut and Pandan Juice which he extracted from our last remaining Pandan Leaves which were brought over from France. The delicate aroma of the extract is wonderful, refreshing and vibrantly green.
However, we found that the fine and subtle aroma of the Pandan can sometimes become lost or overpowered by the Coconut and Sugar. To remedy this we served it with our “Pandan Air” (made with what little was left over from King´s recipe.)
The “Air” is a texture much like bubbles, but lighter than “Foam”, the latter needing a Cream or Fat based substance to hold it together. When eaten, the “Air” leaves no sensation on the tongue, instead it “disappears or vapourises” and is therefore “tasted” via the Olfactory Glands (this sentence reminds me of Perfume by Patrick Suskind a fantastic book).
The “Pandan Air” sits on top of a Jasmin Tea Jelly made by our Pastry section.
When my parents first arrived to the UK, finding ingredients for Lao foods was difficult. Exotic and Asiatic Herbs and Spices were almost unheard of at that time. Papaya, Coriander and other such ingredients could be purchased in the market stalls specialising in Indian vegetables, and some of the early Chinese Supermarkets would carry Fish Sauce, though in limited supply.
When the first Thai store opened it was like a blessing. It took more than an hour to get there, but when you did, you stocked up on such goodies like Lemon Grass, Purple Basil Leaves, Galangal and Ka Pi. It was like a revelation, once more my folks could enjoy real home cooking.
Glad to say that times have changed and now you can easily find such herbs and spices in most large supermarkets.
One thing that I took for granted was the everyday Chilli. It is very difficult to find hot Chillies in Spain, it is true that the market is slowly opening up, and some Thai imported products are (very) slowly becoming available, though they fetch high prices and fresh produce is rare.
Last year on a trip to London, I returned with some fresh Chillies and decided to plant them. Previously I had only ever planted Tomatoes, so I had no idea how to take care of the Chillies. After a bit of Net-Research I found the answer.
My Chillies started off indoors, actually above my Refrigerator and under some Cling Film. When they first started to emerge, I was delighted. When tall enough, I moved them to larger pots, again indoors near the window sill. I must have been doing something right because they started to grow.
When the first flowers arrived I was delighted, then more arrived, and more and more. Now I had a blossoming Chilli Plant, my pride and joy.
Then I started to notice that the flowers were dropping off, and no fruit emerged. Something was wrong. I knew that they should be transplanted outside, but I was afraid that the weather, which was still temperamental might harm them. Then I thought about the Birds and the Bees!
With a Cotton Bud I started to scrape off some pollen from some flowers and brush it against others, and soon enough, I started to see fruits. Okay, it wasn’t a big harvest, but it was my first home grown Chilli, which I proudly ate with some Pho.
After telling the A Team about my pride and joy, they quickly told me (actually they did it themselves) to transplant them in my garden. Out of the 10 plants that I had, only 6 survived (you really need to Prove them first by letting them stay outside for a little while at a time, let them get used to the outdoors).
Now I have a much larger crop that I cant eat them fast enough and it has got to the point where I am now drying them in the sun after picking them. They have grown with zest and now stand taller than a metre with strong stems and branches going out everywhere, I have been told that I will soon have to “Cut them back”, but I cant bear to do that.
Funnily enough, now I can sometimes find fresh Thai Chillies in the local Grand Supermarket if I am lucky (must be others that are buying them too). However, I say that my ones taste better!.
I wish that I had started a Photo-Diary when I first planted the seeds, but I never thought that it would actually work!. I am happy to say that I was wrong…
After a slight tinge of Red appears, within days the whole fruit is bright and glorious.
They seem to be emerging from all angles.
Apart from Drying them, they also freeze very well. Good things really do come to those who wait….
Khamsene (Sen) and Khamhoung (Kham) are both from Vientiene, Laos.
When asked about their jobs, both answer with the same affirmative tone that they love cooking, the passion that drives them speaks many languages. Both are traditionalist at heart in the kitchens, but they have opened their minds and help the A Team produce our New Style Dishes with vigor and “Gana”.
Not only is Sen versed in Laotian Cuisine, he is also a deft hand at Chinese and European techniques.
Sen´s Crispy Salmon and Sweetcorn Fishcakes are served with a Chinese style Plum Sauce, which he adds Chillies soaked in Sugar Syrup.
Kham keeps a cool head in our hot kitchen and is stationed in the hottest part. He works the Flames with the help of the others and is responsible for most of the “Wok Work”.
Away from the Wok, Kham prepared a traditional Custard steamed within a Pumpkin. Served either warm or cold (better), the custard has a lovely texture which goes well with the velvet pumpkin.
It has been a very hot week here, at least the A-Team can enjoy their pool, it will be BBQ´s and Parties all summer now…
Unlike in Supermarkets where the products are already packed and ready to use, when we buy our vegetables and meats, they all need all cleaning (trimmed, sinew removed, sometimes even plucked). Everything is prepared for the same day´s Service, that ensures that only the best parts are used for our diners. We don’t waste anything, all the trimmings and bones of meats, fish and vegetables are used in Stocks and sauces. Preparation of the food takes up the most time during the day, cooking is the easy part…
The Teppan Prep.
The Pak Choi is lightly blanched and refreshed in Ice Water with Sesame Oil, the Asparagus is trimmed. Blanching Vegetables allows us to cook them faster when needed, it using the Ice Bath allows us to keep the colours fresh. We never overcook vegetables, otherwise they loose colour, texture and more importantly, vitamins and flavour.
the deep red colour of the Pigeon Breast looks inviting. It is cooked medium rare and goes very well with spicy sauces, or with a pinch of Sea Salt and a good red wine.
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Last night we made some Amuse Bouche consisting of Peking Duck Rolls, Crispy King Prawns and Sticky Rice “Pop Corn”.
A great way to use up left over Sticky Rice. Allow to dry out for a few days and fry in hot oil, season whilst still warm…
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New Style Tuna Larb
Two blocks of best Tuna on a seasoned Plate. Ground Toasted Sticky Rice is added just before serving, then you cut it up and “mix it” yourself.
I have spent the last few days in Winster, Derbyshire, UK, to attend one of my best friend´s wedding. On the special day we had great weather, almost like in Spain!. The town is small, cosy and picturesque.
One of the 3 streets that make up the centre of Winster.
View from our Bedroom at the Dower House, Winster.
The house has 4 lovely and spacious bedrooms for rent, the price includes a wonderful Country Style English Breakfast, cooked on their AGA range, a cooker that I hope to have for myself one day…
David is Laurene and Anouck´s younger brother. He has just finished his exams so King suggested that he spend a few days with us in Spain to celebrate.
Laurene and David.
King, David and Junior.
On the Kitchen Front, King has been testing out a new version/recipe for our Beef with Orange Vinegar, whilst I have been playing around with some new ideas regarding Foams and other Textures.
Results are encouraging and we will post any positive outcomes soon.
I remember when I was a kid making a Jéow for unripe mangoes or sour apples. The sauce base was Sugar dissolved in Fish Sauce, sometimes I added Anchovies, Shallots or Chilli Flakes. No matter what ingredients we did or didn’t use, we could never leave out Ground Toasted Sticky Rice, which binds the sauce together and added a Toasty aroma.
I also used to enjoy the sauce with sour Grapefruits, hence the creation of this dish. We have taken a simple idea and transformed it a little.
This is our Grapefruit & Salmon Salad with Orange Oil
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You will need:
Fresh Salmon (or any other Sushi Grade fish)
Sugar (about 30g)
Nam Pla (Fish Sauce)
Chives, chopped
Dash of Sesame Oil
Dash of Lemon Grass Oil
Orange Oil (about 3 tablespoons)
Shallot (diced)
Ground Toasted Sticky Rice
9 Grapefruit Segments, skin and pith removed
Pinch of Maldon Sea Salt (this will bring out the best in the Grapefruit)
Cut five thin slices on an angle from the Salmon. Keep cool.
Read on….
There are probably 100´s of recipes for Larb Beef online, each one different and unique in their own way. In Laos, nearly every household has their own recipe. I remember at family gatherings, we always used to wait for my Uncle “Loung Tihn” to arrive so he could mix the Larb.
Here is our own version of Larb Beef, that is made to order.
You will need the following basic ingredients.
Beef Fillet (we use Tenderloin, about 100g)
The quantities of the remaining ingredients vary according to personal taste…
Mint Leaves
Coriander (include a little of the stalk)
Wedge of Lime
Chillies
Ground Toasted Sticky Rice (check out Manivan´s instructional video on how to make Ground Toasted Sticky Rice)
Diced Red Pepper
Shallots
Fish Sauce
Diced Green Pepper
Shredded Lime Leaves
(Not pictured) Shallot Oil cut with Garlic Oil (90%-10%)
The Beef should be fresh and cool.
Read on…