laocook

When we get a bit of time off, what do we do, well, we eat out!

Its great to be on the “other side” and have someone else cook and serve you, and it is also a welcome break from the hot kitchen environment.

Yesterday, Sen and Kuchi joined me for a long lunch.

However, there was a traffic, or shall I say “Cow Jam” on route.

We decided to go to the nearby coastal town of Barbate (bar-bart-te), and to the well known restaurant El Campero.

Kuchi chooses his fish from the display.

We started off with some Conserves of Tuna in Oil. Various pieces of Tuna, either Air Dried, Boiled, or Smoked, all made in their kitchens. At first glance you would think that they just opened up a tin of supermarket fish, but after tasting the Conserves, you soon realise that everything is homemade and taste wonderful.

Asiatic influenced Carpaccio of Tuna, with Sesame and Ginger Dressing.

This may look like a meat steak, but it is actually a First Grade Tuna Steak, seared until medium rare.

After lunch we strolled down to the beach to soak up some rays and enjoyed a cold glass of beer or two, or three, or four…

The A-Team are busy working on their new project.

They have decided to convert their unused 2 car garage in to a small house.

Kuchi knocks through what will be the third window.

Sen starts the bricking up the entrance.

Not only is he a deft hand with the Pestle and Mortar, but also with Bricks and Cement.

The view from the window, it will look much better when the house is complete and the vegetable garden is started.

***

Meanwhile, in the kitchens.

Saki puts the finishing touches to his display.

And Sen gets the Chef´s dinner ready ;)

;)

Now that the days are longer and the weather warmer, we decided to take another look at our Sashimi on Ice.

Below are pics of our new version, and features Sashimi of “Pez Limón”.

Soon we will be adding some colour to the ice. It is important to spray the ice with water before adding any food, otherwise the morsels will get “stuck”. ;)

Sashimi is partnered with Sushi, which is made to order.

***

Last weeks Amuse Bouche.

Pork Tenderloin, cooked Char Siu style, served with Japanese Noodles in Basil and Coriander Oil.

Coriander Oil also plays a part in our Smoked Tuna Forehead, served on top of Garlic Toasts. Finely chopped Shallots add a nice kick to this “pop it in your mouth” taster.

:)

At Laocook, we get many requests for recipes, and recipes for Som Moo seem to be the most popular.

Som Moo, (Fermented or Soured Pork Sausage) is one of our favourite dishes.

Our recipe has been slightly adjusted, as you will see. Though the recipe is basically straight forward, you will need to pay attention to the method.

;)

We love the texture of Tofu, especially Silken Tofu, which we dust with a little Corn Flour and Deep Fry so that the outer layer is crispy and gives way to the silkiness inside.

Yakitori sauce is drizzled over just before serving.

**

We save the best cuts of Tuna for our Sushi and Sashimi, lovingly prepared by Kuchi and Saki.

However, sometimes we get hold of other interesting parts, in this case the “Morillos”, taken from the Forehead of the fish.

In Spain it is normally served grilled. Firstly, we too served ours grilled with a delicate Tobiko and Caviar Mayo, but then later experimented with Smoking it over some Olive Wood chips.

The result was very interesting.

We made three different batches, one with a Dry Cure, one with a Wet Cure (brine) and one that was only seasoned before being smoked.

Out of the three, the Dry Cure produced the best flavour.

Storing the Tuna in a light flavoured Olive Oil rendered the meat even more tender than it was when we started, without losing the “smokey” flavour.

For the first time, we are offering Internships with Laocook.

We are based in southern Spain, in the 5 star Fairplay Golf Hotel & SPA,
a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.

We are offering Interships for both Kitchen and Restaurant Service staff.

Though the 3 month Interships are unpaid, accomadation and meals will be provided.

The starting dates will be around mid-July and will finish mid-September.

The Internships would suit those who are looking to start a career in Hotels & Catering,
or for those who are intrested in gaining experience.

EU Nationals do not need a Work Permit to work in Spain.

(edit: Darly has just informed me that, U.S & Canadian citizens can study abroad in the EU for 90 days and do not require a Visa.)

Applicants should be able to swim (at some point, you will be thrown in to the pool! ;) )

Bamboo Shoots are mostly available packed in water. Once shredded, they can be used steamed, in soups, stews, fried or in our case, a Salad.

We call it “Zoup Nor Mai”.

What gives this dish character is the aroma and flavour of the Yanang juice, obtained by blitzing Yanang Leaves with Water, this mixture can then be frozen for later use.

The nutty flavour comes from Pan Roasted White Sesame Seeds, some of which are sprinkled on top before serving.