Archive for September, 2008
A lot can be read about the history of Tartare, some ideas are fantastic, others a little far-fetched.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not a French dish!. The Germans will say that they invented it, though the Russians will claim that the Germans stole it from them. The Italians would say that it is named after their word “Tartari”, meaning Raw Steak, though others will say that it is named after the fierce tribe the “Tartars”.
What is clear about Tartare, is that it is best enjoyed with fresh raw meat (yes, there are cooked Tartares too).
It seems that every restaurant is serving Tuna Tartare nowadays. The recipe is completely different to the better known beef or horse versions. I guess by serving dressed Tuna, calling it a Tartare is an indication to the diner that it will be raw.
We have been making Tartares and Larbs in different forms over the last few seasons, using various ingredients.
When we use Tuna, we make sure that it is Sashimi Grade and mix it with a dressing made from Yuzu Juice and Soy Sauce. The choice of herbs and aromatics we use depend on what we have at hand.
One of our simple versions uses Red Peppers, Chopped Shallots and shredded Coriander, Parsley and Mint.
These are mixed with Tuna, which is cut by hand, never by machine.
Our Summer Intern Emily and I have been working on new dishes for our Amuse Bouche.
Emily sautéeing some Baby Carrots for one of our new dishes.
Emily´s three month internship is almost over, but we were so impressed with her abilities, we offered her a full time contract until January 2009. :)
Before joining us, Emily had very little hands-on kitchen experience, but after almost three months, she has shown that enthusiasm makes up for lack of experience.
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We have used Cones in the past, however this time we decided to make them smaller.
Spring Roll Paper is shaped before being lightly deep fried.
If kept in an air-tight container, they can be kept for a few days. We have used various fillings for these mini cones, which are very easy to eat. :)
“Aubergine Caviar” is topped with a light Herb Mousse.
Here we used a Guacamole topped with Red Pepper “Crystals”.
To fill the them we used Piping Bags, otherwise it would be very difficult to get the mixture in to the bottom of the cone.
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Everyone in our kitchens loves Tofu. It is an incredibly versatile ingredient. We just love its silky texture.
During the last seven days I have attended two Weddings.
Firstly, my friends Teresa and Moises tied the knot in an open air Chapel in the nearby valley.
The happy couple are given a Rice Shower before heading off to the Wedding Reception.
Later that week we attended my friends Inma and Antonio´s wedding.
Led by her father, Inma is walked up the garden aisle set in a country “Finca” which included a small Bullring.
Both weddings were different and equally wonderful, and the partying went on well in to the early hours.
We call them Coquinas (pronounced Cockeenas) but they also go by the name of Butterfly (Wing) Clams.
The ones below were picked from our local sandy beaches, because of where they live, they need a day or two of purging.
We enjoyed them with a few glasses of chilled Sherry at a friends house to celebrate his birthday.
The clams were simply cooked in Olive Oil, Garlic and a splash of Fino. There are quite small and delicate and should never be overcooked.
I great way to entertain friends for lunch is to cook up some Rice. The most famous Spanish rice dish is Paella (prounounced Pie-eya). A good Paella should not be stodgy, the rice should retain its identity having been cooked in a well seasoned stock (broth).
Most of us think that Paella is Yellow. Most times that bright colour is obtained with the help of food colouring!
For me, a dinner is not complete unless it is accompanied by a glass (or two ;) ) of wine.
The fermented juice of the humble grape has been enjoyed for centuries. Wine residue has been found in excavated ceramic jugs dating back to 6000BC!
Wines are very, very complex. They have a host of flavours and nuances, far too many to list here, to write about wines is a completely new journey, but let´s just say, I like my wine. :) .
And in “Good ole Laocook fashion”, I decided to make my own. ;) .
Ever since I started brewing my own Beer (see the last part of this post) I knew that the next step would be wines.
Wines mature, they grow old gracefully. Making wine is something that cannot be rushed. Only Mother Nature (and really good sanitation) will have the final say, and she definitely won´t be rushed.
For “Quality Testing” and “Progress Tracking” purposes I decided to open up a few bottles. ;) .
This is Boop. My Spanish style red wine, one of many different styles of wines that I am working on.
Vin Vienne (pronounced “Vang Vieng”, geddit!) on the label is a play on words. There are only 26 bottles, featuring four different labels, each featuring a different dress.
On a warm summer evening off, its time to enjoy a BBQ in the garden.
We invited a special friend along for dinner. :)
Along with the Sucking Pig, other dishes were prepared for the grills.
A BBQ wouldn’t be the same without “Ping Gai”, the lovable Laotian Grilled Chicken.
Most of the herbs that we used in the marinade are now grown at the Asia House. There is almost a Lemongrass Farm in the yard!
Even the Cucumbers in the first photo were grown in the garden, we used them for a very spicy “Tum”. ;)
Whilst the Sticky Rice is Steaming and the rhythm of the Pestle and Mortar are signalling that a spicy and sour dip is being made, some of us take it easy…
We call them “Matchstick Mushrooms”, but they also go by the name of Golden Enoki.
When most of us think about Enoki, we picture the White variety with long stems. Golden Enoki are much shorter and grow in cylindrical clusters. These have a more nutty flavour than their cousins, and can also be used in Soups and Salads or simply sauteed with some Smoked Butter.
Enoki are available all year round packaged in water or found fresh in Asian Supermarkets. We prefer the latter.
We use them sandwiched between some grilled King Prawns served on a slice of Seabass with Tamarind Sauce.
They can also be found in our Vegetarian Sushi.
Here they are mixed with the White variety and served Gunkan Maki style (Battleship Sushi).
It is a misconception that Sushi always contains raw fish. “Sushi” or “Zushi” actually refers to Japanese dressed rice, served or wrapped with various ingredients, not only fish or seafood. :)
Another Japanese delicacy that has been making the rounds in the kitchen are Miso Baked Aubergines.
We like to use Baby Aubergines (they are less bitter). These are cooked under foil in a high temperature oven until soft, then briefly grilled before serving. Their little size makes them perfect for Amuse Bouches.
Other snacks that we are working on include Homemade King Crab Crackers with Saffron and Basil.
The name sounds kind of long for what is basically our upmarket version of Prawn Crackers (Shrimp Chips).
As the title suggests, we use meat from the King Crab, and the wonderful colour is obtained by using Saffron Water.
These will need a few days drying. When cooked they will fluff up to 4 times their original size. Yummy. :)
I adore the aroma of freshly torn Basil (yep, you should tear it with your hands instead of chopping it) ;)
As well as using it in our dishes, we also use it to garnish finished plates. Right now I am fond of Dark Basil, which has a purple-like colour which changes to green as it grows.
It has a more subdued flavour to the normal variety, but has its own unique aroma. I use it especially in our Green Curry, where the dark mauve stands out.
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Talking about garnishes, we love to slow roast our Cherry Tomatoes.
We use Yellow and Red Cherry varieties, keeping the stems attached.
Their flavour intensifies with the slow cooking as they loose moisture, making the flavour more concentrated. You´d be surprised at the punch and sweetness of these small Tomatoes once semi dried.
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This summer Junior has been doing some outside cooking.
We have transportable Induction Wok and Grill elements that are great for outside events.
Simply grilled Brochetes are great for a summer afternoon.
Three is a crowd?
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Laurene and Rose enjoy an early evening with King and I as we take a well earned day off and head to a friends restaurant for a bit of Gastronomic Pampering.
Even on our days off, our life revolves around Food, Wines and Cuisine.
This is what leading a Chef´s life is all about.
Eat, Drink and be Happy.
:)
