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!