Firstly, let me wish everyone a very happy 2010!
Now that all the hotel Gala Dinners throughout the festive season are finally over, I can spend a week or so relaxing! 
This past month has been busy, however with careful planning ahead, it was relatively easy. Once all the Gala Dinner menus were confirmed, it was all a case of getting things ready on time. The only obstacle that we faced were the deliveries of the ingredients. The working week is cut short when Christmas and New Years Eve fall on weekdays.
Talking about “planning ahead”, I have been making lots of Cured beef.
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For some bizarre reason I decided to cure some beef in Orange Juice and Brandy.
I think that the idea came about one day after I had prepared a few plates of Bresaola (Italian air-dried salted beef) and later that week, one night at home I enjoyed a glass of Macallan Whisky, (a Single Malt that is matured in Sherry Casks from nearby Jerez de la Frontera). I had obviously written down this idea at some point during that evening, (okay, perhaps I had more than one glass! 
), and found the slip of paper a few days later.
Bresaola is salt cured before being hung for 2-3 months. I am not really (that much of a) patient person, so that idea was out of the window even before I begun. I knew that I wanted a sweetish flavour, so I chose a nice Brandy from Jerez, which is also matured in Sherry Casks.
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The Tenderloin (Fillet) is packed in to a bag with Orange Juice, Brandy, Spices, Salt and Sugar and left for 4 days.
On my first attempt I cured the meat for only 24 hours, but found that the resulting meat was still too raw and soft inside. After a few more tries, I worked out that the best texture to my liking appeared after 96 hours.
The meat is removed from the bag and washed before being pat dry. During its time in the bag, the meat has shrunk and become more compact and darker.
I have been busy lately and must apologise for not updating the site. 
Though the build up to the festive season means that the restaurant is less busy, the team and I have been hard at work behind the scenes getting the menus and dishes ready for Christmas and the New Year.
One of the items on our New Year Gala Dinner menu is our new dish of “Beef Carpaccio”. Like any dish that is featured on our “a la carte” or “Tasting Menus”, this has had its trials and been tested on members of staff as well as restaurant guests to get their impressions.
“Carpaccio” is typically a dish that uses thin slices of dressed beef, however, nowadays you can find Tuna, Salmon, and even Pork Carpaccio´s on restaurant menus. You can even find Vegetable versions or Dessert ones too! 
In fact, any dish that uses wafer thin slices of a main ingredient can be called a Carpaccio!
For my version I had to add an Asiatic accent to it, and that came in the guise of Sesame Oil. This oil when used alone can be quite overpowering and strong, but when mixed with other oils, it becomes a “dance partner” of sorts.
I also wanted to add a touch of “luxury” to what is in essence a simple dish (originally the recipe called for thin slices of beef dressed with olive oil and lemon juice and topped with Parmesan shavings and Rocket), and what better luxury ingredient to use than Truflles!
Black Truffle shavings would be way too expensive for this dish, therefore I made a sauce from them. The slices of beef are drizzled with the sauce and then topped with some fresh salad and herb leaves. Olive Oil is blended with Sesame Oil and perked up with some citrus flavours and soy sauce for saltiness.
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One of our cooks adds the finishing touches to the dish for our “Gala Dinner Rehearsal”.
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“Beef Carpaccio with Black Truffle and Citrus, Soy and Sesame Dressing.”
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Now that October has finished, November allows us to take a break before the busy festive season begins. Shortly I will be off to London to join up with the rest of my family to await the arrival of my new nephew!
The past month also saw us releasing our first supplement menu.
Our Tasting Menu, or “Menu Degustacion” is served from 21.30hrs and cost 90€ per person. This type of menu is for “foodies” (and mostly cooks from other restaurants! 
) and takes about 2½ hours to complete and is served to the entire table.
The menu went through some subtle changes throughout the month, depending on what is best in the markets. The next Tasting Menu will start in December, just after my return from the UK.
We have some photos from over the weekend, though sadly none were taken of the three desserts (doh! )
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We start of with…
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A Contrast of Tomato and Basil Soup. Two soups that look very different but taste almost identical. This appetizer features our Clear Tomato Soup and the recipe can be found here.
The meal continues with…
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New Style Goong Che Nam Pa. These thin “sheets” of King Prawns are one of our most ordered dishes and the recipe can be found here.
We continue with…
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Carpaccio of Beef, Foie Gras and Mackerel. This unconventional carpaccio is served in tins. The fish is marinated in salt and vinegar for only 30 minutes in total (15 minutes in the salt, and 15 minutes in rice vinegar), this provides us with a cured fillet that is not soured or discoloured by the vinegar.
We continue with…
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Seabass in Citrus Soy and Sesame Dressing. Wafer thin slices of fish are drizzled with a tangy and nutty dressing.
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A splash of hot Hazelnut, Olive and Sesame Oils adds another dimension.
To continue we have…
After endless long shifts, its good to take some time to relax.
What´s better than spending a day on the beach?
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Sailing, thats what!
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Kuchi keeps a look out for fishes…. and Icebergs….
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Its not long before the conversation turns to new menu ideas.
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“What????? You want to serve the beef “well done”"?
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“Okay, where is the Wasabi and Soy Sauce?”
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“Let me show you “how its done”".
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“Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, he´ll sit and drink beer the whole day….”.
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Canned foods are very versatile and have very long shelf lives.
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But what is in our can?
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We decided to can our Squid, Seaweed and Mackerel Salad.
Don´t worry, I was only joking!
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These cans are actually used as a presentation device. (Who says that there is no humour in the kitchens…? 
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The fish is briefly marinated in salt then vinegar for about 30 minutes, any longer then the texture and taste changes.
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Banana Blossoms are also known as Banana Hearts, Banana Flowers and a host of other names.
I am lucky enough to have a huge banana plant growing in my front garden, and better still, we all get to eat the blossoms once the fruits have emerged. Removing the blossom from under the cluster (the fruits) also helps the bananas grow faster as the blossom is no longer there to take the water, hence allowing the fruits to absorb more.
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Underneath the outer crimson layer are the softer leaves.
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Under the softer layer (bracts) you can find the male flower stems.
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I would like to share with you the recipe for one of my Signature Dishes.
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This dish has been on my menu since the beginning of my culinary adventure in Spain, and remains our most ordered Starter.
The translation of “Goong Che Nam Pa” would be “Fish Sauce Soaked Prawns”, which doesn’t sound so inviting to the palate! In fact the prawns are not marinated in purely Fish Sauce!, that would be far too salty, instead they are soused in a special salty-sweet-sour dressing.
The traditional version of this dish has the prawns butterflied, briefly marinated and served with various condiments. To make it more adaptable to our diners palates I decided to have the prawns served paper thin, similar to a Carpaccio and added new condiments that would complement the interesting and natural sweetness of the prawns.
There are various stages of preparation and method required for this dish, but do not be put off by the long list of ingredients and instructions. Once everything has been made, it only takes a few minutes to get the dish ready for serving. Every component can be made in advance and kept frozen or chilled until needed.
The recipe is for five servings, though the recipes for the Dressing and Crystal Shallots will produce far more than what is needed, however these can be stored in the fridge, the Sauce for ten days and the Crystal Shallots for up to three weeks.
As we enter the last week of August, we can look back at the busy period and think, “yeah! it´s over!”, 
Only joking of course. We enjoy being busy, proves that we must be doing something right!.
Small plates with “snacks and bites” are very welcome in the summer, and we have been serving an array of these.
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Fresh Spring Rolls are always a favourite, especially when filled with King Prawns.
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Buns have risen and are ready for steaming.
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We have stopped filling the buns before cooking, choosing instead to fill them afterwards with different fillings ranging from Red Roasted Pork and Hoisin, Shredded Peking Duck, Pâté and Homemade Pork “Yhor” with Pickled Carrots etc..
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I have often posted about (and get emails about) our chilled Clear Tomato Soup which we use as an “amuse bouche”.
When the dish is first presented on the table as “Chilled Tomato Soup”, there are glances of bewilderment on our guests faces, these glances of confusion soon turn to surprised acknowledgment when the summery taste of garden tomatoes hits the palate.
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INGREDIENTS:
This is really a simple, yet flavour packed recipe.
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Ripe Tomatoes. We often use Cherry Tomatoes too, which results is a clearer finished product. The type of tomatoes is up to you, (Tomatoes on Vine are a good choice) 3kg´s will normally give you just under 1½ litres of soup.
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A bunch of fresh Basil. You could also use Coriander, but the flavour of Basil and Tomatoes is one of the oldest culinary partnerships.
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Sucking Pig, more commonly known as Suckling Pig is a milk fed piglet that has been slaughtered between the ages of 2 to 5 weeks. The Spanish city of Segovia is famous for its “Cochinillo Asado” or “Roast Suckling Pig”. Segovian chefs take great pride in their roasts, which are usually cut with the edge of a plate, to show how tender the meat is.
The prized gelatinous texture of the piglet is due to the amount of collagen found in its meat. A good roasted piglet should have a crispy skin, giving way to a soft meltingly subtle and juicy meat.
Our piglets are cooked “sous vide” to ensure that no moisture is lost during the roasting, which results in a more juicy cut. Juicy meat! Lovely.
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These six cuts are a whole piglet, two front legs, two back legs and two sides of ribs. (The head was roasted for the staff dinner! 
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The pieces were cooked for 12 hours at 62ºC.
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