Spicy Gammon Steaks

Gammon is not something you find very often in Australia so when some gammon steaks turned up in the box of meat I got courtesy of Abel & Cole I had to rack my brains to think of what to do with them.  Luckily one of the good points about gammon steaks is that they keep for quite a while in the fridge and so I had a bit of time to come up with a recipe.  Inspiration was at hand in an old issue of Olive magazine with a recipe for sticky Gammon steaks, however I think these are more spicy than sticky so I have changed the name.  I have also adjusted the recipe a little, firstly to thicken up the sauce as it was a on the stingy side and secondly I substituted the five spice powder the recipe called for with all spice.  The ingredients in both spice mixtures are fairly similar and all spice powder is much easier to lay your hands on.  

This recipe is very quick and easy and the gammon steaks were succulent but quite salty (which I suppose is a feature of all gammon).  Good for a fast week night dinner but I probably won't be pulling this one out at a dinner party anytime soon.  

Ingredients

2 gammon steaks

1 tsp allspice powder

1 red chilli finely chopped

1/2 orange zested and juiced

1 tsp honey

2 tsp soya sauce

1 tsp olive oil

1.  Rub the gammon steaks with the allspice powder and heat the olive oil in a frypan at a high heat.

2.  Add the steaks and cook for two minutes on each side or until starting to brown slightly at the edges.

3.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the chilli, orange, honey and soya sauce.  Simmer until the sauce is sticky and thickened.   

4.  Serve with rice and steamed Asian greens.  

Serves two.  

If you liked this you might like reading about my recipe for minted roast lamb cutlets using Abel and Cole meat.       

Gourmet Chick was invited to try the Abel & Cole meat free of charge.

Locanda dell'Isola Comacina (Gourmet Chick in Italy)

A time comes in everyones life when they turn 30.  No longer able to blithely describe yourself as "mid twenties" (admittedly this description has been stretched for a while) and falling within a whole new age category on surveys, turning 30 is a milestone.  When it happens there are two options, to ignore the event completely and pretend it is not happening or to make the most of a "zero" birthday and engineer an extravagant celebration.   

Approach to the island

MTV boyfriend has been known to despairingly refer to my birthdays as "festivals" due to their long drawn out nature so it was no surprise to him when I decided that in order to adequately celebrate turning 30 I would hire a villa on Lake Como in Italy with a group of friends and organise a long lunch at Locanda dell'Isola Comacina.  Locanda dell'Isola Comacina is Lake Como's only island and can only be reached by boat.  What a way to arrive though as the ferry moors on the pier and you see the restaurant clinging to the side of the island which is otherwise mainly deserted.  Walk up the steps and you will be greeted by the owner Benevenuto Puricelli dressed in a tartan waistcoat and incongrously a bobble hat.   

He will show you to your seat on the wide and sunny terrace and after that there is nothing else that you need to think about except for how much food and wine is really too much.  You see, Locanda dell'Isola Comacina has had the same set menu for almost 50 years and so one perfect course after another will be laid in front of you while you relax and take in the sparkling lake vistas.  To begin, half a tomato bursting with freshness and topped with a thin slice of lemon and a dusting of oregano.  "You must eat the lemon with the tomato" our waiter advises and we do savouring the tart bite with the sweet tomato.

Bresaola and ham

In a flurry of small plates the antipasto course arrives with lashings of roasted zucchini, bowls of beans, delicate slivers of carrot and onions roasted in their skins until they are caramelised and sticky with sweetness.  There is meat as well, succulent hunks of ham and thin layers of bresaola the air dried beef that is emblematic of this region of Italy.  All this to be eaten with long baguettes of fresh bread which are placed on the table to be shared between us by tearing off portions.  

Next are huge whole roasted salmon which are brought to the table by our waiter who douses them with salt and olive oil before squeezing several lemons over them.  Then he expertly fillets the fish in front of us and we are all presented with a serving of salmon which flakes off the fork and straight into the memory bank as one of those unforgettable dishes.  Onto the roasted chicken which has been rubbed in herbs until the skin turns crispy and then is carved into chunks and presented in bowls to share.  It is a little on the dry side but this is really the only fault I could pick in our entire meal.  To whet our appetite for dessert the cheese course arrived comprising a huge wheel of Parmesan from which our waiter gouged out wedges to be nibbled on.

The wheel of Parmesan

Finally dessert arrives.  No pretensions here, good quality vanilla ice cream served with a banana liqueur and fresh blueberries.  Throughout our meal the wine has been free flowing and to finish it off Benevenuto mixes up some brandy spiced coffee in an elaborate ceremony that has something to do with warding spirits off the island and a lot to do with why Benevenuto is wearing a bobble hat.  We are all charmed and as the birthday girl I get to taste the coffee first to decide whether it is appropriately alcoholic for the entire lunchtime sitting.  If this is what being 30 is like I think that I can cope.  

Essentials

Details: Ossucio, Lake Como, Italy (Ph +39 0344 55083)

Damage: Pricey (€62 for the set menu which includes all wine and food)

10/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in last year's birthday celebration which was a bit of a quieter affair at Fifteen restaurant in London.  Or for more on Italy we loved the Salumi menu at Al Pompiere in Verona. 

Nilus (Gourmet Chick in Italy)

Nilus, in Varenna doesn't have the best food in Lake Como but it is certainly worth a write up as in our four days on Lake Como it is the place that we returned to the most.  A recommendation from a friend took us to the simple lakeside restaurant for the first time and after one visit it was hard to stop going back.  Situated right on the edge of the lake in a small cluster of restaurants Nilus has a large terrace area partially covered by blue and white striped awnings.  The outdoor seating is all white, lacy cast iron like the sort of furniture you might find at the bottom of granny's garden.  Adding to the chintzy feel the tables are adorned with floral tablecloths.  You can't complain about the decor though when you are sitting in front of a spectacular view such as the one from Nilus' terrace.  

Beautiful Varenna

The menu features lighter food and is packed with various variations of crepes, paninis and pizzas.  While you are making up your mind make sure you order the house wine.  Both the red and white are excellent and are served in a small earthenware jug which easily fills four glasses.  This is truly fantastic value for money since the cost is €3 for the jug.   

We managed to sample a few of the pizzas on offer during the course of our visits and they were all excellent with a crispy, smoky base and judicious scattering of toppings that did not overwhelm the light dough.  However, my favourite dish from Nilus was the simple Caprese salad.  Rounds of milky buffalo mozzarella were served nestled between slices of ruby red tomatoes and garnished with a sprig of fresh basil.  When you order a salad a different bottle of olive oil is proffered in addition to the oil already on the table for the bread in an acknowledgment of the need for a higher quality oil for a salad dressing.  Such a gesture immediately confirms that although Nilus is a simple, inexpensive restaurant, it is run by people who care about food.  Although I suppose that just about everyone in Italy falls into the cares about food category.  

Caprese salad

Nilus is a simple place but it will leave you wishing that everywhere you ate was as no frills and offered such great value.  

Essentials

Details: Riva Garibaldi 4, Varenna, Italy

Damage: Such a bargain that my mother would approve

7/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might like reading about the pizzas on offer at Pinky's in Sestiere or if you are craving Italian in London try my latest long overdue find, Osteria Basilico.  

Sketch

I don't usually go to restaurants whose main claim to fame is their toilets, but since there were £50 vouchers to Sketch available on the internet, I ignored this historical bias and booked in for afternoon tea with my friend Johanna. The toilets are not the only crazy thing about Sketch, the whole interior is that of a grand Victorian parlour that has been decorated by someone on acid. There are high ceilings, chandeliers and dark wooden floors but there is also hopscotch painted at the entrance while a statue of two dogs copulating occupies the corner.

The full cake stand in all it's glory

Sketch comprises a series of rooms including the restaurant proper, a parlour where they served afternoon tea and a large bar at the rear leading to the infamous toilets. If you are wondering the toilets are certainly worth a look as they are all set in individual white pods shaped like eggs and you must climb a spiralling staircase to get to them. Make sure to break right for female and left for males as it is not entirely clear which way to go (I was totally oblivious to the subtle blue for boys and pink for girls lights the first time I visited that indicate the "sex" of the toilets).

You can't book for afternoon tea and Sketch was fairly full when we arrived at 3pm on a weekday however we were able to find two comfy armchairs nestled in a corner. Feeling flush with the £50 voucher in our pockets we plumped for the champagne afternoon tea which is £31 per person and includes a glass of champagne along with your tea and goodies.

The champagne was Pommery Brut Royal which is lovely champagne, dry but mellow. We happily toasted our situation of being "between jobs" and so able to actually enjoy afternoon tea during the day. Next up a tiered cake stand arrived loaded with sandwiches, sweets and scones along with our tea. Starting from the bottom there were ribbons of finger sandwiches filled with egg, ham and of course the traditional cucumber. The sandwiches were delicate and light made from springy, fresh bread. Next up was the sweet layer. There were fluffy eclairs, dense chocolate brownies and even a small lavender cake which our waitress advised us was a new cake that they were testing out that day. Finally, the scones which were fruit scones served with good quality clotted cream and a saucer of rich raspberry jam. The accompaniments were delicious but the scones themselves were a let down being rather small little pats rather than towering stacks. They were also lightly glazed which gave them a slightly cloying, sweet taste.

The "sweet" tier.

Surprisingly for an afternoon tea where you would presume tea is the focus there was not an extensive tea menu, only a short list at the bottom of the menu proper that gave no description or further information about the teas on offer. I opted for some Earl Grey since I am the traditional type while Johanna had the Genmaicha which is a Japanese tea. Both were served in silver teapots which are fabulous to look at but quite impractical as they get too hot to hold and pour. What's more I am told that drinking tea from a silver teapot adds a different flavour to the tea as silver is not a neutral substance like ceramic. This is certainly nit picking on my behalf but if you were really a tea connoisseur I do not think Sketch would be the afternoon tea for you.

There was a bit of fuss about using our voucher towards the payment as despite calling beforehand to check that the voucher was valid, then giving the voucher to the waiter upon arrival, the £50 was not taken off our bill and we had to ask again. While we waited to pay another lady came up and asked if we were in PR. We just said no and left it at that as I don't think I really need to explain how I came to get a voucher when it is freely available from Sketch's own webpage.

With £50 off afternoon tea at Sketch was a real bargain, but I don't think it would be my first choice for afternoon tea without a discount. Dining at Sketch is a little surreal and is certainly something that is worth experiencing once, even for the toilets alone. Whether you would go back is another question. However what's even worse is that in defiance of the credit crunch Johanna has gone and got herself a job straight away meaning that our time together as ladies who lunch was rather brief.

Essentials

Details: 9 Conduit street, Soho W1S 2SG (Ph 020 7659 4500)

Damage: Pricey but not with a voucher (valid until the end of August 2009). Call beforehand to make sure it is still valid, as I said they were a bit funny about us using the voucher.

7/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in this post on afternoon tea at the now sadly closed Tea Palace in Notting Hill or what about a DIY afternoon tea with this recipe for decadent chocolate brownies.

Hosteria del Platano (Gourmet Chick in Italy)

Lake Como in Italy is one of those places that everyone comes back from raving about. Until I visited I really couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. To me, the whole of Italy is beautiful so I was not sure what was so amazing about this one particular lake. Then we spent four days at Lake Como and from my first glance the whole place just took my breath away. The scenery is stunning, the pace of life relaxed and of course this is Italy so the food is everything that you expect.

View of Lake Como from Fiumelatte

We hired a villa with a group of friends in Fiumelatte which is adjacent to Varenna. There is only one restaurant in the village and so we decided to try it out on our first night. Hosteria del Platano is situated on the main road that divides Fiumelatte from the lake, however at night time it is fairly tranquil and you can sit outside next to the road and watch the lights sparkling across the lake. The restaurant has recently been renovated and is fairly modern inside with some bench seating outside which is made more inviting by a collection of cushions to perch on.


The menu bristles with local dishes based on produce from around the lake and the nearby Valtelinna valley. This emphasis continues in the wine list which has a strong emphasis on local wines, our waitress recommends the Grumello from the Valtelinna valley. It is a fantastic, smooth red which we love so much that we order several bottles and try and write down the name so that we can attempt to purchase more another time.

The almond crusted perch

There is more good news to report when our food arrives. The lake perch is topped with an almond crust that adds welcome bite and texture to the silky, smooth fish. It is served with a simple dish of green beans. Just as impressive is the slow cooked beef that has a rich peppery flavour. We have found ourselves a little bit of food heaven and it is only metres from the front door to our villa. It could be difficult to muster the enthusiasm to eat anywhere else on the lake.


The desserts on offer are limited and seem to comprise a lot of gelati. It is the cheese platter that is the must order dish at this stage of the night as a serving for two contains a varied assortment of cheese in enough quantity to serve all five of us. The cheese is served with an assortment of figs and jams however without bread or biscuits. Clearly at Hosteria del Platano they believe that there is no point wasting valuable stomach space on carbohydrates when there is cheese to be had.


The only bad news about Hosteria del Platano is that the renovations have not continued to the toilets. A late night visit left us shocked to discover that the toilets were squat toilets like the sort that are common in some parts of Asia. I have never come across this before in Italy and it was really quite bizarre in such a lovely restaurant. Luckily Hosteria del Platano was so close to our villa that we could avoid the dreaded squat toilets altogether. There are definite advantages to eating close to home.

Essentials

Details: Via Statale 29, Fiumelatte, Italy (Ph 00390341815215)

Damage: Reasonable

7/10

Links
If you liked reading this you might be interested in this post on a fabulous little trattoria in the Cinque Terre region of Italy, Trattoria Dal Billy.

Al Pompiere (Gourmet Chick in Italy)

It's all about the pig at Al Pompiere in Verona, Italy.  This is a restaurant that has an entire page of the menu devoted to different types of salumi.  Al Pompiere is tucked away in a little laneway just off the Piazza Delle Erbe and it has to be one of the most charming and atmospheric restaurants that I have ever eaten in.  The walls of the cosy room are lined with so many framed black and white photographs that it acts as a form of wallpaper while each of the dark wooden tables is set with checked green and white tablecloths.  Look up to the ceiling and you will see large salami hanging along with a collection of miniature dolls that looks like witches and a pompiere (fireman's hat).

Photos literally wallpaper the walls of Al Pompiere

Our waiter does not speak much English and obviously tired by our ham fisted Italian she sends one of the chefs out of the kitchen who speaks English fluently.  He stands before us in his chef whites and hat diligently taking down our order before translating it all back to the waitress.  Of course we cannot go past the page of cured pig.  We ask for the chef's selection of salumi for two.  The platter that comes out would quite easily feed a family of six.  The chef who has made the selection comes out from the kitchen to describe the contents of the platter to us however I am only able to pick up a few of the words I recognise such as bresaola, salame and prosciutto.  It doesn't matter what the name is though, we are in meat heaven and it is a tribute to the quality of the salumi that MTV boyfriend and I manage to work our way through most of the platter despite the physical obstacles to this achievement such as the size of our stomachs.  We ignore the bread basket in favour of savouring as much of the salumi as possible.  People speak of having a dessert stomach however I think I may have discovered a salumi stomach.  

The salumi platter

After overdosing on pig we decide to eschew meat and order the risotto of the day which is only served for two.  Today's risotto is mushroom and the butter, cream and wine has worked its magic to swell the grains of rice into plump little creamy pillows bursting with earthy flavour.  This is the sort of stuff that should be sold by the jar so you can take it away and eat it whenever you feel in need of comfort.  

We are almost sweating after eating so much salumi and risotto so that recovery in time to order dessert is impossible.  We console ourselves by drinking another glass of the excellent house red before heading off to a night at the opera in Verona's amazing Roman arena.  

Essentials

Details: Vicolo Regina d'Ungheria 5, Verona, Italy (Ph 045 803 05 37)

Damage: Reasonable

9/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might be interested in the fabulous restaurant on the Amalfi coast of Italy, Donna Rosa.  If you are after salumi and risotto in London you could try the Italian restaurant Alba.    

Osteria Basilico

MTV boyfriend's birthday is usually an occasion that I use to justify taking him to a swanky restaurant.  Of course MTV boyfriend is not really into swanky restaurants, he is a meat and two veg type of guy.   This year, much to my disappointment he put his foot down.  No restaurant of the moment, no Michelin star establishment, no even to much feted steak house Hawksmoor that I had pencilled in as being right down his alley.  MTV boyfriend wanted to go to a simple, local little Italian place.  

Fighting to control my disappointment (after all isn't MTV boyfriend's birthday all about me really) I diligently researched the best simple, local little Italian place and came up with Osteria Basilico.  So it was that last night we strolled down the road and into this bustling little restaurant situated just off Portobello road in Notting Hill.  In a sign of it's local popularity Osteria Basilico was bursting at the seams.  It was so packed to the rafters we could not get a booking until 9.30 at night.  

Swordfish

The restaurant is split over two levels, ground  floor and a basement.  Ground floor is probably the better option if you can get it.  The look is that of a cozy trattoria with the occasional brass pan hanging from the walls  and tables jammed in.  The essentials are dealt with well.  Osteria Basilico provides good quality linen napkins and a basket of crusty, warm bread brought to the table along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar when you sit down.  A request for tap water brought a large, iced jug.  This shouldn't be such a notable event but it is.  

The wine list is limited but it does include a very decent house red at £4.50 for a large glass. While not cheap, this is what a house wine should be like, a chance to suggest a reasonably priced wine that has been chosen by the restaurant as offering good value for money.  Sadly it seems that what is often the case in London is that the house wine is used by the restaurant as a chance to offload cheap and nasty wine that they have bought for a song.

Due to the fact that it was almost 10pm by this stage and I was chewing my arm off we ignored the starters and went straight for the mains.  Osteria Basilico's menu is conservative without the negative connotations of that word.  It is a song list of Italian classics supplemented with a list of daily specials which are more about making the most of seasonal produce than about trying out wacky flavour combinations.  Fresh fettuccine tossed in a veal and rosemary ragout is served al dente with a bit of bite to the pasta.  The ragout is chunky and not quite the melting, slow cooked meat that I expected but it is hearty enough and topped with chunks of shaved Parmesan.  

Rocket salad

From the specials menu the Swordfish fillet is served with a tomato based sauce and topped with crunchy asparagus.  The plump fillet is covered in the thick sauce giving a kick of Mediterranean flair and intensity to the fish.  The sides on offer are simplicity itself such as a rocket salad served with shards of Parmesan.  Just the sort of thing I like.  The desserts on offer are what you would expect; tiramisu, pannacotta and gelati.  We have birthday cake at home though so we decline this time.  

Nothing at Osteria Basilico is going to startle but it is decent, honest food served in an atmospheric, bustling restaurant.  I may have pined for a restaurant with some wow factor but maybe MTV boyfriend is onto something with his desire for a simple, local place.

Essentials

Details:  29 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill, W11 2EU (Ph 020 7727 9957)

Damage: Reasonable

8/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might like reading about another simple, local restaurant in Notting Hill - Bloody French.  Or you can read about a classic Italian trattoria on the Cinque Terre coast of Italy, Il Grottino.  

Minted roast lamb cutlets

I must have said something right when I reviewed Abel and Cole's fruit and vegetable box as they sent me a box of meat to review.  A chiller box arrived at the door containing beefburgers, gammon steak, a sirloin joint and some lamb cutlets.  MTV boyfriend was beside himself.  So much meat, it was like Christmas.  Actually even better than Christmas because at Christmas you have to eat Turkey and in MTV boyfriend's view this is valuable eating space that could be replaced by red meat.  

I decided to start with the lamb cutlets and since I don't have a BBQ (damn you tiny London apartments and lack of outdoor space) I looked for a recipe which involved quickly sealing the lamb cutlets in a pan and then finishing them off by roasting them in the oven.  This is a great week night recipe as it is fairly quick to cook, healthy and creates pretty minimal washing up (always a bonus in my view).  As for the cutlets themselves, the meat was juicy and delicious but the cutlets were quite fatty with limited meat.  I know that some people like their cutlets like this but personally I prefer the lamb cutlets I get from my local butcher.  

Ingredients

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

4 potatoes, sliced

2 zucchinis (courgettes), halved lengthwise

1 tb rosemary leaves

2 tb olive oil

4 lamb cutlets

Salt and pepper to season

Mint sauce

1 cup chopped mint leaves

1 tb seeded mustard

2 1/2 tb honey

1.  Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.  

2.  Place the garlic, potatoes, zucchinis, rosemary, oil salt and pepper in a baking dish, toss to combine and roast for 25 mins.

3.  Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over high heat and sear the lamb quickly.

4.  To make the mint sauce, place the mint, mustard and honey in a bowl and mix to combine.  

5.  Place the lamb on top of the vegetables, brush the lamb with half the mint sauce and roast for a further 5 mins.  

6.  Prior to serving brush the lamb with the remaining mint sauce.  

Serves 2.  Adapted from a recipe in Donna Hay's Instant Entertaining.

If you liked reading this you might enjoy this recipe for lamb cutlets with a fig and walnut salad.

Gourmet Chick was invited to try the Abel & Cole meat free of charge.

Trattoria Dal Billy (Gourmet Chick in Italy)

You have to know about Trattoria Dal Billy to find it. Tucked away in a back street at the top of the hill in Manarola in Italy's Cinque Terre region, it is not the sort of restaurant that you stumble upon. There is a benefit to all the stairs you have to climb to get to Trattoria Dal Billy though (besides a sense of justification for the huge quantities of food you will consume) the view. From the lower terrace there are sweeping views of the steep hills lined with vines and through to the ocean framed by the crumbling pastel coloured buildings of the village itself.

Walk along the cliffs from Riomaggiore to Manarola

The terrace is the place to be and you will need to book to get a seat there (although the day before is fine). Billy himself works the floor and speaks enough English that with some miming and our very limited Italian we are able to order with ease. Trattoria Dal Billy's style is home cooking, fresh ingredients and unadorned simple food.

A case in point is the Acciughe al Limone which is a dish of fresh anchovies "cooked" like a ceviche in the lemon sauce that they are served in. These are not the brown, dried and stinky anchovies that come in tins or on top of your pizza. The anchovies are fresh from the sea and a translucent white. Slippery and salty with the foil of lemon this is the best dish I eat on the Cinque Terre. Equally refreshing is the Italian classic of wedges of melon wrapped in prosciutto. Such a simple dish but with top quality ingredients the combination is unbeatable. The serving size at Trattoria Dal Billy is home style as well and MTV's plate contains almost the whole melon with at least half a cured pig.

Anchovies in lemon

On the way down to the terrace past the upstairs kitchen we spy them making squid ink pasta to order cranking it through the pasta machine by hand. Obviously we are going to have to order that night's special dish of squid ink pasta with local seafood. Served in a large platter to share, just like your Nonna would make if you had one, the oily black curls of pasta are dotted with seafood. There are scampi, prawns, clams, mussels and a local specialty which was almost like a mussel but housed in a long, thin shell and is found on the rocks in Manarola according to the waiter.

It couldn't all be brilliant of course and the cheese platter was overpriced and stingy. There was no sign of a generous board of cheese to choose from, rather we were presented with a plate containing a few fridge cold wedges of Parmigiano, Pecorina and Gorgonzola. Still, this was the only disappointment in what was otherwise a brilliant meal in a charming local trattoria. Anchovies will never be the same for me again...

Summary

Details: Via A Rollandi, 122 (Ph 0187 920628)
Damage: Reasonable
8/10

Links

If you liked reading this you might like to read about our meal at Dau Cila in nearby Riomaggiore on the Cinque Terre. For a seafood feast in London it is hard to go past J Sheekey.

Crab Croquettes

MTV boyfriend is a hoarder. He believes that it is necessary to keep two pairs of ski boots in our tiny London apartment. His new pair and his old pair that he hasn't used since he got the new boots but just in case something happens to the new boots. I am of the more brutal use it or lose it (by which I mean donate to charity) school of thought. Except of course when it comes to food magazines. I pore through them when they are delivered but then I love to hoard them in the vain hope I will use them one day although the sad truth of the matter is that according to my use it or lose it test I should have thrown them out ages ago. So in the spirit of making the most of my stockpile of food magazines I decided to make a light lunch of crab croquettes based on a recipe in an old issue of Olive magazine.

This is a simple to make recipe as long as you remember to set aside time for chilling the mixture. A combination of brown and white crab meat works well and is more economical than using purely white crab meat. Another useful tip is to use Panko (a type of Japanese breadcrumbs available from Asian groceries or online) rather than normal breadcrumbs if you can as Panko is dryer and won't go soggy from the moisture of the crab meat mixture. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and a simple green salad in order not to overpower the flavour of the croquettes. Alternatively, serve as part of a tapas feast as they do in Spain.

Ingredients

25g butter
2 shallots finely diced
40g plain flour
350ml milk
1/2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp English mustard
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
300g mixture of brown and white crab meat
2 eggs beaten
100g panko or fine breadcrumbs

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan on low heat and fry the shallots until golden brown.

2. Stir in the flour and then gradually whisk in the milk until the sauce thickens and is lump free. Continue stirring and cook over a low heat for 5 mins.

3. Stir in the tomato paste, mustard, nutmeg and salt and pepper to season.

4. Take off the heat and stir in the crab meat and once cool refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour while covered with cling film.

5. Once cooled use two dessert spoons to form the mixture into quenelles (small oval shapes) you should be able to make about 15 quenelles.

6. Place the beaten eggs in one bowl and the Panko or breadcrumbs in another. Once each quenelle is made carefully dip it in the eggs to coat and then roll in the Panko mixture. Set aside on a baking tray. At this point you could chill the croquettes until you are just about to serve them.

7. Fill a frying pan with 1cm of sunflower oil and heat to 180 degrees or for about three minutes. Be careful that the pan does not get too hot and start spitting oil.

8. Use a slotted spoon to lower the quenelles into the oil cooking in small batches so that the pan is not overcrowded. Make sure you turn the quenelles so that all sides are golden brown and the filling melts into a soft, creamy sauce. Drain on kitchen towel until all quenelles are cooked and then serve.

Makes 15. Serves four as a light lunch or more as a round of tapas. Adapted from a recipe in Olive magazine April 2009. My contribution to Waiter There's Something I My... Tapas.

Links

If you liked reading this you might like reading about the tapas on offer at El Pirata Detapas in Bayswater. Or if you are after a tapas recipe try this one for roasted figs with prosciutto and goats cheese.

Roka

Like most Londoners (although admittedly an adopted Londoner after only two years in the city) I try to avoid Oxford street as much as possible. Only when forced there by the lure of a Selfridges sale or something similar will I abandon my local shops and head to the shopping mecca. A journey to Oxford street was required and so I decided to reward myself with a nice lunch before hand. After a week of Italian food I decided something light was in order. Reading through Cheese and Biscuit's latest post that morning, I decided that something light would be Japanese at Roka.

Edamame

A few blocks off Oxford Street in the heart of Soho, Roka occupies a prime corner location which it takes advantage of with floor to ceiling windows allowing for two way people watching between customers and pedestrians. After all we are in media territory here so it is all about being seen. Inside Roka is spacious and dominated by a huge, open Robata grill. The grill is surrounded by a wooden counter top perfect for solo diners. The counter is carved out of large slabs of wood that still feature the natural contours of the wood to the extent that you have to be careful where you put your glass down in case it falls over.

Personally I could sit for hours and watch the Robata grill chefs at work. There are at least six of them hovering around the grill which operates as a sophisticated multi level barbeque. If you just took away the navy uniforms and black headbands the chefs could be any group of men tending a barbeque such is their focus and concentration on the flames. I assume though that considerably more skill and less charring will make my meal at Roka different from a typical barbeque experience.

My waiter is incredibly polite and helpful swiftly bringing tap water which he then refills when it falls below half full and constantly checking to see if I am alright. He is so helpful that he actually apologies for his extreme attentiveness explaining that despite the buzzing restaurant, I am the only customer in his section. The menu is split into sections including a tasting menu, small plates and then finally the Robata grill section. Whatever the menu, when I am in a Japanese restaurant I almost always have edamame beans. Roka's version pop open to reveal smooth, green, buttery nuggets of peas seasoned with crystals of rock salt.

Soft shell crab

From the Robata grill the yakitori chicken skewers are spliced with spring onion and covered in dollops of a sticky oyster style sauce. The heat of the grill has caramelised the sauce and the spring onions so that the yakitori offer a sensational hit of sweet and savoury. The food looks stunning, like its sister restaurant Zuma, presentation is everything and each dish is served on beautiful stoneware and artistically arranged. Finally, a bit of fried food heaven. The soft shell crab's spindly legs are delicate and crunchy while the meat inside is tender. The crab is served in a pool of smoky tasting mayonnaise adds moisture to balance the dry, crispy crab.

Although I only tried a small selection of dishes, each one was faultless. My only complaint would be that my food was served so quickly that I felt a bit rushed. Perfect for a quick lunch but a bit disconcerting if you are happy to linger. My waiter did explain that the food is served as it is prepared, however all my food did seem to arrive at the one time with my mains appearing before I was even halfway through the edamame. Still, lunch at Roka is a great experience and ordering carefully meant that my bill came to only £17 which is admittedly much more than a sandwich style lunch but pretty good for the standard of food and atmosphere on offer at Roka.

Details: 37 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia W1T 1RR (Ph 020 7580 6464)
Damage: Pricey
8/10

If you enjoyed reading this you might be interested in my review of Roka's sister restaurant Zuma. Or if you feel like cooking Japanese food try this recipe for miso Salmon.

Dau Cila (Gourmet Chick in Italy)

Enrico is the proud and genial owner of our B&B in Riomaggiore, part of the Cinque Terre region of Italy. A stereotypically gregarious Italian he is bursting with suggestions for things to do and places to eat including a meal at Dau Cila situated right on the marina at Riomaggiore. "I've heard it's good" Enrico explains "but I haven't been there myself, it's new". Given that Dau Cila is listed in our guidebook and so has been open for at least two years in a village that only contains a handful of restaurants, Enrico's comments illustrate the relaxed pace of life on the Cinque Terre.

The terrace of the restaurant perched on the marina

Dau Cila is situated on wooden decking that slopes out over the clusters of fishing boats below. There is also an indoor section carved like a grotto into the stones of the cliffs but the prime real estate in summer is on the decking. The menu makes the most of the regions abundance of seafood as well as offering plenty of Italian classics. Eight different bruschettas are offered but it is hard to go past the traditional topping of fresh tomato and garlic. The bruschetta arrives on a board and is enough to feed a party of six rather than just MTV boyfriend and me. It is good, robust food although on the heavy handed side with the garlic so I am glad that we are both eating the bruschetta.


Since we are sitting at such a lovely restaurant in Italy I celebrate with a fizzy Bellini while MTV boyfriend opts for the local beer, Nastro Azzuri. The wine list is exclusively local including the famed Sciacchetra. From the large seafood selection our waiter recommends the Bisato which is an eel that is served as a large fillet. The fish has a similar taste to tuna and is quite meaty. It is accompanied by a salad of char grilled vegetables such as peppers and zucchini which emphasise the smoky taste of the grilled fish.

Panacotta

Even more compelling is the fish of the day, a grilled Sea bream. Served whole with skin scorched by the grill the fish is a revelation. So fresh it is almost still flipping on the plate it is perfect with just a squeeze of lemon to cut the simple, clean flavour of the fish. To conclude a shivering mound of panacotta is served with caramelized strawberries and blueberries. The sweetness of the berries offset the milky panacotta to deliver a serious mouth-fill sensation. Not quite as amazing is the chocolate torte which must be flourless as it delivers such a dense, intense chocolate hit. However the outer shell of the cake suffers from being too dry and I actually leave some on the plate much to MTV boyfriend's shock.


We try out two glasses of the region's signature dessert wine - Sciacchetra. It is sticky and sweet but not cloying and I could see myself becoming a regular Sciacchetra drinker if it wasn't 7 euros a glass. I sip on the wine and wonder how much longer it will take Enrico to wander down the hill to Dau Cila. I think it is worth the walk.


Details: Via San Giacomo, 6519017 Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy (Ph) 0187760032
Damage: Reasonable
7/10


Other tips for Riomaggiore: Try the bar A Pie' de Ma' which is on the edge of Riomaggiore at the start of the Via dell'Amore. A large balcony overlooks the waves crashing onto the cliffs below where you can sit and sip at a cocktail.

Il Grottino (Gourmet Chick in Italy)

Elizabeth Gilbert writes in her best seller, Eat, Pray, Love of her time in Italy "But is it such a bad thing to live like this for just a little while? Just for a few months of one's life is it so awful to travel through time with no greater ambition than to find the next lovely meal?". My resounding answer to this would be no and especially not when in Italy. A trip to Italy is a lot about the delights that await at each meal.

Chestnut pasta with clams and pesto

I have just got back from a week in Italy starting in the Cinque Terre area, a collection of five villages clinging precariously to sheer cliffs that drop down into sparkling blue ocean. You can walk between the five villages and of course you can also expend a large part of your day eating and drinking. MTV boyfriend and I stayed in Riomaggiore where we discovered Il Grottino a restaurant serving proudly local dishes.

Situated on the main street of Riomaggiore, Il Grottino is a modern restaurant with a large outdoor patio that spills onto the street. The interior of the restaurant is carved into the cliff face which is evident from the exposed rock in the restaurant. On a summer night the restaurant is full although mainly full of tourists. Perhaps the locals are not quite so keen on eating these "typical dishes". To begin, the blackboard special of stuffed mussels is described as typical of the region. The mussels are stuffed full to bursting with a dense mixture of eggs, parmesan, parsley and breadcrumbs and then placed back in their shells and teamed with a napoli sauce. The mussels are briny and the stuffing adds a welcome texture.

The mains on offer are mainly seafood or pasta. Grilled sea bream is butterflied before serving and as fresh as you would expect from this coastal town although smaller in size than the sea bream on offer at other restaurants in Riomaggiore. A local speciality that I have been told to try is the chestnut taglioni. Chestnuts are used in the freshly made pasta mixture and the taglioni is served with clams and a dollop of pesto sauce. The simplicity of the dish is admirable however it is hard to identify the chestnut flavour in the pasta.

Cheesecake with fresh strawberries

The dessert menu lists classic Italian dishes such as panacotta and tiramisu but it is hard to go past the cheesecake served with fresh strawberries. The cheesecake is served without a biscuit base although I am not sure whether this is typical for the region. A drizzle of an intense strawberry reduction adds sharpness and bite to the creamy cheesecake.

In a simple trattoria such as Il Grottino it is often best to order the house wine which is invariably decent however I ignore my own rule and instead opt for a bottle of Chianti which almost burns as you drink it. I will try not to make that mistake again in a hurry. There are better restaurants along the Cinque Terre than Il Grottino however it does provide an opportunity to sample some regional specialties at very reasonable prices. Meanwhile our search continues for that next lovely meal.

Details: Riomaggiore, Cinqueterre, Italy (Ph 0187 920938)
Damage: Reasonable
6/10

If you liked reading this you might like this review of the famous Donna Rosa restaurant on the Amalfi coast.

Gallipoli

A mini empire of Gallipoli restaurants is clustered on Upper street in Islington. There is the original Gallipoli, Gallipoli Cafe and Gallipoli Bazaar. It seems the locals could not get enough of the cheap and cheerful Turkish food on offer and so one Gallipoli extrapolated into three.

We are at Gallipoli Cafe and eating here means that you will be squeezed onto one of the closely packed wooden tables in the atmospheric dining room where bells and other Turkish looking paraphernalia hang from every square inch of space on the ceiling while old black and white photographs cover the walls.

Calamari

In a Turkish restaurant the mezze options to begin are always a highlight of the meal. Small containers of dark, sticky olives are brought to each table at Gallipoli as soon as you sit down. Soft pillows of Turkish bread arrive accompanied by lashings of creamy hummus and a moreish broad bean dip that is a skillful combination of an acidic yoghurt base with spring fresh beans. Fried calamari sports batter that is crispy rather than greasy and the calamari is pliant and tasty. However the dolmades are a let down as the vine leaf wrapped bundles are served fridge cold and stuffed with gluggy rice.

We are a table of six here to welcome my friend Johanna who has just moved to London. Being part of a large group is the best way to eat the food at Gallipoli as it affords you the chance to sample and share a few different dishes. Echoing home cooking the dishes are served in platters to the centre of the table so everyone can dig in.

From the specials board the lamb and aubergine kebab is an inspired flavour combination. The taste of the grilled lamb is enhanced by the smoky aubergine. The fish kebab is not quite as good, threaded with chunks of firm white sea bream which are slightly overcooked. The kebabs are served with bowls heaped with mounds of white rice and between this and the Turkish bread our appetites are soon sated.

Nevertheless I am a big baklava fan and never miss an opportunity to snaffle some. Gallipoli's version is served with a swirl of chocolate sauce and looked the business but the delicate layers of pastry were dry and left me with a stale taste in my mouth.

Baklava

As we drained the last of our Efes beers one of the waiters pulled enthusiastically on a bell hanging form the ceiling. Evidently it was one customers birthday as the next second the Turkish music playing over the sound system was replaced by a booming rendition of Happy Birthday. After some prodding from the waiters the birthday boy was up dancing on his chair while shots were carried over to his table. Apparently our gathering also looked in a celebratory mood as next thing we kenw a round of tequila shots were brought to our table. Oh dear.

Gallipoli is the type of restaurant that is good for groups particularly those looking to kick start a night out. The food is good but not great as a whole. Still, it is hard to complain when the bill for a veritable banquet of food along with a few drinks (and lets not forget the complimentary tequila shot) is £25 per head. Johanna was left to shake her head "Is London always like this on a Tuesday night?" she asked as we grimaced from the bitter aftertaste of tequila. I could only smile and shrug.

Details 20 Upper Street, Islington N1 1QP (Ph 020 7359 0630)

Damage Such a bargain my mother would approve

6/10

If you liked reading this read about my favourite restaurant in this area Ottolenghi. If you are looking for Turkish food why not try out Kazan.

Paul A Young

I found out a little secret about Paul A Young this week. He occasionally indulges in a Kit Kat. Not such shocking news from the general population but from a famous chocolaterie who has based his reputation on a move away from trashy mass market chocolate to good quality chocolate it is quite an admission. That's the thing about Paul (we are of course on first name terms now!) he genuinely loves chocolate and is not to precious about it all.

The cocoa pod - much bigger in size than I expected

I managed to discover Paul's dirty little Kit Kat secret when I was invited to a chocolate tasting session at his shop in Islington courtesy of Qype with a group of other people including Gastro Geek and London Eater. Full disclosure here folks. I will try not to be biased in my review but it is hard to not gush as the chocolate is of course divine and Paul himself is so lovely and very enthusiastic about educating people about the joys of real chocolate.

The Islington shop is like being inside a little chocolate box. It is tiny but opulent with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling and chocolates lining the walls. The shop is freezing as the chocolates are kept out on the counter rather than behind a glass pane and so health and safety concerns dictate a chilly temperature. However, the cold factor is more than compensated by the rich chocolate scent that wafts through the shop thanks to all those chocolates displayed everywhere.

The next stage - at the plain chocolate stage before Paul works his magic

We learn that chocolate is harvested from the cocoa and plant and that some mass market chocolates such as the Kit Kat (and my personal favourite Twix) contain so little cocoa that they cannot really be called a chocolate. This is where Paul A Young chocolates differ. They are packed with cocoa, they even offer Valrhona Manjari Madagascan containing 100% cocoa solids. I wouldn't recommend it. Too much of a good thing can be very bad indeed and the 100% cocoa chocolate tastes more like cough medicine than chocolate.

After a long and considered tasting though I can say that while too much cocoa is well, a bit too much, a lot of cocoa is just perfect. My personal favourite was the 68% Porcelana which had a delicate honey flavour. Trust me to pick the most expensive, Porcelana is made from the rarest cocoa bean in the world. It is called Porcelana as when it is picked from the pod the beans look as white as porcelain.

Here are some other interesting facts I learnt about chocolate and Paul A Young chocolates in particular:

• the obsession with using 70% cocoa solid chocolate in cooking is misguided. It is all about the quality of the chocolate rather than the percentage of cocoa solids (although the amount of cocoa solids is one indication of quality);
• Paul A Young used to work as the head pastry chef for Marco Pierre White;
• cheap chocolate tastes like it is burnt - an unfortunate consequence of over roasted beans;
• at Christmas time Paul A Young sells (correction I am told at Christmas they MAKE not sell this amount) 20,000 truffles a day; and
• you don't chew good quality chocolate you let it melt in your mouth.
  
  

The finished product - the sensational truffles and filled chocolates

After tasting and debating the merits of 12 different chocolates (the Dark Madagascan Valrhona Manjari at 64% was a hit with the rest of the group but not with me as it reminded me of Cherry Ripes an awful Australian chocolate bar) we then moved onto the truffles. The highlight of these for me was Paul's signature sea salt caramel chocolate. This is a melt in you mouth and send tingles through your whole body taste sensation of a chocolate. Decadent, silky and somewhat salty all at the same time it is the best example of a sea salt caramel chocolate I have tasted. The truffles on offer include all your standard flavours along with some more wacky ones such as Marmite chocolates and a Pimm's chocolate which is actually made using real cucumbers and strawberries to give the true Pimm's flavour. How creative and crazy is that.

I promised I would try to be critical but it is a pretty hard job given how fabulous the chocolates were. The only slightly negative thing I could say is that these chocolates are expensive. You are talking £6 for four chocolates or £13 for a box of nine. Still, while not something I could afford very often I think the price is reasonable when you think of the quality of the ingredients used and the fact that each chocolate is hand made.

I am not prepared to give up my Twix bar addiction entirely but after this tasting I have vowed to try and eat less chocolate but more good quality chocolate.

Details: 33 Camden Passage, Islington N1 8EA (Ph 020 7424 5750)

Damage: Pricey (but free for me)

8/10

If you liked reading this you might like reading about my visit to Melt, the artisan chocolaterie in Notting Hill, or if you now have a chocolate craving try this recipe for cheats chocolate mousse.

Gourmet Chick was invited to attend Paul A Young and sampled products free of charge.  

Dose

Are you an addict? Do you shake and twitch and mumble each morning until you have scored your daily hit? Don't worry you are not alone. The coffee addicts of London are spread far and wide.

After enough time feeding your addiction whatever way you can it is likely that you will start to become more discerning in where and how you get your caffeine hit. This is where Dose comes in. Housed in what must be one of the smallest shopfronts in London Dose is a tiny cafe that is so small that there is probably only room for a total of three very skinny people breathing in to

stand.

There is a small selection of breakfast/lunch type bites to eat ranging from hearty soups to sandwiches such as pesto, avocado and bacon on toasted sandwiches. For getting rid of those 4pm energy lows there is also a selection of pastries and coffees.

From the takeaway salad selection the pepper and fetta salad was light and refreshing for a bargain £3. The salad was packed with spinach leaves and cherry tomatoes along with a dash of vinaigrette dressing. The saltiness of the fetta was a great compliment to the sweet tomatoes and pepper.

The main thing here though is the coffee. Run by yet another enterprising Antipodean (who appear to be taking over London's coffee shops which is not a bad thing at all) Dose prides itself on being an owner operated artisanal espresso bar. Like Lantana the coffee is made by a gorgeous La Marzocco espresso machine however using Square Mile beans. Dose uses responsibly sourced coffee, organic milk, recycles, contributes to charity and all that other good stuff so that there is no guilt factor involved in your coffee. So what of the coffee itself? This is proper coffee strong and smooth and served with one of those little patterns on top that shows off the skill of the barista and is pretty standard in Australia but hard to find in London.

If you work in the area this is the best coffee around. In fact, if you work in the area they have a promotion where you can get a days free coffee for your whole work place so convinced are the people behind Dose that once you try it you won't want to go back to Starschmucks again. I wouldn't cross town for it particularly given that the cafe itself is so tiny (it is really a takeaway type of joint) but for people who work or live near Barbican or Farringdon tube Dose is a great little secret.

Details: 69 Long Lane, Smithfields, EC1A 9EJ (Ph 0207 6000 382)

Damage: such a bargain my mother would approve.

7/10

If you liked reading this you might be interested in the coffee and snacks at Lantana in Soho. Otherwise another great place for coffee in the general area is the coffee stall at the Whitecross Street Market.