Saffer Attempts Asian-Style Cooking.

For once I decided to stray from my usual Mediterranean/ South African fair and go a little more Asian fusion. I say this because basically I threw together all the Asian style ingredients I had and went rogue. Turned out pretty good even though I say so myself (must keep a check on that inflated cooking ego).

 

           My sauce ingredients palm sugar, white wine vinegar, sesame oil, mirin and soy

 Chuck all together, can't remember the amounts but I say add in tablespoons till it tastes sweet with a kick, then add crushed ginger and garlic a nob of each. (WHAT I'M MORE NIGELLA THAN GORDON!)

                                           Piece of sea bass fillet per person

 Cut three or four spring onions in strips and one chilly (deseed otherwise it ruins the other flavours)

 Create a tin foil boat for your sea bass (so Blue Peter), then drown in sauce (the one I made earlier) and sprinkle with spring onion and chilly strips.

 Then grill the babies, leave the boats open so that the top of the fish gets a bit caramelised.

 I steamed green beans and made a fresh radish & tomato salad (sparingly seasoned ie a sprinkle of salt and extra virgin)

Ta da-for a tea that was hanging on the wing of a prayer I was pretty proud (Nige watch that super sized bottom I'm coming for ya)

The Birthday Boys tea

To celebrate the turtle reaching the big 3-2 we did... Well absolutely nothing.

After a bed time of 10am where I literally had to send his friends home and prise the bottle of white wine out of his hands. He was in no fit shape to do anything... Except a takeaway nandos and the film 'warrior' oh the glamorous life we lead.

However the next day we hit the princess of shoreditch for a Sunday roast.





Roast beef, Yorkshire, roast potatoes, carrot and suede mash, red cabbage and greens.




Mr greedy pants went for the trio of meats where you got chicken, beef and pork. However seeing beef was the best someone lucked out. Gutted. Bet your regretting your 'no sharing' rule now.

Followed by cheese and walnut and raisin bread




Really was a delish dine in a supercute dining room. Even if i did get lost for twenty mins and he was still later than me.

Til next year turtle ... I promise to be better and whip you up yourself in edible form. Genius.




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A Monday Morning Pick Up Up - Leon's Egg in a Cup

Me and Andrews we're very excited for Leon new breakfast menu option so this morning I decided to give it  try.  I opted for the poached egg, gruyere, ham hock and truffle option, for no other reason than it sounded a bit posh to have truffles for brek.  It was a taste sensation however you need more than one to fill you up.   Good work Leon although you need to work on your portion size.

Haddock Mornay

Just a quick recipe update to keep the MASSES happy. Yes masses, you know who you are, those fans in south Korea, keep on clicking.
I decided to whip up a quick and easy dinner. Haddock mornay with Fiona's favourite (ask her why, ask her why) shiitake mushrooms.
Start my making a roux





Add full fat milk and grated cheese - with cheese I like to keep it basic and went for a mature cheddar.





Add in, as per mama nellists recipe, a big dollop of Dijon mustard





Take haddock, or cod. I MUCH prefer haddock. Coz I'm from hull innit. Season and cover in mushrooms or mush as we call it in the Nellist game. I went for shiitake and your average closed cap.










Cover in the mornay sauce and put in the oven for about 15 mins.





And there you have it, a quick fish supper. May not look amazing but tasted delish.

The only note bene (yes I may be from Hull but am VERY good at languages.) Is that posh isn't always the way forward. I feel like I made a slight error with the shiitake (well let's be honest, don't we all, hey fi?!)

It added a kind of unnecessary Asian element to the dish... Next time I recommend playing it safe and opting for the normal looking ones. That goes for the mushrooms too.





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Ginger Tea

As a yorkshire gal born and bred (ever heard of Richmond North Yorkshire??) I love a good brew hence why I am the best tea maker on the Fash desk. Of course my heart lies with Yorkshire tea (semi, no sugars plz), however I am not averse to trying new things.

This home made ginger tea is inspired by Hull's finest Jane Nellist who bought the ginger on a trip to the local Bangla shop in Mile Endz with Jodie for just 30p.
30p!!!!!!!! Ginger bargain.

I visited said Bangla shop and bought their best quality root ginger to start tea making proceedings.




Take a clump (?) of raw ginger around this size. Picture is for perspective purposes only, NOT to show off new sparkly 9 diamond engagement ring.

Admittedly, raw ginger is about as attractive as Katy Perry without make up but trust me the result is delish.




Peel and chop and boil in big pan for 2 - 3 hours. Top up water when it reduces. When done the liquid should be a pale ginger - much like Petro's hair.

Then strain through a sieve and store in airtight container in the fridge (once cooled).



Voila!
Use as you would cordial and add hot water. A healthy, all natural, good for well-being, delicious tea. I felt good after myself from just two sips AND it tastes like a fox's ginger crunch. A winning formula, no?!


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Delish Sunday Side- Dauphinoise Potatoes

To accompany the Sunday roast for myself, Lynne, Andrews and 'The Snake' I whipped up some pileonthekcals dauphinoise.

Sorry for the gag free post, but there's not much funny about cooking a potato dish on a sunday, on your own.

Fry off some garlic and pancetta







Peel and thinly slice some waxy potatoes, like King Edwards or Maris Pipers.

I know this because my dad's in the game. And by that I mean a fruiterer not prostitute.









Fry off with the garlic and pancetta







Add in single cream and full fat milk, or go for double if you're feeling particularly rexy







Pour into a baking dish,add rocket, cover in parmesan and cook in the oven for about 45 mins















Served with roast chicken and green beans... Yum. The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing high brow issues.., such as, which part of the gremlins film could actually happen in real life.

The after dinner carb coma








Okay okay, hes actually given up carbs for lent and didn't touch the tasty spuds. The energy lull was less to do with complex carbs and probably more the amount of alcohol consumed the night before.

Vomited on the bus anyone?






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Park Lane Afternoon Tea

On sats me, Jones, Sweeney and Burney hit the park lane hotel for a spot of afternoon tea

Accompanied by a harpist playing Lionel Richie (!) we started with finger sandwiches of coronation chicken, smoked salmon, egg and roast beef and horseradish




Pretty nice, not quite sure about the raisins in the bread of the chicken sanger though....



Goes without saying we opted for the Art Deco tea which included prosecco (my "not drinking for two weeks" mantra lasted all of two hours then....)




The scones with cream and jams were the defo highlight. Particularly for me and Swe who are big fans of 'rustic baking'.

We were full by the patisserie stage but managed to pick our way through most of it.





I attempted to stuff down this banana bread with cream icing and rather interesting gold medallion, during which the harpist played happy birthday twice to old people who's "birthdays" it was. Hmm.... Likely tale. They were presented with a cake - we missed a trick godammit.




Yet another nice, grown up weekend for me. Christ I'll be getting married next.


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