The good fresh fish shops in Mediterranean countries are a joy to visit. When you have a kitchen available, all you need is to just follow your instinct and choose what is fresh and appealing. A visit to my favourite fish shop in Malta led me to fresh tuna, which at the moment is available in abundance and incredibly cheap. What I miss most about the Mediterranean is sea urchins or what we call in Maltese rizzi and in Italian ricci. I have been dreaming of a Spaghetti ai Ricci for a rather long time now. It is the thing I probably miss most from my home country But alas it was not available at my fish shop and it seems unlikely to be available anytime soon (probably the restaurants at this time of year buy whatever they can find given it is peak tourist season). There was an incredible choice but given the fact that the fresh tuna looking incredibly good, I opted for penne with tuna. The following is the recipe. Ingredients (Serves 4) 500 grammes fresh tuna … [Read more...]
Brussels: Knees to Chin: Asian, fresh and healthy
The area around Place Chatelain in Brussels is one of my favourite places to just walk around, just sit down for a drink or eat. It has a superb 'village feel' with many boutique stores which are a breath of fresh air in cities that are starting to look the same with the common branded high-street stores. It is one of the first areas of Brussels I discovered when I moved to this city nine years ago. And it is constantly evolving though it hasn't lost any of its charm. Old places which have stood the test of time are complemented by new establishments which open from time to time and which hope to also become regular fixtures of the area. Recently we stopped for a quick bite at Knees to Chin, a newish place on Rue Livorne, in between Avenue Louise and Place Chatelain. The concept is very simple but effective. If you are looking for a quick and healthy lunch this is the perfect place. They make rice paper rolls which you find in Asia. Using fresh ingredients these rice paper … [Read more...]
Famous Brussels butcher is opening chophouse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsHZkFw_-8A I like to go the extra mile to buy good ingredients but given it is August, I need to be sure that shops I buy from are open. Most local shops in Brussels are closed for holidays given they are family run. So I got really excited yesterday when i entered the website of Jack O'Shea yesterday to discover that he would be opening a chophouse in central Brussels in September. Now, Brussels has its fair share of culinary destinations, but I have no doubt that this is going to be an additional 'must visit'. There is no question about the quality of the meat at Jack O'Shea. The meat which you get from this butcher whether it is a Wagyu beef t-bone steak, an Angus beef ribeye, an aged t-bone steak or just sausages from his large range (which includes mustard and spinach, Italian, beef and guiness, chorizo), are all exceptional. With such quality of ingredients and a hot grill, all you need is to make sure you do not overcook the … [Read more...]
What I enjoyed reading this week (5)
It has been a depressing week in the news. The above photo which was shared by Gambero Rosso on their Facebook thread while being humorous pretty much sums up my feelings for the week. Wherever you look in the media, whether it is the news on television, newspapers or even social media sites, you see photos of destruction. And you ask yourself why? Why is this happening? Why is there so much hatred? Please stop to think about what is happening and what we could do to try and make a difference. In any case, these are a few links to articles/video I enjoyed this week. My readers by now know that I have a fascination with Massimo Bottura, who is considered as Italy's most creative chef. Here you will find a fantastic interview about the creative process and evolution in his cooking. If you need some creative inspiration I recommend you watch it. This is a beautiful piece of writing in its own way. In this article, Eric Asimov, one of my favourite wine writes looks at the … [Read more...]
A visit to Chateau de Beloeil
I recently had to spend a midweek day off with the children. I offered them a choice between either going to a park or a castle. I thought they would opt for a park but they immediately got excited about the prospect of visiting a castle. Since there was agreement, we finally decided on the castle to go to since Belgium has its fair share of castles. I had always seen signs of Chateau de Beloeil on our trips to Lille or Pairi Daiza and have always been intrigued especially since it is also famous for its flower show and the yearly classical music concert. The castle opens at 1pm. Chateau de Beloeil is considered to be the Belgian Versailles and on our visit we discovered that there is a reason for this. The park is very large and forms with the castle a very interesting place to visit away from the crowds. We were there on a weekday and among the first to arrive so pretty much had the castle and park to ourselves. The castle has beautiful antique furniture, some unique pieces … [Read more...]
Recipe 3: Guinea Fowl with chickpeas and olives
Cooking is a passion but on a daily basis it can sometimes become difficult especially when you try to juggle with 100 things. Quick midweek recipes, or those which you can prepare quickly while retaining the wow factor are therefore always winners. This recipe is great because it can easily be prepared in less than 30 minutes. With its bold flavours it is both good as a quick midweek supper and also fit to be served if you are hosting. Guinea fowl is one of my new favourites given I can find it pretty easily at my local butcher. I hope you try this recipe because it is really easy to make and also delicious. Guinea Fowl with chickpeas and olives (Serves 4) Ingredients Four guinea fowl breasts 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Butter One can of the best quality chickpeas you can find 24 olives 4 Anchovies 3 cloves of garlic 50ml of Madeira (you can also use Marsala) Fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste Rosemary Method 1. Season the guinea … [Read more...]
Brussels: O Liban – a great Lebanese restaurant in Bascule
There was a sense of disappointment in our family when Giovanni on Chaussee de Vleurgat closed a few years ago. When we arrived in Brussels nearly nine years ago, it was not only close to home but it also served one of the best Italian espressos or cappuccinos you could find in Brussels. Moreover, the cannoli (which we are so accustomed too in Malta) were to die for. Now either my palate has become accustomed to 'worse' coffee or else the Belgian coffee scene has clearly made remarkable improvements. I tend to believe that it is more the latter than the former. Italian food is clearly comfort food but Lebanese food can be exceptional particularly when using fresh ingredients. I can today say that his replacement has proved himself on many occasions over the past years. O Liban is a great place to stop for a quick lunch or dinner. It is also perfect to grab a take-away or to try one of their delicious typical Lebanese 'sandwiches' or pittas. They are all excellent using fresh … [Read more...]
What I enjoyed reading this week (4)
Moneglia is a place that we have missed on our two visits to Liguria mainly because it is rather complicated to get there by car. It is located between Sestri Levante and the Cinque Terre and is accessible through a one-lane tunnel. We were told that if you miss the tunnel crossing, you will have to wait for a rather long time before the traffic lights turn green. So we avoided heading there to eat in the evening. Ah, what a mistake that seemed to have been. It seems to have been a pity given a restaurant there that has been reviewed by the Financial Times Magazine today. The restaurant, La Ruota seems to be one of those unmissable places. It has a view to die for, a wine list of unbelievable depth at incredible prices and amazing food according to Nicholas Lander who wrote about it in Financial Times weekend. Reading about it here is enough to make your mouth water. This video reminded me of our honeymoon in Japan. Here you will see how sushi should be eaten. Here you get an … [Read more...]
There is no such thing as a free lunch
If you only have 15 minutes to spare this weekend, you must watch the video reportage from The Guardian on poultry factories. Under the heading Revealed: the dirty secret of the UK's poultry industry, it shows disgusting scenes from chicken factories and suggests that two thirds of chickens sold in the UK are contaminated with campylobacter. The report suggests that although the bug is killed by thorough cooking, around 280,000 people in the UK are currently made ill each year by it and 100 people die. It suggests that the contamination rates are known to have increased in the past decade. My perspective of food changed completely after I read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. It is since that summer of 2001 that I have never set foot again in a fast food chain. That book had a deep impact on how I viewed food. This new reportage in the Guardian just goes to prove that many years down the line, nothing has improved There are a few lessons to learn from this reportage. 1. … [Read more...]
Recipe 2 – Charred Aubergine Salad
Barbecues should not be boring. There is nothing like sausages or burgers on the barbecue but grilling outdoors can also be sophisticated. It all depends on your level of ambition. Before grilling meat or fish, I always like to prepare vegetables on the barbecue. Chargrilling peppers, onions, courgettes, aubergine, leeks, potato you name it. With the right condiments (herbs, olive oil and balsamic vinegar they are second to none) they can make for an excellent antipasto or perfect accompaniment to meat or fish. Among foodies or those who regularly view the BBC, Raymond Blanc needs no introduction. He is a French chef who settled in the UK many years ago. He is the chef of a Michelin starred restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. He is passionate about cooking and his charisma whenever he is presenting a television programme is always visible. This winter, BBC had a superb series by Raymond Blanc on How to Cook and one of the programmes was about grilling. The following, which I have … [Read more...]