Tuesday 27 December 2011

Madeira, where Europe meet the tropic


Calheta Beach Resort in Madeira
Madeira is a subtropical island in the North Atlantic, a proper subtropical paradise that enjoys mild winters and summers making it the ideal location for a year-round visit. Geography strictly speaking the Madeira archipelagos are part of Africa, in the geo-political way is part of Portugal since they were discover by the early Portuguese sailors in 1419.
Madeira is a floating sub-tropical garden in the Atlantic Ocean, for a far view this volcanic mountains with vertiginous cliff look or resemble to me an old sailor ship waiting to  be aboard for  many adventures like discovering  their many treasures.  All year around have a good climate (average 20ºc) to visit, even now in Christmas and New Year you can enjoy of  fantastic fireworks displays ( Guinness World of Records) and is the perfect spot for have a break for the winter and  the people will let you feel like home, plus is easy to communicate in English, German, Spanish and of course with the local Portuguese language.

Calheta
Banana plantation around Claheta
Since Madeira  doesn’t have sandy natural beaches, we head to Calheta in the quiet south west part of the island surrounded by banana plantations, the Calheta beach resort have the only beach, even though it is an artificial one is the perfect spot to go to swim in the mild water of the Atlantic sea thanks to the warm gulf current – If you want natural sand beaches you need to take the 2- ½  hours ferry to Porto Santo island.
Calheta is just 30-40 minutes from Funchal following the well-constructed roads with hundreds of tunnels that cross the mountains. Calheta is just not a hotel resort, the area offers beside the beach, a little Marina, and nice walk beside the cliff. I highly recommend  you to be a little adventurous and have a sunset walk from Calheta to Arco da Calheta taking the 101 road for discover the banana plantation and have stunning views of  the ocean and of boats passing on the horizon.

Calheta Art Centre
Also in Calheta is worth to visit the local Church, sincerely almost all the Madeira church worth a visit, most of them build in the Portuguese golden architect age (end of XV century to beginning of XVI century).Impressive Spanish-arabian style ceiling, rich jewellery and of course the always beautiful Portuguese tiles and volcanic floors and sacred peace.  Almost next door is the Engenhos da Calheta, an old cane sugar distillery where you can visit the factory and buy some of the best sugar cane spirits, honey sugar cane biscuits and cakes and the last product the sugar cane juice that really going to revitalize you.
In the Calheta next top hill, you will find the art centre Casa das Mudas , and international awarded new building for the perfect integration with the landscape designed by Paulo David. Inside you can visit one of the most complete and impressive collection of Art Deco in the world!

A day in Funchal
View of Funchal and harbour
A good place to start your Funchal visit is the historical park of Santa Catarina with the 1425 built Santa Catarina Chapel, where you have great views from the Funchal harbour and the frenetic life of the big cruise liners. Then you can choose to walk to the busy and tourist harbour sea-front or just walk in the most interesting Arriaga avenue stopping at the Funchal Garden,  the local Theatre, some interesting bank building and finishing in the Funchal Cathedral with a previous stop in the old colonial restaurant with ceiling fans the Golden Gate Caffe for some pastries.

Santa Catarina Gardens
Funchal have several palaces and museums for visit, but for foodies I recommend the Sugar Cane Museum and the Madeira Wine Museum. Also the local permanent Lavradores fresh food market is a good option, most of all for have a glimpse of all the local fish and colourful tropical fruits that Madeira can offer to you, my  advice to you is to avoid the temptation of buy any fruit that are vigorously sold to the tourist, you can get good quality fruits at very good price in the local supermarkets like Pingo Doce.
After the market is always good idea to stroll around in the Santa Maria street where always  something artistic is happening.

Market of Lavradores
Vegetables display

Then is time to have a ride in the cable railway  for have a complete view of the city, and harbour. In the top you can go to the Tropical Gardens,  where local flora share a place with ceramic tiles, art, palaces, views, pilgrimage church and even a Oriental Garden. Another cable railway  will carry you to the also beautiful and more quite Botanical gardens and the controversial parrot park. Please people with vertigo avoid this last ride.
Funchal Botanic Garden
You way back down only by the fun, still dangerous hill down to the city centre ride in a wicker basket toboggan.
Already in Funchal a good place to have a rest is the coffee bar terrace of the Praça do Carmo, one of the squares chosen by the university students surrounded  by  nice stretch alleys  to discover local shops.

Another Main Visit in Madeira.
Sao Vicente streets
1. Câmara de Lobos. A lovely little fisherman town with colourful boats and vistas as painted by Winston Churchil with a fish market and the São Sebastian fisherman chapel decorated with tiles.
2. Cabo Girao. A view point over the second taller cliff in the world. In your way up you can see high altitude vineyards plantations
3. Parque das Queimadas, visit the only remains of the madeira indigenous forest and their laurel forest.
4. São Vicente. Between the many charming towns in the island Sao Vicente with their White houses with orange roofs and volcanic pebbles streets surrounding the local church is my favourite. Not far to the town are the caves and the amazing cliff waterfall on the way to Seixal. Be aware that in the north of the island the weather can be more rainy.
5. Porto Moniz. In this part of the north coast line the rougher Atlantic ocean has created natural pools in the volcanic rock where you can swim and have a very nice seafood lunch at Cachalote restaurant.
6. The Levadas, once part of the ingenious island irrigation system to bring water for the mountains, today the Levadas are walkways to explore in the heart of the island. Find your trekking level with your local tourist advisor.

What to Eat.
Dry cod to sell in a Funchal Shop
Unfortunately when we landing in Calheta Beach we didn’t realize that was a German tourist spot and the food of the hotel and another places was also german style food. We ask to some local and they can´t either tell us for a good quality local food restaurant in Funchal (even some hotels restaurant serve very well done local dishes).  When we got fed up with German food we drop in some very local and nothing fancy restaurants where the quality of the food wasn’t anything sophisticated but very tasty and good quality and nice local service. You should be try:
Swordfish and tuna steaks  and any  local sea-food like octopus , fresh and tasty served in a simple way to enjoy .
Beef kebab made with the cattle that graze in the high planes of Madeira. Delicious meat.
Bolo-do-caco a local bread with garlic butter, work very well like anti-pasti or side dish.
For dessert any dish that has the local tropical fruits like passion fruit, papaya, guava and mango.
Like the rest of the Portugal the cream tartlet are a must.
More..

Where we Stay (by David Pring)
Calheta Beach Hotel
This was our first time to Madeira and the Calheta Beach hotel was fantastic. The staff friendly and helpful the room clean and comfortable with amazing sea views. The food was above average buffet style but we were able to swap dinner with vouchers for the a la carte restaurant next to the hotel.
The food there was superb. Calheta in November is relatively quiet but the weather was warm and sunny most of the time. The hotel has excellent amenities including both indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, sauna and steam room. Nothing was too much trouble and we would stay here again. There is a sandy beach in front of the hotel and two great local attractions- the cliff top museum which houses an amazing art deco exhibition and a nearby working rum distillery. Getting further afield into Funchal or around the island is also easy as the hotel can organise a variety of trips. There is a well-stocked supermarket across the road for buying anything you might need from fresh fruit to Madeira wines.
I can thoroughly recommend this hotel for a reasonably priced short break on a tranquil and glorious part of the island.


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Monday 19 December 2011

Christmas Menu Ideas

This is the first Kitchen Voyage Christmas where we really enjoyed this year travelling, eating, cooking and overall writing for all our visitors and with the following Christmas Menu Ideas will try to bring to you some of  the tradition and the magic spirit of Christmas. Merry Christmas!!


Christmas Sea Food Starters

These holidays always have been remembered for traditional main dishes and desserts, but I always remembered as well for the sea-food starters, so creamy and refreshing before the mains.

Prawn rocket salad Serves 4 – 175kcal -  Time25 minutes 

Baked Prawns with rocket salad
You need: 500g king tiger prawns – 4 garlic cloves (chopped) – 100g rocket salad – 1 tbsp oregano – 2 bay leaves – 50ml dry white wine – 25ml brandy – 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.

1. Remove the shell and head of the prawns just leaving the tail. Put them in an oven tray  and season with sea-salt and sprinkle over 3 tbsp of olive oil.
2. Them scatter over the chopped garlic and  oregano. Pour over the white wine and brandy.
3. Put them in a pre-heated oven at 200ºC for about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile in a bowl dress the salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
5. Place some salad in each dish and top with the prawns and some juices from the oven tray.

Smoked Salmon with Prawns Serves 6 – Kcal 210 – Time 25 min.

Smoked oak salmon with prawns mousse
You need: 240g raw small prawns (knows as Canadian) peeled and defrosted if you bought frozen ones -
350g sliced smoked salmon (6 slices reserve) - 2 chicory heads - 200g ricotta – 1 lemon juice - A bunch of chives.

1. First separate in a delicate way the chicory heads leaves, wash them very well and put in a bowl with cold water and 1 tbsp. of vinegar for 4 minutes. Wash again and let drain.
2. Chop the prawns and smoked salmon.
3. In a bowl stir in the ricotta and then add the chopped salmon and prawns, season with plenty black pepper (to taste) and mix everything very well. Chill in the fridge.
4. Then mix the lemon juice, 15g of chives and 3 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil for make a dressing.
5. In individual plates, first place 1 reserved salmon slice on the plate, top with 2 chicory leaves, and fill them with a tbsp. of ricotta mixture. Arrange and drizzle over some of the dressing and garnish with thinly sliced chives.

Stuffed baby gem lettuce Serves 6 – Kcal 300 - Time 25 min.


Baby gem lettuce are more bitter and intense, ideal for a snack
You need: 2 gem lettuce (or chicory heads) – 4 crab stick – 5 king prawns (cooked) – 50g Canadian prawns – 6  onions and 4 cornichons pickled – 1 boiled egg – 8 green olive – Capers – Cocktail sauce.

1. First separate in a delicate way the chicory heads leaves, wash them very well and put in a bowl with cold water and 1 tbsp. of vinegar for 4 minutes. Wash again and let drain. Reserve aside the lettuce hearts
2. Finely chop the prawns and crab sticks. Put in a bowl. Now also chop finely the pickled onion and cornichons, olives and egg. Stir in the bowl and mix very well. Season. Stir again.
3. Cut in thin shreds the lettuce hearts leftovers and add to the mix with 3 tbsp. of cocktail sauce. Mix all very well.
4. In a serving dish place the drain lettuce leaves and fill them with the seafood mixture.
5. Spread over a little extra cocktail sauce and sprinkle some capers and put in the centre of the table

Christmas Soups Starters

These soups are simple and delicious and very easy to prepare and more important a starter with low calories that you can cook the day or week before and reheat just before serving

Christmas Carrot Soup  Serves 6 – 190 kcal - Time 70minutes


Christmas Carrot Soup topped with mushrooms
You need: 400g carrots (chopped in little pieces) - 100g onion (chopped) -150g leeks (sliced) – 300g chestnuts –  ½ tsp. nutmeg – 2 cloves – 200g mushrooms (sliced) – 1tbsp sesame seeds – Some coriander for garnish. Hot vegetable stock

1. In a wide medium deep pan, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil and add the onion, sliced leek and roughly chopped chestnuts. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes in a low medium heat.
2. Add the carrots, nutmeg and cloves. Cover with 700ml hot vegetable stock. Simmer with the lid on until the carrots are tender
3. In another pan heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in medium high. Add the sliced mushrooms, cook them for about 5 minutes, and stir often. Season well. Remove from the heat and add the sesame seeds.
4. When the carrots are tender, blend the mixture until smooth with in a blender or using a hand-held blender. Add more stock if the mix is too thick.
5. Serve in individual plates and top each one with the mushrooms and some coriander. Sprinkle over some olive oil.

Broccoli Festive Cream Soup Serves 6 - 247kcal - Time  50 min

For a lighter version use just bread toast stick instead of puff pastry
You need: 600g broccoli florets – 60g raisins – 250ml milk – 3 tbsp. flour – Puff pastry – Vinegar

1. In a pan with salty boiling water cook the broccoli until tender (about 5 min. from package- 12 min. if is fresh broccoli).
2. Meanwhile take the packet of puff pastry and cut in strips 2 cm wide and around 10cm long. Put in the oven at 210ºC for 15minutes, until the pastry is golden.
3. When the broccolis are ready, drain and then blend in a blender or using a hand-held blender until smooth.
4. Now heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a pan, stir in the broccoli puree and raisins. Sprinkle over the flour and stir very well.
5. Now mix the milk slowly and stirring constantly, until you gets thickness slightly thick as a traditional cream soup. Season and add few drop of vinegar.
6. Serve in individual bowl with some puff pastry beside for deep in the broccoli cream.

Leek and White Bean Soup Serves 2 - 300kcal – Time 40 min 


Add a extra festive touch with truffle oil and crème fraiche 
You need: 1 leek (thinly sliced) – 200g floury potatoes (diced) -  400g of canned cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) - 600ml hot vegetable stock – 1 garlic clove (chopped) 2 tbsp. chopped parsley – 2 tsp. Truffle flavour infused oil.

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan using a medium low heat. Add the leek and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes, beans and cover with the stock. Bring to boil and then simmer in a low heat for about 20 minutes. Check that the potatoes are tender.
3. Using a ladle spoon remove some vegetables and set aside.
4. Purée the remaining vegetables in a blender or using a hand-held blender until smooth.
5. Now mix the reserved vegetables with the blended ones (re-heat if is needed) and add the parsley.
6. Serve in individual bowls and drizzle over some truffle oil.

Christmas Side Dishes

Colourful Christmas Salad 

This salad is full of freshness, perfect for a side dish for all the Christmas meats
You need: 200g salad winter leaves bag – ½  pink grapefruit (6-8 segments) – 1 spring onion (chopped) – 1 kiwi (in pieces) 1 avocado (in pieces) – 8 almonds or walnuts (chopped) – 8 black olives (halved) – ½ pomegranate (seeds only) – 6 cherry tomatoes (halved) – ¼ fresh pineapple (chopped) . Olive oil – Modena Vinegar

1. For the dressing mix 6 tbsp. of olive oil with 3 tbsp. of Modena vinegar plus 1 tbsp. of chopped spring onion. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a sauce jar or similar.
2. In a big salad bowl mix very well the rest of the ingredients and the remaining spring onion.
3. Cover with a cling film and chill in the fridge for ½ an hour.
4. Serve: on the Christmas table put the salad and dressing for separate, so everyone can season his salad at his taste and also the salad without the dressing will keep a fresh look.


Honey glazed carrots and parsnips


Add sweetness to the traditional roast veggies
You need: 500g carrots – 500g parsnips – 4 tbsp Clear Honey – 2 tbsp Wholegrain mustard. Oven at 200ºC

1. Peel the carrots and parsnips, then cut them in quarters (lengthways)
2. In a bowl mix the mustard, honey and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Mix very well and toss in the vegetables, coat them very well.
3. Put in a hot oven tray and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Heston brussels sprouts

A Heston Blumenthal recipe for Waitrose. Photo by  Kevandy
You need: 400g Brussels sprouts – 5 smoked bacon rashers (cut in lardons) – 50g unsalted butter

1. Slice the bases from the Brussels sprouts and carefully separates the leaves from the sprouts.
2. Fry the bacon in a frying pan, until soft. Drain in a kitchen paper, set aside.
3. In the same frying pan with the bacon fat melt the butter, in a medium low heat, when the butter is foaming add the Brussels sprouts leaves. Stir until coat very well.
4. Add 2 tbsp. of water, lid on and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the bacon in. Season. Serve.

Christmas Main Dishes

Stuffed Turkey Breast  Serves 8 - Kcal 450 - Time 1h 45 min


Stuffed Turkey Breast
You need:  1kg Turkey breast – 80g frozen chestnuts – 40g pine nuts – 4 fresh pork sausages – 60g dates  (finely chopped) – 1 tbsp capers (rinsed, drained and finely chopped) – 2 tbsp Port wine – 1 egg (beaten) – 3 boil eggs (peeled). Oven at 180ºC

1. In a pan with boiling water and a pinch of salt cook the chestnuts for 10 minutes. At the last minute add the pine nuts. Drain. Then chop the chestnuts and pine nuts.
2. Remove the skin from the pork sausages and put in a bowl, mixing the capers, dates, chestnuts and pine nuts. Add the egg and mix all very well. Season with salt and pepper.

Turkey breast
3. Ask to your butcher to cut the turkey breast for the turkey crown, you will finish with a breast rectangle. Put over a cling film season with salt a pepper and cover up with again with cling film Without breaking the meat, gently smash with a millet for even thickness all the way through. This video can help you.
4. Spread the stuffing over the turkey breast leaving 2,5 cms from the borders. Now remove the white top of the boiled eggs and line up the eggs over the turkey breast with the stuffing.
5. Grab the end of the turkey that is closed to you and rolled up nice and tight until the last end. Don’t worry if some stuffing is getting out. Tie with 3 -4 pieces of twine but is not necessary you get too fancy because now you need to wrap up the turkey breast in foil paper.
6. Put the turkey in a baking tray and cook for 35 minutes. Now remove the foil paper, sprinkle over the Port wine and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Cook for another 35 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the breast is cook through.
7. Serve the turkey sliced with the side dish options.

Pork rack with mustard and pepper  Serves 4 – Kcal 380 – Time 1h 40 min.


Pork rack with mustard and peper
You need: 800g Rack of pork – 1 tbsp. Wholegrain mustard – 3 garlic cloves (crushed) – Thyme spring – 2 tbsp. of mix wholegrain pepper -2 bay leaves – ¼ tsp. nutmeg – 1 onion – 1 carrot – 300g fennel head – 300g potatoes (peeled and sliced)– 1 orange juice – Pinch of saffron – 60g mozzarella (grated) – 200 ml milk – 50 ml dry white wine – Thyme spring – Oven at 160ºC

1. Crush 2 garlic cloves and rubber with your hands over the rack of pork with some olive oil (2 tbsp). Put the pork rack in a baking tray with 2-3 sprigs of thyme and the bay leaves. Cook for 1 hour. Let cool down reserving the juices on the tray. When you can handle the pork with your hands, rub over the wholegrain mustard and the pepper mixture ( Like a guide I used this five blend mixture of Bart)
2. Roughly chop the fennel (reserving apart the fennel stocks) and cook in a pan with 1 ltr hot water, the saffron and orange juice. Cook until tender. Drain.
3. In another pan add the milk and the potatoes. Season with a pinch of salt, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the nutmeg. Drain the potatoes when  tender, set in a side of the baking dish and sprinkle over the mozzarella cheese.
4. For the gravy sauce, mix the chopped carrot (50g), onion, 1 chopped garlic, 1 thyme sprig  in a pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil and the pork juices. Saute everything for 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and add the reserve fennel stock. Add 100ml of water and let boil, then simmer until the liquid is reduced.
5. In a pre-heated oven at 180ºC, put in the baking tray with the potatoes, fennel and the pork, cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown
6. On a plate serve a pork slice with some fennel and potatoes. Pour over some gravy sauce.

Salmon with puff pastry and oysters   Serves 2 – Kcal 415 -  Time 50 min. 


Salmon with pastry sticks and oysters
You need: 2 salmon fillet – 1 rosemary stick – 1 crush garlic - 30ml light cream –  6 oysters – Half onion (60g chopped) –  1 garlic clove (chopped) - 100g leek (thinly sliced )  - 1 courgette (thinly sliced in sticks) 1 carrot (thinly sliced in sticks)  -  1 egg (beaten) – 150ml dry white wine or Albariño wine - 1 puff pastry packet -  1 tbsp chopped chives for garnish
1. First you need open the oyster keeping their natural juices. Set aside. Season the salmon with sea-salt and pepper and set aside.
2. If is needed defrost the puff pastry, then with a knife cut the pastry in stick of 3cm wide and 6 cm large. Brush them with the beaten egg. Put in in a pre-heated oven at 150ºC. Remove when golden brown are. Keep warm.
3. In a pan heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and stir in the onion and garlic and sauté in a low heat for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent. Pour in the wine and let reduce.
4. When the wine is reducing by half add the oyster juice and cream. Stir and keep warm.
5. In another pan with a medium heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and sauté the carrots, courgettes and leeks until tender ( about 5 minutes)
6. Finally heat pan-fry pan with 1 tbsp. of olive oil, add the rosemary stick and crushed garlic, and cook the salmon fillet first skin down for 2-3 minutes until the skin is very crispy. Turn over and finish to cook.
7. Serve: In the centre of the plates make a bed with the carrots and courgettes, then put a puff pastry stick topped with some leek. Next put the salmon fillets and the put the 3 oysters. Pour over everything with the wine reduction and sprinkle with some chives.

Christmas Dessert

Spiced Chocolate Cake with raspberries


You need: 200g dark chocolate (70% cacao chopped) 200g unsalted butter (cubed) 150g caster sugar 5 eggs (yolk separated) – 2tbsp plain flour – ¼ tsps. of ground ginger; ground allspice; ground cinnamon -  3 tbsp icing sugar – raspberries – Vanilla ice cream – Honey -  Oven at 180ºC – Oven proof dish of 23cm and 4cm deep. I recommend using a rubber spatula.

1. In a little bowl mix the spices with 2 tbsp of plain flour. Mix well.
2. In a heatproof bowl (Pyrex) melt the chocolate and butter over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir. Turn off the heat and add the sugar and flour with the spices. Set aside

Melting Chocolate with butter
3. After 3 minutes, beat in the egg yolks, mix very well.
4. In another bowl whisk the eggs white until you get soft peaks, will be easy if you use a electric whisk. With my whisker take me about 10 minutes.
5. Fold in the eggs white foam to the chocolate mixture. Remove from the bowl  with the spatula.
6. Grease with some butter your oven dish and dust with some flour. Then pour in the mixture in (again using the spatula will be more quickly) and bake for 30-40 minutes.
7. Check if you cake is done inserting a cocktail stick or knife in the middle, should  come out with some moist crumbs attached. Let cool down on a wire rack
8. Serve: Slice the cake. Transfer each slice to individual plates, dust with the icing sugar and decorate with some raspberries and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream with honey

• Recipe by Jason Atherton. In the original recipe he macerates the raspberries and sprinkle over some lemon thyme so you can do it in this way. I don’t like macerated fruit so I improvised.




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Saturday 17 December 2011

Spiced Chocolate Cake

Spiced Chocolate Cake with raspberries


You need: 200g dark chocolate (70% cacao chopped) 200g unsalted butter (cubed) 150g caster sugar 5 eggs (yolk separated) – 2tbsp plain flour – ¼ tsps. of ground ginger; ground allspice; ground cinnamon -  3 tbsp icing sugar – raspberries – Vanilla ice cream – Honey -  Oven at 180ºC – Oven proof dish of 23cm and 4cm deep. I recommend using a rubber spatula.

1. In a little bowl mix the spices with 2 tbsp of plain flour. Mix well.
2. In a heatproof bowl (Pyrex) melt the chocolate and butter over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir. Turn off the heat and add the sugar and flour with the spices. Set aside

Melting Chocolate with butter
3. After 3 minutes, beat in the egg yolks, mix very well.
4. In another bowl whisk the eggs white until you get soft peaks, will be easy if you use a electric whisk. With my whisker take me about 10 minutes.
5. Fold in the eggs white foam to the chocolate mixture. Remove from the bowl  with the spatula.
6. Grease with some butter your oven dish and dust with some flour. Then pour in the mixture in (again using the spatula will be more quickly) and bake for 30-40 minutes.
7. Check if you cake is done inserting a cocktail stick or knife in the middle, should  come out with some moist crumbs attached. Let cool down on a wire rack
8. Serve: Slice the cake. Transfer each slice to individual plates, dust with the icing sugar and decorate with some raspberries and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream with honey

• Recipe by Jason Atherton. In the original recipe he macerates the raspberries and sprinkle over some lemon thyme so you can do it in this way. I don’t like macerated fruit so I improvised.



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Friday 16 December 2011

Christmas Side Dishes

Colourful Christmas Salad

This salad is full of freshness, perfect for a side dish for all the Christmas meats
You need: 200g salad winter leaves bag – ½  pink grapefruit (6-8 segments) – 1 spring onion (chopped) – 1 kiwi (in pieces) 1 avocado (in pieces) – 8 almonds or walnuts (chopped) – 8 black olives (halved) – ½ pomegranate (seeds only) – 6 cherry tomatoes (halved) – ¼ fresh pineapple (chopped) . Olive oil – Modena Vinegar

1. For the dressing mix 6 tbsp. of olive oil with 3 tbsp. of Modena vinegar plus 1 tbsp. of chopped spring onion. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a sauce jar or similar.
2. In a big salad bowl mix very well the rest of the ingredients and the remaining spring onion.
3. Cover with a cling film and chill in the fridge for ½ an hour.
4. Serve: on the Christmas table put the salad and dressing for separate, so everyone can season his salad at his taste and also the salad without the dressing will keep a fresh look.


Honey glazed carrots and parsnips


Add sweetness to the traditional roast veggies
You need: 500g carrots – 500g parsnips – 4 tbsp Clear Honey – 2 tbsp Wholegrain mustard. Oven at 200ºC

1. Peel the carrots and parsnips, then cut them in quarters (lengthways)
2. In a bowl mix the mustard, honey and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Mix very well and toss in the vegetables, coat them very well.
3. Put in a hot oven tray and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Heston brussels sprouts

A Heston Blumenthal recipe for Waitrose. Photo by  Kevandy
You need: 400g Brussels sprouts – 5 smoked bacon rashers (cut in lardons) – 50g unsalted butter

1. Slice the bases from the Brussels sprouts and carefully separates the leaves from the sprouts.
2. Fry the bacon in a frying pan, until soft. Drain in a kitchen paper, set aside.
3. In the same frying pan with the bacon fat melt the butter, in a medium low heat, when the butter is foaming add the Brussels sprouts leaves. Stir until coat very well.
4. Add 2 tbsp. of water, lid on and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the bacon in. Season. Serve.



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Thursday 15 December 2011

Christmas Dinner recipes

Stuffed Turkey Breast  Serves 8 - Kcal 450 - Time 1h 45 min


Stuffed Turkey Breast
You need:  1kg Turkey breast – 80g frozen chestnuts – 40g pine nuts – 4 fresh pork sausages – 60g dates  (finely chopped) – 1 tbsp capers (rinsed, drained and finely chopped) – 2 tbsp Port wine – 1 egg (beaten) – 3 boil eggs (peeled). Oven at 180ºC

1. In a pan with boiling water and a pinch of salt cook the chestnuts for 10 minutes. At the last minute add the pine nuts. Drain. Then chop the chestnuts and pine nuts.
2. Remove the skin from the pork sausages and put in a bowl, mixing the capers, dates, chestnuts and pine nuts. Add the egg and mix all very well. Season with salt and pepper.

Turkey breast
3. Ask to your butcher to cut the turkey breast for the turkey crown, you will finish with a breast rectangle. Put over a cling film season with salt a pepper and cover up with again with cling film Without breaking the meat, gently smash with a millet for even thickness all the way through. This video can help you.
4. Spread the stuffing over the turkey breast leaving 2,5 cms from the borders. Now remove the white top of the boiled eggs and line up the eggs over the turkey breast with the stuffing.
5. Grab the end of the turkey that is closed to you and rolled up nice and tight until the last end. Don’t worry if some stuffing is getting out. Tie with 3 -4 pieces of twine but is not necessary you get too fancy because now you need to wrap up the turkey breast in foil paper.
6. Put the turkey in a baking tray and cook for 35 minutes. Now remove the foil paper, sprinkle over the Port wine and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Cook for another 35 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the breast is cook through.
7. Serve the turkey sliced with the side dish options.


Pork rack with mustard and pepper  Serves 4 – Kcal 380 – Time 1h 40 min.


Pork rack with mustard and peper
You need: 800g Rack of pork – 1 tbsp. Wholegrain mustard – 3 garlic cloves (crushed) – Thyme spring – 2 tbsp. of mix wholegrain pepper -2 bay leaves – ¼ tsp. nutmeg – 1 onion – 1 carrot – 300g fennel head – 300g potatoes (peeled and sliced)– 1 orange juice – Pinch of saffron – 60g mozzarella (grated) – 200 ml milk – 50 ml dry white wine – Thyme spring – Oven at 160ºC

1. Crush 2 garlic cloves and rubber with your hands over the rack of pork with some olive oil (2 tbsp). Put the pork rack in a baking tray with 2-3 sprigs of thyme and the bay leaves. Cook for 1 hour. Let cool down reserving the juices on the tray. When you can handle the pork with your hands, rub over the wholegrain mustard and the pepper mixture ( Like a guide I used this five blend mixture of Bart)
2. Roughly chop the fennel (reserving apart the fennel stocks) and cook in a pan with 1 ltr hot water, the saffron and orange juice. Cook until tender. Drain.
3. In another pan add the milk and the potatoes. Season with a pinch of salt, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the nutmeg. Drain the potatoes when  tender, set in a side of the baking dish and sprinkle over the mozzarella cheese.
4. For the gravy sauce, mix the chopped carrot (50g), onion, 1 chopped garlic, 1 thyme sprig  in a pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil and the pork juices. Saute everything for 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and add the reserve fennel stock. Add 100ml of water and let boil, then simmer until the liquid is reduced.
5. In a pre-heated oven at 180ºC, put in the baking tray with the potatoes, fennel and the pork, cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown
6. On a plate serve a pork slice with some fennel and potatoes. Pour over some gravy sauce.

Salmon with puff pastry and oysters   Serves 2 – Kcal 415 -  Time 50 min.


Salmon with pastry sticks and oysters
You need: 2 salmon fillet – 1 rosemary stick – 1 crush garlic - 30ml light cream –  6 oysters – Half onion (60g chopped) –  1 garlic clove (chopped) - 100g leek (thinly sliced )  - 1 courgette (thinly sliced in sticks) 1 carrot (thinly sliced in sticks)  -  1 egg (beaten) – 150ml dry white wine or Albariño wine - 1 puff pastry packet -  1 tbsp chopped chives for garnish
1. First you need open the oyster keeping their natural juices. Set aside. Season the salmon with sea-salt and pepper and set aside.
2. If is needed defrost the puff pastry, then with a knife cut the pastry in stick of 3cm wide and 6 cm large. Brush them with the beaten egg. Put in in a pre-heated oven at 150ºC. Remove when golden brown are. Keep warm.
3. In a pan heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and stir in the onion and garlic and sauté in a low heat for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent. Pour in the wine and let reduce.
4. When the wine is reducing by half add the oyster juice and cream. Stir and keep warm.
5. In another pan with a medium heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and sauté the carrots, courgettes and leeks until tender ( about 5 minutes)
6. Finally heat pan-fry pan with 1 tbsp. of olive oil, add the rosemary stick and crushed garlic, and cook the salmon fillet first skin down for 2-3 minutes until the skin is very crispy. Turn over and finish to cook.
7. Serve: In the centre of the plates make a bed with the carrots and courgettes, then put a puff pastry stick topped with some leek. Next put the salmon fillets and the put the 3 oysters. Pour over everything with the wine reduction and sprinkle with some chives.



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Tuesday 13 December 2011

Christmas Seafood Recipes

Sea Food Starters

These holidays always have been remembered for traditional main dishes and desserts, but I always remembered as well for the sea-food starters, so creamy and refreshing before the mains.

Prawn rocket salad Serves 4 – 175kcal -  Time25 minutes

Baked Prawns with rocket salad
You need: 500g king tiger prawns – 4 garlic cloves (chopped) – 100g rocket salad – 1 tbsp oregano – 2 bay leaves – 50ml dry white wine – 25ml brandy – 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.

1. Remove the shell and head of the prawns just leaving the tail. Put them in an oven tray  and season with sea-salt and sprinkle over 3 tbsp of olive oil.
2. Them scatter over the chopped garlic and  oregano. Pour over the white wine and brandy.
3. Put them in a pre-heated oven at 200ºC for about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile in a bowl dress the salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
5. Place some salad in each dish and top with the prawns and some juices from the oven tray.

Smoked Salmon with Prawns Serves 6 – Kcal 210 – Time 25 min.

Smoked oak salmon with prawns mousse
You need: 240g raw small prawns (knows as Canadian) peeled and defrosted if you bought frozen ones -
350g sliced smoked salmon (6 slices reserve) - 2 chicory heads - 200g ricotta – 1 lemon juice - A bunch of chives.

1. First separate in a delicate way the chicory heads leaves, wash them very well and put in a bowl with cold water and 1 tbsp. of vinegar for 4 minutes. Wash again and let drain.
2. Chop the prawns and smoked salmon.
3. In a bowl stir in the ricotta and then add the chopped salmon and prawns, season with plenty black pepper (to taste) and mix everything very well. Chill in the fridge.
4. Then mix the lemon juice, 15g of chives and 3 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil for make a dressing.
5. In individual plates, first place 1 reserved salmon slice on the plate, top with 2 chicory leaves, and fill them with a tbsp. of ricotta mixture. Arrange and drizzle over some of the dressing and garnish with thinly sliced chives.

Stuffed baby gem lettuce Serves 6 – Kcal 300 - Time 25 min.


Baby gem lettuce are more bitter and intense, ideal for a snack
You need: 2 gem lettuce (or chicory heads) – 4 crab stick – 5 king prawns (cooked) – 50g Canadian prawns – 6  onions and 4 cornichons pickled – 1 boiled egg – 8 green olive – Capers – Cocktail sauce.

1. First separate in a delicate way the chicory heads leaves, wash them very well and put in a bowl with cold water and 1 tbsp. of vinegar for 4 minutes. Wash again and let drain. Reserve aside the lettuce hearts
2. Finely chop the prawns and crab sticks. Put in a bowl. Now also chop finely the pickled onion and cornichons, olives and egg. Stir in the bowl and mix very well. Season. Stir again.
3. Cut in thin shreds the lettuce hearts leftovers and add to the mix with 3 tbsp. of cocktail sauce. Mix all very well.
4. In a serving dish place the drain lettuce leaves and fill them with the seafood mixture.
5. Spread over a little extra cocktail sauce and sprinkle some capers and put in the centre of the table




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Monday 12 December 2011

Christmas Soups

Soups

These soups are simple and delicious and very easy to prepare and more important a starter with low calories that you can cook the day or week before and reheat just before serving

Christmas Carrot Soup  Serves 6 – 190 kcal - Time 70minutes


Christmas Carrot Soup topped with mushrooms
You need: 400g carrots (chopped in little pieces) - 100g onion (chopped) -150g leeks (sliced) – 300g chestnuts –  ½ tsp. nutmeg – 2 cloves – 200g mushrooms (sliced) – 1tbsp sesame seeds – Some coriander for garnish. Hot vegetable stock

1. In a wide medium deep pan, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil and add the onion, sliced leek and roughly chopped chestnuts. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes in a low medium heat.
2. Add the carrots, nutmeg and cloves. Cover with 700ml hot vegetable stock. Simmer with the lid on until the carrots are tender
3. In another pan heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in medium high. Add the sliced mushrooms, cook them for about 5 minutes, and stir often. Season well. Remove from the heat and add the sesame seeds.
4. When the carrots are tender, blend the mixture until smooth with in a blender or using a hand-held blender. Add more stock if the mix is too thick.
5. Serve in individual plates and top each one with the mushrooms and some coriander. Sprinkle over some olive oil.

Broccoli Festive Cream Soup Serves 6 - 247kcal - Time  50 min

For a lighter version use just bread toast stick instead of puff pastry
You need: 600g broccoli florets – 60g raisins – 250ml milk – 3 tbsp. flour – Puff pastry – Vinegar

1. In a pan with salty boiling water cook the broccoli until tender (about 5 min. from package- 12 min. if is fresh broccoli).
2. Meanwhile take the packet of puff pastry and cut in strips 2 cm wide and around 10cm long. Put in the oven at 210ºC for 15minutes, until the pastry is golden.
3. When the broccolis are ready, drain and then blend in a blender or using a hand-held blender until smooth.
4. Now heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a pan, stir in the broccoli puree and raisins. Sprinkle over the flour and stir very well.
5. Now mix the milk slowly and stirring constantly, until you gets thickness slightly thick as a traditional cream soup. Season and add few drop of vinegar.
6. Serve in individual bowl with some puff pastry beside for deep in the broccoli cream.

Leek and White Bean Soup Serves 2 - 300kcal – Time 40 min


Add a extra festive touch with truffle oil and crème fraiche 
You need: 1 leek (thinly sliced) – 200g floury potatoes (diced) -  400g of canned cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) - 600ml hot vegetable stock – 1 garlic clove (chopped) 2 tbsp. chopped parsley – 2 tsp. Truffle flavour infused oil.

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan using a medium low heat. Add the leek and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes, beans and cover with the stock. Bring to boil and then simmer in a low heat for about 20 minutes. Check that the potatoes are tender.
3. Using a ladle spoon remove some vegetables and set aside.
4. Purée the remaining vegetables in a blender or using a hand-held blender until smooth.
5. Now mix the reserved vegetables with the blended ones (re-heat if is needed) and add the parsley.
6. Serve in individual bowls and drizzle over some truffle oil.


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Friday 9 December 2011

BEST 10 Gourmet Brighton Shops

Has been already 9 months since I started with The KitchenVoyage blog and is around 3 years  since  starting to  take homemade cooking seriously at my kitchen leaving behind an unhealthy past of ready and pre-ready supermarket meals. Since then I needed to stroll around Brighton and Hove to find the best products for my kitchen. Here is my top 10.

1.       Infinity Foods

Infinity Food Supermarket 
Infinity Food bread shelves

Infinity Foods is a Brighton institution since decades in the Brighton North Laines.  A whole vegetarian supermarket with an eco-friendly approach and plenty of local products. Here you can find almost anything in a normal supermarket with  very competitive prices, such as vegetables, fruit, cookies, pasta, wines and even toilet products and shampoo. Also in the bakery you can have a delicious takeaway slice of vegetarian pizza.

Follow all our Nutrition news and take a look at our Sea-salt guide

2.      Grocer & Grain

Grocer and Grain
Vegetables and Ecover products

Grocer & Grain is a smart shop located very close to the Brighton train station that makes it very handy for grabbing some healthy snacks before your journey or grab a last moment gift. They offer plenty of organic products including local cheeses and hams, homemade cakes or pies,  Ecover products and my favourite organic yellow tea brand and always vegetables and flower are excellently displayed.

 Taj


Taj street display
3.      Taj another Brighton-based independent retailer with a good reputation that fils its shelves with mostly middle east and Asian delicatessen, tropical fruits and vegetables. Their street display in the busy Western road always catches your eyes. They have the best juicy pomegranates and pineapples that you can find in the city. Also look for the attractive offers of Greek olive oil.


Try make Gazpacho with fresh red organic tomatoes from Taj

4.      Steamer


If you need appliances for your kitchen Steamer is your place, the kitchenware specialist in Brighton are in Ship Street. From Kitchenaid appliances, pans, LSA glasses and everything that you need for baking and cooking. The products aren’t cheap but the quality is superb.

5.      The Brighton Sausage Company



Sausages display (above). BSco (Left)

Also in the Brighton North Laines The Brighton Sausage Company offer to you a range of gourmet sausages like the already traditional flavour with leek and apple to more exotic like curry or jalapeños, flavours. They also have chicken and game sausages, eggs, and even Mexican chorizo. Their own make sausages use local meat from farms around.


Try: Three English Sausages clever recipes

6.      La Cave à Fromage


Cheese display at La Cave a Fromage (above). La Cave a Fromage in North Road (left)

La Cave à Fromage is one of the best cheese shops speaking in selection and quality terms that you can find in the whole of England. This cheese lovers paradise offers of course a wide selection of the best French cheese but also the best that UK can offer. And it wasn´t a surprise to find the world wide famous Cabrales cheese from Spain. The low point is the lack of labelling and the service is a bit slow, another French touch if you want it.


Try: Chicory salad with Mimolette Cheese

7.      Canham & Son

Canham & Sons at Curch Road, Hove

It’s a shame the Butchers shops are in decline in almost whole of Europe; in Brighton they are living a revival when you can find several options. My local Butcher are Canham & Son they have superb quality meat from the best cattle that grass in the Southdown’s Natural park area, beautiful pieces of Scottish meat and always plenty of seasonal turkey, pheasants and another birds. I know that the customer service is excellent but the butchers don’t like to much be asked for weird Argentinian cuts like I used to do sometimes.

Try: Steak with Fig salad
8.      
    Ten Green Bottles

Wines shelves and bar area

Wines shelves at Ten Green Bottles

Plenty of places to get your booze in Brighton but no one like Ten Green Bottles; they personally are picking the best of the new European wines. For me was a very nice surprise to find the Urabain red wines from Navarra. Navarra is a not too well known area for such wines but they make excellent beverages. And if you want to discover why the Rheinhessen withe German wine are getting every year more popular here you will find some good bottles. The shop also has a wine bar where you can try before to buy, the food isn´t great.

9.      Thorne´s

Thorne`s Upper Gardner St.
Thorne`s products display

The last gourmet shop to arrive, if I need to make a list which is the best gourmet shop in Brighton then to be sure they will be on the top. Thorne´s seems like they pick the best of all the shops mentioned above. The butcher has high quality local meat, tasty sausages and excellent customer service. Bread and croissants are crunchy, delicate and tasty. Also a selection of local beers, ciders and organic apple juice, you really need to try it. Very seasonable vegetables and even organic fair-trade coffee from Guatemala. The shop design is superb and if you have not enough you can have a chef breakfast upstairs (also are open for lunch)

Try: How to prepare the perfect pan fried steak


10.  Brighton & Newhaven Fish Sales

Fish get very busy Friday and Saturday morning with Brightoners
When I moved to Hove every time that I tried an excellent fish dish in Brighton I discovered that the source was all the same: The Fish shop in hove lagoon. They provide  the whole city with the most fresh and local fish and seafood at very good prices. One mussels kilogram less than 3 pounds, local sea bream, red mullet, crabs, lobster, dover sole and a little fish deli with sauces, frozen fish and even pasta. The customer service is quick, efficient and very clean, and you can follow the catch of the day on Twitter!

Try: Sea Food Pasta using Fish products


*Please notice I am just a regular client but I don’t have any relationship with the owners


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