Friday, 27 January 2012

Winter Salads

Orange Salad with pomergranate
Salad is a must in our diet all the year around say nutritional experts, but in winter perhaps a cold salad of vegetables  is less common  or tempting to have regularly like in spring or summer given the cold temperatures of winter.
The secret of a good winter salad is to mix these vegetables with some warm ingredients, like pasta, chicken, fish or warm roast tomatoes like the following Butter bean salad.
More: Season Vegetables in Winter

Butter bean salad  Serves 4 Kcal 116

You need: 800g canned butter beans (drained and rinsed) – 400g cherry tomatoes – 1 garlic clove (crushed) – 150g salad bag of spinach and rocket and / or watercress – 1tbsp thyme leaves.
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tbsp sherry vinegar for the vinaigrette
Rustic bread to serve - Oven at 200º C

1. Whisk the olive oil and sherry in a bowl, add the rinsed butterbeans, mix, season and set aside.
2. Arrange the tomatoes in a baking tray, and add 1tbsp of olive oil, sprinkle over the garlic and thymes leaves. Roast for 15 minutes. Let to cool down for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile while add the salad leaves to the butter beans bowl, then add the tomatoes.
4. Put in 2 slices of rustic or ciabatta bread on each plates and top with the salad.

Grape and chicken salad  Serves 4 - Kcal 570



You need: 4 chicken fillets – 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar – 4 tbsp olive oil – 300g Sourdough bread – 200g grapes – 2tbsp honey – 2 tbsp tarragon (chopped) – 50g baby spinach leaves – 2tbsp flaked almonds.
1 tsp.  smoked paprika

1. Rub 1 tsp. of smoked paprika, salt and pepper all over the chicken fillet(s). If you have time cover with cling film for at least 30 minutes.
2.  Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large saucepan in a medium low heat. Cook slowly the chicken fillet until is done (about 10-15 minutes). Set aside and keep warm
3. In the same pan add the grapes, 2 tbsp of olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar, down the heat to a minimum.  Add a splash of water and with a wooden spoon scrape the saucepan bottom. Simmer for 1 minute. Turn off and add the tarragon.
4. Slice each of the chicken breast and serve on the plates, and then arrange the spinach leaves with the grapes and tarragon. Sprinkle over the flake almonds.

Also in winter salad can be a great side dish or a first dish for refresh our palate from stews and rich winter dishes.

Pomegranate and orange salad  Serves 4 -  Kcal 45

You need: 1 pomegranate - 4 medium oranges, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon – 1/4 tbsp. of chopped mint leaves, plus leaves to decorate.

1.Shell out the pomegranate keeping all the possible juices.  Then peel the oranges and slice them.
2.Set the oranges slices in individual plates, sprinkle over a bit of the ground cinnamon and then sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and some of the mint. Decorate with  mint leaves. Serve!

Bresaola with rocket and parmesan  Serves 4 Kcal 215


You need: 250g rocket salad bag – 350g bresaola ham (sliced) -  75g parmesan (grated) -  3tsp truffle oil – 4 tbsp olive oil – 3 tbsp lemon juice.

1. In a small bowl mix the olive oil with the lemon juice.  Season and set aside.
2. Already in the serving dishes, set the rocket leaves and gently mix in the bresaola slices.
3. Now whisk together the olive oil with the truffle oil, (taste first just in case the truffle oil is too strong) and pour over the rocket and bresaola.
4. Sprinkle over some parmesan in each plate. Serve!



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Thursday, 26 January 2012

Ferran Adria Interview

Ferran Adriá is the special guest of Matador Ñ
Chef Ferran Adrià is coming back to the public eye after he is having a creativity gap. A few days ago he was on a morning talk show on one of the main public Spanish channels. The legendary Spanish chef Ferran Adrià is in a moment of transition, after the closure of his restaurant El Bulli, but in the interview he show us that his creative side is very much alive . I would like some of the thoughts and phrases in the program for those that can understand Spanish.

* Be successful is a mix between "liberty, passion and risk


* I have been traveling around the world to see how were the world affairs, in the gastronomic point of view and also in the social economic.


* I have around 400 interviews the last 5 months in Argentina, Peking or Peru and nobody asked me about the crisis"


* The fried egg is a masterpiece, the fried egg is the best liquid ravioli of the world, also a runny Spanish omelette is a masterpiece


* You can yourself reinvent every year, for that I need to have a gap with El Bulli


* El Bulli is not me, is the 2500 people that has worked.


* We need to validate the private sponsorship in the Spanish society


* With the Bulli foundation I would like to think that in 30- 50 years will be a place that comes up with world-wide talents.








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Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Madrid Fusion 2012

Follow my tweets of the most interesting events of MadridFusion in English at @gertero 


Madrid Fusion once of the most important Gastro Festival in the world is celebrating 10 years, this year the Madrid local chefs are important part of the festival and like always the most important chef in the world, since top of the top like Ferran Adriá, British top chefs like Heston Blumenthal and also the imaginative and controversial American David Chang. Anyway the speaker list is countless and the best restaurants in the world are there, this year with special attention also to the Korean food with Yung Sik Yim like the best option.

Korean Winter Scene by chef Jung Sik Yim
The X edition of Madrid Fusion has the name of The gates of the Future and in just two day the young chefs have already revolutionized the festival. Miguel. A del la Cruz, has shown in their conference how to use, ingredients known for their medicinal properties like white beetroot and he also like to use birch and roots to bring to the table the real forest scents. He show a pine cone that after froze to break the strong fibre, the cook in the grill and serve in wedges with partridge where you squeeze the juices of the pine cone over the meat.
Angel Leon known as the “Sea chef” because he likes to work with plankton and discarded fishes spoke about sea-food sausages and finishes showing to the audience an exceptional dish that he is working that recreate the wave’s movement in a soup dish.
Even Madrid Fusion seems like a high-tech food laboratory they also have space for the trendy mobile food, sharing table restaurants and of course tapas. Enofusion is where the main Spanish vineyard will show the best wines that they can produce.

Honour to Martin Berasategui 
Also yesterday the three Michelin star chef Martin Berasategui got very emotional when their best student (Josean Alija from Nerua-Guggenheim, Íñigo Lavado , Pepe Rodríguez Rey, TV start David de Jorge, etc.) honour him.
Today Anna Balluard owner of the traditional Baluard bakery in Barcelona give something to thinks to the top restaurant “Why not offer a bread menu in the same way that you have a wine menu”

Madrid Fusion is only for professional and real food lovers, the ticket cost 400 euros, but also you can enjoy of the best food in the street of Madrid with the Gastrofestival where you can taste the food and tapas of the best restaurants, find food and art exhibitions and go to the cinema for watch food movies in the oldest Madrid Cinema.

Links: MadridFusion - Gastrofestival - Twitter @madridfusion  - elcomidista blogger in MadridFusion


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Beetroot Benefits

Beetroot by ACJ1
Beetroot since II. A.C has been present in the Mediterranean kitchens, in times of the Roman imperium was very much appreciated, where it was reckoned to be worth its own weight in silver!, in those time the leaves were consumed and the properly beetroot was used to medicinal proposes. In the c. XVI start to be consume widely in German and England and in Victorian times was very popular, when its dramatic colour brightened up salads, soups and was use also in puddings.
Today beetroot is known like a winter vegetable, but in fact their season start with some summer verities in June and finish in January. In England is easy to find beetroot field around Cambridge.
I have never been a big beetroot lover, but since I discover all the beetroot nutritional properties I really started to add beetroot in my salad but I discovered that I really like beetroot in soups and juices.

Beetroot Health benefits
Beetroot Soup with goat cheese toast, healthy and tasty
One of the earliest known benefits of beetroot is its use as an aphrodisiac during the Roman times. And it wasn't all folklore as it has been found to contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones.
The beetroot is rich in carbohydrates with a moderate content in Kcal (Calories in beetroot = 30kcal x 100g) making the root vegetable rich in sugar content and fibre. Even is very poor in Vitamin C and A, has considerable folates  (Vitamin B2) that hep your body to create red blood cells, and  also helping to boost stamina and make muscles work more efficiently to reducing blood pressure. Also contain Vitamin B3 good for the digestive system, the skin and central nervous system.

Beetroot is one of the most environmentally friendly crops, rarely needing treatment with pesticides. The vegetable is best suited to the cooler growing conditions found in northern Europe.
In the fresh food market you should be pick those with most intense red and firm to the tact.
Once at home keep in the fridge, preferably in a plastic bag and use between 3 weeks. Is not recommended  to freeze unless cooked. Also in the supermarket you can find already cooked organic beetroot.

The best way to eat it is cooked in salty boiling water for at least one hour and not more than two with skin. Once cool down remove the skin. In the oven the best way to cooked is with skin and wrapped in foil paper in a temperature of 150ºC for about 1 hour, until the beetroot are soft. In the oven the beetroot going to lost the red colour but are very tasty in that way. Remember that also you can buy and eat the beetroot leaves.


Three beetroot juices for stamina your day 



Photo  by FotoosVanRobin
Beetroot with carrots and orange juice - Makes a 250ml glass

You need to juice 150g beetroot (cooked) – 200g carrots – 1 orange juice plus 120g strawberries (optional). Mix with ice and serve

Beetroot, Ginger and Carrots juice

Juice 2,5cm fresh ginger with 7 carrots and 4 beetroot (cooked). Serve with ice.

Beetroot smoothie with berries

Juice 1 large beetroot preferably already cooked (about 75g), pour in a blender the juice and add 100g frozen blueberries and 100g frozen raspberries. Blend and add 2-3 ice cubes.  Serve.

Note: For a real punch feel free to use raw beetroot's.

More: Beetroot Soup




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Monday, 23 January 2012

Celebration Dragon Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, yesterday in Liverpool (UK) by Ruth_W
Happy Dragon Chinese New Year!! 

Today is celebrating the Year of the Dragon, and today we join to large Chinese community in England and other European countries because always is a good excuse gather together with family and friends where food is always the centre of the celebration. We went to celebrate to our favourite Chinese restaurant in Brighton,  fully packed with british Chinese food lovers and like always in China Garden with plenty of members of the Chinese community.


Read the KitchenVoyage Review of China Garden
Chinese New Year will be celebrated in London  the 29 of January. 
You can download our Seasonal and Food Festival Calendar

Sometimes Chinese food can be wrong associates as a very spicy food for the English taste, but really the essential of the Chinese traditional food is a mix between spicy, mild and sweet.
Today we went for a seafood selection of dishes with plenty of greens!
The back tables of China Garden don't offer you the Brighton sea front views, but are very cosy and very well attended


Our first dish were very crunchy deep fry prawns cooked in their own shell and with plenty of red chilli and spring onions. A smooth Chinese beer is the perfect drink for refresh the lively taste.


Steam fresh Scallops from Brighton and Hove fish market were sweet, juicy and tender served with a very crisp broccoli, adding extra crunchiness and freshness to the dish


To finish they offer us the option to have a whole Sea Bream a traditional and auspicious dish for the new Year or this fantastic mushroom topped with mince king prawns and white egg sauce and my favourite Chinese vegetable, Pak choi, stir fried Chinese vegetable are just real delicacies.


After this generous meal with a cost of 30 pounds each with drinks and service included, always is good idea stretch your legs in the Brighton Sea front, instead to go to central Brighton head to the Brighton City Hall and discover the architectural gems of the Brighton Sea front.Just opposite China Garden Restaurant is the famous Brighton West Pier.

Band Stand, Brighton 

Adelaide Crescent, Brighton

Read the KitchenVoyage Review of China Garden

Read the Best 10 Gourmet Brighton Shops



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Friday, 20 January 2012

My 3 top places to visit in East Sussex

Rye




Rye is a very well preserved medieval town on  a hill top with car free  car cobbled streets and historical houses from the 16th and 17th centuries with a very Norman history and architecture style. Rye was once part of the Cinque Medieval Ports even today seems unlikely given that the  sea waters start to retire almost 5 centuries ago and now the town is already 2 miles from the sea, anyway still an important festival of  Scallop festival for the remaining fisherman fleet. But Rye is much more than an historic town, today the harbour is much alive, antique  shops, tea houses and fine dining combine together with unique bird watching, saltmarshes and romantic sandy beaches.

What to do in Rye

• Choice one of the three walks to the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve where oyster-catchers and curlews are the bird to spot.
• Visit the Georgian Lamb House where the American author Henry James used to live.
• Discover the local history in the Rye Castle Museum and the Normand style St Mary´s Church. Also visit the Ypres Tower (also town jail for 400 years) and enjoy the great views of the Rye harbour.
• Get lost in the street and discover the most fascinating antique shops and art galleries mainly in the Strand Quay area.
• In warm days is a must spend a beach day in the nearby dunes of Camber Sands.

Where to Eat in Rye
Mermaid Inn, Rye
Tea houses like Rye institution Fletchers House tea rooms is always a good option, but for is a must have a lunch or dinner in the another Rye institution Mermaid Inn, like another British historical inn´s they don’t live from the ghostly past or for celebrity visitors like Johnny Deep, their best thing along the rooms is the local food where lamb and oysters are the stars of the menu.

Where to stay in Rye
White Vine House is a luxury restaurant with period British rooms in the centre of the town.

Lewes

Lewes Castle gateway. Photo by Hackworth
The inland town of Lewes will really surprise you, Georgian and timber façades houses lined in tiny Saxon lanes and everything is crowned by the Lewes castle said  to be built by  William de Warenne (William The Conqueror’s brother in law) for show to the locals that the new Normand’s ruler will bring work to the area.

What to do in Lewes

• Visit the Castle museum
• Visit the house of Anne of Claves given to her by Henry VIII on the divorce settlement.
• Go to the local Victorian building of the Harvey´s Brewery.
• Get lost in the street, set aside your kindle and snoop on the several book shops.
• A day at  the Opera in the English institution that is Glyndebourne Opera House

Lewes Bonfire parade
Where to eat in Lewes
The Real Eating Company is a very  good option to have a very local fresh breakfast or brunch and at the same time buy some of the best local products, and Bills Produce Store on Cliffe High Street is also a good fun place with a nice selection of drinks.

Where to stay in Lewes
There are old coaching inns such as the White Hart and the Crown Inn  on the High street and the Shelleys hotel which has an old world charm and dates from the 15th century and ideal place to stay when the famous November 5th firework displays take place in and around Lewes. Pelham House in St Andrews Lane is another notable establishment with a magnificent garden with views over the Sussex Downs.

Beachy Head.


Must be my number one postcard from England, here the famous English coast white cliffs and chalky water colours have the addition of the bright red lighthouse that guard this coast plus the vertigo of walking in a perfect natural green turf make the perfect countryside day out. Few sea cliffs in Europe will capture your imagination and bring you the calm like in Beachy Head. The cliff are a clear reminder that England and France were once time ago joined and no separate by the English Channel, today one of the most undeveloped and beautiful English coast where in Beachy head the cliff plummets to 200 meters.
My favourite walk starts from the seaside resort of Eastbourne and finish in Cuckmere Heaven.

What to do in Beachy Head

• Start your walk in the Victorian town of Eastbourne visiting the pier and walking by the sea front.
• After you get a good photo of the Beachy Head lighthouse you next point will be the Belle Tout, the lighthouse that was moved in 1999 given the cliff eroding.
• Practice some fun sport. From Eastbourne before to reach the lighthouse exits a paragliding point; in Birling Gap is the surfer points and in Cuckmere Heaven canoeing and bike hiring is available.
• Cuckmere Heaven is a beautiful free development estuary with plenty wildlife and bird watching.
• Visit the Seven Sister Sheep Centre and meet the almost 40 sheep breeds from around the world .

Paragliding in Beachy Head
Where to eat
The Beachy Head Centre and the Golden Galleon are almost the only places, if you don’t want to ruin your day picnic is your best option and let the pub just for drink a refreshing beer. Another option is go to East Dean (not far for the Sheep Centre) and have a much better meal at The Tiger Inn.

Where to stay
Before or after all the walking take all the advantages of the more vibrant city in English south coast. Avoid the Grand Hotels of Brighton and the classic chain and let rest yourself in The Square Boutique Hotel or to the Trip Advisor winner The Twenty One bed and breakfast.



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Wednesday, 18 January 2012

The Calamari Wars

Falklands Island wreck ship
After  already 30 years the Falklands waters are still rough, three decades have passed from the war British – Argentina conflict that has now come back to the first page of the diplomatic agendas of those two countries and commercial interested allies since a year ago was discovered new petroleum water marine reserve highly lucrative and since the British has been for 180 year from the colonial times and with little argument to go and sit down on a diplomatic table for justify their presence in the Falkland Island claimed from Argentina since 1820 and at only 500km from la Patagonia in the Argentinian Sea.
The David Cameron Government is looking  to create a protected marine zone around the South Georgia Islands (1300Km from Falkland Islands and also claimed by Argentina) with the reason if Argentina want to initiate any commercial or economic activity around they will need ask first for the British authorization.
Reached that point Argentina has launched several new measures, first asking their neighbours (Uruguay, Brazil and Chile) to not allow British flag ships with Falkland Island destination stop in their ports and the second measure is encouraging Argentinian fisherman’s to prevent the squid (Illex type) that start their life in the River Plate water to reach the Falkland’s waters.

Illex Squid. Photo by NOAA
For almost two decades Argentina and the Falkland’s islands co-operated on sustainably fishing of the squid. But now the Federal Fishing Council allow to fish two months early with the idea to catch the squid before to start their migration to the Falkland Islands for feed before move  to deepest water to breed and die. Catching so early the squid when still small can damage the stock, apparently Argentina allow that something similar happen with the southern blue whiting now unviable for commercial exploitation. Falkland’s economy is highly dependent of their fishing licence sales where the Illex Squid species is the most valuable. The Falklands Squid season will be start late this February where fisherman boats for the big fishing powerhouses like Spain, Russia, Japan and Korea will be waiting for a legal catch meanwhile another 100 fisherman fleet mainly from China and Taiwan will be catching also the very appreciated Illex Squid in East Asia.

At the moment seem like the only loser are the Ilex’s and again the ocean biodiversity and the winners the same fat cats as always.

Squid Nutrition Properties x 100g

Calories
Protein
Fat
Phosphorus
Potassium
Iron
81
17
1,3
221
90
1,7


More about the conflict: 

More Argentina dirty politics:  Trained dogs searching for dollars


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