This might be worth a read - Criterion Restaurant

August is upon us, London is heaving with groups of painfully loud Spaniards and irritatingly slow camera clicking folk from the Orient. The City is on hibernate mode, all motorways and A Roads are crawling at a pace that even a snail would laugh at and of course, the Tube is stiflingly hot.
The Criterion, however, is rather busy. A restaurant with a long and sometimes slightly chequered past is overcoming all the doom and gloom of recession and is fast becoming THE restaurant to go in Central London.

Slap bang in the heart of Town Criterion is famous for being the place that Stamford took Dr Watson to in order to introduce him to the great, if slightly crazy Sherlock Holmes on Arthur Conan-Doyle's famous book. It was a restaurant then, and still is. Now independently owned with a newly (and extremely carefully) cleaned gold mosaic ceiling, some oversized chairs and decent lighting it still oozes grandeur and sophistication.

I had been looking forward to my lunch there for a while and had been instructed that I ought to try a signature dish or two. Greeted with a chilled glass of fiercely bubbling Champagne we got comfortable in the afore mentioned oversized chairs and began to discuss the reason for our lunch - London Restaurant Festival which, I might add, is going to be epic!

The bread was subtly placed on the table with some very homemade looking butter, I was of course aware that Chef Matthew Foxon is known not only for the wondrous food that come out of his kitchen, but for the time, effort and creativity that goes into it all. The butter had, of course, been churned on site and the bread (that smelled divine) baked on site as well. I, rather reluctantly abstained from the bread an butter because, being the greedy little so and so that i am I had ordered a starter that contained scallops and truffles and a main that included a fillet steak and Fois Gras - all this for a Wednesday Lunch!!!

My starter of pan fried scallops, pea and truffle puree, pancetta, pea cress was just heavenly. The truffle in the pea puree was so finely balanced that all flavours could be distinguished, and the scallop - perfectly cooked was divided in two by a fantastically crispy bit of pancetta.

The main course, although I really really didn't need it on a weekday lunchtime, was heaven. Look at the picture below, it really did look like that! I must say, for all my expensive tastes, I usually prefer a Sirloin Steak,but this fillet was beautiful, gorgeous and pink and tender and and and...... The Pont Neuf Chips in their little basket were some of the best tasting chips I've had in a long time, and because of the basket, they didn't go soggy in the jus!

We tried several desserts... All miniature versions of the normal menu. And I can't fault them.

All in all, the service was fantastic, the food was divine and the place itself; really something that has to be seen to be believed (in a good way!!). Here comes the cliche, this restaurant really is, I believe, rising from the ashes and is set to be great, very great indeed.
Keep an eye out for the Criterion as you walk through Piccadilly and during the London Restaurant Festival.

It is at this point that i must come clean - I have just started working there. But, for those of you that don't know me, I am utterly terrible at marketing and thus writing imaginative copy, so what i have written is all true! Friends will back me up in that one... Cross my heart.

Beautiful Scrumptious Stromboli

In the summer time when the weather is hot, hmmm-hm-hmm-hhmm... Can't remember the rest of the words!

Last weekend was full of picnics, Pimms and polo (I didn't actually drink any Pimms but it sounded good!) Well, it sounded average.

I seem to be suffering from a small case of writers block this week. I was so excited by my Eggs Benedict post that I've lost my imagination this week.

This Stromboli, however, is a fantastic little thing that I found online and is perfect for picnics.

For the Dough:

500g Strong Bread Flour

2/3 sachet of fast acting yeas

A pinch of salt

1 tsp sunflower Oil

300 ml hand warm water

For the Filling:
8 slices wafer thin ham

1/2 tin of tomatoes

Small block of Mozzarella (buy the cheaper stuff as it's easier to grate)
A large handful of Basil

lots of lovely grindy pepper

1 small egg

Begin by making your dough.

• All the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the yeast granules and the salt. Also add the Oil and stir it through so everything is mixed up. (The oil will seem like a pretty pointless addition as it's only one tsp but it makes all the difference).


• Make a well in the centre of the bowl, pour some of the warm water in and begin to bring the mixture together. Best to try to use only one hand at the start to keep the other hand free to add more water.


• Add the water bit by bit until the stuff in the bowl resembles dough (I don't have a photo, but you've all seen the Hovis or was it Lurpack adverts!)
  
• NOTE: If the mixture is crumbly add a bit more water, if it sticks to your hands add more flour. You MAY not end up using all the water so don't feel that you HAVE to use it all up to make mud pies!


• Put the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for around 10 minutes - a seriously good stress buster (or, get someone else to do it - that's what i did!)


• Place the kneaded dough back into the mixing bowl and cover with a lightly oiled piece of clingfilm (just place it on top of the dough - this is not to seal the bowl with....


• Leave the bowl in a warm place to rise for at least 2 hours, it will end up double the size and will smell gorgeous!


• Knead the dough again and once again leave to rise for another couple of hours.


• Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.


• Bash the dough a bit so it is in a round lump, then take a rolling pin and roll it flat (it'll look like a pizza base (but it's not strong enough to do the spinning around in the air so I wouldn't recommend trying it!!!)


• Add the tomatoes, ham, grated mozzarella and fresh basil. Black Pepper.



• Roll up and place on a non-stick baking sheet (large one) or some baking parchment if like mine, your baking sheets are so old they aren't non-stick anymore.


• Crack the egg into a cup, give it a quick whisk and brush the dough with the egg wash.


• Pop it in the oven for around 25 minutes.


• It'll come out looking golden brown and scrumptious!


• BEWARE - HEALTH AND SAFETY!!!! The inside will be so so so hot, so if you don't want a furry tongue for a week, leave it to cool for a little while!


• Once it's cold cut it up as you would with a baguette and serve to the ravenous picker-knickers!


• Goes well with a small dollop of Hellman's!

Warning to those with dentures - the ends are a little hard - the boys played cricket with one of the ends!! The rest of it is blooming gorgeous!

Eggs Benedict has got to be one of the ultimate breakfasts one could ever encounter. The delicate crunch of an all butter English muffin with the runny smoothness of a perfectly cooked (if not beautifully presented) poached egg topped with the bite of home-made Hollandaise Sauce.

I began this love with eggs Benedict years and years ago on holiday, on my Gap Yaaaaaar actually, in Australia. If there is one thing that the Aussies can do – it’s Breakfast! Until then, going out for breakfast had consisted of ’Full English (no mushrooms though, thank you so much)’ or a tres tres rapide croissant et cafe noir. Never had I sat and enjoyed the rich, creamy calorific joy that is Eggs Benedict. These days I have to limit myself because, let’s face it – the 150ml of melted butter that goes into enough Hollandaise for 3 people is a weeny bit unhealthy! And you can’t say ‘why do you have less sauce?’ to a Northerner like me – it just doesn’t work!

So, Hollandaise, my style!

2 medium egg yolks
150ml Melted butter (everyone says it has to be unsalted, but whatever butter you have, use it) 100ml white wine vinegar
5 – 10 peppercorns
Pinch of fresh or dried tarragon
Few drops of lemon juice

To prepare:

• Put the white wine vinegar into a microwave proof dish/jug with the peppercorns and tarragon. Microwave for 10 minutes. During that time the vinegar will reduce and will also absorb some tarragon and pepper flavours.

• Melt the butter – all the chefs say do it in a saucepan and skim off the froth – I say, use the microwave (again) all the fat will sink to the bottom and just be sure to only pour the clear stuff when you’re using it.

• Have a pan of boiling water with a heatproof bowl over it ready, I have a plastic jug with a handle that I used and it worked a treat.

• Egg yolks and 2 tbsp the white wine vinegar mixture into the jug/bowl. Using electric whisks beat them together until very pale yellow and frothy.

• Add about a tablespoon’s worth of the melted butter to the pale yellow froth and whisk until it’s fully combined with the froth.

• Continue to add the butter in a very slowly drizzle keeping the whisk switched on while drizzling. If you do this from a jug the white grubby bit at the bottom will stay there and you’ll only get the clear stuff.

• Once you’ve got towards the end of the jug of butter, have a taste of the sauce (switch the whisk off first obviously – SAFETY FIRST). It should look yellowy creamy in colour and look like runny mayonnaise.

• If, when you taste it, it takes the skin off the back of your throat then add more butter. If all you can taste is butter then add a little lemon juice and a drop more of white wine vinegar.
Getting the right flavour is about trial and error. If you add more of anything make sure that the whisks are on and ensuring everything is blended through.

• Toast a muffin

• Add your scrummy extra topping

• Put the egg on top, pour the Hollandaise over the top.

The Good Life

I haven't got much to write in this entry, it is going to be mainly a pictorial post.

The excitement of picking home grown vegetables over the weekend has rendered me speechless!

I, of course, can't take the credit for this - this is all Jill Pollock's hard work!! I know that not everyone has a huge plot to plant vegetables but we all have window sills on which we can put a pot of Basil and a pot of parsley... Even fresh parsley tastes different to the dried stuff. Whether you shop at a supermarket or a farmers market you can get your hands on a pot of either of the above under a Fiver and what a difference it'll make to your food!

While down at Le boyfriend's parents' house Sunday supper approached rather fast and we raided the veggie patch. Look what we got!!

In this basket we have:

Courgettes

Onions/shallots (I'm not sure to be honest)

lettuce

Anya Potatoes

Annabel Potatoes

Broad Beans

Swiss Chard

Isn't that just absolutely amazing!

So, what am I actually doing with this blog?

This little entry is really for the Facebookers who click on the weird links that get posted to my Status 3 or 4 times a week!


For those of you who know me; you will know the following about me:

• I'm potty about food
• I love cooking
• I love eating
• I spend all my money on attempting to be glitzy and cool
• food shopping, for me, is like a smoking addiction - I can't really afford it but I always find the money somehow!
• I have had the nick-name 'Bridget' (as in Jones) thrust upon me on several occasions

So, in brief I decided to save some money by starting this blog, I will therefore not go out so much and start to become a geeky recluse. That's the idea, anyway.

I will eventually loose any tan that i have ever had, become deficient in Vitamin D and probably only communicate through Facebook and Twitter (oooh yes, I'm on Twitter as well - told you i was cool!). I might also develop a nervous twitch or a stutter just for effect.

Seriously though - I want (along with every other celebrity chef on the planet) to cook food that is:

• Yummy
• cheap
• fresh
• quick
• healthy - well most of the time

I want people to see that you don't have to head straight to the ready meal aisle in the supermarket!!

So that's that!

Next post is going to be mainly photos of lots of gorgeous veggies that we picked this weekend!!

Slowing Down....

Just come back from a fantabulous week in scorching hot Egypt.
I love it there, it's really really hot but there was lots of lovely breeze so we didn't have to worry about baking in the shade.

I had hoped to take lots of holiday foodie snaps but my 'waterproof' camera, it seems, isn't waterproof anymore.....Hmmmm. Very disappointing! So out of the window goes my planned blog schedule of lots of scrummy looking pictures of divine kebabs and authentic ummmm spaghetti bolognese, well, yeah, I wasn't hugely adventurous I must admit.

But the problem is, I've come back with a bit of a writers block. I've missed a week of the foodie season so am totally confused as to what i should be cooking (apart from broad beans... not a huge fan, it's got to be said!)
I can't talk about 'The Good Life' again because I'll get carried away and start waffling - again.

What next?

Well hopefully the new job will provide me with some good inspiration.

I don't know if anyone reads this but any ideas or thoughts on:
a) how I'm doing in general
b) what you would like me to write about

Greatly appreciated...

Sticky BBQ Spare Ribs

With the heatwave in full swing - hands up who's bored of charred sausages or tasteless chicken drumsticks.....? And.... hands up who's also bored of thinking 'oooh, let's have a BBQ for supper' and then getting to the supermarket and finding everything remotely pre-marinated has gone.

So I've come up with an easy marinade for spare ribs that uses store cupboard ingredients so you can buy the plain ribs in the supermarket - they are always there because no one know how to do the sticky marinade!!

1 x 500g packet of Pork Ribs

4tbsp runny honey

1 good squeeze tomato puree

4tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

a slosh white cooking wine

pulp of 5 tomatoes

2 drops of Tabasco

Put all the ingredients (apart from the ribs...obviously) into a blender and whizz.

pop the ribs into a mixing bowl and pour the mouthwateringly wonderful smelling all over them. Get your hands into the bowl and massage the marinade into the pork.

Leave to marinade for at least a couple of hours.

Whack 'em on the BBQ and they will turn yummy and sticky and mmmmmmmm.

Ready Steady Cook!!

I'm no Ainslie and it took a lot longer than 20 minutes, but i bet they don't get wine and cider on the TV show!

The ingredients:

The challenge:

Produce a 3-course meal using ALL of the ingredients provided and any store cupboard bits and bobs.

My Menu:

Deep fried Camembert with a caramelised onion chutney

Chinese Style noodle soup with flash-fried fresh scallops

Blueberry, Greek Yogurt and Ice cream Mess

I'll start with the 'Mess'
Possibly one of the easiest recipes in the world... EVER

4 ramekin dishes
4 large tbsp Vanilla Ice Cream
A handful of blueberries
About a soup ladle's worth of Greek yogurt
3 tbsp Icing Sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

• Dollop the Greek Yogurt and lemon juice into a small mixing bowl (I used a measuring jug because by that point I'd run out of anything else to use!)
• With a fork, stir in the icing sugar (don't worry about the little lumps, that's why it's called a 'Mess').
• gently heat the blueberries in a saucepan with some sugar and little water. crush a few of them to release some of their juices.
• Once the sugar has dissolved in with the blueberries pour the mixture in with the Greek Yogurt
• Put a tablespoon of ice-cream on the base of each ramekin dish and pour over the blueberry/Greek Yogurt mixture.
• Serve!

I'll do the other two recipes in another post....

I can HIGHLY recommend a 'Ready Steady Cook' night, it was just four girls, we've all known each other since school and have recently got back in touch so there is PLENTY to talk about.

It did feel a bit weird all day knowing people we coming over, but short of cleaning the flat (which i failed to do) there was simply no preparation for me - no recipe planning - no shopping - no food prep. And... it didn't take all night, OK so i cooked each course as we needed it but we were done by 10pm (ish).

A piece of advice - if you ever want some amusement, give a teacher friend of yours some highly sugary sweets and see what happens, she'll be bouncing off the walls within 30 minutes - GUARANTEED!

Right - it's off to bed for me as I've decided this post isn't nearly as amusing as it should be!!

Bx