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Voting time is not over yet, vote for Tasty Diaries as the yummiest blog at the Observer Food Monthly Awards!
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13 May 2010
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Hello les amis! Reading my whinging introduction to last week’s newsletter was a stark reminder I should never EVER write at 3am again, staring at a glaring monitor at this time of the night is indeed not that conducive to a positive outlook on life… Be reassured, dearest readers, I am now back to my bouncy and happy self, not least because I spent last weekend talking to great food producers and meeting lots of happy foodies at the Real Food Festival. If you went there you might have noticed me, I was the tall dark haired girl with bright red lipstick on and a flashy pink apron with a big goose on it. Er… I realise this description won’t put me in your list of trendiest fashionistas to follow but believe me, the look did work, in a rather you-can’t-avoid-me kind of way. I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome all my new subscribers – you got it, all of you who could not avoid the hot pink apron.  The recipes this week couldn’t be more Spring inspired, making the best of asparagus, artichokes, lamb, peas and this week’s featured seasonal star: fabulously aromatic mint. The Kitchen Talk section tells you all about marinades and gives you easy and handy tips to use your dishwasher in a more eco-friendly way. Lastly, if you have been finding this newsletter inspiring, vote for Tasty Diaries as the best blog at the Observer Food Monthly awards!! Technically I am not a blog and I am a rather new kid on the block so this is a long shot but hey, it you guys all do it, TD might get noticed! Merci beaucoup et Ă jeudi prochain, Anne-Laure x
VN:F [1.9.1_1087] Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast) |
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QUICK week treats
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Creamy asparagus velouté with ham and balsamic vinegar
Busy: 30 min, Total time: 30 min
| The good thing about this balmy and simple velouté is that with asparagus, potatoes and ham, you can make a full dinner of it. My children loved its delicate taste and tender colour, with Adele falling completely for the crunchy asparagus slices. The balsamic vinegar adds a nicely sweet and elegant touch we all enjoyed. I made smiley faces for the kids - that was enough to win them over. For a vegetarian option, replace the ham with a poached egg. |
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Honey roasted salmon with lemon and rosemary baby artichokes
Busy: 30 min, Total time: 30 min
| My childhood was dotted with boiled artichoke dinners, which I viscerally hated. Since I rediscovered artichoke hearts this year I figured I might as well be brave and try whole fresh ones during their season. I simplified a recipe found in my Chez Panisse book, paired it with my classic acidulated salmon, and... O wonder of wonders! I give you the artichoke nouveau, fabulously tangy, melting and addictive! Yum, I am cooking both again this weekend. |
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Weekend THERAPY
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Racks of lamb crusted in mint, lemon and garlic served with peas and lemon couscous
Busy: 15 minutes, Total time: 2h30 min (includes 2 hours marinating time)
| Lamb with mint and mint with peas are two very British combinations. In this easy weekend lunch, I added lemon, chili, cumin and plenty of garlic to the mix. The confluence of herbs, spices and citrus yields an exquisitely refreshing yet bity mixture of flavours, echoing each other in the crunchy texture covering the tender meat and the juices happily soaked up by the peas and couscous. A truly delicious dish. |
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White chocolate mousse with fresh mint and raspberries
Busy: 30 min, Total time: 30 min
| I usually don’t like mint with chocolate. But when our teaching chef served this as a surprise dessert after a cooking class I attended at L’Atelier des Chefs, I was swept away by the freshness and delicate texture of this mousse. The vibrant colours of the raspberries and mint on the creamy mousse also make this dessert absolutely stunning. A treat guaranteed to impress your guests and a must for all white chocolate lovers. |
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IN SEASON
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New in May:
Aubergines, broad beans, peas, mange tout, globe artichokes, lambs lettuce
Ending:
Purple sprouting broccoli, leeks
Also in season:
Asparagus, Radishes, Wild garlic, Lettuce, Rocket, Morel mushrooms, Rosemary, Spinach, Cucumber, Bananas, oranges, kiwi fruit, alphonso mango, broccoli, Jersey Royal new potatoes, maincrop potatoes, rhubarb, sorrel, Spring onions, watercress, Spring lamb, crab, cockles, John Dory, salmon, sea trout, wood pigeon | |
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KITCHEN TALK
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Eat Now: Mint
A nous les Pimm's, Mohito's and barbecues, mint has arrived! Mint is a perennial that grows pretty much without care in almost all conditions. This makes it a great plant to have in your garden or on kitchen windowsills. It will become your best friend as the weather gets warmer, so handy for adding refreshing touches to your dishes and drinks. Its leaves, which grow from May through to late September, are a delight to both the nose and tastebuds. Just crush a leaf between your fingers and already you feel quenched, with the sun warming your neck and your woolly jumper magically turning into a crisp white linen shirt. The two most c[...]
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The Conscious Cook: Dishwasher versus hand washing, and tips to make your dishwasher more eco-friendly
Much has changed in dishwashers in the past decade - they use less water, less electricity, are made of fewer materials and do an increasingly good job at cleaning the dishes, pots and pans. So the question is, which is more environmentally friendly, using a dishwasher or washing the dishes by hand? The answer is, with an energy and water efficient dishwasher (most recent dishwashers are) and a proper use of the beast, the dishwasher wins. According to various studies, it can use 40% to 80% less water and 50% less energy than doing dishes by hand. Think of how many dish washing and rinsing throughout the day you need to do by hand v[...]
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Ask Anne-Laure:Does marinating a meat actually tenderizes it? (Tim)
Hi Tim, the short answer is some marinades do but not all. For these to work, they have to either include an acidic liquid or an ingredient containing tenderizing enzymes. These include vinegar, all citrus juices (lemon, orange etc.), wine, sherry, yoghurt, buttermilk, ginger or tea. They basically work by breaking down the collagen proteins at the surface of the meat, which is what holds its fibres together. This ultimately makes the meat more tender and allows flavours to be absorbed. (As a passing note, this fact makes you kind of wonder about the validity of acid-based cosmetic creams, doesn't it?) As a general rule, the longer[...]
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One Comment to “Voting time is not over yet, vote for Tasty Diaries as the yummiest blog at the Observer Food Monthly Awards!”
June 12th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
I love it!