All posts tagged: Food

Avocado Carbonara with Lemon, Pine Nuts & Olive Oil

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Ok, so I just moon walked into the kitchen to cook myself something tragic with the leftovers in my fridge, and just so happened to cook a pretty damn tasty dish that was ready to eat in the time it takes to cook the pasta. I use a couple of tricks to make this dish extra special. Avocado’s make a healthier substitute for cream in pasta sauce, using starchy pasta water helps the sauce to stick to the pasta and a cheeky yolk thickens the sauce when it is mixed in, just like in a Carbonara. Serves two 1 small leek 1 small red onion 1 clove of garlic 1 lemon 1 ripe avocado a few glugs of olive oil a handful of pinenuts a handful of grated cheddar 1 egg yolk So… fill a saucepan with water, bring to the boil then add the pasta. Cook for around 15 mins until al dente (and keep 3 tbsp of the cooking water) Roughly chop the leek and red onion, and crush the garlic clove with …

Clutch – Review

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CLUTCH Clutch, 4 Ravenscroft Street, London E2 7QG http://www.clutchchicken.com Fifth result down on a quick google search, after discount handbags, care repair advice and gig dates for a 90’s American rock band, you’ll find Clutch- ‘the home of guilt-free chicken.’ This restaurant’s website has been at a practically blank holding page for months now, but I can tell you for free that the fried chicken here is clean-tasting yet completely addictive. We ate more chickens than there were diners at our table on the night in question and no, I do not feel at all guilty. Right around the corner from Columbia Road, Clutch pops up out of nowhere, like a petrol garage in the desert. The building was once a dirty little East End boozer, but now, painted cartoon yellow, with a faux turf lawn and dolls house-style garden furniture out front, Clutch couldn’t be further than its former haunt. A chirpy and sour ‘Jay Z’ (cocktail) started our night off nicely – the making of which had so many different elements it resembled that classic Rowan …

Mission E2 – Review

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Mission – Arch 250, Paradise Row, E2 9LE The initial appeal of this East London wine bar was that its just around the corner from our humble East London flat, and I get lazy. But since it’s opening late last year Mission has gained plenty of attention and really caught my eye in an online review I was reading last week (initially because of the pretty-flash palm tree centre piece that swoons over the bar, but then for the soothing sound if its rustic, unpretentious tapas-style dishes).  I won’t pretend I know a hell of a lot about wine. I’m embarrassed to say it. But I do know East London. And good food. And where to get good food in East London, with a glass of wine. So that’s what I am going to comment on. Mission is placed in a railway arch, with a dark, curved wooden ceiling that makes you feel like you’re walking straight into a wine barrel. Fittingly, the whole place was drunk – loud, bustling, a bit dizzying. But very inviting. On Friday night our waiting staff were mental; too …

Understanding Catalan and The Oldest Winebar in Barcelona

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The first menu you read at the first restaurant you visit in Barcelona always sounds the most exciting: grilled octopus, garlic prawns, fried salted Padron peppers, smoked pork meatballs and blue cheese croquettes. Exciting… that is until you notice the other restaurants on your way home and find that nearly all have exactly the same dishes on their menu. But fear not, this isnt a classic case of ‘traditional fish and chips’ or ‘pie and mash’ signs decorating the entrance of every station of the circle line.The reason you can find these same Catalan tapas dishes everywhere you go is because they are so fantastic that the locals are still eating them. The thing that struck me about Barcelona was its ability to maintain the authenticity of its famous dishes. Heavy with pork, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, smothered in olive oil with sea salt and fantastic bread. We were very fortunate to have my brothers girlfriend with us, who has been living in Barcelona for nearly a year and speaks perfect Spanish. She is well …

So Japaneasy

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My love of Japanese food spawned in a not very romantic way. Diving into a late night box of half-price sushi at itsu, at the end of a long and boring day sitting at the computer, doesn’t sound like the beginning of a culinary odyssey. But from then on, once I got the idea of sushi in my head… it was the only thing pulling me through the day! Who knew the combination of sticky sweet rice, creamy avocado and salmon, nutty sesame and loads of punchy wasabi could be oh so pleasurable? (See my review of SO Japanese)     I was lucky enough to learn the arts of sushi with the lovely sushi ninjas of YO! Sushi in last years Taste Festival . It was like an art class where you got to eat the finish product! So I wanted to create a recipe that incorporated all the delicate flavours of sushi, but that was quick and easy and can be rustled up in a matter of minutes. Taking inspiration from an amazing dish I tried …