Tapas in Faversham

Today's stand out discovery for me at Faversham Food Festival was the tapas from Tapatastic

Freshly cooked delicious Mediterranean dishes served with care and smiles by co-owner Kisha and her colleague who have good reason to be proud of their food.

Read about Tapatastic (Kisha & David) concept and vision here www.tapatastic.com

There is much to love about a food truck and this one offered a fabulous choice of hot and cold tapas

My choices of marinara, albondigas and chorizo and tortilla skewer were excellent ones and judging by the happy faces and chatter around me others customers were very happy with their options too.

The atmosphere was buzzing today with a really impressive range of stalls, plenty of tastings, food shopping opportunities plus a variety of entertainment.

The inspiration behind this event now in its third year is the renown Ludlow Food and Drink Festival. Both are picturesque market towns with a considerable history and stunning medieval buildings perfect for a family day out particularly when food is the main attraction.

Sweetcorn and Cornish Sea Salt Co

Its hard to beat a freshly picked corn on the cob which is cooked immediately and eaten hot with butter, salt and pepper. This one which I devoured yesterday was pretty nearly perfect and made even more delicious with some very special seasoning from https://www.cornishseasalt.co.uk more on the combination I used shortly

This year my harvest of sweetcorn has been prolific and ready very early. I have a plentiful supply of good sized cobs which have clearly been guarded well by my friendly and very well dressed scarecrow.

The freshness of the sweetcorn was an obvious plus but what really complimented was the luscious fennel and chilli butter. I seasoned softened butter with Cornish Salt Co Chilli Sea Salt and Original Sea Pepper ( a versatile combination of seaweeds and peppercorns) then added some finely chopped fennel fronds and a tiny amount of fresh chilli.

To complete the burst of flavour I sprinkled "smokin" sea salt over the whole dish. Flavoured with oak, apple and cherrywood this salt smells and tastes amazing. It is very versatile so is rapidly becoming my current favourite ingredient.

Lyme Regis Food Rocks Festival

Five years ago chef Mark Hix began the Food Rocks Festival as a celebration of Dorset's food and drink producers and suppliers http://www.hixrestaurants.co.uk/restaurant/food-rocks/ There is no entry fee and money raised from cooking demonstrations and tastings goes to local and coastal related charities. The location is along the bustling Lyme Regis seafront and events include tastings, food demonstrations, masterclasses, pop up restaurants and plenty of shopping opportunities.

Having visited this event before I was delighted to see it recently promoted by Olive Magazine in their list of best "Food Festivals and Foodie Events  in August 2017" which you can read here olive magazine food rocks I was even more pleased to discover that it is on this weekend 19th & 20th August.

So perhaps predictably I have just spent a very enjoyable afternoon in Lyme Regis sampling in the sunshine and watching demonstrations on the main stage.

Top forager and author Miles Irving together with Mark Hix served up a feast of dishes based on seaweed which looked delicious. For a taste I should have been quicker to put my hand up.

Next on was Clover Hutson chef demonstrator from Artisan Cooks http://artisancooks.co.uk 

I was at the front of the queue for both the mussels cooked in cider and Thai inspired fish stew packed full of flavour with salmon, cod, prawns and crab. Recipes can be found on her web site.

A whole range of renown Chefs support this event donating generous raffle prizes for some lucky winners.

Finally its really not possible to come away without a few purchases for my own cooking particularly given the enthusiasm of these producers for their unique products.

These include extra virgin olive oil and saffron from Belazu and a section of flavoured sea salts and peppers from Cornwall.

I was very tempted with the fresh wasabi root or even a plant from  https://www.thewasabicompany.co.uk as you can see they have a fascinating array of unique products and I am trying the English wasabi powder first.

If you are in the South West there is still a chance to visit Food Rocks for day two tomorrow. If not keep an eye out for this time next year.

Creamy Fish Soup

Ann's Food Diary has been quiet for a while, instead I have been resorting to shorter pieces on my food diary face book page. Tonight however a number of ideas and links to previous blogs came together to develop this quick and relatively easy recipe for a simple tasty and creamy fish soup.

I hope you will agree that this soup which only took 15 minutes to prepare and cook looks truly luxurious and as you will see can largely be made from things that you will have in the fridge, freezer and store cupboard.

First of all here are the ingredients and while I was constructing the dish I realised there were plenty of alternatives I can suggest.

Olive oil, onion, garlic, fennel (could substitute dill or even a splash of Pernod if you have some lurking at the back of the cupboard) parsley, pimenton (other options are paprika or chilli) tomato puree (fresh chopped tomato or even tomato ketchup would work) fish stock (chicken is an alternative) saffron (not essential) brandy (wine instead) left over sour cream (cream or milk would be fine) fish I used frozen fresh salmon and a few frozen scallops (prawns, mixed seafood or frozen white fish are good options)

This may sound odd but I also had some left over cauliflower soup to add. This was made in my soup maker which you can read more about here http://annsfooddiary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/more-soup.html

It comprises onion, raw cauliflower, stock, dijon mustard and milk. It tastes like chicken soup and cauliflower is also one of the the main ingredients of Pret's very tasty (low calorie) mock chicken soup https://www.pret.co.uk/en-gb/1520-soups-%22no-cream%22-cream-of-chicken-soup.aspx

Clearly readers won't have this soup around, you could just add some milk but the fish soup might be a bit thin so I suggest either adding some plain flour at the frying onion stage, or some cornflour mixed with water at the very end. These handy thickening granules are also an option.

Method

Finely dice the onion and fry gently in 1 tbs olive oil
Add 1 clove of crushed garlic and finely chopped fennel (if using)
Add pimenton (or paprika/chilli) and mix well if thickening with flour add it now and cook for 1 minute
Add vegetable or tomato puree, fish or chicken stock "pod" a splash or two of milk (& in my case the left over soup) slosh in some brandy or wine, the saffron and simmer gently for 5 minutes
Cut the fish into bite sized portions and add to the soup bring to a gentle simmer and cook for two minutes
Add the cream or extra milk, season to taste stir gently and heat through for a minute
Serve with chopped parsley (if you have it)

My salmon and scallops were in the freezer they came from one of my favourite shops in Rye. I have written about them a few times before and guess what they have just launched their fabulous new web site https://ryebayfish.com

Prawn and Vegetable Ramen

After a weekend of cooking, sampling dishes and of general over indulgence Monday night called for something altogether different. Ramen originates in Japan and is a savoury broth containing thin white noodles and usually vegetables and meat or fish.

One of my favourite versions can be found on the menu at Wagamama https://www.wagamama.com/  which I went to recently at the branch in Ashford Designer Outlet http://www.mcarthurglen.com/uk/ashford-designer-outlet/en/the-brands/ (this also good place for some browsing and retail therapy)

I haven't tried cooking ramen at home before but decided to give it a go. This recipe found in a blog from Globescoffers http://www.globescoffers.com/recipe/prawn-and-vegetable-ramen/ appeared quite straightforward with just a little ingredient substitution. Below is a picture of what I used.

Just 25 minutes later here was the delicious finished result

Cooking Course at Home

My recent four days cooking at home with our niece were a revelation. We had a lot of fun and her feedback on my Ann’s Food Diary Facebook page was very welcome

 “ Had a brilliant time! Definitely learnt a few recipes I could do by myself :) thank you!”

The time was as much a learning experience for me. I often cook by instinct, work fast and cut corners. She absorbed recipes and methods, followed these precisely and took her time. Her results were exceptionally good quality and have made me reflect on my own style.

We started the time together talking through food likes and dislikes, establishing what were favourites and what recipes she already knew or could easily ask others for. This BBC Good Food basic skills article proved very useful before, during and after our cooking. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/25-skills-every-cook-should-know

This is how the days and menus panned out.

HEATHER’S COOKERY COURSE – MARCH 2017

Thursday 16th
• Menu Planning
• Shopping Lists
• Creating Heather’s signature bake
• Mexican Taco Supper

Friday 17th
• Supermarket & farm shop
• Getting to know cooking basics
• Heather & Phil’s weekday meals
• Focus on Chicken

Saturday 18th
• Easy cooking for friends
• Timing and food preparation
• Dinner Party for six

Sunday 19th
• Day of relaxation
• Heather’s choice for dinner (cooked by Heather)

The first practical of a Victoria Sandwich cake was a wonder, light and airy a great example of how Heather’s patience in whisking so thoroughly paid off and a lesson for me.

Day two “Chicken Day” was a huge success five delicious and varied dishes which we made in single portions from one pack of chicken fillets. These were sampled as we cooked and kept us going in lunches throughout the weekend.

Chicken stuffed with sausage wrapped in bacon

Chicken Wellington

Chinese Chicken and Mushrooms

The third day cooking for friends included planning the menu with a focus on balance, simplicity and how a time plan can make sure you enjoy the event too (not being the martyr in the kitchen as I have been on occasion in the past)

Starter
• Garlic Mushrooms topped with Parma Ham

Main Course
• Roast rib of beef with all the trimmings

Dessert
• Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries and Cream

By the last night she was flying solo preparing our chicken fajitas for three with minimal input from me.

Lamb Chops and Side Dishes Indian Style

The arrival some fat juicy lamb chops was my sort of perfect gift and one that led to a delicious dinner for two.

Pairing lamb with Indian flavours is an aspect that interests me, I wanted the dish to be succulent not dry and to have a sauce. I was also keen to try a cauliflower dish which I learnt at a masterclass at the wonderful River Cottage Spring Food Festival in May last year.

After some recipe research here is the menu that emerged

• Marinaded Lamb Chops
• Creamy Coconut Milk Sauce
• Cauliflower Pakora
• Spicy Green Beans
• Nan Bread

As you can see I mixed and matched the recipes from a variety of sources and the combination was perfect.

The chops were from our local meat supplier, sourced from Smithfield they were on the large side and marinaded for a couple of hours in greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and ginger plus a range of spices.  The mix was based on this recipe from Suvir Saran http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/luscious-tandoori-lamb-chops and worked perfectly. To cook I browned the chops on all side then put the pan (a new favourite with a detachable handle) into the oven for 25 minutes uncovered then rested the meat for 5 minutes before serving.

The coconut milk sauce combined sautéed onion, chilli and more spices plus one of my current favourite ingredients of powdered coconut milk from Maggi which is perfect for adding the amount to suit the dish and if required can be thicker than the tinned variety.

The shallow fried cauliflower pakora contains chickpea or gram flour and was crunchy and spicy.  Taken from a River Cottage recipe this would also be excellent with onions and a good vegetarian option.

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/cauliflower-pakoras-with-tamarind-raita cooking this brought back happy memories of the Spring Food Festival a truly memorable day out with perfect weather in a wonderful Devon setting.

A new chef (to me anyway) is Maunika Gowarden and it was her method that I followed for the nan bread she has some wonderful recipes on her web site many of which I plan to try http://maunikagowardhan.co.uk

Preparation was the key for this meal and then a fairly intense 45 minutes of cooking where I would advise following a timed plan.

The result was a perfectly matched Indian style meal with the lamb the star.

Saving the Sea Bream

I completely understand that some of my friends feel reluctant to cook for me thinking that their offerings will not meet my standards. That is never the case though, as I love to cook, eat and write about food of all types however simple or complex. I also really appreciate being cooked for.

People also forget that I learnt to cook at college while doing a hotel and catering qualification. Here is spite of plentiful other diversions the basic skills clearly sunk in. This was helped no doubt by the months of industrial training we had in hotels, conference centers and factories as eager over worked commis chefs and sometimes pot washers.

I know that much of my cooking is through instinct and I judge by look, taste and smell. That said I do follow recipes if only for guidance and inspiration.

Sometimes things can still go wrong. Last week I visited a favorite fish shop in Rye, you can read about it here http://annsfooddiary.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/fish-is-dish-of-day.html
Sea bream featured in my purchases, a health plump looking fish which I decided to bake whole loosely following a recipe by Angela Hartnett http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/whole_baked_sea_bream_41151

I failed to weigh the fish relying instead on my rough estimate 'plus a bit'. I was clearly wrong. The fish seemed fine but on tucking it was woefully undercooked and still cool in the centre Looking closely again at the picture it is obvious that even in a photo the flesh appears too firm to be properly cooked.

A quick blast in the microwave saved the meal but the lesson for me is sometimes use the scales and calculate properly according to the recipe.

New Year, New Cookery Book

I do still love a new recipe book for Christmas and this year's request for one by Yotam Ottolenghi has certainly lived up to expectations.

I have been fortunate enough to eat in at Ottolenghi's http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/ in London a couple of times in the past and love the vibrancy of the dishes, the atmosphere and the wonderful displays of salads and desserts

My interest in this style of food was rekindled last year at a leisurely October Sunday lunch with friends. It was one of those autumn days when the sun was still warm enough for drinks and appetisers to be enjoyed in their colourful sheltered south London garden.

Returning inside we were in for a real treat of slow roasted lamb and salads inspired by both Ottolengi and Sabrina Ghayour author of Persiana "recipes from the Middle East and Beyond"

Earlier this week my new book was introduced to the kitchen and I tried out a few recipes. I didn't quite have all the ingredients but with some improvisation managed salads of 'Carrots and peas', 'Chargrilled cauliflower with capers and mustard', 'Marinated aubergine' and 'Mushrooms with pearl barley'

Clearly my dishes didn't quite live up to the October summer lunch experience but were a tasty supper nonetheless. This is a relaxed communal style of eating that I am definitely going to try more of this year.