THEGAYUK

Author: Food Writer

  • RECIPE | Slow Beau Tomatoes

    There’s always a batch of these in my fridge every week- whether simply paired with a piece of toast, added to a salad, or even in a bolognese- these versatile tender tomatoes are sure to become a regular must in your kitchen.

    The slow three-hour roast enables the tomatoes and oil (remaining oil makes an epic dressing spooned over salads) to take on all the flavour of the herbs and is perfect for wholesome Sunday tinkering in the kitchen, when you may well be feeling a little slow yourself!

    TOMATOES – The beautiful red colour of tomatoes denotes that they are full of beta-carotenes which is really beneficial to our skin. Tomatoes contain high vitamin C, and also vitamins A & K. They are helpful when needing to boost your immune system and also have anti-cancer properties.

     

    Ingredients.

    1kg plum tomatoes, halved lengthways with seeds scooped out

    2 tsp dried oregano

    2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped

    1 tsp basil

    1 tsp sugar

    small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

    240ml extra virgin olive oil

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 120c / 100c (Fan) / Gas Mark ½

     

    1. In a small bowl combine the oregano, basil, sugar and a couple of scrunches of salt.
    2. In a large baking dish pour in half of the olive oil.
    3. Place the tomatoes in the oily dish with the cut side facing up and sprinkle over your combined herbs/sugar mix.
    4. Drizzle over the remaining oil and place into the oven for 1 hour.
    5. Remove from the oven and turn the tomatoes over carefully, and back in the oven for another hour.
    6. Remove from the oven and turn tomatoes for the last time, and back in to roast for the next & final hour.
    7. Transfer half of the tomatoes to a bowl or serving dish. Pour over the majority of the oil, and scatter half the parsley and garlic.
    8. Place the rest of the tomatoes on top to form a layer, and drizzle with remaining oil, parsley and garlic.
    9. Set aside for an hour or so before covering and chilling in the fridge. These will keep for up to 5 days. Remove from the fridge half an hour before serving if eating cold.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Pennethorne’s – At Somerset House

    There is something rather enchanting about Somerset House, and what a lovely setting it makes for Pennethorne’s Café Bar. Just standing in their courtyard you feel removed from the chaos of the city. Situated in the New Wing, Pennethorne’s is adorned in dramatic décor that seems to be ever so in right now. Black walls, brassy tables and dim pendant lights lined in rows. Unsurprisingly the majority of the crowd appear a little bit swanky-socialite.

    The staff are a bubbly bunch (shout out to Phoenix & Paulo for looking after us so well). Speaking of bubbles, their champagne menu is small but comprises of three carefully selected essentials; Brut (£33), Prosecco (£27), and a Cuvee (£66) made in Sussex.

    Seven PM and we appear to be the only guests eating, our waiter confirms most dining trade is over lunch period. Good to know if you prefer a quiet eat in the evenings.

    The menu consists of breads, tinned and potted dishes, salads, meat and cheese selections and items served on toast. Probably why this attracts a lunch-time crowd- but the dishes are sophisticated enough to translate into dinner. As some of the dishes are on the small side it makes good for sharing- just be aware of what and how many of your dishes come with bread as we found ourselves looking like a bakery at full swing.

    The bread was really well made (freshly baked by their in-house baker) and the menu boasts some lovely combos such as; Fig & Apricot, Bacon Brioche, and Walnut & Raisin.

    Kale was on the menu in the form of Crispy Curly Kale & Ham Hock Salad (£6). Of course we felt the need to order the kale, as much as most restaurants feel the fear that their menu without kale on it will deem them as non-foodie-friendly. Although that looks set to change with cauliflower soon to be the new kale, as said by someone as insignificant as this very sentence. A pleasant dish of warm kale, salty ham with small jewels of onion run through it. Bringing a much welcomed lightness amongst the richness of the other dishes.

    Potted Beef (£8). The meat appearing as pulled pork would, but in a cute little pot. Like the best bit of an amazing pie, tender flesh nestled amongst it’s own garlic, black pepper and red wine gravy. Sod the pot, bring me a trough. This was gorgeous.

    Another favourite of mine was from the Mortadella as part of the Selection of Meats (£16). Rosette, Mortadello and Iberico Ham all being of fantastic quality- no yucky plastic textures that a lot of restaurants tend to fob you off with. Both Mortadella and Rosette cuts had great marbling. The Iberico was smooth and melt in the mouth, but my least favourite out of all three.

    The favourite dish of our servers, and apparently a popular choice from diners, was the wild Mushrooms (£5) atop softly toasted bread. A good handful of wild mushrooms that still retained their lovely earthiness but amongst garlic and wine, and with a hint of something almost balsamic. I can see why this is popular as it all works very well together and is served in a perfectly sized portion.

    For those unfamiliar with Nduja – traditionally, is an Italian spicy pork pate and is also set to be one of our food trends for 2015. No doubt it will be popping up on menus everywhere shortly! Pennethorne’s Nduja (£4.75) smells like it will blow your mind, and it will. Expect hot lips. If you like a chilli hit, then this is your dish. We found ourselves going back for more and more of this one- addictive.

    Pennethorne’s have some real gems on their menu, and I really love the fusion of simple British traditions “…On Toast” and the tinned/potted dishes mixed with Italian influences. A bonus for garlic lovers, as Pennethorne’s love it too. The quality of ingredients you receive is great value for money.

    Sad to see no desserts on the evening menu, their breakfast menu does list pastries/muffins/doughnuts/sticky buns/bakes etc; sounds delicious! It could be well received for them to also have these appearing on the evening menu.

    Any fashion freaks visiting Somerset House for London Fashion Week this year, be sure to say hello to Pennethorne’s and go for the Mushrooms on toast, or Potted Beef.

    REVIEWED BY: Jordan Lohan
    ADDRESS: Pennethorne Cafe, New Wing, Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
    VENUE PHONE: 020 3751 0570
    PRICE: £££ (explained)
    STAR RATING: ★★★ (explained)
    TIPPING POLICY:

  • COCKTAIL RECIPE | Gingerpolitian

    Gingerpolitan

    Ingredients.

    15ml bottlegreen ginger & lemongrass cordial

    35ml vodka

    15ml cointreau

    ½ lime, juice of

     

    Method.

    Shake all the ingredients together with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange peel curl.

  • COCKTAIL |Crimson Mist

    Crimson Mist

    Ingredients.

    15ml bottlegreen pomegranate & elderflower cordial

    50ml gin (I would use Tanqueray)

    60ml cranberry juice

    soda water, to top drink up with

     

    Method.

    Shake the ingredients together with ice and strain into a highball glass, topping up with soda water. Garnish with a fruit wedge or a curl of lime.

  • COCKTAIL | Cardhu Cocktail Honeyed Gold

    I’ve never been a fan of whisky, until I met Cardhu Gold! Surprisingly smooth and makes a darn good cocktail too!

    Honeyed Gold

    50ml Cardhu Gold Reserve
    60ml Pear juice
    60ml Ginger Ale
    10ml Honey water (equal quantity of honey and hot water, cooled before adding)

    Pour all ingredients into a whisky glass over ice cubes and stir.

    HOW TO GARNISH

    You could resort to the classic slice of lemon. Or you could step it up a bit with this simple to execute show stopper.

    Take an orange or lemon and slice around 4 inches of peel.

    Cut off the edges on the length sides to create parallel strips.

    Then take the strips and cut the angles to create a triangle or ‘z’ shape.

    Then twist so that the two ends meet in the middle and the orange or lemon mist is released.

  • RECIPE | “Fire” – Red Pepper Dip

    Serves 4-8 people (along side other dishes) |  Prep 10 mins | cook 30 mins (roasting red peppers & chilli @ 220c / 200(fan) / Gas Mark 7)

    Inexpensive / Gluten-Free / Vegan /

    If you want this light dip to live up to it’s fiery name then leave the seeds of the chilli in for the ultimate kick. This goes really well along side my recipe for Coal (black quinoa coated chicken nuggets) – to create Coal & Fire. This is also great along side vegetable sticks for a healthy buffet style dinner. Any leftovers can be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 days.

    RED PEPPER- Contains anti-oxidant vitamins C & A. Which both help to support a healthy immune system. Rich in flavanoids and anti-oxidants, these brightly coloured peppers have been linked to anti-cancer benefits. (SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=50&tname=foodspice )

    WALNUTS- Good source of B7, which is the vitamin that helps strengthen hair and reduce hair loss. The other B-complex vitamins in the walnut help you fight the ageing process on your skin and can help obtain a healthy glow. (SOURCE: http://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/go-walnuts-13-health-benefits-of-this-awesome-nut/ ) . Walnuts have also been found to have anti-cancer benefits with the slowing of tumour growth in breast and prostate cancers. (SOURCE: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/19/7-walnuts-benefits.aspx )

     

    Ingredients.

    2 red peppers, roasted in the oven whole, de-skinned / de-seeded and sliced

    1 long red chilli, roasted in the oven whole, de-skinned / de-seeded and sliced

    30g walnuts, dry-toasted in a frying pan

    1 tsp lemon juice

    ½ tsp smoked paprika

    ½ tsp cumin

    Glug pomegranate juice

    Olive oil

     

    Method.

    1. Combine all the ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until smooth.
    2. Add around 2 tablespoons of olive oil and pulse again. Serve.

     

  • RECIPE | Party Rice

    Serves 8-10 people | Prep 15 mins | Cook 25 mins

    This is great for serving to a crowd as part of a buffet- especially if you’re in a hurry. It would work nicely alongside plain char-grilled Mediterranean vegetables. Also pretty with parsley.

    If you’re serving up onto individual plates, use a ramekin to make a mould for the rice and then turn out onto the plates.

    Ingredients.

    150g white & wholegrain basmati rice

    150g black rice

    400g canned tuna (280g drained weight)

    110g ham hock, cooked (got mine from Sains.)

    1 ball (150g) mozzarella, shredded or diced finely

    1 can sweetcorn

    ½ can cannellini beans

    30g cocktail gherkins, sliced

    8 small hotdogs, sliced

    2 eggs, hard-boiled and mashed with a fork

    4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

    4 tbsp lemon juice

    Salt & Pepper

     

    Method.

    1. Get a large saucepan of boiling water on the go and add both types of rice (just double check they both require around 25 minutes cooking time). Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and set aside.
    2. In a large mixing bowl now combine all the ingredients together and mix well, seasoning with a touch of salt and a few good scrunches of cracked black pepper. Serve.

     

     

  • RECIPE | Pizzucchinis

    Serves 1 | Prep 5 minutes | Cook 30 minutes

    Half a large courgette counts as 1 of your 5-a-day. These speedy snacks use collagen encouraging courgette as a nutritious base for classic pizza flavours from tomato, mozzarella, oregano, and basil. Play around with different ingredients and herbs for toppings; olives, anchovies, fresh chilli, whatever you have or fancy really!

    COURGETTES – Appearances from our anti-oxidant friends, vitamins C & A. The dietary fibre in courgettes can also help lowering our cholesterol levels. The same fibre matched with the courgette’s water content will also make you feel full, and with a low calorie content could be used for weight management.

    Courgette’s are also great for our skin; hydration, anti-ageing, collagen formation, and puffy eyes.

    Ingredients.

    1 courgette, halved lengthways

    Mozzarella, I use pearls (darling) and slice in half

    Cherry tomatoes, quartered

    Dried oregano

    Dried basil

    Garlic granules

    Olive oil

    Chilli flakes (optional)

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 210c / 190c (fan) / Gas Mark 6 ½

     

    1. To make sure your courgette halves sit flat on your baking tray, use a knife to level the bottoms out by taking a small slice off, if necessary.
    2. Brush lightly with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of garlic granules on each courgette half.
    3. Top with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella (sit them close together so as the cheese melts it secures the tomatoes in place).
    4. Scatter with basil, oregano, and chilli flakes to your desired level of herb! Top with some freshly cracked black pepper and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is going golden and courgettes are just cooked through and still have a bit of bite!

     

  • RECIPE | Golden Pomodorino Cake

    Prep 30 mins | Cook 45 mins

    As tomatoes are part of the fruit world it makes it a little easier to understand how this translates in the form of a cake. Eaten raw these little pearls of sunshine have a natural sweet taste, and they go quite well with pomegranate seeds in salads. Research has shown that most of tomatoes health properties are actually enhanced through the cooking process.

    The de-seeding and skinning process of the tomatoes may seem laborious but the end result of this cake is pure gold. Moist and lightly flavoured with lemon make a good pairing for pomegranate decoration and the sweet sharpness they will bring to the dessert.

    YELLOW TOMATOES – Yellow tomatoes have double the amount of iron to red tomatoes. It’s a close call as to which is the more beneficial colour tomato. Some highlights of the yellow tomato are that they contain more; phosphorous, potassium, zinc, niacin, and folate than red tomatoes. SOURCE : http://www.prevention.com/which-healthier-red-tomatoes-vs-yellow-tomatoes ). Lycopene, normally associated with red tomatoes (baked beans are a good source for this also), but our bodies can actually digest Lycopene from that found in the yellow tomato. Lycopene is known for its many health benefits including anti-cancer properties and protection from heart disease. (SOURCE: http://organiceyourlife.com/lycopene-and-yellow-tomatoes/ )

    Ingredients.

    2 eggs

    225g self-raising flour

    140g unsalted butter

    140g caster sugar

    140g yellow tomato purée (around 225g of yellow tomatoes make this much purée after de-skinning and de-seeding)

    1 tsp baking powder

    ½ tsp baking soda

    ½ tsp salt

    ½ tsp lemon zest

    pinch cinnamon

     

    to decorate;

    pomegranate seeds

    icing

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4

     

    1. Rub butter over some greaseproof paper and use this to line a loaf tin.
    2. Begin by de-skinning and de-seeding the tomatoes. Make a cross with a sharp knife on each tomato and plunge into recently boiled hot water for 30 seconds – 1 minute. Drain from the hot water and immediately plunge into cold water for the same amount of time. Peel away the now loose skins and squeeze to purge the seeds from the tomato.
    3. Purée in a small food processor until smooth. Set aside.
    4. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until well combined and fluffy.
    5. Add the eggs, whisking one in at a time.
    6. Add the lemon zest, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the flour and sift about half of the flour mix into the buttery sugared mix, stir well to combine.
    7. Add all the tomato purée and stir through thoroughly.
    8. Sift in the remaining flour and stir.
    9. Pour the cake batter into the greaseproof paper lined loaf tin and place in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean after inserting in the centre of the cake.
    10. You can serve pomegranate seeds on the side, or make up some icing with icing sugar and drizzle on top of the cake where you can then “glue” the seeds on top using the icing.

  • RECIPE | Thyme Roasted Baby Leeks

    Serves 2 | Prep 5 mins | Cook 15 mins

    LEEKS- The lovely leek can be a great tool to use for detox. Leeks fibre content cleanses the digestive tract, as well as being a potent diuretic. Leeks are also good sources of calcium, vitamin C, potassium, B6, and iron! SOURCE: http://www.diethealthclub.com/health-food/leeks.html )

    Ingredients.

    Olive oil, glug

    White wine vinegar, glug

    1 pack baby leeks (usually 5-6)

    1 garlic clove, sliced finely

    Few thyme sprigs, leaves removed

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    1. Top and tail the leeks and remove the first outer skin.
    2. Blanch in boiling hot water for 3 minutes.
    3. Drain thoroughly, place in a baking tray and pop in the glugs of olive oil and vinegar, along with the thyme leaves and garlic.
    4. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes until they start to turn golden on top.

  • RECIPE | Herby Pork Chop

    Serves 2 |  Prep 15 mins Cook 15 mins

    Herb up your life! This deliciously bronzed, herb spiked, panko crumb pork is super easy to put together and is a treat to the taste buds with a lemony undertone thrown in too. I served mine with Thyme Roasted Baby Leeks, steamed tenderstem broccoli, and a small whole jacket sweet potato each. The recipe is easily doubled and you could also apply the same method to flattened chicken breasts.

    Pork is a great source of protein, and is also another good way of getting zinc into your diet. 85g of pork contains just under 2mg of zinc, and men require about 11mg a day (women 8mg). Zinc is an important mineral to consider for healthy immune system function. 85g of pork chop is also only around 137 calories. (SOURCE: http://www.livestrong.com/article/415403-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-pork-chops/ )

    Ingredients.

    2 pork chops (without bone)

    60g panko breadcrumbs

    30g plain flour

    1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

    1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

    1 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped

    1 tsp basil, finely chopped

    ½ tsp garlic granules

    1 lemon, zested

    1 egg, lightly beaten

     

    Method.

    Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6

     

    1. Set out the following in 3 separate bowls / plates alongside one another to create yourself a little workstation; plain flour, beaten egg, and panko breadcrumbs that have been mixed with herbs / lemon zest. (See picture).
    2. Dust the pork chops in flour and shake off any excess.
    3. Dip in the beaten egg to coat and wait for any excess liquid to drip out over the bowl.
    4. Then fumble the chops in the breadcrumb mix coating thoroughly.
    5. In a frying pan large enough to accommodate both chops, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over a medium to high heat.
    6. Fry the chops for 3 minutes on each side.
    7. Place the chops on a baking tray and place in the oven to finish cooking for 8-10 minutes.
    8. Remove the chops from the oven and plate up with your desired sides.