Bread Sauce

You can’t get a more English accompaniment to a roast fowl than bread sauce.  I suppose in the old days it was a way of making the chicken, turkey or goose going a little further.

My dear friend Latifa was staying with us, and on her last day in wet dreary London before she flew off to Hong Kong, I thought I’d cook a traditional Sunday roast…chicken, potatoes roasted in goose fat, cabbage with pancetta and of course bread sauce.

I first cooked bread sauce for Latifa one Christmas and she absolutely loved it.

I always remember helping my father cook the Sunday lunch, and one of my jobs was bread sauce.  I really cannot stress how super easy this is to make, and really is a welcome addition to any Sunday lunch table.

Here’s what you need for lunch for 6:

Fresh breadcrumbs – white or brown, whatever you happen to have

Half an onion

Handful of whole cloves

2 or 3 bay leaves

Handful of whole black peppercorns

Pinch of mace

1 pint milk

Here’s what to do:

Stud half an onion with the whole cloves

Pour milk into saucepan

Add bay leaves, peppercorns and mace

Cover and bring the milk to the boil, and then take the saucepan off the heat, keeping the lid on so that all the flavours infuse into the milk.

Put the bread into a food processor and whizz into breadcrumbs, this will take no more than 10 seconds.

Towards the end of the preparation of your roast, the bread sauce is one of the last things you will need to do.

Remove the onion, peppercorns, bay and mace from the milk.  Add the breadcrumbs and stir in, and pop over a low heat to warm through, et voila…it is ready to serve with your glorious roast chicken….and of course with love…xoxo….

Salmon Terriyaki & spring onions

This dish is super speedy and only takes as long as the rice takes to cook.  In order for this to be super speedy, I use shop bought Teriyaki sauce – luckily for me I have an Asian supermarket round the corner from me, and I would recommend that you use the best quality Teriyaki sauce that you can find.

Teriyaki chicken, salmon or beef are all firm favourites in my household.  I like to serve with steamed rice, greens and deep fried julienne spring onions.  The reason for the deep fried spring onions is to add another texture dimension.

For 2 people, you will need:-

2 salmon fillets, skin on

5 spring onions

½ a cup of rice

Good quality shop bought Teriyaki sauce

Fresh spinach

Vegetable oil

Sesame oil

Soy sauce

Marinade the salmon fillets in the sauce.

Put the rice on – remember whatever quantity of rice you use, you’ll need double the amount of water.  So for 1 cup of rice, you’ll need 2 cups of water.  Just make sure you use the same cup both times.  Remember to add a good pinch of salt to pot, cover, bring to the boil, and turn the gas down to low and simmer very gently until all the water has evaporated, and the rice is cooked.  This should only take around 20 minutes.

The salmon only takes 5 minutes to pan fry, and the spring onions take even less.

Heat a wok or non-stick frying pan, and add a few drops of sesame oil.

Heat a small pot of vegetable oil until hot enough to deep fry.

Take off excess sauce of the salmon fillets, and place in the pan, skin side down.

Julienne the spring onions – this means to cut into very thin strips – and plunge into the hot oil for about 10 seconds.  Then remove and drain on kitchen paper.  We want the onions to be crispy, but still retain their vibrant green colour.

When you can start to see the sides of the salmon turn opaque then you know it’s time to turn the fish.  Flip over and turn off the heat.  Spoon over a couple of tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce and leave to settle and warm up.

Stir fry the spinach in a few drops of sesame oil until soft and wilted.

Now you’re ready to plate up.  Start with rice, then spinach, then salmon then top with the deep fried spring onions.

Serve with love……xoxo

Koffmann's at The Berkeley

Last week, Alex and I celebrated our 3^rd anniversary.  We have actually known one another for almost 9 years, however, we only got together in May 2009…. it just goes to show, that finding love, is all about being in the right place at the right time.

Alex and I are lucky enough to eat out often, but when it comes to special occasions, we always like to go somewhere new, and somewhere special.

A dear friend of mine Latifa, recently took her husband to Koffmann’s at the Berkeley Hotel, in Knightsbridge, London.  They came back with rave reviews, and I’ve been looking forward to going to Koffmann’s with Alex ever since.

Culinary legend Chef Pierre Koffmann did not fail to impress.  Alex and I were lucky enough to have eaten at the restaurant when Mr Koffmann was there.  Apparently he is there most days for both lunch and dinner service. We loved loved loved this restaurant.  It has jumped right up to the top of our favourites list!  It was classic, chic and unpretentious.  The food speaks for itself, and holds its own.

Pierre Koffmann

The décor was a mix of elegant Knightsbridge coiffing, together with rustic elements such fresh pot plants.  The staff were very friendly, approachable, and attentive without being intrusive.

Alex started with the delicious lobster ravioli, followed by a simply perfect pan fried Dover sole, and finished with a light fluffy pistachio soufflé. 

I had the silky, serene terrine of foie gras with homemade chutney, and toasted brioche, followed by the mighty lobster thermidor, and finished with the most heavenly a tarte au citron I have ever, ever tasted.

We washed this all down with a glorious Mersault ‘Les Vireuils’, Domaine Dupont – Fahn 2007.

This meal was perfect and memorable…and is vying for first place with dinner at The Waterside Inn, Bray - which is where Alex proposed to be me on bended knee….

To all at Koffmann’s keep up the good work – Alex and I are looking forward to coming back very soon!

Have a good day everyone…

…keep cooking with love…xoxo…



New Season Asparagus & Soft Boiled Eggs

I adore asparagus and love it when it comes in season at the beginning of the summer.

I like asparagus to be kept simple, either dressed with a simple French dressing, or even just melted butter and a good grinding of pepper.  Tonight, however, I fancied having asparagus with eggs.

Now I must admit I am not the best at making poached eggs, so I decided to softly boil some eggs instead.

Here’s what you need:-

1 bunch of asparagus ends trimmed if necessary

3 large organic, free range Columbian Black Tailed eggs

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.

Add the eggs for 2 minutes

Drop in the asparagus and cook all together for a further 4 minutes

Remove the boiled eggs from the water and take off the shells

Drain the asparagus

Now assemble it on the plate:-

Asparagus first

Drizzle over your best extra virgin olive oil

Season with Malden sea salt and freshly milled black pepper

Halve the eggs, which should have beautiful, soft, unctuous, sunshine yellow yolks and arrange over the glossy asparagus spears.

Serve immediately with lashings of love … xoxo …