As soon as the recipe dropped out of the freebie bag of wild garlic that came with our veg box last week I couldn't wait to make wild garlic risotto. However, we have been out a lot recently, and eventually the only night that presented itself I had to go to work drinks first. Risotto isn't an instant when you get home dish, so R volunteered to do the cooking.
He hadn't made risotto before, and was amazed at how easy it was.
Small onion
Two cloves of garlic
125g risotto rice (we used arborio)
Glug of olive oil
Small knob of butter
Large handful of wild garlic, roughly chopped
Small glass white wine (125ml)
About 1pt stock (not sure what ours was as the label had fallen off, but probably chicken!)
Small handful of freshly grated parmesan
Finely chop the onion and garlic, and cook gently for about 10 minutes in the olive oil and butter until soft but not coloured. Add the rice and stir until coated in oil. Pour in the wine, and stir until it is absorbed. Then add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring gently until it is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Start to taste it when it looks done. The amount of stock needed can vary. When still a bit al dente add the wild garlic. Once the last stock has been absorbed add the cheese and stir, before serving on warm plates.
The garlic flavour in this risotto was subtle and delicious, and I think this was perfect spring comfort food.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Monday 20 April 2009
The Harwood Arms, Fulham
The jungle drums had started beating that this pub had been taken over by new management. We used to go there fairly regularly when R lived in Fulham, and it has been owned by Geronimo Inns for a few years. We needed somewhere to go before a Chelsea game, so I booked a table.
The menus were brought over with a jug of tap water and some bread in a little hessian sack. My father started with a well-kept pint of London Pride, and there were a couple of other bitters too, so that kept him happy. I had a Fentimans ginger beer, which is one of my favourites, so I was happy too.
We decided that for lunch, and knowing we were having a large meal that evening, we would have two starters each. There was plenty of choice, but the fish platter for two caught both of our eyes, so we started with that. It arrived with toasted sour dough and potato scones, and consisted of some very nice smoked salmon, two croquettes filled with a sort of fish pie mixture, some potted shrimps and some marinated mackerel. It was all very good, with the croquettes and the mackerel particularly standing out.
I followed this with rabbit schnitzel, with leaves and wholegrain mustard mayonnaise, which was on the specials board. It was beautifully cooked, crunchy on the outside with the rabbit taste still coming through. My father had crispy pigs ears with trotter on toast, which he raved about
Unfortunately we didn’t have time to sample some yummy-sounding puddings, so we will just have to go back.
This was a perfect pub lunch. Yes it is definitely a gastro-pub, and some people won’t like the fact that it has very little space for drinking. But the food was perfectly executed, and the service efficient and friendly, even though they were full and on a deadline as virtually everyone in there had to be round the corner at Stanford Bridge in time for kick-off.
The menus were brought over with a jug of tap water and some bread in a little hessian sack. My father started with a well-kept pint of London Pride, and there were a couple of other bitters too, so that kept him happy. I had a Fentimans ginger beer, which is one of my favourites, so I was happy too.
We decided that for lunch, and knowing we were having a large meal that evening, we would have two starters each. There was plenty of choice, but the fish platter for two caught both of our eyes, so we started with that. It arrived with toasted sour dough and potato scones, and consisted of some very nice smoked salmon, two croquettes filled with a sort of fish pie mixture, some potted shrimps and some marinated mackerel. It was all very good, with the croquettes and the mackerel particularly standing out.
I followed this with rabbit schnitzel, with leaves and wholegrain mustard mayonnaise, which was on the specials board. It was beautifully cooked, crunchy on the outside with the rabbit taste still coming through. My father had crispy pigs ears with trotter on toast, which he raved about
Unfortunately we didn’t have time to sample some yummy-sounding puddings, so we will just have to go back.
This was a perfect pub lunch. Yes it is definitely a gastro-pub, and some people won’t like the fact that it has very little space for drinking. But the food was perfectly executed, and the service efficient and friendly, even though they were full and on a deadline as virtually everyone in there had to be round the corner at Stanford Bridge in time for kick-off.
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Tom Ilic, Queenstown Road
Just a quick one this time, as I have written about this restaurant a couple of times before. They are doing an April promotion of £17 for two courses or £21 for three on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, which makes it even better value. Four of us had three courses each, two bottles of wine between us and it cost £35 a head including service. I also had a dessert I hadn’t seen on the menu before, which was poached rhubarb with ginger crème brulee. This was a great combination, and beautifully exercise. So much so that we had it at home over the weekend.
Sambrooks Brewery
We went to Sambrooks for a birthday party, and I had forgotten I hadn’t written about it until we ordered a box of their beer for a party.
There was much banter about organising a p**s-up in a brewery, and I don’t think the birthday boy would have lived it down if it had not been a success!
Sambrooks is a very new brewery, in Battersea, which is the brainchild of Duncan Sambrook, who left his job as an accountant with Deloitte to set up this venture. He also has some help from David Welsh, who was bored of his retirement from Ringwood Brewery.
About twenty of us turned up, which I think is the largest tour Duncan has done. We started with pints of Wandle, since problems at Waterloo meant most of the party was late. We were then given a tour through the brewing process and the brewery itself, including tasting the malt, before returning to drink more beer. It was very interesting, although I think Duncan needs a little bit more practise with large groups, as it definitely tailed off towards the end.
A really fun venue for a party though.
There was much banter about organising a p**s-up in a brewery, and I don’t think the birthday boy would have lived it down if it had not been a success!
Sambrooks is a very new brewery, in Battersea, which is the brainchild of Duncan Sambrook, who left his job as an accountant with Deloitte to set up this venture. He also has some help from David Welsh, who was bored of his retirement from Ringwood Brewery.
About twenty of us turned up, which I think is the largest tour Duncan has done. We started with pints of Wandle, since problems at Waterloo meant most of the party was late. We were then given a tour through the brewing process and the brewery itself, including tasting the malt, before returning to drink more beer. It was very interesting, although I think Duncan needs a little bit more practise with large groups, as it definitely tailed off towards the end.
A really fun venue for a party though.
Sunday 12 April 2009
The Sporting Page, SW10
I love living where we do in Battersea. There is great food shopping and eating out, and I can run it all off in either Battersea Park or on Clapham Common. But there isn't anywhere great to watch sport, which is why we found ourselves in the Sporting Page last week for the Liverpool v Chelsea Champions League game. This is an old haunt from when R lived around the corner, although it has had a facelift since then.
I was glad I had booked a table, as it was heaving. We squeezed into our allotted space, and settled down to watch the match. I'm sure my view of the food is vastly improved by the result of the match though! We both had burger, R a chicken burger and mine a medium rare hamburger with cheese. It was cooked spot on, the chips were a perfect size and crispy-ness, and it all arrived piping hot - no mean feat with the pub that rammed. This was perfect sport watching food, not trying to do too much, but getting what it did spot on.
I was glad I had booked a table, as it was heaving. We squeezed into our allotted space, and settled down to watch the match. I'm sure my view of the food is vastly improved by the result of the match though! We both had burger, R a chicken burger and mine a medium rare hamburger with cheese. It was cooked spot on, the chips were a perfect size and crispy-ness, and it all arrived piping hot - no mean feat with the pub that rammed. This was perfect sport watching food, not trying to do too much, but getting what it did spot on.
Thursday 2 April 2009
Santa Maria del Sur
We have lived in our flat for two years, and this is just around the corner, but we have never been there. I’m not sure why. We have both heard good things about it, and read the menu and thought it looked good. I guess we are a bit spoilt, as we tend to go to Tom Ilic if we are treating ourselves, and Le Pot Lyonnais or Bombay Bicycle if we want something cheap and cheerful, all of which are nearly as close.
Last night however, we decided to give it a go. It was pretty busy when we walked in at about 8 pm, even though there was an England match on. We turned our noses up at the offered table for two, which was right between the waiters station and the kitchen, and luckily they were happy for us to have a bigger table that was slightly more out of the way.
Wanting to try as much of what they offered as possible we shared a starter and then went for a mixed grill. The starter was cheese and spinach empanadas, which were hot, crispy and not too greasy. The cheese was on the verge of being too salty, but it just stayed on the right side. A good start.
The mixed grill consisted of sirloin steak, cooked rare as requested, sausage, black pudding, mushroom with pesto and provolone cheese. It all arrived on a sizzling baby grill, which had charcoal underneath (I think) to keep it hot. This worked well for everything except the steak, which continued to cook and therefore some of it was a bit more well done than we would have chosen.
The steak was tender, and well flavoured. I’m not normally a fan of Argentinean steak, as I find it too soft, but this I liked. The sausage was powerfully spiced, in a good way, and the black pudding had a great flavour, but was a bit softly textured for me. The cheese was great in a way that only melted warm cheese can be!
The side orders were a bit disappointing. Chips were crisp and piping hot when the arrived, but by the time we got the ordered mayonnaise to eat with them they weren’t quite so hot. The rocket and garlic salad had a large amount of raw garlic on it, and no other dressing, which wasn’t really to our taste.
With a bottle of Norton Malbec, which we have drunk quite a bit at home too, the bill came to £70. For this money we could go to Tom Ilic, and even though we enjoyed most of the food here I know which I would choose.
Last night however, we decided to give it a go. It was pretty busy when we walked in at about 8 pm, even though there was an England match on. We turned our noses up at the offered table for two, which was right between the waiters station and the kitchen, and luckily they were happy for us to have a bigger table that was slightly more out of the way.
Wanting to try as much of what they offered as possible we shared a starter and then went for a mixed grill. The starter was cheese and spinach empanadas, which were hot, crispy and not too greasy. The cheese was on the verge of being too salty, but it just stayed on the right side. A good start.
The mixed grill consisted of sirloin steak, cooked rare as requested, sausage, black pudding, mushroom with pesto and provolone cheese. It all arrived on a sizzling baby grill, which had charcoal underneath (I think) to keep it hot. This worked well for everything except the steak, which continued to cook and therefore some of it was a bit more well done than we would have chosen.
The steak was tender, and well flavoured. I’m not normally a fan of Argentinean steak, as I find it too soft, but this I liked. The sausage was powerfully spiced, in a good way, and the black pudding had a great flavour, but was a bit softly textured for me. The cheese was great in a way that only melted warm cheese can be!
The side orders were a bit disappointing. Chips were crisp and piping hot when the arrived, but by the time we got the ordered mayonnaise to eat with them they weren’t quite so hot. The rocket and garlic salad had a large amount of raw garlic on it, and no other dressing, which wasn’t really to our taste.
With a bottle of Norton Malbec, which we have drunk quite a bit at home too, the bill came to £70. For this money we could go to Tom Ilic, and even though we enjoyed most of the food here I know which I would choose.
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