Parkin: Traditional Yorkshire Gingerbread

The last month has seen some changes in my life – not least a 6,000 mile move back home to the UK, which goes some way to explaining the infrequency of my posts in recent weeks. So, for the next few months (and possibly longer), I’m going to be based in Sheffield, a large city situated in the beautiful county of South Yorkshire, which is in the north of England. It’s a good move – a happy move – and I’m very glad to be here.

Like many British cities, Sheffield has a fascinating and complex history of early settlement and later urban development, experiencing rapid expansion in the nineteenth century following the industrial revolution and a growing expertise in steel processing and manufacturing.

But despite being one of the largest cities in the country (apparently it’s the third largest by population), it’s a region that has also maintained a surprising – and very pleasing – balance between the urban and rural. There are more than 200 parks, gardens and woodland areas in Sheffield, and with an estimated 2.5 million trees, it’s said to have the highest ratio of trees to people of any city in Europe. And a third of the city lies within the stunning Peak District National Park.

With an economy based in traditional industrial markets, the twentieth-century saw both development and decline, but most recently the city has experienced extensive regeneration, and it’s a wonderful place to live. I’ve lived here before (I completed a post-graduate degree in human nutrition at the University of Sheffield last year), and I already know some – just a little – of what it has to offer. But I’m very much looking forward to finding out more. It’s another adventure. Once again (of course) my discoveries are frequently going to be food-orientated. I really do believe that food is a great way to get to know a town, city, region or country; a great way to get to know a place and its people. And I intend to do just that.

I’m starting simply, with parkin, a traditional Yorkshire ginger bread. There are many recipes for regional variations of parkin, but for a genuine, classic Yorkshire version, it seems as though there are several fundamental rules which you’re obliged to follow:

1. It must include oatmeal - this helps to give it a distinctive, slightly coarse, texture

2. There has to be a generous amount of black treacle – which is similar to (but definitely not the same as) molasses

3. It is essential to leave the finished cake for at least 3 days – and preferably for a week – before eating

If done correctly, and if you follow these basic principles, your parkin should be soft, moist and sticky. I tasted mine after 3 days and it was okay. After a week I could begin to see what all the fuss is about, and I would definitely recommend leaving it to mature. It’s best enjoyed with lots of butter, along with a cup of (Yorkshire) tea, or a glass of milk. And so that’s what I did…

Recipe: Parkin

Ingredients

350g/12oz medium oatmeal

175g/6oz self-raising flour

2 tsp ground ginger

175g/6oz soft brown sugar

175g/6oz butter

250g/9fl oz golden syrup

50g/2oz black treacle

2 free-range eggs

110ml/4oz milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F / Gas Mark 2 and line a small, deep baking tray or small loaf tin with parchment paper.

Combine the oatmeal, flour and ginger in a large mixing bowl.

Melt the sugar, butter, syrup and treacle in a saucepan over a low heat.

Pour the melted ingredients into the flour with the eggs and milk and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray / tin.

Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown, but still soft and sticky on top.

Reduce the oven to 130°C / 250°F / Gas 1 and bake for a further 30 minutes until firm to the touch.

Allow to cool, before tightly wrapping in cling film, and storing in an air-tight container. Leave for five to seven days to mature.

Beetroot Cake with Mascarpone and Raspberries (gluten-free and absolutely amazing)

My obsession with Lily Vanilli’s latest book – Sweet Tooth – seems set to continue (you can explore the trail backwards from here), following my latest attempt at one of her fabulous baked creations.

Describing herself as a modern artisan baker, her designs are exciting, innovative and quite simply mouth-watering. And making them is a complete pleasure. Although she admits that some of the recipes and techniques can be quite involved, most aren’t actually complicated. All you need to do is follow the rules – which she lays out clearly and plainly – and everything should work out just fine.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. This is, after all, a cake that’s made largely from beetroot (beets) and polenta (a ground cornmeal that’s similar – I believe – to grits), and I was curious to see how the ingredients were going to physically mix together, as well as how the baking process would work, and what it would actually taste like.

It’s great when there’s time to experiment like this – testing the versatility of ingredients, as well as learning something new, expanding my understanding and knowledge of baking. The mixture itself was very (very) wet. And the cocktail stick never did come out completely clean, even with an extra 15 minutes cooking time. But that didn’t seem to matter. This was no exception to her other recipes. It really was fun to make, and the result was definitely worth any effort and / or uncertainty.

Basically, this cake is different. I’ve never made – or tasted – anything quite like it before. (If you’ve ever had beetroot and chocolate cake, then it’s really nothing like that). Lily Vanilli calls it a cake for grown-ups… and I totally agree. But it really is absolutely delicious. It’s not quite savoury. But it’s not exactly sweet either (and it’s definitely not sugary, which immediately means that it’s more to my liking than many cakes). It also has an interesting texture – very slightly coarse – and although it’s surprisingly light, it remains incredibly moist. For me, the mascarpone topping is (quite literally) the icing on the cake. This beautiful, soft, creamy Italian cheese really is the perfect accompaniment for this unusual, delightful creation, and although you can mix it with some icing sugar and vanilla before spreading (if you really want to), I think it’s a shame to sweeten it in that way.

The colour – of course – is extraordinary. It took a few days for us to eat the entire cake (which we stored in an airtight container in the fridge), and over that time the mascarpone topping got pinker and pinker until it was almost magenta in colour. Beautiful!

Recipe: Beetroot Cake with Mascarpone and Raspberries

Ingredients

500g raw beetroots, peeled and finely grated

This really needs to be done with a food processor with a fine grating attachment (otherwise it’s really, really messy)

120ml olive oil

60ml freshly squeezed smooth orange juice

80g root ginger, peeled and finely grated

150g raisins

6 tbsp runny honey

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

2 tsp baking powder

360g (instant) polenta

Although polenta is similar to grits, I’m not sure a substitution would work here. I think it would probably depend on the texture, which should probably be fairly finely-ground

4 eggs, separated

50g light brown sugar

To decorate:

Raspberries (or other fresh fruit)

400g mascarpone

A dash of beetroot juice to colour

Handful of chives, chopped

Serves 8-10

Method

Line two 18cm round cake tins.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6.

Combine the beetroot, oil, juice, ginger, raisins, honey, vanilla, lemon zest and spices in a bowl. Put the baking powder in a separate bowl and stir to combine.

Beat the egg yolks with the brown sugar until creamy and increased in volume – about 4 minutes. Stir into the beetroot mix.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir the polenta evenly into the beetroot mix, then fold in the egg whites.

Divide the mixture between the two prepared cake tins and level out to the edges. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Stir the beetroot juice into the mascarpone, and spread over the cake rounds. Add the raspberries, sandwich together and sprinkle with the chopped chives.

Seared Tuna with Napa Cabbage and Radish Salad

A few weeks ago I discovered the fabulous Love Radish website, which is full of interesting recipes, including the wonderful, colourful radish and avocado appetizer that I made for friends. I’ve yet to try cooking with them (roasted radishes with rosemary and garlic sound divine), and I still haven’t made the intriguing radish Bloody Mary – both of which I fully intend to do. And there are many other inspiring recipes there too, almost all of which focus on the brightly coloured, small, globe varieties – not particularly surprising given that this is a British website and those are the ones that are most commonly grown in the UK by commercial farmers.

Daikon – also known as mooli and white radish – is a much larger, longer radish with a firm texture and mild flavour, that was originally cultivated in Asia. It has many culinary uses, and like other varieties can be eaten either raw or cooked. In some cultures it is traditionally pickled or dried, and the leaves of the plant are also used in multiple ways.

This recipe uses a mixture of daikon and globe radishes (which add a splash of colour to the dish), as well as a few other relatively simple ingredients, to produce a wonderful salad. The fresh tuna is more decadent, but does go fantastically well with the combined flavours of the salad and dressing. I think that it’s important to just lightly sear the tuna, and vital not to cook it all the way through. If you do like your tuna fully cooked then consider using a can of it instead – it’ll certainly be much more cost effective.

Smaller portions would be perfect for an appetizer, but this is a fairly substantial salad that can definitely be served as a main course. It’s also delicious and just deserves to take centre stage at any meal. Enjoy!

(And unlike me, don’t forget to sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the finished salad…)

Recipe: Seared Tuna with Napa Cabbage and Radish Salad

Ingredients

2 x 150g / 5oz fresh tuna steaks

For information on sustainable fishing follow the links from my post here

For the marinade / dressing:

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp olive oil

For the salad:

8 napa cabbage leaves, finely sliced

8 radishes, very finely sliced

¼ daikon, very finely sliced with a vegetable peeler

½ cucumber, cut into small pieces

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, roughly torn

2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly torn

1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Serves 2

Method

For the salad, mix the napa cabbage, radishes, daikon, cucumber, mint and coriander together in a bowl (retaining some of the herbs to use as a garnish).

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade / dressing then drizzle half of it over the salad, mixing well to combine.

To cook the tuna, heat a griddle until very hot.

Sear the tuna for about 45 seconds on each side, then remove from the pan.

Cut the tuna into 5mm / ¼ inch thick slices. Stir the remaining dressing and pour it over the tuna. Set aside for a few minutes to marinate.

To serve, divide the salad between two bowls and place slices of the tuna on top. Sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds. Garnish with some mint and coriander leaves.

 Recipe adapted from: James Martin, Saturday Kitchen Best Bites

Marsala Baked Plums with Almonds and Mascarpone

Plums are a versatile fruit that can be incorporated into jams and chutneys, crumbles and tarts, cakes and pies. And there are plenty of ways to include them in savoury dishes as well, although I’ve yet to be convinced of the merits of using most fruit in this way. I also enjoy them raw, but their flavour is intensified with cooking and simple baked plums are quite simply delicious.

This is a wonderful recipe that really does work well. It’s a quick, easy and simple dessert that also feels self-indulgent. And what could be better than that? I think that it’s particularly good on a cold night, although I also enjoy it at room temperature on a warm day.

The plums are cooked with a relatively small amount of Marsala, a fortified Italian wine often used in cooking, which can be added to a variety of both sweet and savoury dishes. It goes well with both nuts and cheese, and as such is a great choice for this particular dessert (which includes almonds and must should be served with mascarpone) where it also pairs delightfully well with the sticky sweet juice of the baked plums.

And they really should be served with mascarpone – a thick and creamy, soft Italian cheese that’s perhaps most well-known for the part that it plays in the classic Italian dessert tiramisu (which also typically includes Marsala wine). Mascarpone is indulgent and decadent. I adore it and often use it as a substitute for cream. I’ve also been known to sit there with a spoon and eat it directly from the container. But it might be best not to mention that. You could serve it with ice-cream, but frankly that just wouldn’t be the same.

Finally, don’t forget to serve these baked plums alongside a small glass of Marsala.

Recipe: Marsala Baked Plums with Almonds and Mascarpone

Ingredients

4 juicy but firm, red plums

50g / 1 ¾ oz almonds, roughly chopped

1 tbsp butter

c.2 tbsp caster sugar, according to taste

3 tbsp Marsala wine

To serve:

200g / 7oz Mascarpone

Or more. Have as much as you like.

Serves 4

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6.

Cut through the plums all the way around through to the stone. Hold the plum in your palm and twist the other half away so that it comes off smoothly. Remove the stones with a teaspoon. Sit the plums cut side up in a baking dish.

Sprinkle the roughly chopped almonds over the plums. Dot a small amount of butter onto each plum half and scatter with sugar. Pour the Marsala over the plums and into the dish.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the liquid starts to look caramelized, then add about 80ml hot water around the plums. Bake for another 15 minutes or so, until the tops are golden and crusty and the plums are soft but still in shape.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes or so.

Serve with the mascarpone.

Adapted from: Tessa Kiros, Falling Cloudberries 

Pea, Fennel and Mint Soup

Fresh mint is perhaps one of my favourite herbs. In the kitchen, I love its relatively strong, sweet and refreshing flavour that makes it incredibly versatile, and an ingredient that I use in drinks, as well as savoury dishes and desserts. In the garden, its appeal comes from the fact that it’s very easy to grow, withstanding a wide range of conditions, and seemingly tolerant of even the least-skilled and most neglectful of gardeners (i.e. me).

The Princess and the Pea
(Illustration by Mortimer)

I enjoy mint with everything from roast lamb (I consider fresh mint sauce to be an absolutely vital accompaniment), to a classic mojito (where it’s muddled with lime juice and rum to create the classic Cuban drink).

Pea and mint is another fabulous combination – one of those pairings that seem to have been made to go together – and there is no shortage of recipes which make the most of it. This recipe is one of those, and like many others it not only has a delicious flavour, but also a beautiful, fresh and vibrant colour.

It really is the perfect soup for Spring, especially if you’re able to use fresh peas (although it’s still perfectly delicious with frozen ones, which is what I used here). It’s light and refreshing as well as warming and comforting. Of course there are also plenty of recipes for a chilled version for when the weather gets sunnier and hotter, and although I’m not a big fan of ‘cold’ soup I think it’ll be worth making an exception and exploring this as an option later in the year.

I also really enjoy the fennel in this recipe, which enhances the fresh and sweet taste of the peas and mint, but also adds a mild, subtle hint of aniseed to the overall flavour, creating a slightly more earthy soup. To serve, you can add a swirl of cream or crème fraiche if you feel like it, although I prefer to keep things simple (and light) with just a squeeze of lemon juice and a few fresh mint leaves and fennel fronds.

Recipe: Pea, Fennel and Mint Soup

Ingredients

Olive oil

450g / 1lb fennel, tough outer layers peeled away and the remainder chopped

500g / 1lb 2oz) peas, fresh or frozen

900ml vegetable stock

3 tablespoons fresh mint, roughly chopped

Salt and black pepper

Juice of ½ a lemon

To garnish:

A few mint and fennel leaves, roughly chopped

Serves 6

Method

Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan and add the fennel. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the fennel has started to sweat. Add the peas and stock, increase the heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat again, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the chopped mint and simmer for a further minute.

Using a hand-held mixer or food processor blend the mixture until it’s smooth.

Season to taste, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve garnished with mint leaves and fennel fronds.

Death Valley and Date & Walnut Loaf

Date and walnut loaf is a traditional British favourite with a great flavour –  it’s nutty and sweet, but definitely not too sugary – as well as a texture that’s light and moist, with the walnuts adding an interesting crunch.

I always enjoy eating this cake at home where it goes well with a mug of anything hot. But it’s also pretty resilient, which makes it easy to transport – and great for putting into lunchboxes. It keeps extremely well in an airtight container, and can last very well – apparently – for up to a week. But I most often make it to take on picnics, road-trips and hikes where it may have to withstand relatively long periods lying unceremoniously at the bottom of a backpack or jacket pocket – before providing critical, comforting nourishment prior to the journey home.

Most recently I made it to accompany us on a five day trip across California and into Nevada, the focus of which was a visit to the stunning Death Valley, where it not only sustained us on long walks, but also – on one occasion – made an excellent breakfast.

Hiking the trail up Wildrose Peak

Approaching the park from the south-west, our first stop was to hike the 8.4 mile round-trip Wildrose Peak trail. It’s a 2200ft elevation gain and there were times when it felt pretty relentless, but finishing at the top of the second highest peak in the area puts you at 9064ft above sea level, and offers spectacular views down to the valley floor (much of which actually lies below sea level). It’s an exhilarating experience – well worth the effort – and a truly amazing way to see Death Valley for the first time.

View of Death Valley from Wildrose Peak

The next couple of days were spent exploring Death Valley itself, which is the largest national park in the continental USA, as well as the hottest, lowest and driest location in the entire country. It’s an incredibly varied landscape – something that I really hadn’t appreciated before visiting – and includes sand dunes, marble canyons, limestone narrows, volcanic craters, water and rivers as well as the mountains and valleys.

Views from the valley floor:

Anyway, this is a straight-forward recipe for date and walnut loaf that’s quick and easy to prepare. As with other classic recipes, many variations exist and alternatives commonly include the addition of spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. But I prefer this simple version which asserts its own individuality with the inclusion of apple, adding a light and natural sweetness as well as moisture.

Whichever recipe you use, this is a cake that’s always at its best cut into relatively thick slices and served with plenty of butter – whatever the time of day. Enjoy!

Recipe: Date and Walnut Loaf

Ingredients

4oz / 110g butter (at room temperature)

6oz / 175g soft brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4oz / 110g wholewheat flour

4oz / 110g plain flour

A pinch of salt

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

4oz / 110g walnuts, roughly chopped

3oz / 75g pitted dates, roughly chopped

3 or 4 tbsp milk

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F / 180°C / gas mark 4.

Butter a loaf tin with base measurements of 3 ½ x 7 ½ inches.

Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flours, salt and baking powder into a large mixing bowl (sifting the flours), then use an electric whisk to combine them thoroughly.

Add the apple, followed by the walnuts and dates.

Finally add the milk, and mix it together well before transferring the mixture to the prepared tin. Spread it out evenly, then bake for an hour or until the loaf feels springy in the centre and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for a couple of minutes in the tin, before turning it out on a wire cooling rack. When completely cold, store in an airtight container.

From: Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course

Stir-fried Beef with Kale and Red Bell Pepper. And Kale Chips.

I’ve mentioned in a previous post just how much I enjoy kale, although I also acknowledge that its relatively strong taste isn’t to everyone’s liking. But it’s a robust and versatile vegetable that can take a lot of flavour, and it is worth trying with a range of ingredients and in a variety of dishes, experimenting to see which ones you prefer.

Working with kale in this way – in terms of both cooking methods and complementary flavours - can be especially important with older and / or tougher plants which are noticeably more bitter than smaller, softer and younger leaves. So, for example, whilst I would never use those tougher leaves in a salad (especially raw), they do go exceptionally well with bacon, something that kale has in common with most other kinds of cabbage. And it tastes fabulous when it’s par-boiled – it’s almost always a good idea to do this first – before being quickly stir-fried with some oil, garlic and chorizo (or other form of cured pork).

It has also become popular to make oven-baked kale ‘chips’, something that I finally got round to doing myself just a couple of weeks ago. As well as being relatively straight-forward to make – the trick is not to let them burn towards the end of the cooking time – they really do taste very good, and I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed them.

All you need is some kale (as much as you want to make chips from), some olive oil and sea salt, although it’s fun to add some punch with an additional flavour. My favourite has been to sprinkle some ground chipotle chile over the kale before baking it, but adding a teaspoon of lemon zest also works well. I definitely prefer to eat them fresh from the oven, although they can be eaten cold as well. And all you need to do is…

Kale chips

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4.
• Wash and shred your kale (if it’s old and / or tough then you should remove the leaves from the stem first)
• Spread on a single layer on a baking tray
• Drizzle over some olive oil and mix well so that the kale is coated
• Sprinkle with sea salt and your chili powder or lemon zest (or whatever else you fancy)
• Put in the oven for 10-12 minutes, watching carefully to make sure that they don’t burn

It’s kale’s compatibility with chili – as well as ginger – that forms the basis for the recipe below. It’s another simple dish that’s perfect for a week-day meal, which (even if you leave the beef to marinade for 20 minutes or so), can be made in just over half an hour.

I also find that you really don’t need much beef in a stir-fry, and a little can go a surprisingly long way when it’s cooked with ingredients that have such intense flavours as these. It’s best served piping hot, in bowls that have been warmed first.

Recipe: Stir-fried Beef with Kale and Red Bell Pepper

Ingredients

250g / 9 oz lean beef, cut into thin strips

200g / 7 oz kale, tough stems trimmed and leaves shredded

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

Olive oil

Lime Juice

For the marinade:

1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 tsp root ginger, finely chopped

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

1tbsp soft brown sugar

Serves 2

Method

Combine the ingredients for the marinade, and pour the mixture over the strips of beef. Leave to marinade – at least for 20 minutes, but a couple of hours would be better if there’s time.

Put the kale in a colander and pour a kettleful of boiling water over to wilt it. Leave to drain.

Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying-pan over a high heat.

Add the red bell pepper and stir-fry for five minutes or so, until it’s starting to colour.

Drain the beef from its marinade, reserving the marinade.

Pat the beef with kitchen towel so that it’s fairly dry.

Add to the pepper in the wok and stir-fry for about two minutes more, until the beef is browned all over.

Add the kale and the reserved marinade juices, continuing to stir-fry for another two minutes or so.

Squeeze some fresh lime juice over the top, and serve with rice or noodles.

Adapted from a recipe by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Radish, Avocado and Watercress with Savoury Crackers

I’m pretty fond of radishes. I’m not going to suggest that I’d be lost without them, but I do enjoy their texture and flavour (as well as their happy, blushing colour), and usually keep a bunch of them in my fridge. I most often slice them thinly and add them to sandwiches and salads, where they add both crunch and a pleasant, mild peppery taste.

I also enjoy snacking on them, and was recently looking for a recipe suitable to share with others (as an hors d’oeuvres), when I found the fabulous – clearly obsessed and slightly bonkers – Love Radish website. It includes historical information and details about the health benefits of radishes, as well as recipes for cocktails (the Radish Bloody Mary sounds great), ‘detox’ juices and the perfect drink pairings (including cider, sparkling wine, beer, and a fruity pinot noir) for some of their inventive suggestions for preparing, cooking and eating radishes.

For more information (and how could you resist?), have a look yourself. And in the meantime enjoy these selected highlights, as well as the recipe below.

• Radishes were first cultivated in China
• In ancient Greece the radish was so revered that gold replicas were made and offered to the god Apollo
• During the construction of the pyramids in Egypt labourers were paid in radishes (as well as garlic and onions)
• The radish was introduced into Britain in the C16th, and quickly became an institution – even mentioned by Shakespeare: “…when he was naked, he was, for all the world, like a forked radish…” (Henry IV Part II, Act III Scene II)
• Traditional ways of eating radishes include dipping them in salt and / or butter
• A handful of radishes contains 5 calories (I’m pretty sure that’s without the butter)
• The taste of a radish is influenced by the growing conditions – a hot dry season will encourage the peppery ‘bite’. And paler radishes have a stronger flavour
• Radishes are a good source of vitamin C and folic acid, they may help protect against cancer, contribute to healthy digestion and have a low glycemic index
• If you dream that you’re eating a radish it means that your feelings are going to be hurt by someone close to you. If you dream about planting radishes, it means your heart’s desires will be realised
• The Night of the Radishes (Noche de Rábanos) is celebrated annually on December 23^rd in Oaxaca, Mexico and is an exhibition / competition of sculptures made completely from radishes

Photo credit: http://www.soiledandseeded.com

From: Love Radish

Recipe: Avocado, Radish and Watercress with Savoury Crackers

Ingredients

1 small ripe avocado

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

50g / 2 oz radishes, washed, trimmed and very thinly sliced

½ red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced

A few stems of watercress

20 savoury crackers

Method

Cut the avocado in half and remove the stone. Scoop out the flesh, place in a small bowl and lightly mash with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spread some of the avocado mix onto a cracker then top with 1-2 radish slices, some red onion and watercress leaves.

Serve immediately (this is important as the relatively wet avocado mixture will start to make the crackers soggy if they’re left to hang around).

Adapted from: Love Radish

Instead of crackers, the original recipe uses thin slices of sourdough bread that have been drizzled in olive oil and placed on a non-stick baking tray in a pre-heated oven (180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4) for 8-10 minutes, until toasted and crispy. They should be removed from the oven and left to cool for 5 minutes before topped with the avocado mix.

Los Cabos: Exploring Mexican Food Culture – Part II

Finding a really good restaurant is always a delight. Finding a restaurant that’s truly exceptional happens only very occasionally. Flora’s Field Kitchen is situated right in the middle of the organic farm that supplies almost all of the produce that’s served here. Dining is alfresco, the service impeccable and the ambience relaxed. The inventive cocktails are served in mason jars – as is the water – and the food (which is almost exclusively homemade) is simple and excellent.

Flora Farm is only a 15 minute drive from San José del Cabo, the traditional town that served as our base during our recent visit to Baja California (Mexico). Founded in 1730, it retains its central plaza (zócalo) and mission (Misíon San José del Cabo Añuití), which was founded by Jesuit missionary Nicolás Tamaral. It also has an emerging arts district, as well as a developing organic food movement which supports a growing number of restaurants in the surrounding region. Promoting locally grown fruit and vegetables as well as humanely-raised meat, several have developed a reputation for excellence. And although they are less likely to focus on traditional Mexican cuisine (and can also be fairly pricey), I was still keen to try one.

Situated in the Las Animas Valley, Flora Farm is reached along a mostly unmade road that takes you past a cement factory and up a short, steep hill that descends dramatically into the car park. It started in 1996 as an organic farm supplying Flora’s Restaurant (owned by Gloria Greene) in San José. It has developed over a relatively short time into a collection of enterprises that now includes a restaurant (Flora’s Field Kitchen), bar and grocery store, as well as an art gallery, vacation cottages and private homes, which have been developed from farm buildings into luxury accommodation.

Walking towards the restaurant it’s easy to be captivated. The colour scheme – green, yellow, orange and brown – is a perfect match for the surroundings. Herbs and vegetables (including Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, cabbage and eggplant), fill what – at first glance – appear to be flower-beds. The décor is simple, ideally suited to its environment, and characterised by a rustic charm that somehow refuses to be quaint or cute. It also somehow manages to escape being pretentious. 

The wooden benches have been carefully painted, and every table is decorated with a jar of flowers, taken from plants that are grown on the farm as companion crops to the fruit and vegetables. The main dining area has a tin roof and the lighting comes mainly from strings of bulbs that hang between the tables. I’m glad that we arrived early – at 5 pm – in order to participate in the farm tour that occurs daily before dinner (reservations required), but it must be absolutely magical to arrive here after dark…

After a warm greeting, we spent the next 45 minutes in the company of Erika (Flora Farm’s events manager) as she showed us around some of the 10 acres that are farmed here, including the main grounds and the chef’s garden (which includes several heirloom varieties). They do not use pesticides or genetically modified seeds, and work the farm mostly by hand. Clearly very proud to be a part of Flora Farm, she tells us about its history and development, including details of the larger (150 acre) ranch nearby, which is where the free-range pigs and chickens used in the kitchen are raised – in partnership with local rancher Guadalupe Espinoza. Erika also takes us to the grocery store where it’s possible to buy recently picked fruit and vegetables as well as freshly baked goods and homemade sauces, relishes and preserves. Erika was a delightful, informative and enthusiastic guide (I was amazed that she was happy to give so much time and attention to just two guests), and her tour was a fabulous way to start our evening.

We began with a glass of sparkling wine, and took our time looking at the menu – choosing slices from the bread basket and dipping them into oil and vinegar as we did so. It’s an interesting and diverse list of options, including wood-fired pizza, home-made sausages and pasta as well as several dishes that include their own organic chicken and pork.

To start I had the organic beet carpaccio, served with fromage blanc and fresh herbs. Beetroot is one of those foods that taste indescribably better when eaten fresh from the ground, and this was no exception – sweet, but typically deep and earthy. The fromage blanc was soft, tart, light and the perfect accompaniment. The radish with rock salt was also good, but I was surprised that the flavour wasn’t even more intense and robust. The tables were quite close together, and our ‘neighbours’ were friendly, but not intrusive. Having arrived later than us, they couldn’t stop admiring our food and wanted to know what we thought before ordering their own. The restaurant was now busy – Erika had already told us that it was fully booked – and the atmosphere was lively. As the sun went down, a band started to play on the hay-bale stage.

We couldn’t resist trying a salad and dedicated the next course to sharing a plate of organic greens, carrots, cherry tomatoes, radish and nasturtium with lemon vinaigrette. It was the most stunning dish that we tried. The ingredients are – of course – exceptionally fresh, and given the overall simplicity of the dish, it’s almost impossible to believe just how good it tastes. I recommended it – without hesitation – to our neighbours.

My main course was a farm raised double-cut pork chop served with a light barbecue sauce. It was a large, generous portion (I did ask for the smallest that they had) and it was cooked perfectly – firm, juicy, succulent. The meal is homely, hearty and comforting. We also ordered ‘elegant pig’ from the family style menu, which consisted of three substantial slices of ham served with parsley sauce, mashed potatoes, carrots and peas. It’s another really good dish, made great by the freshness and intensity of the individual ingredients.

To be honest, we’re a bit full by the time it comes to dessert, but we can’t resist, choosing the carrot cake and a crème brûlée. They’re both good, but it’s the course that I would have been most willing to miss. When the check arrives we notice that they haven’t been included, and point this out to our server who immediately tells us that it’s quite deliberate, and that Erika wanted us to have dessert on the house – a really lovely gesture and a delightful end to a wonderful evening.

This is simple food. But it’s very, very well done. The restaurant has a delightful atmosphere, and the service is great, fantastic even. The surroundings – the farm and gardens – are beautiful. Their foundation is good, sincere, honest. Together, the experience at Flora Farm is really very special – remarkable and memorable – and definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Chicken Tortilla Soup: Prototype 1.00

Although I’d never had tortilla soup before coming to Southern California, it’s already one of my favourite Mexican dishes and it’s rare for me resist it if I see it on the menu. Essentially, it consists of a (chicken or vegetable) broth that’s been combined with tomatoes, chillies, onion, garlic and strips of fried tortilla. It may then be garnished with a range of additional ingredients, perhaps including avocado and pico de gallo (a combination of uncooked tomatoes, onions and cilantro). Only some versions include chicken, and it’s just as good without. Together, it’s a beautiful combination of sharp, hot and sweet flavours. It’s bold and robust but also delicate and fresh. Its vivid colour, piquant aroma and tempting presentation make it irresistible even before you’ve tasted it. I was really interested to try it on my recent visit to Mexico and was glad that I did. It was spicy, smoky, intense, beautifully garnished, and just incredibly satisfying.

Finally deciding that it was time for me to try making this at home, I recently began looking for recipes. Although it seems as though the soup originates – probably – from Central Mexico, it has clearly been adopted and manipulated across the US for decades. Despite understanding a little about the complexities of food history, family tradition and the ways in which recipes can be transformed (often repeatedly) as they move between cultures and places (back-and-forth), I have been genuinely amazed at the number of different ways there are to make this soup. And like many of the best dishes, the recipes that I found ranged from the very basic to the extremely complex. Some call for the use of specific types – and often multiple varieties – of chilli and / or insist that they have to be roasted (along with all the other vegetables) prior to their inclusion. Others maintain that the onion has to be caramalized, the soup must be thickened with ground tortilla or that the tomato base cannot be anything other than homemade. A few claim that it cannot be made without epazote, which is a herb native to parts of Mexico with a very distinctive taste that’s often likened to creosote. There are literally thousands of variations. All claim to be purists.

I decided that I should probably start by attempting to imitate what I was familiar with. So, I based my soup on examples from Saveur and America’s Test Kitchen – both of which have a good reputation, and which also appear to represent what I’ve eaten here in the US.

Overall, I’d say that this was a nice soup that bore some resemblance to the versions I’ve had elsewhere, but I’m sure that I could do better. Although it was spicy, it lacked the depth and intensity of flavour that makes tortilla soup so very, very good. Next time I’ll begin by finding my ingredients in a Latino market. I’ll also try roasting my jalapeño chile – as well as the bell peppers if I include them again – to intensify the flavour. And I’ll be interested to see the difference that other chillies might make. Ancho chillies also have a smoky flavour and are included in a number of the recipes that I found, so that might be worth trying. It’s an intriguing challenge, and one – I feel – that could slowly develop into a lifelong obsession search. Advice – or perhaps even your own secret ingredient / family recipe – is more than welcome…

Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

½ red bell pepper, diced

½ green pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 quantity red tomato salsa (see below for recipe)

1 litre chicken (or vegetable) stock

1 dried chipotle chile, stemmed and seeded

1 cooked chicken breast, shredded into bite-size pieces

            The chicken is purely optional and can easily be omitted

4 (6 inch) tortillas, cut into strips

Salt to taste

Garnishes:

A handful of coriander / cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

1 avocado, peeled and diced

½ cup sour cream

2 limes, cut into 8 wedges

For the red tomato salsa:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can (14oz) chopped tomatoes (unsalted)

250ml water

1 jalapeño chile (depending on taste), stemmed – seeded if desired – and chopped

You don’t want to overdo the chile, but remember that it’s supposed to be warm and spicy

Salt

Serves 6-8

Method

Begin by making the red tomato salsa:

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the onions until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

Add the remaining salsa ingredients and using a stick blender process until smooth. (This can also be done by transferring to a food processor, and returning to the saucepan when done).

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.

To make the tortilla soup:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown. Add the red and green pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute.

Add the red tomato salsa, stock, chipotle chile and salt to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 375°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5.

Add the cooked and shredded chicken breast and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly heated through. Whilst this is happening, put the tortilla strips onto a baking sheet and into the pre-heated oven for about 5 minutes, which should be enough time for them to heat through. (It’s traditional to fry the tortilla strips, but I’ve seen this in a few recipes and thought it would be more straight-forward).

Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and place a few of the tortilla strips on top. Top with a dollop of sour cream, some chopped coriander / cilantro, and a few avocado pieces. Squeeze the lime juice over. Alternatively, take the garnishes to the table and let people help themselves.

Adapted from recipes by Saveur and America’s Test Kitchen