PASTA DOUGH

 Yummy pasta dough.

So as I said in the last blog here is the pasta recipe ...

Wild garlic pesto pasta

375g Pasta flour ( Plain flour works fine).

9 Egg yolks (Free Range)

1 Whole egg (Free Range)

1 Tbls of cold water

1 Tbls of olive oil

1 pinch of salt

• Whisk all the wet ingredients together in a bowl.
• Place flour and salt in a bowl, make a well in the middle.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the well and mix flour from the out side in.
• Remove from bowl onto a floured surface and kneed until a smooth dough is formed , it should spring back when you pinch it.
• Wrap in cling film and allow to rest in fridge for twenty minutes.

• now roll your pasta out very thin folding it back on its self and rolling it out agen if you have a pasta roller this is a lot better but I don't so old school rolling pin it is.

WILD GARLIC PESTO PASTA

WILD GARLIC PESTO PASTA WITH A  FORAGED HERB SALAD

The Pesto.

• 100g mixed chopped nuts 
• 60g wild garlic (ramsons)
• 150ml olive oil
• 30g Grated Parmesan or veggie Parmesan from Bookhams or Waitrose   
• salt and pepper to taste

First cut the stalks off the end of the wild garlic leaves, then just go over all of the leaves with a knife, rough chop and put in your kitchen blender.

Add the grated Parmesan, olive oil and mixed chopped nuts to the blender and pulse in short blasts until it is a good consistency. season with salt and pepper and put to one side.  Easy!

 
Salad and dressing

• 1½ tbsp of Tewkesbury mustard
• 1tbsp of clear honey
• 1tsp of balsamic vinegar
• 150ml of olive oil
• 1tbsp of wholegrain mustard 

Whisk the tewkesbury, honey and vinegar together then slowly poor in the oil, whisking the whole time, then whisk in the wholegrain mustard.

For my salad I picked Three sided garlic aka leek , wild fennel, penny wort and a few bits from my garden - chives and parsley.  You can add any salad leaves you have in your fridge or garden.  Just mix your salad and enough dressing to coat the leaves.

Now for the hard bit... take one pack of good quality pasta, cook, and add the Wild garlic pesto as you would any other pesto - then eat !  Alternatively, make your own pasta, like I did... recipe to follow

SWEET POTATO AND WILD GARLIC HUMMUS

WILD GARLIC

• 246g 1 can of drained chick peas
• 25g Tahini
• 60g wild garlic (ramsons)
• 250g peeled and diced sweet potato
• 1tsp of dried thyme of few sprigs of fresh
• olive oil
• Maldon sea salt and fresh ground black pepper 

 Why sweet potato ?... Well I tried some beet root hummus few weeks back and decided I wanted to try out other veg hummus and I love sweet potato so I had a go!

Pre heat your oven to 200c. Peel and dice your sweet potato to about a 1cm dice, make a tin foil bag and add a splash of olive oil the thyme and a pinch of salt, close the foil bag and place on a tray in the oven for 30mins.

Meanwhile in a blender put your chick peas, I used organic ones from my local wholefood shop Fruits of the Earth also add your tahini and rough chopped wild garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper and a good glug of olive oil, at this point you don't want it to wet as the sweet potato has a lot of moisture. blitz it till a nice smooth texture and put to one side.

Purée

If you want you can just add 1tbl spoon of lemon juice and a splash more olive oil and have wild garlic hummus.


Wash your mixer out and add the sweet potato, it should now be soft and brake up in your fingers.
blitz in to a Purée (very smooth texture) and chill in the fridge.

The last part just mix the sweet potato and chick pea together,  adjust seasoning and enjoy with a picnic on the beach.
 

RAZOR CLAMMING WITH ALICE BLOGG

Last week me and Alice Blogg went on a very successful razor clamming trip.

First I stopped off to pick up a bucket and some salt,
Then off I went to meet Alice.
We then walked around looking for the key hole where you will find the razor clam. we found a few cockles on our walk.

When you find the hole which looks abit like a key hole pour some salt down it and wait for the magic.

This was my first time and I thought it was amazing. you have to try it !

                          MY FIRST RAZOR CLAM FROM .... SOME WHERE

 

Thanks Alice

Ps.. They have to be over 10cm if not put them back

Olympic fennel

I was asked if you can find wild fennel in London and today on a walk I found some in a little garden by the olympic stadium.

BELGRAVIA PART 2

Check on !

 Friday: Day off I was in bed when I get a call asking if I can work, so on my bike and off to work I go. I am on cold today with one of the new but very slow guys, so got to make sure we are set. The slow guy is called Guy, I sent him down stairs to do prep, get him out the way!

HIX FIX FLOAT !

HIX FIX FLOAT is a take on the classic kids coke float but with English sparkling wine "champagne" chopped Hix Fix cherry's and cherry ice cream yummy!


Saturday : Double shift I am down stairs doing prep, Half way in to the shift we here about the snow, I pop out to see half a foot of snow and now I know I am not riding home.
I lock up and dig my bike out the snow and start walking. I had a go at riding but got covered by icy sludge.. 1 hour later I am in bed.

Digging my bike out. 

Sunday: Did not want to fall of my bike today so took the hour long walk to work not such a bad walk .cold section tonight, good shift things are staring to pull together and go smooth now. Got the tube home with a little direction from one of the other chefs.

The end of my walk.

HIX BELGRAVIA

GOOD MORNING ALL.

So this week and next week I will be in London helping out at the opening of HIX BELGRAVIA ten floors of rooms thats a lot of food to cook.

Monday: Train to London, made my way to the hotel on my bike for a tour of the kitchen, turns out theres a main kitchen ,pastry kitchen and prep kitchen. I ended up sticking around for the tasting to see what food I would be making.

Tuesday: After a few pints in the star the night before this made my journey to work a lot harder because I had no idea where I was going :). Today I was on Cold this is all the cold food on the menus, a lot of prep for a busy day, lots of new dishes lots to learn. All went well had a real good day

Wednesday: Pastry... So first things first waffle machine on, re churn the sorbets and set up the up stairs section for service. lots of running from pastry to the main kitchen today so my legs now hurt. To end my shift Ronnie the head of pastry chef asks if I can ride over to Selfridges to pick up some cake cutters, " yer why not " its so cold!!!.

Thursday: Today checked out of my B&B 4mins from work and moved my stuff to Ronnie's over 30mins in the cold, my ears felt like they where going to shatter. Do not start till 3 so going to have a wonder in london and get some warm things for riding .

SLOE GIN JELLY SHOT