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

Pickled quail eggs with wild fennel.

Good morning !  My first recipe for you.

Ingredients: 
12 free range quail eggs
1 hand full off wild Fennel (roughly chopped)
3 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
2 cloves
Maldon sea salt (Just a pinch)
175ml of white wine vinegar or enough to cover the eggs 



First lets boil the eggs - place your eggs in a pan, cover with cold water and a splash of vinegar. (This helps soften the shells and makes peeling them easier). Bring to boil and let the eggs simmer for 3 minutes.  Take the eggs out and place them in ice cold water, and leave till they're cold. At this point we will make are pickle liquid.
 

Add the rest of the ingredients (apart from the fennel) to a pan and bring to boil. Leave this till cool and roughly chop your wild fennel.

Peel your eggs - I gently break the shell by tapping the egg on the work top, then start to peel from the rounded end first.  Once they are all done wash off any excess shell.

Place your eggs and fennel in a kilner jar and cover with the cooled liquid. 

                 Keep in the fridge and eat after 24hrs.  Yum !

Wild Fennel

Habitat- Roadsides and waste land
Season- Books say spring summer but I picked mine last week

Fennel spends a lot of time hanging around sea side car parks and other less then pristine locations.

Welcome to my Blog !

Hello any one who reads this...  I hope you enjoy this as it is all new to me and I have no idea what Im doing. I do know a bit about cooking and foraging and will share with you recipes and foraging Tips as I go along


MY FIRST TIPS FOR FORAGING...

• Get your self some reference books I like  Food For Free by Collins and Mushrooms by River Cottage
• Now if your going mushrooming get your self a mushroom knife and basket which will also come in handy with all your other pickings
• Always use scissors when picking leaves, up rooting means it will not grow back :(
• Don't be greedy leave some for others. If you pick it all it wont be there next year.

The books might tell you that stuff is out of season but its not always true because of the ever changing weather patterns 

Good Luck and have fun!