What I've been up to...

Right... 2 months since I've opened the blog, yes, not lying, i swear i haven't signed into it that long and today i open to find loads of comments, something I've not seen in a while :). I feel people have stopped reading blogs, like properly reading them and enjoying them, me included. I still do scout around for recipes and the majority of recipes i follow are from blogs, so there is still some hope in this world.

I don't have any recipe for you today. But thought I'd fill you in on what I've been up to.

Sucre Sale by Bobo Macarons

 

We have been extremely busy in the Bobo kitchen with the launch of our new collection of savoury macarons, Sucre Sale- sweet and savoury all in one bite. You'd be surprised at how nice they taste, and I'm not saying this because i work there, but from someone who was sceptical about how they'd turn out, you just have to take my word for it. They are yummm. Dora, the chief taste developer, has come up with flavours like English old mustard with salmon mousse and dill, beetroot, coriander and goats cheese, oregano mushrooms filled with avocado cream and so on. They are perfect for parties and seriously, canapés never looked this pretty! We are currently running an exclusive Christmas offer, so if you are wondering what to gift your loved ones, then head on over to our website and place an order. 

Christmas menu at Tentazioni restaurant

From top left: Swordfish cubes with aubergine ratatouille and red pepper coulis, beef fillet carpaccio with fois gras ice cream, pumpkin ravioli with butter and sage sauce, Scottish lobster and beef fillet, tagliatelle with black truffle sauce, tiramisu.

I was invited to Tentazioni Italian restaurant for a preview of their Christmas menu. It was back in September and walking into a cosy restaurant in Bermondsey with carols playing in the background, Christmas crackers on tables and decorations made me wish for Christmas to approach faster. Now that we are a little over 2 weeks away from Christmas, I want time to stand still so i can hold on to 2014 a little longer. We were treated to 7 different dishes from their tasting menu and i loved all of it, fav being the tagliatelle with black truffle oil. They use fresh seasonal food and the menu is designed by head chef Alberto Modena. The restaurant is conveniently located and has a great private dining area that can host parties of up to 20. I am definitely going back to try their a la carte menu.

Dream non-dairy ice cream

On a cold Nov evening i scurried along the back alleys of Soho to get to the gorgeous Good Housekeeping cooking institute to check out the Dream ice cream pop up. Ice cream in winter is not really my thing but i had to find out what the deal with this gluten free, dairy free, low fat ice cream made with almonds (I know!), was all about. All decked in pink, with an ice cream trolley in a corner, i put together my ice cream sundae of praline crunch and velvety vanilla, full on with sprinkles and wafers. The ice cream is nice, i mean you wouldn't know its gluten free or low fat or anything except its a wee less sweeter than usual, which i think is a good thing, if you plan on dousing it with sauces and such. Right now they have 4 flavours- salted caramel, praline crunch, mint choc chip and velvety vanilla and are retailed at Waitrose at £4.99 per tub. Snuggle up next to a roaring fire with a tub of the praline crunch and I'm sorted. Its never too cold for ice cream, i learnt ;)

L'eto Caffe

L'eto caffe, a high end cafe and restaurant had a press launch of their new location on Brompton street, opposite the V & A museum last month. It was a fun night where bloggers and members of the press attended a champagne and canapé reception and then a feast of pastries from their elaborate collection. We got to take home a goody bag filled to the gills with all sorts of pastries and tarts and cakes. I must add that the tres leche cake i had there was the best, closely followed by the honey cake which apparently is one of their best sellers. L'eto has 6 London locations, so make sure you pop by one of them when you have the chance.

The Great British Chefs Dinner

I had the privilege of attending a gala dinner hosted by Great British Chefs in aid of NSPCC at the grand Banqueting Hall. It was a black tie event, and my first time at a fund raising gala, one I'd never forget too. Michelin star chefs- Nathan Outlaw, Martin Wishart, Frances Atkins and Mark Dodson- put together a gorgeous menu and needless to say, the food was fabulous. The dinner gala raised more than £175,000 and I'm so glad i could be part of this worthy cause. If you would like to donate, please do so on the link provided.

Eat First

One of the problems I face at work is lunch. I don't have many options around and carrying lunch every day is not feasible for me. Same goes with the husband. So I was pretty thrilled to know about this new service called Eat First, delivering fresh and healthy meals to your office. Every day you get to choose from a veg or non veg option (no confusion there) and its delivered within 15 minutes of placing the order, which i think is definitely a plus point. I got to taste some of their food at the launch event and its really good. At the moment they cover only the city and Canary wharf but I'm hoping they'd expand west and I'd be able to avail of their services soon.

Comte cheese and spinach tart

 

This is probably the easiest tart I've ever made. I say so with confidence because I was under pressure to have lunch ready with a husband breathing down my neck.

Ro has this habit of heading to work late, especially if he has an early morning conf call to take which he does from home. It would invariably be on a day I don't work, which means by the time I wake up at around 9-ish and settle down with coffee and emails and such, Ro is well into his day. He usually heads into work around lunch time and catches lunch there, but last week he apparently changed his mind and asked me 'what are we having for lunch?' at 11.30 that too. I stared at him, then I stared at the contents of my fridge and seeing the ingredients for this tart, my eyes lit up. They were supposed to be dinner, but that was about 7 hrs away and I had enough time to figure it out. Warned him it would take an hour and he agreed. And there, the easiest tart I've ever made came into existence. 

Photo courtesy: Daniel Jones Photography for Comte Cheese

I attended a Comte Cheese tasting event beginning of last month at La Cave a Fromage. It was a fun evening with Comte cheese expert Claire Perrot giving us in depth knowledge about the complex flavours that Comte is all about. We then went on to taste Comte cheese from different terrains and ages and were asked to figure out how they tasted different, what flavours were persistent etc. I'm no expert at cheese, but the flavours i could get were so obvious, I was quite surprised myself. What amazed me the most was how a slab of cheese smelt completely different from a cut piece and how certain wine and champagne simply made eating cheese a pleasure. One of the pairings with Comte cheese was vanilla paste and I loved how they tasted together. Came back home with a goody bag and a huge slab of Comte cheese to experiment...and experiment did I.

This tart recipe is made using Comte cheese and I must say it tasted fab (don't forget how easy it was make the tart). I think this is going to be the base recipe for all my tarts and I can just play around with the fillings used. The original recipe used a polenta tart base, but remember husband breathing down neck? So short crust pastry it was!

Recipe adapted from the Comte cheese recipe card (makes 5 to 6 tartlets or one 24cm tart)

Spinach- 200 gms

Comte cheese- 200 gms, grated

Crème fraiche- 150 ml

Single cream- 150 ml

Eggs- 3

Salt and pepper- to taste

Butter- to grease the tart tins

Short crust pastry- 1 slab/ roll

Pre-heat the oven to 180C and grease the tart tins with melted butter

Roll out the short crust pastry into a rectangle about 5mm thick and carefully lay it into the tart tin. I used mini tart tins so cut the pastry into 5 equal parts and then carefully laid it into the tins.

Place a greaseproof paper on top of the pastry case and fill with baking beans. I don't have baking beans so used rice instead. Works fine.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until just golden.

Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes to make sure the pastry is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and keep aside.

While the pastry is cooking, you can go about getting the filling ready.

Wash the spinach and roughly chop it up.

Squeeze most of the water from the spinach and cook covered in a microwave safe bowl on high for about 3 minutes.

Drain the water that has oozed out and keep aside to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, mix together the cheese, crème fraiche, cream and eggs in a large bowl.

Season well with salt and pepper.

Once the spinach has cooled down a bit, layer the bottom of the cooked tart shells with spinach and pour over the cheese mix.

Gently stir to evenly distribute the spinach.

Bake for about 20 minutes or till the tart is just set and golden. If a knife inserted comes out clean you are good to go.

Take the tart out and cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before removing them from the tin.

Serve with a salad.

Notes: Original recipe called for Swiss chard. If using chard, then wash, chop and cook in a bit of olive oil till wilted.

You can make the same tart using puff pastry as well.. in fact I prefer that to short crust.
Of course Comte cheese can be replaced with cheddar or rather any cheese of choice.
Use double cream in place of creme fraiche

With thanks to Comte cheese for inviting me to the tasting event and for the sample.

What I've been up to...

I threw a summer party beginning of the month and this was the table

Things have been pretty crazy at my end with a few new projects I've undertaken and a part time job with Bobo Macarons in full swing. I must say, although its a complete shift in profession, I am so so so enjoying it, especially the baking bit. Of course I have a long way to go but having a really patient boss helps when it comes to learning something new. 

There is also some really exciting news coming your way (no, not involving babies and such), and I cant wait to share it with you all. I will be revealing it end of this week, so head back here around that time and you'll know what it is :) :) I know..the suspense is killing me too, but you just have to wait :)

I am in the process of giving my blog a new face lift because like everything in my life, I got bored with the look. After breaking my head on a logo and after trying out so many different options I decided to go with the one on the header. I also got my business cards printed and although I'm not damn happy with the outcome, it serves the purpose for the time being. My friends convinced me its "soo totally me" and so I think I'm a bit relieved. 

I have also been attending a lot of really cool events with my partner in crime Suchi of Kitchen Karma and I thought I'll pen down some of the fun events I attended. Its going to be a photo overdose post, so scoot if you are bored already :)

AGA Rangemaster

We attended a fancy evening of cocktails and canapés at the glamorous Violin Factory in Waterloo to celebrate the launch of a couple of new products from AGA Rangemaster. Truth be told, I don't think I'll be able to afford an AGA any time soon, but yes its up there on my wish list. Highlight of the evening was meeting the adorable Mary Berry of Great British Bake Off fame. She, I think, is one of the most down to earth celebrity chefs I've come across. Not that I rub shoulders with them every other day, but you know, in general. She is the new face of AGA and entertained us with a fun talk about her experiences with the brand. 

Dotcomgiftshop Blogger's Christmas evening

Yes, you read that right, Christmas plans are already under way for a lot of brands. The event was to showcase the selection of Dotcomgiftshop's Christmas gift ideas and also their new AW 2013 collection. It was a prop haven for prop obsessed people like me. We also got this really pretty cup and saucer which I converted into a table centrepiece at my summer party.

Food For Media's Media Market Place

Last week the entire Bloggers' Buzz team attended the Food For Media's Media Market Place event which was like a networking event with loads of interesting brands and such. We had a very productive day talking shop and also got to take home some fabulous goodies. The bread from Flour Power City Bakery was perhaps my best. Its been 5 days since I've got the loaf, and its still soft and tasty. Another interesting find was the Divino gelato made with the finest of fruits and served in the fruit itself. So its like a peach gelato is served in a peach and you can eat the entire thing.  Other brands on display were Bonne Maman, Squires Kitchen, Little Devil, Farrington Oils, The Saucy Fish Co. and so on...

Gordon Ramsay Bread Street by Royal Doulton

Photo courtesy Suchi

To date this is definitely the highlight of my blogging career- to have met THE Gordon Ramsay. We had an exclusive breakfast with GR to celebrate his new Bread Street by Royal Doulton tableware and took home a gorgeous coffee mug by the brand and an autographed book by the chef himself. We were so excited that when he came to talk to us, we just giggled like smitten school girls. The breakfast was amazing with Suchi's eggs Benedict topping the charts and my ricotta cakes with banana and butter a close second. The collection will be available at leading stores soon and since I've started with a mug it would be unfair to not complete the set wouldn't it? That's a hint Roshan :) 

With thanks to all the brands for inviting me to these events.

Mysore masala dosa and an event announcement

Before you go ahead and judge me by saying, omg another dosa recipe, who needs that? let me confirm that its actually for my benefit than yours because i really had to have a fool proof recipe on record since my life was wasted searching the internet for chutney and masala recipes. I don't make my own dosa batter, let me make that very clear, and am very happy with the results the ready made dosa batter gives me. 

I also suck at making a normal sambar and an even simpler chutney which is why I like to serve dosa with chicken curry (for dinner that is) and idli with fish curry. Have you tried the combo? Its divine, really it is! But on some very rare occasions, I feel like going all out and the Mysore Masala Dosa was an after effect of one of those days. 

I have fond memories of Mysore masala dosa and I don't think i have had any as good as the ones from Sangeetha restaurant in Nungabakkam, Chennai. My hostel was just around the corner from the restaurant and on Sundays, usually after a hang over from hitting the clubs the previous night, we would all wake up by around 11 or 12 and conveniently miss breakfast at the hostel (which would be upma or something uninteresting like that). With rumbling tummies we would then start discussing brunch/lunch options. Ideally it would be Crescent hotel which we would want to go to, for their yummy Prawn biryani (which btw if you haven't tried, YOU SHOULD!), but mostly we would all be broke and so Sangeetha Vegetarian restaurant would be our next best choice. And the Mysore masala dosa there is perhaps one of the best i have ever had. Let me assure you, this is no where close to what they serve, but it was good enough to shut me up about Mysore masala dosa for a while.

I would suggest you make all the items a day ahead so you dont ruin the whole assembling process. My dosa making skills are not so good and mostly the first 2 or 3 dosas always get dumped. Either the heat is not right or the spreading is not correct or something usually goes wrong. I also like my dosas crispy and so this time I was determined to make them right so I could take a few pics, which is no easy feat. One, because there are not many ways to make a dosa look appealing and two, they don't really stay crisp for that long. So this was the best I could do :)

For a recipe for perfect dosa batter, check out this informative post by Sala here

If it's idli's you are looking for then Nags has summed it up pretty well in her post here

I, on the other hand, use the store bought batter for both idli and dosa. I always freeze the batter the day i pick it up and it stays for a really long time. I thaw it at room temperature and use it as desired. I usually make idlis the day I open it. I mix a tsp of baking soda to the batter and leave it for about an hour. This has fetched me really really soft idli's. I then thin down the batter with some water for using it in dosas, or if I'm up to it I separate them in the beginning itself and use them accordingly. But really, if you are up to making your own batter, follow the above mentioned links like the Bible :)

Mysore masala dosa

Dosa batter- around 1 cup

Ghee- enough to drizzle

For the filling

Idli podi/ mulaga podi- here & here (I buy mine from the store. Yes, I am a disgrace to the food blogger community)

Onion chutney

Red onion- 1 medium, roughly chopped

Garlic- 4 to 5 pods, peeled and roughly chopped

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Tamarind paste- 1 tsp

Salt- to taste

Oil- 1 tbsp

Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and some salt

Sauté on medium heat till they become a light brown in colour.

Add the chilli powder and continue to cook for a minute or so. 

Remove from heat and leave aside to cool for a while.

Add the cooled mix, garlic and tamarind paste and blend to a smooth consistency.

Resist the urge to add water, but if absolutely necessary, add a tsp or so and increase gradually.

You can do the above without cooking the onions by pulse all the ingredients in a blender. I find it a bit too overpowering and so I cook the onions.

Potato masala

Potaoes- 2 medium, quartered and pre cooked

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves- a sprig

Asafoetida- a generous pinch

Onion- 1 medium, thinly sliced

Ginger- 1.2 inch piece, thinly sliced (optional)

Green chillies- 2, slit

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- to taste

Break down the pre-cooked potatoes using a fork, but don't mash it up. Keep aside.

In a kadai heat the oil and temper mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.

To this add the onion, ginger and green chillies and cook till the onions wilt and turn a light brown colour.

Add the turmeric powder and cook for a minute or two after which you dump in the potato and give a good stir, making sure the potatoes are well mixed with the masala.

Check for salt, add a dash of water to prevent it from drying out and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes after which you can transfer the masala to a serving plate and keep ready. 

Accompaniment

Sambar- here & here

Coconut chutney (recipe adapted from here)

 

Grated coconut- 1/2 cup

Shallots- 1 small, roughly chopped

Ginger- 1/2 inch piece, peeled and roughly chopped

Chilli powder- 3/4th tsp

Water- 2 tbsp, adjust accordingly

Salt- to taste

Oil- 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves- a sprig

Grind together the coconut, shallots, ginger, chilli powder and salt with the water in a blender till you get a smooth paste.

In a saucepan, heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Keep the heat to medium and pour in the coconut paste mix along with about a 1/4 cup of water.

Cook, stirring continuously, till you see the steam coming from the spatula when lifted off the chutney. 

make sure the chutney doesn't boil.

Also adjust water according to taste. I like mine a wee bit thick, so i reduced the water.

Assembling

Keep a non-stick dosa tawa over medium heat.

When ready, add a ladle full of dosa batter and spread it in a circle.

Drizzle a spoon full of ghee over the spread out batter and along the side, lightly dabbing it into the batter. Wait for the dosa to slightly cook.

Spread a spoon of the onion chutney, sprinkle some idli podi and cook till the dosa slightly crisps.

Finally top one half of the dosa with a generous serving of the potato masala, fold over and cook for a minute or two after which you can transfer to a serving plate.

have them warm with a side of the chutney or sambar.

Bloggers' Buzz event announcement

A bunch us food bloggers met early this year in London and we had such a blast, we thought it was high time we took this whole thing to another level. So we brainstormed a bit and came up with Bloggers' Buzz, a platform for like-minded people to come together to share their passion for one thing- FOOD.

This is going to be a one day event with food blogging related master classes like basics in food photography, ethics and copyright, monetising your blog etc. and there will also be loads of networking opportunities with those attending. If that's not good enough then wait till you see the fabulous sponsors that we have roped in for the event and we assure you, you will be leaving the event with a big smile, some new friends and a goody bag full of surprises.

If you are a food blogger based out of UK or Europe or someone who simply fancies food in general, then this is definitely where you need to be. Do check out our official event blog http://bloggersbuzzuk.blogspot.co.uk/ for more details and updates and register right away as we have some really cool prizes to be won for a few competitions we will be running from Jan onwards. If you would like any more details regarding this, drop in a line to Nupur at bloggerbuzzuk@gmail.com or just leave a comment on this post :)

We are counting on you guys out there to make this event a success. So do book a place and feel free to spread the word. The more! the merrier!

With loads of love and Christmas cheer,

The Bloggers' Buzz Team