cookhouse Soho House Food Magazine
oh grow up summer 2011 WORKING why scratch cooking is best EATING an appetite for Tuscany PLAYING dinner at James Beard’s house
a taste... 4 DIGEST THIS
Soho House Group’s rising star chefs, the best books for cooks, and a new Pizza East for West London
Summer 2011 Welcome to edition of magazine – and people
the summer 2011 the Soho House food created for chefs who love to eat.
This magazine celebrates the food philosophy of all the Soho House Group restaurants worldwide: Soho House New York, Babington House in Somerset, Soho House West Hollywood, Soho Beach House Miami, Soho House Berlin and Cecconi’s in LA, as well as all the London sites: Pizza East, Pizza East Portobello Cecconi’s, Dean Street Town House, Shoreditch House, The Electric, Cafe Boheme, BKB, High Road House in Chiswick, Hoxton Grill and Soho House. This is a special Do It Yourself issue, dedicated to growing, making, rearing, catching or cooking your own food – check out our selection of DIY recipes. We also have a report from Babington House’s trip to Tuscany and an exclusive interview with Australian super-chef Peter Evans, plus you can catch up on all the news and openings in the Soho House Group.
Tuck in! Editor Rebecca Seal Art etc. Dominic Salmon
ylan Murray, Caroline Boucher, thanks to Dan Flower, Kat Hartigan, D onnie Bonetti, Antonella Bonetti, Thomas Lennard, Matthew Armistead, R ard, Shelley Armistead, Maurilio r e G l Jon Pollard, Matt Greenlees, Pau , Tim Fuller, Leon Lawrence, Molteni, Andrea Cavaliere, Dave Green Stephen Tonkin Eliot Sandiford
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FRIENDS OF COOKHOUSE
and now, Meet Peter Evans, Australian celebrity chef, author one of our best mates
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CECCONI’S ON TOUR A once-in-a-lifetime chance for Sergio Sigala and Andrea Cavaliere to cook at the legendary James Beard House, NYC
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WHAT I KNOW Executive chef Stephen Tonkin on growing up by the sea and collecting antique cookbooks
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SELF ASSEMBLY
From how to make your own ricotta to pulling your own pork, the Cookhouse DIY special reveals all
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28 30
SOMEONE’S GOT TO DO IT
The Babington team take a crucial trip to Tuscany
SWEETS FOR THE SWEET
Executive pastry chef Matt Hayes in London on Eton Mess and LA’s pastry chef Dolores Munoz on ganache tarts
JUST PEACHY
31
Try this summery salad from Californian member Soozy Graham
EVENTS Edible activities around the houses
Soho House group chefs, led by executive chef Ronnie Bonetti, are going to be working extra hard in July to prepare for this year’s House Festival in south west London. “We take over the kitchens in Chelsea Football Club for three days,” says Ronnie. “Then shift everything to Chiswick House for the day itself. We’re doing everything from a hog roast on a spit, ploughman’s salads with truckles of cheddar, paella, oysters, high teas and churros. We’re even going to have two long rows of barbecues and our own burger vans.” And the final touch? “I’ve ordered 3000 lobsters!”
fest is best!
Also taking part: Wright Brothers, Jamon Jamon, Green & Black’s, Churros Garcia, Anna Maes Smokehouse, Chicago Ribshack, Candy Girl Confectonary, Treacle, Paxton and Whitfield, Bray’s Cottage Pork Pies, Fresh Olive Company and Gilcombe Farm Hog Roast.
NIBBLES
food news from around the world
Star quality
Celebrating unsung heroes of the kitchen SHOREDITCH HOUSE
C O O K H O U S E 4
Head chef Maurilio Molteni says: My rising star is Giuseppe Giordano, my breakfast chef. He is very passionate and attentive and since he joined Shoreditch House breakfast has become busier and busier, with lots of positive comments. So thanks Giuseppe, you are simply the best!
SOHO HOUSE NEW YORK Head chef Paul Gerard says: Kevin Wadzuk comes to SHNY as an extern from CIA, and quickly earned the title of the first extern in my career that I’ve ever agreed to actually pay! He makes good food, is consistently polite and level headed, and the only words I really ever hear him say are “Yes Chef!”, which shows a very important trait....he retains what I tell him! Priceless.
SOHO HOUSE LONDON
Head chef Dave Green says: Alex Fahrey has gone from a chef de partie to sous chef in two years. He is reliable, has a can-do attitude and always goes the extra mile when it comes to customer service and the
Head chef Leon Lawrence says: I’d like to nominate Suzzanne Biro for being a strong member of the 1st floor kitchen and a great asset, Matthew Hickey for his great leadership of the House kitchen and David Lippai for progressing very well in the
running of the kitchen.
pastry section.
HOXTON GRILL
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Brothers gonna work it out *
Spring saw the launch of the latest Cookhouse initiative – twice-monthly workshops hosted by executive chefs Matt Ha yes (pastry), Ronnie Bonetti an d Daniele Pampagnin (Italia n). Any chef from the group can at tend, and each workshop is desig ned to be really hands on. Numb ers are limited to 12 attendin g, so everyone can get involved . Food and beverage director Dyla n Murray explains more. “It’s all about practical, in-house training. They take place in the production kitchen at Conc rete underneath Pizza East. Ma tt does a pastry workshop every mo nth and the other two rotate. So far Matt has showcased things like scones and jam, Victor ia, lemon and blueberry sponge s, chocolate cake and homemade pastries. Daniele has demonstrated three ways wi th the new season’s asparagus and Ronnie has shown the perf ect way to make our house sala ds. His next event will be al l about sauces. It means chefs from differ ent sites get to meet each othe r and everyone gets the chan ce of extra training. Whatev er level someone is at, they’ll learn something.” *
and sisters too, obviously, what are we? sexist!?
C O O K H O U S E 5
NIBBLES
COOKY,booky, ! I !O I !O I o ! Y k o o w Keep up to date with best books in cooking – here are Cookhouse’s current favourites Paul Gerard, executive head chef at Soho House New York loves THE FRANKIES SPUNTINO KITCHEN COMPANION & COOKING MANUAL, packed with Italianl also find BLOOD, BONES American comfort food recipes. On his shelves you’l CHEF, by Gabrielle & BUTTER: THE INADVERTENT EDUCATION OF A RELUCTANT ip between food and Hamilton, a punchy memoir exploring the relationsh s, Herbsaint and kindness. The chef-owner of two New Orleans restaurant COOKING FROM DONALD Cochon, last year released REAL CAJUN: RUSTIC HOME peach buckle LINK’S LOUISIANA, featuring plenty of crawfish, fresh and fried oysters, another favourite. wood also has a big reading Matt Armistead, head chef at Soho House West Holly is a compilation of list. MY SWEET MEXICO by Fany Gerson (a pastry chef) s about their significance Mexico’s huge range of sweet recipes alongside essay er memoir fused with and symbolism. MY NEPENTHE by Romney Steele is anoth urant, which has nestled recipes, telling the family story of Nepenthe resta Featuring inspiring above the cliffs of Big Sur in California since 1949. wonder Matt is into SUPER recipes using wholegrains and local produce, it’s no NATURAL FOODS KITCHEN, by NATURAL EVERY DAY: WELL-LOVED RECIPES FROM MY San Franciscan Heidi Swanson.
t f
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r’s new book EVERY DAY In the UK, there’s a lot of love for chef Jane Baxte the Devon farm where AND SUNDAY, which features veg-centric recipes from A different but equally her restaurant, Riverford Field Kitchen, is based. guide and cookbook by brilliant new book is the GINGER PIG MEAT BOOK, a executive head chef, is one of London’s best-loved butchers. Stephen Tonkin, , FORGOTTEN SKILLS OF making the most of Darina Allen’s enormous compendium to how to make the perfect COOKING, which contains everything from pickling II, which focus on roast, as well as Nigel Slater’s TENDER volumes I and SPOONS, a beautiful book vegetables and fruits, and the CLATTER OF FORK AND by the Irish chef Richard Corrigan.
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New beginnings Soho House Group has given one London favourite a face-lift and opened a new venue nearby THE ELECTRIC
The Electric is one of the oldest Soho House Group properties and was in need of a little love. Stephen Tonkin, originally head chef of Dean Street Townhouse has been drafted in to oversee the new set up: “The food will have a British theme but with a European influence – we’re not taking away the dishes that people have always xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx liked; the burger and the steak tartare xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx are staying!” Food and beverage director Dylan Murray adds, “It’s going to be in the original mould of the club, but it’s getting a new bar, kitchen, 30 more covers and a lovely reception.” Look out for things like spiced crab on toast, salt beef, dandelion and lentil salad, or grilled Barnsley chops.
PIZZA EAST PORTOBELLO
After the success of Pizza East on the other side of town, it made sense to let westLondoners have a taste. Pizza East Portobello in Notting Hill is a little sister to the original restaurant, a smaller venue with a more specialised menu. “For the first time, we’re doing Pizza East breakfasts and all day brunch at weekends,” says Dylan, “with gorgeous pastries, baked on site, and a deli bar.” Tim Fuller, the new head chef is seriously excited. “It’s a very cool new challenge. The pizza ovens are all wood-burners which means we can The ground floor of do things like whole baked salmon, beef fillets Pizza Portobello and whole pork bellies, as well as pizzas. With that and our Italian-style brunches, Saturdays are going to be crazy!”
g n i o g e r a s y a d r “Satu to be crazy!”
C O O K H O U S E 7
friends of cookhouse
peter evans s Peter Evan
The Cookhouse network is going global – this issue takes in Australian celebrity chef, restaurant-owner, award-winner, cookbook-writer and all-round good chap Peter Evans, who has recently been guest-cheffing at Soho House New York, Miami and West Hollywood. Here are his wise words:
If you really want advice from an old man who’s been in the business 20 years, then I’d tell young chefs not to get into this to get famous; get into it if you like long hours, getting dirty and sweaty, and not making a lot of money! But on the flipside, the experiences you can have are second to none. There’s something new around every single corner – and not necessarily just being a chef, you might even find you want to be a food photographer or a writer. The most important tool you can have in a kitchen is your tastebuds. Cooking something I’ve never cooked before is always exciting; a new vegetable, a new spice, a new seafood. I’m in the US right now, and I’m loving it – the different fruits, fish and vegetables than back home, the influences from South and Central America. I was in Utah and some Mexican guys showed me how to make their chicken | soup with rice, finished with chilli sauce. They were shaking their heads at me, like “Why is he so excited by soup?”, but it was authentic food, which gets me going. I took up cooking to earn some money while I was at school, to take girls out or buy a surfboard, and I started off at McDonald’s. But even in a fast food restaurant, I loved the adrenaline of the kitchen and of being part of the team. It’s like an orchestra.
C O O K H O U S E 8
Work in the best place you possibly can. It will involve sacrifices but the easy road is working somewhere quiet, and I see that as a waste of a life. Schools should teach cooking every single damned week. You have to be tough, but I love this industry.
My Grill Outdoor Cooking Australian Style by Peter Evans is out now in America www.sohohouse.com/cookhouse
to sotto i r g eels parin a pre esan wh e r d rm An in pa serve
home james For any chef working in America, cooking at James Beard’s House is an honour, so when Cecconi’s chefs Andrea Cavaliere and Sergio Sigala got the chance to host an evening there, they leapt at it. James Beard himself was a pioneer in the world of food, appearing on the first ever food TV show in 1946, author of a series of cookbooks and founder of the James Beard Cooking School. Today, 26 years after his death, the James Beard Foundation runs coveted annual culinary awards in America and his former New York home is a food centre where top chefs come to cook and pay their respects. Andrea explains:
“It was amazing fun. The dinner sold out and
Vanity Fair and Time Out were there. We served a selection of cicchetti (Venetian-style tapas) like bruschetta and cuttlefish, in the garden. Then for the main course we did something special, something apparently no-one had done at the House before – we did at-table service with a risotto. The risotto was served inside a parmesan wheel which melts into the risotto, so you finish the dish inside the cheese, rather than adding the cheese as normal. It was really theatrical! The whole night was a great experience because the best chefs in the world have cooked in that kitchen. I’m Italian and I suspect many people in Europe wouldn’t realise what a big thing it is for a chef to cook there. I loved it.”
D SOUND? GOO
to find out more about how you could become part of the Soho House Group team contact cookhouse@sohohouse.com www.sohohouse.com/cookhouse
C O O K H O U S E 9
starters
what i know Stephen Tonkin, 44, executive chef Dean Street Townhouse and the Electric You can’t beat a proper roast. Usually pork belly from my butcher Gary Bentley in Surrey, or a Herefordshire rib of beef with all the traditional garnishesYorkshire puddings, parsnips, carrots, leeks, duck-fat roast potatoes. It’s a religion in our family on a Sunday.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Stephen Tonkin
I love gardening and it’s how I relax. We’ve a large pond which my boys love going fishing in, looking for frogs, newts and the fish (as do our two cats). We grow a wide variety of herbs and fruit including blueberries, figs, lemons and cherries, all of which we enjoy eating as they ripen and then cooking with.
I also love spending time with my boys who are 13 and 11, watching rugby or Manchester United play football, as well as cycling, especially if we end up at a pub for a well deserved beer.
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I’m very pedantic. I check on things in my kitchen and the restaurant all the time, blown light bulbs, ketchup bottles filled, cleaning – I think I was indoctrinated by the professionalism at the Ivy to pay attention to every detail. Originally I thought I would go into the Army and join the Royal Marines. But I grew up in Bournemouth and then Cornwall and being by the sea with access to great ingredients helped push me towards cooking. My family lived in Newlyn where the big fish market was and I’d race crabs and lobsters with Matthew Stevens and his children, who is now one of my fish suppliers.
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d n a h d ’ y “ The ags b t h g i e me es o t a t o p f o and tell me to get t on with i ow H . 1 £ r o f ve a h s g n i h t changed.” Back when I started out, years and years ago when I was about 14, I used to spend the whole of my Saturday mornings hand-peeling and handcutting chips for a local restaurant. They’d hand me eight bags of potatoes and tell me to get on with it for £1. How things have changed. I collect cookbooks. I’ve got a very old copy of Mrs Beeton that was handed down from my mother-in-law’s family. I don’t like books that are about celebrity chefs; I prefer more factual books about ingredients and old cooking styles. From working with the chef Brian Turner and then at Caprice Holdings where I was influenced by Mark Hix, Tim Hughes and Alan Bird I learnt that with ingredients, it’s all about quality, not price. Buy seasonal produce – it tastes better and is usually cheaper. I try and lead by example. I just want to do the best I can and I expect other people to follow that too.
D SOUND? GOO
to find out more about how you could become part of the Soho House Group team contact cookhouse@sohohouse.com
www.sohohouse.com/cookhouse
C O O K H O U S E 1 1
if something’s worth doing....
chefs are
doing it (for themselves)
Although there are loads of brilliant suppliers and producers out there, for a chef there’s really nothing better than turning a very raw ingredient into delicious food, or even growing or rearing that ingredient. That’s why this issue of Cookhouse is all about the home-grown, the handreared and the made-from-scratch.
C O O K H O U S E 1 2
“for a chef there’s really nothing better than turning a very raw ingredient into delicious food” www.sohohouse.com/cookhouse
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C O O K H O U S E 1 3
if something’s worth doing....
In London, chefs at Pizza East and the newly opened Pizza East Portobello are experimenting with all sorts of in-house ingredients. “We’ve been making our own ricotta for a while now,” explains Pizza East head chef Jon Pollard. “We have a really good source of raw milk in Cornwall. We’re also experimenting with ageing parmesan and gorgonzola, as well as some variations on pecorino – we just tasted some and reckon it needs just a few more weeks. We’ve got one that we’ve made with bronze fennel and another that we’re ageing with Moscatel grape skins on the outside. We’re also trying soaking it in Barolo wine for about a month – it’s a very rich wine so the cheese takes on the pigment, but it’s not so acidic that it breaks it down. I’m playing around with making bresaola and we’ve got some prosciutto that’s been curing for a couple of months. It’s mostly just for fun. Some of it may end up on the menu at some point, but I realise that some cheese-makers, for instance, take generations to perfect their products. However, it’s great for chefs to gain knowledge like this.” The Pizza East team love growing their own too. “We’re hoping to get a bit of land near the restaurant,” says Jon. “We’re working with Ethical Eats and London Link who are part of the London mayor’s plan to get 2012 plots of food-growing land in London by 2012, and we’re close to getting a spot.
In Los Angeles, the team at Cecconi’s’s have found a way to grow their own herbs, while also getting local school kids in on the act. Andrea Cavaliere explains more: “Last year I was asked to go the White House and meet with Michelle Obama and other chefs for her Chefs Move to Schools campaign, which is all about helping kids in America eat healthily. We all left the meeting agreeing that we’d each adopt a school and work with teachers and canteens. I wanted to find a local school but I wanted it to be one that was genuinely in need – I live in Beverly Hills and work in West Hollywood, which are both wealthy areas, so I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find somewhere nearby. Happily I was invited on a radio show and mentioned that I was looking to partner with a school and the next day we got so many calls! “We went with a school just one mile from Cecconi’s, Melrose Elementary, where some of the kids really go just to get a meal. We paired up with Woolly Pockets (www.woollypockets.com), a company who create hanging pockets so you can grow things vertically, and me and the other Cecconi’s chefs helped the kids start growing herbs in beds and the pockets. We use some of them in specials at the restaurant, like chervil and mint frittata. Until recently we were also running a salad bar for the kids, with chefs and our suppliers, but the LA education authorities have stopped that, we hope temporarily, saying we can’t take our own food into schools. Instead, we now have whole classes of kids coming to Cecconi’s to learn about the kitchens and front-of-house, which is also wonderful.”
“For the time being though, we’re loving growing some of our herbs and salads in Epping Forest, north of London. A group called Organic Lea have land there that we can use. The great advantage of that, given that growing veg is so time-consuming, is that they’re there all the time to tend it, and we send the guys up every Friday to help. We’ve been getting some really good apple mint and lettuce recently, and ultimately we’ll get honey, as well. It’s good to see food go from seed to plate and it helps chefs respect their ingredients. We can control the quality more too. Other lettuce might have been grown in Spain or Israel and then been trucked here, experiencing all sorts of different temperatures – we can cut that out by growing our own. I really know what I’ll be getting!”
C O O K H O U S E 1 4
“ I really know what I’ll be getting!” www.sohohouse.com/cookhouse
“We now have whole classes of kids coming to Cecconi’s to learn about the kitchens and front-ofhouse, which is wonderful”
Andrea and the students at Melrose Elementary School
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if something’s worth doing....
In Somerset, England, general manager Matt Greenlees and Ronnie Bonetti, executive chef, have been creating porky products for their own kitchens over the last couple of years. “Fed up with buying salumi (Italian cured meats) from supermarkets, we joined a small group of like-minded local Babington members and tried our hand at rearing pigs. First year we had Saddlebacks – all girls and very tasty – and next we ventured into Gloucester Old Spots and Durak crosses – a mix of boys and girls and a bit aggressive, but equally delicious,” says Matt.
Pizza East head chef Jon Pollard explains how:
“We make ricotta daily. You have to split your milk because ricotta is the curd. We heat the milk to about 880C (1900F) and then add an incentive to split – some people use vinegar or lemon juice, but I choose the acidic power of the artichoke, a method commonly used in Sicily as it gives a nice flavour and isn’t overpowering. Then we paddle out the curds and tie them in a cloth to drain for around 12 hours. Finally we season them – how much depends on the amount of salt in the milk already.”
“A day is set aside for the curing process and each year the end product gets better. Loosely following TV cook and meat expert Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s ‘pig in a day’ method we make a variety of sausages, salamis, chorizo, prosciutto and brawn (jellied pigs head). The rest goes on the dinner table. They are always the best pork chops I have ever eaten.” Members should look out for a Club Supper coming up at Babington – a nose-to-tail meal featuring a whole Gloucester Old Spot.
GROW YOUR OWN TOP TIP: Herbs don’t like to be too dry, but equally they hate being too wet. Stick n a thumb halfway into the soil – if it’s dry, the water, if damp, don’t.
Some of the Babington experiments haven’t entirely worked, says Ronnie. “We made elderflower champagne and were really excited about it. But unfortunately it exploded all over the cellar so we ended up using it for vinegar. It’s all about trial and error. We get so many treats growing here that we’re encouraged to do different things. This morning we went down to the garden and decided to pick some beetroot – tonight we’re serving the tops, braised. Even when you don’t think there’s much going on you find a little herb or two for a salad.”
Pull your own pork!
Meanwhile, over in Miami, head chef Sergio Sigala has joined forces with Paradise Farms which runs charitable dinners hosted by the best chefs in town (naturally, Sergio has taken a turn), showcasing the organic produce the farm grows. Guests are treated to a tour before their six-course meal with matched wines. However, Sergio admits that this time of year isn’t the best for growing... “It’s pretty much hurricane season here and it’s really hot just now, but in a few months, when it’s cooler, we’re going to partner with the farm so that we can grow herbs and salad leaves with them. We already use a lot of their vegetables, so it will be great to work together more closely. Instead of growing, this summer we’re hunting and then curing some wild boar, with bow and arrows, Robin Hood-style! It’s going to be very medieval. Assuming we catch something we’ll roast part of it, and then also try and make some wild boar bresaola or prosciutto which will be marvellous, I hope.”
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Churn your own ricotta!
“First year we had Saddlebacks – all girls and very tasty”
Try Dave Green’s recipe for Hoxton Grill’s pulled pork serves 6 -8 For the pork:
Rub 1 pork shoulder in 200g / 1 ½ cups of demerara sugar and enough spice mix to coat (recipe below). Add 100g / ¾ cup of salt and rub in to the meat. Smoke the pork in a foil bag for 1 hour (you will need a smoking kit for this and full instructions will come with it). Place in a cool oven (around 120°C / gas ½ / 250°F) for at least 3 hours or until the meat falls off the bone. When cold pull (shred by hand) the pork, including some of the fat and skin (how much is up to you). Bind with barbecue sauce (recipe also below) and a few caramelised onions. Reheat under the grill to serve.
Cajun spice rub 100g / 3.5 oz cayenne 250g / 9 oz paprika 25g / 1 scant oz onion powder 25g 1 scant oz garlic powder 10g peppercorns 25g cumin 1 tbsp dried oregano 1 tbsp dried thyme Put all the ingredients in a thermomix, set it to 70°C / 160°F and blitz on ½ power until the mix is hot and smoking.
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Increase to full power for 1 minute then remove and put through a conical strainer or a coarse sieve. In a domestic kitchen just whizz in a blender and then lightly toast in a hot pan.
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if something’s worth doing....
Smoke your own fish!
DIY barbecue sauce 700g / 3 scant cups ketchup 30g / 1 oz demi-glace powder (or gravy powder) 25g / 1 scant oz mustard powder 1 tbsp cayenne pepper 30g / 1 oz smoked paprika 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
60g / ½ cup dark soft sugar 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tbsp lemon juice Mix together and reduce over a gentle heat till sticky and smoky – stir constantly as it can catch easily!
Give Leon Lawrence’s tea-smoked trout recipe a go, from Soho House London. serves 4 - 6 as a starter 1 whole rainbow trout, butterflied and head removed ½ cup / 30g earl grey tea leaves ½ cup / 30g English breakfast tea leaves 1.2 cup / 175g sugar Mix the dry ingredients together and spread them on a roasting tray. Place the fish on a wire rack skin-side down and rest the rack on top of the tray. Place on a low heat and cover with tin foil to seal in the smoke. Cooking time will be about 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. The fish should come away easily from the skin when it’s ready.
GROW YOUR OWN TOP TIP: Water herbs in pots in the morning in summer, so they can cope with any sunshine later in the day.
C O O K H O U S E 1 8
Preserve your own produce!
You can make your fruits and herbs go much further by making syrups with them, and capture the flavours of summer to use all year. They work well in all sorts of dishes, dressings and puddings, and especially in drinks. James Jesty, Babington House senior sous chef, explains how.
DIY TIP: Lemon thyme, chives and oregano do well in a sunny window box, but parsley and chervil like a a bit of shade. Camomile, coriander, ginger, mint and tarragon don’t mind total shade, if necessary.
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“The rule is the same with all syrups – use equal amounts of water and sugar, bring it all up to the boil and then take it off the heat, add your flavours and allow it to cool. With more delicate things like fennel and rhubarb you want to mix equal amounts of everything, but with stronger flavours like lavender, use 250g / 9oz each of water and sugar and just 15g / ½ oz of the herb. We even make a syrup out of bay leaves.”
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C O O K H O U S E 11 9
if something’s worth doing....
r own grow you tips from
the top
Pizza East head chef Jon Pollard
Get good cuttings
“It’s very, very important to get good cuttings of herbs you want to grow, which you can almost always buy at farmers markets. Then you know the plant will be acclimatised to growing in the temperatures where you are. There’s a lot of bad basil on the UK market for example – it grows really fast, but then dies, probably because it was grown somewhere hot like Italy, rather than here.”
Babington House sous chef Neil Smith Don’t rush
“You have to be be patient when you’re growing vegetables. You can’t push a river – let it flow.”
Enjoy it
“I have an allotment and I love it. I get to chill out and relax when I’m up there, planting. Sometimes I go up to my allotment and just eat veg all night, take up a barbecue and maybe a bottle of Somerset cider. It’s wonderful.”
Taste everything
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“We find out when things are ready by just tasting, tasting, tasting. The weather can change everything in just a few days.”
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Senior sous chef James Jesty Grow from seed
“If you grow something from a seed to a little plant, then nurture it, plant it outside and feed it, all that effort will be reflected in the flavour of the plant or fruit.”
Pick carefully
“When we pick things we have to think about how we do it – like with chard, you can’t just cut it all off, we go round and choose the larger leaves and let the smaller leaves grow because then we’ll have something for three days time.”
General manager Matt Greenlees Keep an eye on the garden
“Our gardener, Mike, taught us that you have to visit the garden all the time. It did take me a couple of years to understand – I’d think ‘Oh, Mike’s going to make me walk round the garden again and I’ll have herbs stuffed in my face, what is he getting at?’ But then you see how one week the produce isn’t ready and the next it’s perfect.”
“ You can’t push a river – let it flow.”
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C O O K H O U S E 2 1
grow your own drinks!
a gander with goose Last month Cookhouse took a trip to Babington with our partner, Grey Goose Vodka, so that their mixologist, Joe McCanta, could swap some of his knowledge of flavour with the chefs there. The walled garden at Babington is in full bloom now, and Joe and the chefs talked non-stop all day about how to make the most of its produce, and how to match his seasonal cocktails with their seasonal food. To see what they all got up to, go to www.sohohouse.com/ cookhouse where you can watch an exclusive video of the day and find out how to make our cocktail of the month. Matt Greenless, Joe McCanta, Neil Smith and James Jesty
“This is the first of a quarterly programme,” said Joe, “where we get to visit different Soho House venues and spend time with the chefs. We chose Babington today because the walled garden really speaks of seasonality. There’s such a strong connection between the garden, the kitchen and the bar.” General manager Matt Greenlees, who led the tour of the garden and got to taste the resulting cocktails, explained: “In the last few years we’ve focused on getting chefs and bartenders out into the garden. Just about everything is edible in one shape or form, whether it’s the roses for a syrup, herbs for bitters, or edible flowers for colour.” Joe and the chefs explored the garden, finding out what’s currently at its best and plotting a few flavour combinations for drinks and food. “ We have a big range of fruit growing here, which is great for us when we’re writing menus because one day we’ll have plums to use and then the next day we’ll switch to strawberries, which we’ll be able to work into dishes across the menu,” said sous chef Neil Smith. Senior sous chef James Jesty agreed. “It’s always interesting and new chefs get to work with ingredients that they’ve either never seen before or have never seen growing or picked. It’s really inspiring.”
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The team then headed for the bar, with armfuls of tarragon, chocolate mint, lavender and rhubarb (for syrups), wormwood (for bitters), freshly dug beetroot and horseradish, plus some delicious white strawberries (“We sort of stole them from chef Mark Hix...” said Matt with a grin). Joe got to work. First, a long cocktail using strawberries, rhubarb, Grey Goose vodka and lime: “I’d pair that with a nice summer berry crumble,” said Neil. Next, an earthy drink using freshly pressed beetroot juice, horseradish and Grey Goose Le Citron. “This would go brilliantly with beef carpaccio,” said Neil, “or game.” Third, Joe mixed Grey Goose L’Orange, Aperol, tarragon and lavender
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Neil, Joe and James behind the bar
“ New chefs come here and work with ingredients that they’ve either never seen before or have never seen growing or picked. It really inspires them.” syrup. “I’m adding 3ml of white balsamic – I learnt from chefs what a great thing balsamic is for flavour.” James thought it would be perfect at a barbecue. “That would go well with grilled red mullet.” However, the final martini was a clear winner, after being tasted by Matt, the chefs, Joe and Cookhouse editor Rebecca Seal. It is currently cocktail of the month on the Cookhouse website and being served across the houses. “We wanted to work with the beautiful fennel from the garden,” said Joe. “So fennel syrup is the base and I used Grey Goose La Poire, and a touch of Chartreuse, plus crushed black pepper. Mint then balances the herbaceousness of the fennel.” “That tastes delicious,” said Neil. “I’d put that with broad bean salad, fresh goats cheese, and pea shoots.” James loved it too. “I’m thinking some steamed sea bass and fennel, matching the flavours – nothing too heavy or roasted-tasting. Or...I could just drink this one now.”
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Grey Goose fennel and pear martini 50ml Grey Goose La Poire 30ml fresh lime 20ml homemade fennel syrup dash of green Chartreuse ½ tsp cracked black pepper 4 fresh mint leaves Shake all ingredients and double strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with some fresh mint leaves and a twist of black pepper.
forza toscana!
babington’s italian job
Last month, a lucky few of the Babington House crew managed to slip off to Tuscany on a ‘research’ trip. Matt Greenlees, general manager, gives us the low down
“Our plan was to eat and drink our way through Tuscany”
Antonella, our food and beverage manager, put together a three day Tuscan tasting trip for me, her, Ronnie Bonetti, our executive head chef, Jessica Marshall, senior chef de partie, Luke Reeves, chef de partie and Neil Smith, our senior sous. We started at the Capezzana estate, where evidence of wine-making has been found dating back to 1000BC. There, the hospitality of the noble Contini family was on show, as Serena and her dad Vittorio took us on a tour of their winery, olive grove and cellars. We were overwhelmed by the collection of wines – a few even dated pre-World War II, and were kept safe from the Germans by hiding them behind a false wall. We were lucky enough to taste one of them: a fantastic bottle of Carmignano 1931. C O O K H O U S E 2 4
After aperitifs with Count Ugo Contini Bonacossi, we moved on to an amazing dinner: ribollita with lashings of the estate olive oil, fusilli with red wine and pecorino, duck with aubergine...Dessert was pannacotta with blackberry coulis, yet somehow we still had room to knock back a glass of vin santo, just bottled that day. www.sohohouse.com/cookhouse
Above left: Jessica, Neil, Luke, Antonella, Matt and Ronnie. This page: the team on tour
forza toscana The next day we headed to Rufina, one of the eight Chianti-producing areas, to meet Silvia Giuntini from Selvapiana, another estate. We were given a tour of his vineyards and the olive groves and as we were squeezing three producers in every day, we had to do the tasting with lunch... Just a few wines to taste... how unfortunate! The Chianti Rufina 2009 was fantastic with antipasti, while the Bucerchiale 2007 went down a treat with a venison ragu. A cheeky stuffed chicken’s neck was well matched with the Fornace 2007. Afterwards, we drove through winding roads down to Isole e Olena. What a place! Paolo De Marchi was there to talk us through his beautiful wines and state-of-the-art wine cellar. Uvaggio 2007 was Ronnie’s favourite, while words cannot do justice to Paolo’s Cepparello. Next stop, the Tenuta Fontodi estate, where Giovanni Manetti showed off his chianina, white tuscan cows which he started to breed after BSE prevented him buying his beloved meat on the bone. Everyone was taken with Gio’s charm. A quick glass of his Meriggio and then the piece de resistance – Gio had arranged for local and internationally renowned butcher, Dario Cecchini’s restaurant to be opened especially for us.
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There, a meat feast began: sushi del Chianti (featuring both melt-in-the-mouth raw and grilled beef), “ragnolino” (which translates as “spider”, a special cut Dario takes from the leg) and bistecca Fiorentina. Dario proclaimed his love for the “ciccia” (Tuscan for meat) by holding two cooked T-bones at arms length and loudly proclaiming “To meat or not to meat”. Our chefs were in awe.
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Giovanni’s Chianti was great with the meal...but then he brought out a Flaccianello. What an amazing wine! We finished with a glass of Fontodi vin santo 2003, olive oil cake and a final glass of grappa. Phew. Our last day started with an eight o’clock espresso and cornetto in nearby Panzano and a visit to Dario’s butchers shop and lab. Our tour reinforced the impression that he is obsessed with really good meat, and there were stage chefs visiting from around the world, busily breaking down carcasses.
Butcher Dario Cecchini cooking in his restaruant; Ronnie gets stuck in
“ Besides the food and wine, if we were to take one thing away with us from him and everyone we visited in Tuscany, it is without doubt their passion.”
www.dariocecchini.com; www.capezzana.it www.fontodi.com www.selvapiana.it www.sohohouse.com/cookhouse
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astry p e v i t u c Munoz, e UK exe s s u e o r H o l o o h D o S yes and a H t t a M use West o H chef o h o S ef at to pastry ch on what it takes ne of d, Hollywoo hef – and why no c be pastry et tooth e w s a e v them ha
story of an ingredient Desserts don’t have to be complicated to be exciting Matt Hayes: Eton Mess is a fantastic dessert – you can do it very well or very badly, the components all need to add up. Lemon tart is a good benchmark for a chef or restaurant – loads have lemon tart on the menu, but the differences between them can be huge, and that highlights the talents and capabilities of each kitchen. Dolores: I really like a chocolate ganache tart. Made right, it just melts in your mouth. I have a recipe I love and always put on the menu. I also like fried pastries like doughnuts and simple things like meringues with whipped cream and fruit – a vacherin is the perfect dessert for me. Matt: Over the years I’ve seen a lot of styles, from Michelin where it’s 22 things on a plate, to here where it’s simple food. You can’t hide behind anything when there’s only apple strudel and chantilly cream on the plate – they both have to be great.
Pastry chefs are not sugar addicts Matt: You always find that the guys in the main kitchen only want to eat dessert and the guys in pastry only want to eat savoury food. Much to the disappointment of my girlfriend, at the weekends desserts are the last thing I want to cook. Dolores: I don’t have a sweet tooth. My favourite food is a white peach, and when they’re in season I can easily eat two a day. I like to make pastries and then for people to like them – it gives me a lot of satisfaction when people enjoy what I make.
Classic books can be inspiring Matt: I look through a lot of books. You have to be very careful as you don’t want to just copy, but they can be helpful for new flavour combinations. One of my favourites is by Marco Pierre White, White Heat – not so much for the cooking, but for extracts of what goes on in service and pictures of the kitchen. Dolores: I have a big library – over 120 cookbooks. I really like the Last Course, by Claudia Fleming; she’s all about flavour. And there’s a book on desserts by the Culinary Institute of America, which is great. I also love the Advanced Pastry Chef – which goes from cinnamon rolls to madeleines and everything in between – and Alice Water’s Fruit from Chez Panisse is exceptional.
Being a pastry chef is hard but rewarding work
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" you’ve got y l s u o l u c i to be rid " e t a n o i s s pa
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Matt: Lots of people see Jamie Oliver on TV and think “That’s what I want to be”. But there’s a huge amount of hard work involved, you’ve got to be ridiculously passionate and basically sacrifice a lot of your social life. In the beginning I worked 14-18 hours a day, 6 days a week. Although it’s not as tough as that any more, you do have to buy into it. At a young age, the money is poor, the hours are long and in hot kitchens – but if you stick at it, in ten years you can easily double or triple your salary. Dolores: You definitely need to be patient and have self-control to be a pastry chef. You have to be composed even if you’re boiling inside, or when something goes wrong. That’s one of the most important things and will make you stand out, plus you’ll be able to think faster. That will take you further than just being skilled can. And be passionate. No one in their right mind would choose to do this if it wasn’t a passion!
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A SUPER SIMPLE SALAD
member’s recipe
pe, into its own in the next few months in Euro A recipe from California that will also come look it make rs colou the e. “I love it because this salad is member Soozy Graham’s favourit er one for serving as a starter on a big platt good more impressive than it really is. It’s a swap it lots of different ways – sometimes I that everyone can share and you can vary could use a delicate blue cheese or even feta the burrata for a mild goat’s cheese, or you es you can switch them, too!” instead. If you prefer strawberries to peach
serves 4 1 head of soft lettuce (something like round lettuce, frisee, or lollo rosso is good), washed, dried and torn into pieces 2-3 large handfuls of tasty bitter salad leaves – go for rocket, mustard greens or mizuna 2 large ripe peaches, stoned and cut into very thin wedges e 20 very ripe cherry tomatoes, halved – thes they t, swee ly real are optional as unless they’re don’t go so well with the peaches 200g / 8 oz of cheese – buffalo mozzarella, burrata, feta, mild goats or blue cheese 60ml balsamic vinegar 100ml olive oil salt and freshly ground pepper
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across Toss the salad leaves together and strew them using) a big platter. Scatter over the tomatoes (if apart and the peach slices. Using your hands, rip too. over, it er or crumble the cheese and scatt Finally, shake the oil and vinegar together thoroughly and lightly drizzle over the salad, fruit and cheese (keep any extra for another salad). Finish with a couple of grinds of pepper and a very little salt. Serve immediately.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE YOUR RECIPE HERE, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO
COOKHOUSE@SOHOHOUSE.COM www.sohohouse.com/cookhouse
If you are interersted in attending any of the upcoming Cookhouse members events, which take place in all the venues around the world and range from wine appreciation to special cookery lessons, then check sohohouse.com’s calendar pages or email cookhouse@sohohouse.com for more information
Soho House WINE CLUB Wednesday 6 July, 7pm Master sommelier Vincent returns with wines to complete any summer barbecue. RSVP to wineclub@sohohouse.com
Babington House BLOODY MARY SUNDAYS Wrap up your week with a Grey Goose Vodka Bloody Mary CHEFS CLUB SUPPER Tuesday 26 July, 7.30pm Babington’s chefs have returned from Tuscany with traditional recipes and wines to pair them with. Enjoy their new menus at this special club supper. RSVP to tuscany@babingtonhouse. co.uk. Dinner is £45 per person, including half a bottle of wine
Electric House ELECTRIC REFURB Electric House will be closed for renovation until Monday 4 July. During the closure we are providing Electric members with a temporary club space in our new Pizza East Portobello restaurant at 310 Portobello Road. Electric members will also receive 25% weekday discount at Electric Brasserie while the club is closed
High Road House POP UP RESTAURANT Monday 4 July, 7.30pm Celebrate Independence Day as Outsider Tart, our local American bakery, take over the kitchen. Enjoy traditional USA favourites, served sharing style for all the more fun! Dinner at £35 per person. RSVP to popup@highroadhouse.co.uk WINE CLUB Tuesday 26 July, 7pm Vincent returns with wines to complete any summer barbecue. Email wineclub@highroadhouse. co.uk to book
Shoreditch House
Soho Beach House Miami
PAELLA TUESDAYS Every Tuesday in the Garden Get a hearty serving of paella with dessert for £15 every Tuesday
PIG AND PUNCH Friday 17 June, 8pm Hungry members will be happily satisfied with this soon to be summer favourite event where the Roasted Pig will play the leading role. Of course, any leading actor needs its strong supporting actress...that’s where the punch comes in! Email reservations@sohobeachhouse.com
WINE CLUB Monday 4 July, 7pm Vincent returns with wine to compliment you summer BBQs. RSVP to wineclub@shoreditchhouse.com PASTA WITH MAURILIO Saturday 9 July, 10am Learn to make traditional Italian pasta from scratch. Email cookhouse@shoreditchhouse.com to book LITTLE COOKHOUSE: BAKING BISCUITS WITH MICHAEL Saturday 23 July, 10am Bring your little ones up to the kitchen for a morning of baking. Email baking @shoreditchhouse.com to book. ON THE ROCKS: COCKTAIL CLASS WITH GREY GOOSE VODKA Tuesday 26 July, 7pm Joe McCanta unveils seasonal, fresh flavours, before combining with a splash of Grey Goose Vodka to create the ultimate refreshing cocktails. Email greygoose @electrichouse.com
Soho House West Hollywood GUEST CHEF LUKE MANGAN Thursday 30 June, 7:30pm Luke Mangan’s restaurants range from gastropubs to fine dining establishments. Each shares Luke’s cooking philosophy which brings together the finest and freshest local and Australian ingredients and showcases them with a clean contemporary twist. Email membereventswh @sohohouse.com
GIRL TALK – WINE 101 Wednesday 22 June, 7pm Tired of feeling lost when it comes to ordering or buying wine? Join this month’s Girl Talk as Laura DePasquale, Master Sommelier shows us how easy it can be to choose good wine. Email reservations@sohobeachhouse.com
Chef events PASTA PASTA PASTA! Group head chef Daniele hosts a pasta demo for chefs at Concrete underneath Pizza East. Wednesday 13 July, contact your head chef about attending OIL TASTING Learn more about olive and other oils. Thursday 14 July at Shoreditch House. Ask your head chef about attending ABATTOIR VISIT Chefs visit to Walter Rose and Sons Butchers in Wiltshire, which will include a trip to an abattoir, to learn more about the butchering process. Wednesday 20 C July, ask your head chef O about attending
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