Taste Festivals London by Lee Clarkson

£10

Take the ‘Taste experience’ home with you

PEUGEOT DEMONSTRATES FRENCH FLAIR FOR ALL SEASONS A combination of classic French style and culinary creativity

eugeot demonstrated true finesse of French cuisine and car design as visitors to the French Flair Theatre experienced not only food for each season, but also the newly launched Peugeot 308 CC. The 308 CC is itself truly a car for all seasons, with its 20 seconds retractable roof and innovative Airwave® Heat Scarf neck heating system, making open top motoring possible all year round and not just in the summer months. Combining the unique styling and thrilling performance you have come to expect from Peugeot. Be Open to Every Season with the New 308 CC www.peugeot.co.uk

BRITISH AIRWAYS IS PROUD TO WORK ALONGSIDE SOME OF THE WORLD’S FINEST CHEFS AND TO FEATURE SOME OF THEIR SIGNATURE DISHES ON BOARD

British Airways works with a selection of the finest chefs to ensure that you can enjoy the highest standard of food and wine onboard their flights. So when you next take to the skies with British Airways, just think – names such as Cass Titcombe, Michel Roux, Shaun Hill, Liam Tomlin or Vineet Bhatia may have created the delicious seasonal food you are savouring. Together with Jancis Robinson, British Airways’ wine adviser, they craft a mouth-watering menu

with complementing wines that combine perfectly to tantalise your taste buds. Whether you travel for business or pleasure, British Airways is committed to providing you with an upgraded flying experience. And part of your overall enjoyment is indulging in the creative cuisine that’s designed to produce amazing results at high altitudes. For more information on British Airways’ commitment to fine food, please visit ba.com/taste.

Michel Roux Cass Titcome

Liam Tomlin

TASTE KITCHEN WITH WAITROSE

TASTE BUDS WERE TICKLED AS TASTE’S TOP GASTRONOMES DEMONSTRATED HOW TO PREPARE ORIGINAL, EXCITING DISHES USING TOP QUALITY INGREDIENTS

aitrose is excited to be a major sponsor of this year’s Taste Festivals and host of the Taste Kitchen. At the festival, Waitrose food experts were on hand to demonstrate how to prepare original, inspiring dishes, using top-quality ingredients from the Waitrose range.

These dishes were also served in the Waitrose Restaurant from a menu designed by Neil Nugent, the Waitrose executive chef, and cooked by chefs from Bournemouth & Poole College’s Specialised Chefs’ Scholarship course, which is sponsored by Waitrose. Aboard the Waitrose Taste Pod visitors

created their own ‘Taste of Summer Cocktail’, to drink while soaking up the festival atmosphere. The essential Waitrose product range comprises of hundreds of everyday essentials with the quality you would expect at prices you would not. www.waitrose.com

‘WAITROSE IS ALSO THE OFFICIAL INGREDIENTS SPONSOR FOR TASTE FESTIVALS’

FLY BRITISH AIRWAYS FOR THE TASTE EXPERIENCE…

See ba.com/taste for full terms and conditions.

Shaun Hill

Vineet Bhatia

– r e n i d t r a m Be a s 15 e g a p o t n r tu tips g n i n i d t r a for sm .com e l b a t p o t h t wi

TASTE OF THAILAND This year Taste of London ‘turned Thai’ with a section of the festival dedicated to this amazing country Visitors enjoyed the famous savoury Thai cuisine from some of the best restaurants in the city including Benja, Blue Elephant, Busaba Eathai, Mango Tree and Nahm. Traditional Thai drinks and delicious cocktails were served up at the cosy Thai Square bar, while visitors inhaled the aromas and experienced the delights of local music and live cultural shows of this enchanting culture. Specialist exhibitors were also on hand offering a variety of Taste of Thailand experiences ranging from organic Thai produce, fruits and vegetables by the Royal Thai Project and Tawana, Thai food products and cookbooks from Patara Fine Thai Cuisine and the Blue Elephant as well as a selection of award-winning Thai wine served by Monsoon Valley Wine.

TASTE OF LONDON

As proud sponsor of Taste of London, British Airways is delighted to offer you an exclusive discount next time you fly with us. Simply enter the code BAUK-TASTE-JUN09 (when prompted on the fare quote page) when you make a long haul booking on ba.com and you will receive £100 off the cost of your fare.

Steak and Chips

...from essential Waitrose

you

do not need to break the bank or spend hours in the kitchen this summer to enjoy a delicious dinner every night of the week – as the simple, midweek dishes prove. Waitrose has created them to celebrate the launch of essential Waitrose – the exciting, own-label range of affordable, great-quality items made up of new and existing products. With its distinctive fresh, white packaging, the range is easy to find in branch and with over 1,400 everyday items to choose from, you will be spoilt for choice. As you would expect, everything in the range continues to meet Waitrose's high standards of quality and care, and Waitrose thinks you will be surprised by how reasonable the prices are. Waitrose will be regularly checking them against their competitors’, and will price-match hundreds of everyday products such as milk, butter and beef mince. So, what are you waiting for…Enjoy!

STEAK AND CHIPS

s Serves 2 s Cook 25 minute Prepare 5 minute farmers Beef is produced by essential Waitrose al welfare. committed to anim t Oven Chips 300g Frozen Straight Cu 1 essential Waitrose naise 1 /2 tbsp yon duced Calorie Ma essential Waitrose Re 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard Sauce 1 tsp ients Sweet Chilli red Ing s’ ok Co Waitrose Tomatoes 2, halved essential Waitrose olive oil 3 tbsp trimmed off fat and Rump Steak 500g, essential Waitrose

rk 8. Bake the to 230ºC / gas ma Preheat the oven ons. ng to pack instructi oven chips accordi mustard and the mayo with the Meanwhile, mix t aside. chilli sauce and se g tray, drizzle es on a small bakin ato Place the tom minutes. oil and bake for 10 with 1 tbsp of olive sh the steaks bru d an n pa a griddle Meanwhile, heat ok the steak for with a little oil. Co like it. nding on how you 3-5 minutes depe h the tomatoes, wit rve Se t. res to Transfer to a plate chips and mayo.

cut in half

r “…enjoy a delicious dinne every night of the week – hes as the simple, midweek dis here prove”

Get fired up this summer… Weather experts are promising a good summer this year so in celebration Waitrose has launched a new range of mouthwatering barbecue foods ideal for the alfresco dining season

for

man-sized meaty bites, new King Pork Ribs and Boerewors Sausages will give your barbecue a boost. Waitrose Boerewors is made to an authentic recipe using a combination of beef, pork shoulder and spices. It is the perfect banger to enjoy while watching the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa this summer.

New this year, Waitrose will be offering British Veal Ribs. With an ongoing commitment to high standards of farming and animal welfare, Waitrose veal comes from British farms where the calves are housed in well-ventilated, spacious barns with natural light and straw bedding. More tender than beef ribs and rich in flavour, these will add an interesting twist to the conventional barbecue. For those that want to wow their guests with marinated masterpieces, the new range of barbecue-ready chicken breasts marinated in unique individual pouches of Green Thai, Tandoori or Basil and Lemon sauce will be sure to make an impression. Prepared with the finest

ingredients, they are an easy and convenient way to impress friends and family. Not forgetting traditional bangers and burgers, the supermarket will also be adding a new collection of summer flavours to its free range jumbo-sausage range. Customers can choose from varieties including chilli and oregano, spinach and watercress and the ultimate high-quality, high-welfare frankfurter: the smoked pork sausage.

Chicken Bake CHICKEN BAKE

tes Serves 4 wn on selected Cook 40-50 minu ed tomatoes are gro Prepare 8 minutes ntial Waitrose cann se es cy jui d an h flavour, ric Specially chosen for ly. ion of Southern Ita reg a gli Pu farms in the olive oil 1 tsp chopped e onions 2, roughly essential Waitros d garlic 1 clove, crushe x 400g cans opped tomatoes 2 ch e os itr Wa essential ghly chopped e courgettes 3, rou essential Waitros pack fresh basil 25g thighs 8 e British chicken essential Waitros

s, cook for pan, add the onion at the oil in a frying He 6. rk soft. ma til s un ga C, tes to 200º r for 3-4 minu Preheat the oven of water and simme ml and then scatter 50 , d es an ett rlic urg ga co d the the tomatoes and th 2 minutes, then ad wi tin ng sti Bake for tomato mixture. mixture into a roa Place the onion turn to coat in the d an s gh clear. thi en run Add the chick gh and the juices with basil leaves. ghly cooked throu rou tatoes. tho po is w en ne d ick til the ch ain Rice or boile 40-45 minutes un Easy Cook Long Gr e os itr Wa al nti ed esse Serve with steam

TASTE OF LONDON

“Weather experts are promising a good summer this year”

It is official – dining in is the new eating out

Waitrose

is bringing a new Traiteur range to their deli counter offering restaurant-quality fayre without the restaurant-sized bill. Inspired by a gastronomic trip to Paris, the range offers delicious and simple meals for when you want a night out of the kitchen. Dishes such as Rustic Fisherman’s Pie, Vegetable Moussaka and Hot Smoked Salmon Fishcakes give all the taste of a restaurant meal at a fraction of the cost. Pies are a gastropub staple and the new Traiteur range offers a large choice – choose from varieties including Steak & Stout, Chicken & Ham Hock and Salmon & Dill – Scottish salmon fillet in a light crème fraîche and dill sauce, encased in a crispy free range egg pastry. Or why not try a delicious en croute? Flavours include Chicken & Mushroom and Salmon & Spinach – which can be served as a light evening meal or as part of an alfresco feast for friends and family. Dining in has never tasted so good!

ing a new g in r b is e “Waitros ge to their deli an Traiteur r g restaurantfferin counter o re without the y quality fa sized bill” trestauran

Buying fish is the next hurdle. We all know fish is great to eat and a very healthy option but what to choose and how to cook it? Here are a few suggestions from Waitrose Sea bass A bright silver fish with a blue grey back, sea bass are one of the finest fish to eat. The white flesh is firm, well flavoured and deliciously moist, requiring only a light oil-based dressing. Alternatively, choose oven-ready sea bass, farmed in Anglesey, from the fish counter.

The buying game…

Mackerel

Sardines

A medium sized fish with a distinctive silvery-blue, tiger-stripe patterned skin. The full flavoured meat is robust and can stand up to cooking with nutty cumin seeds or chilli flakes. It is wonderful brushed with spicy harissa or served with horseradish. This is an oily fish, rich in beneficial Omega-3 and extremely good value.

Small, dark, silver-skinned fish with a richly flavoured, oily flesh. Perfect for chargrilling, especially on the barbecue. Serve them with a citrus dressing or with a garlic and tomato salsa.

Herring A richly flavoured oily fish with deeply coloured flesh and blue and silver skin. It is lovely rolled in oatmeal and fried in butter. Craster kippers are made from herrings cut open and traditionally oak-smoked.

Cod With its thick, white, flaky flesh, cod is a highly versatile fish that can be partnered with a range of flavours and sauces. Fantastic when just slightly cooked but also a great addition to comforting fish pie. Waitrose fresh and frozen cod is line-caught from Iceland’s well-managed and sustainable fishery.

Plenty more fish in the sea? Britain grew up on fish and chips yet when it comes to choosing, buying and cooking fish, we are all at sea oceans are one of our richest food sources so what goes on below the surface is of huge importance. That is why Waitrose is proud to support The End of the Line, a documentary film about the impact of over-fishing, in cinemas from 12 June 2009. The film highlights the sad reality that if we continue to fish at the current rate without taking action, based on some estimates, the seas could be bereft of fish stocks by 2048 . The good news is that the solution is in our hands. By choosing fish from sustainable sources we can ensure that tomorrow’s generations will continue to enjoy the oceans’ riches. Waitrose knows that customers do not have the time to pick and choose so they have created a

“‘Garnish and Go’ ter is a new Waitrose fish coun a service that lets you choose tte bu r, a fresh fish and a flavoured on – fresh herb and a slice of lem all at no extra cost”

simple solution. Waitrose has been working on sustainable and responsible sourcing for all of its fish for well over 10 years.They have a rigorous policy covering the management of the fishery, the species, methods of capture and full traceability, with a clear mission to sell only responsibly caught fish. Waitrose supports the Marine Stewardship Council. Look out for their logo on fish certified by them. Waitrose also works closely with the Marine Conservation Society’s “fish to eat” list and is one of the Ocean 25 Ambassadors. This policy extends to all Waitrose farmed fish which are reared with high regard for both the quality and welfare of the fish, and on the environment.

It’s in the bag! fish

is always a dinner time favourite but the preparation can be a little tricky. ‘Garnish and Go’ is a new Waitrose fish counter service that lets you choose a fresh fish and a flavoured butter, a fresh herb and a slice of lemon – all at no extra cost. It is all sealed inside a convenient ready to cook bag for you to take home and cook in the bag. No mess, no fuss, just easy, delicious fish from sustainable sources. Look after fish and yourself by buying your fish at Waitrose.

TASTE OF LONDON

the

Style meets substance

asia

de Cuba, the acclaimed restaurant at St Martins Lane in London, is a successful London outpost of the fantastically popular Asia de Cuba concept. The inspiration for the Asia de Cuba concept is rooted in the undiscovered pleasures of the Chino – Latino cafés that dotted the streets first of Havana, and then of Miami and New York. The cuisine represents the marriage of Asian cuisine and technique infused with the tropical flavours of the Caribbean ingredients. Asia de Cuba’s innovative menu is matched in its surroundings designed by Philippe Starck and features dramatic series of soaring art columns. Under the guidance of executive chef Franz Schinagl, who expertly executes the menu at Asia de Cuba, all dishes are served in a sophisticated, yet relaxed environment. The family style portions emerge from the kitchen as soon as they are ready, encouraging an informal grazing style, ideal for groups. Asia de Cuba not only serves huge sharing portions for dinner, it has adapted the famous dishes for Bento Boxes, perfect for lunch or pre–theatre. Dishes that you will find on the menu include the well known Tunapica; the Noodle Box – with sautéed Asian Vegetables, rice noodles and mushroom chilli broth, hoisin sauce. A signature dessert of Mexican Doughnuts – sweet brioche doughnuts rolled in cinnamon sugar and filled with butterscotch sauce is a must.

franz

Schingal was born in Neumarkt Austria and completed his apprenticeship at Restaurant Eschlboeck whilst studying at Berufschule Altmunster. After graduating, he continued working as a chef in various hotels and restaurants in Austria. Three years after finishing his training, Franz headed to London and started working as a chef de partie at Asia de Cuba in 2001. He was promoted to sous chef after two months and stayed at Asia de Cuba until 2004. In 2004 Franz went back to Austria to work at two different high–end restaurants specialising on international food as head chef. He was then offered the role as sous chef at Asia de Cuba in February 2005 and returned to live and work in London. Franz has since then continuously furthered his skills and was finally given the role of executive chef in April 2007 where he oversees all food served in room service, events, Light Bar and Asia de Cuba. Franz’s growing reputation as executive chef of

London’s Asia de Cuba – an international award–winning restaurant group – got him an invitation to participate in the Moscow Culinary Week, in March 2008, where he was invited as an international VIP chef to cook the Asia de Cuba menu in one of Moscow’s leading restaurants – Aist. During the Moscow Culinary week Franz was asked to recreate the signature dishes from the Asia de Cuba menu, that were served to a variety of Russian celebrities, VIPS and media. Franz recently travelled to Miami to assist the team with the opening of China Grills Managements sixth Asia de Cuba. Asia de Cuba at St. Martins Lane, London is delighted to be celebrating its tenth year anniversary – a milestone achievement in a very competitive London market.

forward to ”Every year I look it is an absolute d an , on d n Lo of Taste de cipate with Asia pleasure to parti year we celebrate Cuba in the same iversary” – FS our ten year ann

ASIA DE CUBA 45 ST. MARTIN’S LANE, LONDON WC2N 4HX 020 7300 5588 RESTAURANT.RESUK@MORGANSHOTELGROUP.COM WWW.CHINAGRILLMGT.COM OR WWW.MORGANSHOTELGROUP.COM ASIAN/CUBAN CUISINE

MEXICAN DOUGHNUTS (V) with a butterscotch sauce Serves 4 per person “Mexican Doughnuts is my favourite recipe, because it is simple, it looks impressive and is a winner with all my friends.” flour 700g, strong eggs 200g, fresh yeast 50g butter 250g, soft

sugar 50g salt 15g milk 150ml

Butterscotch sauce sugar 500g butter 150g double cream 1ltr Butterscotch sauce: Caramelise the sugar, add the butter and cook until sugar and butter are completely combined. Add the cream and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and cool down before consumption.

Doughnuts: Dissolve the yeast in the milk. Knead all the ingredients, except the butter, almost together. Then add the butter gradually. Knead the dough for about 10–15 minutes, until it comes off the sides and is nice and shiny. Spread the dough onto a large plastic tray. Cover with cling film and leave to cool down in fridge (for a minimum of 5 hours). Once cooled, weigh out the dough into 20g pieces. Roll into perfectly round balls and place with the navel faced down onto a silicon paper lined tray. This can be made in advance and stored in the freezer. When defrosting, (tray needs to be covered) place in a warm area. When the dough balls have doubled in size they are ready to be deep-fried at 170ºC, turning over once until they are nice and golden. Roll in cinnamon sugar and serve with the butterscotch sauce. The recipe makes 30 mini Mexican doughnuts.

Cheers! Perfect with a sipping rum – go tropical with Angostura 1984. Ingredient swap… If you are having trouble finding fresh yeast try your local baker, if no luck dried yeast works just as well.

Q&A WITH CHEF FRANZ SCHINGAL

Q: Do you have any embarrassing ingredients in your kitchen cupboards? A: A packet of (Uncle Bens) Quick Chicken Risotto from a former flat mate. Q: What is the most unusual request a customer has made, and did you cater for them? A: I had a customer ask for a stripper after she ordered her soup; unfortunately I was not able to help!

TASTE OF LONDON

Q: Do you ever indulge in fast food? A: I have been spotted in Asian fast food places after a night out, so yes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but not McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

The gourmet of Thai Cuisine

one

of the top Thai cuisine restaurants chains in the world, Blue Elephant is known by food lovers the world over for its authentic Thai taste, its consistently high standards of quality, and its promotion of the best in Thai culture. Walking into the Blue Elephant restaurant dazzles the senses. It is a world of lush plants and trickling fountains. The scent of tropical flowers mingles with the heady aroma of exotic herbs and spices flown in fresh from the Far East. Blue Elephant is a total sensory concept based on the very best of traditional Thai Beauty, charm and courtesy. Superb Royal Thai cuisine sets the standard of dining excellence requiring expertly trained chefs endowed with great patience – The result is a deliciously diverse, colourful and delicate menu. Blue Elephant takes restaurant dining to new heights and ensures a most memorable occasion. The restaurant is available for exciting theme parties and complete takeovers. Today there are 13 Blue Elephant restaurants serving the best in Royal Thai cuisine throughout Europe, and the Middle East.

ssic “This cla one of rry is u C n e e r Thai G amous f s ’ t n a h Blue Elep sensation” taste dishes. A SS –N

mrs.Nooror

Somany-Steppe was born in Thailand’s Chachoengsao province where her sister owned a small restaurant. Growing up in these surroundings instilled in Mrs Nooror both the love and the skills for cooking authentic Thai cuisine. During this time she also acquired a strong proficiency in creating new Thai dishes with the authentic taste of traditional Thai cuisine. This passion and skill for true authentic Thai cuisine are the important inspirations that brought forth the birth of such food on the world stage, and thus creating Blue Elephant restaurants. It has been 25 successful and exciting years since the first Blue Elephant was opened. At present, there are 13 branches of Blue Elephants located in major cities throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia: Brussels, London, Copenhagen, Paris, Dubai, Beirut, Lyon, Malta, Bangkok, Kuwait, Bahrain, Moscow and Jakarta. Each of these restaurants is decorated in a true Thai style and serves the best in Thai cuisine, allowing its foreign customers to fully experience a real taste of Thailand.

Mrs. Nooror Somany-Steppe is the inspiration and figurehead behind the success of Blue Elephant, constantly working as an ambassador advocating Thai cuisine to all whom she encounters around the world.

BLUE ELEPHANT 3-6 FULHAM BROADWAY, LONDON SW6 1AA 020 7385 6595 LONDON@BLUEELEPHANT.COM WWW.BLUEELEPHANT.COM THAI CUISINE

CHICKEN GREEN CURRY Serves 1 Perfect for entertaining and has a beautiful fragrant spice notes to wow the taste buds. vegetable oil 2 tbsp green curry paste 2 tbsp ground cumin seeds and coriander seeds 1/2 tsp, roasted coconut milk 1 cup chicken breast 70g, sliced into bite-size pieces eggplants aubergines 2, quartered small eggplant aubergine 10 kaffir lime leaves 2, torn in half horapha basil (sweet basil) 10 leaves red chilli or green chilli 1 fresh, thinly sliced coconut cream 1 tbsp coriander 1 leaf Seasoning sugar 1 tsp fish sauce 1 tbsp

Q&A WITH CHEF MRS SOMANY-STEPPE Q: What inspired you to become a chef? A: To follow in the footsteps of my mother who was a good cook, and an expert in Thai curry. Q: Do you find friends often drop hints about being asked round to dinner? A: Yes, they do because they enjoy my cooking. Q: If you had to choose a last meal, what would it be? A: Nam prik pla tu (Thai herring with spicy chilly paste). Q: What do you believe is the Taste of London? A: Cosmopolitan.

Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan until hot. Add the curry paste, coriander seeds and cumin seed, and stir-fry for about 2 minutes until an aroma develops. Lower the heat and add the coconut milk a little at a time. Allow it to simmer for about 1 minute. Add the chicken and eggplant aubergines and small eggplant aubergines cook until cooked through. Then add the sugar, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and chilli. Simmer for 5 minutes. The gourmet of Thai Cuisine

Add the basil leaves mix well and transfer the curry to a serving dish. Pour the coconut cream on the top and coriander leaves. Serve. one

mrs.Nooror

Q&A WITH CHEF MRS SOMANY-STEPPE

Q: What inspired you to become a chef? A: To follow in the footsteps of my mother who was a good cook, and an expert in Thai curry.

Q: Do you find friends often drop hints about being asked round to dinner? A: Yes, they do because they enjoy my cooking. Q: If you had to choose a last meal, what would it be? A: Nam prik pla tu (Thai herring with spicy chilly paste).

BLUE ELEPHANT 3-6 FULHAM BROADWAY, LONDON SW6 1AA 020 7385 6595 LONDON@BLUEELEPHANT.COM WWW.BLUEELEPHANT.COM THAI CUISINE

CHICKEN GREEN CURRY Serves 1

Perfect for entertaining and has a beautiful fragrant spice notes to wow the taste buds.

vegetable oil 2 tbsp green curry paste 2 tbsp ground cumin seeds and coriander seeds 1/2 tsp, roasted coconut milk 1 cup chicken breast 70g, sliced into bite-size pieces eggplants aubergines 2, quartered small eggplant aubergine 10 kaffir lime leaves 2, torn in half horapha basil (sweet basil) 10 leaves red chilli or green chilli 1 fresh, thinly sliced coconut cream 1 tbsp coriander 1 leaf Seasoning sugar 1 tsp fish sauce 1 tbsp

Q: What do you believe is the Taste of London? A: Cosmopolitan.

Cheers... Off-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer.

TASTE OF LONDON

“This classic one of Curry is Thai Green famous Blue Elephant’ssensation” taste dishes. A – NSS

Ingredient swap... Try using pork instead of chicken for a tasty alternative.

TASTE OF LONDON

Cheers... Off-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer.

Offering interactive theatre cooking at its very best along with an alfresco terrace with magnificent views of the Gherkin tower

cinnamon

Kitchen is a new concept from The Cinnamon Club team. Cinnamon Kitchen offers evolved modern Indian cuisine in a relaxed setting in the heart of the City of London. Cinnamon Kitchen’s interior is a fascinating mix of textures and lighting. Inspired by the geometric patterns commonplace in historic Indian architecture and the tactile feel of traditional Indian materials, Cinnamon Kitchen offers a unique setting in which to experience modern Indian cuisine. Recognised as one of the leading practitioners of modern Indian food, Vivek Singh continues to push culinary boundaries with his imaginative approach. Cinnamon Kitchen provides diners with the opportunity to further explore Vivek’s brilliance. Continuously exploring and challenging culinary traditions, chef goes beyond authenticity to discover new flavours and draw on the diversity of the subcontinent. Vivek is assisted by head chef Abdul Yaseen who has been with the group for over eight years, in creating the exciting menu at Cinnamon Kitchen and bar, Anise. Cinnamon Kitchen has a variety of signature dishes on the menu: haddock with crab and kokum crust; kettyle beef salad with chilli and basmati crisp and fat chillies with spiced paneer; and bhaditraka – a lamb kebab inspired by the Manasollasa and written about by Somesvara in 1127AD. Desserts include Indian banana tarte tatin with cinnamon ice-cream; almond and pepper panna cotta. Located in the historic East India Company spice warehouses, Cinnamon Kitchen is part of the stunning Devonshire Square Development, just a short walk from Liverpool Street station and is the capital’s first tandoor bar and grill. Part of the Cinnamon Kitchen is the Anise bar. Inspired by the cuisine from the Cinnamon Kitchen, but with very much its own identity you will find imaginative cocktails and a wonderful selection of wines and beers on the menu. This bar offers a unique option in the city of London.

vivek

opened The Cinnamon Club in 2001 and created a new style of cuisine that completely changed people’s perception of Indian food. The Cinnamon Club has since then been redefining the boundaries of Indian cooking. Vivek has liberated Indian food from its straitjacket of tradition and crafted a brilliant marriage between Indian spicing and western culinary styles. Vivek authored The Cinnamon Club cookbook to wide acclaim in 2003 and The Cinnamon Club Seafood Cookbook in 2006. He is widely believed to be one of the most articulate Indian chefs of his generation, making frequent TV and radio appearances. 2008 saw the launch of Vivek’s fourth and most important cookbook, Curry: Classic and Contemporary, and also the opening of his second restaurant, Cinnamon Kitchen. Located in the City’s redeveloped Devonshire Square, Cinnamon Kitchen and its capacious bar, Anise, has gone on to become one of the most exciting new additions to the restaurant scene and is host to London’s only tandoor bar and grill.

”I love this dis h for its simp licity. The aubergin e crush and k achumber are probably two of the most fa miliar Indian accompanime nts and might be considered mundane in s ome circumsta nces, but the combination w ith a simple fr ied fillet of bream is stun ning” – VS

CINNAMON KITCHEN 9 DEVONSHIRE SQUARE, LONDON EC2 M 4YL 020 7626 5000 INFO@CINNAMON-KITCHEN.COM WWW.CINNAMON-KITCHEN.COM FUSION OF INDIAN AND BRITISH CUISINE

SEARED BLACK BREAM with roasted aubergine, tomato and potato crush and kachumber Serves 4 The simplicity of this dish makes it great entertaining, because much of it can be prepared in advance. black bream 4 fillets (or any white fish), pin-boned vegetable or corn oil 1 tbsp roasted aubergine, tomato and potato crush 1 Kachumber cucumber 1/4 small, deseeded and cut into 3mm, (1/8-inch) dice carrot 1/2 cut into 3mm, (1/8-inch) dice tomato 1, deseeded and cut into 3mm, (1/8-inch) dice salt 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tsp lemon juice of 1 good olive oil 2 tbsp fresh coriander 1 tbsp, finely chopped Marinade salt 1 tsp fennel seeds 1/2 tsp black onion seeds 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes 1/2 tsp First make the kachumber. Place the diced cucumber, carrot and tomato in a mixing bowl. Whisk together the salt, sugar, lemon juice, olive oil and coriander to make a dressing and mix it with the diced vegetables. Check the seasoning. Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, rub them over the fish and set aside for 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan, add the black bream fillets, skin-side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes, until well coloured underneath. Turn and cook for another 2 minutes or until just cooked through. To serve, place the roasted aubergine, tomato and potato crush in the centre of each plate and put the fish on top, then drizzle the kachumber around the plate. Tasty alternative... Use 1 tbsp of mustard oil when you combine the roasted aubergine, tomato and potato crush to enhance the flavour. Cheers! Saint Joseph Blanc from the Rhone valley in France. Recommended estate, Chapoutier.

Q&A WITH CHEF VIVEK SINGH Q: What is the most fashionable ingredient at the moment? A: Fresh Lychees from Muzaffarpur in Bihar India. They are great in desserts, cocktails and even on their own. Q: What is your favourite spring / summer tipple? A: Chilli and passion fruit Caipirinha at Anise, it has got quite a kick! Q: What inspired you to become a chef? A: What or who rather â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is all Marco Pierre Whiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fault! Q: It is your night off at home. What would be on the menu? A: My wife Archana. I mean whatever she feels like eating. Q: Do you find friends often drop hints about being asked round to dinner? A: Not really. On the contrary they keep trying to invite me over.

TASTE OF LONDON

Q: If you were condemned to eating just one food for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why? A: Sushi. I just cannot see myself getting tired of it.

Photo: David Loftus

Perfection in the heart of London's West End

fino

ARROZ NEGRO with squid cooked in squid ink Serves 4 The secret to really good black rice is plenty of fresh ink. squid 220g, diced olive oil 3 tbsp spring onions 4, trimmed and finely chopped Fino or Manzanilla Sherry 350ml shallots 2, peeled and finely diced fish stock 1 litre la bomba or arborio rice 350g squid ink 8 sachets butter large knob sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Dice the prepared squid. Heat some olive oil in a large, heavy based frying pan and fry the squid until golden and all the liquid has evaporated. Add spring onions, the sherry and let bubble until the sherry is totally reduced. Remove from pan and set aside. Heat some more olive oil in the pan and gently fry the shallots until softened and golden. Meanwhile, bring the stock to simmer. Add the rice to the shallots, then pour the rest of the sherry over the rice and stir to deglaze. Add a couple of ladlefuls of stock and cook, stirring every so often, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add stock in this way until the rice is nearly cooked. Now add the squid ink to the rice, with a little more stock if necessary and stir well. At this stage the rice should be perfectly cooked. Add the precooked diced squid and stir a large knob of butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

is a is a Spanish Tapas Restaurant and Bar, located just off Charlotte Street, in the heart of London’s West End, opened by Sam and Eddie Hart March 2003. Their philosophy today remains true to their initial idea: to serve top quality Spanish tapas in stylish but informal surroundings, using the best ingredients possible. Whether it is the finest jamon de jabugo or the freshest of seafood or seasonal vegetables, Fino always strives for perfection. Service is efficient, though friendly and welcoming. Sam and Eddie share a passion for Spanish wine and sherry and the Fino list is a fantastic showcase for the greatest Spanish wines, young and old, affordable and expensive. Barrafina a 23 seat tapas Bar on Frith St in London’s Soho is Fino’s sister restaurant. This no reservations tapas bar has succeeded in following in Fino's footsteps, serving great Spanish food albeit in a more informal atmosphere and at more affordable prices. Earlier this year Fino was refurbished and Sam and Eddie have been working with head chef Nieves to increase the variety of tapas on the menu, as well as a number of new speciality dishes. As tradition dedicates, the menu changes twice daily and each week will see exciting seasonal specials added to the menu.

nieves

Barragán Mohacho completed a culinary cooking course in the Basque Country region of Spain where her passion for Spanish food began before she came to England. To gain experience and pursue her cooking career she moved to London where she worked at Simply Nico, a French Restaurant. Two years later Nieves decided to continue her career in Spanish cooking and took the position as Sous Chef at Gaudi Restaurant. When Nieves heard that the Hart Brothers were opening a modern Spanish tapas restaurant called Fino in central London, she saw it as a great opportunity. In 2007 Barrafina (Fino’s sister restaurant) opened and this is where Nieves became head chef. Today Nieves oversees both restaurants.

“Use la bomb a rice – one of the mo st finest from in Spain. It absorbs the stock and you r rice becomes a fla vourful, juicy foundati on of your Arroz Negro” – NB

Make it special... Serve the rice in warm bowls, drizzled with olive oil and garnished with pan-fried squid. FINO 33 CHARLOTTE STREET, (ENTRANCE ON RATHBONE STREET), LONDON W1T 1RR 020 7813 8010 INFO@FINORESTAURANT.COM WWW.FINORESTAURANT.COM SPANISH TAPAS CUISINE

Q&A WITH CHEF NIEVES BARRAGÁN MOHACH Q: What is the most fashionable ingredient at the moment? A: White Asparagus. Q: If you had not chosen a career as a chef what would you be? A: Doctor or A personal trainer. Q: What inspired you to become a chef? A: A passion for food.

TASTE OF LONDON

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