Mexican Brunch

This past weekend I had my first big cooking gig in London. A friend of one of my other clients had heard about my Enchiladas and asked if I would be able to do a Mexican Brunch at her place. After meeting here and bring a few trays of my Cheese Enchiladas we made plans for the Brunch. Here is what we had and my new favorite concoction (If you want any of these recipes please don't hesitate to comment on this blog and make a request). The main attraction were the Enchiladas with Sauteed Veggies (Zucchini -Courgette in the UK, Carrot, Onion & Mushroom) and Chicken Mole Skewers. Also I made a Bean Salad with lime zest and herbs, Fresh Salsa & Guacamole with tortilla chips. And last but not least my favorite bite of the day, the Mini Tostadas, complete with oven baked Corn Tortilla rounds, Fresh Guac. & Salsa, Black Bean Puree, Cilantro/Lime Sour cream and topped with a Lettuce/Cabbage/Onion garnish.

Our Flats First BBQ (w/ mac n' cheese recipe)

At first glance you are probably wondering what it is you are looking at in the picture here. The title should help a bit with that. This is the menu list for our BBQ that we had at our flat last weekend. I didn't have any other pictures to put with this blog since the day of our BBQ my hands were a bit full juggling from being a host, finishing the side dishes and trying not to burn anything too badly on the grill (all of this while trying to enjoy a frosty cold one).

   

We really lucked out with the weather that day. A mix of clouds and sun, but the temp was nice and we had no rain. So I would call that a fine English day. We tried to go with a lot of the American BBQ classics but with a bit of a twist in some places. On the grill we had Burgers (of course), Grilled Veggies, some Sausages from our local butcher, and Chicken but not your everyday chicken, I went with Jamaican Jerked style. Our sides were fresh Salsa & Guacamole (that went fast), Cole Slaw (an American classic, but mine wasn't swimming in mayo), raw veggies with Spinach Dip, Garden Salad (because man can not live on meat alone) and the perennial favorite straight from every ones childhood, Mac N' Cheese (and yes it was the backed one with the yummy crispy topping)! 

           

And by request here is the recipe for that dish. Keep in mind I don't think I have ever made any measurements will making Mac N' Cheese so this a total guestimation on the amounts.

Mac N' Cheese

What you need:

• Stock Pot, Large Pot, Whisk, Spoon, Small Mixing Bowl, Colander, and a Baking Dish or Casserole

What to put in it:

• 1 Lb of Pasta (I went with the classic Macaroni or Elbow)
• 4-5 Cups of Shredded Cheddar Cheese (the more the better!)
• 1 Cup Grated Parmesan
• 3-4 Tbsp Butter plus 1 (Melted)
• 4-5 Tbsp White Flour
• 24 oz Whole Milk -Room Temp (If you use lowfat or skim it really doesn't do the dish justice, be bad and treat yourself, plus what difference will it make when you are using that much cheese)
• 2-3 Cups Brad Crumbs (preferable Panko)
• Tabasco or Cayenne Pepper
• Pinch of Nutmeg
• Salt & Pepper

What to do with it:

• Get some water boiling in the Stock Pot and add some salt to it, once it is going add the pasta a cook per the instructions on the packaging
• Turn oven on to 350 F
• Heat 4-5 Tbsp of Butter in the Pot over med-low heat
• Add the flour and whisk till it combines, then add the milk while whisking
• Continue to whisk the milk till it thickens, this is called Bechamel Sauce
• Add the Nutmeg and now stir in the cheeses, you can turn the heat of now
• Season with Salt & Pepper along with a touch of the hot stuff
• Drain the pasta when it is done and place back in the Stock Pot
• Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining butter (melted)
• Add the Cheese sauce to the Pasta and mix, then pour into your Baking Dish and top evenly with the Bread Crumbs
• Place into oven and cook till the Mac is bubbling and the topping is golden, probably around 10-15 minutes depending on your oven (but keep an eye on it)
• Remove from the oven and dish it up!!! Mmmmmmm!

Spiced Monkfish with Eggplant/Shroom/Potato Hash

The Fish portion of this recipe (Page 144) is from Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite cookbook (with just a little tweaking from me). This is a great cookbook with a ton of easy and healthy recipes to choose from. For all of you that are sceptical of British cooking especially the healthiness of it, this cookbook has those influences and many more. It's not just 'Fish and Chips' and "Bangers and Mash' any more. The side is my own little creation. Hope you like it! 

    

     

What you Need:

-Non Stick Pan (Med), Baking Dish, Med Pot, Tongs,  Spoon, Regular Plate

   

What's in It:

• 2 Monkfish Fillets (Skinned and Boned)
• 1 Tsp 5-Spice powder
• 1 Tsp Sweet Paprika
• 1 Tsp Salt 
• 1 Tsp Cumin
• Lemon (Wedges)
• Olive Oil
• Small Eggplant (1/2 inch cubes)
• 4 Sm. Potatoes [Yukon] (1/2 inch cubes)
• Handful Button or Brown Mushrooms (Rough Chopped)
• 2 Tbsp Cilantro (Chopped)
• 2 Shallots (Diced)
• 2 Cloves of Garlic (Sm. Dice)
• 1 Inch of Ginger (Sm. Dice)
• 1Tsp Garam Masala
• Salt & Pepper (Too Taste)
• Baby Corn

    

What to Do with It:

1. Wash and dry your Monkfish fillets, set oven to 400 F
2. Combine the dry spices on your plate and roll the fillets in them
3. Put a little glug of Olive oil in the pan and heat on med/high
4. When the pan is hot, place the fish in the pan and cook about 3 minutes a si
   de till golden/brown, then set aside
5. Wipe out the pan and add a little more oil, heat on med
6. Get some water boiling in your pot
7. Put the potatoes in and brown, then add the eggplant and shrooms (about 5 minutes)
8. Put the fish on the baking dish and into the oven for 6 minutes
9. Add the garlic and ginger, saute for a minute
10. Add in Cilantro to the pan and toss
11. Place Baby Corn into the pan of water
12. Meanwhile the fish should be ready, remove and let sit for a minute 
13. Slice the Fish and plate with the Hash and corn, serve with wedges of lemon.
14. Relax and Enjoy!!!

Asia de Cuba

So this past Saturday the misses and I had a bit of a 'Spa Day' at Harrods. Actually it was just a shave and a trim for me but that's just fine. Of course all that pampering can be exhausting and you work up quite a appetite, i needed dinner plans for after. So I asked a friend of ours for a restaurant suggestions, since he and his wife make it a point to go out and experience new places to dine in London. I chose to check out one of there top picks which ended up being a restaurant called Asia de Cuba.

         

Of course from the name you can tell what type of cuisine is served. Asia de Cuba does a very nice job of combining both ingredients and cooking styles of Asia and Cuba. Flavors combine and switch from the zing and richness of Cuba and the freshness of a variety of Asian styles. Portions are definitely "Texas Size", which for those of you who don't know what that means, it is a reference to the saying that 'everything is bigger in Texas'. Hence the portions are huge and sharing is the key to ordering dishes at Asia de Cuba. We shared an appetizer, the Calamari Salad 'Asia De Cuba', which was delicious. Crispy calamari, hearts of palm, sweet banana chunks, cashews, crisp greens and a sweet orange/sesame dressing. Very good and very big. For our main we shared the pork spare ribs with pineapple and sides of plantain fried rice w/ avocado salsa and wokked Chinese long beans (sample menu). All very tasty and the pork with meltingly tender. Along with great food they offer a tasty beverage menu with some creative cocktails featuring ,of course, rum. The bar features the largest selection of sipping rums in London. A nice wine selections is available too. Ambiance is lively and the decor is highlighted by their towering 'art columns'.

   

All in all I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a couples night out and especially for a place to meet friends so you can share a variety of their innovative dishes.