Review: Sophie Thompson - My Family Kitchen cookbook

This lovely book of cookery delights landed in my little kitchen a while ago, and having done that thing where you give it a flick through to begin with and look at all the pretty pictures of food, I then flicked through it again - this time reading all the recipes on offer. I then looked at this properly, Sophie Thompson, Celebrity Masterchef 2014 winner, and brilliant actress' first ever cookbook. I then went back and post-it-noted all the dishes that appealed to me.

Sophie describes that "For me, cooking has always been about sharing and spending time with pals and family, luring them in with tasty morsels so they'd want to stay all day...These recipes have been handed down, invented, begged and borrowed and ultimately made my own."

I finally found some time to cook one of the dishes - I went for the Paella because I love paella, and the last time I tried to make it, it turned more into a risotto and took about 4 hours... but Sophie specifically says that her version is quick so I went with it. Here's what happened (with a few amendments/missing ingredients as explained below):

Serves 4

Prep time: 20min

Cooking time: 40min

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp chilli oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 skinless chicken breast fillets

1-2 tsps sweet smoked paprika

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

150g chorizo, chopped

1 small red pepper, sliced

1 small yellow pepper, sliced

300g paella rice
300ml dry white wine
500ml hot chicken stock
Large pinch of saffron
100g fresh/frozen peas, defrosted
225g prawns
Few stalks of thyme or rosemary
300g mussels (optional)
Salt & pepper

So I had full intentions of getting all these ingredients, but one of the problems with living where I live is that there are only small supermarkets available and some ingredients just don't appear on any of the shelves...and also the fact that I was a bit slow and forgot to do some vital prep - I had forgotten to defrost the chicken I had (but I prefer chicken thighs with skin on - much tastier), I would definitely always go for mussels, but I couldn't find any, neither was there saffron, I thought I had stock but I hadn't (I used water instead, and to be honest, I personally prefer it as I find ready made stock quite salty anyway). So I basically made a chorizo and prawn paella...

Spot the differences...

Prep all done! I found some tomatoes in the fridge too - not conventional, I know, but I thought it helped make up for my lack of ingredients to star with...

Let's get some cooking done!

Heat the oils in a large, wide sauté or paella pan (if you don’t have any chilli oil, use a little more vegetable oil). Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes over a medium heat until golden.

Toss the chicken [if you've got it] in the paprika and add to the pan. Sizzle and stir for a few minutes until it is browned. Add the chopped garlic, chorizo and peppers then stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to coat well. Add the wine [and smell the alcohol steaming off the pan], stock and saffron, give it all a good stir, then leave to simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Don’t be tempted to stir it again – in Spain, a slightly crispy layer of rice on the bottom of the pan is known as socarrat and is completely authentic.

Scatter over the peas then push the prawns, thyme or rosemary stalks and mussels, if using, into the rice. Discard any mussels that do not close when tapped sharply. Season to taste.

Cover the pan with a lid or foil (to allow the mussels to steam) and cook for a further 7-8 minutes. Take a peek to make sure everything looks cooked – you may need to add a little more stock. Remove any mussels that haven’t opened then turn off the heat and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving. 

As tempted as I was to start prodding and stirring the concoction, I followed the instructions of not touching it, so I found something else to do to distract me from looking underneath the lid. 

And this was the result:

It (kinda) looks like paella! Hoorah!

I can confirm it tasted delicious, even if I didn't have some of the ingredients, but the fact is, the recipe was really easy to follow. I like Sophie's little stories and notes that go with the recipe, it makes it feel genuinely something she and her family would cook at home, and so nothing is too over complicated or confusing, and everything is described as it is and on point. The paella is definitely a go-to recipe for me from now on. 

Next up is Salted Caramel Cookies I've had my big, fat post-it note on...

Sophie's cookbook now lives happily on my shelf next to its new, and slightly greasy friends. 

Review: Blue Lagoon, Haymarket

I was pretty excited about this evening.  Dinner Companion (DC) and I had done a bit of research before deciding on Thai food at the Blue Lagoon.  The reviews on Taste Card (of which I have, being a lover of food and all) seemed pretty good and it was in Central London. Perfect.

On arrival, the outside looked decent, and was definitely more appealing than the Pizza Hut round the corner.  However, as soon as I stepped into the porch area all I could smell was toilet.  It was unsavoury to say the least.  I mean I have quite a good sense of smell (to make up for my short-sightedness I figure) so I’m not sure whether this was just me, but I refrained from venturing down to use the bathroom while I was there.  The décor needs some work too.

DC ordered the red curry with chicken and plain steamed rice (which came separately) and I ordered the noodles with beef; fishcakes to share, glass of house white wine each and tap water. 

What we received was watery red curry and old rice in small bowls, a reasonable sized bowl of noodles (but with no broccoli which was one of the reasons why I ordered the noodles), average fishcakes, okay wine and lukewarm water.

Admittedly, we have high standards, but as a paying customer everyone should expect high standards, right?  I was willing Blue Lagoon to do well as it had been my suggestion to come here, unfortunately things just didn’t improve.

My bowl of noodles (without broccoli) was extremely spicy, so hot I had to swap dishes with DC.  Of course, this was my own fault, but it didn’t really add up as the red curry was the same spice rating as the noodles and I ate the curry just fine.  I also found it a bit strange eating with a spoon and fork throughout our courses…but I guess that’s just a personal thing. 

DC asked for cold water again, the result was a bowl of ice and a spoon.  He explained the boiler had broken so there was no cold water (I’m no expert in plumbing but that doesn’t make sense to me…)  Even The Couple very close to us on the next table asked if they could use some of our ice cubes for their water. 

The service was terrible.  I don’t think I have ever received such bad service.  The waiter was very awkward taking our order and stood a table away from us (this was before The Couple had arrived).  DC was constantly ignored when trying to ask for a napkin throughout the meal. 

When we received the bill, our discount was added (from the Taste Card) however we were charged for mineral water and service charge added on.  We explained to the female waitress (who didn’t serve us throughout our hour or so there) that the bottle of sparkling water on our table was generously given to us by The Couple next to us (who had now left).  Okay simple mistake, we then asked for service charge to be taken off.  At this point, the waitress looked at us and said no, it was mandatory, it’s stated on the menu.  The waitress then continued to argue that ‘it’s not very nice’ of us and that they had already given us a discount.  The discount was part of the deal, we are willing to pay for the food that we had but for service, what service?  I’m sorry, but I usually pay service charge, even when service is mediocre but this time it was poor, we felt that it just didn’t deserve anything for this.  The fact that the waiters then disputed this only reinforced this point.  The other waiter, who then actually stood next to our table this time, with card machine in hand, then said he gave us mineral water; we made our point that if this was the case he should have told us and it should have come in a bottle. 

Anyway, after we were left at our table for a few minutes not knowing what was going on, the waitress returned, DC had to re-calculate the total for us and we paid.  Technically, we should have received 55p change but they disappeared into the kitchen without another word, and we just wanted to leave the place and never come back. 

All in all, I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone.  It was not a good experience.  I mean, the food itself was average, if you have to go, then the noodles (if you can handle the spice) are more worth your money than the curry; I’ve had better and for good prices, the fact that it’s based in a very good location means that they will still continue to get the unknowing tourists coming in.  Which is a shame as Chinatown is not very far away where you get brilliant food and excellent service. 

Overall rating: 1 out of 5

Review: Joseph Joseph 'Cut & Collect'

We were recently sent the new Joseph Joseph 'Cut & Collect', a chopping board with a handy integrated drawer. The drawer can be pulled out to collect prepared choppings, unwanted peelings or for storing a small knife.
When you've finished your prep work, the drawer can be completely removed and the contents poured into a pan or bin. This is the perfect product if you need a solution for tidy preparation!

I tried it out on a test carrot to see if it was as good as other Joseph Joseph products I've tried. For an integrated product it was surprisingly lightweight and the drawer did not rattle or feel as though it was going to get in the way. The board had a good grip and I preferred that it raised the preparation surface as my kitchen table is quite low. The quality of the product was very high and I would be happy to pay the £20 asking price for a kitchen solution which is long overdue.

10/10 for the Joseph Joseph 'Cut & Collect' for mixing simplicity and practicality with a lovely design.

RRP £20 http://www.josephjoseph.com/plastic-chopping-boards/cut-collect

Review: The Wet Fish Cafe

This week we went on a West London adventure to the Wet Fish Cafe in West Hampstead. The restaurant is on the old premises of a 'wet fish shop' hence the unusual name. The walls are tiled with beautiful green art deco wall tiles which give it a really unique feel.

The restaurant is now in its eighth year of serving modern comfort food to the people of West Hampstead. We arrived around eight and were greeted by the friendly waiting staff and a glass of pink bubbly each! The owner, Andre came over for a quick chat and filled us in about the history of the building.

We both had starters which were beautifully presented, Hayley had crispy squid with sweet chilli mayo. I did sneak a squid ring or two and they were lovely and crispy on the outside and the squid itself was just right and not at all chewy.

I had the scallops with squash houmous and pomegranate dressing. The scallops were big and juicy and although I thought the houmous was an unusual pairing it did work.

The Wet Fish Cafe feature a fish market special on their menu every day and I enjoyed a sea bass broth with summer vegetables and cockles. The sea bass was perfectly cooked and the broth was flavourful and light, my only reservation was that the vegetables were very chunky which I wasn't sure about. The broth also had a scattering of samphire which I adore, it's absolutely fantastic and adds a real depth of flavour.

Hayley had another of the specials, a crayfish and spinach linguine. Although the crayfish was very tasty the portion was a little big and it seemed like there was too much pasta to crayfish.

We also both enjoyed a glass a homemade lemonade, which was refreshing and delicately flavoured with mint, without being overpowering.

I would recommend this restaurant for a casual dinner with friends, this tasty and light, modern comfort food was just right for a warm summer evening. The staff are friendly and welcoming and the unusual decor is a feast for the eyes. If you would like to book, it can be done easily online by clicking here.

Thanks so much for a lovely evening, The Wet Fish Cafe!

Review: Chico Bandito, Shoreditch

Serving Mexican food and Cuban Cocktails.

Chico Bandito (image courtesy of their website)

What Hayley ate: Spicy Beef Chimichanga

Hayley’s Friend 1 (HF1) ate: Chilli Con Carne

HF2 ate: BBQ Cheeseburger

HF3 ate: Hickory BBQ Ribs

Drinks had: Apple Mojito, Mojito and Sol beers. 

As fate would have it, we had originally booked a table for a European restaurant nearby, but after a mix up with the booking, someone in the group mentioned a Mexican place, and so we went.  Bearing in mind that this was a Friday night and quite a small venue, Chico Bandito was able to fit 5 of us (1 was running late and did not eat) straight away even though the place was already quite lively. 

Hayley had been here twice before and so tried a different dish on this occasion; the Spicy Beef Chimichanga was excellent.  The Mexican rice that came with the tortilla wrapped beef was delicious.  As a mild-spice eater, it was perfect, it was only the mixed bean salad which was ultimately mouth-burning (in my opinion), but the sour cream and guacamole helped soften the blow. 

HF2 has a ‘thing’ where he has to order the burger at every new restaurant he goes to, not because he is unadventurous, but he likes to test out the quality of the meat used.  At the end of his meal (and finishing off HF1’s Chilli), his verdict was that it was 'very good’. 

This place is hidden away from the main streets of Shoreditch, but almost every night there are always diners either having dinner, or sipping on one of their many authentic cocktails.  There is always music, friendly waiters and even a sombrero to make your meal a rather fun one.  To add to the experience, HF2 only realised the next day that she had left a cosmetics bag there, as we live close by, Hayley went back in search of it (they’re open from 11am).  The staff were all very welcoming and helpful, even better was that the bag had been found.

If you want a ‘proper meal’ and genuine fun service and no frills then this place is perfect.  There is so much to offer and value for money.  The only downside is that the lighting is quite dim and if you are lucky enough to be given a sombrero to wear, it can occasionally block out your view of your dish, however this is purely clutching at straws.  As Chico Bandito would say, “Don’t Siesta, Let’s Fiesta!”

Overall rating: 9 out of 10

Review: Wahaca, Westfield Stratford City (London)

It was a Sunday night and what better way to end the weekend than a trip for Mexican food and the cinema?

Where we went: Wahaca, Stratford City for "mexican market eating"

What we ate:
Kate - Black Bean Tostadas, MSC Fish Tacos
Hayley - British Steak, the Mexican way, served with green rice
Shared 'Street Food' - Queso Fundido (cactus)

What we drank:

Cocktails

Kate - The Barragan (tequila, grapefruit, lime, lemonade, mint)
Hayley - Hibiscus Mojito (tequila, mint, lime, hibiscus)

Sunday 6pm, we were seated in the pit area.  Quirky choice of furniture for Wahaca, as essentially one of us was seated on the floor with only a cushioned pad to, well, cushion us.
We were served by our 'personal' waitress, who was slightly rushed off her feet.  We ordered our cocktails from the more refreshing selection of drinks.  When they arrived, we weren't disappointed.  They were easy on the eyes with some fresh flavours (and perhaps a little too easy to drink). We like a lot of ice, so for our tastes these were perfect.

Fish Tacos

The great cocktails were a little overshadowed by the fact that we had to wait another 30 minutes before we could order our food.  If we weren't that hungry before, then we were certainly hungry now...and possibly a bit tipsy.  At least we had time to choose.

Cactus Fondue

The food arrived at the same time so there was a slight atmosphere of competitive eating at the table immediately. The cactus fondue with caramelised onion and cheese, was our something different choice of dish.  The cactus was pretty non-descript to be honest, and unfortunately it wasn't very melted!
The steak was cooked medium, but some parts were a bit too red for my personal taste, but the right amount of spice.

British Steak 'The Mexican Way'

The fish tacos were yummy and came with rice and coleslaw. We're real coleslaw lovers but it just didn't live up to our expectations! The tostadas however were fresh and tangy and Kate would have been happy just eating these!

Black Bean Tostadas

All in all, the Wahaca experience was satisfactory.  The food was average.  The drinks were delicious.  The service could have been better.

Overall Egg Rating:

5/10