MARIA AND THE CHICKEN - MAKING PEPIÁN

Main Street, San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala





We learn about Maria from de la gente, a co-operative project set up to help small independent coffee growers by giving them agricultural and business support. DLG is based in San Miguel Escobar, near Antigua, the former capital of Guatemala in Central America. The village is surrounded by volcanoes and the small coffee farms which stretch up their scrabbly slopes. It is also where Maria lives.

The view from Maria's kitchen: looking out to her courtyard with coffee beans
drying on the concrete floor, and up to the volcano behind

Maria's family are coffee growers. She and her daughters have a sideline in hairdressing, and they also run cookery demonstrations of the national dish, pepián. Maria expects her guests to take an active part in every stage before eating at the family's communal table.

Pepián as served at La Casa de las Sopas in Antigua, Guatemala

Pepián is an apparently simple affair, straddling the line between soup and stew. It makes the most of often scarce resources, containing everything needed for a large, family-style meal, the equivalent of our roast chicken and all-the-trimmings Sunday special. Maria takes us through the traditional methods of making pepián, from start (chicken scratching in the yard) to finish (plate on at the table).

First catch your chicken. then....

Much of the cooking takes place on a comal, the flat earthenware plate that acts as a griddle over an open fire. It dates back to ancient times, and is used for roasting all manner of ingredients, including coffee and cacao beans. Families use a range of comals of different sizes and thicknesses, depending on exactly what is being cooked. This provides a surprising range of variety and sophistication in experienced hands such as Maria's. Alongside this, there are more familiar large saucepans for boiling and stewing, and earthenware pots that simmer gently beside the cooking fire, and even some more modern accessories.

The comal is ready to cook.

The following recipe is not a absolutely accurate replication of the ways in which Maria prepared our pepián, but it should lead to a reasonably authentic result. In any case, every Guatemalteco family has its own spin on the best pepián recipe. This one assumes the chicken is bought ready prepared from a shop, rather than picked up in the yard, dispatched, plucked and gutted.

Stage one: prepare your chicken!

Ingredients:
(Approximate measures are used here, as Maria judges everything by eye and touch)

1 chicken, jointed
2 onions (quartered)
2 onions (roughly chopped)
2 tbsp salt
2 dried guaque chillies, seeds removed 
2 dried pasa chillies, seeds removed 
(Mexican specialists stock guajillo and poblano chillies, a close equivalent)
120g pumpkin seeds
100g sesame seeds
1 head of garlic
1 bunch coriander (keep a few leaves aside for garnish)
500g ripe tomatoes, around 500g
250g tomatillos (ideally fresh, but tinned will do, in which case forego the roasting stage))
1 tbsp oregano
1⁄2 cinnamon stick
1 chayote (available in most Asian shops)
3 medium potatoes, peeled.



Dry frying chillies. tomatoes and tomatillos

1   Cover the chicken with water in a large saucepan and bring it to the boil. Add salt and the two quartered onions, before reducing to a simmer for an hour.

2   Meanwhile, place a large bowl near the cooker and heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Prepare the remaining  ingredients as follows and put them into the bowl:

      dry-fry the dried chillies until their aromas are released, then crumble into the

      bowl; 

      dry-fry the tomatoes and tomatillos (if using fresh) and add to the bowl;

      dry-fry the pumpkin seeds until golden brown and add to the bowl;

      dry-fry the sesame seeds until golden and add to the bowl;

      dry-fry the chopped onions, coriander and garlic cloves, and add to the bowl;

      dry-fry the oregano and cinnamon stick until fragrant and add to the bowl.

3   Add 500ml water to the bowl of dry-fried ingredients and then blend until smooth. In Guatemala, the ingredients are ground down using a metate (a bit like a pestle and mortar made out of harsh volcanic stone - see picture below). Maria used an electric blender in addition to her metate to save time and give the ground mixture a finer texture (though we suspect that she might not do so for family and friends who prefer a less smooth sauce).

Grinding the dry-fried ingredients on volcanic stone

4   Cut the peeled potatoes into large chunks; peel and slice the chayote into thick segments; cut the remaining onion into chunks. These will be added to the chicken pot once chicken is mostly cooked.

5   Add the sauce mixture to the chicken pot. Continue cooking at a rolling boil until the sauce reduces: it is typically slightly thicker than a normal soup. Then add the vegetables and cook until tender. This dish can be served in a bowl as a stand alone meal or with rice. Guatemalteco style, it would be served with rice, tortillas, a segment of lime and slices of avocado.



Maria's table is covered in Guatamalteco textiles,
and the corn tortillas are also wrapped in a bundle
to keep them warm and pliable. 

LAOS CAFE, A POP-UP IN VICTORIA

Go quickly - the countdown has already started.

For three months until the end of February, the Laos Cafe pop-up is in residence on the corner of Wilton Street and Gillingham Street, Victoria, and according to London Foodie, it is the only place to find Laotian food in London. So there are two good reasons to visit sooner rather than later. A lonely outpost it may be, but its genes are good, the brainchild of Saiphin Moore, based on the home cooking of her childhood. Laos Cafe is using the space that she will be transforming into a new Rosa's Thai Cafe due to open in a few months' time. 



Seafood Noodle Salad

These are fresh, vibrant and light dishes, little changed, it would seem, from the SE Asian home: ingredients grown on the family plot (and plenty of herbs) cooked quickly over charcoal, full of strong flavours and a variety of textures. Featuring salad, fish and noodles or rice, with chilli and fish sauce, it is close to the cuisine of its cousins in Vietnam or Thailand, but also quite distinct from either. 

Aubergine Salad - silken aubergine with a sharp lime sauce

Spicy Pork

In an interview in The Telegraph, Saiphin vividly describes her childhood growing up in Phetchabun (a province straddling the Laos / Thai border), and her memories capture something of the freshness that is the hallmark of the food in her new venture: 

"At lunchtime, we all ate sticky rice and papaya salad.
Green papaya grows easily in Thailand - every house has a tree at the back. We smashed the garlic with green or red chillis (we preferred the Laos style - really spicy) and added tomatoes, fish sauce and anchovies.
People in the village would gather the watch.
I loved it so much they called me the master of papaya, and every time I smell chilli and garlic it takes me straight back." 

Fragrant and spicy Pork Skewers

The sharing plates are substantial here, not the case everywhere.  A highlight is the sticky rice, a foil for the lighter, zesty flavours of the other plates; the brown rice (it is actually red) is especially good, nutty and full of flavour. There is a short wine list and cold beers or hot jasmine tea, but only one desert.

Brown and white sticky rice steamed in banana leaves

The decor is minimalist, a few old b/w photos giving the briefest flavour of South East Asia, but this is a pop-up after all, in a temporary space soon to be refurbished.  The emphasis overall is on the simple, but that does not mean the food lacks care or attention to detail, while the service is helpful (and patient with those less familiar with Laos) - an extra batch of Pork Skewers is quickly put together to take home, along with salad and dipping sauce.  

It does what it says on the tin.

 25 Gillingham Street
Victoria
LONDON SW1V 1HN

CLOSES 28th FEBRUARY 2016.



KRICKET, BRIXTON

The Kricket container at Pop Brixton

"We don't like Kricket, 
Oh no!  We love it!"  
(adapted from Dreadlock Holiday by 10CC)

So, the secret is out. The hidden gem that is Kricket has been revealed to all in the pre-Christmas edition of Time Out, its Keralan Fried Chicken selected at number 8 in the Top Ten Newcomers Dishes of 2015. The earlier Time Out review might have slipped by without too much notice, though they are consistently busy, but this will put Kricket properly on the map. 
Pop Brixton is the burgeoning container-unit yard just around the corner from the Village Market which sources its growing number of food stalls. The container-unit yard is constructed along the same lines as Box Park in Shoreditch, but is less less fashionista/commercial and more relaxed and food focussed.

Kricket serves up substantial "small plates" of light, highly flavoured Indian-style dishes. Attention to detail is considerable: the layers of contrasting textures add mouth-feel to the range of distinctive flavours; every dish attractively presented on earthen crockery and well garnished.

Bhel Puri

Bhel Puri: crisp and crunchy (think spicy rice crispies) and overlaid with rich, creamy yoghurt which contrasts with the sharp tamarind sauce.  The sprinkle of herb sprouts adds an extra perfumed flavour to the dish.

Smoked Aubergine

Smoked Aubergine: properly smoky but also smooth and rich; crisp papdi are ideal scooping up the fleshy goo of aubergine; crumbled peanuts add crunch, saltiness and sweetness.

Clove-Smoked Pigeon

Clove-Smoked Pigeon: subtle smoky clove flavours infuse the delicate flesh, matched with girolles, punchy garlic pickle and a raita flavoured with burnt grelot. Pomegranate seeds and micro herbs add further textures and flavours to this complex dish.

Goat Shoulder Raan

Goat Raan: perhaps the simplest dish, but that's not in any way a problem; tender meat is coated with a rich, spiced sauce, with wisps of heritage carrots adding a contrasting texture. Hearty and warming, this is a good winter dish.

The menu is not extensive (usually about eight plates and at least one desert, such as gulab jamum)  but everything is perfectly executed despite the tiny cooking and service space at the far end of the container. The service is friendly, knowledgeable and efficient.

Go quickly before the secret spreads or before Kricket moves on to a bigger space.

MALLORCAN ENSAIMADAS

Majorca's windmills, its ancient waterways and springs are founded on structures originally created by the Moors, developments which transformed the agriculture and economy of the island. The Spanish reconquest in the thirteenth century ushered in a fierce campaign to obliterate all traces of the former occupiers, though there have been some survivors: you can still visit the old hammam / banys in Palma, dating back to the tenth century, with its characteristic domed roof and Moorish arches.

The ensaimada, especially the version filled with caramelised fruit or pumpkin, has its origins in Islamic culture of that period, evident both in its flavours and etymologically: the Catalan word, saim, is based on the Arabic word (shahim) for lard, a key ingredient. An archaic meaning of the English word enseamed is "filled or covered with fat" which is pretty accurate overview of this distinctive and ubiquitous Mallorcan treat with its flaky crumb and soft interior.

Although dried yeast is used in modern Mallorcan cookery, the method includes long periods of fermentation, with the creation of something like the Italian biga to start the leavening process. This too would seem to suggest a reference back to a past when sourdough would have been the traditional raising agent.

Ingredients:
   375g      white bread flour
   150ml    sourdough starter (100% hydration)
   120g      granulated sugar
   a pinch  sea salt
   2            large eggs
   100g      lard (softened for easy spreading)
   +            extra flour for working the dough
   +            icing sugar for decoration.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt and sourdough starter, kneading until the sticky dough forms a rough ball.  One at a time, break the eggs into the dough and continue kneading until fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth. Leave in a warm place for several hours until doubled in size.
Flour a working surface; turn out the dough and roll it, sprinkling with flour as necessary, into a square of approx. 30x30cm. Then smear 75g of the lard over the dough's surface, before folding the dough in thirds, like a letter, and rolling it out back into its square shape.
Roll up the dough, to create a thickish rope.  Cut the dough into "wheels" about 2.5cm thick.  Take each piece and, using both hands, roll it out into a thin rope, about 30 - 40cm long. This takes a bit of practice! Then coil each piece into the traditional ensaimada shape, as in the picture below, tucking the outside end underneath the coils.  Place the ensaimadas onto a floured baking sheet, and brush them liberally with the remaining melted lard. Cover, and leave to rise for at least two hours.

Heat the oven to 180C and bake the ensaimadas until brown, about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool for 15 minutes, then place on a rack dusting liberally with sieved icing sugar.

Eat warm or cold. The Mallorcans dip them in coffee as a mid-morning snack, or eat them on the go.

UYEN LUU'S VIETNAMESE COOKING CLASS

Spices for Pho Bo

"Vietnamese people believe good food is a gift to the mouth."  Fresh, top quality ingredients, sharp flavours, and a careful balance of textures and "heating" and "cooling" foods: this is the way to good health. So says Uyen, aka Leluu, food blogger, pioneer of London's supper clubs, cookery book writer and, today, host of our cookery class.

Preparing pork and quail's eggs under Uyen's watchful eye

To show us what she means, Uyen takes us through breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner, all within the space of an afternoon of cooking and eating. She later guides us around a nearby Vietnamese supermarket showing how to source our own future meals.

Pho spices and stock bones

Pho is the iconic dish of Vietnam, and though every family knows that its version is the right one, it is a uniting force: the way the nation starts the day. As the body has "cooled" overnight, it needs this meat based broth to "heat" it to get ready to face the rigours of work.  The key is the creation of a high quality stock, to which is added bean sprouts, plenty of herbs, noodles, thinly sliced chilli and herbs, and slices of beef. Hot, soothing, full of flavour, we slurp our bowls of pho in quiet contemplation of the treats to come.
The Vietnamese are grazers: bustling street food stalls and tiny red stools fill every street and alleyway and are always busy serving quick snacks (pork skewers for example, or banh  mi - stuffed baguettes) to those on the move. Lemongrass beef in betel leaf are bite-sized flavour-packed morsels, and easy to make, but it's a good idea to get the whole family around the table to roll them up.


Lemongrass beef in Betel Leaf and Vietnamese Salad

















As another quick snack, Uyen shows us how the prepare the light, herb-infused summer rolls that are ideal for a mouthful of intense flavour on the move through the markets. 

Uyen demonstrates summer rolls

The French influence is very evident in banh xeo (crepe-style wraps).  Fry some prawns and pork belly, add the rice-flour and coconut milk batter with some bean sprouts, and cover.  Fold the crisp pancake and serve with dipping sauce.


Making banh xeo

With our pork and quail's egg stew bubbling away and her mother getting a few more dishes ready for a final feast, Uyen takes us off to the supermarket and gives us a masterclass tour of the enormous range of Vietnamese ingredients available nowadays - many of them grown or made locally.

Shopping

 Appetites sharpened by all the possibilities we have seen (and with bulging shopping bags), we return to a feast: the pork and quail's egg stew is ready, two fish dishes, winter melon soup with tofu, stir-fried morning glory.

 



CIAMBELLONE TOSCANA

Vanilla, egg, butter, sugar, lemon: these are the aromas that drift around the house as the Ciambellone is baking: it is the smell of Italy.  We were introduced to this cake by the doyenne of Italian supperclubs, Francesca. 

It is delicious.  And very easy to make.

 

100g melted butter

150g sugar
2 eggs
2 egg whites
50g tapioca flour (or potato flour)
150g plain flour
1 lemon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp milk

Heat the oven to 180C. Grease the tin and flour it.
Whisk the melted butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue whisking. Zest the lemons and add the zest to the mixture, and then add the vanilla essence; stir together well.
Whisk the egg whites until firm and set aside. Mix together the plain flour, the potato flour and the baking powder, and sift into the egg mixture and beat together. Add the milk to create a runnier texture.
Using a metal spoon, fold in the beaten egg whites until they are well mixed in. Pour the mixture into the tin. Bake in the oven 25 minutes. When cooked, turn out the cake onto a rack. Dust the top with icing sugar.

If you can, leave it to cool before eating, with an espresso of course (though it goes just as well with tea in the afternoon). Serve with whipped cream or mascarpone and a spoonful of tart gooseberry compote.

BILDER AND DE CLERQ, AMSTERDAM - FIRST ANNIVERSARY

Balloons and bunting

Daffodils and roses are already blooming in Amsterdam's quietly raffish Oude Pijp district (think Shoreditch with canals and bicycles rather than end-to-end traffic and crowds). Our gently aimless Saturday morning stroll past Sarphati Park is suddenly transformed: we have stumbled unexpectedly into the balloons and bunting of Bilder and De Clercq deli's first anniversary party, a celebration of their big new idea.  In business, the first year is when new ideas either wither and die, or put down roots for a robust future: it seems B&dC are well on their way, given the packed, good-natured support in the café and browsing the deli shelves.

The novel food stations

B&dC is not your usual deli: its USP, its new idea, is the "meal station". Across the store are a dozen or so of these separate stations, each dedicated to a particular dish, and each containing a recipe card and all the listed ingredients in appropriate quantities.  A cheerful assistant explains (while she dispenses anniversary snacks): choose your menu and then simply load up the ingredients which are laid out ready at the station and in its mini-freezer - and there are well-matched wines available to reduce decision making even further. Large, colourful images of plated up meals stand above each station to draw your eye and stimulate your culinary imagination - and your appetite. B&dC source as much as possible locally, though their recipe vision is international: Thailand and Indonesia, The Middle East and Singapore are represented in addition to Europe. 



The station for Thai Mussels

Each recipe card is designed for two, though it is easy to multiply up for a feast; it costs between €5 and €7 a head. So if you are in a hurry or haven't planned ahead, the hard part (ie: deciding what to cook and sourcing the ingredients) has already been done. Sounds like a brilliant idea!

EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA, GIRONA, and JORDI ROCA'S ROCAMBOLESC GELATERIA

Girona is a much under-rated city, known more, perhaps, as a Ryanair hub and stag-do venue (and yes, it has at least one Irish-themed pub) than a destination in its own right.  Many visitors go straight from arrivals to Barcelona rather than venturing into Girona itself to discover the quiet streets of the picturesque mediaeval old town, complete with its cathedral, university and an impressive market laden with fresh produce.

The elevation of the Roca Brothers' restaurant El Celler de Can Roca to the world number one slot may well change all that, of course. The Rocas weave together magical dishes that celebrate and re-invent simple, iconic local ingredients such as olive, artichoke and prawn.  Each dish is as remarkable for the imagination at work as for its technical expertise, a masterly combination of the arts and sciences of cooking, with a sprinkle of fun thrown in for good measure (eg: white asparagus and truffle viennetta).


Amuse bouche - flavours of the world

Artichoke

Prawn with head juice, seawater, seaweeds and plankton

Sole with garlic, parsley and lemon

However, if you don't feel like frittering away your complete life savings on one, long, magical sitting, Jordi Roca's side enterprise gives a flavour of the Roca approach. The Rocambolesc Gelateria is a Willy Wonka style, fantasy ice-cream "factory" just over the bridge from the old town with pipes, dials, buttons and gadgets everywhere, and bright red and white spirals flying off in all directions. Even adults regress into excitable kids when they enter this brightly lit store. 

Rocambolesc is a bit like an old-fashioned ice-cream cart (the original idea was for just such a cart trundling through the city) which has been transformed into a quirky store.  Jordi has developed a wide range of ice creams and sorbets, made only from natural ingredients; six are always freshly churned and on tap. The colours and flavours are intense, and there's a selection of whacky toppings (fresh fruit, popping candy) to add as the whim takes you.

There's also a real old-fashioned candy floss machine ready to whirl into action if the rich, creamy gelati aren't enough of a sweetness hit to get you through siesta time.  To rediscover your inner Roald Dahl, head for Girona now.

Rocambolesc
50, Carrer de Santa Clara,
Girona.