Ok, ok I lied! No dog ate my homework. It's just that, although I can recommend Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer unhesitatingly, it has made wanting to cook and eat a positive minefield. Thinking that readers would not be interested in my various stir-fries of firm tofu, squeakily fresh bok choy, and chunks of aubergine ( make a marinade of soy sauce ( 2 tablespoons), about 2 cloves of minced or finely chopped garlic, a tablespoon of fresh ginger( I have to admit to being highly influenced by Rachael Ray here, I keep it in the freezer and grate it with a microplane skin and all until I have the right amount) and about 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, I then marinade the tofu chunks in it whilst I chop up an onion into slices, cut the aubergine ( eggplant for American and Aussie readers) and slice the bok choy into what approximates easy to eat pieces-soy sauce dribbled on your chin it has to be said is not a good look for anyone. I then heat about a tablepooon of vegetable oil in a wok, and add first the tofu, reserving the marinade for later, and stir fry until the tofu has pleasingly crisped and golden edges. I then add the aubergine -I'm sorry, I just can't help it!!!- until it , too looks like it has scorched here and there, then add the bok choy and the reserved marinade until the bok choy has given up the fight and pleasingly wilted, and the marinade has caramelised and become syrupy. Now for the best means to exude a feel-good glow eat with chop sticks and a sprinkling of sesame oil. I know it sounds too dull for words, but I really love this.
So feeling like my self-induced-and quite rightly too!- guilt about eating our animal friends prevented me from cooking with as much variety as I would like, oh and having a conference and having to convince people I am semi- intelligent, and didn't just rock up by mistake, well it all takes its toll, hence the lack of posts-sorry!
But I am back, last night, I bought some salmon, it was organically farmed according to my fishmonger, and did I believe him dear reader?Well I chose to yes, and I don't want any bloody judgement, lets leave it here before it is all Queensbury rules and fisticuffs shall we?
Last time I was in the U.K. I had a salmon dish at my sisters that was so delicious I refused to believe it had taken her the 15 minutes it she claimed it took her to cook. But having tracked down the original recipe on Goodfood.com I can assure you it does. I didn't have the original recipe though, which calls for honey, and creme fraiche. What i did have was 4 salmon fillets, some lime juice, maple syrup, grain mustard. I preheated the grill to high, lined a small tray with greaseproof baking paper ( remember-idle!!) I mixed 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup, with 1 tablespoon of grain mustard, and a good squeeze( I could lie here, but i will not insult either of us) from a bottle of lime juice I had in the fridge for gin and tonics. By good squeeze I mean about 2 tablepoons I guess, look, taste it, if it is too sweet add more, too tart add a bit more maple, you are a grown up are you not? I am sure you can figure out what kind of taste you like, and what you don't, don't you??
Ok salmon fillets were placed on greaseproof lined tray, and syrup/lime mixture with salt and pepper added for good measure poured delicately ( hey sarcasm, come on in -sit by me!) over fillets and placed under grill, with timer set for 10 minutes.
Now for the science bit....nah I'm just playing, what you will need next is 2 tins of white beans, I love cannellini, but butter do great, 2 cloves of garlic grated finely, half an onion chopped finely, butter, cream and greens of choice, but we will get to that in the minute it will take us to do this.
Melt the butter in a saucepan with a dash of oil, add the garlic and onions and cook on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then take the supremely difficult task of opening the tins of beans and draining them before you add them to the saucepan, let everything cook and mingle for about 2 minutes, then add a dash ( but remember, in for a penny, in for a pound) of cream then roughly mash with whatever you have to hand, potato masher, large fork, even a mallet if you so desire, before carefully tipping either prepared spinach or rocket from a salad bag until the greens are wilted and the 'mash' looks creamy ( as well it might) , then leave on a low heat until you hear the timer calling you to attention.
Ok here is the brilliant part, Dollop artful mounds of the 'mash' on to plates,place the piece of salmon on top and equally divide the caramelised 'sauce from the bottom of the grill pan on top of the salmon and mash. This probably takes longer to write than actually make, I had this done and dusted, kippers and custard, all in good time for my freshly 'obtained' episodes of Trueblood for me and a female friend without her actually noticing I was cooking, it tastes wonderful, and I can see that if you were more restrained than me it could be healthy and all that....but do try it like this once. I didn't think anything would make Trueblood more fun, I was wrong. Will be back on form from now. See you tomorrow.
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