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Archive for the ‘Cooking’ Category

Talking Turkey

It was a wet and dusky afternoon in October when I decided it was time to visit Sarah Copas at her free-range turkey farm. As we arrived at the farm we were greeted by the sight of several thousand birds pecking and running around in fields and my two bored boys (it was the school holidays) were immediately engaged. Sarah encouraged us to take a walk into the cherry orchards where most are kept. As we entered they ran up to us – they have the funniest run; their fat bellies swinging from left to right as they hop from one foot to another. (A little too like me at Wednesday night Zumba!). My sons shrieked with delight and to our astonishment the turkeys answered right back with the same pitch. We spent a good 20 minutes watching them and calling out to hear them answer.

The boys with the turkeys

If you wanted to eat poultry knowing it had enjoyed a good life then these birds would be the answer. They were happy, healthy and had a great deal of space to run around in including an area of maize to give them a feeling of safety and cover. Big barns provided straw bales for their natural roosting behaviour. At night two specially trained collie dogs are used to round them into barns.

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Posted by admin 01/12/2011

Paola Rocchi at Caldesi in Campagna for Frescobaldi Fortnight

On Monday an Italian chef by the name of Paola Rocchi arrived at our house all the way from sunny Tuscany.  She is staying with us whilst we stage Frescobaldi Fortnight at Caldesi in Campagna – A chance to enjoy Paola’s Tuscan food and the wines of her employers, the Frescobaldi family. Living with four men (two young and small, one husband and one elderly dad) it was lovely to have some female company for a change, and even better she is a fellow foodie. As Paola speaks no English I have also planned to get her at least saying a few phrases.

Paola on her bike

Paola is Head Chef at Castelgiaconda in Montalcino, one of the beautiful wine estates belonging to Frescobaldi. Originally from Lazio she now lives and works in Tuscany. She rides to work every day on her Harley Davidson loving the fresh air and changing landscape around her.

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Posted by admin 04/11/2011

Cooking with honey – our evening with the Chalfont Beekeeping Society

We had a great meeting on Tuesday 27th September with our local beekeepers as we are hoping to become hive owners next year.  We gave a talk about cooking with honey and shared tips on using this beautiful natural product.  For details of the Chalfont Beekeepers contact:- www.chalfontbeekeepers.co.uk.

A few pointers to remember when cooking with honey:-

  • Honey is sweeter than sugar so you need less; therefore as a rough guide add three quarters of the amount of sugar in a recipe.
  • It has the same calorific value as sugar and cannot be given to diabetics.
  • Honey adds moisture to recipes so other liquids need to be reduced slightly to counteract this.  One of the members told me it is an invert sugar so does not behave in the same way as sugar, for example it doesn’t work in a sponge cake.
  • Honey is more dense than sugar so it weighs more so don’t substitute one with the other to the same proportions.
  • Honey adds its own flavour to the finished product, be aware of adding strong honeys to dishes where it might overshadow other ingredients.  Use mild honey such as acacia for dressings and stronger honey such as chestnut to eat with cheese.  Heather honey is wonderful in cakes and spread onto cheese.
  • Honey adds acid to a recipe, so often bicarbonate is added to bump up the alkaline.
  • And honey can cause baked foods to brown more quickly.

Italian uses for honey

  • Romans used it with snow and fruit juices which we tried last year and it was very effective with a squeeze from a fresh orange over snow and drizzled with honey, delicious!
  • In Montalcino, Tuscany, the national honey festival is held in September. It is in the beautiful grounds of the Castello Montalcino and is sure to inspire anyone remotely interested in honey.
    I loved it.
  • Italians often eat honey with cheese try it spooned over freshly made ricotta or spread onto slices of Pecorino (sheep’s milk) cheese.  I understand from one of the members it is also gorgeous over Greek Halloumi cheese slices.
  • Mixed with black truffle for truffle honey to drizzle over chicken or cheeses such as Pecorino or Parmesan.
  • Crogetti – fried dough squares or balls of fried dough drizzled with honey and cinnamon
  • Stirred into hot milk cold mornings.
  • Bee pollen is crunchy and can offer texture when sprinkled on foods.

Types of Italian honey

Italians can be more specific about where they honey is from and each one is labelled with the type of flower the bees have visited apart from Millefiori meaning “many flowers”.  Italian honey varies hugely from mild to strong.  Personally I think chestnut honey tastes like horse manure smells but don’t tell the Tuscans they love it!  My favourite is one called Melata which is supposedly made from the oozing sugar from overripe fruits.

Acacia is light and perfect for most uses.  Tiglio is from plain trees and there are many more…..

Why it is good for you

Honey has vitamins such as B6, Thiamin, Niacin, Riboflavin, minerals, calcium, potassium and zinc.  Natural antioxidants help to eliminate free radicals.  Honey and cider vinegar is used against arthritis.

Honey acts as an antiseptic/antibacterial agent for wounds, burns and sore throats. It also said to reduce swelling and prevent scarring. It can be used as oral antiseptic, especially mixed with lemon which is why we all like this drink when we have a cold.  Although my favourite nightcap is a cup of milk mixed with honey and whisky warmed in the microwave.

Storing honey

Honey should be stored at room temperature, in the fridge it becomes solid. The cold makes honey crystallize.  To dissolve the crystals, warm it up. Put the honey jar in warm water into the microwave with the lid off. Microwave on medium power and stir regularly until the crystals dissolve. If overheated it will burn so take care.

Sticking on the spoon

To stop honey sticking on a tablespoon when measuring, coat it lightly with vegetable oil before measuring. The honey will slide off the spoon.

Marinades

A little sweetness makes us all feel good!  Try rubbing honey on pork chops or mixed with lemon over of lamb or ham. It’s easier to coat with honey if it is warmed up so just put the pot in the microwave for a moment, mix with a little lemon juice and a little grated lemon zest and baste away before and during cooking.  I am sure you all have had honey over gammon but have you tried it over salmon?

Oven-baked Salmon with Pistachio and Honey Crust

Salmone al forno in crosta di pistacchi e miele

Serves 4

50g shelled pistachios

30g homemade dry breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon rosemary

1 tablespoon thyme

4 salmon steaks or one piece of salmon (about 600g)

4 teaspoons honey

4 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Prepare the crust for the salmon steaks. Chop the nuts by hand or in a food processor until they are the size of peppercorns. Set aside in a mixing bowl. Do the same with the bread and herbs to make herb breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly with the nuts and salt and pepper.

Season the salmon all over with a little salt and, if using steaks, lay them up against one another in a roasting pan. Drizzle the honey over the salmon spreading it out with your finger. Now coat with the breadcrumb mixture, patting it down so that it sticks to the honey. Drizzle over the oil. (If you have steaks, separate them to allow even cooking). Transfer to the oven for 15–25 minutes or until cooked through. Serve the salmon on a bed of parsnip mash or with a green salad.

Here is a great salad dressing to go with grilled meats and fish.

Insalata di Rucola, pinoli e melograno

Rocket, pinenut and pomegranate salad

Serves 4-6

1 handful of rocket per person, long stalks removed

85g pine nuts, lightly toasted

½ pomegranate, seeds only

2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley leaves, rough torn

Dressing

2 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons of honey vinegar or lemon juice

Mix the ingredients for the dressing together in a large bowl.

Add rocket, pinenuts and pomegranate seeds mix well.  Put into a clean dish and serve straight away.  Sprinkle with parsley.

And for a sweet treat, here a three easy recipes:-

Date, oat and honey slices

Makes approximately 20 small squares

100g butter

4 tbsp honey

125g rolled oats

125g dates, chopped

75g wholemeal flour

1tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 180°C.  Line a medium size baking tray with baking parchment.  Melt butter and honey together then add the oats and chopped dates. Stir to combine.   Add wholemeal flour and baking powder. Stir to combine.   Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for around 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Swedish cream

A friend of mine offered me this delicious cream when we had a fruit salad at her house.  She had used banana, papaya, apple and kiwi for the salad but strawberries and raspberries are lovely in season too.  She simply whipped double cream up and stirred in runny honey and cinnamon to taste.  Delicious!

Apple Leather

Cooking apples are ideal for the cooked method of this or use eating apples or a mixture of the two for the non-cooking method.

Preheat the oven to 70°C/140°F.  Line a baking tray with cling film, baking parchment or a silicone mat.  Select ripe and unbruised fruit and remove the cores and pips.  Do not peel.  Cut it into chunks and put into a food processor or blender.  Add the juice of half a lemon and whizz to blend.  Add a little water to loosen the pulp to a “just liquid” consistency.  You need to be able to tip the puree from side to side in the tray to spread it out so the “medium thick soup stage” is what you are looking for.  If it isn’t sweet enough for your taste add honey as necessary.

Pour the pureed apple onto the prepared trays and tip this way and that until the surface is covered and the puree is around half a centimetre thick.  Bake in the oven for around four to five hours or until the consistency of leather and no longer sticky to the touch.  Eat straight away or roll up while still just warm in the cling film or parchment.  Depending on the humidity the leather will last well in a dried out state.

If you prefer the taste of cooked apple, peel, core and chop them and cook with honey and lemon juice to taste for a few minutes adding enough water to achieve the soup consistency.  Follow instructions above for baking.

Posted by admin 29/09/2011

Our fight for the fish in our seas – our journey into sustainability

The world’s ocean larder is under threat and campaigns like Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstall’s ‘Fish Fight’ and now Project Ocean at Selfridges have bought issues such as overfishing and discard once more to the public eye. It seems we can all do more to protect the ocean environment and prevent whole species from extinction by sourcing our fish in a different, more sustainable way. I decided to go on my own fishy adventure to find out more.

It’s all about searching out fish that has been responsibly caught, seeking out species that are not over fished and eating them in the correct season.

Is size important

There is always a lot of talk about the weight and size of the fish. The reason for this is that this ensures maturity of fish, for example a cod should be fully grown before it is caught to allow it to have spawned. Being sure of provenance is key and that’s why I started my journey by visiting the people on the front line….

The fishermen

Back in February Giancarlo and I, with our two boys, went down to Hastings and Eastbourne where we met local fisherman and saw dabs, whiting and flounder being landed. These species are sustainable but overlooked when it comes to the big hitters of cod, seabass and haddock. I returned two weeks with the Sustainable Restaurant Association to Hastings with Mario, one of our chefs, to see around the market, talk to more fishermen and fish cognoscenti. This time, only a month later the fish had changed, dabs were still abundant but now cuttlefish and mackerel were prevalent. Because of high winds and their small boats the fishermen hadn’t been out the night before so the market was almost empty bar the dabs and cuttlefish. It’s so obvious but it’s not something I had considered before that you just cannot get fish when you want, sustainable or not. The fishermen we spoke to were disheartened generally, reduced quotas, the ridiculous discard law and little help had rendered fishing a pretty awful job in Hastings and young people were simply not joining the workforce of local fishermen. I would dearly love to help but as France pays more for the fish than we do they don’t send the fish to Billingsgate or anywhere in London, instead it goes to the fish market in Boulogne. It would be easier for us to get fish from Cornwall as they have better established links to London but as a Sussex girl I would love to support my home county.

Giancarlo took a trip to Mercea island in April also with the Sustainable Restaurant Association where he saw hand harvested oysters from the beds around. Oysters and their opulent meatiness have been enjoyed for centuries in Britain and after his trip Giancarlo often puts them on the menu at Bray.

A few weeks later we were in Suffolk where we saw line caught cod being landed and spoke to fishermen about the best way to buy our fish. They felt there were plenty of cod out there but if they were fished using unsustainable methods ie nets they would be further endangered, put other species at risk and damage the marine environment. So the message is if we really want to eat cod we should insist on them being line-caught.

Buy local

Obviously if you live near the coast then to buy direct from local small boat fishermen is the ideal but if not then look for a fish merchant who can give you the full provenance of the fish you’re buying… some even down to the name of the boat that landed it and its Captain!

Eat fish in season and be prepared for an empty net.

We then took a rather frenetic trip to Cromer on the North Norfolk coast to enjoy some juicy local crab only to find that the crab season hadn’t started yet which brings up the point of seasonality. It’s a no brainer really why not wait until sweet juicy crab from Cromer or Brixham is available on the market than open a tin of crab from Thailand? The answer is in the taste as well as the fact you can eat our indigenous crab with a clear conscience too!

Most recently we took a lovely trip down to Lyme Regis in Dorset where we fished for first of the season mackerel and came back with empty keep nets empty… but then again we’re good a cooking fish just not catching it.

Back at our restaurants I met with our fishmonger Craig where he basically told us that to benefit the most from sustainable British fish we should introduce “Catch of the Day” where the best of what has just been landed that day can feature on our menus and we can react to what is available. So watch out for our catch of the day blackboards at the Caffe and Giancarlo and Gregorio’s changing fish dishes at Caldesi in Campagna in Bray.

I’ve included some simple recipes with sustainable fish in our current Caldesi newspaper. I’ll keep updating this as the season’s fish change, this weekend we are off to Puglia so I hope to come back with some great new recipes to share. I remember raw fish dishes being popular on my last visit there so we will see…..

Posted by admin 27/05/2011

Beautiful Venice

I have just come back from Venice where we had the scariest white knuckle ride in a water taxi to the airport through the aqua-alta – the all too common flooding that occurs.  However it didn’t mar the experience of being there though.  Surely Venice is the prettiest city in the world.  Winter is a great time of year to go, we had two days of sunshine and blue skies and only one of rain and there were hardly any tourists.  I am glad I took a pair of wellies to combat the flooding but nothing spoils the staggering charm waiting round each corner.

For breakfast we stopped at Pasticiera Rosa Salva near Piazza San Marco.  I had a strange little dome of vanilla soaked sponge with sultanas, delicious with a proper cappuccino.   At Carnevale time they have crispy doughnuts filled with Marsala custard called Fritelle allo zabaglione which at 1euro each are irresistible.

For food I would recommend Ristorante Carpaccio in Riva Schiavoni.  It is a small family run restaurant owned by Abruzzeze so the menu has Venetian classics but also a chilli-hot lamb ragù typical of Abruzzo. Then you can’t go wrong at La Madonna near the Rialto bridge.  It’s busy and bustling with loads of white coated waiters serving mainly Venetians rather than tourists.  I love it and especially the squid cooked in its ink, black, startling and so tasty I could have had thirds.  Also the risotto frutti di mare, just pure comfort food when you come inside from the wintery air.  Finish the meal with a “sgroppino” a delicious sweet drink of lemon sorbet, vodka and Prosecco.

Went to Harry’s Bar but didn’t really enjoy paying 15 Euro for a Bellini, it tasted great but is any drink worth that much especially in half-empty bar.  Better still, stand up with the locals in one of the plentiful little corner bars where made-with-love-and-care tramezzini (sandwiches) tempt you and glasses of local wines.  When are our sandwich bars going to do raddichio, speck and chopped egg or preserved chiodini mushroom and mayo?

We are going to celebrate Carnevale big time at our restaurants in February so look out for our menus, costumed staff and general sense of partying.  I am also doing a Splendours of Venice cookery class inspired by my trip and Giancarlo is throwing a Venetian Masked Dinner in Caldesi in Campagna.  For further details see www.caldesi.com.

Posted by admin 22/12/2010

Man and Fire by Katie Caldesi

Barbecued fish

Marinated pollack with fennel on the grill

There is no doubt barbecuing seems to bring out the rudimentary caveman in most men, my husband Giancarlo being no exception!  There is something wonderful and mesmerising about watching flames whether it is the light from a candle, dancing flames in a hearth or an autumn bonfire outdoors.  To control fire so that we can cook on it is taking it the fascination further.

We have a woodburning oven at Caldesi in Campagna, our restaurant in Bray and one at home, on the side of which is a barbecue that is designed so that you cook over the fallen embers from burning logs rather than briquettes.   This is the way Giancarlo learnt to cook from a child “alla brace”.  When we go back to Tuscany to see friends they frequently slap on huge Chianina steaks, local sausages and pork onto their outdoor grills.  Giancarlo has spent years perfecting the art of barbecuing and I thought you might be interested in some of his tips.

Man and Fire

Giancarlo at the Barbecue

Giancarlo’s tips

  • Marinating meat or fish gives a more succulent result and adds flavour to food.  Beer is great for this – try it over chicken or beef, it will prevent food drying out.  Try pineapple juice over pork to keep it moist and add a fruity flavour.  The enzymes in pineapple juice help break down the meat.
  • Soak wooden skewers first for half an hour in water to stop them catching alight.
  • Curl long lengths of sausages into spirals and secure across with two long wooden skewers – it makes them easier to turn.
  • Raise and lower the grill – terracotta bricks or upturned small flowerpots are good for this to move food nearer and away from the heat source.
  • When cooking fish, leave the skin on to protect the delicate flesh, put it skin side down onto a hot rack and leave to almost cook through on that side.  Only turn to cook the other side for one minute at the end.
  • Wrap birds such as quail in lardo, pancetta or streaky bacon to baste them in fat.

For further tips come and join us for our last barbecue evening of the year in Bray.

Cooking over Coals – Italian barbecue evenings

Celebrate summer at Caldesi in Campagna in Bray, Berkshire  when Giancarlo will cook outside (come rain or shine) on our woodburning oven and barbecue.  Choose from a selection of suckling pig, Giancarlo’s spare ribs, chicken and fish with salads and hot Focaccia.  Finish with Tiramisu and Bomboloni (our homemade dipping doughnuts).  Thursday 26th August 2010

£28 per person (£15 per child) including a welcome glass of Prosecco, Italian Beer or Mocktail, canapés on arrival, barbecued meat, fish and dessert plus optional 12.5% service.  Call 01628 788500 to book and see www.caldesi.com for further details.

Spiedini di carne e salsicce

Steak and sausage skewers

This recipe has become a family favourite: I can enlist the help of the children in making it and everyone loves eating it. It is based on an old Tuscan recipe for skewered sausages and pig’s liver wrapped in caul and sandwiched between crunchy bread and herbs. For non-Tuscans it is an acquired taste but this version hits the spot and still utilises the clever idea of having bread on the skewers to soak up the juices. As a child, one of my favourite dishes in an Italian restaurant was mixed grill so that I could have a bit of everything. This ‘recipe on a stick’ is like that and the herbs give it so much flavour. Italian sausages are best as they contain no bread. Toulouse sausages also work if you like garlic. If you cannot find either, look for lean or gluten-free sausages that will hold their shape well once cut in half. Chicken would also work here in place of one of the other meats.

Serves 6

300g sirloin or fillet steaks

250g pork loin or fillet

500g Italian sausages

100g pancetta or unsmoked streaky bacon

150g country-style white bread

18 sage leaves or bay leaves, or some of each

6 sprigs of rosemary, cut into 12 pieces

50ml extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 wooden or metal skewers

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in a shallow dish for at least 20 minutes before use, to prevent them burning later. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 or heat up the barbecue.

Meanwhile, cut the steak and pork into 4cm squares, trimming off any gristle and excess fat. Cut each sausage in half, or into thirds if they are very big. Using a pair of scissors, cut the pancetta into 4cm squares or, if using bacon, cut each rasher into three pieces. Cut the bread into 3 cm cubes. Share out all the ingredients into six even piles.

Thread the prepared meats and sausages on the skewers, alternating the with bread and interleaving the bay or sage leaves and rosemary between the cubes. Season them on all sides and place in a roasting tin.  Drizzle the oil over the skewered ingredients, turning them as you do so that the bread is soaked in oil.  Now cook in the oven or on a pre-heated barbecue for 20-25 minutes, turning the skewers frequently until cooked through. Serve with salad, peperonata and crusty bread.

Posted by admin 22/08/2010

Giancarlo and Katie at Foodie Festival at Hampton Court

Watch us make stuffed courgette flowers with fresh tomato sauce at the Foodie Festival in Hampton Court

Posted by admin 07/06/2010

My herb garden

With winter safely behind us, my thoughts are turning to summer cooking and entertaining.  Having ignored my garden for months I am now busy replacing cracked pots and preparing the way for my constant need for fresh herbs.

I am often asked about Italian use of herbs and spices as I always stress their use in Italian cookery.  All Italy’s regions have their favourite.  For example Tuscans add rosemary to almost every dish, Ligurians love their precious basil and any self-respecting Calabrian wouldn’t dream of cooking a meal without chilli.  Generally only fennel seed, oregano and chillies are used in their dried form, otherwise Italians will use herbs picked daily from outside their back door.   Such is their determination to have fresh leaves to enjoy, if they don’t have a garden they will often be grown in pots on a balcony or windowsill.

I have a small but sunny lobby in our house and this year my children and I have successfully grown chilli, basil and parsley from seed.  The seedlings are now ready for potting-on and then after any threat of frost has gone, I will transfer them outside to join the hardier herbs such as bay, rosemary and sage that survive well outdoors throughout the year.  I have ordered some seeds from my friend Paolo Arrigo at www.seedsofitaly.com so that I can grow wild fennel, borage and lovage.  I will use the fennel seeds in the recipe below and the stems for fish dishes.

Giancarlo’s father maintained his herb garden until he was 85 and used something from it every day, if I can continue the habit I shall be happy.

Seabream with Fennel Seeds and Brandy Orata con semi di finocchio e brandy

This recipe is from my new book The Italian Cookery Course published by Kyle Cathie.

Serves 4

4 seabream fillets Flour for dredging 100ml sunflower oil 50ml extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds 2 anchovy fillets 1/2 red chilli including seeds 2 garlic cloves, peeled Good pinch of salt 50ml brandy 50ml white wine 100ml fish stock or water

Season and flour the fish. Heat the sunflower oil and fry the fish pieces until golden brown on both sides. Meanwhile chop the anchovy, chilli and garlic very finely together. Remove the fish and set aside on a warm plate. Pour off the leftover oil and any bits, and wipe out the pan.

Pour the olive oil into the pan and when hot add the anchovy, chilli and garlic. Fry gently until softened then return the fish to the pan, pour in the brandy and ignite. Add the wine and reduce for a couple of minutes. Add the stock and cook for 5 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Posted by admin 19/04/2010