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Cooked to the Door encore

By | Canapés, Cooked to the Door, Coronavirus, Dining, Food for thought, News, Uncategorised | No Comments

Cooked to the Door is back! I’ve put together a few ideas for you to treat yourselves to, some a bit different and others that are just a ‘warm hug’. With us nearing the end of the winter I’ve tried to balance the winter warmer selection with the lighter flavours of spring.

Canapés for a treat

Something indulgent for the weekend or maybe a special occasion. A selection of 1 bite canapés. I would suggest that you order 5-6 items per person as a pre-dinner nibble or 10-12 if you are replacing dinner to graze throughout the evening. All canapés are priced at £2.00 per item. (Trays will be collected at the earliest convenience).

  • Smoked salmon and cream cheese blini
  • Ham hock and artichoke croquette
  • Spiced crab doughnuts
  • Duck confit, sesame and beansprout spring rolls
  • Saffron and ginger battered prawns
  • Beetroot and goats cheese tostada
  • Roquefort peach and cured ham crostini
  • Haddock and salmon fish cakes
  • Prawn and lobster sesame toasts
  • Sundried tomato and basil cheesecake
  • BBQ beef and slow roast onion pizza
  • Lobster salad mini brioche
  • Chorizo and red pepper scotch quail eggs
  • Lamb and mint bon bon
  • Onion and nigella seed bahji
  • Asparagus, spinach and ricotta arancini
  • Lemon and pistachio tart
  • Bannoffi pie

Treat menus for your ‘bubbles’

Celebrating at home with your bubbles, for a reason or for no reason at all, Cooked is offering you something a bit different. For a minimum of 5 people these menus are designed to be comfort food; warming, full of flavour and simple to re-heat where required.

 Alpine treat night

Classic dishes from the mountains to stir memories of winter holidays past and remind you of what to look forward to:

  • Tartiflette
  • Cured meat platter
  • Creamy winey fondue sauce
  • Rustic crusty bread and new potatoes
  • Green salad

£27 per person

 Classic French winter warmer

Warm and comforting rustic French classics ideal for the last weeks of winter:

  •  Beef bourguignon or coq au vin
  • Chive mashed potatoes
  • Smoked Toulouse sausage cassoulet
  • Apple tart tatin

£27 per person

 Sri Lankan curry night

Just cook your own rice and try something a bit different:

  • Lentil and chickpea dahl
  • Sri Lankan chicken curry
  • Beef baduma (stir fried beef dish)
  • Cashew and sweet potato curry

£29 per person

Austrian classic

Dishes that my first head chef taught me when doing my apprenticeship. Gherkins aplenty here!

  • Austrian style potato salad
  • Beef stroganoff or beef goulash with creamy mashed potato
  • Käsespätzle (mac and cheese)
  • Appfelstrudel

£25 per person

Florentine flavours

Mix of deep and light flavours as we approach the end of winter. Historical dishes and more modern favourites from the best city I’ve been to:

  • Pepso (beef and red wine stew)
  • Slow cooked duck sauce and pappardelle
  • Spinach and ricotta arancini
  • Panzanella (tomato and bread salad)

£29

Breakfast in bed

Weekends only at £26pp

Treat someone to a little luxury; all you have to do is put the kettle on. Disposable cutlery and crockery will be supplied.

  • Freshly baked croissants with jam and butter
  • Pain au chocolat
  • Mini pastry selection
  • Selection of fresh fruit
  • Cured meats
  • Sliced cheese
  • Breakfast tea

 

  • All orders to be emailed 48 hours in advance, to [email protected] or call Cooked HQ on 736455.
  • When ordering please leave your address with instructions of how to find your house. Drivers delivering in your area are generally resident to that parish and will know there way around but directions would be appreciated.
  • Deliveries will made on the requested day between 2pm and 5pm.
  • Standard delivery is £5 island-wide.
  • Payment should be transferred to the Cooked to the Door account with your name and delivery date as reference.
  • Please make payment after the delivery has been made and on the day of delivery.
  • Payment via bank transfer to NatWest account number 74623370, sort code 60-09-20.
  • Cooked remains ever vigilant to the threat of Covid-19 and as such the kitchen is closed to all but Cooked staff. We are maintaining our usual high standard of hygiene. Vans have sanitiser and antibacterial spray, and drivers and kitchen staff are wearing gloves and masks at all times as well as complying with all government legislation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Classy Mountain Mayhem

By | Canapés, Charity, Coronavirus, Dining, News | No Comments

Après, a mountain style party at Cooked at St James, for all of us who can’t get our mountain holiday this season. Our recent lockdown has resulted in a change of date, with the probability that it will become an ‘end of season’ party in April.

I’m a keen snowboarder and love the snow, and the ski resorts this season have taken a hit; Après is intended to support the mountain community from afar by advertising resorts via social media and providing resort marketing material at the events. It will also raise money for local charities: Guernsey Down Syndrome Group and Bridge2.

The event will showcase classic dishes from the Alps served throughout the evening with DJs, visuals and décor to make you feel you’re at your favourite après bar. A level of class will be delivered – but what après evening isn’t complete without a few shots! (even included in the ticket price!)

But for now, why not organise a Zoom/Houseparty get-together with friends and check out my Facebook page for recipes, music and film recommendations to have a virtual après night.

If you have purchased tickets for the original dates they will be valid for the new ones. If a refund is required please contact [email protected] and if you haven’t got a ticket get a ticket…once we’re out of lockdown get ready to party. It’s a mountain we’ve been climbing recently so I think we’re all ready to get over the other side and have a night out!

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Bowl Food

By | Bowl food, Canapés, Events, Outside Catering | No Comments

Our new bowl food menu as substantial canapés or to add to your cocktail party!

• Nasi Goreng (Indonesian special fried rice dish)
• Beef Rendang and saffron rice
• Lamb tagine and spiced cous cous
• Thai green chicken curry and rice
• Thai red prawn curry and rice
• Pea and asparagus risotto and seared sea bass
• Pomegranate and coriander quinoa with sesame and citrus salmon
• Chicken skewer with mint yoghurt and cucumber and soya bean salad
• Confit duck with soy, ginger and spring onion rice and plum sauce
• Korean steak, kimchi and rice
• Potato, chorizo and chickpea stew
• Falafel and mixed grain salad and beetroot
• Mango, roast sweet potato and bean salad with jerk spiced chicken
• Warm new potato salad and cider belly pork
• Fish pie and peas
• Spanish meatballs
• Crab cake and chive and lemon dressing

From £4/£5 per bowl

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Picnic Hamper Ready to Go

By | Outside Catering | No Comments

Picnic lunch ideal for a day out! Served in a classic wicker basket with disposable plates, napkins and cutlery, and delivered to your door or alternatively to an agreed meeting spot in town ready for a boat trip across to the other islands. All you need to do is organise your drinks.

 Minimum order for 4 people.

£27 pp inclusive.

 Sandwiches, choice of 2 rounds pp.

  • Parmesan, pistachio and lemon chicken mayonnaise, iceberg lettuce and tomato
  • Soy, sesame and ginger beef with soy and chili dressing spinach and rocket salad
  • Poached prawn, fennel and cucumber with lemon dressing
  • Roasted Mediterranean veg and soft herbs with hummus
  • Cheese salad and pickle
  • Crab mayonnaise

with

  • Chorizo scotch egg
  • Homemade slow cooked onion and apple sausage roll
  • Cheese, tomato and basil tart
  • Traditional coleslaw
  • New potato and chive salad

Sweet

  • Fresh berries and Guernsey cream

 

 A bespoke menu can also  be arranged. Order at [email protected]

view

The View

By | Dining, Events, Outside Catering, Weddings | No Comments

We are delighted to offer The View at St Martins, formerly The Auberge, for private or corporate hire. With some of the best east coast views on the island, this is a fabulous and adaptable indoor and outdoor space, that can be tailored for any event and with bespoke or themed decor.  We have the ability to reduce the size of the full space for smaller gatherings, or open out onto the lawn for larger warm weather events.

Get in touch for more information and a viewing of The View!

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Keep it Simple

By | Cooked to the Door, Dining, Food for thought, News, Outside Catering | No Comments

For a long time I’ve wanted to provide an alternative to the traditional takeaway offerings so with that in mind I’ve put together a weekday delivery service that offers fresh, healthy, summery dishes. The dishes may change as I’m inspired by different recipes. Keeping the menu small means I can keep prices competitive. I hope you like it!

Monday

  • Nasi Goreng £9 Amazing rice dish seen on every menu in Indonesia, served with toasted peanuts and kecap manis (with chicken and prawns; please state if you require a vegan or vegetarian version)
  • Gado gado £7.5 Indonesian salad perfect for the summer. Green beans, beansprouts, potato, cucumber and egg with creamy peanut dressing
  • Traditional Greek salad £5

Tuesday

  • Chicken, olive, lemon and chickpea tagine with roasted vegetable and herb cous cous £8.5
  • Lamb tagine with toasted almonds and roasted vegetable and herb cous cous £10.5
  • Traditional tabbouleh £4  Bulgar wheat lots of fresh herbs, lemon and cucumber, tomato and pomegranate

Wednesday

  • Noodle and Asian vegetable salad with slow cooked duck and toasted sesame with soy and ginger dressing £10.5
  • Bun cha £9 Vietnamese salad with fresh herbs, spinach, spring onions, citrus dressing and belly pork
  • Beetroot, cherry tomato, roast red onion, pomegranate and pine nut salad £6

Thursday

  • Gaeng keow wan gai with rice £8 Thai green chicken curry
  • Middle eastern mezze £10 Falafel, hummus, pitta, moutabal and fattoush. Moutabal is a delicious aubergene dip and fattoush is a mixed Middle Eastern mixed salad
  • Beef rendang £9 Beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture. Lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chillies

Friday

  • Black bean and sweetcorn chilli with rice and lime and coriander guacamole £8
  • Chili and pink peppercorn salmon, prawn quinoa £9 Seriously good quinoa salad with fresh herbs, radish, cucumber, kale and lime with chili flaked salmon and prawns
  • Asparagus, sugar snap, radish, soya bean and green bean salad with feta and herb dressing £6

Ordering, delivery and payment, and Covid-19 safety

  • All orders to be placed 24 hours in advance, to [email protected] or call Cooked HQ on 736455.
  • When ordering please leave your address with instructions of how to find your house. Drivers delivering in your area are generally resident to that parish and will know there way around but directions would be appreciated.
  • Deliveries will made on the requested day between 2pm and 5pm.
  • Standard delivery is £3 island wide.
  • Payment should be transferred to the Cooked to the Door account with your name and delivery date as reference.
  • Please make payment after the delivery has been made and on the day of delivery.
  • Payment via bank transfer to NatWest account number 74623370, sort code 60-09-20.
  • Cooked remains ever vigilant to the threat of Covid-19 and as such the kitchen is closed to all but Cooked staff. We are maintaining our usual high standard of hygiene. Vans have sanitiser and antibacterial spray, and drivers and kitchen staff are wearing gloves and masks at all times as well as complying with all legislation. All deliveries will be made with a knock on the door and all social distancing rules will be followed.

 

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Cooked to the Door

By | Canapés, Cooked to the Door, Coronavirus, Dining, Food for thought, News, Outside Catering | No Comments

Cooked to the Door was initially launched in the wake of the Coronavirus as a way of helping people avoid the shops. The principle worked really well, and the uptake was fantastic. With restrictions lifted, I am delighted to be able to provide this service again.

Cooked to the Door offers the following menus on a delivery basis, providing different options for different occasion, making your life a bit easier…and providing the odd indulgence:

  • Canapés for a treat
  • Celebration menus for your bubbles
  • Salads for the summer (ideal to complement a BBQ)
  • Breakfast in bed

Canapés for a treat

 Something different for the weekend or maybe a special occasion. A selection of 1 bite canapés, I would suggest that you order 5-6 items per person as a pre-dinner nibble or 10-12 if you are replacing dinner to graze throughout the evening. All canapés are priced at £2 per item.

  • Smoked salmon and cream cheese blini
  • Ham hock and artichoke croquette
  • Spiced crab doughnuts
  • Duck confit, sesame and beansprout spring rolls
  • Saffron and ginger battered prawns
  • Beetroot and goats cheese tostada
  • Roquefort peach and cured ham crostini
  • Haddock and salmon fish cakes
  • Prawn and lobster sesame toasts
  • Sundried tomato and basil cheesecake
  • BBQ beef and slow roast onion pizza
  • Lobster salad mini brioche
  • Chorizo and red pepper scotch quail eggs
  • Lamb and mint bon bon
  • Onion and nigella seed bahji
  • Asparagus, spinach and ricotta arancini
  • Lemon and pistachio tart
  • Bannoffi pie#

(Trays will be collected at the earliest convenience).

Celebration menus for your bubbles

Celebrating at home with your bubbles, for a reason or for no reason at all, Cooked is offering you something a bit different. For a minimum of 5 people these menus are designed for the summer; light, full of flavour and simple to re-heat where required.

Indonesian flavours: £27 pp

  • Nasi Goreng
  • Gado Gado
  • Chicken satay
  • Beef Rendang and rice

Moroccan flavours £27 pp

  • Chicken lemon and olive tagine
  • Sweet potato, pepper and chickpea tagine
  • Traditional tabbouleh
  • Roasted vegetable and date cous cous
  • Flatbreads

Asian BBQ/salad £27 pp

  • Lemongrass and coriander chicken brochette
  • Beef satay brochette
  • Noodle and vegetable salad slow cooked duck, honey and sesame
  • Mango and chili slaw with toasted peanuts and pan-fried prawns

Salads for the summer (ideal to complement a BBQ)

Minimum of 5 people priced at £4.50 pp per salad

  • Honey roast sweet potato and butternut with chickpeas, red lentils and toasted pumpkin seeds
  • Fresh beetroot, cherry tomato and roast red onion with pomegranate, red pepper and radish
  • New potato, green bean, soya bean, fennel and pine nut with lemon and chive dressing
  • Date and apricot Moroccan spiced cous cous with roasted vegetables
  • Mango, chili and white radish Asian slaw with toasted peanuts
  • Mixed bean, kale and spinach quinoa with baby corn and pistachio
  • Indonesian Gado Gado. Potato, green bean, egg, cabbage, cucumber and beansprouts with a creamy peanut sauce

Breakfast in bed

Weekends only at £26 pp

Treat someone to a little luxury; all you have to do is put the kettle on.

  • Freshly baked croissants with jam and butter
  • Pain au chocolat
  • Mini pastry selection
  • Selection of fresh fruit
  • Cured meats
  • Sliced cheese
  • Yoghurt
  • Fruit juice
  • Breakfast tea

 Disposable cutlery and crockery will be supplied

(Trays will be collected at the earliest convenience)

Ordering, delivery and payment, and Covid-19 safety:

  • All orders to be emailed 48 hours in advance, to [email protected] or call Cooked HQ on 736455.
  • When ordering please leave your address with instructions of how to find your house. Drivers delivering in your area are generally resident to that parish and will know there way around but directions would be appreciated.
  • Deliveries will made on the requested day between 2pm and 5pm.
  • Standard delivery is £3 island wide.
  • Payment should be transferred to the Cooked to the Door account with your name and delivery date as reference.
  • Please make payment after the delivery has been made and on the day of delivery.
  • Payment via bank transfer to NatWest account number 74623370, sort code 60-09-20.
  • Cooked remains ever vigilant to the threat of Covid-19 and as such the kitchen is closed to all but Cooked staff. We are maintaining our usual high standard of hygiene. Vans have sanitiser and antibacterial spray, and drivers and kitchen staff are wearing gloves and masks at all times as well as complying with all Government legislation.

 

 

escoffier

Velvet Sauce Fit for a King

By | Recipe | No Comments

Fancy a posh fish pie…?

Fish fan extraordinaire, Rick Stein, has one of our favourite fish pie recipes. It’s just a bit decadent with a crisp breadcrumb topping and a hint of truffle oil. The recipe calls for a velouté sauce – one of the five ‘mother sauces’ of French cuisine, coined centuries ago by man of legendary moustache, and more importantly, the ‘King of Chefs’ no less, Auguste Escoffier. (The others for your history lesson, are hollandaise, béchamel, espagnole and – plain ol’ tomato). What’s luxe about a velouté is that it’s translated as ‘velvet’, which is just how your sauce should be. No pressure.

Rick’s tip is to fry the fish first so that it doesn’t thin the creamy sauce in the pie as it cooks. Our tip is get your butter, milk and cream from our obliging Guernsey cows.

COOKING TIME:
1 hour 20 minutes

SERVES:
4 – 6 hungry people

INGREDIENTS:

For the velouté:-
600ml fish stock
300ml milk
50g butter
50g flour
2 bay leaves
1 crushed clove
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

For the pie:-
200g onion, finely chopped
60g butter
30g parmesan cheese, grated
50ml double cream
Juice of ½ lemon
500g mixed seafood: ¾ fish fillet and ¼ shellfish or crustaceans, such as prawns, lobster or crab. You could use cod, monkfish, hake, pollack, or snapper, with crab, lobster, peeled prawns or scallops. Visit our own fish expert Jason Hamon at Surf ‘n’ Turf on the Castle Esplanade.
50g flour
30ml vegetable oil
10g butter
100g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp French mustard
1 tsp truffle oil
For the crust
50g Japanese panko breadcrumbs (trend alert!) or fresh breadcrumbs dried out for 10 minutes in a hot oven
30g melted butter

HOW TO:

Boil the stock and milk together. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for about two minutes, stirring constantly and without browning.

When it starts to smell nice and nutty, add a third of your stock and milk mixture, and keep stirring until it thickens and is completely smooth (like velvet, remember?) Add another third and stir again, then add the final third and when smooth, stir in the bay leaves, clove and nutmeg and leave to simmer for about 30 mins.

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Slow-cook the onion in the butter for 10 minutes. Pour your sauce through a sieve into the sautéed onions and add the parmesan, double cream and lemon juice. A pinch of salt will bring out the flavours.

Cut the fish fillets into bite-size pieces and turn over in the flour with a bit of salt. Fry for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat using the vegetable oil and butter. Transfer the fish to your pie dish. Fry the mushrooms in the same pan, stir in the mustard and add to the pie dish.

Now time to add the shellfish or crustaceans to the pie dish. They can be raw or cooked, but if raw scallops or prawns are large, slice them in half. Drizzle the truffle oil over (sparingly as it’s pungent!)

Pour your exquisitely smooth velouté over the fish. Mix the panko with the melted butter, and spread over the top. Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with samphire on the side for extra lushness. Fish pie poshed up.

10707 COOKED ZIG FLYER AW.indd

Sorry, no belly dancers

By | Dining, News | No Comments

Look what we’re doing! For three nights only, James is conjuring up the tastes of the Middle East in the fabulously evocative atmosphere of Ziggurat. Newly inspired by our recent trip to Marrakech, expect an aromatic menu of fusion flavours, and some surprising twists! (Sorry, no belly dancers).

Book quickly, tickets are selling like gold dust!

e[email protected]

healthy hearts

A Hearty Broth

By | News, Recipe | No Comments

Raising awareness of heart and health issues at the Healthy Hearts event, Cooked whipped up a steamy storm. On the menu was a Vietnamese Pho  – a noodle broth and a perfect warming dish for an Autumnal day. And if you have a cold hanging around, a bowl of steaming hot pho will see it on its way.

Here’s the how to:

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
For the broth:
2 large onions
4-inch piece fresh ginger
2 (3-inch) whole cinnamon sticks
2 whole star anise
3 whole cloves
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
6 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 carrots, peeled chopped

To serve:
1/2 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced and lightly seared
8 ounces dried rice noodles
3 spring onions
1 chilli
2 limes in wedges
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup fresh herbs (coriander, basil, Thai basil, mint)

Here goes:

  1. Prepare the onions and ginger: Peel the onions and cut them into quarters through the root. Peel the ginger and slice it into quarters down its length. Char them over a high temperature.
  2. Dry-roast the spices: Chuck the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander seeds in the bottom of a dry frying pan and roast over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until toasty. Watch out for scorching!
  3. Combine the broth ingredients: To the pan with the spices, add the stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, chopped carrots, and the onions and ginger.
  4. Simmer: Bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes to give time for the spices and aromatics to infuse.
  5. Freeze the beef: Put the beef on a plate, cover with cling film, and freeze for 15 minutes. The edges of the beef should feel firm to the touch, but not frozen through. This makes it easier to slice the beef thinly. Slice across the grain, and aim for slices no thicker than 1/4-inch. Once sliced, keep the beef covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
  6. Cook the rice noodles: Bring a second pan of water to a boil, drop in the rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain the noodles and run them under cool water to stop cooking. The noodles will stick together after cooking, so divide them immediately between serving bowls.
  7. Prepare the rest of the toppings: Thinly slice the spring onions and the chilli. Cut the lime into wedges. Place the bean sprouts in a serving dish. Roughly chop the herbs.
  8. Strain the broth: Strain the solids from the broth. Discard the solids. Put the broth back over low heat and keep it just below a simmer. It needs to be hot to cook the beef later.
  9. Prepare the bowls: Add a few slices of raw beef to each bowl of noodles. Put the beef in a single layer so that the slices will cook evenly in the broth.
  10. Ladle the hot broth over top: Pour it evenly over the beef in order to cook it. The beef should immediately start to turn opaque. Add the toppings  – and get stuck in!

Pho to go, in a heartbeat.

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Cupcake crazy

By | Charity, News | No Comments

Comic Relief sent us cupcake crazy at the kitchen of Cooked HQ! Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been host to the lovely staff and friends of official Red Nose Day partner Specsavers, whose marketing department pledged to bake a whopping 4500 cupcakes for an epic  island-wide bake-sale.  We’re proud to been a part of such a successful mission; well done Specavers!

Thank you to our suppliers who donated ingredients and baking essentials:  Castel Farm Eggs, Guernsey Diary, Phoenix Foods and Sidlocks.

Ceviche 708

Tiger’s Milk

By | Dining | No Comments

Our recent gastronomic tour of London took us to the dizzying heights of many a dining institution. Luck was on our side as we bagged notoriously elusive tables at J.Sheekey, The Ivy and The Wolseley, where we devoured decadent dinners, lunches and brunches, and in keeping with the situation, sipped the odd glass of fizz. But despite the fabulousness of these big smoke stalwarts, it was the relative new kid on the block that really got us going. Enter Ceviche, purveyor of all things Peruvian. On a freezing January night this bustling little Latin American joint warmed us to the bone. It’s a humble sort of space oozing character by candlelight with the colour of Lima popping from retro posters and hot sassy Latino music courtesy of the owner’s record label. It’s a spirited, social and happy place; everybody is busy at Ceviche.

To the food. Well we ate ceviche, signature dish of namesake and country. It’s a simple concept born from the need to eat freshly caught fish with no means of popping it in a fridge. The fish is ‘cooked’ instead in a citrus marinade and then eaten immediately, resulting in super fresh and vibrant flavours. Everything has an exciting evocative taste – chilli, garlic, lime, coriander, pomegranate, ginger – and also has the name to match: Tiger’s Milk (Leche de Tigre) is the marinade; add national drink Pisco to make a Panther’s Milk cocktail; ceviches named Drunk Scallops or Barranco I Love You; and the “daddy of all ceviches”, Don Ceviche. The Japanese influenced Sakuru Maru, a zesty mandarin and soya marinated carpaccio of salmon and rice vermicelli was worth the whole trip alone.

The candlelit menu also offers up old family recipes of the chef and proprietor Martin Morales, like cosy comfort Baked Corn Cakes and Dulce de Leche  condensed milk ice cream, which even on a winter’s night still seems to warm the cockles of your heart in this little place. So herein lies our first restaurant recommendation from us at Cooked, on the discovery of all things deliciously Peruvian: Ceviche, Frith Street, London. If you need somewhere closer the book is beautiful and inspiring, but either way, go forth and eat ceviche.

www.cevicheuk.com

alpine1

(Al)pining for Snow

By | Dining, Recipe | No Comments

With winter firmly upon us in the form of driving wind and rain, we’re desperately dreaming of snowy climes. Yes we love to trudge through crisp pure snow, but mostly it gives us an excuse to pretend we’re in the mountains and to exploit the spirit of après ski. While the world goes detox dotty this month, we’re in hibernation mode and are resolutely in favour of cosy comfort food accompanied by a goblet or two of red wine. Sitting by the fire with one fork suppers, we’re indulging in traditional alpine fare to warm us up from the inside out.

A firm favourite is a super-easy potato dish from the Savoie region of France. This recipe serves four people and is perfect to pick at the next day… if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers. Serve with cornichons/baby pickled onions, charcuterie, crusty bread and a healthy big green salad!

What you’ll need:

  • 1.5kg waxy potatoes like Romano. We leave the skins on for ease and a bit of goodness.
  • 250g pancetta or bacon lardons
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • A knob of butter
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 200ml half fat crème fraiche (you can use cream but this is a lighter version)
  • Sea salt but go easy as the bacon will be salty, and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 whole Reblochon cheese. Slice it round the middle to make two rounds and then half so there are 4 semi circles. If you can’t find Reblochon, Camembert would do but it won’t have the nutty quality that’s the star of the show here.

Here’s how to create this beauty:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 7.
  2. Par-boil the potatoes whole in a pan of boiling water until tender then drain and put aside.
  3. Heat a frying pan, add the knob of butter and fry the bacon, onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until the onions are softened. Add the white wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add the crème fraiche. You should now have a quite splendid sauce.
  4. When the potatoes are cool, slice them thinly (about 0.5 cm) and place a layer into an ovenproof gratin dish. Cover with sauce and layer potatoes on top. Continue this process until you finish with a thin layer of sauce. Layer the lovely Reblochon slices on top.
  5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is oozy and golden.

Now put on your PJs, pour a glass and grab a fork. Et voilà, alpine fare extraordinaire.

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Jumping for Joy

By | News, Outside Catering | No Comments

We’re thrilled with our fabulous article in December’s ‘Joy’ GBG magazine! Thanks to Tamara for her lovely words introducing Cooked to the scene, and to Etienne for his inspiring photo shoot that saw James on a knife edge as he (don’t try this at home) practiced his juggling skills. See this months’ full issue here

Salmon1

The Queen of the Canapés

By | Canapés | No Comments

We don’t mean a soggy vol-au-vent, a devilled egg, or a cheese and pineapple cocktail stick à la 1980. We mean a beautiful, elegant little work of art; a marvellous miniature bite, delicately assembled with love, and a steady hand. At Cooked, we just love the queen of the canapés; enter the magnificent Smoked Salmon Blini.

She’s queen for a reason; let us tell you why. Take the blini, the food of the Tsars and an optimistic little pancake that in Russian heritage is a symbol of the sun. Traditionally prepared to celebrate the end of winter, it’s a cheerful place to put your salmon. A lovely peachy pink piece on top, with a good cream cheese before it completes this simple, but regal bite sized morsel .

Luxury encapsulated, she loves to hang out with the champagne. She can’t help her classic glamour but she can go bling in an instant with a touch of caviar and a crown of gold leaf. She has a variety of outfits; a marinade of dill and mustard and topped with microherbs, puts her on trend in the Scandi spirit. Also in her closet is a twist of lemon, cucumber pearls, a dash of balsamic, a grind of black pepper, a slice of beetroot ceviche, or for a feisty surprise, a drop of hot horseradish.

Whichever way she decides to dress at your party, you’d better catch her quick. She holds court only briefly and leaving her bereft subjects behind, her exit is swift, usually along with the champers.

Xmas-Pud

A Plump and Boozy Pudding

By | Recipe | No Comments

The festive season is upon us with gusto, and we’re all cooking and baking our heads off. The most coveted item in the Ferguson household is our very splendid Christmas pudding, which is ceremoniously (and precariously after a tipple too many), carried aflame to the table to great rounds of applause. Created with ritual, and a marble, Stir-Up Sunday is a cherished day in a dark rainy November. The festive smell alone will have you dancing like the Fezziwigs.

It’s a rare occasion that we share our Cooked secret recipes, but since we’re all friends, here it is.

You will need:

175g currants

175g sultanas

300ml brandy (plus a glass for the chef)

175g white breadcrumbs

140g frozen Guernsey butter, unsalted

40g unrefined dark brown sugar

1 egg

Nutmeg

Butter, for greasing

Greaseproof paper

1.2 litre pudding bowl

A marble

Here’s how to make it:

The day before, give your fruit a good soak in the brandy until they’re delightfully plump and boozy. Make sure you stick your butter in the freezer too.

Now get your apron on, take your rings off and prepare to get stuck in. This is a sleeves-rolled-up kind of time.

First grate the frozen butter. Then tip all the ingredients into a big bowl and mix until it all comes together rather nicely (we use clean hands). Hey presto a pudding.

Grease your pudding bowl with butter, and put a disc of greaseproof paper at the bottom. If you feel like being fancy, place a slice of orange in the bowl before the mixture.

Put a circular double layer of greaseproof paper over the top of the bowl, big enough to allow the pudding to expand. Then cover with foil and make a ‘handle’ with string. Lift your creation into a big pan and pour in boiling water half way up. Enter the marble! Put it in the pan and it’ll rattle until a top up is needed.

Steam for 5 – 6 hours (open a window!) Leave to cool, remove the get-up and cover with cling film. Put it in the fridge, and feel very pleased with yourself.

To serve, re-steam for an hour or quick blast it in the microwave. For your moment of glory, give it a tot of brandy and set alight. Present to the table and await your applause. Ta-dah!

Noodles-&-Ginger

Souper Dooper

By | Charity, Outside Catering | No Comments

Cooked by James Ferguson was proud to support Guernsey Cheshire Home and Bridge2 as The Big Soup Kitchen arrived once again for its annual appearance at Town Church. We’re delighted to learn that our Filipino Chicken Noodle Soup won Bronze! Congratulations to Christophe (Red) and Colin (La Fregate) for Gold and Silver! A great event and always a pleasure to be involved – see you there next year!