Asparagus Soup with Cripsy Bacon

This is a lovely soup recipe for a light summer meal - especially healthy if you are watching your weight - low on calories but packed full of fresh flavours. 

I enjoyed this soup as part of my self-coined 'Seven Days of Soup' a liquid diet I underwent for a week before my holiday in a bid to shift some stubborn baby weight (7lbs lost in a week). Glen and Bridget enjoyed the same dinner with some crusty bread.

Asparagus Soup with Crispy Bacon



Here's how:

• Bunch asparagus
• 3 celery sticks
• 1 white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1.5 pints vegetable stock
• Salt
• Pepper
• Fresh chives
• 1 rasher smoked bacon per bowlful
• Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil

Firstly pour the oil into a heavy-bottomed pan and place on a light heat. Peel and roughly dice the onion, mince the garlic and chop the celery and add to the pan to soften.

Break off the rough ends of the asparagus - you can usually find this by gently bending until it snaps off.

Once the onion, garlic and celery mixture is softened add the asparagus to fry for a moment and make up the stock in the meantime.

Pour the stock over and season - cook for 30 minutes.

Once the soup has been cooking for 20 minutes or so, you can grill the bacon. You want it to be crisp and deliciousness, crispy enough so you can snip off pieces and drop into the soup when cooked.

Take the soup of the heat and blitz to a smooth pulp (note if using a Nutribullet allow to cool first so it doesn't explode!)

Re-heat the blitzed soup and when cooked through and piping hot pour into bowls. Snip on the crispy bacon and a handful of fresh chives per person - use kitchen scissors rather than a knife.

Enjoy!

Breakfast at Caravan, Exmouth Market

There are tons of places in London where you can enjoy a completely delicious, and no doubt, bang-on-trend breakfast in London, and Caravan, Exmouth Market remains up there.

I chose this last Thursday for a working breakfast as it was close to where I needed to be later that morning and mainly for the laid back vibe, prompt yet un-stuffy service and some of the best coffee in the City.

The entire Caravan breakfast menu shouts of delicious combinations such as Coconut Bread with poached rhubarb cream cheese and lemon curd and plenty of different items on toast, but I chose for the Instagram breakfast of choice, Avocado on Toast (granary), with a side of crispy streaky bacon and roasted tomatoes. 

Avocado on Toast, Caravan

The avocado was mashed and topped with a drizzle of olive oil and some chilli and every mouthful positively sung and was only improved by the addition of bacon and the tomatoes were slow roasted, sweet and absolutely gorgeous.

I've long loved the coffee at Caravan and enjoyed a latte plus some fresh apple juice.

Latte, Caravan

My colleague had a scrambled egg dish on toast, a flat white and a juice too and the entire breakfast came in at £35 which I didn't think was bad considering the location and ambience.

Some of my other favourite breakfast spots in London:
1. The Modern Pantry’s Turmeric and Coconut Waffle with Rhubarb Compote
2. Duck & Waffle’s Full Elvis
3. Roast – The Full Borough breakfast and some of the best black pudding I've tried
4. Black Forest Pancakes at The Table
5. The Bacon Naan Roll at Dishoom – the perfect hangover fodder

Courgetti in a Creamy Bacon & Vegetable Sauce

I've been trying to adhere to a 1200 calorie count in a bid to shed the last stone of baby weight and just live an overall healthier lifestyle since 1st January and so far so good.

Allowing myself weekend treat meals and alcoholic beverages works well for me but sometimes I really crave the more comforting mid-week meals such as pasta.

To make up for this I have been experimenting with courgetti and butternut pasta - both to some success and here is the recipe for a creamy, yet low fat bacon, leek, mushroom and pea 'pasta' using courgetti or courgette pasta that I just love and that really ticks the comfort food box for me. Also it gives me the chance to use my spiraliser - win, win.

If you haven't got a spiraliser; you can buy courgette pre-prepared from the likes of M&S, Tesco and Sainsbury's but the fresher the courgette the better for it to hold it's shape a bit.

The below is enough for two people and each portion comes in at 380 calories.

Courgetti in a Creamy Bacon & Vegetable Sauce

Here's how:

• 2 courgettes
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 rashers smoked bacon
• 100g mushrooms
• 100g peas
• 2 leeks
• 2 tbsp half fat crème fraiche
• 30g Grana Padano cheese
• Pinch black pepper
• Small handful fresh parsley (flat or curly is fine) 
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Firstly spiralise the courgette on the finest setting to be left with spaghetti like spirals of courgette and set aside for the moment.

Add the coconut oil to a non-stick pan and place on the lowest heat setting.

Now peel and very finely dice the onion and garlic and allow to soften.

Chop the bacon into very small pieces and add to the pan.

Now slice the leeks and mushrooms and once the bacon is almost cooked through, add to the pan.

After a few minutes add the peas and cook for a further two minutes.

Now add the crème fraiche and the Grana Padano and stir. Season here and cook for a further five to ten minutes.

In the meantime, chop the parsley, ready to stir through before serving.

Now add the courgetti to the pan and stir through. You want to heat this through, but for it to remain in shape and not become to floppy - essentially for it to still have some bite.

Now remove from the pan and stir through the parsley before serving. Enjoy!

A London Lunch: Tom's Kitchen

This is a belated A London Lunch post and it was in fact a brunch, but on a Saturday or, in this case Sunday morning, the lines are incredibly blurred.

One of my best friends, Jenni turned 30 way back in July last year, whilst I was 7 months pregnant, and as well as a full afternoon of drinking which I was sadly unable to participate in, we started the day in style, brunching at Canary Wharf’s Tom’s Kitchen.

Tom’s Kitchen is part of the Tom Aitkens group and its’ style and ethos is around modern British comfort food in a laid back setting, which I’m happy to note it absolutely nails if our brunch is anything to go by.

The birthday girl had the Seasonal Berry Pancake which was absolutely huge – the classic American style and served with maple syrup. I had a try and it was delicious.

Our other friend, Larni opted for a cream cheese bagel which again, was enjoyed. I have to note, as regular readers may remember these two are my vegetarian friends so hence the lack of meat so far.

Personally I opted for the crisp Belgian waffle with seasonal berries and maple syrup and it was exquisite! It came with a quenelle of vanilla Chantilly cream and as an extra I ordered a portion of delicious smoky, crisp bacon on the side. I am of the camp that believes pretty much everything tastes better with bacon and this definitely did. The salty, smoky, savoury addition offset the sweetness perfectly – I love that combination of both, especially over brunch. The waffle was perfect too – fluffy and soft centred with a crisp exterior.  The ultimate brunch comfort food.

Tom’s Kitchen is definitely up there with one of my favourite brunch experiences in London – the only thing lacking for me was the chance to drink plenty of cocktails – there’s always next time.

Here’s some of my other favourite London brunch spots:

1.       The Modern Pantry, Clerkenwell

2.       Caravan, Exmouth Market

3.       The Albion, Shoreditch

Courgette, Asparagus and Bacon Tart

As we enter ‘asparagus season’ I wanted to share a very quick, easy and satisfying summer tart recipe that makes the most of the gorgeous long-stemmed vegetable.

It’s fresh, light and tasty and works with or without the bacon so can be a good offering for vegetarian friends or if you’re trying to stick to a meat-free day a week. Served with salad it is like a slice of summer on a plate. 

Here’s how:

Puff Pastry sheet

2 courgettes

Bunch of asparagus

100g crème fraiche

2 egg yolks (keep the egg whites to egg-wash pastry)

2 rashers of smoked bacon

Bunch of spring onions

1 clove garlic

25g Unsalted butter

100g Gruyere cheese

30g Parmesan

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Salt & Pepper

Pop the oven on to 180⁰C and line a baking sheet with some baking parchment or greaseproof paper. 

Roll the pastry onto this to make the tart base, pierce all over with a fork and top with another sheet of greaseproof paper and a baking sheet to help keep the shape the same all round. Once the oven is hot, place pastry in for 20 minutes, remove from the oven, take off the baking sheet and greaseproof paper and return to the oven for five more minutes, until golden brown.

Chop the spring onions and bacon and crush the garlic and fry gently in some melted butter then remove from the heat.

In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, crème fraiche, and most of the grated Gruyere and Parmesan – saving some to top the tart and most of the mint and parsley, retaining some for garnish. 

Add the bacon and spring onions and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and give a good stir.

Snap the ends of the asparagus spears off to remove the bitterness and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute then remove and drain. Use kitchen towel to absorb any retained water or moisture to prevent your tart from having the dreaded soggy bottom!

Using a vegetable peeler create thin ribbons of courgette and set to one side.

Once the pastry has cooled for 10-15 minutes spread over half of the cheese mixture, leaving a 1.5cm border around the edge. 

Scatter the courgette ribbons to cover the cheese mixture then place the asparagus over the top in whichever pattern you fancy then top with the remaining cheese and crème fraiche mixture.

Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted and serve immediately with a simple salad.

A London Lunch No5: Byron Burger

Having worked in the West End extensively over the past few years, there are several lunch spots that I would describe as the perfect hangover go-to. Byron is most certainly a contender.

I have eaten in several Byron outlets, for there are 28 here in London alone, but my favourite is the brightly hued one on the Charring Cross Road in Soho.

If you are a Byron virgin, then my recommendation is to simply go for the signature Byron Burger. A medium cooked, pink beef burger (no horsemeat here) topped with smoky bacon, Cheddar, lettuce, sliced red onions and tomato and a little relish - it has made me happy as an egg on more than one occasion.

Priced modestly at £9.25 for a decent sized burger, it’s a beauty in a bun. You can add your own choice of toppings and or sauces as you wish and I tend to add on some avocado as it is such a natural bedfellow with bacon and together with everything else it just makes a wonderful, meaty burger full of contrasting textures and complementing flavours, all contained in a fluffy bun and with a very good ratio of burger to bun – none of this biting in and getting a mouthful of bread and nothing else.

I recommend sharing a couple of sides so as not to miss out - the French fries and onion rings are both well worth a try, they have that almost dirty level of grease without making you feel disgusted with yourself after eating them.

Even if you’re a vegetarian there is a very good burger option on the menu for you – the adventurously titled ‘Veggie’. This is a grilled huge Portobello mushroom, unctuous goat’s cheese, roasted red peppers, sliced tomato, spinach leaves, red onion and deliciously garlicy aioli. Having several vegetarian friends I have had a bite of this on a few separate visits, each time being very good – however for me, this is no substitute for a meaty hamburger.

If you’re in a particularly naughty mood then I can 100% vouch for the chocolate milkshake – it is an indulgence and not to be undertaken unless having a light meal as will fill you up!

Each restaurant has it’s own ‘personality’ and style, and the Charring Cross Road Byron has the look of an all-American diner, and the menu matches the look. I have only ever experienced excellent, helpful and smiley service, which makes me think the recruitment process is also good here.

There are seven burgers on offer as well as a choice of salads and I’m slowly making my way through the menu – so far I haven’t been disappointed.

Expect to spend up to £20 for a burger with sides and a drink.

The Burger Joint, Bristol

I’ve been in Bristol for a few days, firstly for work, and secondly to visit my brother Dan and when I travelled up from London on Wednesday evening after work, the severe weather across the West ensured I had a less than idyllic journey.

My brother picked me up from the station and suggested The Burger Joint for dinner – knowing it to be good and equally important given the time – fast.

A small, informal venue, there were several full tables when we arrived at around 9:30pm and the diners appeared to be a mixture of students and couples.

We were welcomed by a very friendly waitress and she quickly explained how the menu worked. So you choose which burger you want, from a selection including wild boar, venison and Welsh lamb and mint along with the obvious chicken, and prime beef (which we both opted for) and a few different vegetarian options. All under £8.00 each, the burgers come in ciabatta with gherkins, lettuce and tomato and an option of a glazed brioche bun is also available, although sadly they had run out on Wednesday evening.

The toppings are all either 80p each of 3 for £1.95 and I chose blue cheese, bacon and pineapple, Dan chose Cheddar, a pineapple and some sautéed onions – both fairly safe choices, but as I said it was late and we were both tired and hungry.

Next part is choosing your two free sauces for inside your burger – I went for a predictable BBQ and mayo, however there are more exciting choices such as tarragon & lemon mayo and apple salsa if you’re so inclined.

A free side comes with each and we both opted for some French fries. We ordered as an extra to share some beer battered onion rings, as Dan had highly recommended them from his last visit to The Burger Joint. They were absolutely exceptional – the best I’ve tasted by far. Chunky rings of white onion, in the tastiest, crisp batter – if the burger hadn’t been good it would be worth returning just to have these again.

I wasn’t asked how well done I’d like my burger cooked, but was delighted when it arrived to find it juicy and pink in the middle – the best way (in my opinion) to enjoy a burger.

The blue cheese, pineapple and bacon combination worked beautifully against the prime beef burger – it was incredibly flavoursome, succulent and satisfying burger. The fries were great too although the portion size was huge, so you could have easily shared a portion.

I washed down my meal with a couple of Peroni’s and Dan, the designated driver, had some elderflower presse with his and the entire bill came to a ridiculously reasonable £26 – worth every single penny.

London is awash with burger bars and restaurants – it’s the trend that hasn’t gone away for the past few years really, and I would say that The Burger Joint could easily stand up to most that I’ve tried in flavour, substance and variety.

I would thoroughly recommend The Burger Joint to anybody looking for a good, honest and affordable burger restaurant in the Bristol area. The food was great and the staff friendly,  what else could you ask for?

Les Deux Salons

A Garlic Lover's Dream

There seems to be a constant stream of new restaurants opening in our fair capital and it can sometimes take a while to get around to visiting the ones you fancy. Last October when Anthony Demetre and Will Smith (not of Fresh Prince fame) opened their latest offering, Les Deux Salons, I was living and working in Bristol so I added this new brasserie to my ever expanding wish list.

Happily a couple of weeks back I got to visit Les Deux Salons for dinner on the evening of my birthday, a treat from Glen, who I will, from now on, refer to as 'the boy'.

My first thoughts on entering was how very, very Parisian the decor and atmosphere was. The black and white marbled floor, cosy leather seating, and low-hanging crystal style lighting. Not to mention that it was early on a Monday evening, around 730pm and the place was filled with diners, chatter and a general happy buzz - I was suitably impressed.

The waitress (not French) brought over some delicious, crusty bread, took our wine (a Loire Muscadet - dry, crisp, lovely) and water order and left us to ponder over the menu. I'd been for the unexpected afternoon tea at Bea's of Bloomsbury (see previous post) that day where I'd scoffed a plentiful selection of goodies so faced a dilemma - starter or dessert.

Both menus had tempting offerings which made me virtually salivate so I decided to go for a starter and hope that I'd be able to squeeze in a dessert at the end of the meal.

I chose to try the brandade, something I'd heard about but never tried. This is generally a combination of salt cod and olive oil with either bread or potatoes. In this case it was with mashed potato, sauteed squid and an interesting and clever parsley cromesqui.

This was the kind of food you could just imagine tucking into when feeling a bit low, truly a comfort dish served in a small, round ceramic dish. It was soft and very well seasoned mash potato with the squid and cod mixed in, both adding a salty deliciousness and with a huge hit of garlic. Alone this would have been quite tasty. But the essential item which elevated this dish to something wonderful was the cromesqui. A cromesqui is croquette-like, a small ball in breadcrumbs which acts as a container for a liquid - in this case parsley in a luminous greeny butter. As I cut into this little delight the vibrant green liquid oozed out over the brandade, it was a real treat for the eyes before the mouth. It gave the dish a new dimension and what was before tasty, became delicious.

The boy went for the Herefordshire Snail and Bacon pie, having never tried snails and being curious. It was a pot pie with a lovely, flaky puff pastry lid. The filling was in a creamy whitish sauce with yet more garlic. The snails were tender and almost the texture of a wild mushroom and like a mushroom they absorbed all of the flavours of the sauce like a sponge and were gorgeously flavoursome.. The pie went down well with the boy but personally I found that overall the sauce was a little too overpoweringly garlicy for me.

For mains the boy chose young chicken with lemon and garlic, which I complained was a boring order. However as is so often the case, this simplest of orders was actually very tasty indeed. Moist, well seasoned and flavourful chicken with a deliciously crispy skin.

I opted for the roast saddle of rabbit and was so, so glad I did - it was just exquisite. Wrapped in a cured ham and stuffed with a mixture of rabbit offal in what was almost a pate consistency, the combination put me in momentary food heaven every time I took a bite. The three different elements of the dish just worked perfectly.

The rabbit came with spring chard, which had been just wilted in a salty garlic butter, and a carrot puree. I'm not overly keen on purees - while I still have my teeth in tact I really prefer food that can be chewed, however this admittedly had a nice sweetness to it which complemented the dish well as a whole - just a shame about the texture.

We ordered dauphinoise potatoes as a side, because apparently I am unable to enter a French restaurant without ordering them, and the boy couldn't resist ordering some chips - both were good.

Unfortunately after this I couldn't have even squeezed in a chocolate, let alone a full dessert. I was gutted, but there's always next time.

We both enjoyed the meal, the food was of a very good quality, cooked well and also presented beautifully. We sadly took the lingering smell of excessive garlic away with us, but I guess this is to be expected when eating French food. Like it's sister restaurants Arbutus and Wild Honey, Les Deux Salons is good value for a restaurant so well positioned in the West End, just off of Covent Garden. The meal was around the £85 for two courses each and a bottle of wine.

It's well worth a visit and the type of place where you could go for a celebration, a quick bite or a long-drawn out meal. I imagine this is one brasserie that is here to stay.

http://www.lesdeuxsalons.co.uk/