Provence & Tuna Tomato Salad

August 1, 2018 Comments Off read Seafood, Vegetables and Salads

t has taken me over a week to write this post. Firstly because I’ve been nursing some holiday blues but secondly because I’ve been thrawling through my photos from the holiday to choose the best memories. Alas, this task painfully didn’t help the holidays blues… I’ve been reminiscing since. I’d also like to take this early opportunity to admit that many of these photos were taken by talented holiday date.

rovence. Where do I start. After what can only be described as the most perfect, special and stereotypical week in the South of France I was inspired to cook and create. France is so full and generous in its freshness, variety and produce. From wine to vegetables, cheese to meat. After staying in a self catering apartment among bee laden lavender bushes and luscious green climbing vines, I relished the chance to cook with these fantastic products every evening with a different local bottle of rose to sample – research. It’ll be a few more weeks before I welcome the tomato salad back into my weekly menu, after devouring one too many, but the variety and freshness really was stunning. That said, there is a recipe at the end of this post. I promise. But first a whistle stop tour through some highlights of the trip. My top foodie, wine and scenic experiences that I would highly recommend.

e visited so many markets with character and charm. We drifted through the cobbled streets of Provence, stopping for coffee and to people watch. Whilst we saw some magical towns, it was Aix that stole my heart for food and life…and Saint-Remy-de-Provence for style, design and utter class. The Saturday market in Aix made my eyes glow and my culinary pulse race like a kid in a candy store. We bought fresh beans – green, white and red, and a rainbow of tomatoes. Purple basil, giant lemon and handfuls of sun dried tomatoes. Olive bread, charcuterie, and sunflowers.

The saucisson was to die for…we made it through on samples alone.

Following the markets, the days were filled with exploring the region, tasting the local rose and dining on the greatest of lunches. One of the highlights of the trip was the beautiful Chateau La Coste where we did just that. Tasted the best wines on offer followed by a rustic feast on ‘The Terrace’. (There is a more formal dining area, but ‘The Terrace’ offered both charm and ease – Chateau La Coste)

As if we were in need of better nourishing, a special and romantic lunch at the foot of Mount Ventuox after a morning absorbing Sénanque Abbey and its lavender moat, we visited somewhere rather special that I could not ignore. Hotel Crillion le Brave. You’d certainly not be in short supply of decadent hotels in Provence but this was quite the experience. And just a lunch experience I might add. A night will set you back a months worth of rent so we settled for cold rosé, more tomato salads and a feast for two while we settled in and wrote our postcards.

If you’re wishing to visit, it is also interesting at the foot of Mount Ventoux. So if you’re committed to working off that lunch then you can always challenge yourself to a fearful cycle.

op experiences for a week in Provence:

Chateau La Coste – lunch, art, wine tastings
Aix-en-Provence – tour the town, visit the markets, people watch. Coffee in the garden of the gorgeous Hotel Pigonnet.
Saint-Remy-de-Provence – stylist and beautiful town for great interior shops, design pieces and fabrics
Senanque Abbey – stunning and magical. Go early – before 9am if possible as otherwise you’ll be swamped with coach tours
Gordes – clifftop town with stunning views. Have a coffee overlooking it.
Calais – a boat tour to the Calanques (I would do the 3/5 calanques trip. The 8 would be overkill). If its not too hot, hike to 1 & 2. (About 1-2 hours in total depending on fitness)
Hotel Crillion le Brave – something special for me but if you’re keen to also explore it, its a great lunch spot.
Lavender fields – I’d avoid any tours, just visit any fields you drive past
Vineyards – stop in at as many as your can that you pass on the roadside. They all have something different to offer. They will all be welcome to host you!
Hot air ballooning – we did this at 5am-9am for sunrise over the region. Stunning and special. Champagne and pastries on landing. *Note, wind can disrupt bookings during the summer so prepare to be flexible.
La Bastide des Amandiers – we stayed in this lovely self catering apartment. I could not fault it. (No children allowed. There are 3 x apartments. One sleeps 4, the others sleep 2).
Transport – you’ll need a car for any travel you’ll want to do and especially if you’re staying at Le Bastide des Amandiers.
Marseille – we flew into Marseille airport and spent a night there before heading out to Provence. We spent 2 romantic evening in this jazz bar – La Caravelle – which is quite literally the hidden gem of the town, overlooking the harbour. They offer great cocktails and sharing meat, cheese and bread boards.

ow I promised you a recipe and here it is. A simple and rustic tomato salad with a lightly grilled tuna steak.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 tuna steaks
4-5 large heritage tomatoes. (Different colours if you can find them) – room temperature.
1 small red onion
1 large handful of green/purple basil
1 small cucumber
1/2 loaf stale baguete/bread
Extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar
1 lemon

Start by preparing the tomatoes (its important they are at room temperature). Cut them in various sizes. I like to slice some into chunks, some into slices and some finely. Place in a large serving bowl.
Deseed the cucumber and chop as you wish and add to the bowl.
Finely slice the onion into half moons and half again and add to the bowl.
Roughly chop the basil and add this too with plenty of seasoning and the juice of 1/2 the lemon.
Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar/glaze on serving.
Cube the bread into croutons sized pieces and fry in hot oil in a frying pan with plenty of seasoning until golden. Drain and add to the tomato salad.
To cook the tuna, heat a griddle, grill or non stick frying pan until hot. Season the steaks and cook for around 1 & 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side so just seared not he outside and pink in the middle.

Serve with a fine rose or a nice red. The red goes well with the beefy tomatoes and the tuna.

Turkish Spiced Meatballs

April 18, 2016 Comments Off read Meat

hilst the weather today has been glorious and sunny its still felt a little chilly around the ankles and certainly not the April weather I was hoping for! But as long as it isn’t April showers and May holds more promise then I can cope with that. So a Sunday evening after a long and satisfying gym session, run and ahem…jacuzzi session….a home comfort was required to replenish the nutrients and fuel me for another challenging week at work. But nothing on ‘forage in the pantry’ can be complete without the odd scattering of spice, dusting of chopped herbs or middle Eastern influence. So with Istanbul on the mind as the new top draw on my prized ‘must visit’ list, Turkish meatballs sprang to hungry mind and it wasn’t long before I was enjoying a satisfied hunger.

Serves 2

Meatballs

450g minced lamb
2 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped
Pinch smoked paprika
Pinch ground cumin
Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Sauce

1 can chopped tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin seed, crushed
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
50g pearl barley/100g giant cous cous
Large handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Start by combining the meatball ingredients in a large bowl with some seasoning. Shape into 8 large golf ball sized meatballs and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Simmer the pearl barley/giant cous cous in boiling water until cooked according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
Preheat the over to 170°C and remove the meatballs from the fridge. Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
Fry the meatballs to seal and brown for 2-3 minutes. Once well browned on the outside, wrap in some foil and place in the low oven to bake slowly while you prepare the sauce.
Fry the chopped onion in the leftover lamb juices in the same frying pan adding a little more oil if needed. Soften for 5 minutes until translucent and beginning to brown. Add the chopped garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the ground spices and mix to coat the onion.
Add the chopped tomatoes and a little hot water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency and add some salt and pepper.
Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the vinegar, the drained barely and all but a handful of the parsley. Taste and adjust accordingly. Add a little more water if needed.
Remove the meatballs from the over and add, with any juices from the foil, to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes to heat through.
Serve in deep warmed bowls topped with a scattering of the remaining parsley.

Slow Roasted Shredded Pork Cassoulet

March 7, 2013 Comments Off read Meat

So last year I entered a competition. I’m not going to lie, I did it because the prize money was £20,000 and all that was required was a classic British recipe. I thought, well hey, I can cook, I’m British, why not…..So that summer I was chosen to take part and went for some filming. Loyd Grosman was my judge. He tasted and commented on my dish while I sat apprehensively perched on the edge of my stool gazing intensely into his face like an interrogator. However, he handed me a shiny red rosette and I went on my way through….However, I’m afraid it stopped there. But BOY is it YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This recipe also appears in a cook book to accompany the TV series but for all you folk who don’t want to buy it- tut tut….here it is. Unfortunately they didn’t show my interview on the episode. I think I was too normal for Wednesday night entertainment…….

Serves 6

1kg pork shoulder, skin removed and reserved for cracking
1 red onion, chopped
200g smoked bacon lardons/pancetta
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 bay leaf
175ml red wine
Handful dried wild mushrooms, soaked in 200ml boiling water (reserved)
A few large rosemary sprigs, leaves chopped finely
7-8 large sage leaves, chopped finely
Handful of thyme, chopped finely
400g tinned tomatoes
400g haricot beans (2 tins)
Extra chooped herbs to garnish

Preheat the oven to 180°C
Heat a splash of oil in a heavy based casserole dish and brown the pork all over. Transfer to a plate and set aside
Add the onion and bacon and fry for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and the bacon is crispy. Add the garlic and bay leaf and cook for a few minutes.
Increase the heat and pour in the red wine to de-glaze the pan and simmer for a few minutes
Drain the soaked mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and chop them roughly. Add to the casserole dish with a generous handful of the chopped herbs and cook for a few minutes.
Add the tomatoes and season.
Add the pork and top up the liquid using the reserved mushroom stock until it comes about ¾ the way up the sides.
Bring to the boil then place in the oven with a lid for 2 ½ hours
After this time, remove from the oven and add the drained beans. (If there is only a small amount of liquid in the tins, add this too as it will help thicken). Return to the oven without the lid and cook for about 30 minutes more to brown the meat and thicken the sauce.
Remove from the oven when ready and use forks to shred the pork among the cassoulet. If it needs thickening, reduce on the hob or add more mushroom stock if too thick.
Garnish with lots of freshly chopped sage and rosemary and a heart attack inducing shard of cracking!

All that’s left to do is sit down and enjoy with a leggy red wine and (hopefully) wonder why it wasn’t worthy of £20,000!

WINE: For a delicious and affordable treat, try a classic red Bordeaux. And what would be better than a glass of Château Grand Village, 2011 Bordeaux Supérieur. Being the second vineyard of the infamous Chateau Lafleur it a more economically friendly and delightful alternative if you haven’t got the budget for the real deal. Available at Armit Wines.

Best recipe in the book….certainly beats whats on page 157………..(bet you want to know what that is now….)

forage in the pantry.

Posts tagged tomatoes

Provence & Tuna Tomato Salad

Turkish Spiced Meatballs

Slow Roasted Shredded Pork Cassoulet