The Sunday Eggxperiment

Buy three small Easter eggs and cut in half.

Photograph and share with whoever is within a 5 meter radius [1 person].

Vote for preferred egg. Creme Egg - 1 point. Galaxy Bubble Egg - 1 point. Galaxy Caramel Egg - 0 point. 

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Snowy Sunday in Berlin: Red Lentil and Spiced Carrot Soup

Hearty red lentils and spices make this a warming, satisfying soup

Winter is resolutely refusing to budge in Berlin.  A few milder days in early February lulled us into false hopes that the worst was behind us, but the cold bit back with a vengeance.  It's the sort of cold that seeps into your bones and hovers over the city with sinister force; trying to dissuade potential revellers from venturing outside.

I put my survival to date down to two vital ingredients:

1. Duvet coat

2. Soup ….

... and copious amounts of it.  Making soup on a Sunday (when everything in Berlin is shut) is a therapeutic antidote to the preceeding night's adventures which invariably involve artic conditions and trudging from one bar to the next on perilous ice or slush.  Cook a big batch to keep you warm through the rest of the week when the weather is too schlecht to bother with the shops and too dark to inspire you to cook.

This gently spiced soup is particularly warming, and the lentils make it hearty and satisfying.  Curl up and enjoy a big bowl with some crusty bread.  Guaranteed to provide resilience until Spring arrives.

Jules x

Ingredients:

small piece of fresh ginger

1tsp cumin seeds

a pinch chilli flakes

1 onion

2 large carrots

150g red lentils

1litre vegetable stock (I use Marigold bouillon)

small bunch fresh coriander

Finely chop the onion.  Peel and grate the ginger and the carrots.  Heat some olive oil in a large pan and fry the ginger and spices for a couple of minutes.  Add the carrot and onion and cook for 5 mins.  Add the lentils and stock.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.  Check the lentils are tender, if not cook a wee bit more.  Blend.

Sprinkle the coriander to serve.  You can stir through a spoonful of natural yoghurt if you fancy.

Enjoy as it warms your bones.

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Cullen Skink from KK 2013 Calendar

By Ceri 

x

I am lucky and get to spend some time in Scotland every January for an amazing festival they have in Glasgow called Celtic Connections.  I love Scotland.  I love the people, the music, the landscapes, the Whisky and also the food.  Babbity Bowsers is a great pub in Glasgow and is where I was introduced to this Scottish dish by my dear cousin, Gareth.  A hearty, warming treat of a dish in the form of smoked haddock and potatoes in a tasty soup.  Some people add cream to this, but I don't think it needs it.  Best eaten whilst sipping on a fine ale, catching up with family and listening to some cracking tunes

Ingredients

500g undyed, well sourced smoked haddock

2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks

1 large leek, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

500 ml milk

100 ml white wine

1 bay leaf

1 lemon

1 tsp mustard powder

salt and pepper

2 garlic gloves, finely chopped

Fresh chives or parsely to garnish

Method

• Place the smoked haddock skin side down in a large pan with 500 ml water, peppercorns and the bay leaf.
• Poach gently for approx 4 mins so the fish is just cooked.
• Remove the skin from the fish, put the skin back in the cooking stock and set aside.
• Flake the fish and place to one side.
• Gently fry the onion, garlic and leeks in a separate pan until soft but not browning. Add the potato cubes and fry for 10 minutes coating the outside in butter.
• Add the fish stock, wine and lemon juice and boil the potatoes for a further 10 minutes until soft. Now add the milk & mustard powder and season.
• I very much prefer my Cullen Skink to have a hearty feel to it and therefore like having chunks of potato and fish to eat. I usually mash the potato lightly in the mixture and then add the fish. If you prefer yours a smoother texture, run it through a blender or liquidiser.
  Warm the mixture through, check seasoning.
• Add chopped parsley or chives and serve with a big piece of chunky bread. Yum!

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January food on film

Start the year as you mean to go on - with a Gowlett pizza

Carrot, lentil & carraway with lemon, chilli yoghurt

Pork in milk

Soda bread from this year's Keston Kitchen calendar (February). Great for homemade garlic bread as recently discovered.

Soba noodles with aubergine and mango - thanks to Mr. Ottolenghi

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Sunday Brunch in Camberwell 13th January

Keston Kitchen and Elrington Table are getting together for their second outing - this time a fantastic brunch in Camberwell on Sunday 13th January. Email elringtontable@gmail.com if you fancy stopping by for a course or two and a bloody mary... x

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The Keston Kitchen Calendar 2013

Back in 2010, The Keston Kitchen Calendar was born.  Packed with seasonal, delicious recipe's by the 4 of us and featuring some excellent photographs plus we raised £1000 for The Passage, a charity that helps feed homeless people in London and recieved a personal letter from Her Delianess.  It was a good year!!

We are very excited to announce that 2013 will welcome the 2nd edition of the KK Calendar. Each month features original, seasonal recipes, and the calendar as a whole reflects the variety of British dishes conjured up in the Keston Kitchen.  This year we are  lucky to feature the incredible photographic talents of Miss Ellen Doherty from Duchess Photographic. 

Peckham Fried Chicken- shot from 2013 Keston Kitchen Calendar

For 2013, we are delighted to be supporting a wonderful charity called Give Me Education whch was set up by Viv Nutt, a friend of ours from The Shire. Give Me Education supports children in Aksum, Ethiopia by giving them resources for an opportunity to go to school. 

The design has once again been lovingly put together by the fantastic Nick Ritchie.  Thanks so much to Ellen and Nick for their time, patience and commitment to the project.

So, if you are at a loss for what to buy loved ones at Christmas, or just can't get enough of the Keston Kitchen, order your calendar today! They cost £10 each plus P&P - we want to raise as much as possible for Give Me Education.  If you would like to order a copy, email thekestonkitchen@gmail.com to place your order. We will then reply with payment and delivery details and get them to you before Christmas.

Alternatively, if you are local to Peckham or Camberwell we can arrange collection.

Jules, Ceri, Charl and Rach. xxx 

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Winter Tomato Tarts

Winter Tomato Tarts

with Parmesan short crust

New / old tins from ebay have been staring at me for two months now so here goes...

Rule - half fat to flour. I used 110g flour to 55g butter (Netherend is simply the best) with a pinch of salt and tbsp of water. Rub the fat into the flour lifting as much as possible - mum says add the water and mix with a knife - do no knead. Add some grated Parmesan if you fancy. Pinch the ingredients together, form a ball and put in the fridge wrapped in baking paper until you are ready.

Roll out the pastry and push into your tin(s). Metal tins are best as they are good heat conductors. Prick the pastry, fill with your beans to bake blind and bake on 200C for 12-15mins.

Meanwhile make you're tomato sauce, a basic sauce that can be used for many things. Slice and slowly cook an onion in olive oil, add a clove of crushed garlic. Add one tin of tomatoes, a handful of fresh tomatoes (not many around right now), chopped basil and salt & pepper. Simmer for 20-30mins. Cool.

Heat the oven to 180C and when the pastry has cooled make the filling - whisk one egg and one egg yolk, add 110ml milk/cream mix and your tomato sauce with a tsp chopped marjoram. Season. Pour the filling into your tart(s) and bake for 30-40mins until firm to touch. Eat warm.

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