Supper Club Berlin!

Mr Wagget is a mean cook.  He's got a sweet flat too.  So after a evening with a bit too much Wein, and way too much boasting about Supper Club successes at Keston Road, a beautiful idea was born:

brought to you by Keston International and Andrew Enterprises….
                                   ….an Ellis / Waggett Production…..
                                                  … Keston Kuche Collaborations is  proud to announce…...

The Berlin Supper Club

The concept was perfectly transferable to Berlin.  Gather a group of interesting folk who have never met each other before, ply with wine, sit at a table… and dine.

The  evening had a taste of danger from the outset.  With sub-zero temperatures and pavements packed so tight with ice it was like walking on marbles, we all felt relieved to have arrived alive.  And ready for a glass of wine.

The starter was deliciously rich but not heavy.  Somewhat high-maintenance for a Supper Club given last minute multiple egg poaching, but the scraped-clean plates were testament to its success.

Salad with blue cheese dressing, crispy pancetta and poached egg.

Next up was a course for which I can claim no credit.  The need to do justice to an exquisite beef fillet and time the cooking to perfection was the danger of this decadent main.  Topped with portabello mushrooms and cheese, baked until perfectly pink, and served with freshly fried home-made chips…. Mr Wagget earned his place in the Keston Kitchen history.

Mmmm Meaty Morsels

Finally, I brought out a tried-and-tested Keston classic: Calvados Rice Pudding brûlée.  So rich and creamy it makes you think you've died and gone to heaven (and you'll probably get there a lot quicker if you eat enough of these indulgent little puds).  The danger of the dessert was my treacherous walk through the ice-rink streets of Prenzlauerberg with 8 freshly baked puds in ceramic ramekins, a blow torch….. and slippery-soled shoes.  Somehow we all made it in one piece.  

Playing with the new toy

Lecker und süß

A highly successful Abend and excellent addition to the Berlin culinary scene.  Nice work Wagget!

Jules x

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Sicily in a biscuit

'Brutti ma buoni' means ugly but good. 

It certainly does sum up this nutty, citrusy, sweet mouthful of joy, that transports you to the Sicilian shores for a moment of pleasure. Several moments in fact, if like me, you cannot resist more than one. Be careful, you will eat them ALL.

So if you are dreaming of warmer times, need to de-stress or decide if Sicily is this year's summer holiday then I recommend baking these.

There's fierce competition in the the convents across Sicily to bake the best dolci, sweet treats fit for the Pope.


Makes 24

4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
110g ground almonds
110g caster sugar
zest 2 lemons
2tbsp honey


Heat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Lightly       whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt.

Mix the almonds with the caster sugar and lemon zest and add enough of the whisked egg to get a soft paste - add the egg slowly as I find you are often left with a little. You can add more ground almonds if you do think it is too runny. Finally, stir in the honey.

Use two spoons to make small heaps of the paste on the baking tray, leaving enough space for the biscuits to spread a little.

Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack and enjoy. x

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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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